The Central Black Tower was a monolith of arcane power, its obsidian walls pulsing with runes that hummed like a heartbeat, its spire piercing the starlit sky. Edwyn strode through its labyrinthine halls, his Apprentice Mage Robe shimmering with Force Barrier runes, his red hair catching the luminweed's soft glow from the windows.
The mentor registry, housed on the 10th floor, was his target, a glowing crystal panel listing Arch-Mages and their requirements, a roadmap to his alchemy dreams. The Magus Academy didn't force mentors on Apprentices; most Arch-Mages saw them as dead weight, distractions from their planar experiments. But Edwyn, with the Infinite Forge burning in his soul, was no ordinary newbie. "Time to find a wizard who can teach me to turn rocks into gold," he muttered.
The registry room was a quiet sanctum, its walls lined with floating orbs that pulsed with data, the air thick with the scent of ozone and ancient parchment. Edwyn tapped the panel, filtering for alchemy specialists.
Names scrolled by, until one stood out: Joron, Rank Two Arch-Mage. Main field: Alchemy. Accepted 1,300 apprentices in the past century.
Edwyn's eyebrow shot up, his grin widening. "Wait a sec… Joron? The guy who whipped up my fancy robe? And Agnes's boss?" Memories of Agnes's commanding lecture and the robe's Spell Inscription extraction flashed through his mind. "Yeah, this dude's the real deal. Let's see what he wants."
The requirements were deceptively simple: Must be an Elementary Apprentice and complete one of Joron's tasks.
"Piece of cake," Edwyn said, leaning back with a cocky smirk. "Well, except I'm not an Elementary Apprentice yet. Gonna take a year to hit 20 Spiritforce and engrave a spell. Guess I'll start with the tasks."
He headed for the Task Hall on the 25th floor, his Feather Foot spell lightening his steps, Saban's greatsword slung over his shoulder like a trophy of his forest victory.
The Task Hall was a chaotic nexus, its vast chamber divided into three zones, each alive with mana and motion.
To the left, routine tasks glowed on a crystal board, cleaning alchemy labs, patrolling luminweed paths, or scouting nearby towns, safe but stingy, offering a handful of Academy Coins.
To the right, trial missions pulsed with danger: hunting Arcane Beasts, probing Void Rift anomalies, rewards in Mana Stones but risks that could turn you to ash.
The center, a bustling hive, displayed tasks from individual Arch-Mages, gathering herbs, crafting potions, testing runes, moderate risk, solid rewards.
Apprentices crowded the central board, their orbs flashing as they claimed jobs, the air thick with the scent of ink, mana, and ambition.
Edwyn's crystal orb lit up as he approached the center, its surface shimmering like a star. Probing it with Spiritforce, a flood of tasks scrolled through his mind, herb collection, artifact repairs, potion brewing.
"Sweet setup," he said. "Like a wizard job board."
Filtering for Joron's tasks, one caught his eye: Extract 50 grams of Red Quicksilver. A volatile liquid metal. Apprentices must assess their skills carefully. Submit to the 56th floor. Reward: 100 Mana Stones.
"Red Quicksilver? Sounds like nitroglycerin's angry cousin," Edwyn muttered. "No time limit, fat reward? I'm in. Let's see if the Forge can pull this off."
He sauntered to the counter, where a snake-haired witch in a black robe, a silver pentagram glinting on her chest, eyed him with amusement. Her serpentine locks hissed softly, their eyes glinting like tiny emeralds.
"Yo, snake-lady, hook me up with Task #1205," Edwyn said, flashing a grin he hoped was charming. "Joron's Red Quicksilver gig."
The witch smirked, her eyes narrowing. "Newbie, huh? Joron's tasks aren't the cakewalk they seem, pretty boy."
Edwyn leaned on the counter, his grin unfazed. "Spill the tea. Why's Joron's gig got a bad rap?"
She chuckled, her snakes hissing in unison. "Charm won't help you here, kid. Joron's tasks are infamous, big rewards, but they're grunt work. He takes hundreds of apprentices every cycle, but only a few get his real attention. The rest? Free labor for his Alchemy Workshop, churning out potions while he sips mana-wine."
"No way," Edwyn said, his grin faltering. "He's running a sweatshop? That's cold."
"Cold, but smart," the witch said, twirling a finger, her snakes swaying. "Alchemy's cutthroat, most Mages won't touch newbies. Joron's your best shot, but you'd better have talent, or you're just another potion-stirrer."
Edwyn rubbed his chin, his mind racing. Alchemy mentors were rare, their requirements brutal, engrave three inscriptions, slay a planar beast. Joron's task, risky or not, was his ticket to an alchemy combat system, and 100 Mana Stones was a fortune.
"Thanks for the heads-up, but I'm feeling lucky," he said, his grin returning. "I've got a knack for this stuff. Log me in."
The witch snorted, unimpressed. "Another hotshot bites the dust. Gimme your orb." She tapped it, a flash logging his task. "Don't blow yourself up, kid. Shame to lose that face."
"Aw, you do care," Edwyn teased, tossing her a wink as he pocketed the orb. "I'll be back with Quicksilver and a smile."
The Commercial Zone was a chaotic bazaar, its stalls glowing with mana-charged wares, vials of shimmering potions, rune-etched blades, scrolls pulsing with spells. The air buzzed with the scent of herbs, molten metal, and arcane dust, Apprentices haggling like street vendors. Edwyn needed Sunstone to extract Red Quicksilver, a rare material that sent him weaving through the market's maze.
After dead-end leads like, "Sunstone? Try the next plane!", he found a sign:
Agnes's Cottage, a sleek booth manned by a golem, its eyes glowing like twin coals, shelves lined with vials and alchemical tools.
"No way, Agnes's shop?" Edwyn said, his eyebrow twitching. "Joron's got his apprentice shilling for him? Dude's a business shark." He approached the golem, its mechanical voice humming. "Yo, tin man, I need Sunstone for Joron's task. Got any?"
"2,000 grams of Sunstone, sufficient for 50 grams of Red Quicksilver," the golem said, producing a leather pouch that glowed faintly orange. "Price: 500 Academy Coins."
Edwyn's heart sank, five Mana Stones, half his stash. "Five stones?" he said, his grin wry. "This better not be a scam, or I'm coming for you, bolts."
The low price screamed trap, either the Sunstone was junk, or the extraction was a nightmare, bleeding buyers dry with retries. But he needed Joron's approval, and the Forge was his edge.
"Fine, take 'em," he said, handing over the stones, his balance now a measly five.
Back in his dorm, Edwyn reviewed the orb's extraction notes. Red Quicksilver required only Sunstone, no extra reagents, a rare stroke of luck. He picked up a chunk, its surface warm and pulsing faintly, like a living ember. The Infinite Forge stirred.
[Material: Sunstone (1000g)]
[Extractable Substance: Red Quicksilver]
[Extraction Cost: 100 Mana]
[Begin Extraction?].
"Showtime," Edwyn said, his grin fierce. "Let's see if the Forge can cook up some boom-juice."