"The scent of freedom!" Although Elandril had been detained in the dungeon for merely half a day, he couldn't help but marvel upon seeing the soft amber glow of the magic academy's luminous stones above once more.
This dungeon was no ordinary place. Few apprentices ever emerged once they were taken inside. Rumor had it that even some full-fledged Dark Sorcerers had faced judgment within these walls. Whether that was true or not lay beyond Elandril's knowledge.
As they left the dungeon's confines, Elandril, limping slightly, supported Lina and vice versa, as they slowly made their way towards their home. Dean Dathalon hadn't come to see them off, and the old witch too had vanished. Just before they exited the dungeon, she had murmured something to Lina, her lips barely moving, suggesting some private instruction.
"It seems we won't be having Ebony Mackerel for dinner after all. And our moving plans? Those might need to be delayed as well," Elandril remarked with a wry smile.
Lina, her injuries nearly matching Elandril's, merely looked down, her face regaining its usual cold demeanor. After a prolonged silence, and just as they neared their dormitory, she finally spoke. "My great-aunt, Ferenna, has expressed her desire to take me under her wing, to pass down the Dark Element magic of our lineage."
She added, "Actually, after our mentor's passing, Aunt Ferenna had been watching over me. It was only when I was promoted to Senior Apprentice that she clearly indicated her wish to train me.""In terms of raw power and the depth of her study into Dark Element magic, it seems Aunt Ferenna even surpasses my own mentor from years past," Lina explained with a certain depth of conviction.
At Lina's words, a weight that had long rested heavily on Elandril's heart finally lifted. Although both he and Lina held their own secrets and spaces they hadn't shared with each other, as bedfellows and comrades-in-arms who had faced death together, he cherished the hope that they could be more candid with each other.
A genuine smile broke across Elandril's face, touched by Lina's sincerity.
Having a formidable Dark Sorcerer like Ferenna willing to take Lina as an apprentice was clearly a boon for her. It was Lina's candidness that further deepened their bond, compared to the past.
Elandril had always been the one to take the initiative in their relationship. It was surprising, and heartening, to see Lina opening up to him. "Perhaps it's time I share my family name and the stories of my childhood with Lina," he mused to himself.
...
Their plans to move out of the dormitory had been temporarily stalled. Yet, three days later, Elandril was due to report, dutifully, to Master Mosido's laboratory.
Contrastingly, three days earlier, Elandril had only sustained an abdominal injury and showed slight signs of poisoning. Now, his condition had notably worsened. As he knocked on the door to Master Mosido's lab, his left arm was wrapped in a thick, heavy bandage.
Observing the visibly more injured Elandril, Master Mosido's jaundiced eyes narrowed in concern. "What happened?" he inquired with a tinge of alarm.Returning to Master Mosido's lab, a sense of trepidation hung heavy in Elandril's heart. The typical demeanor of Dark Sorcerers, known for their ruthless and defiant nature, made him anxious. Would Master Mosido cast him out upon seeing his current state? After all, the Academy of Dark Magic had no room for the ineffectual. Given Elandril's condition, he was in no position to assist with any of Master Mosido's arcane experiments.
Yet, swallowing his fear, Elandril ventured forward. Master Mosido remained his strongest anchor at the academy, perhaps his only chance of finding a firm footing amidst the dark spells and incantations. His beloved Lina had her own connections, tethered primarily to her newly appointed mentor, Ferenna. Within the circle of apprentices, Lina might offer Elandril some protection. But when it came to the genuine dealings of the Dark Sorcerers, only the enigmatic Master Mosido could pave a way for him.
Elandril vividly recalled the expression that danced across the face of Vice-Chancellor Dathalon upon the mere mention of Mosido's name. While Mosido's power might not surpass that of Dathalon, and his rank nowhere near the stature of a vice-chancellor, there was undeniably an aspect in which he commanded respect, even from the likes of Dathalon. Elandril's release from the dungeon had been solely due to Mosido's influence.
As he stepped into the dimly lit lab, the seemingly sinister countenance of Master Mosido looming before him, Elandril mustered the courage to recount the events of the past few days.From a fierce duel with Junior Apprentice Yilke to the unsettling skirmish the very next day on the shadowy streets with Scarred Joke and his cohorts; from being thrown into the dungeons to facing the stern reprimand of Deputy Dean, Master Dathalon. Elandril recounted it all, not daring to omit a single detail.
After all, it was under the prestigious aegis of Master Mosido that Elandril had remained unscathed thus far. His trump card in both battles was the high-grade magical equipment gifted to him by Master Mosido himself: the Acidic Wand.
After listening to Elandril's detailed account, there was a brief silence. Then, to Elandril's surprise, a robust, unrestrained laughter erupted from Master Mosido. "Impressive! You've certainly proven yourself stronger than those two unfortunate senior apprentices of yours."
"They met their demise, weak and bested by outsiders. Yet, you, young one? Not only have you slain a peer, but you also managed to defeat an Intermediate Apprentice? While you heavily relied on the Acidic Wand I bestowed upon you, your bravery and combat adaptability are indeed commendable!" praised Master Mosido.
Where Elandril expected a stern rebuke for the chaos he'd instigated, he received praise from Master Mosido. Truly, the temperament of a Dark Sorcerer cannot be gauged by ordinary standards! It was through this very praise from Master Mosido that Elandril understood that, even though he was the fifth disciple, he only had one senior apprentice brother and one senior apprentice sister. As for the other two, they had unfortunately met their untimely ends. Now, only the three of them remained as the disciples of Master Mosido."All right, since your injuries render you incapable of joining me in the experiments, I suggest you devote your time to studying these two volumes of magical notes I've entrusted to you," the voice held an air of gentle insistence.
"Furthermore, it's time you refreshed your Meditation technique. This is the foundational Meditation practice of our lineage." With a graceful wave of his hand, Master Mosido summoned forth two leather-bound tomes and a small crystal orb, placing them before Elandril.
The tomes, thick and ornate, bore the titles: "An Introduction to Alchemy" and "Foundations of the Fire Element". These weren't just any textbooks; these were syllabi from the lectures Master Mosido conducted at the Black Magic Academy. However, what set these apart from the rigid and structured curriculum were the handwritten notes by Master Mosido himself. They were the true essence of the volumes, tailored to guide Elandril more swiftly through his initiation into the arcane arts.
The crystal orb, slightly smaller than the palm, was an intricate artifact crafted casually by Master Mosido. It harbored a precious Meditation technique within its confines.
After handing over these three invaluable items to Elandril, Master Mosido shook his head slightly, and with a contemplative expression, retreated deeper into the laboratory, presumably to immerse himself back into his experiments.
Elandril, following Master Mosido's guidance, ventured into a secluded chamber within the laboratory. It was here he would embark on his journey of knowledge and magical inheritance.