Chapter Eighty One, The Alchemical Equation.
...
----------------------------------------
...
It was eleven in the morning.
Thankfully at this time, the people were not forced to cower in their houses.
Of course, most of them still were...
Diana and Lokreum walked along the street.
She was a step ahead of him, letting him calmly follow in her steps.
"How have you been? Mister E... Are you alright?" She asked.
Lokreum smiled...
Is he alright?
Is there anything that could truly even affect him to begin with?
"I am fine Diana. Why do you ask?" He replied.
"Uhm... The situation here in the capital? Don't tell me you don't know..." She swiftly turned her head, keeping her stride going.
He didn't understand why, but he found Diana's mannerisms rather amusing.
"Do enlighten me, please." He said.
He could see Diana's eyes flare for a moment, but she spoke, following her gulp that is.
"Well... Lots of deaths... Sicknesses as well. People are going missing too. The Emperor hasn't said much to the public, besides for that he is working on the matter." She said. "From what I have noticed, the deaths have slowed just a little, and but the sicknesses are continuing."
She had a frown on her face.
Lokreum couldn't help but sigh.
Of course it was to hide the enthusiasm he had in his heart.
This all sounded rather interesting and perfect to him.
The emergence of a rival religion, and the manifestation of real demons, witches and warlocks? Perhaps this would split into two human factions...
Or maybe, the demons would take over...
Or maybe, they would be vanquished once more, forced into isolation...
He did not know the outcome, and he did not want to know.
He was patiently watching, unbeknownst to any other eyes.
"I haven't been keeping up with the times. I wasn't aware of any of this..." He said to Diana, watching as she glanced over her head once more.
"Publicly, the kingdom officials have not said anything... But I know what is happening." She whispered.
Diana turned to the left, digging up a key from out of nowhere, and pushing herself into a building.
Lokreum followed with interest.
He did not know how much time he would spend in civilization this time, but that was alright.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
He felt there would be some more entertainment this time around.
...
----------------------------------------
...
Leading the mysterious alchemist into her hidden space, Diana tried to keep her nerves in check.
She had hoped he had taken note of the mechanical hidden door she had created.
She stepped down from the bottom stair, emerging in her lair.
It wasn't the neatest, but she didn't think he would judge her for it.
There were metals and tools strewn everywhere. Herbs, rare ingredients, books, even some... Contraptions...
Alchemical creations she had invented to assist in mechanical processes.
Gears, springs, things that common people wouldn't understand...
As she walked, she glanced with an eye over her shoulder, taking note of E's reaction.
There seemed to be a flash of surprise on his face, before his normal warm smile returned.
So he seemed to understand the things he was looking at.
"The reason for all the deaths and disasters happening in the city is all because of one group of... monsters." Diana found herself behind a table, grabbing at a book.
"They call themselves... Warlocks, and Witches." She opened the book, showing its contents to E.
On the page she showed was a sketch of a man. He wore a cloak, and covered most of his identity. But looking closely, you could see his face. He looked wrinkled and semi-haggard, but noticeably, his eyes were colored a deep crimson red.
"I've had the privilege of observing the leader of this group." She explained.
"Me and my companion have been researching and attempting to study and uncover them for the past two weeks. I personally think I have found out more than he, we honestly need to recoup..." She trailed off.
"Either way! This faction is not to be messed with. They are a religious cult that follows teaching instilled by the demons of the underworld. Creatures like the demon Malak, the devil spawn that killed the first human king!" Diana frowned.
She glanced into the alchemist's eyes, watching as they traveled all across the room.
She could not tell if he had been paying attention to anything she had said...
"You know Diana... I shouldn't be doing this, but your work here can do wonders for the world..." There was a hand on his chin.
He navigated around her laboratory, finding himself in front of a desk.
Atop it was a scroll, and instinctively, Diana wanted to shout for him not to open it.
But she didn't.
"Oh and don't think I wasn't paying attention to your words. I heard them." He spoke, grabbing the scroll.
"Warlocks and Witches are far more sinister than you think... They do not just worship these demons... In a way, they are the demons..." He explained, rolling the scroll open.
He stood there for a moment, unrolling it fully.
"The Alchemical Equation..." He muttered, staring at it.
"Life, Belief, Will, and Thought... You have the right idea." He spoke.
Slowly, Diana's eyes started to widen.
She had been attempting to succeed at realm alchemy for years. Was she missing something?
"In your equation, you have four components." E said.
"But in reality, there are five." Diana paid full attention.
He rolled it back up.
"Life." He spoke.
"Belief."
"Will."
"Thought."
"And, Life."
Her brows furrowed.
There was confusion written on her face, and it was clear that he could tell.
"In your equation, you are thinking of alchemy as using energy to transform another life." He started.
"But alchemy is... It is using your own life, to transform another life." Her brows furrowed more.
He glanced to his right, finding a metal cube on the desk next to him.
"If I want to transform this cube... I have give my life to it, believe I will succeed, wish for my success mentally, and think of what it is I want to do exactly."
"Then, my life, will fight to transform the life of this cube." His hand outstretched.
"Everything has life. Life is a form of energy, not a state of being." He explained. "To be living, is the state. But everything in all of existence has life."
With a small smile, a crackle of energy emerged from his hand, and the cube was zapped. A ring of electricity glazed over it, the metal square turning into a ripe apple.
"The problem with you, is that you have an average amount of life." He spoke once more, grasping the fruit.
"Your brother on the other hand is a different factor... He trains in sorcery and cultivation... Alchemy cannot be brought to full fruition on its own. It needs a conduit to amplify its greatness... And with it, you will skyrocket in ability." He smiled.
"With the ability to transform anything, and create anything out of your own willpower... You will be capable of going far."
"It is not like normal sorcery or cultivation that only allows you to make spiritual effects on the world... Or maybe temporary physical effects. It can be permanent."
With her jaw agape, Diana watched as the alchemist bit into the apple.
She was awestruck.
"I honestly don't even really like these things..."
In that same moment, the apple was put back down on her desk, and zapped by his palm.
In it's place was a metal cube, with a small chunk missing out of its corner.
"Sorry about that one..."
...
----------------------------------------