Chapter 36: Monoliths
Professor Stark stood before the class, silent for a moment as he stared at the eager faces of his students.
When he saw that they were waiting on his words, he finally continued.
"Theriology," he began, voice rough like gravel, "is the study of abyssal beasts. Their nature, their habits, habitats, diets... and most importantly, their weaknesses."
His gaze swept across the rows of students.
"This semester, we learn to understand them. The next, you learn to fight them."
The silence in the room was filled with excitement.
"Abyssal beasts are not ordinary animals." Stark continued. "They are born from the Abyss itself. The same Abyss that gave us the means to wield magic. The same Abyss that gave you your power. Some of you already know this, but many of you are just now realizing what it means to be a mage."
He took a step toward the window, gesturing toward the beast pen.
"The things inside that building? They’re abyssal beasts. And they’re exactly the kind of creatures that live within you all."
He turned back to the class.
"When humans first discovered ritual magic, there was only one type. Ritual magic that allowed the merging of man and monster."
"That first generation of mages bound themselves to abyssal beasts to survive. But no one knew what the long-term effects would be."