Magic School Loop

Evening – A New Circle: A Study Group for the Forgotten

The day's lessons were over. The shadows in the halls stretched long, and most students had already retreated to their elite lounges, sky-chambers, or private towers. The high-ranks gathered in shimmering courts of learning, their tutors people of great name and importance. But not everyone had that kind of magic.

Not far from the edge of campus, was a forgotten bell tower, rusting in silence. Tucked in it was a half-buried lecture hall no one used anymore and the building was marked "Time Mechanics – Decommissioned." Most thought it hollow. Most never noticed the cold draft that flowed from beneath the floorboards. Joshua did.

Joshua found it by accident—or fate. Behind a false wall in the base of a rusting bell tower, he followed an invisible draft down a staircase made of managlass. At the bottom: a circular chamber of monumental size, carved into obsidian-veined stone, supported by statues of forgotten people. The ceiling curves like a dome, covered in constellations made of glowing spell-ink—ever-shifting. The air is thick with warmth, echoes, and memories.

It had been abandoned for years—its telescope lens that looked out into the sky was cracked, its ceiling warped from spellquake damage. But its circular floorplan, tiered seating, and floating lecture platforms still mostly worked. And more importantly: No one cared who entered it anymore.

Around it are ancient desks etched with spellwork, long worn by thousands of hands. The walls are engraved with thousands of names—some faded, some scratched out, others glowing faintly when remembered. What drew his attention the most was a mural of a hooded mage dressed in shabby robes with a light in one hand and a staff in another.

Image: https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1gr61fy/the_divine_mage_commission/

They weren't officially sanctioned. They weren't respected. But they came. He made the call out to anyone who was interested in their year for extra study sessions and support. Dozens of low-ranked first-years—Iron, Copper, and even a few bronze students—filtered in through the creaking side doors. They carried: Tattered notebooks. Burnt staves. Broken familiars in need of rest. And hope. Just enough of it to try again.

Joshua lit a handful of lanterns through the hall. They burned with flickering gold light—casting warm halos onto rusted steel and half-functional illusion boards. No professor would guide them. No sponsor backed them. But they would learn anyway.

The lessons were loose. Messy. Sometimes off-topic. But they worked. Students took turns teaching what they knew. They argued, corrected, and joked. Even the quiet ones—like the boy with no wand or the girl who only spoke in rhyme—found their voice here. Someone brewed tea from pocket herbs. Someone else fixed a broken wand tip with a nail and chewing gum. It shouldn't have worked. It did anyway.

By the end, they made a pact: Every week. Same time. Same place. No rank. No ritual. No lies. Just magic—as it was meant to be.

New Faction Seed: ??? (Rank F-)

Come up with ideas for the new group you want to build.

Example: The Light

Rank: F- (Emergent)

Type: Hidden Student Network / Educational Mutual-Aid Cell

Motto: "We bring light to all the forgotten and mistreated of the world."

The Light is a fledgling student-led collective formed by low-ranked and disenfranchised first-years—Iron and Copper primarily—gathered under the leadership of Joshua "Edgeshot" Samuelson, the emerging Folk-Hero of the Downtrodden.

They meet in secret beneath the Academy in a forgotten hall of stars and memory with shared purpose and rebel learning. A living, breathing network of marginalized students forged from hope and grit. The first step toward a new order within the Academy.

Goal! Reclaim Magic for the People.

To empower the overlooked. To bridge gaps between talent and opportunity. To forge new magic not bound by hierarchy, family name, or wealth.

Activities: Underground Spell Development: Focusing on practical, improvised, or salvaged magic that works despite lack of resources. Recordkeeping of the Forgotten: Writing the names, fates, and ideas of low-ranked students into the star-ledgers of the Foundry. Resistance to the System: Low-key disruption of rank-favoritism, rigged resource distribution, and elitist institutional decay.

Perks & Boons(F Rank - 1 Perk): Light in the Sky: When a member performs an act of magical courage, sacrifice, or brilliance, they become a constellation that flares up in the sky granting boons to the faction

Paths

(F Rank - 1 Perk):

The Voice Beneath! Role:

Cultural revolutionaries, magical performers, poetic saboteurs.

-

+10 Quest Progress

Quest #2 - Save/Lead the Downtrodden(10/1,000)

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Day 4 – Ferradine (+1 Runes, Crafting, Mechanics)

Morning: Arcane Gunsmithing (Workshop)

Instructor: Elra Vintock – dwarven artificer, battlefield engineer, and harsh mentor with a heart of adamant.

The workshop floor buzzes with activity. Arcano-forges glow in dim orange, and students hammer out their personal tools and components.

Joshua's Task: Build a modular barrel extension that can integrate runework—swappable between elemental types. It's not enough to make it function—he must inscribe a rune by hand that channels and amplifies a chosen magical effect.

Runes Offered:

Heat, Ricochet, Expansion, Gravitic Twist, Spirit-Bind

He selects

Spirit-Bind

metal when creating the barrel which leaves a metaphysical "anchor" on targets—making it easier to trace or target again later.

Result: His craftsmanship is solid, but what impresses Elra is how he infuses the rune with intention—his desire not just to hit, but to haunt his mark. "That's how you make magic mean something," she grunts. "A message. Not just a bullet."

Roll for Minor Item(Gun Barrel)[1d8(Talent) +1 Day Bonus + 1 Instructor Bonus +1 Relationship Bonus]

Full Success Threshold: 10!

Rolled 10. Full Success

Rolled 10, Full Success

Crafted: Spiralcore Barrel(Charge 15/15)

Craft Bonus: +1 to accuracy

Passive Effect: silencing effect during firing

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Afternoon: Magical Ballistics (Workshop)

Instructor: Liora Fenwick – high elf physicist and arcane ballistics specialist.

Here, it's all about practical ammo-building. Students work in pairs to design, craft, and test custom ammunition under pressure. Liora watches silently, taking notes—only intervening when a spell backfires too violently.

Workshop Goal: Forge a 2-shot prototype of magically imbued rounds that can be tested in live simulations. Joshua, drawing from his previous salvage work and his Spirit-Bind barrel, creates:

Round 1: Soulpiercer

– A shimmering silver bullet that phases through armor to seek residual soul signatures. Particularly effective against constructs, ghosts, or familiars.

Round 2: Chainwake

– A kinetic round that creates a burst effect—each hit "echoes" into nearby magical structures, ideal for setting off spell traps or destabilizing wards.

Both rounds are unstable—but beautiful. He earns extra marks for risk, and Liora silently drops one of his bullets into her "Exceptional Submissions" case without a word.

Roll for Minor Item(Ammo)[1d8(Talent) +1 Day Bonus + 1 Instructor Bonus +2 Relationship Bonus]

Full Success Threshold: 10!

Rolled 7, Partial Success

1x Soulpiercer Bullets

1x Chainwake Bullets

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Evening: Instructor Office Hour – Magical Ballistics (Bullet Crafting Focus)

Joshua arrives early. Liora is alone in the lecture hall, adjusting calibration dials on a floating target sphere. Without looking up, she says: "Your Chainwake was reckless. And clever. Sit."

For the next hour, it's one-on-one. She drills him on magical ratios, chemical mana-infusions, and runic fail-safes. At one point, she lets him attempt a rare crafting process: Spellprint Rounds – bullets inscribed with unique, personalized incantations that only respond to the user's magical resonance and boost it.

It's hard. Joshua fumbles his first attempt. Liora doesn't comment. Just lets him reset. The second time, the bullet clicks into place, glowing briefly with his Reinforcement signature. "Now you're building something worth shooting," she says at last.

Before he leaves, she gives him a custom reagent—a small vial of Stardust-Cracked Powder, rare and dangerous. "Use it when you're ready to make a bullet that shouldn't exist."

+ 1x Stardust-Cracked Powder(Unique Ingredient): +3 to Damage Roll

Roll for Minor Item(Ammo)[1d8(Talent) +1 Day Bonus + 1 Instructor Bonus +2 Relationship Bonus]

Full Success Threshold: 10!

Rolled 11. Full Success

6x Spellprint Rounds - You can shoot bullets with Reinforcement magic without mana expenditure.

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Give me Crafting Rolls:

1d8+3

1d8+4

1d8+4

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Morning: Magical Ballistics (Lecture + Live Demo)

Instructor: Liora Fenwick – Arcane Ballistics Expert

Lecture Topic: "Bullets That Cross Worlds"

Today's lecture focuses on a rarely-discussed but critical application of magical firearms: Cross-Planar Ammunition Theory. Liora walks students through: Resonant Ammo – designed to phase through planar boundaries to strike incorporeal or partially-anchored targets (ghosts, phased beasts, cursed echoes). Planar Anchor Shot – a technique where a bullet doesn't kill, but tethers a creature or object to this plane.

As a demo, she fires a soul-threaded round into a summoned wraithhound and traps it mid-air, frozen in an ethereal stasis bubble. Joshua takes detailed notes, already imagining how to apply this to his Spirit-Bind barrel and Chainwake rounds. Liora leaves the class with one cryptic statement: "If your bullet can't reach them… change what 'reach' means."

+1 Skill Progress to Arcane Physics(Ballistics) 1(3/3): +1 Bonus to launching, flight behavior and impact of projectiles →

Skill Upgrade Arcane Physics(Ballistics) II(0/5): +2 Bonus to launching, flight behavior and impact of projectiles

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Afternoon: Romance Your Partner – Seraphyne

Location: The Floating Lotus Pavilion (a gravity-suspended teahouse in a stillwater planar fold)

Getting a text on his copper badge, Joshua was surprised to see it was from Seraphyne - the mysterious, masked, and dangerously alluring yearmate he met at the school ball.

It was for a met up, which he decided to agree to. He knew it was not smart mixing with someone way beyond his means, but a part of him was curious and there was something he did want to speak to her about.

[A/N: I'm reworking badges to be more important. Make them like phones & ID. Means of communications, messaging, magicnet access, spellapps, etc.]

The journey took him beyond the edge of campus where a hidden gate on the edge of the Spirit Garden opened into a stillwater planar fold, where gravity loosened and sound curled sideways. Suspended high above a mirror-lake that had no bottom, the Floating Lotus Pavilion hung in midair like a secret kept by the wind. Its foundation: a massive blooming lotus the size of a house, petals carved from spirit-glass and pulsewood, each one radiating gentle waves of magic like breath. Wisps of glowing water orbited the structure in slow arcs, and koi made of starlight swam through the air like birds.

Gravity wasn't fixed here—it bowed politely. You walked where you wished, and the world adjusted to your pace. The sky above shimmered between dusk and starlight, while the lake below held your reflection wrong on purpose, like it was remembering a version of you that never quite existed.

She was waiting for him. Seraphyne lounged in a raised glass-shell tea alcove, surrounded by gently drifting spirit-lotus. The petals glowed with embedded memory-threads, pulsing softly with stories long forgotten. She didn't wear the fox mask from before so he could take in her face more fully. She looked elegant, proud, and smiling faintly. Every inch of her looked effortless. Dangerous.

The tea before her gleamed like sunlight caught in liquid form, suspended in curved porcelain shaped like a waning moon. She greets him with a sly smile: "I've been wondering when the infamous gunboy would finally decide to show up."

Image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/4151824651936878/

"Sorry for holding you up, princess," he grinned, taking a seat opposite her. The weightless cushion beneath him adjusting to his frame with a sigh of magic. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The breeze carried a hint of lotus-sugar and ozone. Above them, a spirit-koi flicked through the air, then vanished with a ripple.

Standing behind her where to young horned girls dressed in maid outfits. "Oh, my," one whispered, which really wasn't since he could hear her perfectly well. "Look what the mistress dragged in. A ruffian. I fear for our mistress sister that he might have his way with her."

"Our lady did always like those bad boys. I told you to keep those trashy novels away from her, but you spoiled her."

Coughing awkwardly into his hand, he didn't know what to say.

Image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/298645019044401824/

"Hush, now," Seraphyne said without looking back at them. Seraphyne poured him tea—light refracted inside it like a prism drowning in honey. "So," she said, tilting her head, "how's the school's most unorthodox first-year faring?"

"What makes me the most unorthodox first-year?" he asked in fake astonishment.

"You know why. Hardly any Copper defeats a Bronze. Talent and Magic is everything here. To overcome that shows a lot of potential. A couple people are keeping an eye on you."

"Does that include you," he asked teasingly.

"Sure, it's tough to find a good minion around here, and you might make do," she teased back.

"Oh, is that all," he asked husky. He quickly had to dodge the tea that was 'accidentally' spilled on his hand by one of the maids, and decided it was best to change the topic.

Joshua smirked, then winced as he shifted—bruises still lingered from his descent below. "To answer your question. I'm Alive. So far. Might be an achievement around here."

She raised her porcelain cup. "To continual survival, then."

They clinked—barely—and he took a sip. Warm, floral, a little too rich for his blood. "Went somewhere I wasn't supposed to," he said after a pause. "Found something that definitely wasn't supposed to be found."

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"And where might that be?" she asked, taking a sip of her drink.

"The Menagerie!"

"My aren't you as bold as brass! Not many are foolish or brave enough to go there. Especially for a first year like us."

"I guess you can say I'm both," he replied.

The moment hung, charged like a drawn gun. Joshua exhaled before he told her what he found. "There was a wyrm down there," he said. "Made of ungodly energy and magic rot. It was as big as a mountain. When it breathed, you could smell death. Saw it crawl through bone-sand dunes, and mountains leaving trails of glass behind."

"Fallout Wyrm," Seraphyne murmured. "Thought it was just a myth."

He shook his head. "It's real. I didn't fight it. Just ran." A silence passed between them. Even the spirit-lotus seemed to dim slightly.

"Well that was the smart thing to do," she stated.

"And then," he said, "further in… I found something else. Something bigger."

Her gaze narrowed. "One moment," she said. Then giving a nod to the two maids. They put up wards that seemed to mute everything. "Go ahead now," she said.

"It wasn't hostile. Not even aware of me. Just… resting. Like it had crossed galaxies to get there. A Star Colosseling. Baby version of a titan I believe. It looked like starlight inside a fossil."

"You saw two fabled-class anomalies in a single descent?"

He nodded slowly. "Either I'm lucky, or cursed."

Seraphyne let out a quiet laugh. "Oh, Joshua. Those are often the same thing." She leaned back, tapping a lacquered nail against her teacup. "You know, some people would kill to see what you saw."

"Just glad I was able to make it out," he stated.

"This is quite valuable information," she said. "There are not that many fabled creatures in the myriad cosmos. To find not one, but two! Now that is a great find."

"You can do with what you want with that information," he said with a shrug. "Its not like I can do much with it. I don't think I can even scratch one in a million years."

Shaking her head, "You don't understand. Those are not creatures you go around hunting. These are things to be tamed. Claiming those creatures as Familiars not only will bring many boons for you, but most importantly it can upgrade your magic."

"Your brother will be glad to hear about the Star Colosseling, mistress," one of the maids noted.

Spoilers for her brother! Image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/107523509847859931/

"Yeah, he will owe me big time," she smiled. Then turning to him, she said, "Anyways this information describes a kingly ransom. Here," she said, tossing him a cube.

Image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1125968644051972/

"What is it?" he asked. Before he knew it, his consciousness was tossed inside and like peering into a whole nother world. Inside he spotted countless stones that glowed brightly with an unearthly glow.

"Its a energy cube," she answered. "There should be enough Mana stones to live lavishly through the school. "Also here," Seraphyne said, her tone softer now, almost thoughtful. She reached into the folds of her sleeve and produced a scroll—aged, frayed, and sealed with a wax glyph that shimmered with ancient light. Its parchment gave off a faint scent of rain on stone and something older than memory.

She offered it across the table with the kind of reverence one might reserve for a blade or a curse.

"Are you certain, mistress?" one of the maids asked, concern leaking into her otherwise poised demeanor.

Seraphyne didn't look away. "It's well deserved," she said, a twinkle playing at the edge of her smile. "And I want to see how far he can reach."

As Joshua reached out, the scroll pulsed. Not with mana—but with recognition. It was calling out to him as his fingertips tingled. His bones hummed. Something in him stirred—as if a locked door had been waiting for this exact key since the moment he was born. The parchment was cold and hot at once, not heavy but dense with meaning. Like it remembered more of him than he did.

"What is it?" he asked, voice lower than before. Uneasy, not from fear, but awe.

"Its a cultivation method," she simply answered. "One that I think will be a good fit for a rough shot like you."

Joshua's breath hitched. He heard about them, Cultivation Method — often called by magic users Arcane Codex, Mystic Doctrine, or Soulpath Schema. These were very important, they were the work of countless generations pouring all their research and experiments into a blueprint for ascension.

Some mages inherited them. Others found them in ruins, guarded by spirits, dragons, or worse. They were rare. Priceless. Often more guarded than bloodlines.

Forgot the truck load of magic stone she gave him, this was the true king ransom. Forgot about buying these things, no one could even get access to the most common cultivation method as they were closely guarded secrets for any magic order or magic family.

There was of course the school's method given to all students, but it was quite generic, offered safe foundations, and was adaptable to any magic. Also allowing you to change out of it when you wanted.

Basically Safe. Boring. Replaceable.

But this? This felt personal. This wasn't a ladder. It was his gun aimed at the stars.

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Universal Cultivation Method of the Grand Academy

Special Cultivation Method:

Ars Primordia

(+3 Stats each Level; 1 Body, 1 Mind, 1 Spirit)

"Before there were spells or sigils, there was pattern."

Ars Primordia is the foundational cultivation method of the Grand Academy of Magic, given to all magical students upon entry, regardless of origin or specialization. It is not elemental, not doctrinal, and not culturally bound. Instead, it is the pure architecture of magical self-evolution, a mental, spiritual, and arcane scaffolding designed to help any being harmonize with the multiverse's magical laws. It is a book on living patterns that adapts to its bearer — a path that grows as you do.

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Cultivation Method

In the multiverse, a Cultivation Method — often called by magic users Pathway, Arcane Codex, or Mystic Doctrine — is the sacred blueprint for ascension. It defines how a spellcaster grows in power, understanding, and spiritual resonance. It is more than just "leveling up" — it is the magical philosophy, ritual foundation, and soul-binding framework that shapes who you become.

To a mundane scholar, it might appear a structured series of techniques, rituals, or incantations. But to a true practitioner, a Cultivation Method is a living scripture — equal parts metaphysical engine, spiritual map, and existential mirror. It defines not only how a spellcaster grows in power, but what they become in the process.

Just as a swordmaster tempers their body and a monk sharpens their breath, a magic-user must cultivate their essence, refine their magical affinity, and walk a path carved through generations of arcane legacy.

It is the philosophy you embody, the sacrifice you endure, and the truth you must shape.

Core Components

Foundational Philosophy – The spiritual principle that anchors the path. There philosophy colors every spell, every reaction, every decision. It becomes the practitioner's mantra, creed, and inner compass.

Metaphysical Blueprint – The internal arcana-architecture that reshapes the body, soul, and mana channels. This determines how energy flows through the practitioner, what organs or spirit-meridians are altered, which soul-aspects awaken, and what kind of magical resonance becomes dominant. Some paths crystallize the soul into a spell-core; others awaken echo-bodies in higher planes; some carve runes directly into the practitioner's bones.

Training Regimen – The arcane disciplines, rituals, and trials used to cultivate. These may include meditations beneath astral storms, duels with inner demons, collecting rare ingredients tied to personal trauma, or enduring planar isolation to refine one's ego.

Together, these elements shape every facet of the caster's magical growth—from how they cast spells, to what powers they unlock, to how they evolve across Circles or Ranks. No two Paths are alike, and each leaves a mark.

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Cultivation Method Rarity

Common! +1 Stat Per Level/Circle

Uncommon! +2 Stat Per Level/Circle

Special! +3 Stat Per Level/Circle

Unique! +4 Stat Per Level/Circle

Rare! +5 Stat Per Level/Circle

Epic! +6 Stat Per Level/Circle

Fabled! [Unavailable] +7 Stat Per Level/Circle

Legendary. [Unavailable] +8 Stat Per Level/Circle

Mythic. [Unavailable] +9 Stat Per Level/Circle

??? [Unavailable] +10 Stat Per Level/Circle

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Give me 1d6+2(Creatures found) roll for Cultivation Method Rarity

Rolled 7, Fabled Cultivation Method

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Fabled Cultivation Method

A world shaking metaphysical method, so rare that entire nations have gone to war over a rumor of one. Each Fabled Method represents a great and perfected ideology, often formed through the fusion of countless lesser doctrines, world-shaping events, or the legacy of a godlike figure.

These are most likely formed from;

Originates from a Great Event: Formed during a cosmic catastrophe, divine rebellion, or planar convergence.

Tied to a Legendary Being: Created by or imprinted with the spirit of an Ascended Archmage, Eldritch Beast, or Godfallen Entity.

Requires Destiny Resonance: Can't be used unless the scroll "chooses" the wielder—bloodline, fate-thread, or soulmark must align.

Evolves With the User: Unlike common methods, a Fabled Method grows organically, mutating to suit the user's choices, psyche, and magic.

Reality-Altering Techniques: Its higher-tier parts begin to bend laws of physics, causality, or time—bordering on divine authority.

Can Birth a New Magic Lineage: Founders of Magic Noble Families often carried Fabled Methods as their core doctrine.

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Idea Based on the video game: Tyranny

Fabled Cultivation Method: Path of Ruined Thrones(+7 Stats each Level; 3 Body, 2 Mind, 2 Spirit)

"The kings of the past were never buried — only dethroned."

Power through reclamation; Order through ruin; Growth through collapse and ruination

The Path of Ruined Thrones is a forbidden, fabled cultivation method etched not in ink, but in the wounds of failed empires, the dust of toppled orders, and the psychic scars of broken dynasties.

Rather than drawing on natural mana or divine favor, this method teaches the practitioner to seek out ancient seats of dominion, known as Ruined Thrones — the literal or symbolic remnants of broken empires, fallen monarchs, dead gods, broken cults, and extinct magic orders.

By confronting these legacies, devouring their spiritual residue, and surviving the soul-duel that follows, the practitioner accumulates Domain Marks — fragments of authority tied to the throne scavenged. Each throne conquered makes the magic user more part-king, part-relic, part-revenant. They do not rise on their own merit — they rise upon the bones of those who failed before them. They become not just great wielders of magic, but a walking pantheon of shattered crowns.

Realm 1: Crownbearer

Locate first Ruined Throne — often guarded by the undead, curses, echoes, or failed aspirants.

Claiming it, undergo first Throne Baptism, imprinting a Domain Mark – a metaphysical sigil representing the nature of the throne

Gains access to Crown Legacy Spells – unique spells themed after the conquered throne

Aura of Dominion – all must bow to you and show you fealty

Realm 2: Throneforger

Conquer more Thrones— but now the practitioner builds or reshapes them, fusing multiple legacies into a personal dynasty.

Sovereignty Declaration: You announce your claim as a successor of thrones. This awakens new powers and also brings more challenges.

Words as Edicts: Your spoken commands (or spells) temporarily bend local reality.

Inheritance Grafting: You may fuse traits of multiple Domain Marks to create hybridized spells and buffs.

Dominion Halo: An aura that adapts based on your thrones

Realm 3: Dynastymaker

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Plan Path of Ruined Thrones. Won

Daring himself, Joshua unrolled the manual and it was everything he imagined and more. The ancient parchment crackled like it had been waiting centuries just for him. A fabled cultivation method, forget his fellow students even the professors and dept heads would kill for it.

His heart thudded as he read the title: THE PATH OF RUINED THRONES

Looking it over, he focused on the first part which had more to do with him, the Crownbearer. Right now he was basically unranked, a circle 0(level 0) newbie who did not start to walk down any path. He had been giving the school cultivation method a thought, but this beat it way out of the water.

The method's core philosophy sang in his bones. The main thinking behind it was reclamation of long forgotten or dead legacies whether that be great kings or mages, or fallen kingdoms or orders. All were up for grabs, and you just needed to scavenge for it.

Which to be honest was a good fit for him, since all his life he had been scavenging whatever he could get his hand on. Nothing has been ever given to him, unless earned through strife or struggle. It didn't care about pedigree or purity. Only what you could take.

The blueprint offered for his path of ascension was clear but deadly. Locate a Ruined Throne—a place of shattered authority, heavy with lingering legacy. Survive the Baptism—face the echo of its final ruler. Claim the Domain Mark—a soul-brand of conquest. Assimilate its history—through memory enshrinement, dream-burials, or blood rites.

And the training regiments he had to go through sounded crazy. Whether that be Memory Enshrinement, where he had to relive through memories of the legacy he steals. Pilgrimage, going physically or astrally to where the legacy is located at. Then Exhumating it, where he unearths the hidden secrets. An other weird like building a court and developing followers, banner burning or icon rite, gathering ashes of the fallen, meditation techniques, breathing cycles, stance forms, and more.

No element was frivolous. Every technique in the scroll had intent. Every step demanded power and sacrifice. And somehow—somehow—Joshua knew it had chosen him. He stared at the final line on the page, written in jagged ink like it had been carved from the throat of a dying monarch: The kings of the past were never buried. Only dethroned.

He exhaled slowly, folding the scroll with reverent care.

"How do you find it?" Seraphyne asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Its quite unbelievable," he answered honestly. "However I noticed that the third part is missing."

Smiling at him, she answered, "Well a lady can't reveal all her secrets."

Joshua said nothing. He wasn't stupid. He could already see the game she was playing. The missing section would be her leash—one tug and he'd come running. But he couldn't blame her. Power like this? It didn't come free. And honestly, even what he had now was enough to reshape his future. Just those two parts would satisfy him for a lifetime, since he never knew if could make it to a True Mage level, forgot about Master Mage.

Seraphyne watched him a moment longer, then said more coolly, "Be careful with it. My grandfather's been experimenting with Ruined Thrones for millennia. Most of his test subjects ended up twisted. Some went mad. Some became something... else. Revenants clinging to stolen dynasties."

"I'll take my chances," Joshua muttered, folding the scroll. This was a risk worth taking, and his method spoke to him like nothing else. "If I end up a monster, at least I'll be a powerful one."

She gave an approving laugh. "I knew there was a reason I found you interesting gunboy. You are damn brassy or just crazy. Then again who isn't here at this Academy."

Then her tone sharpened. "Now you need to fulfill your end of the bargain and lead us down to where these creatures are so we can capture them."

Joshua's grin faded and he cursed under his breath. Just the memory of that descent—the whispering bones, the glass dunes, the colosseling dreaming in the dark—made his spine itch. Joshua never wanted to step foot in that place again his life. But a deal was a deal, and he fulfilled his promises. "Sure," he nodded his head.

"Good," she said, "We will head down in a month's time. I will need to prepare. I will also need to meet with the person who will kill for that Fallout Wyrm."

"What? You are not taking it for yourself?" Joshua asked in surprise.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It doesn't fit me. And I already have my own familiar. I rather trade it for something as equally valuable, Talent elevation. The one thing holding me back from becoming a true Platinum Rank!"

Joshua recalled his own promise of Talent elevation, and kept quite on it. Still this had to be very costly, she most likely B tiered talent and to jump to A was very tough.

"I'll contact the buyer for now. You can join me next week when I meet him. Just make sure to dress well," she added as an afterthought.

"Sounds good," Joshua said, then raising his cup he called out. "To us, may we advance swiftly and overcome all odds."

"Here, here," she said.

"My, my, what's going on here?"

-

Roll 1d3(new interaction)

1- Hostile 2- Neutral 3- Friendly

Rolled 2, Neutral

-

The conversation between Joshua and Seraphyne was interrupted when the air shifted. Not the wind. Not the breeze. But a pressure change—like someone had arrived who expected the world to bend. The spirit-lotus swirled gently in their alcove, casting dreamlike reflections over the porcelain and their half-shadowed faces.

The entrance to the Floating Lotus Pavilion flared briefly with starlight and sound. Reality warped politely to make room for Valessia D'Arquentine—Gold Badge, princess of the Coral Space Dynasty and the undisputed social tyrant of her year.

She wore her rank like a blade—her gown a rippling weave of myththread and phoenix silk, hair coiled in molten platinum braids. A pair of peacock-feather familiars flanked her, each radiating smug enchantments. Her badge wasn't on her wrist—it floated behind her like a halo.

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Valessia's eyes didn't even pause on Joshua. They slid across him like he was background decor, landing instead on Seraphyne.

"My, my. You of all people," Valessia said, voice dripping with false warmth. "Slumming it in copper now?"

Seraphyne didn't flinch. "Hello, Valessia. Lovely gown. Compensating for something?"

Valessia tsked, her heels clicking lightly across the lotus petals as she entered the alcove uninvited. She glanced at Joshua like one might glance at a bug in a teacup. "Is this your new project? Or has the school finally allowed volunteers for charity work?"

Joshua raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He knew better than to start swinging in a room where the duel was already fixed.

Seraphyne's smile turned glassy. "You're interrupting."

Valessia ignored her. "Word travels fast, you know. Gold-tier study groups are already whispering about how our dear Seraphyne has taken an interest in a Copper-badged nobody. Some say it's a bet. Others think it's rebellion." She tilted her head, mock-pouting. "Which is it, dear? I'd love to update the betting pool."

Seraphyne's voice dropped a half-step. "Careful, Valessia. You are boarding on defamation and I will be more than glad to put you in your place."

Valessia smirked, unbothered. "Who's going to believe he didn't seduce you for scraps of power? Or worse—that you gave it willingly?"

Joshua spoke then—calm, level. "Funny. You say that like power's something you own."

Valessia finally turned her eyes on him. "Copper badge," she said flatly. "You don't even qualify to be in front of my presence, let alone speak to me with that mouth."

"Hey, I at least don't look like a peacock. So that's something."

There was a pause. And then, sharply, Seraphyne laughed. A real laugh. Smooth, melodic, cutting. "Joshua," she said, dabbing the corner of her mouth with a napkin, "you really are something."

Valessia's expression turned cold. "You'll regret associating down-rank, Seraphyne. Remember who your allies are."

"Unlike you," Seraphyne replied sweetly, "I choose my allies."

With a final sniff, Valessia turned, the weight of her badge warping the air as she left, her familiars squawking irritably behind her. The pavilion slowly settled back to silence. Joshua took a sip of his tea. "So. That was your friend?"

Seraphyne rolled her eyes. "Hardly. She's just a bored royal with too much lineage and not enough tact. She likes to set fires and then blame the ashes."

"Think she'll really spread rumors?"

"She already did the moment she walked in."

- 1 Relationship with Valessia D'Arquentine: -1(Dismissive)

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