Ten minutes after dismissing Luca, Aron emerged from his office and strode purposefully toward the library. Upon entering the library, he made a beeline for a wooden door on the far right. Behind the door lay Eldarion's alchemy lab, a vast space that dwarfed even the library.
Aron was thinking of learning runes; it's a broken power where you can do pretty much anything, limited only by the language you use and your creativity. Since Aron can understand, write, and read any language, runes seemed perfectly suited for him.
Setting this matter for later, Aron made his way to the center of the lab where a colossal, transparent glass sphere floated in mid-air. Inside churned an ever-shifting substance, its color oscillating between red, white, and black every second. A network of glass tubes, filled with bubbling liquids of every hue imaginable, snaked in and out of the sphere, channeling its energy.
This was the heart of Eldarion's alchemy lab, the culmination of his eight-hundred-year toil. Today, his tireless efforts were about to bear fruit.
He spotted the old elf mixing a potion on a table beneath the sphere. Aron approached, clearing his throat to announce his presence. The last thing he needed was to startle the elderly Keeper and cause an incident.
Eldarion swiveled towards Aron, a smile creasing his face, his eyes twinkling with a spark of excitement. Before Aron could utter a word, Eldarion held aloft a vial containing the same swirling substance as the sphere.
"It's done, Lord Commander," Eldarion croaked, his voice thick with emotion. Tears welled up in his weary eyes, blurring his vision. "The Awakening Potion is complete."
Aron's heart swelled with pride as he witnessed Eldarion's elation. The old elf had poured his heart and soul into this endeavor for the past week, and now, their perseverance was on the verge of paying off.
"Well done, Eldarion," Aron praised, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "You have accomplished something truly remarkable."
Eldarion's smile widened at the praise, his eyes gleaming with gratitude. "Thank you, my lord commander," he replied, his voice laced with emotion. "I could not have accomplished this without your assistance."
Aron nodded, acknowledging Eldarion's gratitude. "What about the two things that I asked you to do? Are they prepared?"
Eldarion nodded, wiping away a stray tear. "Yes, Lord Commander," He turned and retrieved two vials from the table.
One vial held a grayish substance, the other containing a liquid similar to the Awakening potion.
He handed the gray one to Aron, explaining "This is the modified parasite you asked for, my lord. It was easy to work on once I figured out how it siphons the mana." He then produced a small rune stone from his pocket and handed it to Aron. "This serves as the trigger. Once activated, the parasite will immediately begin draining mana from its host."
Aron accepted the vial and the rune stone, examining them with keen interest. "Excellent work, Eldarion," he praised once more, his admiration for the old elf growing with each accomplishment.
The old elf simply nodded, not daring to inquire about Aron's purpose for such an item. The mere thought of what he had just created sent shivers down his spine.
Feigning a cough to compose himself, Eldarion presented the other potion. However, with this one, curiosity gnawed at him. He yearned to understand why the Lord Commander required it and how he intended to use it.
"This, my lord, is one of my failed attempts at replicating the Awakening potion. Upon consumption, it grants the signature silver hair and crimson eyes of the watchers. However, I must warn you, Lord Commander," he continued, letting his words sink in.
"This potion merely offers a temporary boost in strength. The effects last a month, at most, followed by rapid aging and debilitation. This very potion is what transformed me from the young, full-of-energy elf to this."
"I see," Aron murmured, his voice tinged with concern. "Thank you for your warning, Eldarion."
"May I ask why you need it?"
Aron thought for a moment. He was hesitant to share his plan for this potion. What he had in mind would affect the lives of many people. But again, since Keeper Eldarion was a key piece in the plan, Aron sighed and told him.
Five minutes later.
"I understand," Eldarion nodded, his expression grave. Surprisingly, he took what Aron had in mind very well. He even suggested making a few modifications to the potion using runes, which Aron agreed to. If the old elf managed to achieve what he said, Aron's plan would be much smoother than before.
"Now, are we going to stay here and waste time, or are you going to use the Awakening potion?" Aron concluded, a hint of amusement lacing his tone.
Eldarion chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling with amusement despite the seriousness of their conversation. "Time waits for no man, my lord commander," he replied his tone light but determined. "Let us not delay any further. But first, let me call my disciple."
"Disciple?" Aron raised an eyebrow. "Is he that kid who brought you the book when you introduced me?"
"Indeed," Eldarion confirmed. "His name is Tarian, and he is the Keeper-in-training."
"Does he know about the potion?" Aron inquired with a serious tone.
"Yes," Eldarion admitted. "I informed him in case something were to befall me. Rest assured, my lord, I made him swear a mana oath of silence. Should he break it, he will die instantly."
Aron nodded, reassured by Eldarion's precautions. "Very well then, let us proceed," he said, his tone decisive.
The air shimmered with arcane energy as Eldarion invoked a rune, sending out a silent call to his apprentice. Moments later, Tarian stepped into the room, his expression a mix of anticipation and reverence.
"Master Eldarion, Lord Commander Aron," Tarian greeted respectfully, bowing his head.
"We are ready to proceed, Tarian," Eldarion said, his voice steady with purpose. "Prepare yourself."
Tarian nodded, the weight of the moment settling upon him. With a deep breath, he moved to assist his master, helping him change into a long white robe. As he helped Eldarion don the garment, the atmosphere in the chamber grew thick with anticipation. The young apprentice's hands trembled slightly with nerves, but his resolve remained unwavering.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Eldarion stood tall—as tall as his elderly bones allowed him—his demeanor exuding a sense of ancient wisdom and quiet strength. With a nod of gratitude to Tarian, he took the vial containing the Awakening Potion and made his way to the left side of the chamber, away from the pulsating glass sphere at its center.
Aron watched intently, his eyes never leaving Eldarion as the old elf prepared to undergo the transformation. Eldarion paused for a brief moment, his gaze sweeping across the chamber as if committing every detail to memory. Then, with a steady hand, he uncorked the vial and raised it to his lips.
The liquid within glowed with a soft ethereal light. In a single fluid motion, Eldarion drank the potion, his body immediately suffused with a radiant crimson glow as a surge of energy coursed through him, suffusing his entire being with its otherworldly power.
Then, a shocking development unfolded. Eldarion's skin began to peel away, like a mother peeling off an apple for her sick child.
Aron's eyes widened as he witnessed Eldarion's unexpected transformation. The old elf's skin peeled away in strips, revealing a pulsating, crimson energy beneath. It was as if his very essence was being laid bare, stripped of its mortal guise to reveal something primal and raw.
Tarian gasped in alarm, instinctively lunging towards his master. However, Aron reacted swiftly, placing a hand on Tarian's shoulder to restrain him. "Do not disturb him," he commanded.
For both of them, the transformation appeared brutal and undoubtedly caused Eldarion immense pain. Yet, for the Keeper, it felt strangely peaceful. He was shedding his mortal form, embracing his true essence.
Mere seconds later, a figure composed of blood and crimson energy stood where the old elf once was.
"Interesting"
Immediately after, his skin that peeled away didn't fall to the ground in a lifeless heap as one might expect. Instead, it transformed into a swirling mass of energy, creating a cocoon-like structure around Eldarion's new form. The chamber seemed to pulse with increasing intensity as if resonating with the power of Eldarion's awakening.
Aron and Tarian watched in awe and trepidation as the cocoon pulsed with crimson energy, its surface shimmering with otherworldly light. It was a sight both beautiful and terrifying, a testament to the raw power coursing through Eldarion's veins.
The reason for that was actually a very simple one, however, remained unnoticed by all three of them, for they were unaware of a crucial detail.
The dragon blood used in creating the first Watchers belonged to Veldran, the Dragon of the North. But the blood used now was Aron's. According to his recovered memories, Aron was not just any dragon; he was the first dragon, and in the past, the most powerful one.
Therefore, the power coursing through Eldarion's veins now was like comparing a flickering candle to the blazing sun in comparison to the power of the previous Watchers.
Inside the cocoon, Eldarion experienced a profound sense of rebirth. The power coursing through him was unlike anything he had ever known, a primal force that resonated with the very essence of his being. He felt a connection to something ancient and powerful, a force that transcended mortal understanding.
And then, with a final surge of energy that shook the very foundation of the lab, the cocoon shattered. Revealing Eldarion in his new form. He stood before them a young elf once more. But there was something undeniably different about him.
His crimson eyes blazed with a fierce intensity, his hair had grown longer and shimmered with an otherworldly silver sheen, and his very presence seemed to command the very air around him.
"I am reborn," he spoke, his voice deeper and more resonant while flexing his hand. When Eldarion noticed that he was standing straight and back to his youthful appearance, he immediately did something he had hoped for in years.
Crack. Crack.
He cracked his back.
"Oh! I missed this." Satisfied, he stretched his back, feeling the tension release from his muscles. It was a simple act, but one he hadn't been able to do in centuries.
Aron chuckled, approaching the previous old elf with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Congratulations, Eldarion."
Eldarion grinned, a sense of freedom and vitality coursing through him. "Thank you, Lord Commander; this is all because of you," he replied, his voice resonating with newfound energy. "I feel... alive."
Aron simply nodded, his gaze shifting to the young apprentice. "You're next, quickly," he declared.
"!!!" Tarian snapped, nodding. He swiftly brought a new robe for Eldarionas; as the old one had vanished along with everything else his master had been wearing during the transformation, even underwear.
Tarian didn't want that to happen so he removed all of his clothes wrapping only a towel around his waist.
Drinking the vial, he underwent the same transformation as his master, his body suffused with the radiant crimson glow of the Awakening Potion. As the energy coursed through him, Tarian's skin began to peel away, revealing the pulsating, crimson energy beneath.
Aron watched closely, keeping his gaze on the parasite inside the young man. When he saw with his dragon sight that the parasite was melting away, he sighed in relief.
'Good! The potion works…I don't have to use my Words of Power.'
When the cocoon shattered, Tarian stood there with short silver hair and crimson eyes; his body grew slightly larger with lean muscles compared to his previous form.
Tarian flexed his muscles, feeling the surge of energy coursing through his veins. "I feel... different," he remarked, his voice tinged with wonder and excitement. "Stronger."
Aron, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips, turned to Eldarion and said, "The potion worked; the parasite is no more."
Eldarion sighed in relief. "Good…Very good. Shall we proceed?"
"Indeed, and with haste," Aron replied before swiftly exiting the lab and library in search of Lieutenant Eamon.
He found the man in the kitchen observing the food preparation. Eamon took it upon himself to keep an eye on the food, determined to prevent any future incidents of poisoning, be it magical or parasitic.
Dragging the man outside, Aron ordered him to gather all of the one hundred soldiers in Eldaroin's lab. With that massive space, even five hundred men was nothing.
It took less than twenty minutes for all the soldiers to assemble within the lab.
Aron stood before them, observing the expression of confusion, wonder, respect, and determination on their faces. These soldiers, loyal to their kingdom and their commander, stood ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
"Soldiers of the Frostguard," Aron began, his voice commanding the attention of everyone in the chamber. "Today, you will become a watcher!"
"Euh?" Eamon and the soldiers glanced at each other confused; they didn't understand a thing, and Aron didn't give them time to do so.
He quickly ordered the transformation to begin, and before they could even blink, Eamon and the soldiers stood naked, each holding a potion in hand.
"Begin," Aron commanded, and with no hesitation, they drank the potion.
This time, the energy burst was massive and violent; luckily, Eldarion prepared in advance numerous barriers using his rune magic. On top of it, Aron isolated the soldiers using his draconic just to be on the safe side.
The chamber erupted with a cacophony of energy as the soldiers underwent their transformation. The radiant crimson glow enveloped each of them, causing their skin to peel away and reveal the pulsating, crimson energy beneath.
Minutes passed as the cocooned soldiers underwent their rebirth, their bodies infused with the power of the Awakening Potion. And then, with a final surge of energy, the cocoons shattered, revealing the transformed soldiers in their new Watcher forms.
They stood before Aron and Eldarion, their eyes blazing with fierce crimson light, their hair shimmering with a mesmerizing silver hue. Each of them exuded an aura of strength and power.
Aron nodded in satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over the assembled Watchers. "You have done well," he declared, his voice filled with pride and approval. "You are no longer just soldiers; you're now The Watchers, The Monster hunters…My Knights."
In unison, the Watchers dropped to one knee, their voices resonating with newfound power, "Our lives are yours to command."
Eldarion's heart swelled with pride as he surveyed the transformed Watchers. A tear escaped his eye, quickly followed by another. He turned, searching for something to wipe them away, when he noticed a lone figure standing awkwardly at the back of the room.
"What are you doing, soldier?" Eldarion inquired, approaching the man.
The soldier, still clad in his armor, hesitantly held a vial of the awakening potion in his hand.
"Remove your armor and consume the potion," The elf said, pointing at the potion. He saw the hesitation in the soldier and spoke firmly, "That's an order, soldier!"
The soldier, his face obscured by his helmet, mumbled a response, his voice barely a whisper, "I can't."
"Why?" Eldarion asked.
"Because she's a woman."