The alchemy class at the Fyre Academy was a lonely place after dark, with only a handful of students in the room. Surrounded by oddly colored liquids, bubbling beakers, and twisted flasks, the room had a spooky atmosphere.
Most students preferred to study more conventional subjects like swordsmanship or magic, leaving alchemy to those who had a special interest or ambition to become a knight of the realm candidate.
The students took their seats and waited for the teacher to arrive. He came in exactly on time, not a second earlier or later. He was Shen, the famous Grand Alchemist himself. His presence demanded respect, and the room became quiet as he started to speak.
"Good evening, young alchemists," Shen said, his voice calm and authoritative. "I'm glad to see you here, but I must warn you that my teaching method is not orthodox."
He explained that he would not give any regular classes, no lectures or lessons because most of the students were only here to become candidates for Knight of the realm.
Instead, he would let the students explore and learn by themselves. He would be there to answer questions, but the students had to take charge of their own learning and experimentation.
"I believe that alchemy is a combination of knowledge and creativity," Shen continued. "Therefore, your assignment is to create a C-rank health potion, a C-rank mana potion, and a C-rank stamina potion which will be enough to pass this class. But these potions are more than just a requirement. They are also a potential gateway to becoming an alchemist."
With that, Shen finished his introduction and left the students to their own devices. They looked at each other with curiosity and excitement before getting up and leaving. Jayce headed straight for the library.
The alchemy library was dark and quiet, lit only by a few candles, as Jayce walked in. There were two other people in the room, but they ignored him. Jayce didn't mind, he was focused on his goal. He smelled the musty odor of dust and old paper, a familiar scent from his past life. He was dismayed by the sight of the neglected books on the shelves, covered with dust and cobwebs. How could anyone ignore such treasures?
Jayce grabbed a pile of ancient texts and found a corner table. He wiped off the dust from the table and opened the books. He immersed himself in his research, looking for the ingredients for S-rank potions.
After hours of reading, he finally found what he was looking for. Three different ingredients for each S-rank potion: a health potion, a mana potion, and a stamina potion.
He learned that every S-rank potion had three essential components: a solvent, a reactant, and a catalyst. He wrote down his findings carefully.
For the health potion, which could heal any wound and restore full health, the possible ingredients were:
Solvent: Aloewater Reactant: Golden Lily Catalyst: Phoenix feather
For the mana potion, which could replenish magical energy and unleash full arcane power, the possible ingredients were:
Solvent: Moonwater Reactant: Lunar Moss Catalyst: Dragon scales
For the stamina potion, which could enhance physical and mental endurance, the possible ingredients were:
Solvent: Honeywater Reactant: Ginseng root Catalyst: Griffin claw
With this knowledge, Jayce gathered his notes and left the library. He held them close to his chest, excited to find the ingredients that would make his dreams come true.
The next day, he went to a famous merchant in the town market outside the school walls. The merchant was known for selling rare and exotic items. Jayce showed him his list of ingredients, and the merchant's eyes bulged. He gasped and then named a huge price.
"One hundred million gold ducats," he said. "Or maybe ten million more."
Jayce couldn't imagine having that much money, so he resigns himself to finding a rich benefactor or ending his hopes of becoming a candidate for Knight of the realm.