Master Of None

1979  1979. Beyond Others The alchemy guild was abuzz with many conversations and events. But no place was in greater contrast than the largest lecture hall that had been built. It was dead silent. Even the whispers were quickly silenced by those nearby the offender. They even tried to breathe silently. Some feeling the effects of such actions as Onyx slithered in behind them.

The oldest alchemical masters had taken up positions to assist the two master alchemists that acted as two of the three masters of the alchemy guild. The third had ventured in to the elven forests to test newly awakened alchemists to see if they wished to join the guild. To find new herbs.

The older masters were prepared to offer any herb they were yelled at to det. They gladly followed even the smallest orders to uncork a mana potion or to open a vent for better air flow. It was amazing for the youngest apprentices who had just taken their first steps in to the world of alchemy to watch their high and mighty masters and instructors acting like this.

What they did not grasp yet, due to their ignorance, was that they were witnessing the creation of a grand potion. Something that was considered once in a lifetime. Something that is often found to be some rumor to attract business. Very few alchemists could make them. Even fewer succeeded more than once in their lives.

Since the alchemy guild was formed, the alchemists had been forced to gather their knowledge. Change their ways of extorting people of high priced potions. To lower and focus on their alchemy for real. Others finally had the chance to shine because their competition was not stomping on them.

But with the formation of the alchemy guild came promises. This event, was one such promise.

All that alchemical knowledge brought together could create amazing things. One of which was a grand potion potential. More than one in fact.

The guild masters that had sat atop this guild had shown their faith in the fact that the guild would produce grand potions within the future. Specifically, within a short time with their increasing power and knowledge. Therefore, this event was very important to the older alchemists.

Beyond that, the ones who had more knowledge and had a burning flame to learn more, had pushed their way to the front to stand. No one could sit, the hall was too full. Even some returned masters had come to watch and were helped up to see by others. It was amazing event which had been going on for over a full day so far.

Those that had passed out had been carried to areas where healers had been stationed in case the process went poorly and people were injured. But the healers quickly realized that people watching were their main job. They had to handle those without the energy of body to survive witnessing such a process.

Every now and then, someone would rush from the room. They had witnessed a technique that they struggled with. A technique that they had not used before and was somehow appearing simple. These small epiphanies were something that they would have taken a much longer time to reach.

What they did not realize, was that even Remey and the master alchemist were in a state where they were creating some ways to make their potion on the spot.

So many incredibly unique and challenging herbs were everywhere around them. Some needed to have the outer layer scrapped to get a single layer of their pulp. Other needed to be dried on the spot and reduced as their own potion to be added. Even more were requiring other herbs to counter the toxic qualities of the desired herbs.

This was so many techniques that only the alchemists with the highest amount of experience and knowledge were able to follow. But Remey, she had managed to watch the old master alchemist for years. She grew up watching him when she could barely understand what he did.

The old master alchemist had also been raised on alchemy. His other the one that literally shaped the alchemy building that he had become the master of in the first place. He had spent many hours of isolation that allowed him to learn the ins and outs of alchemy to a level where he had even finished potions while falling asleep. His body and mind knew alchemy as it was part of them as well.

The learning here was much higher than any lecture or spoke word could share at this level. Especially the flame control.

Remey was clearly using every ounce of focus to perfectly control every small wisp of flame. The fire mana was in the palm of her hand. Some flames even lit on her body only to be drawn away to the flames boiling the cauldron. Or they were snuffed out instantly.

When people saw that Remey was even using unique alchemy flames with a golden hue to process some herbs in her hands, they were shocked. Such flame control was only seen on very unique systems related to fire mages or other rare systems that were so rarely heard of, that most people would not know then anyways.

They forgot that Remey was an alchemical brawler. The only one in existence. A unique class that she had based on her desires and the world reaction to them. But a reminder that there was more beneath the surface was Ignus. He stood watching with eyes fully focused on Remey's every single movement.

While some only saw what was on the surface. Ignus knew that Remey was still settling the extremely potent fire mana within her heart as he was. The formation of a core of unique fire mana that was part of them was still a hard thing to manage since they had to allow their bodies and manas to revolve around it. It was like having a new heart that had to match the space of the current one. But it had to be controlled with intention at all times instead of a passive action.

This took a lot of mental and physical energy. Yet, Ignus was surprised that Remey was adapting at a seemingly faster pace than him. As if she had used her sheer will to make it work better. That she was driving herself beyond what a human should be able to do at all times.

That didn't erase his fears. He worried that she would be a second too slow to help stabilize the mana if the worst happened. He feared that it would be impossible to do that if such a thing were to happen.

Ignus noticed the very small shadow slither in to a very small serpent beside him. "I will let Sister Remey continue. She will need to be at the ceremony in a few days' time." Onyx saw Ignus move a finger slightly as if that was his form of a nod at the moment. "And I will remain here to witness her grand accomplishments. Families should be there to support each other." Onyx had learned his values from the party. Naturally he felt the same as they would.

This made Igus seem to grin a little. But Onyx was unsure of this was just in his head or not. He was just thankful he could still speak to others mentally without causing any noise or bother for others.

A feeling of tension moved through the entire hall. When Onyx saw the herb being taken, he wonder if it was real or just some fake item. Be managed to hear a whisper from someone before they were silenced. Luckily, he also saw that the item was in a container to display it. That was proof of the rarity. The display even had a description of the herb.

"The golden phoenix root. A fire type herb that can be dug up and planted in hot environments. It is extremely temperamental and will be extremely resistant to any flame or process used to attempt to take the unique fire mana and fire resistance properties from it. The oils will dissipate before they can be removed and processes." Onyx read this to Ignus who clearly had an idea of what it was.

Ignus had seen this growing in literal lava pools. An herb that was even tougher for dragons to eat. They would need to be at least a hundred years old to be able to handle the potent fire mana within it. Nowadays, he believed that his body will adjust think of it as a snack.

But Remey, was using flames to manipulate it already. Her flames slowly began to grow as her body was burning too. The armor and runes she wore to resist flames were struggling to keep up. Ignus had to maintain some of his own control to keep Remey safe at this point. It wasn't her flames running rampant, but her control of them that required this. She was going much further beyond what any alchemist had before.

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