“Alright.” Doyle slapped his clipboard down and turned halfway to the center of his annex with an excited grin. “The agenda for today is to test your power levels and give you all an understanding of the party’s capabilities. To do that, we’ll use this.”
With a wave, he guided our eyes to the right side of the compound, wherein sat a larger walled off-court centered with a massive construct. If that was even the right word. Statue would’ve been more apt. A sculpture of a hand with a crystal embedded in the inner wrist.
“I’m sure Zeff has told you about his power scale.” Doyle scoffed derisively. “While it gives you a good idea of Well Depth, it doesn’t give you an idea about Well Density. That’s what this is for.” He threw his chin at the construct. “The crystal will pull a measured amount of mana from whoever touches it to light the brazier.” He gestured to the hand above. “The majority of you have Slush or Ice Wells.” He said, turning back to us. “However, there are also a few with Diamond Wells. And even two with Arcana.” He smiled knowingly at me before waving the matter off for the others. “I know you’re curious about the difference, and Zeff will explain it in class tomorrow. So go ahead and divide yourselves into your teams and we’ll go ahead and start.”
While the construct was indeed interesting, I quickly grew annoyed at the round-the-room style introductions as each student touched the console and went on to give a short demonstration of their primary or hereditary abilities. It wasn’t all bad, though. As I was able to get a good understanding of the party’s names and the like.
First was Winston, whose 9th Grade Diamond Well produced a fireball five meters in diameter before he went on to form a glass-like skin of transparent blue energy around his fist. Aside from that, he only had one other ability to show but did little more with it than give its name. The others in his team were a Nonusian girl named Toni, who had Mud and Snow Magic along with a 12th Grade Ice Well. As well as Rhody, another Nonusian and the only other human in their group. He possessed Clay and Water Magic with a 9th Grade Ice Well also. Producing a bonfire four meters in diameter.
The first of his inhuman teammates was Curious Twig, the Felipian. She had an Ice Well but was unable to use any magic. Having no Cores, she could only use mana to bolster her strength, agility, or defense to surprising degrees. As could the Sapiavi, for the most part. The difference was, the avian male could produce quite powerful and unnatural gusts with his wings. His name, on the other hand, sounded more like a bird call than actual words. So, like many others, I elected to call him Duke.
I was the first member of team two and thus elected to summon my Doppelganger and explain my affinity for darkness before I placed my hand upon the crystal, resulting in an event that surprised even me. A concentration of fire that was so dense and intensely hot that it could only be described as a sun held in the palm of a god. A sight that made Peter’s 12th Grade Slush Well seem like an ember in comparison. On the contrary, Zakira had an 11th Grade Diamond Wll. But her display wound up being the object of many people’s interest. Or disgust.
She withdrew a sack of blood from her bag and held it overhead. And with an anti-climactic smack, the congealed viscera shot all over the ground and herself, prompting a few to lose their breakfast. In the following seconds, however, it began rippling. Coalescing. Ascending into thin wires that reached back to her fingers to loop around them like rags on a boxer’s hands. And with but a swing of her hand, the strings trailed out to lash at the surrounding environment, dicing leaves and bark into neat blocks with minimal effort.
“Blood Strings!” She cheerfully stated after her display. "That's my magic."
Slate was like many of the other non-humans. Only, he had no control over mana just yet and thus relied on his immense natural strength. Like Els, who could mold and pull on metal as easily as pulling on a coat so long as it was present around him. Though, the better refined the harder it was for him, allegedly. That aside, they both had Ice wells in the 11th and 6th Grades respectively.
Team three consisted of Samson, a boy of athletic build from Nonus, boasting an 11th Grade Slush Well plus Aluminum and Rain Magic- a little air combined with a lot of water. After him was Scarlett, a petite girl with Silk and Poison Magic in addition to an 8th Grade Diamond Well. Her polar opposite was Rebecca, a tall and somewhat muscular girl with Blaze, Plasma, and Black Powder Magic coupled with a 12th Grade Ice Well. Their non-humans consisted of Kao, Slates ‘brother,’ who also possessed an Ice Well of equal size, and Urshure, the winged dragonborne who used his 12th Grade Arcana Well to breathe a wide cone of intense fire in favor of touching the crystal. Though he eyed it longingly.
“Very good.” Doyle finalized the exercise with a clap, bringing our attention back to him. “Now that you've got a general idea of what your peers can do, it would benefit you to get together on your own time to figure out how you’ll aid each other in battle. Which you’ll be doing in the coming weeks. Now follow m.” He gestured again to lead us back to the seats, wherein he brought our attention to the different Classes written across the board with renderings of a few humans toting the weapons and armor sets privy to that Class.
“Alright.” He began after a few moments. “I’m sure Zeff told you all about Class Perks. If he hasn't, he will soon. What I’m here to tell you is how Classes relate to tools, weapons, and equipment. To put it simply, Perks may be locked depending on what tools you’re using. An example of this would be a Rogue wearing heavy armor. Doing so would prevent them from using the perks associated with stealth. But the same could be said for a Cleric without their holy symbol or a number of other situations.
"Now, don’t worry if you haven’t decided on a Class yet.” He smiled at the two embarrassed faces in the crowd. “Focus on picking a fighting style and weapon that works best for you. It can always be adapted to fit your Class later. Or, in some cases, you may gain find yourself suited to a new class entirely. With that out of the way, we’ll start from the top.” He said, pointing to the first set of Classes. "The Classes of Might. Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, and Monk. Each of them has a distinct fighting style that separates them from the others. A Barbarian thrives in chaos, operating in the thick of battle, whether it be in a tavern or the thick of the wilds. They are famous for wielding their emotions like a weapon. So, if you like to fight angry, don’t quite like to wear armor, and see the land itself as your weapon, this Class is for you.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“A Fighter is the most well-rounded of all the Classes.” Doyle continued, much to the apparent interest of Winston, Slate, Kao, and Samson. “Akin to a well-trained soldier, they use a variety of weapons, tools, and equipment ranging from sword and shield to dual-wielded axes, shovels and picks for fortifications, and even siege tools. For those seeking mastery of the art of combat, the Fighter Class is for you. And.” He wagged his finger. “Let it be known that Zeff and I are both Fighters. So we can provide professional input for anyone curious about the Class.
“Moving on, we have Paladins.” He continued. “It is a common misconception that Paladins are holy knights. While this can and often is the case, their power is a direct result of their conviction. They make an oath that binds them to a set of beliefs, rules, and guidelines; and they can be for or to anything. This stereotype is only exacerbated by the prerequisite to becoming a paladin. That is, to have been at least trained as a knight, if not knighted. That includes wearing armor, using martial weapons like great swords or battle axes, and having experience with mounted combat. For any young knights in the crowd, let it be known that your Perks will be locked when not in your armor. But they are among the most powerful Perks of all.
“Rangers are the warriors of the frontier,” Doyle explained, pointing to the leathered man drawn on the board. Meanwhile, Twig and Duke leaned to the edge of their desks while Rebecca and Toni pulled out their parchment and quills with dissimilar expressions. “Hunters. Beast Tamers. Trackers. This Class is for those who want to skirt the line between civilization and nature. Having a connection to both, they protect both sides from forces that would do them harm. These are most famously archers, but Rangers also favor short swords and light armor or scale mail.
“The last and most complicated Class of Might is the Monk.” He explained. Much to my unbridled interest and mine alone. “Monks are famous for their use of Ki. Which is, at heart, a result of mana cycling through all living things. Monks learn to transform this latent energy into physical energy, and due to its nature, it greatly enhances their physical abilities. This Ki, however, is blocked if the Monk is wearing any armor, including vambraces, gauntlets, and greaves. But in exchange, they can use the widest variety of weapons of any class. They train to specialize in all simple weapons in addition to fighting unarmed. But the requirement to become one is a strong mental fortitude, dedication, and a penchant for emotional control.
“Next we have the Classes of Skill, starting with the Rogue,” Doyle said, pointing to the next section. “As the stereotypes dictate, Rogues favor stealth. As such, they only wear light armor if any at all, and they favor crossbows, rapiers, and daggers over bows, swords, or shields. The Rogue is for the swift and deadly types who don’t care to be revered by the eyes of society. Unlike the Bard.” He grinned. “They combine magic and the arts on the battlefield to aid their peers rather than use weapons to fight the enemy. Their Perks involve channeling power into their craft rather than into spells or themselves, providing buffs and auras for their allies. That isn’t to say they don’t use weapons though.” He added. “They often use daggers and rapiers as well as hand crossbows and short swords. And their styles range from a party's resident musician to an imperial army's general.”
While the sleazy-looking Nonusian Rhody seemed to be the only one interested in becoming a Rogue, no one in the class seemed to take an interest in becoming a Bard. Nor a Barbarian, it seemed.
Not that I blamed them.
“The last of the Classes of Skill is the Artificer.” Doyle continued, again causing me to lean forward in anticipation alongside Elsgril. “They too can use simple weapons and armor of all types. Even shields. But their prowess comes from the things they create, rather than the things they use. And not just enchantments but potions, weapons, and invented tools as well. And while they’re rarely known to fight, they can prove to be quite the meddlesome adversary.
“Moving on, we have the Classes of Magic, starting with the Warlock.” He explained. “They are the polar opposite of Clerics, wherein they gain power from a powerful, otherworldly, and not always nefarious entity in exchange for something in return. Because of their pact, many of them carry unique weapons, items, or marks. And the restrictions of their Perks can vary. But we know that the majority of them wear light armor if any. Clerics, on the other hand, are devotees who receive power from a deity through prayer and worship.” He said to no one's interest just like the last. “While the power a Cleric can gain from their deity is immense, they are almost always seen wearing plated armor with maces, shields, war picks, or hammers.
“Before I move on.” He added with a remorseful tone. “Let it be known that due to their natures, the Bodhi Tree has no courses for the Cleric and Warlock Classes. It is said there were petitions over the school's history to bring the former in, but the Headmaster wouldn’t comply unless he could bring the latter in as well.
“But enough tea for now.” He chuckled to himself. Again to no one's amusement. “Druids.” He sighed heavily; meanwhile, Scarlett pulled out her notes just like Toni. Eager smile and all. “The keepers of nature. Druids are known to revere nature above all other things. Their power allows them to connect with the most primal energies of the realms, allowing them to take the shape of animals and even talk to plants. They use a variety of tools. But the caveat is that they cannot be made from metal. Their lifestyle revolves around nature. Untainted by the refinement process.”
As before, Scarlett took up her quill once Doyle pointed to the next section and began to speak. What was interesting to me, however, was the fact that she was the only one who cared to hear what Doyle had to say. Ironically so.
“Witches are the healers of the magical world,” Doyle explained. “Each of you will learn and practice basic witchcraft come later this year. But I’ll tell you that any magical affinity is capable of healing, albeit in different ways. Now, it’s commonly believed that those who practice witchcraft shan’t take a life. But those in our line of work are different. Keeping a party alive means not only fighting as much as healing, it means merging the two. As a result, Witches are known to use staffs, wands, daggers, slings, and sometimes even hand crossbows to keep foes at bay.
“Similarly, the Wizard uses much the same arsenal.” He said. “Albeit with no armor, rather than the light or medium armor worn by Witches. The schools of Wizardry involve adopting one of many practices to refine your magical techniques. But they also involve many lessons in memorizing rituals, sigils, and words of power that allow anyone to cast spells, should they be knowledgeable enough.
“Lastly.” He let out a closing sigh before turning to me. “We have the Sorcerer. Like Warlocks, each Sorcerer is different. But their differences are much more innate. Two sorcerers may have the same ability but boast different lifestyles, ways of casting, and so on. As such, the Bodhi Tree has no course for the Class. Nor do we know what tools can or cannot be used with their Perks. However, we do know that sorcerers are akin to living manifestations of their abilities. Their bodies are often largely different, and they can cast with ambient energy. The families of light and darkness, for example, can cast with the light and darkness around us without using their mana.
“Think these Classes over during lunch.” He said after a short pause. “When we come back, you’ll pick weapons if you haven’t already and practice in the basics for the rest of the day. Class dismissed."