Circlecraft Lesson (2)

Vastarael felt a faint, erratic surge of energy ripple behind him, disrupting the energy flow in the lecture hall. His instincts kicked in and he turned sharply, Elyonari following his gaze. Both of them froze, their eyes locking onto the source of the anomaly.

Sitting behind them with barely concealed frustration was Farrynelle Skyrover, one of the Seventh Enlightenment Students, the princess of Dynasty Skyrover.

Her presence as electrifying as her aura. Her electric blue hair framed her striking face. Her pale skin seemed to glow faintly and her lightning-blue eyes crackled with impatience and intensity. Even her posture screamed of a combatant who had little patience for the delicate intricacies of mysticism.

Her sharp voice broke the silence as she crossed her arms, glaring at the two mages.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that, mage geniuses?"

Vastarael tilted his head, a subtle smile curving his lips. He gestured casually toward her hands, which were clumsily trying to shape the flow of energy into a mystic circle. The half-formed construct flickered erratically, arcs of uncontrolled energy sparking and dissipating. It was clear she was out of her element.

Elyonari leaned closer, whispering just loud enough for Vastarael to hear.

"She's definitely a Skyrover. Combat prodigy, no doubt, but finesse? Not her strong suit."

Vastarael chuckled softly and properly faced backward.

"You're overloading the structure," he said calmly that drew Farrynelle's scowl. "Mystic circles require balance and patience, not brute force. You're treating it like an opponent to overpower, but it's more like a dance partner. You have to guide the energy, not wrestle it into submission."

She raised an eyebrow, skeptical but begrudgingly curious.

"And how, exactly, do you suggest I do that?"

"Let me show you."

His sapphire-blue aura flared subtly as he demonstrated, hands moving gracefully through the air to form his own glowing circle with no runes or symbols.

"First, focus on stabilizing the energy flow. Don't rush, let it settle naturally. Now, shape it gently, like smoothing out ripples in water."

Behind Farrynelle, several students who had been watching intently began mimicking Vastarael's movements. To their astonishment, a few managed to stabilize their circles, small bursts of light sparking to life above their hands.

Murmurs of awe rippled through the hall and a couple of students even clapped quietly before resuming their practice.

Farrynelle's frown deepened as she hesitantly followed Vastarael's guidance. Her energy faltered at first, her summoned circle flickering dangerously, but she gritted her teeth and steadied her hands. Slowly but surely, a perfect empty electric-blue mystic circle materialized before her. The energy it radiated was fierce yet controlled.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and glanced at Vastarael, her expression guarded.

"Thanks," she said, her tone clipped but not entirely devoid of gratitude.

He met her icy thanks with a warm smile, nodding.

"You're welcome. That was well done. Keep practicing and it'll become second nature."

Without waiting for a response, he turned back to his seat, Elyonari smirking at him as they settled back down.

"Still the teacher, aren't you?" Elyonari teased under her breath.

Behind them, Farrynelle lingered for a moment, looking at her mystic circle as if it were an unexpected ally. She glanced toward the students around her, who were now diligently following Vastarael's advice. With a huff, she dispelled her circle and took her seat, still trying to process the moment.

"Who has managed to create their foundation?"

Almost everyone raised their hands up, their mystic circles of different colors shimmering in front of them.

"Good. Now, let's move on to the Core Matrix and the Channels. This applies exclusively to those practicing Circlecraft. Unfortunately, I lack this ability myself, so I'll defer to someone far more qualified. Your Esteemed Majesty, if you'd be so kind..."

All eyes immediately turned to Vastarael. The title alone carried weight and even those unfamiliar with him knew who he was: the Prince of Anqerise, a progeny of the Mage Nexus herself.

Vastarael exhaled softly, unsurprised by the request. He'd anticipated this moment. After all, no one else in the room had both the skill and lineage to truly teach this lesson. Rising from his seat with a composed grace, he adjusted the mask on his face and strode forward.

The room seemed to hold its breath as Vastarael reached the front. With a flick of his wrist, an empty mystic circle appeared before him. Unlike the smaller constructs most mages created, this one was grand, nearly two meters in diameter.

Gasps rippled through the hall. Enlarging an empty mystic circle required precise control and immense power, something only Circlecraft Mages could achieve, and even then, only with significant effort. Yet, Vastarael made it seem effortless, as though the circle obeyed him out of respect rather than command.

Turning to the mesmerized crowd, he began his explanation.

"A mystic circle has three fundamental components. We've already discussed the outer structure, which stabilizes the energy. Now, let's look at the Core Matrix, the nucleus of the circle. This is the heart of the construct, the source of its power. Without it, the circle is just an empty shell."

As he spoke, Vastarael raised his hand and began tracing in the air. Suddenly, the faint outline of a rune began to form at the center of the circle, glowing in a vibrant, cerulean hue.

"This," he said, gesturing to the glowing symbol, "is a Water Rune. The Core Matrix must always contain a rune or symbol that defines the purpose of the circle. For instance, this rune allows the circle to manipulate and channel water-based energy."

The lecturer hall fell silent. Runes were not merely rare, they were practically legendary. Summoning a rune through incantation was difficult enough, but drawing one? That was a skill so rare that the number of living Rune Users could be counted on two hands.

Even the lecturer looked visibly stunned, his composed demeanor faltering. He blinked, then leaned forward slightly, examining the intricate, glowing rune as though questioning if it was real.

"Rune Drawing..." the lecturer murmured, his voice trailing off. "It's said to be the purest form of Circlecraft. Your Highness, you truly honor us with this demonstration."

Vastarael offered a modest nod and continued.

"The Core Matrix not only defines the circle's purpose but also anchors its energy. Without it, any attempt to use the circle will result in failure or worse, instability."

Vastarael stood confidently before the class, his empty mystic circle still glowing faintly in its two-meter diameter. He gestured toward it, his sapphire-blue aura flickering softly.

"Now that we've covered the Core Matrix, let's move on to the Channels. These are the veins of a mystic circle, connecting the Core Matrix to the outer structure and allowing it to channel energy effectively. A circle without proper Channels is like a body without blood, lifeless and ineffective."

He turned back to the circle and began to draw runes. His hand moved fluidly, as though tracing an invisible design etched in his mind. The concentric rings within the circle pulsed faintly as he added lines and symbols between them, filling the gaps with runes.

The room grew silent as students leaned forward, captivated by the sight. Each rune he drew seemed to hum with energy, glowing faintly as if alive.

"These runes," Vastarael explained, as he drew, "are what make the Channels potent. Each one serves a specific function. Stability, amplification, direction, or even protection."

He paused for a moment, pointing to one of the runes he had just drawn.

"This," he said, "is a Stability Rune. Without it, the circle would crack before it could even unleash its power. Over here, I've added an Amplification Rune, which enhances the potency of the energy being channeled. And here, a Barrier Rune to ensure the energy doesn't escape prematurely."

As he continued to draw, the empty circle transformed into a complex network of glowing symbols and lines. Each addition seemed to breathe life into the construct, making it more intricate and imposing.

The students began to murmur, awestruck.

"He's not just drawing runes. He's crafting an entire spell from scratch," one whispered.

"Look at how perfectly aligned everything is," another said, their tone tinged with envy.

Finally, Vastarael stepped back, his work complete. The once-empty circle was now a masterpiece of arcane artistry, glowing with an otherworldly brilliance.

"Now," he said, turning to face the class, "let's see if it works."

With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the circle's power. The runes flared to life, their energy coalescing into a single, concentrated force. Suddenly, a massive water blast erupted from the center of the circle, shooting upward at an incredible speed.

The sheer force of the blast caused some students to scream in shock. Others instinctively summoned barriers around themselves, their hands trembling as they braced for impact. The water surged toward the ceiling, crashing against it before cascading down in a shower of tiny droplets.

As the water fell, the mystic circle began to crack. Faint fissures spread across its glowing surface until it shattered entirely, vanishing in a burst of light.

Vastarael turned back to the class, unfazed by the chaotic display.

"That... was an example of a failed Circlecraft spell."

The students stared at him in disbelief, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

Failed? That was a failed circle?!

"I didn't follow the proper sequence when crafting the Channels," he explained, gesturing toward the now-absent circle. "As a result, the circle became unstable and shattered after unleashing its energy. For Circlecraft mages, this is a common occurrence. Unlike Circlemancy mages, who summon pre-made circles, we have to build ours from scratch. And failure is the best teacher."

The mages were silent.

"When a Circlecraft mage creates a circle, there are two key indicators of success. First, if the circle cracks before or after activation, it means it's unstable and unusable. Second, if the circle remains intact for at least 20 seconds after being created, it's considered stable. At that point, we can store it and summon it later, just like Circlemancy mages do. That's all."

Vastarael returned to his seat, the faint sound of water droplets still echoing in the silent hall. As he passed, students whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with newfound respect and perhaps... a touch of intimidation.

They all clapped as they looked at him as he sat down.

The lecturer cleared his throat, breaking the tension. He had just shared a mystic secret that not even he knew. All mages knew that he had given them a lesson taught by the Mage Nexus.

And that's... something they would take extremely seriously, especially for the Circlecraft mages around.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for that... illuminating demonstration. Class, I hope you understand now why Circlecraft is both an art and a science. And why those who practice it, like the Prince, are exceedingly rare."

Vastarael leaned back in his seat beside Elyonari, who smirked at him.

"You just had to go all out, didn't you?" She whispered.

He chuckled softly.

"What's the point of learning if you don't make an impression?"