Are you sure theres no way I can help? Theresa asked.
Theyd already taken Selina to school and now were back at their apartnt. She had a shift at the Beastarium soonBrutus was already excitedly eyeing the door. This is important, if Ive got to say Im sick for a shift to co and help you, I will. You know I will.
I thought about that, Alex said, pacing back and forth. But theres nothing you could do. Or Selina or Khalik. In the end, Ive got to do this aloneand do it while acting as naturally as possibleso people dont think Im doing sothing sneaky. I go to class and to work with professors Jules and her grad students in The Cells alone. If I suddenly start bringing people, thatll invite attention.
Theresa bit her lip. I really, really wish there was sothing I could do.
Alex sighed and touched her shoulder. Best thing, I think, is to just act normal. Thatll make things easier for , and then we can talk about whatever I find outif I find out anything useful. He chewed his lip. Its probably going to take several sessions analysing it to learn as much as I can, anyway.
Several ans more chances for you to get caught. Theresa shook her head. I wish we could just tell the professors about it, but thatll raiseso many questions.
Yeah, like how did you get that, and who are you that you have that, he said. Even if Jules knew, since shes so by-procedure, I dont think shed even let analyze the stuff, especially alone. Then wed also run the risk of others finding out about and The Fool. And I think thatd be pretty risky right now, especially with what the dungeon core actually is, and what it ans.
Yeah, Theresa said. Considering whats happened, now would be a bad ti to tell people that you have dungeon core remains."
His mory went back to the demon.
It had attacked the priest of Uldarwho hed completely avoided since hed gotten here. Not in a hostile way, but hed never joined with Carey London or gone to their temple. He was present during the demon attack, and his skills in every class except for force magic were rising abnormally fast.
If he went and told a professor and those things were to co out, what would they say?
He could well imagine what would happen next.
Oh by the way, he could hear himself saying. Ive had this dust thats the remains of whats basically a monster-birthing orb the entire ti. A monster-birthing orb that only occurs in the lands of Uldars people and is the enemy of Uldars churchand why yes, I do believe that a conjured demon did in fact attack a rally created by an organization dedicated to him. Why no, that doesnt make Pri Suspect Number 1. Wait stop, why are you putting in chains?
Not to ntion the fact thatif the demon summoner, whoever it was, was in fact targeting Uldar or priests in generalsince he was actually a divinely chosen Hero, that could lead them to target him if that information about him got out.
The only other being that he might consider telling was Baelin, but could he really expect the chancellor not to look at him with even a little bit of suspicion in light of what happened during that rally? He had to consider all of this carefully, because if he said sothing at the wrong ti and things went badly, he couldnt take it back.
Better he should try and analyze the substance safely on his own before looking for outside help. Besides, a small part of him wanted to see how the stuff worked before he considered telling anyone else about it anyway: perhaps it had properties that could help him in alchemy. It certainly was rare.
In the end, hed likely have a far stronger case if he went to Baelin with the analysis of the core complete: he could then show him that he was working against The Ravener, which would at least place him on the sa side as the priests, and not looking like so agent of evil. If it turned out his analysis showed that any part of the dungeon cores substance was similar to anything used for summoning demonslike elents hed learned about in Jules work with her grad studentsthen at least hed be the only one to know.
When the ti was right, he figured he'd be comfortable with approaching soone like Bealin who was neutral to the plight of Thaland and Raveners, Fools and Dungeon Cores, to share his story and results of his analysis with. After that, he could start working on getting the information to soone he could trust back in Thaland, or even better, get it to them anonymously.
We just have to be careful like we have been up until now, Alex said. And well be okay.
She frowned. Ugh, I wish this was a problem my sword could solve. Since it cant
Theresa gave him a worried look, stepped forward and gave him a tight hug. Her warm forehead rested against his chest. Just be careful, okay.
Alex quickly wrapped the huntress in his arms. I will be, he said, keeping his voice steady. Ill be fine.
Im not fine! his mind scread, going completely renegade as he approached The Cells. Im going to get caught! Im going to get caauuught! Theyre gonna grab and throw in wizard jail. Oh, by The Traveller, what the hell is wizard jail even like? Are there rats? Magic rats? Demonic magic rats?!
He took a deep, ditative breath, attempting to calm himself, and ca to a halt on the path. It had been a long ti since hed been nervous about a lab.
He stood in front of The Cells, using The Mark to help himself look as inconspicuous as possible. He still couldnt help but glance around a little too often, though, noting the two Watchers of Roal now flanking the entrance to The Cells. Theyd been assigned to that doorway since the demons attackjust in case soone used demonology in The Cells to conjure another attackerand Alex had usually found their presence comforting.
Today, though, he felt that their hard gazes were firmly on himjudging him, seeing his secrets and preparing to haul him off. He told himself it was his imagination running wild, and that was how they normally looked, but he still adjusted the small sack of dungeon core remains on his belt before he reached the door.
Student identification, one of them said.
Here it is, Alex offered quickly, afraid that his voice was going to crack.
The Watcher stared at the circular wooden card for what seed like forever, but eventually nodded grimly and passed the card back without a word.
They exchanged silent nods and Alex entered The Cells.
Inside, were more Watchers, placed at equidistant points in the hallway. Alex quickly, but casually made his way upstairs, trying to nonchalantly et their gazes: look away too fast, and hed look suspicious, but stare too much, and hed also look suspicious.
The remains of the dungeon core felt like a massive weight pulling on his belt, and he kept imagining so magical ward sensing it and imdiately alerting The Watchers to his secret stash. No alarm went up though, and rationally, he knew he was being irrational. Recently hed started to understand many of the glyphs that warded The Cells, thanks to his Magic Lore classsuch as those surrounding the front doors that prevented them from opening unless one had valid identification.
No glyphs that hed encountered so far seed to be for the purpose of analyzing contraband materials and sending up alarms. Then again, if that sort of magical know-how existed and was so easy to craft, then material analysis in alchemy would be a lot quicker and easier.
He thought about what Professor Jules had told him about how magical devices advanced as the ambient mana in Generasi rose. In a way, he wished it were a hundred years into the future: perhaps by that tiwhen The Ravener was rebornitd be easier to analyze then. Then again, if he was wishing to be born in a different ti, he might as well wish to be born in between The Raveners returns.
Or born during a ti when theyd permanently beaten the damn thing into dust.
As he approached the door to Cell-301his assigned Cell for the sester during the sa two hours every other weekhe paused, shaking his thoughts away. When he was worried, his mind had a tendency to focus on wellhis worries and other unrelated thoughts.
And he would need all of his focus for what was next.
Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his hand around the door handle and pulled.
Hng! he grunted.
It didnt budge.
He tried it again. It didnt budge.
Oh youve got to be kidding , Alex groaned.
The room was locked and there wasnt a single sound coming from it. Unless hed passed out in there, it likely ant the grad student who was supposed to open the room and supervise him hadn't arrived yet.
Which ant, he was stuck out here.
He glanced to the side.
One of the Watchers of Roalseated down the hallwas looking at him. The grizzled man gave him a nod, then went back to systematically scanning the hall and ceiling.
Alex sighed.
Of course. Of course his supervisor would be late and leave him to stand out in the hall all by himself while he was as nervous as a flea on a scratching dog and wanting nothing more than to get his sche over with.
Alex turned around and leaned against the wall, cursing internally and exhaling loudly. He glanced at The Watcher. Maybe he could use this. If he could get into the lab before his supervisor arrived, hed have a lot more freedom to perform so tests.
Hey, he said quietly to The Watcher. Excuse .
Hrm? The Watcher looked up at him again. Sothing the matter?
Yeah, a bit. Alex jerked his thumb toward the door behind him. I got this project and Im supposed to get started, but the grad student thats supposed to supervise isnt here yet. Think you could let in?
The Watcher shook his head. Sorry, never seen you before. Cant do that. Besides, if theyre supervising you then they should be here first.
Ah, okay, Alex said. Thanks anyway.
No problem.
Long uncomfortable minutes passed as Alex waited in the hall, eventually starting to pace back and forth in front of the door. Finally, he heard footsteps rapidly ascending the stairs.
Sorry, sorry! a voice shouted and a man wearing a tall, black, cone cap burst into the hall. At the noise, Alex noticed The Watcher giving the other young man a look of disapproval.
Are you Alex Roth? the man stopped, scratching the stubble on his face.
Yeah. Alex extended his hand to shake the other mans. Are you my supervisor?
I am. The man nodded, trying to catch his breath. Amir Abu Saleh at your service. And you? He paused. Agh, no wait, I just asked that. Sorry, sorry.
Thats alright. Alex looked at the grad students sweat-drenched features. The young man looked like hed sprinted a mile. Are you alright?
Yes, yes. He continued to pant, trying to catch his breath. Last tutorial went long. Ran here not to wastetoo much of your ti. Here, lets get you started.
Amir fumbled with a few keys on a ring and slipped one into the lock.
Clk.
The door to The Cell opened.
Alex stepped inside and whistled in wonder.
His very own laboratoryor at least, his laboratory for the next two hours. Well, what was left of the next two hours. The Cell was very well equippednot quite the size of Cell-207 where his class had done the practicum in the first sesterbut the stations were much larger than those in 207.
Each station was made up of a wide, freestanding desk, with plenty of room for cauldrons, flasks, titration devices and mana vacuums. Suspended above each was a mana waste container that was much larger and more robust than those in the general classroom.
He smiled when he saw the big, beautiful mana waste container.
Even beyond being able to analyze the dungeon core, having access to such a space would allow for far more in depth experints and for more powerful potions to be crafted. There was room here for much more intricate equipnt and the larger mana vacuum ant he could create greater magical reactions without fear of, well, blowing off his own face.
There was only one small imdiate issue.
None of the equipnt he needed was ready andfor the potion Jules assigned him to crafthe needed a fair amount of intricate apparatuses. Was he supposed to get them himself?
Um, should I get everything set up?
No, no, again, my apologies. Amir set his bag down on one end of The Cell. He scratched the closely cropped hair on his scalp. There are a few things you can set up, but therere so apparatuses that well have to bring from the supply closet. The good news is once we set them up, we can leave most of them at your station for the sester since theyre the sort of devices youll be using for multiple reactions. So, what do you say we go fetch them now?
He gave a weak smile and started heading for the door.
Alex fought the urge to shake his head...and his supervisor.
He was given access to this lab every other week. That was roughly six tis during the sester, unless he could get an extra booking in andwith how busy The Cells werethat wasnt likely. He had a limited amount of ti to do his analysis.
And now, the first of his sessions was being eaten away because his supervisor was late and hadnt set up.
He took a deep breath as he followed Amir to get the equipnt, keeping the sample of dungeon core remains close. Today, he would need to craft the potion that Jules had set for him safely, but as quickly as possible andsowhere during the processtry and analyze an aspect of the dungeon cores remains.
He couldnt rush the potion and it was one that would be very useful for him.
A Potion of Haste, which doubled running speed, reaction ti, reflexes and speed of thought. It would be his first third-tier potion.
Alex hoped hed have enough ti for everything he needed to do.
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