The Chromamancer Chronicles
Chapter One: Accidental Summons and a Luminary
The young man scratched the back of his head and sighed, closing the large, leather-bound tome he'd been reading for the past several hours. Yet another lonely day for this member of the Second Luminary Order. He honestly thought he'd at least make one friend when he joined the Order four years ago as a twelve year-old orphan. As it was, he found himself spending most of his days in the library. Though he did well in his classes, often receiving top grades in his assignments and tests, he couldn't help but feel that he was missing something. Walking through the hall back to his dormitory, he felt the strangest sensation and, looking down, he noticed a pitch-black hole open beneath him and, before he could react, the Adept fell through.
"Look at her," Kurumu said to Yukari as they observed Mizore, hiding in a bush, stalking Tsukune yet again. "Always stalking Tsukune like a lost kitten, what's with her?"
A Cheshire grin found its way onto Yukari's face. "I've got an idea," she said, with a giggle. "I've been working on a new spell and this is the perfect time to test it out! It'll scare the crap out of her!"
"A new spell, huh?" Kurumu replied with a grin of her own. "Guess all that mass that should've gone to your chest went to your brain, instead."
Ignoring the jab, for the moment, Yukari readied her wand. "Yukari Special," she intoned. "Summoning Surprise!"
A silent, pitch-black portal opened above and slightly behind the yuki-onna, who was still quietly watching the target of her adoration. Yukari's eyes widened to saucer-sized proportions, something had gone terribly wrong with her spell, this wasn't supposed to happen!
"What's wrong, Little Miss Genius?" Kurumu teased. "You look like someone just hit you with a cattle prod."
"My spell's not supposed to do that," Yukari said quietly, a hint of fear in her voice. "A portal like that only opens if a witch is summoning something living!"
As the last word left her mouth, something fell through the portal and it slammed shut. A young man landed on the ground, face-first. Rushing to the scene, all discretion forgotten, Yukari and a very surprised Kurumu and Mizore looked at who'd fallen through. He was still breathing, thankfully, and was clad in a long, brown robe-like coat, under which he was wearing baggy, orange pants and a long-sleeved shirt of the same colour, his brown leather boots were firmly planted in the ground, as was the rest of him. Turning him over gently as Tsukune and Moka rushed over to see what the commotion was, they saw a surprisingly young face, covered in dirt from his fall, with shoulder-length, brown hair.
"What was that?" Tsukune asked, alarmed at the massive thud he'd heard.
"I was..." Yukari began hesitantly. "I was trying to play a prank on Mizore with a new spell I made, and I accidentally summoned this guy, instead."
"Who is he-?" Moka began as the young man groaned and coughed.
"What the hell?" he said, wiping his face and opening his eyes and seeing several young women staring at him. "Whoa, um...what's going on here?"
Thinking quickly, Yukari asked, "Can you tell us your name?"
"Jacob," the Adept said, slowly raising an eyebrow. "Jacob Friedrich, Adept of the Second Luminary Order. Where am I? What happened?"
"I, um, may have accidentally summoned you," Yukari admitted, scratching her head nervously.
"This is some kind of prank, isn't it, an illusion?" Jacob said as he charged a pulse of Argia and Ykri power and sending it into the surrounding area. To his surprise, nothing happened. "It's not an illusion," he said, his eyes growing wider.
"What was that you just did?" Moka asked, shivering. "That silver light?"
"That was supposed to dispel this elaborate deception," Jacob said, the reality of his situation dawning on him. "Wait...you mean to tell me you don't know chromamancy when you see it? Where, exactly, am I? What world did I get dragged to?"
"Chromamancy?" Yukari asked, dumbfounded. "I've never heard of that kind of magic before. Are you sure you're alright?"
"I will be in a minute," Jacob said, channeling a small amount of Kurauri energy throughout his body, causing the scrapes and bruises to disappear. "That's better," he said with a relieved sigh, the aches and pains dissipating.
"It was purple, that time!" Yukari said in an oddly excited tone.
"Magenta," Mizore quietly corrected before seeing the bemused faces of her new friends, asking, "What?"
"I really hate to kill the mood," Jacob said, sitting up. "But, can you send me back home? I have my Mastery examination next week, and I really need to study."
Yukari winced. "I don't know if I can," she said, quietly embarrassed.
"Why not?" Kurumu demanded. "Just cast that spell again!"
"It's not that simple, you buxom buffoon!" Yukari answered angrily. "If I just cast the spell again, I could pull someone, or something, else from his world! I have no way of knowing what the results would be! It's not a simple matter of just reversing the spell, I wouldn't even know where to begin looking to find a way to undo this! The spell was just supposed to materialize something random, not bring something from another world!"
"Great," Jacob said, shaking his head. "Then again, I guess it couldn't get much worse than where I was before. I was almost done with my academy days, anyway, thankfully."
"Excuse me," the group heard behind them. "Miss Sendo?"
"M-Miss Nekonome!" Yukari stammered, heart pounding. "What a pleasant surprise, what brings you here?"
"Headmaster Mikogami is requesting your presence," Miss Nekonome said, frowning slightly. "As well as that of your...how'd he put it? 'New Friend?'"
"Oh no," Yukari said, her anxiety increasing dramatically as Tsukune and the others helped Jacob up.
"Is your friend able to walk?" Miss Nekonome asked, concerned.
"I'm fine," Jacob said as he got to his feet and dusted himself off. "Thank you for asking."
"Any time," Miss Nekonome said in a friendly tone. "Follow me, please."
As they walked, Yukari moved close to Jacob, the young witch burning with shame. "I'm really sorry," she whispered. "I had no idea my spell would do that, honest!"
"I believe you," he whispered back. "Like I said, this place can't be worse than where I came from. I had more conversation in the past few minutes than I have in the past four years."
Yukari looked up at Jacob with a mixture of pity and understanding. Until she met Tsukune and Moka, she was lonely, herself. Almost no one had so much as given her the time of day until she came to Yokai Academy and, even then, only after she'd spent a good deal of time antagonizing the older, less intelligent students. The trio rounded the corner and were standing in front of a set of large, wooden double doors. Next to them, on a wooden plaque, read the word "Headmaster." Without a word between them, Miss Nekonome opened the doors and walked into the room, the Witch and Adept trailing just behind her.
The Headmaster's office was a dark, but spacious area lit by only a few candles and the natural light coming in from the large window behind the Headmaster's desk. At the seat was a man clad in a white, hooded robe that obscured almost all of his face, with the exception of his mouth. The door, of its own accord, closed shut behind them.
"I hear, Miss Sendo," the Headmaster began, causing Yukari to practically jump out of her skin. "That you performed a spell today which summoned this young man to our world. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"It's my fault!" Yukari cried, practically throwing herself to the floor as she bowed. "I made a new spell and tried to use it to prank one of my friends, I had no idea that it'd backfire so badly!"
"Wait a minute," Jacob said, eyebrow raised. "How'd you find out so quickly, sir? I mean, I haven't even been here ten minutes, and I doubt this school's gossip network is that fast."
He could feel the Headmaster's gaze shift to him invisibly beneath the hood. "I am aware of many things," he said simply before turning back to Yukari. "I am also aware, Miss Sendo, that this was not your intent. However, the fact of the matter remains that you performed magic that was, at best, experimental without a clear understanding of what its results would be. That the results were not more dangerous than they appear to have been is fortunate, but you must realize the gravity of what you have done."
"I do, sir!" Yukari said, her bow unflinching. "Just, please, don't expel me! I'll take whatever punishment you deem necessary, but just please, don't ask me to leave Yokai!"
"I would not be so hasty," the Headmaster said slowly. "As to expel you. Not on a first offense, at any rate. As it is, I believe serving two weeks of detention after class with Miss Nekonome here will suffice to get my point across. There is, however, another matter."
"What to do with me," Jacob said in resignation.
"Indeed," the Headmaster replied. "I am, unfortunately, unaware of any way to send you back home. I can't send you into the human world you know nothing about while you're aware of this school's existence. That leaves only one option available, for the time being," his head raised an inch, the tip of his nose now visible. "I am hereby enrolling you at Yokai Academy as an...exchange student. Miss Nekonome," the Headmaster continued, turning to the cat-eared teacher. "Does your class have room for one more?"
"I've got plenty of room," Miss Nekonome said, a mixture of curiosity and joy in her voice. "I'd be glad to take him in with Mr. Aono and the others."
The Headmaster nodded and turned back to Jacob. "Is this acceptable to you?" he asked.
"I don't see how I have much of a choice," Jacob said with a sigh. "I assume I'll be living on-campus?"
"That you will."
"Then, I guess my situation could be a lot worse," Jacob replied, rubbing the side of his head. "Either way, thank you, Headmaster," he added with a bow, almost mimicking Yukari.
"You are most welcome," the Headmaster said, turning to Miss Nekonome. "I believe it would be best if you took Miss Sendo for her detention now, Miss Nekonome."
"But, who's going to show this young man to his room?" she responded, her ears twitching.
A faint grin found its way on to the Headmaster's lips as he pointed to the door, which flew open, revealing Tsukune and his friends, now in a state of shock and mild panic.
"Mr. Aono," the Headmaster said in a mildly amused tone, throwing him a key with a tag on it. "You are to escort our newest student to his dormitory."
"Y-yes sir!" Tsukune said, sweating bullets at being caught out.
"You are all dismissed," the Headmaster said with a small nod.
Yukari looked back, regretfully, at Jacob, an apologetic expression on her face, as she split with the group, following Miss Nekonome to her first day of detention. Jacob rubbed his temples, sighing. He had no idea what was happening in his life, anymore. Falling into a strange world, meeting weird people, being made a student at a boarding school, it was all coming so fast that his head was spinning by the time the group made their way outside.
"So," Kurumu began, moving closer to the newcomer. "You've told us your name, I guess we should introduce ourselves, I'm Kurumu Kurono."
"Oh yeah," Tsukune said, slapping himself on the forehead. "I knew I was forgetting something, sorry! I'm Tsukune Aono."
"And I'm Moka Akashiya," Moka said brightly.
"Lastly," Kurumu said, nodding towards Mizore. "The quiet little Ice Princess over there is Mizore Shirayuki."
"Thanks," Jacob said awkwardly. "It's...it's nice to meet you all."
"I really hope we get to be friends," Moka said happily. "I mean, if you want to. You seem nice."
"Wait," Jacob said, visibly taken aback. "What?"
"Would you like to be friends with us?" Tsukune offered as Moka shifted awkwardly.
"You want to be friends with me?" Jacob repeated, dumbstruck.
"Why not?" Moka said with a smile. "You might not know us well now, but I'm sure we could become friends!"
Jacob was now officially confused. He'd never had someone so bluntly offer to be his friend. The fact they were so genuine about it was shocking, and he had a hard time truly processing what was being offered. Friends. Friendship. A few minutes in another world, and he already had people offering to be his friends. This did not make sense. He knew what friend material was and he was certainly not it, the constant rejection the other Luminary students heaped on to him demonstrated that fact quite well. Then again, these people weren't from his academy. They were genuine.
"I," Jacob began, still struggling to process what was happening. "I...I'd like that. This is just...it's a lot to take in."
"That's okay," Tsukune said in a reassuring tone. "I know how you feel. I was really overwhelmed when I first came to Yokai Academy. But, I met Moka and she became my first real friend here. Since then, I've made friends with Kurumu, Yukari, Mizore, and we're all part of the Newspaper Club now."
"You should really join!" Kurumu said with a smile. "We could always use more reporters."
"Or another editor," Mizore said quietly. "I can't be the only one correcting all your errors, after all, Kurumu."
"What was that?" Kurumu said hotly. "You got somethin' to say to me, Snow Girl?"
"Just that your writing skills need work," Mizore replied simply.
"You take that back!" Kurumu said, her face turning pink with outrage. "My writing's awesome!"
"Calm down," Tsukune said with a nervous laugh. "I don't think Mizore said it to antagonize you, Kurumu."
"Don't think this is over, Ice Princess," Kurumu said with a light growl.
Jacob raised an eyebrow. These people were really strange.
"Say," Kurumu started, looking at Jacob. "What's a...a, what'd you call it? 'Luminary Order?'"
"We're a group dedicated to the study and development of chromamancy," Jacob said, repeating the line he'd had drilled into him his first year. "The Second Luminary Order was founded seven generations ago after an invasion of our world. Aspiring students join the order as Novices, and have to make their way through the ranks of Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, and Adept before they're allowed to take the exam to become certified as a Master of chromamancy."
"You said you were about to sit that exam, didn't you?" Moka asked, intrigued.
"That I was," Jacob said with a nod. "I'd already forged my Connection, I just needed to prove that I knew how to use it."
"Connection?" Tsukune asked. "Connection to what?"
"To the Plane of Light," Jacob responded. "The source of all chromic power."
"So, you aren't naturally connected to your power?" Mizore asked, turning to Jacob.
"Yes and no," Jacob replied, scratching his face. "It's...complicated. While living beings naturally have the sixteen crystal elements within them from birth, they aren't properly connected to the Plane of Light, and the Connection isn't forged until late into your Adept training. Before then, one typically draws lumen energy from the sun and moon, natural sources of abundant light."
"It certainly sounds complicated," Kurumu said with a slight wince. "How do you keep this all straight in your head? I mean, 'sixteen crystal elements?' How do you memorize them all?"
"By their effects," Jacob explained. "For example, the magenta light you saw me use was Kurauri, and its power is capable of healing and regenerating living things. The pulse you saw me use was a mixture of Ykri, light gray, and Argia, silver, surprise and flux, which can dispel most any magical illusion. Another good example is pink, Ruzova."
"What's that do?" Kurumu asked as they passed a wooded area with numerous large rocks.
"Let me show you," Jacob said, pausing and turning, walking to a particularly large boulder. Channeling a mixture of Ruzova and Tahara into his body, he grasped the boulder with one hand and, effortlessly, lifted it above his head and held it there for several seconds before placing it back into the hole it'd left in the ground.
"Whoa," Tsukune said, amazed. "That's awesome!"
"Wait a sec," Kurumu said, eyes wide. "This pink element, Rose or whatever, makes you super strong?"
"Ruzova is the element of strength," Jacob enumerated as he walked back. "I had to mix it with a bit of Tahara, the element of harmony, to get it to harmonize with my body properly, but it can amplify my strength by a great deal, depending on how much power I shunt into my body."
"Is there any limit to what this chromamancy stuff can do?" Kurumu asked as they neared the boys' dorm.
"There is," Jacob replied with a nod. "If I use too much power at once, I could burn myself out, basically damaging my Connection in a way that can only be healed with adequate rest and time. If I use too much at once, I could end up rupturing my Connection and destroying myself. I can strengthen my Connection with use, but I have to be careful. I've seen a few other Adepts burn themselves out, and I've heard them say it's like having your insides set on fire."
"Jeez," Kurumu said, visibly taken aback. "That's crazy."
"It's one of the reasons so many Adepts in my world use their power for mundane tasks like cooking and whittling," Jacob stated. "It works a lot like exercise: even small amounts of it can help make you stronger. Using your power for small tasks that you do every day makes your Connection stronger, bit by bit, and you're able to utilize more and more power."
"Well," Tsukune said as they reached the door to the boys' dorms. "Looks like we're here."
"I guess we'll see you guys later," Moka said awkwardly.
"Oh come on, Moka," Kurumu said throwing an arm around the young woman's shoulder. "I doubt they'll care if we're just in the hallway."
"It wouldn't be the first time," Mizore said quietly, a small blush creeping up her cheeks.
"Well, I mean," Moka began, shuffling in embarrassment. "It's the boys' dorms..."
"It'll be okay, Moka," Tsukune said kindly. "Besides, I think Jacob here would like the company."
"It hasn't bothered me, yet," Jacob allowed with a small smile. "I doubt it will anytime soon."
"If you say so," Moka said with a hesitant sigh before looking at Tsukune and going a bit pink.
"Huh," Tsukune said as they walked in, looking at Jacob's key. "Looks like your room is right across the hall from mine, that's convenient."
As they walked, Jacob got the feeling that he was being watched. Out of his periphery, he could see other students staring at him, their noses twitching. He was almost certain he heard a whispered comment about how he smelled like a human. He thought it odd that they'd notice or even care, but given the rather insane day he was having, he let it slide until he could speak privately with one of his...friends. That word still seemed so weird, to him.
"Here you are," Tsukune said, handing the key to Jacob and nodding towards the door adorned with a small plaque that already bore his name.
Unlocking the door and opening it, Jacob saw that his room was rather bare, not to mention unfamiliar.
"Man, they couldn't make this room more boring if they tried," Kurumu observed.
"All the empty boys' dorms are like this," Mizore said simply. "I think it's so their occupants have plenty of space to make it their own."
"Wait," Jacob said, turning towards Mizore. "How do you know that? I mean, I assume the building across from this one is the girls' dorms, so how would you know what an empty boy's dorm looks like?"
"I duck into them when I'm watching Tsukune," Mizore said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"She's a stalker," Kurumu whispered into Jacob's ear.
"I gathered as much," Jacob said, raising an eyebrow. "Still, I guess it could be a lot worse, so long as she doesn't steal his garbage. I knew a girl who did that to a guy once. Needless to say, when he found out, he was...decidedly not happy."
Just then, Kurumu's stomach let out a low rumble. "Aw man," she said, running a hand down her stomach. "I completely forgot about dinner, I'm starving! You guys wanna go grab something before the cafeteria closes?"
"After all of today's excitement," Tsukune began with an awkward laugh. "I'm getting kind of hungry, too."
"Then, it's settled," Kurumu said with a clap. "Let's go grab something to eat! Yahoo-hoo!"
Jacob closed and locked his door. He would deal with decor later. As it was, he was more than a little hungry, himself. He'd completely forgotten about time in the library, and his body was now soundly punishing him for skipping lunch, his stomach violently rebelling against its empty state, almost as if it were wanting to escape his body and hunt for food on its own. He laughed at the notion inside before catching himself. How long had it been since he'd done that? Months, at least. For that matter, had he ever been around people and been this comfortable? Wracking his brain, he couldn't find an instance in his life where that had been the case. People had always made him uneasy, but these people...the way they'd practically shoved themselves into his life, he ought to have protested, but he couldn't bring himself to countenance the thought, now. It was a strange feeling, acceptance. Jacob smiled. Maybe this accident would turn out to be a happy one. He'd already enjoyed the company of others longer in the short time he'd been in this world than the entirety of his academy years. He was shaken out of his thoughts by a voice coming from behind them as they walked outside, one he recognized.
"Hey, guys, wait up!" Yukari called, running towards them.
"Well, that was quick," Kurumu said with a laugh. "I expected you to stay there until bedtime!"
"How was it, Yukari?" Tsukune asked as they welcomed their friend back.
"It was a lot better than I thought," Yukari replied with a heavy sigh. "I got off really easy. As it was, Miss Nekonome assigned me a twenty page paper on techniques to blend in the human world due when my detention's over."
"Yeesh," Kurumu said with a wince. "That's a lot of writing."
"Compared to what I did," Yukari said, looking at Jacob apologetically. "I'll take it over being expelled, any day. Jacob," she continued, her tone full of regret. "I'm really, really sorry about all this! I promise, I'll find a way to get you back home."
"Please, don't," Jacob said with a heavy sigh. "I don't want to go back. Call it crazy, but I'm already liking this place better than the academy," he continued, lowering his voice to a whisper. "At least, here, people talk to me."
"Are you sure?" Yukari asked as they neared the cafeteria.
"I'm sure," Jacob replied, running his hands through his hair. "I'm pretty much a Master, already, I'm certain I'd have passed my examination without much trouble. The teachers there were alright, but...distant. I don't really have anything to go back to."
"Okay," Yukari said, unsure. "If you ever change your mind, let me know, and I'll do whatever I can to help. It's the least I can do."
"Thanks, Yukari," Jacob said with a nod. "I appreciate it."
The group split up momentarily when they entered the spacious cafeteria, and Jacob decided to just follow the one closest to him at the time: Mizore. The blue-haired young woman wasn't very talkative, but she didn't seem to mind his company. Always seemed to keep at least one eye on Tsukune, though.
"Hm?" Mizore said, turning to see Jacob behind her. "Why are you following me?"
"Honestly," Jacob said, shrugging awkwardly. "I just picked at random. Everyone seems to be going to their own thing, and I really don't know what this school's got in the way of food."
"I guess that makes sense," Mizore replied with a quick tilt of her head. "I'm heading to where they keep all the cold stuff."
"Sounds good," Jacob said, trying to shake the feeling that he was putting her out. "I...I hope you don't mind if I join you there. I like cold food, too, and well...look, I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable. I really did just choose at random."
"Huh?" Mizore said, turning to face Jacob fully. "Why would I be uncomfortable? Just don't block my view of Tsukune and we'll be fine."
"Just, I know it's kind of weird having someone follow you," Jacob said, hanging his head in shame. "I don't know where I'm going, around here, and I...I have a problem asking people for things."
"I don't mind," Mizore said, raising an eyebrow. "You're not in the way."
"Okay," Jacob said with another heavy sigh. "I hope they have something massive, I'm famished."
Walking over to the serving area, Jacob saw trays laden with a great deal of frozen confections. As Mizore picked up a particularly delectable-looking parfait, Jacob loaded a plate down with chilled fish and some odd, cold, round rice things wrapped in some strange, black plant. He had no idea what the latter was, but it smelled good and his teeth were almost grinding in anticipation as he made his way, just behind Mizore, to the table where the others were seated. As he sat down, Yukari gave him an odd look.
"Man," she said, her tone slightly awed. "That's a lot of food, Jacob. Does using your magic make you hungry really fast?"
"Oh, no," Jacob replied with an awkward laugh. "Just...your spell caught me around dinnertime and, well, I'd completely forgotten time in the library and accidentally missed lunch."
"I'm sorry," Yukari said quietly.
"Stop it," Jacob said in as friendly a tone as he could manage after downing several bits of cold fish. "It's not your fault, you had no way of knowing what'd happen. I already said you pretty much did me a favour, stop beating yourself up. If you really wanna repay me," he continued, holding up one of the strange rice things. "You can tell me what these are."
"You don't have sushi where you come from?" Yukari asked, slightly shocked. "Man, now I really do feel bad for you. Just eat it in one bite, I bet you'll like it."
"No time like the present," Jacob said, popping the bit of sushi into his mouth.
His eyes went wide. This was very good. The rice had a sweet, yet slightly vinegary taste to it, and the crunchy vegetables inside paired well with the bit of fish. The beast in his gut demanded more as he swallowed, and he happily obliged, popping another into his mouth.
"So," Tsukune said as Jacob swallowed his food. "What do you think?"
"That your world has better food than mine," Jacob said with a small laugh. "It's like something I'd make for myself, except better."
"You know how to cook?" Moka asked Jacob, intrigued.
"Basic food preparation was a required course at the academy," Jacob said after taking a large swig from his glass of water. "It was a good way to practice fine-tuning our control over crystal energy and life skills have been an important part of the curriculum since the academy was founded"
"Why'd you stay at that academy if you didn't like being there?" Kurumu asked suddenly.
"I didn't really have much choice," Jacob said with a shrug, finishing his plate. "Not many places are willing to take in orphans, where I come from, they just don't have the facilities."
Kurumu gulped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-" she said before Jacob put a hand up.
"It doesn't bother me," Jacob said, shaking his head. "At least, not anymore. I lost my parents when I was really little, so I don't remember them...well, at all, really. The academy took me in when I aced their entrance exam and it was at least somewhere where I had a room to myself. Back at the orphanage, I had to bunk with six other boys my age. That...didn't go well."
"Geez, that really bites," Kurumu replied, wincing slightly.
"Well," Tsukune offered. "At least you're here now, and you've got friends in us, right?"
"That's right!" Moka chimed in happily. "You don't have to be alone, if you don't want to."
"Thanks, guys," Jacob said with a small, but genuine smile. "It means a lot. I may not have known you all for even a day, but I already like you more than anyone else I've ever known."
"Man, I'm tired," Kurumu said as she stretched and yawned after a few companionably quiet minutes. "Today really wiped me out."
Checking his watch, Tsukune nodded in assent. "Yeah, I think it's about that time for me, too," he said with a small yawn.
The group got up and exited the cafeteria, the staff in the middle of closing up shop for the day. The night air had a crispness to it that felt good on Jacob's skin. Without even thinking, he charged his eyes with a small amount of Nila energy, banishing a good deal of the shadows from his own vision. He'd completely forgotten that they gave his eyes a slight blue glow.
"Hm, blue," Mizore said, her gaze momentarily fixed on Jacob.
"Huh?" Tsukune said, turning to the yuki-onna.
"His eyes are a glowing blue," Mizore said simply, pointing towards Jacob, making the young man feel eminently self-conscious.
"Is something the matter?" Tsukune asked Jacob, his tone slightly worried.
"Crap, sorry, it's just a reflex, at this point," Jacob replied, rubbing the back of his head. "I charge my eyes with a little Nila energy when I'm in the dark, it helps me see better."
"Really?" Yukari asked in a fascinated tone, pointing toward the dark forest. "You can see out there?"
"About as well as I can during the day," Jacob replied with a nod. "The academy had a lot of dark corridors. Now that I think about it, that was probably intentional."
"Can you use that magic on others?" Tsukune asked.
"It takes a bit more power to project, but yeah," Jacob said as he waved his hand in front of him.
Tsukune's vision shined for a moment before settling down. As he turned towards the forest, it looked almost as if he were seeing it at midday. "Whoa, that's cool!" he said in an awed tone. "It really is as clear as day!"
"Do me next!" Yukari said, bounding forward to match Jacob's stride.
Another wave of his hand, and the young witch's eyes had a minor blue glow to them, as well. "Wowwwww," she said. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was noon!"
A few minutes later, and everyone but Moka's eyes had a blue glow to them. When Jacob offered to do it for her, she put her hands up and said, "Oh, no thank you! I can see just fine in the dark."
"Really?" Jacob said quizzically. "Is it full colour, or just black-and-white?"
"Just black-and-white," Moka replied with a small smile. "But, I can still see into the forest for a good distance. It's one of the nice things about being a vampire."
"Wait a sec," Jacob said, stopping in his tracks. "You're a vampire?"
"Oh no," Moka said, covering her mouth. "I revealed my monster identity outside of class! Please, don't tell Miss Nekonome!"
"Oh big deal, Moka," Kurumu said with a wave of her hand. "Everybody breaks that rule. I'm a succubus."
"Yuki-onna," Mizore said, raising her hand. "Or snow woman."
"And I'm a witch!" Yukari said with a small hop. "Of course, you already knew that!"
"You mean to tell me that you're all monsters?" Jacob said before running his hands through his hair. "And I thought this day couldn't possibly get any weirder."
"You're not a monster?" Kurumu asked Jacob, tilting her head slightly, an odd hint of apprehension in her voice.
"I may be a chromamancer, but I'm still human," Jacob said evenly. "Honestly, I don't really mind if you're all monsters, it's just another layer of weirdness onto the surreal cake that is this freaking day, but honestly, I'm more than happy with what I've gotten out of it, so far."
"I guess it's kind of like how witches are still biologically human, but have magical powers like monsters," Yukari said, looking at her wand.
"Just so long as you aren't an egghead like our little resident witch," Kurumu said, a friendly jab at Yukari.
"Most Luminary Adepts who started at the age I did are in their twenties by the time they're ready for the Mastery exams," Jacob responded easily. "I'm only sixteen. Of course, I didn't really have as many...distractions as my peers, so that probably contributed to my quick advancement through the ranks."
"Great, another genius," Kurumu groused.
"Look at it this way, Kurumu," Moka began diplomatically. "Now we've got one more person who can help out in our study group!"
"I guess you're right," Kurumu said with a sigh. "So long as you're good at math. I suck at it."
"I don't really know how your world advances through math for its students," Jacob began, rubbing his chin. "But, I was doing rather well in my calculus class."
"Calculus?!" Kurumu cried.
"Wow!" Yukari said, clutching her wand closely. "I've only just started with that! It's really difficult, I'm still trying to wrap my head around derivatives!"
"Great," Kurumu said loudly, placing her hand on her forehead dramatically. "Of all the people you could've summoned, squirt, you summoned someone that's an even bigger nerd than you!"
"I take it that calculus isn't on the curriculum, this year," Jacob said, raising an eyebrow.
"No way!" Kurumu said, her eyes wide. "We're just doing geometry, this semester. Calculus isn't until our last semester at Yokai!"
Jacob scratched his head nervously. He was just being honest, he'd always been good at math. Inwardly, he became worried that his tendencies would create some kind of unrecoverable rift between him and his new friends. Shaking himself, he tried as best as he could to disabuse himself of that notion. After all, if they were friends with Yukari, and she was apparently rather intelligent for being so young, or at least young-looking, then there was still hope for him. He and Tsukune bid the girls a good night as they stopped at the ladies' dorms, leaving just the two of them alone to walk to the boys' dorms.
"Don't let Kurumu get to you," Tsukune said in a friendly tone. "I know she sounded disappointed, but I think she was just teasing you a little, she does it with all of us."
"That obvious, huh?" Jacob said with a heavy sigh. "Just...I know a lot of people are turned off by people who like math and stuff."
"Don't worry about it," Tsukune replied as they walked to their rooms. "Honestly, I think you'll fit in just fine with us. I was really scared and lonely when I first came to Yokai Academy, away from all the friends I'd made in junior high. But, then one by one, I met Moka and the girls and we've had a lot of fun. It's been scary, at times, but honestly, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it here."
"You talked about a Newspaper Club earlier," Jacob said, wanting to change the subject to something slightly more comfortable. "Is that offer...still on the table?"
"Huh?" Tsukune responded before a light clicked on in his head. "Oh, yeah! In fact, Miss Nekonome is our sponsor. I'll introduce you to our club president, Ginei Morioka, after class tomorrow. He's a bit on the strange side, but he's a really good guy."
"Thanks, Tsukune," Jacob said as they approached their doors. "I hope it's not too much if I ask you to wake me up for class tomorrow. I have no idea when it starts or where to go."
"Sure thing!" Tsukune said, holding out his hand, which Jacob took and shook with a smile on his face. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jacob!"
"Likewise," Jacob replied with a nod.
As he closed and locked the door behind him, Jacob slumped to the floor. He had no idea what was happening. Maybe he'd fallen asleep and died in the library, and this was all just a last, fevered dream before oblivion. Maybe he'd wake up and his life would be back to its normal, depressing self. If that were true, he didn't want to wake up. He never wanted to wake up, not from something this good. Fallen into a strange world, making friends who accepted him right off the bat. He put his face in his hands and curled up.
"Please," he begged, crying. "Don't let this be a dream. I don't want to wake up. Please, let this be real."
Jacob had no idea how long he sat there, tears streaming down his face as he silently begged the empty room to not collapse around him, revealing all this to be an illusion. Eventually, the tears stopped and his breathing evened out. Getting up, his bones aching in protest as he did, he removed his dirty clothes and placed them nearby, planning to clean them tomorrow. Looking at himself in the mirror on his closet door, he applied Vadali energy to his body, the cyan vortex drawing in the moisture from the air around him, washing away all the dirt he'd accumulated from his fall, channeling it into a mixture of Kitrino and Ykri, the yellow-gray light safely disposing of the filth. After a few minutes, he was finally clean from head to toe. Feeling slightly refreshed, he opened the closet and saw several sets of clothes identical to the one Tsukune and the other boys he'd seen wearing. Laying out the nearest uniform near his bed, Jacob crawled in and, before he even knew what had happened, he was asleep.
If anyone asked Jacob what he dreamed about, that night, he would tell them he hadn't a single clue. For all he knew, he hadn't dreamed at all. The next thing he knew, Tsukune had knocked on his door, telling him it was time to get ready for class. Rolling over sleepily, it took more than a few moments for Jacob to remember what had transpired, yesterday. Quietly cheering to himself, he grabbed a pair of undergarments from the small drawer near his closet, how this room had been stocked with everything in his measurements was beyond him, but the uniform also fit quite well. It was real. It'd all been real! Grabbing the books and writing implements that had been left out for him on his nightstand, Jacob got to his door and, closing and locking it behind him, came face-to-face with Tsukune.
"Good morning," he said brightly, his hair still slightly damp from the shower. "Did you sleep well, last night?"
"I'm not dead on my feet," Jacob replied with a yawn and a stretch. "So, I'd say I slept well enough. Can't remember any dreams I had, though. Not that I mind, really."
"I had a dream Moka was chasing me around, trying to dress me up in doll clothes," Tsukune said with a laugh as they walked down the hallway. "It wouldn't have been half as bad as it was, were she not chasing me around with a frilly, pink dress!"
"That sounds positively terrifying," Jacob said with a joking shiver. "Though, it does make you wonder what you'd look like if she got to choose your outfit for a day."
"Don't give her any ideas," Tsukune said, laughing. "I'd probably end up in a tuxedo or something!"
"Don't give who any ideas?" they heard from behind as they walked outside. Turning, they saw the smiling face of Moka. "Who's dressing you up?"
"Tsukuneeeeeeee!"
A moment later, Tsukune was on the ground, Kurumu on top of him, rubbing her chest in his face. Jacob went red at the rather...overt display of affection going on before him. That was, until Kurumu was suddenly frozen into a block of ice. Jacob helped Tsukune up and Mizore appeared from above them, falling quietly to the ground as Kurumu thawed.
"Thanks," Tsukune said to Jacob as he dusted himself off. "Usually, she waits until after breakfast to jump on me."
"This happens a lot?" Jacob asked curiously.
"Tsukune is my Destined One," Kurumu announced loudly. "I'll use every asset I've got," she added, stretching in such a way as to show off her ample...assets. "To make him mine!"
Jacob didn't really have a response to that. He knew that they were friends, but that was far more friendly than he'd thought they were. Thinking on it, were all these girls attracted to Tsukune? Moka was staring jealously at Kurumu, Mizore's gaze was almost totally fixed on Tsukune, and Yukari, who'd just arrived, practically leapt on to Tsukune. As Moka objected, Yukari invited her to join in, and Jacob was even more confused. In a way, he envied Tsukune. Aside from Yukari, who looked entirely too young for him to consider her such, Tsukune had drawn three attractive young women to him. On the other hand, Tsukune seemed to be rather perturbed by the whole ordeal.
"So, um," Jacob said, moving closer to Tsukune. "Is it always like this?"
"Yeah," Tsukune said, sighing theatrically. "Yeah, it is."
"If you ever want me to make you invisible," Jacob offered quietly. "Just ask. Give you some time to yourself."
"You don't think I'm lucky?" Tsukune asked, taken aback at Jacob's offer.
"Don't get me wrong, I do envy you," Jacob admitted. "But, at the same time, I can see where all this...attention could get a bit tiring, on occasion."
It was Jacob's turn to have daggers stared at him by Moka. Apparently, the idea of him making Tsukune invisible was an act of base betrayal. Jacob put his hands up, a peace offering Moka accepted with a pout, as if telling him to never suggest such things again. Not wanting to get on the bad side of an admitted monster, Jacob resolved to only suggest things like that while they weren't around; he had no idea how powerful Moka was, and decided it was best not to provoke her, even if he knew she wouldn't do any lasting harm. Eventually, everything simmered down and the group made their way, as peaceably as could be managed, to Miss Nekonome's class.
"Aah, our new student!" Miss Nekonome said, clapping her hands together happily. "Perfect timing! Let's introduce you to the class!"
"Lead the way," was all Jacob could say, his heart beating slightly faster as he entered the room.
"Everyone," Miss Nekonome called out when she reached her desk. "This," she continued, motioning towards Jacob. "Is our newest student! He's a foreign exchange student, so let's give him a proper Yokai Academy welcome!"
"My name," Jacob began, sensing his cue and nodding his head respectfully to the class. "Is Jacob Friedrich, and I'm pleased to meet you all."
The class' greeting was a mixture of curiosity and mild acceptance. Mentally, Jacob shrugged. He'd gotten far worse receptions before.
"If you won't mind, Mr. Friedrich, I'd like you to sit in the empty chair between Ms. Shirayuki and Mr. Aono," Miss Nekonome said politely, pointing to the empty spot between his new friends.
Quirking an eyebrow at the rather convenient location, Jacob took his seat without protest.
As Miss Nekonome began writing on the board, Mizore leaned in close and whispered to Jacob, "Could you scoot back, slightly? I can't see Tsukune completely."
Jacob couldn't help but crack a small smile at the request, with which he compiled and for which he was quietly thanked. Mizore was obviously quite taken with Tsukune. Honestly, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous of his friend. It wasn't just the general female attention he got, though that was cause to be a bit green, but for some reason, it was Mizore's fascination with Tsukune that made him a twinge more jealous than the others. Could he be attracted to her? He'd always liked short hair and blue eyes. Sadly, and more than a little ruthlessly, he quashed that notion. She was attracted to Tsukune, that much was very obvious, he'd lost the proverbial game before it'd even begun. Besides, it wasn't like she'd be interested in him, anyway, even if she wasn't so plainly drawn to his friend. Inwardly sighing, he took solace in the fact that at least he had friends. Romance wasn't an option, for him. That much had been made quite evident throughout his life.
"Today, class," Miss Nekonome said, tapping the board. "We're going to further our discussion on how to blend into the human world and, more specifically, how to dress yourself! As you know, human clothing follows certain trends. This can be quite difficult for monsters to work with, especially those whose normal forms don't permit them to wear normal clothing. However, we can find out current trends in the human world and adapt ourselves accordingly, if we just pay attention to their media!"
With that, Miss Nekonome pulled down a shade from above the board that had pictures of people in...remarkably strange attire. Not wholly undesirable, at least in Jacob's opinion, but it was obvious that fashion in his world was very different. Then again, he'd never really been one for trends and fashion, the clothes the academy had provided him had been more than adequate. Looking up at the pictures, Jacob immediately picked out the outfit he preferred: a simple, black shirt with short sleeves and a pocket, and durable-looking, light blue pants.
"Mr. Friedrich," Miss Nekonome called out. "If you were to choose one of these outfits, which would you choose and why?"
"The one with the short-sleeved, black shirt and light blue pants," Jacob answered easily. "It's mostly personal preference. They look reasonably comfortable and serviceable."
"It seems like you've got an eye for the inconspicuous!" Miss Nekonome said happily. "While not as popular here in Japan, blue jeans and a tee-shirt are considered normal attire for a wide variety of casual human functions! It doesn't hurt that they've been in style for a long time! What about you, Miss Akashiya?"
"Um," Moka said, a finger on her lip. "I've always liked woman's suits, in the human world. I just...think they look nice."
"More the executive type, huh?" Miss Nekonome said with a friendly smile. "That's not a bad choice, either, though! Suits are, while not always strictly expected, preferred during formal occasions in the human world like business meetings and banquets!"
Miss Nekonome went around the class, asking each person what they preferred and explained exactly what area they'd be able to use their chosen clothing to best blend in the human world. Apparently, sleeveless shirts were mostly expected of bodybuilders and beach goers while dresses were considered quite formal. Jacob also learned what kimonos were, and decided right then and there that he quite liked them, going by the picture of the woman wearing it that Miss Nekonome had put up. He also learned that cultural customs and dress varied about as much here as it did in his old world. Nations to the west, places called "America" and "Europe" apparently had far more relaxed dress standards than in Japan, where he learned he was. All in all, it had been an extremely informative class, and not just for the reason of enabling Jacob to look normal when he eventually went out into the world beyond Yokai Academy. Slowly, he was learning about the world at large, and he was beginning to develop a picture in his mind of where he was and how he might fit into it. The bell rang, signaling the end of class and Tsukune invited him to join the rest of them on the way to the Newspaper Club to see if their president, this Ginei Morioka, would permit him to join.
"Hey, Gin," Tsukune called as he opened the door to their meeting place. "I've got someone that's interested in joining our club!"
"A new recruit, huh?" Ginei said, turning around to face them. "Aww, man, another dude? Wait, I haven't seen you around Yokai, are you that new guy I heard about?"
"Is the gossip network around here that efficient?" Jacob asked, raising his eyebrows in astonishment. "I only got here yesterday."
"Hard to miss stories about a guy in a weird brown-and-orange getup wandering around school with members of my club," Ginei said, his grin more than a little smug. "Besides, I wouldn't be the Newspaper Club's president if I didn't have a nose for news," he continued, placing his hand on his chin. "I think we might have a place for you, here, but only if you get a good story sometime this week. Can't have people who don't do their fair share of the work around here."
"Fair enough, thank you," Jacob said with a small bow, something he'd learned as he watched other students interacting with upperclassmen. "Is it okay if I have help in getting it? I really don't know my way around here very well, yet."
"That's fine!" Ginei said in a friendly tone. "Just because I ask you to work doesn't mean you have to do everything by yourself! Of course, you'd have to tell me your name, too. I need it to keep roll."
"Oh, of course," Jacob said, mentally smacking himself for not doing a proper introduction. "My name's Jacob Friedrich."
"Cool!" Ginei said, writing Jacob's name on to a scrap of paper he pulled from his pocket. "So, Jacob, where ya from? From your name, I'm guessing somewhere out West."
"I'm-" Jacob began, thinking as quickly as he could before Ginei turned to Yukari, who'd just turned bright red.
"You know something, don't you?" Ginei said in an affable tone.
"I'm not on trial here!" Yukari protested, crossing her arms.
"That's not what I heard," Ginei said, a slightly predatory look on his face. "I heard you got detention for something you did yesterday evening. Actually, now that I think about it, it was around the time I heard about Jacob here being seen around campus. You can't tell me that's a coincidence!"
"What's your game?" Kurumu demanded, moving in on Ginei. "Interrogating one of your own club members! You've got some nerve!"
"It's not an interrogation!" Ginei said defensively. "I promise! It's more of an interview, if anything! A new student popping up in strange clothes, one of Yokai's best and brightest getting detention when she'd barely even been punished for attacking Tsukune and a bunch of other students? My reporter's instinct is going nuts, right now!"
Yukari moved everyone into the room and shut the door, sighing and putting her hand on her forehead. "You wanna know," Yukari said, exasperated. "Fine, but don't you dare put any of this in the newspaper or no amount of werewolf speed in the world will keep me from hitting you so hard, you end up in the hospital, you understand me?"
"You have my word as the Newspaper Club president and as a friend," Ginei said, placing his hand over his chest. "Now, spill!"
"Tch, ungrateful jackass," Kurumu said in a huff.
"Last night," Yukari began after taking a deep breath. "I saw Mizore spying on Tsukune from behind a bush. I thought it'd be a funny idea to prank her with a new spell I'd worked out the day before. Turns out, the spell doesn't materialize random things, but actually opens a portal and brings something through from another world."
"You mean to tell me," Ginei said, falling theatrically back into a chair. "That Jacob's not some European exchange student, but a guy you accidentally brought here from another world entirely?"
"That's the long and short of it," Yukari said before looking Ginei straight in the eyes. "There, now you know! I find even a word of this in the newspaper, Gin, I'm ending you."
"Believe me," Gin said with a wave of his hand. "The last thing I'd do is publish this in the Times. People would hound this guy day and night, and likely the rest of us, too, for being connected to him. Jacob," Ginei said, turning to the young man. "I'm just going to say that you're a German exchange student and the Headmaster made a special exception for you to come here to study at Yokai because of your grades. That sound good?"
"That sounds fine," Jacob said, running the idea through his head. "But, why would the Headmaster need to make an exception for me?"
"Because, normally," Ginei said, his face turning rather serious. "Monsters aren't allowed to even visit other countries unless they're adults with special permits. Exchange students are extremely rare, especially coming in from the West."
"Sounds like I'll be hounded no matter what I do," Jacob said, visibly distraught at the thought.
"Not nearly as much as if we told the whole truth," Ginei replied. "A lot of Japanese students are suspicious of foreigners, I've heard the same is true in the human world, too. I hate to say it, but I'd be careful, if I were you. Some people aren't going to take your presence here very well."
"Thanks for the heads up," Jacob responded, feeling a bit queasy.
"So long as you've got a decent monster power," Ginei said, his voice picking up some of its previous energy. "You shouldn't have too much trouble."
"My magic should be able to get me through the worst of it, I think," Jacob admitted.
"Magic?" Ginei asked, his unbridled curiosity returned in full force. "Like a witch?"
"Guess it can't hurt to tell you," Jacob said quietly to himself before speaking normally. "All I ask is that this doesn't get out. Call me a witch or whatever, but if I'm going to be accosted for being a foreigner, I want at least some kind of advantage."
"Technically," Ginei said slyly. "The Yokai Times isn't supposed to mention people's monster identities, so I don't have to print squat about whatever power you've got."
"That's good to know," Jacob said, relieved. "To make a long story...slightly less long, I'm a chromamancer, an Adept of the Second Luminary Order. I've forged a Connection to another plane which allows me to utilize the powers of the sixteen colours of crystal energy at will."
"He can make himself really strong with the pink kind!" Kurumu said excitedly. "We saw it for ourselves, his body started to glow pink, and he picked up this huge boulder!"
"I assume the other colours of this crystal energy stuff have their own kind of powers?" Ginei asked, unable to help himself.
"Yeah," Jacob replied. "I can use green, Kijani, to affect nature and natural things like plants. Magenta energy, Kurauri, can be used to heal wounds and mend broken bones. Portokali, orange, is the element of fire, and so on. I can mix them together to form useful spells and abilities when I need them."
"That sounds like a cool light show," Ginei said in a friendly tone. "I doubt you'll have much problem from people out to harass you, then. The ones that typically cause the most trouble are the weaker monsters who feel they have something to prove."
"Still," Jacob said quietly. "I'd really rather not get in trouble for hurting another student, even if they did deserve it."
"I wouldn't worry about it," Kurumu interjected. "There's rules here at Yokai for self-defense. You wouldn't get in trouble for standing your ground if you got attacked."
"And besides," Ginei said, pointing his thumb at himself. "If anyone give you any trouble, you can always come to one of us! Members of the Yokai Academy Newspaper Club look out for eachother, don't we, guys?"
The firm agreement from everyone present buoyed Jacob's spirits a great deal. He was worried that he wouldn't be accepted into the club, and that he'd drift apart from his new-found friends as they pursued their own interests. But, it seemed that there were a lot more friendly people at Yokai Academy than there were at his own. Jacob rolled the thought around in his head a bit. Then again, during the last 18 months he'd spent within the academy's walls, he'd basically given up on social interaction. What was the point? The only thing he'd ever gotten out of it, when he did pursue such things, were pain, disappointment, and betrayal. Looking around at the people who had so willingly and easily offered to be his friends, Jacob decided right then and there that he'd do anything for these people, even lay down his own life, if he had to. If anyone hurt them, they'd have to answer to him. He might not know them well, yet, but Jacob already knew he liked them. Seemingly from nowhere, he felt another small twinge of jealousy towards Tsukune. It wasn't hard to see why: somehow, Tsukune had ended up in the eye of three attractive girls, as well as one that looked...way too young to even think about that kind of thing, and had earned the friendship of someone as friendly as Ginei Morioka. Of course, Jacob understood why this was, as well. Tsukune, from what he'd seen, was a very friendly person, willing to accept people as they were.
Author's Notes
Like IV, this one took…a lot of writing. Not surprising, as the chapter itself is just over 20,000 words! Yes, this is a new story by yours truly and I'm doing something slightly different. While I can't list it as a crossover, for technical reasons, this story is technically a crossover with a universe from a bit of original work I've been trying to get my head around. Hopefully, this should help that process a little and provide some more entertainment for you folks out there in the peanut gallery.
For those who are wondering, Jacob's power (and, indeed, the magic of his entire world) is based off of the Minecraft mod, ChromatiCraft (by one Reika Kalseki). I've taken a few liberties with how certain things work with regard to chromamancy, but I've tried to keep the core (especially the crystal elements, themselves) as intact as humanly possible while working to make things more interesting from a storytelling standpoint. My goal for this story is to have at least 20k words for every chapter, like IV and its 10k, so I have a lot of room to not only fill in with interesting events, but also to slowly incorporate and reveal parts of Jacob's home world and its history, as well as the limits (if there are any) of his abilities.
I know some folks out there are probably wondering what, exactly, happened to the timeline of Rosario+Vampire in this whole thing. Well, here's the deal: I started writing this whilst rewatching the anime series. I know, cardinal sin and very easy mistake to make, but by the time I'd read the manga, I was already about halfway through this chapter and really didn't want to go back and edit everything, because that would mean a tonne of editing. So, this story takes place in a sort of mish-mash timeline that starts out more anime, but will eventually end up shifting more towards the manga timeline as the story progresses. So, no need to worry, things like Fairy Tale are going to make an appearance! They were too good to keep out and I'm actually kind of disappointed the anime didn't go that route, because it was cool as hell.
Anywho, that's about it for this, the first chapter of the fic! OH! I almost forgot! There's a new thing! Head down to Reddit and look up /r/hagunemnons_stories! Yes, I have created a subreddit for you guys to talk about things and even talk about your own stuff, if you so please! Just please, keep it civil. I'd really rather not have to whack people. I'll have a link up on my profile shortly after posting this, so keep a lookout! With all that said, I'll catch you guys later for Chapter Two of The Chromamancer Chronicles, A Master and the Human World! Take care!
[ADDENDUM 13 September 2016]
So, here's the skinny. I'm leaving the notes for the previous version of this chapter intact for posterity. However, as Qinlongfei pointed out, I kind of goofed up making the first chapter so damned long. It takes what should be a, at most, medium-sized read and stretches it out way, way too long. Thanks to his kind, yet frank input, I see that I may have been trying to substitute quantity for quality. As such, my new target for my chapters will hover around 7,500-10,000 words: substantive, but not enough to make reading every chapter a slog. It'll also let me release things in a more timely fashion, since 20,000 words is kind of insane.
As such, consider this the official version of Chapter One, with the second half the official Chapter Two, with a different title than I'd said earlier: An Adept and His Friends. Also of note, I've begun writing an outline for this story's overall plot, as well. Again, many thanks to Qinlongfei for pointing out that some of my ideas might have been a little…poorly thought out. I'll check you guys next time! Take care!
