The room was too quiet, the kind of oppressive silence that left Elaine alone with her thoughts—and those thoughts were anything but kind. She lay on the cot, her limbs aching, staring at the faintly glowing auroras outside the narrow window.
The events in the courtyard replayed in her mind. The heat of the Ignis essence, the concussive blast of Terris, the way the Nexus had nudged her toward survival with just enough information to keep her alive—but no more.
"Damn thing's a sadist," she muttered, her voice hoarse.
The Nexus flickered faintly in her vision, as if responding to her words, but no new messages appeared. She sighed and sat up, running a hand through her hair.
[REFLECTIONS MODULE: Active Query Available.]
Would you like to analyze the Shardfang Hound event?
(Y/N)
Her eyebrows rose. "Analyze, huh? Fine. Yes," she said, leaning forward.
The text shifted, and new lines scrolled across her vision.
EVENT ANALYSIS:
Encounter: Shardfang Hound (Lesser Grade).Divergence Status: Stabilized via environmental alchemy.Key Metrics:Combat Efficacy: 48%.Tactical Adaptability: 63%.Nexus Dependence: 85%.
INSIGHT: Tactical success achieved but heavily reliant on Nexus prompts. Sustained survival probability: Low without systemic adaptation.
Elaine scowled. "Systemic adaptation? What's that supposed to mean?"
The text didn't answer, instead fading back into the corners of her vision. Her frustration mounted. Every hint of insight the Nexus provided was wrapped in riddles and abstractions.
The exhaustion pressing on her limbs made further analysis impossible. She slumped back onto the cot, trying to quiet her mind. Tomorrow was another day, and she wasn't naïve enough to believe it would be easier.
The Next Morning
A sharp knock jolted Elaine awake. She sat up groggily as the door swung open, revealing the warden from the night before.
"Up," he barked. "You're expected in the alchemy workshop in ten minutes."
Elaine grimaced, rubbing her eyes. "Ten minutes? What happened to breakfast?"
The warden smirked faintly. "Survive long enough, and you might earn it."
She bit back a retort and dragged herself out of bed. The small washbasin near the window provided icy water, which did little to help her fatigue. Throwing on the same set of rough, threadbare clothes, she followed the warden through the compound.
The workshop was a sprawling, chaotic space filled with the acrid smell of burning herbs and the metallic tang of alchemical reagents. Shelves groaned under the weight of jars and vials, each labeled in tiny, precise script. Apprentices darted between workstations, their arms laden with tools and ingredients.
At the far end of the room, Aria Venhold stood by a large, rune-inscribed table, her sharp eyes already locked onto Elaine.
"You're late," Aria said coolly.
Elaine frowned. "Blame your warden."
Aria ignored the remark, gesturing to the table. "Today's task is simple: replicate this."
Elaine stepped closer and saw a small vial of pale green liquid resting on the table. The liquid shimmered faintly, its surface rippling as though alive.
"Essence of Binding," Aria explained. "A standard preparation used to reinforce magical constructs. You will produce a viable sample within the hour."
Elaine stared at the vial. "And if I don't?"
Aria's lips curved into a cold smile. "Failure means forfeiting your probationary status. I assume you understand what that entails."
The Nexus shimmered faintly, offering no immediate guidance. Elaine clenched her fists, glancing at the materials laid out on the table. A quick inventory revealed several familiar substances: Ignisroot, Aether Sap, and Rockspine Moss. But others were completely foreign—twisted, iridescent leaves and a viscous, black sludge labeled "Void Resin."
She picked up the alchemical tome left open on the table. The recipe for Essence of Binding was written in dense script, interspersed with arcane symbols she didn't recognize:
Extract Terris essence from Rockspine Moss.Stabilize with Aether Sap.Add Void Resin incrementally while maintaining clockwise rune rotation.Catalyze with Binding Catalyst Sigil.
Elaine frowned at the instructions. "Clockwise rune rotation?" she muttered.
She glanced at the table, noticing a faintly glowing sigil etched into its surface. The symbol pulsed rhythmically, its light alternating between green and blue.
The Nexus flickered again, finally displaying a hint:
RECOMMENDATION: Synchronize Void Resin application with sigil pulses to prevent destabilization.
"Synchronize, huh?" she murmured, setting to work.
The Process
She began with the Rockspine Moss, grinding it into a fine paste and extracting its essence. This part came easily—her experience with the Shardfang Hound trial had given her confidence.
The next steps, however, were more precarious. The Void Resin oozed like tar, resisting her attempts to measure it accurately. The sigil's pulsing light quickened as she added the resin, the table vibrating faintly beneath her hands.
Carefully, she poured the resin into the mixture, matching her motions to the rhythm of the sigil. The green liquid hissed and bubbled, its surface shimmering unnaturally.
As the mixture began to stabilize, the Nexus chimed softly:
CRITICAL ACTION: Rotate clockwise. Speed: 3 revolutions per second. Duration: 10 seconds.
Elaine suppressed a groan. "Could've told me that sooner," she muttered, grabbing the flask.
She rotated the mixture as instructed, her arms aching from the precise, repetitive motion. The sigil flared brightly, and the bubbling mixture began to settle, its surface smoothing into a faintly rippling sheen.
ESSENCE OF BINDING SUCCESSFULLY SYNTHESIZED.
Elaine exhaled in relief, setting the flask down.
Aria approached, inspecting the liquid with a critical eye. After a long pause, she nodded. "Acceptable," she said.
Elaine bristled at the lukewarm praise but kept her mouth shut.
"Return to your quarters," Aria ordered. "Tomorrow's task will be… more demanding."
As Elaine walked back through the compound, she couldn't shake the feeling that Aria's tests were more than they seemed. The Essence of Binding had been a trial, but for what purpose?
The Nexus shimmered faintly, displaying a new notification:
DIVERGENCE INSIGHT UNLOCKED:
Aria Venhold seeks experimental breakthroughs beyond Crown jurisdiction. Motives: Classified.
Elaine's brow furrowed. Classified? The Nexus rarely withheld information outright. Whatever Aria's agenda was, it had far-reaching implications—and Elaine was stuck in the middle of it.