Jon’s second day of learning began with Understandings on Cultivation, his most expected class given the current circumstances. It also ended up being his biggest disappointment. Similar to Warfare Basics the day before, he was already familiar with the subject. But different from Professor Morgan who had decided to go easy on the first day, Professor Cadel Visick chose to go straight into the subject.
Half of which Jon had already studied even before enrolling. And with how he had been studying at the library, he figured he will already have mastered the subject in a couple of months. For once he was glad to have Nevil by his side, else he might have dozed off in class.
Somerford’s History, the first class on the following day, caught more of Jon’s interest, even though the subject was mostly facts from at least centuries before. Starting off, the Professor talked about Heidi of Southorpe, a humble stablehand who enrolled at the Phoenix Academy on 7,189 AU and became one of the greatest commanders of her time. If anything, it gave Jon hope for his own future.
During Practical Combat, he once again went toe-to-toe against Bella. He left the underground limping after a particularly nasty blow to the knee. In turn, the front of her blue tunic was sprinkled with blood from a broken nose. As for Basic Spell Theory, the Professor continued to give in-depth explanations on magic and its uses. Unfortunately, Jon still couldn’t make full use of the knowledge.
Finally, when the bells struck four in the afternoon, came the time for Jon’s first class on elemental spells. Given the affinity requirements, the class was much smaller than normal, not even reaching a hundred students.
Professor Willow walked into the classroom with a smile on her face, her blonde hair and long white robe fluttering as she moved. “Good afternoon, students. Welcome to your first class on light element spells. My name is Professor Willow Breckon and I hope we can all get along.” Maintaining her smile, she put her palms together in front of her chest. It was like a wave passing through the male students.
Blushing, a portion of them took a sudden interest on the floor, ceiling, or windows. Anything other than the Professor. Not an exception, Nevil began counting the lightstones at the walls. Maybe it hadn’t been a complete exaggeration on Deon’s part when he mentioned udders.
Not noticing anything wrong with half of her students, she continued her introduction. “The light element is characterized by its versatility. It offers first-aid in the form of mending, bright flashes to blind your enemies, and even direct attack power through concentrated beams of light. Throughout the year, we’ll be learning how to best make use of it. Here’s a first example,” she said as she began walking towards the window.
A large portion of the noble students, Nevil included, began looking around, seemingly in search of something.
The Professor continued moving, reaching the window and walking straight into the glass. There was a general gasp of surprise among the students as she disappeared. And then a second time as she reappeared at the front of the classroom where she originally stood.
“And of course, it’s also possible to manipulate the lights in such a way to create illusions,” she said with a giggle. “Congratulations to those among you who are already Archmages and were able to notice something strange. As for the rest of you, I hope you are all able to breakthrough before next year. Now, without further delays, let’s get into the subject of this class. Light spells. Today, we’ll be learning the most basic of them all.” She held out an open hand, palm pointing to the ceiling. Suddenly, a ball of bright light flared atop her hand. “A mage’s light.”
She wrote in the air with her index finger, traces of light forming the words. “These are the words of power to cast it. Write it down and start practicing. As for those of you who are already Archmages, come to the front of the class. We’ll be practicing something more advanced.”
Normally, Jon would be glad to stay away from the talkative Nevil. Now, though, he wished he could follow along instead of training something meant for complete beginners. Mage light had been the first spell of this element that he had learned.
Dammit. Grumbling inwardly at his own incompetence, Jon began to chant the spell, falling into a deep trance.
The chair he sat on, the other students, and then the whole classroom. Everything disappeared. Jon found himself inside a deep blue sea made of specks of mana. There were no lights nor shadows, only the blue specks that stretched out forever. They were always static at first, unmoving regardless of what he did. The place wasn’t unfamiliar.
Months after advancing to the 10th stage, Jon was surprised to find himself in this exact situation while practicing his spells. First came the confusion as he wondered what was happening. Then the elation when he thought himself about to breakthrough. Finally, he was once again confused as he found himself alone in the forest with a shadowy tendril around his arm, still just a Mage.
Ever since then, Jon had always found himself inside this deep blue sea of mana whenever attempting a spell. At the time he figured it a sign of an imminent breakthrough, that he only needed to try again. He cast spells into exhaustion that evening. Nothing changed. He did the same for the whole week and still, nothing changed. After more than a year and thousands of tries, he was still just a Mage. Once a novelty, this strange phenomenon had now become a routine happening to him whenever he cast a spell.
Now enrolled at the academy, he wished he could ask one of his professors about it. But first, he had to be sure that the phenomenom had no relation to either his reincarnation or even the Secret Realm key, else he risked exposing either of the two. And to be sure that it wasn’t related, he first had to learn more about it and the easiest solution would be asking a professor. Which he couldn’t do because it would risk exposition. So, unless he happened to chance upon the answer while studying at the library he would remain stuck in this catch-22 situation.
His mouth continued to speak the words of power, reciting the spell independently from his will. Once it had started, the process couldn’t be stopped. Through the duration, he would become a passenger in his own body.
As the chanting approached its end, the blue specks finally moved, a small ripple that originated from his hand and died down before even reaching his torso. The origin changed depending on where he wanted the spell to appear, but it was always the same small ripple, no matter the spell. Jon could only imagine the sort of power required to make them truly move.
Finally, the blue began to recede as his surroundings returned to normal, on his open hand a ball of light. At the front of the class, the Professor displayed to the other Archmages a thin beam of light that burned into the solid floor. It was the same spell she had used to brand Jon’s armor before the Squire’s Tourney. Noticing the ball of light on Jon’s hand, she smiled at him for just a moment before continuing her demonstration.
The rest of the class were still on their seats, all of them still stuck on the hypnotic trance of their chanting.
Jon took a deep breath and allowed the spell to dissipate before beginning to chant it again. He repeated the process until the mental fatigue wouldn’t allow it anymore, which, in his case, was close to three hours. He spent the rest of the class period watching the Professor’s lecture to the rest of the Archmages.
“That was great,” Nevil said as class ended and they prepared to leave. “If only I could switch Practical Combat with her class. It was so good and I learned so much. She told me that I have a real knack for spells and that I could become a great Luminomancer in the future.”
“Good for you,” Jon said insincerely.
The two approached the door when the Professor called out, “Jon, could you stay behind for a moment?”
