28 Chapter 28

Dane walked into his first and only class. It was 'Memory Assessment and Utilization'. Sleepers were free to choose which classes they could attend or not attend. The Academy would not take any action if a Sleeper slacked off during their time there, as long as they did not impede the education of others.

Dane would have loved to train with his Aspect immediately. But, he concluded that it would be seen as weird if he didn't go to any classes. Aside from the combat courses, this class seemed to be the only one he could sit through without being bored out of his mind. Although Dane liked training with weapons, he needed to learn to move efficiently with his new Phantom body. He did not have time to waste on something he had honed for years already.

The teacher was already there. She had flowing brown hair and mesmerizing blue eyes. She possessed a strange aura of serenity that put him at ease. Her eyes tracked Dane as he chose a seat at the back. He was early, he realized. The rest of the students had yet to arrive.

Soon, they arrived in packs and pairs. Dane put his head down on the desk, hoping to avoid conversation. He could hear the chairs being drawn around him. When the confusing chatter of the Sleepers died down, he raised his head, pulled a strange device out of his pocket, and set it on the table. It was a thin strip of glass tinted on one side.

His uncle had procured this for him, delivering it to his room. It had come with a note. "A spelltech made to aid deaf people. It's hypersensitive to sound and will display any coherent set of words there for you to read. It even understands tones!

Nova and Nolan picked the glass model. I told them you would like pink metal better…Nova wasn't so gullible. But Nolan was all for it! I think I know who my favorite kid is lol"

He looked up, and the teacher started speaking. Her calm and melodic voice passed through the class. Dane looked at the strip.

["Good morning, sleepers. I am Professor Noble. In case you are unsure what room you wandered into on this bright Monday, you have found your way into Memory Assessment and Utilization. How many of you have a Memory in your possession?" - Unknown. Would you like to save this voice under the introduced name 'Professor Noble'?

{Yes} {No}]

Dane raised his hand along with every other Sleeper in the room. Dane clicked 'Yes' with his other hand.

Professor Noble gave a wry smile.

[Then it seems you are in the right place." - Professor Noble]

Her words were met with a ripple of laughter. A smile tugged at Dane's lips. She crossed her arms and looked over the room. ["Who can tell me the four main types of Memories?" - Professor Noble]

He raised his hand along with five others. They glanced at him with surprise and quickly put their hands down. He almost frowned.

Dane cleared his throat. "They are categorized as armor, weapon, tool, and charm," he answered.

Professor Noble had a frown on her face, her blue eyes indifferently looking at him. He supposed she didn't like how the others reacted when he raised his hand. He wasn't butting in where he wasn't supposed to, but it felt like it. She spoke.

["Very good…," - Professor Noble. Her tone suggests she is waiting for you to say something. Possible: Your name or position.]

"I'm Dane."

She nodded and continued to speak. ["Correct. Most memories will fall into one of these categories. Some will actually fall into more than one." - Professor Noble]

Already, a student was tentatively raising his hand. She paused to take his question. ["Please tell me your name and your question." - Professor Noble]

["My name is Rowe. I've heard of some memories that can permanently alter a person's body." - Unknown. Would you like to save this voice under the introduced name 'Rowe'?

{Yes} {No}]

Dane's eyes narrowed dangerously. He did not know if the boy was a legacy. For the boy's sake, he hoped Rowe wasn't planning on asking about Lineage Memories.

["There have been Memories like this, of course. But they require some action on the person's part. Permission, if you will. Summoning a memory will not suddenly change your physique forever." - Professor Noble]

This teacher knew a fair bit. Knowledge was dangerous, and it could put her in danger. Of course, what she said right now was not enough for the clans to take action against her, but she would have to be careful.

She continued.

["If anyone has questions beyond the four categories, come to me after class with all your questions. I will be happy to answer anything that I can. Unfortunately, we won't get into the nitty-gritty in class today. Let us stay with the things you are most likely to encounter within the Dream Realm." - Professor Noble]

She smiled politely at the class before getting back to the lecture.

["Back to the types. Weapons are the most obvious. It is something you can wield to defend yourself or attack someone. Armor is something worn on your body to keep your body from injury. Most of you must be thinking about tough and metallic armor, but they can also be subtle." - Professor Noble. Her tone indicates that she is excited.]

She summoned a Memory in a rain of sparks. In a patchwork of colors, a rough and sleeveless fabric materialized and hung loosely over her body. Dane recognized it to be a surcoat. It was a loose robe meant to be fitted over armor.

["This [Loyal Tabard] might not look like much, but its fabric is nearly impenetrable by Nightmare Creatures up through Awakened Monsters and possibly beyond. Of course, it isn't ideal due to the sleeveless nature of the garment, but this beauty can be worn over or under another armor like a second skin. And, in a pinch, it would be better than being unprotected." - Professor Noble]

Dane was wrong. So it was a tabard. He chastised himself for getting that wrong and congratulated himself on picking the right course. At least there was some scope for improvement here. It was either that or wasting time with Sunless in Wilderness Survival. One look at Professor Julius's eager eyes was enough to guess that he would never escape his clutches if he stepped foot into that classroom.

["As for tools, they are a bit of a catch-all. Any Memory that can be helpful to survival or battle but is not necessarily used for fighting is a tool. If you have a Memory but don't know its uses, you likely have your hands on a tool. The final option is a charm Memory. Some argue that this is a subset of tools, while others firmly state that it is a category all its own. You want to know what I think?" - Professor Noble. The last question was rhetorical. Saying anything but yes might make the situation awkward.]

The professor glanced at the crowd of students, politely waiting. A few students nodded.

["It doesn't matter how we categorize charms as long as we know how to identify and use them. But since the spell delineates them as a different type, I do as well."] She gave a shrug and continued, ["Charms can be worn on the body or sometimes paired with another Memory to alter or enhance oneself, a Memory, or the environment around you. They are the most rare type of Memory and also the most valuable. If you receive a charm Memory, it would be wise to hold onto it no matter what the temptation to sell it might be." - Professor Noble]

["Now that we have the foundation, the real question is: why should we care? The answer is simple. By identifying your Memories you should have a better idea of how to use them. Without this knowledge, you could get along alright, but having a systematic process for understanding your Memories will help you to utilize these tools and trinkets to their full capacity much faster. Speed is the difference between surviving unscathed and losing a limb…or worse. So unless you have an ability that lets you see the intricacies of your Memories, this is the best way to save time and live longer." - Professor Noble]

Her smile turned wider. The professor cleared her throat. ["Very well! Let's get on with it, shall we? I need a volunteer. I promise it won't hurt…probably." - Professor Noble. Her tone screams of dangerous excitement.]