Agnisotra: Origin Tails

Another lecture had ended. I gathered my belongings and was about to leave the hall.

Agnis had skipped out again. A multitude of questions had popped up of which Agnis would have no problems in answering in a way the students could understand.

I had attempted my best Agnis impersonation but they still were unable to grasp the meaning behind my answers. Raishin always comments on how I talk bizarre and difficult. Was he right all along? It also hurt my ego a bit that several students had fallen asleep.

What can I do to keep the students invigorated during the lectures?

I prepared a shadow clone to give the next lecture and went to observe Agnis’ class to glean how he tackled this problem.

He was preparing his students for the coming exam. I was unsure what the intent was but most were having mock battles and some seemed to be playing some game. It took me a while to notice what was going on.

Not sure if this was planned out or one of his whims but it seems that having his course as strictly practical seems to have been the right choice. The amount of lectures I can personally think of regarding his topic is… 2. The rest is highly practical. I haven’t planned any practicals. Is this the answer to my problem?

I have yet to give my students the chance to create barriers and seals. It is quite inefficient now I think of it. The mythology lectures aren’t as successful as I had hoped. There wasn’t a lot of source material. The source material I had procured were also unreliable. Agnis had warned me but I didn’t realize that it was this unreliable. I will have to discuss this with the headmaster. This course might have to get scrapped.

The solution to my problem was simple. I headed toward my cubicle and started to plan a practical class. They would show what they have learned and I will correct them.

I pondered for a bit. Is this the correct way to go about? Agnis seemed a bit more active in his practical.

Maybe a mock battle with barriers and seals would be more beneficial. It would be impossible for my students to fall asleep. I will need monsters for them to seal away. I headed over to the headmaster’s office.

“Go away Agnis! I’m busy!”

I will come back on a later date when you’re less busy then.

“Oh, Gregory, it’s you, come on in.” I stepped inside the dojo that had been repurposed as an office.

I don’t want to disturb you if you’re busy.

“It’s fine.”

It seems Agnis has been putting a lot of pressure on you.

“Ugh, you have no idea. And I’m only talking about the demands he has for his classes. Now he accused Agatha’s lecture for being useless and it’s causing me a headache.”

With all due respect but I agree with Agnis, her source material is outdated and her methodology is quite… ineffective.

“Not you too… So, what is it that you need?”

I need to plan in several practical timeslots and I need about 50 monsters. I can procure them myself if that’s an issue.

“I forgot that you’re his friend. Can you elaborate on why you need 50 monsters?”

I gave a detailed explanation on my plan and the outline of the practical I plan to give.

“Ho there! No need to give me the full lecture, I understand. We don’t keep monsters on the campus so you will have to procure them yourself. I will grant you the time slots. I really should put someone else in charge of this…”

I appreciate the swift decision. I will get to it immediately.

I [Shadow Melded] to a small forest nearby. Monsters are preferred but wild animals would also work. The sense of urgency in sealing them away will be less if I return with monsters instead of wild animals however. It didn’t take long for me to get surrounded by wolves. These wolves were quite fierce and although they aren’t monsters, they will give the students enough of a push to get a sense of urgency.

[Shadow Vortex] would be the most efficient way in gathering the group and capturing them alive. All the wolves got trapped and I [Shadow Bound] all of them and wrapped [Shadow Tendrils] around them. I summoned my [Shadow Cat]. It started to purr and with its purring it cast [Sleep] on all the wolves. I had caught more than I intended too but it’s better to ‘have but not need’ over having to ‘need but not have’.

The sleeping wolves got bunched up in a large ball of shadows which would follow me back to the campus. It would be reckless to walk into the campus like this so I [Shadowmelded] the ball containing the wolves into my shadow and returned to the campus.

So, we will be having a practical class today to evaluate the fruits of your studies. I have brought some targets to seal away while barriers will be practiced in mock battles. Any questions?

One of the diligent students raised a point. “Why a practical so late in the term?”

I have realized that I was severely lacking in instructing the practical aspects. Barriers and seals are things that should be practiced often just like any physical exercise. This will not be on the coming exam since it’s such short notice but it will come in the last exam of this course.

The practical class commenced. I had heard complaints from Agnis that these human students were weak but seeing for myself how poorly they could handle just 3 forest wolves confirmed what Agnis had told me. I had tried to be reasonable with my practical but it seems that even I lack human common sense.

It seems that even I have still a lot to learn. It seems I had underestimated how the life of a professor would be. I had decided to continue practical classes until the students had a practical level that I considered to be passable. It only now became apparent how ignorant these students seem and I started to fear for the exam. will they be able to pass it? They seem to fumble on the basics even though those lectures had finished weeks ago.

“Like baking a cake…” One student managed to succeed. I wondered if I should introduce more analogies and metaphors in my lectures as Agnis had done. Another thing I should work on.

I went to visit the library after my lecture and started to read up in ways I could add metaphors and analogies in my curriculum

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