My prior post has been edited for clarity. I hope you can understand my better phrased thoughts.

If people are so interested in history, why don't they let the Seers scry it. They would provide a more accurate account of the past than rellying on the very unreliable brain for that. As it seems, Maelen and others seems to be a devote to the study of history. Maelen was able to recognize Ramses' time warrior uniform even if it was not seen for a millinia.

So is the book some form of monkey's paw? If you don't know what this is look it up and learn a little about culture and folklore.

It's a trope that appears multiple times, but most of them are called to as monkey's paws. They give you exactly what you wish for at first. Each successive wish is twisted and normally ends poorly. It can also be used to convey of meaning that what you want is not what you need.

It is a short story. I made a goggle search and here is a Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monkey%27s_Paw

It was published in 1902 and has been parodied and adapted many times. I was wrong about the award winning thing but it is popular. I remembered that xxxHolic (anime) has a "monkey's paw" episode:

Edited by user Thursday, July 24, 2014 12:42:31 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

So what other branches of animastery is Tom likely to learn? He's experimented with some things he's viewed as useful. Also some Mystic Martial Arts thats been briefly experimented with but just a fist projection so far and no body strengthening or enhancement.

Will he also learn other forms of magic?

Wizardry takes awhile to learn and he doesn't seem to have any desire to study it in the present beyond how he can break it.
Bardic wizardry? probably not
Conjuring: without protection which makes it much simpler
Necromancy? know idea, could help him better grasp how demons are formed and acquire knowledge about himself as this is what occurs to demons, but without religious connotations other than it being wrong to drag souls back to the world of the living and forcing them to be subservient to you is bad. But it is would detail how demons are made.

Divine magic, just no.

Druidic? He can already see the energy around plants and animals, which are scared of him, but draining the life force out of the surroundings for energy sounds both extremely demonic and pragmatic.
Also Animistic druidic magic sounds like something an animage could both learn, manipulate, and appreciate.

These are all just theories but animistic druicic magic, more animagic masteries, and mystic martial arts seem like the most probable things for Tom to learn in the near future. Necromancy seem like something demonic and could possibly allow a demon to further understand how their body works and possibly how to modify it.

I am pro-soul-altering transformations that lead to incomparable pain and increased power. As true strength can only be obtained after hardship, pain, or suffering. It brings out the best in all of us.
I also think of tom as a balor at most times.

Edited by user Saturday, August 16, 2014 5:53:06 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Knowledge is power, but then Tom is terribly lacking in knowledge about magics though he seems to get lucky with some of them. Where would he get the knowledge though. If he teach himself and through trial and error, he might produce some quite unique and interesting magics that might never been seen before.

One thing that really hooked me was the vast possiblity ingerent in the magic structure that is lacking in most books. Tom seems to be in an adventure of discovery and invention. As a lovers of crafts and knowledge, this kinds of adventure is what I root for and desire most. The similar adventure of discovery that Einstien, Tesla, Newton, Edison, etc. have ventured.

Tom had already tinkered with magic and had some success already with stealing mana from a God, which it seems to have not been possible, or so thought. He might gather similar infamy as Ramses and his Time Warriors.

I really looked forward in what Tom would do with his magic abilities and the discovery he will find therein.

Yep yep yep on pretty much all that.

The only teachers he would have at the moment would be Maelen and Antefalken possbily Damien (but doubtful) and of course, the greatest instructor of all time. The Mighty Me Demon!

Oh an Boggy too. We shall teach him how to torture, mutilate and eat Astlanians. How to terrify small children, even more than we do now by default.

There is a plethora of information to be gleaned about secretly hiding under a child's bed and terrorizing it. Oddly enough, not seeing the monster under the bed is often worse than seeing it. if you see something, you can try to grasp it/encompass it/understand it. Something can't see, but only fear is there, is left completely up to one's imagination, and imagination is often scarier than reality.

Smaller to medium, usually they just grow bigger, wartier, scarier. At the higher levels, they pretty much stick to their older form and add more of their own choosing (e.g. shape changing--Exador/Ramses/Bess/Lillith/Asmodeus each have quite a few forms they can assume)

Wow, you've got me nostalgic. I haven't terrorized a child in a long time. I think I'll journey to an Earth and hide under some beds and be really spooky tonight!

Maou, that idea is something that won't be explored in the books I guess.