> Alchemy is the art of matter manipulation. One can never truly appreciate the beauty of creation without first studying it's building blocks.
>
> From essence to infusion. From enchantment to brewing. Every crafting pursuit stems from the understanding of the alchemical art.
Wow pretentious much. The beginning of the book looks more like an advertisement than a teaching guide. But at least the contents hint at the area I imagined it would.
Would the translation magic latch onto alchemy as the term used to refer to this subject because it's the nearest term. Or because the root of the knowledge is the same? i.e. a study of the material. Or could it literal be the same magic and a hint that magic does, or at least did, exist on Earth?
Holding off on any, possibly, wrong impressions of the subject I read further.
> ...the goals of alchemy started out as the pursuit of knowledge and eternal life. The so called philosophers stone was the pinnacle of the art. We will not cover the creation of philosopher's stones within this course however and leave that to advanced subjects such as Infusion Principles and Applications. This course is concerned with the general understanding and manipulation of matter...
I pause for a moment... did it really just glaze over the philosophers stone!? I continued to read through the material provided until I had a good idea what the course was aiming for. It talked of techniques and how they changed depending on the world they were performed in. Knowledge that suffused matter and altered the product produced. It talked of general principals that despite all the fluidity of the subject remained constant no matter the world.
Interesting... the general principals of matter sound like they could refer to chemistry. In fact it doesn't matter. If it is chemistry I can use that to my advantage here. Otherwise it's magic that should be possible on earth. It's a Win win no matter which.
Feeling vindicated in my choice I placed the book onto the maybe pile. Next up was a subject called Oracle Arts.
> Oracle Arts comprise of three main areas. The weave, the seers journey and the interpretation. The Oracle must perfect each of these processes in order to perform a satisfactory reading of future events. Even the slightest deviation can be cause for wildly different readings of the same events.
And this subject seem just plain dry reading. Plus that sounds like your describing chaos theory. May not be much you can do there... or maybe I'm being a little arrogant. Perhaps Oracle Arts can overcome the tyranny of chaos. Even with the dry reading I was fascinated by the possibility.
Perhaps it could be used to determine what happened to Earth magic. Perhaps I could seek out a hidden mage society if one exists.
> Oracle arts are possible for any practitioner of magic but can be vastly improved if you wield the talent for them. An ordinary practitioner has a tough journey ahead of them. Yet they may find the techniques finding use outside of the pure pursuit of foreknowledge. Such example are...
I groan. Can't risk it. The possibility of not having the talent and wasting precious points is too high. The little reading I have done seems to suggest I could use some of the techniques to help me discover earths magic properties. However it's just too risky in my eyes. I need a foot in the door, something that can help me stay and gain some points.
A little impatience buds inside me as I realised I may be facing an impossible task. Such a good area of magic may be cut off from me because of a lack of talent. How many hurdles does it take before my route to magic is completely cut off. I begin to rub my throbbing temple when the door to the back office opens again.
Two figures exit and Rise looks no less embarrassed. But she's not left to her own devices. Glade takes it upon herself to lead Rise over to my little corner. Rise looks everywhere but in my direction but lets herself be lead anyway.
"Now I'm sure Gentle here will help you select an appropriate set of courses. Isn't that right Gentle?" She gives me a self satisfied look, as she proceeds to pair us together. I nod absently still unused to hearing my name transliterated as it is.
She scoots out a chair and Rise is plonked into it before she quickly leaves to continue work. Silence fills the space.
"Hi Rise! I see you found the Library OK." I say trying to break the ice.
"Sure..." She responds.
"Em... I've finished with these do you want to have a look?" Indicating the two books to the side. She looks a little surprised but reaches over anyway. She grabs the one on Alchemy.
Rise opens the book, squinting as if the content are too bright to look at. Before beginning to read she placed a single sheet of paper over the writing. It has a small window cut out of it.
Slowly sliding the sheet over the page she would frown before mouthing a word and then move on. Sometimes tracing the same sentence again and again to see it in succession.
What is she doing? Trying to keep to myself I looked for the next book in my pile. The one on Rune Scribing catches my eye.
> Language is the medium by which thought travels. Language can connect minds together and reform complex ideas from one mind inside the other. Yet what does this have to do with magic?
>
> When the right conditions arise language can be imprinted onto the world as abstractions called Runes. Inscrutable geometric shapes that represent the nature of a concept. That is what this course is about...
Sounds intriguing, but it has that uncertain element again. Will I have to just gamble on the courses? Reading on, even skipping ahead a little, the process of determining your first rune is laborious. Ugh, I don't have time for this. The throbbing headache seems to spike as options seem to slip through my fingers.
I glance up. The adorable Rise continues to squint at the page in concentration. She's only on the second page. I'm not even sure she's taking in the words...
"Em Rise? What kind of class are you looking for?"
She blinks as if only remembering my presence now. A conflicted look crosses her face. Eyes darting back and forth until she spots the impossible stack of books before her. A sigh leaves her lips before she formulates a response.
"Something unique."
I cock my head. "Unique as in..."
"Something not seen before in my world."
Alright we're getting somewhere. "So what type of magic does your world have?"
She opens and closes her mouth like a gold fish. "I-I don't know..." She mumbles.
Wait really!? Well it seems your up a something something creek without a paddle. "...hmm, well, I suppose you can focus on some of the more fundamental classes first and slowly learn what your world has to offer." Perhaps she's like me?
"I don't have the time to waste. They wont wait for me to grow stronger..." Back to frowning at the page she mutters this. But I hear her anyway. OK, maybe not the same problems as me.
At a bit of a loss as to how to continue that conversation I pick up my next book. Mystic Poetry for the Discerning Mind.
> The Art, the one true form of expression, Mystic Poetry. This book describes the Art in all its glory. We describe the results of a great many poets throughout the worlds and how their work was combine into one glorious work capable of describing any world and it's laws.
Talk about singing praises. Gosh this is almost sickly in its pandering. I kept reading but as a sciences rather than humanities person I just couldn't follow it very well. Ugh, so it's not science they use to describe the universe but poetry? A little puzzle piece seems to slot into place at that realisation. Is that why they don't recognise the term mathematics?
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Reading ahead to some examples it becomes a little clearer. Mystic Poetry seems to have been an independent creation in a number of universes. The reason being it's close relation to magic. And then using this form of expression they can describe physical phenomena as well. So mathematics just doesn't develop? Subsumed by a 'superior' discipline it doesn't get the chance? That can't be right... I feel there's more to the story there.
Reading some of the 'poetry' a familiar structure seems to pop out to me. It's almost like an equation with several unknowns. I wonder whether I could rewrite this as an actual mathematical equation? The form of it irks me however. Unnecessary flourishes touch up the prose for no other reason than aesthetic. Beauty seems as important to the writer as objective truth. And not the same elegant beauty of pure mathematics that I know.
Putting the book aside on the yes pile I reach for another. But I stop. Rise is still struggling with her sheet of paper making little progress. Growing more and more frustrated.
"Em, Rise. I know it may be a little rude to ask, but what is that cutout sheet of paper for?" I hesitantly call out her.
She purses her lips. Seemingly having expected the question she works her way up to responding. With a big sigh and a resigned slump she replies. "...I can't read."
"Oh." I say unsure how to respond. I'm a little shocked. But it makes sense now that I consider it. Not everyone will be educated here.
"I'm sure a pampered girl like you doesn't understand." A little heat entering her voice. "Simply looking at the page overwhelms me. Every word tries to worm into my head at the same time." She raises her head glaring, daring me to respond.
Her bitter words continue. "Some of us aren't given the same start in life. Some of us have to crawl out of the mud. I'm not going to let them push me back down! I won't let the likes of you do it either!" Tears form in the corner of her eyes as she cries out her grief.
Deep maroon eyes hold my own, I can see the determination flair inside of them. Countless years of being trodden under foot as others pass over her. But now her determination transforms into a promise to snap the next foot that would attempt the same. I back up in my chair. A little shame colours my cheeks.
"So are you going to do the same pampered girl? Now you know I'm a mud crawling beast without your vaunted knowledge will you shun me like those from the upper crust?" Her paper cutout crinkles under her grip. Deforming the window she's been using to read through.
"No." I respond with strange calmness. I don't know where the conviction comes from but it catches us both off guard. I don't like it. I don't like being lumped in with those types of bigots.
"...N-no? That's it?" Bewilderment crashes through her defensive posture. She blinks as my one word answer sinks in. "Why wouldn't you..."
"Because in this Academy we're practically no different. Look around. Every creature here is alien and different. No two of them are the same. Yet they're all people. The translation magic we use to understand each other proves that. No matter how different we look we all share the same thoughts and feelings. We all suffer and celebrate in the same ways."
"Ah... but..." She goldfishes as she tries to think of a response. Her insecurities can't let go of the effects of her stigma.
"So your uneducated? So what. We're here to solve that. What do you think the Academy is for?"
She squirms a little unprepared for my counter attack.
"And me pampered? Ha, well perhaps compared to your situation I am. But from where I come from I'm the common muck that those in power sneer at. They throw us common people the scraps of charity while those in true power fight over the resources and power that could save us all. Believe me, once they fatten me up with an education they'll squeeze as much profit out of me as they can. It's just more efficient for society to educate their work force. I..." I stop. Oops, kinda went over board. My own bitterness seeps into my speech. Rise looks at me with a look of surprise.
"Ah well, I mean..." I continue, changing tack. "Sorry, I got a little heated. But although I can't imagine the hardships you've been through and I do come from a life with... privilege. I appreciate the feeling of society stepping on you for it's own selfish gains. I would never shun you for short sighted reasons like they seem to on your world. So can we make a truce? Help each other and give ourselves the leg up we need to succeed at this Academy?"
I hold out a hand finishing my cheesy speech. The gesture only leaves her in confusion until some understanding creeps into her body language. She reaches out and her soft hand cups my own. We shake. Gah! How cringy. What 90's kid show did I pull that speech out of!
Self imploding I squeeze out one final thing. "Ah, well, if you want I can describe each subject after I'm done. Help you narrow down your choices. Did you get yourself the free period?"
She nods. "Ah, that would be helpful, thanks."
We each dive back into our own books too self conscious to look at each other. Thankful for the distraction, quiet reading begins again. That is until the crinkle of paper informs me of Rise's attempts to flatten out her reading square.
I decide to move onto my next book. Plucking the book from the pile I read the title. Soul Studies and Safety During its Practice. I shudder. Not an ominous book at all.
> The core of ones being. The centre of self. A parasite of the living flesh? Many have asked the question, what is a soul. The answer isn't agreed upon even among the foremost experts across the cosmos. But we don't explore the philosophical side here. Only the practical application of current knowledge.
>
> We will study the miniature worlds called souls. Literal worlds unto themselves. Each soul forms a miniature universe with its own rules and laws. Thought to have formed from the remnants of dead universe they have coexisted with life for many eons. Even sculpting life into familiar forms across the gap of the void. Therefore many of the techniques used to study worlds can also be applied to the soul and many of the souls we will study have familiar structures.
>
> In this course we will explore the cycle of reincarnation, the structures within them which we call Soul Organelle and many tricks like implanting magic templates. Two important areas of study will be the implanting of memories for use beyond your current life and stirring the unique powers deep within the soul.
A unpleasant shudder runs down my spine. I read on only to find descriptions of all the ways the subject can go horribly wrong. From erasing part of yourself and being unable to decide to fix yourself to splitting your existence in two resulting in a form that both simultaneously hates and loves itself. Ugh, no, nopety nope nope. This subject seems like a contender but I'm not ready to try soul manipulation. That's horrific. I think as I morbidly skim through the pages. And that's even more horrific.
It was a subject full of possibilities. From strange super powers lock away in the soul. To the possibility of retaining your memories through reincarnation.
But most of all it held the possibility of bypassing whatever trouble Earth had with magic. Placing the magic within the soul played by the souls rules. What ever laws governed earth wouldn't apply. But the real cool stuff required the soul to already posses the ability, until the advanced soul studies course that is. Which hinted at true soul surgery...
I shut the book and slide it into the 'if no other possibilities exist and the world is literally ending unless I can use a little bit of eldritch horror magic' pile. Which I've just created. I sigh, unsure whether I'm a coward or a realist. It's terrifying! What if I got chucked out of the Academy with half finished soul magic in me! Would it slowly unravel and cause all sorts of weird soul diseases?
My eye lands on my dwindling pile. Only two books remain of the contenders I picked up. Perhaps if I scoured the shelf again I might find a gem. But I doubted it. I would probably need to pick from those before me, even if it meant taking a gamble.
Universal Geometries for the Uninitiated. Sounds lovely. This was one course I'd already picked as a definite. It sounded universally applicable and it had an almost mathematical theme to it. I simply picked up the book to get a little idea what the course would entail.
And it didn't disappoint. The poetry sections made me cringe a little. But the same mathematical structure seemed to leap out to me again. They seemed to use them as a way to generically define the structure of circles even across the worlds. But I'd need to know how poetic terms applied on earth. Simple, I can work with this. A small smile played across my lips as the puzzle formed in my mind. I think I'll enjoy this subject. There were still major pieces missing from my plan but this would be a major part of it. I plop it on the yes pile.
I reach out to the final book in my pile. I stop as I read the little label on the cover of the book. Each of the these books had the price of the corresponding course written somewhere on them. 20 points? Expensive. Every other course in the pile was 10 points. I get the feeling the book was misplaced by a student. Yet curiosity gets the better of me. Explorers Studies?
> Explorers Studies is a practical guide to exploring new and unfamiliar worlds. Whether it be cautionary advice for interacting with local fauna and flora or construction of simple magical phenomena in unknown magical systems. This course covers it all.
I almost laugh. I could almost cry. This is it! I can't believe it! My luck seems to have turned around. A course dedicated to exactly what I need. Well, the flora/fauna of earth isn't a concern, but the other aspect of the course is.
I spend the next few minutes going through the material. Seriously studying it to see what kind of task I'm up against. Ha, it even uses the spoofing to short cut a number of tricky steps. Apparently magic circles can come in a number of types. Testing them one after another is laborious, but some even need to be triggered by mana. So the guide has you spoof an Academy circle to inject mana into the native circle. En voila, you don't need to figure out a mana gathering technique just to test your circles.
There is also a spell to visualise the density of mana in an area, to see whether the magic circle is having any effect at all. My plan begins to finally solidify in my head. The last piece slotting into place. Yes! There is hope!
As I sigh in relief Rise gives me a little look but quickly flicks back to her own reading. I nod to myself deciding to strike while the iron is hot. I'll pick those ones. A little trip to Glades desk and my choices are made. She doesn't comment on my choices but wishes me good luck on my selection. I almost skip back to the desk to help Rise pick hers.
------
Points Remaining: 40.
Courses: Alchemy 10p, Universal Geometries 10p, Mystic Poetry 10p, Explorers Studies 20p.
Misc Purchases: Beginner Course Shelf 5p, Free Study Period 5p.