“So, you two are interested in alchemy I see. The Magnum Opus is something I rarely hear about.”
We were sitting in his lab. It looked similar to Greg’s old lab but it also had a lot of equipment that I didn’t recognize. “May I know why, and what you want to create?”
I can’t go into much details but I want to create a vessel to hold spirits.
“Oho, that sounds complicated, thank you for not going into detail but why do you need alchemy for this?”
It has components that don’t mix well normally, but as I’ve understood the Magnum Opus is a method to create things out of components that are normally incompatible or near impossible to assemble.
“That is correct, you are probably already aware that ‘Knowledge’ is the key. If you are not knowledgeable about the thing you want to put together, the process of magnum Opus will fail. It is not just simply throwing ingredients together and getting the result out of it. This only succeeds if there is a deep understanding of every component and how they relate to each other.” Bomba was carefully observing us.
That should be no problem I just spent 1 year creating most components from scratch.
“Very well, I shall help you. You need the knowledge on how to execute the Magnum Opus correct? I need materials to execute the Magnum opus. You help me get the materials, I will give you the knowledge, a fair trade, isn’t it?” Bomba extended his hand but I was skeptical.
I appreciate the offer but why would you trust us so easily? In your perspective we are just 2 random guys that visited you on a random time with a highly unusual but specific question.
“Haha, because I can just kick your asses if you try to pull anything!”
Ha! Here is where you are wrong! We are super strong!
Hmm that’s true but it might be related to the strange energy in this room.
“Oh, very observant, it seems that I lucked out. Well, this is the reason for my confidence. I call it Bookmark.” He pulled out something which I instantly recognized. The energy it gave off was similar to the horn from the elven village, the item the cultists had when they were releasing the demi god and the item I had found in a ruins in the desert.
A Dimsha, that explains a lot, is it a good idea to show us this though?
“It has recognized me as its owner, you can steal it but that won’t transfer ownership. I can even tell you what it does and it won’t change a thing. It will put your magical and physical power to the same level as mine. And I am quite weak you see.”
He created a flame which was quite weak. Nothing about this guy suggested that he was physically strong or even strong magically.
But won’t that just give you a 50% chance to win? And there is two of us! So that means you have a 100% chance to lose!
“Not all power stems from magical power or physical power. I have my explosions! Power stemming from knowledge and skill are important too!” Bomba said confidently and jugling spherical objects that resembled bombs.
I see, that would make it hard for many to stand a chance against you yeah. The inhabitants of this continent place a low value on science so they will be quite harmless if their magical and physical powers get taken away.
“I think we would have a great partnership; it seems you understand.”
I will just say this, I will still be able to kick your ass but I respect what you stand for so I won’t pull anything, you might want to beat this guy up though so he really understands.
Hey! I won’t do anything if he behaves!
I’m more worried about you misbehaving but this works. I hope the materials aren’t that unreasonable.
“Well, that is the thing, it is hard to execute the Magnum Opus exactly because the materials needed are unreasonable.”
What unreasonable materials are we talking about? Agnis has almost everything!
Well, that’s not true but I do have a large inventory and some connections that can get me things that aren’t that easy to get.
“I also want you two to keep this to yourself. This knowledge on how to execute the Magnum Opus is quite dormant because any that know about it are aware that there are many difficulties and holes in the method. But I had the luck to find out the complete method. If this is known then I won’t be safe and neither are you two.”
Oh, I am aware of this.
I connected to the air leyline currents and created a [Waterball] out of the leyline energy.
It is the same reason why I don’t use this in public as long as I’m in the desert.
“That is fascinating! You made water out of nothing? This breaks so many laws!” Bomba got up and inspected the water I created. He caught some in a flask and started doing some tests.
Not exactly nothing, there is an energy flow that nobody knows about, it allows me to turn energy into water in this case but isn’t limited to just that.
“I see, it is more deeply rooted in understanding I assume, is this why you stated that you could beat me? I don’t think my Dimsha works against this.” Bomba said while still performing tests. He seemed to be doing this absentmindedly…no…it’s almost automatic.
How often does this guy run these tests?
I have reason to believe that both get their power from a similar source so there is a chance your Dimsha won’t work on it correct.
“I would keep this a secret thank you for trusting me I guess we both hold secrets that can harm the other.”
I extended my hand to Bomba. He put his equipment down and shook it.
I can now accept the partnership because now it’s a fair trade.
Hey! What about me! And Greg and Elliana!?
Ah right, we came here with 4 in total.
“I will trust them if you trust them.”
That easy?
I assume. So, what do you want to create?
“A device that doesn’t need the electronium grid to produce energy. I don’t believe that running our society on electronium is wise or sustainable.
Oh, it might not seem like it but it seems our goals align. It just motivates me more to make this work.
I had to keep this short because I could see that Raishin was losing focus and started to show interest in Bomba’s equipment. I
would love to talk more but this guy breaks things when he’s bored. I will return tomorrow with Greg, who is a bit into alchemy.
“That is fine! I can’t wait! I can finally begin my project! Woohoo!”
He seemed to be back to his carefree self. I made sure Raishin didn’t touch anything and we left.
Are you really sure we can trust him?
Is your intuition telling you otherwise?
No, it’s just… it went so easy…
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
Well, I can kind of understand him. Someone is showing interest in his craft. He seems passionate about it and now has found someone to tell about it and teach about it. If someone came to me and said that he wanted to create a magical weapon and had a good manual but not the skills to make it I would probably be happy and make it with him. It is a sort of feeling of accomplishment and pride in our work.
Speaking of which didn’t you say you had made 2 swords for yourself, what’s up with the second one? I only see you using Nilah.
I took my unnamed fire sword out of my dimensional pocket and unsheathed it.
Huh, are you sure that’s a sword? It looks more like a… bat.
Well, this is my answer to those annoying tough and power-based types. I can make it sharp with illusions but it’s job is more to smash. It is quite simple, the more mana it gets fed the more its raw power and fire increases. It is special in that it makes me seem like I’m extremely strong physically, that’s all.
Oh yeah! You suck against those types of opponents but hmmm a sword and a bat, you’re like Cygnus now!
Hmm, I guess, his fighting style was effective though, he had slashing attacks, blunt smashing attacks and frost magic for ranged. He could possibly exploit any weakness with that combo and I’m especially weak to blunt and smashing attacks because I’m so light they can send me flying and take advantage of that.
You don’t seem to get sent flying a lot though so I guess you have ways to counter that.
Yeah, but smashing attacks or explosions, something this sword also can make can also be very helpful as a counter, I will be able to strength contest them with this. Maybe I should give it a spin some time. I guess it needs a name since my other sword means ‘Blue’ in primal language, I guess I will name this one Ruba, for ‘Red’.
I stored Ruba in my dimensional pocket and we returned to the AA.
----------------------------------------
I told Greg about our meeting with Bomba the next morning. Elliana would keep Raishin busy while Greg and I would visit Bomba in the afternoon. I had distributed Jarn clothing to keep my buddies comfy.
Good afternoon, my name is Gregory Sheru, nice to make your acquaintance. I am here with my friend Agnis to deliberate the details and specifics concerning the Magnum Opus.
“Whoa! You talk strange but come in!”
Greg looked at me.
He is right you know… Not because you meet a new person means that you can go back to your ‘pain in the ass’ talk you know.
Greg sighed and we entered Bomba’s house; it was tidy.
How did this guy get everything this tidy in just one day?
We started to talk a bit and decided that Greg would handle the technical stuff and I would be in charge of getting the materials. I had told him to make a list and categorize them by how common they are and difficulty to acquire them.
He had given me 4 lists. They had common, uncommon, rare and scarce materials. The scarce list was the only one that would give me issues. I had the most of the materials on the other lists in my dimensional pocket and could get the rest from the Yttroz Industries.
I was looking at the last list. Half of the ingredients were ones I didn’t recognize, the other were a pain to get. Some near extinct plants or animals. Some parts of mythical or legendary beings, some types of rocks that haven’t been seen in decades and so on. Yttroz industries might have some of these or know where some are but I would most likely have to find these myself.
“So, the process is split up in 4 parts. Nigredo, Albedo, Citrinitas and Rubedo. Rubedo is the hardest step and is the step that requires the most from the list of scarce materials. Nigredo and Citrinitas are relatively easy. Nigredo can be done by us when we have the ingredients but from Albedo onward, we need the person who knows the separate ingredients and the complete product inside out to do the other steps, so you will have to be involved Agnis. Citrinitas will confirm details that can’t be well determined by the sum of the ingredients alone, the dimensions of the end product or appearance for example. I have all the equipment here.”
I am impressed. There are many things I haven’t seen before,
“I will need 3 days to complete the setup. We also have to set up a place outside.”
Why is that?
“Well, even though these processes don’t take long, they are time sensitive, Nigredo needs to be completed under the New moon. Albedo under the full moon, Citrinitas right before noon or after noon has started so between 11:00 and 13:00, it will be the most effective during a solar eclipse but noon also seems to work. Rubedo… needs to be executed on a blood moon.”
A blood moon? But those only appear once every 3 or 4 years.
“Correct. And the last one has appeared a half year ago so we have around 2.5 to 3.5 years to complete everything.”
Ugh, nobody has time for that. Let’s focus on finding the ingredients first before dealing with the moon stuff.
It reminded me of that 9t state where time moves through day and night to get the moon in a specific phase. I wonder if I can use this to get the blood moon to appear.
I have actually never experienced one. I would probably be either sleeping, inside or on the part of the continent where it can’t be seen. If I get stronger during the full moon does this disappear under a blood moon or do I get even stronger?
These are questions I can figure out later. I have to deal with this problematic list. I will have to ask Elliana about the plants, if she doesn’t know I need to find Vinny. Yttroz industries for the rocks.
Mythical and legendary creature parts… I might have to ask Inyr if I can find him. Phoenix blood and phoenix fire are marked as the hardest but those are the easiest for me. No phoenix has been spotted on the Mainfloor since Hourai was created so it makes sense. I might have to add to this research that besides a 9t friend you also need a phoenix friend.
This research is getting ridiculous. Phoenix fire does have an alternative according to this list but phoenix blood doesn’t.
I sat down and sighed.
“Is it the phoenix blood? There is a possibility to leave it out but the success rate of Rubedo will drop from 100% to under 10% without and Rubedo is a costly step, time and material-wise as the catalyst is gold. Having to wait another 3 or 4 years for another attempt isn’t optimal.”
Don’t worry. I will get it.
I need to come up with a convincing lie, not only will I have fought a phoenix but also get it’s blood, which is nearly impossible, and on top of that I will be relatively unscathed. Who in their right mind is going to fall for that? Maybe I should disguise it, say I failed and sneak it in during the process, and then pretend we got extremely lucky.
I don’t know if that’s going to work either. It might require pre-processing and, in that case, this idea would fail. But dragon spit, fairy dust, basilisk tears, spirit breath and a unicorn horn, eh? Dragon spit and spirit breath should be easy. The rest… I have no clue where to find those creatures. Unicorns haven’t been seen in ages either they might have gone extinct.
Spirit Breath and Dragon Spit are convenient though. I was already planning on asking elves and Vinny about the plants. I can just ask Bywen instead of Elliana and get a Spirit Breath and then go to Vinny to get dragon spit. Efficiency at its max! But whoa does it suck to be a human, making spirit vessels will be stupidly hard, and then when you finally do succeed you have to do all this to bring them together with alchemy.
It makes me wonder if alchemy was first created by a race that isn’t human. An elf would have a relatively easy time doing this, a dragon a bit less but that’s due to their overall personalities. Misha might be able to if they get lucky but humans stand out as a race that just gets fucked over at any step. Maybe these techniques aren’t meant for humans. I never considered this.
Is it a good idea to have Bomba complete his project? It doesn’t sound like a problem but there must be a reason why this was designed this way. To combat greed? I don’t know. I could get greedy and abuse this, it is not stopping me from acting on my greed. There seems more to it that I thought.
Maybe it isn’t to exclude humans but to protect them. Some of these ingredients are powerful. They could change a human. I am not familiar with human physiology or psychology. I have no idea what this would cause in them. I guess I will just have to pay extra attention.
Greg and Bomba were talking about alchemy. It was quite funny. Bomba was being cheery and weird while Greg was being his boring serious self. I didn’t feel like the conversation was moving forward a lot but it surely would progress when Bomba felt like it.
“Oh. There was something I didn’t put on the list but I also need. I need catalytic glue.”
Aha. No clue what that is.
“It is something the witches use to mend their catalysts. It isn’t needed for our process but to mend some equipment."
Sure, I can help out. I know a witch or 2.
“Can I come with you? There are over 40 kinds and I want to make sure I get the correct one!”
You don’t want to just meet one?
Bomba shook his head.
Remi would kill me if I hopped in with another man. Or maybe not. She will be ditching her role so maybe she doesn’t care. Either way it’s a good excuse to check up on her.
I can bring you but you have to listen because as you know… witches don’t have a sense of humor…
“Yuss! I can get me some catalytic glue! Truly bombastic! So, when do we go?”
Depends on how much Greg still wants to talk but tomorrow is fine by me.
I still have matters to discuss but we should have discussed everything by tomorrow.
Well, I will let you two nerd out I will try to see what my plan is going to be together all those materials.
I left Bomba’s house and walked through the city. It was just another desert city. It reminded me a bit of Saluk and Thalia. Did they ever find her or is she forever gone? I went back to the AA and found her image still in the ‘Missing’ section. I was glad to see that Io and Toxic Donkey weren’t on this list.
I wondered what Toxic Donkey was up to. I wanted to check out my private messages when I noticed something. It was in the section where the new adventurers gathered. I smiled after I saw that there was a role named ‘Toxic Donkey.’ It seems he is doing just fine.