Jack sat calmly in his seat, his gaze steady as the quiet hum of mana pulsed through the room. The Alchemy Class-B chamber was vast and meticulously arranged rows of polished potion tables gleamed under the soft glow of overhead crystals. Mana infusion bowls shimmered faintly with residual energy, measuring tools lay aligned with precision, herb drawers filled with rare botanicals emitted a comforting, earthy fragrance. The scent of dried sage and bitterroot lingered in the air, grounding the moment in nature's quiet wisdom.
Soft bubbling came from nearby brewing pots gentle and rhythmic, like a heartbeat of alchemical life.
Blup… blup…
At the front of the class stood Professor Elira Moonshade, a figure of serene power. Her long silver hair flowed like liquid starlight down her back, untouched by time. Her emerald eyes, radiant and ancient, swept across the room piercing yet calm, as if reading the soul of every student present.
The room held its breath.
She raised one elegant hand, and the very air seemed to pause.
"Today is your first step into the world of Alchemy," she said, her voice soft but commanding like wind over still waters.
The room fell into an almost reverent silence.
She raised her hand and said in a calm and steady tone, "What we are going to learn are four essential parts: Understanding Herbs, Essence Extraction, Mana Infusion, and the Design of Alchemy Circles."
There was a faint shimmer in the air, a soft magic awakening.
"Let us begin."
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1) Understanding Herbs
The classroom air thickened with quiet anticipation as Professor Elira strode gracefully toward the herb cabinet. The soft clink of glass jars and the rustle of dried leaves echoed faintly as she retrieved three carefully stored herbs: Glowpetal, Dewleaf, and Emberroot.
"These," she began, her voice smooth as flowing water, "are all 1-Star Herbs basic, common… yet foundational. Without understanding them, one cannot hope to grasp the deeper mysteries of Alchemy."
She raised the first herb, a fragile yellow flower with soft, golden hues pulsing at its core.
"This is Glowpetal," she said, holding it between slender fingers. "A night-blooming flower found in open meadows and wild grasslands. It emits a gentle glow after dusk… a trait tied to its mana-rich nectar. Used in basic healing potions and light-restoring elixirs, it gently mends small wounds and carries a trace of luminance when properly brewed."
Soft hum.
As the flower passed from hand to hand, Jack felt a faint warmth when he touched it like sunlight trapped in silk. He studied its petals closely: five, perfectly symmetrical, each lined with subtle mana veins pulsing like a heartbeat.
Next, Professor Elira unfurled a wide, smooth leaf with a silvery sheen.
"This is Dewleaf. Found near rivers, springs, or within mist-veiled forests. Its waxy surface naturally collects morning dew making it invaluable for hydration-based brews and cooling balms. It reduces body heat, soothes minor burns, and neutralizes gentle toxins."
Jack inhaled its scent.
Drip…
The dew slipped from the edge of the leaf, releasing the scent of fresh rain and morning mist cool, crisp, and purifying.
Then came the last herb, a gnarled red root, thick and rough-skinned.
"And this… is Emberroot," she said, her tone deepening. "Born from volcanic soil and nurtured by underground heat. When crushed, it releases a scent similar to spiced cinnamon. It serves as the base for energy potions and fire-resistance tonics. It warms the body, restores stamina, and grants limited resistance against fire."
The aroma hit like a slow-burning coal sharp, warm, and invigorating.
Jack silently activated his Eye of Truth.
In his vision, each herb unraveled complex strands of mana patterns glowed, elemental affinities shimmered in layered colors, and potential alchemical reactions appeared like flowing text in the air. He absorbed every detail growth conditions, alchemical yield ratios, compatibility charts.
While others saw plants, he saw living formulas secrets written in nature's script.
And at that moment, Jack wasn't just learning. He was evolving.
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2) Essence Extraction
Professor Elira stepped toward the center of the room, her robes flowing like quiet silk behind her.
"Now," she said, her voice resonating with quiet power, "we move to the core of potion-making Essence Extraction."
She placed a thick shard of Emberroot into a black-crystal crushing bowl and gently pressed her palm above it. A soft crimson glow gathered at her fingertips, calm and focused.
"You must connect with the herb's nature," she said, her emerald eyes scanning the class. "Not command it. Not dominate it. Let your mana flow into the root, feel its essence, and guide it out. If your will is unstable, the essence will shatter or leak… and your efforts will be wasted."
Crunch…
Her fingers pressed with delicate rhythm, and the Emberroot split open, releasing a slow, glowing red liquid that shimmered with inner heat.
"This," she said, holding the bowl high, "is the essence of Emberroot. Thick, volatile, and infused with fiery mana. Store it in fire-resistant vials only. And never ever mix it directly with water-based ingredients unless you intend to cause combustion."
Fwoosh!
A brief flare of heat radiated as she sealed the vial with a gesture.
The students nodded and began to mimic her actions, carefully selecting herbs and bowls from their stations.
Jack chose Glowpetal. He placed the delicate flower into his bowl and took a slow breath. Then, his fingers hovered above it mana coiled at his fingertips like golden mist.
Pulse!
His mana seeped gently into the petals. He could feel the subtle resistance of the flower, the quiet call of its natural magic. Slowly, tenderly, he applied pressure.
Drip… drip…
A golden liquid began to emerge, glowing faintly with life. It slid into the vial like liquid sunlight. Stable. Clean. Perfect.
He sealed it with precision and carefully inscribed the label.
Professor Elira passed by and paused briefly. Her sharp eyes glanced at his work. She gave him a small, silent nod, a sign of subtle approval.
But not all shared his ease.
Across the room, a boy crushed Dewleaf with trembling hands.
Crack!
The bowl fractured with a sharp noise, and purple-streaked residue splashed onto his robe.
He froze in panic, but Elira calmly approached.
"Stop," she said softly, placing her hand over his. "You're pushing too hard. Let me show you."
She adjusted his posture, fingers curved, mana steady and guided his movements like a musician tuning an instrument.
"Alchemy requires harmony… not force," she said gently. "Feel the essence. Let it reveal itself to you."
Under her guidance, the boy's second attempt yielded a faint shimmer of blue essence.
Jack watched silently, absorbing not just the technique but the philosophy.
Alchemy, he realized, was not just science. It was communion.
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3) Mana Infusion
The room grew still as Professor Elira moved gracefully to the center once more, holding a clear, round flask in one hand.
"This phase," she said softly, "is where your soul begins to shape the potion."
She poured a vial of golden Glowpetal essence into the flask. Its gentle shimmer reflected in her eyes.
"Mana Infusion is not just a process, it is a dialogue between your will and the herb's nature," she explained, her voice carrying a tranquil strength. "Infuse too much, and the potion resists. Infuse too little, and it becomes hollow."
Hummm!
Her mana flowed calm, steady, and clear like wind brushing through leaves. The flask responded. A soft light bloomed from within, and the golden essence turned radiant, alive with purpose.
"For Emberroot, use Pyro or Neutral mana strong, stable, unyielding. For Dewleaf, choose Hydro or Anemo fluid, gentle, like rain or breeze. The wrong affinity will corrupt the potion. So, know your herb… and feel the bond."
The students took their vials and focused.
Jack selected his Dewleaf essence and placed the flask before him. He steadied his breath, summoned a gentle stream of Hydro mana, and let it drip into the liquid like threading a river through still waters.
Fwoosh…
A soft glow emerged. The essence responded in harmony, shifting into a pale green hue. Jack could feel the mana humming inside, vibrant and complete. It was like listening to a heartbeat that wasn't his but was now a part of him.
Next to him, a student poured mana too quickly.
Crack!
The flask hissed thin steam curling from a fault line in the glass. The potion hissed violently, threatening to burst.
Elira's fingers flicked.
Zing!
A glowing glyph shot into the flask, stabilizing the reaction before it exploded.
"Mana control," she said, her tone sharp as steel, "will separate the amateurs from the masters. Recklessness has no place here."
Jack turned his focus to Glowpetal next.
As he infused it with careful, neutral mana, he activated the Eye of Truth. His vision expanded, he saw the essence swirl, felt the pulse of energy as it merged with his will. Tiny mana threads danced within the liquid, shifting with every micro-adjustment of his focus.
And then something unexpected happened.
He felt the Glowpetal essence respond not just to his mana, but to his intent. As if it recognized the care, the precision, the silent curiosity within him.
A bond formed subtle, yet undeniable.
Jack exhaled slowly, the flask pulsing with a golden light in his hands.
He was no longer just infusing mana.
He was weaving purpose into a living essence.
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4) Alchemy Circle Design
With a graceful motion, Professor Elira raised her mana-quill and drew glowing symbols in the air. Lines shimmered, interlocking with seamless elegance until a radiant Alchemy Circle emerged three concentric rings etched in golden light, each pulsing with silent power.
"This," she began, her voice calm yet commanding, "is where art meets precision."
She gestured to the glowing diagram hovering before them.
"Alchemy Circles define everything
The effect.
The duration.
The strength of your potion."
She pointed as she spoke:
Outer Ring – Effect Amplification
Middle Ring – Duration Modifier
Core Glyph – Element or Potion Type
"Each part must be crafted with intention," she said, her emerald eyes scanning the room. "Draw it wrong, and the potion becomes useless… or worse unstable."
A faint pulse echoed as she demonstrated a Basic Healing Circle, followed by a Fire Resistance Circle. The symbols shifted, reshaping in glowing arcs and glyphs as her mana guided the formation.
The students leaned in, eyes wide with focus.
Jack picked up his own mana quill, its tip glimmering with azure light. His hand moved steadily, guided by deep concentration and the silent aid of his [Eye of Truth].
He didn't just draw; he decoded.
As each line formed, he could see beyond the glow into the invisible framework of energy beneath. Threads of elemental force intertwined in a fragile dance of balance, and Jack traced them with exactness, adjusting the glyphs to harmonize with his potion's mana.
His circle shimmered clear, stable, almost flawless.
Elira approached quietly, her gaze lingering on the glowing array before him. Her lips curled into a rare, gentle smile.
"You have potential," she said. "Are you trained in Runic Reading?"
Jack nodded slightly. "A little. I've studied on my own."
Yes! Jack read basic knowledge of Runic from Ava's Books.
Elira tilted her head with approval. "Then keep going. Alchemy rewards the curious far more than the cautious."
Around them, students began activating their circles.
Some potions glowed brightly steady and full of life.
Others fizzled, dimming into cloudy failures.
Pop!
A small explosion erupted at one table, sending a puff of blue mist into the air. The class burst into laughter, and even Elira let out a quiet chuckle.
"Alchemy is built on trial and error," she reminded them, her voice soft but firm. "Don't fear mistakes, fear stagnation."
Jack glanced at his circle, watching the potion inside respond to its glow steady, its rhythm aligned with his intent. For him, this wasn't just a class.
It was the beginning of something much deeper.
Something alchemical within himself.
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End Of The Class
After hours filled with glowing glyphs, bubbling mixtures, and the scent of charred herbs, the morning class finally came to a close.
Professor Elira looked over her students, satisfaction glinting in her emerald eyes. "This," she said with a warm smile, "is only the beginning. Clean your stations."
A gentle rustle of movement followed as students began tidying their work areas.
Jack moved with quiet efficiency washing his tools, sealing leftover ingredients, and organizing his notes with practiced hands. His mind still hummed, not from fatigue, but from wonder. The lessons lingered in his thoughts like embers, glowing softly.
Unlike most, his [Eye of Truth] gave him more than sight; it gave him insight. While others saw herbs and liquid light, Jack saw patterns, flows, and the quiet language of nature written in alchemical script.
Later, seated alone in the mess hall with a tray of simple food, he found his gaze drifting not at his meal, but inward. He recalled the warmth of Glowpetal, the cool essence of Dewleaf, and the balanced precision of Alchemy Circles.
Alchemy isn't just potion-making, he mused.
It's understanding the world in layers like peeling back a veil to see how reality breathes beneath.
Unbeknownst to him, today was not just an ordinary lesson.
It was the first ripple in a tide that would sweep him into forgotten ruins, ancient alchemy tomes, and mixtures once thought too dangerous to name. Formulas that could alter fate. Elixirs that could twist life… or return the dead.
But all of that was still far ahead.
For now, Jack was simply a student.
And he was ready more than ready to learn.
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To Be Continued…!!