Back in his lab, Lucian shook his head as he examined the few items salvaged from Apollo's belongings.
"Tsk, I should've used a different spell," he muttered, half-regretting the intense flames from his fire magic. "The fight looked impressive, sure, but most of the spoils ended up burnt." He sighed, already missing the magical stones he could have gained.
After brooding for a while, he finally began sorting through Apollo's belongings. Wizards rarely trusted others with their most valuable possessions, so the fact that he had anything left meant Apollo had some truly precious items on him.
Out of everything left relatively unscathed by Lucian's incinerating flames, three items stood out: a broken knight's lance, Apollo's wizard robe, and a delicate black ring.
"Not bad for a defensive charm, though a bit lacklustre for me," Lucian said as he inspected the wizard robe. While it was slightly damaged, it could be repaired easily enough. The robe's protective enchantment could withstand about 100 pawa of magical impact without damage. Anything over that, however, would cause significant wear, and its maximum protection was about 200 to 250 pawa in a single burst.
"Perfect for Carrie," Lucian decided. Selling it would be a shame, but giving it to Carrie would add an extra layer of protection the broken lance was next. Lucian recognized it instantly as Apollo's powerful attack charm. Satisfied with his initial inspection, he set it aside.
Finally, he picked up the black ring, its design simple but refined, as if carved from a single black gemstone. Rubbing his fingers along the ring's smooth surface, he felt faintly etched markings, and on the inside of the band, he noticed an inscription—E.W.
Curio carefully extended a sliver of his spirit into the ring's surface.
Boom.
A moment later, Lucian sensed an independent, enclosed space within the ring, housing a collection of materials and items.
"A spatial ring," Lucian whispered, his eyes lighting up.
In Greybone few wizards could craft storage charms, making them rare and precious. Most third-level apprentices and official wizards didn't have the luxury of owning one. Lucian himself had always wanted one but had never managed to justify the expense.
"It seems Apollo must have stumbled upon quite a unique opportunity," he mused as he examined the ring's contents. His smile grew as he continued his search.
The spatial ring was small, roughly two cubic meters in capacity, but it held Apollo's most valuable possessions. Just the magical stones alone amounted to over seventy pieces, along with a variety of rare resources. Lucian estimated that the resources alone could be worth 150 magical stones.
Alongside the more common items, there were three more noteworthy objects: a purple-veined leaf, an old leather-bound book, and an unusual, translucent crystal.
"Purple-Wreathed Hundred Vein Leaf," Lucian noted, his eyes gleaming as he looked at the delicate leaf.
This seemingly simple leaf was worth at least two hundred magical stones since it was the primary ingredient for Horus' Blessing, an elixir known to aid third-level apprentices in advancing to official wizards. It was a prized, almost unattainable resource, treasured by all advanced apprentices.
"Apollo must have saved it for his own advancement. Now it's mine." Smiling, Lucian placed the leaf back in the ring before turning to the red-covered leather book.
Hmm? His expression shifted.
The book's cover clasp was set with a human finger bone, and as Lucian examined it closer, he realized that the entire book… was bound in human skin. A chill ran down his spine as he forced himself to turn the pages, wondering if he was now handling the flesh of the deceased.
"In the ancient times, wizards were known for their brutality. They ruled through towers, establishing despotic kingdoms where cruelty was commonplace," Lucian recalled, mentally conjuring up the horrific era's details. "In those times, only the most esteemed were recorded in journals made from human skin, with the finger bones of loyal servants embedded in the covers."
Swallowing his disgust, Lucian carefully opened the worn pages.
His suspicions were confirmed as he recognized the ancient script on the first page, written by a wizard from one of the darkest eras in history.
Esther Will?
Lucian glanced at the name recorded in the journal, recalling the initials carved inside the ring. He began reading, curiosity overtaking his unease.
"So that's what a spatial crystal is," he murmured, glancing at the small, gleaming crystal beside him, the book's details already explaining its properties.
Lucian closed his eyes, focusing on processing the journal's wealth of alchemical knowledge. This was the alchemical journal of a wizard named Esther, and it contained details of five zero-level spells, two first-level spells, and an entire system of alchemical theory—including the method for crafting spatial storage charms.
The journal was nothing short of a comprehensive legacy, capable of guiding a wizard from a basic understanding of alchemy at the apprentice level to the expertise required of an official alchemist.
"Looks like Apollo's 'unique opportunity' was the inheritance of Esther's knowledge," Lucian thought, opening his eyes. This alchemist's legacy was even more extensive than the introductory potion-making he had learned from Master Pinor.