The Magician is a card of action, manifestation, individuality and creation. He's the master of personal Will and Intention.The Five of Cups is the card of loss, regrets and disappointments. Often it appears when we refuse to accept that things sometimes don't go the way we want them to go. The combination of the Magician and the Five of Cups points at the manifestation of an unwanted, confusing situation.
To understand the elemental relationships between the cards, we should always take into account their actual meaning. The elements of the cards are Air (Magician) and Water (Five of Cups). A major arcana Air card can easily stir the waters and create a muddy situation that will intensify the negative aspects of the Water card, so in this case, the combination of the Magician and the Five of Cups can create a very confusing or difficult situation, that shifts in unexpected ways.