The next morning was slow for everyone but Jien. Nobody seemed excited for the lesson to come. Even at the thought of the upcoming class there was a chorus of groans at any given time. It appeared that the majority of his teammates were more than a little upset about the concept of studying formations, likely due to its tedious and precise nature.
Though some like Julie and Robyn had no real knowledge of it, after talking to the others they found themselves dreading it as well. Still, it wasn't as though they could miss out on the class. Not only would it affect their personal performance but it would also impact upon their unit as a whole. This left them making their way toward a district directly north of the Central Administration spire.
The buildings in this district were of clean rectangular architecture with no embellishments. Perhaps the only thing that made them look slightly unusual is that around each of the door frames and window frames, if present, were a line of runes that ran the full perimeter. There was nothing fancy about them and they didn't outwardly appear to even have a working purpose, but that was far from the truth.
When they first entered the district they were a bit early from when they needed to arrive. Jien took his time to look over the runes running around a door frame, slowly recording them with his Personal Library spell while trying to match them with the knowledge from different resources he had recorded. While he hadn't found a lot of time to look into runes in his various study materials he was able to comprehend some of them.
After spending about ten minutes with the others taking the time to try and collect themselves for what they felt was going to be an exhausting half day, he was able to get a bare understanding of the runic patterns. They appeared to be for the purpose of sealing, though to seal what he wasn't quite sure. Still, he unfortunately lacked the time to continue his exploration, having to make his way to his class.
Luckily for them all the class itself was not far from where Jien had stopped. The building was the same as all the other low, white stone rectangular buildings around it. Even the runes along the door and the singular closed window were identical. The window itself was covered, making it impossible to see the inside of the space. Despite this Jien didn't hesitate to knock on the door.
It took a few moments but the door did open to reveal a familiar figure. The older woman that had originally housed them before they were assigned to their units, Ms. Holen. The woman scanned over each of them with her sharp eyes before smiling slightly. "I remember you bunch from before initiation. I assume you are here for your first lesson on formations. Well, come in and lets get started."
Holen stepped back opening the way into what was a rather open, stark white room. In the center was a raised square platform made of stone. Around it were what appeared to be desks that were made of the same white stone with only for breaks at the cardinal directions to allow someone onto the platform. Several simple stools sat under the counter like desks.
Holen pointed to the desks. "Find a spot and settle in. This subject isn't for everyone so for the bulk of you it is going to be a bit of a drag." Her statement was matter of fact and her tone even, leading to a cascade of grumbling as they found their seats and pulled out their supplies.
Once they were seated and seemed relatively prepared Holen stepped onto the platform and eyes them all carefully. "Let's start with a simple question. What is the purpose of formations?" As soon as the question was asked everyone but Barret turned to face Jien, knowing that he was the only one with real interest in this particular line of study.
Jien for his part seemed to ignore the rather intense stares of his teammates. He pondered on the question and even took a moment to review what he had memorized. At the end of several long seconds of pondering he responded with a somewhat questioning tone "To simplify the use of the arcane arts in day to day life?"
To be honest none of the resources he had read had actually covered the topic from this angle. They covered some of the basics of what it could be used for, the concept of blending runic language with geometry and precious resources and mediums. They covered general theory and small practical application, but they did not discuss the philosophical nature of the subject.
Holen seemed somewhat satisfied with his response. "Not a bad response for someone having just started down this path. You must have a bit of knowledge under your belt." Her voice was pleasant as her sharp eyes seemed to bore into the rest as if demanding they put effort in to match with their teammate.
After seeing everyone but Barret give a shudder under her gaze she seemed satisfied, continuing the topic. "You are right, but only partially so. Formations as a whole are as ancient as the arcane arts themselves. Yes, they can simplify spells and effects for daily use, but they were also the second form of arcane arts from a historical perspective."
The answer hit everyone including Jien like a ton of bricks. They all considered formations to be a relatively new use of the arcane arts given how complex some of the applications they had seen in their lives. This reaction made Holens' smile broaden slightly.
"I suppose we should take a step back then. Can any of you tell me historically what the first form of arcane arts was?"
This time there were a few answers at the same time. "Mana manipulation." "Spoken Spells." "Physical Casting." "Ritual Casting."
Holen seemed pleased with these responses, pausing for a moment before she started her response.