What’s wrong?’ Ori asked, nonplussed.

‘Nothing’s wrong per se, but this is a discussion that needs to happen before we embark on our mission.’

‘Alright?’

‘Do you remember how I had planned on this wand being my Phylactery after your summoning? And how I plan on evolving my class to that of White Litch. It wasn’t done entirely for self-serving reasons.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘While your aura will allow my sister and her forces to battle the Ravager's forces, actually killing Eltitus is another matter entirely. I can not be certain how, but I believe he has an arcane source, one that grants Lifeforce instead of mana, one that is corrupted and tied to his soul in a manner not too dissimilar to the way we have been bound.

‘If events unfold in a way that… leaves us no other choice, and gives you a chance to get close enough for this to work, I intend to use my soul to purify his source, breaking the link between Eltitus and his phylactery and giving you a chance to destroy his vulnerable mortal form.’

‘You’re going to use your soul? How? And why do I get the sense that you’re planning on sacrificing yourself again?’ Ori released an exasperated sigh.

‘Well, it’s called Soul Detonation, the spell that is. It became an option after my soul fused with yours. I do not intend on sacrificing myself, at least, not permanently and certainly not completely, but the chances…’ Sera said haltingly.

‘But why? Surely there’s another way?’

‘Eltitus is an abomination. One who slew my father and threatens all I hold dear. Entire realms have been destroyed by less, and if the Ravager successfully consumes the lifeforce and Grace of this city, I am certain he may well yet evolve into an Immortal, one that even the High Elves in all their pride and hubris, will overcome only at great cost. And while I have given my body and may yet give my soul to see Eltitus removed from fate itself, I do not intend to sacrifice my soul, not permanently, and that’s where I need your help. I’ve asked so much from you, so know that if you refuse, I have alternatives that may help in lieu of you accepting this request.’

‘Okay?’

‘Do you remember when I mentioned that I need an apprentice to evolve my class?’

‘Yeah?’ Ori confirmed.

‘The Order of Chromatics are the primary arcane classes for the human race. When compared to other arcane classes like warlock or sorcerer, we have many benefits and few restrictions, for example, we use Mana more efficiently, aren’t bound by higher or eldritch powers or artefacts, and require no rare bloodlines to unlock. In addition, we have documented class evolutions from High, Arch and Prime which means the ceiling for Chromatic Magi is very high.

‘However, despite this, there are five key restrictions:

* You may ever choose only one Chromatic Class.

* You are restricted to Chromatic Classes that match at least your minor affinities and as a result, High Magic, or magic that weaves complex combinations of multiple affinities are limited to higher class evolutions or supplemental classes.

* Every prospective mage requires an apprenticeship with a practising Chromatic Mage of their colour.

* Every prospective mage is required to voice the oath of their order before apprenticeship.

* And every Mage, or higher must take an apprentice to raise your class to higher ranks.’

‘And you want me to be your apprentice?’

‘Well…’ Sera sighed. ‘Yes. From any White Magi’s perspective, you’d be the perfect apprentice in terms of raw talent, you’re also honourable and seem to have a fair moral compass.’

‘But I have no mana?’

‘As my apprentice, before we reach Eltitus you’ll learn Mana sense and Mana manipulation along with as much arcane theory I can stuff into your mind that your lack of Mana will be just a minor hindrance.’ Sera said in a way Ori was certain, contained a gleam of sadistic excitement.

‘Alright, but is this the best class for me? If I pick this class, I can’t choose another, can I?’

‘Like I said, there are other magic and hybrid classes beyond those of the chromatics that you could choose in addition, but the worthwhile ones, rely a lot on luck, circumstance, unsavoury practices or a relinquishing of agency to a higher power. However, given the nature of Chromatic magic, following one path is a life-encompassing devotion to an ideal that precludes all others. Some theorise that Red and Black, and White and Yellow have significant overlap in ideals, but no one has ever proven more than one class can be taken from the chromatics.’

‘So, if I become your apprentice, I’m stuck with white magic? Is that even the best choice for me? For example, what if I wanted to make portals to other realms?’ Ori asked his mind on escape and returning to earth, forcing a defeated sigh from Sera.

‘I’m not certain, but based on your high astral affinity and your Domain, the Purple Chromatic class would be the best one to choose if you were to pick an option to maximise your talent but that class focuses on the mind and while powerful, is shunned in polite society. Portals though, unaided by artefacts and places of power, would require a High or perhaps even Arch Mage of White, Black or Grey to perform.

‘I know of an evolution of the White Magi; White Magi of the Luminous Void — it’s similar to how my White Lich class is a divergent evolution, but at the Prime rank instead of Arch. Such a class would enable you to form bridges to other realms, but such a step would obviously be a time long from now, and while I’m not certain, I suspect Grey Magi have easier paths to such esoteric magics that fall out of the typical elemental alignments.’

‘Could you give me a rundown of all the classes, these chromatics? What they do, their strengths and weaknesses, and you said something about ideals?’ Ori asked.

‘Very well. While other, specialised forms of Magic focused classes exist, such as Witches (power from rituals), Wizards (power from artefacts or lesser entities), Sorcerers (power from bloodlines) and Warlock (power from higher entities), the Chromatic Magi classes are unique to humans and allow Awakened to harness the power of Peritia.’

Sera continued as if reading from a textbook. ‘These classes are called The Chromatics due to human teachings on the nature of affinities that state that these energies emerge from the harmonic resonances in nature. These resonances can be felt and often understood by using colours as a guide.

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‘While no one knows exactly who or how the Chromatic classes were created, most believe that a long-ago failed ascension to transcendent by a dying immortal, donated a racial legacy to the Library of Fates in the form of a class comprehension.

‘Chromatic Magi class choices are bound by affinity alignment, and as class and affinity comprehension increase, can fundamentally change the nature of the Magi. Like all Awakened, Chromatic Magi must safeguard their inner self as the pursuit of power poses ever-increasing challenges and temptations that threaten sapience, and may co-opt their will.’

‘Upholding a code emphasising order, structure, discipline, and focus, White Magi specialise in magic that promotes healing, restoration, and protection. Their primary affinities include Light, Life, and Order, with secondary affinities in Healing, Protection, and Restoration. They are dedicated to preserving life and empowering allies, using spells to mend wounds, cure ailments, dispel curses, and shield comrades, while adhering to a stringent moral compass.

‘Embracing chaos, transformation, and individual freedom, Black Magi utilise dark and destructive magic, including necromancy, curses, and shadow manipulation. Their primary affinities are Entropy, Death, and Void, with secondary affinities in Necromancy, Shadow, and Corruption. Thriving in the boundary between life and death, they focus on the art of corruption and co-opting, summoning undead servants, afflicting enemies with debilitating curses, and controlling the essences of the underworld.

‘Driven by passion, intensity, and the channelling of emotions, Red Magi specialise in destructive elemental magic, commanding fire, water, earth, and air. Their expertise in offensive magic allows them to harness raw, explosive energy, and devastating enemies with potent elemental forces. Renowned for their emotional connection to their magic, they fuel intensity in exchange for control.

‘Following a code that emphasises the ephemeral, fluid, and ever-changing nature of life, Blue Magi master the manipulation of abilities found in nature. Their primary affinities include Water, Air, and Shapeshifting, with secondary affinities in Fauna, Adaptability, and Nature. They borrow powers from various creatures to enhance their skills, excelling in controlling the flow of battle, summoning, shape-shifting, and replicating unique animal abilities.

‘Adhering to the values of protection, permanence, stability, and building lasting foundations, Yellow Magi focus on constructing fortifications and defences. Their primary affinities are Earth, Metal, and Stability, with secondary affinities in Fortification, Protection, and Logistics. Their magic is oriented towards creating powerful defensive structures as unyielding as mountains, with strategic acumen making them formidable allies and enduring adversaries.

‘Embodying living harmony, growth, and interconnectedness, Green Magi tap into the powers of nature. Their primary affinities are in Nature, Growth, and Earth, with secondary affinities in Flora, Wind, and Natural Harmony. They channel energy to unleash nature's fury, focusing on growth, rejuvenation, and control over the environment to shape it and bolster the development of their allies.

‘Committed to the primacy of mind over matter, the pursuit of knowledge, and exploration of the inner self, Purple Magi delve into consciousness, memory, and perception. Their primary affinities are Mind, Consciousness, Perception, and Dream, with secondary affinities in Mental Manipulation, Knowledge, and Psychic Powers. Their psychic prowess and focus on mental acuity render them formidable in mind control and mental manipulation, though their intense focus and privacy concerns can be challenging in societal interactions.

‘Championing balance, neutrality, and understanding all aspects of the world, Grey Magi strive to maintain equilibrium by mastering a diverse range of abilities and techniques. This class specialises in High Magic and welcomes any affinity, focusing on maintaining balance and understanding the multifarious forces of the world. Unique among Chromatic Classes, Grey Magi often face a substantial cost of time and lifespan to progress in their specialisation.

‘While there are more niche and unique variants of the standard Chromatics that don’t fit into aforementioned orders, including the Gold and Pink Magi, each of these orders have opportunities for branching path specialisations upon evolution.

‘Ultimately, your choice right now is between taking the opportunity to become my apprentice white mage now, or keeping your options open for something else later.’

‘So, pick any colour, as long as it’s white?’ Ori chuckled. ‘OK then, so how many classes can I eventually choose? You said I could pick another class later?’

‘When you awaken, you’ll be able to choose up to three classes, and as a human, you’ll be limited to just those three classes for the rest of your life.’

‘Other races have more don’t they?’ Ori wondered recalling some of Freya’s knowledge on the subject. ‘Wait!? Dwarves have nine classes!?’

‘Yes, while High elves gain a class for every rank ascension. It’s so unfair. More classes equal more spell constellations, more characteristic points per level, while the evolved races that have overall fewer classes gain tremendous benefits in exchange.’ Sera concluded while Ori mulled over both her words, the specifics of class evolution and racial differences that floated within his mind.

‘Before, you said something about me being more suited to being a purple mage?’

‘While your astral affinity and familiar bond make you an excellent prospect for that order, you don’t want to be a purple magi. Unscrupulous and shunned in polite society, is that the life you’d like to lead? Yes, they can be exceptionally powerful, especially against other creatures and sapients, but those who could instruct you would be few and the lifestyle you’d be forced into would most likely be in the shadows, or away from civilisation. Meanwhile, achieve the right accolades and perhaps a rarer, more practical class that makes better use of your astral affinity may become available.”

‘But would I be able to defend myself as a White Mage? Is there any offence or would I be limited to just healing myself and other people?’

‘Your starting spell constellations will depend on your affinities. If you had only life or nature affinities for example, it’s likely you’d only have access to healing and restoration spells, but with a transcendent light affinity… seraphs I can still scarcely believe it, I am certain you’ll have access to at least one spell you could use offensively, or that could be evolved to be used so. But you shouldn’t forget the fact that you’ll have other classes to fill in such needs if they are not met.

‘But please remember, not all chromatic classes are equal. While on the surface red, blue, yellow and green seem powerful and will often beat magi of the other orders quite handily in single combat, especially at the journeyman level, rarely do these orders offer their practitioners gateways into the deeper secrets of paracausality. Meanwhile, our erstwhile foe, Eltitus, is proof of how the deeper nature of the white, black, grey and yes, in many cases, purple orders of chromatics, can peel back the skin of reality and peer into the heart of fate.’

‘You’re trying really hard to sell me on this, aren't you? To be honest, I’m already more or less sold, I’ve already seen what a wand of white magic can do and it’s a miracle. Knowing how often I'll get my dumb ass injured…’ Ori smiled remembering the joy of his crippled body being remade. ‘And if this also helps you out on your path while increasing the chances of saving this city… Yeah, as long as I don’t have to call you master or anything, I’m in.’

‘And if you did have to call me master?’ Sera teased.

‘Hard nope.’ Ori smirked.

‘What about mistress?’ Sera giggled.

‘I… Wait, this isn’t that sort of master-apprentice relationship is it?’

‘An older woman with plenty of wisdom to impart, instructing a younger man with plenty to learn? That type of relationship?’ Sera said suggestively, her voice a haughty deadpan forcing Ori to reassess whether he had just made a terrible mistake.

‘You are going to be trouble, aren't you? So what’s next? How will this apprenticeship work.’

‘I’ll have your oath, which I’ll provide you, and upon completion, you’ll officially become a mortal white mage apprentice. Tonight, we’ll go over the rudimentaries of Mana sense and manipulation, if you can get that before we depart then it will make further instruction far easier as when we go to battle, there will be many practical examples and demonstrations that would be a shame to miss. If you can use Mana manipulation on unaligned mana, to create a source of light, and heal a wound, I’ll consider you worthy of ascension to journeyman and receipt of one of my unique spells.’

‘Okay, I’m excited. When do you want to do this? Now?’ Ori said, looking around the dining hall crowded with armed knights and squires fresh from the paddocks.

‘No, let’s wait till you’re somewhere private. Normally we’d have a witness, but given my situation and my preference for discretion, it would be best if it was just the two of us.