Mastery Year 3: Part 6: Post 3: Magic

"Why do you focus so much on science?" asked Albion, one of the yearlings. I should explain that while Albion is young--mid-twenties--he is well-informed and fiercely intelligent. He already has a bachelor's degree in English literature and half an MBA. He also has a very large number of intricate blue tattoos, lots of "tribal" jewelry, and the hungry look of a devotee. I've heard he is a high priest of something or other.

All this, and he spoke to me with that strange mix of deference and challenge that people around here usually address to the masters when they're being confusing. He didn't address me as "Professor Kretzman," but he might as well.

I considered. If he were going to treat me as a master, I might as well act like one.

"What should I focus on?" I asked.

"Magic, of course," Albion answered. "This is a school for magic."

I mentally grumbled something like don't take my classes if you don't like them, you little twit, but what I said was the deliberately intriguing, and not entirely true, "I don't see how there's a difference."

"What?"

"Well, what's magic?" I asked.

"Causing change in accordance with the will," he replied. It's a standard definition in some circles.

"Like this?" I asked, and picked up a small stick and broke it in half.

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because everybody knows how to break a stick with their hands," he retorted, though a moment's thought should reveal that's not quite true. I let that point go.

"So you want to cause change by means that not everybody knows about?"

"Yes."

"So, it follows that you want to understand how the universe really works, not just how most people think it works."

"Yes...."

"Congratulations; you want to be a scientist."

"But I want to do things, not just study them!"

"Then you want to be an engineer."

"No, but I...."

"So you don't want to understand the secrets of the universe and cause change using the things you know?"

"Dammit, I don't want to be some intellectual bean-counter, the world is full of wonder! I want to key into that!"

I chuckled.

"If you think scientists aren't aware of wonder, you don't know very much about science," I told him. "Maybe you should take some of my classes?"

And I walked away and left him gaping.

Is this really me? I find myself having these conversations, and to an extent some of them feel artificial, but more and more I'm thinking yes, this really is me.

It's sort of magical.