Sovereign of the Ashes

The Corrosive Wand marked the pinnacle of Sein’s craftsmanship in alchemy, a product of years of dedicated study.

The name itself alluded to its roots as Sein’s reinterpretation of the Acid Wand, bestowed upon him by his mentor.

Unfortunately, Sein lacked the extensive experience in alchemy, focus, and elemental sensitivity that Master Morsidor possessed.

Coupled with the constraints of available materials, Sein’s efforts brought the wand to the verge of barely qualifying as an intermediate magic item.

Even so, it was still an achievement that filled Sein with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment!

Under normal circumstances, both Morsidor and Zorro would have marveled at this remarkable feat.

However, given the present circumstances, only Sein, Leena, and Marie know about the Corrosive Wand’s existence.

Sein explained, “The Corrosive Wand is crafted using the magic crystals and skull of an intermediate-level magic beast, the Giant Saltwater Crocodile, as its primary materials. Due to the scarcity of some crucial raw materials and the fact that I have yet to attain my mentor’s level of expertise, the Corrosive Wand has a long cooldown period of forty hours.”

“It releases only an intermediate magic spell, “Corrosive Slime”, so its usage must be carefully timed,” he cautioned Marie.

The source of power behind the Corrosive Slime spell was not the magic array that Sein engraved on the wand, but rather the elemental energy stored within the giant crocodile’s skull and magic crystal.

This accounted for the extended cooldown period, and the lack of the dual benefits of replenishing focus and mana points, that Sein’s original Acid Wand possessed.

Marie received the Corrosive Wand from Sein, her emotions reflecting a mix of conflict and gratitude.

She considered expressing her feelings, but when she met Sein’s sincere gaze, she found herself unable to decline his kindness.

Over four years had passed since their initial meeting, and Marie had blossomed from a timid girl into a gorgeous young woman.

Being two years younger than Sein, Marie was now an eighteen year old woman with striking emerald hair that radiated a vibrant and joyful aura.

Despite being taller than the never-changing Leena, her figure differed with a smaller bust compared to Leena’s more ample proportions.

Back at their dormitory room, Leena could not help but ask, “The Corrosive Wand seems like it could be useful for you too. Why did you give it to Marie? What about yourself?”

Leena’s inquiry conveyed genuine concern rather than complaint.

Marie had been a great help, providing them all sorts of potions, including intermediate healing and rejuvenation potions, which proved invaluable even to Leena, a senior initiate.

Sein gently pulled the woman who barely reached his shoulder and explained, “No matter how adept I am in alchemy, the Corrosive Wand is my limit. However, let’s not forget, I have a mentor to rely on.”

A look of pleasant surprise crossed Leena’s face as she asked, “You mean...”

Sein nodded and assured her, “Although my mentor hasn’t explicitly stated it, I’m certain he won’t leave his apprentices vulnerable. With his remarkable abilities, even advanced magic items are not beyond his reach. I trust that he’ll provide us with the means to protect ourselves.”

***

The half-year mark had arrived, and all the initiates of Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City finally received the official announcement from the academy.

On this day, the academy’s council issued an official announcement, revealing their intentions in an abrupt manner.

Their announcement stated that, in three days, the initiates would embark on a journey to the Shadow Valley. However, beyond this information, they maintained a veil of secrecy, leaving many details concealed.

The few cryptic phrases circulating among the initiates, such as “space-time rift” and “unknown plane”, provided only vague hints about the impending mission.

In truth, the initiates possessed very little knowledge about what lay ahead, and for most of them, this journey marked an expedition into the unknown.

Only individuals like Sein, who had been privy to advanced information, engaged in thorough research, and enjoyed the guidance of a mentor, could be considered adequately prepared.

For the rest, especially those at lower ranks, the mission was a perilous endeavor.

As the academy’s initiates grappled with uncertainty and confusion regarding the Shadow Valley expedition, a secretive assembly of full-fledged black mages took place on the top floor of the central academy building.

The final attendee to enter the meeting room was Sein’s mentor, Morsidor.

By the time he arrived, sixteen full-fledged black mages , including Vice Dean Dedaelon, were already seated.

Despite his late arrival, no objections or protests were voiced.

It was well-known that Morsidor’s recent endeavors were of paramount importance, and the prospect of successfully opening the space-time rift at the Shadow Valley rested largely on his shoulders, instead of the three vice deans.

With Morsidor’s presence, the meeting officially commenced.

The first to speak was a black mage who had always maintained a low profile and seldom appeared at the academy.

He voiced his concerns directly, “Can we truly succeed by expediting the mission by seven years? Moreover, there are no divine towers or orders of the knights near Gloomhaven. Even the smaller mage councils and knight houses, for most part, maintain covert ties with us. How can we be certain that the looming threat is associated with the forces from one of the Divine Towers?”

His tone conveyed impatience, and his frustration was entirely understandable.

Anyone who just stepped out of a research laboratory, only to receive sudden notice of a mission originally planned for decades, now rescheduled a full decade earlier without any prior warning, would likely share his frustration.

Magic experiments demanded substantial time and energy investments, particularly among the higher ranked mages who frequently undertook longer experiments.

The full-fledged black mage who spoke had reached the late stages of the Rank One, positioning him among the elite of the seventeen black mages present.

His recent five-year experiment had isolated him at home, causing him to miss crucial updates and developments.

Vice Dean Dedaelon, seated at the head of the conference table, turned to the black mage named Jada, saying, “Jada, I’ll leave it to you to explain.”

The attention of most of the mages in the room shifted to Jada, who was heavily bandaged and bore visible scorch marks from a pyro-element incident.

His right eye had been lost, and his body had suffered severe burns, leaving everyone in the room puzzled about his remarkable survival.

Jada did not offer an extensive explanation. Instead, he raised a silver badge with his right hand.

The sight of the emblem elicited a notable change in the expressions of most of the black mages present.