"This is a pink crystal," she said, handing it to Alexander. "It's simple. Just hold the crystal, enter a meditative state, and let your body absorb the energy inside, like you would with breathing exercises."
Alexander accepted it hesitantly, holding it in his palm. The crystal was cool to the touch, its surface smooth and reflective. He examined it curiously, feeling the faint pulse of magic within.
Then, Alexander sat cross-legged on the floor, holding the crystal in both hands. Closing his eyes, he began to focus on the sensation of the crystal's energy, allowing his breathing to slow and his mind to clear. Before long, he felt the familiar presence of the magical void—an empty, peace space within himself where his magic reside in the form of the starry sky.
As he concentrated on the pink crystal, he felt a subtle shift in the crystal's energy. Slowly, almost cautiously, the magic began to flow from the crystal, like a gentle warmth seeping into his skin. But soon, the warmth grew stronger, flowing into his body like a steady stream of water.
Alexander felt the difference, it was like the parched desert had finally been given rain. The dry, cracked landscape of his inner energy was being restored, bit by bit, as the crystal continued to pour its essence into him, as if his very cells were being reawakened.
His mind more cleared, the aches in his body began to fade, and the exhaustion that had gripped him loosened its hold. For the first time in what felt like weeks, he felt truly refreshed, as though a weight had been lifted a little from his chest.
Minutes passed in peaceful silence as the last of the crystal's energy flowed into him. When Alexander finally opened his eyes, the crystal in his hands had turned clear—its vibrant pink color drained, leaving behind a lifeless, transparent husk.
Lira watched him from a nearby chair, her posture relaxed but leaned forward after saw him woke up. "How do you feel?"
Alexander blinked a few times, adjusting to the bright light of the room. "I feel… incredible," He stood up, feeling the rush of magic coursing through his veins. "It's like I've been completely recharged."
Lira smiled, pleased with the result. "That's the power of energy crystals. Now imagine how useful they'll be in a battle or a high-stakes situation. You'd better start using them regularly."
After he examined his internal magic reserves and realized how much he still lacked, he found that though the pink crystal had made a significant difference, he still nedd about nine pink crystals to fully replenish him, based on his magic levels. If it is light pink crystal, it's about eighteen, which means that he would spend 20,000 credits at one time.
Alexander nodded, thinking back to the recent auction and the market visit. Money—or the lack of it—had been a recurring issue. He hadn't anticipated that even in this new world, money would still be a concern.
Thinking of this, Alexander couldn't help but let out a low whistle. "Magic is also an extremely expensive thing," he muttered, shaking his head.
Lira's gaze softened as she stood up and walked over to him. She placed a reassuring hand on his arm, her touch light and comforting. "You get used to it. But it's also why we have to be smart about how we manage our resources." She paused for a moment, then added, with a teasing smile and a playful glint in his eyes, "Or You could also consider marrying into my family?"
"Thank you, but I will consider taking on more missions or projects to earn credits."
"Well, that's a pity!" Lira chuckled, in a regretful tone. "Back to the point," she continued, her fingers tracing the edges of her notebook, eyes sharp with thought."we've figured out what's causing your loss of control, but now comes the harder part—figuring out how to switch from black fire back to normal flames. That will be our next challenge."
Her eyes flickered with curiosity as she tapped the pen against her chin. "Any ideas?"
Alexander leaned against the table, arms crossed as he frowned in concentration. "No, not yet," he admitted, his thoughts elsewhere. "But I do have something else I've been thinking about."
Lira raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Huh?"
Reaching into his coat pocket, Alexander pulled out the mysterious stone he had bought from Garrick at the market a few days ago. He said it's a stone that even the forges of our academy couldn't burn. The smooth, dark stone glinted slightly in the dim light.
"Actually, I want to see if my black fire can reveal what's inside."
Lira's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she studied the stone. "You want to burn it with black fire? What if it gets destroyed? The Black fire isn't known for leaving much behind—you might lose the stone altogether."
"That's exactly what I'm hoping for," Alexander replied with a determined expression. "Ever since I got this stone, I've felt this strange desire and eager," Alexander looked at the stone in his hand and added, "Even now that I have it in my hand, I'm constantly suppressing the urge to devour it."
"If the black fire can burn through it, then maybe it's not meant to be kept in my possession as a potential threat." He paused, a flicker of unease crossing his face."And if it survives, well… maybe we'll uncover something valuable."
Lira tilted her head and gave a small nod of approval. "Fair enough," she added another line to her notes. "Let's do it then. But let's proceed carefully."
Alexander agreed, moving to the center of the room where a glass container sat atop a stone pedestal. He placed the stone in a glass container, ensuring there was enough protection between it and the rest of the room.
His fingers hovered over the edge of the container for a moment before he whispered the spell under his breath. In order to avoid running out of energy again, a small fireball flickered into existence in his palm, dark and ominous, its edges crackling with power.
With a quick glance at Lira for reassurance, Alexander gently placed the fireball atop the stone. The black flames leapt forward and licked the surface of the stone, flickering like shadows in the dim light of the room.
At first, nothing happened. The stone remained solid and unyielding, its surface as smooth and unremarkable as ever. But slowly, almost imperceptibly, the black fire began to work its way into the stone's surface, the stone's appearance changed. The dark, glossy exterior started to redden, heat building beneath the flame until the stone began to glow like a smoldering ember.
Lira leaned in closer, her eyes narrowing in concentration. "It's working," she murmured.
The stone's exterior began to melt, its edges liquefying into a glassy substance that dripped down the sides of the glass container, revealing something hidden beneath. The black fire, instead of consuming the object, seemed to be peeling away its outer layers, like a key unlocking a treasure chest. He could feel the immense power radiating from the object beneath the stone.