They leave the clinic, and walk back to the academy. They talk about random things, like their classes, their hobbies, their plans. They act like nothing unusual happened, but they both know that something has changed. Grog is now intimate with Felix's mom, and Felix will need some time to fully unpack all the mixed feelings that arose from it.
They reach the academy, and part ways. Grog goes to his dorm, to rest and recover, while Felix goes to his next class. He checks the time, and realizes that he's missed general education. He curses under his breath, hoping that his attendance won't suffer too much. He runs to his psionics class, hoping that he's not too late.
He arrives just as the class is starting. He sees Eleanor, who smiles at him and gestures for him to sit. He sits down, feeling relieved and a bit guilty. He hopes that she won't ask him why he was absent, but she does.
"Felix, nice of you to join us. Is everything okay?" She asks, her voice concerned and curious.
He hesitates, not sure how to explain. He doesn't want to lie, but he also doesn't want to reveal too much. He reinforces his mental barrier and makes sure he's not broadcasting at all before sitting down. "A lot did happen today, but a lot of details are things I'm not exactly comfortable with discussing..." He says, his voice vague and uncomfortable.
She nods, sensing his reluctance. "I understand, and I respect your privacy. Though if you need to talk about it, or anything else, I'm here for you. You know that, right?" She asks, her voice gentle and supportive.
He smiles, feeling grateful. "I know, and thank you for your understanding. But right now, I just want to focus on the class. What are we learning today?" He says, his voice appreciative and eager.
She smiles back, and says, "Alright, then. Today, we're going to talk about cognitive load, and how it affects your psionic abilities. Cognitive load is the amount of mental effort required to perform a task. It can be influenced by many factors, such as the complexity of the task, the familiarity of the task, the environment, the motivation, and the emotional state of the psion. High cognitive load can impair your performance, reduce your accuracy, and drain your energy. Low cognitive load can enhance your performance, increase your efficiency, and conserve your energy. The goal is to find the optimal balance, and learn how to manage your cognitive load in different situations." She explains, her voice informative and engaging.
Felix listens attentively, feeling intrigued. He thinks about his own experiences, and how cognitive load has affected him. The most extreme example he can remember was when he was trying to actively construct his mental shield and suppress his broadcasting as two separate problems. He raises his hand, and asks a question. "Professor, how can we measure our cognitive load, and how can we reduce it?" He asks, his voice curious and interested.
Eleanor nods, and says, "Good question, Felix. It can't exactly be measured precisely, it's just something you need to become experienced with and feel. Like you you naturally have a feeling when you pick something up how much lifting capacity you're using. You can also observe and analyze your behavior and performance, and see how they correlate with your cognitive load. Though as for reducing it, there are many strategies. For example, you can practice and improve your skills, making them more automatic and less demanding. You can also use external aids like devices or enchanted equipment, to offload some of the mental work.." She answers, her voice clear and helpful.
Felix takes notes, feeling inspired. He thinks about his thought form, and how making the device to sustain it basically was about reducing the cognitive load and he just hadn't called it that. He also thinks about his duel with Bia, and how he'll need to manage his cognitive load during the fight. He decides to practice some of the strategies Eleanor mentioned, and see how they work for him.
Eleanor then gives the class an exercise to try out their cognitive load management. She asks them to maintain three different psychic effects at once, and to observe how they feel and perform. The effects are: telepathic communication with a partner, telekinetic manipulation of a simple object, and sensory enhancement of one of their senses. She explains that this is a challenging but useful exercise, as it simulates a realistic scenario where they might need to use multiple psionic skills simultaneously.
Some of the class pairs up and some doesn't. Felix chooses to not have a partner because he doesn't want to telepathically communicate. Instead he focuses on telekinetically controlling a feather to float, while trying to enhance his hearing to hear the whispers of the other students in the room. He finds it hard at first, as he feels a strain on his mind, and a headache coming on. He also finds it hard to focus on both tasks, and his performance suffers. The feather wobbles and falls, and his hearing becomes distorted and muffled.
He tries to apply some of the strategies Eleanor taught him, and sees if they help. He tries to relax his mind, and breathe deeply. He tries to prioritize the tasks while blocking out all other thoughts and distractions. He tries to feel the flow of his mental energy, and use it efficiently.
He notices a slight improvement, but not enough. He still feels overwhelmed, and his cognitive load is still high. He wonders if he's doing something wrong, or if he just needs more practice. He looks around, and sees how the other students are doing. Some of them are struggling like him, while others are doing better. He notices that Arden is one of the latter. He's floating a feather, whispering to a partner, and scanning the room with his eyes. He looks calm and confident, as if this is easy for him. Felix feels a pang of envy and admiration, and wonders what his secret is.
The exercise ends, and Eleanor asks for feedback. She calls on some of the students, including Arden, to share their experiences and insights. Arden speaks first, sounding proud and smug. "It was a piece of cake, professor. I just followed the techniques you taught us, and kept my cognitive load low. It's all about practice and discipline." He says, his voice arrogant and dismissive.
Eleanor nods, but doesn't seem impressed. She says, "That's good to hear, Arden, though I'm not surprised. You've always been a model student, with a strong foundation and a high aptitude for psionics. Though not everyone is as gifted as you, and they might need more guidance and support. Can you elaborate a bit on how you kept your cognitive load low?" She asks, her tone neutral and probing.
Arden frowns, and says, "Well, I just concentrated on the most important task, and pushed the others to the back of my mind. I didn't let anything distract me, and I didn't waste any mental energy on unnecessary things. It's simple, really." He says, his voice defensive and vague.
Eleanor sighs, and says, "That's one way to do it, though it's not always the best way. Sometimes, you need to pay attention to all the tasks, and switch between them quickly and smoothly. Sometimes, you need to be flexible and adaptable, and adjust to changing situations. If you focus too much on one task, you might miss something important from another. Also, pushing things to the back of your mind can be taxing and inefficient, as you still have to keep track of them, and they can interfere with your main task. A better way is to integrate the tasks, and make them work together harmoniously. Like a symphony, where each instrument plays its part, but also contributes to the whole. That way, you can reduce your cognitive load, and improve your performance. Though it's good to see how far you've come with your practice and discipline. You should still always try to keep improving too." She explains, her voice patient and wise.
Felix listens, feeling enlightened. He realizes that he was comparing himself too much to Arden, and should just focus on his own efforts and training. He decides to try the symphony approach, and see if it works better for him.
Eleanor then calls on Felix, and asks him to share his experience. He feels a bit nervous, but also eager. He says, "I had a hard time at first, professor. I felt like I was juggling too many things at once, and my mind was getting overloaded. I tried to relax and prioritize, but it didn't help much. Though after hearing your explanation, I think the symphony approach sounds promising, and although I haven't tried it yet I'm very excited to." He says, his voice honest and enthusiastic.
Eleanor smiles, and says, "I'm glad to hear that, Felix. I think you have a lot of potential, and I'm happy to see you're willing to learn and improve. Try the symphony approach later, and let me know how it goes. I'm sure you'll do great." She says, her voice encouraging and proud.
Felix smiles back, feeling happy and motivated. He thanks her, and sits down. The class continues, with more exercises and discussions. Felix enjoys it, and learns a lot. He feels like he's making progress, and that his psionic skills are getting stronger and more refined. He also feels more confident and prepared for his upcoming duel with Bia. He knows he still has a lot to work on, but he's not afraid. He's ready to face whatever comes his way.
The class ends, and Felix packs his things, and walks up to Eleanor, who is tidying up her desk. He thanks her for the lesson, and asks "Professor, would it be alright if I showed you my thought form project? It's about reducing the cognitive load of having a thought form, and I'd like to get your opinion on it." He says, his voice hopeful and polite.
She looks at him, and smiles. "Of course, Felix. I'd love to see it. Come on, let's go to my office." She says, her voice friendly and enthusiastic.
They walk to her office, which is a cozy and organized space, with shelves full of books and artifacts, and a desk with a comfortable chair. She invites him to sit down, and he does. She sits across from him, and says, "Okay, show me what you've got. I'm curious to see how you've reduced your cognitive load." She says, her voice encouraging and intrigued.
He nods, and takes out his device. He explains how he made it, and how it works. He then summons his thought form, and demonstrates how it reads books and relays the information to him. He shows her how it's faster and more stable than before, and how it uses less of his mental energy. He also tells her how he plans to assign it a specific topic to research, to make it more effective.
She watches, impressed and fascinated. "That's good. Though I'm curious how it works, and the specific method it uses to reduce cognitive load." She says, her voice curious and analytical.
Felix explains, "There's a psi crystal in the box that stores and channels the mental energy while making it more efficient. While the box itself, with the enchantments on it, makes the thought form more stable while also having much of the thought forms intended task and behavior patterns integrated into the box instead of being held in my mind."
"I see, so the box is like a memory aid, and the crystal is like a battery. That's very clever, and innovative. It seems like the box handles much of the cognitive load for you. Though I wonder, if you were to do something like this to improve your mental shield, could you use the box to do the complex work of maintaining the shield while you focus your mental energy on the shield itself?" Eleanor asks.
Felix thinks about it, and says, "I don't see why not. Though it would take some experimentation to get right. I'd only thought about using it for a thought form till now, and using it for my mental shield sounds like a good idea. Though I'm still not sure about how to really make a mental shield comprehensive and effective. So I think I'd have to study that more before I'd know what complex work I'd be programming into the device." He says, his tone excited and thoughtful.
She nods, and says, "I think that's a wise decision. You've already made a lot of progress, but you still have room to grow. Keep working on your thought form and your shield, and let me know if you need any help. I'm always here to support you, Felix." She says, her voice warm and supportive.
He smiles, and says, "Thank you, professor. I'll keep doing my best." He says, his voice grateful and determined.
She smiles back, and says, "I know you will. You're a remarkable student, and I'm proud of you. Now, I think it's time to wrap up. I have some other work to do, and you probably want to go home and rest." She says, her voice kind and busy.
He thanks her again, and they chat for a bit more. He then excuses himself, saying that he has to go home and call it a night. He leaves her office, feeling motivated and confident but tired and ready for the day to be over.
On the way home, Felix sees Nya ahead of him looking like she was expecting him. She smiles when she sees him, and runs to him, hugging him tightly. "Felix, are you okay? I heard about what happened with Bia and Grog, and I was so worried about you. I'm so sorry about Bia. He's... The heir of my former clan, and a dangerous person to have as an enemy. I'm glad you're okay, and thought you might have been hurt. It feels like it's my fault... That you're in trouble because of me." She says, her voice full of concern and guilt.
Felix hugs her back, feeling a bit awkward but also touched. He likes her, and he doesn't want her to feel bad for something that's not her fault. He says, "I'm fine, Nya, really. Grog is the one who got hurt, and he's already healed up. He's also excited to watch my duel with Bia. It's not your fault, you didn't do anything wrong." He says, his voice reassuring and gentle.
She pulls back, and looks at him with tears in her eyes. "But Bia came to you because of me. He wanted to warn you away from me, because I'm an exile. He thinks I'm a disgrace, and that you shouldn't associate with me. I don't want to cause you any trouble, Felix. Maybe you should stay away from me, for your own sake." She says, her voice sad and fearful.
Felix frowns, and shakes his head. "No way. I'm not going to abandon you just because some jerk from your clan told me to. Also... I hadn't talked about it before, but I actually have a history of being in conflict with clan beastkin like him..." He then tells her about his previous fights with clan beastkin who hated him for being clanless, starting from when he was nine. He explains how they bullied him, and how he fought back every time. Winning every time too. "I was always stronger than them, even without training, so I don't care what Bia thinks. I'll fight him and show him what a 'nobody' can do." He says, his voice defiant and proud.
Nya listens, feeling shocked and impressed. "You were just a kid, and you fought them? And you won? Every time? That's... that's incredible. You're so strong, Felix. I don't know what to say." She says, her voice amazed and admiring.
He shrugs, and smiles. "I don't seek out fights, but I don't back down or shy away from defending myself. I'd probably end up in conflict if I met him anyway, even if just because of me being clanless, even if Bia didn't say anything about you being part of it. The bottom line is, it's not your fault, how he decides to handle you being an exile is his choice, not anything you're responsible for." He says, trying to reassure her.
She hugs him again, and says, "Even if you're sure you're fine, can I come with you? I'm still too concerned about this to just let it go." She asks, her voice pleading and hopeful.
He hesitates, not sure if that's a good idea. He's not sure about bringing her home or introducing her to his teasing mother, but he doesn't want to deny her either. He decides to be honest, and say, "I don't mind, but I have to warn you, my mom is... well, she's a bit much. She likes to tease people and embarrass them, especially me. She's also very open and forward about... certain things. Just... don't be offended or freaked out by anything she says or does, okay?"
She giggles, and says, "Don't worry, I can handle it. I've met all kinds of people in my life, and I'm not easily shocked. Besides, I like teasing too, sometimes."
He laughs, and says, "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you. Come on, let's go." He says, his voice cheerful and resigned. Knowing that Nya likely does think she knows what she's in for, and very likely doesn't. Yet no words at this point can truly prepare her.
They walk together, chatting and laughing. Felix feels a bit nervous, but also excited. He wonders how his mom will react to Nya, and vice versa. He hopes they'll get along, but he's not sure.
They arrive at his home, and he opens the door. "Mom, I'm home!" He calls out, his voice loud and happy.
Melina appears from the kitchen, wearing an apron and holding a spoon. She smiles when she sees him, and then notices Nya. Her smile widens, "Well, hello there. Who's this lovely lady?" She asks, her voice friendly and curious.
Felix introduces them, feeling a bit shy. "Mom, this is Nya, my magic teacher, and my friend. Nya, this is my mom, Melina." He says, his voice polite and simple.
They greet each other, and shake hands. Melina looks at Nya with interest, "I've heard plenty about you from my son. He says you're a great teacher, and a nice person. He always gives you glowing praise when he talks about you. I'm glad to finally meet you." She says, her voice warm and sincere.
Nya blushes, "Thank you, that's very kind of you. I've heard about you two, I can tell from how he talks with you that you two having a very strong and loving familial relationship." She says, her voice flattered and respectful.
Melina laughs, "Oh, we do. He's my baby boy, and I'm very proud of him. Though he's also a handful, and a troublemaker. You should hear some of the stories I could tell you about him." She says, her voice teasing and fond.
Nya chuckles, "I'm not sure how any of the stories you're thinking of could top contacting and angering a demon princess, but lets not embarrass him." She says, her tone humorous and kind.
Melina smirks, "Yeah, they can't exactly top that. Though I think there's a different topic to talk about." Melina says as she starts to inspect Nya more closely.
Melina then looks at Nya more closely, and her expression changes. She squints, "Hmm, Nya, dear, you don't look too well. Are you feeling okay? You look pale and tired, and I sense a lot of stress in your aura." She asks, her voice concerned and professional.
Nya is taken aback, "Oh, um, I'm fine, really. Just a bit worn out from work. It's nothing serious." She says, her voice defensive and evasive.
Melina shakes her head, "No, it's not nothing. I'm pretty sure you have a serious and chronic condition. Can I please examine you more closely?" She asks, her voice insistent and gentle.
Nya hesitates, but then nods. "Okay, if you insist." She says, her voice reluctant and curious.
Melina leads her to the examining table she has more tools and equipment. "How long have you been feeling like this?" She asks, while checking her eyes and pulse.
"Um, for as long as I can remember. I've always been a bit sickly, and tired. I thought it was normal for me." Nya answers, her voice honest and confused.
Melina hums, "I see, and does it get worse when you use magic?" She asks, while scanning her body with a device.
"Yes, it does. If I use too much magic I get exhausted and dizzy, and sometimes I faint. I only carefully regulate when and why I use magic as a result." Nya admits, her voice sad and bitter.
Melina nods, "That makes sense. You have a very high mana capacity, but your body can't handle the mana saturation and mana flow. It's causing a lot of strain to your body. That's why you feel sick and tired all the time. You also have a very fast mana regeneration rate, which means your body is constantly flooded with mana, and can't rest fully or properly." She says, her voice clear and empathetic.
Nya gasps, "Wait, what? That's... that's horrible. Why didn't anyone tell me this before? I've been to many healers, and they all said I was just weak, or had a low constitution. They gave me some potions and herbs, but they never helped. Are you sure?" She asks, her voice shocked and desperate.
Melina smiles, "I'm sure, dear. It's rare and not only very recently understood. Most healers and mages don't know about it, or how to treat it. Yet I do. I've studied many rare conditions on the off chance someone would benefit from it. Your case is a bit more severe than others I've heard of, but it's still treatable." She says, her voice confident and reassuring.
Nya looks at her with hope and gratitude, "Really? You can cure me? How?" She asks, her voice eager and amazed.
Melina explains, "Well, it's not a simple cure, but more of a management. You'll need to take some special potions and remedies that I'll make for you, to help your body cope with the mana. It won't be an overnight treatment, and will be more like physical therapy than a one time cure. Though I'm sure I can help you."
Nya feels a surge of joy, and hugs Melina tightly. "Thank you, thank you so much! You're amazing, and a lifesaver! I don't know how to repay you!" She says, her voice emotional and overwhelmed. Then coming back from her emotional high before asking, "Can I get a more detailed explanation about what the treatment plan will entail and how it works before I commit?"
Melina nods, "Of course. Come with me to the clinic, and I'll explain everything." She says, gesturing for her to follow. Before they leave, Felix endorses Melina, "My mom is a healer I trust completely, and I know she wouldn't do anything she thinks is unsafe." He says, giving Nya a supportive look.