The monarchs council. The governing body of the people of Gaia. It is split between the permanent seats and provisional seats.

The provisional seats are made up of two groups. Firstly, all current living Monarchs, and secondly, those members of society who have made significant contributions to academia. In this way, magical power and academic excellence directly correlate to political power. When a monarch or scholar passes away, their family does not retain said provisional seat.

The permanent seats, the more coveted of the two types, can be obtained through a number of achievements. A family who produces a mage in any of the major branches of magic, namely Artificing, Enchanting, Spell Crafting, Runescaping, etc. will be endowed with one permanent seat on the council. A family from which a paragon is born is afforded two permanent seats on the council. The Imperial families - those whose blood hath flowed through the veins of an emperor - will forever have at least five seats on the council. Finally, a family is afforded one permanent seat on the council per thirty-one Monarchs they have birthed since their inception.

At the time of writing this treatise there are currently six-hundred and eighty-four provisional seats, five hundred and seven of which are held by monarchs. The other one-hundred and seventy seven seats are held by academics.

There are a further six-hundred and eleven permanent seats, making for a grand total of one-thousand two-hundred and ninety-five seats of power within the community.

The holders of said seats are responsible for upholding the original Declaration of Rights, enacted by Merlin and Morgana in the year 8 of the Unification Calendar, but are also responsible for enacting new laws and determining the path for magic's progression.

~Politics and Power, by Samantha Grey.

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"Wakey wakey bro" called Zamfir as she drew open the curtains in Zak's room. "We have a lot to do today, you know."

"Urg," groaned Zak groggily. "Morning."

"Morning. We got some new robes for you by the way. I picked them out myself so they should be super stylish" Zamfir said as she walked out of the room.

Zak got ready for the day and proceeded to check out the 'robes'. He'd imagined robes to be baggy impractical garments that he'd struggle to get used to. But as he examined the soft cottony clothing he realised that his assumption was once again wrong. The robe was a dark grey in colour, with azure lines forming complex patterns along the borders so it did indeed look 'super stylish'. Furthermore, it was open at the front so you could move around very easily in it, or alternatively you could zip it up. As Zak put his arms through the sleeves of the robe he was disappointed to find that it was a size or two too big for him. However before a frown could even form on his face the robe heated up and seemed to shrink till it fit him snuggly.

“I love magic” Zak grinned goofily as he proceeded to the dining room.

“Good morning Zakaria” Solaris greeted. “We’re going to be testing out the parameters of your triple mind ability today. So eat plenty” he said, gesturing to the overflowing plate of eggs, sausages, mushrooms, toast and beans in the seat next to him.

“Triple mind. That's an apt name” remarked Zak.

“Meh. I think three minds one soul sounds way cooler” suggested Zamfir.

Breakfast proceeded smoothly with some light chatter between the trio.

“So what first Sal?” Zak questioned calmly, finally getting used to referring to the older man by his affectionate moniker. Solaris led Zak and Zamfir to one of the spare bedrooms. He waved his staff - which Zak saw materialise with a spark of light out of thin air - and the furniture disappeared.

“Firstly we need you to split into three bodies. It should be relatively simple for you. Just think about how your magic reacted when you merged your bodies. You need to find your magic and will it to separate you again.”

“Ah. So think about my magic stored in this container thing down here” Zak said pointing to his abdomen.

“Correct” smiled Solaris, impressed that Zak had reached this conclusion on his own. “Magic permeates the entirety of our bodies. However it is most highly concentrated in one's magical core. The magical core is not a physical construct, you cannot stab it or see it with the naked eye. Rather, it is metaphysical in nature. The more one trains and understands magic, the more energy one can store in their core and hence, the more powerful you are.”

“And I have to 'will it' to do what I want? What does that mean” inquired Zak.

“Well imagine one wanted to make their hand move. You simply have to intend for it to move and ones brain and body will work in concert to make it happen. Now magic is obviously a little more complex in its workings. But for an innate skill like your ability to split your body, it should be almost as simple. Give it a try.”

Zak nodded and tried to recall his merging. As he focused his mind on his abdomen he felt a tendril of warm energy flow within him. He let the energy flow throughout his body and imagined his three minds splitting.

A flash of light lit up the room and a sound similar to ice condensing could be heard. Just like that, where there had once been one body of Zak, three identical young men, save for their clothing, now stood. The two clones that flanked the central one were wearing the same dull black garbs Zak had discarded days ago

“Well that was easy,” voiced Zak, unperturbed that summoning these plain black clothes seemed to be innate to him as well.

“I was thinking about this the other day, but if you're going to attend three different schools - pretending to be triplets no less - you can't all have the same name” pondered Zamfir.

“Great minds think alike my dear apprentice. I was thinking we could dub one of you as Zakia and another as Zakary" Solaris said, turning to the three bodies of Zak. "Each name - as well as your own of course - roughly translates to intelligent and pure, which I believe fits you rather nicely. Furthermore, after introducing yourself, your friends and acquaintances can then refer to you as Zak, which you are already accustomed to.”

Zak sighed at this complication. “I guess it's fine, but it's going to take some getting used to."

“Excellent,” smiled Solaris. “Let's start practicing now then. Zakia, I want you to follow Zamfir to the training room” he said, pointing at the body of Zak standing furthest to the left. "Zakary, you'll follow me to my study while Zakaria stays here."

All three Zaks could be heard mumbling under their breath as they followed Solaris’s directions.

The body of Zak, now dubbed Zakary, followed Solaris to his study and was made to sit down in one of the comfy guest chairs. He watched as Solaris retrieved a vial of clear dark green liquid from a cabinet behind his mahogany desk. The liquid looks somewhat like tea. Solaris then retrieved a memory crystal from inside his robe which was already filled with mist. He placed the corner of the crystal at the opening of the vial and the mist was released into it and mixed with the dark green liquid, lightening it a shade or two.

“Drink this” Solaris instructed, handing the vial to Zakary. “It will most likely knock you out for an hour or so, so just relax until I come and get you.”

Zak didn't like the sound of being knocked out, but knew Solaris meant him no harm so followed the instructions anyway. As soon as the vial was finished Zak's head began to pound slightly. He leaned back in his chair and fell into a state of semi-consciousness. Solaris nodded at this and left to return to the bedroom.

Downstairs in the training room, Zamfir was showing the newly dubbed Zakia a simple formation she had drawn on the floor last night.

“Have you read anything about rituals yet?” she questioned while double checking her work.

“Not particularly. There were a couple mentions here and there in 'The Index of Magical Animals Volume II'' of what certain magical creature parts can be used in rituals, but there was nothing on what rituals themselves are exactly.”

“Well it's quite simple to explain, but complicated to carry out. A ritual, at its core, is where you use ingredients along with a formation and chant to enact magic of some kind. They're mostly used to enhance one's body or mind, but honestly there's a ritual for anything you can think of. This one here's a simple cleansing ritual. It'll remove any harmful substances or toxins that have built up in your body, while also clearing out any dead and useless cells.”

“Nice” smiled Zak. “Does it hurt at all?”

“No, it's honestly like taking the world's most thorough bath. I perform this one every year. It's good for your health.”

“So what do I do?”

“Just sit cross-legged in the centre there, make sure you don't knock over any of the ingredients” Zamfir instructed, pointing to several small piles of plants and bowls of liquid.

Once Zak was comfortably seated in the centre, Zamfir placed her hands on the edge of the formation and began to chant.

“I invoke thee, magic. Accept my offering of plants and potions of healing to cleanse the body within. So mote it be”

The formation lit up a soft blue colour. Zak felt a tingling sensation throughout his body. It didn't feel very comfortable, but it wasn't painful in any way.

“This is a simple ritual so the incantation was really short. It also doesn't require many ingredients. Some rituals literally take weeks to set up and require ridiculously expensive ingredients,” She explained. “Well I’m off to the library, make sure not to move until you're called” warned Zamfir as she easily abandoned Zak.

“So what, I just sit here” Zak muttered to himself. “At least leave me a book.”

Back in the bedroom Solaris had conjured a deep mahogany desk as well as several high back chairs. He was busy scribbling something on a piece of thick luxurious gold tinted paper.

“This is the contract of apprenticeship I would like to take with you” Solaris explained as he presented the sheet to Zak.

Although the language used was somewhat grandiloquent, the contents of the contract could be summarised as thus:

1. Salador Solaris swears to do everything in his power to protect one Zakaria Lykorigas Sol from harm to the extent of not interfering with his natural development.

2. Salador Solaris swears to provide monetarily and physically for one Zakaria Lykorigas Sol until such a time as the apprentice either completes a mastery or reaches the age of twenty-three.

3. Salador Solaris will be considered the legal guardian of one Zakaria Lykorigas Sol up until the individual's mother has awoken from her imprisoned slumber or the individual's father has been found and retaken custody.

4. Zakaria Lykorigas Sol will follow all direct orders of Salador Solaris should they be given in relation to following the laws set by the Monarchs Council or to ensure the tutees' safety.

"Is it standard practice for you to cover me financially?” queried Zak.

“Standard enough. With your mother in a coma and your father missing you are currently classed as being an orphan. As such I will be taking the place of your pseudo-parent, hence the clause ensuring I hold guardianship. And of course, what type of parent doesn’t buy those things their offspring require and that they can afford”

“Well thanks then temporary pops” Zak grinned cheekily.

“I’m far too old to be your father” Solaris chuckled, “How about you refer to me as grandfather?”

“Gramps works” Zak continued.

“I’ll allow it in private” Solaris smiled. He summoned a small knife - the size one would use to open letters with - and gently pricked his thumb, allowing a single drop of blood to fall onto the gorgeous scroll. “If we are both satisfied, sign at the bottom and add a drop of blood. The wound will heal after a single drop falls,” Solaris reassured.

Zak re-read the contract once more, for his extensive reading had drilled into him the need for caution regarding anything you place your signature on. But no matter the clause or phrase, every word seemed to be beneficial for Zak. So with a flourish of the heavy brass pen he had been presented with, he signed the document, before copying Solaris' earlier action - although he couldn't help but let out a soft hiss - and a drop of his own blood was added.

Before the ink could even begin to dry Zak felt a gentle thrum deep in his magical core. His magic seemed to reverberate through his body, with his core acting like a church bell, striking to produce a steady flow of melodic sound, or rather, magical waves. A soft white light emanated from Zak, giving him an almost angelic appearance. Across from him, Solaris too was emanating light, yet his was more golden in nature. A tendril of light seemed to grow from each of them, reaching out towards the other. When they met, Zakaria felt a warmth envelop him, like the feeling one gets when shaking hands with a respected character. He was feeling Solaris’ magic, making a pact with it, remembering it as a safe and trustworthy ally. However, after a few seconds of this pleasant exchange, a black, rotten, wispy tendril of light began growing at the point where gold and white light met. It grew to around a metre's length, before letting out several black ominous sparks and blinking out of existence. The warmth Zak had been feeling was momentarily replaced by the sheerest, meanest cold imaginable. Feelings of hopelessness and horror sprung up within him, and the frigid magic led not to shivering, but the freezing and locking up of his muscles in a defensive preparedness. Yet just as quickly as the black tendril appeared and disappeared, so too did the darkness which had interrupted the tutor-apprentice bonding.q

A couple more seconds passed after which the white and gold light faded away, the oath of apprenticeship having been completed.

“What was that?” Zak asked fearfully.

Solaris was busy inspecting the golden paper on which the contract had been written. “Look here” he pointed. The paper in question had a miniscule rip in the topmost corner, barely small enough for the naked eye to see. “We accidentally used slightly faulty oath parchment, which introduced chaotic magic into the bonding process. Such a thing really shouldn’t be possible, as the parchment is enchanted to be impervious to common damage. This is my fault, and I will be looking into the origins of this mistake. I apologise young man” Solaris finished, bowing his head slightly in guilt.

“No harm done” Zak replied shakily. “Are we finished?” He asked, eager to move on.

“Yes indeed, if you can get your other two bodies to return, we can correlate results.”

Zak’s two other bodies immediately began moving towards the bedroom, whereupon they again fused into one body, before being examined by Solaris with one of his trusty shards of glass.

“Hmm” he pondered. “The amount of magic in your body has increased significantly. Each of your constituent bodies seems to have drawn in ambient magic from the bonding process, formation and potion. When they are brought together into one body, this power accumulates. This will definitely have useful applications in the future,” he smiled.

“Did the ritual and potion work?” questioned Zamfir, who had returned some minutes ago.

“Let's see shall we. Zak, divide again would you?” Solaris requested. “Can you all understand me?” he questioned as soon as Zak was done splitting.

“Of course” replied Zakia confusedly.

“Why wouldn’t I be able to?” continued Zakary.

“Well I’m not exactly speaking English,” the Professor smirked. And it was true, now that Zak stopped to think about it. The language Solaris had been speaking was guttural and sharp in nature, and definitely not one Zak could identify. And yet, he understood it as instinctively as any who were speaking their mother tongue.

“You took a Gengo potion earlier,” Zamfir explained. “They were invented by a Japanese potioneer like two-thousand years ago, and have the ability to force teach you a language based on another individuals memories of said language.”

“We were just conversing in Gaelic” Solaris explained. "The fact that all three bodies understood me means that knowledge, whether it be obtained normally or via magical means is transferable to all your bodies. The ritual however, seems to only have affected Zakia. All of your pores have been cleansed and senescent cells have been removed. When you fused, the fused body also had these properties, but as soon as you split again, it was easy to see which body had undergone the ritual and which had not."

"So to summarise, rituals affecting and enhancing the physical body only affect the body undertaking the ritual, unless he fuses, in which case all beneficial attributes are present in the fused body" chimed in Zamfir.

"Our theory needs some refining, but at the moment that is correct" agreed Solaris. "Now for the final test" he said as he banged his staff - which had again appeared from thin air - sharply on the ground.

The soft golden aura of Solaris once again became visible. Many tendrils of light ranging in colour emanated from him in a web-like pattern. The most prominent tendrils were two golden strings, one leading to Zamfir, the other reaching out a meter before splitting into three, leading to Zakaria, Zakary and Zakia.

"These are karma threads, they show exactly how I as an individual am connected to everyone whose lives I have affected and interacted with in some way. The golden threads lead to my apprentices, and the fact that Zakia and Zakary are considered under my tutelage means that magic affecting the soul and spirit are also applicable to all three bodies. This result was of course obvious, as as I have said, you only have one soul, but it never hurts to confirm" Solaris explained as the tendrils of light faded from visible existence. "Thus concludes our training and hypothesising for the day. School starts within the next few days, so there is still much to do, but at least now we have a basis with which to work around"

"I can't wait to show you around the Academy" grinned Zamfir. "You'll fit right into the chaos" she said as she led Zak from the room to undoubtedly regal him with stories of her time as a student.