MAGNUS

The math course must have been designed to make sure everyone that attended the school had a basic grasp of the concept, because I along with the majority of the class tested out of it. A few didn’t grasp the more advanced multiplications that my grandfather called algebra, and it seemed that other classes had a few more that would be continuing the course during the first part of the year. But it looked like they would all be lumped into a single class now that they had the numbers in place. Geography I wasn’t able to test out of though. I knew the land around the mountain, and the general location of most of the major landmarks in the alliance like Dragonfall Bay or the Kitrassi Desert, but I didn’t know where things like the capitals of the nations were. It seemed that Selena, Vara, and the Konos were the only ones that tested out of that class from our little group and the ratio held true for most of the student body it seemed. It seemed that most people were like me, we know our home area and major points, but if we don’t need to figure out how to get somewhere it doesn’t stick with us.

Now though I had Introduction to Aetherical Creatures, honestly the course I have been dreading. Up until Varis joined me I hadn’t been able to craft a summoners bond with a creature simply because of the aether cost. I couldn’t even make the summoning crystal because the aether drained out before I could put enough into the bindings to make them hold. You had to complete each section of the binding in full before you could rest and move on to the next one, and for the crystals it had to be done faster than an image. Runes were actually easier because it took an insignificant amount of aether to make them receptive to aether to power the spells, but spell runes had to be charged each time you wanted to use the spell. It seemed that I would have a couple familiar faces in this class as Ezekiel and Selena were already seated by the time I found the classroom. I waved at them and received a wave back from both and Ezekiel motioned for me to join them.

As I sat he asked with a slight bitter undertone, “This is probably just a review class for you isn’t it?”

I shook my head, “No, I tended to fall asleep in my lectures on beast binding. I don’t have much of an aether pool, so going the path of summoner seemed like a poor idea.”

Selena said, “I never did understand how the size of your aether pool determined which path you took in binding. Then again I only took up binding as a bit of a hobby originally since at the time I was being trained to help my family.”

Ezekiel looked to me and I nodded for him to go ahead, so he replied, “It takes a certain amount of aether to create and utilize bindings. For spell runes it doesn’t take much to make one, but to constantly use them requires a large pool unless you want to be a one trick pony. It’s why most people are taught how to channel their aether into a few types of runes like healing, but can only use them a couple of times before they are unable to continue. The majority of people have enough aether in them to at least bond one beast, but remember that the more control exerted the higher the cost so long as that binding remains. Up until the image binding of cards became common equipment binding was the only real binding that most with low aether could manage, because the cost depends on the complexity of the binding, but like spells doesn’t take much initially.”

I noticed Professor Nacht entering the classroom so I interrupted, “I’m sure the professor will cover the subject of beast binding in a bit more detail.”

They both quieted down and waited as the Professor used a piece of chalk to write on the smooth dark wall behind her: Aetherical Creatures, Monsters, Summoning, and Evolution. I could still hear echoes of the bell to signal class beginning when she started speaking, “What makes a beast an Aetherical Creature, what makes it a Monster, and why does the distinction matter? The simple answer is Aether, but that isn’t the whole of the answer.”

She stepped away from the wall and scanned the class before giving a sharp nod and continuing, “Any being that has its own personal flow of aether is considered an Aetherical Creature, which means that yes, all of you are considered Creatures too. The main difference between humans and other aetherical creatures is that we naturally replenish our aether, whereas the creatures we bind and summon require specific circumstances to regain their expended aether. Most of these creatures will live in an area that meets that need as without aether they will begin to stagnate.”

She stepped back to the board and pointed at the word Monsters and said, “Monsters are what happens when the flow of aether within a creature either stagnates or goes out of control. A stagnated aether flow will drive a non-sentient creature into a ravenous being that wants to eat you and absorb your aether. An out of control aetherflow can also drive a creature insane if it has sentience, or just simply crazed if it doesn’t. This is all fairly common knowledge, but just in case does anyone have questions?”

I raised a hand, while I knew that monsters were just aetherical creatures that had something wrong with their aetherflow I hadn’t known the details before. When Nacht pointed at me I asked, “If humans are considered aetherical creatures, does that mean we could become monsters as well?”

That question raised a round of muttering among the students in the class, and my tablemates looked at me with a bit of fear in their eyes. Professor Nacht gave a short sharp clap to get the class’s attention before answering, “It is theoretically impossible for a human’s aether flow to stagnate as the simple act of living causes us to generate our own supply of weather. Aether madness however is a possibility, All known cases of Aether Madness in humans so far have been temporary due to our bodies ability to restore our own aether. The most common cause of the madness is backlash from a bad binding. This is how Nicholas Schneider got his nickname. And before anyone asks, a creature you have bound can be healed of aether madness with an infusion of aether to heal them. For bound creatures it most often happens during evolution, which we will get to in a minute.”

Another student asked, “What about the creature types or affinities, does that affect their chances of becoming a monster?”

“Yes and no,” the professor answered, “Types and elemental affinities only seem to affect how they express themselves once they become monsters. Though it should be noted that sentient aetherical creatures rarely become monsters as how to replenish aether is instinctive to creatures, and they have the reasoning capability to limit their aether use without a source of replenishment. That being said, there are some types of creatures that act like monsters even with a stable aether flow. Can anyone name one?”

A hand in the front raised followed shortly by, “They Imp type.”

“Correct, the creatures we classify Imps have a stable aether flow; but they have the same attitudes as monsters when we encounter them. The answer to why is that all Imp types are dual-element creatures, and have two methods for replenishing their aether. One of which is to absorb it from a creature they kill, just like monsters do,” the dark haired professor said.

Selena raised a hand and asked, “Do all multi-element creatures have multiple ways of restoring aether?”

The professor nodded, “As far as we have seen yes. Now if I remember correctly from the assembly you were the one with the red turtle on your head?”

Selena nodded and answered, “Yes, he’s a Sandstone Snapper.”

“I’m familiar with the type, a combination Earth and Water affinity creature, a common pairing for amphibious creatures. Most likely he replenishes his aether when he’s immersed in water, but not quickly?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am. I usually have to top him off when we train because he can’t replenish it fast enough in the water,” Selena said with a questioning tone.

The professor smiled and said, “That’s because his water element is his secondary affinity, with earth as his primary. Try letting him eat some rocks next time, I think that was one of the methods.”

Selena muttered, as the professor turned back to the wall and pointed at Summoning, “I always wondered why he kept trying to eat my rock collection.”

“Summoning is the technical term for what most refer to as beast binding. There are two aspects of Summoning. The summoning crystal and the control binding. When you craft a summoning crystal you bind it to provide a home for the creature it will contain, the ability to restore the aether of the creature, and the level of control you will have over the creature. Once the crystal is complete any binder can use it unless your own aether is present. This does mean that if you didn’t craft the bindings that you don’t get to decide how much control to exert over the creature,” she lectured.

A boy in the back row scoffed, “Why wouldn’t I want to exert the maximum control on the stupid beast.”

“Mr. Vicono, if you have a question please raise your hand, as to the answer it’s really quite simple. The more control you exert the higher the cost of the control binding,” the teacher stated.

“Maybe that matters for these rubes and barbarians, but I don’t see why I should care,” he snapped back.

“Second warning, if you don’t want to listen to the lecture feel free to ignore it. Now, as I stated the control binding is how control is enforced on the creature you will summon. While you have a creature bound within the crystal the control binding constantly uses your own aether to power the binding. This is part of the reason who won’t find many spellbinders having more than one or two creatures, it lowers their ability to cast spells,” the professor continued, “This dovetails neatly into the concept of Evolution. As aetherical creatures replenish their aether, whether naturally or from the summoning crystal, some of that aether goes to reinforce their bodies and minds. This can cause them to evolve into a different form. Most creatures follow a standard evolutionary path, such as a Mist Falcon becoming a Storm Falcon. Some, usually those with dual affinities or types, will evolve down one of a few paths such as the Sandstone Snapper taking on more of an Earth or Water aspect with it’s evolution.”

The professor scanned the room again before stating, “There is one further form of evolution, and it is only available to creatures that are bound to a human. We call these unique evolutions, because the creatures evolve to better partner with their summoner.”

Vicono must have learned his lesson somewhat as he raised his hand to ask a question. The professor gave him the go ahead after a moment of letting him wait and he asked, “How do you get a unique evolution to occur?”

The professor smiled a little smugly and said, “The creature chooses to follow that path, which means it happens less in those creatures that have a stronger control binding.”

I tried not to laugh as the boy sat back and crossed his arms with an angry expression on his face.