Chapter 1: The Spell Tome Academy

"You may address me as Madame Teresa! Since this is your first class. I wish to find out how many of you know which Spell Tomes we teach here at the Trinity Island Spell Tome Academy."

This question is asked in a classroom of 50 students who seem to be around 13 years of age. There is an even spread between the two genders, but the uniform is the same for both. Black Full sleeve Shirts with White buttons, Black pants with White Stork embroidery, White Belts with a Black Buckle, and White Cloaks with Black Stork embroidery. Everyone is seated on long chairs made of Marble and resting their elbows on tables made of Limestone. Granite stone slabs cover the floor and the walls with Sandstone. Several glass-painted windows behind the students pour in light.

All the students are staring at Madam Teresa, an elderly female teacher. She is fair-skinned and wearing a dark Green robe with a hood covering her bald head that is inked with intricate floral tattoos fading with age. Only one boy raised his hand and waved it to answer her question. He is seated at the first table at the front, which is hard for her to miss.

"I am surprised you all can wear those uniforms so proudly and yet not know with certainty what we teach here. You! Stand up, name yourself, and present your answer."

The boy smiles as he brings his hand back down and stands up. His wavy blonde hair stood out in a classroom of Black and Brown. His skin is dusky brown with two ash-colored lightning bolt tattoos decorating his forehead in the shape of a V that point towards the center between his eyebrows.

"The name is Sheldon Bazinga! My Grandfather told me this place teaches Pyromancy, Cryomancy, Hydromancy, Electromancy, Geomancy, Metallomancy, Aeromancy, and Floramancy. Human Mages on our continent of Gandhara have-"

Clap!

"I applaud you for naming all the spell tomes we teach here. But you need not go into more detail unless I ask you to. Now sit back down."

Sheldon reluctantly takes his seat and looks back at the students with a smirk.

"For the next three years, you will learn everything there is to know about Spell Tomes. But before we begin the first lesson, I must ask one of you to name the Forbidden Spell Tomes that have been banned by Emperor Tiberius Romanus and his ancestors."

Sheldon raised his hand again, but Madame Teresa ignored it.

"Is there anyone else who is as knowledgeable as Sheldon?"

A hand rose from the class. This time a skinny thirteen-year-old boy with a dark bronze complexion and long curly glossy black hair.

"Stand up, name yourself, and present your question."

"My name is Nero Ramus. I grew up as a Summoner in a mountain village deep in the wildlands, so I am a bit ignorant about things related to Mages in the heartland. But even in the remote frontier, we know to watch out for Mages who use Soulmancy, Chimeramancy, Necromancy, Shadowmancy, and Chronomancy."

Clap!

"Even a Summoner boy from a Frontier village knows more than the rest of you all. Now may I ask why you think they were banned?"

"Manipulating the dead souls, time traveling, reanimating corpses, drawing power from the abyss, and fusing living creatures into grotesque abominations is taboo for anyone raised right."

Clap!

"Good! Now explain what will happen to those caught using a Forbidden Spell Tome."

"The Emperor has decreed that all who practice those Forbidden Spell Tomes must be reported to the authorities. His officials will reward 50 Gold coins to the informants if their claim is verified. A bounty of 1000 Gold Coins will be awarded to the one who hands over the dead Spell Tome to the Emperor."

Clap!

"Good! You may sit down now."

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A girl with long brown hair and copper skin raises her hand.

"Stand up, name yourself, and present your question."

"I am Sita Yadava of the Sindhu Tribe. We have many ancient customs, and one of them involves cross-breeding animals to recreate creatures that once roamed before the Age of Legends. Often we are branded as Mages who practice Chimeramancy by the people of the Empire. I wish to ask if this confusion will be a problem for this academy."

"I have heard about odd customs your tribe indulges in. Chimeramancy spells leave the victims branded with the glowing symbol of a Chimera. Do you know what it looks like?"

"A Lion, Snake, and a Goat Head merged with one body."

Clap!

"Good! I hope the rest of you remember that and avoid raising the alarm if you see her three-headed wolf."

"Her name is Cerbera, and she was born that way" Sita explains to her classmates.

"Now sit down. Has anyone else been accused or needs clarification on Forbidden Spell Tomes?"

Nero raises his hand again. Madame Teresa nods at him to stand up and present his question.

"How does one acquire a Forbidden Spell Tome in the first place? Is it the same way one acquires a normal Spell Tome?"

"My my... you are bold to ask that question. I do not encourage such discussions, so I will indulge in them for the first class. Yes, it is as simple as finding a Mage willing to create a copy of their Spell Tome and passing it on to another Mage who has an affinity for it. This exchange can only occur through the mutual consent of both parties. I hope you all know that Spell Tomes are living books that link themselves with the minds of their wielders. They adjust their power level to the grade of the Magical Core within the Mage. This connection is permanent and can only be broken with the death of the Mage. After which the Spell Tome will lie dormant until another mage with the appropriate affinity binds it with their blood."

"But how does one know they have an affinity for a Spell Tome."

"I am surprised by this question. Have you not bonded with a Spell Tome?"

"No... when I discovered a Magical Core formed in my heart, I made my way here to become a Mage because my father recommended it before he passed away."

"I... I see. We can remedy that this instant. I have a crystal ball that will reveal your affinity. Come to my table."

While Nero approaches her table, Madame Teresa summons a crystal ball from her interdimensional storage ring. She places it on her table and gestures for Nero to touch it.

Nero follows the instruction and places his right hand on the crystal ball. It creates the symbol of the Sun, a Skull, an Hour Glass, and the Moon. Nero is confused, while Madame Teresa takes a few steps back in surprise.

"You have an affinity for Solarmancy, Lunarmancy, Necromancy, and Chronomancy." Madame Teresa came close to him to whisper.

Nero did not know how to respond as he knew two were Forbidden Spell Tomes.

"Can we not mention the two forbidden ones?" Nero pleaded in a whisper.

Madam Teresa thought for a moment and nodded.

"Nero has an affinity for Solarmancy and Lunarmancy. Both are Ancient Spell Tomes that have been lost since the Age of Legends."

There are shocked faces in the classroom. They all stared at Nero as if he was a freak.

"So I cannot learn any spell tomes?"

"Pyromancy is closely linked to Solarmancy. While Shadowmancy is linked to Lunarmancy, a Forbidden Spell Tome. So you only have the path of a Pyromancer. After the class, go to the library and ask for a dormant Pyro Spell Tome to bond with and tell them I gave permission."

"I will" Nero answered with a disappointed tone and face.

"Cheer up. Pyromancers will never find themselves unemployed if they have enough spells to work with. By the way... What is your Magical Core Grade?" Sheldon tried to console.

"White. Is it good enough?"

The other students in the class looked surprised before turning it into pity. Even Madame Teresa was stunned by that revelation as it seemed too little compared with his strange affinities.

"White is the lowest Grade for a Magical Core. Do you know the other grades?" Madam Teresa asked.

"At the registration office, I heard them announce several colors when they inspected the other students, but I did not understand what that meant."

Sheldon raised his hand.

"What is it?" Madame Teresa asked with an irritated tone.

"May I answer his question?"

"Go ahead." Madame Teresa nodded.

"Magical Cores appear as White, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. Spell Tomes who are bonded to Mages with a White Core have access to only one spell. Those bonded to a Violet Core will unlock eight Spells. Humans with a rich ancestry of Mages usually develop Yellow, Green, and Blue cores when they turn thirteen. Very few can create an Indigo or a Violet Magical Core. While White only appears in Mages with no Mage ancestry." Sheldon explained to Nero.

"I see... Can my Magical Core change its color?" Nero asked Sheldon.

"You may try, but it involves absorbing soul crystals. Which is a risky business." Sheldon answered.

"Sheldon means to say that absorbing Soul Crystals may evolve your Magical Core to a higher grade, but they could also damage your Magical Core if something goes wrong. It may leave you crippled if you are lucky or turn you into a Mana Fiend." Madame Teresa warned.

"They are monsters who hunt, kill and eat Mages for their Mana Cores." Sheldon interrupted.

"We will have to kill you if that happens." Madame Teresa explained.

"That does not sound pleasant. Will a White Core allow me to become a powerful Mage?"

"NO!" The whole class answered. Madame Teresa gave them all a mean look in response.

"I see... I wish to try it."

"You got guts!" Sheldon said as he chuckled.

"Come find me after you bond with the Pyromancy Spell Tome. I will take you to the Head Master's office for permission."

End of Chapter 1