Introduction to evocation

You quickly wash yourself up and grab your bag before heading to the door. Introduction to evocation is your next class and it's located across the courtyard on the other side of the main dining hall. You have time to get there but none to waste.

You make it to the hallway outside your class, thinking of Ophelia the entire time. Did she really have such an arrangement with her boyfriend? Did she really intend to "interview" guys before taking one as her on-campus lover? Did she really intend for that lover to serve as her assistant?

You approach the door to your evocation class. The professor standing outside greeting students as they entered. He was an old man, appearing to be well into his eighties but his presence gave off more charm and life than you would imagine for someone his age. Balding on top with soft puffy white curls crowning his head. He wore a big smile on his face beneath his large nose. His professors robes draped loosely over his aged body in comfort and simple woven sandals hung on his feet.

"Greetings young man! I am professor Kiehn. It's a pleasure to have someone as gifted as you joining us today. House Phoenix usually does well in my class and one with your aptitude should really impress." He says as he shakes your hand. His grip much stronger than you would have guessed.

"Sorry to say sir but I don't have any experience with evocation. I don't expect I will impress as much as you hope." You admit to the older man.

"Good thing this is intro to evocation then." He laughs. "I bet, with a little practice, you will pick it up like a natural. Go ahead and take your seat. We will get started in a moment."

You enter to find a typical class room; desks facing a chalkboard with the professor's desk in the corner. You hear the deep bell chime again to indicate class had begun as professor Kiehn enters, closing the door behind him.

"Hello students! I am professor Kiehn and this is introduction to evocation! We will be dividing our time between the classroom and on the evocation range in Delmorgan park. Here we will discuss the basics; elemental forces, theories, and, most importantly, safety. Once on the range, we will let the magic happen." He says grinning wide eyed. "A little about myself, I got into evocation because I enjoyed magic fireworks displays. I know fireworks doesn't sound impressive but it actually takes a lot of control to keep the elemental forces from raging wild." Some of the other students groaning, clearly expecting more. "Most of you probably want to throw your first fireball or summon lightning, and we will get to that." The students who had groaned before perk up with interest once again. "But first you must learn to tap into and channel the elemental forces around you." He walks to the edge of his desk and sits down. "I want you all to try an exercise with me. I want you all to close your eyes. I want you to use your mind and spirit to feel the world around you. Not the physical world. Be aware of your astral self and the energy that surrounds it. The air should almost feel like static on your skin. This is the ambient energy of our world. This is the mortar that wizards use to fuel our magic. With evocation we siphon this energy and transform it into another form of energy before channeling back into the physical world. It is taxing on a wizard to transform energy in this manner. So you need to learn to identify other forms of energy to draw from. Almost everything in our world gives off some level of energy. The more you practice, the more sources of energy you will be able to identify and draw from. Some sources of energy are more radiant than others and will provide you with more fuel for your fire, so to speak." He chuckled. "Now, keep your eyes closed, feel out with your astral self again. Don't focus on anything and just feel the energy around you. Does anything feel different than the rest? It could feel like anything. Does something feel more coarse than the rest, more tangy, hotter, colder?"

Feeling the energy around you, your senses feel muffled. There seems to be noise or vibrations coming from all around you. Some felt like cotton brushing your mind, some were hot or stinging, a bitter sweet taste in your mouth while others made you remember flashes of emotions faster than you could identify them. All the interference almost makes your head spin.

"I think I feel something hot from your desk?" Says one young man in your class.

"Good!" Exclaims professor Kiehn. "That is a fire charm. It radiates fire energy. This type of energy is perfect for making sparks, or fireworks, or even bolts of fire. Using this type of energy to channel those types of spells is less taxing on the wizard. This allows you to cast more spells or more powerful spells before exhausting yourself but it still does not grant you control of these forces. That still only comes with practice and focus."

The professor's words rang in your ears. All these feelings are different types of energy radiating from the world around you. You can feel the heat fron the fire charm. You felt the warmth of the other students life ****. You feel the rigid **** of the walls and floor. The cool rush of the moisture in the air.

By the end of class you feel confident you have identified most of the energy around you. The only one that perplexes you is the brushing of cotton across your mind. You want to ask professor Kiehn about it but the deep toll of the bell signals the end of class.

"I want you all to continue to feel the energy around you. Try to identify as much of it as you can. Tomorrow we will discuss affinity and review the schedule for the range."

You exit into the hall with the rush of students. Your evocation class went well and your professor seems like a good guy.