Researcher's Space
In the dim-lit chamber, a tapestry of ages intertwined seamlessly. A young man of approximately fifteen summers sat cross-legged on a plush mat adorned with intricately sewn arrays of glyphs, his presence an exquisite fusion of youth and arcane wisdom. The room exhaled an aura of enchanted academia; a desk adorned with tomes and parchment, each inscribed with intricate glyphs that pulsated with the heartbeat of magic. Adjacent, a grand desk cradled luminous orbs and crystalline cylinders, their soft radiance casting an ethereal glow across the chamber. An ornate, canopied bed of rich, dark wood stood against one wall, draped in opulent fabrics that whispered tales of distant lands and mystic dreams.
Clad in a robe of subdued grey, adorned with gold trimmings that shimmered like constellations, the young man bore an emblem on his chest, a mark of lineage and destiny. Settled in a posture of serene contemplation on the glyph-adorned mat, his eyes gently closed, he inhaled and exhaled in tune with the universe's rhythm. His breath, a whispered incantation, wove threads of magic that enveloped him in a shimmering cocoon. The chamber was his sanctuary, a haven where the threads of ages intertwined, and the tapestry of his existence was spun. As tendrils of fragrant incense mingled with the air, the young sage emerged from his meditative trance, his essence an embodiment of wonder, his name– Seth Arrucaid.
"Finally, a Mid-tier Apprentice." Mumbling softly to himself, Seth's lips curved into a relieved smile.
The weight of years spent navigating challenging magic classes was lifting, his newfound rank a testament to his dedication. Reflecting on the past three years at The Seven Towers Institute of Magic in Tale City, of the Silvermoon Kingdom, memories surged. Enrolled by his father, Gareth Arrucaid, a respected merchant and owner of the Rose Chamber of Commerce, Seth vividly recalled the struggles he faced. The rigorous magic classes had tested his limits, pushing him to cultivate and harness his abilities further. What's more is the fact that his mere presence as one of the minorities who were of commoner blood brought more difficulty in his situation, where he could have asked for assistance from fellow classmate became a dead end, due to hierarchal barriers. To make matters worse was the hypocritical behavior of fellow commoners, Seth had expected that a point of commonality would generate a sense of camaraderie.
"Bastards, all of them!" Unwittingly he scorned." It not as if they could be of some help." Remembering the mediocre results his fellow commoners produced, in comparison his position in the upper-middle in most spell casting and magika related courses the only thing denying him a spot as one of the top students was the enigma that plagued his progress – a mysterious force sapping his accumulated magika.
Suddenly, an ethereal sensation gripped Seth's senses, his mind plunging into a void before awakening to a realm suffused with blinding white light. His body felt weightless, almost insubstantial, while his surroundings radiated an otherworldly serenity. A mental transmission began, revealing that this space was known as the Researchers' Paradise. In this ethereal sanctuary, his stamina, both physical and mental, would be boundless. Time flowed fivefold slower, stimulating his mind to operate twice as fast. Every thirty days, an opportunity arose for an "overdrive," during which his cognitive function would accelerate tenfold for one hour in real-time. This space was a sanctuary for tireless exploration and learning, a mages wet dream.
Realization dawned like a radiant sunrise.
"So, this was the dammed thing that has been sucking me dry!"
Seth mumbled as understanding settled, connecting the dots between the reduced meditation efficiency and the space he now inhabited. His voice trailed towards the end of his thoughts until an excited exclamation burst forth as he comprehended the vast opportunities this space would bestow upon him. But questions arose. His mumble shifted toward contemplation, a doubt shadowing his mind as he wondered about the nature of this phenomenon. Unnatural and unforeseen, he couldn't ignore the potential consequences it might hold for his body and mind in a world that was far from gentle. Remembering the transfigured stone statue in Advanced Glyphs. Her name was Evelyn, a Count's Daughter nevertheless it didn't stop Mage Ivy one of the youngest 2nd Order Mage in the institution, from petrifying her because of a comment that insulted her status.
Amidst the conflict of curiosity and caution, Seth sank into contemplation. A decision emerged, a resolve to seize the opportunity before him. As worry gave way to determination, he began to ponder his next steps. With enhanced cognitive capabilities, ideas flowed swiftly. He concocted a plan and promptly set it into motion. Testing the capabilities of this space, he embarked on refining a spell that had evaded his grasp until now. Drawing from his understanding of Essence conversion, magika interaction with mana, and the properties of the fire element, he aimed to create a spell named Fire Lance. The process unfolded smoothly, as he had already completed three-quarters of the necessary steps. Casting the spell, he felt the exhilaration of his success, thus hysterical heckles of joy erupted in the vast space as Seth unleashed pent-up frustration in the form of Fire lances. The elemental attack began as a mangled form of an arrow but as he continued casting and further refining the magika amount and proficiency in its manipulation it began to condense to a firmer shape, then he began to increase and reduce its size, launching it at faster and faster speeds even controlling the trajectory after launch. As time progressed his proficiency increased at a staggering rate, his mind completely clouded in the intricacies of Magic. An unknown amount of time passed when his excitement wore down and the amazement of the space hit it. What would have taken him months of hard work had been completed in a mere few hours and the degree of which was staggering. He once more cast the spell, his inexhaustible magika whirled as he mentally drew the glyphs in a staggering pace until a circular array forming the spell module appeared Infront of him, and quickly after fire element coalesced forming an arrow then one more, followed by another, until eight such appeared. The frightening heat emitting from the told of the shear destruction about to be released. Then he mentally pushed, and the spell fired off, as he looked on with a satisfied grin.
In the realm of Apprentice Mages, casting multiple spells was a rarity. Most wielded one or two specialized spells in their arsenal, aside from the foundational elemental manipulation. This discipline required a profound comprehension of the theory of Elements and magika, harnessing their intricate interaction. The complexity of spellcasting in apprenticeship limited many to a single spell, only those adept in magika manipulation, with vast knowledge and the ability to inscribe complex glyphs, could harness more. Elemental lance happened to one of the common spells used by apprentices, with its structure being studied and researched over centuries, modified to suit the user's elemental affinity and simplified to reduce comprehension time. It was well known that by fully understanding this spell one can call forth a rain of elemental arrows onto your enemy, his partly 8 arrows may sound pitiful, but one had to understand that the most an apprentice can cast is ten. Seth's mind swirled with the gravity of this fact, what would happen if he refined this spell even more. Better yet, what if he added more spells into his repertoire and used this space to practice and raise his proficiency, wouldn't his destructive power skyrocket?
"No, I would be underutilizing this space, the best thing to do is quickly enter into the ranks of Mages, no matter how powerfully an apprentice is a 1st order mage can easily obliterate them." He said with increased conviction, as thoughts swirled in his mind on how to proceed.