Chatoyant College Book 8: From the Earth

Chapter 22: Air Magic

Wednesday, November 12

Sitting in the classroom and waiting for Professor Lal to show up, Corrie reflected ironically on how, just a week ago, she had felt so confident about her magic abilities and so happy that it was easy for her, unlike all her other classes. She might still consider it easy, but right now she was anxious, not knowing if she was going to do too much again. She had gotten both her fire and water abilities under control with practice, but what if it was different with the next element? And even if it wasn't, chances were she would do something excessive with it before she learned to control it—even if she had no idea what could be excessive with earth or air.

At least her worries were cut off eventually, when Professor Lal came into the class and, without introduction, started distributing something to the class. When it came to her, Corrie saw that they were little pinwheels, rainbow-colored, the kind that you held on sticks. She passed back the stack, held hers up, and gave it a twirl with her finger. The melding of its colors as it spun made her smile. Today's class, she had to speculate, was on air.

"As I'm sure most of you have already guessed, today we will be learning air magic," said Professor Lal. "I unfortunately must inform you that this is the one time when the spring semester's introductory magic class has an advantage over this one, as I will need to open the windows. There will be a great amount of air created in this classroom, and some of it will have to leave." She stepped forward, picked up Roe's pinwheel from her desk, and held it up. "Your assignment in creating air is very similar to when you created water. You will cause it to flow from your palm and, with a small breeze, start the pinwheel spinning. Like so." She lifted the hand that wasn't holding the pinwheel. In a moment, the pinwheel was spinning as though on its own. Air was, of course, invisible.

Professor Lal stepped forward and handed Roe back her pinwheel. "As most of you are right-handed, the air should generally flow towards the left of the classroom, and move harmlessly out the windows. However, do pay attention to your neighbors, and if you are causing anyone discomfort, do not hesitate to move. Are there any questions?" She cast her eyes about the classroom, then nodded, eyebrows raised.

"Is this air coming from anywhere?" Tricia asked. "I mean, are we taking it from somewhere else to create it in the classroom? I didn't worry about it with water because we weren't creating that much, and I figured it could come from one of the streams nearby... but with the air, we're not just stealing it from outside to send it back out there, are we?"

"No, not at all." The professor smiled. "In fact, because this is magic, we are simply creating it. There is no need to worry about taking it from somewhere."

"But the ecosystem—" Tricia started.

Professor Lal nodded quickly. "I am no physicist, but it is my understanding that some air does occasionally escape the atmosphere. Perhaps it is the case that magic is necessary to keep the balance of breathable air on the earth steady. At least, that is the conclusion that Professor Kreegan and I have come to. Yes, Kira?"

"What are we creating, biologically speaking? I mean, with fire I figured we were speeding up the molecules, and with water I assumed we were creating pure H2O, but air isn't just one thing."

"Ah, I have a very technically minded class today. The simple answer is, you are creating what you wish to create. The same magic can be used to create air that has the same gas content as the natural atmosphere, or to create ozone, or pure oxygen—nearly any gas, as a matter of fact. I assume most students will naturally create what is in the atmosphere, which is, as I'm sure most of you know, primarily composed of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and oxygen, but if you wish to attempt a different gas, as long as it is not dangerous, feel free."

"Why isn't anyone fixing the ozone layer, if you can just magically create ozone?" came a man's voice from further back. Corrie thought Professor Lal would be annoyed by the interruption—she usually insisted on an orderly classroom, with everyone raising their hands—but her expression didn't change.

"There are in fact people in Antarctica working on that very problem today," she said. "The difficulty is that humans cannot rise to the level of the ozone layer and still breathe, and simply creating ozone at sea level means that most of it will be destroyed or dissipate before it reaches that level. I am sure that, if you are skilled with air magic and keep your grades high, they will be happy to have you once you graduate. Are there any other questions? Excellent. You may begin."