Mother of Learning:Volume 01 Chapter 003 - Revision history

129.97.58.107: /* The Bitter Truth */ Thought this was obviously a mistake.

2014-11-03T23:24:04Z

The Bitter Truth: Thought this was obviously a mistake.

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	"Oh great," Zorian mumbled. He probably should have restrained himself from reacting so strongly to the pronouncement. Truthfully, he intended to skip the dance, regardless of how mandatory it was. Did Ilsa realize that? No, he could detect no disapproval in posture, and he was pretty sure she'd be rather annoyed if she sensed his plans.		"Oh great," Zorian mumbled. He probably should have restrained himself from reacting so strongly to the pronouncement. Truthfully, he intended to skip the dance, regardless of how mandatory it was. Did Ilsa realize that? No, he could detect no disapproval in posture, and he was pretty sure she'd be rather annoyed if she sensed his plans.

	"Now then…" Ilsa began when he and ~~Ilsa~~ were the only students left. "I assume you both know how to dance?"		"Now then…" Ilsa began when he and Akoja were the only students left. "I assume you both know how to dance?"

	"Sure," said Zorian.		"Sure," said Zorian.

Drowzycow at 13:07, 7 October 2014

2014-10-07T13:07:24Z

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	As he walked away, it occurred to Zorian that he should have probably made some kind of sleeping potion for himself while he was at it – he had to get plenty of rest tonight, because he certainly won't get any tomorrow.		As he walked away, it occurred to Zorian that he should have probably made some kind of sleeping potion for himself while he was at it – he had to get plenty of rest tonight, because he certainly won't get any tomorrow.

			<noinclude>
	==Author's Notes and References==		==Author's Notes and References==
	<references />		<references />

Starwarscards: Grammar

2014-08-15T20:22:40Z

Grammar

Starwarscards: /* The Bitter Truth */

2014-07-16T02:42:49Z

The Bitter Truth

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	"What, I can't visit my little brother?" he protested. "You too good to hang out with big bro?"		"What, I can't visit my little brother?" he protested. "You too good to hang out with big bro?"

	"Cut the crap, Fortov. You never come to ''me'' when you just want to hang out with someone. What do you need help with, now?"		"Cut the crap, Fortov. You never come to ''me'' when you just want to hang out with someone. What do you need help with now?"

	"That's totally not true," he huffed. "You're my favorite brother, you know?"		"That's totally not true," he huffed. "You're my favorite brother, you know?"

Starwarscards: quotes instead of double apostrophes

2014-07-16T02:26:58Z

quotes instead of double apostrophes

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	"But something happened recently that caused them to take notice of you?" Ilsa surmised.		"But something happened recently that caused them to take notice of you?" Ilsa surmised.

	"Fortov happened," Zorian growled out. "He bombed several exams, had to be bailed out by father's connections, and has shown himself to be generally unreliable. Which is a problem, because he was supposed to be a spare heir for the family business, just in case Daimen dies on one of his escapades. So now I am suddenly taken out of the metaphorical closet so they can groom me for the role.''		"Fortov happened," Zorian growled out. "He bombed several exams, had to be bailed out by father's connections, and has shown himself to be generally unreliable. Which is a problem, because he was supposed to be a spare heir for the family business, just in case Daimen dies on one of his escapades. So now I am suddenly taken out of the metaphorical closet so they can groom me for the role."

	''But you don't want to be the spare?'' she guessed.		"But you don't want to be the spare?" she guessed.

	''I don't want to be involved into Kazinski family politics, period. I am not a part of that family anyway. Never was. At best, I was only ever a loosely aligned associate. I appreciate them feeding me and funding my education, and I'm willing to reimburse them for that when I get a job, but they have no right to ask something like that of me. I won't hear it. I have my own life and my own plans, none of which involve playing second fiddle to my older brother and wasting time on insipid social events where people suck up to each other non-stop.''		"I don't want to be involved into Kazinski family politics, period. I am not a part of that family anyway. Never was. At best, I was only ever a loosely aligned associate. I appreciate them feeding me and funding my education, and I'm willing to reimburse them for that when I get a job, but they have no right to ask something like that of me. I won't hear it. I have my own life and my own plans, none of which involve playing second fiddle to my older brother and wasting time on insipid social events where people suck up to each other non-stop."

	He decided to stop there, because he was getting even more angry than he started with. Plus, he suspected Ilsa didn't empathize with him much. Most people thought he was simply being overdramatic. They weren't the ones who had to live with them.		He decided to stop there, because he was getting even more angry than he started with. Plus, he suspected Ilsa didn't empathize with him much. Most people thought he was simply being overdramatic. They weren't the ones who had to live with them.

Starwarscards: italicizing/spelling

2014-07-16T02:16:24Z

italicizing/spelling

Starwarscards: /* The Bitter Truth */

2014-07-14T07:35:53Z

The Bitter Truth

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Onizuka-gto: /* The Bitter Truth */

2014-07-11T16:12:39Z

The Bitter Truth

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	==The Bitter Truth==		===The Bitter Truth===

	If someone had asked Zorian at the end of the first week what classes he thought he would have the most trouble with, he would have answered spell formula and advanced mathematics. Combat magic maybe. 2 weeks later, he could safely say the answer was 'warding'.		If someone had asked Zorian at the end of the first week what classes he thought he would have the most trouble with, he would have answered spell formula and advanced mathematics. Combat magic maybe. 2 weeks later, he could safely say the answer was 'warding'.


	Warding, the art of protecting things with magic, was a surprisingly complex field. You had to take into account what the thing you're trying to protect is made of, what it's dimensions and geometry were, how the ward is going to react with the already existing magic… or you could just slap a general-purpose warding invocation on your target and hope for the best. But the professor would fail you for that answer, so that wasn't an option in the classroom.		Warding, the art of protecting things with magic, was a surprisingly complex field. You had to take into account what the thing you're trying to protect is made of, what it's dimensions and geometry were, how the ward is going to react with the already existing magic… or you could just slap a general-purpose warding invocation on your target and hope for the best. But the professor would fail you for that answer, so that wasn't an option in the classroom.
	But these complexities aside, the class should have been a breeze, or at least not this confusing – Zorian was a patient, methodical person when it came to magecraft, and had slogged through worse offenders than warding with decent results. The problem was that their teacher, a stern woman with hair cut so short she might have gone all the way and shaved her head completely, didn't know how to teach. At all. Oh, she clearly knew the subject matter very well, but she simply didn't know how to translate that knowledge into a proper lecture. She was leaving out a lot of things out of her lectures, apparently not realizing that just because they were obvious to her, they were not obvious to her students. The textbook she assigned for the class wasn't much better, and read more like a manual for a professional warder than a student's textbook.		But these complexities aside, the class should have been a breeze, or at least not this confusing – Zorian was a patient, methodical person when it came to magecraft, and had slogged through worse offenders than warding with decent results. The problem was that their teacher, a stern woman with hair cut so short she might have gone all the way and shaved her head completely, didn't know how to teach. At all. Oh, she clearly knew the subject matter very well, but she simply didn't know how to translate that knowledge into a proper lecture. She was leaving out a lot of things out of her lectures, apparently not realizing that just because they were obvious to her, they were not obvious to her students. The textbook she assigned for the class wasn't much better, and read more like a manual for a professional warder than a student's textbook.


	Question 6: You are tasked with building a research outpost on a first degree mana well in the Sarokian Highlands. The building is meant to support a staff of 4 at any particular time, and the prospectors have expressed concerns over heavy presence of winter wolf packs and an infestation of borer wasps in the surrounding area. You have a budget of 25.000 pieces and are assumed to be a certified second circle warder.		Question 6: You are tasked with building a research outpost on a first degree mana well in the Sarokian Highlands. The building is meant to support a staff of 4 at any particular time, and the prospectors have expressed concerns over heavy presence of winter wolf packs and an infestation of borer wasps in the surrounding area. You have a budget of 25.000 pieces and are assumed to be a certified second circle warder.
	Assuming only mana extracted from mana well is available for powering the wards, which combination of wards do you feel would be a good choice for the outpost? Explain your reasoning.		Assuming only mana extracted from mana well is available for powering the wards, which combination of wards do you feel would be a good choice for the outpost? Explain your reasoning.

Onizuka-gto: /* The Bitter Truth */ needs formatting. please do not edit words or grammar/sentence structure

2014-07-11T03:41:14Z

The Bitter Truth: needs formatting. please do not edit words or grammar/sentence structure

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Onizuka-gto: prep page

2014-07-11T03:34:07Z

prep page

New page

==The Bitter Truth==

==Author's Notes and References==
<references />

{{MotherofLearningNavbar
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_002|Chapter 002]]
|[[Mother of Learning:Volume_01_Chapter_004|Chapter 004]]
}}
</noinclude>

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:22, 15 August 2014
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	If someone had asked Zorian at the end of the first week what classes he thought he would have the most trouble with, he would have answered spell formula and advanced mathematics. Combat magic maybe. 2 weeks later, he could safely say the answer was 'warding'.		If someone had asked Zorian at the end of the first week what classes he thought he would have the most trouble with, he would have answered spell formula and advanced mathematics. Combat magic maybe. 2 weeks later, he could safely say the answer was 'warding'.

	Warding, the art of protecting things with magic, was a surprisingly complex field. You had to take into account what the thing you're trying to protect is made of, what ~~it's~~ dimensions and geometry were, how the ward is going to react with the already existing magic… or you could just slap a general-purpose warding invocation on your target and hope for the best. But the professor would fail you for that answer, so that wasn't an option in the classroom.		Warding, the art of protecting things with magic, was a surprisingly complex field. You had to take into account what the thing you're trying to protect is made of, what its dimensions and geometry were, how the ward is going to react with the already existing magic… or you could just slap a general-purpose warding invocation on your target and hope for the best. But the professor would fail you for that answer, so that wasn't an option in the classroom.

	But these complexities aside, the class should have been a breeze, or at least not this confusing – Zorian was a patient, methodical person when it came to magecraft, and had slogged through worse offenders than warding with decent results. The problem was that their teacher, a stern woman with hair cut so short she might have gone all the way and shaved her head completely, didn't know how to teach. At all. Oh, she clearly knew the subject matter very well, but she simply didn't know how to translate that knowledge into a proper lecture. She was leaving out a lot of things out of her lectures, apparently not realizing that just because they were obvious to ''her'', they were not obvious to her students. The textbook she assigned for the class wasn't much better, and read more like a manual for a professional warder than a student's textbook.		But these complexities aside, the class should have been a breeze, or at least not this confusing – Zorian was a patient, methodical person when it came to magecraft, and had slogged through worse offenders than warding with decent results. The problem was that their teacher, a stern woman with hair cut so short she might have gone all the way and shaved her head completely, didn't know how to teach. At all. Oh, she clearly knew the subject matter very well, but she simply didn't know how to translate that knowledge into a proper lecture. She was leaving out a lot of things out of her lectures, apparently not realizing that just because they were obvious to ''her'', they were not obvious to her students. The textbook she assigned for the class wasn't much better, and read more like a manual for a professional warder than a student's textbook.
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	"Benisek…"		"Benisek…"

	"It's true!" he protested. "Even our teacher is a girl. A hot girl, but still. I read it somewhere that alchemy traces it roots back to witches' covens, with their potions and what not. Even now the best alchemical families are descended from witches. I bet you didn't know that, huh?"		"It's true!" he protested. "Even our teacher is a girl. A hot girl, but still. I read it somewhere that alchemy traces its roots back to witches' covens, with their potions and what not. Even now the best alchemical families are descended from witches. I bet you didn't know that, huh?"

	As a matter of fact he did know that. He was, after all, tutored in alchemy by an honest-to-god traditional witch before he went to the academy. She was so traditional, in fact, that she scoffed at the name 'alchemy' and referred to her skill strictly as 'potion making'.		As a matter of fact he did know that. He was, after all, tutored in alchemy by an honest-to-god traditional witch before he went to the academy. She was so traditional, in fact, that she scoffed at the name 'alchemy' and referred to her skill strictly as 'potion making'.
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	"And that concludes today's lesson," said Ilsa. "Before you leave, however, I have an announcement to make. As some of you know, the Academy traditionally organizes a dance on the eve of summer festival. This year is no exception. The dance will take place in the entrance hall next Saturday. For those of you who are unaware, attendance is ''mandatory'' this year."		"And that concludes today's lesson," said Ilsa. "Before you leave, however, I have an announcement to make. As some of you know, the Academy traditionally organizes a dance on the eve of summer festival. This year is no exception. The dance will take place in the entrance hall next Saturday. For those of you who are unaware, attendance is ''mandatory'' this year."

	Zorian groaned, slamming his forehead into he table in front of him, causing the rest of the class to snicker. Ilsa pointedly ignored his reaction.		Zorian groaned, slamming his forehead into the table in front of him, causing the rest of the class to snicker. Ilsa pointedly ignored his reaction.

	"For those of you who don't know how to dance, dance lessons will be held every day at 8 in the evening in room 6. Those of you who do know how to dance still have to come to at least one of these lessons to prove so – I will not have you embarrass me on the night of the dance. Dismissed. Miss Stroze, mister Kazinski, stay after class please."		"For those of you who don't know how to dance, dance lessons will be held every day at 8 in the evening in room 6. Those of you who do know how to dance still have to come to at least one of these lessons to prove so – I will not have you embarrass me on the night of the dance. Dismissed. Miss Stroze, mister Kazinski, stay after class please."
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	"Animation spells," Zorian guessed.		"Animation spells," Zorian guessed.

	"Yes," Ilsa said, then quickly moved to explain for Akoja's benefit. "There is a spell that will guide the person's limbs and body through whatever dance it is designed for. It's not really suitable as a substitute for dancing skill, but if you practice dancing while you're under ~~it's~~ effects you will learn a lot faster than you would otherwise."		"Yes," Ilsa said, then quickly moved to explain for Akoja's benefit. "There is a spell that will guide the person's limbs and body through whatever dance it is designed for. It's not really suitable as a substitute for dancing skill, but if you practice dancing while you're under its effects you will learn a lot faster than you would otherwise."

	"How does that work?" Akoja asked curiously.		"How does that work?" Akoja asked curiously.
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	Zorian let out a long-suffering sigh. "You can't make an animation spell do something you don't know how to do yourself. You don't know how to dance, hence you cannot animate anyone to dance either. Also, how are you going to break the spell once the dance ends if you can't move your arms where you want them to be? This really isn't the sort of spell you should be casting on yourself."		Zorian let out a long-suffering sigh. "You can't make an animation spell do something you don't know how to do yourself. You don't know how to dance, hence you cannot animate anyone to dance either. Also, how are you going to break the spell once the dance ends if you can't move your arms where you want them to be? This really isn't the sort of spell you should be casting on yourself."

	Really, there ~~was~~ so many problems with that idea that Zorian struggled to put them all into words. Are these people thinking about the questions they're asking at all?		Really, there were so many problems with that idea that Zorian struggled to put them all into words. Are these people thinking about the questions they're asking at all?

	"So how many dances do we have to learn?"		"So how many dances do we have to learn?"
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	"-you have a duty to your family to put on a good face. Your behavior reflects on them, you know."		"-you have a duty to your family to put on a good face. Your behavior reflects on them, you know."

	"There is nothing wrong with my behavior," snapped Zorian, aware that he was attracting stares of nearby people but not caring at the moment. "You're free to go to whatever you want, but leave me out of this. I'm a nobody. A third son of a minor merchant family from a middle of nowhere. People here don't give a fuck about me. They don't even know who I am. And I like it that way."		"There is nothing wrong with my behavior," snapped Zorian, aware that he was attracting stares of nearby people but not caring at the moment. "You're free to go to whatever you want, but leave me out of this. I'm a nobody. A third son of a minor merchant family from the middle of nowhere. People here don't give a fuck about me. They don't even know who I am. And I like it that way."

	"Okay, okay!" protested Benisek, gesturing wildly. "Dude, you're making a scene…"		"Okay, okay!" protested Benisek, gesturing wildly. "Dude, you're making a scene…"
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	"Err, thank you professor," said Zorian cautiously. "I try."		"Err, thank you professor," said Zorian cautiously. "I try."

	"Indeed, one could say you're one of the best students in your group. A student I intend to take under my wing after this whole festival rush dies down. An example to everyone, and just as much a representative of your class as ~~miss~~ Stroze is."		"Indeed, one could say you're one of the best students in your group. A student I intend to take under my wing after this whole festival rush dies down. An example to everyone, and just as much a representative of your class as Miss Stroze is."

	Oh, this is ''bad''.		Oh, this is ''bad''.
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	Zorian recognized the owner of the voice though, and Kael wasn't really female, despite some nasty rumors. He turned around to face the morlock boy, studying his bone white hair and intense blue eyes for a moment before returning his attention to cleaning the alchemical equipment he had used. No reason to get barred from using the workshop because he failed to clean up after himself.		Zorian recognized the owner of the voice though, and Kael wasn't really female, despite some nasty rumors. He turned around to face the morlock boy, studying his bone white hair and intense blue eyes for a moment before returning his attention to cleaning the alchemical equipment he had used. No reason to get barred from using the workshop because he failed to clean up after himself.

	He struggled to formulate a response while Kael was inspecting the salve with the practiced eye. The boy was rather mysterious, having only joined their group this year by transferring from god knows where, and not being very talkative. Plus, you know, he was a morlock. How long has the boy been watching him? Sadly, he had a tendency to ~~loose~~ track of his surroundings when he worked on something so he couldn't tell.		He struggled to formulate a response while Kael was inspecting the salve with the practiced eye. The boy was rather mysterious, having only joined their group this year by transferring from god knows where, and not being very talkative. Plus, you know, he was a morlock. How long has the boy been watching him? Sadly, he had a tendency to lose track of his surroundings when he worked on something so he couldn't tell.

	"It's nothing special," Zorian finally said. "Now your work… that's impressive. I get the notion that you're on a whole another level from the rest of us when it ~~come~~ to alchemy. Even Zach can't beat you most of the time, and he seems to acing everything these days."		"It's nothing special," Zorian finally said. "Now your work… that's impressive. I get the notion that you're on a whole another level from the rest of us when it comes to alchemy. Even Zach can't beat you most of the time, and he seems to acing everything these days."

	The white-haired boy smiled mildly. "Zach doesn't have the passion for the subject. Alchemy requires a craftsman's touch and a lot of patience, and no matter how extensive his knowledge is, Zach just doesn't have the mentality for it. You do. If you had as much practice with alchemy as Zach apparently does, you'd surpass him for sure."		The white-haired boy smiled mildly. "Zach doesn't have the passion for the subject. Alchemy requires a craftsman's touch and a lot of patience, and no matter how extensive his knowledge is, Zach just doesn't have the mentality for it. You do. If you had as much practice with alchemy as Zach apparently does, you'd surpass him for sure."

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:16, 16 July 2014
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	Warding, the art of protecting things with magic, was a surprisingly complex field. You had to take into account what the thing you're trying to protect is made of, what it's dimensions and geometry were, how the ward is going to react with the already existing magic… or you could just slap a general-purpose warding invocation on your target and hope for the best. But the professor would fail you for that answer, so that wasn't an option in the classroom.		Warding, the art of protecting things with magic, was a surprisingly complex field. You had to take into account what the thing you're trying to protect is made of, what it's dimensions and geometry were, how the ward is going to react with the already existing magic… or you could just slap a general-purpose warding invocation on your target and hope for the best. But the professor would fail you for that answer, so that wasn't an option in the classroom.

	But these complexities aside, the class should have been a breeze, or at least not this confusing – Zorian was a patient, methodical person when it came to magecraft, and had slogged through worse offenders than warding with decent results. The problem was that their teacher, a stern woman with hair cut so short she might have gone all the way and shaved her head completely, didn't know how to teach. At all. Oh, she clearly knew the subject matter very well, but she simply didn't know how to translate that knowledge into a proper lecture. She was leaving out a lot of things out of her lectures, apparently not realizing that just because they were obvious to her, they were not obvious to her students. The textbook she assigned for the class wasn't much better, and read more like a manual for a professional warder than a student's textbook.		But these complexities aside, the class should have been a breeze, or at least not this confusing – Zorian was a patient, methodical person when it came to magecraft, and had slogged through worse offenders than warding with decent results. The problem was that their teacher, a stern woman with hair cut so short she might have gone all the way and shaved her head completely, didn't know how to teach. At all. Oh, she clearly knew the subject matter very well, but she simply didn't know how to translate that knowledge into a proper lecture. She was leaving out a lot of things out of her lectures, apparently not realizing that just because they were obvious to ''her'', they were not obvious to her students. The textbook she assigned for the class wasn't much better, and read more like a manual for a professional warder than a student's textbook.

	'''''Question 6:''''' ''You are tasked with building a research outpost on a first degree mana well in the Sarokian Highlands. The building is meant to support a staff of 4 at any particular time, and the prospectors have expressed concerns over heavy presence of winter wolf packs and an infestation of borer wasps in the surrounding area. You have a budget of 25.000 pieces and are assumed to be a certified second circle warder.''		'''''Question 6:''''' ''You are tasked with building a research outpost on a first degree mana well in the Sarokian Highlands. The building is meant to support a staff of 4 at any particular time, and the prospectors have expressed concerns over heavy presence of winter wolf packs and an infestation of borer wasps in the surrounding area. You have a budget of 25.000 pieces and are assumed to be a certified second circle warder.''
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	At the very least he knew how to answer sub-question 'c'. The correct answer was definitely wards. Even if the outpost was made inedible to borer wasp larvae, it would still make a prime place to build a nest in. Considering how territorial those insects were, you don't want them living anywhere near you. Theoretically, the 'careful choice of materials' options would free up mana that would otherwise be spent on maintaining vermin repellant wards, but those wards required very little mana flow to stay active. Especially if they were keyed specifically to borer wasps.		At the very least he knew how to answer sub-question 'c'. The correct answer was definitely wards. Even if the outpost was made inedible to borer wasp larvae, it would still make a prime place to build a nest in. Considering how territorial those insects were, you don't want them living anywhere near you. Theoretically, the 'careful choice of materials' options would free up mana that would otherwise be spent on maintaining vermin repellant wards, but those wards required very little mana flow to stay active. Especially if they were keyed specifically to borer wasps.

	His thoughts were interrupted by a girlish giggle coming from the back of the classroom. Zorian didn't even have to turn around to know what was happening – Zach was entertaining the students around him again. He wished the teacher would penalize the guy for the disruption he was causing, especially in the middle of the exam, but Zach was a bit of darling for the stern woman because he was the only student acing her exams. No doubt the guy had already finished his test with 100% accuracy. Which, by the way, made no sense whatsoever – during their first two years, Zach was a below-average student more distinguished because of his charm than magical talent. Kind of like a nicer version of Fortov, actually. This year, though, he was acing everything. Everything. He had a wealth of knowledge and a work ethic he hadn't had at the end of their second year, far in excess of what could be gained through the normal passage of time.		His thoughts were interrupted by a girlish giggle coming from the back of the classroom. Zorian didn't even have to turn around to know what was happening – Zach was entertaining the students around him again. He wished the teacher would penalize the guy for the disruption he was causing, especially in the middle of the exam, but Zach was a bit of darling for the stern woman because he was the only student acing her exams. No doubt the guy had already finished his test with 100% accuracy. Which, by the way, made no sense whatsoever – during their first two years, Zach was a below-average student more distinguished because of his charm than magical talent. Kind of like a nicer version of Fortov, actually. This year, though, he was acing everything. ''Everything''. He had a wealth of knowledge and a work ethic he hadn't had at the end of their second year, far in excess of what could be gained through the normal passage of time.

	How does one get so much better in the span of a single summer?		How does one get so much better in the span of a single summer?
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	The conversation died down as all three filed into the alchemy classroom, which was really more of a big alchemy workshop than a classical classroom. There were about 20 tables, each one full of various containers and other equipment. All ingredients for the day's lesson were already prepared in front of them, though some would require some additional preparation before they could be used in whatever process they were learning about that day – he was pretty sure they weren't going to be putting live cave crickets into the boiling solution, for instance.		The conversation died down as all three filed into the alchemy classroom, which was really more of a big alchemy workshop than a classical classroom. There were about 20 tables, each one full of various containers and other equipment. All ingredients for the day's lesson were already prepared in front of them, though some would require some additional preparation before they could be used in whatever process they were learning about that day – he was pretty sure they weren't going to be putting live cave crickets into the boiling solution, for instance.

	Alchemy, like warding, was a complicated art, but their alchemy teacher knew her stuff and knew how to teach, so Zorian wasn't having any issues with the class. Technically they had to work in groups of 2 or 3 students because there were not enough tables and equipment, but Zorian always paired up with Benisek which translated to working alone in practice. The only problem was getting Benisek to shut up and stop distracting him during class.		Alchemy, like warding, was a complicated art, but their alchemy teacher knew her stuff ''and'' knew how to teach, so Zorian wasn't having any issues with the class. Technically they had to work in groups of 2 or 3 students because there were not enough tables and equipment, but Zorian always paired up with Benisek which translated to working alone in practice. The only problem was getting Benisek to shut up and stop distracting him during class.

	"Hey Zorian," Benisek whispered to him not so quietly. "I never noticed it until now, but our teacher is kind of hot!"		"Hey Zorian," Benisek whispered to him not so quietly. "I never noticed it until now, but our teacher is kind of hot!"
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	Benisek grumbled mutinously before returning to his ogling. Zorian refocused on grinding the borer wasp husks into a fine power needed for the particular brand of glue they were supposed to be making.		Benisek grumbled mutinously before returning to his ogling. Zorian refocused on grinding the borer wasp husks into a fine power needed for the particular brand of glue they were supposed to be making.

	Admittedly, Azlyn Marivoski did look surprisingly good for a 50 year old woman. Some kind of cosmetic treatment probably – she was their alchemy teacher, after all. Maybe even a true youth potion, though those were really rare and usually imperfect in some way.		Admittedly, Azlyn Marivoski did look surprisingly good for a 50 year old woman. Some kind of cosmetic treatment probably – she ''was'' their alchemy teacher, after all. Maybe even a true youth potion, though those were really rare and usually imperfect in some way.

	"I don't see why you like this class so much," grumbled Benisek. "I'm not even sure I'd call it magical. You don't need mana for it. It's all searching for herbs this, cutting the roots the right way that… it's like cooking. Hell, we're making glue, of all things. You should leave that to girls."		"I don't see why you like this class so much," grumbled Benisek. "I'm not even sure I'd call it magical. You don't need mana for it. It's all searching for herbs this, cutting the roots the right way that… it's like cooking. Hell, we're making glue, of all things. You should leave that to girls."
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	"Benisek…"		"Benisek…"

	"It's true!" he protested. "Even ~~out~~ teacher is a girl. A hot girl, but still. I read it somewhere that alchemy traces it roots back to witches' covens, with their potions and what not. Even now the best alchemical families are descended from witches. I bet you didn't know that, huh?"		"It's true!" he protested. "Even our teacher is a girl. A hot girl, but still. I read it somewhere that alchemy traces it roots back to witches' covens, with their potions and what not. Even now the best alchemical families are descended from witches. I bet you didn't know that, huh?"

	As a matter of fact he did know that. He was, after all, tutored in alchemy by an honest-to-god traditional witch before he went to the academy. She was so traditional, in fact, that she scoffed at the name 'alchemy' and referred to her skill strictly as 'potion making'.		As a matter of fact he did know that. He was, after all, tutored in alchemy by an honest-to-god traditional witch before he went to the academy. She was so traditional, in fact, that she scoffed at the name 'alchemy' and referred to her skill strictly as 'potion making'.
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	The nerve! If there was anyone who should take a look at the impression he was leaving to people it should be Benisek! The irresponsible leech would have been dumped into a tier 3 group if it wasn't for Zorian's constant help and this is how he replays him? Why was he even hanging out with that guy?		The nerve! If there was anyone who should take a look at the impression he was leaving to people it should be Benisek! The irresponsible leech would have been dumped into a tier 3 group if it wasn't for Zorian's constant help and this is how he replays him? Why was he even hanging out with that guy?

	He scoffed, trying to calm down. Stupid summer festival and stupid dance. The funny thing is that unlike most people who hate these kinds of events, Zorian wasn't strictly bad at them. He knew how to dance, he knew how to eat without embarrassing himself, and he knew how to talk to people on these kinds of events. He had to know these things, because his parents used to drag him along with them when attending these kind of events, and they made sure he knew how to behave himself properly once there.		He scoffed, trying to calm down. Stupid summer festival and stupid dance. The funny thing is that unlike most people who hate these kinds of events, Zorian wasn't strictly ''bad'' at them. He knew how to dance, he knew how to eat without embarrassing himself, and he knew how to talk to people on these kinds of events. He had to know these things, because his parents used to drag him along with them when attending these kind of events, and they made sure he knew how to behave himself properly once there.

	But he hated it. He had no words to describe how much events such as these sickened him. Why should he be forced to attend something he hates when the academy had absolutely no right to demand it of him?		But he hated it. He had no words to describe how much events such as these sickened him. Why should he be forced to attend something he hates when the academy had absolutely no right to demand it of him?
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	"Zorian," Ilsa cut him off.		"Zorian," Ilsa cut him off.

	"Professor, why is it so important that I show up there, anyway?" asked Zorian, a bit of crankiness seeping into his voice. He knew it was a bad idea to blow up on a teacher, but damn this whole things was pissing him off! "I have a medical condition, you know? Crowds give me headaches."		"Professor, why is it so important that I show up there, anyway?" asked Zorian, a bit of crankiness seeping into his voice. He knew it was a bad idea to blow up on a teacher, but damn this whole things was ''pissing him off''! "I have a medical condition, you know? Crowds give me headaches."

	She snorted. "They give me headaches too, if it makes you feel any better. I can give you a potion for that. The fact is I'm one of the organizers of that dance, and if too many students are absent I'll end up with a black mark on my record. Especially if someone as prominent as yourself were to not show up."		She snorted. "They give me headaches too, if it makes you feel any better. I can give you a potion for that. The fact is I'm one of the organizers of that dance, and if too many students are absent I'll end up with a black mark on my record. Especially if someone as prominent as yourself were to not show up."