Second Lesson

'Finally,' Zmey thought, his grin stretching with a creepy tone.

In no time, he had appeared inside the depths of the Cultivation Highland.

With time, more people joined them. He noticed that the population was somewhat smaller than last time. He then recalled that exorcists weren't allowed for this class.

He couldn't articulate the depth of his excitement. He had his arms crossed behind him.

He was tapping the nose of his boot on the shimmering terrain. Beast Taming... when he first heard about it in Frosthaven, he didn't feel this much of a connection to it. But it was different now.

'I feel like... I need a tame. Like doing so would offer me a kind of freedom and grant a wish.'

Seconds ticked by, people appearing from thin air lessening, till no one did anymore.

Everyone was present. So, the newbies expected their instructor to appear unnoticed.

Easy smiles, speaking faces and cold-yet-affected countenances flushed across the majority.

Chatty ladies jumped over their toes in excitement and guys of the same kind laughed into the air.

Zmey glanced across the crowd for a split second. 'Can he still be at the library?'

Somewhere, Nero stood on one terrain, facing the dispersed monoliths and temples.

Noises came from each side of his ears. His shoulders were still slumped, head turning down.

He thought, biting his lips, 'Guess they're right. Zmey didn't look back at all back then because I was a burden.

He has a big dream, so perhaps... I should give him some space.'

The air grew thick with a vibratory sensation in an instant. An overwhelming presence seemed near.

Almost all the newbies glanced up at the sky. They locked their eyes on the suspended figure of the Archsage.

One lady pointed at him, her smile bright and effortless. "It's the instructor! He's here!"

Different expressions hollered through the vibrant landscape until the deep voice of Magnus Alaris cut through...

"Good day, dear tamers. It's nice holding another class since your admission into the sanctuary," he said, his voice a bit casual.

His face, in a bit, appeared to invite everyone to a discussion with him.

Silence stretched, preparing to be cut by his next statements...

"We won't be exhausting too much time here. So, please pay attention to whatever I am about to tell you guys.

Indeed, some manuals and documentaries contain everything. But, it's better to use a hybrid approach, saving those points that skip your mind here by reading the documentaries, and vice-versa..."

The students already seemed captivated. A sigh was audible in the tranquil, silent world.

Magnus Alaric crossed his arms behind him. He strode forward and backwards.

"Balance. There exists one in politics, and the same applies in the magic system.

The same applies in the current world situation. As I said last time, when rendering our salutes to the fallen army of victory, we're plagued by beasts and Necrots.

The Shadow Legacy borned the Necrots. A man, whose power broke the scale before the magic system, made them. Once a prisoner, then a walder..."

Some people glanced at one another in wonder. What were they unraveling?

Zmey creased his brows, recalling the woman who shook Silvan Ferox to his core. To think someone else created her and her kind... it was unbelievable.

Most were from Eldengrove; others from Frosthaven or the other three kingdoms. In short, the threat level varied between kingdoms. But the Necrots were the source of it.

They had seen them devour their people and destroy their farms and their shelters. But whatever happens in a kingdom, the authoritative part of it would take care of it.

The royal houses had thousands of skilled armies. But a flick of a finger from the weakest Necrots would wipe them out.

Also, a very low number of people get awakened. Some lose to the Soul Land's trial, while the majority fear taking the test.

So, one kingdom catering for the well-being of another might shift the threat to its side. That was when their guards would be completely down.

Magnus's words continued to flow like a symphony through the air.

"Necrots and beasts are from the same source. Just..." he raised a finger, "... one source created them both. The five beast realms - Infernosphere, Terrmagma, Noctisveil, Aerostorm Peaks... and Abyssal Waters - all spiral alike to the Necrots.

These are the two forces that have plagued us for years. In balance, humanity has two forces repelling against it: Beast Tamers and Exorcists.

As a tamer, you own the fire element. As first-timers, you cultivate in a location like this space where there's a wide range of wieldable magic.

You have to hone your elemental magic to be able to tame, and also as an act of defence."

Zmey thought, 'Means we're bi-functional. We can be the two forces at the same time.'

"... The fire element is under the varieties of magic types. There is as well the air element, and even dark magics like the Runecraft.

Every sorcerer cultivates, and their rank equals their success and survival rate.

In this world, the Mage Body defines our rank. There's a different system between pure and dark magic. But the variance in magic links the ranking of their Mage Bodies."

Zmey creased his brows in confusion. He glanced left; he was happy to see a very focused guy by his side. This kind should be a bookworm before coming here, he guessed.

He leaned closer. "Mind explaining that? Variance in links... and also the rankings? I'm confused."

The guy took a few seconds staring at Zmey. Zmey wasn't sure if he didn't seem weird to this guy for not knowing that.

But, he supposed, the instructor's points had captivated most students. So, he supposed, he wasn't.

Then, he cleared his throat, a prelude to revelation. Adjusting his spectacles, he readied himself for the words to come.

"By variance... he meant the order by which pure and dark sorcerers can defeat one another, judging by their Mage Bodies. If you're a rank 4 dark Mage Body sorcerer, you can..."

A flash of information popped up in Zmey's head. It blurred his vision for a brief moment.

"Never mind. I get it now," Zmey cut the guy off in a simple tone and glanced away. The guy's eyes blinked behind his spectacles.

He thought he didn't need the explanation anymore. The dragon's memory about this hierarchy stuff and everything looked so vivid in his mind.

As if someone had seated him to read it.

He nodded his head while rubbing his chin. 'Ashbane must have studied things a lot.'

Now, he received what he cut the guy off on earlier. If a rank 4 dark Mage Body sorcerer combats a rank 3 pure sorcerer, then their fight has the possibility of being a tie.

There were six Mage Body ranks in pure magic, while there were five in the other one.

"... So, as I have said, you can't learn everything about this world at a time. Or else, you might lose your sanity. Besides, the world has evolved as well.

That should be the end of the brief introduction. Now, let's have a clear illustration of how to tame beasts. From Lesser Guardians beasts to Ancient Titans, the strongest."

He clicked his fingers, summoning the world to attention.