Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder in the classroom than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.
The classroom was large enough to hold at least thirty students, their cauldrons, and their work tables. In the corner of the classroom was a basin into which icy cold water poured from a snake’s mouth. A student supply cupboard could be seen in the room, along with a blackboard on which the professor could write formulae and recipes for potions and pills.
Professor Lane’s office and personal stores were adjacent to the potions classroom and there was a room in the corner to access the office from the potions classroom.
Michael felt weird carrying a set of books like a student. When he entered the classroom, he noticed that not only the classroom was gloomy but also the students looked gloomy. None of them dared to utter a word.
As he liked, he went to the table at the far end of the corner from the professor’s table. A copper cauldron along with a yellowish parchment laid on the table.
”Hey” a brown-haired youngster next to Michael’s table waved at him with a friendly smile. Since the youngster was sharing his table with orcs and beastmen, he seemed to be glad to meet a fellow human,
Michael just nodded with a smile before reading the contents written on the parchment.
”Healing potion recipe” Michael immediately recognized the ingredients and what potion could be brewed using these ingredients.
”Another batch of baffling bumbling fools” a cold voice reverberated in the classroom.
The students saw professor Lane walking out of the door connecting the classroom and his personal office. Professor Lane Voldigard was a tall thin man with pallid skin, a large, hooked nose, and a pearl white set of teeth.
He was dressed in flowing black robes which made him resemble “an overgrown bat”. He had shoulder-length, smooth black hair which framed his face in curtains, curling lips, and dark, penetrating eyes that resembled tunnels.
When he entered the classroom, the already gloomy classroom turned gloomier.
”You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of alchemy. As there is little fancy spell casting here, many of you will hardly believe this is sorcery. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through the veins, bewitching the minds, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bewitch minds, turn water into gold, and even stay young forever if you aren’t as big a bunch of fools as I usually have to teach” he sounded more like hissing than speaking. He had a waspish tongue that subtly spewed so much venom toward the students. In the very first class, he started to pour water over the students’ fire to learn more.
”On your table, there is a list of ingredients. You have thirty minutes to concoct the pill. Whoever concocts the least bad will get to use the classroom after the class. I know it will be hard for you but try not to make a mess”
The students rushed to all corners to collect the required ingredients. No one stopped for a second to look around the classroom to locate the ingredients instead of rummaging through all the jars and plants.
”Let me show you kids how it’s done”
He was in dire need of badass points which pushed him to show his greatness to everyone. When he first came to Mazeroth, he planned to stay anonymous, find the dark elf, and get some allies. Everything changed after he talked to Elidyr. He was neck-deep in enemy territory. Although it was risky to show his true prowess, this was also a great place to earn thousands of badass points.
Lane misdirected the students by saying concoct the pill. In reality, it was a potion. He wanted the students to figure it out. Looking at the students running around the classroom like headless chickens having no clue, he was disappointed but didn’t seem surprised. He seemed as though he expected this.
Among the headless chickens, Lane noticed Michael who calmly walked around the classroom collecting the right ingredients using the correct methods.
His blank face literally turned green when Michael conjured his alchemy flame in the middle of the class. The gloomy dark classroom was lit green by the fuming emerald green flames hovering over Michael’s palm.
”What the hell are you doing?” one female student who dropped her ingredient in shock shouted at Michael.
Ignoring the girl, he threw the first ingredient into the alchemy flame.
Professor Lane fixed his eyes on Michael. Unlike the students, he could see the control Michael had over the flames. The flames danced according to his will. One by one Michael threw the ingredients into the alchemy flames. He walked towards Professor Lane, brewing the potion.
The essence extracted from each ingredient hovered over the flames in the shape of glowing pearls. Finally, the sweet sound of notifications continuously rang in his mind.
”Whoa”
”Who is he?”
”He’s not even using a cauldron”
”Look, he’s almost done”
”Where is he from?”
The students were dazzled by Michael as he wanted. Even Professor Lane who had a face void of emotions looked a tad bit surprised.
When he reached Lane’s table, he held the flames and the essence balls in one hand and took a vial from the table using the other hand. The green flames slowly dissipated as the beads of essence flowed into the vial blending together into a sparkling blue potion.
”Here you go, Professor. 90% Pure healing potion” Michael placed the vial on the table with a proud grin.
”The classroom is yours. Others leave” Professor Lane left the room carrying the vial of healing potion Michael brewed.
The students looked like fools with some ingredients in their hands. They did not even start their cauldrons yet Michael finished brewing the potion.
Their first potion class ended quicker than they thought. After Lane left the classroom, all the students stared at Michael.
”Big brother” the girl who shouted at Michael approached him wearing a seductive smile,
”That trick doesn’t work on me sweetheart” Michael put an end to her flirting before it even began.
”If I heard the professor correct, he said every one to get out of here”
By giving the classroom to him, Lane saved hundreds of badass points. He could take advantage of the ingredients around the classroom to brew the potion to lure the fire giant to the ritual site.
Seeing how coldly he handled the girl, the other did not dare to start a conversation with him. They branded him as the most arrogant one in the class within a few seconds.
Michael couldn’t care less about what they think of him. Most of the students here would serve the Skyhall or any one of the Great Clans. Sooner or later, he might meet them on a battlefield. The last thing he wanted was to share his knowledge with his potential enemies.
The ingredients to brew the bait potion were quickly found by Michael.
He quickly started to brew the potion before Professor Lane returned. While collecting the herbs, he also collected seeds from the rare herbs professor Lane had in his classroom.
Michael did not linger in the classroom longer. As soon as he finished brewing the bait potion and some other potions and pills, he left the classroom. He had combat classes and spell casting after alchemy. However, since he finished the alchemy class within five minutes, he had some free time.
The class was profitable as he earned almost 50,000 badass points.
”Still not enough” Michael sighed,
He took a loan of 100,000 and before he could start spending the points, he wanted to settle his debt.
”I should go see how Nightmare is doing” when he stepped out of the classroom, he remembered Nightmare. The dragon was having his own classes with the magical beasts professor in the arena.
With the help of a few markers, Michael made his way to the arena. The corridors and the courtyard were peaceful and captivating. He would hate to destroy this place if Mazeorth chose to go to war with him. Somehow he felt they would stand in his way to domination.
The path to the arena was adorned with yellow maple trees. The paved path was blanketed by the golden leaves and looked as though they were covered in pure gold.
Michael was enjoying peace and tranquility. The arena was an oval-shaped pitch with hundreds of seats raised in stands around the pitch so the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. In the middle of the arena was something that resembled a cricket pitch. Currently, when he entered the arena through one of the many gateways, he saw countless creatures flying in the sky and running around the grassfield.
A group of students occupied the seats at the north end of the arena. Michael’s face turned cold when he looked closer at them. Instead of flying in the sky or running around like the other dragons and the familiars, Nightmare was chained to a pole with a bunch of sphynx cats. Besides Nightmare and Sphynx cats were a few first-year students. The first-year students seemed to be swimming on the ground.
The group of students was adorned in the robes of House Warriors. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that the first-year students and Nightmare were being bullied and ragged.