-------

”Alright, settle down.” Menkhaf, the teacher assigned to class I-1 ordered as he walked into the classroom. In the Academy, the classes usually had their own classroom and only the teacher changed, except in the cases of lessons and subjects that required special facilities. “Today we’re discussing the planes and cultivation. Callista, tell me the names of the different corporeal planes and the point at which people can Ascend up from them.”

The blond-haired mage that had fought Miralen the day before stood up to answer with a respectful tone. “Starting from the weakest, we have the Mortal Planes. Those that reach the fourth rank are given the opportunity to Ascend to the Lower Planes. Those that reach the seventh rank are given the option to Ascend to the Higher Planes, which would be where we are. Those that reach the tenth rank can Ascend to the Divine Planes. Umm, I’m not sure if there’s more after that.”

“The ability to admit when you don’t know something instead of trying to bluff your way through. Well done. A good show of humility and knowing your limits. Alright. So if Callista was right when she just explained that it takes a certain rank to ascend to the Higher Planes, why are there beings and people of lower rank here? In other words, why are you here? Reinhardt.” The teacher prompted.

“Uhh, because we were born here?” Rein offered the obvious answer.

“Was that a question or an answer?” The teacher shot back with a grumpy voice.

“An answer sir!” Rein snapped to attention in surprise.

“Good. Because it’s correct, even if it’s a little plain and simplified. The gist of it is there, however. Indeed. To take our plane as an example, 99% of those that manage to Ascend to our plane never manage to go higher. The same applies to those born here that reach the seventh rank. It is a cold hard fact that even among you who are gifted enough to get into the Academy, only a tiny fraction will eventually Ascend, and even a smaller fraction will do it while you are still less than a thousand years old. Currently, our country holds three people that are likely to reach the tenth rank within that timeframe, and we’re considered an anomaly in that regard. As a result, eventually most people realize that they don’t have what it takes and settle down to create families, countries, sects, communities, and everything you see around you. Their children are born mortal, and thus we have the societies of today. So Shaheera, what makes you any better than any poor sap that hasn’t even managed to reach the rank to Ascend to the Lower Planes from the Mortal Planes?” Menkhaf didn’t bother asking for students to volunteer answers. It was easier to just pick one student and force them to answer. Usually, the answers were incomplete but would at least reveal their level of knowledge and would spur discussion.

"Not necessarily anything," Shaheera replied curtly.

“But…?” Menkhaf prompted.

“Well, those born and living in the Higher Plane have enjoyed the benefits of living here, which means more resources and more importantly more ambient power. So a rank three person in the Higher Plane tends to be stronger than one that has spent their life in the Mortal Plane and has a higher chance of reaching a higher rank. One could argue that a being that has had to claw their way up from the Mortal Plane is more driven and has more experience, but that assumes we have no drive and get no experience of our own. And we tend to have more potential on average.” Shaheera replied, confident in his answer.

“Define potential for me in this context.” Menkhaf prompted. Potential could be described in many ways, so defining your terms was important.

“Well, the most common explanation has to do with the Wall. We all face difficulties in cultivation, and those difficulties can stem from a number of reasons. A faulty cultivation method, a deviation, lack of epiphanies and understanding, etc. These all pale in comparison to the Wall. We will all reach a point at which we will find that our advancement stalls out and stops almost completely. That doesn’t mean you can’t advance at all, just that it becomes exponentially harder and most give up. The point at which one hits this Wall is the most common definition of reaching the limits of your potential. Also, the further away this Wall is, the faster your cultivation.” Shaheera rattled off a textbook definition of the term.

“Good enough on both answers. Slightly incomplete, but only slightly. To return to the original point, there are other less obvious differences like the mana of those born on our plane being purer, and fewer impurities gathering in our bodies. There's also something that's not polite to mention in certain company but remains true nonetheless and relates to your second answer. Those in the Higher Planes are all descendants of beings that managed to Ascend here or even those that came down from the Divine Planes. That means we can all trace our familial lines back to people or beings that were at least the seventh rank. More often than not, we have the blood of several such people and those even stronger in our heritage, maybe even our parents.

“Now, some people don’t like to admit or even talk about the fact that heritage has a part to play, but the cold hard fact is that the children of high-ranked people are usually more talented and have more potential. That’s why those that come from the noble houses tend to have more talent on average, despite there being multiple exceptions both ways. And if you have countless generations of such talented people mixing, that’s going to have a significant effect over time. That’s why people born in the Higher Planes are more talented and have more potential on average, just like we tend to live longer. Do not make the mistake of underestimating those born on the Lower and Mortal Planes, but don’t ignore the advantage you have either. Karna, tell everyone another advantage that comes from being born in the Higher Planes.” Menkhaf’s words made it clear he wasn’t taking any pleasure in his words, although he didn’t seem to have any distaste for the way things were either.

Karna was aware that there used to be philosophical battles about the merits of heritage back when she was born in this universe the last time, and it seemed the argument still existed. Some things never changed. “Well, if all the powerful and most skilled people Ascend to the Higher Planes, then the development of those other planes is stymied. On the other hand, the Higher Plane gets to enjoy the benefits of the best techniques and products made by the most skilled artisans, made of the best materials. Just the existence of higher quality cultivation techniques makes a huge difference. That’s also why the nobility of most countries manage to keep their position and advantage. They’ve piled up valuable techniques, institutional knowledge, and resources over generations, and they have deeper roots than a random well-off family that might covet their position but would crumble at the first sign of adversity. Even if the child of a noble is less talented, having access to better techniques and resources means they can compete on at least an equal level."

“Exactly. This might make you think that life is unfair, and in many ways it is. However, crying about it won’t do you any good or change things. It is a fact of life that society only really cares about what you can contribute to it. If you want to make a difference or enact change, you have to have enough power, or some other valuable ability, in order to be taken seriously. Conversely, when you do have power, then all kinds of doors open in front of you. So work hard and make something of yourselves! Anyway, for the reasons both Karna and especially Shaheera mentioned, the major worlds of the Higher Planes created the Progeny Accords.” The teacher had a harsh view on life, but Karna knew from experience that he was right in most cases. It was something that held true in most universes. Not all though, and she had enjoyed her time as a mortal in those universes that didn’t place such a heavy emphasis on power, rare as they were.

Something else struck her though. ”Progeny Accords?” She asked a bit confused while noting that she wasn't the only one. This was new and something she had not come across before in her studies.

“Ah yes, many of you are probably too young to have heard about it yet. The major worlds of the Higher Planes have repeatedly come together to create certain agreements that bind the people of every world. Some of the agreements are rather obvious, like those that limit wars between worlds of the Higher Planes, and the ones that prevent the hunting of those that Ascend from the Lower Planes for a time. Before those Accords, such people were hunted mercilessly on many worlds to avoid competition, and wars between worlds were commonplace. One of the most recent agreements was made only five thousand years ago, and the group of agreements was named the Progeny Accords. You’ll learn more in history lessons, and your families will likely explain these to you once you become older.

“The basic gist of it is that since we long since discovered that the children of those that are very powerful, especially those that are close to Ascending, are usually especially talented, it’s a great benefit to the Higher Planes in general to foster such important bloodlines. As a result, we have the Progeny Accords. Every person that reaches the ninth rank is expected to have a family and leave behind at least one child before Ascending, and in return, those children will be taken care of. That’s also why it will take a few years before the Ascended person is given the opportunity to go to the Divine Planes. The Accords were actually ratified by the Emissaries from the Divine Plane as well.” Menkhaf had known the subject would attract some attention and was not surprised to see several students raising their hands to ask questions. The subject got the same reception every year.

'Well, this really is new.’ Karna thought to herself. She wasn’t quite sure what to think of it. If she went along with it, it wouldn’t be even close to the first time she would have a family, so that wouldn’t be a problem. However, the thought of leaving that family behind to Ascend was rather questionable. Still, considering they had actually created the Accords, the powers that be had likely considered the practical implications and there would likely be some measures in place. Still, she wasn’t exactly comfortable with the idea of being dictated to have a family. There was bound to be more to this, and not just because of the obvious issues concerning sexuality and possible infertility. Besides, pissing off the most powerful people on the Plane over something so minor seemed like a bad idea. It was quite likely there were ways around the Accords, and it was likely something that mostly encouraged powerful people to procreate early in life so that the ‘duty’ would already be taken care of. Likely there were also further considerations as well.

The teacher had likely also seen the questions coming. “I know what you want to ask. We get the same questions every year. Not everyone is capable or interested. I get that, but I didn’t make the rules. And seeing as how most of you are never going to become powerful enough to fall into the purview of the accords, you don’t really need to worry either. However, this isn’t a lesson on the Progeny Accords. You can ask your history teacher for details. Suffice to say, there are ways around the common problems. I swear, the kids these days are too interested in everything concerning sex and kids.” He grumbled under his breath.

“You mentioned Emissaries from Divine Planes?” One of the students asked, rather adroitly changing the subject.

“Ah, right. A proper question. Thank you. Yes, the step to Ascend from the Higher Planes to the Divine Planes is more difficult than those that came before. The Divine Planes also take a more active role in managing our planes for obvious reasons. They’ve sent several Emissaries to act as their representatives. Those Emissaries are the only ones that can allow passage to the Divine Planes. They can also offer aid when calamity or one of the great scourges strikes at the Higher Planes. On the other hand, they also meddle in our business on some occasions. Luckily, only the most powerful of the worlds on the Higher Planes have an Emissary present. Those worlds then watch over groups of weaker worlds. And before you ask, yes, our world is one of those that have an Emissary, but that Emissary doesn’t reside in our country.” Menkhaf pre-empted the question he knew was coming.

‘Well, some things are the same and some are new. They still have Emissaries and they still keep lying about there being no other way to go to the Divine Planes.’ Karna’s secretive smile was hidden by her veil. She had actually been an Emissary in a previous life for a short time. She wasn’t sure if she should be proud or miffed at the fact that she had apparently meddled too much and had been recalled rather quickly. Incidentally, the other way to enter the Divine Planes was exponentially more dangerous, even for her, and she’d rather avoid it if at all possible. This supposedly being her last life and all. Normally she’d be a bit more careless, but the knowledge of your mortality did make you a bit more careful.

“Let’s cap this lesson off with the scourges. Brimaz, a short explanation, if you would.” Menkhaf threw another question in.

“The three scourges are the forces that exist outside the corporeal planes and wage an eternal war against us. Mostly that war never fully reaches us as the Divine Plane’s immortal armies stand against such invasions, but sometimes enemies slip through the cracks and worlds are invaded. The three scourges are the Inferno, the Underworld, and the Netherworld.” Brimaz replied proudly.

“Well done. The Inferno is home to the chaotic demonic denizens twisted by corrupted mana of the insane Evil Gods. Don’t mistake the fact that the denizens of Inferno are demons with all demons being from Inferno. There are many demonic races that are not affiliated with the scourge, although some would disagree with that assessment. The forces of Netherworld are mostly made up of the undead and the lifeless constructs of the Netherworld Dynasties, as well as wandering and restless spirits that have taken form. They are the most commonly seen threat, though usually we only see some tiny tendrils of their true might. The Underworld is the most mysterious and elusive threat. We often discover shadowy cults worshipping their dark overlords. We know little of their goals, only that the creatures of eldritch and darkness usually found deep in nightmares or the darkest places between worlds serve them for some reason.” Menkhaf briefly explained. The information on the scourges was actually a subject taught for later years in the Academy, when the students might actually be sent out on missions to deal with scourge influence.

‘Oops.’ Karna grimaced behind the veil. ‘Didn’t think they’d still be around. ’ She was quite shocked to hear the Underworld still existed. On the other hand, she was surprised the teacher didn’t mention anything about the fourth scourge. Had that problem already been dealt with? Or were they just suppressing the information?

“Anyway, that’s it for this class. Now hurry along and you might get the chance to get the cafeteria before the lines for getting lunch get too long. Karna, stick around for a bit. We need to discuss some of your electives.” Menkhaf shooed the others out.

“What’s this about?” Karna asked as the others had all filed out.

“Usually we don’t get many first years taking the artisan courses. Obviously, it's allowed or they wouldn't be offered, but you're very young even for a normal first year, and considering your talents, plenty of other courses would love to have you instead. I don’t think I need to test whether you’re strong enough for the subjects, but I do feel obligated to ask a few questions considering you actually picked three artisan courses. Did you know there were quite a few displeased teachers when this class got assigned to me? Well, you were one of the main reasons, and since I teach the major those artisan courses are tied to, there’s going to be some suggestions about improper influence.” Menkhaf explained. It wasn’t Karna’s fault of course, but it was still something he’d have to deal with.

“Ask freely. I can’t promise that I will explain everything, but I will explain what I can.” Karna promised.

“Why those three courses? Or more specifically, why not many of the more common choices?” He got straight to the point.

“Are you aware of who my father is?” Karna got a nod in reply. “Well, he can teach me many of the magical subjects just as well, and his lessons will be personally tailored for my skills and pace. Additionally, I’ve been told that I have potential in creating things, and I want to explore that potential.” She didn’t bother mentioning that she had been told that in other lives.

“What kind of talent?” Mankhaf asked.

"That you'll have to find out," Karna replied curtly but softened her words a bit with a playful tone and even winked at the teacher.

“Fair enough. Usually, when someone takes this many courses in these kinds of subjects, they will major in artifice. Are you planning on doing that?” He asked almost eagerly. It would be a real coup to snatch the girl into his major.

“No. Or to be precise, I haven’t decided. I only desire to explore whether my talents in the area can be turned into something useful. I will be exploring other options as well, but no matter what I choose, I believe the skills I will pick up here will be useful.” Karna replied, her smile hidden by the veil.

“You do realize that becoming a proper artisan requires dedication, right?” Menkhaf was afraid the girl was taking this lightly.

“We shall see. I don’t mean to belittle your field, far from it. I know it requires time and dedication. However, my ability to absorb information and skills is also something you won’t believe until you experience it. I know you’re skeptical, so I’ll make a little bet with you. If you think I’m not doing enough, I will admit my mistake and either dedicate myself to the craft or abandon it. Even failure can be a learning experience.” Karna posed a challenge.

Menkhaf would’ve dismissed her words if he had not seen her affinities personally, as well as being aware of her potential. The opportunity was simply too good to pass. “Fine, let’s put it to the test then.” Suddenly three stacks of books appeared on the desk in front of her. “Start with these.” He tapped one stack of books. “The first course of the three to start will be smithing. Start from the top and work your way down. Then move in order to the next stack, which is alchemy. This is the basic knowledge pertaining to each subject. I and your other teachers will be testing you on how much you’ve absorbed once your lessons start.”

“Sounds fair.” Karna nodded. She’d skim through the material just in case there had been something new discovered, or if they had some erroneous beliefs that she’d have to pretend to believe in. Still, this was all information she already knew, so it would not be a real challenge.

“I wish you luck then.” He stated simply and left her alone with the books, not caring how she planned on carrying them. That too was part of her test.

-----

“Some things are the same no matter what universe you go to.” Karna chuckled as she watched the other students move around below her, repeating the sentiment she’d expressed several times already. She had found a rather nice vantage point on the balcony of one of the administrative buildings near the cantina. It was a great place for some privacy while she ate her lunch.

“You didn’t really expect things to change in this universe of all places, right?” Gem retorted while munching on a grape. The spirit had taken the form of a tiny Fairy Dragon for the time being. The grape was the size of the tiny dragon’s head, so it was a real feast. Gem had always claimed that staying in the form of an item for extended periods of time felt constricting. Karna wasn’t sure if the spirit was being truthful or just fibbing, but she had never really cared either way. It didn’t really harm anyone, and if Gem wanted to indulge a bit on occasion, she wasn’t planning on denying that opportunity.

“Some things. Even this place isn’t stagnant enough for everything to stay the same. However, when it comes to most things, you’re correct.” Karna was still smiling as she observed below her as the youngsters were going through the dance that stayed a constant no matter where you were. The boys went through the motions of acting tough in front of the girls, while the girls acted coy and disinterested. The girls separated into groups based on status and past acquaintance, while the boys grouped up based on personality and interests. The more aggressive boys pushed around those with weaker personalities and weaker power, while the more passive boys sought refuge in numbers. Testosterone made boys do the same silly things no matter what universe you were in, the only difference was who had the power. In some universes having physical strength or an athletic ability placed you at the top of the pack, while in the Academy your position in the vague hierarchy was based on magic and rankings.

Not that the girls were much better. Status was just as, if not more important to them. Often that status came from social connections, and that wasn’t entirely different here either. While your wealth and family were less important in the Academy, your connections to teachers and the masters of different majors weighed a lot more, as well as your friendship with people with more power and a better ranking. Of course, the individual strength of a girl also played a part, but less so than with the boys. Much like with the more passive boys, the girls that didn't have enough personal strength could only seek refuge in numbers or solitude. The competitive spirit fostered by the Academy also had the side-effect of heightening some of these differences, while the group activities gave the perfect excuse to form cliques.

“At least those social mores are a little different based on race.” Gem commented. The spirit never really understood the mortal mind, as she found many of their actions baffling. Time had allowed Gem to grow used to such things but understanding eluded the immortal spirit.

“I’m not sure if that makes things better or worse.” Karna frowned. She looked to the side where a group of beastmen was applying a subtle kind of pressure on a member of their group, even though no one was really pressured directly. To them, the community was more important, and going off the rather narrow social codes they had was frowned upon with quite a bit of intensity. On the other side of the spectrum were the elves. They too were communal in some ways, but they were also all striving for some sort of nebulous individual perfection, and deviation from that ideal was scorned. That scorn was a lot more subtle than what than most races practiced, but the elves tended to be more subtle as a race anyway.

Suddenly Gem vanished in a shower of pretty sparkles, a sure sign that someone was approaching. Soon enough Karna heard the door of the balcony being pushed open. "Ah, I was right. I thought I spotted someone here. Usually, this place remains empty."

A tanned Alpyran woman stepped through the glass door and closed it behind her. The woman had a long and curly blond hair falling down her shoulders, framing a pair of golden-colored horns that were surprisingly small for her race. Normally Alpyrans had horns that looked more like antlers. The woman also wore clothes that had the school colors, but that's where the similarities ended. She wore something that was halfway between a revealing negligee and a long cloak combined with a brassiere. She also had on something that could only be described as very tight hotpants and thigh-high leather boots. Certainly not something you would expect a teacher to wear, though it was hard to say if she even was one. She certainly could’ve passed for one of the older students as well.

Alpyrans always looked ageless as even the oldest ones looked like someone barely out of teenage years, and it was even harder to judge the age of this particular Alpyran because Karna was quite certain she was just an illusion created by magic. A very convincing one, yes, but reincarnators were very good at seeing through such illusions. The real woman was likely somewhere else, simply projecting her form on the balcony. That made her age and power impossible to judge accurately. She also had no insignia on her clothing, a rarity in Magocracy, and something really odd in the Academy.

“I can’t imagine why. The vantage point is great, and so is the view. It’s not even that hard to access.” Karna replied while returning to her observations of the people below. The new arrival had come for a reason, but she had no way to tell what that reason was, for now.

“Ah, how refreshing!” The woman stated with a genuinely cheery voice. “Usually the people of Magocracy spend a lot longer judging my appearance.”

"I'm aware of the social norms and the hot-blood of Alpyrans," Karna muttered idly. Alpyrans could walk into a blizzard wearing nothing but a smile without getting cold, which was partly why they preferred to not dress in heavy clothing. Only a part though. Their hot blood also manifested in other ways. “My compliments to your tailor by the way.”

“He’ll be happy to hear that.” The woman smiled. Karna was refreshingly different from her father. “I’m Tsumi by the way.”

“Karna.” She gave a defeated sigh and turned to Tsumi, giving up on her people watching. It seemed this woman was determined to disturb her, so she might as well oblige.

“A pleasure to meet you. I seem to have disturbed your lunch.” The woman noted Karna’s subtle rebuke, even if she decided to press on anyway.

“I suppose I was done anyway. What’s brings you here? Besides curiosity that is.” Karna asked.

“Actually just that. This is one of my usual spots. It's just rare to see someone else here like I said. I’ve placed a slight compulsion on the door that’s usually enough to keep everyone away, so I simply wanted to see who had the same good taste as me and the will to completely ignore my little trick. And now I know.” The woman gave a small gesture towards the insignia on Karna’s jacket that bore the crown and her class number.

“Yes, the badge is a little blatant in advertising my position, isn’t it?” Karna asked mostly rhetorically. She had not even noticed the compulsion as it had been so minor. Sometimes being able to completely ignore such things had downsides. She would’ve likely spotted the spell easily if she had been looking for such things, but since she hadn’t…

“Perhaps that’s the point.” Tsumi pointed out.

"Oh, that's definitely one of the reasons.” Karna retorted. “You should know, as you’re not wearing yours.”

The mirthful laugh of the woman sounded almost musical. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. What do you suppose the ultimate purpose is?”

“It probably has several purposes.” Karna decided to humor the woman by answering. “It puts a target on your back, but it also serves as an inspiration for others. Something obvious to aspire to and compete against. At the same time, it drives the wearer so that they can keep it. Losing it would be rather humiliating for those that are fond of such obvious displays of status and strength. Motivation is important for students, and those are just the most obvious purposes.”

Tsumi nodded, seemingly giving the subject more thought. Karna decided that she had obliged the woman enough for now and closed her lunchbox. “Well then. I shall return your observation platform back to you. Have a good day.”

“The same to you as well.” The woman said idly and sat down next to the place Karna had just vacated.

As soon as the door had closed behind her and she had taken a few steps away from the balcony, Karna saw Gem appear back on her shoulder. “Well. That was a rather unsubtle way to make first contact.” The spirit said judgmentally.

“That was actually fairly subtle as far as such things go. You have to remember that I’m supposed to be a child, and she’s likely someone who doesn’t specialize in these kinds of things.” Karna replied a bit more moderately. The woman had not been too obvious with her intentions, but it was clear to the two of them that this meeting was not accidental and was likely a precursor to several more of its kind.

“What do you think she wants?” Gem speculated.

“Hard to say. Too early for that. I'd wager a guess that she's either a teacher or a late-year student assigned to keep an eye on me. Maybe an advanced disciple to some master like Duskclaw. She might just want to scout me out, or she might have some nefarious plan. We’ll have to wait a bit until we can say for sure.” Karna shook her head. They simply didn’t know enough to make a proper judgment. There was also no way to properly react just yet. It wasn’t odd for Karna to have people approach her with some plan in mind, as it had happened to her countless times before in previous lives.