A few days outside class seems inconvenient but when it’s the first days of classes, and no one is stopping to explain anything, when it seems almost everyone else is friends with someone and you’re not, in Tobey’s case, there was nothing else more annoying.
This was his seventh class in the first month he arrived, in retrospect, there had been twenty classes held already. He was far behind.
“…And thus, the question was brought, should the system of Runes be introduced?” The voice of the teacher who scribbled away on the whiteboard with a coloured marker was loud enough to reach Tobey who sat at the back. First come first serve was how seats were gotten.
At least this class is interesting, Tobey thought as he paid attention to what Mistress Ivara-the teacher-was saying.
“I’m sure some of you are aware but I will reiterate. Runes are a drawn version of chants. Chants, which are the sole way of channelling mana into actualization, though they have their advantage and originality, were depicted as slow and proven severally to be “inconvenient”. Because of the usefulness of Runes, serving as the quicker yet efficient way of carrying out chants, they slowly became an orthodox method for enchantments, boosting their usefulness and adding versatility, especially in combat.
Allow me to read from a page of Sanmeri’s Runic Ledger. “Through the chants, we subject mana to our use, an engraved methodology. Through the Runes, we draw out our own reality, and we bend the mana to our will.”
Tobey wrote quickly on his note what he heard. Runes, Shortcuts, Enchantments, not like he knew much about it. He only knew Runes could be drawn, like hand signs. He knew that much on his own, plus what his father had taught him.
“Runes have tiers…” Mistress Ivara continued, “Techniques handed out to each tribe, all based on their affinity with their mana type. And over the years, some tribes have mastered runes, up to the point where chants require a single rune or word to activate. Examples of such are the Bordelas and Arcstone tribes…”
Tobey suddenly felt a sharp tickle by his arm as he listened. He turned to see Bell who sat beside him had passed a folded paper sheet under his arm. He was interested, but Bell’s straight face was suspicious. He’d grown to trust her, however. She’d been the only one in the class who tried carrying him along. When it came to classes, Finn drifted farthest from them, sitting up front and writing faster than Tobey could care for.
Finn would spend the first part of his evenings, however, inspecting Tobey’s notes in their room after dinner and Tobey every time was subject to Finn’s “brother-like” scolding. Tobey had no problems with it, he only wondered why Finn acted so coldly to him outside the dorm. And even Bell was being affected by it because she chose to stay around him more often than none.
Tobey unfolded the paper and read a short note Bell had written:
“I’m bored.”
Tobey felt his lips rise to a smile. He picked his pen and wrote before passing it back to her.
“The class isn’t that bad.”
Bell beamed and scribbled again.
“Well, it’s better than magic seals class.”
The duo proceeded to communicate via the paper sheet.
“You think Finn enjoys this class?” Tobey wrote.
“You think there’s a class he doesn’t enjoy?”
“Conspiracy theory: He’s an Arcstone, but with black hair.”
Bell glanced at a smiling Tobey and the two of them burst into small laughter.
“Care to explain what’s funny to the rest of the class?” Mistress Ivara caught them off-guard. Her gaze pierced them. She paused and folded her arms, staring at them along with the rest of the class.
Shit. Tobey looked back at his teacher. He could tell, in that instant, somewhere up front, Finn was frowning seriously at him with narrowed eyes. Every instinct in his body told him it was safest to stare at the teacher.
“No mistress. We're sorry,” Bell spoke.
BRRRRRRRRRIIIIIINNNGGGG!!!!!!
The sound of the bell signalled the end of the class. Mistress Ivara sighed and picked her tablet from the podium.
“We’ll continue in the next class,” she said on her way out.
Bell and Tobey turned to each other and then to Finn who as Tobey thought, held a sharp gaze.
“He might actually be an Arcstone,” Bell whispered with a smile. Tobey could not stop himself from laughing. Not with the look on Finn’s face. Bell joined in the amusement.
“What are those two laughing about?” Hayden asked Kayla, staring at them from the corner of his eye.
“It matters not. Its time for the final class of the day, you know what to do,” Kayla replied coldly as ever.
Hayden’s face suddenly grew grim, “Yes, sister.”
He picked his notes off the table and walked out of the class. Finn’s eyes turned to him and then to Kayla who had her eyes closed and her hands joined together on the table.
What are they doing? Finn wondered.
The others in the class meanwhile began to make their way to the location for the next class.
“Oh, that’s right,” Bell mentioned to Tobey as they met up with Finn at the door. “Tobey hasn’t attended this class before.” The rest of the students walked out of the lone lobby and seemingly split into two groups.
“Hmm?” Tobey had his brow up.
“I think there might be an issue,” Bell said.
“The last class is meant to be a division between the Elementals and the Spiriters, teaching the fundamentals of both Magic types,” Finn added. “We’ve had this class twice already and I don’t think there is a teacher assigned to Morhpers since there haven't been any here for the past few years.”
Tobey suddenly stopped walking, Bell and Finn took a few steps ahead of him before turning back to him. Tobey stared at them, blanked, with his lips partly open.
“I’m sorry, Tobey,” Bell said. “It’s not your fault, you could probably talk to the principal about it.”
“Useless. If there was an alternative means to attend to a Morpher, the principal would have implemented it the moment they accepted a Morpher into the school,” said Finn bluntly. He squeezed his fingers against the coarse surface of his notes cover. “...That's another weakness of the system,” he whispered.
Tobey gulped hard, “Does that mean…”
“Nothing’s set in stone yet, maybe you could join one of our classes?” Bell said nervously, attracting a glare from Finn.
“…Does that mean I get a free period?!” Tobey grinned.
“Huh??” Finn and Bell asked almost promptly.
“I mean if there isn’t a teacher, then there’s no class, right?”
Finn scoffed, “Well, yes, that should be the case but-”
“Then I guess I’ll see you guys later!” Tobey smiled and turned to face the other end of the hallway, sprinting away from them.
“Hey!” Finn called out in surprise. “Where are you going?!”
Bell giggled as they watched him race away, “It’s fine. We can see him after class.”
Finn’s frown was apparent as veins popped out the side of his head. “I’m definitely reporting him for this.” He growled.
“What for? He’s not doing anything.”
“THAT’S EXACTLY THE POINT!!” Finn raged on.
“Okay, okay, calm down now,” Bell motioned to him with her hands as they walked down the hall.
***
The School Library. It was a building on its own, located at the Western end of the school. Tobey stood in front of the large doors. His jacket flapped in the swelling afternoon winds as he reached for the handle.
A calm aura received Tobey, as he swung the doors open. The inside of the building felt quite aesthetic. He walked along what felt like wood till he reached The librarian who stood near the windows. He looked old, mid-sixties; his white beard ran down to touch the collar of his shirt. He had slim eyes behind a pair of glasses. In his hands was a large textbook which he seemed to be engrossed in.
“Um, excuse me.”
“Welcome to the Library, Tobey.”
“…How did you?”
“Your mana is leaking all over the place boy. You haven’t learned to control it,” The Librarian replied, closing the book in his hand to stare at the brown-haired boy in front of him. “Plus, I heard about your little bout with Ren.”
Guess, everyone in school heard huh.
“Hmmm. I take it you’re here because you have no allocated teacher for Nature magic class?” The old man asked.
“Is that what its called?” Tobey scoffed his reply.
“Indeed. But seeing as you’re here, I also take it you’re interested in learning about Morph magic?”
“Only if they haven’t burnt all the books yet.”
The Librarian smiled, “Of course not. Written words are a treasure in themselves, passed from one generation to the next, they hold a uniqueness to them unmatched by technology. That’s why it’s safe to say a Library is a sacred place.”
“Making everything inside it sacred,” Tobey completed.
“Good. So where would you like to start?”
“I hadn’t really thought about that…”
“Then perhaps mana control? If anything, it will do you some good to learn how not to distinguish yourself as a mana pool.”
The subtleness in the man's voice made Tobey face-red. “Yes, I would like that please.”
The man smiled and walked forward, he dipped his hand into one of the large shelves and brought out a small book and gave it to Tobey.
“This will do for now. It contains the basics for mana control and user mana manipulation.”
Tobey grinned as he took the book from him, “Thank you, Master…?”
“Krull. Krull Nightlight.”
“You’ve got a cool name, Master Krull,” Tobey said earning yet another smile from the Librarian.
“Just remember, no noise.”
Tobey nodded and walked away smiling. The library was scanty, less than ten students were here, second and third years. They stared at Tobey who walked quietly to a table, and even after he had taken a seat, he could still feel their gaze.
Seriously? Toby sighed. He had grown tired of being uncomfortable.
All of you should really stick a finger up your-
“Fancy seeing you here.”
Tobey felt a warm hand on his shoulder, and he turned to look. He recognised it; the pink lipped, blue-eyed, white-haired cherry-boy, Hayden.
“I believe this is our first conversation.”
Why is 'he' talking to me?
“Name’s Hayden. Although you already know, haha,” Tobey watched him sit beside him.
“Hmmm? What are you reading?” Hayden asked, prying to see what Tobey had in his hands.
“Shouldn’t you be in class?” Tobey replied with a strong gaze.
“Oh, hahaha. About that,” Hayden replied smiling. He raised a finger and pointed to himself.
“I can’t use magic.”
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