Chapter 4: Room of Essentials
AN: I sort of chopped this chapter for a poll and I hope you guys will answer it. Poll will end later at midnight and I’ll await for your suggestions. :D
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“You want to self-study magic?”
The old woman said with a rather indifferent expression. Although this shouldn’t matter that much, it’s just… it's the first time I saw her expression changed from that of the expression she had when I first met her.
Today, when I woke up, I hurriedly did everything to prepare myself; stretch my body, bath, and eat breakfast. I wanted to be as ready as I can be in order to pursue what I’ve been planning since yesterday.
Last night, because of these thoughts, because of the ideas that I might perhaps find some sort of progress in becoming a mage, I almost couldn’t fall asleep.
It’s way too exciting until the moment I arrived in the library. At that time, which was just moments ago, I immediately saw a familiar old woman sitting around one of the corners of the library.
When I saw her, I hurriedly asked her, “Where can I find books about learning how to use magic?”
The question which started the conversation and also the question that made it so that at the very first time, her expression changed in a much obvious manner.
Did I say something wrong? I don’t understand it at all. As ideas about why her expression changed popped out in my mind, I slowly nodded towards her.
As of this very moment, that’s the only plan I could think of. Find some books about magic, read it, and perhaps learn its processes and become a mage in the process.
I don’t have a single idea if I’ll ever succeed but you know, learning magic and knowing how to cast spells is like the most exciting thing in this world… Who wouldn’t want to become a mage anyways?
As I have these thoughts in mind, I noticed how the old woman has her eyes closed and is somehow deep in thought and perhaps something along the lines took her attention.
I wonder what she’s thinking.
“Come with me.” She said as she suddenly opened her eyes and stood with her really frail body.
Perplexed with her words and her actions, it took me a little over a few seconds before I could react. At that moment, she was walking towards a corner of the library when suddenly…
Swoosh
She waved her hands and suddenly, just directly in front of us, a wooden door appeared on the wall.
What?
I rubbed my eyes and pinched my cheeks to see if I was dreaming or hallucinating. After feeling the subtle pain of reality, I realized… yeah, a door just appeared out of nowhere.
“Enter.”
While I was still lost in confusion, the old woman’s voice resounded. She weakly walked towards the door and as she got nearer and nearer, the door also opened.
I mean, this is probably magic… but within my clan I have never, none at all, seen a scene such as this.
Today and yesterday, there’s so many things about this old woman that have surprised me. Are there more in store for me?
I followed the old woman towards the door. As I get nearer, a strong aroma that was completely unfamiliar to me bombarded my nose.
Looking inside, the first thing I noticed were a number of vials sitting on top of various tables. Inside these vials, liquids of different color could be seen either calmly being stored or boiling.
Just what is this place?
“G-Grandma Meng, where are we?” Unable to bottle up my curiosity, I voiced out the question inside my mind.
“We’re inside my laboratory. No need to ask further. Just follow me.” She answered.
My eyes were glued to the different kinds of apparatus that I couldn’t recognized A big pot over the side emitting a ghastly smoke, a small metallic crane that has chains on each side, a wooden chopping board with razors on its edges… just what are these things?
While I was both terrified and fascinated of everything my eyes were seeing, I suddenly realized that the old woman has already walked to a far away corner of the room.
There, another door could be found. But compared to the indistinct door from where we entered, the door where she is currently standing in front of, is of golden color and emitting a bright shade of light that somehow makes me think of the sun.
When looking at it, I couldn’t help but slightly close my eyes because it was a little bit blinding. Aside from that, it reeks of a certain sensation that is similar to that of the books of the library but more powerful.
This door… does it also have something to do with essences?
Walking towards the door, I saw how the old woman pressed her hands towards the golden door as if opening it slightly. At that moment, I was already behind her anxiously waiting for what was about to happen.
As the golden door opened, the golden light slowly diminished and I was greeted with a sight of darkness. The old woman stepped in but the moment she did, she suddenly vanished as if she was swallowed by darkness.
Shocked by what I was seeing, I was stunned and unable to move. Many thoughts about maybe going the other way and forgetting this place altogether appeared on my mind.
Did I fuck up or something?
I look towards the direction from where we came from but then I realized, the door… where we passed through to enter the room isn’t there. That certain door… is gone and is now a block of wall.
Stolen novel; please report.
As I grew tenser and tenser with each passing second, sweat dripped on my forehead. I don’t what is happening and I have some sort of nervousness that thoughts about being in danger entered my mind.
“Fool, why are you so afraid?”
While I was lost in fear, the voice of the old woman resounded and a hand suddenly grabbed my arm then pulled me towards room of darkness where the old woman just entered.
Without having the time nor the chance to think about what was happening, I was pulled into a place of eternal darkness. I don’t know what happened, and I don’t know what will happen but sooner after that, I realized, I lost my consciousness.
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When I came to be, I felt my body lying on a stone cold ground. When I opened my eyes, I was greeted with… nothing.
Yeah, I mean nothing. I couldn’t see anything at all and it was as if everything is just pure unadulterated darkness. Did I become blind or what?
As thoughts about becoming blind overwhelmed me, I suddenly heard a familiar voice saying, “This is the Room of Essentials. You’re lucky that this old woman have one. Hoho, but I find you interesting so it doesn’t really matter.”
Room of Essentials?
As I heard of the probable name of this place, I racked up my mind in order to see if I have ever heard of such a place. Well, after a minute or so of thinking, nope, none at all.
Seeing that I know nothing about this place, I just spoke, “Grandma Meng, what’s the Room of Essentials? Why did you bring me here?”
Although I couldn’t see anything, I know she’s probably here and I know she could probably hear me. Heck, even the events that happened yesterday tells me that she could even read my mind.
“You’ll know soon. First do what I will tell you… meditate and once you feel the essences, open your eyes.”
Hearing her, I simply did like what she said. I sat upright, placed my feet on my opposing thighs then entered the lotus position.
When I closed my eyes, a sudden sensation struck me. Essences… there’s just too many of it.
During the time when I learned of the existence of essences, I could vaguely feel any of it in the surroundings. It was so small and very few that even though I know it’s there, it feels like it’s just an illusion.
Even today, a year and a few months after I’ve learned of its existence, the amount of the essences that I could feel has only improved a little and is still very miniscule.
But at this moment, just as I closed my eyes, it was like a surge of Essences surrounded my body and a certain heavenly feeling as if I was floating enveloped my body.
This… this is just incredible. As I was enjoying the fleeting feeling brought by the huge amount of essences that were surrounding my body, I suddenly remembered the words of the old woman.
Once you feel the essences, open your eyes.
Cautiously, I slightly opened my eyes and as I did, my sight was bombarded by flickering lights of different colors.
Seconds after seconds, I slowly opened more of my eyes until it was completely open. At that moment, I was both shocked and mesmerized with the scene before me.
The once desolate room of eternal darkness… is now filled with floating balls of light made up of different colors!
Red, Green, Blue, Yellow… and some other colors that were somehow a different shade of the more distinct colors. Not far away, I could also see bright black and white balls of light of varying intensity.
Just what are these balls of lights? Oh… are these the essences?
As the thought that these balls of light were the essences occurred in my mind, an instant affirmation came from the old woman as she said, “As you can see, these are the essences. To become a mage, one must absorb these essences towards his body and it shall be a fuel of magic. It shall become mana!”
When she finished speaking, feelings of thrill and excitement surge forth from my body. I don’t know what’s next nor do I have any idea about what’s about to happen but somehow, something deep inside me tells me that this moment might as well be that next step of my stagnated progress in becoming a mage.
If it is so, if I became successful… then… then all my goals and aspirations would become easier. It’ll all definitely become better!
“Grandma Meng, what should I do next? How can I absorb these essences?” As my own feelings of excitement grew bigger and bigger, I couldn’t help but just ask her.
She brought me here and with showing this much, perhaps she’s trying to help me become a mage. Perhaps she’s helping achieve my goals…
“Choose.”
“Eh?”
Choose? What?
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AN: Again, thank you for reading! Please rate, comment and tell me whatever you think about these introductory chapters. More to come this weekend and yeah… that’s all. :D Also if you guys like Empyrean Ascent, check out my other poll here.
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