"My name is Ereil, and this is Advanced Research. Sorry, my name is Ereil, and I am the shield mage who sits the coven. And this is the class that you have been quietly prepared for. Quietly, yes, even those of you from mage families. Even you are not free here. So. You will present your argument, and I will tell you whether you can do that or not. As always, we will begin and end with those who promise to have exciting topics no matter what they choose. This year, I have chosen the obvious as first: Naena, second year, please. Present your argument."
Naena stood and moved to the floor beside Ereil as Maeno watched from the third row. She cleared her throat gently and adjusted, wearing the trousers and robes of a second year. Her hair was pulled back into a tight braid with little bits trailing a little around her ears.
"I would like to take project one," she said.
"No," Ereil said firmly. "And—and that's not meant to be rude. I will tell you why at the end of the class. No, if you'd like a prepared project, I have one in mind. Would you take that?"
Naena half shrugged.
"It can't be worse than project one," she said.
"Good, boy—girl—mage? Hrm. Anyhow, yes, Miss Naena, you will take on project seventeen. Boundaries and barriers. Something surely that could not get you into trouble, for there is little more to be said on the topic. Or so I am told."
Naena looked about as happy about the topic as she was at the mention of the rag on a stick in the bathing rooms.
"Miss Naena?"
"Oh, yes, of course, I can do that," she said. "Sounds dreadfully boring. Aeper said boundaries can no longer be added to, for the constant expansion of the lines has created nothing more than empty space like that packed between the ears of mages who believe a boundary might be anything except the existence of magic within the world, bringing the physical to a full stop no matter its magical content."
"I do enjoy that you already have an angle."
Naena frowned at Ereil. Maeno almost grimaced as he looked at the instructor, having seen that look on Naena's face before. She had a sudden, burning question.
"What did mages do before barriers and boundaries?"
"There are books on that in the library. I have come across several accounts, mainly referencing wilding mages," Ereil said to Naena before he focused on the class. "Your formal argument isn't due until winter break. Your work in the second half may feel as if it will not be long enough, but trust me, it is. During this first half, you will dive into the library, make references, and take notes. By the time you come to winter break, your formal argument is then coming together, and from there, you will base your papers on the research you have completed since. Proper research is rarely done with an idea first and then the research."
"But I didn't know what a barrier was, and one of my instructors assigned a paper on them," Naena said.
"In a teaching setting, yes. This class is meant to teach you how to create a proper research document. Both for the Seven and yourself. Tell me, Naena, how much did you know about the Bard before you began working on his spell?"
"Before I tried the first time? A great deal."
"But if I gave you the topic of the Bard, what might you come back with?"
Naena blushed.
"Probably exactly what I delivered to Shorel for Magic History."
"Exactly," Ereil said. "Which is part of why I have several topics set aside, one for each of you, in fact. It has happened once before where I needed to hand that many out. If you bring me a fully fleshed-out argument, you may find yourself with one of my topics. If you are panicking right now and don't want the embarrassment of presenting an argument, you can choose to pick up one of my topics. But. You start at one. Again, she is an exception, which I will explain at the end of the class. Naena, thank you, you may step down."
Naena found her way to her seat at the back of the class and in the corner.
Most of the students didn't seem to link Maeno with Naena, or they liked to ignore the obvious, but neither of them wanted to push that. They would sit separately in Advanced Research and drift back together however they wanted to around the class.
Maeno watched the class happen, and when it was his turn, he got up and said his bit, spilling out the research topic that Nendan had dictated and would continue to dictate. They would practice Maeno's responses to possible questions.
Ereil grunted at it in acceptance.
Project one was the Bard. Two was Hell magic. Three was dragon blood in mages.
"And on, and on," Ereil muttered as he revealed the list of projects written with magic on the board.
The board had grievers, pox, shield families at the foundation, seven names that Maeno didn't recognize, Gray and Pan... that was when Maeno stopped reading. He felt numbness come over him as he realized the topics all had to do with the previous year.
"Except seventeen, which I always toss on there, every other topic was chosen based on how stupid you were last year. Naena is lucky," he jabbed two fingers at her and then gave her a scathing look. "Luck you didn't die practicing that on your own. Not to mention the general dumbassery of the rest of you. One of your own was killed, and his blood was divvied up among the clubs, yet when they learned that, they still used it. They still ploughed ahead. Like the damned fools that they were. And that is why they're dead."
"But I grounded," Naena said. "I followed all the rules."
"The Bard was a wilding mage," Ereil said. "He was remarkably without the sort of magic that Salord carries, that old thing which will bring distortions to your eyes and pain in your temples and blow up the building and people around you. That is why you are lucky you didn't die. If you were anyone else's bastard, I'd applaud you, but you didn't take into consideration that older magic, which you were made aware of by that time."
"Not before I started," Naena said as her voice went a little higher.
As she likely realized Ereil was right. Some piece of information was falling into place.
Ereil made a sound at the back of his throat, eyebrows raising as his head motioned toward the board.
"A properly made barrier would have protected you," he said. "Anyhow. You all only need to be here Mondays. I will be here each class unless one of you idiots calls another dragon during class time." No one moved. "Boys, I'm not giving you a reading list. You have your topics. Go away. Except Maeno."
Terror gripped Maeno as the others began filing out. He made his way down to Ereil when the time was appropriate. The man sat behind his desk, cleared his throat, and looked at Maeno.
"Let's have it then," Ereil said.
"Have what?"
"Your topic."
"I... gave my topic. You said—"
"That is a Seven topic," Ereil said. "They come in from time to time, and I let them through or am considered off syllabus. But you, Maeno, should recall who you're talking to. You won't be doing the research for this, and we both know it's all pre-written. But I'll be damned if I let someone go off on a Seven project and coast through my class. I expect the work be put in."
"But I can't present another topic."
"If you look back over the years, you'll see some remarkable students have submitted two projects for Advanced Research. One, they debate with their peers and one privately, both registered in the library. No one gets out of Amos without genuinely attempting to add something to our knowledge base. What is your topic?"
"I don't know."
"Don't know? Didn't think about it all summer?"
"Well, I want to do research on alternate realities, but—uh..."
"Lugh says it's a waste of time," Ereil responded. "Unfortunately, I agree."
Maeno winced. He knew he did even as his mind started racing.
"A third year does not have the necessary tools to find such information," Ereil added. "You will do Gray and Pan."
"Shouldn't it be—" he hesitated as he realized four was grievers.
"Exactly why I chose something else," Ereil said. "Two names. Find them. Come back and tell me who they are. At the end of the year, I will show you the six other projects done looking for them. And when you come back for your magehood, and you have free mornings or the like, recall you have access to all the resources of a student but none of the obligations."
"Sure," Maeno said with a nod.
"Good, you may go."
"Uh, what if I don't have a written reference for what I learn?"
"If you tell me things you've learned in private, they go on record," Ereil said. "That person who shared might take offence. However, you can use that as a launching point for finding actual resources. You'd be surprised just how far some have gotten. And if you do cross something inappropriate by Seven standards, you'll know because you'll hear rumour of it but never find it. Ah, Naena, come in," Ereil said as he looked around Maeno.
They passed one another, but Naena said nothing. Maeno slipped out of the room and headed right to Theon's study. A seventh-year war mage stood outside the door, looking furious. As soon as Maeno saw him, he stiffened and almost bolted. His feet didn't move.
The seventh year appeared awkward suddenly, as if trying not to look threatening even though he had just been—
"Maeno?" Theon asked as he frowned from the doorway. "Get in here."
He didn't have to be told twice. He moved around the other student but knew he was stiff and looked like he was expecting a blade because he was. It wasn't until the door closed that Maeno felt a bit of relief.
"What's that look? What'd he do?"
Maeno explained and, having done that, felt no better when Theon smiled.
"You're caught in a test, boy," Theon said as his smile grew. "What did you actually come for?"
"I can—"
"That means he fails."
Maeno sunk back into his seat.
"He can't hurt me at all," Maeno said.
"The test adapts, but no, if he comes in here and makes for you in any threatening manner, I kill him," Theon responded with a shrug as he sat back. "It's complicated, but let us instead talk about what you want to talk about."
"Ereil gave me Gray and Pan to look into."
"Oh, yes, of course," Theon said. "Just look up my Advanced Research project."
"What?"
"Every past project is on the shelf," Theon said with a little smile. "They never start with that, though. I should add that you can go and take out my project, which failed me, but it might give you something else to work with. Or, you could reference my project for your project and, really, that's how things become academic amongst mages."
Maeno actually chuckled.
The door opened suddenly.
"Sir!" the war mage shouted. "Lord Pan and Dean Trathor are fighting outside."
"What?" Theon demanded as he stood. "Maeno, head to the library and get Graydon, then stay there. Now."