Time passed swiftly, and it had already been three weeks since Claude arrived in Elysium. Though the novelty of the floating city still struck him occasionally, he had begun to settle into a steady routine.
Most of his days found him rotating between lectures, spell practice and the library.
Today, he had found himself in the library. Despite the bustling figures who wandered its aisles, rifling through shelves, the space maintained an almost sacred quiet, broken only by the occasional rustle of parchment.
This time, however, Claude wasn't alone.
Flip!
The soft sound of a turning page drew his attention to the seat beside him. Charles sat there, as he so often did these days, completely engrossed in a book titled "The Nature of Flames and Volatile Substances" The title alone was enough to make Claude suppress a sigh.
Three weeks. Hasn't he found something better to do than shadow me everywhere?
Claude's gaze lingered on Charles for a moment longer, noting his furrowed brow and the slight tilt of his head as he read.
With a shake of his own head, Claude pushed the distraction aside and returned his focus to the book before him.
The title, "Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Mental Energy in Humans," piqued his interest—perfectly suited to the questions that had begun to occupy his mind.
He ran his fingers lightly over the parchment as he read:
"For millennia, the effects of mental energy on the human body have been hotly debated. With this work, we aim to contribute to the growing body of knowledge... Our findings indicate that prolonged exposure to mental energy leads to heightened neurological activity in both mages and non-mages. However, the degree of enhancement is notably greater—approximately fourfold—in mages."
Claude leaned in closer. A small diagram on the adjacent page illustrates the various relevant neural pathways.
"This discrepancy may be attributed to a mage's innate affinity for mental energy, though this remains speculative and warrants further study."
He turned the page, his eyes drawn to another illustration, this time comparing muscular development in two figures. One—a mage—stood strong and robust, while the non-mage beside it was frail, almost skeletal.
"Yet, there are significant caveats: non-mages subjected to prolonged exposure often develop severe muscular atrophy and suffer from markedly reduced lifespans. Conversely, mages exhibit the opposite effect—showing increased muscle and bone density, as well as extended lifespans."
The contrast was stark, almost cruel in its disparity. Claude's brow furrowed as he continued reading.
"Overall, our data suggest that the impact of mental energy varies significantly between individuals, influenced by their inherent affinity and physical constitution."
Claude let out a slow breath as he closed the book, his fingers drumming lightly against its cover. His thoughts began to wander back to his previous world. He hadn't lingered long, but...
Had his use of mental energy left behind any unintended consequences?
'If I can… I should probably go back to check.' Yet even as the thought formed, another followed close behind—the Subspace network within him.
For weeks now, it had remained stubbornly silent. No matter what he tried, it refused to respond. 'What do I need to do to travel again?' He sombrely thought.
The question gnawed at him. His first journey had been crucial, granting him knowledge and power far beyond what he had ever imagined. The thought of discovering new worlds, each with its own secrets to uncover, was a temptation he found difficult to resist.
But for now, those thoughts would have to wait.
Bong! Bong!
Claude glanced up, his attention caught by the massive clock that dominated the library's central hall. It was a towering grandfather clock carved from dark oak. The polished brass pendulum swung back and forth with a rhythmic inevitability.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
The sound filled the space. Claude stared at the clock for a moment longer before shaking his head. Is it time already?
Closing the book, he stood up. The chair scraped lightly against the floor as he pushed it back. "Claude? You leaving?" Charles's voice broke the silence, his head lifting from his book.
"Yes." Claude tucked the book under his arm and gave a small wave. "I have somewhere to be."
Charles's eyes followed him as he turned to leave. The faintest hint of a smile tugged at Claude's lips—one Charles wouldn't see. 'Finally! I no longer have a tail following me about.' Suppressing the thought, Claude made his way to the library's doors.
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Standing before a counter, Claude allowed his gaze to sweep over the gilded archways of the administrative hall. Behind the counter stood a familiar figure: Chang Wei, impeccably dressed as always, whose eyes gleamed as he noticed Claude's approach.
"Good afternoon, Chang Wei," Claude greeted with a polite nod, as his boots knocked on the marble floor. "Have they decided on my mission?"
Chang Wei's lips curved into a small smile. Without a word, he slid a finely crafted wooden box across the counter.
"Indeed, they have," Chang Wei replied smoothly. "Your task is to investigate reports of the potential presence of a Voidspawn in a village in Marduk."
Claude's brow furrowed slightly at the mention of Voidspawn, yet still reached for the box. His fingers brushed over the cool, polished surface of the box, noting its surprising weight. "And this?" he inquired.
"That," Chang Wei said, his smile growing a fraction wider, "is a tool to aid you in your task. The specifics are outlined in the documents inside, so I recommend you review them carefully. And, Claude—" his tone lowered slightly, "I suggest you handle it with caution. It's not your average equipment."
Claude's interest spiked, though he refrained from prying further. He nodded as he lifted the box with both hands. A faint clicking sound echoed inside.
Perhaps a device? A weapon? He suppressed the urge to examine it immediately, deciding instead to check its contents later.
"Understood," Claude replied simply before turning around and heading out. As he reached the heavy oak doors, Chang Wei's voice rang out again, stopping him mid-stride.
"Oh, Claude—one more thing," Chang Wei called out, his expression betraying a hint of mischief. "You won't be going alone. For this mission, you've been assigned a partner."
Claude froze, his shoulders stiffening almost imperceptibly as he turned to face Chang Wei. A partner? He opened his mouth to protest, but before he could utter a word, the door swung open behind him.
"Claude!" a familiar, overly enthusiastic voice rang out.
Claude turned slowly, already dreading what he would see. Sure enough, there stood Charles, grinning broadly.
"Looks like we're working together!" Charles declared, his bright tone practically bouncing off the walls.
For a moment, Claude could do nothing but stare, his jaw tightening as he fought to maintain his composure. The cheerful gleam in Charles's eyes was as unrelenting as the midday sun.
"Of course," Claude forced himself to return the smile. "Why wouldn't it be you?"
If Charles noticed the underlying tension in Claude's voice, he gave no sign of it. Instead, he strode forward, clearly delighted by the arrangement.
Chang Wei, meanwhile, observed the exchange with a barely concealed grin, clearly enjoying the irony. "You'll find Charles's insights invaluable," he said smoothly. "He's rather knowledgable for an apprentice, as I'm sure you've noticed. Think of this as an opportunity to learn from one another."
Claude's lips twitched, though he resisted the urge to respond. Learn from one another? More like learning to tolerate him.
"Well," Charles chirped, oblivious to Claude's internal struggle, "I'm ready whenever you are! Shall we go over the details of the mission together? I've been reading up on Subspace phenomena—there's this fascinating paper on dimensional overlaps that I think you'd love!"
Claude closed his eyes briefly, exhaling through his nose. "Let's… focus on the mission briefing first," he said curtly, adjusting the box under his arm.
"Absolutely!" Charles nodded enthusiastically, falling into step beside him as they left the hall. Chang Wei's amused chuckle followed them out, echoing faintly behind them.
As the heavy doors closed behind them, Claude cast a sidelong glance at his unwanted companion. Charles was already muttering something about Subspace phenomena. Suppressing a sigh, Claude turned his thoughts to the task ahead.
Subspace corruption, he reminded himself. That's the real threat here—not Charles. Just stay focused.