In the initiate's hollow wing, Allen was sitting on the floor, his feet tucked beneath him, hands resting calmly on his thigh, his posture steady and focused.
He was deep in meditation; trying to listen to the 'call of arcana', it was time for him to officially begin his cultivation journey.
For his current awakened stage, he would need to sense and grasp ambient arcana, gather arcana and saturate his body before attempting and beginning to form his core- an integral part to his power progression. The process was slow and arduous- trying to sense something he had never consciously interacted with- but with time he would get the hang of it.
He stuck in that position for a while before stopping; stood and stretched his muscles.
It had just been the previous day when he got ambushed. His wound in the back was now a bit sore, but healing- thanks to health potions and balms Shardu had given him and helped apply.
A few days and he would be as good as new.
There was a lot on his plate; things he had to accomplish that day.
Allen grabbed his twin shortswords — one broken, but sheathed all the same. He tied them together, hilts on opposite sides, strapped flat across his lower back — horizontal to his figure for speed and concealment. Then came the cloak, sweeping down to cover the weapons completely.
Nobody would notice the hidden blades.
Not until their heads were already rolling.
He now headed to the bleeding lab- Shardu had some tests he needed to conduct, data to collect- he owed him that; for the lenghts he had gone to revive him from the grasp of death- he would also get answers. Well, a win- win situation.
***
"Good thing ye' showed, boy" Shardu barked "or else I would have come drab you out myself ...and don't expect me to be gentle."
Shardu was busy tinkering with some contraption on his desk.
Potions bubbling in flasks.
The smell of aromatic herbs mixed in with burnt and spilt chemicals blended, making the lab reek of a scent that was both sweet and foul — unmistakably alchemical.
Shardu immediately stopped all he was doing, gestured Allen to a platform- and told him to remove his cloak, weapons, he only remained in his leather pants- otherwise bare chested.
Allen's figure was well defined; he looked like he was chiseled, his body toned but not excessive, his build was lithe, with his muscles like lean steel cables.
Scars marred his chest and back; a silent script of untold tales.
Shardu went on to examine his arms, midsection; no traces of poisoning...it seems like all the patterns left by the toxin had been erased and repaired.
That spoke a lot ...it told of how his body was reforged and repatterned.
Shardu did this all while noting them down in his notebook.
"Here comes the tough part...brace ye' self"
An assortment of potions in syringes were injected into Allen.
The reactions were immediate bt lost their severity as more and more were injected.
There were bouts of crazy ramblings that Allen couldn't make out what they meant.
"Brilliant... boy! You may not have realised...but you body is adapting and intergrating the toxins I injected in you in realtime."
"It worked...ohh grak it ...it worked."
Allen was at a loss, he had no idea as to what Shardu was saying- not that the eccentric gnome could really be understood with all his mumbo jumbo.
Apparently Allen had gained an amazing perk ...he could assimilate toxins- not that he knew what that would really benefit him- and a shocking resistance to toxins.
"You thick-skulled bastard ...do you even know what draemurges and thaumaturges would do to get this, or even to cut you up and study your internals! This is a breakthrough!."
It seems that Allen had got what Shardu called 'a living crucible' a trait many would die to have. It made it easy and convenient for draemurges to make poisons to their heart's content without worrying of poisoning themselves. Not to mention the perk of toxin resistance and being a walking poison bag. All in all that was a lot for Allen to digest.
Nevertheless, Allen was smart enough to see its potential ,being a poison user himself.
He always had a fascination with toxins-made a few himself- they were quite convenient to use, it was just that he never found a willing teacher to show him the ropes. Trying that Toxin art (draemurgy) on your own is like dancing with death... a mistake and you are a goner.
" Kid... you'll have to come in for more tests. Such untapped potential. You owe me that. Let me run a few now and then — call it even- settle your debt to me."
"It's not that I would poison you to death or anything."
Shardu was unrelenting.
Allen had the carrot, now time to get the stick.
"Only if you show me the art of toxin concoction-draemurgy."
Allen had read Shardu's notebook, to put it frankly, he wanted to ask him about his tricks already- it was that he knew that such was kept close to the chest, not revealed their close ones not to mention him, a nobody, so he bid his time...turns out it was the right choice.
"Boy! You know of the restrictions placed on us..." Shardu the gnome continued in protest, he was fired up,
"Draemurgy is not for the faint hearted ...requires grit, dedication...Boy. Are you willing to experience hell ?!"
I don't do half assed teaching ...those are my conditions, take it. leave it "
"I will do whatever it takes...."
Allen was firm, unrelenting.
"Those are my conditions, show me the ropes, I give you what you want"
"All right, all right ! Ye' drive a hard bargain boy" Shardu relented his arms in the air but his eyes emiting sparks he couldn't wait to get started.
He then proceeded rummage through his library, came back with some old tomes with leather covers,beaten by the flow of time.
"These are basics on draemurgy.Read them ..."
holding out three fingers, Shardu proceeded
"Three days are all ye' have."
Allen took the old tomes and headed back to his hollow. He had an appointment with Irvin.
"This might just get me alienated"
Shardu closed off looking at Allen's retreating figure.