CHAPTER 37 — BEYOND WHAT IS TAUGHT

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 37 — BEYOND WHAT IS TAUGHT

DAY TWELVE — 05:47

Lake District was quiet. At least... Until Percy woke up. Percy opened his eyes. Looked at the bed next to his. Clara was asleep. She had pulled her blanket all the way up over her head. Percy got ready. Walked to the tent entrance. Took a deep breath. Gathered Orin in his throat. And this time... He really went overboard.

"WAKE UP, YOU LAZY BUMS!"

"WAKE UP!"

"IT'S A NEW TASK DAY!"

The voice made the entire camp tremble. The ropes of the tents shook. Birds took flight from the forest. Nathaniel rolled off his bed. Arthur bumped his head against the pole as he sat up. William opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Charlotte threw her pillow at the entrance. Olsen dropped her blanket to the floor. Eleanor fell straight off her bed.

"AGAIN?!"

Galahad's eyes snapped open. There was only a single expression on his face. Hatred. But in another tent... Holar Jun's bed wobbled. Holar was about to fall off. His eyes opened. Before his feet touched the ground... Balance spell. Followed by a Silence spell. He flipped lightly in mid-air. Landed squarely on his feet. Adjusted his clothes. Stepped out of the tent. Looked around. Everyone was on the ground.

Holar:

"A matter of skill."

Eleanor from the floor:

"Drop dead, old man."

Holar:

"Good morning, Eleanor."

Eleanor:

"It isn't."

Percy clapped his hands.

"FIVE MINUTES!"

"EVERYONE IN FRONT OF ME!"

"DOUBLE TIME! MARCH!"

Five minutes later... The entire first-year class was lined up. Hair was messy. Faces were filled with hatred. Percy stood before them. He was quite happy. Clara came beside him.

Percy:

"Good morning."

Clara:

"No."

Percy:

"No what?"

Clara:

"It's not a good morning."

Percy:

"It's morning though."

Clara:

"Not when you yell."

Percy:

"You'll get used to it."

Arthur:

"We won't get used to it."

Percy:

"Arthur."

Arthur:

"Yes, President?"

Percy:

"Quiet."

Arthur:

"Understood."

Percy looked at the class. Then... Looked at the adults standing in the back. Holar Jun. Eleanor. Elizabeth Olsen. Galahad.

Percy:

"Before we start today..."

"Listen to me quietly."

"Don't object."

"And stop saying I'm lying."

William raised an eyebrow. Percy immediately looked at him. William shut his mouth.

Percy:

"Good boy."

Nathaniel raised his hand.

Percy:

"Put it down."

Nathaniel lowered it.

Percy:

"Today's task is fairly simple."

Everyone looked at each other. No one believed it.

Percy:

"But..."

Nathaniel closed his eyes.

Arthur:

"Here it comes."

Percy:

"You won't be the only ones participating."

Eleanor's face shifted.

Percy:

"Your teachers..."

Olsen:

"Percy."

Percy continued.

"And even your headmaster..."

Holar raised an eyebrow.

"...will be joining you."

Silence. Then, simultaneously:

"WHAT?!"

Percy:

"I said be quiet."

Eleanor:

"Wait a minute."

Percy:

"Auntie."

Eleanor:

"Why am I participating?"

Percy:

"You're my teacher."

"You're never too old to learn."

Olsen:

"Percy..."

Percy looked at her.

"Teacher."

Olsen went quiet.

Percy:

"Of course..."

"Taking a lesson from a seven-year-old child..."

"If that's too humiliating for you..."

"I understand."

Silence. Eleanor's eye twitched. Olsen raised an eyebrow. Holar looked at Percy. Galahad tilted his head to the side.

Percy:

"You don't have to join."

Eleanor stepped into the line. Olsen immediately moved beside her. Holar adjusted his robe. Joined the line. Galahad walked over too.

Percy:

"Bro?"

Galahad:

"What?"

Percy:

"Didn't it hurt your pride?"

Galahad:

"No."

Percy:

"..."

Galahad:

"Are you disappointed?"

Percy:

"A little."

Galahad:

"Get to the front of the line."

Percy:

"I'm the president."

Galahad:

"Today, you're the teacher."

Percy:

"...Nice."

Arthur whispered.

"This kid is addicted to power."

Percy:

"I heard that."

Arthur:

"I'm not surprised."

Percy looked at the whole group.

"From this test..."

"Clara is exempt."

Everyone turned to Clara.

Clara:

"What?"

Percy:

"Naturally, so am I."

Nathaniel:

"FAVORITISM!"

Percy looked at Nathaniel. Nathaniel immediately shut his mouth.

Percy:

"Piranhas."

Nathaniel:

"I'm sorry."

Percy:

"Good."

Percy turned to Clara.

"Clara."

"Yes?"

"I taught you the Sphere spell."

Clara's eyes shifted.

Percy:

"Changing its exit speed..."

"Do you remember how to do it?"

Clara smiled.

"Yes."

Percy:

"Fire it at me."

Everyone stepped back. Clara raised her right hand. Above her palm... Orin began to gather. A small sphere formed. Everyone knew this. It was one of the basic spells. But... Most of the students knew something else. Clara's spheres... Weren't normal. They had been seen multiple times in arena matches. After the sphere left her hand... It would suddenly accelerate. Arthur had seen it. William had analyzed it. Charlotte had been curious about it. Even Olsen hadn't quite cracked how Clara applied it.

Clara:

"Ready?"

Percy:

"Fire."

Clara released the sphere. The sphere traveled at normal speed. One meter. Two meters. And... All of a sudden—

VUUUM!

Its speed doubled. Percy tilted his head to the side. The sphere struck the target behind him.

**BANG!**

Silence. Olsen's eyes narrowed.

Eleanor:

"Wait a minute."

William:

"That's it."

Arthur:

"How were you doing that?"

Percy:

"Very simple."

William:

"It's not."

Percy:

"I'm the one explaining."

William went quiet. Percy raised his hand. Formed a sphere in his palm.

"What is a sphere formed with?"

Ethan:

"The Orin inside us."

Percy:

"Good."

The sphere enlarged.

Percy:

"You shape the power within you."

"You give it form."

"You condense it."

"You set its direction."

"You release the sphere."

Percy dispelled the sphere.

"That's what you're taught."

Olsen was listening attentively. Percy drew a line on the ground.

"However, there is a problem."

Holar's gaze sharpened.

Percy:

"Orin isn't only inside you."

William:

"It's everywhere."

Percy:

"Yes."

"It's everywhere."

Percy pointed at Clara.

"What Clara is doing..."

"Consists of two separate stages."

He raised one finger.

"One."

"The sphere is formed with internal Orin."

Second finger.

"Two."

"The sphere leaves her hand completely."

Percy separated his two hands from each other.

"At that exact moment..."

"It reaches out to the external Orin."

Eleanor's face shifted.

Percy:

"And it doesn't strengthen it."

Olsen:

"It accelerates it."

Percy looked at her. Smiled.

"Yes."

Percy pointed his finger at the target.

"Internal Orin..."

"Form."

"Direction."

"Initial speed."

Then he pointed outside.

"External Orin..."

"Secondary speed."

William:

"Two separate energy operations."

Percy:

"Exactly."

William was fully awake now.

"That's why the energy consumption..."

Percy:

"Is barely higher than a regular sphere."

William's eyes widened.

"What?"

Percy:

"Because we aren't empowering the sphere itself."

"We are merely altering its existing motion."

Holar spoke for the first time.

"Who taught you this?"

Percy:

"Nobody."

Holar went silent. Percy looked at Clara.

"I thought she could do it."

Clara smiled faintly.

"And I did it."

Percy:

"In how many attempts?"

Clara's smile faded.

Percy:

"Tell us."

Clara:

"A lot."

Percy:

"How many?"

Clara:

"I didn't count."

Percy:

"Liar."

Clara:

"You didn't count either."

Percy:

"I counted."

Clara:

"How many?"

Percy:

"I'm not telling."

Clara:

"Why?"

Percy:

"Because you split my cheek open."

Clara:

"WE WERE SEVEN YEARS OLD!"

Percy:

"I STILL REMEMBER THE SCAR!"

Eleanor:

"Stay on topic."

Percy:

"Yes, Auntie."

Percy turned back to the line.

"This is what you're going to do."

Arthur:

"Today's lesson?"

Percy:

"There isn't one."

Arthur:

"What?"

Percy:

"This task..."

"Has no grand deeper meaning."

Everyone went quiet.

Nathaniel:

"For the first time."

Percy:

"Yes."

Percy squatted down on the ground. Picked up a handful of dirt.

"You are taught magic."

"The exact same magic..."

"For hundreds of years."

"For thousands of years."

"The same movement."

"The same method."

"The same explanation."

He dropped the dirt.

"Why?"

No one answered.

Percy:

"Because it works."

William:

"That's not a bad thing."

Percy:

"It's not."

"But it's not enough either."

Percy looked at the class.

"Learn what you're taught."

"First, do it correctly."

"Then ask."

"Why is it like this?"

"Could it be done another way?"

"Could it be faster?"

"Could it use less Orin?"

"Could it be split into two stages?"

"Could it be combined?"

"Could it be changed?"

The expression on Olsen's face had completely changed.

Percy:

"I'm not telling you..."

"To throw old magic in the trash."

"I'm telling you to understand it."

"Then improve it."

"Because if you don't improve it..."

"The generation after you..."

"Will start in the exact same place."

Percy pointed at Clara.

"But if what Clara did gets recorded..."

"The next child..."

"Won't have to discover it from scratch."

"They'll start from here."

Silence. Galahad was looking at Percy. This... Didn't sound like a seven-year-old child talking.

Percy:

"Then that child..."

"Will do better than us."

"The next one better."

"The next one better."

Percy shrugged.

"Maybe a hundred years from now..."

"At the spells we think are perfect today..."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Children will laugh."

On Holar's lips... A faint smile formed.

Percy:

"But the time for that is later."

"Right now..."

He clapped his hands.

"Cast the spell."

"Double time, march."

Nathaniel:

"Punishment?"

Percy:

"The loser..."

"Can't eat for five days."

Nathaniel's face drained of color.

"WHAT?!"

Percy:

"They can drink water."

Nathaniel:

"Oh."

Percy:

"Just a joke."

Nathaniel:

"..."

Percy:

"Until you succeed..."

"No food."

"No water."

Nathaniel:

"You're a demon."

Percy:

"There's no time limit."

Nathaniel:

"That's worse!"

Percy:

"Begin."

The first half hour... Was a complete disaster. Spheres were flying. But none were accelerating.

Arthur:

"Again!"

Sphere. Normal speed.

Arthur:

"Again."

Normal.

Charlotte:

"I'm missing the exit timing."

William:

"I'm connecting to external Orin too late."

Olsen was looking at her own sphere.

"This..."

She tried again. Failed.

Eleanor:

"HAHA."

Olsen looked at her.

"Did you do it?"

Eleanor:

"No."

Olsen:

"Then why are you laughing?"

Eleanor:

"Because I'm not alone."

Holar was quiet. He formed a sphere in his palm. Threw it. The sphere traveled. Accelerated. But... Too early. The sphere dissipated. Holar raised an eyebrow.

Percy:

"Grandpa."

Holar:

"What?"

Percy:

"Didn't work."

Holar:

"I saw."

Percy:

"I can show you if you want."

Holar:

"No."

Percy:

"Are you sure?"

Holar:

"Yes."

Percy:

"A seven-year-old—"

Holar:

"Percy."

Percy:

"Alright."

Galahad, meanwhile... Was pondering. Formed a sphere. Released it.

VUUUM!

It accelerated. Percy's eyes snapped open.

"Bro!"

Galahad:

"Did it work?"

Percy:

"It worked."

Galahad:

"Perfect?"

Percy:

"No."

Galahad:

"Why?"

Percy:

"One and a half times."

Galahad:

"You want two."

Percy:

"Two."

Galahad nodded.

"Again."

SECOND HOUR

Nathaniel was lying on the ground.

Percy:

"Nathaniel."

Nathaniel:

"I'm dying."

Percy:

"It's been two hours."

Nathaniel:

"I haven't eaten."

Percy:

"Normal humans survive."

Nathaniel:

"I'm not normal."

Percy:

"We noticed."

Nathaniel sat up. Made a sphere. Threw it. Nothing.

Nathaniel:

"GIVE FOOD."

Percy:

"DO IT."

Nathaniel:

"FOOD."

Percy:

"MAGIC."

Nathaniel:

"BREAD."

Percy:

"ORIN."

Nathaniel:

"POTATOES."

Percy:

"NATHANIEL!"

Nathaniel tried again.

THIRD HOUR

The first one to pass... Was Galahad. The sphere went out. One meter.

VUUUM!

Exactly double speed.

Percy:

"You passed."

Galahad raised his fist.

Percy immediately:

"Don't you dare."

Galahad:

"I didn't say anything."

Percy:

"You thought it."

Galahad:

"Maybe."

Percy:

"That's my catchphrase."

Galahad:

"Alright, little commander."

Percy:

"Don't call me little."

Galahad went over and sat down.

FOURTH HOUR

William... Suddenly stopped. Everyone else was focusing on the sphere. William closed his eyes. Felt the external Orin. Formed a sphere. Threw it. One meter. Then...

VUUUM!

Percy:

"Double speed."

William opened his eyes.

Percy:

"You passed."

William:

"I get it."

Percy:

"Get what?"

William:

"We aren't accelerating the sphere."

Percy smiled.

William:

"We're making Orin..."

"Change the condition of the ongoing motion."

Percy:

"That's it."

William went over to sit beside Galahad.

FIFTH HOUR

Olsen passed. She stared at her own sphere. Then looked at Clara.

"At what age..."

"Did you do this?"

Clara:

"Seven."

Olsen:

"You are seven right now."

Clara:

"Yes."

Olsen turned to Percy.

"And you came up with the idea."

Percy:

"Yes."

Olsen was silent for several seconds.

"You two are annoying."

Clara:

"Thank you."

Percy:

"Thanks."

SIXTH HOUR

Eleanor did it. The sphere accelerated.

Percy:

"You passed, Auntie."

Eleanor looked at Holar in triumph.

Holar:

"What?"

Eleanor:

"Nothing."

Holar:

"Don't look at me like that."

Eleanor:

"I passed."

Holar:

"I know."

Eleanor:

"You didn't pass."

Holar:

"Eleanor."

Eleanor:

"Yes?"

Holar:

"Quiet."

Eleanor:

"You couldn't do a seven-year-old's spell."

Holar:

"I RAISED HIM."

Percy:

"I came up with it though."

Eleanor burst into laughter. Holar turned to Percy.

"Whose side are you on?"

Percy:

"The truth's."

Holar:

"Wrong answer."

SEVENTH HOUR

Sweat was dripping from Arthur's forehead. He had tried repeatedly. It wasn't working. In the past... He would have gotten angry. Blamed someone. Thrown the sphere harder. But this time... He stopped. Closed his eyes. Percy noticed this. Arthur took a breath. Formed the sphere. Didn't put extra power into it. Didn't throw it faster. Just released it. Then... Felt the external Orin.

VUUUM!

The sphere accelerated. Arthur opened his eyes.

Percy:

"You passed."

Arthur:

"Two times?"

Percy:

"Exactly two."

Arthur looked at Percy for several seconds.

"Thanks."

Percy:

"I didn't do anything."

Arthur:

"I know."

"Still."

Percy nodded. Arthur moved off to the side. Clara watched this from afar. Said nothing. But Arthur... Was really trying to change, she could see that.

EIGHTH HOUR

Charlotte passed. Then Ethan. Sophia. Marcus. One by one... The class began to solve it. And finally... Holar's sphere went out. Normal speed. One meter. Two. Then...

VUUUM!

It accelerated.

Percy:

"You passed, Grandpa."

Holar:

"Naturally."

Eleanor:

"EIGHT HOURS."

Holar:

"I was analyzing the technique."

Eleanor:

"Sure."

Holar:

"You did it in six."

Eleanor:

"TWO HOURS AGO."

Holar:

"Quality matters."

Eleanor:

"IT'S THE EXACT SAME SPELL!"

Percy:

"Children."

Both turned to Percy.

Percy:

"Don't fight."

Eleanor:

"Children?"

Holar:

"You're seven years old."

Percy:

"Right now, I'm the most mature one here."

Galahad from a distance:

"Unfortunately true."

Percy:

"Bro!"

Galahad:

"Yes?"

Percy:

"BOOOOOOOOW YEAAAAAAH!"

Galahad:

"Why now?"

Percy:

"I felt like it."

SUNSET

There was only one person left. Nathaniel. Everyone could have eaten dinner. But... No one was eating. Nathaniel noticed.

"Why aren't you guys eating?"

Arthur:

"We're waiting."

Nathaniel:

"You can eat."

Charlotte:

"We know."

William:

"You finish."

Nathaniel looked at Percy. Percy wasn't eating either.

"President."

Percy:

"What?"

"You're exempt."

Percy:

"Yes."

"Why aren't you eating?"

Percy:

"Because you're not eating."

Nathaniel went quiet.

Percy:

"Start."

Nathaniel formed a sphere. Threw it. Didn't work. Again. Didn't work. Again. Didn't work. Clenched his fists. Percy said nothing. Nathaniel closed his eyes. Opened them. Formed the sphere. This time... He didn't look at the sphere. Looked around him. Felt the Orin. Inside him. Outside him. In the air. In the water. In the earth. Everywhere. Released the sphere. One meter. And—

VUUUM!

The sphere accelerated. Silence. On Percy's face... A huge smile broke out.

"Double speed."

Nathaniel:

"Did I pass?"

Percy:

"You passed."

Nathaniel collapsed to his knees.

"FOOOOOOOOOOOD!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

At dinner... Olsen remained quiet for a long time. Finally looked at Percy.

"Something you said today..."

"I want to bring to the academy."

Percy:

"What?"

"Changing what is taught."

Percy set his spoon down.

Olsen:

"Let's not just teach students magic."

"Let's make them ask why it is that way too."

William looked over immediately.

Olsen:

"Every term..."

"Students can choose a spell."

"They analyze it."

"They try to alter it."

"They might fail."

"But they think."

Percy:

"Nice."

Holar:

"Not just students."

Everyone looked at him.

Holar:

"Teachers as well."

Eleanor:

"We learned today anyway."

Holar nodded.

"Precisely."

Galahad looked at Percy. Percy was eating his food. As if... Nothing at all had happened today.

Galahad:

"Percy."

Percy:

"Yes, bro?"

"Today, you really..."

"Might have changed something."

Percy thought about it. Then shrugged.

"Clara did it."

Clara looked at him.

Percy:

"I just thought she could."

Clara:

"You came up with the idea."

Percy:

"You executed it."

Clara:

"If not for you, I wouldn't have tried."

Percy:

"If not for you, I wouldn't have known it worked."

Clara:

"Percy."

Percy:

"What?"

Clara smiled.

"Thank you."

Percy:

"You're welcome."

A second of silence fell.

Percy:

"Though at magic, you're still—"

Clara:

"WORSE THAN ME."

Percy:

"FOR NOW!"

Clara:

"THAT'S MY LINE!"

Percy:

"IT WAS MINES!"

Clara:

"NOT ANYMORE!"

Nathaniel looked with his mouth full.

"They started again."

Arthur:

"They never stopped."

Galahad laughed. Holar shook his head. Eleanor continued eating. Olsen, however... Was looking at the two children. What occurred to one... The other had brought into reality. And today... In the teaching of a spell hundreds of years old... A tiny crack had opened. Percy was right. Maybe a hundred years from now... A child would take this as a basic spell. And what Clara did today... That it was once thought impossible... They would never even know.

DAY TWELVE

END