A large desk made of dark wood dominated the room. Bookshelves, full to overflowing, lined one wall, with stacks of tomes on the floor nearby. On the opposite wall, a blackboard twenty feet long and as tall as a man hung. Above my head, dozens of strange objects made of wood and paper hung by strings. Several appeared similar to animals, such as birds or flying insects, but most I did not recognize.

In short, it was as if someone mashed a mage's private library, a research lab, and a storage room into one place and did an abysmal job at that. The hint of a headache caused by the door blossomed into a full-blown repetitive throbbing, and I briefly grimaced.

The man behind the desk looked around thirty, with unkempt blonde hair and pale skin. His robes were baggy, primarily white with hints of a light blue color, though I suspected he was a larger man. At a minimum, he was tall and, judging by his shoulders' width, kept himself in decent shape.

At first, he did not acknowledge me, keeping his focus on the three books floating by his face. His eyes scanned the pages while one hand wrote at blinding speeds, but as I closed the door, they darted towards me, a bright smile crossing his face.

"You must be Vayne! Please, take a seat." he half-shouted, the empty chair across from him sliding out by itself.

I gave a quick nod and took his invitation, sitting as he continued to write. After a few seconds, all three books snapped shut and flew across the room, piling on top of an existing stack. The column tipped for a second, threatening to topple over before wobbling straight.

"Lost track of time. You'll learn about that soon enough, I'm sure!" He commented with a chuckle, and I nodded politely, unsure how to respond.

The man, Master Julian, I assumed, waving a hand across the desk, and a wave passed over the air, reminding me of shimmering air over a fire. A second later, an orb appeared, and I blinked, sure my eyes were playing tricks on me.

Before I could investigate closer, Master Julian continued, "Please, place your hand against the sphere."

"How-apologies, Master," I said, cutting off my question as I pressed a hand against its surface. The orb was translucent and icy to the touch, with the faintest wisps of gray deep inside. I could see a distorted reflection of my face, turning my features into something almost comical, with massive eyes and an impossibly sharp chin.

A chill crept up my arm, going from uncomfortable to painful within seconds. Instinctively, I tried to pull away, but Master Julian held up a hand, saying, "Please remain still. Removing your hand too fast can get...messy. Torn flesh and all that. I'm not much of a healer, you see."

My eyes must have widened, and he chuckled, continuing, "Sorry. A poor attempt at humor, I'm afraid. The torn flesh part, I mean, not the removing your hand. It would interrupt the process, and I would rather not have to waste time repeating this."

I decided not to protest, leaning closer as a green glow began filling the inner workings. It did not escape my notice that it was the same shade as my future self's spells, though nowhere near as bright. Interestingly, there was a faint pulling sensation in my chest, right behind my sternum.

"Master? Might I ask what you are doing?" I said, having the inkling of a theory but hoping I was wrong.

"Of course!" he said, seeming to take that as a good enough answer. I furrowed my eyebrows, and he smirked, continuing, "Always fun seeing that reaction. These orbs draw mana from your body, giving me an idea of your element, baseline capacity, and purity-oh, now that is interesting."

A cold sweat broke out on my back, and my heart pounded as panic welled up. Briefly, I considered trying to run and railed and cursed for not thinking of this possibility. What if Julian saw that drop of mana in my core? An Archmagus caliber shroud must be difficult to pierce, right? Had I already-

The chill cut off, and the pulling sensation vanished, leaving me free to pull back my hand. I cradled it, massaging the glacier-cold skin as Master Julian leaned forward, placing his palm against the sphere and closing his eyes. I took a glance over my shoulder, measuring how fast I could get through the door. There was no chance I would escape, but the temptation was there.

His muttered words of "unusual" and "not seen in years" did not help my nerves, though I tried to sit still. Master Julian pulled his hand back, and silence filled the air, heavy and smothering.

After nearly a minute, I cracked, asking, "Master? Did you find something unusual?" with as worried a tone as I could muster. If nothing else, maybe I could feign ignorance and plea incompetence. It might prove better than admitting about my grim meeting with myself.

He started, responding, "Apologies, apprentice! Your magic is fascinating, and I'm afraid my interest got the better of me. A common failing in mages, I say. Now tell me, how much do you know about magic?"

"Not much, Master. I know mana is involved with magic, and there are different varieties of it. I believe there are different methods of working with it, and I suspect runes play a role. Beyond that, it is a mystery to me." I answered with a frown. This feeling of ignorance was becoming too familiar for my tastes.

To my surprise, Master Julian frowned, rubbing his eyes with one hand as he sighed.

"Yes, I figured as much. Some nobility stick too close to the old ways, a problem in my opinion. It makes my job more complicated, and, well, I am not a fan of unnecessary work. Regardless, a lesson feels appropriate."

He turned in his chair towards the massive blackboard, waving one hand as blue-white shimmered along its surface. The entire thing was wiped clean in an instant. A moment later, four stylized designs bloomed, drawn in seconds with some unseen tool. One was a twisting swirl of lines that appeared like a whirlwind, opposed by towering mountains covered in deep cracks and fissures. The third showed crashing waves that seemed to leap off the board, while the last was a roaring fire I swore gave off heat.

Master Julian continued, "As you said, mana exists around us and comes in varying elements. Each mage is predisposed to absorb a particular form, dictating the types of magic they use. The most common are the natural elements of fire, water, wind, and earth. For every hundred mages, around eighty-five use one of these."

The board cleared again, and two new symbols appeared. One was a snowflake with remarkably delicate linework, while the other was a simple rectangular ingot, with shading to replicate a dull shine.

"Less common are what we call focused or blended elements, which account for about ten out of a hundred mages. These are either mixtures of several mana types or a focused sub-form of one in particular. Ice mana is a fusion of water and wind mana, while metal mana is specialized earth mana. There are many more than just these two, but those are easy examples to understand. Any questions so far?"

"Does that mean earth mages cannot affect metal? Ore is a part of the earth, so that seems counterintuitive. And what about an ice mage? Can they control wind and water separately?" I asked, eager for the chance to learn. It might be a risk, but one that could be dismissed as an intellectual curiosity quickly enough.

"The simple answer is yes, but with less efficacy than the real deal. An ice mage will never possess the same power and control as a water mage, and a metal mage can do things with steel that no earth mage can match. It's a bit of an inexact science, truth be told, and I am glossing over many details."

I still had unanswered questions but decided to ignore them for now. There was time to research and study on my own, away from potentially prying eyes. Even so, I could not help but ask, "Am I one of those focused elements?"

"Patience, apprentice. My lesson is unfinished," he said with a chuckle as the board changed yet again.

This time, there were only two symbols. One was a sun, with straight lines spreading out, while the other was a crescent moon surrounded by stars.

"Light and darkness?" I guessed, gesturing to the board.

"Yes. Commonly called the conceptual or 'moral' elements, though I dislike the latter term. There are no such thing as good or evil magic, only good or evil people. You'll find only three or four of these in every hundred mages, which makes them quite rare. As far as I know, there is only a half dozen or so in training here and less than a thousand total."

Something about his words stuck out to me, even with my mind slower than usual, and I narrowed my eyes as the numbers added up in my head.

"My apologies, Master Julian, but you have mentioned what element ninety-nine out of a hundred mages possess. What about the hundredth?"

His smirk returned, and the board cleared again as a single, lone symbol appeared in the center. While the others had remarkable details, closer to art than anything, this was almost too simple. A simple open circle, without any additional embellishment, stood, stark white against a black background.

"The rarest of all elements is Aether. In total, there are less than a hundred living and none at the Academy. Well, we have one here now, I suppose."

"I see...is that a good thing? Rarity, I mean." I asked, tilting my head to one side.

Master Julian snorted, shaking his head with a grin on his face.

"Rare is not the same as power, though some feel otherwise. If anything, rarity is more often a hindrance. There are some benefits, but by and large, it's a weakness. For instance, though there may be more earth mages than stars in the sky, you'd never want for spells or inspiration. But with an Aether mage..."

"That is not the case. I would have more difficulty with my magic than most." I concluded, frowning at the implications.

If my element was that problematic, how had I become an Archmagus in the first place? Again, there was a small flash of frustration as questions continued to pile up.

"Exactly so. There are still paths for those that look, but far less than the other elements." Master Julian continued, not noticing my anger.

"What about the benefits? You mentioned there were some, right?" I asked after a moment.

"Of course! For one, it's present everywhere, unlike some mana forms. For most, you either need to find locations teeming with your particular type or create it yourself by combining the requisite elements."

"I see... Seems like less of a problem for someone like a wind or earth mage." I remarked, gesturing towards the ground.

He nodded, replying, "True enough, but there are some that might struggle. Imagine that you are a lava mage, as an example."

I chuckled at an image of a sweaty-faced noble appeared in my mind, squatting near the edge of a volcano as his robes threatened to catch fire. Master Julian raised an eyebrow, and I stifled my laugh, returning my attention to him.

"Regardless! I'll leave the more tedious details for personal study. Do you have your chosen classes ready?" Julian continued, sweeping away the orb with a flourish and a grin. I tried not to stare but could not help but wonder how he did that trick, as it vanished with the same shimmer as it had appeared. Was it a spell, or maybe some illusion-

When he gave a quiet cough, I winced and reached into my pocket, retrieving my list.

"Sorry, Master Julian," I said hastily, leaning forward to try and hand it to him. The wind picked up, snatching it from my hands, and I scrambled to grab it, my face burning. The paper drifted listlessly, slipping right through my fingers and into Julian's waiting palm. As I straightened, coughing under my breath, he gave a wry grin, telling me precisely what just happened.

"Couldn't help myself." he said with a shrug, continuing, "Alright, let's see what we can see. Magic Theory and Spellcrafting, of course. Alchemy, Enchanting, and Forging? Hoping to be a crafter, maybe? Magic History? Do we still have that class? The school might as well replace it with naptime. Half the students wouldn't notice the difference."

He continued muttering for another minute before placing the paper in front of him and folding his hands over it. He leaned forward, staring at me silently. I had to keep myself from squirming as sweat ran down my back and between my shoulder blades. I heard a rhythmic tapping from nearby and realized that my foot was bouncing on the wooden floor.

Master Julian sighed, saying, "This is the part where I strongly encourage you to drop at least three classes. Technically, as long as they fit, you can take as many as you want, and these all could work together. You'd spend half your day in a classroom or on a training field, and every bit of free time studying, but it's possible. Are you sure about this?"

I took several seconds to consider my reply, glancing at the desk before raising my eyes.

"If I may ask, sir, are there any other apprentices taking a similar workload?" I said, already knowing the likely answer.

He blinked hard, pausing for a long moment before bursting into laughter.

"Founders no. No other student has hated themselves enough to take on that sort of burden. There's been a few who took seven, and I've heard rumors of eight, but ten? Never."

"In that case, yes, I am sure," I replied, giving him a polite smile.

He met my eyes, tilting his head to one side as if to examine me from another angle.

"There is a point where it turns from training to torture. Again, I have to advise against this course of action. In the Academy, there are no do-overs or second chances. If you cannot handle the workload and fail a year, your time training here is over. Are you sure?"

"Completely, Master," I answered with hesitation.

It had occurred to me as he spoke, something that had not come to mind before then. In truth, I did want to drop several classes and focus on fewer. Every part of me screamed this was a mistake but was that not the problem? If that was my first instinct, had my counterpart felt the same? If I followed that impulse, would it lead me down the same path as him?

The concept could drive a man crazy, constantly second-guessing every action taken, and at some point, I had to stand confident. There was no choice but to take chances and ignore the gnawing worries that threatened to overtake me. It was easier said than done if I was honest with myself.

Sighing again, he nodded before flipping my paper over and grabbing a pen. As he wrote, several books flew across the room from shelves and landed neatly on my lap.

"Stubbornness is usually a good thing, but not always, you know. Still, I need to give you a fighting chance. Read those, memorize them and then head to the Archives and grab the rest. You've got a lot to catch up on, after all." he said, looking back up to me as the paper fluttered through the air, sliding into the pages of the top book.

"Thank you, Master Julian. I am in your debt," I said, bowing low to the man. I went to stand, but he held up a finger, and I paused, relaxing back into my seat.

"A question, if you'll permit some curiosity on my part. Why go to such lengths? As near as I can tell, you're just a commoner, intended to become a noble's advisor. Most in your position would take five or six classes and coast, comfortable in their future. Why push yourself like this?"

I considered the question, determining how much honesty was appropriate. It was something that floated in the back of my head, and even now, I did not have a perfect answer.

"I...I have always dreamed of learning magic, and I like knowing if that makes sense. If I let this opportunity pass, I would never forgive myself. I want..." I trailed off, unsure what to say before continuing, "I am not sure of the rest, honestly. But I do know that I want to challenge myself and see how far I can go. It breeds growth, in my experience," I finished, echoing my future self almost perfectly.

It was more honest than I intended, and immediately I cursed myself in my head, blaming my still-foggy mind for saying too much. It was too late to take it back, and some of my worries cleared as a massive smile crossed his, flashing bright white teeth.

"Good answer! If I am honest, the worst day of my life was when the headmistress saddled me with this job. You'd be astonished how dull advisory meetings can-scratch that. You of all people would know that, I suppose. Still, every apprentice who walks through those doors wants to be the next Elden. They dream of fighting monsters and earning the admiration of every eligible partner with a hundred miles. But you have such an honest-sounding desire. Not a crystallized one yet, but that can come in time!"

"I-I understand, Master?"I said, trying and failing to hide my confused tone.

"No, you don't, but that is okay. I'm glad I snagged you instead of passing you off to Oleg. Oh, I almost forgot. Here, take this." he said, a hand dipping into his robes.

When it emerged, he threw something with a casually flicked wrist. I did not expect the move and nearly dropped it, catching the object a few inches from the ground. Taking a closer look, I saw it was a black leather bracelet with an embedded piece of iron as large as a coin.

"Your identification bracelet," Julian explained, gesturing to place it on my wrist. I did so, feeling it pull tight as he continued, "There are a few useful functions enchanted into it. Mostly, it allows access to restricted spaces, including your dormitory room and training facilities. I would suggest not losing it unless you have a burning desire to spend the fortune replacing it."

I smiled, responding, "I will keep a careful eye on it, Master. Thank you." as I stood.

I turned to leave but paused, looking back at the older man as I said, "Master Julian. May I ask a question?"

"I would say you just did, but that's a bit too smarmy of a response for me. What is it?" Julian asked, briefly smiling.

"Why did you try to convince me to take fewer classes? You seemed almost impressed by my choice."

"Impressed is not the word I'd use, but besides that, call it curiosity. It's not every day a commoner sponsored by one of the strongest men around waltzes in and asks to jump feet first into a raging sea. I wanted to know how far your determination extended. Talent goes far, but without a strong will, not as far as you'd think" he said, with another grin and shrug at the end.

"I think I understand. Thank you again, Master Julian." I said, giving a low bow and nearly hitting my head on his desk.

"As I said, you were a nice change of pace. If you have any more questions, feel free to come back later. For now, I think you have a tour to conclude."

Behind me, the door flew open, and Master Julian stood, the three books returning to hover around him as he walked to the board. Both hands danced along the surface, symbols beginning to appear as if by magic.

I briefly chuckled at the intended pun, debating trying for a closer look, but the winds picked up again before I could. Something seemed to grab me, almost like hands but soft and indistinct, and I felt them carry me right out the door. The moment we were across the threshold, I fell hard onto the stone floor, and the doorway slammed shut, pushing my hair back.

Of all the ways someone had dismissed me, that had to be the rudest but also the most entertaining.