It has been stated by the creators Lori and Corey Cole that the series was always supposed to only consist of four games. The locations visited within the tetralogy were to correspond with various other symbolic cycles of four, such as the 4 classical elements, the 4 seasons, and the 4 cardinal directions. These icons are not merely design inspirations for each game, however - they are also allegory for the Hero's own personal maturation and the honing of skills, a cyclical representation of his own "coming-of-age" story. This is best explained in several statements given by the Coles in the past: