Chapter 59: Scholarly Paths

Chapter 59: Scholarly Paths

The mood at breakfast was anxious. The news of the dead enforcement mage had clearly spread, and everybody was speculating on what had happened.

A ghost of Quaz! Roni said in a hushed voice, eyes wide with suppressed excitement. The battle in the mountains happened near a hidden hermitage. It awoke from the death, then followed the Founder back and now stalks the Academy, killing mages.

He looked around to see how his companions reacted to the theory. Nathan raised his eyebrows and shrugged, while Hibor looked uncertain and interjected his own theory. To raise the past, it could have been an action of the Nails. Their hands have been idle for a long time.

Roni wasnt deterred. But the Nails kill with magic. This was something else, like a monster! I want to be a war mage and learn necromancy, so I can animate dead monsters. Ill apprentice to war mage Usto dho Thrask and shackle the ghost with magic, then learn to make immaterial golems out of death mana!

Yelun just rolled her eyes. It was probably a malfunctioning golem. Theyre left from the time of Founders, and we still dont understand them. Miracle of the Giant or not, if they think you do not belong they will kill you.

Her sober tone was at stark contrast to the excitement of the boys. They grumbled about their own pet theories, but didnt dispute that the more mature girl was probably correct.

Nathan nodded along, glad that he hadnt stirred up too much suspicion by killing the enforcement mage. It seemed like the security around the Academy was intense enough that they didnt really consider the possibility that there could be an assassin inside.

The students, at least. Badud might have more information. But there are a lot of students, and they can't exactly use magic to find me.

Soon enough they were headed towards the practical class, which had Nathan nervous. It was where the low-tier students were supposed to practice their magic and apply the theory they learned in the lectures.

He thought about slipping away, but his new suitemates assumed hed be joining them. Doing anything else would be suspicious. He thought about trying to make an excuse about joining a different class, but in the end he found a few different reasons for going.

Missing the morning classes will only work for a day or two. So if it takes longer than that to learn wizardry, then I need to learn how to blend in. If it takes less time than that, I can do it while on the run. I can hide in this building for a couple days even with my cover blown. Its huge. But I also want to see how the mages of Giantsrest learn. They teach thousands of powerful mages. How?

Nathan walked into the classroom, which was a high-ceilinged space split into a dozen small spaces by a series of low walls. Each little pod was set up with a few desks and a practice area shielded by force spells for magical practice. Further spells rose from the walls, preventing sound from carrying between each pod. He followed Hibor down the passage and into one of the little practice areas. Roni and Yelun were right behind, and they sat down in the provided desks and started chatting about the upcoming lesson.

Ill do it this time. Roni proclaimed. Today is the day I cast [Mage Armor] for the first time.

Yelun rolled her eyes. Learn [Force Block] first. Dont reach above your tier.

But you can cast it. The brown-haired kid looked petulant.

She sniffed I learned Insights from my father.

Hibor tried to break the tension. Dont sharpen your jokes, itll

He was cut off by another voice that sounded throughout the room, broadcast by an enchantment on the ceiling. Students, welcome. Today we will continue our exploration of force mana.

Nathan spotted the speaker, a short and somewhat portly man in an orange robe walking down the center of the room. He smiled in satisfaction as all of the low-tier students in the room turned to face him, and beady eyes tracked over the thirty people in the room.

Listen well, for [Mage Armor] is a spell every mage of Giantsrest must know. In the wilds of Davrar it will save your life often, protecting you from all matter of barbarian and monster. He waved his hand dismissively. Even if you never leave the Academy, it will protect you from the spells of your competitors. Now, last time we practiced the shape of [Force Block], now we will

He trailed off as he spotted Nathan, giving him a curious look. Then the man shrugged and kept speaking. Now we will marry that to the Insight of mobile force to make a protection that will move with you. Begin. Then he began walking casually towards Nathan and his suitemates.

One student per pod got up and stood in the practice area, moving mana around to cast the spell. Hibor took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes closed as he summoned force mana and spoke the spell.

[Mage Armor]

The mana wobbled and destabilized as misshapen panes of force forming over the boys skin. Usually Giantsrest force spells were transparent, but this one looked like a mess of jumbled plexiglass. The boy raised an arm and the entire spell fell apart like it was made out of sugar.

I cant tell if you have the Insight, the force spell is too clumsy. Yelun called.

The lecturer strolled into their pod, and all of the students gave him a Giantsrest salute. Nathan was a bare fraction of a second slower than the others, but the man was studying Hibors failed spell. That mana wont flow clean. Sit down and consider your failure. His tone was harsher than it had been when he was speaking to the class, and Hibor flushed and ducked his head before walking back to his bench and flopping back into the chair.

Then the orange-robed mage turned to Nathan, eyes faintly narrowed. Your face isnt familiar. Who are you?

Nathan ducked his head respectfully. Natad dho Asna. The son of two mages who decided to live in the southern deserts. I recently changed suites, and am attending class with my new friends. He gestured to the other three students in the booth, and Roni beamed.

Hmph. said the lecturer. I am Bran dho Jast, and I mislike when students make their own decisions. Come, let us see your [Mage Armor]. He pointed towards the practice area.

As Nathan got up, he could feel the man surreptitiously checking out his mana pool, using some kind of enhanced mana sense skill to see how much mana Nathan had. Hed been expecting it, and had set up a fake mana pool that was three or four times larger than the students around him. Not ridiculous, but it would imply he was either already over level 27 or had a skill that increased the size of his mana pool.

Let's see if I've lost the skill of bullshitting my homework.

He kept his aura close to his body as he turned back to Bran with a tight smile. Im new to the light of the Academy, and my parents Insights dont flow clean with the Insights of the Academy. I dont have force mana.

The lecturer's brows drew down angrily, and he sneered. Then your cannot be a mage of Giantsrest, and your parents are fools.

Nathan opened his mouth to respond, intending to talk about special [Dispel] Insights, but the man cut him off.

You will prove you understand the Insights. Fill in this sheet and return it tomorrow. A sheaf of paper appeared in his hand and he thrust it at Nathan like a weapon. Ask your friends for their knowledge. He shot a look at the three younger students, who were watching silently and trying not to attract the mans attention. Extract whatever price you wish from your friend.

Mid-tier Disguise 6 achieved!

His eyes swept to the blonde-haired girl. Yelun, if you wish additional lessons, my office is unlocked to you. Then he turned and left.

Nathan blew out a heavy breath, looking around at the other students with a sardonic grin. I guess I have some homework.

They were all watching him with some degree of concern. Hibor looked embarrassed, while Yelun frowned as if shed encountered an unforeseen obstacle.

Roni just looked moderately confused, and he got up to clap Nathan on the shoulder. Thats a muckgrabbers asshole. Let me try.

Nathan was able to avoid Brans notice the rest of the class, though he received another packet of homework along with the rest of the class as he left.

Well that didnt go as bad as it could. Ill take a chewing-out from somebody I dont care about over a manhunt any day. Im not looking forward to doing homework again though. I thought I was done with that.

He paged through it as they walked to lunch. It wasnt even good homework. Hed graded more than a few college-level classes in his time, and these questions didnt look like they had right answers. They were open-ended and unclear. At least one was asking him to sketch a mana structure that he knew for a fact was three-dimensional.

Sudraiel would be apoplectic if she knew Giantsrest is using reams of paper for homework. Maybe thats why shes so grumpy all the time.

His ears caught the faintest edge of a familiar voice, and Nathans attention focused in on it.

... press my palms atop those low-tier fools. Theyre in Brans class, theyll come this way. The voice would be inaudible to normal ears, and was coming from around the corner ahead. It belonged to Eban, the boy who had been bullying Hibor yesterday before Nathan decked him.

Nathan held out a hand to stop his group, sighing. Eban is around the corner. I think hes planning to ambush us.

Hibor sucked in a sharp breath, while Roni looked mad. Yelun just looked thoughtful, glancing at the corner and pitching her voice low. With me here? They raise their hands too high. She sniffed and lifted her nose arrogantly. The initial instance of this chapter being available happened at N0v3l.Bin.

Nathan bit his lip. They might not have dared a month ago, but now they might decide your support is gone. Because your father is dead.

Because my friend shot him in the head.

Yelun winced, then looked down at her feet. ...yeah.

I know another path! Roni said excitedly, pointing back and to the side. He took off before anybody had a chance to propose any other ideas. They all followed him on a mad dash through a few intervening rooms to a different entrance into the fire-themed lunch hall.

Besides, I doubt hes supposed to be here either. I might be able to call his bluff and get through this just fine, without leaving another suspicious body lying around.

He dipped his head slightly without taking his eyes off the other man, and gave a Giantsrest salute. I know of no Insights that would be worthy of a mage of your power. But if you would...

The other man sighed heavily and rolled his eyes, speaking over Nathan. Slave-born scum. Well, then Ill claim my debt later. I will just need to embed some commands He waved his hands idly.

[Paralysis]

The spell slid off Nathan without effect, and the man jerked in surprise. What? Are you. He reacted quickly, shooting up and away from Nathan as fast as his magic could take him.

Damn. No choice.

Nathan unleashed his aura on the mage. It struck forward like a whip, destroying all of the spellwork in its path. The [Mage Armor] and [Fly] spells vanished, and the mans words vanished in a squawk as the magic propelling him cut out. He arced up a short distance, his existing velocity sufficient to send him another ten feet up. Then he fell forty feet to the marble floor with a scream and a crunch.

Well, maybe it'll look like he lost control of his [Fly] spell. That's basically what happened.

Magekiller has leveled to 159! You have killed Rilrar dho Magoad, a high-tier student of Giantsrest!

Void of Magic has leveled to 316! You have killed a high-tier student of Giantsrest inside the Ascendant Academy!

Status of Nathan Lark:

Permanent Talent 1: Aura of Antimagic 9

Permanent Talent 2: Perfected Body 10

Permanent Talent 3: Airwalking 5

Class: Void of Magic level316

Deepened Stamina: 5822/9780

Void of Feeling

Antimagic Momentum

Raging Thrill

Implacable Inertia

Unarmored Resilience

Magic Anathema

Airborne Agility

Hand-to-hand Expertise

Voluminous Aura

Denial of Wizardry

Mana Severance

Class: Magekiller level 159

Regenerative Focus: 1474/1690

Catastrophic Blows

Battle Stealth

Mage Infiltration

Forgettable

Unsuspecting Strike

Antimagic Stealth

Spell Redirection

Lethal Index

Utility skills:

Battle Meditation 10

Inspiration 1

Acceleration 4

Wizard Senses 7

Alertness 6

Wizards Intuition 8

Effortless Dodge 2

Mental Fortress 9

Tutoring 2

High-tier Tumbling 10

High-tier Noticeability 4

Mid-tier Disguise 6

Mid-tier Battle Cry 7

Mid-tier Aura Manipulation 7