((OOC: Consider the events in this post as taking place on the 27th Oct 2012, thank you!))

Arthour sat down heavily behind his desk and looked abut the large, spacious room in which he would be teaching, and leaning back in his chair, a smile of contentment spread on his face.

It really was a very large room. The seating for the students was arranged in tiers in front of him, much like in an auditorium, directly to his right was a bank of windows that looked out into the Mage Gardens, due to what Arthour taught, the class room was on the ground floor and to his left was just an open space where. Well, to call it a classroom was...not accurate, it was in fact three classrooms with all their walls taken out, making it one. This was due to the large ward behind him, that was the area in which the students would practise, performing group practical exercises and individual testing.

Being made from more than one classroom meant there was also more than one entrance, only one of those doors was actually used as an entrance however, all the others were emergency exits, in case someone managed to set the place on fire, despite the wards....Again. He chuckled at the memory. Being on the ground floor meant there were also doors leading out into the Garden, which was nice when they were practising origami, or 'heat cloaks' to keep the coming chill off, and gave them excellent access to and from the Library or the Combat Annex when they ready to practise more combat based skills, like flame swords and so on.

For now however, he was just going to be teaching the basics; control and patience. Starting with the 'Art of Folding Fire', or Fire Origami. Leaning back further, he smiled even more as he remembered the first time he'd shown the students his butterflies. They had been rather...shocked, that such things were made from fire. But then again, he had found in his travels that many people didn't know what the 'Crystal Heart Fire' was and that saddened him, not only was he the last Swordmage alive, but it seemed he was the last Pyromancer who knew how to tap into that ancient power....But no matter, he was a teacher once again, and so what if the last time he'd taught a class was One Thousand....Three....Hundred...and Twenty-two years ago...?...Damn....He was getting old...However! He was still capable of imparting his knowledge onto the next generation, that was all that mattered really, plus he looked no older than his late twenties if that, which was a bonus!

Looking out the window beside his desk, he smiled sadly at the mage garden. He didn't know what it was, but it seemed....Lesser in some way, and not because the winter months were setting in.....He sighed and the smile fell from his face. Arthour did know what it was. Ever since that night, when Renna had been taken, the mage garden seemed worse for it, having not really seen the other gardens yet he didn't know how they were faring, but he was sure they didn't have their normal splendour ether. He sighed, knowing where this was going and looked back at the wood of the desk he sat behind. If he'd had been faster, seen the children as they raised their guns, then his friend wouldn't now- Enough of that He thought to himself, cutting that train of thought off...Again She'll be found, and The Black Fire...They'll pay.

Standing, he decided he needed a drink. No classes were timetabled for today and he had no work to be getting on with, some peace and quiet at the Red Dragon Inn was just what he needed right now. Heading out the door, he made his way through the corridors, smiling to faces he both knew and didn't know. He smiled again, thinking over last night, going through the blueprints for the new shop and apartment with Mai by the hearth, that night had been ruined by Vindicator of course, her and her damned Decision but it couldn't soil the memory he had of sitting beside Mai as she talked, holding her and thinking about the future, despite the Nexus snatching her away after...Actually he was a little glad it had, it meant Vindicator hadn't been there while he and Mai were together, which meant she wasn't going to worry about it.

He did have to wonder however, about what had happened to the old shop. She'd come in to the Red Dragon the other night drenched, crying. He'd never seen Mai cry before. And she told him that a burst pipe had ruined the shop floor, every thing aside from the special orders, ruined. Now that the workers had gone in to fix it they couldn't find anything, no broken pipes, nothing. It seemed may by it was just a Halloween prank...One that was in very poor taste. But the silver lining here was that it meant she was getting a whole new, bigger shop! Which made her smile; that made Arthour smile in turn, seeing her happy made his day, seeing her when she entered the Inn always had his heart beating just a tiny bit faster, just....being around her was enough.

Leaving the Academy grounds and making his way to the Red Dragon Inn, Arthour's smile grew further and wondered if Mai would be there today.

The Day After the attack at the Inn.

He sat at his desk, rubbing his chin and staring out the window. Vindicator.....was dead. He'd killed her just last last night.....Or at least he hoped he had, she'd certainly looked like she was dead.

He watched his students study, calm on the outside, but on the inside, he seethed quietly, keeping his emotions locked inside. They dared to go after her! They dared to think that if they went after Mai, I would just stand back and let it happen! Manticore was right, they severely underestimated their opponents in their quest to play their games, to taunt and torture the people that know Renna. Well, they won't be doing that again, not now, not if their half as clever as they think they are. His inner monologue came to an end, watching his students he smiled warmly. They were coming along nicely and it seemed that what he'd told the Watch, about how he'd been the victim of a ruthless identity thief had them off his tail about what had happened in the Marketplace....For now at least, the incident with Vindicator had helped too it seemed.

After all, The Betrayer had done a very good job of making a name for her self, and there had been a few civilians that had seen him kill Vindicator, who could believe that the person that had been responsible for event in the Marketplace was the same man that had done that?

Ether way, once Ka's mother was dealt with and Renna was saved, he was going to retire from all that stuff and live his life with Mai and teach his students, he liked the community of Bristle Crios, he enjoyed this place and the people there. His students, while trying at times, were fun to teach. Standing he walked over as one of them called him, smiling he assisted her in forming an origami bird. A fold here, crease there, pull this part and...There! The little origami bird sat on her desk, made from living fire crystallised, it was a very good one, very life like. All he had to do now was teach them to put heart into the fire, to bring them to life, if only for a short while. That would take time and he may lose more than one from frustration, but those that stayed would excel he was sure. Going back to the front of the class, he got the movable chalkboard and began writing. It was theory time. There were groans of course, but it had to be done and soon the day would be over.

Still writing on his black board, Arthour didn't notice Mai, so absorbed was he in his work. There was a loud giggle from a student, he turned and looked up, towards the last row of seats at one of his vampire students, Les, and smiled at her,

"Something the matter Les?" He asked good naturedly.

"Oh no, Mr Arthour. It's just...You had a visitor and she left you a note" Les replied, still giggling and pointing to his desk.

Frowning, he looked to where she pointed, there sat on his desk was...a bird, a shadow bird. He smiled, walking towards it and recognising the workmanship, or more aptly, workwomanship. Quirking his head at the creature, he looked at its leg, where there was a note. Untying it, he rolled the note out and read it, smiling.

"Class, I'd like to inform you that the Academy Councillor, Ms Silverblood, is available in her office for guidance meetings, or to just chat, I recommend you do talk to her if anything is bothering you, and....That's it" He said, smiling warmly at the rest of the note and sat in his chair.

Oh gods, how I love that woman He sighed, he was sure that she could look after herself but still, he would worry about her, if only a little. Then, he chuckled Dislike stealing my cider" Sure, I'll believe her, thousands wouldn't, but I will Looking up as a chime sounded, smiling at his class "Time to go my students, have a wonderful day" I know I shall

The delivering of a warning.

Arthour sat behind his desk and looked about at his class, there were in fact more here than was on his register, but given the fact that there were often students with free-time and nothing else to do, he was happy to let them sit in on his lectures, and with the powerful wards and the resonator poles arranged around those wards, there was no danger of someone causing an accident.

"Today class, I would like you all to list the key moments in the Five Great Magi Wars" There were groans from his various students and he held up a hand smiling at them "I know, know, no one likes doing theory work, but I've told you all before class, we can't do just practical work all the time. You have to support your ability to blow something up, with more than a demonstration. You'll all be very surprised at how many institutions want you to have a working knowledge of history in fire magic. More than that, it will also show you the mistakes of some of the great Pyromancers and hopefully let you learn from their mistakes without having to make the same, catastrophic ones yourselves"

Looking at his students, he went through a mental list of the one's he knew off the top of his head; There was his four vampire students, starting with Are'ven A-fal Tavthore, for reasons he had yet to understand, everyone called him 'Johnny'.... Then there's Lesinda 'Les' Loa Acloth, she was often sat towards the front of the class with the human members of the class which were; Ezra Sheldon Ramsey, Matthew Sanders, Tod Bradford, Myron Heath, Davis Meyers, Terry Young, Palmer Carol, Delmer Cross, Isaac Velazquez, Johnathon Haley, Octavio Evans, they were mostly spread out about the class. Demetrius Magenti, the third vampire student in his class, sat nearer the middle of the room with his three 'wolf' students, Dexter Brewer (A werewolf), Gayle Weiss and Flintch Holmes (both Lupes of some form). And then, last but not least, there is the trouble child of the class.....Kistopher Kristoph 'Hyde' Aliuries Ebonhaunter, he and Demetrius had been the most troublesome of all his students. Hyde sat towards the back of the class Arthour had been very pleased when Dexter had joined his class, he and Demetrius got along rather well, and before he had joined, Demetrius and Hyde had been a pair of trouble makers. Now though, things were much calmer.

All in all, they were a mixed bunch, but they all were for the most part great students, willing to learn. They all had varying amounts of skill in magic, but of course they didn't just study here in the Mage Hall, two of his vampire students were from Warrior House, the other two were from Alchemy House....In fact, only two of his students were from Mage House, Ezra and Isaac and they were both novices, the rest of his class was split between most of the other houses.

Leaning back in his chair, he watched them writing in their books and regarded them all, thinking. Maybe he had been a touch...overzealous...With Mai's class...The one that had tied her up in order to give her some beauty advise.....Naa He thought They asked for it. He smiled, what he'd done really wasn't that bad. He'd had a note sent to them all, asking them to go to a class room, when they arrived there, he'd had a little bit of....Fun, not bothering to use the door, he'd used magic to teleport himself behind the teacher's desk...Normally that wasn't very spectacular, so he'd also used a bit of fire magic to create a nice little illusion, essentially, it appeared that the class room had burst into fire, the flames, not content to simply look like they were burning the furniture, came alive. Flowing about the room, wrapping themselves about the students playfully, there was no heat to the flames, in fact it was as if there was nothing there at all. The students very quickly realised it was just an illusion, a slightly scary illusion, but an illusion non the less. Of course, Arthour made sure he didn't scare them too much, just enough for shock and awe. Almost immediately, the flames vanished, and he was there, sat behind the desk, looking at them. He'd only spoken to them for about five minuets, but that was all the time it had taken for him to tell them what he wanted, and that was to not tie her up again. To be Very careful in future bout the sudden, impromptu make overs, and not to inquire about their personal lives. He had considered mentioning that they didn't need any 'advise' on their relationship ether, but had decided against it. In stead he just...Vanished, mush less spectacular then when he'd appeared, but all the more spectacular because of appearance.

That had been a few hours ago now and he was feeling rather pleased with himself. Sitting forward, he opened his own notebook and made, well...notes, while his class worked, then some where, a chime sounded the end of the day. Standing he smiled to them all

"Well, that seems to be the end of that class. Off you go and when I see you all here next time you can show me your notes on the Great Magi Wars, which you can consider your homework!" He called after them with a bright smile, then collected his things and made his own way out of the classroom and then out of the academy and walked home, smiling, maybe he'd stop off at the Inn on his way.

A Surprise Visit from a Kitten.

He was in his classroom, as per usual at this time of day, working. His class was also there for the most part, while Arthur was an early riser, he didn't expect his class to keep to his sometimes random schedule.

He was in a good mood, the best mood in fact, because damn it, he was getting married!! (Eventually) and he was still feeling rather pleased with himself for the way he'd dealt with Mai's class and their pranks. Smiling to himself, he actually didn't mind doing all the paperwork today, in fact he was rather enjoying himself, truth be told. His class could tell how much of a good mood he was in not just because he had summoned his little butterflies for the first time in weeks and had literally dozens of them flaying about. Les, the only vampire in his class at the moment, had a rather knowing smile on her face, considering that his class knew about his relationship with Mai, and as Les was a member of Vampire House, she would not only know more about their relationship but also know about what he'd done to when he'd visited Mai's class. He smiled. Things wee looking up, and returned to his paperwork.

He was in such a good mood, and sufficiently distracted enough, that he didn't notice the little kitten crawl in, chasing fluff bunny's and shadows or what have you. It was not unnoticed by Les however, who could smell it, as she looked up at it she smiled, spotting the note attached to its collar, she smiled more. Then looked at the butterflies, back at the kitten, butterflies again, and returned to her work.

This She decided with a bright smile Is going to be fun.

Oblivious, Arthour continued working, absorbed in his paperwork. The kitten looked about and spotted him behind his desk, it was about to give a happy meow when, Quite by accident....A butterfly landed on its nose. It went crossed eyed, trying to look at the magical construct on it's nose. It gave a cute little wriggle of its nose, trying to figure out what was going on and the butterfly flew off, joining the others in fluttering about the room. Its eyes grew wide....So. Many. Things. To Chase!!. It was off, scurrying across the room to leap and throw itself up into the air after the low flying butterflies. Some of the students noticed its antics, nudged their neighbour and pointed, chuckling as it threw its self up into the air vainly to catch a butterfly, its paws flailing. Arthour looked up at the chuckling for a moment, just in time for the kitten to land in front of his desk and remain hidden from view. He quirked an eyebrow at the mass of butterflies in front of his desk, then returned to his work, smiling.

The kitten was not content and bunched up, eyeing the butterflies with a lick of its fangs. And then...LEAP!......The butterflies surged, dodging the little kitten and flew off about the room. The kitten was still flying through the air however....Straight towards Arthour....Who was totally oblivious...

Odd... He thought Why are they all snickering" He soon found out as Shadow landed on his desk, sliding across it and straight into the pile of papers he was marking. There was a plume of paper thrown into the air. The kitten was on a direct course for the other edge of the desk and would have fallen off, if Arthour hadn't leaped out of his chair and grabbed the little animal....Throwing yet more paper into the air.

There was a moment, paper floated back down to the ground. The students were silent. The cat looked at Arthour. He looked back, stretched right across his desk, holding it in both hands gently. A butterfly landed on Arthour's head and the Shadow blinked at him, then meowed.....That was when the laughter began, deep throated and full, he smiled at the little bundle of trouble. It took a moment and then his class joined in, laughing with him.

"Well class, it would seem that I won't be marking your papers today after all" He said, settling back into his chair, looking about at the paper strewn floor "Go on, off you go class, lesson over" Smiling at them all as he dismissed them, he stroked the kitten and looked at its collar, seeing the note. He quirked a brow, pulling it out and unfolding it he read it. Then he chuckled Terrified are they" He chuckled more Maybe I'll pay them another visit, this time to thank them Smiling as he watched his class leave, he looked about his classroom floor and the odd bits of paper here and there sighing...A kitten paw padded his face and he smiled again, looking at Shadow "You...Are a little trouble maker, aren't you?" It meowed again, he was sure she was grinning at him, sure of it. Smiling, sighing again, he stood. Cat in hand and collected his cloak, leaving the classroom and headed for home, he let the kitten leap out of his hands and make her own way home, smiling. Walking through the academy, he left the grounds, heading home. He might stop off at the Inn on his way there, another drink of champagne would be great, he was thinking.

Thoughts of the coming Holidays

Looking up at the class from behind his desk, Arthour felt a distant pang of lingering distress, seeing the two empty seats. Demetrius and Les were still absent. Likely, both were still in the infirmary and it pained Arthour as he looked about, seeing the gap it had caused in his class. His three wolf students looked lost without Demetrius being near by, Hyde was withdrawn and moody. His human students had grouped together, creating an unintentional barrier from the rest of the class, sensing the tension.....And there was the other gap, right there at the front, where Les used to sit.

He hoped her hand was going to be all right, such injuries could be carer enders for a fire mage, and she was one of his most promising students, despite the fact she was one of the youngest. There was no way he would be letting them into the warded area and practise fire magic today, not with tensions so high. Instead he had them working again on the Five Great Magi Wars, the scratching of pens, pencils and quills was oddly soothing as Arthour once more went back to the ever present pile of paper work before him, steadily making progress, making notes in his lesson planner, adjusting plans for the holidays, making space for additional tests and so forth, .

There were some things that brightened his day however, he was looking forward to having Les over for christmas, even if it was because Mai didn't want her to be left alone in the Vampire House. He was quite happy that she had asked Les. Not only was she a brilliant student, and person to be around but her family had vanished in a fire, several years ago, so she had no one to be with during the holidays, and that was sad, especially considering her current situation. Arthur made a mental note to ask Mai how the youngster was doing the next time he saw her. There was a chime from the clock, class was over and his students would need to go now in order to get to their next lessons. Standing Arthour smiled, everyone knew it was forced, but the effort got the wanted response "Well, class you had all best be off to your next lessons before your late." Watching them go, he followed the last of his students out into the hall, much to their surprise, and watched them as they went off their own way, playing with the ring on his finger. Ever since Mai had told him that there had been incidences of bullying outside the classes, he'd watch them as they left, in the hopes that his presence would deter any further such activity in the hall ways.

Once they were all gone and the corridor clear, he sighed, retreated back in his classroom and closed the door with a click, sitting back behind his desk, he once again went to work on the papers that had piled up there, he was looking forward to getting a christmas tree with Mai and finishing the decorations at home, and of course he smiled at the thought of having Les over for the holiday as well.

Some New Desk Items and a Favourite Student's Struggle

Arthour settled behind his desk with a smile, looking at the elaborate little ship in side a bottle. It resembled the warship that had docked at Rhy'Din towards the end of August and brought him to the city, which was the reason he'd wanted it from the dragon's horde he and Thorn had won after defeating an aberration, two headed blue dragon. He rubbed his left thigh absently, remembering that fight. The dragon shot lightning and that had super heated the sand of the desert, sending shards of glass all over place, and Arthour had ended up with a large bit of it in his leg after that fight and it'd hit an artery. Yet again, he was infinitely glad he knew healing magic. There was another item there too, which he was currently using. It was a lovely silver ink-pot, ornamental with moonstone gems impeded in it. Dipping his quill in the ink once more, Arthour continued his writing, marking this paper and that one, correcting where he had to. It was a long process and was bound to take some of his time.

There was the sound of running feet outside and he glanced up at the open door, the sound faded and stopped so Arthour went back to his work. A few moments later and he felt...something, a presence, entering his classroom glancing up with just his eyes, keeping his head bent, he saw a faint shimmering and smiled, looking back at his work he continued to write for a moment.

"And what time do you call this Les?" He said, not looking up, she was technically late, but that didn't matter.

The shimmering had been moving towards the seats and paused, it would only be now that she had realised there was no one else in the classroom but the teacher. Dropping her cloaking spell, she turned with a startled look in her eyes, looking like a hare caught in the headlights of a car. "S-Sorry, Sir, I didn't realise the time and, I-I didn't want to miss your lesson Sir" It almost looked as if tears were welling up in her eyes.

He chuckled, looking up at her "Lesinda Loa Acloth" He said, using her full name to grab her attention, she looked as if she were about cry"You know you don't need to keep calling me 'Sir' all the time." Smiling, he put his quill down "Plus, there is no lesson to miss Les, its the holidays still"

"Oh, I didn't realise....I'm s-sorry...I..." Clutching her satchel bag, the strap slung over her shoulder, she eyed her teacher with a worried gaze after having already missed several lessons recently due to a case of bullying.

"Its okay Les. Did you enjoy your stay with me and Mai over Christmas?" He asked, looking at her. Leaning back in his chair with a smile as he looked at one of...No, she was his favourite student, no doubt abut it. Watching her brighten up considerably at his words, he chuckled inwardly.

"I did, yes" She replied smiling with a nod at him. Readjusting her bag, then scratching the back of her head, she looked about, then at Arthour. "Ummmm...what should I do now Mr Arthour" If there no class..."

"Ah...Well, your more than welcome to stay here and finish some work if you like" Or you can enter the warded zone" He pointed over his shoulder "And practise if you like" Up to you Les, there isn't any need for me to activate the sigil with just you here, and I need to get on with my work, I'm sure you understand?" Smiling at her one last time, then picking up his quill once more, he returned to his notes.

" Ahh, yes. I understand....I'm sorry, about Mister Doyle..."

"So am I Les" He said quietly, continuing to write.

Looking at him for a second then casting a glance up at the seats, Les bit her lip, thinking and toying with the strap of her satchel bag for a moment before making up her mind. Walking past Arthour's desk and the large blackboard on wheels, Les made her way to the other part of the very large classroom, leaving her bag outside the wards she stepped with in the outer circle of resonator poles, moving towards the middle of the large sigil circle there, and the centre of all the other wards, she paused, taking deep, steady breaths and closing her eyes to bring herself to a state of calm and steadiness.

Watching her for mealy a moment, he soon went back to his work. Arthour felt there was no need to check on her too often and was soon absorbed in the matter of the various bit of paper work before him. Not all of it was due to his class, some of it was from his office in Mage House. With power, it seems, comes great amounts of paper work......

Standing within the wards, Les finished her meditation, centring her self and calming her mind. It was one of the things she had to do when using fire magic, after what happened to her family....It was one of the reasons she'd taken this class when when she'd heard the Mr Arthour was teaching it. She wanted to know more about what had taken her family from her, to understand it. It was really just a need to fill her curiosity, to satisfy her need, want to understand it. She'd found it wasn't nearly as bad as she'd expected. There were still moments when she found herself almost paralysed with fear, but Miss Silverblood was helping her with it, and of course with her want to become a counsellor in the future. She kind of liked the idea of helping people...

Clearing her mind once more, Les took a deep breath and began to focus, calling up the magic within her, pulling it towards her. Okay She thought That's the easy bit Extending her arms, she pooled the magic into her hands, shaping it, turning it over to the most basic and primal of elements, Fire. Forming it around her hands, shifting the magic, the fireball she formed was between the palms of her hands which were brought close to together. Pulling her hands away from each other, the flame became more wispy, flowing around her hands and arms, whisping between them gently. It was beautiful, in its own way, the way it moved and flowed between her hands, how it looked as it moved. Beautiful, but dangerous and deadly, so very, very deadly......

Letting the fire flow, she made it form into shapes, rabbits, birds, butterflies and other such things. This is what Arthour had been teaching them, that the fire can be used not just for killing or destruction, but that it can be used to make nice things as well, something called the Living Fire Crystal, formed out of Mage Fire, it flows like a liquid but can form a solid object as well. Not for killing....Or hiding it. How long had it been now" 12 years" 12 years.....Since she'd been turned...Since her family had been drained, killed and left to burn. For some reason, they hadn't drained her completely. Instead one of them, a woman, choose to turn her. Making Les drink her blood......She could still remember the taste...They'd argued, the one that turned her and the other vampires that had killed her family, they didn't want an extra moth to feed so they left her laying there, in a pool of her mother's cooling blood to burn....

Les breathed in sharply as the flames she had formed began to become chaotic and dangerous. Refocusing her mind and pulling it away from those memories, she brought the fire back under control, letting it wrap around her arms, leaving only a warm sensation behind. It was then, all those years ago, that she'd first discovered she had the ability to manipulate fire. It was the only way Les could have escaped her burning home, pushing the fires away to form a passage in the corridors....But the flames had continued to chase her, trying to pin her down and consume her like the rest of her family...She pushed the memory down again. There were scars, on her legs mostly, one on her back, were the flames had tried to take her, but now"....Now, she controlled the fire. And her fear.

The large grandfather clock in the corner of the classroom chimed and Arthour looked up "Doesn't time fly..." Looking over at Les, he smiled "You may as well call it a day Les, go back to Vampire House and take the rest of the day off, okay?" He smiled at her, then began collecting his stuff, setting it all away and putting the completed papers in a neat stack.

"Hmm' Oh, okay" Finishing her spell, the flames evaporated into nothing and she turned, heading over to her bag and picking up with a smile "Have a nice day Sir! I'll see you when classes are back up"

He nodded, standing and collected his cloak "Yes Les, I'll see you then. Hopefully it will be soon, my responsibilities to Mage House are...Expansive, at this time since I'm only just getting into it, but I think everything will settle down soon" Walking her out of the classroom, he smiled at Les and watched her making her way down the corridor. He still worried, after her hand had been broken, but she seemed happy. Making his way through the corridors himself, headed for the Mage House grounds, heading to his office and yet more paperwork, but he had a smile of his face for the other members. He needed to put on a strong front for the rest of the house, and example for them to follow. After all, hadn't Bree McCaid broken into Bristle Crios" Entered the mage gardens and killed Morgan there? Some of them were scared....Scared something like that could happen again. He had to show them it couldn't, wouldn't happen again.

Early one class morning, before his other students would arrive, Arthour would find a new student sitting at a desk studying the classroom.

Older than many students, perhaps a bit unusual than many as well, though she was hardly unfamiliar to many as a teacher, but a student it was an oddity. Holding to the promise she gave Art at the Inn a few nights back, Ammy Spiritor was at his classroom wondering why on Rhydin the Mage instructor wanted to see someone who couldn't cast magic.

As far as she could remember she was simply a teacher in Alchemy. Mixing potions and reagents with a small flare that allowed her, at least the altered memories she possessed, to obtain a teaching license here. Ammy wondered what she would be doing in the class room. Many of the text books, items and teaching aids seemed to strike a familiar hum deep in her soul, but if felt alien to her.

Perhaps she'll find out soon.

Well the large auditorium made her feel small, which was cosmically funny if she were in her right frame of mind. Ammy did notice Lesinda walk in though she's never met the student before. She watched the girl pull things out and arrange them and even noted the blood that was licked at the corner of the lips.

Ah, must be a . . . vampire, I think, is the term. Wonder what that would be like" Drinking blood, superhuman stregth' Can they really turn into bats"

She blinked and forced herself into reality as Lis asked her questions.

"My Alchemy . . . is . . . uhm, going . . . "

Ammy sighed. It'd been a while since she'd mixed anything, done any work, or even looked at her class. Her students probably thought she was dead.

"It hasn't been going at all." she said.

She began to fidget nervously at the desk, golden eyes downcast. Ammy was not acting like a confident teacher. The final nail in the coffin of her professional air was spoken.

"You can just call me Ammy." she said.

A glance around the large room some more studying it. "Mr Arthour is actually . . . my teacher now . . ."

Ammy watched the interaction between Art and Les and listened in silence. It seems she had put the student on uncomfortable ground and she was sorry for it. Golden eyes watched Les enter the warded area and begin to work with fire magic.

Something flickered in her eyes. A spark of longing" A memory' A need" An addiction' Or was it the inner Phoenix in her. The old her, the one that remembered fire, remembered magic and the feel of it. The feel of it's use and the feel of being shackled in a body not practicing.

Ammy's eyes never left watching Les, her own furred fingers were twitching spasmodically, jerking on there own without her awareness.

"I . . . was beginning to wonder if this is foolish to ask a woman that just mixes potions to deal with spells. I'm not a mage." so said her mind and mist shrowded memories. Her body said otherwise.

That sounded simple enough though odd. Ammy let her eyelids close, those golden eyes doused in white fur and though on nothing. That was easy to do when all your mind saw was black mist. So she just drifted in that mist mentally for a few moments, her body settling, the twitching of her furred hands settled then stopped.

She heard Art's question. "Yes. she said.

Eyes still closed, shrowded in black mist, she listened to his instructions. Her right hand lifted and no sooner had it lifted her fur began to shimmer with tiny flickers of flames along each end of hair. She didn't feel the fire of course and focused on the simple task asked. A small flame in her palm.

Her mind saw her right palm, and in it was cupped a small dancing flame. In reality, that flame swirled and fed from the small flames on her arm and coallesced into a swirling ball of mage fire in her right palm that crackled with heat. The eyes of a phoenix looked out of that swirling ball of heat at Art for a moment before vanishing back into that mass of hot gas and energy.

She felt none of it. Her mind showed to her it was a small flame in her palm. Did she feel something lurk in her mind" Or that her hand should do something"

Burn the world with fire and let it all come to roaring, clensing end. Her mind echoed from the mists of blackness.

Ammy gasped and snapped her golden eyes opened. Gasped again seeing what she held in right hand and dropped the flaming mage ball as her hand was singed and in pain all of a sudden.

Ammy sucked on her scorched fingers and looked up at Art. Okay, he had a point she guessed. You couldn't just make fire happen out of nothing without magic right' She offered her unburnt hand to Art and stood.

"I....guess I can do magic..." she said. Her voice held tones of fear in it.

Her mind kept seeking out that voice in the mist like a puzzle piece a child longs for to complete a pretty picture. She would follow Art to the warded area when he moved there. With hesitation she spoke.

"Art . . . I heard something in my head. When you asked the question if I felt something wrong lurking in the back of my mind. I . . . heard myself speak. Burn the world with fire and let it all come to roaring, clensing end. What does that mean?"

Ammy gave a nod to Art. "I will tell you right away if the voice returns."

She did wince as he took up her burnt hand and watched in amazement as he healed it. Magic....Did I really posses this power" It's like a dream I just know I'll wake up from and long for.

She followed Art into the sigil warded area and looked at Les practicing once more. "I am curious about one thing Art. If you wanted me to come early to your class, what was all of the discussion between you and Les and your other students not coming today?"

She looked at Art thoughtfully, golden eyes a bit intent. "Has Les forgotten things too?"

Ammy bit her lower lip hearing what Art told her. He was right. Rumors would spread most likely about her being taught like some . . . first year adept. She closed her eyes and gave a long sigh.

Oh how far we have fallen. A shell of what we once were. Burn bright we once did high in the night sky. Jewel of our mothers heart. The New Witch of the Cirrus Star. Now look at us . . . an infant once more. Burn the world with fire and cleanse it all anew.

Ammy's eyes snapped open in panic. There was that voice again. Her voice, yet different. Older, aged, tinged with years of . . . bitterness"

"Art . . ." she swallowed hard.

How long has it been since we cowered to any' Since we've knelt a knee to anyone" How long? Burn the world with fire and cleanse it all anew, daughter of Deluwith. Burn it all.

Her long furred fingers began to dance on there own accord, sigils burned in the air with fiery red notating magic wanting release. Circles of power not seen in centuries, but they just hung in the air, burning with a guttering flame as the sigil warding in the class room kept the magic flowing into Ammy at a slow trickle.

Her golden eyes were just staring in wide awe at what her hands were doing. Arcane spell work, written out beyond a master mages understanding just hovered there.

"The . . . voice is back."

Ammy's golden eyes just stared at the hovering glyphs that were beyond even her meager understanding of magic at this point. Art's request had her close her eyes and listen to her mind. She listened for a few long moments as those sigils continued to gutter weakly in the air then each one slowly began to wink out of existence, the power to hold them fading rapidly.

"I can't make sense of it....Art. 'Oh how far we have fallen. A shell of what we once were. Burn bright we once did high in the night sky. Jewel of our mothers heart. The New Witch of the Cirrus Star. Now look at us . . . an infant once more. Burn the world with fire and cleanse it all anew. How long has it been since we cowered to any' Since we've knelt a knee to anyone" How long" Burn the world with fire and cleanse it all anew, daughter of Deluwith. Burn it all.' Who is Deluwith?"

She opened her eyes and looked at Art. She hugged herself close with her arms. "It sounds like my voice, but old, tired and pitted with bitterness and . . . sounds like it's sulking."

"Humaran side . . ." Ammy turned to watch Les for a long moment.

Was she human at one point' People seemed to think so and she had a brother walking around that was one. Letting those thoughts fall to the back with the rest of them in the black mists she looked to Art. The last of the red sigils had faded away. The voice in her head was quiet.

"Seem's I am alone now . . ." she tapped her forehead with a grimace on her muzzle, " . . . now then, magic, obviously you say I can do it and these rebelious fingers of mine will make me a liar every time I say no I can't. So where do I begin Art?"

No. You're never alone, as long as your family and friends are with you.

Ammy followed Art deeper into the warded area of the room but that statement dug deep into mind, setting black mists rolling like an angry sea. A shiver went up her spine and she held her right side for a moment as if she remembered her ribs hurting badly. She waited out the phantom pain. A brief flash of memory, glassy sand in her muzzle, a strangers voice in her ears, a sharp boot kick and pain. Blinking her eyes, she came out of that moment and hoped Art hadn't noticed.

She straightened up and asked, "Origami without paper?"

Ammy gave Art a nod.

Perhaps then it is the little flame he asked me to create is what the origami uses"

Turning she watched Les for a long moment and noticed how she was shaping fire. Golden eyes studied the movements Les was doing and how she shaped the flames.

Okay, I can do this. It's just gestures and fire, right"

Closing her eyes, she called to mind once her thoughts were still a small flame. Opening her eyes she saw it was a small flame like it should be now. She smiled at getting one step right. Next she used her hands and fingers and slowly, with tongue half sticking out, attempt to make the little flame into a simple daisy.

Feeling within her mind that the simple daisy was complete, Ammy opened her eyes and looked at the living flames that comprised the hot beauty in her hands. She held the little fire daisy close to her and smiled in awe. She had made something beautiful with her hands, as mismatched as her hands were, one furred and one living stone.

Encouraged by her small victory with the flower, Ammy closed her eyes and let her mind settle again. She was readying to try another form with the fire flower. A slight weight of presence was in her mind again. That other person was back.

Yes. Practice. Weaken the chains that bind. Practice. Let your weak fingers and frail mind climb high that we may be together once more. Let us visit home . . .

Her mind took her to a castle in another realm, Humara, her old homeland, and as she traveled in her mind, that fire daisy shifted and was reformed. Her fingers soon worked and coaxed the flames into the entire likeness of Deluwith Estates.

Ammy opened her eyes and stared at the firey landscape. Parapets, towers, walls, crenellations, water side and even little tiny flame people moved about. Golden eyes fixed upon a home she now was remembering.

Ammy gazed more on the castle imagery doing her best to answer Art.

"Deluwith Hold. On the shores of Chantiir, a continent of Sliinkaa, my homeworld. I . . . think it was just across the channel from Humara Island." She was hesitant.

Memories rose and fell under those black mists casting deep shadows over the facts of her old homeland. She tread those waters like a swimmer fearing sharks.

"I believe it was the last Humaran Hold to stand before the Anthro Armies pushed all Humarans back to the island."

As Ammy spoke the castle came under seige, and began to crumble as a massive army laid waste to it.

Les could watch in awe but she would also see Ammy gasp and cry as the whole firy construct collapsed and winked out. The inner Ammy submerging once more under dark sea of mist within the mind, taking away the master skills that offered that level of control. Her fingers trembled, trying to recall what she did to make that castle, that moment of home reappear.

Nothing. Nothing would come to her call or manipulation but a meager, blue flame making a wilted rose petal. Tears slid down her scarred cheeks. She had made things. Beautiful things and they had vanished. The bitterness was alleviated for a moment by the hook of Arts questions.

Pale shades of memories filtered into her mind, the sheer fabric of remembered things children recall when so young. A touch, a feel, a noise, usually mothers care and heart, or fathers voice. She recalled strangers, no mothers touch, silence, and just her own brother and feeling of another that was missing.

"I . . . don't remember where I was born Art . . ." her voice trembled.

A flash of arriving at that castle, 20 years old, wearing her uniform, freshly ranked, proudly placed and well educated in battle magic. The roar of battle outside the walls. It was one of many battles she seemed to know that the castle had known.

"I don't think my family kept it for long." she touched her head for a moment in thought. "I want to say it was a garrison. I know I've fought a few battles there . . . but that's all I remember of it."

Golden eyes looked at empty air where beauty had once stood, fallen to war and then vanished without a trace.

Is that what happend to me as a human' I vanished from beauty into war and oblivion?

"Fire crystals? she looked down at her hands being held by his, one furred, one animated marble stone.

Ammy sifted through the dark mists of her mind to see if she ever came in contact with that reagent before. Nothing came to her mind about it. Looking up to to Art, she shook her head no.

Ammy watched the fire crystal be made in astonishment. She reached out with careful hands and took the crystal gently from Les' hand to look it over. She had never seen something like this before. The sheer beauty and fearesome power locked within an elegant crystal shape. Ammy placed the fire crystal against one scarred cheek and she felt the tingles and web work of magical weave within it.

Lowering the the crystal she spoke to Les. "Truly an amazing piece you have crafted Les. Beauty, power and grace of fire all contained in a single crystal."

She would offer the fire crystal back to Les as she looked to Art now. "So, from the lands you come from you would use these for fire based attacks and potions with a fire element to them' Seems such a waste to lose a valuable component to a potion when one minor or major arcane glyph of fire upon a ruby or garnet then crushed fine infuses a fire element in most potions. I'm curious now to what a fire crystal could really do. On the other hand . . ."

Ammy tapped her furred chin. The days events had worked some of her knowledge loose from that black mist ocean within her mind.

"If one were to crystalize a fire crystal to the point that it could repeatedly fractured, ground to dust and still retain the fire element and energy in every mote of dust, that is that mote being an infintesimal crystal latice of fire . . . so much can be done with it." Her golden eyes shone for a bit with the alchemist of old.

Ammy was listening to every single detail about this exotic new reagent to her alchemy skills. Crystalized elements" Real crystalized, pure elements without scribing and hours of work prepping a gemstone that was hoped to match the element desired. Ammy almost zoned out in astonishment.

"You....can teach me how to make crystalized fire" And what is this other speciatly it can be used for? With pure elements like this in crystal form, as you say, there is no waste of valuable gems. There as so many possibilities now." she grinned.

Ammy watched Art manipulate the sheet of fire crystal. Her tail wagged a bit in excitement hearing that he could teach her how to make fire crystals. She was curious though what he was doing. It looked like he performing regular origami.

"What are you doing Art?"

Ammy squeaked in surprise seeing the fire origami dragon come to life. "Is....that moving, living fire crystal?"

She got close to the origami dragon and reached out to pet it. It was so pretty and fascinating to watch. Oh what she could do with her alchemy if she could learn all of this. So many new roads would open up.

Ammy continued to pet the crystal dragon deeply intrigued. Her heart thumped and skipped a few beats at learning something new.

Something new? Something new to learn...

Oh how it sounded like rain water to a dry, cracked soul scorched by all it knew. Ammy looked at Arthour and Les and grinned.

"Oh, please teach me how to make fire crystals! Her white furred tail wagged non-stop.

"I....I am up to the challenge Art. I am sure with you and Les guiding me. I....wont explode trying to learn this craft will I?" Ammy asked hesitantly.

She stood ready to learn and looked around the practice area again with renewed excitement.

Ammy rubbed her furred hand and marble stone hand together in eager anticipation of learning. She enjoyed learning anything anyone could teach her.

"So where do I begin" Is it based off of fire origami" Or higher circle arcana" Perhaps a combination of elemental evocation and alchemical harnessing" Or are we actually working with additive and subtractive magic?" Ammy started to rattle out of a few methods she had used to arrive at a few successes in her life.

"Settle down!" The voice snaps through the chatter and the class settles almost immediately as the fire mage strode into the classroom some time after his discussion with Ammy.

A wry grin was on his face as he watched them all settle down and normality was restored to his classroom. "I apologise for my recent absence Class. I have been somewhat unwell recently but I'm feeling much, much better now. Well enough to know some of you haven't been keeping on top of their coursework!"

There were a few groans at that. Usually, this meant a few hours of writing and Arthour grinned again. "However. I have not a single clue as to how well you've been keeping on top of your practical exercises. There fore, it it clear to me the priority is to get you all into the practise area and have you go over your spells for me. Chop, chop! We haven't got all day!"

The response from the class was again, instant. They moved from their desks to the practise area with wide grins. Everyone liked the sense of accomplishment they got when they did fire magic in Mr Arthour's class. It was a done deal they would be happy to get involved in it again. They knew, later, there would be written work. But for now? It was at the backs of their minds where it belongs, not in the way of a bit of fun and enjoyment and actual learning.

A Teacher revealed, a Demi-God's revelation.

Arthour leaned back in his seat and observed the class working. There were several new faces, what with the turn of the year and some of his previous students having finished their stint in his class. There was a few, however, that remained on the premise that there was forever something new to learn, some other skill or refinment that could be gained from just one more class, one more text book poured over, one more attempt in the warded zone. And so it was that they kept coming back, whether to perfect forming fire based weapons and armour, to learn more about using fire magic to purge infected wounds, that was a difficult one in Arthour's mind and he assited as best he could for the ones that took that path, there were even a handful of students thatremained here specifically so they could perfect the Art of Fire based Origami. He had to admit a bit of pride at reintroducing that one so long after his own home had been destroyed, and all the skilled practisioners he had known were now dead and long since buried seas.

It was an odd, refective moment, where he was just sitting and watched. Watched as these youngesters were molded by the teachings he passed onto them. This He decided Must be how the Gods feel when they see something so satisfying, and make no outward action to force the course. They...Sit back, and let it happen naturally.....I could get used to this.