Silverhart Online 37 Before the Ritual

Remedying this predicament, a snap was heard from Rarsu's finger, as a fluctuation of Magic is felt around the place and suddenly, light greeted them in the form of small glowing balls right above them to light up the basement.

"Wow, what is that?" Gray's eyes gleamed with interest at seeing a light made out of magic.

"Magus Light," Rarsu answers with a smile as he pointed the balls of light. "A magical device that produces light by means of channeling a little of your Mana right into it. It's also very convenient since the light lasts three days to be exact at continuous usage in full capacity, and can likewise be switched on or off at will for the Mana to not be wasted. Heh, you still have a lot to learn, young Mage."

"Yeah, hehe." Gray scratches the back of his head as he snickered sheepishly in acknowledgment. "That's the reason for my desire to head over at Arkanos University after all."

'And also, to become more powerful and acquire its beneficial secrets.' Gray added his other motives inside his thoughts.

With the clear brightness now gracing on the entirety of the shop's underground basement, Gray's eyes wander all over the area as the place looks similar to a laboratory filled with different varieties of apparatus, most likely used in the Druid's various experiments.

As one might expect, the desks and benches in the laboratory basement could only be described as archaic, something that is definitely envisioned in a fantasy setting from the past. Vials of unknown liquid that are placed on the tables are seen to be arranged in an orderly manner with some notes laying that most probably describe the details of the experimentations.

Delving further inside the basement, Rarsu gestured for the Arcanist to stop as they both arrived at the designated area of the basement.

"Behold, a Magic Circle." The Elf was presented by Rarsu a huge circular setting dais with lit up candles all over its circumference that creates some sort of a ceremonial setting. "This is the area for the creation of the Sentinels, where a magic ritual is involved and other intricate skills of the mind and hands to achieve such marvelous feat."

The area that Gray witnessed before his very eyes is quite big in fact. The circle itself is filled with incoherent language and runes written with chalk that the Elf fails to decipher. In the middle of the circle is a symbol of three crystals that are beside together as one, indicating a representation that might be a key factor of the ritual itself. He could additionally see some outlines in the form of visible blue energy radiating inside the circle flowing slowly in the air as the element integrates itself as a part of the ritual.

Indeed, Gray could feel marvel at the strange energy resonating around the circle, the feeling of an impulse getting only more potent as he instinctively took a step closer within. Gray started to experience being unusually intrigue by the said energy as he basks on the rather… succulent presence if one such as himself could describe it.

Rarsu's eyes widen slightly as he witnesses Gray seemingly opening his mouth. The Lizardling then immediately interrupts the Elf by pulling him away from the proximity of the circle. "I won't do that if I were you."

Gray indeed was taken aback by the Lizardling's shocking action. "W-what?"

The Elf's reaction was not gone unnoticed by Rarsu as the latter enlightens the former. "Before you ask, yes, the circle is flowing with the air of Arcane Energy, explaining the sudden urge of you trying to eat it. I assume that you most likely don't know this, given you're still new in the magic business. The Magic Circle, well in simple definition, is a circle of space hand-drawn and written by Magic practitioners like us for the purpose of whatever deems worthy in our interest. Arcane Energy as you can see, is one of the necessary components in the circle for the ritual to be a success since the flow of said energy inside aids in stabilizing the ritual's foundation by supplying constant Mana in it. Arcane Energy is also accumulated inside the circle by the means of any kind of medium to keep the Energy from escaping the circle, which in this case are the special candles that I prepare."

"I see." Gray nods in understanding. "If I actually consumed all of the Arcane Energy within, then the ritual, you creating this Arcane Sentinel of yours, will surely fail due to the lack of the said Energy in maintaining the ritual, right?"

"Heh, you sure a quick thinker, I can give you that," Rarsu smirks with a nod of approval at Gray's fast deduction of the topic. "It's also one of the reasons why Arcanists are feared in the Magic society, having the potential to disrupt whatever magic ritual that their enemies are performing by simply opening their mouths to devour. As a result, they replenish themselves as well."

"That sounds incredible." Gray widens his eyes in a pleasant surprise, filing the valuable information given to him as it really will be useful if he encounters a situation that's something like that in nature. "I'll keep that in mind."

As Rarsu goes on about to fulfill his business in preparation for the ritual, Gray suddenly interrupts him with another question.

"Wait." The Elf said as his curious nature revealed itself. "And how do you exactly gather all the amounts of the Arcane Energy being piled up in one space? I'm sure that acquiring that sort of energy is not that easy."

"You ask too many questions." The Lizardling simply answers, but not in an annoyed manner though. As a matter of fact, he's quite impressed by the curiosity and eagerness of the Elf in learning new things, not unlike most of the other young apprentices that he has the displeasure of teaching. They were either too passive, lazy, or arrogant, the last he greatly despises.

After all, in the pursuit of indispensable knowledge, the shame of ignorance must first be overcome.

Anyways, the Lizardling had enough of such thoughts as he indulges the Elf's question. "Arcane Energy can be harvested in multiple ways, but most of them revolve around a special type of vial called the Arcane Inhalant and is used in drawing the Energy inside. Whenever a Mage casts a spell, concentrations of Arcane Energy are left in the air until it's eventual disappearance. How much Energy being released all depends on the scale of the spell being cast. So whenever Arcane Energy flows freely in the atmosphere, we used the said vial to suck it inside and released it into the Magic Circle."

"An Arcane Inhalant huh." Gray grins at the possibility of such a useful item. "As an Arcanist, can I also use it to store the Arcane Energy for me to feed on later?"

"And the questions do not stop." Rarsu chortles in reply. "Of course, it's quite common for Arcanists like yourself to have that item."

As Gray was about to ask another series of questions related to Magic, he was instantly halted by the Lizardling as he raised one of his scaly hands.

"We have delayed far enough in our talking. You may save your questions for later after the ritual." The impatience on Rarsu's tone can be heard. "Be a kind young man and help me why don't you. We are going to retrieve the base body that we will be using for the rites."

"There's a body involved?" Gray could not help but question him. As he was about to ask if it's a dead body of someone, his eyes widen in realization as he remembers that a living being perished in the form of crystals, so yeah, he dodged a potentially stupid question for him to ask.

"Yes," Rarsu answers him as they now tread ahead. "A figure made out of a special kind of clay and the basis for our little Sentinel to adjust itself at. Anyways, didn't I tell you to save the questions for later after the ritual?"

"Ehehe, sorry." Gray could only chuckle in response.

After a short while of walking, Gray was led into a storeroom filled with assorted mysterious items piled inside. Rarsu gestures the Elf to follow him until they stand in front of a simple wooden coffin that's engraved with runes at the cover.

"Finally, I could make good use of you, my precious." Gray could only look weirdly at what the Lizardling affectionately said at the coffin as the latter caress the object just like how a lover does.

'Wow, if I didn't know any better, then I could have sworn that this guy is a freaking necrophile.' The Elf merely thought as he cringes.

And with that said, Rarsu instructed Gray to help him in carrying the coffin as they step out of the storeroom and proceeded to head back to the ritual area.
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Chapter end