While Mori searched, Sen prepared. 

Under normal circumstances, Professor Crosp might refuse a last minute one-on-one session. But these were not normal circumstances. Sen still had an hour left for one-on-one appointments from his rank reward. He planned to spend at least thirty minutes of it with Crosp. Before, he’d simply wanted to learn more about King Ragmár and the Kingdom of Magic, but now things were more complicated. The list of professor specialties that Oliver had given him indicated that Professor Crosp had two levels of expertise that students might be interested in. 

One, of course, was history. After seeing what Historia magic could do, Sen had to admit he was eager to learn more. There was a lot he could do with a technique like that once he better understood it. The other expertise was more relevant now than ever. He needed advice on monsters. 

Quickly.

Professor Crosp stared at the shaking egg Sen had set on the table. It had grown somewhat since he’d received it as a prize for striking the final blow during the Academy War Dungeon. The egg was a swirl of green and purple, and the colors etched on its surface were moving. “And where did you get this again?” Crosp asked.

“It was my reward in the dungeon.”

“The Academy War Dungeon?” Crosp asked, behind lifted brows. 

Sen nodded.

“It can’t be. I helped pick the prize out myself. We intended to give the winner a spirit egg. A creation spirit that would help focus the winner’s abilities. This…isn’t a spirit egg.”

[Oh! Ask what it is?] Tutor said, as if Sen wasn’t going to ask already.

“So, what is it?”

[Perfect!]

Crosp adjusted his glasses. He leaned forward and squinted as if that would help him identify it. “It’s an egg of creation, but it isn’t a spirit. I’m not sure what happened in that dungeon, but my theory is the sheer exchange of magic caused a fundamental change in the egg’s nature. I’d like to study it further, but as you can see, it’s on the verge of hatching. That’s not something we want to let happen without first offering some guidance.”

The God of Magic special class had upgraded his rewards for completing the dungeon, so he wasn’t too worried about the theory behind what had happened. He already knew that. Instead, he focused on the last thing Crosp had said. Sen lifted an eyebrow. “Guidance? Shouldn’t the creature inside know how to hatch? I’m not its mother. What could I possibly help it with?”

Professor Crosp sat up straight and looked at Sen very seriously. “Sen, it doesn’t need help learning how to hatch. It needs direction on what to hatch into.”

Sen blinked. He stared at the professor for several moments while trying to unpack the meaning behind his words. It was an egg. The egg should turn into whatever its parents were. Maybe Professor Crosp hadn’t fully recovered from his near-death experience. Sen stood and reached out for his egg. He’d seek advice elsewhere. 

Professor Crosp held a hand up, gesturing for him to wait. “Listen, I know it sounds crazy. But this is an extraordinary opportunity. That egg is valuable beyond compare. If it weren’t on the verge of hatching already, I’d advise you to sell it. You’d never need to work a day in your life. Creation eggs are almost like the love child of a magic artifact and a living soul. A soul is waiting inside that egg, with pure creation magic behind it. It will become whatever you want it to. As long as you give it direction quickly.”

Sen sat back down. “How is it different from a creation spell?” he asked.

Crosp nodded. “Creation spells give life to magic. A creation egg imbues magic into life. That difference sounds minimal, but when people use creation magic or summoning magic, that power is often limited by their own potential. This egg won’t be. It could be like a child who grows up to surpass its parents. If you choose its form carefully, you could find a lifelong companion in it. Something powerful enough to keep up with or even surpass you. It won’t draw on your mana or power; it’ll have mana and power of its own. This is a partner, Sen.”

A long crack formed on the egg in front of them.

“And you really need to make a call soon,” Crosp added hurriedly. 

 “Great. No pressure. A creature with overwhelming potential that’s going to hatch any second now,” Sen said. He racked his brain, thinking of powerful creatures he’d fought in the past. He needed access to a phoenix, but hatching an egg just for the effects of its blood was a bit too morbid for him. 

There were dragons, of course, and he always thought fondly of the sacred mammoths of the Siersen plains. But either of those creatures were…bulky undertakings. Finding enough food for them alone would take up most of his time. Not to mention the rebellious teenage years of either species. He didn’t want to spend his days apologizing to farmers for missing livestock his dragon had eaten, or for the fields’ worth of crops a sacred mammoth could devour. Either idea made him shudder. Besides, it wasn’t like he needed to hatch an egg for either species. He’d surely contract some new creatures from this time period, eventually. For now, he had an expert right in front of him. 

“Any suggestions, Professor?” he asked.

Crosp lit up. “I was hoping you’d say that. I can show you faster than I can tell you.” He rubbed his hands together. “I have a few options in mind.” Crosp closed his eyes, gathering himself for a spell, and then he stared at Sen. “Historia Living Memory!” 

A palette of colorful, vivid memories washed over Sen’s senses. He gave in to the spell.

He stood in a field of flowers. Blue and pink orchids sent a pang ringing through his heart as he thought of a missing Milim. Wind rushed through the field, sending stray hair whipping into his face. It wasn’t a natural breeze. It came from somewhere above. A gryphon flapped powerful wings as it scanned the ground for something. Maybe prey, maybe something else. It was large and majestic, and Sen imagined traveling through the skies atop its back. 

The professor's voice came to him like a whisper. “Gryphons are powerful creatures. As strong physically as they are skilled at commanding magic. They’re rare too. It’s not often a human encounters one. They grow to full size quickly and have a number of spells known only to their species embedded in ancestral memories. A gryphon is a powerful ally, and one you’re unlikely to find beyond this opportunity.” 

His vision faded again, and the world around him shifted into a veil of fire and ash. He stood on a small rock in the depths of a volcano. This time Crosp stood beside him, and Sen wondered why. Gaseous plumes rose from the molten liquid that surrounded them, and though the heat was muted, sweat still rolled down Sen’s skin. Something splashed into the lava from high above. Sen covered his face with a hand to shield himself from stray droplets of lava. They splashed against his clothing, but rolled off harmlessly. A black hand emerged from the lava, and he watched as the furred creature swam. It was doing a breaststroke through lava.

[Is anyone else feeling the masculine urge to say they could take that thing on in a fistfight? No? Just me?]

Crosp watched it with excitement. “A Magma Gorilla. They’re natives to islands adjacent to the Shadowhell Continent. Far enough away to avoid the natural shadow magic, but close enough that volcanic climates thrive. They typically live in nearby forests, but volcanoes are a key part of their ecosystems. They used them to hunt, give birth, and several other things.” The gorilla climbed onto a rock and lay on its back to relax. Its fur was black, but its eyes were bright red. Flames tickled at the edges of its fur, and Sen realized it was some kind of natural magic. 

“It seems strong,” he commented.

Crosp nodded. “They are. Their magic leaves something to be desired, but as a magician yourself, a powerful front-line fighter would prove an excellent addition to your arsenal. They do sometimes live amongst humans, but of course most people will be wary of you if you walk into town with one. There are pros and cons, as with any option. But if you want something that can crush your enemies to a pulp, this is the path forward.”

Sen could already imagine showing up to the Cult of Harpis with a massive magma gorilla in tow. Imagining cultists running for their lives while the gorilla chased them down brought a subtle smile to his face. 

The vision faded away, and suddenly they were on an island in the middle of nowhere. It was warm, in a pleasant way, and a gentle breeze mixed perfectly with the sun’s rays to create the perfect weather for lounging about on the beach. Sen looked around, waiting for the next option to reveal itself. The only thing flying in the sky above was the clouds. The forest to his right was devoid of movement, and a quick scan with his magic senses found it devoid of life as well. He turned to look at the ocean, wondering if perhaps something lurked beneath the waves. It was there that he found it. The creature was small. It didn’t radiate the noble air and magic of a gryphon, and it certainly lacked the power of the magma gorilla. But it was cute to look at.

[He’s just a wittle guy!]

Crosp cleared his throat. “That is an axolotl. A mana axolotl, to be exact.”

Sen quirked a brow. “A mana axolotl? What exactly can it do?” Surely Crosp hadn’t brought them here just because of the creature’s heartwarming appearance. 

Crosp turned to look at him with a gleam in his eyes. “That…depends on how much mana you can afford to feed it.”

Sen perked up at that. “Interesting.”

“Mana axolotls live somewhere on the border between natural beings and magic beings. They have no capacity to produce magic or mana on their own, and yet, they have an unusual mastery over it. It’s said that an order of magicians once cultivated the species and used them as partners in the same way many use spirits. They used magic to guide the evolution of a natural creature and give it the capabilities of a magical one. Their potential is nearly infinite, but only if their partner can fuel it. They are naturally gifted at regeneration and easy to hide on your person. They are extremely receptive to training and domestication, and their abilities evolve based on the way you use them. You can feed them mana to shapeshift, teach them new spells, or increase their raw power. The only limitation is your own mana and imagination. If you can provide either of those in abundance, or both, this creature will keep up with you.”

Sen raised a brow. “Which of the three would you recommend?” he asked.

Crosp laughed. “Isn’t it obvious? The Magma Gorilla. Did you not see it? It would pop Calabari’s stupid face like a watermelon!” He realized he’d lost himself and cleared his throat again. “Excuse me, I mean…well, there’s no other way to put this. Magma Gorillas are just really cool.” 

[I agree.]

Crosp allowed his spell to fade.

The egg in front of them cracked again, and a bright light was already starting to shine. 

“It’s happening! Guide it, Sen!” 

He thought over his options, and a few others that had come to mind in the meantime. But in the end, his decision had already been made. He focused on the egg, and the color alternated. 

White. Black. Pink. Red. Green. Purple. 

It settled, and the egg exploded in a burst of light, sending pieces of shell all over the room.

A pink baby axolotl looked up at him and yawned. 

[Master, this is really concerning. I don’t think baby Magma Gorillas are supposed to look like that. Something’s gone wrong.]

Sen smiled and held a hand out for his new partner.