sultal's quick note: Fantasian Historical Timeline below.

Chapter 49: Shadows 101

Dr. Doppler flourished his chalk off the blackboard.

"And that, my little students, is how you identify a cosmic fault using the inclination angle between the orbital plane of an arevolving body and fundamental plane of the celestial equator."

Turning, Dr. Doppler clapped chalk dust from his hands.

"Who wants to restate that for me?"

The students blinked. Drool dripped from the corner of Flynn's mouth.

Dr. Doppler adjusted his spectacles. "Oh come on! Don't make me piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick…Jim?"

Jim jolted. He'd been worrying about Wendy. She hadn't showed up for class. "What?"

Dr. Doppler, gestured to the board. "Restate? Use your notes."

Jim raised an eyebrow. He didn't even have pen or paper. "Missed it, Doc."

Students sniggered. Dr. Doppler frowned over his spectacles. "Belle?" he said, turning to the front row.

Belle lowered her hand. "Essentially," she recited, re-reading highlighted text. "If the Wishing Star breaks completely apart, it will look like a silver firework. An 'oscillation of silver nails over the horizon,' you said."

"Correct." said Dr. Doppler. "A silver firework, exploding over the land."

Dr. Doppler sat at the edge of his desk. He swept his hand through the air. "Then, everything will appear black! As if a transparent black veil is being pulled over Fantasia. Like a blanket."

Ardently, Dr. Doppler tapped the blackboard. "This is important stuff, folks! Ariel. Question?"

Jim jolted again. Blood boiling, he looked at Ariel. Eric sat beside her.

"What is the black?" Ariel asked.

Jim raised his hand.

Dr. Doppler sighed. "Jim? Do you …. have to use the restroom?"

"No." Jim said, slouching. He heard Peter laughing in the back. "I know the answer."

Dr. Doppler looked thunderstruck. "Go on."

Jim glanced at Ariel. "Shadows. The black will be shadows."

No one spoke. The sniggers faded. Peter stopped laughing.

"That is correct." Dr. Doppler said softly. Proudly, he looked at Jim. "Do you know anymore?"

Jim stared at his desk, Wendy on his mind and Silver in his head. Finally he spoke. "Shadows are part of our souls. The outside part. The evil part. Shadows are…inner demons, trapped inside the Wishing Star. So…when the Wishing Star breaks…"

Jim spread his fingers apart. "Hell on earth."

"Correct again." Dr. Doppler glanced at the clock. "We have time. Anymore questions whilst we are on this subject?"

Silence. A few eyes turned to Peter, and the silence was maintained out of respect.

Then, timidly, Ariel raised her hand again. "How did the shadows – demons – get there?"

Dr. Doppler shrugged. "Magic." he said simply. "In the old days, Fantasians separated from their shadows all the time. You've read stories of wizards summoning djinn? Demons? Well…these were shadows."

"Usually," Dr. Doppler continued. "Fantasians interacted with their own shadows. Shadows were tools. Sometimes companions. For instance, imagine you are sailing at sea and loose your way. Shadows could be detached from their owners and sent oversea in search of land. The applications were unbounded."

Dr. Doppler's face grew grim. "But all that ended. Purity often rots in time. The problems started when Fantasians started…using the shadows that were not their own. Shadows were used to steal, humiliate, kill…possess."

Jim leaned forward as Dr. Doppler spoke. "When one detaches from their shadow, they leave an opening. In a way, a person's body becomes a half filled glass. Any other shadow can enter his body…influence the other half of his soul. Possess him. Or her."

"So..." Dr. Doppler breathed deeply. "Shadows became instruments of evil. Imagine: part of your enemy's soul invading your mind and body! They have access to the very essence that drives you - motivates you to do good or evil."

"You can live without half of your soul" Dr. Doppler said, "And you can live with half of someone else's soul inside you. But…you become a victim to their will – good or evil."

"People do not change if they loose their own shadow. People change when other shadows infect their mind, bodies, and souls. Shadows represent our unconscious egos – the evil with which we may not identify in ourselves, but know is there. Lurking deep, down inside every single one of us. Waiting to be set free and waiting to hurt the second – the second! – we loose control."

Dr. Doppler sighed. "In time, magic became disadvantageous. Evolutionarily speaking. Fantasians stopped separating from their shadows. Wizardry and witchcraft died out. Dragons lost their fire. Dwarves lost their mines. Dogs lost the ability to speak. Pixies lost their wings. Mermaids lost their tails. And the loose shadows…were destroyed."

"The ancient rulers gathered what magical beings were left. These magical beings were told to trap all remaining shadows in outer space. And they were. Wizards cast spells. Pixies flew shadows up and up. Mermaids blasted them into the heavens with giant tidal waves. In time, the broken souls were magically fragmented into a tiny northern star that never changed position in the sky. That way, Fantasians would always know where the shadows were."

"Then…the magical beings were killed. Slaughtered. So magic would never plague Fantasia again."

"But the tiny northern star," Dr. Doppler said, pointing to the sky. "Was filled with magic. Black magic and shadows, yes. But magic still. That tiny northern star…"

"…became the star." Jim finished. He looked over. Suddenly he and Ariel met eyes. "The Wishing Star."

The bell rang.

"Well." Dr. Doppler said. Prudently, he stacked books and briefcase before addressing the silent students. "Well. We didn't get as far into celestial topography as I had planned, but I think due progress was made."

The students nodded as Dr. Doppler flicked out his pocket watch. "What class do you have next? Magic with Master Merlin?"

"Yes." Belle said quietly. "Then specialized classes – for Warriors, Healers, Scouts, and…um… Second Stars."

The class shifted uneasily in light of the recent conversation.

"Then basic training with Captain Lee Shang?" Dr. Doppler asked, breaking the uneasy silence.

"Yeah." everyone mumbled.

"Splendid. Splendid. Well…off you go. I will see you tomorrow. No homework. Good luck in class."

Jim didn't move right away. He waited for Ariel and Eric to pass.

Then, sighing, he stood, worried more than ever that Wendy hadn't come to school today.

sultal's note: SO...one of my friends thought I should include a timeline of Fantasia History (with regard to the Wishing Star)-since this story is almost a year old, I think this is a good idea. This is all already in the story, but this is a quick study sheet :)

This is going to be very basic. I won't include ALL details bc I don't want to give away parts of the story still to come. So here we go:

FANTASIAN TIMELINE

(1) WAY Ancient, Ancient Times: Fantasia is separated into 5 parts - underworld, sea world, land world, sky world, outer world. Ocean is huge - covers the cliff where the castle/school currently stands. (Mickey will explain the 5 world part later. I just wanted to give context to the reference Dr. Doppler made about the school being under the ocean in an earlier chapter).

(2) Ancient Golden Age: Fantasia is full of magic. Mermaids, wizards, pixies, talking animals (dogs) are the magical norm. Magic is everywhere. People use shadows and magically separate them from their bodies. All is chill.

(3) Ancient Golden Age Decline: Shadows are abused. People start using them for evil.

(4) Death of Magic: Magic stats to die out (evolutionary it becomes disadvantageous).

(5) Magic Slaughter: Magical beings are ordered to get rid of the shadows. The shadows are put into the sky and form the Wishing Star. Then, the magic beings are killed.

(6) Wishing Star Golden Age: Fantasia is governed by single rulers, kings and queens (non magical). Fantasia is united, as a whole kingdom. The Wishing Star is used to grant each ruler one wish every year - for the good of the kingdom.

(7) Wishing Star Schism: The kind and impulsive young Fantasian King tries to make 2 wishes from the Wishing Star. The Wishing Star splits into Second Star to the Right and Second Star to the wrong. Evil souls pour out.(ew!)

(8) War of the Wishing Star: Evil takes Fantasia. Fantasians are slaughtered by the "Evil" at Petrified Forest. Young king is sentenced to death. Young king makes his second wish to mend the Wishing Star.

(9) Prophecy: Prophecy is made that the Wishing Star will break again and the "children skewed to fight" will be granted gifts to protect Fantasia.

(10) Fantasia Dark Ages: There are no more kings/queens. Fantasia is divided into the Sectors (W, E, S, N, and Center Point). The castle of the king is turned into the Fantasian School For the Magically Skewed...to keep students ready for the one day they will possibly have to protect Fantasia.

(11) Years and years and thousands of years later: Current story! The Wishing Star breaks. Students get gifts. Cue sultal to write Taking Fantasia!

That's a wrap! dudes I can't believe how long ago I planned this out. thank god it worked (so far)

keep writing.