The Mysterious Tutor

Xavier's father had given him a lot of food for thought. The discrimination of the great families and his words about there being no weak element only weak mages. It struck a chord in Xavier. His feeling was that those were some of the truest words he'd ever heard.

His father had sent him back to his mathematics lessons. Xavier went pondering over his father's words. Before he'd realized it he had returned to the study where his tutor was waiting.

"Well young Xavier. Did you learn anything new of yourself?" His tutor was still waiting there a calm expression on his face.

"Why didn't anybody tell me?" Xavier finally asked the one question that he still didn't understand.

"Does it matter?" His tutor looked at him with a sharp look in his eyes. "You would have woken which ever element you would awaken regardless. Besides that your father was also trying to prevent kidnap attempts."

Xavier was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"

His tutor gave him an exasperated look. "This is why you should study more. You have no idea how rare the space element is and how far organizations would be willing to go to get it. There's already a few attempts every year that you're not aware of just because of the potential to ransom you back to your father. If the news that you are pre disposed to the space element were to become public knowledge the attempts would multiply a thousand-fold."

Xavier was shaking nervously. "Su- Surely it's not that bad, right?"

"It is. And that's why we need you to take your studies seriously. History will teach you a lot about the conflict between us and the demon creatures as well as the development of magic and how it's being developed today. Almost all the knowledge we're trying to teach you can influence your magic." The tutor smiled smugly at him.

"Especially mathematics. Math has the ability to influence all types of magic especially it's development. Spacial magic would use it in determining coordinates for teleporting long distances. Even summoning magic uses it to measure evolutionary requirements for summoned beasts. Now do you understand?" The tutor was exalted that he had finally broken through to his student. Now they could finally start his real development.

---

Xavier left his lesson feeling like his head was about to explode. After he succeeded in solving each of the problems assigned to him his tutor had given him examples of how math would be used to influence spacial magic. He had been shocked by how much formula could affect his future.

Xavier went to his father feeling more curious than ever. After telling him about the lessons he had just underwent his father chuckled. "Keep at it. You'll be surprised by how much math you can use even in the midst of a battle."

"What do you mean father?" Xavier had understood it affecting things like the evolution of summoned beasts and long-distance teleportation but not how it would affect something like battle.

"You know that the second element I awakened is lightning magic, right?" Xavier nodded. His father was a peak advanced mage with three elements. His first was summoning, then lightning, and finally he had awakened the light element. Even now his father was preparing for the break through to the super level.

His father stepped back, "Watch. This is a magic formation created by my lightning element." He raised his hands above his head and released lightning which began to shape itself into a formation. Formations were patterns that could apply effects to its surroundings, changing the natural order. Xavier had never heard of a formation being made purely out of magic though. It usually took some intermediary material to take effect.

His father completed the formation. "Most formations can't be used in this way. They need some sort of material as a conductor. There are some though that can be created purely by an element. It's a very rare application that even the highest mages have difficulty doing. It's even rarer to be able to do so in combat. This is the main reason that super mages don't challenge our family despite the fact that I'm only at the peak of advanced level. Using formations, I can amplify or create other effects in my magic elevating it to a level able to threaten super mages."

Xavier began to feel an intense shaking coming from the completed formation. His father went on, "This is the most basic of spells. The formation I've put it into gives it an intense vibrational effect. You've heard how it takes a peak basic spell at the third tier to wound a servant class creature, correct?"

Xavier nodded his head. "Well, this spell is the first tier of basic lightning magic and yet with its vibration effect I could use it to severely wound a warrior level creature." Xavier was shocked by his father's words. It was generally considered that it would take an intermediate spell to wound a warrior level creature. After all they were an existence an entire tier above servant class creatures.

"This formation is made up of only one sigil. When making formations out of pure magical energy doing any more than this takes too much time and effort which means it has a very poor effect in the midst of combat. More complicated formations are made from magical materials which gives it permanence. Formations can be made of thousands of sigils giving it a myriad of effects or one very intense effect. Most barrier magic protecting cities is designed this way." Xavier's father went on for some time explaining the use of formations and how math was used to determine the placing of sigils within it.

Xavier left his father feeling like his head was now empty. He was like a computer that had had its circuits overloaded. It felt like all the information in his brain had been wiped clean. Xavier went to bed that night and slept a deeper sleep than he ever had before.

---

Xavier woke up from his dreams of swirling sigils made of light. His excitement hit a peak. Magic was more fascinating than he'd ever realized. He hurried through his morning tasks as quickly as possible and rushed to his lessons with a new enthusiasm.

All his tutors were over the moon about his new found work ethic. He listened with rapt attention to the history of the world and especially the parts that had changed when magic had come into the world. He paid special attention to science and math knowing it could affect his proficiency with magic. When it came to language, he was less enthused until his tutor pointed out that powerful mages tended to code their magic into ancient languages to make it more difficult to decipher. Then he pointed out that those mages that excelled in language also excelled in what sigils they were able to memorize. Xavier threw himself into it with delight.

He got to his math tutor feeling slightly drained but soon felt his spirits lift when he saw the tutor who'd revealed the truth to him. The tutor was a man who appeared ancient. He was a tall man still not bent by age but you could see it through the many wrinkles covering his face and hands. Xavier began to wonder why this old tutor knew the details of his determination. It didn't seem like something the family would trust with someone who was only meant to teach him some mathematics.

Xavier's curiosity overcame him, "Tutor why is it that you knew about my determination to the space element?"

The tutor who'd been about to begin the lecture stopped and gazed at his student. "Does it matter?"

Xavier shook his head, "I suppose not. I just find it really curious that a tutor would know that when you yourself pointed out the information could be dangerous to the family."

The tutor nodded, "You're not wrong. A mere tutor wouldn't know such information but as I'm sure you've guessed I'm more than a mere tutor. My relationship with your family goes all the way back to Connor Mitchell. He and I were drafted to the same unit when the spacial cracks first appeared. Humanity originally thought they could face the threat with their technology and drafted millions to fight against the demon creatures flooding out of them."

"I was a professor of mathematics at MIT. Professors were given the option of refusing the draft in an effort to preserve knowledge. I was full of patriotic vigor and thought my greatest duty was to join the soldiers on the front lines. I met Connor Mitchell there. We fought and survived together on the front lines for nearly three years." Xavier listened with rapt attention to the story of his mathematics tutor.

"When magic was first discovered we did our best to find a magic that fit us best but even after the discovery of several of the elemental magics failed to really connect to any of them. The first magic you awaken really has to resonate with you or you may not awaken to magic at all. After years of fighting, mankind was desperate and searched everywhere to find a solution. They turned to old legends hoping to find some truth. Connor and I were the same. In an ancient ruin we found mention of by gone men who'd summoned monsters to their aid from a foreign place. That's how we hit upon the premise of summoning magic."

"A year and a half later we succeeded in our first summoning magic. Connor Mitchell became famous for being the founder of summoning magic. I kept my identity hidden. I didn't want the attention that was coming with the status of discovering new magic. Research is where I'm most capable."

Xavier was shocked. If what this old man said was true then he could be considered the master to every summoning mage in the world. "Why wouldn't you let everyone know about your identity? Wouldn't it be an immense honor to be a founder of a magic?"

The tutor shook his head. "Many of the founders were often assaulted by people attempting to coerce their secrets from them. Even now the few surviving founders are often in danger due to their immense knowledge of their respective elements. I'm not much of a fighter and would rather not deal with that kind of attention."

Xavier nodded in understanding. Thinking about all the trouble it could cause he wasn't so sure he would want people to know if he discovered a new magic either. He looked at the tutor in a new light and then started in surprise. "Tutor I just realized I've never known your name. Would you tell me please?"

The tutor smiled. "My name is Edward. Edward Mortenson. From now on you can call me Mr. Mortenson."