Soul Transmigration Chapter 4 (original chapter Chapter 102)
One Month Later
The first month of the term after acquiring my unusual dual core was surprisingly laid back. All of what we learned was theory, accompanied by practical demonstrations. This was because, in addition to creating our cores, the crystal we swallowed created metaphysical 'veins' leading from our cores, located in the center of our chests, to the palms of our hands.
A mage's most important limbs, aside from their heads, were their arms. With both arms, we could cast both efficiently and quickly. With one arm, our casting speed would be halved. With no arms…well, we wouldn't be able to cast, point blank. It was for this reason that maiming mages' arms was strictly forbidden universally, unless it was someone who practiced one of the Forbidden Spheres; in that case the main object of any spellcasting was to hack their arms off ASAP.
I had gotten to know most of my classmates fairly well in that time, with the exceptions of Sophia (as you'd expect; the girl did hate nobles) and Dragon. Teresa Richter held herself apart unless it was absolutely necessary to interact with her classmates for a discussion. Even then, it was strictly on-topic. Any attempt to draw her out of her shell made her clam up faster than a nun under a vow of silence.
The Richter family were Earls as well, noted for their contributions to the magical research of the Kingdom of Sirius and for their key role in acting as the guardians of the isle directly north of the Capital. Earl Andrew Richter was currently dying of an unknown ailment in his castle at Abaddon's Grief. This might explain why Dragon isn't as…gregarious as she could be; assuming that her father wasn't a complete bastard like he was back on Earth Bet, it was only natural to be withdrawn about her father dying.
Emma and I were getting on great; my initial wariness had fallen and it was…nice…to have her as a friend. This Emma was stronger than her alternate on Earth Bet had been, mentally speaking, so it was good that I was able to separate the two in my mind. I would have missed out on a good friend if I hadn't.
Lily was getting no OK with us, but she hung out with Sophia a lot of the time, which meant she was somewhat distant to the rest of our classmates. Fine by me; if she wants to deal with Sophia, let her. Rather her than me.
As for my last roommate…well, she was…different. Compared to Amy Dallon, Amelia Lavere was a lot more confident and self-assured, as well as not stressed to death because of overwork and an Aura-induced crush on her 'sister' Glory Girl. Amelia was also very clam and in control, frequently hanging back to observe our classmates with a calculating gaze.
I eventually got out of her that Marquis had negotiated a deal with the Headmaster of the Academy to allow Amelia to attend in exchange for several items of interest that the Pirate Lord had in his possession. Exactly what they were, I had no idea, but they had to be something important and special to persuade the staff here to listen to the request of an attempted regicide.
No one was outright hostile to her, but a lot of them were wary of her. Vicky Dallon ignored her completely, which was surreal to me. Just about the only people who talked to her on a frequent basis, professors aside, were Emma and I.
It was about this that she talked to me after class one day when we were alone.
"You really are quite a conundrum." She said as I wrote. We were in our room and I was finishing up the homework we had been issued. Like back in my original world, I liked to keep on top of it.
"How so?" I asked as I finished the last sentence and looked up at her lounging on her bed.
"You talk to me without caring about my father." She stated bluntly.
"Unless you're the Pirate Marquis under the most thorough and complete disguise spell in existence, I fail to see what makes talking to you odd." I said dryly.
Amelia threw me a disbelieving look. "My father is rebelling against the crown and has raided ships and islands for supplies hundreds of times. Merely getting to know me will make you look suspicious in the eyes of the kingdom."
"I doubt that somehow." I shook my head. "The entire class is 'getting to know you' through proximity if nothing else. Will the Crown really be suspicious of an entire class of nobles and commoners simply because you were nearby? I highly doubt it."
The look of frustration on the usually in-control girl's face was interesting. "But why are you talking to me so easily?!" she hissed.
I blinked at her. "You aren't your father. The sins of the father do not extend to his offspring. It wouldn't be fair."
"The famous Hebert fair play at hand, is it?" the Pirate scion asked skeptically.
That remark made me roll my eyes at her. My family was reputed to be highly honorable and scrupulously fair, even to our own disadvantage at times. There was a grain of truth to it; we didn't play down our income to try and alleviate our taxes and we did serve when called upon by the kingdom without trying to get out of it unless our duty dictated otherwise. Still, we were human.
"The Taylor Hebert sense of fair play, yes." I informed her with a shrug. "I am more than my family name, Amelia. Just like you are more than your father's daughter. How we come into the world doesn't matter; what does is how we choose to live our lives once we are here. Nobles can be forces for good or evil, the same applying to commoners. I prefer to see how people act before judging them, rather than doing so based solely on what their family does or who is related to them."
Amelia stared at me with wide eyes, apparently unable to believe what I was saying. Damn, when had I inherited a good version of Lisa's powers? I hope that wasn't too mature for a twelve-year-old…
"You really are a conundrum." The girl shook her head as she spoke at last. "I don't think I've ever met someone as interesting as you in my whole life, which takes some doing considering who my father is."
"I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult…" I said with a sigh.
After that, Amelia and I got on a bit better.
That was three weeks after the Crystal Cores were created. It was now the fourth week and we were now finally ready to use basic, simple spells. As such, this would be the last week that we would be taught by Master Clarke. Kind of a shame as he's a good teacher. He doesn't take any shit from people, doesn't have favorites and is tough but fair with everyone.
"Now class, you have all been waiting anxiously for the chance to cast magic." Master Clarke said from the front of the classroom. "And, much to my relief and surprise, none of you have tried to cast any magic. Thank you for making my job easier, children."
A few people giggled.
"Anyway…today I will demonstrate the most absolute basic spells known to all Mages. Then I will call a volunteer to the front to practice using the spells." He continued before holding one hand up, index finger extended. "First off…Spirit of Light, come to my hand. Shine light, shine bright. [Little Light]!"
Atop the tip of his finger an orb of light about the size of a walnut appeared.
"This spell, [Little Light], is technically of the Sphere of Light, but it is not in any way difficult to use, even for those such as myself who have no skill in the Sphere of Light." Master Clarke stated. "It can illuminate your immediate surroundings, up to about a meter away in total darkness and more if it's twilight."
Snapping his fingers, he dispersed the light. "Dismissing it is as simple as cutting the flow of magical power to it. Before I go any further, I should explain about chanting. The chants and incantations that we use are basically a way to focus our minds onto the effect that we wish to create with our magical power. Magical power flows like water naturally, but we generally keep it locked up in our Cores most of the time. By speaking the words and willing our magical power to flow, the 'gates' on the core open up and release magical power through the veins and out of our hands, creating the effect if our focus and will are sufficient for the spell. Weak spells such as [Little Light] require almost no willpower and only a small amount of focus. As you rise in the Circles of a Sphere, the amount you will need of focus, willpower and magical power will steadily rise."
The Will and the Word? I think I remember reading a book that had a magic system like that…
"The next two spells are the ones that all Mages NEED to know for self-protection, even if you choose to become a Support Mage." Master Clarke said sternly. With a wave of one hand, a target board appeared on the other side of the classroom to his left. He walked to the door before turning about to face it and raised his hand.
"Magic, gather and flow! Pierce my enemy with your might! [Magic Arrow]!" He chanted.
A bolt of multi-colored light flew from his outstretched hand and struck the board, smashing through it like a hot knife through butter. Master Clarke then chanted another spell.
"Magic, gather and flow! Enclose and protect me! [Magic Shield, Circle 1]!"
A gold-colored globular shield snapped into existence around him instantly. He held it for a moment before dismissing it with a snap of his fingers.
"Those two spells, [Magic Arrow] and [Magic Shield, Circle 1], are the most basic offensive and defensive spells known to Mages." Master Clarke stated. "As part of the end of year exams, ALL of you must demonstrate at least basic proficiency in these two spells. That is, they are a part of the exams no matter if it is your first, second, third or final year here. No matter if you are planning on becoming a noncombatant or if you plan on blasting the enemy from afar, basic competency of these simple spells is required for graduation. No exceptions are made."
Made sense; ensuring Mages could defend themselves from attackers ensured they survived and had kids, leading to more Mages.
The basics done, he got Vicky to demonstrate them all, which she did easily. Once she sat down, Master Clarke turned to the rest of us.
"You may or may not be aware of this, but right now, your magic veins are very brittle and delicate. Should you attempt to channel more magical power than they can handle at one time, or channel magical power continuously for longer than they can handle, they will crack, splinter or shatter. The first only requires no usage of magical power for a week in order to fix, but if you splinter them, you are required to wait for at least two months for them to heal before you can cast spells again. And if you shatter them…well, you will receive a great deal of damage. Additionally, you will have to wait for a year for your magic veins to regrow themselves to their previous state."
"Wouldn't they have to regrow from scratch?" Missy asked.
"An insightful question, Miss Biron." Master Clarke nodded approvingly. "Fortunately for all mages, that is not the case. Your magic will remember the latest stage that your magic veins reached and regrow them to that point, perhaps a little more, as magic is like a muscle; the more you flex it, the more you can use."
"Does that apply to how to strengthen your magic veins as well?" Chris asked.
"To a point." Master Clarke stated. "As you cast spells, magical power flows through your veins. Generally speaking though, you send too much for any one spell through at a time. The excess magical power that makes it through the veins and is not used for the spell is scattered harmlessly into the surroundings, but the excess magical power that does not make it out of the veins is absorbed by them and used to reinforce the veins. Too much magical power being absorbed at once or constantly having a lot of magical power absorbed over a long period of time is what causes cracking, splintering and shattering. Too much of a good thing is bad for you, especially if it is magic."
Made sense.
"Now then…have any of you decided on what path you shall walk as a Mage?" Master Clarke asked. I put my hand up, but I was only one of two, the other being Teresa Richter.
"Miss Richter, I presume you intend to be a Spell Researcher?" the Master asked politely.
"Yes, professor." Dragon said softly.
"Very well. Miss Hebert?" he turned to me.
"I plan on being a Summoner." I said firmly.
"A Summoner? Well, well, well." Master Clarke smiled. "Not enough people become Summoners and not many know of the advantages of such a profession. A Summoner, as the name suggests, summons monsters to fight on their behalf. They do so by forming contracts with beings belonging to their Spheres and calling them forth as and when required. In addition to the basic spells of [Contract Ceremony], [Summon Monster] and [Control Monster], Summoners can learn spells to enhance their summons' physical and magical abilities, as well as spells to cast magic through them or share their senses. With your wide variety of Spheres, I would think that Summoner is the perfect class for you, Miss Hebert. Come up to the front. I'll demonstrate the [Contract Ceremony] spell for you, and then you can give it a try."
Huh. Cool. I stood up and headed up to the front. Master Clarke got everyone to stand up and move to the side of the classroom and cleared the desks and chairs to one side with a sweep of his hand. Then he knelt on the ground and pressed one hand to the ground, creating a large circle, with a pentagram in the center. A magic circle, to use the common vernacular.
"This is the Summoning Formation that all Summoners use to contract their summons." Master Clarke informed the class. "The strength of the Formation is proportional to the strength of the one who created it. Until you have reached the final year here at the Academy, no one is permitted to summon on their own; a Master must create the Summoning Formation for you, as its purpose is to paralyze the monster within it. Which monster is summoned depends entirely on luck, so if you summon a monster that is too powerful for you, it can run amok. Now, watch and learn."
Standing, Master Clarke spread his arms out and started to chant. "Darkness and Wind, come gather! I seek a beast that devours the air! I seek a monster that has skin of steel and strength of arms! Come forth, Air Eater!"
In a flash of darkness and green light, a monster stood, or floated rather, in the middle of the Summoning Formation. In appearance it was green and insect-like, with a long tail in place of legs, as well as six arms. At the end of the tail was a wicked-looking taloned claw. A pair of large insect-like wings sprouted from its back. Its head was large and it had a beak seamlessly attached to its front.
"Ah, so I got a good one." Master Clarke smiled. "Class, this is a rare hybrid-type monster, possessing both the elements of Wind and Darkness. As you may have heard me say, it is called the Air Eater, a Sixth Circle monster. Its name is derived from one of its special abilities."
"Its what?" Dennis asked in confusion.
"All monsters, no matter how weak they are, possess one or more special abilities." The professor explained. "This is one reason why Summoners are so respected; they have the ability to call upon monsters with various powers that augment themselves and their allies in combat. Air Eaters have four special abilities that we are aware of; [Air Eating], [Tail Thrash], [Triple Impact] and [Rending Claw]. Aside from the first, they are all physical abilities that deal damage with a limb or limbs. [Air Eating] is the skill that gives it its name. It completely nullifies any and all Wind Sphere spells directed at it or its master, adding the magic from the wind to its reserves of magical power."
With a bow and a muttered dismissal, the Air Eater vanished. Then it was my turn.
"Now, Miss Hebert." Master Clarke said to me seriously. "Simply will your magical power to enter the Summoning Formation and let your mind wander. Words will come to you as a chant. Simply allow them to be spoken and the Summoning Formation will take care of the rest."
Easy for you to say.
Letting out a deep breath, I copied Master Clarke's pose and let my magical power out. It kinda tingled as it flowed out of my chest and down my arms. Once I felt it touch the formation, I did as Master Clarke said and let my mind wander. Abruptly, words stated to spill from my mouth.
"Darkness, come gather! I seek the silent wings in the night! I seek the eye of darkness and the familiar in the Dark! Come forth, Meda Bat!"
A burst of darkness appeared in the center of the Summoning Formation. When it fled, it left behind a monster about the same size as a parakeet. It was a circular monster, purple and dark blue in colour. It had no mouth or ears, but it did have one very large eye in the center of its orb-shaped body. Two modest horns were on either side of its eye and a pair of wings emerged from its back. At the bottom were a pair of taloned feet and legs, as well as a long, sinuous tail.
"I'll be…" Master Clarke muttered in fascination.
"Weak." Sophia sneered.
"Miss Hess, kindly do not speak of what you are very much ignorant about." The professor snapped. "Kindly write 'I must not display my ignorance' a thousand times and hand it in to your teacher tomorrow."
Sophia grumbled, but nodded.
"Very well. This, class, is also a rare monster. It is a Darkness Sphere monster of the Second Circle known as a Meda Bat. It is also one of the most sought after Darkness Summons for beginner Summoners." Master Clarke lectured. "Most First and Second Circle Monsters have one, perhaps two, special abilities. The Meda Bat possesses three; [Darkflight], [Darkvision] and [Dark Blast]. [Darkflight] allows the Meda Bat to be almost completely undetectable when flying in darkness, meaning at night. [Darkvision] allows its Summoner to link their mind to it and see through its eye, which is able to see as clearly during the night as we can during the day. Finally, [Dark Blast] is when it fires explosive blasts of darkness at its target. Many who see this creature frequently underestimate it due to its size, but the [Dark Blast] is Third Circle in strength. Underestimate it at your own peril."
This last was said while pointedly looking at Sophia.
"Miss Hebert, would you like to make this Meda Bat your first Summon?" he asked me, much to my surprise.
"Is it a good idea to?" I asked.
"An excellent attitude to take; never make a decision in ignorance." Master Clarke said approvingly. "As I have said, this particular monster is very rare. For someone who seeks versatility in their repertoire of Summons, it is an excellent addition, as it can perform the duties of a scout, an assassin, an ambusher and even a bodyguard. I know a lot of summoners who did not pull a Meda Bat one time out of over a hundred summonings. I would advise you not to let this chance go."
"OK then. What do I have to do?" I asked. I was all about versatility.
He handed me a crystal. It was about the length of my index finger and rectangular.
"This is a Contract Crystal." He informed me. "It allows you to make a contract with a monster. You have to throw it into the Formation, where it will shatter, and then channel as much magic as you can into the Formation itself. As it is only a Second Sphere monster, it should not take too long to forge a contract."
Nodding, I turned back to the Meda Bat and threw the crystal into the Summoning Formation. It shattered upon entering, and started to revolve around the Meda Bat. I started channeling magic into the Summoning Formation, making the shards of the crystal spin faster. Once again, words started to spill out from my mouth.
"With my words, I bind you. With my magic, I bind you. And with my will, I bind you! Submit yourself to the contract and serve me, Meda Bat!"
In a flash of light, the Meda Bat disappeared and in its place was a crystalline octahedron. It was purple and, floating in the center, was the image of my newly contracted monster.
Clicking his fingers, Master Clarke dismissed the Summoning Formation. "Go an pick up your Summon Crystal, Miss Hebert. None other than you are able to touch it without consequences."
"Why's that?" Lily asked as I went forward and scooped up the crystal.
"Monsters, even the relatively weak ones like a Meda Bat, are very prideful." Master Clarke explained. "Being subjugated once is bad enough, but to allow just anyone to touch their prisons and use them? No, there is only one person they will permit to touch their crystals and that is their master."
"Professor, is this normal?" I asked, holding up my crystal. It had turned opaque, now resembling an octahedron lump of obsidian.
"Yes." He answered. "A crystal will always turn blank for a day after a contract is made. It will also turn blank if you recall a monster or the monster is defeated. The time for those two are a lot more varied depending on how much magical power you have left, how powerful the monster is and how badly hurt it is when it's recalled. A monster that has been defeated can take up to a day to recover, while a recalled monster may take a few hours, but it can even be as short as ten minutes."
"So monsters that've been captured by a Summoner are immortal?" Dean asked, interestedly.
"Far from it." Master Clarke shook his head. "A sufficiently high amount of damage is unrecoverable, even for the Contract Crystal to heal. Also, a monster can push its limits too much by overusing its magical power, essentially killing itself. One of the first spells a competent Summoner learns is how to monitor the status of their summons to ensure that either instance doesn't happen. It's also why most Summoners also have a large assortment of monsters at hand, so they can rotate them out so as to avoid overtaxing them."
With that, class ended. Master Clarke gave me a bandolier that had pockets for me to carry my crystals in, which was useful. I made a habit of summoning at least two more monsters a month in order to build up my new 'swarm' to levels that wouldn't put too much pressure on any individual member.
About three months later, I was very, very grateful that Master Clarke had helped me with my Summoning.
And that's it…until the next chapter! ^_^