Private Dance with the Emerald

[Nyva Shei]

She summoned me to the laboratory today. I suspect it's for one of her new creations or experiments those monstrosities she's so fond of and that no one understands as well as she does. Either way, I don't have the luxury of ignoring her orders. She's my mistress, after all. So, without hesitation, I boarded my ship and set course for Taspir III, where she was expecting me.

Once there, I parked in the designated spot assigned to me, neatly nestled within the imposing structure of the laboratory. This secret laboratory, built in collaboration with the faction, is the perfect playground for her ambitious projects. The facilities are state-of-the-art, tailored for the complex experiments she conducts.

According to my map, our meeting is located on level -3. This level, reserved for permanent residents, houses luxurious and exclusive quarters. It fits my mistress perfectly. As co-director of the facility alongside Diarch Rellik, she enjoys total freedom to act as she pleases, away from prying eyes and judgmental stares. Here, everything is hers time, space, and resources.

As I approach the elevator, I encounter a security droid. As usual, it requests my identification. Thankfully, everything is in order I am part of the staff now, after all. It would be ironic, not to mention humiliating, if my mistress left me stranded outside or, worse, denied me entry. After verifying my credentials, I stand before the keypad, input the access code I was given, and select the floor I need to reach.

While the elevator slowly descends to level -3, I can't help but let out a sigh. A faint tune begins to play a typical elevator jingle, absurd and whimsical, completely out of place in such a serious environment. It's undoubtedly another one of my mistress's eccentricities. I roll my eyes, half-amused, half-irritated.

The doors finally slide open, revealing a luxurious hallway leading to my mistress's quarters. I stride forward confidently and soon arrive at the room where she's waiting. Sitting gracefully on a sofa, she seems fully absorbed in a peculiar device set up before her.

I step closer, respectfully bowing before her. A simple motion of her hand signals that I may straighten up.

"What are you working on, Mistress?" I dare to ask. Better to take the risk of a direct question than to remain in the dark.

Lyssara Thrynn

 

[Lyssara Thrynn]

I am absorbed by the installation before me, a true alchemical laboratory. A dim light illuminates my coffee table cluttered with translucent vials, elegantly curved tubes, and containers holding shimmering substances. Around this scene, ancient manuscripts and pages adorned with intricate alchemical circles are piled up in an inspired chaos. Each symbol, each annotation, echoes the sages of the past, bearers of a forgotten science.

A small stove crackles softly to my right, its flame dancing beneath a glass alembic where a barely golden solution simmers slowly. The air is saturated with the scent of herbs ground into powder, mingled with a subtle metallic note from the mixtures I am reacting.

I lift my gaze from my work as Nyva, my loyal servant and companion in observation, silently enters the room. I give her an affable smile, motioning for her to sit on the old sofa covered with a worn blanket.

"Good morning, Nyva. Excellent question, what you see here is both an exhilarating dream and an alchemical puzzle."

I turn a page of one of my manuscripts, revealing cryptic formulas and fascinating illustrations. My gaze quickly returns to the mixture before me. I add a pinch of glowing embers to symbolize fire and stir slowly. Then, with a soft exhale, I blow on the surface of the liquid to introduce the element of air. Everything in this ritual is methodical, harmonious.

"That which is above is like that which is below, I state gravely, and vice versa. Thus, everything carries within it the potential for transcendence, whether it is heavy and dense like lead or light and immaterial like a feather."

I watch the stove as the metal in the crucible begins to glow under the heat. When the moment seems right, I pour pure, crystalline water onto the incandescent mixture, causing a brief, ethereal hiss. I take a metal spoon and stir gently, watching the solution evolve, its glow shifting from dark red to an almost iridescent hue.

"What I am trying to create here, Nyva, is much more than just a stone. It is the ultimate work, the philosopher's stone. This relic, if it exists, embodies the accomplishment of the Great Alchemical Work. It represents the quintessence, the power to transmute base metals into pure gold."

My hands stop stirring as I gradually reduce the flame's intensity before extinguishing it. The mixture is ready to be poured. I take a particular mold I chose with a touch of humor: a carrot shape. For who decided that the Great Work had to conform to rigid expectations? I pour the rainbow-colored liquid into the mold, adding a carrot juice infusion in advance to perfect the creation. The result, once cooled, promises to be as playful as it is symbolic.

"Why a carrot? Why not?" I retort with a mischievous smile. "If the philosopher's stone is meant to transcend conventions, we might as well defy aesthetic expectations too. And why not infuse a little joy? Alchemy is not just a serious science, it is also an art."

In truth, what might seem like an eccentricity is an integral part of my vision: transcendence lies in the combination of mind, matter, and imagination. It is within this harmony that the true miracle can be born.

Nyva Shei

 

[Nyva Shei]

I scratch my head, let's just say I don't understand a thing about her ramblings. However, she's letting me know that if she completes her process, I'll technically be out of a job. My role is to heal, but if she invents something and follows through with her idea, it will definitely mean less work for me.

Such a thing, if misused, could be very dangerous. All I have to do is listen to her talk and nod as if I understand something. In reality, I grasp half of what she says, and the technical part is completely beyond me, but all the physical and concrete stuff, I can get.

"Turning metals into gold isn't that a bit presumptuous?"

I know I'm risking something by saying it like that, and I wouldn't want to upset her, but if she succeeds, then I imagine such an invention shouldn't get out. We'd become a prime target for the powerful people in the world who want to base their economy on easy money.

Looking at the two containers, I roll my eyes. She really made a carrot shape? Why such a silly object? She would probably give me the same answer, claiming she just wanted to have fun, just like giving the stone a rainbow-colored appearance.

I wonder why there are two, though. Wouldn't one have been enough?

"This is all very well, but I admit I don't fully get it. I feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of something like this. Alchemy has never interested me as much as it does you. Mistress"

Sometimes a little honesty doesn't hurt. I don't understand any of these complicated diagrams. I don't know why people love to complicate their lives it just blows my mind. I'm just a simple healer, after all. Lest she hit me, I bow my head towards her as a sign of respect, and wait again for permission to stand up.

Lyssara Thrynn

 

[Lyssara Thrynn]

I laugh softly, the sound almost imperceptible in the air thick with the scent of the lab. It's fascinating to see the effect my experiments can have on those who don't share the same passion for alchemy. I can tell she's lost in all these symbols and procedures, but there's no harm in that. Not everyone can be an alchemist, after all. Everyone finds their own path in their own way. Instead of punishing her, I gently tap her on the head. I let her know she can straighten up without fear, no punishment today at least not unless she does something to deserve it.

"I understand that it might seem a bit... overwhelming," I say, casting a compassionate look at Nyva. Alchemy can seem like a world apart, a bit whimsical even. But there is a beauty in the quest to understand the invisible, to transform the ordinary into something sublime."

I glance at the carrot shape in question, the two molds set before me, a slight amused smile on my lips.

"And yes, a carrot. Because, in the end, why not? Alchemy is not just a stern science; it's also a playground for the imagination. The shape is a choice, a bit of humor to soften the seriousness of the work."

I move closer to the two containers and observe them for a moment, thinking to myself. I chose a carrot shape for a stone because at least no one would suspect this stone has such importance. It would just be a ridiculous decorative trinket. Sometimes it's better not to give a too gilded appearance to the rarest things to avoid attracting attention. I plan to make it a simple pendant, nothing too extravagant. It will have the particularity of being slightly spongy to extract the carrot juice. Can be twisted light so.

"As for the two shapes... Maybe I'm just curious to see what happens when two creations complement each other. One might have been enough, but where's the fun in that? Sometimes, you have to explore more than what is obvious."

I turn my eyes to Nyva, a gleam of curiosity and mischief in my gaze.

"And don't worry about the work, Nyva. Alchemy doesn't seek to eliminate healers; it seeks to enrich the world. Maybe one day, what I create here will help to heal in a way you can't even imagine. We're all seeking transcendence, after all."

I lean back against the table, watching Nyva's reaction with a certain gentleness. Now the fire is completely off, and I pour the strange mixture into the mold designed for this purpose, then I place it in the freezer to complete the process. We'll have to wait for it to thaw before using it and admiring the result. The cold will serve to fix the colors once and for all.

"To answer your question, turning metals into gold, presumptuous? Maybe. But sometimes, you need a bit of arrogance to reach something greater than yourself."

I return to sit on the sofa and make a call to my Master to let him know I'd like to show him something.

"Hello Master, I hope I'm not disturbing you? Would you like to join me in the lab? I have something to show you. It will be exceptional. Can you please take for me three iron ingot ?"

Diarch Rellik Nyva Shei

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Tags: Nyva Shei Lyssara Thrynn

Rellik was within one of the center towers of Pandemonium on Taspir III. Overviewing the live feeds of his specimens. Jotting down the concerning growth and aggressiveness of one of the Rancor specimens. While the low hue of the camera screens illuminated the room he was in another light came from the table. He was receiving a call on his personal communicator. A secure line only those he had the utmost faith in would have access to.

"Hello Master, I hope I'm not disturbing you? Would you like to join me in the lab? I have something to show you. It will be exceptional. Can you please take for me three iron ingot ?"

"Hello Lyssara, not at all. Just doing study per usual. I am just down the ravine at our secure facility so I can be at the lab shortly. If you say it is exceptional than I know it to be true. I will have Varis bring the Iron Ingots and we will both arrive shortly."

Getting up from his desk with a large stretch, Rellik would move to leave Pandemonium. Hailing his speeder with Onyx as its driver he would be off to the secret lab. Calling Varis to confirm the delivery of the three iron ingots.

Arriving slightly before Varis, Rellik would await outside for his hunter to arrive. Once the two exchanged some pleasantries and conversed for a moment on the state of the Diarchy Rellik would enter the Shadow laboratory. Making his way down to the third floor to see his apprentice. Not seeing her in the common area he assumed she must be in her personal quarters. Moving through the long hallway he would knock on the doorway and enter. The aroma of the room and the set up of her alchemy materials was a welcome sight. Lyssara had indeed been working hard recently.

"Hello you two, Nyva good to see you as well." Giving a slight bow to both ladies before speaking again. "Here are your ingots my dear." Placing three large metal blocks on the table before him.

 

[Lyssara Thrynn]

I see him arrive with the three steel ingots, which he places on the table in front of me, evenly and neatly arranged. Perfect, it's all I needed. I give him a warm smile before standing up.

"Thank you, Master, for bringing the ingots. You won't regret the journey."

I go to the freezer to retrieve my composition, pulling out two now-solid stones shaped like carrots, rainbow-colored. They are two identical stones with identical and peculiar properties.

I hold the two cold samples in my hand and finalize the process using convection, producing a flame in my palm to precisely thaw them to the right temperature. Then, I place the second sample on the coffee table beside the ingots, while keeping the first rainbow-colored carrot-shaped stone with me.

Nyva also responds to the Master from her side.

"Thank you, Master. The same goes for you."

I nod toward Nyva and Rellik, then strike a theatrical pose as I stand behind the table. It's time to proceed with the demonstration and the gifting of presents.

"Dear Master and Nyva, before you lies the legendary Philosopher's Stone, coveted by alchemists worldwide for two reasons. Here's the first."

I then touch the three ingots in turn with my stone. One can see the metal purifying itself and transforming completely into 24-carat gold—the purest and most valuable gold. The three ingots, once made of steel, are now gleaming gold, significantly increasing their initial value.

"The second reason is the Elixir of Life. Whoever drinks the liquid containing this stone becomes agelessly immortal. It doesn't spare you from traditional death, meaning you can still die from injuries or poison. However, you can live through ages and centuries. Isn't that extraordinary? Thats can cure, virus and sickness, but not protect you from injuries and war, you are not a god, if you take damage you will have the same fate as everyone else."


Proud of this experiment, I proceed to distribute the gifts. The first pure gold ingot is for my Master. I hand it to him personally, as a kind of payment on my part to thank him for everything he has done for me. The second ingot is for Nyva Shei, as a reward for her good and loyal service. I give her a little extra so she can buy whatever she desires and treat herself.

And the third ingot, I keep for myself. Now holding both wealth and potentially immortality within my grasp, I turn to my Master with a broad smile.

"I told you it would be spectacular, Master. Please, accept this gold ingot as a gift."

Diarch Rellik Nyva Shei