ã€ŠReawakening of the Ancients [Hiatus]ã€‹


 Chapter 1: Set up

    Philip yawned and stretched on the luxurious couch. He blinked away the sleepiness that clung to his eyes. The fragrance of freshly bloomed flowers and freshly cut vegetation waft through the room, carried through an open window by a soft breeze. Philip sat up and looked over to see a clear sky shining through the window.

    A thunk resounded in the room. Philip peered down and saw a book had fallen on the floor.

    That''s right. Philip''s foggy mind cleared as he remembered why he was there. He reached down and picked it up, sighing as he read the title.

    ¡°Advanced Theory of Magical Purification,¡± he muttered boredly.

    ¡°A good read if I do say so myself,¡± A feminine voice announced, making Philip jump. ¡°Though it is a bit thick to read, and I don¡¯t mean how many pages the book has.¡±

    Philip looked over at Lily, his childhood friend. She was wearing the special black and gold uniform dedicated to the student council while slouching on the chair in the corner of the room.

    Philip shook his head with a tired acceptance since the girl seemed to never change despite the years they have known each other.

    ¡°Thick is a generous way to describe this,¡± Philip chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m actually wondering if they put a sleeping enchantment on it. Sister Anna would give anything for this to knock out the kids at the orphanage at bedtime.¡±

    ¡°And destroy the children¡¯s dream of becoming a great Mage by subjecting them to the reality of magecraft? How cruel, Philly,¡± Lily laughed, jumping out of her seat and dancing across the room to the window. She leaned outside and took in a deep breath, sighing contently as she gazed out over the campus. ¡°If only the innocent joys of childhood were able to last through adulthood.¡±

    ¡°The nobles would never allow that,¡± Philip grumbled.

    ¡°Perhaps they would and perhaps they wouldn¡¯t,¡± Lily mewed. Philip saw her staring at something at the ground, but after a few seconds she turned around with a familiar smile. The pranced across the floor and plopped onto the chair¡¯s armrest looking at him expectantly. Her long raven colored hair blew over her shoulder from the steady breeze and appeared to tickle Philip¡¯s dull gray robe.

    Philip decided to ignore her and leaned into the cushioning of the couch, opening the book to where he left off before his nap. The writing inside was, at best, sloppy if still readable. The author continued to dive into their research into proper meditation and cleansing of a core. As Philip started to zone out the world a light cough sounded next to him. Lily was leaning closer toward him, hovering near his shoulder to get a view of what he was reading.

    ¡°So, what do you want?¡± He asked, his irritation clearly apparent. "I chose this lounge because I wanted privacy."

    Lily let out a dramatic sigh and rolled off the armrest onto the couch. She landed with her head in Philip¡¯s lap and gazed up at him with a heartbroken expression.

    ¡°Your wonderful, beautiful friend takes time out of her busy day to see you and you assume I¡¯m trying to get a favor?¡± Lily pouted.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Philip bluntly replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m hurt¡­¡±

    ¡°Spit it out, Lily. You know I¡¯m behind and need all the time I can get to catch up with the rest of the class.¡± It was sadly true. Philip grimaced at the heavy tome in his hands dreading having to finish reading it before the end of the week. Not only reading, but trying out the exhausting amount of exercises as well.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t skip out of classes during the secondary education you wouldn¡¯t be in this mess,¡± Lily teased as she used her fingers to draw shapes on his chest. ¡°You were warned, you know.¡±

    Philip groaned and snapped the tome shut. He set it to the side and impatiently swiped Lily¡¯s hand away.

    ¡°Mel warned me. You, on the other hand, joined and encouraged it.¡±

    ¡°But I am now a councilwoman, one of the top students of the nation, and a radiant beauty who has suitor¡¯s chasing after her left and right.¡±

    ¡°Your humility is lost to the masses,¡± Philip rolled his eyes as he stood up. Lily managed to avoid being pushed onto the floor by quickly sitting up and giving him her trademarked smirk.

    ¡°You know it,¡± She laughed, her voice sounding like summer bells.

    ¡°Not all of us are a one-in-a-century prodigy, Lily. Most of us have to work for any scrap we can get.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, Mr. I-am-six-years-behind-everyone-else,¡± Lily grumbled. ¡°In the past two years alone you¡¯ve almost caught up to the top third of the University. A few professor¡¯s have even started to take notice of you.¡± She stood up and walked over to Philip, lying her hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure once graduation hits you¡¯ll be adopted into a good family.¡±

    ¡°Like I want to join any of the families,¡± Philip snorted. ¡°I¡¯d rather be a commoner again and be free than be chained into servitude by those... ¡° He took a breath to calm himself. ¡°Honorable leaders to our society.¡± he spat out.

    Lily gave a patient sigh. Philip turned away from her and moved toward the window. The previous calm of the University had slowly been getting louder over the past few minutes and Philip was getting curious. When he gazed outside he saw a few roaming crowds of students down below, each moving urgently instead of the usual stroll.

    ¡°Philip, you have to take the graduation adoption more seriously,¡± Lily scolded. ¡°All of us have worked hard to impress, as you graciously put it, the ¡®honorable¡¯ leaders of our society. The staff loves Mel and there is a lot of talk of her becoming a staff member here at the university after she gets adopted. I am working on the student council so I have a good chance of being noticed by at least an Earl. You are impressive in your studies, but you need to work on how you present yourself so you can get into a good family.¡±

    Philip shook his head in annoyance. The two of them have had this discussion innumerable times over their schooling life. Even more so the past few years with the Graduation quickly arriving. Lily and Mel both just wouldn¡¯t seem to leave him alone to let him focus on studying.

    ¡°Lily, I don¡¯t care about which house adopts me. I don¡¯t care about the families or any of their pointless political games. I just want to become good enough that I am not thrown into the role of a common soldier and I can continue my interests at my own leisure.¡±

    Lily moved by him and watched the roaming crowds with him. ¡°If you want that then you need to get noticed by a more respected family. Maybe the Tai¡¯s, or perhaps the--¡±

    ¡°Lily,¡± Philip sighed. ¡°I know the graduation adoption is important, but you have to focus on yourself. You¡¯re the shining star of the commoners here. Even if there are just three of us¡­¡±

    ¡°That is more of a reason why we have to stick together, Philly,¡± Lily¡¯s shoulder¡¯s dropped. Philip followed her gaze and caught a hold of a group which entered their building. A small smile crept onto her face as she turned from the window. ¡°I mean, I have to always act all prim and proper with the aristocracy. But with you and Mel I can be myself.¡±

    ¡°Should I thank you or curse you for showing your true personality to us?¡± Philip chuckled, awarding himself a solid punch on the arm. His mirth didn¡¯t wane as he rubbed the now sore spot. ¡°I just need to keep working hard if I want to join a ¡®respectable¡¯ family. Plus, I have another year once the Hunt is over.¡±

    Lily¡¯s smile grew as she gave a nod. ¡°Yes, I know you can do it! I think it would be better if you can get a tutor as well. If someone gives you the time of day I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be considered the only prodigy on campus.¡±

    Philip gave a loud laugh and shook his head in exasperation. Him being a prodigy? Best joke he heard all month. The two of them decided to sit down again and Philip opened the tome to continue reading. Lily sat in the chair again after grabbing a book from somewhere and started to read as well.

    The book was definitely ¡®thick¡¯ as Lily mentioned. The scholar who wrote it seemed to try and fit as much information and theories as possible into the fewest pages. From what Philip was able to decipher from the cluttered texts, the book¡¯s main focus was about the mage¡¯s core and how to purify its magic to increase a mage¡¯s potential.

    The Core, a unique organ which separated a mage from the rest of humanity. It was only found within monsters and mages, and through the organ all magic was formed and manipulated. But the core itself is born in a rough and ugly form, much like a precious stone. It is up to the mage to remove all the impure spots and polish it to make their magic stronger.

    This was the task Philip ignored for far too long, so he had been working extremely hard the past few years to catch up to his classmates. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, his core was still considered weak. When he cast magic he could only control four streams of mana before his core became strained. The average of his classmates were almost triple that. Even Lily could handle almost forty streams before becoming strained. He made great progress from when he first started, but he still had a long way to go.

    The noise in the hallways were growing louder. The crowd that entered a short time ago were making enough of a racket that Philip was unable to focus on his tome. He reread a page three times before he snapped the book shut in irritation and stood up. Lily gave him a questioning look before she gave a small shrug and continued to read.

    Philip walked over to the door to the lounge and opened the door to look out. Groups of three to four students were barging into rooms at the end of the hall and shouting. One group Philip recognized as the Student Council President, Charles. Unfortunately, before Philip could go back into the room Charles noticed him and made a beeline towards him.

    Philip, not wanting to confront the snobbish man, made the swift decision to pretend he didn¡¯t notice and walked into the room only to freeze in shock.

    Lily was lying down on the couch, tied up and gagged. Her eyes were sparkling with the smuggest look she could give with a gag covering her mouth, but Philip could practically see the grin. Philip turned to try and shut the door but Charles moved quicker than he expected and was standing in the doorway with his eyes locked on the bound form of Lily.

    Philip tried to open his mouth but Charles roared in rage and charged inside to grab Philip, his hands glowing in the process of weaving a spell.

    Philip stumbled backwards to get away, turning toward Lily. ¡°Lily¡­ what the hell--¡±

    ¡°We found her!¡± a student shouted at the door.

    Philip¡¯s mind raced trying to piece together what was going on, but he did not have enough time before Charles finished his spell. A bright beam of freezing cold shot toward Philip which he was barely able to roll away from before it would hit him in the chest. A wave of extreme cold washed over him as ice began to spread from the spot it struck, coils of frost spreading across the floor and stopping next to him.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Philip blankly stared at Charles as his hands began to glow again. The shouting got louder as more students started to pour into the room, the one who stood in the doorway earlier hand¡¯s were glowing like Charles.

    Something clicked in Philip¡¯s mind. They were attacking, not like during the sporty sparring sessions, but with full intent to injure. He kicked back just as the floor started to roll and turn into itself and close in on where he was lying down before.

    Philip dived behind the couch, putting it between him and the attacking students. His head whipped back and forth looking for a way to defend himself, but there was nothing within easy grabbing distance.

    ¡°Hold your spells!¡± Charles roared. ¡°He is using Lily as a shield.¡±

    How could he use Lily as a shield? She was on the couch tied¡­ oh.

    Philip chided himself realizing how bad things looked on his end, but he did not have time. He shifted behind the couch when he started to hear footsteps coming toward him and saw his salvation.

    The window he left open to air out the stuffy lounge. He knew he had to act now or he would become trapped between two groups of angered students so he acted without thinking further. He launched himself forward and leapt through the window, ignoring the angered shouts behind him. A few spells grazed behind him, a couple causing minor tears into his worn, gray robe.

    Wind started to buff against him as he felt the call of gravity take hold of him. Below him was a beautiful garden which expanded near half a mile across the courtyard. Freshly cut bushes and blooming flowers seemed to welcome Philip as his trajectory angled further and further downard, the wind picking speed to the point he could not hear the shouts behind him.

    In a panic Philip reached within himself and drew out all four rivers of mana. They felt like thin strings in his mental grasp, and he started to weave a spell.

    He was falling, and quickly. He needed to find a way to not die outright during the landing. Not only that, he needed to make sure his landing was controlled enough to be able to keep running from the mobs of students that now seem to be after his life. So, calculating both of those together the best route is to cast a levitate or slow fall spell.

    Sadly, levitate was far too complex for him to cast so with all deductions finished he started his Slow Fall spell. Two strands were enhanced with the air attribute, one ground, and one water. He used the ground thread to create stable footing beneath his feet then the two air to make an updraft to slow his fall. The earth and air threads, due to them being polar opposites, would never combine together to make a stable platform for him to slow his fall, so he threaded the water between them to tie the elements together. As soon as the spell was completed, Philip tied it off and a shimmering feather appeared beneath him, sparkling against the sun.

    It felt like he stepped onto a board when his feet touched the feather and the pull of gravity greatly lessened. He felt his fall slow but he was far too close to the ground for the spell to reach its full effect. The feather slammed into the ground and shattered into pieces, and he rolled with the landing until he crashed into a bush.

    It took a few seconds for him to be able to inhale again after his crash forced all the air from his lungs. He moved to roll over and stand up, his body aching all over but, thankfully, he seemed to not have any broken bones. His spell and plan was a success.

    He pushed himself up from the moist soil around him, the broken shards of the feather had turned into pure water since the spell broke. He looked up at the window he jumped out of to see a furious Charles glaring down at him. With a slight smirk at avoiding death on two fronts, the insane President and his ill-advised escape through the window, Philip raised his hand and gave a small but polite wave to his enemy.

    Charles¡¯ hands burst into light as Philip turned and started to run as fast as he could. A wave of cold crashed behind him again, but Philip was already too far away for it to bother him.

    ¡°Are you okay, Vice-President?¡±

    Lily gave a well practiced sigh as her bonds were unbound and the cloth which covered her mouth was taken off. She sat up and gave a slight stretch, glancing around the room at the mess that was done.

    Chairs were tipped over, ice and broken stone littered the floor, and a curtain by the open window was smoking. One of her ¡®rescuers¡¯ was using water to put out the flames from a spitfire spell which was thrown at Philip as he made his daring escape. Lily internally was cheering at his quick escape, as well as somehow managing to make a safe landfall from three stories up from Charles¡¯ reaction.

    The man was bellowing out orders to continue the ¡®hunt¡¯ for the kidnapper and his little mob of minions shot out of the room like the obedient little goblins they were. Low ranked families, each one of them, all trying to please the bigwig who was lucky enough to be born from a Duke. Each one of them somehow satisfied being a grunt to their supposed betters, and Lily vowed years ago to never be like them. She, one of the few commoners born with a core, would become powerful enough to not have to look down on anyone.

    ¡°The Vice-President seems to be traumatized,¡± the voice from earlier announced.

    Lily rolled her eyes and looked over at the other student who wore pastel red robes. Apparently they were the fire specialist who caught the curtain on fire. It looked like she would have to deal with the idiot before getting out of the room.

    ¡°No, no,¡± she sighed. ¡°I am fine. We were doing some practice before you all came in.¡±

    ¡°Practice?¡± Charles growled. He ran his hands through his dirty blond hair barely managing to hide his annoyance. ¡°Having you bound up like cattle and hiding you in an unused lounge is practice?¡±

    ¡°Well how else am I going to get better at defending myself in case I get kidnapped,¡± Lily dismissed. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly always rely on my magic if I ever get ambushed so I need to work on practical skills of escape.¡±

    Charles strode over and put his hands on Lily¡¯s shoulders. Lily looked up into his eyes and could see the rage and concern radiating through them.

    ¡°Lily,¡± he sighed. ¡°When you get adopted by a prominent family, you will have guards. You don¡¯t need to rely on¡­ a mutt like him to practice something like this.¡±

    Lily shrugged her shoulders to dislodge his hands. ¡°That mutt and I are the same. We are both lowborn working to get noticed. I just have been better at it than him, so far.¡±

    Charles opened his mouth to say something but a girl pushed herself through the crowd at the doors and into the room. She had chestnut colored hair tied into two long braids running down her worn gray robes with silver trimmings. Her glasses shined as the light of the room struck them hiding her normally beautiful magnified eyes.

    ¡°Lil!¡± She cried out as she rushed into the room and embraced Lily. Charles shook his head as he turned round.

    ¡°Lily is safe,¡± he announced. ¡°Let''s move. The mutt is getting away.¡±

    ¡°Kidnapped?¡± the girl embracing Lily whispered, her eyebrow raising dramatically in question.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± Lily whispered to her.

    Most of the students left the room and Charles gave Lily a solid look. ¡°Mel, take Lily to the Priestess to check and be sure the mutt did not do anything to her.¡±

    ¡°His name is Philip,¡± Mel growled. ¡°And I doubt he did anything--¡±

    ¡°I know what the mutt¡¯s damn name is!¡± Charles shouted. ¡°And whether he did anything or not remains to be seen. And by the founder I hope he did nothing because I would hate to have to¡­¡± He took a breath. ¡°Nevermind. Just take her. The mutt is escaping.¡±

    ¡°Just call this off, Charles,¡± Lily tried to sooth him. ¡°This was something we both agreed on so there is no need to keep trying to catch Philip.¡±

    Charles sighed and gave Lily a pitying look. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Lily,¡± he said. ¡°This has already gotten too big. I cannot just call it off after every faction and professor has been notified of your kidnapping. It would taint the competency of the Student Council.¡±

    ¡°Charles¡­¡±

    ¡°We will speak of this later, Lily,¡± he spoke with a finalized tone. ¡°I have a job to do and I will see it done, innocent or not.¡±

    Charles fled the room with the last of his minions. The room fell into silence, filled only with shouts from the courtyard as the search continued. The previous flowery smell was now vastly overwhelmed by the smell of smoke and charred fabric.

    Lily leaned back against the couch and let out a small chuckle. Mel, who had released her, was giving Lily a harsh glare.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± she growled.

    ¡°I set up everything so Philip will finally get the help he needs. Nothing else.¡± Lily smuggly replied.

    Mel sprung off the couch, her fists clenched in fury. ¡°I said we needed to find him a tutor! Not make him into a sexual deviant.¡± She shrieked. ¡°Are you trying to help him or expel him?¡±

    ¡°Help him, obviously. He might be hated by some students after this, but now he will be noticed by the instructors. They will watch him to make sure he won¡¯t do ¡®anything inappropriate¡¯ to the girls and by watching him they will see how crazy his magic is improving.¡±

    Lily¡¯s plan was risky, but they only had a year left before they finished their schooling. Philip was able to catch up on almost a decade of work the past two years but he was not close enough yet to being considered important enough to be part of a respectable family. He needed someone to push him further, and Lily had to get him noticed. If it wasn¡¯t for the boy¡¯s terrible habit of staying in the hidden corners of the University, reading and studying alone, she would never have chosen this route. But extreme needs demanded extreme actions.

    ¡°You are making him into a criminal!¡± Mel cried.

    Lily¡¯s heart broke hearing her infuriated friend break down. Lily knew that Mel did not have the willpower to go through with this plan, so she was forced to keep her in the dark. Lily did not like making the decision, but it needed to be done, for all of their sake.

    ¡°I¡¯m saving him from being thrown to the runts of the world so he can finally shine,¡± Lily hissed. She had to make Mel understand. ¡°One black mark, which won¡¯t even stay on the records because I will testify on his behalf, will get him the help he needs to finally reach the level he deserves to be at. People call me a prodigy, but most of my success comes from when I asked him when I was confused.¡±

    ¡°I know he is smart, Lil,¡± Mel muttered. ¡°All we needed was to get him a tutor.¡±

    ¡°We have already asked most of our professors and with no luck. You also know every one of those arrogant bastards would never lift a finger to help anyone unless it is for their personal benefit or for their research,¡± Lily growled. Mel¡¯s eyes shot open at Lily¡¯s foul language, but Lily ignored it. ¡°If they think they found a second prodigy while doing some forced charity work then it is more of an incentive for them to claim fame.¡±

    ¡°But is it worth making him a criminal, Lil?¡± Mel collapsed onto the couch next to Lily, her anger completely spent. ¡°Or an accused criminal? There are many families who won¡¯t care if his name was cleared. You might have cursed him into the army by this.¡±

    Lily gave Mel a comforting smile and wrapped an arm around her. She used her other hand to gently touch her cheek and turn Mel¡¯s head to face her.

    ¡°I am sure, Mel.¡± she cooed. ¡°I left it all nothing to chance when I set things up. Every professor worth a grain of salt was outside since it is lunch. This building is near the center of campus, so Philip¡¯s show of jumping out the window was seen by everyone remotely close to the cafeteria. And, they would have been paying attention from all of Charles¡¯ search parties from earlier. Every eye on campus is now on Philip, so now it is all up to him to show off his skills.¡±

    Mel thought for a few moments before her eyes hardened as she looked directly into Lily¡¯s eyes. ¡°But what if Philip gets caught? Or if he is hurt before a professor notices him?¡±

    ¡°As if a scuffle like this is the worst thing we¡¯ve gotten out of,¡± Lily chuckled. ¡°He is more competent than you are giving him credit for. Plus, if I am to get into a nice house I will need a guard. If Philip is thrown away as a soldier I can always ask for him to be it.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you should have told that to Philip before all this happened,¡± Mel said with a charming laugh. ¡°He would have blown out the wall during his escape to avoid such a fate.¡±

    Lily stood up and held out her hand to Mel. ¡°We should probably get going. I don¡¯t want Charles to come after you once Philip is saved because you did not take me to the Priestess.¡±

    Mel shook her head as she took Lily¡¯s hand. Lily guided her up. Lily felt a small bit of worry for Philip after she set all this up, but to become great one had to overcome harsh obstacles. Plus, the man seemed to always think best on his feet than suck in a book if their childhood adventures proved anything. He will be just fine.

    But a small bit of worry did squirm within her at the chance Philip failed. His escape through the window could have ended in a horrific disaster¡­ but it didn¡¯t. Lily hardened herself and took in a hardy breath.

    Philip will endure. He had to prove himself or fade away, and Lily made sure he was given the perfect platform to show himself off. Extreme needs demanded extreme actions, after all. Plus, if he succeeded and became the second prodigy, his name would definitely echo across the entire Kingdom. Who knows, he might be able to outshine her.

    Or at least attempt to outshine her.

    Lily smiled a rare smile. One of which promised entertainment of overcoming a worthy challenge. She had not felt this way in a long while.

    Lily linked arms with Mel as they both left the ruined lounge and started heading toward the Temple.

 Chapter 2: Fleeing the Mob

    Philip panted as he leapt over the half-wall separating the garden from the rest of the courtyard. He had a good head start from the rest of the mob but that advantage was quickly disappearing as word spread of his escape.

    He charged across the open lawn to get to the nearby buildings. The garden was a decent hiding spot but it was far too small to keep him safe. No matter how good he was at hiding, he would eventually be smoked out by sheer numbers of people searching for him. Philip¡¯s best bet was to use the alleys of the campus buildings to slowly make his way to find someone who could vouch for him.

    He noticed a pair of guards lounging by the alley he was aiming for so Philip quickly turned toward the next one with a curse. Every second spent running over the open courtyard made him feel like an open target just waiting for a spitfire spell or ice lance to pierce him in the back.

    His fears were realized as a shout resounded behind him. Philip glanced back to see two students calling for backup. One of them was charging a spell, but since the student was wearing a gray robe Philip was not sure which element he would have to defend against.

    He dived to the side as the ground started to rumble and rolled away. He got back to his feet and continued to run for the buildings as the ground he just avoided snapped together like a bear trap. He would easily have lost a leg if he failed to avoid the attack. Philip gulped and weaved sporadically across the remainder of the field. He neared the nearest building as a few more sections of the earth snapped shut, as well as a couple of spitfires streaked past his shoulders.

    Philip finally made it to the building. The alleyway was about ten feet to the right but the attacks surrounding him made him reconsider his plan. Switching his target he pulled out two strings of mana with the wind attunement and weaved a shell around himself. He leapt and crashed through the windows, glass shattering. He quickly flipped the shell around him to catch as much of the glass as possible and threw it behind him to stop any pursuers.

    Cups and pitchers broke beneath him as he slammed onto the table, cutting into his flesh as he slid across. He landed with a thump against something soft and fell to the floor. The ground also was not as hard as he expected, but when he looked beneath him as he stopped he noticed he was lying on some beautiful blue cloth, being lovingly worn by a comely girl with unusual blue hair. Her eyes were unfocused, seemingly glazed over with confusion.

    Not waiting for her to understand exactly what had happened, Philip pushed himself off her, then he turned around to see three other girls staring at him.

    ¡°Sorry for disturbing your lunch, ladies,¡± he wheezed with a slight bow. Philip dismissed himself and rushed further into the now silent cafeteria, praying that the girl was not from some prominent noble family.

    Then again, he was already wanted by most of the campus leadership, so what is another enemy or two.

    Philip snorted at his personal joke as he weaved between the tables, aiming for the kitchen.

    Doors slammed open behind him. Philip dared a glance only to see Charles and his goons rushing in, their hands glowing with pre-prepared spells.

    ¡°Catch that deviant!¡± Charles roared. ¡°Everyone vacate the premises or be caught in the crossfire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can all get along if we just talk this out,¡± Philip offered.

    Charles¡¯ face seemed to twist in disgust. ¡°Subdue the mutt. I don¡¯t care how, just don¡¯t outright kill him.¡±

    Philip shrugged as a couple of the servers who just left the kitchen, holding plates of steaming food, retreated back where they came. Chairs around Philip quickly began to scoot as their occupants tried to move away from him, but Philip dived onto the floor and started to use the tables as cover. He prayed a small thanks that they were close together; the hanging tablecloths acting as a barrier to avoid the sight of his hunters.

    This deception would not work for long, so Philip decided to change the game. With a strand of mana Philip weaved an earthen spell which clamped around the tips of the chair legs to keep them from moving. Shouts of confusion and panic resounded around him as the students who heard Charles¡¯ announcement discovered that their chairs were stuck, and a few of them were also pushed a little closer to the table to pin the occupant from being able to stand up.

    As the earth moved around him, Philip aimed part of the spell toward the closest kitchen door.

    Nodding in satisfaction, Philip used his newfound opportunity to roll and leap between each table, not toward the kitchen door but toward the door on the opposite end of the room which led into the rest of the building.

    ¡°He is moving toward the kitchen,¡± one of the goons announced. ¡°That scum is using other students as a hostage.¡±

    ¡°Damn that mutt!¡± Charles bellowed. ¡°You two break his spell. The rest of you flip these tables and watch the door. If it opens, blast anything that moves near it.¡±

    Philip shrugged and tied off the small weave feeling a pulse slither towards the kitchen door. The tables he just reached were already vacated of occupants so, at that moment, he was hidden. He just needed to get a few moments of breathing room to make a rush for the door and he would be able to use the twists and turns of the hallway to keep out of range of most spells.

    Philip smiled and pulled a single strand of attuned wind and threw it away toward another table. He took in a breath and chuckled as the spell solidified.

    ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t just settle this over a drink?¡± Philip¡¯s voice resounded away from him a few tables closer to the Kitchen. Cries of rage from the pursuing students followed along with the splintering of wood. ¡°I guess that is a no?¡± Philip replied after moving his spell to another table. Another crash and splintering of wood sounded along with a few cries of fear. Philip guessed some students were still sitting at that one.

    Tables and dinnerware crashed and shattered as the hunters barged their way through the cafeteria. A few of the servers in the room looked like they were about to faint from the havoc but they held themselves in front of a number of the students, acting as a shield for when the spells were going to be unleashed.

    It took only a few moments before Philip¡¯s spell arrived at the doors. A small bump rose up by the door and slid forward into the kitchen, pushing the door slowly open. A cry of triumph sounded as more than half of the hunters released their spells toward the kitchen.

    An explosion of magic as every element collided into each other resounded and the door, as well as part of the wall, shattered into pieces. Philip gulped thinking that they were prepared to bombard him with all of that, and even Charles seemed to be taken aback by the sheer power of it. As the spells vanished a cook with a long white hat looked as if he was thrown against one of the counters. His body was riddled with shards of wood from the door, spots of red beginning to run down his body.

    Philip leapt forward and slipped through the far door while everyone¡¯s attention focused on the now destroyed door. Another quick spell lifted the stone on his side to stop the doors from being able to open. Inside the room erupted into chaos. Philip could hear the head cook¡¯s deep voice bellowing, the stone walls seeming to shake under it. More cries of fear as well as the clattering of what he guessed was pans being used as weapons.

    Knowing it was long past time for him to be gone, Philip used some earth mana to pull up a nice pedestal in the center of the hallway. Taking a couple seconds to sculpt it he then fled, leaving a nice rendition of an arm sticking out of the ground, proudly displaying a middle finger aimed at the door for when Charles finally got wise to break through.

    Philip chuckled as he charged through the halls, taking turns almost at random. They were empty since it was lunchtime and most students enjoyed eating outside during the warm spring weather so he was not impeded by anyone.

    The cries of rage slowly quieted down the further he got from the cafeteria and he soon arrived at a familiar intersection. Three hallways converged together, with a stairwell which rose up to end at a small rise. An enormous painting of some past noble filled the wall at the top of the rise, with the staircase continuing to rise up the wall on both sides, curving up into the next floor.

    Looking down each hallway Philip did not see anyone but a couple of guards lazily strolling away from his direction, so he rushed up the stairwell toward the painting. He lifted the edge of it to see a small tunnel hidden behind it. Not wasting any time Philip crawled into one of his most used childhood getaways and scrambled into the cramped tunnel.

    Soon he arrived at a decline which dipped down into darkness. When he was little he was able to turn around and go down it feet first, but due to his now almost adult body he just pushed forward and let gravity pull him down. Luckily, whoever made this path enchanted a small amount of wind magic so Philip¡¯s robes did not catch and rip on the stone. Instead he hovered slightly above any rough patches of stonework, avoiding any feeling of drag or friction as he started down.

    Unfortunately, because he was not touching the stone he started to gain speed, moving faster and faster. The incline soon curved and started upwards again. Knowing what was quickly coming Philip closed his eyes and braced himself for impact.

    Feeling a slight brush against his head, a fake wall swung open and Philip felt his body become weightless as he was launched into the air. Philip opened his eyes to see a beautiful grotto which had crystal chandeliers hanging down from the cave ceiling. Carvings of angels and demons circled the room, with streaks of gold and some unknown blue metal extending down into the water. The gold and metal formed intricate runes from ages past, their meanings lost to Philip.

    Philip took in the chamber that he and Lily found during a daring kitchen raid when they were first brought to the University. A small sanctuary to hide away from the servants and nitpicking instructors. A small smile spread across his face as he was briefly overcome by nostalgia, abruptly ended when he landed face first into the water.

    The chilly liquid shocked him from his past thoughts and he waved his arms to push himself to the surface. With effort he managed to break the surface and take in a deep breath of air. He tread water from a few moments to regain his senses before making toward the far shore. His now wet robes dragged him down, trying to push him under the water, but Philip was used to the feeling.

    Soon he arrived at a dock carved from stone. He grabbed a hold and pulled himself up. The heavy robes now felt like claws of cold trying to hold him in the chilly depths. With a mighty heave he broke out of the water completely and flopped against the stone, a few moments of respite in his hidden sanctuary.

    ¡°Well¡­ that could have been worse,¡± he muttered, gasping for breath. He felt more tired than usual. Perhaps Mel was right and he had been spending too much time in his studies and not enough keeping up with his physical needs. Philip looked down to see his robe clinging to his body, a small pudge starting to grow on his stomach which used to be nothing but muscle.

    Yeah, perhaps Mel was right.

    Not like it mattered at the moment. This sanctuary had been compromised years ago by his own stupidity. He brought a few older students with him to try and impress them, but instead he learned how others would steal credit. Those students revealed the secret to some instructors and were rewarded for discovering a hidden chamber which was thought to have been lost a century ago. Since it was now a well documented location, he would not be able to stay for long without a hunting party arriving during their search. But its remote location did give him a short time to plan.

    Philip decided to start with what he knew and work up from there.

    Lily set all this up, meaning she was up to something. Whatever benefit she would get by making him the most wanted person on campus was lost to him, but she would not intentionally do anything which would cause too much risk to his life. Perhaps enough danger to cause him bodily harm, but Priestess Emily could heal back most injuries so she would have considered that. It wouldn¡¯t be the first limb he would have had to regrow, recalling an unfortunate time where Lily tried to raise a wild beast in secret. Ever since then Philip has had a very strong dislike of large cats.

    Philip still shivered remembering the power shot at him in the kitchn. Philip was not strong in magic, but the raw power of most of the students attending the University definitely was a danger to watch for. He would have to watch his every step or he would be taken out.

    This brings up the most threatening person, Charles. The President of the Student Council was after his hide, so anywhere with lots of students was not a safe zone. He would have to find someone more powerful than him to use as a shield. Which means Philip needed to find a faculty member, someone who could even dissuade Charles.

    Not as easy as Philip first though as he reflected on the status of the man. First son of a duke, so faculty who are of low status are out. They would sell him out just to get a favor from the duke¡¯s son. Which means he needed to find someone more influential, the lowest ranked person would have to be an Earl at minimum.

    Charles is also part of the student council, so most faculty by default will avoid Philip, dismissing it as a student matter. So someone who works directly with the students and deals with them on a constant basis is a must. That removes all the researchers, guests, and upper staff from the list.

    So somebody who is high ranked but low in the staff¡­ Philip wracked his brain to place the perfect person. The entire situation was out of control and Philip wished he could just go to the guards, but they would be after his head as well because he was wanted for¡­You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Wait? Was he wanted by the guards or just by the student council?

    Philip sat up and pondered. The two guards by the alleyway he originally aimed for were not alert. They were acting like today was just another day on the job, not a day to catch a wanted criminal. The guard in the hallway was also leisurely strolling, not searching like everyone else. So that means whatever was happening was all under the control of the student council, not under purview of the law.

    Which means Philip was not a criminal, just a person now on the wrong end of every social circle in the University. How lucky¡­

    So Philip¡¯s best bet was to find the Guard Captain and seek protection from an angry mob of students. Lily would never testify that Philip kidnapped her; that was not her way of doing things. Giving challenges to overcome was her method, as it was more ¡®fun¡¯ for her to watch and join in the struggle. So Philip should be fine against the law unless Charles was able to convince his father to seek retribution.

    Luckly, the University was officially politically neutral, so such an action would never happen. Not in the open, at least. But those problems were for future Philip to worry about. He had a more immediate problem to deal with.

    Knowing his goal, Philip stood up and pulled out three strings of mana, attuning two with wind mana and one fire, weaving them together around him like a cloak. The warmth dried his now torn robe with the wind blowing the vapor away with a slight breeze. Once his robes felt comfortable enough he dispelled the spell and carefully moved toward the entrance of the grotto. A wall of vines covered the opening of the cave. Philip peered outside, moving as few of them as possible, and looked around.

    The cave was partway up a cliffside, overlooking the Lower City of the University. Red tiled roofs littered the island like a sea of clay. A few towers broke through to stretch upwards into the sky, the bleached white walls almost shining under the clear sky. Near the edge of the island, enormous clouds flowed out as far as the eye could see, like an ocean. A few skyships were flying to and from the lower port, trading with the servants and staff who served the numerous nobility who breathed life into the University.

    A small trail stretched from the cave across the cliffside upwards to the Upper City, where the nobility and faculty lived. Philip, not seeing anybody walking toward him, smiled and pushed his way out of the cave. Taking a breath, Philip pulled out four strings of mana and weaved another slow-fall spell and stepped over the cliff edge and glided down toward the Lower City.

    He held his hand out and used the vegetation of the cliff to guide himself toward the roofs. Small trees which jutted out from the cliffside were perfect handles to angle himself to a nice alleyway. Philip was only a third of the way down before he heard shouting. He looked below him, but bystanders in the streets seemed ignorant of him. With a glance above he noticed a small line of students lined up across a wall, pointing toward him.

    ¡°Looks like hide and seek ended a little earlier than expected,¡± he muttered into the wind. A few of the  mob¡¯s hands were glowing, but Philip was confident he was out of--

    A gust of wind hit him and he felt his stability on his feather waver for a moment. Another gust hit him right afterward, followed by a spear of ice which missed him by a few meters.

    ¡°Nice aim,¡± Philip called out as he kicked the cliff to turn himself around and coast further away from the mob.

    It seemed he was still within range of attacks from the students. He grabbed hold of a vine and released his slow-fall spell. Gravity took hold of him, but the vine held as he swung downward toward the roofs. Now that his threads of magic were free, Philip wove two air together with water and fire.

    The water was the main element used for this spell, and was surrounded by an inverted fire strand. Heat was pulled from the water and into the two air threads which were woven like a blanket around Philip. Once the spell was complete, a cool mist formed around him to hide him from further attacks.

    Wind struck against him again, trying to blow the mist away, but Philip pulled more magic into the threads to expand the range of the spell. The attacking gust spell broke apart, the weaving sloppy and rushed, so the mist spread without contest.

    Once Philip¡¯s spell was complete he tightened the weave as tight as he could. Soon it looked almost like a solid tapestry and he knew it would not be erased by a lazy attack from one of the mob. Philip grabbed another vine and started to climb down the cliffside. The crunching of stone notified him that some earth spells were trying to cut the vines, but these were grown over the centuries by mages studying vegetation. Simple spells cast by novices were never going to damage them enough for them to not hold his weight.

    Philip¡¯s arms burned as he slowly made his way down into the city. He winced when his mist was hit by a gust spell but the fabric held strong. At least to start with. He soon started to feel his weave weaken and small tears begin to form. By the time he reached the roof he was panting in exhaustion and his chest was beginning to hurt from pushing his mana to cover the holes forming in his spell. With one final push he shoved himself off the cliff and slammed onto the roof, catching the center tile to keep himself from sliding down.

    His arms shook as he pushed himself up and balanced on the angled surface. His arms felt like jelly and his breathing came only in gasps. But now was not the time to rest since he could feel his magic begin to rip apart. His weave was strong, but the constant attacks have finally weakened it to the breaking point.

    Philip started to run as quickly as he could across the roof, clutching his chest as his magic struggled for more power. He could feel the mana strain setting in letting him know that he had cast far more magic than he should have today, and his core trembled at the pressure. With a sigh, he released his mist spell as he arrived at the edge of the roof and leapt down onto a lower portion of the building.

    The surface was much flatter than the top of the roof, but still he slid partway down when he did not land properly. Luckily the ledge he just leapt off of blocked his view of the cliff, giving him another temporary reprieve. Philip looked around at where he was as the mist slowly blew off into the breeze.

    Low City had a straightforward design to the placement of buildings. They circled around a market which connected to the port, so the building he was lying on was part of the outer ring. Most likely a housing unit used for a high ranking member of the servant staff.

    It was exactly where he wanted to be. The Captain of the Guard was a noble, but the guards had many paths to go between each rung of the Island. So Philip just had to find a guard who will guide him to one of them and make his way into the barracks, where he will find the Captain to ask for protection..

    Simple enough.

    Philip slid down the roof and peered over the edge. There was nobody in sight so he weaved, hopefully, his last slow-fall spell. Each strand he pulled out made him wince in pain and they flickered under his grasp. Sweat formed on his head as a shimmering feather appeared below him and he carefully started to float down. Before he reached the bottom the entire weave flickered and dissipated dropping him the last few feet onto the dirt alleyway.

    Philip panted, clutching his burning chest as he sat up. He was out of magic for the day, so he would have to make due with his wits only.

    He stood up, his body now feeling like it was on fire. He stumbled forward toward the edge of the alleyway, each step getting slightly steadier until he was walking normally. As he exited he noticed three servants who were off duty sitting on a stairwell. They were holding a mug and laughing at whatever the one at the top of the stairs said.

    As Philip started toward them the one at the top of the stairs nudged the one right next to him and pointed toward Philip. Concern and fear filled their eyes as they noticed the tears along Philip¡¯s robe, but they sat there until Philp was at the foot of the stairwell.

    ¡°What can we do for you, M¡¯lord?¡± The nearest one asked as he realized Philip would not just walk past them. His gaze seemed to shout to Philip that the man saw him like he was a beast ready to attack.

    ¡°Can any of you gentlemen point me toward the nearest guard station?¡± Philip replied, as calmly as his tired and pained self could manage. The two at the top of the stairs gave each other a glance, but the third coughed into his hand before replying.

    ¡°Of course M¡¯lord. Just go out the alley and take a right. Guards should be patrolling close to the market street.¡± He paused before taking a breath. ¡°It may be bold of me to ask, but what happened to--¡±

    ¡°Trevor,¡± the top servant hissed, slapping him on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t cause his Lordship anymore trouble.¡± He smiled and gave a small bow to Philip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, M¡¯lord. Please excuse his rudeness.¡±

    Philip sighed and waved them thanks before heading out of the alleyway. As he passed he heard the servants muttering to each other.

    ¡°Why did you hit me?¡± the low servant growled.

    ¡°Are you daft?¡± The top servant growled. ¡°Don¡¯t get involved in nobles unless you want to be part of The Game.¡±

    ¡°You saying the boy getting attacked was--¡±

    ¡°Who else would be stupid enough to attack a noble but another--¡±

    Their voices became too quiet to make out as Philip left the alleyway and entered the street. Philip heard of the game, and after learning of it he tried to distance himself from it as much as possible from the nobility. Staying low and out of sight of those who would want to use him for¡­ whatever nobles wanted.

    More wealth despite having vaults filled with jewels? More magic despite the nobility monopolizing every aspect of magical knowledge? More property even though every island in the nation is already owned by a member of the nobility?

    Philip could not understand what else they could want. They already had everything he could imagine, so to avoid getting wrapped in a pointless game he did not put in any effort to learn magic. Which, in the end, seems to have bit him in the butt. He wanted freedom to do what he wanted, and he learned too late that ¡®failures¡¯ were sent to become soldiers. If anyone had the least amount of freedom in the nation, it was a soldier who is forced to be the hands and blade for whatever noble they serve.

    A fate worse than death, in Philip¡¯s eyes.

    The street had more people wandering around. A few traders moved goods from the port to a storage facility. More off duty servants enjoying some well earned free time, and at the far end of the street the familiar armor with purple and gold tassels of a University guard. Philip pushed himself to quickly make his way toward them, weaving between the few other residents on the street. When the guards noticed him, they froze. Their calm demeanor disappearing and looking alarmed, their hands on their weapon. Philip also stopped, hesitating.

    Did he get it wrong? Were the guards also working with the mob?

    Before he was able to reconsider his actions a guard moved over to him and gave a respectful salute.

    ¡°Apprentice Mage,¡± his baritone voice washed over Philip. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Philip blinked and sighed in relief. His chest throbbed as he took in a breath, but he at least knew he was safe at the moment.

    ¡°Other students attacked me. I am seeking help and protection. Can you take me to Captain Nosp, she is an acquaintance of mine.¡±

    The guards gave each other a look before they nodded.

    ¡°The Captain is currently at the Port. I will take you to her myself.¡± He stood up and gave the other guard a signal. The other guard rushed off as he turned back to Philip. ¡°Are you injured? Do you require a healer?¡±

    Philip shook his head. ¡°I am fine, just a little mana fatigue.¡±

    The guard nodded in confirmation and offered a supporting arm to Philip, which Philip politely declined. The guard grunted in acknowledgement, then they both moved deeper into the Low City.

    It took less than ten minutes before they arrived. The crowds slowly grew thicker and thicker until the area was packed with bodies. Merchants selling goods, servants and the occasional mage roamed through the streets, as well as guards patrolling and keeping the peace. If the Upper City held the breath of the University, the Low City held the heartbeat. Philip felt more at home down here than he ever did above.

    The soothing sounds of the busy market filled Philip with ease. He finally had his breath back and his throbbing chest returned to only being slightly painful. It would still take another day or two before the sensitive core returned to normal, but for now he was no longer in any immediate danger of damaging it.

    They soon arrived in front of a cafe, the guard from earlier standing next to a guard who was sitting at one of the tables sipping on some tea. Her armor was much more elaborate compared to the other ones showing her status as the Captain. She smiled at Philip as he drew near and set down her cup.

    ¡°Hello Philip, what an expected pleasure,¡± she purred. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you were in trouble.¡±

    She waved at the two guards to dismiss them. They both bowed and left, going back to their patrol duty. Philip took a seat with the Captain and sighed. He was exhausted, but he finally reached safety.

    ¡°I am,¡± he breathed. ¡°Lets just say it has been a very tiring couple hours.¡±

    ¡°From my reports I¡¯m sure it has,¡± Nosp chuckled. Philip tensed as he peered at her, making her laugh even more. ¡°What are you surprised about? You put on quite a show during lunch. I was quite impressed with your shimmering flight as you flew out of the building.¡±

    ¡°You were there?¡± Philip gulped. He clutched the chairs ready to spring away, but the Captain lazily waved at him to calm down.

    ¡°Of course I was. Miss Lilith missing for almost a day and a half, every student Charles could get his hands on in a massive search, and then finding her seemingly unharmed with one of the other commoners. Miss Lilith even said that this was just practice in case she actually got kidnapped. Finding better ways to escape.¡± Nosp let out a light hearted chuckle. ¡°That is very much like the two of you to cause trouble. Reminds me of the days you two were just small snots making my life difficult. It was a very interesting morning.¡± She took a sip of her tea.

    ¡°Then you know that I am innocent of this,¡± Philip prodded. ¡°You can help calm down the Council and--¡±

    ¡°Oh, Philip, I can¡¯t do that,¡± Captain Nosp tittered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say but things have gotten far too large for me to take action.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡± Philip blurted. Captain Nosp could not help him? He was innocent. Lily herself said it was ¡®practice¡¯, curse her stupid idea of fun. How did this get too big?

    ¡°This is a matter which upset the entire University, Philip,¡± the Captain observed. ¡°Every faction at the University has been notified. Every student is now watching for you, each wanting to gain a favor from that little Charles by selling you out. Even every faculty member has heard of your supposed kidnapping attempt. It was an amusing story, you know. A low rank apprentice kidnapping the up-and-coming prodigy. Almost romantic in a way, but I digress.

    ¡°It was a fun diversion from the day-to-day routines for most of them. But then you did something unexpected. You escaped. Quite a few even saw it happen, which again was very impressive. Superb mana control at an amazing speed. It was almost like there was no spell cast and the feather just appeared below you. Very, very impressive.

    ¡°No, I cannot help you, Philip. I wish I could but it is beyond me now. This is now an interest of everyone who is curious to see your hidden skills. To show us what you have kept hidden from all of us for all these years. Plus, if you don¡¯t get caught before sundown, I win twenty five gold.¡±

    Philip sat frozen in shock. His heart quickened as the overly calm voice of Captain Nosp flowed through him. It did not make sense. What hidden power? What interest? Wasn¡¯t the faculty also trying to catch him?

    Did he see one try to?

    Before Philip could think further a shout sounded from the edge of the market. Philip flinched and slowly turned to see Charle¡¯s standing at the edge of the market, flanked by the two guards who escorted him to Captain Nosp, and the mob of students right behind them.

    Philip gave the Captain one more glance and saw her calm smile.

    ¡°I¡¯d start running now. I¡¯d hate to lose twenty five gold.¡±

    Philip sprung out of the chair and dashed down the nearest alley as the students began to charge through the marketplace, causing mayhem in their wake.

 Chapter 3: Lower City

    ¡°You are cleared to go,¡± Priestess Emily declared as she marked another check off of the examination checklist. ¡°A little more physical activity would do you well. But there are no immediate concerns.¡±

    Lily grumbled as she lowered her robe back over herself and stood up. It wasn¡¯t her fault that she was busy with Council work everyday. Well, maybe she did procrastinate a little. But if she finished all her work on time the President would give more. Lily didn¡¯t have time for that. She barely had time to get lunch half the time, much less find time to go to the sparing fields.

    Lily shook her head and gave the Priestess a practiced smile. It did not seem to matter, as the Priestess stood up and moved to the corner to return her tools. The woman was old, almost in her forties from Lily¡¯s estimation. Her blonde hair had a few streaks of gray, but that age did not seem to have touched her body in any way. Under her pristine white robes Lily could make out muscles rippling against the fabric.

    The examination room was plainer than other lounges in the University, but compared to what Lily remembered of the orphanage it was still disgustingly extravagant. Elaborate carvings of historical scenes lined the corners and ceiling. The room seemed to exude wealth despite being virtually unadorned with any other type of decoration besides what was added structurally. The floors were covered in a soft, plush carpet. Lily guessed it was to make the patients feel more ¡®comfortable¡¯.

    In the room Mel sat on a cushioned chair near her and the Priestess. She insisted on being her escort through her ¡®troubled time¡¯, as the other council members put it. LIly could barely hold back a snort in amusement by how much they tried to cater to her, but at the same time she felt thankful for Mel¡¯s insistence. The examination would have been a lot more boring if Mel was not here to chat with..

    She sighed and tried to stand up, but the Priestess gave a harsh cough warning her not to move. With a grumble, Lily leaned into the chaise longue to wait for the Priestess to finally finish up this examination. The sooner she left here the sooner she could go fix the situation with Philip. The wonders of what kind of chaos he caused within the past couple hours was mind boggling.

    Sure, she might have added more work to her workload, but this was fun work.

    ¡°Now don¡¯t push yourself too much,¡± the Priestess spoke with practiced ease. ¡°The Familiar Hunt is in just a few months and you need to be in peak condition by the time you get to the Great Forest.¡±

    ¡°What is the Great Forest like, Priestess Emily?¡± Mel asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

    ¡°Just call me Emily,¡± the Priestess laughed. ¡°And the island is dangerous. One of the few truly wild islands in the Kingdom, left in its natural state due to it being one of the richest islands in raw mana. Due to the dense mana, animals often give birth to children with mana cores. These beasts often mutate into a multitude of monsters, most mindless but rarely there are those we can consider intelligent.¡± Emily paused, her eyes losing focus as if she was watching a scene from a long time ago. ¡°I was once an Adventurer who used to hunt those beasts, along with many good friends.¡±

    ¡°You were part of the Mercenary Guild?¡± Mel squeed. Lily rolled her eyes, not understanding the girl¡¯s excitement. Adventurers were a dime a dozen, more often getting killed than actually being useful to society. Often abandoning their families in search for cheap fame and easy riches. Lily internally scoffed as the image of her mother flashed in her mind, quickly getting blocked again like the rest of those who abandoned her.

    ¡°I was,¡± Emily continued. ¡°Along with a good few others. The Dean of the school being one of them.¡±

    ¡°You and Omar?¡± Lily had to ask, interesting information finally arising.

    ¡°That is Count Omar, Lily,¡± Emily chastised. ¡°And yes, we did many quests together. He was the leader of our mercenary group.¡±

    ¡°And he also hogged all the fame to gain a title to lord over the lot of us,¡± A baritone voice made itself known and the door to the examination room creaked open. A man with long black hair stood just outside the room, his pitch black robes covered with silver thread and emerald gems flickered in the light. ¡°I assume the examination is concluded if you have free time to gossip about the past.¡±

    ¡°Rupert,¡± Emily chided. ¡°You are lucky everyone is dressed or I would have been obligated to throw you through the wall.¡±

    ¡°It would not be the first time,¡± the man deadpanned.

    ¡°Or the least satisfying,¡± Emily retorted. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Good afternoon, Professor Blackledge,¡± Mel stood up and gave the man a polite bow. The man gave her half a glance and tilted his head in reply. He turned away and gazed at Lily, making her skin crawl.

    ¡°There was a ruckus today which was caused by a, shall we say, upcoming member of society,¡± he goaded. ¡°I am wondering what reasons that promising person had to risk their, as of now reputable, reputation?¡±

    So the interrogations begin. Lily thought she had a little more time before someone would call her out, but it seems rumors spread faster than she imagined. But she was not too worried. After all, she prepared for this.

    ¡°It was just some practice in case I get kidnapped. I¡¯m sure you have heard the rumors--¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Rupert interrupted. ¡°I have heard all the half baked excuses already. I¡¯m asking for the real reasons.¡±

    Emily stormed over to the man and jammed her finger into his chest. The man grimaced and turned to face her.

    ¡°You are out of line, Rupert,¡± she growled. ¡°This girl is currently my patient and you will not act as you please here.¡±

    The man took in a breath and slowly released it. His eyes seemed to glow with irritation as his gaze tried to pierce into Emily.

    ¡°Me? I am out of line?¡± he hissed. ¡°I am asking for an explanation to why this child decided it would be fun to cause an upheaval of the entire University.¡± He took a step forward to the obvious surprise of Emily who stumbled back by his push. ¡°Deliveries have been delayed, assistants have not shown up for their work, and the servants are overall distracted. Not only has my research been interrupted by these inconveniences, but so has all the research from over half of the staff. So how am I the one out of line?¡±

    His breath came short as his fury slowly built up, but Lily was not paying attention anymore. Philip escaped into Low City? Charles decided to chase after him down there and they are causing a mess?

    Everything was going much better than planned. Someone was bound to notice Philip with every eye of the island watching him.

    ¡°You are out of line by entering this room without my explicit permission, violating the girl¡¯s right to privacy during a health evaluation,¡± Emily growled. ¡°That is why you are out of line.¡±

    ¡°Then finish your damn evaluation,¡± Rupert hissed. ¡°We all know she is perfectly healthy. She set this up to satisfy her perverted thirst for adventure and chaos!¡±

    ¡°This wasn¡¯t for adventure!¡± Mel cried out.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes shot to her. Both Emily and Rupert¡¯s struck Mel causing her to shrink into her seat in a vain attempt to hide from their intense glare. Lily¡¯s eyes expanded in shock at Mel¡¯s uncharacteristic boldness.

    ¡°Explain,¡± was Rupert¡¯s only response.

    Mel shivered in her chair before taking in a deep breath. She sat up and returned his gaze, quivering only slightly under it.

    ¡°This was for our friend, Philip,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°For that common boy?¡± Rupert asked, his brows furrowing dangerously.

    Mel squeaked and seemed to shrink further into the chair. Tears started to form in her eyes and her breathing started to come in raspier breaths.

    Lily fell into the chaise longue and threw out her arms dramatically. She felt the glares shoot to her, but she had to find a way to put Mel at ease a little. Those two idiots did not seem to realize how much they were intimidating the poor girl. Or, more likely, were trying to scare her into spilling every secret she had.

    But it seems the jig was up.

    ¡°Yes, it was all for ¡®that common boy¡¯,¡± Lily confirmed.

    ¡°Why is it always that kid who is the center of trouble?¡± Emily wondered. ¡°Since he was first brought to the University he seemed to find a way to get into things he shouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°What is so important about the boy to do all of this?¡± Rupert asked with a dangerously calm tone. Lily peered up at them and saw he was no longer shaking with the previous hot anger, but he was not will with a calm, cold rage.

    ¡°Be¡­ because he is¡­¡¯ Mel stammered.

    ¡°Because he is skilled beyond belief yet nobody would give him the time of day,¡± Lily finished as she leaned back again, closing her eyes. The man was mad but he could not touch her without proper cause and approval, so she was not worried. ¡°In just two years he has almost caught up to a decade of ignored studies, and if we couldn¡¯t get him noticed by someone willing to tutor him his talents would be wasted as a common soldier.¡±

    Lily closed her eyes and waited for the explosion, but it did not happen. She peered at the two adults again only to see both were looking at her questioningly. Rupert was looking out toward a window, his eyes seemed distant as he seemed to reflect on what she just said. Emily was looking between her and Mel as if they were some sort of interesting puzzle. Lily just shrugged and let them do what they wanted since she didn¡¯t have to hide this fact anymore. Perhaps she would have less paperwork later.

    ¡°Why?¡± Emily was the one to break the silence.

    ¡°We are commoners,¡± Lily grumbled. ¡°We have no support outside each other and our own effort. Philip helped me out during my studies and look at me now? He has helped Mel out and she is the pride of the researchers with her studies on Cores.¡±

    ¡°Two years?¡± Rupert muttered. He looked back toward her and then at Mel. ¡°Self study for two years? And Core studies?¡±

    ¡°Ye-yes,¡± Mel squeaked. ¡°A-a few passages in some of the old books in the library were records of different types of core cuts that used to exist a few centuries ago.¡± She wiped the tears from her eyes and sat up. She grew more confident as she spoke, her mind drifting off into her encyclopedic lecture mode that Lily enjoyed calling her Mel-brary. ¡°My thesis has been about the theoretical applications of what these records discussed as well as what may have happened to the methods. As well as why they fell out of use.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think now is the time to start discussing theories,¡± Emily chided with an unusual look. In Lily¡¯s opinion she looked like she took a bite of a lemon.

    Rupert gave Emily an annoyed look but nodded in agreement. ¡°Oh course. The topic at hand is this boy. Philip, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± both Lily and Mel answered at the same time.

    ¡°I think I will look into the boy,¡± Rupert announced. ¡°I believe I have taken an... interest in him.¡±

    ¡°Rupert, you can¡¯t--¡± Emily interjected.

    ¡°I will discuss it with Omar, Emily,¡± he replied. ¡°But I must first test the boy to see if he is suitable.¡±

    Mel bounced up in her seat. ¡°You¡¯re going to tutor Philip?¡±

    ¡°Tutor, and if he is found adequate I will take him under my wing as my disciple,¡± Rupert affirmed.

    Mel jumped out her seat completely and tackled Lily. Lily¡¯s breath was forced out of her but the giggling sounds of the short girl was more than enough for Lily to forgive her.

    ¡°We did it! We did it!¡± Mel cried happily.

    ¡°Yes, we did,¡± Lily soothed, rubbing Mel¡¯s head. Lily looked over at the two adults. Emily was giving the man a dark look, almost borderline hostile. Rupert returned it with a smug smile as he turned and left the room. Emily hesitated for a moment before following, but before she left she glanced back at Lily and Mel with what only Lily could consider pity.

    A knot formed in Lily¡¯s stomach. Everything she did worked. She got Philip a tutor, people will notice him now, and if things go well he will become the disciple of one of the Blackledges; a Count family!

    It was exactly how things should be, so why did she feel such unease?

    Lily pulled her focus back to her friend and lifted her up, wiping the girl¡¯s happy tears from her face.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°I think it is time we head back, Mel,¡± Lily forced a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m sure your books will be missing your tender care after being away from them all afternoon.¡±

    Mel giggled and followed as Lily led her out of the examination room.

    Shouts echoed through the alleyways. The sound of stomping feet along with the crashing of crates and barrels reverberated against the stone and plaster.

    Philip groaned and gasped. He was battered and bruised from what felt to be hours of attacks and ambushes. The problem was not with their spells, as most of the student¡¯s skills were weak and lazy. The weaves were loose and sloppy, barely held together with any kind of finesse. A few seemed to even have random elements slapped in like it would make the spell¡­ more powerful? How is adding water into the gust going to remove the mist? Philip sighed at, his mind hurting more from trying to figure out the mob¡¯s thought process than any actual strain from his spell.

    How can they even call themselves mages with such pathetic spellcraft?

    No, the problem was not their spells, but their numbers. Everytime he was caught he was attacked by no less than five spells at a time. The former pristine white walls of Low City were now caked in cracks, scorch marks, and debris from their relentless attacks. The mob even went so far as to place a dozen city guards at the stairs which lead to Upper City, trapping him.

    But not all hope was lost.

    He was still free. Just surrounded by a few hundred students actively searching for him. As well as a market of angry merchants who had their business interrupted because of Charles'' manhunt. Philip caught glimpses of Captain Nosp ordering the guards in an attempt to control the damage the mob was causing, but from the cracks in the buildings it seemed to be a lost cause. They were throwing every sloppy spell they had at him. It didn¡¯t help that Phlip¡¯s core was throbbing again because of stress and overwork, one of his legs got clamped by an earth spell, and his shoulder is burnt with his robe now only half hanging onto him.

    Needless to say, things were going great.

    Luckily the earth spell which hit him was done by an idiot, so his bones were not broken. Just very, very bruised and¡­

    And Philip really wanted to kill one person.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming for you, Lily,¡± He growled. ¡°Just you wait.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s over here!¡±

    Philip pushed the cart he was crouching by with as much force as he could. It rumbled down the alley and into the now panicking group of students who found his newest sanctuary.

    With a heave he bolted toward the opposite end of the alley and back into the streets. As if a dam broke, a flood of people was rushing toward him. Philip turned and ran in the opposite direction, weaving in and out of the different alleyways in an attempt to keep his pursuers from gaining too much mass.

    As he entered one dark alley he spotted a staircase which led up to a balcony. Philip charged up the stairs, ignoring his pounding chest and throbbing leg. At the top he used the railing as a launchpad and leapt toward the balcony, just barely managing to reach the bars.

    He panted in exertion before pushing his arms to pull him up. Right before he could pull his torso over his stomach felt a blast of pain. A part of the balcony now jutted out like a fist and slammed into him. His grip loosened for a moment as his breath was forced from him only for a gust of wind to whip around his legs and yank him downard.

    Philip cried out in panic as he felt his hands slip and wind billow around him as he fell to the ground. A loud crunch followed along with what felt like needles poking into his back. Wooden splinters littered his body along with juices from some sort of fruit. Through the pain, Philip managed to place the sweet smell as an orange.

    ¡®I love oranges,¡¯ he thought as he felt a couple of arms grab him and yank him out of the shattered crate.

    Philip wobbled, managing to stand only because of the hands holding him. He blinked to try and clear his vision, everything seemed to be out of focus. He hit that crate rather hard, so there was a good chance he got some sort of concussion. One more thing to add to his list of happy events today.

    He was forced to move through the street, stumbling and tripping all the way. Philip heard voices shouting around him but he could not seem to understand the words.

    Yeah, there was definitely something wrong now.

    Soon he was forced onto his knees and he looked up. A blond man loomed over him, his face slowly coming to focus. He was saying something, but Philip still couldn¡¯t place the words so he decided to just smile. People liked it when you smiled, right?

    A solid strike against his jaw proved that theory wrong. And now everything was out of focus again.

    Philip was blinking his eyes trying to¡­ do something.

    Pain on his jaw. Pain on his shoulder. Pain in his leg. Pain along his back. And pain in his chest. A deep pain in his chest.

    Philip groaned and tried to move. He felt the ground beneath him, now realizing he was lying on the cobblestone. He tried to push himself up but his arms now wouldn¡¯t move. There was movement all around him but he couldn¡¯t focus on that. His chest beat, pulsed. It felt like it was trying to break out of him.

    Philip reached inside himself and felt his core. Its surface was rough and unpolished. It was hot and swollen, long past the time it needed to rest. But it cried out to him. It called for release, to have the pain leave him. Philip embraced the core, stroking it to calm it down but it continued to rage and cry.

    In a flash Philip felt like his chest exploded. The core released something. It was a power, a thick string of mana. No, Philip couldn''t call it a string, but a rope. It flew out of the core and wrapped itself around Philip, constricting him. Philip felt himself dip into what seemed to be an ooze and thrashed around.

    The liquid seemed to squeeze around him, but soon he just felt himself floating in the nothingness. His chest was a volcano, feeling like the core became molton. Philip tried to reach it but his flesh was in the way. He clawed into his skin to try and dig it out except his hands hit something hard, like stone. He beat his chest but there was no give.

    His mind finally started to wake up. He stopped trying to claw into the hard shield around his chest and just sat still. The burning remained, but it seemed distant. Philip moved his arms away from his chest, the ooze flowing around him. When he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by darkness. He could not tell what was around him, but he did see wisps of green mana flickering across his vision. He looked around but whatever he was in was¡­ strange. It seemed so solid and yet it flowed around him with slight effort.

    Soon he turned and felt something. A call for him in one direction.

    With a grimace Philip pushed himself forward, swimming through the ooze. He pushed and pulled his way through, always having just enough grip on whatever it was for him to move forward. Minutes must have passed, perhaps a quarter of an hour. Maybe it was a half and hour. Philip was not sure, but the heat in his chest continued to beat at a steady rhythm.

    Then he felt himself break through something. He grasped one last lip of the ooze and pushed only for an opening to open up before him. Philip gasped as air he did not realize he lacked was sucked into his lungs and he fell a few feet to the floor with a solid thud.

    He gasped and panted, the heat of the molten core now no longer in the background but radiating at full capacity. Philip clutched his chest, but the hardness from earlier was still there. He peered down and noticed he was covered in rock. The green wisps which flickered across his eyes were a knotted rope of earth attuned mana hastily wrapped around him.

    He reached into his core and pushed past the molten shell and into where the unpolished stone sat. His head felt like it burst into flame, his mind burning against the heat. Feeling dizzy, he pushed past the attack and looked inside. The thick rope had splintered out of his core, causing dozens of microfractures across its surface. Philip panicked and grabbed the mana and severed it from the core, throwing it away. The core shook as its exertion was released, then it calmed, and in the end it went silent.

    Philip was forcefully launched out of his inner consciousness into the real world. The stone which surrounded him cracked and fell to the ground, no longer being held together.

    The first thing which struck him was the silence. There was no shouting or curses being thrown at him. No heavy stomping as they rushed to attack. Philip gasped for breath waiting, but the nothing continued. He opened his eyes and saw darkness. He felt around himself, feeling loose rocks digging into his torn up back. He sat up, bits of rock sliding off and hit the ground with an echoing tink. He reached and touched a wall that was nearby. The stone was rough, parts of it sharp but not with an edge that could cut him. It felt unnatural, as if it was carved with unskilled hands.

    Philip sighed. There was nobody around and no noise of anyone coming for him. He was either locked in some sort of prison or he got away.

    Philip winced as he touched his chest. The place his core was, where he always felt a warm sense surrounding him, was cold. It felt hollow. Philip quickly sat in a meditative stance and tried to enter his core like he had done for most of his life but his mind was blocked.

    Philip closed his eyes and took in a breath, then slowly released it into the empty room. He did it again, and again, and again. His heart slowed, he felt the adrenaline from his chance and whatever just happened fade away. His muscles screamed at him, his back felt wet, and his shoulder and jaw ached.

    He opened his eyes and peered into the darkness. There was no light so he could not be sure if his vision had returned after his fall. The concussion must be serious so Philip will have to visit the Priestess sooner rather than later. He stood up and wobbled for just a moment, not due to an imbalance but mainly due to pain in his injured leg.

    Overall things felt normal, if damaged. He could move and function close to normal. His previously delirious mind now was sharp and focused.

    Philip took in one more breath and unsteadily moved to his feet. It would be pointless to sit here and wait. He placed his hand on the wall and started in one direction. He needed to figure out how big the room he was in was. But he did not run into the far wall and kept moving forward. Perhaps he was not in a room but instead was in a tunnel. That would be the optimal situation.

    Tunnels lead somewhere, so no matter which way it went he would hopefully get out of the darkness. At least it was not a cell, so the chances of him being imprisoned are much less likely. The worry that the mob found him again resurfaced, but if they found him he would just lie down and surrender. He was far too injured to be able to escape anymore and, if he just gave in, perhaps they would not beat him up too much more.

    The question now is what happened? If he got away then something must have happened. In retrospect, Philip knew he had already been captured. He must have been brought before Charles. But after he was struck Phillip couldn¡¯t remember. His mind was delirious, but something had happened. Something to do with his core.

    The cold hollowness became apparent again and Philip grimaced. It is strange how he preferred to feel the burning pain of mana fatigue. Whatever this is was worse than any exhaustion he caused himself in his studies.

    He shook his head and focused. He had to find a way out of this tunnel. He felt the wall next to him and let it guide him. The texture of the rock was crude and rough. Philip stumbled over jagged edges and rivets on the floor as he moved down the black tunnel.

    This place is either an ancient passage from when the University was first founded, or Philip stumbled upon part of the underground aspects of the nobility. Perhaps a rogue mage, or some smugglers who managed to make a secret place within the island.

    Philip shrugged. So far he had no luck against the regular people of the island, perhaps he could find a home with the criminals. Seems that was now his lot in life, after all. Thank you, Lily.

    He chuckled at his dark joke just as he started to hear rushing water. He slowed his pace and placed his steps carefully, making sure the ground was solid beneath his feet and he would not be sucked into an underground flow.

    His caution was not needed, though. Soon he spotted a light in the distance, an opening in the tunnel. Philip quickened his pace and stopped as he entered a cistern.

    The aqueducts which flowed across the island flowed into chambers like this one, where the water is gathered up and recycled. Philip was thankful his eyes were focused as he saw dozens of magic circles carved into the rocks. The water which flowed down a waterfall into the chamber moved onto different tracks, each one which ended in one of the circles where the water would just disappear, and any debris which was carried with the flow was dropped into a pit. Teleportation, Philip theorized. If he was a betting man it sends the water to a treatment plant where the water was purified and sent to flow down the aqueducts again for the island to use.

    Philip debated for a moment to ride the water through one of the circles, but there would be people on the other side of the portal who would want to capture him. Not to mention the magic circle might be set up to only allow the liquid to reach the other side. So the possibility of all of his blood and fluids being transported, leaving his body behind, was far too dangerous to risk.

    He shrugged and wandered the room until he arrived at what he was searching for. A rope hung down behind a pillar, leading up into a carved tunnel similar to the one he left. The bottom of the rope had two loops tied, one at the bottom and the other one about Philip¡¯s shoulders height.

    Giving the chamber one last look and not seeing any other exits, Philip shrugged and placed his foot in the bottom loop and took a hold of the top one. A small string of mana lit up between he two and the rope began to lift him up. Philip examined the string and smiled. It was a simple enchantment of air which was broken until the two loops were connected by a person.

    The light faded as he left the cistern and he rose through the tunnel.

    He had somehow escaped by moving through the ground. That was the most Philip was able to surmise. Whatever his core did was powerful, if unpredictable and dangerous. His core was now damaged and would need careful healing. He would also need to learn more about that rope like mana string. Nowhere in any of his studies did anything spell get that thick. Weaving strings were the furthest he ever saw other mages do.

    He will have to look up Mel and ask her once he gets his name cleared.

    Light appeared above him and he soon arrived outside again. The rope lifted him until he was just outside the hole and then it stopped. A large rock with a pulley hammered into it was what held the rope up, and a small magic circle was carved around it. Philip took a hold of a handle by the pulley and lifted himself out of the hole and onto the surface. A strong wind blew against him, but thankfully this was a natural one and not an attack.

    He shivered as the wind ran across his back. It still felt wet, and Philip feared what he was covered in. A strong suspicion was his blood and a small hope was it was orange pulp. At least he smelled nice. A strong fragrance of oranges seemed to emanate off him, despite the hours of excursion and battle.

    He surveyed his surroundings and noticed he was outside a complex on the Peak, right by the observatory. He had never been up here before. It was the highest part of the island and used solely for research purposes of a select few researchers.

    Philip turned to head away from the building and find a way down without being seen, but the crunching of stone sounded behind him. He turned to see an old lady. Her gray hair was tied in a tight bun. Her face was wrinkled with age but her eyes were a piercing blue that held on to Philip like one of those bear traps. The woman seemed to emit an unnatural power, signifying her as one of the powerhouses who decided to make the University their home.

    She slowly strode over to him, and despite Philip¡¯s unease, he could not find the strength to run. It took near a minute before she stopped about twenty feet from him and called out. Her voice was strangely rough as if she rarely used it.

    ¡°What brings you to my home, Apprentice?¡±

    Philip gulped. ¡°I got a little lost and managed to stumble my way here.¡±

    Her eyes squinted as she raised one of her eyebrows questioningly. Tense seconds passed before she let out a hoarse chuckle.

    ¡°Stumble my ass,¡± she croaked. ¡°Follow me or I will call that incessant mob to pick you up and take you to that brat Charles.¡± She turned and started to make her way back to the Observatory.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Philip muttered, unable to comprehend what was happening.

    ¡°No, thank you for the show, young man,¡± she chuckled. ¡°An old lady like me doesn¡¯t get to see a nearly nude young fellow much anymore.¡±

    Philip blushed and gathered his tethered gray robe as close as he could against himself, then he followed her toward the building.

 Chapter 4: Calm and Calculations

    ¡°And you are saying all this happened because your little friend Lily wanted to play a prank on you?¡± Master Rolune chortled.

    ¡°And a pretty unfunny one at that,¡± Philip deadpanned.

    The two of them were sitting in a living area made into a study. Papers, scrolls, and books were piled on every surface except the two chairs they were sitting on and the table they were using for tea. The moon and stars sparkled down on them from the glass ceiling. A purple trail of galaxies splayed across the sky after the sun set to reveal a tapestry of natural wonder.

    Philip squirmed in his chair to get comfortable, but the old gray robe Master Rolune leant him was too small. He was a disaster when he was given some time to clean himself up. His body was covered in black and blue bruises. His back looked especially bad when he took off his robe. It looked like a pincushion of wood splinters covered in a sea of half-dried red. When he washed himself he had to get new water twice.

    In the end he had to discard his robe as it was nothing but rags now. The woman graciously lent him a new robe to wear until he could get a new one. Unfortunately it was one that was made for a woman, and one of much smaller stature than himself. Most of the robe felt strained against him. The very act of moving his arms felt like the fabric would rip apart. The only place it felt remotely comfortable was by his hips, where it swayed gently.

    On a positive note, nobody had thought to search for Philip at the Observatory since it is on the absolute opposite end of the island from where he disappeared. For now, Philip was safe with the old Master.

    The woman leaned back in her seat. She tickled her chin, her eyes almost going cross eyed as she pondered about Philip¡¯s story.

    ¡°I do not think it was a prank, Apprentice,¡± she muttered after a few minutes. ¡°It sounds like the girl¡¯s goal was something else. To cause such a ruckus across campus just for a joke? Too much. Too short sighted. Even as out of touch as I am, I have heard the praise being thrown toward her.¡±

    ¡°Well she is a prodigy,¡± Philip asserted.

    ¡°Pfff,¡± old woman seemed to double over wheezing. Philip stood up to help but she leaned back and let out a loud, hardy laugh. ¡°Prodigy? I see a ¡®prodigy¡¯ every decade or two. They are not nearly as impressive as they think they are.¡± Her mirth instantly evaporated and her attention focused completely on Philip. ¡°But for one person to be hunted by an entire island and still be free even after hours of search? That is more impressive than any so-called prodigy in my books.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy.¡±

    ¡°Of course it wouldn¡¯t be easy,¡± She guffawed as she smacked her leg in mirth. ¡°If it was easy then what would be impressive about it? What I am curious about is that spell you cast.¡±

    ¡°I am curious about it too,¡± Philip touched his chest. His core still was cold and dead. He was starting to worry that it was in far worse condition than he first thought. ¡°I think I damaged my core.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°It is worrisome. I sent for the Priestess while you cleaned yourself up but who knows when she will arrive. There were a lot of injuries during your chase. Ironically, very little were done by you.¡±

    Philip sighed and leaned against the armrest of his chair. His body felt stiff, but the pain at least had lessened because of his rest and thankfully his back had closed up into a hundred little scabs. Philip tried not to move too much so he would not risk opening them and ruining the woman¡¯s robe. The woman had done wonders to calm his nerves so he did not want to inconvenience her more than he was forced to. She insisted he relax, but until things officially settled he had to be ready to flee at a moment''s notice.

    ¡°I doubt she was thinking of you at all when she planned the kidnapping,¡± Master Rolune interrupted Philip¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Someone who is praised all their life will search for more attention. Since both of you are so close to graduating she needed to do something to bring focus back to herself. A fake kidnapping is a good way to get that attention, be it negatively or positive. You are the unfortunate sacrifice in the matter, but now people will be drawn to her again.

    ¡°She is probably hoping she could get a family to see her and pity her into adopting. Thinking it would add good will from society to their charity and add a new magical strength to the family.¡±

    ¡°If it is so effective, why do you sound like you disapprove?¡±

    ¡°A commoner desperate for attention can be a detriment to whoever adopts her. She creates drama to keep herself in the spotlight. At parties she might spill a drink on her own dress, or worse, on another''s. At meetings she forgets notes and has to ¡®improv¡¯ and remember all the information to sound smart. She might try to woo multiple men just to see them fight for her.¡±

    ¡°Lily would never do something so disgusting,¡± Philip gagged.

    Master Rolune sighed. ¡°I am not saying she would, but that is what she would be perceived to do. Her actions right now speak volumes to those outside the University, and she is writing a very sad and desperate story.¡±

    ¡°That is ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°It is reality, boy.¡±

    Philip swallowed his retort. The woman was a Master Mage, he would get nothing by arguing with her. He squirmed into the seat and slouched. It was immature, but he had to do something to remove his dissatisfaction right now. He closed his eyes, ignoring the woman blowing the steam off her tea and sipping quietly.

    If what she says is right, though, then that means Philip was not the only one on the chopping block. He had to find his way to Mel so she could warn Lily. Philip would do so himself but with his current feelings for her it would end up as nothing more than another fight, and there have been enough rooms destroyed over their lifetime of bickering. Once everything was settled, though, that girl better watch her back. Revenge is best served cold, after all.

    ¡°Stop worrying about her and worry about yourself.¡±

    ¡°Are you now telling me I cannot care for my friends?¡± Philip spat.

    ¡°No,¡± her tone softened. ¡°I am saying you won¡¯t have time to worry about her. Your magic show in the market seems to have left quite an impression.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Philip opened his eyes. Master Rolune was waving a sheet of paper she was holding, with a large vulture-like bird sitting on the table. Philip jumped since he did not hear the bird fly in. He mentally slapped himself and vowed to listen to Mel from now on. He had definitely let himself go for too long. He had to get his physical abilities and senses back up to speed or he will be taken out with some underhanded method. He refused to die like his father.

    ¡°Update on today''s events,¡± she informed Philip. ¡°Written by the Dean himself, none-the-less. Omary says your mysterious magic fit fooled everyone to think you made a golem who just melted into the ground once it was killed. The master puppeteer is currently missing and the search has wound down because Charles could not keep the mob¡¯s momentum going.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is at least one good thing. Dealing with Charles alone will be hard enough.¡± Philip breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps there was still hope.

    ¡°Oh, but that is not all. It seems a few professors are also wanting to examine this hidden gem of a spellcaster.¡± The woman¡¯s mirth was obvious. ¡°But it seems one has personally asked Omar already and gained his approval, with restrictions of course.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Philip inquired.

    ¡°It means I should congratulate you. You are now officially under the personal tutelage of Professor Rupert Blackledge. A respected, if ruthless, researcher. You will have your hands full to survive his instruction, much less trying to help your friends.¡±

    As the woman spoke she was writing out a message. Once she finished she rolled it up and tied it to the bird¡¯s leg and gave it a pet and whispered something in its ear. The bird screeched and flew out of the window into the night.

    ¡°You can stay the night if you wish,¡± she said as she stood up and patted her dress to remove any debris which could have fallen on her as she sat. ¡°While I do not recommend going down the stairs at night I will not stop you if you want to risk the wind and dark. Just find wherever is comfortable and sleep there.¡± When she noticed Philip¡¯s suspicious gaze she laughed. ¡°Boy, I have not had an apprentice up here in twenty years. Every bed is now a table with moth-eaten sheets except my own. You wouldn¡¯t want an old lady like me to sleep on the floor, would you?¡±

    Philip denied wanting to do so and groaned at the mocking grin on the woman¡¯s face. She turned and hobbled out of the living area into a stairwell, heading upward into the Observatory tower.

    Philip sighed and looked over at the nearest couch. Careful to not disturb the papers too much he moved each stack off onto the floor, winsing as he body complained at the new bit of physical exertion. When his makeshift bed was cleared off he collapsed onto it, sleep taking him meer moments after resting his head.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Dean Omar questioned. ¡°Once I sign the paper there is no going back.¡±

    ¡°I am more sure than ever,¡± Rupert declared. ¡°The boy is something special. I saw the remnant magic around the stonework in the marketplace. If it was a golem it was a damn good one.¡±

    Omar sighed and reread the proposal. He had done this a handful of times during his time as the Dean and Lord of the University, and each time brought about nothing but grief. But the prospect of two prodigies graduating at the same time had too many benefits to overlook. He lifted a candle and let the wax drip onto the page. With practiced ease he let it settle just enough then pressed his seal onto the wax. When he lifted it the mark of the Dean was set. Omar rolled up the sheet and gave it back to Rupert.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°You get to use the reader for just today then it gets locked back into the vault,¡± he declared. ¡°And it is only to be used on the boy and girl. Nobody else, not even yourself.¡±

    Rupert smiled and took the sheet and placed it inside a hidden pocket in his robe. ¡°What about the other girl? That Lilith?¡±

    Omar groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. ¡°No. Just the two and nobody else. You know why the reader is locked away.¡±

    ¡°Nobody will fall into that trap. Not while I use it.¡± Rupert chortled as he sat into the nearby chairs.

    The room was a museum of artifacts and relics found in dungeons and treasure vaults. The Dean was a busy man throughout his life, collecting trophies and accomplishments to become one of the most respected men in the realm, Lord of the University. As much as Rupert grumbled about many of his personal victories being stolen, the Dean earned his place behind the desk due to leading the old team from the front lines.

    Rupert touched one of the relics and sighed nostalgically, though no glint was seen in his eyes. He had one just like it in his office to remember a few hard lessons from the past. ¡°Do you ever miss being out there?¡± he asked.

    Omar sniffed in annoyance. ¡°If we were still out there we¡¯d be either crippled or dead, just like the rest of them.¡±

    ¡°But you cannot say it was not fun.¡±

    ¡°Fun is being able to sit back in a chair and get more respect and money in a day than we ever did in a year doing quests.¡±

    ¡°Even though you were the most respected killsword in the Kingdom, first ranked for any mission and even personally asked by the King on multiple occasions?¡± Rupert bantered.

    ¡°Stop trying to butter me up and spit it out,¡± Omar grumbled.

    :¡±I am curious about all the commoners,¡± Rupert declared. ¡°We have one that is a known prodigy, another whose thesis and theories rival any of the Master¡¯s and can easily be declared a genius, and now a hidden gem who potentially has explosive potential and managed to hide it from scavengers of the duke and marqueses. We are lucky the Royal Family is distracted or they would have eaten him up years ago.¡±

    ¡°Is he really that great?¡± Omar complained. ¡°Philip this, Philip that. I had to punish the Duke¡¯s boy because of this commoner.¡±

    ¡°I rather enjoyed that talk, though,¡± Rupert laughed. ¡°¡®Look at the mess you have made?¡± he quoted, ¡°You¡¯re not a general, you are a boy who pretends to be his father. Stick to politics, Boy, you are at least good at that. Leave everything else to actually competent people¡¯. I have not laughed that hard in years.¡±

    Omar groaned and continued to rub the bridge of his nose in frustration. ¡°You can laugh. I¡¯m still waiting for a strongly worded reply from the Duke.¡±

    ¡°Not much he can say. The boy caused chaos across the entire island. Everyone was affected by the mob.¡±

    ¡°And it was all caused by those commoners,¡± Omar slammed his hand on his desk. ¡°They caused this mess, and now you want to reward them by using the Reader on them?¡±

    Rupert quieted down, the anger from the Dean dampening his mirth. ¡°It is not a reward. It is a way to discover what else could be hidden in them. I saw part of the ¡®demonstration¡¯ set up by Liith, Omar. I suspect the boy, Philip, to be at least a quickcaster.¡±

    ¡°On what grounds?¡± Omar asked, his interest finally peaked.

    ¡°On the grounds he could cast a feather fall mid-fall from the third floor. Then later removing the same spell while floating down to Low City and casting a mist which covered a large chunk of the city. Said mist lasting for almost a half hour before someone could break the spell. And finally the report of golem.¡±

    ¡°The boy did all that?¡±

    ¡°That, and he avoided or escaped from a majority of the Low City population searching for him for close to an hour. Not including how he ran the students ragged in Upper City beforehand.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ is impressive. I now see why you want to test him to be a disciple.¡± Omar stroked his beard as he thought. ¡°Anyone can make the boy great, Rupert. Do you really think he is more useful as your disciple than if someone else took him?¡±

    Rupert¡¯s face split into a wide smile. ¡°Oh course. I will also be discussing ideas with the youngest commoner, Melony. I read a rough draft of her thesis, Omar. She has some fascinating ideas I never considered which might help in my future research.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the report you gave me was interesting. And that Lilith girl? Why do you want to test her?¡±

    Rupert was self conscious enough to look a little ashamed. ¡°Being honest, that one is just plain curiosity. She has been called a prodigy for years so I wanted to see her actual records.¡±

    Omar growled and started to rub his temples as a headache began to form. ¡°You always have a way of making my life extremely difficult, Rupert.¡±

    ¡°Better than boring,¡± Rupert guffawed.

    Omar sat at his table for minutes. His eyes jumping back and forth as if he was reading a scroll of pros and cons. Rupert sat back in his chair, content in knowing that his leader would eventually come around. He always did.

    Eventually, Omar closed his eyes. Final calculations were being made and it concluded as he opened them. Rupert smiled as Omar leaned forward in his chair.

    ¡°You can use it for the commoners only, nobody else,¡± he decided. ¡°And you must leave a report of each one of them with me for my own personal records. And!¡± he raised his finger as Rupert was about to speak. ¡°You cannot have the Melony girl.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Rupert fumed. ¡°That girl is a genius and would benefit the Blackledge family for generations to come!¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± gloated Omar. ¡°If I let you take both her and Philip think of how unfair it would be for all the other families. I¡¯m sure the Tai family can use her. Their youngest daughter is about the same age as her, if I recall correctly.¡±

    ¡°The Tai family can go jump off the ledge. I will give up my claim on Philip if you are even considering giving Melony to them.¡±

    ¡°Oh! How interesting.¡± Omar gibed. ¡°To give up such a potential prize just to get back at a family who snuffed you a decade ago. How vengeful.¡±

    Rupert growled and clutched his chair¡¯s arms. There was a lot of bad blood between the Tai¡¯s and Blackledges, and he knew Omar was just playing him for a fool. To take one powerful piece only to give another to the enemy was logical to hold a balance. But not everything is set in stone, especially with how difficult training a disciple would be.

    Blackledge took a breath to calm himself. The smirk on Omar¡¯s face made him want to give up on all pretense and clobber him over the head like he could have done when they were all still adventurers, but unfortunately there were consequences for that now.

    ¡°Have Emily choose the family the boy goes to, and I keep at girl Melony,¡± Rupert eventually spat out.

    Omar¡¯s eyes widened, though his smirk didn¡¯t fade in the least.

    ¡°Oh, now that is a good idea. She should know plenty of families who could help such a promising young man.¡± He affirmed. ¡°Plus, we have not had a nice lunch together in years. I wonder how the little lady is doing.¡±

    ¡°Is the meeting over, Dean Omar,¡± Rupert asked, emphasising his boss¡¯ title.

    ¡°I believe so,¡± Omar agreed. ¡°It was a very¡­ educational discussion.¡±

    Rupert stood up. ¡°Then I shall be--¡±

    A clinking resounded in the room. Both Rupert and Omar looked over to the window and saw a large vulture-like bird tapping its beak against it. Omar lifted his hand and the window slid open and let the beast inside. It flew over to his desk before landing, holding its leg out expectantly.

    Omar untied the message and unfurled it. Rupert watched as Omar¡¯s eyes moved from surprise into confusion. He eventually folded the letter and slid it onto the corner of his desk, his hand still resting over it.

    Giving a polite nod of farewell, Rupert started to leave but Omar called out to him.

    ¡°Wait a moment, Rupert. This might concern you as well.¡±

    With a sigh Rupert gave in and sat back down into his chair. Omar did another battle of the pros and cons before deciding to slide the message to Rupert.

    When he opened it he was surprised to see it was written by Madam Rolune. The woman had not been seen off the hill since the last Graduation party, and even then she stayed just long enough to be polite then left. She was a hermit, yet her voice held enough power to make the Lord of the University hesitate. .

    Why the woman wrote to Omar quickly became apparent. The commoner boy somehow found his way to her and she wrote out his tale. By the condition she found him he obviously had been caught in the heat of battle with the mob, and his story of his unusual escape made Rupert¡¯s brows furrow similar to Omar. She concluded her letter of her thoughts on the situation and requested Omar to send the Lilith girl to her.

    When the letter was concluded, Rupert folded it and set it back on the desk.

    ¡°Sir,¡± Rupert started respectfully. ¡°I wish to change my request. Please let Emily find a home for the girl. I want the boy.¡± He firmly announced the final part.

    Omar leaned back in his chair, sweat gleaned over his brows as his eyes flickered back and forth faster than Rupert had seen in years. But he did not shut his eyes in conclusion. He sagged his head and blinked before peering up at Rupert.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. Right now I am debating on taking the boy myself.¡±

    ¡°That is impossible.¡±

    ¡°I know and that is the most frustrating part,¡± the older man growled. ¡°To see such a promising mage and be unable to touch him. You cannot imagine the frustration.¡±

    ¡°I can, to an extent,¡± Rupert deadpanned. Omar shook his head to try and clear his thoughts.

    ¡°Do you still plan to take him as a disciple, or as the disciple?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t know until I see what the reader says,¡± Rupert answered. ¡°But I think we might have found the disciple.¡±

    Omar took in a breath and held it for a few moments before breathing out. He wiped his head and gave a nod. ¡°Do it with my blessing. But you better be damn sure he can handle it or I will hunt you down and make you wish you died in that raid with the others.¡±

    Rupert felt an oppressive presence lower down over him, smothering him. The weight was intense. Rupert strained his muscles and barely managed to hold up against the pressure. He reached into himself to feel his core and pulled out some of the magical essence. Like a soothing wave it spread through his limbs and he felt the weight become less bearing. He sat up but as soon as he moved the weight doubled down on him, his chair creaking dangerously.

    He gave an affirming nod to Omar. Once Omar recognized the nod the pressure relieved itself until it vanished completely. Rupert was sweating and breathing hard like he just tried to run a marathon.

    With a respectful salute he stood and rushed out of the room. It had been a long time since he felt the aura of his Leader, and even after all these years it shook him to his core. No matter how much training he did, or how many breakthroughs he discovered, he still could barely hold a candle to the monster of a man.

    Once the door closed he leaned against it and took a few moments to catch his breath. There was nobody else in the room since it was so late at night. Even Omar¡¯s secretary had left for the evening, giving Rupert some blessed peaceful moments to recuperate.

    He had to succeed. There was no room for failure. He will make Philip into the disciple both he and Omar craved. Someone who will change this world and bring about a new era of magic to the Kingdom. Their ambitions would not be satisfied until they broke the status quo, so he will succeed.

    Failure was not an option.

 Chapter 5: Tea Time

    Light pierced into Philip¡¯s eyes as morning came far too quick. He groaned, his bed lumpy and hard, and sat up to realize he rolled off the couch and onto the piles of papers he moved the night before. His back popped as he sat up and he stretched. Bits of pain shot through his back as he opened a few scabs which had sealed up the night before.

    With a wince, Philip looked around the living area. Just like the night before, it was filled with piles and piles of papers. Bookshelves lined every wall, though strangely there were no windows outside the glass ceiling. A number of astronomical instruments seemed to litter the few surfaces which failed to have some sort of pile of papers and books.

    He looked up at the ceiling. The entire thing was glass which seemed to enhance the slightly overcast sky. Details on the clouds seemed to almost enhance the longer he stared at them. At the edge of the glass dome he could see the Astronomy tower rising up into the sky. Balconies littered the surface of the wall, and off each one was a plethora of telescopes of various sizes. At the top of the tower was the largest one Philip had ever seen. The glass roof magnified it until Philip felt he could almost touch it.

    ¡°Beautiful sight, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Philip jumped and turned to see the old woman from the night before standing near the stairwell. She was looking up as she entered the living area, weaving around the piles of papers with an ease her hobble that was seen the previous night nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°The sky is a wonder to behold,¡± she continued. ¡°The Kingdom of the Isles might float above an ocean of clouds, but there are still so many wonders above us that are out of reach.¡±

    ¡°Kingdom of the Isles?¡± Philip asked as he stood from his makeshift, papery bed. He glanced down and saw a few small dark-red blotches on the papers and grimaced. Hopefully they were not important.

    ¡°An old name for the Kingdom, Apprentice,¡± the old master replied. ¡°Kingdom of the Isles, The Floating Kingdom, The Magic Isles, Helena¡¯s Keep. Each one an old reference to our lands before the cataclysm. Have the Historians not taught you our history?¡±

    Philip just shrugged as he weaved and stepped over the maze of pages. ¡°I have learned a decent amount. Most of my lessons have been about the glory of the different houses, their contributions, and other such noble deeds.¡±

    The old woman let out an irritated ¡®tch¡¯ and flopped onto the chair she sat on the night before. ¡°Nothing but useless prattling of old men and rubbish.¡±

    Philip almost made it to his chair but the old woman stopped him and asked him to prepare some tea. Not able to say no to one of the Masters, Philip left to the kitchen which luckily was next to the living area. The Peak¡¯s complex was small compared to the rest of the University¡¯s building. The main structure was the living area which held the kitchen and a few other room¡¯s Philip had yet to explore. There were a few wings off to the side which Philip assumed held the old student dorms and servant quarters, but from what the woman said the night before they were now storage rooms.

    The Kitchen was only slightly better than the living area. There were less papers and more piles of books and crates. There were also a number of large bags which Philip guessed held wheat and other cooking ingredients. There was an wood old stove sitting close to some counters which were stuffed with dishes, and at the edge of one was a teapot.

    He picked up the teapot and grimaced. The inside was filled with old leaves caked onto the sides. Nothing should be made in this thing without a thorough cleaning. He rinsed it with water from a nearby pump. Once it looked usable again he filled it with water and brought it back to the counter, then started searching for the leaves to make the tea.

    A number of boxes were piled nearby, right next to a worn piece of flint. Philip opened each one and the fragrance of old leaves hit him, but they were empty. He piled each one to the side until he finally found one that still had a few scoops of leaves.

    He gave a satisfied nod, finally ready to begin the brewing process, and tried to pull out some mana. Once he reached for his core a crushing coldness hit him.

    It was still a void. Empty. Philip sighed and shivered at the discomforting feeling. Whatever he did yesterday was really, really bad. There was no choice anymore, he had to go see Priestess Emily.

    Solidifying himself and abandoning the idea of using magic he started to search around the room. Most servants couldn¡¯t use magic, so there had to be a way for them to heat food for the nobility. Philip opened a cabinet only to see it was empty except for dust and cobwebs. He closed it and moved to the next one only for it to be the same. Then the next one. And the next. He started to open the drawers and found only a few utensils.

    ¡°How is that tea coming?¡± the woman called. ¡°I hear a lot of banging and not a lot of bubbling.¡±

    Philip sighed as he neared the end of the counter. Most of the drawers were empty as well. Old cloths and silverware were the closest thing he found to anything useful. And even the cloth was motheaten.

    ¡°Do you have any servants up here?¡± Philip inquired. He already knew the answer but he had to ask to confirm.

    ¡°Not for a long while, no,¡± she grumbled. ¡°They always messed with my research so I sent them packing to bother someone else.¡± Her tone became slightly mocking ¡°Why? Don¡¯t know how to brew tea, Apprentice?¡±

    A spark of irritation erupted in Philip. ¡°Of course I know how to make tea,¡± he snapped.

    ¡°Then making the tea should be no trouble.¡±

    Philip ground his teeth. She was pushing his buttons on purpose. At least that is what he decided to assume. But he will hold his temper like he always had to do and follow her directions. Only around a year and a half left before he could finally leave this floating rock and do something with his life. He just had to avoid getting into more trouble so he could get noticed by a small noble family. Once adopted, he should be able to avoid the larger players of the Noble¡¯s Game and stay out of any mess they want to create. So the plan of action was he had to become strong enough to be noticed, but small enough to stay irrelevant so he could keep most of his freedom after the adoption. Right now this woman was just another hurdle to overcome.

    He shrugged his shoulders to remove the discomfort of his ill-fitted outfit and stinging back. She wanted tea, he would give her tea. But it will be served when it is good and done, with no shortcuts. So he would start a fire and boil the water like a commoner. He thought back to when he last did something like this, but nothing came to mind.

    He would also have to follow Mel¡¯s advice and start focusing on some practical skills. You can¡¯t always rely on magic, despite how convenient it was. Plus he had to get in shape again, so starting a fire will be a good first step in that exercise.

    This might actually be a fun challenge. A smile came to his face as he tried to remember the basics of starting a fire. He could use the knife with some flint to make sparks. He then needed some tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder to begin the fire from the sparks, and kindling to catch and hold the fire long enough for the fuel to begin to burn and have the fire stable enough to keep going.

    He moved to one of the open crates and heft up the lid, placing it at a slant onto the floor. With a powerful stomp he splintered it. A few more kicks later the thing fell to pieces and he gathered up the wood.

    Fuel, gathered.

    He took the fuel to the stove and shoved it inside. Cobwebs from its disuse were destroyed as larger pieces slid in. He then took a few larger shards and used a knife from the drawers to carve small splinters, each thin strand sticking up like a claw. The slivers will catch much faster than the rest of the wood and should hopefully burn long enough for the rest of the sprinter to catch. That meant he had kindling ready.

    He carefully piled the kindling in so the carved pieces intersected the fuel. Philip then moved to the crate and pulled out some straw to act as the tinder and stuck it around the bottom of the fire pile.

    With everything prepared, he pulled out a knife from one of the drawers and started to strike it against the flint. Sparks erupted from each strike and the hay began to smoke. Philip blew a few soft breaths to encourage it to fully catch and a small flame arose. He continued to send sparks around the pile until the flames began to grow. The kindling caught easily and it soon began to clearly burn.

    That was much easier than Philip remembered. Before he learned how to grasp magic he and Lily struggled to light a candle to study when it got dark. Half the time he would have to balance Lily on his shoulders so they could take some flame from the lanterns in the hallways. It was when they had to light a fire in the cold months that they truly struggled with fire. Servants seldom went to the novice quarters as they were supposed to be semi-self sufficient. A popular trait for a mage.

    He closed the stove and waited for the stovetop to warm. The nostalgic scent of smoke wafted through the kitchen. It had a different scent from magical fire. It was hard to describe, but if Philip had to explain it he would say it was a smoother smell. There was less static in it. The wood was giving it a more earthy scent, added in with a nostalgic smell of smoke.

    He scrunched his face. That wasn¡¯t a good way to explain it either. How could one explain how magic felt? It just was, so when it was gone it was like there was an entire sensation missing. Like a roast being too dry due to the lack of moisture.

    The stovetop started to slightly glow in heat. Philip grabbed a clean pot and filled it with water from the pump and placed it on the stove and waited.

    With nothing else to do but wait for the water to boil he sat on a crate and leaned back. His body still ached from the chase yesterday. Luckily his head is not foggy from whatever damage he received from the fall, but there was definitely some solid bruising across his back and shoulders. Nothing seemed broken, at least.

    In the end he was lucky to run into the old woman¡­ no. She was Master Rolune. Philip had to work on his naming sense. Nothing good would happen if he would accidentally call her ¡®old woman¡¯ because of some habit. She was the closest thing to an ally he had at the moment so he could not risk anything to upset her.

    Philip recalled the night before. She mentioned that the Dean had interfered in the day''s events, which is both surprising and not. The student council controlled all matters related to the students, so because the entire issue was through Lily¡¯s idiotic plots he had no reason to interfere. But at the same time it crumbled into a major mess which caused trouble for most of the Low City, with potentially some very expensive damage left over.

    So him popping in to stop it from getting worse was only logical. The question was what exactly transpired behind the scenes, and who was this Rupert Blackledge? Philip could not recall any professors by the name from any of his lessons. Perhaps he was one of the pure researchers, or maybe a representative from the Blackledge family who wastes their time at the University looking for ¡®talent¡¯.

    It would explain how he never met him. The representatives Philip avoided like the plague, because they loved to pull students into the schemes of whatever nonsense happened outside the University. They also loved to be treated like demigods within the University walls. Spoken to with reverence by lower ranked students trying to gain favor, and with caution by the upper to avoid causing disputes between families. All of that just begged trouble for a commoner with no backing.

    if he was a researcher, then things might be better. They loved to focus just on their work and took in assistants for basic fetching work. If this Rupert guy was a researcher then Philip could use him as a shield for a short time, and not be overly burdened with work besides the occasional errand. It wasn¡¯t like he wanted to learn whatever secrets the guy had, so there was no reason to get too close to him.

    In the end Philip hoped that he was a researcher and had to thank him for his ¡®assistance¡¯ in dealing with the mob. Philip grimaced at the thought of owing the man a favor. Philip¡¯s father told him that a man has to repay his debts, so he will do what he can for his new teacher. At least until they were even.

    Perhaps the man was his key to getting adopted into a decent house as well? He will have to ask Lily or Mel if they heard of the Blackledge family. It would save him from a lifetime of being a soldier, but to keep some aspect of his freedom he would have to find a way to be of value.

    Philip pondered on how to play his new hand to his advantage when the woman called out.

    ¡°Either the water is boiling or you need to work on your whistling. That tune is dreadfully one note.¡±

    Philip rolled his eyes and stood up and took a hold of its handles and carefully poured it into the teapot. Once it was full he took a circular mesh and filled it with tea leaves and dipped it inside the teapot.

    As the tea brewed he closed the air vents to the stove, cutting off air and suffocating the fire. He then collected the cups and tea onto a tray and carried them into the living area.

    The old wo-- Master Rolune was still sitting in her seat, reading a thick tome with a cracked leather cover. Star symbols were stamped onto the cover in the formation of a constellation. As he entered she peered above the cover. She was wearing some small reading glasses, barely perched on the tip of her nose.

    ¡°Oh, good,¡± she smirked. ¡°For a short while I thought you ran off after catching my home on fire.¡±

    Philip rolled his eyes as he set one of the cups in front of her. He placed the teapot and his own cup on the table and sat in his chair.

    ¡°If I was going to burn down this place I would have started in this room,¡± he joshed. ¡°The paper would catch much easier than dirty dishes.¡±

    ¡°Too obvious, though,¡± Rolune retorted. ¡°I could easily put out the fire before too much damage was done. The kitchen would be better as I wouldn¡¯t check until the smoke started coming in here.¡±

    ¡°Then why use the kitchen when I could use one of the side wings?¡± Philip countered. ¡°You said yourself they were filled with more papers and moth-eaten fabrics. So if I truly wanted to do some damage I would start somewhere further away from where you are, hoping the fire burned down a majority of the complex before you could react.¡±

    Rolune gave a proud nod as she closed her book. It creaked in distress, parts of the leather seeming to slowly crack further. Rolune placed it on the table and folded her hands patiently. Philip took the teapot and poured her a glass, careful to keep it from spilling on the paper-filled table. After, he poured himself a cup and set the pot down.

    Rolune took the cup and sipped. Her face twitched, but she took another sip before setting the cup down. Philip followed suit by sipping his own.

    It was bitter.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    He placed his cup down and sighed in disappointment.

    ¡°Too long,¡± He muttered.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Rolune replied. She waved her hand and the lid of the teapot came off. She flicked her wrist and the mesh with the tea leaves and set it on the table, replacing the lid afterward. ¡°You forgot to remove the leaves. So the tea is now bitter, but not unbearably so. You also made it the common way, without magic. I do not taste the spark of it in the tea?¡±

    ¡°I thought it would be best to practice practical skills,¡± Philip lied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Like cooking and making tea without the aid of magic. We cannot become too reliant.¡±

    The old woman¡¯s face broke into an enormous smile. Her eyes seemed to change into a predatory gaze as she studied Philip. A light sweat formed on Philip, her attention feeling almost like a physical weight.

    ¡°I like you, young man,¡± she cooed. Her gaze lessoned but remained on him as she took her cup and took another sip. ¡°One should never forget the foundations to life. The common folk don¡¯t have our gifts, but what they do is in no way less important. Remember, all knowledge is power. Not just meditation and silly weaving sessions. Spells are cast from logic and understanding, not memorization and regurgitation.¡±

    One of her hands started to glow. She waved it and sparkles started to shimmer around her. Philip gasped as he did not see any strings of mana coming from her, but he could feel the magic flowing around him.

    ¡°Magic,¡± she started, ¡°Is the foundation to the universe. The fabric which holds the realms together, binding them into tangible entities but also separating that which shouldn¡¯t touch. The Hells and Heavens, the mortal realm and the realm of immortals. Each one is on the same tapestry. All touched by magic.¡±

    ¡°What does this have to do with making tea with a real fire?¡± Philip asked. He peered into the air around him but he could still not see the threads of magic. It was like he was looking into a mist. Philip shivered. He had to remind himself that she was a master mage. He must be seeing one of the skills one must learn to earn the title¡­ threadless magic?

    ¡°You making tea is a form of magic,¡± Rolune chuckled. ¡°Common magic. The kind that everyone can use. It is the same magic which creates rain, wind, and natural disasters.¡± The teapot lifted and she poured herself another glass. ¡°Making the fire is like elemental magic. Brewing tea is a simple alchemical process. The only difference is you follow the natural rules. But using mana breaks those rules, allowing you to create something from virtually nothing.¡±

    The teapot hovered over his cup and filled his glass with more of the bitter substance. Philip eyed it, then he glanced at Rolune. She gave a slight smile as she lifted her own and took a sip. Philip sighed as he took his own cup and drank, flinching at the bitterness again. He really messed up this batch¡­ mental note to take the leaves out before leaving the kitchen next time.

    ¡°What is your point?¡± Philip glowered.

    ¡°My point, Apprentice, is you need to learn the natural process of things as well as learn magic.¡± She flicked her wrist and the sparkles began to slowly spin around them. ¡°I am the Astrologist. I observe and record the natural world. What makes the wood flammable but stone not? What part of the leaves changes the taste of the water? Why does the water need to be hot for the tea to brew properly and not chilled?¡±

    As she spoke the sparkles grew in intensity. She lifted her glowing hand and began to point at specific lights.

    ¡°Observe and learn. If you want to get better at crafting your spells, watch nature and see how it reacts to everything around it. If you want to learn how to control others, watch people and learn how they think. If you want to learn the ¡®how¡¯ of magic, watch the stars and learn how to read the skies.¡±

    Now the woman was rambling. ¡°Listen, Master Rolune. I¡¯m sure you mean well, but what does this have to do with any of this?¡± He waved his hands. ¡°Your magic is impressive, but this won¡¯t help me once I leave the Peak and go back into campus. From my understanding I¡¯m a wanted man right now.¡±

    ¡°Then you need to become stronger,¡± Rolune snorted. ¡°The only reason you¡¯re worried about being wanted is because you¡¯re too weak to defend yourself.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ what?¡± What was this woman spewing now? First she was rambling and now she was calling him weak. What is her game? Philip was thinking that her help yesterday was unusually generous for a member of the University. There was always another angle. She wanted to use him for something.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to worry about getting pushed around, you have to become powerful,¡± Rolune coached. ¡°Why do you think I can live up here alone?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re a Master,¡± Philip replied.

    ¡°Exactly!¡± She waved her hand, the sparkles slowly flew together and created what looked like a mini sun in her hand. ¡°I am powerful. I have earned the right to sit up here and do whatever I want. Do you think just anyone else could claim an entire complex to themselves? Could anyone else sit up here for two decades doing whatever they feel like? Not even the Dean himself could remove me unless I wanted to move.¡±

    Philip examined the old woman. She did not come off as the powerhouse she claimed herself to be. Her blue robes, while obviously made of the best materials, were old and faded. Her gray hair was in a long braid which had fallen out of style before Philip was even born. She didn¡¯t even have an imposing presence as her stature was barely at his shoulder when she was standing. The most noticeable thing about her was her magnified eyes. They were sharp and intelligent, if almost comically large with her glasses.

    ¡°I can see you don¡¯t believe me,¡± she crooned.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t about not believing you,¡± Philip started but he suddenly could not speak. The magic he felt intensified to an extreme degree. He felt like he was standing underwater. The weight of the mana was squeezing him, though not to an uncomfortable amount.

    The word then went dark. He did not go unconscious, but now both of the woman¡¯s hands were glowing. She was flicking them back and forth. Philip saw the occasional strand fly out only to disappear into the darkness. The sun she was holding rose above her head with more sparkles appearing around the dark space. The sparkles felt like lightning. No, they were not electric, but they pulsed with some kind of power.

    ¡°Power is control,¡± she declared. ¡°You now cannot move because a third of my aura is stronger than your entire being. If you cannot even stand something this elementary then you¡¯ll become someone else''s plaything.¡±

    She gave him a look and he felt his body lift off the chair. Philip panicked, but he still could not move. He glanced around and noticed that he was drifting around the mini-sun like the sparkles. The darkness lit up as the sparkles flashed, power erupting from them and flying into the sun. Philip felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end at the power he felt from it.

    It was like a thunderstorm shot across the space into the sun, and the sun barely pulsed. Another sparkle flashed, then another. It was like Philip was caught in an array of blinding light. Heat radiated around him followed by a cold flash once the light disappeared.

    ¡°Do you want to be a pawn or a player?¡± Rolune asked. ¡°Do you seek strength or compliance?¡±

    Philip groaned. The force around him squeezed again, but this time Philip pushed back. He tried to pull magic out of his core with no effect. He glared at the woman. She wanted to play this kind of game, then he was willing to play hard as well.

    He needed to get out of the air. The flashes were flying all around him, but each one seemed to strike the sun. Beneath it, where Rolune stood, appeared to be a safe zone. He pushed against the force. His muscles bulged and he felt sweat start to fall down his brow. It was like pushing against a wall, but the wall was soft and malleable. He felt himself move, his arms reached outward to grab the woman. She was out of reach, so he pushed his legs against the pressure as well.

    It was like stepping on mush, but he moved forward. He lifted one leg and pushed again. Then again. The few feet between them slowly reduced until suddenly the pressure disappeared and he slammed onto the ground.

    Philip groaned, his back feeling wet again as his wounds opened fully. This woman was insane and was trying to kill him. He tried to stand but his body ached too much to move. His muscles only twitched and he flopped back onto the floor. He pushed himself up and glared.

    She was sitting in her chair, calmly sipping another cup of tea.

    ¡°Good,¡± she smiled. ¡°You resist. You fought. You sought freedom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Philip growled.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been called worse by your betters,¡± she laughed.

    ¡°Now sit. You only drank half of your tea.¡±

    Philip grumbled. He was in no condition to run. The events from yesterday were still far too fresh. He fumbled around and eventually managed to sit up on the floor. His teacup was hovering in front of him once he managed to stabilize himself.

    Philip¡¯s mouth felt dry. He took his tea and sipped deeply. The bitter water helped, snapping his mind back to the tasks at hand. He needed help, he had to get healed, and he needed to find Lily. Not in that order, but all three had to be done.

    ¡°Knowledge is power,¡± He repeated halfheartedly.

    ¡°Are you still not convinced?¡± she chortled.

    ¡°I enjoy reading books,¡± Philip said. ¡°I like to learn and study. But¡­ I don¡¯t have time to learn magic like that.¡±

    ¡°Time is not what you lack, Apprentice. You lack focus. Knowledge is like glass. You can make a large bowl to hold everything, but if it isn¡¯t focused it is brittle and weak. If you make one with a proper focus it can be like a telescope and reveal things which have never been seen before.

    ¡°You must decide what you want,¡± she continued. ¡°If you stay as you are you will be whipped around like a cloth in the breeze. Like a weave without a purpose.¡±

    Now she was back to the wise mentor mode? First she treated him like a ragdoll and now she wanted to advise him? Philip peered at the old woman, trying to understand her. Her smile still held, but there was something else in her expression. He was unable to place it, but her eyes still gleamed like a predator. What was her goal? What kind of schemes would the Hermit Master be into?

    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Philip had to ask.

    ¡°Because I like you, Apprentice,¡± She finished her cup and set it back onto the table. ¡°Your new mentor is someone with a strong focus. To many people, a dangerous focus. If you don¡¯t decide now you will be pulled down his path of power which could be a danger to you.¡±

    ¡°If everything is so dangerous and I am so weak, what am I supposed to do?¡± Philip was tired of the woman speaking in circles.

    ¡°You must learn how magic works,¡± she said, her smile growing. ¡°More than learning how to weave the magic, you must discover the truth of magic.¡±

    ¡°And how do I do that?¡±

    ¡°I am an astrologist, Apprentice. Study the stars.¡±

    ¡°And how is that supposed to do anything?¡± Philip groaned as he set the teacup on the floor.

    ¡°To gain knowledge, child,¡± Rolune sniffed. ¡°Why else do anything? Knowledge in itself is not good or evil, it is power in itself. Without that power we are no better than the beasts which we tame and kill. Why do you think they brought you here to the University?¡±

    ¡°Because I was born with a core.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± she cried out. ¡°You have a core! The ability to use magic. The ability to physically manifest the knowledge of the Universe, bringing forth the very fabric which holds the world together.¡± She touched the book she was reading earlier, her gaze distant ¡°The stars speak to us, Apprentice. They tell us things which words cannot explain.¡±

    ¡°You want me to gaze at the stars?¡±

    She shook her head, her smile finally faded back to her original expression of slight amusement.

    ¡°Not gaze, child,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Study. You said you like to study and learn.¡±

    Philip sighed. He started to guess why she was a hermit. She was alone, not because she desired, but because no student would want to deal with her. She said she sent the servants away, but was that really the case? There were stories of servants leaving and never returning and researchers not noticing for weeks. She might just be an extreme example of that.

    Fine,¡± Philip answered, and old Master Rolune¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°I¡¯ll ¡®study¡¯ the stars.¡±

    ¡°I knew I liked you, Apprentice.¡± She looked up at the sky. The sun was about halfway up. ¡°You should start heading down to the administrative building. Your mentor is probably waiting for you.¡± She peered at the teapot and cup. ¡°But, if you would be so kind as to clean the dishes before you leave I would be very grateful.¡±

    Philip stumbled to his feet and gave a slight blow, just enough to be respectful. He gathered the tea set and headed back to the kitchen.

    In the end, things might not be too bad. The mob is gone, Charles is hopefully not after his head, and he had some slight protection now. The old woman was also letting him leave after some basic chores, so it feels like there are not major strings attached. He glanced behind him toward the living area.

    It did not feel like a trap. She just wanted him to ¡®study¡¯ the stars, right? Perhaps all she wanted as someone to teach?

    But things were rarely free. What was her angle? She said she liked him, but why? Because he tried to make a fire without magic? He wanted to get stronger? There were a lot of others on campus that fit that criteria, so why him?

    Philip pondered as he washed the dishes and left the Peak¡¯s complex, but he could not find a good answer as he started down the mountain.

    Rolune watched as the young man disappeared from view. She was surprised when her wards around the old cistern lift went off, and even more surprised to see it was the student the entire campus was speaking about.

    The boy had been torn to shreds. Bleeding and limping, seeming to barely be holding back from passing out from exhaustion. Yet, despite his condition, his mind seemed clear. His story on how he escaped was fascinating. His core pouring out mana into a single thread which wrapped around him? She had never heard of such a thing.

    And there were few things she had not heard of.

    After he collapsed in her study she moved to the top of the tower and did something she had not done in years. She read the stars. The old texts said it was the way to read the movements of the gods, a way to predict the future to an extent. She scoffed at the nonsense when she was young and ignorant. But her Master was a wise woman. She had only learned how wise she was after she was gone and when she inherited her research.

    Even the most nonsensical things can hold a ring of truth.

    The sky was a wonder. Rolune normally just watched the galaxies flicker in the night. The stars gleamed like gems embedded in a black dome, the moons glowing with ethereal light. It was why she made the observatory her home for the past half century. But tonight, there was something new.

    The stars moved. The galaxy¡¯s color had changed, ever so slightly. The moons both glowed just a fraction more. Elin, the silver moon, seemed to sparkle while Evon, the red moon, had a pulse like a weak heart. They were small changes that she would never have noticed if she had not watched the skies all these years.

    The gods were moving again.

    Rolune tore through her forest of a library for the old records. The last time the Gods moved was over five centuries before, during the Heroic Millenia. They blessed a chosen few as avatars to expand their works. Wars, wonders, great civilizations, and mythical monsters roamed the land. Magic flowed through the air like water, forests growing like oceans across mountains which broke through the sky.

    The world before the cataclysm. The word before the Kingdom ascended into the sky to survive the destruction brought about by destructive mistakes by the avatars. By the summoned heroes and demonic kings. The world changed forever at that time, and then the world became still.

    Until now.

    She doubted that the boy was the reason they started to move. But it still meant great things were going to happen. Great things, both terrible and good. A new Era was starting.

    He will live through it, so he had to learn. He had to prepare. He had to harden and become a player, one of her players for the new Era. Rupert might sink his claws into the boy for now, but she planted the seed first. All that was needed was for him to tend it and grow, become strong to resist the games played by the foolish King and his toadies.

    Greatness never came to someone who did not work for it. She will build him so he can become great, and by his greatness she will become immortal. Her name might not be remembered, but her works, her philosophy, and her knowledge will continue. They will become one of the foundations of this new world.

    She had spent far too long in this cramped complex. Despairing of the wasteful time she lived in. Her books would be collected when she died and stored away for more idiots to poke through and debate her ¡®meanings¡¯. The fools¡­ the meaning is exactly as they were written. No hidden messages, no games, no workplays. They were written as things are, as knowledge should be written.

    The best part; the boy had ambition. Not like the others, but the raw ambition to just get stronger. No family, no politics, just the desire to grow and learn. He will become someone who won¡¯t be trifled with as long as he was guided properly. And she planted the seed.

    He will become her best player.

    A smile spread across the old woman¡¯s face. The next step was to examine this Lily girl who the boy cherishes so much. If she is as shallow as she expects, it might be best to remove the weed before it kills her seed.

    Things are about to get interesting. Very interesting indeed.

 Chapter 6: Letters and Questions

    Lily sighed.

    ¡°Is everything okay, Lily?¡± Mel asked as she chewed her breakfast.

    Steamy eggs, fresh cooked ham, and a wonderful cup of tea. It looked and smelled delicious, but Lily was unable to enjoy the feast. She sighed again and laid her head on the cafeteria table.

    The place was wrecked the day before, but now most of the signs of battle had disappeared. The room¡¯s occupancy was almost full, every table had at least a few students eating at them. Servants were walking between tables and serving as usual, their uniforms as pristine as always. The only signs of damage were a few cracks against the walls and the odd missing chandelier. There was also the boarded off portion of the wall where a kitchen door used to be, but it was expertly carved and painted to look similar to the wall, so Lily almost missed it.

    In the end, all the chaos of yesterday was over. Now was the time to rebuild and the student council was busy negotiating with the staff to get it done.

    Well, everyone on the council but Lily. Charles forbade her from going to the Council Hall until she had time to ¡®calm down¡¯ from the traumatic events.

    Lily groaned again, causing Mel to twitch in concern.

    ¡°Lily? Do you need to go back to Priestess--¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lily assured. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just bored.¡±

    Mel tilted her head, thinking. Her fork was being held by her mouth after she just took a bite, looking adorable. A meal with her friend this early was rare. Actually, a meal with her at all had become extremely uncommon since Lily started doing Council work. She knew she should cherish this breakfast, but she was struggling.

    ¡°Bored?¡± Mel muttered. ¡°I know of a few good books that might help break that boredom. But you are usually so overwhelmed with Council work¡­¡±

    ¡°That''s the problem,¡± Lily moaned. ¡°Charles knows everything and is mad at me.¡±

    Her plan went way out of control. The campus became a war ground because of some stupid thing about pride and honor or whatnot. Some stupid man thing, Lily guessed. Philip was similar in many aspects. Something about not being allowed to be in debt with someone else.

    Buying a gift for him was a pain. He always needed a reason for it. Why can¡¯t she just give him a gift because she felt like it? No¡­ everything had to be equal or something. A gift was charity and then he owed her a debt. They were not orphans anymore! Or won¡¯t be soon. Just another year and a half.

    ¡°The kidnapping thing was a dumb idea, Lily,¡± Mel scolded. ¡°We could have gotten him help another way.¡±

    ¡°Not fast enough.¡±

    ¡°That is only what you think,¡± Mel grumbled, picking at her food. Her glasses slid down her nose as she pouted. ¡°We could have done a demonstration another way. I could have shown off a theory with Philip as the caster.¡±

    ¡°Could you convince him to do it?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Mel announced. She froze after a thought. ¡°No¡­ maybe?¡± She slumped. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sure we could have convinced him somehow.¡±

    ¡°You know he would refuse because his debt to us would be too much,¡± LIly spit. ¡°That idiot doesn¡¯t know how to accept help. It had to be forced.¡±

    ¡°There are other ways it could have been done,¡± Mel murmured.

    Lily patted Mel¡¯s hand. ¡°What is done is done,¡± she soothed. ¡°This was my mistake, but not all hope is lost. You saw how much interest was in him afterward, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mel snorted. ¡°They had everything but the gallows ready for him.¡±

    Lily chuckled. ¡°That Blackridge fellow was interested. He is from a Count family, Mel. He can help.¡±

    Mel sighed and picked at her food. Lily ate hers as well, letting the flavors erupted in her mouth before swallowing. Thankfully the cook was not injured yesterday. When the assistants were the only ones cooking the meals were much blander. Lily swore that the Cook was a mage, but used magic just for food.

    ¡°Mmm... ¡° she moaned.

    ¡°Is the food good, Lily?¡± Mel teased. Lily nodded enthusiastically.

    The two of them ate for a number of minutes before Mel set down her fork and sighed. ¡°I know I should be happier than I am, but I can¡¯t help but worry for Philip.¡±

    ¡°What is there to worry about?¡± Lily laughed. ¡°Philip is a bright guy. He¡¯ll do well under that Blackledge¡¯s tutelage.¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t know enough about the family,¡± Mel admitted. ¡°I asked around a little yesterday. The Blackledges are an old family, with at least three centuries of records of them. I didn''t get too far into that reading, but I read a couple reports on Rupert. They said he is a solitary researcher who can become heavy handed in his work. Most documents on him are classified, though, like most living researchers.¡±

    ¡°Heavy handed is all the better,¡± Lily joked. ¡°He can keep Philip¡¯s head out of the clouds and make him actually do some practical work. Philip knows all the theory, but I doubt he has done much with purification. And I¡¯m sure he has yet to start shaping his core.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t do those without supervision,¡± Mel chided.

    ¡°Exactly! And now he has Rupert to do it with.¡±

    Mel quieted down, but she did not continue to eat. She stared at her food as Lily finished her own plate.

    ¡°You¡¯re just thinking too much into this, Mel,¡± Lily sighed with satisfaction as she padded her full belly. ¡°We both agree he needed guidance. We now got him that guidance. So mission accomplished! Now all of us can focus on working hard to get adopted into a good family.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Mel muttered. ¡°Though I am not as excited for the adoption as you are.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be nobles, Mel!¡± Lily cheered. ¡°What isn¡¯t exciting about that? Think of it? You get your name recorded in the histories, you will never go hungry again, and the money.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes sparkled. She can get everything she never had at the orphanage. Nothing her deadbeat mother could ever give her. She will finally have a family who will look after her.

    ¡°What about my parents,¡± Mel murmured. ¡°Do you think my new family will support them like the University has?¡±

    Lily paused. Unlike her and Philip, Mel¡¯s parents were still alive. What was the process of an the adoption graduation with people like Mel? Lily wasn¡¯t sure, so she will have to ask. Charles will be a good source for information. As the Duke¡¯s son he should know.

    ¡°I was so excited when they discovered my core during the census,¡± Mel continued. ¡°But now that I am getting close to graduating I¡¯m worried for my parents.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be well supported,¡± Lily dismissed. ¡°Look at you! You¡¯re going to be a noble, so who would try anything against them?¡±

    A beat passed. Lily gave her friend a look over and realized that she was hunched over, like she was trying to hide. She looked around but nobody was looking their way.

    ¡°Enemies¡­¡± Mel finally whispered.

    ¡°What enemies?¡± Did her friend upset someone? Who would dare hurt Mel? Lily glared around her, a few students who noticed her expression quickly looking away. Even a few of the servants subtly moved to avoid her table.

    ¡°Every family has enemies,¡± Mel elaborated. ¡°But if I am adopted into a lower family they might not be able to protect my parents. Even worse, what if they think my parents are a liability and try to keep me from seeing them?¡±

    ¡°And why would they do that?¡± Lily huffed. ¡°What possible benefit is there in hurting your parents? They would already have you.¡±

    Mel sighed. She sat up straight and set down her fork and knife.

    ¡°I have studied the adoption process for the past few years,¡± she started. ¡°In the past one hundred and fifty years there have been a total of eighty three commoner adoptions, not including us. Out of those eighty three twenty seven have had their parents¡­ removed.¡±

    ¡°Removed?¡± Lily asked.

    ¡°They all died shortly after the adoption process occurred. A few before that. But each death was recorded as an accident.¡±

    ¡°Well, if it was an accident then that is just unfortunate.¡± Lily dismissed.

    ¡°Two robberies, dead when trying to defend themselves. Seven accidentally tripped over the cliffs, a number of which were miles from their hometowns. Six were gored by monsters, two records indicated the monsters in question were not native to the island. The rest were listed only as missing. They just disappeared one day.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying they were not accidents?¡±

    ¡°The peasant parents were a liability,¡± Mel stated. ¡°They were potential leverages to the new child of the family. It was easier to remove them than protect them.¡±

    ¡°Then we have to make sure you get noticed by a good family,¡± Lily insisted. ¡°We are all in this together, Mel. You, me, and that dork Philip. We have to look out for each other because nobody else will.¡±

    Mel gave Lily a small smile of gratitude. She pushed her plate away which was quickly picked up by a servant. Lily handed her plate as well before the servant left. The two of them stood up and Lily stretched, feeling full and energetic for the new day.

    ¡°I believe it is time to go back to the Library,¡± Mel sighed.

    ¡°Your thesis is going to blow those old men¡¯s minds,¡± Lily laughed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t even stay awake when I do my practice presentations to you,¡± Mel scolded.

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Lily cheered. ¡°If I can¡¯t understand a word of what you are talking about then you are hitting levels of intellect far above me! Those bookworms will love it.¡±

    Mel chuckled. Lily¡¯s smile grew. She managed to get the girl to lighten up slightly. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t remove the worries, but hopefully they were lightened a little. Lily would definitely have to find time to meet with Mel again. Perhaps lunch a couple times a week? A dinner would actually be more manageable, as long as Charles didn¡¯t try to force her to some party.

    ¡°Are you ready for the hunt?¡± Lily asked as they weaved round the tables. ¡°The familiar hunt is just a couple months away. I know I¡¯m ready to brave the Great Forest and find a wicked awesome one.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Mel replied. ¡°I mean, I am working hard for my thesis, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be ready to find a familiar.¡±

    ¡°Ooo!¡± Lily beamed. ¡°Does that mean I get to tutor you?¡±

    Mel¡¯s cheeks brightened with a slight pink blush. Lily grinned and wrapped an arm around her.

    ¡°Perfect! Then tonight when I am done with whatever lecture Charles has for me we have to meet up and make a game plan!¡± Lily flicked her wrist, releasing a small amount of earth, water, and air mana, and a glowing notebook appeared. She brushed her finger across the pages, words slowly appearing with a mild glow. ¡°We can book a small ring in the sparing fields. You can practice some defense and attack spells against me, though I am bad at holding back.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think all that is necess--¡±

    ¡°Oh! And a trip to the menagerie,¡± Lily ignored Mel¡¯s stuttering. The girl was too timid. In Lily¡¯s mind it was both her best and worst trait. She needed to firm herself up enough to not hold back her group during the Hunt. After that she can hide in whatever library she desires, and break the minds of the old researchers with her outrageous theories.

    ¡°The menagerie would be great for your research,¡± Lily continued. ¡°You can see the familiars of other Mages on the island. Get a better idea of what might come to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be fine with anything,¡± Mel muttered.

    ¡°You need a better mindset than that, Melly!¡± The two of them left the cafeteria. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll harden you up just enough. All you have to do is last five minutes against me and I¡¯ll say you are ready.¡±

    ¡°Five minutes is¡­¡±

    ¡°Its a date!¡± Lily laughed, patting Mel on the back.

    A few other students were also leaving the cafeteria. They gave Lily and Mel curious looks, but most smiled and nodded in approval. While it was rude to overhear someone¡¯s conversation it was something that happened often in the public dining facilities.

    Lily took in a deep breath, smelling the cool wind blowing across the courtyard.  The sky today was overcast, but Lily did not detect the unique scent of rain in the air.

    A great day to sit in the office, as there is no warm weather to waste. There is also no drowsiness and lethargy that comes with the rain. Once she is allowed into the Council Halls she is going to get so much paperwork done!

    Lily gave an energetic arm pump and winked at Mel. The small girl giggled at her antics and pushed her glasses back up. Lily was about to bid her goodbye but she heard her name called out.

    Lily and Mel both turned to see a servant in runner¡¯s clothes rush toward them. He had a larger satchel brimming with what looked like letters and invitations.

    ¡°Excuse me, Miss Lilith?¡±

    ¡°That would be me,¡± Lily answered.

    He looked at Mel and tilted his head questioningly.

    ¡°Melony,¡± Mel said after a few moments. She gave a slight bow, but Lily touched her shoulder and shook her head in the smallest fraction she could. They were going to become nobles, so bowing to servants was something they shouldn¡¯t do. It was inappropriate.

    ¡°Can we help you?¡± Lily asked. Better to let him finish his job and leave.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°You have three letters, Miss Lilith,¡± he replied, pulling out three envelopes from his satchel.

    How he found them without looking was a mystery to Lily, but just like the cook she was convinced they used some kind of hidden magic. Servants did not have a core, so they couldn¡¯t utilize the magic Lily and everyone else was learning, but there was some sort of common magic that still eluded her. Someday Lily would find out how it worked.

    Lily took the letters and the first one was the one she expected. The seal was the crest of the Cardaire family, a broken mountain with a hydra. It seems Charles finally decided to summon her again to the Council Halls for her to be chewed out for her transgressions and bad decisions. She wondered what sort of punishment he planned to give her? It couldn¡¯t be obvious as the story on paper is that she was a victim in the incident.

    Lily was almost excited to see what the Student President came up with.

    The second letter was similar, but the crest looked like a cliff overshadowing a moon. It reminded Lily of the edge of an island, since the edges of the crest were billowy like clouds. She did not know who the sender was, but she could figure that out later.

    The third letter was different. The paper was both extremely fine, an actual trimming lining the edges of the envelope, but also extremely old. It was yellowed a lot more than the other two envelopes. The seal was of a tree with hanging fruits of stars. Like the second letter, she did not know the family associated with it. Probably a lesser branch trying to pull her into a game, or bribe or blackmail her so they could adopt her into their family if the condition of the paper meant anything.

    Lily would ask Charles if he knew who it was from before throwing it out. He usually had good advice with this kind of thing. Plus, he had to know almost every family due to being part of the duke¡¯s lineage.

    Lily gave a polite nod to the courier to dismiss him, which he returned. He then looked at Mel.

    ¡°One letter for you, Miss Melony,¡± he declared.

    Mel spluttered in confusion. Who would want to write her a letter, but Lily just smiled. It was about time the girl was getting noticed.

    Lily focused as he reached into his bag, but there was no mana weavings. No magic called. Yet somehow the man took out another letter without looking. Lily grumbled inside. His secret shall remain his for now, but she will figure it out someday.

    Mel took the letter and Lily noticed it had the cliff-moon crest, just like hers. Someone wanted to see both of them? How interesting?

    Once the courier bowed to them he rushed away to his next delivery. Lily smiled and looked at Mel. The girl was staring at her letter, her hands trembling.

    ¡°You can¡¯t read it without opening it,¡± Lily whispered to her, causing the girl to jump. Lily stifled a giggle when Mel glared at her with a pout. Lily pointed at an empty bench across the courtyard. Mel nodded and they both rushed over and sat.

    Lily set Charle¡¯s and the unknown letter down and held up the matching one. Lily flung her arm around Mel and waved her letter in front of her friend.

    ¡°Looks like we both have an admirer,¡± she teased. ¡°I wonder how the sweet serenade they wrote for us goes.¡±

    ¡°It''s from the Blackledges,¡± Mel muttered. She was staring down at hers. Lily was not able to tell if she thought the letter was going to bite her or if it was the most exciting thing she had ever seen.

    ¡°Ew,¡± Lily gagged. ¡°That man is too old.¡±

    ¡°Lily, be serious,¡± Mel chided.

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Lily got off her friend and flicked open the envelope. The letter was short, thankfully. It seems this Rupert fellow wanted to meet with her for a test of some sort. He was a busy man, getting approval from the Dean for this meetup.

    Lily¡¯s eyes scrunched as she reread the letter. Not much else was written, just an order to meet with him at his office which was across campus. She glanced at Mel who was also staring at her sheet.

    ¡°He wants to meet and do some sort of test,¡± Lily said.

    ¡°Same here,¡± Mel replied. ¡°Though he also says he wants to discuss my thesis after the testing. He says my studies might run parallel with his research.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Lily hummed. ¡°You said his documents were classified. So this would be a great time to try and probe him for intel.¡±

    Mel folded her sheet and slid it into one of her robe¡¯s pockets. She sat back and closed her eyes in thought. Lily leaned away from her friend, giving her space to think. Letters and summons became common for her as the vice president of the Student Council. There was always a meeting to attend, or a dance to waste time at, and even some dinners filled with dull conversations. Lily avoided as many as she could, spending time working on her magic, but sometimes they snagged her and took her away.

    But a test? This is unusual. Maybe it had something to do with Philip.

    In fact, where was the idiot? He escaped yesterday and was still hiding. He would probably not be mobbed now since most tempers have cooled. Actually, he might be at Priestess Emily¡¯s clinic. With all the chaos he probably got pretty beaten up. Lily would have to stop by tonight to give him the big thumbs up and congratulations for a job well done. He played his role perfectly!

    Lily took the letter from Charles and flicked it open. After a quick read it was exactly what she expected.

    He was summoning her ¡®immediately¡¯ to the Council Halls for a debriefing. Dress appropriately as she will be having to explain what occurred to the entire leading council and they will have to discuss plans of action to repair damages and contracts from the mob. Yadda yadda yadda, paperwork, meetings, and other busywork.

    Lily stood up and gathered her letters and slid them into a pouch within her robe. Charles¡¯ offer sounded boring, so let''s do the fun things first.

    ¡°Alright, Mel! Let''s head off to see Mage Rupert.¡±

    Mel shook her head and opened her eyes. Determination filled them and she stood up with LIly. Her head went just over Lily¡¯s shoulders, making Lily want to give her a hug, but she stood tall.

    ¡°Yes, lets go,¡± Mel declared.

    Lily smiled and linked arms with her friend and they set off to the researcher¡¯s office.

    The door in front of them was made of an iron reinforced wooden door. Lily wondered why it needed to be reinforced. Extra security to keep files safe? Did the iron hide enchantments which were carved into the wood or metal? Maybe his experiments required a stronger door to keep his experiments from escaping.

    That final thought sent a shiver through Lily. The worst part is she had seen a few of those works on display when a breakthrough was discovered. Thankfully none had been human.

    Or at least none resembled being human after whatever work they had been put through.

    Mel moved forward and knocked on the door. Each hit reverberated through the empty hallway. Thinking back, Lily could not recall seeing anyone for the past ten minutes of walking. This side of campus was filled with many of the older buildings and labs, the walls not a pristine white but a light gray with patches of white where the walls had to be repaired.

    This building specifically felt abandoned. When they entered it felt almost like walking into an abandoned mansion. There was a small amount of dust covering most of the floor and furniture, meaning servants did not make their way this far very often. It might even have weekly cleanings. Such disregard left Lily feeling wheezy and she wondered if it was because nobody cared or because they were ordered not to to hide some secret research.

    Screams were difficult to keep hidden, and servants liked to talk. Best way to keep it hidden is keep them away.

    Lily shook her head to remove those thoughts as the door lurched open. Mel gave Lily a look which she returned, trying to be encouraging. Lily took a breath and took a step through the now open door, the clips of Mel¡¯s shoes following right behind her.

    Inside the office were shelves of scrolls and small chests. The room was pristine and organized, though. The chests were neatly stacked between each bookshelf and the shelves themselves were filled to the brim with books and tomes. Scrolls were neatly piled together with colorful ribbons keeping them closed.

    In the middle of the room were a number of pedestals with objects displayed on them. One looked like a ship made of gold and gems, but it was literally floating above the pedestal. Another held an object that seemed to represent the universal formations. The moons and pinpoint stars rotated around their planet. A few others held swords, telescopes, and other strange items which Lily did not understand.

    Why display a colorful rock? Was it magical or just worth a lot?

    Lily wanted to explore and examine each one, but the man sitting behind a large desk at the far end of the room was watching them. He gestured for them to take a seat on a few seats that were placed in front of his desk.

    Lily and Mel crossed the room, Lily slowly weaving around each object and giving it a better look. Mel seemed to do the same but she moved to completely avoid the item, like it would burn her.

    Soon they both stood before the man¡¯s desk and they bowed together. If Lily didn''t know better it almost looked practiced. She flashed Mel a proud smile and saw the girl blush slightly when she noticed.

    The man coughed and the two of them sat down. Rupert had his hands together and examined both of them. His eyes seemed to catalogue each detail of them. Mel was hit with that gaze more than Lily, which made Mel squirm in obvious discomfort

    Rupert cleared his throat and unfolded his hands.

    ¡°I am sure you are curious why I asked for you to come,¡± his baritone voice seemed to whisper the question, but it echoed around the room much louder than Lily expected.

    ¡°Ye¡­ yes,¡± Mel stammered. ¡°You mentioned wanting to¡­ test us?¡±

    ¡°We do have cores, if that is the test you were thinking of,¡± Lily added. That obviously was not the reason, but teachers and researchers loved to correct others. Might as well stroke that ego slightly to make this entire thing easier.

    ¡°The census test is not the one I was planning,¡± Rupert predictably answered. ¡°I was thinking of examining you two a bit closer. I am suspecting that you three are far more than just another group of discovered talents, but a great gift to the nation which has so far been overlooked.¡±

    ¡°They have already called me a prodigy,¡± Lily gloated. ¡°How much more overlooked can I be?¡±

    She felt his gaze fall on her, hitting her hard. Lily smiled but it was almost like a weight was placed on her. Her breath was harder to take in, and her head felt much heavier. Lily forced herself to sit straight, but a twitch on her eye must have betrayed her struggle. Rupert gave a twisted smile and suddenly the weight disappeared.

    Lily took in a breath, careful not to make it too obvious and alert Mel. When she glanced next to her she saw that Mel must have also felt the pressure and not handled it well. She was gasping like she had run a mile. Lily snapped to glare at Rupert, but his twisted smile remained. Lily now understood.

    That was a warning.

    Lily sighed. This was definitely politics speaking, not an actual examination to show their worth. Someone wanted to know something and was playing a hand. How valuable this play was remained to be seen, though Lily doubted she would ever know exactly what was learned. One thing was now known; Rupert Blackledge saw Lily and Mel as a pawn, so he is not Lily¡¯s ally.

    She smiled and sat up, patiently waiting. Once Mel seemed to regain control of herself he started to talk.

    ¡°I have been given permission to use an uncommon test. Years ago it was standard, but after some abuse it was locked away.¡±

    ¡°If it was¡­ locked away,¡± Mel coughed. ¡°Then why¡­ are you using it now?¡±

    ¡°Because we need more exact readings,¡± Rupert replied. ¡°Your friend Philip somehow stayed hidden from us. You are a prodigy, as you humbly put it. And I am personally interested in Melony, here.¡±

    ¡°Interested?¡± Mel puzzled.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Rupert smiled and placed his hand on a large tome which had been sitting next to him. ¡°I saw some snippets of your thesis and I would love to discuss it with you. I may even give you some tips which can help you before your presentation.¡±

    Mel gasped and looked down at her lap. Her glasses hung down, barely being held on by her nose.

    Lily sighed. ¡°If you wish to test us, then what do you need us to do? I was requested to go to the Council Hall, Mage Rupert. I cannot keep President Charles waiting for too long.¡±

    ¡°This test is for the betterment of the University and to place each of you where you fit best,¡± Rupert assured. ¡°I do not believe rushing it will be beneficial.¡±

    Lily gave him a flat look. ¡°Then you can write to Charles to request my absence. I came here before going to the Council because I assumed it would be a quick discussion. There is much to do and I am sure Charles is impatient waiting.¡±

    ¡°Your Council does not affect my research.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Then this is about your research and not the betterment of the University, as you previously stated,¡± Lily pointed out. ¡°You know full well that Research and the Student Council are separate entities here, Mage Rupert. You cannot order us to do your bidding like we cannot interfere with your work.¡±

    ¡°Like you did yesterday, Miss Lilith?¡± Rupert hissed. ¡°You are being surprisingly antagonistic after willingly coming here to take the test.¡±

    ¡°That would not be the case if you did not use your aura on us, Mage Rupert.¡±

    ¡°P-Please don¡¯t fight, Lily,¡± Mel pleaded. ¡°Let''s just do his test. I¡¯m sure Charles will understand.¡±

    ¡°Listen to your friend, Lilith.¡±

    ¡°Keep Melly out of this,¡± Lily snipped. She did come willingly, but the man¡¯s attitude was sketchy at best. If it was just a normal test, fine. But a banned one? That did not sit well with her. After a few moments she came to a decision.

    ¡°I will do the test first and decide if it is appropriate for Mel to take as well.¡±

    Rupert smiled and leaned back in his chair. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have a say in the matter,¡± he gloated. ¡°I have the Dean''s permission to do the test.¡±

    ¡°And I have the right as a Student Council member to veto any directive which might endanger anyone in the Student body,¡± Lily countered. ¡°There has been enough history of insane researchers attempting to use students in their experiments. Explain this banned test.¡±

    Rupert grumbled before sighing. He opened a drawer from his desk and pulled out a small box. From his robes he brought out a small coin which, when placed near the box, sounded a click. The top of the box opened and Rupert set it before them.

    Inside the box was a circular half-dome disk made of what looked like glass. Lily could just barely make out runes carved throughout the thing, some of them carved within the glass itself. She glared at Rupert, arching a brow for him to explain.

    ¡°This is a Reader,¡± he started. ¡°It is a device which reads your core, mana, and can even determine your basic skills.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ is amazing,¡± Mel popped up, her previous anxiety being overcome by her curiosity. ¡°Why would such a thing be locked away and banned?¡±

    ¡°It is not exactly banned,¡± Rupert waved off. ¡°Just¡­ not approved for use anymore.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Lily encouraged the man to continue.

    ¡°For about one hundred and forty years it was the go-to for the University,¡± Rupert continued. ¡°The details the Reader could produce were considered far more valuable back then, but it led to some errors in judgement.

    ¡°The device reads your core and mana output. Students which had a higher output were given priority. Everyone knows that genetics are one of the biggest contributors to a mage¡¯s potential, but there were times when a high noble child was born with¡­ shall we say less than optimal abilities. The Reader picks up on this and the child is shamed and shunned. They graduate and go off to do whatever their family wants.

    ¡°Now, the biggest problem is that while the child was not gifted in outright power, they were exceptional in mana control. They could do spells which the supposed top of the University could not. The Reader overlooked this skill. Such a thing causes unneeded friction between the Nobility and the University. Eventually the previous Dean decided, after almost a century and a half of use, to retire the Reader and teach based solely on merit and accomplishments. He is the one who created many of the tests you see today.¡±

    ¡°Then why use it now?¡± Lily inquired.

    ¡°Because I believe there are things that the merit system cannot see which can be read by the Reader.¡± Rupert concluded.

    ¡°Do you have an example of this potential information?¡± Mel asked. Lily looked over and noticed that she had a small book out and was scribbling notes with her quill pen. Her ink bottle was sitting on the man¡¯s desk. Lily shook her head in amazement. Even under threat to take a banned test the girl thirsted for knowledge.

    ¡°I suspect your friend Philip is a special type of mage called a Quickcaster,¡± Rupert answered.

    ¡°A quickcaster?¡± Lily questioned.

    ¡°A rare caster who has unparalleled control over their threads,¡± Mel replied. ¡°They can cast spells not only quickly but also in greater detail and strength.¡±

    ¡°Very good, Melony,¡± Rupert praised. ¡°There has not been a Quickcaster discovered in a decade. So if Philip is one, then there will be many hands trying to grab him.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you decided to take him in as your disciple?¡± Lily inquired.

    ¡°Exactly so.¡±

    ¡°Then why test us too?¡± Lily pushed. It made sense if he wanted to test Philip, but why them as well?

    ¡°Curiosity,¡± the man plainly dismissed. ¡°Records say you and Philip came from the same orphanage, and you are claimed to be a prodigy. I feel that claim was more for the politics, but the reader might prove it true.¡±

    Lily narrowed her eyes and glared. She almost wished that looks could kill, because if it could she would have slain this man ten times over. She worked hard for her title, and was not given to her for some stupid nobles game. She slaved for years to become the powerhouse she was. She earned her place as the Vice President despite having no backing.

    Yet he said it was given to her. That was going too far.

    ¡°And me?¡± Mel asked, oblivious to the fuming Lily next to her.

    ¡°Your thesis is far beyond what a student should understand,¡± he complimented. ¡°I believe you might be a hidden genius.¡± He paused to think for a second. ¡°Maybe not really hidden, actually. But a reader could give you a little extra bonus.¡±

    ¡°Does that device also read mental capacity?¡± Mel wondered.

    Rupert sat up and LIly felt mana start to flow from him. His hands glowed and a dozen strands flew out and connected to the runes in the Reader. The glass began to glow, shrinking out the sides. The top remained dull, as if waiting.

    ¡°Place your hand on the Reader and find out,¡± Rupert goaded.

    ¡°Not before me,¡± Lily growled.

    Before Mel could move Lily shot her hand out and slammed it onto the Reader. The dull top flashed into a blinding light as a screen appeared in front of her.

 Chapter 7: Cuts and Cores

    [Core: Starburst | Rough Cut]

    [Mana Purity: Dark | Turning]

    [Elemental Affinity: Air, Medium 25% | Water, High 42% | Earth, Low 18% | Fire, High 55%]

    [Skills: Mana Control, Mana Weaving, Mana Reading, Rune-Script Writing, Rune-Script Reading ]

    Lily stared at the screen floating before her. The script was wavy yet still clearly readable, written on what appeared to look like glowing transparent aqua glass.

    ¡°What--¡±

    ¡°High affinity for opposing elements,¡± Rupert interrupted as he scratched his chin. He seemed¡­ impressed? ¡°And with such high affinities for them I can see why you are claimed to be a prodigy.¡±

    Lily tried to pull her hand off but it seemed to be stuck to the device. She looked down and saw the weaves Rupert placed into it had wrapped around her hand holding it down. The runes were hoving slightly off the glass, floating through the threads and projecting the nonsense onto the floating screen.

    ¡°Why am I stuck to this thing?¡± Lily spat. ¡°And what is that?¡± She pointed to the screen.

    ¡°This is fascinating!¡± Mel cried out, her feather scribbling everything she could. Lily sighed seeing her friend was obvious to her discomfort, falling into her researcher mentality.

    ¡°Don¡¯t record what is written on the slabs, Melony,¡± Rupert directed. ¡°This is, in a literal sense, your friend¡¯s magic. A direct reading of what some philosophers have claimed to be the caster¡¯s soul.¡± He gave Lily a smug look. ¡°As long as the reader is projecting your records, you cannot let go of the device. There is no imprinting, just direct reading. All information projected has always been held in utmost confidentiality, unless the caster wishes it to be shared.¡±

    ¡°Oh.. .okay,¡± Mel slumped like a dog who didn¡¯t get a treat. Lily giggled despite herself.

    ¡°You can record it if you want, Mel. Only for you, though,¡± she glared at Rupert who just shrugged.

    ¡°Can you give a quick outline?¡± Mel asked, inflating again in excitement.

    Rupert smiled as well and started to point at the different parts of the screen. His hands glowing as mana was actively being cast.

    ¡°The Core section here indicates a person¡¯s core. It will detail the cuts you give it, detail any specialties that have been made, and notify you of any damages to the core. Though I pray to the gods that you will never have to deal with that last problem.¡±

    He stood up and moved around the desk, a few extra strings extending into an artifact that appeared to be a fancy bowl. It lit up and the images of a rough rock appeared to be floating above it.

    ¡°Illusion array,¡± Mel marvel.

    ¡°Just so,¡± Rupert laughed. ¡°Good for research if you have a delicate artifact, or items which are not¡­ easily accessible.¡±

    ¡°Like a person¡¯s core,¡± Lily leaned back into her chair as best as she could. Rupert apparently did not have to be near it to keep it activated, though she was still stuck. The device couldn''t even be lifted by her. .

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Rupert confirmed. ¡°We classify a core¡¯s cut like a jeweler classifies a precious stone. Not only is it easier to categorize, but it also helps visualize their function. ¡° The floating stone shifted into what appeared to be a rectangular gemstone. ¡°For example an enchanter might have an Emerald cut, meaning the weaves through it will be thicker and hardier, but at the same time the mana will be less flexible.¡±

    Thick strings expanded out of the gemstone, waving around in a slow and clumsy manner.

    ¡°The weaves made won¡¯t be as malleable when the spells are tied off. Important for enchantments for rings, clothing, and other accessories.¡± The weaves slowed and hardened after a knot was made from the gemstone. ¡°The longer the enchantment lasts the stiffer the mana is. So if the weave is ruptured it is easier to redo the enchantment than attempt to repair it.¡±

    By the end the mana strings snapped and the entire illusion broke apart, leaving just the gemstone floating in the center.

    ¡°Enchanters are specialized mages,¡± Mel began. ¡°I don¡¯t remember ever having a class with them. Is the core the reason?¡±

    ¡°Exactly so,¡± Rupert confirmed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Lily jumped in. ¡°I never decided to make a starburst cut. Why is my core like this?¡±

    Rupert sighed and glanced at the large tome on his desk. Lily followed his gaze but the illusion array flashed, catching her attention. The rectangular gemstone in the illusion shifted, transformed into one that was circular. The gemstone reminded Lily of an eye, but the pupil was missing. Light seemed to sparkle inside it as the gemstone turned, and each fragmented section that touched the edge had extremely small strings slowly extend out.

    Rupert was watching her as she focused in on the illusion. Lily narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Was he trying to distract her with the flash? What was in that tome? Lily might have to find some time to do some research herself, it seemed. Perhaps after dark when everyone was asleep.

    Rupert started talking once the illusion stopped changing, completely unaware of Lily¡¯s growing plans.

    ¡°Every general student who was not pre-arranged to have the special studies are grown to have a starburst cut. These give the caster the ability to use thinner strings of mana, unlike the Emerald. The thinner strands add flexibility and depending on how many facets the caster is able to carve into their core, which also give the ability to use pull out more strings as well.¡±

    ¡°How many cuts are there?¡± Mel inquired.

    ¡°Most of the known cuts are just documented in name only. The only cut we still have the full process of making is the Starburst cut, which is why it is the general cut. There are a few with broken records, like the Emerald, Pearl, and Pentagon, but the steps to fully cut your core into them are lost.¡±

    ¡°Why would you want to get a broken cut?¡± Lily asked. If there was just one cut that was fully documented, then why chance the others? It sounded like a foolish thing to attempt.

    ¡°I read that a few select upcoming mages choose to do those broken cuts in an attempt to learn the lost steps,¡± Mel added.

    Rupert nodded. ¡°Yes. Those students typically decide to do so with their families. They live at the University for the rest of their life and have dedicated their entire selves into their study.¡±

    ¡°Why would they do that?¡± Lily asked.

    ¡°For the glory of their family. Pursuit of knowledge. Gaining fame in the Kingdom and going down in history. Their reasons are their own, but in the end all the researchers work together for the advancement of magic. That was what the Founder wished, and that is what we strive for.¡±

    Lily gagged internally. It sounded like sacrificing your children in the attempt to bludgeon progress in a magical research. Sure, learning new things was important, but doing so in a way that potentially kills someone? Or cripples them for the rest of their life? That was going too far.

    ¡°Now, Lily,¡± Rupert started, Lily turned her attention back to him. ¡°According to the recorder, right now you have only a rough cut for your core. So you have not reached your full potential. Eventually we all hope that you will get a Master¡¯s cut, then you will become a Master Mage.¡±

    Lily looked at the illusion and saw the rock return, but the parts of it were grinded down until it eventually was shrinking like previously. The steps went by extremely fast but she could tell it was a tedious process. She remembered her lessons, as well as the times some of her teachers helped guide her in meditations, scanning her body and helping move her magic.

    She pondered. When did they start the cuts? Or were the cuts part of the meditation process. She had spent many hours every week in the meditation chambers working on what the instructors told her to do, but she had never truly examined what they said. She just followed their directions and did it.

    Lily gave Mel a glance. Her entire thesis was on cores. Something about how they were composed and whatnot. Source of magic and then comparing humans and monsters together. Did she know about core cuts, though? The girl was rushing in her notes to record everything Rupert was saying, but she always did that. How much did she already know?

    Lily would have to reexamine everything she had done already. Her only half understanding what she was doing might have led to mistakes, and Lily did not make mistakes. She had to be perfect, above the grade of everyone else. When it came to her core cuts, she might have to redo parts. The subject now feels a lot more complex than Lily initially thought.

    Then again, complex stuff was Mel¡¯s specialty. She loved these puzzles and Lily was sure she was dying for more info right now if the excited hopping in her chair had any indication. Lily will pick her brain later to choose her next moves.

    ¡°What about the Mana Purity section?¡± Lily pushed. ¡°I know we have all had to meditate and purify our core. Heck, we have been doing that since we first learned how to touch our mana.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I personally would say that is far more important than the mage¡¯s cut,¡± Rupert chuckled. ¡°Though many others would debate about that statement, I will stand by it. The purity of a mage¡¯s mana determines how strong their magic is. More bang for your copper, if you get the meaning. Every strand will be more potent, every spell will have a bigger impact. Your mana just works better.

    Lily thought about that. Sure, she has meditated for years but through most of it she focused on the control of her mana. The impurities she pulled out were at best surface level ones and were easy to find, or at least they were according to Philip. For the past couple years he had locked himself away to study, seeming to abandon their games to explore the island and push the boundaries of what they were allowed to do. Though, in Lily¡¯s case, she had backed off from that for more than these past two years.

    But after Philip got serious and started to read and study, his skills seemed to explode. Lily could hardly believe it when he was first able to sculpt a full chair out of stone after just two weeks of study, using only one thread of mana! If she wanted to do the same thing she would have to use at least seven, mixing multiple attuned strands of water and fire to soften and harden the stone. But Philip did it all with just one string of earth mana.

    Lily started to wonder if he focused on purifying. His magic was definitely potent, but he never seemed to use more than four strings at a time. Actually, Lily started to wonder, did he ever have a teacher to assist in his meditations? If the instructors were the reason her core was cut into the rough form, was his considered uncut?

    How strong would he get if he got his core cut?

    More questions for Mel later, and after they manage to find Philip again.

    ¡°In fact I am shocked that you are almost out of the dark grade,¡± Rupert continued as he scratched his chin. ¡°You must have worked hard to get this far in your purification. Once your core is properly into the flawed cut stage you will be someone to watch for.¡±

    ¡°You said dark grade? There are different ones?¡± Mel dipped her feather to get more ink as she studied the screen some more.

    ¡°Did they stop teaching grades?¡± Rupert asked. ¡°There are eight stages of purities. Black, which is how every mage begins. Then you get very dark, dark, medium dark, medium, medium light, light, then white. Each of those stages have three parts to it; early, solid, then turning. It was the scale that was made when the Reader was first introduced to help define a core¡¯s purity. The scale can also be changed depending on how you color your mana.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°You mean specialization?¡± Mel inquired.

    ¡°Exactly so,¡± Rupert cheered. ¡°You are a very bright girl, Melody. I believe I will enjoy working with you in the future.¡±

    ¡°Please focus,¡± Lily chided. Melody looked away from the screen, her cheeks a bright red in embarrassment. Lily was starting to see similarities between the two. The only downside is Rupert was old and crafty, and Lily couldn¡¯t trust him. Not yet, at least.

    ¡°But yes,¡± Rupert coughed, his lecture mode continuing. ¡°Specialization fits into the caster¡¯s Elemental Affinity. Many mages who have a very high attunement to one element might specialize in that particular one. Their mana changes to fit into said element, pulling more power out from their mana roughly a grade higher for spells using it. The downside is the other elements are much hardier to use.¡±

    ¡°You said I was strong in opposing elements,¡± Lily queried. ¡°How does specialization work there?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± Rupert bluntly stated. ¡°Specializing in two elements is nothing but trouble. You don¡¯t get the same extra power as those that focus on just one and the other elements are harder to use. Overall it is more of a downgrade.¡±

    ¡°Then what do those percentages mean?¡± Lily pushed.

    ¡°Those are how much of the element you actually use when you cast the spell. So for every thread of fire mana you cast, you are able to capture fifty five percent of the element you attuned into the mana strings.¡±

    ¡°Can the percentages be raised, somehow?¡± Mel asked. Her notebook was filled with scribbles.

    ¡°No. Those numbers are set from the day you are born. If you can improve them then nobody has discovered how yet.

    ¡°The final thing is your skills,¡± Rupert concluded. ¡°Each one of these are focused purely on your magic. The Reader does not pick up other skills you may have, like reading, cooking, or even how strong you are. If it did, then these lists would get extraordinarily clunky and hard to read.¡±

    Lily looked down at her hand, still woven into the reader. Rupert was going on in his lecture about skill. To summarize almost a half hour of his long winded blabbing, each was fairly easy to understand. Her Mana control was how well she can pull out her mana and attune it to an element. Her Mana weaving was how good she was at weaving her spells. Mana reading was her knowledge in how to craft her spells to do what she wanted. The final two were the basics in runes, for basic enchantments or magic circles for larger spells that cannot be weaved out at once.

    In the end the screen did exactly what Rupert said it would. It summarized her ¡®records¡¯ and explained her current magical progress. But it did not go into too much detail. There was no explanation on how good her mana manipulation was, but you might be able to guess due to how far her cut was. The same went with how strong her spells could be when comparing the attunement and purity of the mana.

    To read it on a screen and actually see her do it were two different things. Lily had memorized almost two hundred spells during her education, and crafted nearly a dozen custom spells which she had yet to show off. Despite her accomplishment, there was no indication of them on the screens.

    If one just focused on the numbers then who knows what hidden advantages might be overlooked?

    All in all, it really didn¡¯t matter to LIly. After enough time passed she coughed and gave both Rupert and Mel a slightly annoyed look.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about how you both feel, but I¡¯d love to have my hand back now,¡± She yawned dramatically. With an exaggerated tug she tried to let go of the recorder, but it remained despite her effort.

    Rupert gave an apologetic smirk and flicked his wrists. The mana strings broke off his hands and rushed into the recorder. After a few moments it flowed through the runes and the device dimmed. Lily yanked her hand back again, this time managing to snap the strings which held her. A tingling sensation remained, and she gave Rupert a stink eye.

    ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Miss Lilith,¡± Rupert nodded. ¡°It was a very educational endeavor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Lily sniffed. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse us, though. We have other things to attend. I¡¯m sure you are busy yourself.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Rupert chuckled. ¡°You are excused. Charles must be at the edge of his seat in anticipation of your arrival.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Lily deadpanned. She turned to Mel and noticed she was reviewing her pages of notes. She gave her a slight nudge to try and pop her back to reality. ¡°Let''s go, Mel.¡±

    ¡°Miss Melony will be staying a while, I think,¡± Rupert waved his hand and the illusion array shut down. ¡°We have not checked her records yet. I am also interested to have a chat about her studies. As I mentioned, Cores are a very hot topic in certain circles.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she has to work on her thesis,¡± Lily pressed. ¡°Reading her records should be fine, but the discussion will have to wait until after her presentation after the graduation.¡±

    ¡°I am very informed on cores,¡± Rupert countered. He sat down at his desk and leaned back in his chair, stroking the large tome. Lily started to guess what information it contained.

    ¡°Her studies take priority,¡± Lily recountered. ¡°The Student Council can¡¯t have researchers influencing her work. For her to truly shine her work must be done alone, uninfluenced by others.¡±

    ¡°The ¡®Council¡¯ need not worry of me tainting her work,¡± Rupert confidently chuckled. ¡°I will not give any input unless asked. I was more curious about her findings as it might help my own research.¡±

    ¡°Stealing her research before graduation will affect her adoption. I can¡¯t allow that.¡±

    ¡°You have the honor of the Blackledges that I will not claim any of her work for my own,¡± Rupert swore.

    Lily growled but she had no counter. The honor of ones family was one of the highest promises one could make, so he must truly mean what he says. But Lily did not like it one bit. The man was obviously trying for something.

    If he does not want to steal her work, then what is the goal? How could Mel¡¯s insights into a core be unique enough to warrant his interest? The man says he has a lot of knowledge on the subject, so that means his studies are effectively about the source of magic. Was it on Cuts? Or something else?

    Perhaps he wants to integrate Mel to see if she was worthy of being adopted by the Blackledge household? If that was the case then it makes sense why he would want to pick Mel¡¯s brain. If she showed enough potential and insight then she would become a great addition to the family.

    This also was a slight concern as Lily assumed the Blackledges, or at least Rupert, was interested in Philip. Did they not want to adopt him? Or were they just using Philip as a bridge to get to Mel?

    Mel and Philip are known to be good friends. Maybe not as infamous as Lily¡¯s and Philip¡¯s relationship, but a close second place. So getting close to Phlip would put the Blackledge¡¯s in Mel¡¯s good graces.

    Gods, this Noble game is annoying.

    Lily sighed and shook her head. She could not force Mel to leave so she should at least remain long enough to make sure she was not taken advantage of. She turned to her friend and saw she never broke out of her reviewing.

    Lily leaned over and flicked Mel¡¯s ear. The girl squeaked and bolted up. Her papers almost fell out of her hands but Lily pushed the stack against her friend to keep them in her grip.

    ¡°Its your turn, Melly,¡± Lily forced herself to smile. ¡°Ready to be ¡®read¡¯ by the reader?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ OH! Yes!¡± Mel cheered as she quickly set her pile of papers onto her chair.

    Rupert was still leaning back in his chair, a grin on his face. It looked disgusting to Lily.

    Rupert¡¯s hands began to glow again. Since Lily was expecting it this time she focused on what he was doing. Strings of mana flew out, and Lily managed to see as there was an even number of each of the elements. They flew into the device and started to weave together. She peered closer, but most of the weaves were far too complex for her to follow. But the little she was able to see made her realize that there were only four braids flowing through the device. Each of the elements braided into each other, then into the runes, back out and into the next.

    Soon the device glowed like before, and Blackledge gestured to it.

    ¡°Just place your hand on the Reader and we can get started,¡± Rupert reminded.

    Mel excitedly placed her hand on the Reader. She was almost vibrating in excitement. Lily rolled her eyes and sat down in her chair to wait. The girl wanted to do this, why not let her?

    The device flashed as Mel¡¯s hand was tied to it and a screen flew up. It was different from Lily¡¯s. The words seemed¡­ blurred. Lily looked between Mel and Rupert, but only Mel seemed to react.

    ¡°It''s so clear,¡± she breathed.

    Lily focused and peered at the screen. The blurred words slowly came into focus. It must have been a safety measure so others could not easily take the information.

    [Core: Starburst | Rough Cut]

    [Mana Purity: Very Dark | Solid]

    [Elemental Affinity: Air, Medium 32% | Water, Low 12% | Earth, Low 7% | Fire, Medium 22%]

    [Skills: Mana Control, Mana Weaving, Mana Reading, Weave Mimicking, Weave Duplication, Weave Cloning, Rune-Script Writing, Rune-Script Reading, Rune-Script Harmonics, Rune-Script Multi-Facets, Core Carving]

    Rupert let out an impressed whistle. ¡°So many skills in Rune-Script. Were you thinking of being an enchanter?¡±

    ¡°N-no,¡± Mel blushed. ¡°I had to learn how to read into the enchantments to understand a few of the older documents.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Rupert snapped his fingers like he remembered something. ¡°Some old Scripters wrote entire documents in the Rune-script. Harder to crack the code, and only worth sharing with those who knew the language already.¡± He chuckled and sat back in his chair. ¡°It was a different time with different worries.¡±

    ¡°Why are my affinities so low?¡± Mel asked. She was recording her stats on a sheet of paper on top of her stack.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say your affinities are low,¡± Rupert answered. ¡°Yours are actually close to average, according to the records we found with the Reader. Lily¡¯s just happen to be unfairly high.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being awesome,¡± Lily retorted, though she did feel a little smug from the compliment. Magic came easier to her than others, so it seems her high affinity was one of the reasons. Good reference for the future.

    ¡°Awesome indeed,¡± Rupert sighed. ¡°It is a shame they have already started cutting your core into the starburst. I think you would have been better to have the enchanter¡¯s emerald cut. Or possibly even the Pentagon.¡±

    Mel paused in her notes and looked at Rupert. ¡°Pentagon¡­ You mentioned that one before. What is that cut for?¡±

    ¡°Every cut is good for any type of magic,¡± Rupert replied. ¡°But some are better than others at specific tasks. The Pentagon cut has been notable for the best summoners, Emerald for the best enchanters, Starburst for multi-casting flexibility.¡±

    ¡°And the Pear?¡± Lily added.

    ¡°The Pear has¡­ not had enough study to place its best use.¡± Rupert finally opened his tome and flipped two thirds of the way through. Lily tried to get a glance at what was written, but it was like her eyes were veiled. When she glanced at the book the world blurred into abstract shapes. When she looked away everything returned to normal, but she felt a slight throb in her head of a headache.

    Protective magic. Annoying stuff.

    Mel was blinking as well, so she must have attempted to read the book too.

    ¡°Research I have gotten on the Pear cut theorizes that it is an enhancing type cut,¡± he places his finger and starts to quote. ¡°The foundation of the pear is round with cuts resembling a mix between the Emerald and Starburst. The geometrical facets indicate that the strands are thicker, so they are not as flexible as the Starburst. Yet they are also smaller and more numerous than the Emerald, so it is doubtful they are unwieldy and harden like an Enchanter¡¯s weave.¡± He places his finger and slides halfway down the page. ¡°Ah, here it is. The tip of the pear narrows into what resembles a spearhead. Potentially the weave should be able to trail through the core and out the tip, condensing its power to greater multitudes.¡±

    ¡°You say all that like it has not been done?¡± Lily queried.

    ¡°Because it has not,¡± Rupert affirmed. ¡°The cut itself has the least records in the Library. Very few have tried to attempt it, and none have lived.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me--¡± Mel gasped.

    Rupert nodded. ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± He closed his book and looked at the two girls. ¡°Each of their cores became unstable and shattered. Nobody tends to live long when that happens.¡±

    ¡°That''s horrible,¡± Lily cringed. ¡°Why in the gods would they even try something like that?¡±

    ¡°LIke I said earlier,¡± Rupert leaned forward and placed his arms on the desk. ¡°For knowledge and power. These experiments are done with the permission of the Caster¡¯s family, their lives weighed and considered a worthy sacrifice in the pursuit of progress.¡±

    Lily sighed and leaned back. Rupert turned back to Mel and the girl started asking more questions about different cores and their uses. Rupert develged not much more useful information, though. At least nothing which interested Lily after she heard of the dreadful practice of cutting them.

    And they cut hers already. Into the ¡®starburst¡¯ cut. Everyone gets the cut, but they should have at least asked. Or told her of what they were doing.

    She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Mel and Rupert seemed to have changed their conversation to Reader again, discussing her affinities and skills. Lily was also impressed at the amount of skills her friend had acquired, seeing she had twice as many as her.

    She had learned only the basics, her focus on meditation and purifying her mana so her spells would be more powerful. Maybe that was a problem. Her focus was too dependent on just one part of her education. She needed to improve more on the theories behind everything, like Mel does. Maybe she could become more versatile.

    She could read the weaves people do, but she could not mimic them. Maybe if she worked harder at mana reading she would get one of the [Weave] skills. From the conversation it sounded like that was the skill needed to copy someone¡¯s spells quickly, unlike studying them and practicing like Lily did.

    Eventually Lily was forced to excuse herself from Rupert¡¯s office. He and Mel had turned off the Reader and were discussing Mel¡¯s Thesis. Rupert was only asking questions pertaining to what Mel presented and Mel tried to answer. If she couldn¡¯t she jotted a note or prodded at Rupert¡¯s knowledge of the subject, but Rupert never added anything without being asked.

    Lily gave a relieved sigh as she exited the room. It seemed that Rupert was actually trying to help the girl, so she had no right to interfere with the two of them as much as it frustrated her. And she had left Charles waiting long enough. She strode across the campus, the empty pathways eventually populating until she was close to the center of the Upper City.

    The meeting with Rupert and the Reader was enlightening. Lily now knew she lacked. She was not good enough yet, so she will need to improve. Lily needed to become the best at the University and show off her skills for the best Adoption results. If she could get into a powerful family, she would help out her friends.

    Lily wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to them.

 Chapter 8: Meeting with the President

    Lily arrived at the Council Hall. She quickly moved up the foyer staircase to arrive in front of Charles¡¯ office on the second floor. She took in a breath before knocking.

    ¡°Come in,¡± the President called out.

    She curtsied after entering. Etiquette called for a proper greeting to a member of higher status, and while Charles was not the Duke yet he was still the son of one. That status designation was doubly important because of his position on the Student Council.

    ¡®Status is just posturing and flaunting your status,¡¯ Lily thought with a grimace. If she missed one thing from the Orphanage it was that she did not have to kiss up to anyone there. They were all street rats. Each abandoned by their parents. The Priestess who watched them did not ask for useless respect. As long as they grew to be godly children that was all that mattered to her.

    ¡°You summoned me,¡± Lily announced as she stood straight again.

    Charles gave a curt nod and gestured to the chairs at the side of the room. He pulled a rope hanging behind him and a light chime sounded. A servant entered through a side door and gave him a, much to Lily¡¯s annoyance, another respectful bow.

    ¡°I believe it is a good time for lunch,¡± Charles spoke. ¡°Tea and sandwiches. Care for something herbal, Lilith?¡±

    ¡°Black, if you wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± Lily replied. She doubted she would be able to relax around Charles. Their last interaction meant that this meeting was going to be anything but pleasant, so the bitter black tea would be perfect to keep her mind sharp.

    ¡°A glass of Chamomile and a black,¡± Charles continued.

    ¡°Would you prefer a specific leaf, m¡¯lady?¡±

    ¡°Lapsang Souchong, if you have any,¡± Lily sighed. ¡°If we are out again, just find something similar.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have them brought once it is ready.¡± The servant bowed and left the room as quickly as he entered.

    Lily glided over the expensive gold and blue rugs and waited on a small couch. Charles took a few more minutes to finish the paper he was writing. After, he sprinkled a fine powder over his sheet to keep the ink from blotting. The letters began to sparkle slightly as the ink dried and Charles folded it and placed it in an envelope, pouring wax and stamping his seal on it.

    He stood up and strode over to sit down on a decorated chair. Lily was sure that everything in the room was purposefully designed to match. The chairs, carpet, and even the curtains all mimicked the same gold and blue color scheme. It was one of the unspoken ways the rich and powerful bragged their wealth to anyone who visited.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are curious why I forbid you from returning to work immediately,¡± Charles prompted.

    Lily sighed internally. ¡°To make sure I was safe and mentally well after the supposed kidnapping,¡± she grumbled.

    ¡°On paper, yes¡± Charles confirmed. ¡°But that was not the only reason.¡±

    ¡°Punishment?¡± Lily asked with a sour face.

    ¡°Almost.¡± Charles leaned back and folded his hands together. ¡°You did something stupid, Lily. Very stupid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing an apology won¡¯t work?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡± Charles closed his eyes and took in a breath. When he exhaled he seemed to deflate slightly. ¡°I was called to the Dean for what you did, Lily. You were not the only one at fault for the incident.¡± He glared at Lily, his eyes focused and unblinking. ¡°And this was bad enough that my father was written to.¡±

    ¡°Technically you did form a mob to hunt one student,¡± Lily retorted.

    ¡°No,¡± Charles growled. ¡°My mistake was being in the crowd and not controlling them like a true commander. I am the heir of the Cardaire family, so I should not be in the front lines leading like a common soldier. That was my mistake.¡± He paused as the Servant returned and placed a plate of sandwiches and two cups of steaming tea in front of them before departing. Charles took the cup and blew away the steam. ¡°But my errors are not the main point of this topic, Lily, but yours.¡±

    Charles took a sip of the tea and sighed contently. Lily took her cup and weaved a slight chill string of mana to cool it down to her favorite temperature. She took a sip and almost winced. Yup, it was bitter.

    ¡°Lily,¡± Charles began. ¡°Do you even know why the adoption ceremony is so important?¡±

    Lily shook her head. ¡°That seems a bit off topic, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Charles dismissed. ¡°The adoption ceremony at graduation is very much on topic. You, Melony, and Philip are all orphans.¡±

    ¡°Melony has a family,¡± Lily retorted, her hands clenching the thin porcelain cup.

    ¡°Technically, yes,¡± Charles replied. ¡°But also no. She has commoner parents who gave birth to her, yes. But they are magicless, meaning she cannot be their daughter. So she was rescued from her fate and brought here to become something greater; a noble.¡±

    ¡°So you kidnapped her,¡± Lily snorted. ¡°I heard about it from her when we first met up. Knights arrived out of nowhere one day and just took her away because someone, somewhere, claimed they detected a magical core from her.¡±

    ¡°She was taken for her own safety, Lily.¡±

    ¡°She was stolen from her proper family!¡±

    ¡°Her family will be taken care of for life because of her gift!¡± Charles dismissed. ¡°You and Philip were true orphans so you were bought by the University. She was rescued.¡±

    ¡°Your definition of rescue and mine seem to be different.¡± Lily set her cup down and crossed her arms indignantly.

    Charles sighed and set down his cup, crossing his legs and setting his hands on them in a patient manner.

    "Melony might have had a family, yes, but they could not protect her, Lily," he said softly. Lily got the impression he was speaking to her like a child and, so she clicked her tongue in annoyance, Charles'' eyes narrowed at the sound but he didn''t waver in his lecture. "They are commoners so if a noble, any noble, ordered for her to be taken she would have been. The common parents might have been able to get her back after some time using the proper channels, but by then it would have been too late."

    "Too late for what?" Lily growled. Charles might be her superior but he was also barely older than her. Being spoken down to rattled her nerves.

    "Too late to save her life, or at worst her mind."

    "Being rescued from being a noble¡¯s plaything, you mean?" Lily snapped. Such things were not common but also not unheard of. Charles spoke of them like they were supposed to be a surprise, which made Lily chuckle darkly. "Don''t treat me like a naive kid, Charles. We lost two girls at the orphanage from such perverts."

    Charles sighed again and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "While that is also a danger, it should not be your main worry."

    "Then please clarify it, Charles. I''d love to know what our main problem is."

    "Your problem is all of you are mages. Your cores are more valuable than you realize." Charles leaned back in his seat, sweeping his arms and legs out in a dramatic fashion. "Only Nobles have cores, so the resource is not only finite but also extremely guarded. But you, Lily! You, Mel, and that Philip are commoners! Nobles can just walk out there and snatch you if they had a hint you have a core. You have no protections! No families to shield you."

    A shiver spread down Lily when Charles declared her potential kidnapping. She wasn''t sure if he used a spell or if something just clicked in her mind but a cold sweat spread across her.

    "So they''d ''adopt'' us before we went to university--" she started.

    "There would be no adoption, Lily," Charles interrupted. "An unregulated core is more valuable than mithril. A gold mine of potential experiments,  and I mean that almost literally. Many of these experiments have been untouched for centuries due to the lack of resources."

    "Resources?"

    "Your core," Charles confirmed.

    Lily clutched at her chest and felt her heart beat rapidly. Every pump echoed within her and into the core, the pulse of magic responding in kind a half beat later. It was a familiar and soothing feeling, a beat of the heart and the pulse of the core.

    "To many families," Charles continued, "most even, that core of yours is more valuable than your life or potential. They would cut it out to attempt to make a philosopher''s stone knowing that the attempt would be basically useless, but that slim chance would be worth the expense."

    An image of her being tied down and cut into flashed across Lily''s mind. She gulped and shook her head to dismiss the scene. Charles had a ghost of a smile on his face when she looked back at him. Was he enjoying this?

    "Alchemy aside, they say the core is part of a person''s soul. They might try for a new Golem to see if they could finally make a sentient one like we''ve read in the histories. It could be ground down into a tonic to de-age a person to give a noble just a few more years to use. Or they might not even cut it out of you and just break your mind to use you as a magical battery--."

    "I get the idea, Charles!" Lily snapped.

    Charles crossed his legs again and picked his tea for another sip. "It is only by the grace of the Royal family and three Dukes one hundred and sixty nine years ago during the final conflict that you are allowed to be adopted and not turned into a resource."

    Lily started her breathing exercises to calm herself down again. She was becoming too passionate in all of this and it was starting to fog the reality of things. She had to keep control. She entered this room and became annoyed far too easily, and now Charles decided to play some stupid mind games on her. Now she felt like she was about to panic from a possibility which is no longer a threat. She was a student, they would be adopted. That was reality now.

    She regretted neglecting her history studies to focus on magic practice. This would not have been a surprise if she tried to understand her position a bit better. Perhaps that would be something useful to check out before the ceremony.

    "Fine," she admitted. "I can now see the importance of the Ceremony."

    "Good. Now that we are on the same page we can discuss yesterday. Your actions may have damaged your credibility to the point where a family will overlook you.¡±

    "Are you insinuating that I will not be adopted because of my ''kidnapping''?" Lily felt her self control finally returning. Her mind was reaching a calm, logical state. She won''t let her guard down again¡­ at least today. Charles was not someone to underestimate.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "Yes and no." Charles bit into one of the sandwiches. "Mmm, delicious. Please, help yourself, Lily. The chef has been exceptionally skilled today."

    "I''m not hungry, Charles," Lily deadpanned.

    "Your loss," He shrugged. As he took another bite then washed it down with some tea. "The situation," he continued. "Is you now look incompetent. Philip is a known flunk, and yet he somehow managed to catch and tie you up?"

    "That ''flunk'', as you put it, is a lot more skilled than you expected as well," Lily gloated. Insulting her friend? He was goading her. Instead of playing into his game she will move onto the attack.

    "Indeed¡­" Charles set down his cup and gave Lily a hard glare. "Luckily that is a silver lining for you."

    "A secret talent who stayed under the notice of every instructor and student at the University." And it all went exactly as planned, if slightly more destructive than she anticipated.

    "Quite," Charles grumbled as he looked away from Lily for the first time since the conversation started. His eyes lingered at the nearby window, his brows furrowed. "Someone who is also still unfound, I might add."

    "Then this shouldn''t affect my reputation at all," Lily said, taking a victorious sip of tea to conceal her smirk.

    Charles sighed and gave Lily a pointed look. "I was hoping to scare some caution into you.¡±

    ¡°Your message is ringing loud and clear,¡± Lily dismissed with a wave.

    ¡°I really hope it is,¡± Charles deadpanned. He stood up and walked over to his desk, his fingers brushing against a small pile of papers. ¡°A good number of families have inquired about you. You have a very promising future, Lily. I would hate to have it stained with reckless actions. You might be friends with Philip, or even Melony, but depending on where you are adopted that friendship might not be possible. It might even become a hindrance to you.¡±

    Lily sighed and sprung off the seat. She left the plate of mostly untouched sandwiches and headed toward the window. It seems like Charles wanted to remind her of the more cutthroat aspects of the Noble families. Nothing new as it was a subject he seemed to dwell on often.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard your warnings before, Charles, but I doubt I¡¯ll be swayed by a little intimidation. I am friends with many people, those two included.¡± Lily looked over the field. The normal crowds of students were currently missing, replaced by a few stragglers or those in self study. The gardens seemed to almost glow in vibrancy, the gardeners having expertly repaired any damage from the day before.

    ¡°Be careful who you call friends, Lily,¡± Charles warned. ¡°Not everyone uses friendship as you seem to believe. Rebecca from the Groaw family could be using you to try to pull in a skilled new mage. That family is always looking to bolster their numbers no matter how skilled so you''d be quite a catch.¡±

    "Rebecca needs help studying arithmetics, which I excel at," Lily sniffed indignantly. "We have also bonded, not on magical studies, but through our interests in fashion and other types of gossip."

    "Gossip is one of the deadliest weapons between houses."

    "I''m sure it is, Charles," Lily giggled. "The current rumor is a potential engagement between the Cardaire house and the Tai house."

    Charles visibly deflated. He leaned against the desk as he hung his head. "I have no idea how you heard of that. I just heard a few days ago."

    "Gossip is the deadliest weapon between houses," Lily quoted smugly.

    "Touche¡­" he shook his head and stood up straight, straightening his jacket. "But that proves my point. Beware getting too involved with anyone or you''ll be used to their family''s ends"

    ¡°And I''d like to reiterate not everyone is as self centered as you fear,¡± Lily countered. She turned and matched his glare. The two stood for a few moments until Charles¡¯ shoulders slouched and he visibly sagged.

    ¡°I truly do wish I had the same optimism as you,¡± he chuckled. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and peered over his desk. ¡°The weight of responsibility is greater than you can imagine. Trying to push yourself to be able to match and bear the weight of the rank you are born with. Not just meeting but excelling at the standards set by those that came before you. It is a burden I would not wish on even my worst enemy, but it is one I was both cursed and blessed to bear.¡±

    He turned and gave Lily a strange look, one which she would not place. It made her feel weary of what thoughts Charles was thinking. When Charles started to speak again Lily realized she unconsciously took a few steps back and was closer to the door than she realized.

    ¡°You will not have to directly bear the weight of the Rank, Lily, but you will learn how to help the one who bears it. It is the responsibility of those who are not of the direct line to serve and help the house in any way they can. I almost envy you, honestly.¡±

    ¡°I think I would rather make my own decisions than serve someone who makes them for me,¡± Lily chided.

    ¡°As you should,¡± Charles agreed. ¡°But every decision should be made for the benefit of your house. Selfish wishes  like you made yesterday, could earn enemies. If, for example, you targeted someone else¡¯s member like you did Philip it could have broken the delicate balance we have held for centuries and caused a war between the Houses again. You must think before you act, Lily. Your actions will have consequences.¡±

    ¡°And if my choice was for the greater good of everyone involved?¡±

    Charles snapped his attention away from the desk and gazed directly into Lily''s eyes. ¡°Then you must become strong enough to deal with that choice,¡± Charles declared.

    "So might makes right?" Lily said dramatically. "The power of the family makes you correct, but if you get stronger than the family then your decisions make you correct? What if that choice goes against the Royal Family? Do I have to become stronger than them?"

    Charles started walking to Lily, his expression stiff and cold as stone. ¡°If what you wish to do is for the benefit of the Kingdom, then you must convince the Royal Family it is such. Then become strong enough to fight off all the enemies you make along the way.¡±

    His pace remained steady as he waved around the few chairs between them. Lily watched them and started to back away as he got closer.

    "Might does make right, but if all you want is power then all you''ll find is yourself surrounded by enemies. You will become stories like the World breaker, the Oracle of Bones, or the Necromancer." Lily shivered, her blood running cold as Charles named childhood stories at her.

    "Fantasies," she tried to wave off but her back hit the wall. Charles closed the distance and slammed his hand onto the wall by her head and leaned in close to her face.

    "Each of them were as real as you and me. As real as demons and monsters which wake even the bravest magi in a cold sweat. And each of them a lesson you need to remember."

    Lily gulped and broke eye contact with Charles, her irritation and smugness evaporating away. Perhaps she made a mistake there. Charles rarely got so serious so this means she hit one of those extremely sensitive subjects which nobles do not like talking about.

    ¡°And if, hypothetically, I convince the Royal family but anger my family?¡± She hesitantly asked, her throat felt dry.

    ¡°Then prepare to fight for your life, as your shield will no longer protect you.¡± He turned away and moved back to his desk. ¡°You are dismissed. Please go back to your office and catch up on your work for today.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, President,¡± Lily said as she gave him a polite bow.

    Charles waved his hand in dismissal.

    Lily turned and left the room, closing the door behind her. She sighed and leaned against the door. That ended differently than she thought. The mood grew extremely heavy and all playfulness disappeared. Challenging the Family was now filed away as a big no-no. Especially if it meant doing something that would damage the ¡®balance¡¯ between noble families.

    Lily was not sure about that. She would have to ask someone about that balance. It seems like there were some mysteries within the nobles she never caught onto. And while she dismissed what Charles said about her friends, it was food for thought on how she should review her social circles. Was she being used?

    If she was then there was a problem. Lily was a Council member, a prodigy, and not someone who likes being someone else''s tool. She would have to deal with that problem if it arose.

    So the order of priorities today is: Get Council work done first, then list out her current social network and review how much she is benefiting from them. If she is getting nothing then test to see if she is being used. After that then research into Noble houses. She knew their basic histories but not their current power balances, a lesson which was strangely missing in her education. Melony would not know, she is too into her books. Philip would not know either, he is far too hermit-like to care.

    Which means when she gets a list of friends and it turns out it is an equal balance of give and take she would inquire there.

    Plan settled, Lily set off to her office.

    There was one thing which was now absolutely evident to Philip.

    Stairs sucked.

    Forget going up, going down was the worst. Going up all you had to worry about was getting a little tired from the climb. Maybe some shortness of breath if you are out of shape. Or your legs burning from exertion.

    But going down. Going down was the worst. Each step was agony on his heels, his newly awarded injuries excluded. Each step was another jolt into his knees, a new crunch of his bones as they banged together as he moved down stop by step.

    The wind attacked him as well. Going up you could try to duck against it, and if desperate you can climb on all fours to be under it. But going down on all fours was suicide on the slick stairs. Try it and you¡¯ll slip and then your trip would be much, much faster than you want. The ending for this quick decline would not be enjoyable either, since you would most likely fly over a cliff face and then freefall down into the University.

    That normally would not be a problem with a simple Featherfall spell, but his magic was still ignoring him. Every call was hollow. It was¡­ concerning to say the least.

    But, the worst part of all of this was not the slick stairs, or the wind, or the jolting pain of every stop. No. The worst part of this entire trip down the mountain was his robe was far, far too constricting over his chest. When he tried to bend over it was like being wound up in carpet, the fabric straining to keep his torso straight. Last thing he needed was a new hole in borrowed clothing from the old lady.

    The opposite problem was the lower body. The robe seemed to flair out, so when the wind blew it tried to grab him like a kite. Attempting to pull him from the staircase to fling him through the air like a bird.

    And there are no rails! Who builds a mountain staircase with no rails?

    Wizard nobles, that''s who.

    It took most of the morning to go down the staircase. He could have gone a lot faster but Philip had a distinct enjoyment to living, especially after yesterday¡¯s events. Unfortunately, if they were still after his hide he would have nowhere to go but in their hands. His wounds on his back throbbed, his legs which were already aching from yesterday were throbbing painfully now, and no magic.

    He was defenceless.

    But luckily, when he finally made it to the bottom of the staircase there was nobody to be seen. Classes must have already begun and the staircase leading up to the Peak was not a very popular hang-out spot.

    He carefully made his way forward, avoiding the open path in a half-crouch and sticking close to the wall of a building. Unfortunately this seemed to aggravate the already tight robe which dug into his back, threatening to crack his scabs again.

    Philip winced when he heard a door slam open. He leapt and pushed himself against the wall as he looked back. Two students exited a building, their boisterous voices echoing across the mostly empty street. The few students who were outside seemed to focus on two. Seeing an opportunity, Philip slid down the wall toward a break across the open road to the building across the street. His goal was a small alley between the buildings which he reached in only a couple seconds and left the open street.

    "Lucky break," he breathed to himself.

    He stood up and stretched his shoulders and back to try and get the robe to feel a little more comfortable, but it was in vain. It also seemed a couple scabs broke open again. He sighed and set off down the alley toward his dormitory.

    Things went well for a while. He ran across a few like himself who sleeked in the alleyways, usually servants running a quick message or errand but there were a few students as well. Luckily they ignored him. Those that used this route did so for a reason, and those reasons were their own business.

    It didn''t take long to get close to his destination either. Maybe fifteen minutes to a half hour and he was peering out of the alleys searching for observers. Classes were still going strong and the roads were still mostly empty, but they now had more loiterers than by the Peaks staircase.

    To the left he saw a few groups talking around tables. Philip guessed they were having tea and doing something else useless. Gossiping, networking, and whatnot. They were far too engrossed with each other to pay attention to him.

    And to his right were a few tables with some students reading or gossiping but there were also a few who were strolling around. None seemed to have their focus in his direction so he set off to his goal, the building directly on the other side of the road.

    "Philip? Is that you?" A soft, familiar voice asked just as he passed the halfway point.

    Philip froze and turned to see Mel who had just turned a corner with a tall man dressed in black. He gave a weak smile and a small wave.

    "Morning, Mel. I can¡¯t stay to chat--"

    "Philip?" Mels voice changed from soft and friendly into concern, her voice rose slightly. Some of the gossipers stopped talking and started paying attention to them. "What''s that on your back?

    "Got to go!" Philip blurted out before breaking into a run into the dormitory. He had to stay low, there was no time to comfort Mel.

    "Philip!" Mel''s voice screeched out in panic. Philip winced and vowed to apologize later.

 Chapter 9: Discovery and Priestess

    Today was a wonderful day. Melony got to enjoy a wonderful breakfast with her good friend Lily, which was doubly enjoyable as Lily seemed to have gotten over the stress from the day before during the riot. The entire thing was her fault but at least she wasn¡¯t beating herself up over it. On the plus side, hopefully President Charles would verbally beat some sense into her to make sure Lily wouldn¡¯t do something as reckless as this again.

    Then she got a letter!

    Melony never got letters. Her spellcasting abilities were, at best, subpar. She knew she was behind everyone else but no matter how much she studied the theory behind spellcasting she was unable to figure out the practical application of it. She even took up sewing and weaving to figure it out but no matter what she did nothing seemed to click. Because of her lack of ability she was often overlooked, at least until her last thesis on the quality and texture of mana. Now she was recognized within the scholarly circles of the University but, until today, she never got a letter.

    And to meet with the Rupert Blackledge, a reputable historian and Count? To hear that he was reading her most recent Thesis and even offered to advise her? It was like a dream come true! Everything she worked for was slowly coming together and she was finally getting somewhere. Maybe not the the level that Lily had earned but she was finally making her name for herself to earn her a place in a reputable family during the Adoption Ceremony.

    Her parents would be so proud! Melony wondered if her new family would let her bring her parents to live with her when she moves into whatever estate they have.

    All in all this morning had been a wonderful morning filled with good news. Then she met Philip again.

    A bloody, beaten down Philip who ran from her right when she saw him.

    ¡°Philip you get back here!¡± Melony screeched, the eyes of everyone on the street snapping to stare at the scene of Philip zipping into the dormitory.

    ¡°So that is the notorious Philip,¡± Blackledge mumbled thoughtfully.

    ¡°What did that sinking nitwit get himself into!¡± Melony growled, stomping her foot on the ground and glaring holes through the door. Blackledge flinched at her use of profanity but Melony didn¡¯t care at the moment.

    ¡°He was the focus of the riot.¡±

    ¡°And he got hurt!¡± Melony complained.

    Blackledge started to the door and gave a gesture for Melony to follow. Without delay she sprung forward until she was by the door, a shimmer around it the only evidence of a warding spell.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed he can still move after the chaos I witnessed. I would have bet he would have been a broken mess in Emily¡¯s hands from the uncontrolled mob¡¯s attitude.¡±

    Blackledge paused at the door and pulled out some strings of mana and weaved them into a shimmering tapestry of mystery. Melony could barely tell where it began and ended, but once it finished it shone with an ethereal beauty that she was unable to put to words. Outside her mana-sight a floating shield depicting the family crest of the Blackledge Family hovered next to the teacher. It flew over and paused just in front of her face and mana strings burst from it and created a dome around her.

    ¡°I have granted you permission to enter the dormitory with me as your chaperone.¡± He opened the dormitory door and gestured for her to enter. ¡°Now if you don¡¯t mind lets go speak to this Philip friend of yours.¡±

    Melony, not needing to be told twice, rushed inside. This was Philip¡¯s dorm. The boy was always a hermit, so since most students could choose their own rooms he would have picked someplace far away from the others. Most students cared about comfort and ease of access, living close to family members and allies as close as possible to the front doors. So because of Philip¡¯s tendencies to isolate himself he would most likely be top floor. Most of the rooms were unoccupied from the low birth rates between noble families of recent years so the best guess is a corner room or one near it.

    Nodding in satisfaction of her deduction Melony set off to the top floor, Blackledge right behind her. When she reached the stairwell she heard footsteps echoing from up above, stomping like an owlbear on a wood-rotted floor. Melony smiled and pulled a string of air magic and blew herself up the flight of stairs with a strong gust of wind.

    Blackledge took a step back at the burst of air which flung Melony up the stairs two floors at a time, but she didn¡¯t care. If she didn¡¯t reach Philip before he got to his room then she would waste more time figuring out his new hiding spot.

    But no matter what she would find him. She always did.

    ¡°Stop running and get your flaming ass over here, Philip!¡± Melony shouted as she reached the top floor. As she slammed onto the platform she saw the shape of Philip in some sort of stained robe rush into a room. Strangely it was not the largest on the corner but only halfway down the corridor. Calculations were slightly off this time, it seems.

    She launched herself down the hallway with another burst of wind mana, a curse sounding somewhere down the stairwell.

    She slid in front of the door and stood straight. Swifty she smoothed out her dress, put her hair back in place, then straightened her glasses before knocking politely.

    ¡°Let me in, you sinking, sorry idiot,¡± she cooed before placing her hand on the doorknob and pushing forward. It was locked. ¡°That isn¡¯t going to work on me, Philip.¡± Melony smiled and pulled out two strings of earth mana and rammed them into the door frame. The wooden structure bloated up like a pufferfish and splintered the door into debris.

    Philip stood frozen in the back of the room, one leg half out a window. Before he could move Melony whipped a string of wind mana around the room like a whip and smacked him away and onto his bed. The strings of Earth mana disengaged from the door frame and stuck on both sides of the bed and pulled branches of the wood. The frame splintered and broke into pieces as it stretched the wood around Philip before he had a chance to catch his breath, pinning him down.

    Melony whistled sweetly and cleared her throat, walking calmly into the room and took a seat in the one chair in the room. She turned it to face Philip who¡¯s ashened white face.

    ¡°Now that we are both comfortable would you mind explaining to me what in the nine hell''s happened to you?¡± She asked sweetly.

    Philip opened and closed his mouth a number of times. It was almost cute how Melony could practically see his thought process. The first time was him wanting to deny anything happened, but that was obviously wrong due to the blood stains on the shirt. Melony finally got a good look at it and they were definitely not stains of filth but injuries.

    The second movement of the mouth was an excuse, the easily dismissed one. Third time was a better excuse which probably used her or Lily as a scapegoat, but because it would obviously fail as Melony was the one he tried to use it on.

    His predictability was charming, really.

    ¡°I fell down a ladder,¡± he finally managed to choke out.

    Melony giggled when she saw his eyebrow twitch but he didn¡¯t break his gaze from hers. He used a kernel of truth in that statement! That was progress at maturation which he had not shown before.

    She used her branches to take a hold of Philip¡¯s arms and rolled him over onto his stomach and examined his back, ignoring his complaints.

    ¡°The fell down part is probably the trustworthy aspect of your statement,¡± Melony began. ¡°But I doubt it was a ladder unless you pulled one of the ladders off the library shelves and fell down at least one floor onto a bookshelf to get those cuts on your back. But the Library was closed yesterday due to the riot which, by the way, I found extremely disappointing.¡± She flipped him back over and pierced him with her gaze.

    ¡°I got away¡­¡± Philip dismissed, his face scrunching up like he ate a lemon.

    ¡°But you still got caught,¡± Melony rebuked. ¡°When against overwhelming numbers you need to fight them with a funnel. Thin alleyways, underground tunnels, and other such things.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get into the tunnels! They were all blocked by Nosp¡¯s men!¡±

    ¡°Excuses!¡± Melony criticized.

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Blackledge announced from the shattered doorway. ¡°Even if he did find his way into a tunnel or alley the numbers of the hunters far exceeded what he could handle. He would have collapsed in fatigue before they ran out of numbers.¡± His fingers brushed against the broken timber. ¡°Subtle.¡± He chuckled.

    ¡°He still got injured,¡± Melony pouted.

    ¡°I also got away¡­¡± Philip added. ¡°Mind letting me go now, Mel?¡±

    ¡°Whatever!¡± Melony scoffed as she waved her hands and the wooden branches cracked and fell apart across the bed.

    ¡°You escaped the rioters, yes, but not the University.¡± Blackledge stood beside the destroyed bed and offered Philip his hand. ¡°Your impressive feat yesterday gained the attention of many, Philip no-name. Many now are expecting great things from you, including me. In fact, the Dean in his great wisdom has given me permission to tutor you for the remainder of your time here.¡±

    ¡°Do I get a say in the matter?¡± Philip asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Philip eyed it suspiciously before taking it and being helped up. He winced, showing Melony that he still felt pain in his injuries meaning he didn¡¯t have them treated yet.

    ¡°Wait?¡± Melony paused and looked between the two men. ¡°Tutor? You are going to tutor Philip?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Blackledge smiled. He put his hand on Philip¡¯s shoulder making the student flinch but Blacklege gave no indication of noticing. ¡°It is my honor to see Mr. Philip here to grow and reach his full potential.¡±

    ¡°Then it really did work,¡± Melony breathed. She heard the rumors, but this proved that it was true. It worked! The plan worked! Lily¡¯s cockeyed route caused a lot of damage but, despite the complications, the end goal had been reached.

    ¡°What worked?¡± Philip asked.

    Blackledge raised an eyebrow as well at her comment but it didn¡¯t matter. The plan worked! Philip got noticed and now has a tutor. Which means he has a higher chance of getting into a reputable noble house and be allowed to remain friends with them, removing the complication of social pressures from the equation.

    That is if he is adopted into a family that is not enemies with the one who adopts her, but that is a situation to deal with in the future since it is out of her control.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Melony dismissed. ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you, Philip! You finally have a tutor! And he is my advisor as well!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s what?¡± Philip looked between Melony and Blackledge like he just got bitten by a snake. Why wasn¡¯t he happy with this? It did occur very suddenly and she did wreck his room to notify him, so those were two factors which has a good chance of souring the mood.

    ¡°I am her advisor for her most recent thesis about Cores and their cuts. In fact I was wondering if you¡¯d join us to come to my office and use a Reader to--¡±

    ¡°How about no.¡± Philip shook Blackledges hand off his shoulder and a couple steps away. ¡°If you are my tutor then you can teach me but I am not going to be used in any thesis or research. Sorry Mel.¡±

    Melony shrugged her shoulders. She didn¡¯t really need much information through the Reader anyway, her thesis mostly based around historical records. It would be nice to have modern readings to compare with old records but it wasn¡¯t necessary.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understa--¡±

    ¡°I think I know plenty, Professor,¡± Philip interrupted Blackledge. ¡°Or would you prefer to be called Master now? Wait? You said you were a tutor and not a teacher, so I guess I don¡¯t need to call you Master.¡±

    ¡°Disrespect is frowned upon, boy,¡± Blackledge growled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to be disrespectful,¡± Philip shrugged, and another wince. ¡°I just got ambushed twice in two days, beat to an inch of my life, saved by some old woman on the peak, and I think I need a solid trip to the Priestess before I can care about anything you want to say.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Old woman on the Peak?¡± Blackledge muttered and scratched his chin. ¡°So you did make it up there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°Care to explain how you went from Low City to the Peak without being noticed?¡±

    ¡°Not particularly.¡±

    ¡°How about we get a move to the Priestess,¡± Melony stepped between the two meatheads. Stubborn seems to be a good word for both of them, or is it prideful? Melony started to worry slightly for the health of their teacher/student relationship, but such a thing was also out of her control. Her priority now was to distract the two men and give them a common goal. Easiest way to get a man to follow what you want is to give them one or they¡¯ll fight like dogs to see who is the alpha. Like children, but bigger.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to change first, so if you two don¡¯t mind I¡¯d like some¡­¡± Philip glanced at the door. ¡°Privacy.¡± he finished.

    Blackledge let out a frustrated breath and started to the door. As he started under it he brushed his hand against the warped wood and gave Melony a questioning look.

    ¡°Weaving is not my forte,¡± she explained as she followed.

    ¡°As skilled as¡­ how do you say it? An owlbear charging over rotting wood?¡± Philip called after.

    Melony blushed and stormed through the door. ¡°My skills are functional in what I need.¡±

    ¡°Allow me, then.¡± Blackledge pulled out more shimmering strands of mana and weaved a spell which was made of a dizzying amount of patterns and loops. The broken bed grew back together and the doorframe shrank down. The door¡¯s splinters flew and formed the door before each crack glowed for a few moments and faded to leave it in a solid piece.

    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± Melony sighed as the magic faded.

    Blackledge chuckled as he closed the door and then stood at the opposite wall in the hallway. It did not take long until Philip opened the door and paused seeing them waiting. He was wearing a normal uniform, the gray slightly darker than on the previous old one.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Mel asked, her voice cheery as she lunged forward and grabbed Philip¡¯s arm. She winced seeing him flinch at the pain but she was not going to let this idiot run away again.

    ¡°I guess I am,¡± He grumbled as she pulled his arm toward the stairway.

    ¡°NO!¡± Priestess Emily bellowed.

    ¡°A short rest and I¡¯m sure I will be--¡± Philip tried to stand up but the Priestess shoved him back onto the examination table.

    ¡°You will do nothing unless I tell you that you can do it. Do you understand me?¡±

    Philip tried to stand again but was stopped. He growled as he sat back down onto the examination table. A breeze blew through the room from a cracked open window and gently caressed against his bare chest. His back was covered in a number of bandages but most of the shallow wounds had been healed by a healing tonic. It tasted like moldy socks but only the deepest of wounds remained, and even they were a lot shallower than they used to be.

    His leg was also feeling a lot better, as well as his head. Apparently he suffered a severe concussion during the attacks which really messed him up. Emily had to use one of the rare divine spells on him to clear up any damage that occurred. He currently felt better than he had felt in a very long time, the wounds on his back excluded.

    But his injuries were not the reason for his foul mood. No, the most annoying part was the diagnosis on why his core was feeling empty, which happened to be the topic of discussion. The worst thing was Mel sitting in the back and flinching every time he tried to move.

    ¡°You said it was mana fatigue, meaning I just exhausted my magic and it will come back in time.¡± He really hated the current trend of people trying to hold him down and push him around.

    ¡°You are correct but there is more I must check,¡± Emily sighed in exasperation. ¡°Like did you crack the core? Is it just surface damage or did you do something else to it? How much magic did you pull out past your maximum? And I need you to stay here until I finish all the tests and you recover.¡±

    ¡°And how long would you estimate that would take?¡± Blackledge jumped in. Philip did not trust the sleazy looking man but he was thankful he was sticking up for him at the moment. His gut feeling told him to avoid him as much as possible, though, so while the man was earning good credit he still won¡¯t be given any slack if he tried to push Philip around, Count status or not.

    ¡°If it is just normal mana fatigue, then he should be fine by the end of the week.¡± Emily explained. ¡°But if he did something else then he might be magicless for longer. Worst case is I will have to operate on him and manually add in some alchemical repair oils to seal the cracks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d prefer not to get cut open, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Philip injected.

    ¡°Then you better find a way to get out of this room and throw yourself over the ledge,¡± Emily snapped back. ¡°As long as you are a student your health is my duty, and I won¡¯t let you cripple yourself over some petty pride.¡±

    Philip slumped onto the table. He was caught and was not about to be free for a while. But at least he will be able to be protected by the Priestess for the near future. Any hostility toward him should have faded down within a few days and he could walk around with just some more bad rumors going his way by then. Lily would have been seen working so the kidnapping lie would fade down into just another fun story. As for the injuries toward his pursuers, they would be considered scars of a great battle or something. Bragging rights to try and steal a few kisses from the unengaged ladies. Perhaps more.

    ¡°Lessons cannot be delayed, Emily.¡± Blackridge seemed to be pushing the topic. Did he really want Philip as a student that badly?

    ¡°Oh yes, bright idea!¡± Emily exclaimed as she spun around and put her hands on her hips, glaring up at Blackridge. ¡°Lets teach magic to the boy who can¡¯t even feel magic! A genius idea, Rupert. Why not bring in commoners as well and teach them a thing or two while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    Philip resisted snorting at the scene. She was almost comically short, her head no higher than Blackridges shoulders, yet at that moment she seemed to tower of the man. Blackridge snorted and turned away to head to the door.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he said with a weary groan. ¡°But send me a health report so I can adjust the curriculum. I will be back later today with a Reader to read Philip.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? Should I send a report to Omar as well?¡± Emily sneered. ¡°You two are plotting something again and I won¡¯t stand for it.¡±

    Philip¡¯s eye twitched. There it was, the plan to use him as a pawn. He would have to find a way to avoid this teacher and keep studying to pass the tests¡­ thank you Lily for the extremely annoying compilation. Philip glanced across the room and saw Mel watching him, smiling slightly. She already knew his plan to avoid Blackledge and is probably thinking of ways to counter. He didn¡¯t know how, but she seemed to always know.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything later during dinner.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Finally decided to start courting me?¡± Emily turned away from him and moved to a nearby table. ¡°I was worried that I would die a poor, lonely ol¡¯ spinster. Lucky me that the great and renowned Rupert Blackledge finally decided to find a woman to settle down with.¡±

    ¡°Keep your delusions to yourself, woman,¡± Blackledge snarled. ¡°I will explain why I decided to become Philip¡¯s tutor.¡±

    ¡°And yet you can¡¯t say it in front of the boy? How suspicious.¡± Emily giggled darkly. ¡°Off you go then, you sneaky little man. Go play noble like a good chess piece.¡±

    ¡°One of these days, Emily--¡±

    ¡°Get out of my clinic, Rupert.¡±

    Blackledge stormed out of the room and slammed the door. Emily turned to face Philip, her face dropped as she let out a deep sigh. She glanced between Philip and Mel and shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you two had to see that.¡± She scribbled a few notes down on a sheet of paper on her desk before grabbing a tool and heading toward Philip¡¯s bed. ¡°We have a long history, and most of it has changed for the worse as of late.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like it,¡± Philip bluntly stated.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have your reasons for being so antagonistic toward him,¡± Mel carefully added.

    ¡°That is a polite way to say I was being an absolute banshee,¡± Emily giggled. ¡°But don¡¯t you two worry about it. We fight but nothing really comes of it.¡±

    ¡°I happen to be the topic of your fight so I think I¡¯ll keep worrying.¡± Philip crossed his arms and leaned against the wall at the far end of the examination table. He felt the scabs on his back strain slightly but they held strong. Perhaps Emily¡¯s divine spell strengthened them?

    ¡°Philip, stop being so rude,¡± Mel scolded.

    ¡°No, he has a point,¡± Emily jumped in to defend Philip. ¡°But you are just the most recent topic of discussion. Those two have tried these things before¡­ but a Reader? I¡¯m not sure their angle on this one.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I used it earlier today in Professor Blackledge¡¯s office.¡± Melony seemed to hop in excitement. ¡°It seems I am considered average on most magic! And I am very skilled in Runescript!¡±

    Emily sighed and lifted the tool to Philip¡¯s chest. A few weaves of water mana and air circled around it and knotted themselves at the ends, twisting into the tool and exiting right into Philip¡¯s chest. It felt like liquid was being poured into him and expanding outward across his rib cage.

    ¡°Surface readings only,¡± Emily said. ¡°They can say basic skills you have, and if you have many skills then there is a good chance you are extremely talented in that field, but it does not prove anything. That is why they were discontinued.¡±

    ¡°Then why does he want to use it with me?¡± Philip asked as he shivered from the foreign magic spreading through him. It was not intrusive so it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable, but it still felt odd and he could not decide if he liked it or not.

    ¡°Probably a theory of some kind he wants to prove.¡± Emily waved her hand in dismissal. ¡°And once he finds out you don¡¯t have whatever special ability he thinks you have then you should be free of him for the most part.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be free of him being my tutor?¡± Philip perked up at the thought and he heard Mel exclaim in annoyance at him shirking his responsibilities, but it didn¡¯t bother him.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re going to have him as a tutor no matter what you want,¡± Emily clarified, dashing all Philip¡¯s hopes of life returning to normal. ¡°Rupert is often a prick, but I can promise you he is a man of his word. Even without whatever ability he thinks you have he will have you live up to your potential. I would bet Nosp a year¡¯s salary on that.¡±

    ¡°Sinking damn it,¡± Philip cursed only to be smacked by Emily.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare tempt fate, Philip,¡± She scolded. ¡°Speaking of a sinking is bad luck, and luck is rare enough as it is. Don¡¯t speak of it unless you wish it to happen to the islands.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Priestess,¡± Philip mindlessly replied. It was just like back in the orphanage. Don¡¯t speak of a sinking or it will happen. Don¡¯t talk about the burning or the world will be engulfed again. Don¡¯t speak of the breaking or you¡¯ll make the world shatter again. Just superstition and fear that the past will repeat.

    Though, thinking of the histories, the world has had many apocalyptic events that has altered everything. Maybe there was some truth in the Priestess¡¯ warnings, but the likelihood of such an event happening again was close to zero that Philip decided it wasn¡¯t worth worrying about.

    ¡°Your core has no cracks or damages, but it seems extremely depleted of any magic. What did you do?¡±

    Philip shrugged. ¡°Honestly, not sure,¡± he admitted. ¡°Whatever I did was during the worst of the concussion. All I can recall is my magic coming out like a tick rope and doing¡­ stuff. Then I just woke up in a tunnel which led to the peak.¡±

    ¡°A tunnel that led to the peak?¡± Emily muttered. ¡°And rope? May I ask for your core cut?¡±

    ¡°My what?¡± Core cut?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know mine until I saw it on the Reader,¡± Melony chimed in again. ¡°A fascinating subject, and one needing a lot more--¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, Melony, but I don¡¯t wish to be distracted right now.¡± Emily gave Mel a soft smile. ¡°Perhaps after I finish today''s work before that ¡®dinner¡¯ of Rupert¡¯s we can sit down and discuss it. I might know something interesting to add to your thesis since I often have to examine or heal cores.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯d love that!¡± Melony was nearly hopping in her seat with excitement. Philip couldn¡¯t help but smile but he frowned when he thought about it. What was a Cut?

    ¡°Have you gone to any meditative classes where an instructor has guided you through purifying your mana and core?¡± Emily continued.

    Philip just shrugged and explained how he had never done an official class but had studied in private, or with help from Lily or Mel. Emily stood quietly for a few minutes before sighing and walking over to the table and writing a few more notes.

    ¡°I believe using Rupert¡¯s Reader might be essential to know exactly what happened. But, if what I am guessing happened, you have a raw surge of magic which came through your strongest affinity element.¡±

    ¡°Strongest affinity?¡± Mel popped in. ¡°So because he sunk into the ground you are guessing his strongest affinity is Earthy?¡±

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Emily confirmed. ¡°Which is a lucky break you did not have fire or water or there may have been deaths and not just casualties. Then again we are lucky you just wanted to escape and not fight back or the same event might have happened but with earthen spikes. I don¡¯t think you would have gotten off as easily if that did happen.¡±

    ¡°Then this Reader should help confirm things?¡± Philip asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Emily set her pen down and leaned forward in her seat. ¡°On a surface level type of thing. It should be able to know what type of cut your core has, if any, and read the purity of your magic and affinities. But we can discern many extra things from it as well. Your magic, for instance, might give insight to the type of core you are naturally inclined to have.¡±

    ¡°So, if I am getting this right, it would inform me what type of mage I am naturally inclined to be? Like, hypothetically speaking, if it read my physical attributes it would suggest if I would fit better as a scout, knight, or archer?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. It shows how your magic naturally runs. You might have very flexible magic which can be good for fast casters with the starburst cut, which is the most common type. Or you are a heavy caster where your spells are slow to build but they are extremely potent like that of a pear cut.¡±

    Philip paused and thought about his core. His spells were always easy to cast since his strings of mana were so flexible. He might have a starburst cut going without realizing it. He glanced at Mel and saw her eyes glowing with anticipation to jump in and talk both their ears off.

    ¡°Okay, I get the idea. So what is happening? Am I free to go--¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even try it,¡± Emily said flatly. ¡°The plan now is we wait for Rupert to return with the Reader to figure out this mystery.¡± She stood up waved her hand. Air strings flew out of her fingers and hit the open windows, closing them. Then a few earth strings appeared and weaved into the air creating a shimmer around each window.

    ¡°Please follow me, Miss Melony.¡± Emily gathered her papers and tools and started toward the door. Melony looked between her and Philip but stood up and followed Emily. Philip joined them in heading for the door but once they were outside the door slammed shut. The same shimmer appeared across it like the windows. Philip took hold of the door handle and tried to open it but it didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You are not going anywhere until I deem you healthy enough to let out. Please sit back and relax until we return, it shouldn¡¯t be more than a few hours. Bathroom is the other door in the room. Please have a good rest, and may Nuol bless you with wisdom.¡± The sound of steps echoed through the hallway, slowly getting quieter. ¡°So, Melony. I would love to hear what you have in your thesis now.¡±

    ¡°Is Philip going to be okay?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be just fine as long as he doesn¡¯t destroy my furniture.¡± Emily nearly shouted the last part to make sure Philip heard.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have other patients to check on?¡± Philip called back, his irritation echoing in his voice.

    ¡°You worry about yourself, young man,¡± was her reply before her and Mel started chatting enthusiastically about complicated issues outside Philip¡¯s understanding. He sighed and moved to the seat Mel was using and sat down.

    This is going to be a very boring few hours¡­

 Chapter 10: The Quickweaver

    Time passed like molasses.

    Despite the fact that Philip was locked in the room, he was enjoying the peace and quiet. The pain he suffered for the past day had faded into a faint throb, similar to days he exercised too hard.

    So, just like after exercising, Philip decided to listen to Priestess Emily''s advice and relax. He laid down on the couch and started breathing exercises.

    In and out. Take in a breath then release. Focus inward as you take a breath and feel the energy moving. Feel it expand and search for impurities. Exhale and release those impurities through your breath.

    It is the simplest way to purify your core, if the least efficient, but it was Philip''s favorite way. Unfortunately, Philip was unable to find comfort today due to his dulled core. He could feel his magic again but only faintly. It was like trying to grab something extremely slimy. It just slipped away once you thought you had a grasp.

    The Priestess said to leave it alone for a few days. Let the core rest and heal after over exerting itself, so Philip didn''t do the usual searching and purifying like he normally did during these breathing exercises. Instead he probed his core.

    It was, as stated before, dulled. It''s like touching an actual stone, but the stone was comfortably warm. Its surface was rough and sharp, feeling like it would pierce him whenever he touched an edge. But, from his lessons Philip knew this was an illusion released by the core so the creatures that had one would ignore it. Smoothing those sharp points and removing the roughness was the process of Cutting, and the smoother it got the faster the magic would flow around the core.

    Or so Mel lectured to him.

    When it comes down to it none of that really mattered to Philip. As long as his core was not damaged and he could still feel mana he was satisfied. His time when the core was inert was enough for him to be magicless. It was like losing one of his senses, where you know something should be there but it wasn¡¯t. The thought of that happening again sent shivers down his spine.

    Overall the spikes and rough texture felt familiar to him as he had done the exercises daily, usually alone in one of the unused lounges like where Lily found him yesterday. The hardest part was not falling asleep.

    But during his scans something felt¡­ different. He moved down into a valley between three spikes on his core, avoiding the edges.

    In the valley was a groove he didn¡¯t recognize. He spread his senses and took the entire shape into his mind. It looked like a crater had appeared at the base of one of the spikes, just above the bottom of the valley. It did not go deeply into the core but created a small overhang which was gathering small bits of magic. The stone itself was slightly warm with it being dulled, but inside this overhang heat radiated out. The sensation Philip got was the same warmth that he felt when the core was normal. He basked in the comforting heat for an unknown amount of time, but soon he heard a click.

    Philip opened his eyes and shook his head to clear his mind. The first thing he noticed was the shadows in the room had changed. It seemed that a few hours had passed since he started his meditation. The second thing to come to mind was his stomach grumbling angrily as lunch had come and passed. Third, he felt refreshed. Basking in the warmth let his muscles he did not realize were tense relax.

    Then the door opened followed by Emily and the Blackledge. The two were arguing over something, probably the thing in Blackledge¡¯s hand. It looked like some sort of curved disk which reminded Philip of a pot lid, only without the handle. Though instead of being made of metal it was made of glass and had scratches all over it.

    ¡°He is my student so my word is final on how I shall teach him,¡± Blackledge hissed.

    ¡°And in this hospital my word is final. You can use it then you get out, that is final!¡± Priestess Emily growled, her robes swaying as she swung her arms down in frustration. ¡°He is mine until I release him.¡±

    ¡°Omar has already given me permiss-¡±

    ¡°Omar can kiss my keister if he thinks he can steal one of my patients for another half-baked scheme of his!¡±

    ¡°There is no scheme.¡± Blackledge¡¯s eyes were nearly popping out of his red face.

    ¡°There is always a scheme with the two of you,¡± Emily threw up her hands then moved fully into the room, locking her furious gaze at Philip. Philip gave her a small wave.

    ¡°Was lunch with Mel enjoyable?¡± He asked.

    The anger seemed to disappear and her eyes turned gentle. ¡°Oh, very lovely. That Melony is a very bright girl, though I sadly could not keep up with half her explanations.¡±

    Philip nodded knowingly and chuckled. ¡°You learn to just nod along with her until she finishes and hope she doesn¡¯t ask you a question about it later.¡±

    ¡°That sounds very much like something you would do,¡± Emily sighed and turned back to Blackledge, her gentle gaze hardening into stone. ¡°You use that thing and leave.¡±

    ¡°If that is all I am ¡®allowed¡¯ to do,¡± Blackledge matched her gaze and stood straight, towering over her. ¡°Then I demand to do it privately with my student.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but for no longer than 10 minutes, starting now.¡± Emily whipped around, her white robes billowing behind her as she left the room in a huff.

    Blackledge watched her for a few moments before sighing, his frustration evaporating away as his shoulders slouched. Philip wondered what happened between the two for them to be so hostile to each other. Then again that story probably delved into information that could pull him into some noble¡¯s game or plot, so he erased the question from his mind.

    The man turned and gave Philip a probing look before moving to sit in the chair next to Philip¡¯s couch.

    ¡°Okay, our time is limited so best not waste it,¡± he said with a surprisingly calm voice. There was a strange tone in his voice, though. Almost like longing or sadness. Perhaps the hostilities between the Priestess and him did affect him more than the man let on...

    No, no. Do not dig yourself into their drama. Focus on surviving the next few months.

    ¡°Shall I assume that is the thing you wanted to use on me.¡± Philip stated, give the device a suspicious glance.

    ¡°Yes, the Reader,¡± Blackledge set the device down onto the coffee table like it was a treasure. Philip gave it a closer examination and only was able to decipher the scratchers were actually runes carved into it. ¡°Set your hand on this and I¡¯ll do the rest.¡±

    ¡°Sounds too easy,¡± Philip mumbled.. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    Blackledge chuckled. It was unnerving to Philip, seeing this tall, dark man chuckling to what he said like it was a joke. Philip squinted his eyes to study Blackledge but the man gave no hint of mocking him in the slightest.

    ¡°There is no catch, Philip,¡± Blackledge said. He waved over the device like a showman. ¡°This thing won¡¯t harm you. It will show, in written form, your innate talents in magic. You will not be harmed in any way physically, magically, or mentally. At worst it¡¯ll hurt your ego.¡±

    Philip studied the device for a few moments before Blackledge coughed.

    ¡°Please, we are on limited time.¡±

    With a sigh Philip did what the man asked and placed his hand on it. Blackledge opened his hands and strands of magic flew out of them, weaving into a cyclone of designs which plunged into the glassy dome. Philip¡¯s hand was sucked onto the glass and rendered immobile. Philip tried to lift it but Blackledge coughed to get his attention.

    ¡°It must read your magic, so please don¡¯t move. Once I break the weave you¡¯ll be able to let go.¡±

    Fighting the urge to snatch his hand back, Philip decided to listen to the man. It took only a few more seconds but a blue glowing screen appeared in front of the two of them.

    [Core: Untouched | Unknown]

    [Mana Purity: Dark | Dawning | Alert: Highly Malleable]

    [Elemental Affinity: Air, Negligent 5% | Water, High 40% | Earth, Extreme 84% | Fire, Low 15%]

    [Skills: Mana Control, Mana Weaving, Mana Reading]

    Philip stared at the screen, the so-called status of him not making much sense. Though, while he didn¡¯t understand it, the sudden alertness of Blackledge and his sharp mutterings meant that something unusual popped up.

    ¡°So, am I a mage, Professor?¡± Philip asked sarcastically when the man didn¡¯t start talking normally for half a dozen seconds.

    Blackledge blinked and shook his head, his eyes moved away from the screen and scanned over Philip. This was not like the probe beforehand. That one was like he was being judged like a child being judged for telling a lie. This scan was more like a man looking at a rare animal.

    ¡°You are far more than I could ever have hoped for,¡± Blackledge chuckled spiritedly. ¡°Highly malleable mana along with an extreme amplitude for Earth magic? You are the find of a century!¡±

    ¡°Fancy words that mean nothing to me. My mana has always been malleable. And what do you mean amplitude?¡±

    Blackledge gave the screen another look before cutting off his magic. The threads of mana fell onto the object before dissipating into the air. The screen disappeared and the Runes faded. Philip waited for only an extra moment before pulling his hand back and crossing his arms.

    ¡°I suspected you were a Quckcaster when I saw you leap out of the window,¡± Blackledge took out some glasses and wiped them before putting them on. He then pulled out a book and cracked it open to a pre-marked page. ¡°You¡¯re magic is extremely flexible so you can weave your spells with an ease most mages envy. I find it hard that nobody has noticed your talent before.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like to stick out,¡± Philip grumbled.

    ¡°I have noticed,¡± Blackledge laughed. ¡°And if it wasn¡¯t for your friend Lily I¡¯m sure you would have been overlooked by everyone except the Groaws. And the only reason you¡¯d be noticed by them is they take everyone they can get their greedy little paws on. Every flunk, every grunt, and every lackey. The family is great for filling out footmen, but it is a very barbaric house.¡±

    ¡°Quite a blunt statement, Professor. Talking about a Baron¡¯s house could be considered an insult.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps to the uncultured it might seem that way,¡± Blacklege countered. ¡°But the Groaws brag about it the most. It boggles the mind how they celebrate mediocrity¡­ either way we should stay on topic.¡±

    Philip chuckled and sat back in his chair.

    ¡°So what is so great about being a quickcaster?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It means you are the perfect candidate to have any cut,¡± Blackledge announced, ¡°No matter what you¡¯ll be able to adapt and use your magic to its best degree. No loss of flexibility, no loss of power. A Quickcaster is gifted that no matter what is done to your core you¡¯ll always be able to keep control of your magic.¡±

    ¡°Except when I get magic fatigue?¡±

    Blackledge froze and gave Philip a hard stare. ¡°Never do what you did again, Philip. You¡¯re mana won¡¯t be affected, but a damaged core has its own problems. Though, I am curious¡­ what cut were you getting?¡±

    Philip shook his head and said he never had his core cut. Nobody, outside of Priestess Emily, has ever gotten close to his core to cut it since he arrived at the University. He had even avoided any classes which taught ¡®advanced¡¯ magic exercises due to wanting to not be seen.

    ¡°That is peculiar, then.¡± Blackledge sat back in his own chair and pondered. ¡°Your cut is categorized as ¡®unknown¡¯ and not ¡®raw¡¯, meaning someone has tampered with your Core. You have a few cuts to start the shape, most likely, but not enough for the Reader to recognize what the final product would be.¡±

    ¡°Will that be a problem?¡± Philip sat upright in his chair. Someone had worked on his core? When? How? Was it during his naps? Maybe it was earlier when he first came to the University? Or was it the man who scanned him at the Orphanage? When was the core cut, and how is it done?

    Questions for another time.

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Blackledge answered Philip after noticing his tension. ¡°Initial cuts follow the same pattern. If the Reader doesn¡¯t know what cut you have then it is most likely in that stage.¡±

    Philip let out a sigh of relief. His core wasn¡¯t ruined by some unknown person.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have Emily do a thorough scan of your core before you leave her care. It would be best to know exactly what type of cut they¡¯ve started, or at least get a good idea on which direction they were going so I can make corrections later.¡±

    ¡°Corrections?¡± Philip became alert again.

    ¡°Yes, corrections,¡± Blackledge confirmed. ¡°You are my student so you will be getting the cut I deem best for your growth. As a quickcaster, I would say a pear cut is the best option. But that decision will be made after I see what you can do.¡±

    ¡°Do I get a say in the matter?¡±

    ¡°Of course you do,¡± Blackledge gasped. ¡°It is your core, boy. You will be guided to make the best choice, but the end decision is between you and your family.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t have a-¡±

    ¡°It is best not to dwell on the past, Philip,¡± Blackledge interrupted. He flipped through his book to another passage. ¡°I will say I would be impressed with your Mana¡¯s flexibility, but your affinity to Earth is phenomenal. Almost one hundred percent!¡±

    ¡°More lectures¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll bite. What does affinity mean?¡±

    ¡°Your affinity is how effective your mana is when you attune it to an element. If you have, shall we say as an example, only twenty five percent affinity to water then when you turn your mana into a thread of water you only keep twenty five percent of your original mana. That affinity is how efficient you are at using that specific element.¡±

    Philip looked at the ground and pondered. ¡°Then I waste almost no mana when I use earthen magic?¡±

    ¡°Correct!¡± Blackledge smiled and snapped his book shut. ¡°You would make a great geomancer, but I predict there are even greater possibilities for you.¡±

    Philip felt a prickling on the back of his neck and looked around. Was he being watched? His eyes fell onto Blackledge and he shivered at the man¡¯s expression. Philip was an animal in his gaze, but not a pet. No, Philip was the prized cut of meat being sold.

    Philip gulped and shook that image out of his mind.

    ¡°We can discuss that in another time,¡± Blackledge clapped and the book and glasses disappeared back into his robe. He took the Reader from the table and started to the leave. ¡°If I had my way I would start testing you now but Emily would have the entire Campus burning if I tried.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it would be a righteous crusade to rescue a single student previously diagnosed with minor to moderate injuries,¡± Philip snarked.

    Blackledge paused and thought for a second before nodding. ¡°Yes, that does sound like something she¡¯d do.¡±

    ¡°I was joking.¡±

    ¡°And I am not. So rest well, boy. We¡¯ll be working hard soon enough. And don¡¯t ignore Emily¡¯s directions or you might not leave this room until after graduation.¡±

    Philip stayed silent as Blackledge left the room.

    The sun was getting low on the horizon. The pile of papers which Lily was forced to deal with were finally neatly stacked in a pile at the corner of her desk, every one read, marked, and ready to send off with an acceptance stamp or rejection. Days of neglect completed, the budget proposals and propositions for supplies, activities, and parties can now be put out of her mind.

    Until tomorrow when another stack of papers is shoved in front of her.

    Lily sighed and rubbed her tired eyes with the back of her hands, then placed her quill pen into its holder. She then took a moist towel which a maid held out to her and cleaned the ink off her hands. Lily groaned and waved to a small mirror on the other side of the room. The maid scurried off to grab it as Lily stretched, her back popping multiple times due to her poor posture leaning over the paperwork.

    When the maid returned Lily breathed a sigh of relief seeing she didn¡¯t rub ink across her face. It wouldn¡¯t have been the first time she would have done it, and Lily also bet it wouldn¡¯t be her last. But today was a good one with her face still clean and fresh like when she started, if a little fatigued.

    ¡°Would the Miss like dinner before leaving for the night?¡± the Maid asked.

    Lily waved the made away, shaking her head. ¡°Not today. I will be retiring early, I think.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the Maid replied. ¡°The young Master wished me to give you this once you were preparing to leave.¡± She held out a small letter, the Cardaire¡¯s crest imprinted on the wax seal.

    Lily gave a tired nod and placed it inside her bag to read once she got to her room. She felt a brush of another letter inside, which sparked a memory from earlier today. She pulled out the third invitation she received with Melony, the unknown crest and old parchment seeming at conflict with the fresh and clean surroundings of her office.

    ¡°Oh my,¡± the Maid gasped. ¡°An Archmage seal! My lady has given an impression to someone important.¡±

    Archmage? One of the Headmasters of the University? Why did Lily get a letter from one of them? How did she not know an Archmage¡¯s seal immediately?!

    Lily pushed learning more about the noble families higher on her priority list.

    She quickly opened it and read it. Lily had been invited to have some tea at the Peak Observatory at her earliest convenience. Lily groaned as she looked outside at the low sun and cringed. She will have to make a very good excuse to push a simple meeting like this so late. She could use Charles. Using him as an escape goat would be worth it just to watch him squirm under the gaze of an Archmage.

    Lily folded up the letter and returned it to her bag and bid the Maid farewell. She bade goodbye to her colleagues, the usual polite ritual of greeting, small discussion about nothing, and leaving with the lower ranking person giving the higher one a slight bow. Ironically, Lily had to bow to everyone despite holding the second highest position in the Student Council because of her commoner status.

    ¡°Waste of time,¡± Lily muttered under her breath as she finally left the mansion.

    A cool breeze hit her and she breathed it in. The heat of the day was gone and the chill of the night was creeping in. It was a relaxing time for Lily. She could unwind, relax, and read in the privacy of her room. Since it was spring most of the parties were tea parties or small gatherings, and she could avoid most of them due to her lack of status. So this time of year was perfect for either getting ahead in her studies or practicing a hobby or extra interest.

    For tonight, though, she was invited to an event. One which was bound to be important.

    Lily rushed off to her room and flung open her closet. She had a few dresses gifted, or bribed, to her by friends and colleagues. She pondered for a few moments before grabbing a dark blue one. It had a few trims around the hips and bust, but overall it could be considered a plain outfit. This would emphasize humbleness to the Archmage, but show off she was not unfashionable. The next part was to pick a few select pieces of jewelry to compliment the dress. Ruby with silver felt perfect. They didn¡¯t fade into the dress and helped emphasize her skin. She was young and youthful, and a perfect candidate if the Archmage was considering picking her during the Adoption ceremony. Someone of the Archmage¡¯s status would be able to have enough pull to take her from any of the lower houses.

    Nodding in satisfaction she set off after fixing up her hair and grabbing a small handbag for her invitation. Simple, elegant, and humble. The perfect girl for expanding the power to one¡¯s house.

    Lily moved as quickly as she could through the campus, but never at a run. Doing so would mess up her dress and hair. A speedwalk was perfect to keep her fresh and energized enough to make the evening enjoyable¨C

    Lily paused once she reached the stairs. Her eyes widened as she followed the winding trail up, and up, and up to the peak. She had heard of the location but had never been there, but to hear it was the ¡®peak¡¯ and to actually see the way to reach it were two different things.

    She looked over her shoulder toward the sun. There was still time before dusk would begin but it was getting dangerously low. Lily did not want to be on these stairs once darkness hit.

    She cursed herself for neglecting the letter. She should have done this tea party during the afternoon, not now when everyone was getting ready to rest.

    But the damage was done. Lily would bear with her choices, as she had always done. For better or worse she would succeed, and come out on top.

    Lily took in a breath and started up the winding staircase. Up and up it went, the chill of the wind getting more biting as she rose higher and higher. Soon she passed the levels of the Guard Keep, the Aviaries, and even the airship docking bays. The buildings and mansions of the Upper City became smaller and smaller and the edges of the island also became clearer as she rose into the sky. Billowing clouds washed outward as far as she could see, an ocean of white and blue. A small spec in the distance could also be seen once she arrived at a small walled terrace.

    The Great Forest Island, one of the few wild islands of the Kingdom. Soon, she will be going there. That was the location of the Familiar Hunt which would take place in a few months, and would be the final factor proving her worth to these pompous, arrogant nobles.

    A gust blew across the terrace making Lily shiver. She pulled out a few strings of mana and weaved a bubble of warmth around her as well as a bubble of solid air. The gust was cut off and was replaced by a small strain against Lily¡¯s mind.

    She had come far from when she was a helpless child in the orphanage, but Charles had made it very clear today that she was still far too weak. She had to get stronger to not be forced to become someone else¡¯s chess piece. She would become a player, not a pawn.

    She pat her hand bag which held the letter. To gain strength she needed connections, and connections was what she was going to make tonight.

    Archmage or not, Lily would use them until she was safe in a position of power.

    As Charles said: ¡°Might makes Right.¡± And Lily hated being wrong.

    She turned to gaze toward the Peak. She had only passed the halfway mark and the sun was finally reaching the horizon. She scowled and continued the climb toward her destiny.

 Chapter 11: Tea Date

    The Observatory finally came into view as Lily pushed herself to finish her climb. Her dress and hair were still pristine due to the magic shield, but she was slightly winded at the exertion of using so much magic to keep it up. The wind just got worse the higher she went, and she even had to weave a body strengthening spell to keep from breaking out into a sweat from the physical toll.

    Lily had never been up to this facility before as it only catered to very specialized students, but what she saw was surprising.

    The sky was cloudless and the stars had only begun to peak out in the night. There were no illusions cast to liven up the area like in the entertainment districts, or even any lights to brighten the Peak up. The place was as naturally lit as possible, meaning there was no magic orbs or even spells to enhance a torches light.

    The walkway between the unending stairs and the Observatory was a plain grassy field, the grass blowing like waves due to the unending wind. No hint of gardening or care of the terrain could be seen. The Earth Mages had left this place alone to also keep its natural features.

    Besides the building itself, the Peak was as close to the original look of the University''s island as could be found anywhere. It was¡­ unique.

    Then there was the building. It was a dull gray color instead of the normal pristine white of the university below. The roof had black tile which blended into the night sky. But the main feature was the glass. There was more glass on the Observatory than on most buildings on the main island. The entire main building appeared to have a roof of glass, and there were arched windows spiraling up the tower until the top floor which appeared to look like a lighthouse. But there was no light shining out, instead there were telescopes. Dozens of smaller ones with three enormous ones, each easily being four times larger than the biggest guard Lily has seen.

    There was no question what the purpose of the Observatory was.

    Lily paced herself as she crossed the field and arrived at the door. She raised her hand to knock but the door slowly swung open, the interior of the building lit by an array of candles and torches, all flickering in a very mundane way.

    The room was about as large as Charles¡¯ office, but it held a few tables and chairs which were pushed to the side. It looked like a common room for gatherings. Unlike the ones Lily was used to, this was lined with stacks of papers as tall as she was, a few even taller. There were also heaps of scrolls, books, and even strange devices which Lily assumed to be astronomical measuring instruments.

    In the center of the room was a single table which had the only magical orb in the room hovering over it. It looked like a miniature Moon shining down with a pale light. Beneath it were a few select snacks and a tea set. At the end of the table sat an old woman, her eyes closed as she took a sip from one of the cups.

    She was short. Shorter than her, but there was something about her which felt larger than life. Her faded blue robe held no decorations but to Lily it felt like an outfit made for royalty. Her face was wrinkled, sagging from age. Her eyes were abnormally large due to her thick, oversized glasses. Even her hair was tied in a sloppy bun with strands of hair poking out all over. But despite all of this she demanded respect, not with any spoken word or look but from her sheer presence Lily couldn¡¯t even think to treat her disrespectfully.

    ¡°You are later than I expected,¡± Headmaster Rolune said.

    ¡°I apologize for the delay, Headmaster,¡± Lily gave the woman a polite curtsy with a practiced smile. ¡°Necessities with the Student Council were very demanding to¨C¡±

    ¡°Oh shut your mouth,¡± Rolune interrupted. ¡°Save your pretty words and excuses and sit down for some tea.¡±

    Lily felt the air around her constrict as her body was lifted into the air. She stifled a scream as she was plopped into the only other chair at the center table. Thankfully the chair was cushioned so the landing was more of a jolt than painful.

    ¡°Tea should be mostly fresh,¡± Rolune continued. ¡°I brewed it only two hours ago.¡±

    The Archmage must be upset due to the delay. Two hours waiting was a long time, and from the tone of her voice this wasn¡¯t the first post she brewed either. There was a good chance that she had been waiting since the invitation was sent this morning, and if that was the case then Lily made a huge social mistake.

    ¡°I am sorry if I have offended¨C¡±

    Rolune waved her hand and Lily closed her mouth with a snap.

    ¡°Who are you to be able to offend me?¡± She sniffed. ¡°You are no royal, no noble, and no Archmage. To be frank I doubt I¡¯d have ever seen you if it wasn¡¯t for your incident yesterday.¡±

    Lily internally groaned. Of course that''s what she wanted to talk about.

    ¡°That entire incident was just a misunderstanding which went out of control,¡± Lily¡¯s voice was calm and even, despite her inner thoughts.

    ¡°Of course it was,¡± Rolune sighed. ¡°And I am sure the attention you are getting from this ¡®mistake¡¯ is just a pleasant surprise as well?¡± She set her cup down and leaned forward in her chair. ¡°Please explain to me why you set up the entire fiasco?¡±

    Lily mentally rolled her eyes as she let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Both Philip and I were practicing magic when¨C¡±

    Lily¡¯s mouth snapped shut again, this time it wasn¡¯t voluntary. Her eyes widened as she realized she couldn¡¯t open it again and tried to touch her face, but her hands wouldn¡¯t move either. She was frozen in the chair. Her eyes flicked over to Rolune who was scowling, the wrinkles on her face etching what appeared to be a demonic mask.

    ¡°Liar.¡± Was all she said.

    The next moment Lily¡¯s body returned to normal and Lily took in a few gasping breaths. What did the headmaster do? Where were the weaves?

    ¡°I assure you I was¨C¡±

    ¡°You were telling a fabricated story, which is a lie,¡± Rolune snapped. ¡°Now tell me truthfully; Why did you do it?¡±

    ¡°We were looking to improve¨C¡±

    Lily froze again.

    ¡°Fabrication yet again,¡± Rolune growled. ¡°I will give you one more chance, girl. What was your real reason for causing chaos in which even those outside the Island have noticed?¡±

    Lily breathed for a number of moments as she stared down the stone faced woman. Good impressions be damned, this creature in front of her was rude, violent, and overall someone she wanted to punch in the face.

    It was like talking to that hag of a priestess back in the orphanage all over again.

    Lily gave a twisted smile, her practiced expression completely gone. She matched the old woman¡¯s expression with a flat stare of her own. If she wasn¡¯t going to play nice then neither was she.

    ¡°I wanted to get Philip in trouble.¡±

    Rolune sat back in her chair, her face clearly satisfied with the answer.

    ¡°I wanted to get everyone to watch him,¡± Lily continued. ¡°I wanted to make him the most wanted man in the University. Not just by the student body, but also by the guards, instructors, researchers, and even the Dean if all possible.¡±

    ¡°And what would you gain from tarnishing your supposed friend¡¯s reputation?¡± Rolune inquired.

    Her cup lifted into the air, no hand movements or magical weaves in sight. Lily glanced around but there was no hint of active artifacts, enchantments, or mana residue. The room was as mundane as they came.

    ¡°I gained nothing,¡± Lily confidently answered.

    The cup paused for a split second before continuing. Rolune¡¯s face didn¡¯t change but her confident expression seemed to contract slightly.

    ¡°You truly think you gained nothing from the events from yesterday?¡± She carefully asked.

    ¡°How could I gain anything by playing the victim,¡± Lily retorted. ¡°The entire purpose was to get Philip to actually show off his skills. The idiot is lazy and stuck in his head all the time, so how else could I get someone interested in tutoring him so he can be adopted into a good family?¡±

    ¡°So you do gain something?¡±

    Lily laughed. ¡°I gained nothing from the events, no. But I get to keep my friend as long as our status is similar.¡±

    Rolune pushed her glasses up thoughtfully and sipped her tea. Lily, using the moment of compilation, took her own cup and raised it to her lips but stopped as she noticed Rolune staring at her.

    Lily returned the stare but Rolune just smiled and waved her hand.

    ¡°Is the tea not up to standards?¡± Rolune chuckled. ¡°Please excuse this old woman and enjoy it anyway.¡±

    Lily glanced at the cup and just held it. She had been played. The Archmage made the first move, being forceful at the start lifting her up with magic¡­ the weaves at the time hidden? What kind of technique did she use to do such a thing?

    Then she showed off her power with a few questions, using some kind of truth magic. They typically are not extremely accurate but Lily was already thrown off from the unexpected entrance. It also informed Lily that the Headmaster was very well informed of current events and her personal situation. Being a hermit did not mean she was fully disconnected.

    Finally acting nice, the sweet treat after being beaten with the stick.

    The strategy set the hierarchy of the tea date, one which Lily already knew. The Archmage was the one in charge and Lily was at her mercy, and the kind act is where the conversation actually begins.

    But while Rolune might be in charge, Lily won¡¯t let her be swayed easily. It was time to take her own initiative.

    ¡°I thank you for your generosity, but I will have to decline.¡± Lily set the cup onto the table without drinking it and crossed her legs while leaning back.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Rolune also leaned back. Her smile didn¡¯t falter.

    ¡°Introductions are typically done before we partake in refreshments,¡± Lily stated.

    ¡°Our introduction was completed when you received the invitation,¡± Rolune dismissed. ¡°You learned my name, I learned yours. Why waste our time introducing ourselves when we could get onto more important matters? Drink.¡±

    ¡°It''s called common courtesy, Headmaster.¡±

    ¡°It''s called wasting my time and yours. Skip that pompous showboating. You do not see me strutting like a peacock, so I would be glad if you don¡¯t bother me with your feathers.¡± Rolune had a small scowl on her face when she concluded and was tapping her foot.

    ¡°Then am I free to ask any questions? We are discarding any sense of basic courtesy, after all.¡±

    ¡°If you must, ask away then drink your tea,¡± Rolune sighed.

    ¡°How does one see talent?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rolune tilted her head, her scowl disappearing and the stone face returning. But in her magnified glasses Lily could see confusion, and maybe a hint of curiosity.

    ¡°I am asking how one sees talent in another?¡± Lily clarified. ¡°You asked what I had to gain from using one of my closest friends, and the answer is nothing for me because I already have the goal. That goal is a connection with an extremely talented individual.

    ¡°But, what would happen if that talented individual does not get to grow into their talent?¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Rolune scratched her chin and arched a brow as she listened.

    ¡°They would not be able to reach their potential,¡± Lily continued. ¡°Thus they would be overlooked and sent to a place they¡¯ll never grow. This would be my loss since a talent I could use in the future was thrown away.¡±

    ¡°So by using your friend, Philip, you gained a future ally if their potential can be met?¡± Rolune concluded.

    ¡°That is correct. So I gained nothing as Philip is already my ally.¡±

    Rolune pondered, and multiple seconds ticked by. She dropped her hand to her lap and sat up, a smile lit up on her face as she cackled like the old crone she was. The next moment Lily¡¯s cup flew off and crashed into the wall again.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Lily cried out.

    ¡°Oh calm yourself, girl,¡± Rolune laughed. ¡°The best tea is one freshly brewed, not one sitting out for hours. Would you be a dear and go to the kitchen and make one?¡±

    Lily stared at the crazy woman. Throwing her around, interrogating her, and now asking her to make tea? There is no doubt anymore. She had gone crazy from being a hermit.

    Lily sighed and stood up. Even if this was insane, she was at the old hags mercy until the tea date ended.

    ¡°Which way to the kitchen,¡± Lily politely asked. Perhaps there was a laxative hidden in the drawers. That would make tonight a lot more enjoyable.

    Rolune sat back and inhaled the smell of the tea.

    ¡°A lovely aroma,¡± she said.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lily replied as she took in the aroma as well.

    The tea was made as best as she could. The containers inside the kitchen were not labeled so she did not know what specific brand she brewed, only that it was an herbal tea. Good for relaxing late at night.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what exactly I brewed but I¡¯m sure it will taste just as good as it smells,¡± Lily added for good measure.

    ¡°Tea is tea,¡± Rolune chuckled. ¡°Black keeps you awake, herbal makes you tired. Outside those two are just extra flavors but their names hold no meaning.¡± The old woman took a deep sip from her cup and sighed in content.

    Lily took a drink herself and smiled. The herbal tea was just warm enough to warm her body, but also not too hot to burn her. The perfect temperature.

    ¡°Lovely flavor,¡± Rolune announced. ¡°A wonderful bit of a spicy kick mixed in with a smooth texture. You are quite skilled.¡±

    Lily gave Rolune a questioning glance. The tea¡¯s flavor was a bit earthy, like most herbal teas she had drank. There was no spice at all, though she would agree that the leaves did give a smooth texture. Nothing stood out and it blended together into a refreshing drink, but it wasn¡¯t anything extraordinary.

    ¡°I can see you are confused,¡± Rolune smiled as she set her cup down.

    ¡°I am glad you like the tea, but I must have errored somehow if you find it spicy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mean the leaves, girl,¡± Rolune gave Lily a dismissive motion. ¡°I am talking about the magical flavor added in.¡±

    Lily tilted her head in confusion. The what?

    ¡°I can tell you don¡¯t understand, but let me make a few guesses about you, Miss Lilith No-name.¡± Rolune lifted her hands and a series of colored lights bloomed around her. ¡°You used magic to heat the water and blend the leaves, as such you left a unique residue to the tea you brewed.¡±

    Lily nodded in confirmation. Using magic like this was a basic lesson taught to first years. Making food with magic was how one learned to fine tune control and magical flow. Daily practice which even the laziest of students had to do if they wished to eat. Only after they perfected the techniques were they allowed in the cafeterias.

    ¡°The most prominent taste in this tea was the spicey tang of fire, followed by the smooth texture of water. This means you are very skilled in the two magical affinities.¡±

    The red light grew to become the size of a fist while the bluish white light grew to be just a little smaller than the red. The other colors slowly condensed down, the smallest of them being green.

    ¡°The herbs were not enhanced, so your earth magic did not have much power in your spells, but the aroma of it was quite good but also not overpowering. As such your earth and air affinities are your weakest.¡±

    ¡°And the other colors?¡± Lily asked, looking at the rest of the lights. The third largest was a very dark purple, which slowly decreased in size into orange, yellow, and pink.

    ¡°They are not very important at your skill level,¡± Rolune dismissed. ¡°The important thing is your strengths are quite unique. Dual element specialties are very rare.¡±

    ¡°Blackledge said the same thing this morning.¡±

    ¡°Oh did he now?¡± Rolune tilted her head as she asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lily confirmed. ¡°He used a device called a Reader to¨C¡±

    ¡°Bah!¡± Rolune snapped as she threw her hands in the air. ¡°That trinket is next to useless. How do you think people found affinities before it was made? They learned to detect it through their basic senses.¡±

    ¡°I found the device quite strange,¡± Lily added. ¡°It locks you into place and reads your core, skills, and affinities.¡±

    ¡°And a fat lot of good that information does for you,¡± Rolune sighed. ¡°Becoming reliant on trinkets like that are why nobody truly understands magic.¡± She waved her hands and the lights disappeared to be replaced with a complex weaving. ¡°Most people use magic like threads, weaving their spells and manually twisting reality to suit their whims, but true magic is different.¡±

    ¡°Is that why I have not been able to see any mana threads from you?¡± Lily asked. She sat back in her chair and sipped her tea happily. A free lesson from a Headmaster was a great opportunity. Plus, the woman had calmed herself and fell into lecture mode. If she paid attention she could not only gain knowledge but also get on the old hag¡¯s good side. A double win for an annoying night.

    ¡°You can¡¯t see my threads because I¡¯m not using them. I use the old magic, girl. One which those old fools down on the island love to ignore.¡±

    ¡°Old magic? I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡±

    ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t,¡± Rolune sighed. She sat back and the weave faded away leaving both of them illuminated by the pale orb¡¯s light and torches. Her cup rose off the table and into her had as she took another sip. ¡°The old magic is difficult, dangerous, incomplete, and far too limited for them to want to teach it. Why teach the old ways when the new ones can be done within just a few years, complete with dazzling displays of twisting the world to your will.¡±

    ¡°So because the magic weaving is more flexible it is used?¡± Lily concluded.

    ¡°Flexible?¡± Rolune croaked before chuckling for a few moments. ¡°Old magic is far more flexible than even the best magic weaver could dream of. The reason weaving is the core lesson nowadays is because it''s the only lesson remaining after the previous libraries sank beneath the clouds.¡±

    ¡°If this type of magic is so rare then why doesn¡¯t every house try to learn it?¡±

    ¡°Because I won¡¯t teach it.¡± Rolune¡¯s voice was flat and her expression hardened. ¡°For the family? Useless. To benefit the Royal Family and the Kingdom? Like those bastards care about anything but trying to pop out the next great mage in a vain attempt to rival the Founder. Because they wish to expand the knowledge? Why waste time on my magic when there is plenty to perfect with weaving.¡±

    Rolune slumped in her chair, her hands fiddling with her teacup.

    ¡°All those useless students who failed to learn the basics left to go the easy route. Servants who wanted to steal my work were kicked out. I do not teach because nobody is worth teaching, and the few that are refuse to learn.¡±

    A unique magic method which nobody else knew? A Headmaster with no students and is old, her story insinuating there was no heir to her legacy. Lily mentally smiled and took a sip of her tea.

    ¡°What if someone was willing to learn?¡±

    ¡°I''ve seen that look many times, girl,¡± Rolune chuckled darkly. ¡°Your greed to steal what is mine is entertaining, but my requirements are strict. I do not feel you are worthy of my teaching.¡±

    Lily groaned and took in a breath. Of course she would refuse. It would be too easy if she would just teach anyone who asked. But this opportunity was too good to pass up. Lily came here to make a connection, and by the Gods above and below she would make one before she left.

    ¡°How can I convince you that I am worthy?¡± Lily asked, setting her cup down and sitting up. She looked directly into Rolune¡¯s large eyes and waited.

    Seconds passed in complete silence until Rolune¡¯s dark face cracked into a sneer.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she croaked. ¡°If you want me to teach you then give me a reason to. Why should I teach you anything?¡±

    Lily returned the sneer with a twisted smile of her own.

    ¡°Yesterday I played the victim to help push my friend to learn,¡± she began. ¡°The reason why I had to do it was because I couldn¡¯t help him myself. I needed someone else to teach him for me. I am lacking, so I wish to learn to fix that flaw.¡±

    Philip helped her out when she needed to practice meditation and purification. Mel helped when Lily struggled with academic studies. But in the end the only thing she had earned herself was through showing off her skills after hours of practicing. She was not as talented as her two friends, though, and thankfully they have finally been noticed.

    ¡°So you only wish to gain my knowledge, like a researcher?¡± Rolune pushed.

    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Lily denied. ¡°If I wanted that I would be writing a thesis¡¯ like my friend Mel. No, I need more than just knowledge. I need skills to prove my worth. Something to help me stand out from the crowds crawling and begging for attention from the great houses.¡±

    ¡°So you impress a family to be adopted into?¡± Rolune sneered.

    ¡°Why do I need your methods when I¡¯m already complimented with my weavings?¡± Lily countered.

    Lily did not need to impress anyone anymore. She had already impressed most of her instructors over the years and, if what Charles said was correct, then she wouldn¡¯t have to worry much about being adopted into a prominent family. No, she no longer had to impress, but what she needed to do was to find a way to keep control of herself when she joins into a family.

    Rolune laughed with no mirth in her voice. ¡°Humility must be your strong suit.¡±

    ¡°I might have a bit of ego due to being complimented most of my life, but I do know my limitations.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you want to learn my magic, Lilith No-name?¡±

    Rolune was pushing for an answer. From the short time Lily was with the old hag she deduced that she didn¡¯t care about fancy titles, words, or courtesies. Perhaps it was time to gamble with a more direct answer?

    ¡°I want to learn the old magic to be able to cast spells which nobody can see. To be able to taste the magic in the tea. To be able to constrict my opponents and make illusions at will. I wish to learn all these things because it is in my best interest to.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you are asking me to just give you my life work for free?¡± Rolune pointed out.

    ¡°I am asking you to teach me how you are so powerful?¡± Lily countered. ¡°How can you live up here and be a Headmaster when I cannot recall ever seeing you at parties? Why are you given an entire section of the island to live alone when the rest of the island is filled to the brim with other students and researchers?

    ¡°I want to become strong enough to stand alone like you, Headmaster Rolune,¡± Lily finished. ¡°Will you teach me?¡±

    Rolune¡¯s sneer only grew as the old hag¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Perhaps I was wrong to dismiss you so early, Lilith No-name. I think I will give you a chance.¡±

    ¡°Call me Lily.¡± Lily interrupted.

    Rolune chuckled and waved her hand and an old cracked tome flew over and slammed on the desk.

    ¡°Okay, Lily. Your first lesson shall be to read this. Come visit me once you have mastered its contents.¡±

    Lily examined the tome before picking it up. It was quite heavy, but it was similar to many other books she had to read during her years at the University. She nodded and started to crack it open but Rolune coughed to get Lily¡¯s attention.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be harder than you think,¡± Rolune laughed. She waved her hand at Lily. ¡°You are dismissed. This tea party was surprisingly enjoyable, but watch your steps on the way down.¡±

    Lily groaned remembering the stairs, but she felt refreshed after sitting and talking to Rolune for the past hour. She stood up and gave a polite nod instead of a curtsy and started to the door.

    Once she reached it the door opened automatically, no magic threads in sight.

    ¡°Oh, please return the book in a week if you don¡¯t master it,¡± Rolune called out.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t a week too short of time?¡± Lily asked as she gave the tome another glance. The book had at least a few hundred pages. It would be difficult to read through it in the weeks time with her workload with the Student Council, much less practice and master everything in it.

    ¡°Perhaps it is,¡± Rolune agreed. ¡°But then you shouldn¡¯t have asked me to teach you only a few months before your Great Hunt. Enjoy!¡±

    The door closed behind Lily leaving her alone outside in the field. A chilly wind hit her making her shiver as she pulled out mana to weave a shield around her and make a floating light.

    The old hag was crazy, but Lily gained a chance to get stronger. Maybe now she will have a way to fight back against Charles and whichever family planned to adopt her.

    She was never going to be someone else''s pawn.

    Rolune burst out laughing as the light of the girl faded down the stairway.

    This was much better than she hoped. Two students with no ties to families looking to gain power. If one failed, the other should be able to pick up the slack. Not only that, but they were both heading toward different destinations. Philip was going down the dark trail of the Blackledges, while Lily was flying into the sunlight of the noble courts.

    Rolune was going to have her legacy continue, and this girl showed a wonderful bit of ambition. To grow powerful to be like her? It was just hilarious and flattering at the same time. Rolune also knew that Lily lied about that as well, but it didn¡¯t matter. The only thing Rolune cared about was that greed. The ambition to grow and gain strength.

    She was happy that Lily declined the poisoned cup. It would have been a waste to kill such a promising pupil.

    Just one more thing needed to be done. Rolune took a sheet of paper and wrote a quick letter to both Omar and the brat Charles. If Lily was going to succeed in this challenge she would need some special lessons.

    Rolune whistled and her familiar, the vulture, landed next to her. She tied the notes to its leg and sent it off to deliver the messages.

    Now the only thing was to wait and see if the girl could succeed in the first challenge.

 Chapter 12: Into the Depths and Beyond the Grave

    Mel sighed contently as she sipped the bitter beverage. Coffee was a rare commodity since most nobles preferred tea, but to Melony it was something divine. Not for its taste but for its ability to keep her up late into the night.

    She sat in the communal study with her thesis filling up an entire table. References and predictions, historical records to her theories. Everything was currently organized and easy to read.

    At least for her to read.

    A black cat jumped up onto the table. Mel froze as it started to walk across the piles of research notes, but it was strangely careful compared to wild cats. Mel rushed to the end of the table and tried to lift the cat off but it was surprisingly heavy.

    The cat mewed and gave her a questioning stare. Its red eyes held a strange intelligence.

    ¡°Please get off,¡± Mel sighed. ¡°You¡¯re wrinkling them.¡±

    The cat looked down at the wrinkled page it was standing on. It had tipped over a small pile and a few of the top pages got crunched against its foot.

    The cat mewed again before leaping off the table onto the floor, the table itself shifting, knocking over a few of the taller piles and a loud thump resounding during the cat''s landing.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mel grumbled as she fixed the toppled papers. ¡°Please go to your master and don¡¯t stray too far again.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t stray far to begin with,¡± a mirthful voice said.

    Mel turned slightly to see a girl younger than her standing at the other end of the table reading her notes.

    ¡°Please excuse yourself,¡± Mel growled. ¡°My research is not for public reference.¡±

    The other girl sighed and averted her gaze. The cat rubbed its head against her leg, but the girl was pushed back slightly.

    ¡°Strong familiar,¡± Mel commented as she circled the table, righting her papers and smoothing out the rest of the sheets. ¡°Polymorphed?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the other girl laughed. ¡°Golem. Made it myself.¡±

    Mel nodded. The only way for a girl younger than her to have a familiar was to either have strong family connections for a themed animal, or to make one themselves like a chimera, golem, or other artificial being.

    ¡°You must be quite skilled,¡± Mel stated.

    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m called a prodigy in the department.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Mel replied without reacting. ¡°Lots of prodigy¡¯s at the University nowadays.¡±

    ¡°The term is being used quite often, yes,¡± the girl confirmed. ¡°My name is Faun of the Tai family.¡±

    Tai? Mel was sure she had heard that family¡¯s name recently. They were not a duke or marquise, though. Mel examined the girl as she finished fixing her table. Her hair was fiery red, almost orangish. Her clothes were also made of a very fine green and white material. She was definitely her junior but she was not wearing the colors of a lower ranked student. The quality of the fabric also screamed wealth so she had to be from a Count¡¯s family at the minimum. Even the threads seemed to be silver, so a family well to do in the Kingdom. Business? Or perhaps owned a mining Island?

    ¡°Melony,¡± Mel introduced herself.

    ¡°I can see you are a researcher,¡± Faun pointed out. ¡°My familiar was interested in your work which is why he jumped onto the table. Studies about a persons ¡®core¡¯, specifically the cuts?¡±

    ¡°I will repeat myself,¡± Mel snapped. ¡°My work is not for public reference or discussion.¡±

    ¡°What about a collaboration?¡± Faun asked. ¡°Golems are difficult to create, especially ones which possess a bit of intelligence like my little baby here.¡± She pet the black cat who was watching the table suspiciously.

    ¡°Of course it is difficult.¡± Mel realized the girl wasn¡¯t going to leave her alone so she pulled out a bit of air mana and string. The string flew around and started tying themselves around the piles of paper. ¡°The runes used to enchant the material are static and do not like unpredictable stimuli. As such they cannot have true intelligence outside of extraordinarily rare circumstances.¡±

    Mel gave the familiar a brief glance.

    ¡°For example, making a familiar,¡± Mel concluded. ¡°Such a feat would earn you quite a number of titles, like prodigy.¡±

    ¡°As well as the youngest senior student,¡± Faun added.

    Mel gave her another examining glance before shrugging her shoulders.

    ¡°Senior student means you are in your free year to study what you wish,¡± Mel said. ¡°As such you should be focused on your own research and not mine.¡±

    ¡°Your research is very interesting and I think it¡¯ll overlap with mine very well.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re out of luck then because I have more to do before I share my insights with others.¡±

    All the papers had been tied and were lifted into an organized pile. Mel was about to grab it to leave but foreign mana broke through hers and took a hold of her research. Mel let out a startled scream when her papers flew up and disappeared into a small bag on Faun¡¯s hip.

    ¡°Your insights into cores are exactly what I need to break through my current predicament.¡±

    ¡°Give those back!¡± Mel shouted. The other students in the communal study paused their work to stare.

    ¡°You can have them back once you hear my proposition,¡± Faun said. ¡°And if you prefer privacy that is fine. Please follow me to somewhere with¡­ less ears.¡±

    Faun turned and started out of the room. Mel stuttered for a few moments before quickly rushing to her to stop her. She reached to grab the girl¡¯s shoulder but her leg hit something solid and she fell onto the floor. Mel looked behind her to see a smug cat purring contently as it glided past her, its tail wagging happily.

    ¡°Please stop,¡± Mel begged.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± Faun ordered as she left the study.

    Mel rushed to her feet and started after her. The girl was walking at a quick pace and Mel soon fell into step behind her.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mel whispered. ¡°Stealing a student¡¯s work can get you banished from the University.¡±

    ¡°Between students it is a misdemeanor,¡± Faun replied. ¡°As long as you get your work back, of course. I have no reason to keep it as I have my own research which I find much more important.¡±

    ¡°Do you even know what I am working on?¡± Mel hissed. ¡°There are dozens of others working on cores. Go steal their work.¡±

    Faun chuckled and gave Mel a side glance. ¡°They¡¯re protected by their families, or they¡¯re work is irrelevant to what I need.¡± Faun looked forward again as they reached the door and left the building.

    Stars twinkled overhead and Mel sighed as she followed.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°To my workroom,¡± Faun replied. ¡°And to answer your previous question, my familiar has been watching you work for a while now. You are working on the magic flow of the cores, not just studying the engravings or cuts written in the records. You have a unique view I need.¡±

    Mel glared at the cat. A spy? Its intelligence was much higher than initially predicted.

    ¡°You were right about the limitations to artificial intelligence in golems,¡± Faun continued. ¡°The runes are rigid and cannot continue to learn. B.T. was an exception due to a mistake of mine which turned into a major blessing.¡±

    ¡°You are being very open about your research,¡± Mel pointed out.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°We are outside and you need context to my research to help,¡± Faun took a turn toward a forested portion of the campus. ¡°As I said, this isn¡¯t me stealing your work but turning this into a collaboration. Your research will be accredited to you while the golemancy portion will be mine.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very generous¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the reputation,¡± Faun laughed. ¡°I want results.¡±

    ¡°You are a very strange noble.¡± Mel sighed and started to rub her temples.

    Faun paused her walk and turned to face Mel. Her face was inexpressive for a moment before cracking into a large smile. ¡°That''s right! I am a noble.¡±

    She then rushed past some bushes and bent down. Mel followed quickly and came up short when Faun was nowhere to be seen.

    She was about to fear that her notes were actually stolen before the black cat strolled out from a hidden hole in the bushes. Mel peeked inside to see an opened trap door, Faun peeking out of it.

    ¡°Come on,¡± She chuckled as she disappeared inside. ¡°Close up when you climb down.¡±

    Mel hesitated for only a moment before following. The ladder heading down was made of a strange metal, but it appeared like it was brand new. As she started down and closed the top of the trapdoor parts of the walls began to glow like the stars outside. A black shadow paced down the wall and Mel noticed the cat was walking on the vertical surface downward.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± she mumbled as she continued downward.

    At the bottom a rough cavern stretched in two directions. It had the feeling of a natural cave. Mel looked down and saw what looked like old footprints going in one direction. The cat which beat her to the ground was sitting a short distance away, barely illuminated by the sparkling lights on the walls.

    Mel looked at the ladder one last time, debating on just giving up, but hardened herself. She couldn''t abandon her work. He pushed forward and followed the cat into the depths.

    The tunnel twisted and turned for close to a half hour until she came to a ledge which overlooked pure darkness. The cat had disappeared and Mel frantically looked around only to see a single pathway following the wall. At the end was an old door.

    Mel gulped and slid down the pathway, her back firmly against the wall. Each step caused a few pebbles to be displaced. Mel kicked a few over the edge and listened, but even after a minute she heard nothing. She took in a breath and shimmied as carefully as she could until she arrived just outside.

    It was propped open. She rushed inside and gasped for breath.

    ¡°Good job,¡± Faun laughed as she sat on a desk. ¡°I was worried you¡¯d get lost in the tunnels.¡±

    ¡°Where¡­ what is all of this?¡± Mel stammered.

    ¡°Hidden research rooms from who knows when,¡± Faun shrugged. ¡°This island is full of tunnels like this. Some new, some old, some might even be natural.¡±

    ¡°And that pit?¡±

    ¡°Not a clue,¡± Faun giggled. ¡°I once sent a flying golem down into it and it never returned. Might have a few monsters remaining from whoever used this old bio-lab.¡±

    Mel¡¯s face scrunched up in disgust.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Faun tried to comfort Mel but Mel flinched away when she tried to touch her.

    ¡°I thought you did golem work? Why are you using a bio-lab?¡±

    ¡°Because I need to work on a core,¡± Faun answered.

    The door closed with a click and Mel looked back to see the cat had sat in front of it.

    ¡°That is why I need you, Melony,¡± Faun cheered as she threw her arm around Mel and started leading her deeper into the lab. ¡°So let''s get working!¡±

    The night was boring. So very boring.

    Philip sighed as the stars glowed outside. Emily had given him a small dinner then left him alone. Well, Philip was not sure if it was a dinner or poison from the way it tasted. He could barely keep it down as he ate, but Emily was very clear that he either ate it willingly or she would find another way to get it down his throat.

    How in the world can a woman like that be a priestess? Maybe it was a cruel joke of the gods? Or maybe the doomsayers were right and the gods abandoned the world.

    Such thoughts made him remember the old woman¡¯s words from the Observatory. ¡®Study the stars,¡¯ she said.

    Well, without anything else to do Philip decided to do just that. He sat at the window and stared outside at the stars.

    There they were. They sparkled. They twinkled. And they just kinda took up space up in the sky.

    They were¡­ so very¡­ interesting.

    Philip yawned and laid down on the bed. There was nothing to do¡­

    The creaking of the door to his room broke him from his stupor and turned to see who it was.

    An ethereal vision of a person glided across the floor. Their feet did not touch the ground but the floor creaked as if they were walking. It appeared to be a woman in a long, flowing dress. Her ears were long and pointed, her hair flowed as if being blown by an invisible wind.

    She turned to look at Philip, and he stiffened. It was as if his blood froze, her gaze was empty. It was like staring into a void, pits which fell into eternity of pain, loneliness, and suffering. She opened her mouth but Philip did not hear anything. Then his head erupted in pain as he covered his ears in panic.

    Whatever he heard was nothing like he ever heard before. It wasn¡¯t a sound but more of the feeling of a powerful mage¡¯s aura crushing down on his skull. But it was different. It felt as if all the warmth in the world had disappeared, leaving him burning in the cold.

    He tried to scream but his voice didn¡¯t come out. Or did it? The pressure was too much.

    Then a bright light filled his vision and the pain lessened to almost a bearable amount.

    Philip opened his eyes and saw the figure was only a few steps from him with its hand stretched out. His body reacted without thinking as he leapt back in the bed and hit the wall. The figure did not move but instead started to spasm while staging in the air.

    Another flash of light burst in the room which stretched around the ethereal figure encasing it in a bright shell. The light faded but a magic script remained in the air.

    ¡°Begone evil spirit,¡± Emily¡¯s voice resounded. It was heavy like the creature but it held warmth instead of deathly frost. ¡°By the Holy Goddess¡¯ light I banish you from this realm into the realm of Death. Rejoin the cycle and be reborn.¡±

    Another flash lit up the room and the runes circling the creature lit up and rushed the creature. It tried to dodge but all it could do was flail around uselessly as glowing bands were now constraining it.

    As soon as the runes touched it another wail of pain erupted and a smell worse than Philip imagined possible filled the room.

    The next moment the light grew bright until it Philip had to close his eyes from the pain, but even with them closed they seemed to burn through his lids. He covered his face with his arms until everything went dark again.

    Once the light was gone he felt a hand touch his arm and he flinched away before realizing the hand was warm.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Emily¡¯s soft voice soothed the painful ringing remaining in his ears.

    Philip tried to open his mouth to ask what happened but a painful cough was all he managed to do. Emily gave him a gentle smile before sitting in the bed next to him.

    ¡°Undead,¡± Emily answered without prompt. ¡°It is why I was so instant to keep you here while you recovered.¡±

    Philip tilted his head questioningly. His throat now felt dry, drier than he ever felt before. Emily waved her hand and a small gas of liquid appeared in her hand.

    Philip saw no apparent magic but didn¡¯t care at the moment. He took the glass and drank it in a single gulp. He almost regretted it from his mouth puckering up from the extremely bitter taste of a healing potion, but between the dryness and that he would take the bitterness.

    ¡°The existence of mages attract the creatures of the netherworld,¡± Emily continued. ¡°Normally you have magic, which is the opposite element of them. Because of this magic they are repelled so they cannot hunt mages without a mage purposefully seeking them out.

    ¡°But your core is currently damaged and not creating enough magic to repel them. So you are in danger until it heals.¡± She finished

    ¡°But¡­ why would Blackledge want to take me under his care before I healed?¡± Philip had to ask. Was the man trying to attract the undead? Was he secretly a necromancer?

    What a blasphemous thought. Who in their right minds would search for creatures like that?

    Emily sighed and patted his leg comfortingly before standing.

    ¡°He either thought his magic was strong enough to repel the undead on its own, or he didn¡¯t know.¡± She looked outside the window into the sky. ¡°The more likely answer is he didn¡¯t know because mages do not like thinking about stuff that they cannot control.¡±

    ¡°That makes no sense,¡± Philip complained.

    ¡°Welcome to the Noble World,¡± Emily muttered. She turned and gave him a quick examination.

    ¡°I will keep guard for the rest of the night, so please try to rest until morning.¡± She turned and left the room. One last flash stretched out from her fingers and hit the wall of door frame as she left and spread across the walls all around the room. A slight shimmering continued afterward.

    Philip was curious about the spell and touched it to examine it but it felt like it wasn¡¯t there outside a bit of warmth. Not a single piece of magic string was weaved into it, but it appeared to be similar to the shield spell which locked the creature?

    He heard the door click shut and lock, but he had not desire to follow her. He sat back in the bed again, but this time he was not feeling tired in the least.

    How could he when creatures like that could appear out of nowhere?

    He looked out the window and looked at the sky like Emily did. The stars twinkled like normal¡­ but there was something different.

    He pushed himself up and focused on an area in the sky that felt off. There used to be seven stars close together there in a tight clump but now the clump appeared to have flattened out slightly. No, not flattened, but the stars had spaced themselves out more.

    Was this what the old lady meant? What was that constellation? Who or what myth was tied to it?

    Philip sat late into the night observing the sky until the sun broke through the horizon. Luckily, there were also no more appearances of horrors from beyond the grave.

 Chapter 13: Meditation, Purging, and Angry Priestesses

    The door opened and Emily entered carrying a tray of food. The boy was sound asleep on the bed, though he obviously did not rest well. He was leaning against the windowsill, his head lying on his arm.

    She cracked a small smile as she set down the tray and moved to examine him. She did a quick weave of a scanning spell mixing in a bit of divine energy and let the spell settle around Philip. His heart was normal as well as his blood pressure. There was nothing different about his physical state, and his wounds were healing well. If that was all that was wrong with him he could leave in just another day or two.

    But his core still felt cold. She felt a minor pulse of magic come from it once in a while but the magic refused to remain.

    Emily recalled her adventuring days. The core inside the boy was similar to a monster¡¯s core after it had been cut out of the body. Whatever he did to avoid the crowds was the equivalent of ripping out his heart. What it needed was a lot more time and special attention to keep the magic flowing in his body, meaning regular checkups.

    And defense. The sighting of an ancient phantasm last night was worrisome. She wrote a letter to the Dean and Array Master to double check the wards around the University. The creature appearing might be a sign they are failing, meaning there could be extreme casualties. Casualties means angry families, and that headache was not something Emily was willing to deal with.

    If it came to that, she might as well go back to adventuring.

    She finished her scan and did a quick glance around the room. The divine shield was still holding well, and she breathed a prayer of thanks to the goddess for her grace of gifting her the power to keep it going.

    Emily left the room and locked the door on the way out. A physical key as well as a magical one, just to be safe from a greedy idiot.

    She entered the main room of the clinic and paused. Rupert, dressed in his usual fine black robe, was waiting with a large tome in his hand.

    ¡°He is not awake yet,¡± Emily sniffed as she continued toward her office.

    ¡°Then wake him,¡± Rupert demanded, only to be ignored as Emily entered her office.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± the annoying man insisted, following after her.

    Emily decided it was not worth her time to waste words with the dense man. If he hadn''t learned that she was in charge here by now then he was a lost cause.

    The smell of herbs and preservatives waft around her as she moved through the office. Tables of glass instruments and ingredients lined every shelf, and on the tables held multiple measuring devices.

    Alchemy was relaxing. Not only was it an exact science, but almost anything was possible with a little imagination. Not like she liked to experiment outside what was comfortable. Healing potions were the most enjoyable to make, as well as stamina and mana.

    She turned to a small cauldron which was bubbling lazily with a deep blue brew. She started this one two nights ago when she received a letter from the Hermit Headmaster about an injured student who struggled with magic. She didn¡¯t realize at the time how serious his case was, but the medication should be done soon.

    ¡°Emily!¡± Rupert roared as he slammed his fist on the table. The cauldron rocked slightly but held its location.

    Emily swung around and called upon the divine graces. A pole of golden light formed in her grasp and she slammed it against the idiotic man. He was thrown off his feet and out the door of her lab. The sound of cracking chairs resounded as he crashed onto the floor.

    Emily stormed out of her office after making sure the brew hadn¡¯t been ruined and slammed the door closed behind her.

    ¡°You are not welcome here.¡± She pointed the pole at Rupert. ¡°Leave.¡±

    ¡°You might be in charge of his health, but I am in charge of his education.¡± Emily¡¯s eye twitched as Rupert spit a bit of blood onto the floor. He pulled out a piece of parchment and fluttered it knowingly. ¡°He can stay here, but I¡¯m allowed to teach.¡±

    Emily snatched the piece of paper and let the pole dissipate. It was from the Dean ordering her to let ¡®Professor Blackledge¡¯ teach his pupil during the recovery. Emily sighed and pulled a string of fire which wrapped around the parchment setting it ablaze.

    ¡°I choose what happens in this hospital, not you or Omar. If you have a problem then take it up with the Arch-Priest, not me.¡± She turned away and started toward the chapel.

    Wood crackled as Rupert stood up. Emily gave him a quick glance and saw him stumble slightly, holding his ribs. Perhaps she went a little too far, but nobody messes with her medicine. Nobody.

    She sighed before sending a prayer of healing toward him.

    He won''t heal immediately, but it¡¯ll be good as new by lunchtime. A few hours of pain might soften his stupidity a little.

    ¡°He must learn,¡± Rupert coughed another bit of blood. This one, Emily knew from experience, was because the healing was working. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for him to heal. The weeks you proposed are unacceptable.¡±

    ¡°Weeks for him to gain his magic back,¡± Emily snapped. She turned and glared at him. Maybe another smack would help? ¡°He can use magic if we feed him mana potions, but he will not be able to generate his own until he fully heals. You will not be cutting his core until I deem him healed.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± Rupert growled. ¡°But theory is not cutting a core. Neither is meditation, or weaving practice. He can do all of those with just a mana potion or two which will help me understand exactly where he stands.¡±

    ¡°You truly do wish to teach him, don¡¯t you?¡± Emily asked, taken aback.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Rupert said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have taken him in unless I was serious.¡±

    Emily paused and thought for a few moments. Rupert and Omar were both untrustworthy. They had proved that over and over again over the years. But if he was serious about teaching the boy then maybe it would be good to give him a chance. Who knows, maybe he¡¯ll redeem himself.

    Emily snorted. That happening was as likely as a sunken island to return from the sea of clouds.

    ¡°Fine, but you will wait for him to wake up.¡± Emily gave in. ¡°Last night was a trial he was ill prepared for.¡±

    ¡°This has not been his first time in a clinic, Emily,¡± Rupert let out a laugh.

    ¡°But it was his first time dealing with a wraith.¡±

    Rupert froze, then did a panicked look around.

    ¡°A wraith? Where did it come from? How is there one here?¡±

    ¡°It was an ancient wraith from before the islands,¡± Emily sighed. ¡°And elf from all appearances.¡±

    ¡°Before the cataclysm?¡± Rupert breathed. ¡°How is that possible? That would mean it has been hiding away for hundreds¡­ no, thousands of years.¡±

    Emily nodded as she checked her tether to the divine shield around the boys room. It still held strong, and there was no movement inside.

    ¡°There are more than tunnels hidden in the islands, Rupert,¡± Emily quoted. ¡°You and I should know better than most.¡±

    Rupert flinched at the reminder.

    ¡°Do not worry,¡± Emily said. ¡°He was untouched. Just shocked by the wail.¡±

    ¡°Thank the gods,¡± Rupert prayed. Emily arched a brow at the rare sight. ¡°But why did it come here? How could it ignore the wards?¡±

    ¡°Every ward has a hole, and with so many wards and holes they might even make a tunnel,¡± Emily explained. ¡°And the boy¡¯s core is hurt. Why else do you think he is being hunted?¡±

    ¡°This is why you refuse to let him go,¡± Rupert finally realized. ¡°How long have you known about the dead¨C¡±

    ¡°Every priest knows, moron,¡± Emily snapped. ¡°You think mages stay safe because of your reputation? Forces beyond even your understanding work tirelessly to protect humanity.¡±

    ¡°But the gods have abandoned us,¡± Rupert coughed. ¡°Everyone knows that.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Emily laughed darkly. Nobody sees miracles like in the Time of Heros anymore, so they claim the gods have left. What fools they all are.

    ¡°If the gods have left then how can I still defeat a wraith alone?¡± She asked. ¡°Not only alone, but apparently also without notifying anyone that the undead even appeared?¡±

    Rupert had no reply and instead bent over to pick up the tome from the rubble.

    ¡°The boy still needs to learn,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Emily gave in. ¡°Just wait until he wakes up. You can wait in his room.¡±

    Rupert nodded and strode off. His usual pride and arrogance seemed to be dimmed a little. Maybe Emily finally got through to him? If she did then it would be fifteen years worth the effort. Maybe miracles do still happen in today''s day and age.

    Emily whispered a prayer that her hopes were true and went back into her office.

    Philip awoke as the light pierced his eyes. The afternoon sun was a harsh alarm, but he felt better after the events from the night before.

    He glanced around the room only to see Blackledge sitting patiently at a table in the room. His eyes were closed and strongs of mana were swirling around him. They were not weaving into any spell, but instead flowed back and forth. Soon a small pebble of darkness appeared from one of the strings and deposited it into a container.

    Meditation and purification. One of the most basic and important teachings of a mage.

    Philip watched for a long while, examining Blackledge¡¯s technique. The strings were different thicknesses as they came out of his body, maybe a different sized facet on the core? They also moved more erratically from their sources, giving the tips the swirling appearance as the entire string moved.

    All too soon the strings disappeared into the air and Blackledge let out a satisfied sigh. He turned and gave Philip a knowing smile, making Philip swallow since he had been caught.

    ¡°The Snake¡¯s Coil,¡± Blackledge said. ¡°A meditation technique of coiling your mana around the core and searching for imperfections. A good technique for one who has had their cut completed.¡±

    Philip just nodded. It was an advanced technique, then. Not one given to novices who were still too rough.

    ¡°I have been informed of your current condition,¡± Blackledge stated. ¡°I have also been informed that you will still be taught despite your core not producing mana.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Philip asked. What could he be taught if he can¡¯t make mana?

    ¡°Meditation, obviously,¡± Blackledge chuckled. ¡°You will just have to do it the hard way.¡±

    Philip frowned. Meditation? It was what he practiced the most since it felt the most useful. With purer mana, he could cast more powerful spells despite the weaves being simpler. Why other students rushed to learn complex spells he didn¡¯t understand, though his tendency to do things slowly made him appear slow which didn''t bother him before when he wanted to stay out of other¡¯s sights.

    ¡°Okay, lets get started,¡± Blackledge clapped. ¡°First get comfortable. Over here on the sheet.¡±

    Blackledge pulled a sheet which was folded on the table and set it down onto the floor. Philip reluctantly stood up and went over to it.

    ¡°Just meditation today?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Just meditation,¡± Blackledge confirmed. ¡°Now sit.¡±

    Philip sighed and sat on the cloth. Blackledge placed his hand on Philip¡¯s back and injected a bit of mana into him.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to examine your core to see¡­¡± he paused. Philip tilted his head and saw Blackledge¡¯s face wide in surprise. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I lived,¡± Philip shrugged. ¡°Ask Emily if you want details. I don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    Blackledge coughed and continued his scan. Philip felt the foreign mana flow through his body. The sensation was uncomfortable, to say the least. It was like a hard slime flowing over every part of his inside. It even felt like some residue remained after Blackledge finished probing the area.

    ¡°I am done,¡± Blackledge suddenly said. ¡°Your core is¡­ not damaged. It just isn¡¯t producing mana.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told,¡± Philip deadpanned.

    ¡°Your pathways feel good, though,¡± Blackledge continued. ¡°They are actually surprisingly clear. I wonder if this is from your practice in meditations or a trait of a quickcaster?¡±

    ¡°You go me,¡± Philip waved off. ¡°Should I start meditating or not?¡±

    ¡°Brat,¡± Blackledge spat. ¡°I¡¯m taking time out of my day to teach you while you¡¯re stuck here. Be thankful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for teaching me,¡± Philip dismissed.

    Blackledge glared at Philip for a few moments before grasping the top of Philip''s head and shoving it to face forward.

    ¡°Close your eyes and relax, brat,¡± Blackledge sighed. ¡°Clear your mind and¨C¡±

    ¡°Go inside myself,¡± Philip finished. ¡°I know the basics.¡±

    ¡°Then shut your mouth and just follow directions,¡± Blackledge snapped. ¡°We repeat the mantra every time to refresh our minds and remember the steps. By skipping a basic step like this you¡¯ll make mistakes.¡±

    Philip felt his back stiffen in frustration. The man was treating him like a child. Though perhaps he was acting like one. The man did come to each him, despite being stuck at the clinic.

    Philip let out the breath he was holding and consciously started to release his muscles. They were surprisingly taunt.

    ¡°Say the Mantra,¡± Blackledge repeated.¡±

    Philip let out an irritated grunt but decided to follow directions.

    Blackledge started the mantra again and Philip joined in with him, speaking it with Blackledge as they both settled into the trance.

    He let out his breath. Then inhaled again and repeated. Every breath was a focus on another muscle, starting from his feet and ending up at the top of his head. The exercises actually helped lessen the throbbing from the creature¡¯s scream the night before.

    Once the muscles were dealt with his focus turned to his injuries. The constant pricks of the scabs and protests of bruises broke his concentration. He turned inward further and isolated the parts which gave him the most trouble. He mentally massaged the pathways around the injuries, lowering the swelling and helping the slimy mana of Blackledge through.

    It took time and patience. The repetitive motions of massaging helped Philip tune out the world and fall deeper into himself. As he finished the worst of the pathways he felt others pulsing. He moved to them and continued. Then to the next section.

    TIme immeasurable passed, but soon his entire system was flowing steadily with no noticeable hiccups. Before he could move deeper the slimy mana started to change. It began to scrape against the now relaxed pathways, each time it hit a bit of it pushed and pulled against the walls.

    He started to protest against the intrusion, but as he watched he noticed the pushing and pulling taking away small slivers. He moved forward and examined the work. The walls were relaxed and opened, but on closer inspection there were grooves etched into them. The impression Philip got was the erosion of soil from flowing water.

    Each piece taken off was a large hill the mana had to overcome, so with it removed the slimy mana started to flow better. It started to stick less and less, feeling more like the energy he naturally felt.

    Philip decided to take a hold of some of the mana, and it willingly came under his control. He pushed it against the walls and felt the grooves. It was like brushing up against wet wood. They were malleable but still stiff enough to require effort to take off. He pulled against a piece but before it came off the mana was snatched from him. Philip grasped after it but the mana took a hold of the sliver he was working on and carefully tugged it off.

    [Gently]

    The voice of Blackledge echoed within him. Philip felt the mana come under his control again and he started the flow again. He was tugging too tightly against the snag. It was not being yanked off, but slowly rubbed off. That was the impression he got from the example Blackledge just gave him.

    Philip continued this exercise throughout his pathways. He felt the grooves across the entire pathway system, but most were not extremely large. The entire examination only found a little over a dozen snags which he rubbed out.

    Soon he completed the task, but there was a problem. Each sliver he took off was floating in the mana. He was looking for a place to deposit it but they were stuck inside his body because the magic wouldn¡¯t leave. Whenever Blackledge¡¯s slimy mana got close to his core it went around it, refusing to even get close.

    Philip pondered how to fix this until Blackledge took a hold of the mana again, and an uncomfortable pulse erupted from within.

    Philip felt himself gag as his pathways were forcibly pushed outward. Small pockets appeared to open up which let out a small bit of mana, and inside that mana were the slivers. The pulse erupted again and Philip felt his body fall, but he couldn¡¯t leave. His mind felt stuck inside as a third pulse went.

    This continued over and over again, more and more mana was expelled and slowly bubbled upwards, disappearing out of his body.

    For far too long Philip coughed and gagged, fighting to regain consciousness. In what felt like hours he finally grasped a tangible item and he pulled.

    He opened his eyes and vomited on Blackledge¡¯s robe. The man had a disgusted look, but he also did not appear surprised.

    It smelled foul. Worse than anything Philip could remember. Worse than the spoiled milk Lily hid in his room when they first came to the University.

    ¡°Wha¨C¡± He tried to ask before another wave of nausea hit him and he fell back onto the floor to purge himself.

    ¡°I did warn you we¡¯d be doing this the hard way,¡± Blackledge gloated. ¡°Now while you clean yourself up I must go clean my robe.¡±

    He stood up and left for the door. Philip tried to curse him but another movement hit him and he fell back to the floor. The sheet he was lying on was covered in filth. His clothes stuck to him from something which oozed out of his pores. He felt like he had not had a shower in years.

    Blackledge¡¯s study sessions were the worst.

    Philip debated whether he wanted to deal with the creature from the night before again, but quickly changed his mind. Blackledge was a terrible person, but that thing¡­ it was a terror far beyond the instructor.

    He forced himself back up and coughed out wads of whatever taint his body rejected. He felt the remainder of Blackledges mana flow through him, and it felt good. He felt much more energized than ever before.

    The process was terrible, but the results¡­ not too bad.

    Philip smiled. Maybe this wasn¡¯t so bad after all?

 Temporary Hiatus

    I''ve been struggling to write this chapter, as well as working on plotting out how the story is running.

    The story has become a lot more complex and I have not planned for it nearly enough. I''m going to need time to work on a plan from here forward. As of right now I"m feeling like I"m flip-flopping around and need to take a step back to get a better vision.

    Overall I know where I want the story to go but the threads between the Lily and Philip have complicated things immensely. I have considered staring again but just following Philip and making a new story to follow Lily. That way each character has their own story and we wouldn''t be jumping between both of them all the time. It would speed up the storytelling and give me time to plan for both.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    At the same time I do not wish to restart again as it was frustrating enough doing it the first time, both for me and for you as the readers. If I do decide that I''ll just make a new story and keep this one here as a ''Prequel'' of a sort.

    I''ll release a statement on the decision in the future, but for now I need to just get a hold of this story again so we can push forward and progress. It feels like there has been progress on the actual story and we are over 50k into it now. Kinda a bad sign atm.

    Sorry for the sudden announcement, but I feel this should is better than just disappearing again.