Michael had been in his room preparing for his class for some time now. It was his first class and he intended to put in a good impression. It was necessary for the students to also have a good impression of their teachers. The students would also be asked to review their professors to stimulate growth in the teaching methods and their efficiency.
If that was all it was most teachers wouldn't really care as most of the academy teachers joined the academy because there were a lot of books and safe spaces to experiment. Their research and personal development was the most important thing for most professors and the facilities available to them would depend on the points that they gather. So, it was tradition to increase or decrease their points based on the review provided by the students. This caused most teachers to put in a certain amount of time in preparation for their classes.
Like all other magicians, Michael had the same problem. He was still recovering, and he needed other resources to improve. So, he also cared about his classes and wanted to impress his students.
Apart from that, his first class had his own son. So, it was much more important for him. No father would like his son looking down on him and being a teacher, it was naturally a competition for him. He had to be better or at the very least appear similarly competent in comparison to the other teachers.
There was also another teacher looking in on the class. A certain amount of control and charisma is needed to effectively teach students. Though he is a very proficient magician, it is another thing entirely to be able to make teens listen to him. So, there was a necessity for a completely new teacher to have an older teacher sit in his classes to determine if he capable enough. Asmodeus decided to do it for Michael and he was already made aware of it.
Michael decided on a pair of black trousers, shirt and made a few summons and made contracts with a few beasts before the class. As he went into the classroom, he found about 50 students waiting for him along with Asmodeus sitting among them. A quick scan revealed to him that a few of the students were missing but he realized that the returnees were preparing for tests. Asmodeus seemed to be telling some old stories about a war with the neighboring Halwar Nation and the students were lost in his stories as they sat huddled around him.
"Hi. I am Michael Morrison, here to teach you the basics of summoning. I guess you have already come to know of Professor. Asmodeus our head teacher for all first-year classes," started Michael causing them to spread themselves out and sit in their places and greeted him.
"So, any guesses about what this class is all about? What are you expecting to learn?" asked Michael.
"We will be taught to summon beasts?" muttered someone in a low voice.
"Well actually yes and no. This is just the basics of summoning and none of you are allowed to attempt any summons as long as you are in my class. You will learn the theory of summoning and about various other things about different noted summons," said Michael as he made a few small gestures and caused a small portal out of which a couple of small beasts stepped out. He did this as he had expected the displeasure from his students, and he wanted to prevent that.
They were two beasts one of which was a small amphibious water beasts which looked scaly and the other one was mostly covered with fire. The only thing that was visible was a pair of red slit like eyes. The one with fire caught the attention of all the students. Though it was surrounded by fire, it wasn't burning anything, and this had the students in awe.
"Summoning is one of the harder and dangerous types of magic that are taught at this academy. So, it requires a lot of careful preparation and that implies that you need to read and improve your magical knowledge a lot before you actually summon anything," said Michael. "In fact, it is considered so advanced that if you manage to actually safely summon and bind even a small one a tenth the size of these beasts, you would be considered a genius. So, much that you can directly attempt to write the exams for second year and join them. You can ask Prof. Asmodeus if you didn't want to believe me."
"I have to agree with him. In fact, only after the first half of second year would most be able to summon beasts," said Asmodeus liking the manner in which he caught the attention of the students as well as managed to put a sense of fear in them by revealing the dangers of summoning.
"Now, that it is clear to you about the danger of summoning let me explain to you why it is considered so. You need to first understand the two important steps of summoning. The first is that you need to have become a mage and not a magic apprentice. Only then will you have enough power to make contact with a beast," explained Michael. "Summoning is an act of opening a small portal to a distant place breaking through space and convincing a beast to come through that portal."
"Let me tell you that space manipulation is an extremely hard thing that can only be achieved after you have a high amount of mana. You also need to send a strand of you conscious to communicate and convince it to you the portal to come back. Some naturally use soul magic for better control, but most use a small tool to achieve this purpose."
"The biggest hurdle that most will face after summoning is to control the beast. This is the most dangerous part and it could also lead to death. No beast will be controlled unless you are capable of easily subduing it. So, all attempts in summoning even in your second year will be supervised by teacher or your seniors," said Michael. "Any doubts?"
"Are those two controlled? You didn't even talk to them after summoning," asked a student who was still looking at the two beasts. Michael noticed that he was not alone and there were a few other who were in the same state and some weren't even listening to him properly. Realizing that it might have been too enticing for the students, he sent them back to his office by making another portal.
"Those are fine. They are already under contract with me and have just been summoned from my office and sent back because I kind of felt that you are think this something more of a taming class than summoning," said Michael.
"Now that you have been entertained, how many of you actually know about the two different types of summoning?" asked Michael.
"Inter-dimensional and the one in the same dimension," said a girl with long black hair and was the tallest one in the class. Harley's father was a smith and she had also practiced the art occasion with her brother and was very interested in it. She had been interested in making weapons and noticing her interest the enchanter who usually worked with her father tested her and suggested her to go to an academy. She was eleven years old and was the oldest in the class apart from the returnees.
"Good. Five points," said Michael pointing to the girl. "What I have demonstrated before was the second kind and its reverse. The first kind requires certain amount of preparation and needs the summoner to subjugate the beast immediately after. So, most summoners have contracts with a few beasts beforehand. "
"So, the only thing we will teach in this class is to learn the runes and methods to summon, different realms, the nature of various beast found in that realms and occasionally you will observe me doing a few summons. Most of the class would be reading as all other classes in the first year," said Michael. "So, how many of you actually have an idea of how many realms are out there?"
"No one knows," said Lucy.
"Five points. Yes. No one know about the different realms that are out there in the world. Magicians are constantly in search for new realms and the methods to access them. This makes summoning one of the most diverse areas of magic. Not a person can surely say that if we are at just a beginning stage in the field at this point of time or at the end. It is one of the most researched subjects by all magicians," explained Michael.
"You will pass this class only if you are thorough with at least three-fourths of your textbooks minimum. We will start with the various well-known realms like hell, purgatory that even common man is aware of," said Michael as he began to make a list of several realms and explaining about their nature.
Overall, he considered it a decent class as the students were interested and even started to ask him questions actively at the end of the class. Asmodeus followed him out of the classroom as he left. "That was a good class. Quite interesting. I believe that I don't need to attend any more of your classes, but you put in a lot in the first class. So, you need to make sure that they have that enthusiasm."
"I will try my best," said Michael as he walked along with him.
"I am thinking that you could teach even the higher classes like third year. You seem to have managed to get two moderately strong ones down. It will be as an assistant mostly to prevent mishaps during their practice sessions. About two classes a day. Tell me if you are willing," said Asmodeus.
"I am," said Michael immediately. "I could do with a few more points and I am also into taking a few missions and even alchemy if you want me to," he added. He needed some things which he intended to prepare for his sons. He already was on his path to recovery and soon would probably get away for longer periods from the academy on missions and he wished to better enable them.
"That was a quick decision. You are doing well, but alchemy is one of the few professions who have a log of teachers. There was hardly any loss of them as they were in a safe zone," said Asmodeus.
As they went off Alex had finally watched his father do some decent magic at the start of the class. He quickly told his mates that his father was the summoning teacher. It was a good day for him overall, but it was quite different from what he had expected. None of them were asked to learn a spell of anything but were being taught theory like it was expected of them.
It wasn't only Michael's class, but even the others. All of them insisted that their classes would mostly be theory in their first year with little practicals. Even most of the practical experience would be their teachers doing the magic and they get to just observe and experience the changes.
Most of the students were not happy with this but realized that magic was an extremely dangerous thing to do and required extensive study to be able to do anything without harming themselves.
They spent all their time in theory classes till four p.m. when they finally were done with their classes in the room. It was still suggested that they play in the grounds or meditate after that, but hardly any of the new students were in the mood. Of course, there were a few special cases who were studying, especially the returnees were all engrossed in their books and were at the library.
Apart from that there were a few notices on the noticeboard that suggested they could do a few things in their free time. The first was an invitation on the notice board. It was for all of the first years to the missions hall from the prefects. It was to introduce them to the missions and also a few clubs in the academy.
Though it was not necessary, most of the students were interested as they looked at the contents listed on the notice board. Alex and his roommates were also extremely interested, and he wanted to join a few. Especially the physical training club. The first class in the morning had a strong impact on him.
There were also a few students who declined it. These were people who already knew about most of the stuff and had already been invited to join a few clubs due to their contacts from family and friends. The returnees were all well aware of the clubs and didn't even care about it or the missions.
Lucy was one of the few who declined her roommates in joining the event. She felt that it was a good time for her to meet her sibling and play with him for some time. Michael had already invited her for refreshments today when they first met, and he told her that he would personally come to take her to Dominic.
Dominic was in the nursery and was sleeping there when Michael took her to the nursery. He had introduced her to the staff and told them to allow him to meet him whenever she wanted to. He also asked them to inform him whenever she came but kept it a secret from Lucy as he wanted to observe them.
Lucy woke up Dominic as soon as she saw and started to play with him gleefully. She also brought a small toy of a dragon plushy for him to play with along with a few other animals.