Chapter 271 - Crowning achievements
Scarlett edged back towards the chamber’s entrance as Mistress got to work at the heart of the forge. Thanks to Thainnith’s legacy, Scarlett knew exactly what she was looking at: an Empyreal Crucible — a relic from the days of the Zuver, priceless beyond measure and beyond the skill of any contemporary craftsman.
She watched with slight fascination as Mistress began feeding the Crucible with the assortment of rare and exotic materials floating through the air. Each new material fed into its gaping maw caused the forge to pulse and shimmer with vibrant, otherworldly hues. The woman really wasn’t sparing any expenses.
Scarlett’s gaze followed the intricate rune patterns that materialised across the Crucible’s surface. More than half of the runes, she realised, seemed dedicated solely to containing the forge’s immense energy. But even with such precautions, the chamber’s temperature was rising rapidly. Despite her resistances, Scarlett could feel the oppressive heat building around her.
“Be a dear and hand me that primordial elemental essence, won’t you?” Mistress called over her shoulder, her fingers dancing nimbly across the Crucible’s controls, not sparing Scarlett a glance.
Scarlett produced the [Sacred Flame (Legendary)], its core glaring with a white-hot radiance. As she held it, the artifact lifted of its own accord, drifting across the room to hover near Mistress. Down on the floor, the Emberling fixed its unblinking eyes on the [Sacred Flame].
Mistress’ hands moved in a blur, one manipulating a beating crystal embedded in the forge while her other hand clutched her staff, its azure-tipped gem flashing. With a single motion, she conjured a stream of ochre-red dust from a rune-covered chest nearby. The dust floated, swirling in the air, before settling around the Emberling in the form of a complex arcane pattern.
“Back in the day, this is where you’d have some cleric of whichever deity you’re choosing to bother channel the binding through the essence,” Mistress remarked casually as the [Sacred Flame]’s fire intensified. “But we’ll dispense with the formalities. It was always more pageantry than necessity.”
The Crucible’s interior had transformed into a vortex of energy, the various materials melding and transmuting within. Mistress tapped her staff against the stone floor, and the [Sacred Flame] surged forward, plunging into the heart of the swirling maelstrom.
The forge blazed. In a heartbeat, its inner flames flared to an unbearable brilliance before being consumed by the [Sacred Flame], which expanded to fill the Crucible. Waves of colour danced within, their intensity growing as the chamber’s heat reached dangerous levels. The very air seemed to vibrate as the contained power strained against the Crucible’s wards, and Scarlett was forced to channel her pyrokinesis just to hold her ground. Mistress, on the other hand, appeared unmoved by the inferno.
“Now it’s your turn,” the woman’s voice cut through the heat. At her words, the runes encircling the Emberling ignited, and the creature’s form sharpened, its body becoming more distinct as it rose into the air. Seemingly unperturbed, it simply stared into the Crucible.
Scarlett observed as Mistress’ magic guided the Emberling into the forge. The pseudo-spirit was drawn towards the all-consuming fire, vanishing into the burning depth like a moth to a flame. No immediate reaction followed, but Scarlett knew there was more.
Mistress placed a hand on the Crucible’s surface, causing a gleaming barrier to slide into place, sealing the forge. The chamber remained agonisingly hot, but at least the inferno was temporarily contained.