Magic Theory For Dummies: Part Two

Marcus waited for a few minutes so the laughter and bickering would die down. He felt like some kind of professor but he loved seeing them interact like this. Jane didn't have many friends. And Constantine had lost so much and processed so little. They both needed to get out of their shells. So, instead of just giving them reading material, he decided to teach them together. It was something that he also enjoyed; he was on the field too much to get to spend much time with Jane and that was his biggest regret. He wanted to teach her personally as much as he could. Jane, Kento and even Constantine...they were his true legacy, his investment for the future.

Clearing his head, he started his lecture.

"We'll start with the Nightkin," he said, "noticing Constantine's…interest in that area. There are numerous creatures among the Nightkin, mostly known as monsters in human folklore. Creatures like vampires and werewolves are very real. Most are actually friendly and integrated into the Veiled society but there are always some outliers who hunt innocents, and those we take care of. Shapeshifters are among the trickier ones; they're antisocial and don't usually integrate like other species, although some try to do it covertly by replacing others and living their lives in relative peace. One of the reasons we are allowed to operate in the Veiled Cities is because we can spot them. Commissions for dealing with incidents like that are mostly what funds our operations, actually."

"Ironic, isn't it? Kento chimed in. "The same people that fear and hate us also need us to do their dirty work."

"Hold on," Constantine said. "You keep saying that, but you haven't explained it to me. Why exactly are we so hated by everyone?"

"Our abilities." Marcus said. "We are the only species that can use aether, as well as the only ones completely immune to mana. The powers of mages and Nightkin don't work on us, yet we're almost as if someone designed us to kill them – which may very well be true. Much of our history has been lost over the centuries." he continued. "We are few but powerful; when you step behind The Veil, you will encounter a lot of bigotry and hatred, but never forget your own strength. Remember, Constantine, that you'll be facing hatred and discrimination from a position of strength and power, not weakness. It's important you maintain your composure. Don't give them more reasons to fear us." he concluded.

Constantine nodded his head in understanding. If he would get as powerful as Marcus or Kento in the future it made sense for people who couldn't even hurt him to fear him. Hell, he'd be scared of himself as well. However, one question remained pressing in his mind.

"And what about the human world?" he asked.

Marcus' look softened. "We'll discuss this another time, Constantine. There are things you must discover yourself, too."

Constantine nodded, knowing when to give up.

"So, let's get back to shapeshifters," Marcus continued. Shapeshifters are born amorphous, genderless and without identity. Little is known about them, especially their adult true forms, however we have some information about them that most lack. Shapeshifters are parasites." he said.

"What?!" Constantine exclaimed.

"Yes. When their larvae reach maturation, they're made to imprint a target and parasitize them. They consume the target from within and transform into them, with their personality, habits, memories, and knowledge, down to muscle memory. In essence, they're perfect replicas. The only magic they're capable of performing is imprinting magic, which is used to pass knowledge and information to others. This helps them with infiltrating work and information peddling but it's also how they make sure their offspring retain a shapeshifter identity. The imprint that contains their first target also has genetic memories and knowledge that will let them know who and what they are the moment they emerge, and that will help them separate their personalities from their hosts. Their physical abilities depend on what they have ingested. They can use partial transformation for combat and can hold various transformations depending on their rank. Myra Hindley or, rather, the shifter that became her, probably is a newborn, meaning she can only do one partial transformation. From the wound on your chest, it looks like it was werewolf blood."

"Hold up, does that mean I'll turn into a werewolf?" Constantine asked bewildered.

"No idiot, weren't you paying attention?" Jane exclaimed. "Magic doesn't work on us. Turning is a curse, which is a type of magic. Also, shapeshifters can possess the physical characteristics of those they transform into as long as they have a humanoid mass, but not their magical abilities."

"Very good, Jane," Marcus said, making Jane beam with pride.

"So," he continued, "the best way to fight shapeshifters is using your senses. Aether is energy, similar to mana. You need to learn how to circulate it in your body and use it to reinforce yourself. This will make you superhuman to a degree, physically, although not by that far. If you concentrate aether in a specific body part, it will enhance it both physically and with the ability to dispel magic and mana in general. So, for example, the best way to track a shapeshifter is to focus aether in your eyes. I will personally train you in this in the coming days." he concluded.

"As for killing them," he continued, "you have to destroy both their hearts and heads before one of the two can regenerate." You can "kill" them conventionally too, but it won't affect their true forms, and they'll be able to come back after it. You need to use silver to do it as well. It's why most of us use blades, they're made from a special silver alloy infused with aether. Any questions?" he asked.

"Yeah," Constantine said.

"When do I pick my weapon?" he asked, thinking of Myra Hindley.

He wouldn't rest until he saw her severed head at his feet.