Simple halls adorned with white paint created a scene many would never remember in the haze that was their first day of real schooling. Every day would bleed in to the next, but what they would learn about their world would remain with them forever.

“Around the world there are many different races, many different people, many different cultures. What ties us all together is mana. All living things have it and control it while some non-living things simply contain it.

What separates us are our elements. Mana comes from a core we can’t really see or grab; we call that the mana essence. The essence begins developing while we’re born but doesn’t truly take shape until a child turns roughly four years of age. Then, we begin to harness one, two, maybe three different elements.

Most people have two elements. Those with one element are more proficient with that element, but they have few options. Those with three elements have the opposite problem, many options but not much power from each element. Those with only two elements have the best of both worlds.”

Here a teacher would stop their scripted ramble, look out toward the class, and ask a question not meant to be answered but instead meant to be a breather, giving students time to assess the information dump.

“What elements are there? Can anyone name them? Just one or two per student is fine.” The teacher would ask something of this sort, adding and/or detracting as they felt fit to do.

“Fire, water, ice, electricity, nature, earth, metal, light, dark, wind.” Those were all the answers typically given. Some well taught or ‘lucky’ student would answer with time or space, perhaps having one of those elements themselves.

Teachers would generally go about telling a story of their own elements or those of other users. The following weeks would be discussing the elements, perhaps asking students to share their own elements and stories. After about two months, students were deemed ready for the next concept: subsets.

“When I say options, you may think someone could use electricity well, but they may need to control the water. In actuality, people develop sets of abilities which we call subsets. While people may develop skills using a single element, their most unique skills are what people treasure. Matthew here has the elements of light and metal, which he used to make light bounce off several metal poles before hitting his father.”

From there, the class would be taught about other miscellaneous facts concerning mana.

“Are there those who have no mana? No. The body cannot seem to function without it. Even while our essence forms, we are constantly absorbing mana in the air, using it, and then expelling it. That used mana goes to other living creatures or objects that cycle the used mana back into useable mana, like with air.”

“Today we’ll talk about the difference between humans, vulfs, alzals, and devils. As you know from being a human, which I assume you all are, you are able to use two elements and blah blah blah, you know what humans can do. The other races can use an element naturally, but not proficiently unless they are born with that element. Vulfs can produce fire and are capable of withstanding temperatures of over 1500 degrees Celsius. Alzals can use their scales and light to become invisible to the naked eye, and when born with light, can copy appearances; they could look like you or me, perhaps act and speak like one of us. Devils can fly if they are born with wind, but those born without will struggle.”

Students would leave the first year of mana class knowing the basics, while the next two years were spent training their elements, and the next four discovering subsets and what role each person played in society.