Abaddon's Call

Chapter Seven

"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."