NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 26: Time for Magic Theory
As dinner progressed, conversation flowed naturally between the six students, with Alex, Max and Randy leading most of the discussion while Han interjected occasionally. Vincent and Elizabeth remained notably quiet, contributing only brief responses when directly addressed.
Through their exchanges, the group learned that Vincent and Elizabeth, like Han, came from common backgrounds without noble lineage. Yet even as they shared details about their lives and reasons for joining, Alex couldn't shake a lingering suspicion about the timing. It seemed too convenient that all three would approach them on the same day.
Rather than voice his doubts, Alex decided it would be wiser to keep these potential allies close where he could better gauge their true motives and intentions. While he had no plans to reveal their status as Daywalkers, having a few carefully chosen confidants might prove useful - provided he could determine what drove them to seek out his friendship in the first place.
As dinner progressed, conversation flowed freely between them, touching on everything from upcoming classes to their varied backgrounds. Han and Vincent shared stories of their lives while Elizabeth offered glimpses of her countryside upbringing. The easy camaraderie made time slip by unnoticed until the late hour finally forced them to part ways, each heading back to their respective dorms.
Alex, Randy, and Max collapsed onto their dorm room couch, exhaling deeply as the day's weight settled over them. Alex rubbed his forehead, trying to process everything that had happened - the class rankings, the intense testing, meeting Miss Donna, and their unexpected new friend Han. It felt worlds apart from normal school routines, though Alex supposed that was to be expected. Still, the constant need to analyze every interaction, to view each new face as a potential threat, wore heavily on him.
His mind circled back to those who knew their true identity as Daywalkers: Vespera, Merlin, and likely Professor Bain given his connection to the Headmaster. Miss Donna's cryptic comment about "hearing things" raised further questions. How far had knowledge of their presence spread? Were all ten noble families aware? What about the vampires? The questions multiplied endlessly in his mind, but Alex kept them carefully locked away, unwilling to voice them where his OSAI might report back to Merlin. That small act of restraint gave him a desperately needed sense of control, however illusory it might be.
Glancing at his friends, Alex noticed their exhaustion - particularly Max, who'd endured both the physical trials and an intense boxing class. Their postures mirrored that first night when they'd fallen asleep on this same couch, though something about that memory suddenly felt wrong. He'd been wide awake then, full of adrenaline, yet somehow he'd drifted off as if sedated. The more he examined his memories, the more irregularities surfaced - his uncharacteristic acceptance of their situation, how quickly he'd abandoned his questions, his oddly passive reactions to extraordinary events.
However without Alex noticing the troubling thoughts slipped through his mind like water through cupped hands, leaving only ripples of unease in their wake. 'What was I thinking about again?' he wondered, his transformed eyes fixed on the dancing flames in the fireplace. 'Oh right, my classes...' The answer felt simultaneously true and false, like a reflection in disturbed water. He dismissed the strange sensation as mere fatigue, stretching his tired muscles as a yawn escaped his lips.
"Alright guys, I'm heading to bed," Alex announced, rising from the couch. "We've got Magic Theory and Bloodline 101 tomorrow - plenty to discuss then." The prospect of their upcoming classes provided a convenient anchor for his scattered thoughts.
"No worries," Randy replied, reaching for the bookshelf where he'd stored his Artificing text earlier. "I'll turn in soon too, just want to finish this chapter first." The thick tome settled in his lap, its pages promising mysteries yet to be unraveled.
"Yeah, I'll hit the shower before bed too," Max announced, rising from his seat with the fluid grace his enhanced frame now possessed. "All that training's left me drenched."
"Night then," Alex called as he retreated to his room. Once inside, he changed into his sleepwear before heading to the bathroom. The cold washcloth felt refreshing against his skin as he cleaned his face, his transformed eyes catching his attention in the mirror. The golden triangles that had replaced his natural pupils seemed to rotate ever so slightly, a constant reminder of how much had changed. With a weary sigh, he switched off the lights and collapsed into bed, falling into dreamless slumber.
Morning arrived with the insistent chime of his alarm. Alex rose first among his friends, dressed quickly, and found himself drawn to the living room couch. The fireplace held his attention, its flames dancing hypnotically as his mind drifted in peaceful emptiness.
Randy's arrival broke the spell, announced by a yawn. "Oh, morning, man," he mumbled, making his way to their modest refrigerator. He poured himself a glass of orange juice before asking, "Sleep well?"
"Yeah, pretty solid," Alex replied. "No dreams, slept straight through."
"Good to hear." Randy settled into an armchair, his expression brightening with remembered discovery. "Hey, I found something fascinating in my Artificer book last night." He set his juice on the table, leaning forward with scholarly enthusiasm. "It discussed equipment grades and their relationship to bloodline potential. Apparently, the strength of your bloodline connection - its amplitude - directly affects how completely you can utilize certain artifacts."
"Really? How does that work exactly?" Alex leaned forward, his transformed eyes gleaming with genuine curiosity.
"It's actually quite fascinating," Randy replied, warming to his subject. "Take your gravity bloodline for example. Let's say you're wielding an enchanted sword with enhanced sharpness. Your bloodline would add its own unique quality to that enchantment. Each strike would carry the weight of gravity itself, creating wounds that resist healing, cuts that want to expand rather than close." His hands moved animatedly as he explained, sketching invisible diagrams in the air.
"Compare that to someone with a fire bloodline," he continued, enthusiasm building. "Their strikes would manifest differently - like a heated blade through butter, cauterizing as it cuts. Each bloodline introduces its own signature to the base enchantment." Randy paused, adjusting his glasses with scholarly precision. "I haven't finished the whole text yet, but I figured you'd find it interesting, especially with Magic Theory coming up. I suspect we'll be diving deeper into the underlying principles there."
"That's actually fascinating - the potential applications are incredible," Alex mused, his transformed eyes alight with possibilities. "Imagine the enchantments you could place on armor, using gravity to make it lighter..." He paused, considering. "Though I suppose I could just use my bloodline directly on myself. There's still so much we don't understand, but we'll figure it out once classes begin."
As if summoned by their discussion, Max shuffled into the living room like a particularly determined zombie. "Food," he growled, the word more primal instinct than actual speech.
"Pull yourself together," Randy sighed with exasperated fondness. "We'll eat after you put on some real clothes. Those pajamas are an offense to civilization."
"Food," Max repeated with singular focus, retreating to his room to change while Alex shook his head at his friend's morning persona.
In the dining hall, they found themselves notably alone - no sign of Han, Vincent, or Elizabeth. The absence hung in the air like an unspoken question until Alex finally voiced it.
"Don't you find it strange?" he ventured carefully, "How all three of them approached us yesterday?" His tone remained casual, but his meaning rippled beneath the surface.
"Probably just coincidence," Max shrugged, more invested in his breakfast than conspiracy theories.
"I'm with Max on this," Randy added thoughtfully. "We are the closes thing to commoners in our class that are already in a group. It only makes sense that they which to join the biggest pack to survive." Randy says voicing over his theory that they all went to them they were like them.
Alex however disagreeing just sighs, conceding the point with a crooked smile.
Finishing up breakfast they make way to Magic Theory.
In Magic Theory class, Alex spotted Han sitting alone several rows ahead. Though tempted to wave him over, he respected the other student's apparent preference for solitude. As Alex settled into his seat, the classroom door opened to reveal their professor - elderly but commanding, his presence filling the room.
"Good morning, class. I am Professor Witherthorn," he announced, his ancient eyes sweeping the room with calculated precision, lingering momentarily on Alex and his friends. "While most classes begin with pleasantries, we find ourselves already behind schedule. Magic theory waits for no one."
Without further ceremony, he launched into his lecture, diving deep into the fundamentals of magical application - spell creation, bloodline integration, and the intricate relationship between mana manipulation and equipment enhancement. Each concept opened doors to dozens more, painting a picture of magical complexity that stretched endlessly before them.