"Right. Today, I will introduce you to Biothaumic Studies and its syllabus for the first semester."
She scribbles a rough outline on the 'board' in front of the class while explaining.
"This is your syllabus, class. I expect you all to memorize it and its principles. Starting. We will cover 6 main topics with a total of 18 subtopics in these 6."
On the board, it was written:
1. Foundations of Life and Cell Structure
Biological Molecules Enzymes Cell Membranes and Transport Miotic Cell Cycle Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
"Please open up your textbooks to the syllabus overview if you wish. But your first topic and the one I will teach today is Cell Structures, being the foundation of all life, no matter the element."
Huh?
Sorry?
No matter the element?
"As you know, Carbon is a primary component of all known mammals. We, Humans, fall under this category as 45-50% of our dry biomass is composed of carbon. However, we will study the lifeforms that share the Tau-9 receptor as we do, those that have the primary components of Silicon, Ammonia, Sulfur, and Boron as well."
Yo… Yo? Yo?! What the fuck?!
Agerea is a planet where carbon is not the only basis of life. Rather, a planet where lifeforms, alien yet foreign, have been studied and dissected already?
That crazy dude.
Shit, my nerdy ass is getting too excited.
I never personally found biology interesting; 'Magic' in the form of physics and math was cooler to me. However, if you just introduce five more branches of evolution for me to study, and eventually one day meet.
Fuck yeah!
"Alongside this, you all know that organisms are composed of cells. Knowledge of the structure and function of cells underpins much of Biothaumics, while the fundamental differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells are explored and provide useful biological background for the topic on infectious diseases, a later topic we will learn.
Learn that viruses are introduced as noncellular structures, which allows you to consider whether cells are the basic unit of life. Please use this as your evaluation during the exams."
Professor Azucena claps her hands sharply, the sound cutting through the murmurs of the classroom.
"Anyways, students, today marks your formal introduction to Biothaumic Studies."
She highlights a heading with a decisive flick of her wrist.
Is she wearing a ring that connects to the TV as the board?
She isn't even touching it.
"First topic. Foundation of Life and Cell Structures. Date: 16. 9 . 2024. Today, we will learn Sub-Topic 1.1: Different Elements as the Building Block of Living Organisms."
Isaac flipped to a fresh sheet in his notebook, pen poised.
Biothaumics. Biology x Magic.
Professor Azucena stood at the front of the lecture hall; the air hummed with anticipation.
She picked up a marker pen and scrawled a single word across the whiteboard:
"WHY?"
"Ask yourself. Why elements?" she said low and deliberately. "Why do we assume that life, all life, everywhere, must be built from the same handful of atoms? Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen. The so-called 'CHON' quartet. The dogma of a majority of terrestrial biology?"
One thing Isaac noted, again, was the number of times these Professors loved to pause to add drama. As if it were a law for all professors to add dramatic pauses.
She let the silence stretch, letting the weight of the question settle over them. Then, abruptly, she turned and wrote six more words beneath the first:
"Because biology, like chemistry, is universal."
A murmur rippled through the room.
"But universal does not mean exclusive," she continued. "The elements are the alphabet of existence. Carbon is versatile, yes. It forms stable bonds, complex chains, and delicate structures that can fold, unfold, and replicate. But it is not alone."
She snapped her fingers, and her assistant brought in a large chart. A periodic table, but not the modern version Isaac was familiar with.
Not just the base 118 elements…
But beyond.
Unbihexium (126), Unbiquadium (124), Unbinilium (120), Superactinides, Extinct Isotopes of Superheavy Elements, etc…
And most concerningly, names so complex that Isaac couldn't deduce the etymology of.
What…
How many more elements have they discovered/made?
"Life is not a recipe," she said. "It is an emergent property of thermodynamics, information, and self-sustaining chemical systems and, of course, Thaumitons. Given the right conditions, the right solvent, the right energy source, the right environment, almost any element can become the foundation of something alive."
Fuck… This class is moving too fast to ponder and learn at the same time…
She's implying Mana is needed for life?
Then what about the other four apparent power systems?
"Think about it. In the kingdoms, life uses water as a solvent. But what if the medium is liquid ammonia? Liquid methane? Supercritical hydrogen? What if the energy source isn't sunlight, but geothermal heat, or ionizing radiation, or literal kinetic force? Please turn to the next page."
Isaac flipped through the pages of his textbook, which displayed a series of 'alien' landscapes, a methane lake under a hazy orange sky, a volcanic rift glowing in the dark, a nebula on Earth swirling with charged particles.
"The universe is olllddddddd," Azucena said. "Older than you can comprehend, in fact, for all we know, the universe could be infinite in age, where the matter that spurred the Big Bang came from a previous universe that ended in a Big Crunch. Now think, students, in all that time, across all the many worlds, do you truly believe that only one type of chemistry stumbled upon self-replication? Only one arrangement of atoms learned to adapt?"
She let the question hang.
Of course not… It was theorized not on Earth, but seriously? Is it proven here?
That's interesting… Her choice of words as well… Just to test something…
She proposed that all matter from this universe stemmed from a prior universe that ended via the Big Crunch. I would like to ponder then… Since Estoeric Kabbalists are aware that they worship some God, and that they should be equally as elevated in intellect and physics theories.
Do they also think as I, that higher dimensional entities such as 'them'..
Are survivors of the Big Crunch of a previous universe?
Hmmm… Fascinating…
"Today, you will learn to see beyond the lattice of carbon. You will study organisms built from silicon lattices, boron networks, ammonia jellies, and sulfur chains. You will question whether 'life' even requires cells, or if plasma vortices in a star's corona might also think, might also hunger, that our sun might also be alive?"
A knowing smile curled her lips.
"Because if there's one thing the universe loves, it is variety."
She turned back to the digital board and underlined the original question one final time:
"WHY?"
Then, beneath it, she wrote:
"Why not?"
The class erupted into scoffs and giggles. In that moment, every student in that room accepted that Biothaumics wasn't just a lecture but rather a first step into a far, far larger world beyond Agerea.
"Forgive me for my use of profanities. But as I've written."
"Why the hell not?"
"Now, all of this may seem like a waste of time to the intellectual ones amongst you, but I truly believe that biology is such an interesting science, comparable to the other 2. All of this was to hype us up. Did it work? Well… let's truly begin learning, students."
A clap.
"WELCOME! TO BIOTHAUMIC STUDIES!"
The class followed her with claps. Doctor Azucena bowed her head and basked in the applause before continuing. Isaac joined the clapping; he, a transmigrated, was impressed and hyped.
"Now, intriguingly, true eukaryotes remain Carbon's lonely marvel. It alone has forged cells with mitochondria and cell walls that are not present in other element-based lifeforms."
Heresy sank in for one student alone. Everything Isaac learned about life and Earth could be overruled in the next two hours.
"To begin, Silicon."
"Silicon-based lifeforms, also known as Silikaryotes, are the closest analogues to carbon-based organisms. They form crystalline lattices instead of organic chains, their 'DNA' encoded in siloxane nets inside its 'nucleus', a 'Data Quartz Core', DQC for short. Fact: Its existence was the basis on which our data was built during the 80's."
5D Optical Data Storage in the 80s… Terrabytes in the 80s… Got it…
"They thrive in extreme heat, such as volcanic vents located in the Veledônia Kingdom, Deep geothermal caverns in Elenos, and Knyagatyrsk.
The next page will show you these organisms, they are usually glassy and crystalline in appearance, sometimes forming biofilm-like colonies on rocks or geothermal vents that allow them to reproduce, we don't talk about that yet~."
Everyone giggled, the loudest being Sephalyn, who heard her own land being mentioned alongside such a non-taboo topic.
Isaac flips again, and he sees a shimmering, glass-like creature with segmented limbs refracting light like a prism, making the image of it seem as though the brightness was cracked to the max.
Isaac recognized it.
7-Star Monster: Luxvivora.
It literally cooks its enemies by using its appendages to direct any form of light at its foes. Now that I know it's Silicon Lifeom, you could theoretically explain all its 'magical' abilities with science…
Again… Magic through Science… Tsk…
"Next, Ammonia-based life, Nitrokaryotes," she continues, "They exist in freezing environments where water would freeze solid. Their cellular membranes are lipid-like but composed of nitrogenous compounds called the Azotosome Bilayer. Its genetic information is stored in an N-P Helix Chamber made of nitrogen-phosphorus polymers. They metabolize by dissolving metals in liquid ammonia… Including the iron in your blood."
Whispers grew louder as everyone looked under the Luvivora.
The creature was an iridescent mass pulsing slowly in a simulated methane lake.
Another monster Isaac recognizes.
Hailghast.
7-Star monster, kills by freezing and digesting.
"Fortunately for you, they exist only in the far north of Elenos, where the 'Permafrost' lies."
I'll have to go farm some material there one day… Are you shitting me…
"Following this, Sulfur-based organisms, Pyrokaryotes, are the extremophiles of nature. They don't just tolerate toxicity, but rather, they require it. Their energy cycles resemble Agerea's earliest chemosynthetic bacteria, but evolved into complex, multicellular predators, unlike viruses, which have developed a nucleus. Think of them as sentient plagues."
Jeez… This should be the element that the Myconid Clusters in Rotshade Canopy that almost killed me falls under…
The Pyrokaryotes made Isaac's knuckles whiten around his pen.
I'm gonna exterminate them one day…
"Their general appearance is similar to a creature you all are familiar with, the Ophiocervus. But do not get them confused. The Ophiocervus is a CARBON-BASED LIFEFORM; they are not. They only share a coiled, serpentine look but are distinguished by their bioluminescent veins and needle-like protrusions for teeth.
These organisms have my personal favourite cell membrane and nucleus equivalent. Taking the form of a Selenium-Sulfide Film and an S8- Ring Core, because their cells are a compound made of 8 sulfur atoms bonded to 2 oxygen atoms. Remember, other than the Carbon-Based Lifeforms, they are the 2nd most frequent element-based organism."
Her expression shifts completely. Happy instantly to scared. And maybe…
Afraid? Yeah… Boron…
"Finally…"
"Boron-based life is… different." Azucena hesitates, as if choosing her words carefully.
"Boron forms covalent bonds in ways most elements cannot, for they are violations of the octet rule in compound creation. Fractaryotes are less 'alive' as we understand it and more… self-sustaining chemical reactions. Some theorize they're the bridge between biology and artificial intelligence. Similar to Silicaryotes, their DNA is stored in a boron lattice core. BUT, instead of it storing its information in proper atoms per se, it stores its genetic info in the atom's defects. A missing unbound electron is replaced by DNA."
Professor Azucena claps again, her assistant placing a huge portrait of an organism on the screen. It's a swirling, fractal-like structure, with its edges constantly shifting at impossible angles, dissolving, and reforming even in a still image.
It's trippy… It's like a printed GIF…
What the fuck is that… And why does it look like the 4D Folded Ritualist's Heart?
Was the folding of Ritualist Matthew's Heart a carbon-to-boron-based conversion?
If so, were true… I didn't get rid of that heart… What would evolve from it?
Shit… I hope those Magisters dealt with it…
"These are what we call boxoterrphica, the vernacular names we gave them are 'Abominations'. Yes… I know it's quite the name, but it's a given. They are monsters that attack via fractal tendrils that, if severed, begin to multiply into more abominations. As long as there's ionising radiation to feed on, they will continue to split and assimilate the traits of what they consume."
She takes a deep breath.
Possible trauma from encountering these monsters? To be fair, they were rated as 11-Star threats after all. Abominations were some of the hardest monsters to kill and some of the most deadly.
If I remember correctly, and I FUCKING REMEMBER CLEARLY.
I HATED dealing with the offspring, so long as even an ant seized a piece of it existed…
They always come back.
"Due to the background radiation of the planet, we have no choice but to co-exist with these creatures even post BLF Extermination in 1159. But I promise you, they do not seek co-existence. If you were to be touched by one of these organisms, your body would rapidly succumb to boric acid and Lewirt acid (Lewis Acid IRL), leading to radiation poisoning. You. Will. Die. And be assimilated. Mr. Aldrick, in your Practical Noësis classes, will teach you how to combat all types of creatures. And I BEG YOU ALL, PLEASE listen to him carefully in his lesson on BLF combat."
Yup… Definitely trauma. BLF = Boron-Lifeforms… They got exterminated in 1159, huh?
100% bullshit… I know for a fact that they're somehow gonna appear in the story of New EAA again.
A nervous hand shoots up in the front row. "Doctor, where is the evidence of all of this? Have we, as humans, found these things and studied them? What is the BLF Extermination as well?"
Professor Azucena's face drops into a knowing sorrow.
"Researchers all across the globe have sacrificed themselves in pursuit of science… Our fathers and mothers before us have eradicated the majority of these lifeforms in the BLF Extermination, which you will eventually learn in History Lectures. Understand this, though, my students, if little knowledge is dangerous, then where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger?"
A worried murmur ripples through the class.
A caring warning.
A false warning.
I understand it now.
There was a reason why EINA prepared students so meticulously for deep-sea scenarios. Where is the perfect place for creatures to feed off geothermal radiation, but nearer to the planet's core itself?
Just how deadly and secretive are the oceans of this planet?
More so than Earth for one… Fuck, imagine a giant radioactive lizard made of boron rises from the ocean that rapidly adapts and wreaks havoc on society.
FUCK!
My thalassophobia's gonna kill me before it does…
Still…
It's concerning now that I know this… What would be of Aveline, who wants to explore Veledônia's oceans, if she were to stumble across these lifeforms in the future?
Shit… I need to prepare some protection for her.
His own thoughts kept him occupied for the entirety of the class as they went into much further detail on the chapter.
"Before we end. Know that these are general appearances of each lifeform. Over the ages of the Agerea, they have evolved and diverged from these descriptions. Through your years here in the institute. You will learn to identify and eliminate each organism by its distinct genetic features and weaknesses, should they pose a hostile threat."
She wipes the annotations off the board.
"As for your first assignment: research one of these biochemistries and present a hypothesis on how it might interact with the ecosystem. Due next week. Lastly, in our next class, we will cover Topic 1.2, Cellular Structure of Organisms. Dismissed."
The bell rings, and 2 hours pass just like that. The room erupts into discussion.
I must admit, those who were accepted into EINA are at the top of their game. Whereas in college back on Earth, most would start gossiping and excuse themselves from the class hastily. Here, these scholars in the making are discussing the class material in spaced repetition with active recall…
Should I do the same?
FUCK nah!
Isaac, with a notebook already half-filled with scribbled notes, arrows connecting half-formed thoughts, packs his stuff and immediately leaves. To the dismay of some students who were approaching him.
More importantly, he couldn't be more excited.
EAA never explained the science behind their monsters, albeit an uncreative idea. Yet, in this world, it is firsthand experience. The simplest character/monster could be heavily explained with the fictional science that is Biothaumurgy, adding MUCH depth in the writing of the most simplistic.
Cool. Very cool.
A gaze started to track his movement as someone rose to tail him. A though not Isaac's.
Follow this customer~