"Let's start this class with a question. What are the factors that define a warlock?", Seventeen asked. He added, "And it's not something like friendship or love or anything like that. This ain't a fairy tale."
Clare raised her hand, "The Reserve, the Mindscape and magia codes."
"Absolutely correct Clare.", Seventeen said with a smile, "You guys already learned about the Reserve and Mindscape in high school right?", he asked. Everyone nodded.
"Nice. Well, there is more than the Reserve and Mindscape. Does anyone know?", Seventeen asked, looking at the class. Minerva raised her hand, "It's the magia paths right?"
"Yes Minerva, very good.", Seventeen nodded. "Magia flows in our body through an intricate network of specific channels, similar to how blood flows in blood vessels. This network of channels is called the magia paths or just Paths.", he explained.
"The Paths of a warlock are unique. This means that even identical twins do not have the same Paths.", Seventeen said and looked at everyone to make sure they understood. He smiled when everyone nodded.
"Good. The Paths are an important factor for a warlock. But there is something else. Let me give you a clue, it regulates the magia flow in your body.", Seventeen said.
"You mean the Mindscape?", Rhea asked. Seventeen shook his head, "The Mindscape does indeed control magia flow but the Mindscape is well, in your mind. I am asking about the thing that the Mindscape uses to regulate magia flow."
Suddenly Arthur raised his hand. He read about it in a book, "Is it the Magia Core?", he asked. Seventeen nodded.
"Yes, Arthur. The Mindscape regulates magia flow with the help of the Magia Core."
Seventeen continued, "The Magia Core is a small round crystalline organ smack in the middle of our chest, next to the heart.", he said pointing at his sternum.
"Just like how the brain controls the heart, the Mindscape controls the Core to regulate the flow of magia in your body. All the magia paths in your body converge at the Magia Core."
"The Core also takes magia from the Reserve when you use a Code and directs it through the Paths. The Core also converts pure magia from the Reserve into attribute magia.", Seventeen explained.
"Let's take yesterday's duel between me and Damien as an example.", he said and looked at Damien who frowned. Seventeen smiled and focused on the class.
"Yesterday when Damien used Thunder Burst against me. His Core, with help from his Mindscape, took the required magia for the Code from the Reserve, converted the pure magia into lightning magia, and sent it to his arm through the Paths so that he could release it explosively."
"Or in the case of Ray when he used Electro Boost. The Core converted his magia into lightning magia and spread it throughout his body via the Paths, hence increasing his speed and power.", Seventeen explained.
Arthur was amazed that he could understand every single word that Seventeen said. He looked beside him and saw to his surprise the ever distracted Ray listening carefully to their instructor.
'Damn. Sir is a really good teacher.', he thought.
Suddenly he gasped as a sudden headache came out of nowhere, 'Not again.', he thought as his vision blurred and flickered.
Arthur suddenly saw himself sitting on a familiar wooden bench, he saw the others from class looking in awe at some sort of battle in front of them.
He followed their gaze and saw Seventeen smiling and holding a strange black sword. He was facing the half-elf woman they saw near the headmaster's office. Everything around him flickered again.
Suddenly he saw ice everywhere, it reached his legs as if alive. He heard the others yelling and scrambling to get out of the way of the ice.
Amongst the yelling and crackling of ice, he heard a woman scream.
"Arthur!"
He snapped back to reality and noticed Ray looking at him with concern. "Yo Arth. Are you alright man?"
"Yeah, I am.", he said shakily. He noticed he was slightly trembling, "What happened?", he asked.
"Don't know. You suddenly gasped and covered your eyes. You zoned out and a few seconds later you were trembling like crazy.", Robin said. The others were looking at him.
"Are you okay Arthur?", Seventeen asked, his voice tinged with concern. "I'm fine sir. I just daydreamed.", Arthur replied with a faint smile.
Seventeen nodded, "Well. Don't daydream and scare us again please.", he resumed the class.
Arthur sighed. He had these visions since he was small and they all disturbingly showed him the future. He never told anyone about the visions, not even his family.
'So looks like we will be in grave danger', he thought and sighed. He couldn't warn the others. Not only would they give him strange looks, but he also knows that changing the future would have grave consequences.
He decided that he would act when the danger comes. No need to spook the others.
'Well, I'm hoping that sir would be able to solve it.', he thought.
The class resumed till noon. Seventeen closed the book when the bell chimed, "Well, that's enough studies for today. Be sure to revise the concept of the Paths and the Magia Core."
Everyone nodded and got up. They all felt a bit cramped due to sitting for a long time.
"Oh. One more thing, your afternoon combat practice is cut short."
"Why sir?", Clare asked. Seventeen rubbed his head sheepishly, "Well, you guys are audiences for a duel between me and our second instructor who apparently hates my guts."
"You mean that half-elf we passed by yesterday?", Ray asked. Seventeen nodded, "Yeah, her name is Ruth Aeva."
"Aeva? You mean the family that creates amazing ice sculptures that never melts?", Rhea asked.
"Are the Aevas that famous?", Seventeen asked.
Gray nodded, "Indeed sir, they are one of the best artisans in Arken.", she cocked her head to one side, "Why is she mad at you?", her voice tinged with curiosity.
"Uh. I kind of melted and vapourised her unmeltable sculptures.", Seventeen replied with a nervous smile.
Everyone raised their eyebrows in surprise, "You managed to vaporize the unmeltable ice sculptures of the Aeva family?", Damien asked in disbelief.
Ray whistled, "The compensation price would've been huge.". "You're right Ray. I am currently low on money and I didn't discuss my salary with the headmaster.", Seventeen sighed.
Suddenly he perked up and his face went slack, "I didn't discuss my salary with the headmaster.", Seventeen repeated to himself, his eye twitched. He looked at his students.
"You guys go get lunch and report to practice hall 3. I'll go meet the headmaster."
Seventeen went out of the class in a daze and walked towards the headmaster's office.
"How do you forget to discuss your salary in the first place?", Robin wondered. "Despite how strong you are, you still need money.", Arthur chuckled.
They exited the classroom and walked towards the mess hall. Arthur noticed many students looking at them and whispering with each other and listened.
"Did they come from the direction of Special class A?"
"You mean the losers class?"
"Honestly, why does the management even let them into the school?"
"Hey look. It's that handsome guy we saw in the morning. No way, he's in Special class A?"
"Haha, loser."
Arthur could feel so many stares on him. He sighed and noticed Damien gritting his teeth and clenching his fist. "No need to go on a rampage Sparky. Just ignore them", Arthur told him.
"How can I ignore those words?", Damien hissed. "Trust me, I've heard worse.", Arthur said. They entered the mess hall for lunch.
*******
(How does one forget about discussing their salary?)
'Please shut up', Seventeen said in his mind. He opened the door to the headmaster's office, "I'm coming in", he said and stopped.
He saw Zephyrus sitting on his chair with a plate of frosted pastries in front of him, a pastry halfway into his mouth. Seventeen looked at him, "You eat pastries for lunch? You're seriously going to die an early death by taking that much sugar at your age."
"I'm forty!", Zephyrus retorted with his mouth full.
"Exactly"
"I presume you're here to tell me what happened in the Elder mountains?", Zephyrus asked after swallowing, eager to change the subject.
Seventeen nodded and recounted the events that took place in the north.
After a few minutes, Seventeen finished his report and saw a sparkle of excitement in Zephyrus's eyes, "Incredible. A three-thousand-year-old garden, the grave of a powerful person, and a dragon guarding it. Remarkable."
He looked at Seventeen, "This could be a clue that my theory is correct.", he said excitedly. "You sound like the Earth Cardinal when she saw the markings on the gravestone.", Seventeen said.
Zephyrus chuckled, "Violet is an inquisitive young demi beast. I always tell her that curiosity kills the cat. So how was she as an opponent', he asked.
Seventeen nodded, "She was the strongest I have ever faced."
"Good to hear that. Now I believe you have something else to say?"
Seventeen nodded, "I'm going to need a raise. I'm currently low on money and didn't discuss my salary."
Zephyrus frowned, "I thought Prime made sure you had enough money for two months.", "Indeed headmaster. But I had to give all my three crystals to that ice queen as damage payment.", Seventeen replied with a sigh.
Zephyrus sighed, "Well, the ice sculptures are really expensive. So how about 500 gold as salary?", he offered.
Seventeen shook his head, "1000 gold.", he said.
"800 gold.", Zephyrus offered.
"Fine."
"Speaking of the ice queen. You are the mediator between us. So please protect my students.", Seventeen requested.
"Don't worry Seventeen. Be sure to hold back this time. Ruth is not Cardinal level. I'll stop the fight if it becomes dangerous.", Zephyrus said.
"What do you mean dangerous?", Seventeen asked.
"There might an instance where miss Aeva's magia would go out of control due to her curse. And magia out of control is extremely powerful and dangerous. So I will have to intervene if that happens.", Zephyrus explained.
"I can also help. I've been working on a Code which Prime created when he was alive.", Seventeen offered.
"Alright then. Let's not waste any time. Practice hall 3 right? I'll be there after I finish my lunch.", Zephyrus proceeded to take another pastry.
"You're seriously going to die an early death if you keep eating sugary stuff like that.", Seventeen warned.
"Aw come on. I'm enjoying my youthful days.", Zephyrus complained.
"You're forty, close to middle-aged."
"Don't say like that Seventeen!"
"Whatever. I hope you'll not faint due to the sugar before the duel."
"You can be cold at times. Do you know that?", Zephyrus asked. Seventeen smiled, "Perhaps.", and proceeded to leave the office.
"Oh, Seventeen.", Zephyrus called out. Seventeen turned, "What is it?", suddenly he saw a pastry floating towards him. He caught it and looked at a smiling Zephyrus.
"Good luck in the duel."
Seventeen smiled, "Sure, thanks.", he said and left the office with the door closing behind him with a click.