After reaching the destination floor, I was greeted by a young woman in a simple robe.
"Hello! I am Dorothy! I am the floor attendant for this floor. I was instructed to help you settle in to room number... let's see... 3! This way please!" Dorothy turned and quickly walked off towards the left as I followed suit.
"So... What do you exactly do?" I asked as I caught up.
Dorothy continued to walk forward without a single glance at me. "I am responsible for all the daily matters that may need attention such as but not limited to: Management of cleaning the floors, attending to the residents of the floor of any management related issues as well as managing the delivery of food for the Senior Magus deep in research."
Dorothy reached a tall wooden door as she turned with a smile. "I'm basically responsible for managing your daily lives so you can be as comfortable as possible. Also, this is your room."
She handed me a silver key as she continued. "This is your key, please keep it safe. There's a small communications tool by the door inside which you can imbue with mana and call my name if you need my assistance."
"Oh. Uhm... Thank you." I received the key and put it into the lock of the wooden door.
"No problem. Your belongings have already been moved from the carriage to your room, have a lovely day!" Dorothy hurriedly left after checking that I was successful able to open the door.
I walked in to be greeted by a very basic room. It had a bedroom that housed a single bed and a desk, a small dining area as well as a research area with a large table. Not too big but cozy.
I found my luggage and belongings by the research area and started to unpack what I had. The majority of these items were clothing and basic everyday materials which were gifts from the three instructors back from the Cinders village.
-----
"Ah Scamander, here you were." Mertho walked into an advanced lab on the 4th floor of the tower.
"Hey Mertho. I was just briefly checking upon the theories I've had, I think I may have found a way to condense light enough to a point to imitate a solid matter." Scamander, without losing his focus onto the small area before him where a tiny but bright ball lay, responded.
Mertho sat down nearby as he watched the ball. "Scamander, you do realize that theory has been tested and failed by many others countless times already. The theory suggests the possibility but the sheer amount of mana one needs to perform such an act is disgustingly high."
Then.
The tiny ball of light suddenly exploded with a bath of light as both of them avoided the sight.
"I know. But I'm so close..." Scamander sighed as he sat down as well. "I heard Deus has the Aether element? I knew he had a really high density and purity from the initial test but his element does leave one shocked."
"Yes. We have not seen an Aether Magus in centuries... There have been many, including the tower master, who have touched upon its secrets but the majority of it still remains a mystery to us all... I also wish to reach it one day but alas, it is just too far away." Mertho depressingly looked downwards as he spoke.
"As would I. The enticement of the 'Original' element... The one that is all and all that is one is just too great for any true magus to give upon. I'm sure it is the final goal for every magus on the continent. Outside the space and time magus at least, those guys can barely pry into their own elements." Scamander pulled out his tome as he caressed it.
"You've had that artifact for quite a while Scamander. It's a Tome of Clarity right? Made by that meister up north?" Mertho gazed upon the mysterious book scamander always seemed to carry.
"Yes... I've had it for almost 3 decades. It has been through many many trials with me. But Mertho, I feel like it's time for me to part with it." Scamander continued to caress the book as he spoke.
"What do you mean?" Mertho, in shock, looked up at Scamander's eyes. This book was not something cheap to be casually given away or thrown out.
It was an artifact!
Artifacts were tools of great power that greatly enhanced certain aspects of a being.
Many of these have existed for centuries and even millennia, some archaic artifacts in possession by certain powerful beings have roamed this plane since the times of the Archons.
Of course, Scamander's book wasn't that old. It was barely a hundred years old. It was created by a senile alchemist who was looking for ways to cure his madness and chanced upon the creation of this tome. The magical symbols and words that bind the book allow the user's mana density and purity to briefly shoot up by gathering the nearby 'mana' in the atmosphere.
There was a price for this of course. The user will be drained of their mental strength in relation of how much their mana was strengthened. But one must realize, fights could end up within a few moments with a slight advantage. And research... Many magus researchers damned their own talent, their shortcomings in their mana density and purity often caused their experiments to fail or be subpar.
"I know." Scamander held the book with his two hands. "But Mertho, I am old. I have never had a child, much less a disciple. Who will these belong to once I die? Though I have not made many enemies and have been a friend, or an instructor, to many... Time does not wait for me."
"I feel as if its the best choice for me to hand it over to Deus." Scamander placed the book down onto the table.
"What!?" Mertho stared Scamander in shock. "Deus is barely 20 years old! He isn't even a proper magus yet! What could he do with such an artifact? And what of your experiments?"
"I know." Scamander stood up.
"But I believe this will be of greater use to him than I. My experiments have reached their final phases, my personal mana is enough to complete it. I just require more data." Scamander picked up the book as he started to walk towards the door. "And Deus... There's something about him. Something different... I saw him recreate the Medeor spell Mertho... Nobody has taught him anything but he has copied it exactly merely a week after seeing it once..."
"WHAT!?" Mertho stood up as well, in complete and utter shock. "How!? Learning a spell requires weeks if not months of practice. He hasn't even grasped the light element!"
"I know. That's why I'm willing to part with this tome..." Scamander reached the door. "Maybe... Just maybe... He is the one."
"!!!" Mertho froze on the spot.
A silence rang between them.
"If he really is 'The One', and you truly believe so... Alright." Mertho finally sighed out.
"I believe it. There hasn't been an Aether magus in centuries and the prophecies are bound to come true. There were many who supported the past Aether Magi and this time, I will be a supporter for Deus." Scamander smiled as he responded.
"I... I'm going to need more time before I decide on my own." Mertho stammered, still in relative shock from this whole conversation.
"No worries, I'm just following my heart. Although many Magi would say that such an act is similar to the ways of the meathead warriors, I feel as if there is some justification to this. It's hard to go against it hahaha." Scamander chuckled.
"I-I understand..." Mertho sat back down onto the chair.
The gazes of the two Magi met for a moment as Scamander left the room, leaving Mertho alone.
"The One huh... It's possible..." Mertho mumbled to himself.