The sterile classroom pulsed with a clinical intensity, its smooth stone walls etched with spiraling runes that glowed faintly, casting intricate shadows across the gleaming tables. Alchemical tools, vials of shimmering liquid, crystal conduits humming with mana, and rune-etched scalpels, glinted under dim mana-infused lights, their presence a constant reminder of the Study of Genetic Alchemy's daunting reputation. The air carried a sharp, metallic scent of reagents, tinged with herbs, blending with the low hum of mana vibrating through the floor. Darius sat at his table, his training robes with blue wind motifs catching the runes' glow, his heart steady but alive with anticipation.
The small class of five students sat in focused silence, their serious demeanor underscoring the course's difficulty. Lucien, glasses glinting, scribbled notes at the front, his mana flaring faintly, a sign of his Eye of God sensitivity. Kael and Mara, the earth mages, sat rigidly, their stone-motif robes still, while Lira, the water mage, clutched a vial, her eyes darting. Soren, the quiet girl with no motif, traced a rune on her table, her face taut with focus. Professor Elys stood at the front, their androgynous form in simple gray robes exuding calm authority, their earlier shift to Lyra still lingering in the class's collective awe, the runes humming as they prepared to continue the lesson.
Elys's voice cut through the silence, steady but tinged with a sigh. "Testing on your own essence comes later, too risky for now." Their form shimmered, mana rippling like liquid light, and they shifted into Professor Lyra, her dark hair cascading, her silver-trimmed gown flowing, her features softer but carrying the same intensity. The class froze, Lucien's pen pausing, his mana flaring briefly, fogging his glasses. Kael's eyes widened, Mara's hand gripping her table, Lira's vial trembling, Soren's fingers freezing. Lyra's voice, warm but cautionary, filled the room.
"Today, you'll alter summoned items, simple things, with perfect precision. No defects, or you're setting yourself up for disaster when you touch your own essence." She gestured, the runes pulsing brighter, the air thickening. "Start small, stones to metal, vials to crystal, build control before bigger things, before your body." Her eyes swept the class, locking on each student, her tone emphasizing the stakes. "Defects now mean danger later, a warped stone could be a warped soul." The runes flared, the tools vibrating faintly, the class listening intently, Darius's mind racing with the challenge's implications for his Anemoi Shades.
Lyra raised a hand, her gown shimmering, and small items materialized on each table, a smooth gray stone for Darius, a glass vial for Lucien, similar objects for the others. "Transform them," she instructed, her voice firm but encouraging. "Stone to metal, vial to crystal, flawless precision, no cracks, no flaws." The students leaned forward, their focus sharpening, the runes humming louder as they began.
Lucien's vial glowed, his mana straining, precise but unsteady, the glass warping into a crystalline form but cracking at the edges, his frustration clear as his glasses fogged again. Lira's stone shimmered, her water-based instincts making it fluid but unstable, morphing into a half-metal lump that pulsed unevenly, her face falling. Kael's vial hardened, his earth affinity grounding it, but it shattered into jagged pieces, his jaw tightening. Mara's stone turned metallic but warped, bulging unnaturally, her eyes narrowing. Soren's attempt faltered, her stone barely changing, her hands trembling. The runes flared with each try, defects causing cracks or shatters, the room's energy surging with their struggles, the air thick with frustration.
Banter flowed, easing the tension, Kael chuckling at his shattered vial. "Guess I'm not cut out for crystal yet," he said, Mara nudging him. "At least yours didn't look like a blob," she teased, her own warped metal stone glinting mockingly. Lira sighed, her half-metal lump pulsing. "Mine's trying to swim away," she muttered, drawing a laugh from Soren, whose stone barely shimmered. Lucien, silent but intense, scribbled notes, his cracked crystal vial a testament to his strained precision.
Darius's stone hardened, its surface gleaming faintly like steel, but cracks spiderwebbed across it, his wind instincts clashing with alchemy's demand for control. Lyra paced, her gown rustling, offering minimal feedback. "Focus your will, not your mana," she said, her tone sharp but encouraging, her eyes lingering on Lucien's effort, then Darius's cracked stone. The class bonded through their shared frustration, their teasing and encouragement grounding them, the runes pulsing with each attempt, suspense building as they pushed for perfection, the activity's first half a test of their resolve.
The sterile classroom hummed with a charged intensity, its smooth stone walls etched with spiraling runes that glowed faintly, casting intricate shadows across the gleaming tables laden with alchemical tools. Vials of shimmering liquid, crystal conduits humming with mana, and rune-etched scalpels glinted under dim mana-infused lights, their presence a stark reminder of the Study of Genetic Alchemy's unforgiving precision. The air carried a sharp, metallic scent of reagents, tinged with herbs, blending with the low hum of mana vibrating through the floor. Darius gripped his table, his training robes with blue wind motifs catching the runes' glow, his heart pounding with a mix of frustration and determination. The small class of five students sat in focused tension, their serious demeanor amplifying the course's difficulty. Lucien, glasses glinting, scribbled notes furiously, his mana flaring faintly, a sign of his Eye of God sensitivity. Kael and Mara, the earth mages, exchanged glances, their stone-motif robes still, while Lira, the water mage, clutched her vial, her eyes darting. Soren, the quiet girl with no motif, stared at her unchanged stone, her face taut with effort. Professor Lyra paced at the front, her silver-trimmed gown flowing, her warm but cautionary tone lingering in the air, the runes humming as the students struggled to transform their summoned items.
Darius focused on his stone, its smooth gray surface unyielding under his will, his wind instincts clashing with alchemy's demand for precision. He willed it to shift to metal, picturing a gleaming steel surface, but the stone only hardened slightly, its edges shimmering but cracking with spiderweb fractures. His frustration grew, his hands trembling as he tried again, the stone's surface glinting faintly but splitting further, a defect that mocked his efforts. The runes pulsed erratically, the room's energy urging him to persevere, but his wind-based Zephyr instincts kept pushing for fluidity, not the rigid control alchemy required. He reflected on the lesson's risks, Lyra's warnings about defects foreshadowing self-alteration dangers echoing in his mind. If he couldn't perfect a stone's transformation, how could he enhance his Anemoi Shades or Zephyr form without risking his essence? His vow to prevent the dark future he'd written burned steady, his ambition to surpass Lucien fueling his resolve, the system's silent nudge sharpening his focus. Elara's focus sparked briefly, her intensity a quiet motivator, but he centered on the task, his frustration a fire he channeled into determination, the room's hum urging him to push past his flaws.
Lyra's gown rustled as she paced, her form shimmering mid-step, shifting back to Elys, their neutral features calm but stern, the runes flaring brighter. "Some of you are close," Elys said, their tone blending praise with caution, gesturing to Lucien's cracked crystal vial, its facets glinting but flawed. "But defects now mean danger later, a cracked stone could be a fractured soul." The class tensed, Kael's shattered vial glinting mockingly, Mara's warped metal stone bulging, Lira's half-metal lump pulsing unevenly, Soren's stone barely changed. Elys's eyes lingered on Darius's cracked stone, their voice softening. "Focus your will, not your instincts." Lucien raised a hand, his voice sharp, probing. "Can you recover from a defective transformation, restore the original essence?" His glasses fogged slightly, his mana flaring, his notes meticulous. Elys nodded, their tone wise but humorous. "With skill, yes, but it's like untangling a knot in the dark, don't let your essence get too rattled!" The pun drew chuckles, easing the tension, Kael grinning, Mara nudging him. Lira asked, her voice hesitant, "How do you maintain precision under pressure?" Elys's form shimmered, shifting to Lyra mid-answer, her melodic voice engaging. "Mindfulness, your mind anchors your will, doubt lets it slip." The runes hummed, the class engaging, their questions deepening the lesson, bonding them through shared struggle.
The students continued their attempts, the room's energy humming as stones and vials warped, cracked, or shimmered, suspense building for the activity's second half in future lessons. Darius pushed harder, his stone glinting with a metallic sheen but cracking again, his frustration tempered by a spark of progress. Lucien's vial shifted closer to crystal, its flaws fewer, his mana straining, while Kael's vial shattered anew, Mara's stone warped further, Lira's lump pulsed chaotically, and Soren's stone flickered faintly. The runes flared with each try, the tools vibrating, the air thick with effort. Lyra's warm gaze swept the room, her tone motivational but cryptic. "Keep pushing, precision now builds the foundation for your essence later."
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.