Master Of None

Sharp. Precise. Clean. That could be the top three ways Remey moved and manipulated every bit of the potion while working.

From what Walker was looking at, Remey had done more than just prepare ingredients for this potion. She has refined her skills and abilities in alchemy to match the same ease of flow that came with her fighting.

Before she had been an alchemical brawler, being a brawler was her core point. Yes she had learned a great deal about herbs and alchemy because it helped her siblings, but that didn’t mean she was not practiced in fighting at all. She had been able to develop new moves even before becoming an alchemical brawler.

Being able to establish a new move was not something a beginner could do. It meant that she had refined her skills in battle high enough that she was able to create a new move like the defense breaking fist, double hammer fist, and even the brawler step. She had done all of this as if it was natural to the point where she had not mentioned most of it to everyone when she managed it. It just became part of her fighting style without a flaw already.

If her alchemy now matched that same level of understanding and comfortable nature with Remey, then Walker knew he was looking at the best of the best she could muster. Skills that she has kept her entire focus on to make sure they were perfect. Just looking around him he understood the level of care that Remey has put in to this.

She had gone out of her way to find methods to get better equipment. Every tool for the alchemy labs in the entire alchemy guild were made to enhance the strength and speed of potions. Not a single movement should be or could be wasted and that was what she had as a goal for all of the alchemy guild.

This was the culmination of her putting the same focus and effort in to the alchemy side of her skills that she had been hyper focused on due to never being able to properly take that path. She had more than just caught up.

She has perfectly matched her skills in to one right here and now.

The next step Remey took was quick as she grabbed a vial, popped the cork, and poured it without a single bubble of air being added. She had control of herself and her mana more refined than ever before.

Things only started to heat up as multiple different flames graced Remey’s hands. It wasn’t just dragon flames that Ignus poured toward her in a constant stream. Her partner Astra, was sparking mana in to flames of various colors, not just alchemy flames.

This was changing the ways that the manas within the cauldron melded together. It kept the balance perfectly while also activating the herbal benefits. Even the steam leaving the cauldron was captured by glass tools that allowed for the steam to cool and condense in to a separate container. Remey was actually saving it for later so that every benefit of this process would be enhanced rather than allow waste to occur.

She was using every bit of potential from the herbs invested in this. And from the appraisals that Walker was finding, some of the essences, condensed liquids, and powders took over a hundred leaves or stems of certain herbs. Let alone the condensed saps that became a hard sugar like paste. That took hours upon hours to condense meaning that the entire alchemy guild may have participated in this process from the start.

The mana began to flare up and Walker took control of the wind mana quickly to prevent it from causing a change in temperature. With a single glance, he saw that it was due to the addition of condensed cotton flowers from the Sigil continent. They grew on mountains and the tiniest bit of oil could be extracted from the outer shell of each flower bud after blooming.

That oil was toxic if left on the skin but could be used to help people when they were too cold and even wind burned from wind that was too great.

This was different from the worm wood tree bark powder that had caused the earth mana to become too great since it naturally attracted earth mana before it would eventually attract dark mana to decay and break down.

It was all being balanced as Remey focused on the proper balances needed to ensure the potion would not clash and split itself. It was the same method of making sure oil and water didn’t cause explosions or spitting when mixed in a pan. It required skill and care when mixing them to the point of being perfectly melded with one another to become a soup or a sauce.

With a sudden flurry of motion, Remey added several powders and vials in to the cauldron causing Walker to narrow his gaze. He sensed the sudden hunger of mana by the potion.

Each ingredient had its own mana and also attracted certain manas. But if they were pulled in without Walker’s control it would be absolute chaos. As much as Walker understood that Remey was working according to her well researched theories and practices, he felt she had just given him a challenge he didn’t expect.

The natural mana he was drawing around him and using to keep the manas balanced was not enough. He had to enhance his own focus and begin to pull mana that was not causing any shift in the air around them. He couldn’t cause a breeze or a shift in what since that would wreck the potion.

He also greatly understood the reasoning behind why Remey had made such high stone walls so condensed. They stopped the outside breeze or subtle shifts in the temperature from the sun. The rune formations outside were also keeping manas and other things like dust or monsters from getting near the potion being made. It was all thought out to the finest degree.

”Walker, increase the flow of mana to Ignus, he is going to increase the dragon flames to triple what we have right now.”

The order from Remey caused Walker to give up on holding anything back. The eternal codex took the form of an orb in front of him and Walker split his focus on sending mana to Ignus and entirely isolating the area within the alchemy lab Remey created. He wasn’t going to let a single speck of mana or accidental slippage stop what they were doing.

Ignus sensed the increase in his body and followed what Remey needed. He didn’t have to hear her, he knew her. He knew what she needed and knew what she wished to do. He was there because he knew this would set a precedent that would ensure healing potions for all his people and the people of the world to survive the greatest of injuries. It would inspire alchemists for generations.

He didn’t want to just be a part of it. He wanted to be a pillar remembered for his dedication. He also couldn’t let Remey down. Despite his own heated arrogant behavior, he’d grown to care more than he could have ever imagined.

The flare of dragon flames and the radiant addition of various flames from Astra caused the cauldron to shake. It wasn’t just a battle of mixing now, it was a battle of control causing Remey’s face to turn red with exertion. Her body appeared to be radiating its own mana at a rapid pace proving that this wasn’t just a battle for control but a battle against herself to achieve more than what should be possible.

When she suddenly slammed the lid tightly on the cauldron, cracks formed on it making it appear they would be the victims of an explosion at any moment. ”Walker, freeze everything here now!” She pulled the fire away and Ignus halted everything as soon as he possibly could while Walker drew on the water mana, enhancing it with natural mana to freeze the entire room.

Remey didn’t flinch as frost froze her hair and clothes and Ignus didn’t show a sign of annoyance as his body became coated in frost. Instead, they all held their breath while Remey poured cups of water over the cauldron and steam escaped in a squeal.

The crackle of ice and sounds of steam became all they heard before Remey moved over to Walker and stopped him. His face was scrunched in to worry while he hadn’t understood if they were near success or if they had just managed to potentially break the mold or set a theory for breaking it.

”Just sit and let it settle. It’s not there yet. The mana needs to settle while we get ready.” Remey’s voice was softer than a whisper. Not because she couldn’t speak after all this work, but because she feared they might not get the result they needed. It wasn’t done just yet.

.…

….

….

Please say no to piracy! Don’t take part in crime! Don’t patronize thieves!

Drop those golden tickets!