Chapter Two
“There was a tremor last night and now my back feels so stiff!” a female student complained.
“I didn’t really feel anything while sleeping last night, but I did notice that some rooms have been switched around. Isn’t that weird?”
“How can you sleep through something as serious as a tremor! You’re hopeless…”
“I wouldn’t be worried about the tremors, if I were you. I would be more worried about ghosts.”
One girl clutched a notebook closer to her chest, as though that would ward off any evil spirits wandering through the area. “G-Ghosts? I don’t think now’s the time for ghost stories, especially since the tremors in the castle are still happening…”
“But it’s true,” another student insisted. “There is a ghost who wanders in the halls at night. If anybody is caught sneaking out of their dorms, then the ghost will get you!”
“Man, so you’re saying the Academy is haunted? Do you think the ghost is the cause of these tremors?”
“Attention, students,” a voice projected through the halls and corridors of the Academy. “Please come into the auditorium for an important announcement.”
The students gathered into an auditorium. On the balcony stood a blond-haired man with slim-lens glasses. He was clad in a white trench coat with black buttons and golden embroidery. He adjusted them on the bridge of his nose, before he held out an orb projector in his hand. The blond-haired man then uttered an incantation, and the entire room darkened while the orb illuminated the shadows with images of the castle.
“If you’d excuse me, please,” the blond-haired man said. “My name is Capricorn and I’m here to explain the Academy situation to the students. On this orb projector, you can see images of some parts of the school…”
The orb flashed and showed the alchemy lab appeared to be caved in, with crushed vials and flasks and spilled liquids on the floor.
“The alchemy lab is considered a hazard zone, as there are many different solutions that can cause nasty effects to the students if not handled properly. You don’t want to be turned into gold, do you? Right, so it will be a while until you can experiment with transmutation. We’ll have it cleaned up as soon as possible.”
The image flickered, revealing another ravaged room in the process.
“Other classrooms have been compromised as well. We will get to the heart of the matter as soon as possible,” Capricorn said. “Now, please attend your Magical Theory class.”
His response was met with groans.
“I understand that some of you were excited for the more hands on classes, such as Transmutation 101 and such, though Magical Theory is still an important class. You can’t perform alchemy, sorcery, necromancy, or any other branch of magic if you don’t understand the basics. Off you go.”
The students pooled out of the auditorium room, making their way towards Magical Theory 101. Once they gathered into their seats, their teacher stood in the very center of the circular room, clearing his throat.
“Today we shall be discussing magical theory,” the teacher said, adjusting his robes while he took out a leather-bound book. “Our topic is Symbology. Would anyone like to explain what Symbology is? …Ah yes, Miss Damiell. Do enlighten us.”
“Symbology is the practice of magic that all Magicians use,” Pandora said, sitting tall in her chair. “The symbols themselves have been unearthed in an ancient civilization that was probably far advanced for its age. In order to use Symbology, a Magician relies on their Stigmata, which is a mark found on the caster’s body.”
“Excellent,” the teacher explained, before he gave a lofty glance towards the students. “Well? I expect everyone shall write this in their notes. I know that some of you are eager to actually practice magic casting, though learning about the theory of magic is very important. Only a fool will cast magic without understanding basic theories first.”
Azel started to pen down Pandora’s answer, musing to himself all the while. He knew that a Magician needed to use a Stigmata in order to cast magic through the use of Symbology. Azel knew the theory behind magic--he spend long hours in the Belzarius mansion reading all the books and tomes they possessed--but all the theory in the world didn’t make up for lack of magical talent. Even though his family members didn’t show it, Azel sensed some sort of disappointment from them. The Belzarius was a prestigious line of Magicians, with a name that was well known in the Magician world--why didn’t one of their own possess any prodigal power?
I shouldn’t think like that. It only makes me depressed. I have to focus on my studies…the one thing that I’m good at.
The teacher then launched into a complex dialogue about all sorts of magical theory, from the transmutation principles that were found in alchemy, to the astronomy used in divination, and then finally onto the Elements themselves.
“The first acknowledged elements were Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind,” the teacher explained while he examined notes from his giant tome. “Those four are also known as the Classical Elements. Later on through the ages, two new elements were discovered--Light and Dark. Yes, yes, this may seem like elementary knowledge, but it still is important to know. Write this in your notes, please…”
Azel tentatively raised a hand. The teacher directed his gaze towards him and nodded. Seeing this as his cue to speak, Azel then said, “Um...what about the mysterious element, Aether?”
At this point, Pandora raised her hand high, and the teacher then turned his attention to her. “Aether? You mean the mythical element that has barely any acknowledgement in even the most ancient of texts? Honestly, it’s probably nothing more than a legend. An Element that is the ‘absence’ of other Elements? Please, Belisarius, bringing up something like an imaginary Element is most impractical.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Why shouldn’t we learn about it?” Azel inquired. “So, the other elements are something…some sort of presence, don’t they? Aether is the opposite--it is the absence of those elements. It fits perfectly with the Balance, I think.”
“No,” Pandora said, tilting her head a little upward in open disdain towards Azel’s answer. “I have read through the most ancient of texts, Belisarius. I daresay that you can’t lay the same claim. And I’ve translated them from dead languages. Only a few make any sort of acknowledgement towards this Aether, and even then, it is only in passing mention.”
“As much as I find this debate most engaging,” the teacher said, interrupting Azel’s answer. “I’m afraid that Miss Damiell is right, Mister Azel. The tests you will be taking in magical theory do not cover the Void Element. From now on, Belisarius, please try to stay on topic rather than going on a tangent.”
Azel remained silent, though he brooded about this the entire time. Pandora also had to show him up in class, just to prove that she was right. Why was she afraid of the possibility of a Void Element, anyway? Why didn’t anyone else, including the teacher, acknowledge it? It was all part of ‘magical theory’, wasn’t it?
After class finished, Azel began gathering his things. While he was exiting the classroom, Pandora brushed past him stiffly, her head held up high.
He sagged his shoulders a little. It seemed like he couldn’t win with that girl. He hoped that he would at least be able to make some friends in the Academy, though Pandora clearly held some sort of grudge against him. Was it really that bad for him to peek at her notes? …Azel knew that girls didn’t like it when anyone peeked at their secret diaries or anything like that.
Still, he couldn’t help but wonder about it, too. What kind of normal girl kept a book that had notes about the planetary alignments, anyway? There was probably one person who could answer the questions that started bubbling into his mind…
Making his way into the Observatory, Azel called out Astraea’s name. As though the very mention of her name summoned her, Astraea appeared behind Azel, tapping him on the shoulder. Azel shivered before jumping back a bit, saying, “You really should stop making a habit out of that.”
“Doing what?” Astraea asked perhaps too innocently.
“Appearing out of nowhere.”
“It only appears that way because you are unobservant, dear Azel,” Astraea said as she tapped him on the nose playfully.
“I figured you’d say something like that,” Azel said with a sigh. “Though I actually came here to ask for your help.”
“Hmhm,” Astraea said. “No one steps into the Observatory without a purpose in mind. If you are seeking answers, perhaps I can provide them. Information comes at a price, though. Nothing in the world is truly free.”
“What kind of price?” Azel asked warily.
“The cost of knowledge can be weighty,” Astraea explained. “People can manipulate or distort information to fit in their own particular brand of truth. Information can also cost lives--did you know, Azel Belisarius, that there is crucial information housed within the Academy’s walls? And there are men that will kill to have this information.”
“What is it?” Azel asked.
“The Symbological Library,” Astraea stated simply. “A secret language that contains many forbidden spells and magicks that people want to use for their own gain. There were various grimoires and tomes for it.”
“Where is this Symbological Library, then?”
“Not telling~” Astraea said.
“You’re being difficult, you know that?” Azel said with a sigh, though he couldn’t help but smile. Sometimes Astraea’s girlish tendencies reminded him that she still very young.
Astraea twirled on her foot, her black robes spinning around like raven’s wings, before she stopped, poised on the very tip of her toes. She maintained her balance while she gave Azel a musing expression, her pointed ears twitching a little. “That is just the way things are for you, Azel Belisarius. The stars are not in your favor.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Astraea clasped her hands together, before she said with a sweet smile. “That’s a secret.”
Azel supposed it was natural that Astraea would keep secrets from him. After all, he didn’t really believe in predestined fate or anything like that. Everything that happened was by his own choice, wasn’t it? Though thought of something already being predetermined gave him the chills.
A thought popped into Azel’s mind, “Hey, don’t you ever come down from the Observatory? Isn’t it kind of lonely being up here by yourself?”
Astraea gave him a stern glance, putting her hands on her hips. “It’s not very often that I come down from the Observatory. Hmph, dealing with the other students is so troublesome. At least while I’m in the company of books, I don’t have to listen to inane chatter or complaints or free requests for fortune-telling.”
“You really take your fortune-telling very seriously,” Azel noted.
“Fortune-telling is very serious business,” Astraea said solemnly, glancing at Azel with a direct gaze. “A true fortune-teller puts their life on their line. The fakes that I told you about ask for monetary compensation and persuade the gullible and naïve that they know true fortune-telling, that their vision is true, and only they can divine the great mysteries and enigmas, and they ask for money for compensation without any true risk to themselves. No, no, a real fortune-teller puts their soul on the line for the person that they’re divining for instead of satisfying greed.”
“So when you were divining for me, you put your soul on the line, and…you…you stole my first kiss.”
Astraea put her hands on her hips. “Honestly, what is a small kiss in exchange for a fortune-teller putting her life on the line for you, mm? By the way, you and I are bond together. I suppose that you can say that we’re practically husband and wife. Soul mates.”
“Woah, wait up. Husband and wife? Soul mates? I’m fifteen and aren’t you, er…”
“Twelve years of age physically,” Astraea said. “Though I estimate that I am about a century old mentally. Normally I would be out of your league, Azel Belisarius. Anyway…what did you think that kiss was for? Did you think that it was a charming gesture of a lovestruck little girl crushing on her senior?”
“All right, I’m sorry for not taking you seriously,” Azel said. “I find it a little questionable that you made us soul mates without my consent, but…”
“Honestly, Azel, you make things so much less boring,” Astraea said, her smile still in place. “You’re so easily embarrassed. How cute. Can I tell you what it’s like being up in the Observatory all the time, hiding from everyone else? Dull, dull, dull. I’ve already read all the books that the Observatory has to offer up there.”
“I can imagine so,” Azel said. “So the only thing that you do up here is read?”
“Pretty much,” Astraea said. “My head is stuffed full of knowledge. Sometimes I think I will just burst at the seams from all the information.”
“If you know a lot…” Azel said. “Do you believe in the element Aether?”
“It’s not about what I believe, but what you believe, Azel. There are many kinds of truths in the world. As for the element Aether…”
Astraea straightened, her red eyes in a trance-like state as she recalled information, reciting in a voice that wasn’t quite her own. “Aether. The absence of other elements. Originally believed to be the very air that the gods breathed in a great civilization that existed many years ago. It was thought to be a fifth element in which it has no properties, unchanging except change of place, moved in circular patterns, possessing no contrary motion. This element was believed to be associated with planets. However, as Magicians studied the outer reaches of space, some of the Aether theories became obsolete as an Element.”
What Astraea said was pretty much the sum of what Azel learned, though the change over Astraea surprised him. Who exactly was she?
“Astraea?” Azel asked, waving a hand in front of her face.
Astraea blinked once, the trance now broken. She gave a somewhat embarrassed smile to Azel, muttering something about ‘special trances’ and whatnot.
“I have to go,” Astraea said, disappearing with that eerie ability of hers to slip out of one’s vision.
“Goodbye, Azel, and keep in mind what I said.”
Once Astraea disappeared, Azel stared at the place where she had once been.