First Lesson (Solo)

[Idue]

6th day of Spring, 512 AV Only five days after the storm that destroyed much of Zeltiva, the world should've ended. Not because of any natural catacylsm, but because Idue was finally getting an education. Not just learning how to use his weapons or herding sheep. Today, he was going to learn magic. Auristics to be exact. And the Benshira was rather distraught. If school unnerved someone who was his age, how could a child handle it for years? Idue wasn't frightened by the other students around him, who for the most part, ignored Idue. No, he felt naked with his handaxes, which were forbidden to be brought to class. After the murder at the Winter Ball, the school had become more strict about what was brought on campus. Maybe if his preferred weapon of choice was daggers, he could sneak them in. But his handaxes were too large, and had to stay back at his dorm. Idue knew he could still handle himself if a fight broke out, but he had always carried his axes around. Before, he was an armed and dangerous man. But now, he was only an oddly-dressed foriegner. Not that anybody paid him much mind; at this time of night, where most people were preparing for bed, Auristic students were still waiting for their professor to arrive. So they talked in small pockets around the square classroom, and the individual sitting beside Idue was even asleep. A few of the more. . . brighter students were actually discussing the class that had yet to begin, but most talked about silly things. Their idiotic roommates, life before the University, and the busty blond someone petched last night were all topics of discussion. And although some of the conversations were interesting, Idue was ready to get to this lesson. He paid good money for this class, and they did not even know who the new professor was. The previous one just happened to be the victim of the thief days ago, so the replacement hadn't been publicly announced. So only the staff knew who would be teaching them. The students were left to their own assumptions. Old hag, a foriegn noble, and a nuit have all been passed around as possible teachers. One student even believed one of the Konti seers that had been in the city for several fortnights my help out. Everyone was eager to know who they would be looking at for the next season. Which is why all conversation fell silent when the door to the classroom opened. And only a gasp from the boy beside Idue, who had woken up when the door opened, was heard from the crowd. In walked their new professor. . . A Symenestra woman. Their professor walked to the front of the classroom, the folds of her white robe dragging along the floor behind her. Her hair was black, her skin deathly pale, and her eyes black. She carried herself with a calm beyond her years; she couldn't be much older than some of the students in the classroom, yet as Idue watched, he noticed a few odd behaviors. The way she constantly shifted the extra-long sleeves of her robe, most likely to hide her nails that often frightened humans. Plus, she sometimes licked her lips, smearing her blood red lipstick. Atleast. . . Idue thinks it is lipstick. Whatever the case, why should the woman be nervous? And then she told them. "Ummm. . . I'm sure most of you students don't know me, as I am your new professor. Although before this season, I was just like you all; I was a student, studying hard to be an Aurist. A fortnight ago, you could've saw me in the hallways and addressed me as Kerasina Hayun. But, due to Professor Lar's unforunate death, I am now Professor Hayun. At least if we have guests sitting among us. Otherwise, I'd prefer that you call me Kerasina. No need to waste formality on someone who is probably not the oldest in this room." She glanced at Idue in particular, who probably looked older than her. And he probably was, unless Symenestras aged well. "But please do not assume I'm here because I was asked to. I was asked to fill in part-time, but I requested to be your full-time teacher. I have a passion for this magical disipline, and I'd like my passion to become your passion. I want all of you to see more than just what is in front of you, and Auristics will help you. For many of you all, it will be difficult, but rewarding in the end." Idue listened intentively. Kerasina was very honest with her words, and he felt her passion. He wished to learn now, because of her. How long must he wait? "Now the usual procedure for students studying in any magical disipline is to spend time at the Scholar's Asylum to study the effects of overgiving. Even though Auristics isn't a very dangerous form of magic, you still face the possibility of overgiving. So it is a benefit on your part to learn from the experts; by observing overgiven mages. But since the escape by several mages that were overgiven, we cannot not study that in the usual manner. So this season, we're going to start the course off differently. . ." Exactly what Idue wanted to hear. Not the escaped mages; he cared little for that. No, a change in plan meant they would start learning magic right off the back. No wait to begin Auristics. She would show him how, and he would learn the craft in one sitting. He would-- He would sigh in disappointment with Kerasina's next words. "Today we shall begin looking over a book on Auristics while I teach overgiving from personal experience. Now at the end of the tables, there are stacks of the book we'll be looking at. Pass them down the rows, and we shall begin." Shuffling to his left as books were passed down the row. With only the groggy kid to his right, he only passed along one book before he had his own copy. His first day at school, and he would be reading a book titled "Auristics: A New Way to See." From the dust that had collected on the cover, Fhakahn Milner hadn't written a very interesting book. But he was asked to read this, and he would. And there was only one place to begin at. Flipping open the cover, Idue began to read.