As they entered the academy park, they said goodbye and headed to their respective halls as agreed the previous night. Phaistos, Zara, and Freya had to take the shuttle, a minor detail that nonetheless testified to the academy's favoritism.
Although the journey lasted only a few minutes, it was still time lost compared to the apprentices who had already passed the various tests of their hall. However, far from discouraging them, every apprentice they saw passing through the portals only intensified their determination and thirst for power.
As he arrived on the moon where the Hall of Light was established, the first thing he did was head to the hall, hoping to obtain some information. On the way, he could see that there were even fewer students than the day before. "It seems many of them thought it was pointless to come to the moon unless they were capable of passing the test," Phaistos thought.
Inside the hall, he was still surprised by the opulence that surrounded him. In this room, he saw different people not wearing apprentice uniforms. He understood that these must be the various instructors. Despite the risks of such an approach, Phaistos decided to play it straight and address these people who could kill him without batting an eye.
"Excuse me, noble instructor, I would like to know if you could give me some guidance on the element of light," Phaistos asked, bowing. He tried to mix the societal norms of his native people with those he had already observed within the academy. If there was one thing he wanted to keep from his homeland, it was the sense of honor (Aidôs and timè).
[Author's note : If you are interested in the topic and speak French, I recommend the following reading to understand the subject of respect among the Greeks : Mari, F. (8 octobre 2018). Politesse et savoir-vivre en Grèce ancienne.]
The instructor seemed to appreciate the respect shown by Phaistos. Nevertheless, he could not really help him. "I apologize, young apprentice, even though I don't mind helping you. There are some rules in this academy. You can only receive one piece of guidance until you become a student of this hall. If you are sure of your choice, I can answer your question."
Phaistos hesitated, as he was about to ask about the instructor's specialties. The instructor quickly added, "If you want to ask me about my specialties, that will count as a question. I prefer to warn you, as many instructors enjoy torturing young acolytes to perpetuate the frustration they themselves experienced back in the day."
Although Phaistos found the man very friendly, he added, "Since you are the tenth person to approach me, I've decided not to scam you."
"Finally, it seems he's a jerk like the others," Phaistos thought with an inner smile.
Taking a deep breath, Phaistos finally decided. "Actually, I would like to know why I feel something different when I cultivate the element of light. It seems strange to me, and I can't understand this phenomenon. It's as if everything in this world has a certain rhythm. It keeps distracting me from my connection with the light, as if deep down, I'm trying to connect with this phenomenon."
He decided to provide as many details as possible to make the most of the only question he could afford to ask.
For a moment, the instructor seemed shocked by his words but finally decided to respond. "I can't give you too many details right now because it would only hinder your progress on the correct path. However, you should remember that there is a lineage tab and a talent tab in your status. What you are experiencing must be related to that. If I had to be precise, I would say it is related to the notion of talent. You will be able to explore this concept in more detail when you become a student of this hall. For now, silence this sensation in your mind and focus on understanding the light."
As Phaistos was about to ask another question, the instructor released a portion of his magical power and reminded him coldly, "You have already asked your question, don't forget." He left immediately, while Phaistos collapsed under the weight of the man's power.
With difficulty, he stood up and went outside to sit in a quiet spot to meditate on the meaning of the light. Nevertheless, he made a mental note never to approach this lunatic again.
As he sat in a quiet corner, Phaistos's mind was racing with thoughts. The instructor's advice resonated within him, but the underlying threat of his power had shaken him. Phaistos closed his eyes and tried to focus on the light, seeking to calm the internal disturbances caused by this encounter.
He began to breathe deeply, letting himself be enveloped by the luminous energy around him. Gradually, he felt his mind settle and his connection with the element of light strengthen. Yet, this sensation of rhythm, this underlying beat, remained present. He had to force himself to focus his entire mind on the element of light and only that.
Little by little, he felt the pulse grow smaller and smaller until it disappeared.
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In the long corridors of the Hall of Light, the instructor with an unknown name walked at a brisk pace. When he reached a crossroads, he didn't stop but plunged in one direction.
After dozens of changes in direction, he stopped in front of a door. Above it, there was a panel that kept changing states. It shifted from a perfect condition to a dilapidated one, and back again.
As he was about to open the door, it swung open, and someone stepped out. If Phaistos and his comrades were there, they would have recognized Instructor Aldric.
"Once again, with someone of your kind, you were already aware of my arrival," said the anonymous instructor.
Aldric responded with a disdainful smile, "I'm not powerful enough for that yet, stop with your nonsense."
"Fine, think what you want of yourself. I'm here to tell you that your specialty class will soon have a new student," he said.
"Interesting, Zephyr. Don't tell me who it is. If they are truly meant for this type of magic, they will find their way here on their own," Aldric replied as he walked away.
"That old bastard annoys me, I'd love to stab him in the back," thought Zephyr as he disappeared in a blur of light.
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As the pulse faded away, Phaistos felt his connection with the magic of light intensify. He could sense the very definition of light much more distinctly.
Since the last time, he had realized that understanding an element could only be achieved by comprehending all its facets. Therefore, he attempted to immerse himself in the light from a new perspective.
He began by observing the interplay of light and shadow in the crystal garden where he was seated. Sunrays refracted through the crystals, creating a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. Phaistos focused on how the light broke apart and reassembled, contemplating how this fragmentation could symbolize the different aspects of the element.
He closed his eyes and visualized himself becoming a prism, allowing the light to pass through him and divide into its constituent colors. He sought to understand how each color, each nuance, represented a unique aspect of light and the magic it contained.
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As he woke up, he could feel something very peculiar. The barrier to his understanding had not weakened, but it had become stronger. He didn't understand why.
"This situation is really starting to drive me crazy. I hope I can ask someone for guidance tomorrow, because otherwise, I'm afraid I won't be able to stay at the academy. It's as if my magical core can't break through the barriers surrounding it," Phaistos thought.
He decided to take the test inside the training hall. After all, Miki had told him that it had given her a certain form of understanding of magic. He hoped it would be the same for him.
Nevertheless, when he arrived in front of the orb of light, he couldn't change the result he had gotten the day before. Fortunately for his morale, he could feel his connection to the orb of light becoming a bit stronger.
Discouraged but still ready to persevere, he headed toward the shuttle that would take him back to the main hall of the academy. Today, all five of them had agreed to meet at home.
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Arriving in front of their house, Phaistos found only Zara inside. While they waited for the others, they decided to discuss the progress they had made that day. After talking a bit about the plant and light elements, they remembered that they both shared the water element and were both stuck in its initial understanding.
As they discussed their understanding of the water element, they realized that they perceived it differently. This gave them both an intrinsic intuition about the path to follow to achieve a better understanding of their magic.
They hurried to their rooms to apply this theory in their meditation.