"...and that’s how I met Isa."
Elira gave him an incredulous look.
"That’s really where you’re going to end it? The moment you met one of the most powerful people in the world?"
"Well, when you put it like that..." He sighed. "I guess I’ll finish the story, but I hope you have something to rival my fantastic tale."
"That will depend entirely on the question you ask."
"I suppose it will. Alright, where was I..."
"Nice to meet you, I’m Alarion"
Calen tentatively shook the man’s hand.
"I’ve heard quite a lot about you from Miss Berk.
"Then you probably know I’m not interested in being adopted." Calen huffed.
"I’m aware, but it’s not what I’m offering you."
The man shook his head.
"You see Cal, I am a mage - quite a good one at that - and I need an apprentice. I heard you’re quite talented, you can use magic without any training, which is quite extraordinary."
He gave Calen a toothy grin.
"And it is only fitting that such an awesome mage as me would take on such a gifted pupil."
Calen knew that what he just did was magic... well, magic adjecent - real magic was much more complex.
He narrowed his eyes at Alarion.
"How can I be sure you’re a real Mage?"
"Cal, don’t be rude!" Miss Berk admonished him.
The crouching man straightened and lifted his hand.
"No, need to scold him - questioning the nature of things is a good trait for a future mage."
Alarion smiled at Calen, and then snapped his fingers.
The space around them transformed in a fraction of a second - the boxes and barrels that got trashed by the shockwave repaired themselves, the dirty walls around them became sparkling clean, and the knocked out teenagers were now laying on a blanket without any signs of injury.
"Is that enough of a proof?"
Calen bobbed his head in confirmation.
"So, are you interested?"
Calen considered the offer - he didn’t know much about the world, but he knew Mages were very respected.
Magic involved a lot of studying, but he was fine with that, he always liked reading and memorising stuff.
The biggest downside was that he wouldn’t have anyone to play with...
His gaze naturally travelled to Isara.
He has talked with her before - she was nice, but she had absolutely no filter when she spoke, which didn’t really help her in making friends.
She was looking at the mage with sparkling eyes, utterly amazed by the magic show she just witnessed.
Calen managed to lock eyes with her, and then indicated Alarion in a silent question. Isara nodded weakly, slightly embarrassed to be caught staring.
"I’ll agree, on one condition."
The Mage lifted an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what that condition might be?" Alarion tried to maintain a neutral condition, but the corners of his lips threatened to go up.
"Take Isa as a student as well."
Alarion looked at the girl.
"Interesting... Isara, right?"
"Hmmm... show me something impressive, and I’ll think about it."
Isara picked up the knife dropped by the teenager - which was now rust-free and polished to perfection - and scratched a crooked symbol into the dirt road.
"And what is that?" Alarion asked.
"A rune... I think. I saw it in a book once."
The mage rubbed his beard, pretending to be deep in thought, then he sighed dramatically.
"Oh well, I suppose there’s nothing I can do. Go back to the house of dawn and pack your things, both of you. I’m going to pick you up tomorrow morning, so don’t sleep in."
Isara and Calen beamed at each other.
"And so, the next day we started apprenticeship under a very peculiar Archmage."
Elira gave him a thoughtful look.
"Am I crazy or does it seem like mister Alarion was planning to take in both of you from the start? Like how did he know Isa’s full name?"
"Who knows, the guy has some very strange quirks - maybe he planned it all out."
"Do you remember what was the rune Isa wrote on the ground?"
"Oh yeah, the symbol wasn’t actually a real rune - it was a fake one."
Elira’s brows shot up.
"There are fake runes?"
"Yes, they’re used as placeholders when the enchantment isn’t complete, but you need to check how magic flows through an array."
Calen clapped his hands.
"Anyway, isn’t it time for my question?"
"What did you mean back at Drithen’s place - that understanding how things work is a part of alchemy?"
"It meant exactly that - I have to understand how a thing works to recreate it with alchemy. The reason I got defensive was that, as you might have already put together, this knowledge doesn’t always come from... ethical places."
She leaned on the counter and continued:
"Let’s say I need to make a base for an enchanted prosthetic - to create a good one, I have to know how a real arm is built, how do muscles operate, how do bones an ligaments interact. What’s the best way to learn all of this?"
Calen understood what she meant, but she still spelled it out:
"Human experiments, Cal. The entire basis of alchemy is founded in countless atrocities researchers of the past commited. Publicly, all those actions were denounced, but behind closed doors we all study those bloodstained texts to learn just a little bit more about the world that surrounds us - to perfect our craft."
"...Is that why people like Drithen aren’t persecuted?"
"We might pretend to hate and ostracise people like him, but in reality every single alchemist would jump at the opportunity to read their notes."
Calen was silent for a moment.
"Do you think there’s another way to improve alchemy?"
"I... I’m not sure, to be honest. I want to believe there’s an alternate route, but so many people tried to find it, and they all failed."
"Have they really tried? Or did they give up because there was an easier solution?"
Elira didn’t respond.
"You know, there’s a saying among mages - if a problem seems impossible to solve with your current tools, use another toolbox."
"...I don’t get how that saying is relevant."
"I’m saying you should look at the problem from another angle - your problem is dealing with experiments on living beings, right? Then how about you try to use the nature domain to learn about life?"
Elita turned to look at him.
"You know what, that’s actually a pretty good idea. Most alchemist focus only on their craft, and never look for outside perspectives..."
She became lost in thought, considering various approaches to the problem, but Calen’s question interrupted her musings:
"How long have we been talking?"
Elira checked the hourglass next to the stove.
"It’s only been an hour since we started."
"Alright, your turn to ask a question then..."
Somewhere in a secret chamber deep underground, Trent and his most trusted subordinates gathered.
"Report." The Elder ordered.
"The Archdruid doesn’t seem to suspect anything, he’s to busy training the alchemist girl to actually bother checking what we’re doing in the inner sanctum, Lord Elder." The youngest of the three confidants said.
"Elder Baor is completely unaware of what’s going around him, as usual Lord Elder. He goes around claiming he’s training the knight boy, but I think he just enjoys beating the shit out of the kid." The oldest one responded.
"Elder Lydia is completely focused on training the Sun brat, Lord Elder, but she doesn’t seem to have made much progress since we haven’t registered any big divine energy outbursts." The last druid added.
"And the barrier girl?"
"Sits in her study with the mage kid all day, probably doesn’t even know what day it is, Lord Elder."
"Good, good. What about the messengers, when did the last one depart?"
The youngest responded:
"Two days before the kids arrived, but I don’t think we have to worry about them, Lord Elder."
"Why not?" Trent demanded.
"Because the Order has some internal issues and can’t spare any people, while Mountainfall had that incident with their camouflage, so they’ll stay completely quiet for the foreseeable future, Lord Elder."
"Hmmm... Do you think they are in trouble because of that malfunction?"
The oldest druid shook his head.
"I don’t believe so, Lord Elder - Mountainfall already survived three Blightborn raids, even if they find out their new location it’s unlikely the city will fall."
"Very well, I suppose I’ll need someone to rule over after my ascension - speaking of which, how is the progress?"
The youngest one smiled proudly.
"We overcame all the major issues we were facing, and are well on the way to finishing the project, Lord Elder. After a few finishings touches and a whiick double check, the ascension matrix should be ready to use."
"Two days, Lord Elder."
Trent smiled - in forty eight hours he would become a demigod.
The real dieties abandoned them, so he had to take the matters into his own hands.