CHAPTER 96: LEARNING MAGIC

The second magic theory class took place in a different room, one that made Renard immediately uncomfortable. Unlike the previous classroom with its stone benches and wall charts, this chamber felt alive with magical energy. The air itself seemed to hum with barely contained power, and strange symbols carved into the floor glowed with soft blue light.

Elder Darius stood at the center of the room, his unremarkable appearance somehow more unsettling in this magical environment. When his brown eyes swept across the assembled students, Renard felt that same chill he’d experienced during their first meeting.

"Today we begin practical instruction," Darius announced, his voice carrying clearly through the chamber despite its normal conversational volume. "Yesterday, Elder Miriam taught you theory. Today, you learn application."

Twenty students sat cross-legged on the glowing floor symbols, each positioned precisely within their own small circle of carved runes. Renard had noticed that the positioning wasn’t random - each student’s circle pulsed with different colored light, apparently responding to their individual essence signatures.

"The First Circle," Darius continued, "is the foundation upon which all magical practice rests. Without it, you remain forever limited to your body’s natural essence flow. With it, you gain access to forces that can reshape reality itself."

He began walking around the room, stopping occasionally to examine individual students. When he passed behind Renard, the boy felt magical energy probe at his defenses - not aggressively, but with the practiced skill of someone conducting a thorough evaluation.

Renard kept his breathing steady and tried to appear a bit confident.

"The process of creating your First Circle involves three distinct stages," Darius explained, moving to a large diagram carved into the front wall. "Preparation, formation, and stabilization. Each stage carries its own risks and requirements."

The diagram showed a human heart surrounded by intricate geometric patterns. Layers of symbols spiraled outward from the organ’s center, each layer marked with different colors and notations.

"Preparation requires achieving perfect essence control within your natural meridian system. You must be able to direct your internal energy with absolute precision before attempting to create artificial pathways around your heart."

A student raised her hand. "How long does preparation usually take?"

"For most students, four to eight weeks of intensive training. Some require longer. A few exceptionally talented individuals might be ready sooner." Darius’s gaze flickered toward Renard for just a moment. "Rushing the preparation stage is the most common cause of failure."

’And failure probably means death,’ Renard thought grimly. The monastery’s careful selection process was starting to make more sense. They needed students with both the talent to succeed and the discipline to follow instructions precisely.

"The formation stage is where the actual circle is created," Darius continued. "This involves channeling concentrated essence around your heart in a specific pattern while maintaining normal cardiac function. The process typically takes six to eight hours and must be completed without interruption."

Several students looked nervous at this description. Renard didn’t blame them - the idea of manipulating magical energy around their hearts for hours on end was legitimately terrifying.

"During formation, you will experience significant physical stress. Your heart rate will increase, your body temperature will rise, and you may experience hallucinations or disorientation as the magical energy affects your nervous system."

Darius paused his circuit of the room to face the students directly. "This is why preparation is so critical. Students who attempt formation without adequate control often lose focus during the stress of the procedure. When that happens..."

He didn’t finish the sentence, but his meaning was clear enough.

"The stabilization stage occurs immediately after formation is complete. The new circle must be integrated with your existing essence flow and reinforced to prevent collapse. This stage is less dangerous but equally important - an unstable circle will eventually fail, potentially causing severe internal damage."

Renard found himself genuinely interested in the technical details despite the risks involved. The magical system was far more sophisticated than he’d realized, with multiple layers of safety measures and backup procedures built into the basic techniques.

But he was also increasingly certain that he couldn’t risk the First Circle formation procedure. His dual blood crests had already pushed his body to its limits during their awakening. Adding a third source of magical stress around his heart would likely trigger a catastrophic reaction.

He needed to find another way to fake having a magical circle while avoiding the actual formation process.

"We will now begin preliminary exercises," Darius announced. "Each of you will practice basic essence redirection while I evaluate your current capabilities."

The students spread out across the room, each taking position within a different set of floor symbols. Renard noticed that his assigned circle was slightly different from the others - the runes were more complex, and the light they emitted was brighter and more focused.

"Place your hands on the symbols in front of you," Darius instructed. "Channel a small amount of essence into the runes and observe how they respond. Do not force the energy - let it flow naturally through your meridians and into the magical circuits."

Renard placed his palms on the carved symbols and allowed a tiny trickle of essence to flow outward. The runes immediately blazed with brilliant white light, far brighter than any of the other students’ circles.

Around the room, other students were achieving modest glows from their symbols - soft blues, gentle greens, warm yellows. Renard’s circle looked like a miniature sun by comparison.

’Too much,’ he realized immediately, but it was too late to dial back the display without making it obvious that he was deliberately controlling his output.

Darius appeared beside him within seconds, his brown eyes studying the blazing runes with sharp interest.

"Fascinating," the elder murmured. "You appear to have significantly more developed essence channels."

Renard tried to look confused and slightly concerned. "Is that bad? Should I be doing something different?"

"Not bad, no. But unusual." Darius knelt beside the circle and placed his own hand on one of the outer runes. "Try reducing your essence flow by half and maintain that level steadily."

Following the instruction, Renard pulled back his energy output until his circle’s glow matched the brighter examples from other students. It was still more impressive than most, but no longer dramatically different.

"Better. Your control is actually quite good for someone with no formal training." Darius made notes on a small piece of parchment.

As Darius continued his evaluation of other students, Renard reflected on what he’d learned. The elder was clearly suspicious but seemed to have accepted the cover story about family cultivation techniques. That would buy time and explain his rapid progress through the magical curriculum.

But it also meant he’d be expected to attempt First Circle formation much sooner than other students. He needed to develop an alternative plan quickly.

The rest of the class involved more essence manipulation exercises, with students learning to direct energy through specific meridian pathways and into different magical circuits. Renard carefully moderated his performance, showing talent and quick learning without being so exceptional that he’d draw unwanted attention from other instructors.

By the end of the lesson, he’d gained a solid understanding of how the monastery’s magical training progression worked. Students spent weeks building essence control and theoretical knowledge before attempting their First Circle. Those who succeeded advanced to more complex magical techniques. Those who failed...

Renard suspected that failure often meant more than just academic disappointment.

***

The classes ended early and after having a good meal, all the students moved towards their respective rooms.

The monastery grew quiet as midnight approached. Most students had settled into their rooms hours ago, exhausted from their first full day of magical instruction. The crystal lights in the corridors had dimmed to their nighttime setting, casting long shadows that would provide perfect cover for reconnaissance activities.

Renard lay still on his narrow bed, listening to the sounds of the building settling around him. Footsteps in distant corridors marked the occasional instructor making rounds, but their patterns were predictable and easy to avoid.

Inside his shirt, Boa stirred restlessly. The small serpent had been hidden all day, unable to move freely or explore their new environment. Renard could sense her eagerness through their bond - she was ready for action.

"Alright, little one," he whispered softly. "Time for you to earn your keep."

Carefully, Renard lifted Boa from her hiding place and set her on the stone floor beside his bed. The serpent immediately stretched, working the stiffness from her coiled muscles, then looked up at him with bright golden eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light.

What Renard was about to attempt was an advanced technique that most beast masters never learned. It required not only a strong bond with your contracted beast but also precise essence control and considerable mental discipline.

The technique was called "Thread Walking"

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