Zane glanced at Tom Nguyen, and the latter had a serious expression; it was as if he was trying to engrave these words into his mind. Zane said nothing and refocused. Previously, he still had some complaints about not having a specialization, but after this class, he realized his advantage: he could study all fields. More importantly, he did not have an elemental counter.
"Having more options to deal with any situation is never a bad thing. Of course, I still need to choose a few fields to focus on," Zane thought.
"Alright, no need to be scared. The tower has strict rules for managing Dark Mages, and until they are revoked, there won't be an issue," Professor Burbank stated, trying to diffuse the tension.
"Wait, revoked? Are the rules going to be revoked?" Zane thought. His first instinct was to raise his hand and ask the question, but he figured it might be in his best interest to ask after class. It's not in his best interest — and maybe even the Earth's best interest — for too many people to know such information.
"Now, ask your questions; if not, I'll move to another field. Go ahead, Mr. Skylar."
"Someone told me that shamans were good at causality curse," Zane stated. "Is there a difference between the curses used by Dark Mages?"
"Hmm, there is a difference, but with my limited knowledge, the best answer I can give you is distance. Dark Curses require the mage to hit their target — just like any other spells. Meanwhile, Causality Curses only require a medium, such as your hair, blood, fingernail, and maybe even someone's date of birth, and they can curse you from anywhere."
"Wait, isn't it very easy to get someone's birthday online?"
"You have no idea. From what I know, birth records are public in most US states."
"Don't forget that people donate blood all the time. As for hair and fingernails? Too many people shed these things or cut them."
"Doesn't that mean those shamans can kill us easily?"
"Calm down," Professor Burbank butted in, stopping the ruckus before it diverged into panic. "Causality curses are not easy to cast — usually requiring paying a steep price in the form of lifespan. Not to mention, only a select few have mastered them. More importantly, Mages' souls are powerful, and their bodies are nourished by mana, which grants them certain resistance. The more powerful a soul and the more mana a mage has, the higher the price a shaman must pay to cast a causality curse.
"Lastly, there are methods to protect yourself. Consult a shaman, and they can offer you a few solutions."
"Oh, that makes me feel relieved."
"I don't. Just thinking about the possibility will keep me up at night."
"Too bad for you."
"Professor, what about knights?"
"Girl, why do you care?"
"My boyfriend is a knight."
"Oh."
"A knight's soul is one of their weaknesses, so they cannot use the same method as mages, and battle energy does not provide much resistance," Professor Burbank explained. "However, knights have high willpower, which is a form or manifestation of the soul; some of them can use it to resist, and as usual, the more powerful the knight, the higher their willpower, and the steeper a price must be paid to curse them."
"Rune Warriors?"
"Same principle."
"Can Dark or Arcane Mage cast Causality Curses?" Zane continued.
"Yes, but it's even more challenging for them to master. Divination Mage, on the other hand, has a much easier time mastering causality curses," Professor Burbank explained.
"Anything else? … In that case, 1 point for Mr. Skylar."
Professor Burbank snapped his finger to release a spell diagram, and immediately afterward, the chalk in his hand flew to the central board and began writing on its own. Zane — who should have been marveling at this display of magic — was, instead, frowning.
"Why can I only remember a few runes?" With his almost photographic memory, he should have been able to memorize all of the models from Professor Burbank's spell, but he realized he could only remember a few of the runes. Such a phenomenon had happened twice before, but both times involved a 4-ring spell, so Zane had thought he couldn't remember 4-ring spells and above, but it appeared there was much to this phenomenon.
"Well, there goes my plan to steal other people's spells," Zane thought.
"The Arcane Field is the study of mana in its raw form. Although Arcane Mages later added the study of forces into their field, the definition of forces is mixed and varied across multiple dimensions." Professor Burbank's voice spread throughout the lecture hall.
"The Arcane Field is the oldest type of magic. When the first mages discovered mana, they spent years analyzing this wonderful power. The Arcane Field doesn't offer much regarding spellwork — at least compared to the other fields — but it is the foundation of any magical civilization."
Professor Burbank paused for a few seconds to allow students to digest his words and ask questions. And only after seeing no hands raised did he continue.
"The mind and soul are intrinsically linked. The mind is the central operation of the soul. The mind, soul, and body are all connected. Mortals, and even mages, require an anchor for their souls, and that anchor is the body — primarily, the brain. Before becoming a Grand Mage, mages cannot directly control their souls; they also cannot survive for long without a body."
"Wait, sir, are you suggesting that Grand Mages can live as a soul, just like a ghost?" a student suddenly asked.
"That's correct. Their souls can last for months — and even years — with proper preparation after leaving their bodies. Some Necromancers even abandon their flesh entirely, becoming a Soul-Lifeform, achieving near eternal life.
"They are immortal?"
"As long as their souls receive the proper nourishment, they can live for a long time," Professor Burbank nodded.
"That sounds awesome."
"Is it? A soul cannot eat, smell, or feel. Calling such a state a [life] is an affront to the sanctity of life — in my opinion."
"Your argument is not having the persuasive effect that you think," the student countered.
"In that case, let me do a better job," Professor Burbank continued. "This path means cutting their chances of becoming an Archmage. No, even switching to the Path of God becomes a hundred times more challenging."
"Mages can also switch to the Path of Godhood for the 7th tier?" Zane asked. He thought only Knights walked that path.
"The Archmage Path is too challenging, so most people switch to an easier method," Professor Burbank sighed, thinking about his teacher.
"The Path of Divinity seems quite broad," Zane thought.
"Let's return to the topic at hand. Controlling the mind, at a foundational level, also means controlling the soul," Professor Burbank stated. "The Field of the Mind is the only universal magic field. It does not matter whether someone is specialized and uses a unique energy; they can still learn or cast Mind Magic as long as they have a soul and sufficient mental energy. In fact, even Knights and Rune Warriors can use some basic Mind Magic — primarily protection — after reaching the 4th tier or higher."
Professor Burbank stopped, his eyes vague and distant, his body trembling slightly. A few seconds later, he sighed deeply, "Whatever your field is, I recommend you learn Mind Magic — especially defensive mind magic. Otherwise, you will be powerless as your mind is invaded: your most private and intimate memories will be used against you, or even worse, as your soul will be enslaved."
"I think I just awakened a new fear," Zane thought. He shuddered at the thought of someone else reading his memories and manipulating his mind. Such a fear is even more intense than the causality curse. Zane immediately set learning mind magic as one of his priorities.
"Sorry about that," Professor Burbank uttered. He did not dwell on his lapse of judgment and immediately continued with the class, "Subcategories of Mind magic include Illusion and Soul Manipulation. Unlike light-based illusions, mind-based illusions project images directly into the subconscious, which makes them harder to detect. But once again, if you know enough defensive mind magic and have a strong enough willpower, they are less effective.
"Questions?"
Professor Burbank looked around and answered a few questions before moving on to the next subject. As he had previously stated, this is a fast-paced course designed to turn these ignorant apprentices into decent enough mages. As such, many things will be taught, but how much information a student learns or retains depends on their talent and individual effort.
"Space Magic is the most difficult field you will come into contact with. A perfect example is that not everyone can cast spatial spells. Most Arcane Mages, with a decent enough talent and steady hands, can cast low-level spells by just memorizing the spell diagram without understanding it. However, that's impossible for spatial magic. Without the ability to sense spatial fluctuations, without understanding the runes and spell diagram, non-specialized mages cannot cast spatial spells."
"What about Space Mages?" someone asked.
"They are Space Mages because they have an innate affinity with spatial energy, meaning they can easily sense spatial fluctuations," Professor Burbank explained. "However, they still need to study the runes."
"That makes sense."
"Spatial Magic is one of the most important to the development of a civilization," the professor continued. "If Earth wishes to become an inter-dimensional civilization and travel to other dimensions, then you must cultivate highly capable Space Mages."
"I wonder whether I can sense spatial fluctuations," Zane thought. Access to other dimensions means endless wealth, resources, and access to new knowledge. Additionally, if he fails to be selected by the tower, Zane can run away with his family with his own ability. For a moment, he considered making spatial magic his primary magic field.
"It's too early to decide," Zane shook his head. This was the first class, so there was no need to make a decision that would govern the rest of his life. Not to mention, even if he chose this field, there is no guarantee he was cut out for it.