The system was doing this purposefully–Primus Schola–whatever it was. Kaz used every method to reach out and try communicating with it, but nothing happened. Was that the extent of its usefulness? He walked back to his seat, glancing to the side ever so often.
Kaz put the thought out of his mind. It still had its uses. He searched his space for manuals about black mana or the darkness attribute. Kaz found five manuals. He took them out briefly while his back was still to the rest of the class.
Caster’s Black Magic Manual. 25% compatibility.
Aurora’s Bestest. 60% compatibility.
No title. 83% compatibility.
Path of Solitude. 4% compatibility.
Spatial Specialization. 85% compatibility.
It was between Spatial Specialization and Fazzar’s, but he didn’t know how to choose. “Miss White-”
“Miss Marica. There are too many people running around with the name white. How can I help?” Her personality was bubbly, each step a half-hop. Her smile seemed genuine, shining through her eyes.
“How do you pick between manuals?” he asked.
“Hmm, good question.” Her finger tapped at her chin. “Some people can’t pick. They read three manuals and they all feel the same to them. Others get an aha moment. If you can’t tell the difference between the two, close your eyes and pick one.”
Kaz looked at her back as she bounced away. That was terrible advice. He glanced at his two choices.
Primus Schola, which should I choose?
His question was met with silence. Kaz shrugged. It was worth a try. He read both books.
Ding Book Report:
Fazzar’s Black High-Level Manual. 85% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Reduced Layer compatibility. Two slots.
* Complicated and unnecessary phrasing and words.
* Too Unspecialized.
* Inefficient.
* Incomplete.
Spatial Specialization. 85% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Complicated and unnecessary phrasing and words.
* Too Specialized.
* Inefficient.
* Limited potential. Eight Circles.
* Incomplete.
Kaz scratched his head. He wanted to explore the system in private, but he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t end up electrocuted or unable to use it if he waited. He hurried back to his seat. Tristan was reading his manual.
“Can I borrow that for a second?” he asked.
Tristan raised an eyebrow while handing over the book. Kaz shook his head. He opened it and read.
Origin of Chaos. 50% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Incompatible Base Element.
* Too Unspecialized.
* Reduced Layer compatibility. Four Slots.
* Inaccurate Theories
* Maliciously Altered
* Incomplete
Kaz grabbed Tristan’s shoulder. “Have you started cultivating this?” he asked, his heart racing. He breathed a sigh of relief when Tristan shook his head.
Ding.
Name: Tristan -No last name-
Race: Human
Level: 0
Class: Fire Mage
Experience: 8/2400
Strength: 4
Agility: 8
Stamina: 5
Soul Force: 560
Mana: 190
Perception: 15
HP: 500/500
Origin of Chaos. 86% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Too Unspecialized.
* Reduced Layer compatibility. Four Slots.
* Inaccurate Theories
* Maliciously Altered
* Incomplete
Would you like to correct and increase the compatibility of Origin of Chaos for Tristan:
Price: One high-level object containing the essence of fire.
Result: 99% compatibility. Six Layer Slots. Complete manual.
Would you like to correct and increase the compatibility of Origin of Chaos for Tristan:
Price: Two high-level mana stones.
Results: 93% compatibility. Six Layer Slots. Complete Manual.
Would you like to correct and increase the compatibility of Origin of Chaos for Tristan:
Price: One high-level mana stone.
Results: 90% compatibility. Five Layer Slots. Incomplete manual.
“One second, wait here,” he said, moving towards Zyaire. “Come with me.” She was sitting with friends, all of them staring holes into him. They locked gazes for a second before she gathered her things and followed him back to her seat.
Tristan watched the whole thing, elbows on the desk, hands under his chin, and his intense gaze on Kaz’s back.
When they were seated Kaz turned to Zyaire. “Can I see your manual?”
She jolted, looking around. “You can’t ask that? Manuals are coveted and kept in families, you don’t just show other people. I could get disowned. Well, more disowned than I already am.”
“Do you have anything for privacy,” Kaz asked. They had the attention of the whole room, even the teacher was looking.
“I can’t use it,” she said, holding her hand up and pointing to a ruby ring on her finger. Kaz took out his notebook and wrote how to use the badge as a stamp.
“Where do you get this information,” she said, grumbling. Zyaire slipped under the desk, taking the badge off her uniform.
Tristan, keeping eye contact with Kaz, pulled the book towards him.
Kaz rolled his eyes before shoving the book over. “You can sell this too,” he said. “Twenty percent of everything you make is mine.” He didn’t need the money, but you could never have too much, and Tristan would be more at ease if Kaz got a share.
“Forty.”
“Twenty.”
“Forty.”
“Twenty-five.”
“Forty.”
“Tritry-five.”
“Forty.”
“Tristan, that’s not how negotiation works,” Kayire said from under the table.
“I’m not negotiating,” he said.
Kaz rolled his eyes. “Fine. Do whatever you want.”
Tristan’s eyes weren’t smiling. His gaze was intense as he looked at Kaz. “Thanks.”
Kaz nodded. Tristen didn’t get help from others often. His body was tense like he expected the whole thing to be a joke. It was then he realized why he was so drawn to Tristan. Kaz saw himself in Tristan. Right at the start, when he was thirteen and the world was falling to shit around him, he’d wanted one person to reach out their hand and help. Just one, and he would have been spared so much pain and suffering. He’d felt an echo of that pain in Tristan and reached out. It wasn’t Tristan specifically or how long Kaz had known him, they might not become friends and Tristan might later betray him, but none of it mattered. Not yet.
“There,” Kyaire said. In her hand was an orb set in gold. It looked like an expensive version of the magic crystal ball they used to sell at the toy store. She turned the orb, and a low buzzing sound was emitted.
Tristan reached over to touch the ball.
Kaz looked at him.
“I’m not part of the conversation?” he asked, pulling back his hand.
“I’m not sure what’s happening right now.” Kaz reached over and touched the ball. When all three of their hands were on the ball, Zyaire turned the orb again.
Kaz felt energy crawl over his skin, like warm sandy air on the beach before it settled uncomfortably on his skin. “Oh, that feels gross.”
The other two nodded.
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“Yes, I’ve always hated that feeling like a big cat licking you all over.” Zyaire poked the orb with her finger. “That’s out of the way. What’s this nonsense about seeing my manual?”
“Would you still think it’s nonsense if I could check the compatibility towards you and improve it?”
Zyaire sat back as if slapped. “Impossible! Mages spend their lifetime writing manuals! Only the mage can guess the compatibility and it’s always a gamble!”
“I tried with Tristan and I want to try with you.” A larger sample size would be better, but his situation was inconvenient. Later, he’d reach out to the students waiting to get their cultivation dissolved and get them to swear on their mana.
“I swear on my mana not to reveal your cultivation manual to anyone. Wait, could you even access your manual?”
Zyaire glared at him. Most of the class was looking in their direction, mana stones on the table in front of them, but not cultivating. A few were. He recognized them from the class this morning, he guessed those people had gotten their manuals from the library, but the others were waiting to access the manuals their families gave them. Oh, he might have a bigger sample size to try this out with.
“I gave you that information for free,” he said. “Not even a thank you?”
Rolling her eyes, she took out her manual and handed it to him. “Here.”
“Cover the title.” Kaz made sure to touch her hand when taking the manual. He quickly read it before glancing at the blue screen.
Ding.
Name: Zyaire Solene Katz
Race: Human (Dragonewt bloodline-Probability of return to ancestry 13%)
Level: 0
Class: Light Mage
Experience: 799/1600
Strength: 2
Agility: 8
Stamina: 5
Soul Force: 800
Mana: 175
Perception: 8
HP: 1000/1000
Light Bringer. 70% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Too Specialized.
* Reduced Layer compatibility. One Slot.
* Maliciously Altered
* Incomplete
Would you like to correct Light Bringer:
Price: Three high-level mana stones.
Results: Complete manual. Three Layer Slots.
This time the system didn’t offer to increase the compatibility. Why? Was there something that made it fundamentally incompatible with her?
Kaz itched to find out more but forced himself to focus on the current task. “The manual’s title is Light Bringer and I wouldn’t use it. You’re only seventy percent compatible with it, and if you use it, you’ll only be able to for one layer.”
Zyaire grabbed the manual, looking at him with fear for the first time. “How?” she asked, whispering. Her eyes started darting around. “My father traded a mana stone mine for this manual. It’s the one the pope uses! Out of all the manuals, it felt the most right when I read it!” She heaved, her voice getting higher and higher. “After all that you’re telling me I’m only seventy percent compatible! And I’ll only be able to use one other element!” She was standing and shouting at him, a finger pointed at his face.
Kaz was leaning back in his chair, unsure what to do or say. “You overpaid,” popped out of his mouth before he could think.
She screamed, throwing the manual at him before regretting it, snatching it back, and stroking the cover. “It’s the only one I’ve got.” Her tone was petulant and tears gathered in her eyes. “Do you know how hard light manuals are to get if you don’t join the church? Because of this manual, that swarthy, warty pig thought he could demand my hand in marriage.”
Kaz looked to Tristan for help, but Tristan just shrugged. He looked through his storage ring and found two other light manuals, but Kaz ran into a problem. He couldn’t check the compatibility without touching her. He took out both manuals.
Caster’s Light Magic Manual. 55% compatibility.
Sol’s Divine Right. 0% compatibility.
The Caster family's magic manuals were all over the place. He was a black mage but was more compatible with their light manual than the black one. He shook his head. Reading both manuals. “Can I see that again?”
Zyaire reluctantly handed it over.
Caster’s Light Magic Manual. 15% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Waste of words
* Reduced Layer compatibility. Two Slots.
* Garbage
* Incomplete
* A steaming pile of shit
Sol’s Divine Right. 95% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Incomplete
Would you like to complete and increase the compatibility of Sol’s Divine Right for Zyaire Solene Katz:
Price: One high-level object containing the essence of light.
Result: 100% compatibility. Complete manual.
For Tristan. For Zyaire. It was too soon to tell, but manuals could be tailored to suit an individual.
Kaz reread the two manuals he’d chosen but nothing happened. No message to increase compatibility or complete the manuals. Kaz put them aside.
“This manual is ninety-five percent compatible with you and that can be increased to a hundred, but the price is a high-level item containing the essence of light-”
A rock emitting a binding light was pushed in his face before he could finish his words. “Here, is that all you want! I can give you my firstborn. You can have my second born too. Do you want my country? It will take a while, but I’m sure I can do it.”
A rock letting off unbearable heat was pushed across the table. Tristan pushed at it, looking at him with hopeful eyes. “Yours has a ninety-nine percent compatibility. I don’t know if there is another manual with higher compatibility.” Kaz had chosen that one on a whim, the word chaos suiting Tristan, but he could read the other to see if they were more suitable.
“No,” Tristan said. “I want this one.”
“There you go, lacking common sense again. Kaz, the maximum compatibility is thought to be around eighty to eighty-five percent. There also isn’t a reliable way to check compatibility. That is the rating scale. Zero to thirty percent compatibility is considered a low-level manual. Thirty to sixty-five are mid-level manuals and sixty-five to eighty-five are high-level manuals.”
Kaz looked at Sol’s Divine right, guessing that it had already been modified to be most suitable for someone else. “The compatibility will be sixty-five to eighty-five for anyone who tries to use it?” he clarified.
They both nodded.
Kaz took out the book with no title.
No title. 83% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Too Unspecialized.
* Incomplete.
Would you like to complete and increase the compatibility of -No Title- for Ignacius Kaz’myr Blake Huxley:
Price: One high-level object containing the essence of night.
Result: 100% compatibility. Complete manual.
Oh. Wasn’t that interesting?
“How secure is that?” he asked, pointing at the orb that hummed on the table.
“Only a grand mage could see through it and if one of those are around it's a waste of time trying to keep things from them.”
Kaz nodded, not sure what qualifies as a grandmage, but tabling that for later. “He first took up the firestone, pushing it through the blue screen, where his hand disappeared.
Would you like to correct and increase the compatibility of Origin of Chaos for Tristan:
Price: One high-level object containing the essence of fire.
Item 1/2
Kaz picked up the manual next pushing it through the screen.
Item 2/2
Processing.
They all waited with bated breath. Fifteen minutes passed and students who’d gone to the library started to trickle back into the room.
Kaz turned to Tristan. “This is the best time to sell the information about the badge.”
Tristan looked at him, and the spot where his hand disappeared into the air before nodding. “I’ll be back.” He double-tapped the orb, standing and moving away from the table.
“You have the inheritance,” Zyaire said when they were alone.
“No,” Kaz said. Everything I have and am using I had before I came to Killingworth, but I’m starting to think I have the clue to finding the inheritance if there is even one.” The system he was using was different from the one his mother described. He could attribute that to two things, being at Killingworth and being from Earth. “When was the last time a member of the Caster family attended Killingworth?”
“It’s been over five hundred years. Killingworth produces excellent students, but they’re considered battle mages and that is increasingly seen as gauche over the years. Mola Academy is a school for nobles. If you don’t have at least your bachelor’s degree from there, your social standing is greatly reduced. The trend is to get a bachelor’s from Mola and a Master’s from Killingworth if you're pursuing higher education.” Zyaire pushed around the light stone. Your cousin is here because the family fortunes are dwindling and they're trying to claim the inheritance left behind by Ignatius Huxley. The reason everyone followed is because there are rumors about a prophecy.”
“Which is why he was scared shitless when I showed up using the name Huxley.” Kaz glanced at his cousin who was paying Tristan. According to his mother, every member of the family had access to a system or some version of it. Hers as the heir to the family had more functions, but she hadn’t been able to explain the other differences. Kaz’s version had even fewer functions than her’s so maybe he got the same version as Ignazio.
“You’re not even trying to keep a secret,” she said.
“I did, for like half a day, but it turns out I’m really bad at keeping secrets.” He’d never had people close to him to keep secrets from, and he never lied to his family. Kaz needed to practice that. It was disgraceful to say he specialized in assassination skills when he sucked at deception.
“No,” she said, pushing her hair behind her ear. “I couldn’t tell. It wasn’t like you gave me a unique, precious, one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen book.”
“It’s not one of a kind. I’ve got hundreds of them.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Stop talking to me. I’m tired. I’ve had enough of you for the day.” Zyaire pushed the stone towards him before laying down on the desk.
Ding. Modification Complete.
Tristan’s Origin of Chaos. 5% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Incompatible Base Element.
Kaz’s compatibility with it had decreased and all the previous weaknesses were one. He repeated the process for Zyaire’s manual.
The processing time was a lot shorter.
Ding. Modification Complete.
Zyaire’s Sol’s Divine Right. 5% compatibility.
Weakness:
* Incompatible Base Element.
Zyaire hadn’t lifted her head, but her arm was stretched towards him. Her hand made a grabbing motion. He could almost hear gimmie, gimmie in a little gremlin voice.
Kaz stuck his hand into the blue screen, pulling out four manuals.
He put one in Zyaire’s hand. She pulled it over.
“Ignacius, don’t play with me,” she said, her words almost a growl.
“Kaz,” he said, “everyone calls me Kaz.” He gave her the right manual. She sat up straight, a bright look in her eye.
“Thief!” someone screamed, attracting attention. “This…this”
Tristan stood there with his hands crossed. “You got what you paid for.”
“But–it was–” he struggled to get the words out.
It was a boy Kaz hadn’t seen before which wasn’t saying much.
“What are you going to do?”
“I won’t buy anything from you again, bastard!” He spat at Tristan’s feet before turning and storming off.
“Remember those words,” Tristan said. “You won’t purchase anything from me again. Next!”
The other people waiting hesitated, some leaving while others stepped forward.
“He’ll regret it,” Kaz said.
“How can you be sure?” Zyaire was torn between reading the manual and watching what was happening.
“Do you know when combat class is?” he asked.
“We don’t have combat class,” she said, focusing on the manual.
“We do. We have other electives during our first year too. And, according to Master Nicholas, it usually takes six months to figure out that the stamp function on the badge came pre-enabled.”
Zyarie's gaze was deep as she looked at him, searching for lies. “I hate this fucking school. When is combat class?”
Kaz shrugged. “No clue. I don’t know about the other electives either, just that we have them. I think we might find clues during the tour.”
She slumped in her seat. “We have a blank class schedule, how do we get it filled?” Zyaire asked. “No,” she said sitting up. “It can’t be that simple.” She took out her class schedule, pressing her badge to it. “It was that simple.”
He watched over her shoulder as the time block filled out. Kaz remembered Master Nicholas’s words about not letting his suspiciousness get out of hand. At this school some answers were hard, but others were ridiculously simple.
“There’s hardly time to do anything,” she said, her eyes widening in horror. The schedule was packed–every block filled from nine am to pm, Monday to Saturday.
Kaz thought of colleges from Earth, there were likely to be tests and exams even if attendance wasn’t mandatory. “Is there any way to record sound?”
“What do you think this is?” she asked, “the dark ages?” She pulled out a green stone with a symbol carved in it. “This can record up to six hours, and they're really cheap to buy.”
Kaz nodded, pulling out his schedule, and checking if it was the same as Zyaire’s. “Okay. The classes Thalia Eytel mentioned are probably the ones we have to attend in person. The electives we can probably record and study later. If we split them up among us it decreases the individual workload. Plus, they don’t expect us to know about this, not for a while. So, I think some of the course material will be repeated.”
Tristan came back, and Kaz explained what they’d learned. He grinned, setting out again this time gathering everyone except for eleven people. Kaz shook his head.
He searched his storage space, but couldn’t find a stone with the black mana similar to the ones Zyaire and Tristan had given him.
Where would he find an object containing the essence of the night?