March 1st, year 024 Angels Descent

It had been a week since they had been accepted, and Alex had been very quiet regarding the groups' request for more instruction. They had all come to realise his lessons would most likely be unconventional. But they all reasoned to become a top-tier mage; maybe the unconventional was the way to go.

Daisy was on her way to her next lesson with Alex. She was sure she would be the first one there as her last lecture had ended early. Near skipping through the hallway, she finally reached ‘Lecture Hall thirty-seven’. Peaking through the doorway, she was surprised to see half her class already there.

Tasha, Bea and Gunter sat at the desk in front of Alex’s desk. They appeared to be in a conversation with Alex, who was scribbling at his notes. Straining her hearing, she could make out what they were saying.

“If we make shoes out of bananas, we need to make them appealing,” Gunter declared, looking at his fellow students and Alex.

“But should they come in bunches or pears?” Bea asked. Daisy was visibly confused listening into this conversation about making clothing out of fruit. She had expected them to be discussing the upcoming lesson.

“You kids are being ridiculous,” Alex said, looking up from his notes. Daisy couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

“You need to make it, so they are the apple of your eye.” She should’ve known better than to expect him to be serious.

“What are you doing?” Maxwell’s question nearly made Daisy jump out of her skin. Turning to face him, she saw he was accompanied by Kline, who was still looking as nervous as ever.

“Err… nothing.”

“Looks like you were eavesdropping,” Maxwell pointed at her, then to the doorway.

“W-well yes, ok I was. But they are discussing something stupid,” Daisy hastily explained, gesturing for the pair to listen in with them.

“Sir, what about pineapple boxing gloves?” Tasha asked.

“See, really weird conversation,” Daisy felt rather desperate to stop the looks the pair were giving her.

“Very well, I will concede they are being odd. Shall we go in?” Maxwell asked, gesturing to the still-open door.

“H-h-he’s right; let’s go in,” Kline stuttered as he led the way.

“Hey, guys, why don’t we make tomato bolts for crossbows?” Kline asked in a strangely confident tone. Daisy and Maxwell shared a surprised expression before following in as Alex was answering.

“Why that is…,” Alex’s speech became distorted and incomprehensible as the pair stepped through the doorway. What caught their attention the most was the weird sensation they experienced as they did. It was something like they were strolling through a thin bubble-like membrane. Almost similar to just breaking the surface tension of water.

“Ah, you are all here,” Alex beamed a grin at Daisy and Maxwell.

“We were just discussing the upcoming lesson.”

“Something about tailoring with fruit?” Daisy asked.

“Huh? Oh, you were outside the array,” Alex said, hitting his fist into his hand in realisation.

“Today's lesson will be on magic circles. But there is a very high need for secrecy. So I set up a morph array to help keep out prying eyes and ears,” with a thrust of his thumb, Alex gestured to the board behind him, which from outside had appeared blank. But they could now see had an intricate magical array drawn on it.

“A morph array, sir?” Maxwell repeated.

“Yes, it warps and morphs speech, so anyone outside will hear something else. Though what it is the spell decides.”

“M-m-my sister can read lips, sir. Wouldn't she be able to bypass it?” Kline stammered.

“No, it morphs the lips movements. Only someone within the array can know what is being said, and they are set up to limit who can enter them. If someone unauthorised enters, the array will alert the caster.”

With this explanation, Maxwell approached the board and gazed at the spell currently working. Without hesitating, he took out a notebook and began scribbling notes and a rough sketch of the array.

“Is it ok for him to copy that, sir?” Daisy asked to which Maxwell paused, realising his faux pas.

“Oh yeah, it’s ok. It’s in a fourth-year textbook, anyways. You first years should be ok learning it. It’ll let you get up to some mischief, no doubt,” Alex answered, to which the remaining class members began hastily copying the array. Leaning back in his chair, Alex waited for them to finish before continuing.

“So, how did you guys get here so early?” Daisy asked as she scribbled her notes down.

“Oh, we skipped the last lesson. Professor Alex has been sharing prank magic spells he knows,” Bea answered. Daisy barely contained her look of shock.

“You too, Gunter?” she asked, hoping that the third of the optionals was not skipping lessons.

“My smithing lesson professor said to go to this lesson early and deliver something Professor Alex would need,” Gunter explained, gesturing to a pitcher with a glass, a towel and a bucket.

“Wonder what they are for?” Daisy muttered to herself.

“We’ve been trying to get sir to tell us, but he insisted he wouldn’t till everyone was here,” Tasha answered. With a few more scribbles, the group finished copying the array.

“First things first. To your starting positions.” the class just looked confused. “We are doing your soul exercise,” Alex explained.

“Again, sir?” Tasha asked, shooting a worried glance at Daisy.

“Yes, I will do this test at the start of each week's lesson. Exercise once won’t get your souls buff.” Alex answered, playfully flexing his arms. The class all groaned as they approached the board to take a piece of chalk.

“Oh, no line drawing this time. You got your current furthest there already. Progress counting obsessively is more detrimental. Especially as sometimes you won’t make it as far as before and may feel disheartened.” With these words, the students all made their way to the doorway and waited for the pressure to begin.

“Remedy, Teddie Bear. SHOE!!” With his strange words being somewhat deciphered, they made their way back into the classroom. Each once again feeling an overwhelming force crushing them. After a few steps, they had all reached their limit. Bea was the only one to have made it a few extra steps from her original line.

“Well done. To be expected from one of the Blackgates,” Alex praised.

“With that out the way one moment,” Alex said, rising from his seat, closing the door, and turning the latch to lock it. With that done, he took out a wand and used the stone in its tip to carve what the group recognised as a defensive ward into the door itself.

“This must be important if sir is putting so much effort into secrecy,” Maxwell stated.

“That or he’s just doing it to screw with us,” Bea also offered.

“I’m going to go with both,” Tasha added.

“Ok, class, as I said, we are learning magical circles today. Before anything else, take this,” Alex said, reaching behind his desk and taking out six rolls of parchment and a few vials of ink and pens.

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“I want you to draw the most complex spell circle you want to cast. If you need to use a textbook, you are free to go collect it.”

“Any circle, sir?” Maxwell asked.

“Any circle,” Alex repeated, nodding. “Imagine if you had no cost limit for reagents. If you could make the craziest magic circle, what would you make? Then draw it and show it to me. If you want to leave to grab a reference take one of those chalk sticks. They are a key to getting past my ward,” Alex said, gesturing to the chalk at the bottom of the board.

Maxwell, Gunter and Tasha all rose up to leave the classroom to collect either a personal book from their dorm or a book from the library with a circle they wanted to draw. Daisy, however, already knew the circle she wanted. It was one she had seen her grandfather use when she was little.

“Here is my circle, sir,” Daisy said, offering the parchment back. Taking it from her hands, Alex unfurled it revealing a swirling artistic mass of symbols and lines. Daisy knew that to cast it, she would need a ridiculous amount of money to buy reagents good enough to run it.

“A conjure elemental circle,” Alex said, nodding approvingly.

“I got my one, sir,” Bea said excitedly, holding up her one. Taking it from her, Alex once again unfurled it. Daisy, watching this leant over to see the circle.

It was something that made her skin crawl. Something about the design and the look of it felt exceedingly off. She couldn’t help but wonder had Bea messed up drawing it.

“Summon Demon Royalty? Ambitious… I love it,” Alex gave a thumbs up as his seal of approval.

It was now Daisy recalled Bea was from a family of demonologists. It would make sense she would want to summon a demon. Perhaps that was why she felt so uncomfortable because it naturally radiated demonic energies.

“H-here, sir,” Kline stammered, holding out his parchment.

“Thank you, Kline,” Alex said, taking it and unfurling it like he had the others.

“Lions Courage?” Alex asked, looking back up at Kline, who was nervously nodding.

“Not too wild, but I see it is an edited one emphasising duration rather than depth of the effect. This one would probably give you that little boost you want for a lifetime,” Alex observed, to which Kline sheepishly nodded.

“Y-yessir, I have been working to save up the funds to make the circle,” Kline explained.

It was at this moment the three students who left returned to the class, each carrying a book. Sitting down at their spots, they each flipped open a book and carefully drew their respective circles. Finally, after a few minutes, they each handed Alex their parchments.

“Ok, first, Gunter,” Alex said, unfurling the parchment. A latticework image on the page that all present could tell must have an exceedingly focused effect.

“Wowzers, an ultimate cutting-edge enchantment. I’m amazed Yuu would let you borrow their book. You really took the cost is no limit as a challenge, didn’t you?” Alex asked with a grin.

“What do you mean, sir?” Daisy asked.

“This can make a blade cut through nearly anything. The only reason it isn’t more common is that the reagents to enchant something with this successfully would bankrupt even Lord Greed.” The class went very quiet as they all peered at the circle on the page before them.

“Next is miss Tasha,” Alex said, unfurling the parchment.

“Hmmm, a bit of a simple one. But wild shape can be fun from what I’ve been told,” Alex said, giving a thumbs up to Tasha.

“Wild shape?” Daisy asked, whispering to Tasha.

“It lets you change into any form. I will use it to change into Professor Alex and woo my dearest, Elissa.” Daisy wasn’t sure how to respond to this statement.

“Last and by no means, young Maxwell,” Alex said, finally unfurling the parchment and looking it over. Alex looked up at Maxwell, then back to the page, then back to Maxwell; he did this a few times before sighing.

“Genies Wish?”

“Yes, sir. I wish to be able to cast Genies Wish. If I had enough funds, I would create it myself.”

“You know it has limits, right? Like you can’t wish for crazy stuff like becoming the Dark Lord,” Maxwell just nodded. “Fair enough, Genies Wish it is. Just be careful; they like to twist the wish for their own amusement.”

“There we have it. Conjure Elemental from Miss Daisy. Summon Demon Royalty from little miss Bea. Lions Courage altered for brave sir Kline. Ultimate Cutting edge from Gunter. Wild shape for lady Tasha, future wife stealer extraordinaire. Last and by no means least with an interesting Genie Wish from Maxwell.” With these all listed, Alex pinned them up onto a free wall displaying the circles for all to see.

“These shall remain here to remind you of your goal. To pass the circles part of my lesson this year, you must actually successfully cast that circle.”

With these words, the Class erupted in protest. These circles they would have no way of affording to cast. Though their protests only lasted a few moments as they could see Alex waiting for them to quiet down as he had more to say.

“Class, there is a method created by yours truly that will make the costs of casting those circles nil. But before I even demonstrate it, I must tell you some ground rules.” The class all returned to their seats and watched Alex with intrigue.

“As of about an hour ago, you are now all officially part of an imperial seal.” Alex’s words sent a fresh stir through the group.

“L-l-like t-t-the imperial seal?!” Kline asked, already going pale.

“Yes. With a capital ‘THE’. I want you kids to understand that you can never reveal what I will teach you here and now,” Alex’s gaze held no mirth, no joy. This was the first time they had ever seen him look so serious.

“Of course, sir, we will keep it secret,” Bea declared to which the rest followed suit. Alex, however, just exhaled a deep sigh.

“I can see the gears turning behind your eyes, Bea. So I will demonstrate what happens if you defy an imperial seal.” Before Alex could say another word, Tasha held her hand up.

“Sorry, sir, but we aren’t taught what Imperial Seals are in the elven woods.” The class and teacher alike all stared at Tasha in surprise.

“It’s simple. Suppose something is too dangerous or detrimental to a nation's health. The ruler can place an imperial seal on it. In this case, it is the Dark Lady Crozonia. She has got a few on me, but they are to stop me from breaking the game board, as it were.”

“Thank you, sir,” Tasha said with a nod.

“So you have been added to the approval list for the Light Circle method I created. But I will show you what happens if you defy a seal with one of my other sealed tricks.”

Alex walked over to his desk, moved the bucket in front of him, and then calmly poured a glass of water. Finally, he turned to face the class and took a deep breath.

“Ok, this method is-....” Alex began before the entire class recoiled in horror. From his mouth, nose and eyes came a gushing fount of blood. So much so that it looked like he would bleed out.

Seemingly unconcerned with the blood pouring out of him, Alex bent over the bucket and spat out the mouthful of blood. Next, he took a drink of water, swilled it around his mouth, and spat out the remnants. Finally, Alex reached behind his desk and took the towel to wipe off the blood still on his face.

“Ok, class, do we understand what will happen if you try and speak about what I’m about to teach you?”

The class, however, was deathly silent. Not a single one of the students wasn’t pale as a ghost or a shade of green. They had expected something to happen but not that horror story that would haunt their nightmares.

“I asked. Do you understand?” Alex pressed his tone, snapping the class out of their horrified daze. They could only weakly nod in response.

“Good. Before you get any ideas, writing it down will make the bones in your fingers snap. Whatever method you use will have severe punishments. Hell, if you try to share it psychically, you will suffer a major stroke. Imperial seals are serious business.”

“And we are now under it’s affect?” Daisy asked, raising a shaking hand. Alex just nodded.

“This part will be entirely practical. No notes, no nothing. The only people you can talk to about it are others on the seal, and even then, you need that array up to be able to,” Alex said, gesturing to the array on the board.

“It’s the main reason I let you copy it.”

“Ok, onto the technique,” Alex said, returning to his usual cheery tone of voice.

“It’s straightforward. You already know the base spell for it.”

“W-w-which spell s-sir,” Maxwell asked, visibly shaking in his seat.

“Lumus Rex.”

“The light spell?” Tasha asked to which he nodded.

“Let me demonstrate with the enchantment circle Gunter chose,” Alex held his hands together and chanted. “Lumus Rex.”

As he brought his hands apart, rather than the usual magical glowing orb they were used to grew a thin magical circle they all recognised as the one on the wall. All fear that had held their hearts vanished, and in its place was wonder.

“This is beautiful, s-sir,” Kline said as he paced around Alex to look at the circle from all angles.

“Why was such a revolutionary method placed under an imperial seal?” Maxwell asked, finally regaining some composure.

“About thirty percent of the current economy is around reagents and their production transportations, etcetera. If you suddenly released a method that required no reagents, the economy would collapse,” Alex explained. A few of the group nodded in agreement when it finally dawned on them.

“Wait, sir, are you telling us that this can actually cast the circle and not just a guide?” Daisy asked, rushing up to the circle floating in front of him.

“Yes. So all you need to do is cast Lumus Rex and shape it to your will. That shaping it will be the tricky part.”

“Ok, class, the first step is to change the shape of your light orb. Make it egg-shaped, at minimum. This will be like your soul exercise. No leaps and bounds but steady constant effort.”

With these final words, the class all began practising their light orbs, trying but failing to change its shape significantly. They were so focused on the effort they didn’t even notice how time flew by. The bell for the sixth-period beginning was what finally broke their focus.