Shards: Intro- Part 1 (old)

Chapter Six: The Creature

The Cusp, Northern Island, Hyperborea

Alessandro
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Now begins Beta-Phase. I apologize to those who failed Gamma-Phase, but it serves great purpose to see how this can be done. Understand that it will serve well those who can interpret the science of Magic; especially those who can't do it themselves." Professor Arsen moved around the chamber making gestures to random students as he talked.

"Now, Gamma-Phase was meant to test your ability to use magic, and unfortunately, that excludes you from actually partaking in the next two phases of the subject."

A few groans and sniffles were audible in the crowd. I wasn't part of that though. I've come to terms with the reality that I was who I was, and nothing would change that.

"Beta-Phase is for determining Echelons Two and up. It's critical for Magus's to understand their capabilities, and more specifically; their limits. What should and shouldn't EVER be practiced in the Magic arts. That's why you are all here today."

"Atlantis, Mu, or Lemuria; wherever you hail from, you have the same responsibility as everyone else to be mindful of your decisions when you return to your homelands. Magic should never be abused. Nor should it ever be used against those who can't use it. That's a— what is it?"

The crowd said "life sentence" in unison.

"Excellent! Now that that's done, if I could have you turn to Chapter 7, Unit 2, Section 3 beginning on page 236, I will explain Morphers."

No, Professor Arsen wasn't instructing the students. He was talking to the AI that displays the page number on a desktop screen. We are expected to read through it quickly before moving on to the next page by a time limit. There was no such thing as being behind in Professor Arsen's class.

"Now, The Creature displayed on figure 3.2; which one is that?" A six legged reptile was shown on the screen.

"A Basalisk," answered a frantic student. "Correct, and I can explain Morphers using this perfect example. Now, what is the BMA's (Bureau of Magic Activities) assessment on the status of the population of that particular breed?"

"Semi-Stable?" The same frantic voice guessed.

"Again correct!" The Professor responded. "But what makes a population of 5,375 Basilisks a semi-stable population? What makes such a dwindling statistic 'semi-stable'?"

Nobody raised their hand for a few seconds. When one did, she was right next to me. "Yes? You near the back row?"

"Because of nearly stable birth rates. I would assume that since the great plague, the Basilisk population was in drastic decline. But now, their numbers have stabilized even though they are rare."

"Correct!"

I elbowed Grace casually. "Good job," I whispered to her. She grinned in satisfaction. "Now the accompanying info explains why this is so. For the most part, Basilisk Morphers have resorted to having children amongst themselves in their own communities. This way, they can preserve their creature form's species. That is why you have communities such as Basil: where most Basilisks reside."

"Now to the other thing. Basilisks CAN kill upon eye contact with anything besides Weasels. Don't ask me why. So what is used to accommodate this for people who can be killed by its gaze?"

"Optic-screens?" Grace guessed.

"Well, Grace. I'm impressed." The professor looked like it too.

"I'll just stop asking questions. They're becoming too rhetorical. At least for the rest of the class." Arsen waved his pointer around the room.

"Basically, in order to feel safe around such creatures, you have to understand them. With their qualities can sometimes come vices that one must be aware of. Venomous teeth, poisonous talons, deathly gazes, werewolves in aggressive form, and fire breathing are all examples of these vices. Because of course, our homelands have no need for the violence they embody. Which is why it is important to be aware of them as a Morpher or not. Respect and knowledge about Morphers are key things to keep in mind when I go over this Phase. Just like Magic itself, it demands respect."