Dun dun dun, the alarm rang, and Eugene woke up from sleep. He looked at the clock and found it was 8:16.
There was one hour left before the lecture started. He got up from bed and went to the bathroom. He took a shower; the water was warm today. Then he brushed his teeth, staring deeply into the mirror.
Eugene said with a sad look, "Every time I see this burn, a wave of deep sadness hits me."
He left the bathroom, went and opened his closet a big wooden one, brown-colored. He took the academy uniform.
"I need to wash my dirty clothes. This is the only outfit I have left," he said as he put it on.
Then he put on his shoes and left through the door. He looked to his right and left to make sure that creature wasn't outside. Was it just his imagination? No, it was real.
He continued walking toward the academy cafeteria. There were some clouds in the sky, the sunlight was almost mild, and the wind moved the branches and grass.
He entered the cafeteria and found Fred and Rin having some tea with fried eggs and sausages.
"I hope you guys ordered me some food."
Fred said while sipping the hot tea: "Finally, man. First time you join us for breakfast." Then Rin said, "No, we didn't order food for you, but Reem didn't come, so you can take her plate."
Fred thought Eugene would refuse, but he quickly found Eugene sitting down and already eating. Hahaha. Fred laughed at Eugene's reaction.
"Why are you laughing?" Rin asked. "There's nothing funny."
Mmm… chicken slices, a piece of chocolate cake, milk tea. Eugene was eating like he hadn't eaten in a month.
"The food is really good… but where's Reem?" Rin replied, "She said she went to the vet to get her cat."
Eugene was a bit surprised. "I didn't know she had a cat." Rin shrugged. "Neither did we."
Eugene raised a piece of cake and said, "Listen, Fred, yesterday you said you had problems with your parents. What did you mean?"
Fred looked away, then sighed. "My relationship with them isn't the best." Rin raised his eyes. "Why?"
Fred continued after putting down the spoon, "They're always so busy, and they always want me to do whatever they want without questioning."
Eugene raised an eyebrow. "And? I don't think something that small would make you hate
He grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands. "I don't hate them. But what they want me to do… is bad stuff."
"Bad stuff like what?"
Rin looked at him and spoke calmly, "He means stealing, lying, or even using his abilities as a cultivator."
The cafeteria door opened. Reem walked in carrying her cat.
She headed toward their table and looked at Eugene: "So I disappear for a few minutes and find you ate my breakfast?"
Eugene looked up at her with a silly smile. "Hehe, I promise I'll buy you another plate after class."
"Fine, as long as you're buying me cake later, I don't mind."
Fred looked at Reem's cat. "It's a beautiful cat."
It was a light yellow cat with pretty yellow eyes and very soft fur.
Reem lifted the cat up as she looked at her. "I know, she's the prettiest. Oh yes you are."
Heh, Rin let out a small laugh.
Eugene asked, "Why was she at the vet?"
Reem put the cat back in her arms, playing with her fur. "She swallowed my hairbrush."
"Hahaha, looks like you didn't feed her."
She shot Eugene a look. "No, she just likes to eat anything."
Dun dun… dun, the lecture bell rang.
Fred stood and headed toward the door, nodding at Eugene, Reem, and the rest with a smile. "I gotta go. Let's have lunch together later."
Eugene raised his thumb with a smile. "Alright. I almost forgot Fred is in the second year."
Reem and Rin both looked at Eugene.
He opened his eyes wide. "What?"
Reem spoke with a slight smirk, "That bell is for all lectures, not just second-year."
"Oh, so we have class now?"
"Yes, and now get up so we won't be late."
Rin and Eugene stood and headed toward the door. They opened it and walked with the group of students toward the lecture room.
They entered and greeted Professor Alex. Eugene was shocked when he saw him. They sat, and Eugene slowly turned his head toward Rin and whispered,
"Wasn't today supposed to be Social Studies? Why is Professor Alex here?"
Rin leaned in and whispered, "You idiot, Social Studies is tomorrow, not today."
Dok dok… Alex tapped on the board and began, "Without introductions, what do you know about today's lesson?"
Five students raised their hands.
Alex pointed at one of them.
The student stood and said, "I think… it's about how cultivators gain their super abilities."
Alex nodded lightly. "Any other information?"
Reem raised her hand the only one among the students. Alex pointed at her.
"I believe cultivators get their abilities by drinking specific potions, related to their talents."
Eugene remembered the moment of the explosion, and some other students did too.
"Good, but that's a shallow explanation of how they obtain them. As I said in your first lesson, we talked about feathers."
Some students laughed in the back. Alex looked at them and gestured with his hand.
"You with the blonde hair, tell me what we said about feathers."
"Me?" the student asked.
"No, my mother. Yes, you."
Hehe, soft laughs broke out.
The student couldn't answer.
"Exactly what I expected. You only know how to laugh back there."
Alex turned to his desk, grabbed the book, and continued:
"Everything in this world has feathers, but feathers are just a driver. Feathers combined with the nature of the material, element, or concept form the Imprints."
Then Alex asked, "Do you know why they're called Imprints?"
Eugene replied, "I think they're called that because every imprint is different from the other like how the fire imprint differs from the ice imprint and so on."
Alex was impressed. "Good. Even though you keep chatting with Rin, your answer is perfect."
He looked at the other student. "Not like some people."
Eugene looked back and saw the student about to explode with anger, his face ugly with rage.
"So how do they use these imprints to their advantage?" Alex asked as he sat down.
No one knew the answer. He stared at them for a few seconds before answering himself.
"I said imprints are made of feathers. Cultivators feel these feathers, then try to understand the imprint how it works, its strengths and weaknesses, and how much of your feather reserve it consumes."
"But it's not that easy. To understand and absorb an imprint, you must drink the potion tied to it."
"These potions are made with specific resources unique to each imprint. But the stronger the imprint like Destruction or Time the harder and more dangerous the potion is to make, and the higher the chance of failure."
Rin asked, "You mean there are imprints that allow control over things like time?"
"Yes, there are. But not everyone can use them, and they're limited in what they can do. Good question but don't speak without permission again."
Rin blushed. "Okay," he said, imagining the class laughing at him, though no one did.
A student raised his hand, and Alex allowed him to speak.
"If it's that easy, why don't cultivators drink more than one potion?"
Alex approached the student. Everyone in the front row turned their heads to him.
Alex created a hologram of a big pile of food of different shapes and types.
"If I told you this whole meal is yours, can you eat it all?"
The food was a mountain.
The student looked at it. "No, I can't."
Alex lifted an eyebrow. "Why?"
The student held up his finger. "Simply because there's too much food, and also, I don't like some of it, and I'm allergic to some."
A small smile appeared on Alex's face. "Exactly… cultivators can't drink more than twelve potions."
"And they can't drink all twelve at once. Usually they start with one, then when they get stronger and higher in cultivation level, they drink another."
"And so on, until they reach twelve as the maximum limit."
"Of course, that's not everything we'll continue next class. Review today's lesson so we can continue tomorrow."
The students stood and left the room.
Eugene placed his hand on his head. "What a complicated lesson."
Reem glanced sideways at him. "It's simple. You're just… not very smart. Right, Rin?"
Rin panicked a little. "Y-yeah… right."
Reem turned back to Eugene. "Hey, you promised you'd buy me cake."
"Don't worry, I didn't forget."
"When will you bring it?"
"Later."
"How much later?"
He raised his hands and tilted his head slightly. "Later… means later."
End of Chapter Ten