James swiped a card, opening the door for the few students that signed up this year.
"Ahh there you are James, and you brought some fresh blood." Said a man dressed in what could only be described as a mad scientist and a sorcerer.
"Yup, everyone this is Lockhorn the potions instructor. Everyone move in front of an open workstation." James said while motioning to the small cauldrons around the room.
"You came at the perfect time can you do something with with this?" Lockhorn said handing James a vial with liquid in it.
James took the vial sniffing it. "What is it?"
"coffee. A little too strong for my taste so just throw it out with the rest of the failed potions." Lockhorn said while motioning to a cart filled with vials and liquids.
James only nodded. Putting the coffee on the cart and wheeling it off to another room.
"Ok, so here you all are, but it's not so easy to get into the potions club. I can already see a lot of you leaving when you manage to get your potions to explode. Hehe."
"But enough with that, open the potions book in front of you to a basic mana potion. You have two minutes to look over it. Then you have the rest of the class to brew the potion." He said with an evil laugh to announce that he was done talking.
Alex looked at the list of ingredients, he knew most of what was on the list. 'They're all plants.'
He had seen all of them in the years that he spent in the forest.
The Razorwire Thorns.
Omnular Leaf.
Elastic Mushrooms.
The Smoking Ferns Stem.
Wild Melon
The list went on, however these were the main ingredients.
'I wouldn't have thought something that children use as a toy would be used as an ingredient for a potion.'
Many would shape the elastic mushrooms into a ball shape and bounce them around.
He looked at the tools in front of him. A mortar and pestle, and a bunch of vials being held over what the book called 'Bunsen burners' the foreign words felt strange to him. Gloves, a knife, and some tongs also sitting among the tools.
Alex got to work doing as the book said. Using his spacial element to check if he was doing the right thing while working. All of the ingredients except the Omnular leaf must be crushed into a paste. The elastic mushroom won't crush, so it says to cut it into pieces and put those pieces into a vial adding only a small amount of water. Then turn the heat on.
Alex picked up the mushroom and a knife. Slicing the mushroom into small pieces and adding it to a vial, adding a small amount of water and turning on the burner.
He picked up the Razorwire thorns and a few more ingredients. Dropping them into the mortar and crushing them into a paste with the pestle. Putting on the set of gloves, he took the paste in his hands putting into a vial.
He then took the Wild Melon cutting it open above a bowl. Some juice poured out of it into the bowl. He carved out the soft inner core putting it into the bowl. The rest of the ingredients would be soaked in the juice while over the burners, so Alex just used his hands to mash the fruit.
When he was done he picked up the fruits pulp squeezing the rest of the juice from it, and setting it aside into another container. He then took a glass filling it with some juice, pouring it into the vial that he put the paste into beforehand.
He checked on the mushroom. 'It should become brittle while over the heat.' He took a small set of tongs and lifted a piece of mushroom, squishing it. 'Nope not yet.'
He then took the fern stem dropping it and a few more ingredients into the mortar. He coughed a few times as the stem release a white smoke while being crushed.
He took the now not smoking paste putting it and some Melon juice into the vial. He finally turned on the two burners beneath the juice and paste vials.
He then checked the mushroom again. 'Still not ready.'
He picked up the last few ingredients, put them into the mortar and crushed them into the paste. He then took the paste and placed it into the bowl with the last bit of juice.
Alex mixed the paste into the juice making it become murky. He picked up the Omnular leaf and soaked it in the solution.
When he was done he took off the gloves throwing them into the sink next to him and checked on the mushroom once again. 'Finally.' He turned off the burners.
"He goes nothing." he said while checking the last part of the instructions again.
He took the mushroom, putting it into a now clean mortar, and crushing it into a fine powder. He transferred it into a small vial.
He took the two warm vials swirling them around before pouring them into the small cauldron. He turned on the stove beneath the cauldron setting the heat as specified in the instructions. He stirred the solution until it began bubbling, he then took the soaked Omnular leaf and laid it on top of the liquid.
He held his breath as he took the fine powder and poured it evenly into the liquid.
He sighed in relief as the mushroom and fern reacted as the book said it should, releasing a soft mist. He then poured his spacial energy into the cauldron, using it as the catalyst.
He watched with his spacial element as the ingredients which already had natural mana began mixing. The amount of mana was expanding as it became vibrantly filled with mana. Alex slowly removed his energy the stress leaving his body as the potion sat there without imploding, exploding, or anything else.
"Very good, do you mind if I have a taste?"
Alex flinched as a face leaned over his shoulder looking into the cauldron. 'He could've just looked from the other side of the station.'
Alex nodded and moved to the side. Lockhorn laughed like a giddy kid and took a vial filling it with the potion.
He took a small sip, a refreshing "ahhhh." Could be heard. "That really hits the spot I haven't had the time to replenish my mana all day. You pass. you, Taylor, and Griffin were the only ones the rest all left after their ingredients were dripping from their hair."
Alex looked back to where Taylor was, the latter giving him a big thumbs up.
"You three come up to my desk, we still have half an hour before you have to leave so I'll give you a few insights as well as the key to the club room."
The three of them followed him to the front of the room, waiting while he rummaged through the drawers on his desk.
"Here, here ,here." He said while handing each of them a card.
"The potion you created was one of the first to be created in the world. It is said that the original instructions were even created before the shackles on mana were broken, however they were incomplete."
"The shackles on mana?" The three asked
"Yes we have ancient literature that speaks of a time when we only had technology, no potions, no magic, nothing. And yet the world was prosperous."
"Now back to the potion, many scholars say that we would not have made such good strides if it weren't for the fact that an ancient man by the name of 'Alex' had left a partial list of instructions. We have none of the original writings of this man, but many copies of the instructions were made. Listing his name as the creator of the potion. It wasn't until the shackles were broken and we had the right ingredients show up around the world, that we were able to fill in the rest of the ingredients creating the first and most useful potion." Lockhorn said. Stating the basic history of how potion brewing began.
"'Alex' doesn't sound like any name I've heard before, was he from one of the other kingdoms." Taylor asked.
"It's from the lost language called 'English' where it originated was none other than here, several thousands of years ago that is. It once used to be widely used as the now universal, human language." Lockhorn replied to the young man.
'What a weird name 'Alex' from such an old language. I wonder if the library has any books about the language or him.' Alex pondered for a moment
The door opened and a tired James walked through the door. "Old man those things were extra dirty. You were trying to keep me away weren't you, what kinds of dirty things were you doing to these kids." James asked ready to throw hands with the man in front of him.
"I've done no such thing. He said with his hands up. Tell him that I didn't touch you inappropriately." He said which his hands up in surrender. 'It's just that every potions master is told to share the secrets of potions with anyone who shares the same name as the creator of potions.'
'Haha the young man doesn't even know that his name is the same. The elders have a good theory about this man, saying he is from the future, after all how else could he have written of a mana potion.'
"He didn't he was only telling us about the mana potion." Griffin said trying to calm James who had flames dancing around him. Alex and Taylor nodded confirming what he said.
'Has he touched people inappropriately before.' Alex thought before distancing himself from the instructor.
"You dummy, your gonna make everyone think I'm a pervert or something clear up the misunderstanding." Lockhorn told James.
"Uhh I'm sorry." James said to the teacher before turning to the rest.
"Guys, just know that he cannot legally do anything to you if you just say no." He told the three before turning back to Lockhorn and giving him a thumbs up. "Is that better?" James asked.
"Yes, that is much better." Lockhorn said not seeming to get the underlying meaning in what he said.
"Good I'm gonna have to steal these two from you we have a long walk before we get to the hunting instructor. You will have more time to teach them after they get done with basic training in two weeks." James said while grabbing Alex and Taylor's shoulders.
"Oh you two are in the hunting club. Very good be on the look out for any of these materials. I'll be very grateful if you manage to bring me some of them." Lockhorn said handing them both a list of materials.
"And maybe I'll overlook the fact that you left the club before closing time." He said adding in the last part for motivation.
"Thank you, I will keep my eye out for what you asked for." Alex said
Lockhorn only nodded in response as they turned and left with James.
"So, you guys how was it really, did he force you guys to lie to me?"
"No he was seriously teaching about the origins of the mana potion. It was very interesting." Alex said
'Interesting, that old story. What's so interesting about how a they created the easiest potion.'
"You guys are serious nerds, whatever a strong hunger for knowledge is good I guess."
——————
The trio arrived at the gate.
"Welcome, it's good to see you all again. I'm looking forward to a productive year from you all, and I'd like to introduce the two new recruits." Timothy said while motioning to Taylor and Alex who were being accompanied by James.
Derek with a new set of pants, Dylan, Ana, and Janet all looked at these two all looked at the two filled with awe, and a little fear.
"Treat these two well because trust me when I say this, they will surpass the most of you within a year." Timothy said in a serious voice. A soft murmur spreading amongst the crowd of students.
"Don't take this as a reason to become depressed, anyone who manages to stay ahead of Taylor who has one rare affinity will get a justified reward." He paused dramatically before continuing.
"Those who stay ahead of Alex who has two. Will be awarded a tier three meditation potion." The eyes of all students present were all ignited, as they looked at the two men as if they were intense adversaries.
"It's a shame that deals go both ways. Taylor, Alex, if less than ten hold their ground against you, then you will get the same reward that was promised to them. If less than three manage three manage to, then you get a tier three meditation pill." He took a deep breath.
"And if none can contest you, then you get both rewards and you also get a big surprise added on top."
Taylor and Alex both looked back at the crowd, as their eyes were filled with the same fire.
"Alright that what I like to see! Now the rest of you know what your assignment is go out and do your best. Alpha team will stay here."
The crowd split into groups of five, and after the waiting for the buses to all leave they sped into the woods each heading towards beasts who were getting too close to the nearby towns.
Tom, James, and then new recruits gathered up with Alex, Taylor, and Timothy.
"You four will be hunting a high level adept class beast, a wildcat with a water affinity." He said to the four recruits while giving a detailed map to Tom
"Alex and Taylor will be the ones entrusted with your safety. They are to only to step in if your life is in danger." He said turning to the pair when his said the last part.
"You four, are hunting a low level master class beast, a Titanoboa with an earth affinity."
"James and Tom will only support, I want you two to deal the damage." Alex nodded knowing what he had to do.
"Good here you two go, you might need these." Timothy said with his hands now stretched out. A set of chain scythes and a two handed sword appeared from seemingly nowhere.
But Alex had seen it. 'He moves very fast. He didn't even use any mana.'
"Alright you all follow the captains, they won't lead you wrong. Do your best I want you all to benefit from this experience."
All students nodded, knowing what they had to do. They all turned and left.
'Haha good, now I gotta start gathering the materials for those expensive potions. I don't wanna have to ask Lockhorn for any favors.' Timothy thought before disappearing from his spot in an instant.