Chapter 32: Magic Formation

"I think the different rules of the two worlds are causing this! Souls can carry memories in this world, so the Angel Descent Formation just happens to extract memories from our brains and stores them into the soul..." 

We did transport here with our memories, can't deny that. So I confidently made up a theory based on my understanding. 

"Your theory makes no logical sense and contains philosophical flaws."

Hearing this, Reed finally turned her head to glance at me, then turned back with indifference.

"It's not that complicated. Memories carried by the soul, whether on Earth or here, it's the same..." 

"Then how do you explain memory loss from brain damage? Tell me!"

I held on to this point. If she couldn't properly explain it, I wouldn't believe her.

"You're stuck in a thinking trap..." 

Reed fell silent briefly before continuing. 

"If a DVD player is damaged, of course, it can't play the disc content properly. But the actual content isn't stored in the DVD player itself."

"Oh...I get it!"

I hadn't even replied yet when Cyra suddenly exclaimed excitedly. 

"So the brain is the DVD player, the soul is the disc, and memories are the content carried on the disc. So memories move with the soul!"

"Fine...that makes some sense!" 

Although still reluctant, I had to admit Reed's words perfectly answered my question, at least I couldn't find any flaws for now.

"How do you know that?"

Feeling dejected, I sat down and asked. Reed had never even been to Edenmere, yet she knew memory principles that even Aetna didn't understand clearly. I could only say, as expected of a genius nerd. 

"It's common knowledge in Edenmere. Everyone knows." 

Reed replied plainly.

"But I could only confirm it definitively because of the teleportation. Without that, there's no way to verify." 

I admired her even more. At least Reed could deduce such deep-level reasons just from our teleportation with memories. I had never considered issues like this.

"What's she doing, shaman dance?" 

Cyra suddenly spoke up, referring to Nicola waving her arms as she focused on dancing nearby. 

Since Nicola disliked magic, upon hearing about magic class today, she fled directly. Her excuse was to help Reed experiment in the library...

What could I say? She had always resented Reed dragging her for experiments before. I thought it was just an excuse initially, didn't expect to see her here.

"We're testing controlling gases, but the effects don't seem very good. Once reaching molecular levels, Nicola's control decreases greatly." 

Reed freely revealed the experiment's content and progress. 

"But tests show continuously separating air molecules can slowly improve her wind element control. So I want her to specially train this ability for the next few days here. I can also collect some pure oxygen and hydrogen for experiments."

"What are you collecting those gases for?"

I wondered. This world possibly hadn't extracted pure oxygen and hydrogen before. The conventional methods I knew usually involved electrolysis of water. Even if a stable electric current was presently unachievable, there was no need to exploit Nicola like this right? It felt extremely inefficient, moreover, hydrogen should generally be quite rare in the air.

"For experiments of course." 

Reed said matter-of-factly. 

"There's quite a high hydrogen in the air here too, just byproducts. The main goal is to train Nicola's wind element control. Better if she can reach atomic-level precision. "

"Atomic-level isn't gas anymore!" 

I didn't know what to say. Magic world, yet nonsensically doing science experiments. I had sensed she was headed that way before but didn't expect her to start doing it now.

"I know. But it's still unknown territory, a little experimentation doesn't hurt." 

She brushed it off, seemingly unconcerned. 

Nothing to be done then. Nicola would just have to suck it up. But Nicola didn't look like she had any complaints presently. She seemed to have finished her "shaman dance" and came before Reed. 

"About enough for today right? Let me rest a bit..."

Nicola panted and held out both her palms towards Reed. Only then did I notice she was grasping an apple-sized sphere in each hand. 

"What's this?"

Curious, Cyra and I went closer to examine the spheres. They looked very ordinary, metallic, with a slit in the middle as if detachable. 

"Reed made them, magic devices to collect gases." 

Nicola explained. 

"After separating the gases in the air, insert them in here to store. Left is hydrogen, right is oxygen."

"How does it work? Aren't you afraid the gases will escape?"

Cyra leaned in excitedly but couldn't make out anything. 

"The outer shell only protects the true core inside." 

Reed pried the shell open, revealing the hidden interior.

"Wow, that looks amazing!" 

Seeing it, Cyra and I gasped simultaneously. Inside the shell was etched an ultrasmall magic formation, presently glowing white. A glass bead-sized pitch-black sphere also floated above it. 

"What's that black sphere?"

I reached out to touch it but Reed quickly stopped me. 

"Best not to! It's condensed elemental essence, like a force field. Quite similar to the light element isolation device in your room. I modified the formation based on that. Just added some extra elements."

"Light isolation device?" 

I didn't get how a gas collector related to the light isolation device. 

"I just tweaked the light isolation function to work on gases too, so it isolates gases now. The rest is the same." 

Nicola helpfully explained.

"That powerful? You can modify magic formation now?"

I looked at Reed in surprise. In just one month, she could understand magic to this level.

"Not as hard as you think. No real innovation is needed actually. Mainly just applied the magic shield principle that blocks physical attacks. Magic formations are kinda like automated devices from our old world, with the patterns corresponding to programs. When elements flow in the engraved paths, magic forms. The patterns relate to element flow and final shape when you cast magic. The formation substitutes for the body and entire process, so just injecting elements keeps it running." 

Reed briefly introduced the magic formation principle. I suddenly found it perfectly connected with the magical theory the professor taught today. I felt rather moved. 

"No wonder you never attend lessons. You already grasp magic to this level." 

"Aetna rambles too much. To accommodate that Cyra laggard, self-study is faster." 

Reed bit her apple in ultimate nerd fashion. 

"Hey! Don't say I'm dragging everyone back!" 

Cyra objected indignantly. But remembering her performance in class today, her steam ran out instantly. 

"Fine...I admit I'm bad at theory. But the actual application must be different! I excel there!"

"Then hurry up and rank up to four wings. Or you won't even get those battle chances." 

I impatiently reminded her.

"Stop rushing me! I'm trying my best!" 

Cyra said, very reluctantly. Her attention returned to the sphere. 

"So gases fill the sphere? But it's so tiny. Did Nicola only collect that little bit after all that gathering?"

"Of course it's compressed! The size is adjustable. A more intense light element supply shrinks it more, compressing the gas. Probably hundreds of cubic meters of oxygen now. This size has likely liquefied inside already..." 

Reed pondered briefly before looking at Cyra and me. 

"Further shrinkage needs more light elements. So I'm considering asking you two to inject light, or finding other methods to directly absorb light elements from the surroundings."

"No way! Why shrink it so small? If you feel it's insufficient, consider environmental absorption! Don't drag me in!" 

Hearing that frightened me into refusing outright. She was eyeing us potatoes again. Better to escape now.