The rest of the theory of magic class went by without any further major revelations about spirits or bonds. From time to time, the silence was broken by students asking questions about the contents of the books the professor had brought, which he had distributed to each of them.
The books contained everything the professor had discussed during the lesson, along with additional in-depth explanations on the topic.
However, Seraphine, despite being an exemplary student when it came to theory, couldn't focus on the book or on the professor's words whenever he was interrupted by a question. There was only one subject in her mind now.
Worm.
She spent the entire class thinking about what abilities he might be hiding. Seraphine was neither naïve nor detached from reality: Worm was not a normal spirit. The results recorded for other spirits—unlike Worm's—did not lie or omit anything.
"What are spirits, after all?"
It was ironic that, in a world where these beings were so important, she had never stopped to think about what they truly were.
Seraphine raised her hand.
"Yes, Miss Seraphine."
"Professor Thorne, what are spirits? And why do they accept agreements in which they are clearly at a disadvantage?"
Everyone looked at Seraphine and then turned their attention back to the professor.
"That is an excellent question, Miss Seraphine. Many only ask it when they have already lost the chance to strengthen their bonds." Thorne leaned against his desk, taking a breath before a long explanation. "Well, some say that the summoning system and spirits are as old as the roots of the empire; others claim they are even older, dating back to the end of the Great Age of Calamity, more than a millennium ago."
Thorne shifted his weight off the desk and walked to the board. He drew a long line from one end to the other and then divided it into four sections, writing words in each.
Ancestral Era, on the far left.
Void of Calamity, in the second.
Era of Reconstruction, in the third.
And Modern Era, in the last.
"Professor, I think everyone knows the empire's timeline," said a student from the back row.
"I have no doubt that you do. However, if you wish to know why spirits exist or why they accept pacts in which humans benefit so greatly, you need to understand certain events that are usually omitted during history classes in the early years. In any case… we are here."
He pointed to the final division of the line.
"The creation of spirits is here."
Then he pointed to the center of the Void of Calamity.
"Can anyone tell me what happened during the Void?"
He looked toward the students, hopeful.
"The Lord of Calamity brought the continent to the brink of collapse," Lucien Dravorn replied, his hand raised.
"Exactly, Mr. Lucien. However, your answer could be more complete. The Void of Calamity earned that name because the Archdemon of Calamity—or Demon Lord, as some call him—created a void in the established order of the world for hundreds of years." The professor pointed to the corresponding section on the board.
"That isn't new information, professor. We already know he was defeated by the united races who survived the calamity," one of the students interrupted.
"Of course, Miss Lyssa, he was defeated. However, history tends to forget important facts in order to make humans—or other races—seem more important than they truly are."
"You're talking about the Lady of the Forest, sir?" another student interrupted. "It's also commonly known that she was the last to fight the Lord of Calamity, and was gravely injured during the battle. But everyone knows she delivered the final blow."
Worm, who had been silent until then, let out an ironic laugh.
No one seemed to hear it.
"No, my dear. The role of the Lady of the Forest was far more crucial—and not only during the final advance. Without her, we would hardly have managed to repel his forces. During the final years of the Void of Calamity, mortals received a gift from the Lady of the Forest—something that changed the course of the great war. Would anyone like to guess what that gift was?"
The professor scanned face after face, searching for someone willing to attempt an answer.
"No one?"
Ruby raised her hand.
"Miss Ruby!"
"Are you implying that spirits were created by the Lady of the Forest?"
"Excellent, Miss Ruby. You came very close. However, no—she did not create them. She guided them."
The students simply stared at the professor in silence.
"You're probably wondering what I mean by 'guided,' and that's exactly it. Look closely: the circle in the summoning wing was not created there after the Imperial Institute was built. The institute was built around the circle."
There were no doubts among the students—only complete attention.
"The circle was never a magical portal that granted access to powerful spirits. It was more like a prison… or rather, a network that held the souls of those who died during the Void of Calamity, so that they might have another chance in the future. Some say even the Lord of Calamity had plans for those souls, but they were saved because the Lady of the Forest acted first."
Thorne leaned against his desk once more, forgetting the line drawn on the board.
"Scholars devoted to the history of the Void say that the Lady of the Forest saved as many souls as she could—both bestial and humanoid. Then she allowed them to form pacts with mortal beings of that era. In doing so, they would have another chance against the calamity, while making their masters strong enough to survive as well."
For a few moments, the students showed no reaction. They had always been taught about the heroic deeds of humans in the past, and the idea that their current lives were owed to a woman somewhere in a forest was too much to process in just a few minutes.
"That was a rather long explanation, but I hope you use this information to strengthen your bonds going forward."
It was a lot for the students to absorb. One moment, they had been happy knowing they would be able to wield powerful abilities and increase their spirits' strength; now, they were left with the revelation that they were bound to something resembling tragic heroes from a distant past.
The spirits in the room, however, showed no reaction at all to Professor Thorne's story.
Seraphine looked at Worm more than ever. None of her doubts had truly been answered. Of course, she now knew the origin of spirits and the tragedy that had led them to that exact moment. But Worm was still a mystery.
She caught herself trying to imagine Worm as a great warrior of antiquity, fighting demons and bestial creatures.
"Impossible," Seraphine thought. "If I didn't know now that the Lady of the Forest saved the souls of those who died in the calamity, I would think he was a demon."
She lost herself in her thoughts, imagining possible pasts for Worm and explanations for why he was so strong—but each seemed more absurd than the last.
A warning from Professor Thorne pulled her out of her reverie.
"Well, I believe we can all agree this was a productive class. However, I need to give a few notices before you head to the courtyard for practical magic." The professor moved toward the door but did not open it yet. "The headmistress asked me to inform you of the schedule for the remainder of the academic year. However, given that today's lesson was somewhat heavy, I'll leave that to Professor Grimward."
He opened the door.
"You are dismissed."
Everyone left the room accompanied by their spirits, offering respectful bows as they passed Thorne, who held the door.
Ruby and Seraphine were the last to leave and the only ones to thank him verbally for the lesson. The professor returned the gesture with a slight bow and closed the door as soon as they passed.
The fifth-year class now made its way toward the institute's exterior.
Professor Grimward was waiting for them.