06
Lessons in Magix
Day 4 Default 5
After the amazing life-or-death tournament, KillPrinsX began to head out with the crowd, hoping to get a chance of talking to !Geeky?Nerd!007 once more… But she couldn’t find him, unless he was the one at the end of that line that snaked out and around the auditorium twice. Someone had said that winner’s autographs are lucky for a period of time and sometimes give XP, Skills or Skill Points. It sounded intriguing, but not intriguing enough for the time to wait in that line. She could find more skills and XP much faster, many different ways. Instead, she tried to see what she could learn at Mage’s Magix school.
She went in and was immediately harassed by an NPC, obviously a clerk for the school.
“Daily tuition is 100 gold.”
She couldn’t blink away the prompt that was held in her face, so she payed up.
Now she could look around.
The reception was just a bland wooden desk, and no other clues gave her anything she was looking for about Magic, so she had to ask the NPC standing there beaming her for her obvious next question.
“What can I learn here?”
Then another prompt invaded her view.
Mage’s Magix lessons:
Magic, a History
What is a Mage?
Casting Basix
Practice Session
Magic Basix
Practice Session
Elemental Magic Basix
Practice Session
Skill Set Basix
What are Tiers?
Attack Spells Basix
Practice Session
Defense Spells Basix
Practice Session
Buffs Basix
Practice Session
Debuffs Basix
Practice Session
Shields Basix
Practice Session
Magic Items, How to Use
Practice Session
Potions Theory
Practice Session
Poisons Theory
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Practice Session
She was beginning the see the pattern. Everything that should end in a “cs” ended in an “x”… Maybe, she was onto something.
With that clue, she decided to get her question finally answered.
She picked a random one, Elemental Magic Basix.
“Sorry, that lesson is unavailable until you have completed the previous lessons,” the NPC blurted out.
“But I’m Level 9! I know how to cast a frickin’ spell.”
“I’m sorry, that lesson is unavailable until you have completed the previous lessons,” she repeated, kindly as ever.
“Fine then, sign me up with the first one.”
Immediately the door opened and she walked into the class room. NPCs sat at the other tables. She could tell instantly because they all sat face foreword, waiting for the teacher’s command. She didn’t need to analyze any one of them, but did, just to check.
Charles - Level 6 - NPC Student
Nick - Level 5 - NPC Student
Sarah - Level 7 - NPC Student
Sally - Level 6 - NPC Student
At least she learned that NPCs have levels… they earn XP? How much XP do I get if I kill them? Would the teacher notice if I did?
All those thought were running through her mind when a witch came through the door and told everyone, “Be quiet. No feet on the desks, sit straight, and pay attention.”
Boy was she strict. Analyzing her told even more….
And now she knew that she shouldn’t try anything, less she wants a Level 20 NPC Teacher named Mrs. Stormcloud teaching her another lesson.
“The first lesson in Mages’s Magix school is: Magic, A History. This is a very important subject and one which will teach you how to keep your head attached, because, by all the ways people have improperly used magic… those are the subject of History.
“Magic has a very long past, and though it may not be understood when and where it first appeared, the first recordings of magic were recorded in the very old and boring, and very blandly named book of uninteresting history which nobody cares about…”
KillPrinsX woke up and exited the class room.
You have received 50 XP for completing your first lesson.
Achievement unlocked! Finish a school lesson.“Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider, girls go to college to get more knowledge.”
+1 Intelligence: Knowledge: Magic
She waved the notifications aside and jumped up to the front desk. “Next lesson please.”
“That will be 20 gold.”
“But I already paid the tuition.”
“Yes, the next lesson of the day will cost 20 gold, please.”
She couldn’t get around that, and she had a good sum of gold from the lucky Nap Time. Fine. She payed up and went through the door.
It was all the same and the lesson began.
“Today’s lesson is about Mages. What are they really? Well that is most everyone’s first question… and last, as most get surprised by their vast knowledge of attacks, defense and, all in all, magical abilities, you’ll be wondering what a Mage is from here on out.
“A Mage, as you might have figured out by now is that person who can cast magic. But! Not all magic users are Mages. Be aware of that. Today you will learn what difference between Mages who are, and Mages who aren’t. And what I’m telling you now is probably something you’re not really interested in because of it’s kindergarten approach to players who’ve already been playing with magic for many years, and in many games, and you probably really don’t care and just want to learn magic so you can go out and cast a fireball at a wolf, and at a safe distance, slaughtering …”
Again, she found herself waking up and exiting the class room.
You have received 10 XP and +1 Intelligence: Knowledge: Magic for completing a lesson.
She stepped out of the door and yelled, “Alright, next lesson!”
“That will be 20 gold,” the NPC at the desk informed her.
She paid and went in.
“Today’s lesson is about casting spells. Here in the world of Default you might have found that casting is different than other games. Casting spells just requires a thought impulse.”
Oh great, just when she thought is was going to be interesting.
“Having acquired a skill, it forms a thought pattern recognizable by the cognitive receptors of the immersion bed’s processor. When a skill is selected by you, the computer receives the mental impulse and translates that into digital form for your player to access that skill and further impulses, and all that for another lesson, allowing you to cast the spell. How this helps you playing Default? Well, it doesn’t. What one has to do is simply cast the spell. Spells vary in uses, from attacks to defense, to buffs and even…”
She must have had enough, she woke up at the end again, and left the classroom.
You have received 10 XP for completing a lesson.
“Next lesson please!”
“Unfortunately,” the NPC began, “you have reached the maximum number of classes one can take in a day. Please come back tomorrow.”
Oh, what a drag. That means it’s going to take almost nine days just to graduate from Mage’s Magix school. If only she knew now what she would be doing in nine days time… There has to be a better way.
She left the school, slightly disappointed. Really, just 140 gold less, and very well rested.