Published at 16th of February 2024 2:22 pm

Chapter 47. Essence Of The Void

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Questions kept Nox up for several nights following his meeting with the Beaufort siblings. The university, especially Kris, appeared to treasure Michelle despite the taboo surrounding her magic. After their meeting, when he got some time off, he spent an hour in the nearest library looking up the Imperian Mages Guild and the Imperian Inquisition. It took him a while since the library index didn’t include the necromancer family, but he found journals mentioning them.

Even people without misconceptions regarding modern necromancy had qualms with the expertise. They claimed it perverted healing magic and alchemy and was a dark science. Nox disliked the phrase since it mostly saw use in the era of the gods. Zealots called any field of knowledge that disagreed with their patron’s doctrine a dark science. He wondered whether the same people pursued and exterminated the necromancers. After all, rumors claimed that the Imperium was a hive of cult activity. Apparently, the ruling family had links to several.

Necromancy used branches of alchemy Nox had never explored and the Trade Empire didn’t practice. Many researchers studied and occasionally reanimated magical beasts or dungeon-born creatures to either find out weaknesses, study the alien physiologies, or investigate the essences they used. Scholars claimed the first mages developed their cantrips, spells, and foci by analyzing how creatures created by the gods used their magic. Biological alchemists played a significant role in the field. However, the area had little money without a major power’s backing. Modern alchemists primarily focused on brews for delving and wars or cures for the many diseases plaguing humankind.

Nox wasn’t sure how he felt about grafting monster parts with a human. He, of course, had no grounds to oppose it—especially given the company he kept. However, some part of him believed it was wrong. At the same time, he saw the value of a warrior who could literally turn a Dungeon Lord’s weapons against them.

There were records of golemancers creating constructs of clay, metal, and occasionally flesh. The latter variety used monster parts for their construction, too. However, the constructed creatures had simple, childlike minds and relied on their creators to control them. The Trade Empire had banned flesh golems long ago, believing they were a source of disease and a Dungeon Lord’s influence could make them change sides. In Nox’s eyes, Ernest was a flesh golem powered by a phylactery.

During the conversation with the party, Ernest had come across as a stable individual. However, rumors around Intermediate Dungeon Studies claimed he was prone to terrifying fits of rage. Occasionally, he babbled nonsense; one person had seen him eating raw monster flesh during a delve. There was no evidence or corroboration of the final bit of information, and it could just as quickly be nothing more than talk. However, it gave Nox reason to worry about the new person’s presence on the team.

“If the university is willing to overlook necromancy and the risks involved, would they be willing to overlook our contract, too?” Nox asked Lillin when the two of them were alone. “Kris told the Beauforts we were discreet and that I’d understand them.”

“You think that’s because she knows our secret?”

Nox shrugged. “It’s possible. I’m starting to feel that Kris will use every tool available against the gods. She doesn’t care about their morality.”

“It’s possible,” Lillin replied. “Don’t most mages need a familiar before they can safely push their star’s maximum mana level to four digits?”

“They’re usually fragments of sympathetic divine or primordial entities,” Nox said. “Occasionally, mages bond with powerful and intelligent magical beasts, too, but that’s an exceptional rarity even for archmages. Contracts like ours are even rarer. I suppose our deal would make me something akin to a warlock, and they’re persecuted even more than necromancers. It’s possible Kris, perhaps other professors, have figured out your identity.”

“It’s not impossible.” It annoyed Nox how nonchalant Lillin was about the matter. “If Pudge figured it out, others may have too. He’s a journeyman, and the staff are all adepts or experts. Unless Annabelle is a brilliant actor, she is clueless. Perhaps, divination and related fields can’t detect me. Pudge studies living entities and is developing magic to alter them and guide their growth. Perhaps it's given him some spell to sense what I am.”

“It’s not physiological or anatomy detection. Pudge’s Charm might have given him some sort of psychic sense. For the sake of safety, you should avoid powerful healers and anyone displaying developed mind magic.” Nox paused, looking for holes in his hypothesis. “It doesn’t explain how Kris might have figured you out without the help of someone like Pudge.”

“Or Michelle,” Lillin added.

“Kris’s mana system is built around light,” Nox said, speaking to himself more than Lillin. “Maybe she doesn’t limit her to visible spectrums. It’s possible she sees or detects something inside of you.”

“My anatomy is human, through and through. I keep my mimic parts and biomass in a pocket dimension. The opening is right here.” Lillin pressed two fingers over her solar plexus. “It’s no bigger than a pinhole unless I enlarge it. Even if Kris’s detection powers are as potent as you believe, she’d need to study me very closely to know what I am. I think you’re stressing over nothing. Even if she knows something, it’s no more than a suspicion. We’d face greater repercussions for Victor’s death if they were sure.”

“Or they don’t care. We have genuine reason and intention to contribute to this war. What if they’re willing to overlook crimes for the greater good? Victor was an asshole. No one beyond his father appears to give a blight about his demise.”

“How long are you going to go on about that?” Lillin sighed. “We’re fine. The world is moving on. You need to do the same. Focus on making money and finishing your damned spell. I want to delve and eat more rift lords.”

“Will preemptive feedings help delay the scheduled ones?”

“I haven’t thought about it. The contract appears flexible unless you’re late on delivery. I thought about what we discussed after I ate Victor. A full belly clouded my decision-making. We can’t delay the next feeding as long as you hoped. However, if you feed me after the semester ends, we can limit future feedings for when we’re not in university. Once we’re done here, we can rethink the schedule.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Can you be careful around healers and mind mages, please?” Nox asked. “Just for my peace of mind? Even if Kris knows, she’s willing to leave us alone for the time being. I’d rather not do anything that can jeopardize our situation. I’d like to get at least an adept delving license before we leave the university.”

The new working relationship with Michelle proved fruitful. She had no qualms about sharing the Sorlin Stasis Solution’s recipe with Nox. He already had the ingredients list but not the complete spellform. It wasn’t strictly cheating since the parameters for the exam only demanded delivery of the concoction.

Alchemists often collaborated with their peers, sharing ideas, developing recipes together, and learning from one another. Nox reasoned that using Michelle’s spellforms counted as the same. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it himself. Given his experience and expertise, the exam was an easy task. However, developing the spellform, testing it, and achieving the final result would require at least three days of study and experimentation. It was time he couldn’t spare. Finishing the Shaping Planet and launching Noxian Brews took priority.

Even though brewing during Sixthday’s Advanced Alchemy class would’ve been easier—the laboratory had better equipment, and he wouldn’t have to carry the ingredients far—Nox brewed in his workshop. It allowed him to requisition more materials than he needed from the production department. If not for the hefty per-semester tuition, he would’ve felt guilty.

Sorlin Stasis Solution was a challenging brew but easier than the Tincture of Sigil Awakening. It used a few dangerous ingredients like Blizzard Blossoms, Black Water, and Void Fragments—a mysterious material born of spatial or chronal instability. All three grew in the depths of adept jungles or occasionally around unstable expert-ranked rifts. Most almost-journeymen like him wouldn’t dare use substances, fearing frostbite, mana burn, or worse injuries. More experienced alchemists would use an Artisan’s Arm for the brew.

Unfortunately, Nox hadn’t received any letters or packages from Mou. To be fair, he hadn’t sent any either, but in his case, he didn’t know where he stood as a banished individual. Given the projections, Nox hoped to earn enough money for one at some point the next semester. He refused to waste coin on something basic and hoped to eventually save around a thousand gold and build a custom tool. He imagined something made of light metal segments with the flexibility of a tentacle. It would have an incredible range of motion and more durability than the standard two-three-jointed limbs.

Nox made plans to take a chance and send Mou a letter if he heard nothing from her before the end of the semester. For the time being, he used the Mage Hand cantrip to compensate for the lack of the tool. Since his mana zone now extended almost a foot from his extremities, he could now use it for its intended purpose.

Unfortunately, the conjured spectral hand barely had the strength to lift more than a pound. Any stimuli capable of causing enough discomfort to make someone flinch or reflexively pull their hand back would dispel the cantrip. Nox had to modify the spellform to increase strength and make it last a few seconds before failing under stressful conditions. The mana cost and concentration requirements were obnoxious. Only mages pursuing pure telekinesis as their focus built their star around Mage Hand, and the Spell Weaving helped him figure out why. He doubted the task would’ve been within his capabilities if not for Diya and Dean Woodson's classes.

It took three attempts to get the brew right. Void essence was responsible for both failures. Nox mistimed its application the first time, and a finger-nailed-sized opening, similar to Lillin’s dimensional pocket enemies, blossomed in the flask. It consumed hours of work as most off the brew disappeared into the momentary spatial rift. During his second attempt, viscous black sludge appeared in the solution, tainting it and rendering the brew unusable.

The final attempt got Nox a result he deemed near perfect. It was clear with no residue and had the consistency of fresh honey. He tested the solution with an apple. It didn’t freeze or turn into mush after five minutes. When the fruit was still intact the following morning, Nox knew the brew was a success. Lillin ate the apple and reported it as fresh as the day before.

“How?” Professor Das asked when Nox submitted the solution and a work log. “The spellform should’ve taken you weeks.”

“My aunt was an excellent teacher,” Nox replied. “Diya and Dean Woodson’s classes helped a butt load, too. Everything I learned in class helped prepare the necessary tools.”

“And the void essence?”

“I failed half a dozen times before I succeeded.” Nox hoped the lie would excuse the volume of ingredients he had checked out. All three of the rare components were rare and would come in use when creating the brews for adept rank. “I had a bunch of momentary rifts and a few instances where black sludge appeared out of nowhere, tainting the solution.”

“Void essence, next to chaos, is the most unstable and unpredictable of all known essences,” Professor Das says. “Dean Woodson refuses to let us research the space between dimensions and rifts. She fears the flora and fauna could taint life in our world. Her claims of the undead slug plague keep the staff scared and from investigating it further.” He sighed, shaking his head. “I’m surprised you only got the minor singularities and the sludge across six attempts. In my experience, failed void essence usage results are much more chaotic and inconsistent. Perhaps there’s something I’m missing—”

“But you can’t investigate it without going against Dean Woodson?”

Professor Das nodded. “She worked it into the university charter, and the city adopted it into her laws. Anyone caught researching the Void, its fauna, and flora beyond using the essence found around rifts will end up in prison. Nothing scares the old woman besides entities she calls Void Lords. Apparently, they’re responsible for her mother’s death. Either way. Good job. You’re done with Advanced Alchemy.”

“Thank you, professor.” Nox’s lips spread into a wide smile. “You have no idea how much time this frees up. I can—”

“Launch Noxian Brews? I never expected you to get into the cosmetics business.” Professor Das laughed. “But, I hear my assistants and some colleagues are trying to get their hands on samples. You’re onto something, bhai. This is going to make you a lot of money.”

“I need to get the funds for delving somehow,” Nox replied. “The road to archmage is an expensive one.”

“That it is, Nox.” Even though the older man smiled, Nox saw a hint of sorrow in his eyes. “It’s a shame. I see your baba’s talent in you. You could’ve changed the world if you made alchemy your focus.”

“Life doesn’t have to end after I destroy Sundarshahar. Maybe once I’ve avenged my father, I can find a nice woman, settle in a small city with lots of rift activity or nearby dungeons, and live as an alchemist.”

“It takes a lifetime to reach archmage, bhai,” Professor Das says. “Give it some thought. Alright? It’d be a shame if someone as talented as you died on the road of vengeance. There’s more to war than fighting at the frontlines. You could just as well equip the soldiers and keep them alive, resulting in greater overall contribution.”

“I’ll think about it, alright?”

“Thank you.”

Nox doubted Professor Das bought the lie.

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