Symphonic Odyssey
: Vol. Two: Beneath the Hawthorn Tree: Verse Sixty-Two

When he awoke, he found that his body was still terribly sore but for the first time in a few days, he felt ready to face the day head-on. He bathed, dressed, and ate breakfast before grabbing a book bag of scrolls and quills, and headed to his first class, Arcane studies.

The room was smaller than he had expected, only able to seat about twenty-five students. Still, it was enough it would seem, as the instructor was only an introductory professor and only taught first years. Elsewhere in the castle, there were more advanced classes taught by others with far more space than this.

The room held several desks along each of the two walls, while the middle of the classroom was open and featured chalkboards on the wall across from the door, as well as what he assumed was the professor’s desk. Cypher filed in early and found a seat in the corner.

He wasn’t shy, but he also knew that he might gain some unwanted attention after the event with Eiden’s departure. Right now wasn’t the time to be worried about that and he only wanted to learn in peace.

Other students arrived a short while later and quickly filled the seats around the room. A few glanced in his direction, but most simply ignored him which he was grateful for. After another few moments, Algarth entered and set his bag down on top of a stack of scrolls on his desk.

“Good morning students, and welcome back I hope you enjoyed your weekend. We have a new student joining us today. He’s a bit of a late addition so please treat him with the same respect you would show to your peers. Cypher, I am Professor Algarth Marcy and I specialize in Arcane magick. You will refer to me as Professor Marcy if you don’t mind.”

He had turned his attention to Cypher and the gazes of the others followed suit as Professor Marcy spoke to him. This was exactly what Cypher had wanted to avoid but to his dismay, there had been no avoiding it.

“As you will soon learn this isn’t the place for fun or games. We are here to learn, so do me the courtesy of paying attention I don’t like to repeat myself if I can help it. This class might be just groundwork for things to come, but what you learn here might save your life one day.

“We are currently in the middle of a lesson but I’m sure you will pick up on it rather quickly. Don’t worry we haven’t covered much ground so you haven’t missed anything too relevant. Now class, please turn your attention to the chalkboard. As I was saying during our last time together, you can break diagrams down into several subsets…”

Professor Marcy spent the next few hours going over the basics of the art. It was quite a dry and long-winded lesson, and most of the other students seemed bored out of their minds. Cypher however was eagerly taking notes and listening intently to every word the man had to say.

The graph had long since been filled with the pros and cons of each element. He also listed information about how diagrams were constructed and ways in which one could learn them more easily. It was surprising to learn that diagrams were drawn using Zight and mental energy. That recorded Zight would blend with a reader’s own Zight and a connection would be made that allowed the transference of knowledge simply by looking at the inscribed diagram via the use of mental energy.

As Professor Marcy explained and as Cypher knew quite well, it was a painful process and one that required a lot of focus and dedication on the part of the reader. Many of the students around the classroom gave worried expressions as Professor Marcy proceeded to say that he would be drawing a basic diagram that contained transcribed notes on today’s lessons.

“Absorbing the information of this particular diagram should be quite easy all things considered. It isn’t as potent or thorough as a true diagram might be since the information being transcribed is simple and very basic. You’ll notice some pain and discomfort as you try to absorb the knowledge, but I assure you that it’s perfectly normal.”

The Professor was drawing a very simple series of circles and lines on the chalkboard as he spoke, “I don’t expect you to be able to fully absorb all the knowledge I’m transcribing in a single sitting but if you do it’ll only put you ahead. As many of you can see, these lines I’m drawing now are inert. They’re nothing more than simple lines on a chalkboard.”

Professor Marcy finished his diagram and dusted his hands off as he turned back to face his students. “Looking at it like this, I’m quite sure that you’re getting nothing at all right?”

The class offered mutterings of agreement and nods. Cypher looked on and indeed saw that he was gaining nothing from those lines. Professor Marcy continued, “But, and I warn you now to brace yourselves, -if I infuse my own Zight and mental energy into these lines then…” He began tracing the lines of the diagram with the tip of his index finger.

As he moved along it, the lines began to glow. It was dull at first and the air in front of Cypher’s eyes began to feel quite warm.

“…you’ll notice that things start to happen.” Professor Marcy nodded with satisfaction as he stepped back, his diagram completed. Most of the class began to shift uncomfortably in their seats as they stared on, a few even looked away as the glow of the diagram grew brighter and brighter.

It was as he had said. The diagram was hard to look at directly and Cypher noticed that his stores of mental energy were beginning to drain at a slow but steady rate. However, now that it was complete he could feel some of the knowledge contained in those lines start to trickle into his mind. The longer he looked the more he learned. Everything Professor Marcy had said up until that point during class was starting to etch itself into his memory.

Some of the other students began uncomfortably grasping at their heads and followed after the others who had quickly looked away. “I know it’s hard but as I said, this one is a very simple diagram. Do your best to keep looking at it. The more you put it off the harder it’ll be to absorb the information.”

Cypher did his best to keep staring at the diagram. He found that while it was a bit painful and uncomfortable, it was nothing compared to when he had learned his lightning bolt spell. In fact, after only thirty more minutes he had completely absorbed every bit of information the diagram had to offer.

Cypher noticed that Null hadn’t been listed at all in the lessons the diagram had to offer and he grew curious about it. Though he remained quiet since Alvin had told him to keep his affinity a secret for now. Null was extremely rare, and not many records existed of Null Conductors in recent history. Still, if it would prevent him from drawing too much attention to himself he was happy to keep his affinity hidden.

Professor Marcy looked around the classroom and nodded approvingly as he took note of the students doing their best to absorb the knowledge. But when his gaze fell on Cypher, a look of confusion spread across his features. “Young man are you perhaps already done memorizing the diagram?” he asked.

Cypher felt his cheeks grow hot as the rest of the class looked away from the diagram and began to eye him questioningly. He hated being in the spotlight but once again he found himself at the center of attention and could only offer an anxious nod. Professor Marcy beamed at him and clasped his hands together.

“Fantastic! Why don’t you come up here and show me yourself!”

Cypher felt the heat in his cheeks increase as he nervously stood up and walked to the chalkboard the Professor was standing next to. Professor Marcy rotated the board around to the blank side and offered Cypher the piece of chalk. “All I need you to do is redraw the diagram as perfectly as you can. Keep in mind class, that you’ll all be doing the same thing in our next lesson!

Cypher quickly drew the diagram as it appeared in his mind. It was a simple task thanks to his Athenaeum and Cypher was happy that he had such a useful resource to pull from. After a few moments, Professor Marcy nodded his approval. “Well done! I dare say that’s the fastest anyone has ever managed to pick up on this lesson! Take notes class, this is a crucial aspect of your path as Conductors! If you can’t read and remember diagrams properly you won’t make it very far at all. Thank you Cypher, you may return to your seat.

Cypher eagerly returned to his seat and ducked his head low. Several of the other students, notably some of the nobles, offered him dirty looks while others were impressed at how quickly he had completed the assignment. Cypher just wanted them to stop staring. He didn’t care whether or not they were impressed or angry. Being watched like this was something he very much did not enjoy.

After another thirty minutes, around noon, a break had finally come. It would last for an hour and the students piled out of the classroom for lunch, eager to stretch and chat among themselves or replace something to eat.

Cypher had been one of the last to leave and as he headed towards the small Slingate to return to his quarters, a boy with flaming red hair with black streaks running through it approached him. He looked to be around fifteen years old, and he wondered what the older boy could want with him.

“Hey! Sorry to bother you but I was sitting next to you in class and saw you were taking a lot of notes. I guess you had the right idea because you memorized that diagram really quickly! Anyways, uh… I was wondering if I could maybe copy your notes? I won’t make it a regular thing, I just didn’t expect… well, that diagram thingy.”

The boy looked at him with a sheepish look and fidgeted while he waited for an answer. Cypher didn’t mind sharing his notes, but he was eager to get to his room and have a bite to eat. He also wasn’t used to people talking to him so casually, which took him by surprise.

“Uh, sure I suppose. As long as you make sure I get them back before class ends it shouldn’t be a problem. I wanted to go over them again tonight to make sure I understood everything properly even though I already learned the diagram. It seems I have a lot to catch up on don’t I?”

Cypher reached into his bag and handed the boy his scroll of notes. The boy smiled at him and took it before stuffing it into his own bag.

“Thanks! You’re a lifesaver! I’m Alex by the way, Alex Kazen. What’s your name?” Alex held out his hand and Cypher shook it as he answered.

“You uh…” Cypher paused, a bit troubled.

He wasn’t sure about his family name, and that bothered him. Never before had it really come up. Not many people ever asked for his name and so it was something he hadn’t been forced to consider before now. He made a mental note to think of something but would ask Alvin about it later. For the moment he figured his given name would suffice, he could always give a family name later.

“You can call me Cypher!”

Alex flashed him another smile and continued, “Cool, cool! It’s nice to meet you! You know, maybe we could study together sometime, perhaps spar a little? You don’t seem like a lot of these other students. Most of them are from the noble caste and I don’t know about you, but they all seem to be a little too snobby for their own good. It’s almost like they live with their heads up their own asses.”

Cypher laughed at that. Nobody he had met had talked so openly about their disdain for nobles and he answered Alex with a smile, “Sure I’d like that! It could be fun and you’re right, those nobles are a bit too prim and proper for my tastes. I take it that you aren’t a noble yourself?”

Alex shook his head as they walked and continued their conversation.

“Hell no! In fact, according to some of the more asshole-ish nobles, I’m one hundred percent commoner trash, and proud of it too! I managed to get into the academy because of a fluke. See, my dad owns a farm near the great wall of Seven City. I usually help him with the planting and harvesting, it’s all quite boring regular stuff. You know how it goes. Anyway, two years ago a Conductor rolled through the area and took notice of me.”

“She said that something about me called out to her and that I had a good arm. I think that was a load of crap though, typical Conductor mumbo jumbo. Really, I know it was because some Conductors like to pull a poor kid out of the rabble every now and then to boost their own egos. Not that I’m ungrateful though! But yeah! A few strange tests, a LOT of studying… ugh, and a hellish year of training later and here I am. The entrance exam was a bit tough but the moderator said I scored well and did a fine job. How about you?”

Alex was very animated as he spoke and his tone was very sarcastic and playful which was quite refreshing to Cypher. Most everyone he talked to these days acted all reserved and proper. He was happy to see someone cutting loose and being themselves. “Ah, well as for me, well I was a servant for a noble family. I came here to serve their heir and somehow ended up taking his place instead. It was… surprising, to say the least, but I’m glad it happened.”

Cypher didn’t think explaining the exact reason he had been chosen was the best idea, also his element wouldn’t exactly be a secret at that point. Besides, he didn’t know much about Alex, it wouldn’t be wise to be completely open with a stranger.

“Oh! It all makes sense now! So he must be the one who caused such a ruckus in the courtyard back then. Yeah, that would have probably pissed me off too if I liked to pretend my farts didn’t stink. Fucking nobles man I swear… Heh, I and a couple of other commoner students had a good laugh about that. I’ve never seen Professor Lardok so angry before! He must really like you!” Alex said with a laugh.

“Yeah, it was… nice to see Eiden get scolded like that. He wasn’t exactly the best person to live around. He really does treat his servants like garbage most of the time. It was refreshing to see him on the receiving end of such a rant.”

After that exchange, the two spent the lunch break chatting and talking about their interests while Alex copied his notes. Before Cypher knew it he found himself enjoying Alex’s company and looked forward to spending more time with his new acquaintance.

The two were laughing as they returned to finish their class for the day. Cypher had enjoyed a wonderful lunch with him and as it turned out, Alex was full of hilarious jokes and plenty of amusing commentary about the noble caste. Cypher couldn’t help but enjoy himself. Having someone to talk with like this, and who was more than willing to make jokes about the nobles was an absolute joy to experience.

Cypher was slightly annoyed that his good time had to come to an end as they returned to class, but at least this time Alex was taking proper notes. He now sat across from Cypher on the other side of the room, and would occasionally roll his eyes playfully as Professor Marcy talked in depth about the more boring parts of Arcane magick.