Chapter 15: Veridian Lab

An air of anticipation hung heavy in the castle corridors as Aren and Leo approached Jaxx'im's laboratory. The door stood slightly ajar, and the sounds of bustling activity spilled out, hinting that the organization within was still underway.

With a groan, the door swung inward, revealing Jaxx'im's chaotic domain in all its glory. The laboratory was a sensory overload. The air hung thick with the scent of old books and yellowed paper, mingling with a strange potpourri of unusual smells – hints of ozone, something akin to burnt sugar, and a faint, metallic tang that tickled the nostrils. A group of robed figures, who had arrived with Jaxx'im, darted around the spacious room like worker bees, gathering scattered scrolls, books, artifacts, and bizarre devices, placing them in designated spots. Shelves overflowing with books lined the walls, complete with a ladder to reach the higher levels. Jaxx'im stood with his back to the guests near a table, examining something intently. Hearing the door creak, he turned. His movements were slow and smooth, almost deliberate.

"Welcome, welcome!" Jaxx'im exclaimed, his eyes as unreadable as ever. "Come in, come in! Make yourselves at home… if you can find a place to stand." He gestured around the cluttered room. "You're a bit early. Feel free to look around, but try not to touch anything."

The young men stepped into the room, their eyes wide with wonder. The artifacts scattered around were truly extraordinary – materials fundamentally altered by Ether. A chunk of rock, once a dull gray, now shimmered with iridescent veins of emerald and sapphire, pulsing with a faint, internal light. A twisted branch, seemingly plucked from a nightmare tree, was as black as pitch and crackled with contained energy. One of the assistants carried a tray with a small block of wood that rippled like jelly with each step. Glass containers held what appeared to be liquid artifacts, their colors ranging from vibrant hues to stark black and crystal clear.

Scattered throughout the room were devices of various shapes and materials, all adorned with similar runes and symbols. The scene felt surreal to the young visitors. Like children in a toy store, they wandered through the laboratory, examining each item with fascination.

Victor would shave 30 years off his age if he saw this place, Aren mused.

As they drew closer to the Veridian, Aren's gaze fell upon a heavy tome resting on Jaxx'im's table. The book was bound in dark leather, its surface worn and cracked with age. The color was a deep, blood red, and intricate, faded tooling hinted at a forgotten artistry. But it was the symbol engraved on the cover that truly caught Aren's attention. It was an intricate design of interwoven circles and lines, seeming to pulse with a faint inner light. The symbol was unfamiliar, yet it stirred a sense of déjà vu within him. Now where have I seen that before? Some dusty old occult book, no doubt.

Leo, unable to contain his excitement any longer, spoke up. "Jaxx'im, sorry to interrupt, but we're eager to test that device."

"No trouble at all, young sir," Jaxx'im replied. "Please prepare yourselves for the test. You'll need to give it your all, so I suggest opening your flows beforehand. You can meditate over there." Veridian pointed to a comfortable, soft-looking cushion on the floor, seemingly designed for meditation.

Leo obediently moved to the corner of the room and settled into a meditative pose, his body enveloped in an aura of Ether.

"Sir Aren, I advise you to do the same. Proper preparation will increase the accuracy of the measurements."

"I haven't even learned to absorb Ether yet," Aren admitted, feeling awkward even saying it, even though he knew that mastering Ether in three days was impossible. "I came here hoping you could help me with that."

"I understand. Nevertheless, we'll perform the same test as with Young Master Leo to gather more information for our work with you. Master Darius speaks highly of you, and I will do my best to assist you in any way I can."

"Valerian mentioned that you possess a deeper understanding of the nature of Ether. Could you elaborate on what it is?" Aren asked.

"Certainly. Recent research suggests that Ether is the energy of the universe, present in all matter. It's dynamic, active, constantly flowing through everything, from stone to man. Those who can manipulate Ether do so through the power of their will, directing the flow as needed. This power allows one to influence matter and energy. Tiers refer to the potential to influence matter and energy. A warrior who can enhance his body with Ether might be on the same tier as a manipulator of matter who can create fire or ice. It all depends on the amount and concentration of Ether. Am I being too complicated?"

"No, it's clear so far. What about Ether storms? You mentioned the danger at dinner."

"Ah, yes. Because Ether is constantly in balance, when someone redirects too much of it for their own purposes, it's as if nature is angered. This imbalance triggers a backlash in the form of an Ether storm. It's Ether attempting to fill a void, like an emptied cup. And when a large amount of Ether returns to its place all at once, it provokes changes in matter. Living beings perish, and artifacts are created – matter fundamentally altered by a large amount of Ether. It's all very chaotic and doesn't follow strict rules. You've probably heard how Ether once destroyed a harvest, causing a terrible famine. That's one of the worst-case scenarios. After all, the archives record instances where storms didn't negatively affect the environment but created several powerful artifacts. But the risk of creating a storm by one person starts somewhere around tier 8, so most people don't need to worry."

While Jaxx'im was engrossed in his explanation, Leo finished his preparation and approached the table. "I'm ready."

"Excellent." Jaxx'im pushed aside a couple of open scrolls, revealing a rectangular stone device with runes and symbols etched into it. It was about the size of a palm. Apparently, this was the tier measuring device. "Take this and channel as much Ether into it as you can. If you increase the concentration, it will also reflect on the readings. You need to maintain the maximum flow for 10 seconds," Veridian instructed, handing the device to Leo.

Leo snatched the tablet eager to try it, examining it from both sides. He closed his eyes, and the aura enveloped his body again. Then, the aura flowed into his hand holding the device, and suddenly, everything was directed into the device itself. The runes and symbols lit up with various colors, shimmering and changing intensity. The device hummed with a low, resonant frequency, and the air around it crackled with energy.

Jaxx'im managed to start a 10-second hourglass, and when the last grain of sand fell, he announced in his raspy voice, "Stop."

Leo exhaled heavily and opened his eyes, his face pale and slick with sweat. He stumbled slightly, struggling to catch his breath. It turned out that 10 seconds of maximum Ether flow was no easy feat.

Jaxx'im took the still-glowing device and began to examine it, turning it over in his hands. "Judging by the color and intensity, we can clearly assume that your level is 2. Your concentration falters, but the speed of your flows is very high. Thanks to this, you can soon reach level 3, without spending years increasing the reserve of your flows, but focusing on speed."

"Wow! I knew I was level two, but I couldn't even imagine that I was close to level three!" Leo lost all his stoic control and jumped up and down with joy, raising his hands. "Aren, you try it, maybe the device will say something about you too!"

Jaxx'im handed the fading tablet to Aren. "Even if you don't yet know how to absorb Ether, still try, maybe the device will say something interesting."

Aren took the tablet, full of hope. He waited a moment before it went out and, closing his eyes, did everything according to Valerian's instructions on Ether control. But he himself felt nothing, and after 10 Jaxx'im gave the signal again. Aren opened his eyes, the unlit device shattered all his hopes.

"Never mind, Aren, you'll try again when you learn to direct Ether," Leo comforted him.

"Hmm…" Jaxx'im stared intently over Aren's shoulder. Veridian took the device from Aren, placed it on the table, and went to the chests with things that he had brought with him. He threw off a couple of books and scrolls lying on top and took out a spherical device that was attached to a short chain. The sphere had a bronze, metallic texture, etched with intricate runes that pulsed with a dark red light. He returned to Aren and Leo standing at the table, whose eyes were fixed on the ball. As he approached, the ball began to pulsate stronger and more often.

"May I ask you to go to opposite corners of the room?" Jaxx'im said, his speech quickening as if he had entered researcher mode. "I want to make sure of something."