Life in royal academy (2)
The next morning, Zoser woke up early to the sound of the bell signaling the start of a new day of study and training. He quickly got dressed and left his room, heading to the lecture hall where the first lesson of the day was about the history of Ancient Egypt's kingdoms.
Zoser entered the hall to find the professor standing next to a large map of the ancient kingdom of "Egyptus," divided into different regions, each colored differently. The professor this time was an elderly man with a short white beard and sharp eyes that reflected years of deep knowledge.
"Welcome, everyone," he said in a steady voice. "I am Professor Niveris, and I will be your teacher in the history of our kingdoms. What you will learn here is not just about ancient events, but the foundation for understanding our present and future."
He gestured toward the map, where there were two prominent marks at the top and bottom of the kingdom.
"As you know, two thousand years ago, our land was torn between the Kingdom of the North, led by Anubis and his allies, and the Kingdom of the South, led by Horus and his allies. A great war broke out between them that lasted for decades, until a man appeared who changed the course of history completely: Mena Narmer, the unifier of the Two Lands."
Whispers spread among the students, as some of them knew little about this history.
"Mena was an extraordinary person, his power surpassing that of both sides, and he managed to end the war with a force that no one fully understood even to this day." Professor Niveris paused for a moment, then continued with a serious tone, "But the unification of the two kingdoms was not the end of the story. The forces that fought in the past did not disappear; they found ways to survive, some in the shadows, some in the open."
Professor Niveris looked at the students with eyes gleaming with wisdom, then pointed again at the map, resuming his speech:
"After the unification of the Two Lands, Mena Narmer established the unified kingdom, laying the foundation for a new era of stability and prosperity. But this balance was not stable, because the struggle between ancient forces did not fully end."
He ran his hand over a section of the map, where three prominent regions appeared, each representing a different era after the unification of the two kingdoms.
"At first, the Narmer dynasty ruled with an iron fist, maintaining the order they had established. But after several generations, divisions began to appear again, not due to wars this time, but because of conflicts between different beliefs and ambitions."
He raised his wooden staff and tapped it on the map, revealing ancient symbols etched in the corners, capturing everyone's attention.
"Here, three major powers emerged in the kingdom:"
1. The Rulers of Light – "Descendants of Mena, believers in governance by system and balance. They sought to keep the kingdom unified through strict laws and spiritual rituals, relying on the legacy of Ra and his followers."
2. The Guardians of Shadows – "A group that emerged from the remnants of Anubis' supporters, believing that balance could only be achieved by understanding death and resurrection, and knowing the deep secrets of the afterlife that the Kings of Light had forbidden."
3. The Moderates – "Those who refused to side with any faction, believing that the true power of the kingdom lay in understanding and uniting both the aspects of light and darkness."
He paused for a moment, then added, "This fragile balance lasted for centuries, but it was never truly stable. At every period, there were disturbances and revolts that threatened to tear the kingdom apart again."
A student raised their hand and asked, "Does this mean the war between light and shadow is still ongoing?"
Professor Niveris smiled with a mysterious grin and said, "The war is no longer as it once was, but it has never truly ended. It has simply taken other forms, some hidden, and some waiting for the right moment to emerge."
Zoser gazed thoughtfully at the map, feeling that this struggle was not just a story from the past, but part of his own destiny. If these forces still existed... where would he stand among them?
After the history lecture ended, there wasn't much time for a break, as the next class was about to begin. Its title seemed intriguing: The Relationship Between the Ether and the Evolution of Creature Anatomy.
The students entered the lecture hall, which was slightly different from the others; the walls were decorated with skeletal models of various creatures, some familiar and others strange and unknown. In the middle of the hall stood a tall man with gray hair tied back and sharp blue eyes. He wore a dark blue robe adorned with silver patterns that reflected the light in a unique way.
"Welcome, everyone," he said in a clear, confident voice. "I am Professor Cassius, and I will be your teacher for this course. You might think that studying anatomy is only about the physical body, but that's a limited understanding. To truly comprehend living beings, we must recognize how the ether influences their evolution."
He raised his hand, and suddenly, one of the skeletal models began to move slowly, as if responding to some invisible energy. "The ether is not just energy; it is an essential part of the structure of creatures, from their inception to their evolution through the ages."
---
Professor Cassius pointed to an ancient manuscript displayed on a stone board behind him, which contained drawings illustrating the evolution of certain creatures over time.
"In the past, creatures relied entirely on biological adaptation to survive. But with the emergence of consciousness of the ether, we began to notice changes that were not random, but responses to the influence of this energy."
He then pointed to another image showing two forms of the same creature, one from ancient times and the other modern.
"Look at this creature. In the past, it was just a simple animal, but over time, its development took a different path, where sensitive tissues to the ether appeared, granting it the ability to sense the surrounding energies."
He moved among the students as he continued: "And this is not limited to animals. Even humans were affected by the ether over generations, which led to the emergence of individuals capable of interacting with this energy in different ways."
One student raised their hand and asked, "Does this mean that the ether is the reason some people have supernatural abilities while others remain ordinary?"
Cassius smiled and said, "That's an excellent question. The ether alone does not grant power; it's how the body interacts with it. Some people are born with genes sensitive to the ether, making them able to absorb and use it easily, while others need years of training to reach the same level."
---
Professor Cassius approached a marble statue of a human form, then touched a point below the navel, where a faint light began to emanate from the statue.
"As you know, the body's main energy center is located here, beneath the navel. This is the 'Center of the Spirit,' where the ether gathers before spreading throughout the body."
He then pointed to other points on the statue:
The forehead: the center of intuition and spiritual vision.
The hands: energy output centers.
The heart: the connection between the ether and consciousness.
"When the ether interacts with the body, it enhances certain functions. Some people develop faster reflexes, while others gain unnatural physical strength, or even advanced sensory abilities."
---
As the lecture drew to a close, one student raised their hand and asked, "Is it possible to alter human anatomy to better align with the ether?"
Cassius responded with a slight smile: "Theoretically, yes. But tampering with the natural anatomy can be dangerous. There are legends of people who tried to artificially integrate their bodies with the ether... and the results were not good."
"That's all for today," Cassius said finally.
The students left the hall, pondering the new information, but Zoser had one question ringing in his mind:
"What is the true limit of the body's ability to merge with the ether?"