Chapter 56: Calm before the storm
“Careful. Careful! Stir it! STIR IT!!!”
Percy followed his mentor’s instructions, picking up the pace. However, before he even got the chance to celebrate the broken lumps, more bubbles began to form in the cauldron.
“Shit!”
It took him a couple seconds too long to remember what he was supposed to do. Brushing his fingers over the rune controlling the temperature, he hurriedly dialled it down a notch, but the mixture was already threatening to boil over.
SSSS
A few drops landed outside, soon evaporating into wisps of steam, causing Percy’s heart to clench. Each of those was a wasted contribution point!
Pinching a touch of powder from a bowl, he tossed it into the concoction, causing the bubbles to die down more quickly. Of course, this wasn’t without cost. Every mistake he made either killed some of the elixir’s efficacy directly or delayed the process – indirectly resulting in a lower yield.
“Well, that was positively atrocious.” Orin said a few minutes later, staring at the useless sludge in the cauldron.
Percy plopped down on a chair, before wiping the sweat off his brow. He was too embarrassed to look his mentor in the eyes. The alchemist chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.