^^ the Door to Oscar's Lab ^^

--- Oscar Hidden ---

"I've decided I want to learn about Ink, and the magic it contains." I said clearly.

Bacchus turned around, and smiled. "Ahh, I see. I am not, unfortunately, a master of Ink-Magic, but I know one. I shall contact her, though she's rather busy, she won't be able to get her until next semester. I think you two will get along very well."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"She is also infuriatingly stubborn, but, unlike you, rather humble." He said dryly.

I grinned. "Sounds perfect." Then I got back to work on the Cardinal Equations. I'd managed, over the past few days, to slowly decode them, stripping them to their base components.

Unlike the first four, which were something I was inherently familiar with, the 5th-8th repeatedly tried my patience, alternatively refusing to relinquish their secrets, and tricking me into believing I'd solved them, only to fail at the last second.

A few times, I was even tempted to cheat and use my elder scroll, but I held back, relishing the first true challenge of my entire life, (other than controlling the Immovable Object Spell that was grafted to my DNA).

I finished stripping the 8th equation, and started to rebuild the 5th immediately.

My methods for creating circles were entirely unorthodox, being abstract imagery, instead of geometry and math, but it worked better for me. Another, lesser mage would not have the mental acuity or focus to create magic from abstract art, instead of circles, but I was not a Lesser Mage, and my Mental Acuity was simply superior.

As I thought this, I sighed at how big my ego was becoming, and resolved to humble myself at some point in the near future.

The bell rang as I was starting the 5th's inner workings, and I sighed, stopping my work and heading to verbiage.

---

I grinned at the doorway as the Cardinal sequences aligned, and then ripped open a whole in space-time, creating a pocket dimension the size of a large clearing instantly.

Bacchus clapped his hands gently. "I'm impressed, Oscar! Two weeks, and you've got 8 of the 13 Cardinal Equations under your belt! Now for 9-12, eh?" He laughed at my deflated look. "No, no, no. Don't be discouraged, I'm not belittling your efforts, I really am impressed, but you must keep your mental momentum, yes?" He explained.

I nodded. "Indeed. I will do so, Elder Bacchus."

---

The 9th-12th sequences had originally been built to explain the turning of the stars and planets, but, of course, were completely wrong, as they viewed the earth as the center of the universe.

They had been summarily replaced by the four ultimate equations for the Four Great Magical Sciences: Alchemy, Transmutation, Geometry, and of course Oculism; the art of FarSeeing, or Visions.

Oculism was easy, if you'd already solved the Time Cardinal, because Oculism relied heavily upon the art of peering into the fabric of Time. Seeing the absolute future was impossible, despite what many mages had always claimed, but seeing possible futures was as easy as plucking a piece of grass from the ground, for an Oculist.

As such, I solved it in less than a day, and deigned not to test it. Elder Bacchus respected my decision, and tested it himself, despite the disapproval of the other mages who'd become a common sight in both the Cardinal Room and my Lab.

They were a constant annoyance and distraction, always asking questions, and taking notes. Even Elder Bacchus lost patience with them, regularly, and they would flee from him in terror like ants from a boot when he did.

He had reported my Oculism Spell satisfactory, though a bit difficult to activate, due to its abstract nature, so I tattooed it onto the back of my neck carefully, for use as a warning about danger, then began the other three Equations.

Alchemy was relatively simple, as it called for the creation of a Philosophers Stone; an object of great power that could store the magic sequence necessary to change lead to iron and iron to gold, by reorganizing the protons and neutrons into the correct formats.

I created one, using the small knuckle-length piece of volcanic gold that Bacchus had given to me carelessly, imprinted with the sequence to change the organization of molecules and subatomic particles, and he again tested it, having a greater repository knowledge than I on the subject of atomic structures.

The Geometry Equation was actually the most unique and difficult of all of Archimedes' many (unique and difficult) Equations, and, very much like the Oculism Equation, was a joke, in terms of the difficulty of the other 11 equations.

Perhaps my view was tainted because of my extensive knowledge on the subject of Geometry and Mathematics, but I easily used the Equation to create the desired end-product, 'Archimedes' Perfect Sphere', which I though was relatively interesting, but not worth all the fuss it was given.

Transmutation was the trickiest of them all, in my book. Unlike Alchemy, which was a natural(ish) change of elemental structure, transmutation actually changed the subatomic particles themselves, using a single piece of the 13th Cardinal Equation.

My limited knowledge of chemistry was a setback, but after a few days learning the basics of the elemental table, (and a week solving the 13th Cardinal Equation,) I managed the Transmutation Equation as well, and turned a (dead)man's foot into pure metal.

I'd solved them all, finally, after a month of work, and so I said goodbye to Bacchus, and made my way to my bed, through the deserted halls of the 4:00AM school.

---

The last stone settled in my Lab, and the door swung shut, enclosing me in a massive cube of underground space.

A library was built along the wall with the door, separated into 3 levels, each with a walkway and ladder.

The left side was covered in a single, gigantic, white-felt 'chalkboard' that I was using ink to write on, as practice for my Ink-Magic.

The right held an amalgamation of several hundred scientific instruments, spread out over a large semicircle, the back to the wall, so that I could reach all of the instruments without wandering around. All of the instruments for specific tasks were placed strategically with others of that type, to smooth the processes of my work.

The side opposite the door was covered in a protective spell that absorbed magic after all the sequences were finished, with a copy of the Immovable Object Spell behind it, sort of like an indestructible magical bullseye.

I filled the shelves with tomes I found interesting, purchased in the city, (and around all of Europe, with my trusty friend Thunderhoof's help,).

They ranged from books on physics to star-maps; ancient Encyclopedia's to Medieval Nautical Maps; books on paint, to plant-magic studies for different Inks.

I managed to collect, in one month, more books than I had ever had in my house, though I retrieved those, as well as the rest of my belongings, and stored them in my Lab.

I had a bed built and placed on the first level of the library, and a bathroom as well, sacrificing some bookshelves for the sake of plumbing, which was connected to an Alchemical Reactor.

The Alchemical Reactor basically broke matter down into base components, and then rebuilt them into pre-ordained materials.

It contained the sequences of both the Philosopher's Stone and the Pocket Dimension, as it was hidden inside the small cauldron that connected the sink, bath, garbage bin, and toilet.

Anything that went in was destroyed, and turned into water, which was then filtered through the pipes at speeds fast enough to clean the pipes by friction alone, and cycled again and again.

The Alchemical Reactor was one of what Bacchus called my 'Lazy Inventions'. What he meant by that, I wasn't sure. The connotations could mean either of two things.

'1: An Invention I made to make my life easier, which was lazy.
Or 2: An Invention I'd made on a whim, lazily throwing two ideas together to create a wholly new one with no original intentions of doing any such thing.'

I wasn't really sure which one it was. But there was no way I was going to ask him. The mystery amused me, and I liked the name. I didn't want it ruined for me.

I enchanted the door with another copy of the Immovable Object Spell, and then spelled it to only unlock with a single key, which had to be enchanted, in turn, with a copy of the Irresistible Force spell, so as to cancel each other out.

I then put the key on the neck of a Ink-Cat Familiar, with orders to only ever allow me to remove the key from its neck.

Around the door, I grew a large amount of carnivorous plants, bartered for the price of a large ball of silver, from one of the plant-mages down here.

Then, I placed a colony of butterflies that would draw bugs to the plants, and also attack anyone who touched the door without the key in hand, receiving the leftovers from the plants, which were easier to digest for the fragile butterflies, as a symbiotic relationship.

The final touch was inspired by Lillian's Apartments. I separated my cube, and then sent it into a pocket dimension, with the Door and Key the only way in, but with an exit into Lillian's apartment hidden in the library, for emergencies.

Finally finished, I headed inside to continue my Work in creating a Collective Cardinal Equation, the Final Test of becoming one of the 27 1st-Tier Grand-Wizard's on the planet.

---

As soon as Practical Magic ended, I started walking towards the Undercroft like normal, to work on my Collective Equation, only for the teacher to call everyone back.

"Wait a moment, children! We're not done yet!" He called out.

We returned, and sat down, then he nodded. "As you know, today marks the end of the First Month of your schooling! As such, there will be an exam tomorrow, and it will take place in the Security Atrium."

"Oh, I'd forgotten about that." I hummed.

"All are welcome to watch, so your family can come if you want. So I'll be needing all of you to get a good night's rest tonight, and then tomorrow you'll finally become recognized as Ranked Members of the Mages Guild!" He grinned excitedly.

I smiled. "This'll be great..."

---

I spent the entire afternoon, night, and into the morning, grinding away in my Lab in the Undercroft, along with several other of the young mages, finishing my Collective Cardinal Equation, so I could use it during the Exam.

I was absolutely determined to be the first, last, and Youngest Mage in history to become a 1st-Tier Grand-Wizard during their First Exam.

Finally done, I fell asleep at 06:00.
-
"Wake up, Oscar!" Russo shook me violently.

I groaned. "Damnit Russo... what time is it?"

"It's 07:45, the exam starts in 15 minutes! Get up! I will leave you!" He snapped.

I stumbled out of my seat, and into the bathroom I'd installed, washing my face and combing my hair swiftly, then grabbed my notes and followed him as we darted out of the Undercroft, and directly into the Atrium.

"Cuttin' it close..." the guard said quietly, as he let us in.

I spotted Pietro, leading my family in, and grinned at them tiredly, finding my seat within the other students, which were in Alphabetical order.

The time was called, and anyone who wasn't inside the hall was marked absent, and therefore disqualified, even if they showed up before their turn.

The panel of judges, opposite us, was composed of three of the Mage Guild's best 1st-Tier Grand-Wizards; the leaders of the Asian Branch, Elder Lee-Hwan, then the Western-European Branch, Elder Bacchus, and the leader of the vast African Branch, (stretching from the Mediterranean all the way to South Africa,) Elder Van Halen, (no relation to the Legendary Sound Mage, unfortunately).

"Amelia DuBois." Elder Bacchus said simply, calling a random name.