Published at 16th of February 2024 2:22 pm

Chapter 54. A Boom And A Buzz

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Kris, Lillin, Pudge, and Vys showed up at Annabelle’s quarters the following morning, just after dawn. The professor got word of what happened as soon as she woke. First, she looked for Nox at his apartment, where his friends told her he had never come home. They had found out about his plans from the parlor assistant the day before. The woman had stopped to gossip and flirt with Pudge when dropping off Nox’s belongings the previous evening. So, they put the pieces together and expected to find him and Annabelle in bed together.

Everyone but Kris displayed glee when Nox answered the door in nothing but a robe and his underwear. Then they were all disappointed when they discovered he had slept on the couch. Then Annabelle emerged from her bedroom, and the pair filled the group in on the previous evening’s events.

It came as no surprise when everyone reprimanded the pair for leaving the carriage and walking home. They primarily focused on Nox, calling him responsible for going along with an inebriated person’s whims. Then they pounced on the news of him and Annabelle being engaged.

“When did this happen?” Kris asked, eyes wide.

“Yesterday,” Nox replied.

“We’re not really engaged,” Annabelle told her. “It’s not been officially announced, and I doubt my father will ever accept or approve of the relationship. However, he’s willing to leave me alone as long as we don’t call it an official engagement. The official verbage is courting. For the time being, at least.”

“So this is all a charade?”

“Yes—”

“Not completely.” Annabelle cut Nox off again. She took a seat next to him, and before he knew it, they were holding hands. “It will be too much trouble hiding it from you. Nox and I are seeing each other. We’d appreciate it if you keep the matter discrete for now and refrain from commenting if anyone approaches you for details.”

“Why would anyone approach us?” Pudge asked.

“Why would we want to say anything?” Vys added.

“Will you be coming back to the apartment, or should I drop your things off over here?”

The conversation devolved into friendly teasing, and much to Nox’s surprise, Kris joined in on it, too. Eventually, everyone filtered out of the apartment to get ready for breakfast and their first classes. Annabelle disappeared into her bedroom to wash up and dress, leaving the professor and her apprentice alone.

“The guard told me about the devastation you left behind,” Kris said.

“I’m sorry,” Nox replied. “It was dark, and I used whatever I grabbed.”

“No. I’m not reprimanding you, Nox. It’s impressive. I didn’t think you’d successfully weaponize essence so soon.”

“Does that mean I can go delving?”

“Why the impatience? You’re so close to completing your planet.”

“Just trying my luck.” Nox shrugged. He handed her one of his arrowheads.

“Your performance might be fine for the war mages department, but dungeon studies have higher standards.” Kris studied the essence glass tool closely. She held it up against the light and flicked it. “If you master Finesse Shaping and spell weaving on the fly, essence glass could make you the most versatile mage on the continent.”

“I’m not far from transcending my star either. I might just manage it before the next semester begins.”

“That soon?” Kris asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m impressed. Perhaps the dense mana zone and several years stuck at the peak of apprentice made your mana system hungry. It's probably trying to make up for lost time.”

“I’ve been circulating mana through my star between fights in Intermediate Dungeon Combat. All my spare time goes into brewing or training. My mana system doesn’t get a lot of rest.”

Kris sighed. She fished Nox’s delving badge out of her coat pocket, handed it to him, and made for the door. The professor paused before exiting. “Your aunt would be proud of your progress, Nox, as a mage and alchemist. Most people would give up when they have channels as damaged as yours. You didn’t, though. You combined a utility spell and a difficult trade into something unique. I’m looking forward to what you do with your future. Just don’t let the aristocracy’s politics and impulsive decisions ruin your future. Alright?”

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The professor left before Nox could think of a response. He sat alone in Annabelle’s living room in nothing but a robe and his underwear, wondering whether Kris meant more than what she said.

Kris had arranged to excuse Nox and Annabelle from their classes for the day, but they showed up to Intermediate Dungeon Combat anyway. Word of the previous evening’s events spread. Everyone in class glanced at the party more than usual while engaging in hushed conversations. Some groups, especially the noble folk, looked especially perturbed.

Michelle informed the party that almost half the city had heard an explosion during the night. It sounded like thunder crashing, and apparently, the parties involved and some bystanders were reporting partial deafness. She got regular deliveries of abattoir byproducts to feed Ernest, and the cart driver told her about property damage too. The buildings and street around where the fight happened had several deep, worrying cracks.

After a couple of rounds of combats, it became clear that the class was mostly talking about Annabelle and Nox. Groups walked by their terrace between bouts, pretending to jog or practicing walking stretches. It didn't take the duo long to figure out that the topic of conversation wasn't their fake engagement. People lingered, mostly focusing on Nox. He guessed they wanted to see him create explosions. It was tempting to feed their curiosity, but Nox resisted.

“I hear you’ve been holding out on me, lad,” Professor Wolfhammer said, approaching the party halfway through the class. “Why aren’t you hitting my beasties with your full power?”

“I have a limited supply of essence glass, Professor,” Nox answered. “Currently, my only means of accumulating them is through duels. If I use too many in class, I might not have enough for our next delve.”

“Fair enough.” The older man’s eyes drifted to the ball of fur sitting on Nox’s shoulder. “I see you went with a familiar summoning cantrip. Why not go for a body enhancement? Haste would’ve done you a world of good.”

“I had to think about my immediate needs more, Professor. I’m not sure if last night’s events and the attempted crippling were done by the same people, but I refused to get caught with my pants down again.” Nox gently took the gremlin off his shoulder and showed him off to the professor. “Otis is a Seeker Gremlin. He isn’t much use of a fight, but the empathic predator sense covered the gaps in Annabelle’s spell set last night. The little guy is an expert in escape and found us the best possible escape during a bad situation.

“I didn’t ignore your advice. My star isn’t far from ascending.” Nox showed the professor his manameter.

Nox Ratra

Apprentice

Crystalize Essence | Shaping

39/56 | 8/15

“I only need eight more units. Professor Kris says my growth is phenomenal, and we’re going delving together once the semester ends. Hopefully, my star will ascend before the next starts.”

“I suppose that’s alright.” Professor Wolfhammer sighed. He gently reached out toward Otis. The gremlin had avoided the party’s affections but let the professor pet him. “It’s not the worst decision. A familiar as simple as Otis won’t take much mana to support, and you don’t have to waste mental real estate on casting or maintaining another cantrip. Get Haste or a body enhancement for your Journeyman cantrip, will you?”

“That’s the plan, Professor,” Nox replied. “I like the idea of moving swifter and shooting arrows faster than my enemies can react. It will most likely be Haste. Besides, it is the polar opposite of Slow, which appeals to me. I know it's not the best reasoning, but it fits thematically?”

“I know. Keep at it, lad.” He glanced at Annabelle. “It looks like the lot of you didn’t get decent sleep last night. Feel free to dip out early.”

“We might just take you up on that. I’m close to completing my planet. Today might just be my day.”

The party fought one more bout. Since Nox had no plans to attend Dean Woodson’s Shaping class in the afternoon, he grew more generous with his mana expenditure. Once the party had taken down all the wolves, he Shaped an arrow out of nothing but essence glass. It used a combination of Slow fragments, some flecks of Louis’ fire, and finally, acid essence from the rift. The exercise made his arms sting around the burns, and his temples throbbed.

A whistle signaled the party. Ernest and Lillin worked together to destabilize the beast before knocking it down to one knee. Then all close-range fighters retreated. Once they were sufficiently far from the summoned man, Nox unleashed his arrow. Much to his disappointment, the infusion of lightning did its job prematurely. The arrow dissolved into an amorphous projectile while still in flight. Instead of striking the chest as Nox had intended, the essences splashed on the beast.

Fortunately, Slow had delayed the fire and acid essence’s activation time. Skin melted, and purple flames bathed the skin underneath. The summoned man only fought its effects for a couple of seconds before collapsing. A loud whistle rose from Professor Wolfhammer, and the regular parade of classmates paused, watching as the intimidating opponent dissolved into a cloud of white smoke.

Caitlin caught up to the group just as they reached the exit. “How’s your arm?” She asked Annabelle. “I heard Gram talking to a healer about it.”

“Nox’s medicine and a couple of spells fixed it right up,” Annabelle answered. “It’s still a little weak, so I avoided the spear today, but I doubt there’ll be little more than one faint scar.”

“That’s excellent,” Alexander said, appearing out of thin air. The young man had added a stealth cantrip to his repertoire. Combined with the nimbleness he got through his bond to Ratotaskr, it put his sneaking skills almost on par with Lillin’s. “Have you heard the buzz? The nobles are furious with the two of you!”

“What?” Annabelle asked, glancing over her shoulder. “What did we do?”

“The guard woke many of them up well before dawn. Apparently, the people they arrested last night claimed they were working for a mysterious cabal of northern nobles. They have people all over the university and are collecting mana batteries. The group interacts with the rogue through a mysterious contact who pays and equips them. Said contact has disappeared, so the guards are questioning people from northern kingdoms and Imperium cities, hoping to find leads.”

“That explains the glares.” Nox sighed. “This better not affect Noxian Brews’ profits. I need money for next semester.”

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