A year passes by...
As we come to after passing out from the wonderful bouquet of rotten smells, we notice some slight changes in our surroundings. From the top of the tower we can see that parts of the city must have been burned down and rebuilt, char marking some of the buildings. Several buildings acquired second levels, a few collapsed.
The university wasn’t the same either. There were definitely more towers, and some of the old ones were higher, but that is nothing unusual. The High Magic Facility must have been rebuilt at least once, as it looked newer than before and more pipes connected it to the main building. But those were not the most significant changes. Those ones more often than not are invisible at first glance. So why not let our frivolous camera take us closer to one of the lecture halls, so that we might take a better look…
The room was filled with students, sitting at benches in a half circle. It was build with a slight slope, so that the ones furthest back sat a bit higher than everyone else, the row in front of them a bit lower, the next one lower, and so on. In the middle of the circle was a lecturers stand, and behind it a man. Letters were hanging in mid air behind him, forming sentences and formulas.
The man was just wrapping up the lecture on Reanimating Dead Tissue and Why It Should Not Be Done. The department of Necromancy and Animation was a small one, but the room was filled with students. None of the lectures the man held in were obligatory during the magical studies at the university, besides the one on Why It Should Not Be Done. Ironically that was the least popular one that he taught.
As always the human nature of the students showed in their unhealthy interest in the dark and forbidden. Some of the ones that could almost be called groupies of this particular lecturer exchanged their bright colored robes for dark colors of maroon and purple, and even started to wear eye shadow. The man shunned those the most, as they held the least understanding in the subject and were simply attracted to it because it was, well, dark and forbidden. None of them seemed to grasp why it was indeed forbidden.
He moved the stray strands of his long white hair to the back of his head and put back his mages hat on the top oh his head. It wasn’t black, and it didn’t have a skull or bat pattern on it. It was in fact a very pleasant and soothing color of deep blue, a color that the effects of everyone dabbling with the forbidden appreciated.
“And that would be all for today, unless some of you ladies and gentlemen have any questions.” He looked around. One hand rose from one of the front rows, earning its owner some unpleasant prank from the more bored students after the lecture was done. The man pointed at the student with his open hand and asked “Yes?”
“Only one question, master Cousken, but it’s more of a private question than about to do with the lecture” Cousken nodded.
“I don’t mind as long as it’s a short one. Go on” the student in question nodded and adjusted his thick brimmed glasses.
“In the year since you have been appointed an official member of the faculty, you have managed to climb to the top of the department of Necromancy and Animation. Not only that but many of the other members of the faculty consider you one of the best mages here, and speak openly about supporting you as the next Arch chancellor, should master Amazden be unable to continue his duties. Would you please share with us the secret of you success?” Cousken shook his head in thought.
“You flatter me, mister Wongle. But such talk is out of place. The Arch Chancellor is a fine man in the prime of his health, and he will be fulfilling his duties for a long time to come. And if he becomes unable, to my great displeasure as he is a close friend, I’m sure that some of the other masters, like the current Bursar for example, will be more suited for the burocratical babble.” He paused for a while to let the students talk to each other about what he said.
“As for how I became so successful. I simply prefer to concentrate on my research than on climbing the political ladder, which seemed to have quite the opposite effect. I could tell you more but then I’d have to kill you.” A salve of laughter went thru the room, and the students started to depart.
This was not a joke. If the people at this university ever found out how he got this much practice with magic, they would most likely try to kill him and it would be either him or them. As it was though, he had more practice then most of the mages here together. Even it was with other magical energies that he was working with now, he was adapting his old methods, and learning quickly.
“Don’t forget to read chapters two to four in your textbooks. We will be conducting some practical… exercises” this got a very good response, and secured that the next lecture would also be full. With a wave of his hand, he dispelled the magical letters and started to gather his things. He sighed with displeasure at his students. Most of the where from rich families that considered this a good education, some were in it for the political power. Very few had the call to become a good mage, some weren’t even that interested as they have been forced into the school against their own will. As he pondered this, someone disturbed his line of thought.
“Excuse me, master Cousken?” that title made him itch
“Please, spare me the master! I hear that so much my entrails almost become twisted. Call me by my name, or if you must, professor will do fine.” He couldn’t find a very important not on the table, so he still haven’t looked up at the person.
“Professor, then” It was a pleasant female voice and something about it made him tingle. He looked up at her. She was rather short and had her long brown hair tied in a knot behind her head. Her big blue eyes were bright with the inner light of youth. She was smiling.
“Oh. I’m sorry, I don’t really recognize you, I don’t think I’ve seen you here before” in front of her chest she held a pack of books, making her look somewhat shy and playful. Her accent was that of the nobility of Sto Lat, a small country a couple of hundred kilometers from Ankh Morpork. By some incomprehensible coincidence it was almost exactly the same as the British accent.
“That’s because it’s my first time at you lecture, professor. My name is Hayley.” Cousken smiled back.
“A pleasure to meet you. I would introduce myself, but you obviously know who I am.” She nodded.
“Your theories on the energies of a soul are fascinating; I didn’t know the forbidden is so interesting. I find it rather exciting that you are such an expert on the subject.” This almost made Cousken blush. He leaned forward on the lecturers stand, so that his face was closer to her.
“Well, if you’re interested I might show you the more exciting bits. You probably could use it too to catch up on the subject.” She let out a slight laugh and grinned.
“That would be all very well” she paused for a moment and looked him in the eyes “but unfortunately, I have my exams now. Perhaps later” Cousken nodded and they continued to look at each other for a couple more seconds.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” She said with a troubled look as she shuffled her papers, took out a note and gave it to him. “It’s from Arch Chancellor Amazden.” His facial expression became more serious “It’s nothing bad, is it? I hate to be the bearer of bad news!” Cousken shook his head.
“It’s nothing, just some meeting. It’s been a big pleasure to meet you, but I must go. See you soon” he straitened out the pile of papers in his hands against the lecturers stand surface.
“Yes, hopefully” they eyes met again, and then she turned around and with a little jump start, ran off. Cousken smiled to himself, took his belongings and went to meet his superior.