Opportunity? The Fey

At the dining table, Lucian glanced down at the glass before him. Floating in the gently swirling wine was a small blue creature, roughly the size of an adult's thumb, resembling a tiny rabbit. It drifted blissfully in the rich liquor, seemingly intoxicated and completely oblivious to any danger.

This was the sprite Bennett had mentioned.

Spending a single point of Reverence, Lucian discreetly appraised the creature, confirming it was safe to consume. Without hesitation, he raised the glass, gave it a slight swirl, and drank it, allowing the wine and the little fey to slip into his mouth. At the first bite, he felt a tiny, almost inaudible scream and a brief, frantic struggle in his mouth.

The little sprite soon dissolved along with the wine, sliding down his throat in a pleasantly warm sensation. Almost immediately, a refreshing coolness surged into his mind, subtly reinvigorating his mental sea, as if his spiritual energy had been given a gentle boost.

As this cool sensation flowed through him, Lucian felt a momentary wave of bliss, a deep relaxation that coursed from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. Although it lasted only a brief second, it left him feeling light and euphoric—a satisfied shiver flickering across his face.

Across the table, Bennett was also enjoying his drink. He raised his glass with a smile and savoured the fey within, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction. Meanwhile, Lilia refrained from drinking. She gently pushed her glass forward and turned her attention to Bennett.

"Bennett, I think we should focus on the task at hand," she said. "Completing this mission and making it back alive would be far more satisfying than indulging in a fey."

Lucian's eyes flickered open at this, his interest piqued as he watched Bennett's reaction, waiting for the other apprentice to address the mission.

"A little enjoyment doesn't interfere with the mission, Lilia," Bennett replied, finishing the rest of his drink with a relaxed sip. After setting the glass down, he leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting to one of gravity.

"This mission will be dangerous, but if we work closely together, there's a good chance we can survive and complete it," he said, clearly attempting to assume a leadership role within the group.

Lucian and Lilia both listened without responding, waiting for Bennett to reveal something of actual value.

"I've received some information from within my family," Bennett said, pausing momentarily for emphasis.

Lucian's interest sharpened. The Bourne family had sent their own Formal Wizard, Master Herli, to investigate Cossay Island, and as a senior apprentice from the same family, Bennett was likely to have received valuable insights.

"The unknown forces on Cossay Island are connected to the fey," Bennett continued confidently.

Internally, however, he was fuming. His family, having cast him aside, hadn't shared this information with him directly. Instead, he'd been forced to piece it together at great expense.

"If my hunch is right, this mission is my best chance!" Bennett thought. From scraps of information, he had come to believe that this seemingly perilous task could be hiding a rare opportunity that might change his fate.

Outwardly, he only gave Lucian and Lilia a calm look.

"The fey?" Lucian thought, recalling what he knew. The fey Bennett spoke of was a highly intelligent species with characteristics that often surpassed those of humans.

For example, common fey species like Flower Fey and Wood Fey were each born with a magic talent equivalent to a human third-tier, and they could live for 500 years or more. Many possessed inherent magical abilities tied to their fey nature.

More powerful strains, like the High Fey, boasted talents on par with fifth-tier wizards, with spiritual energy that grew naturally with age. High Fey were known to live over a thousand years, outlasting even many HIgh Wizards. Once they reached adulthood, a High Fey would naturally ascend to a formal wizard, capable of wielding unique racial spells that made them formidable even among their wizard peers.

Of course, the fey were rare and generally kept to themselves, preferring remote regions far from human contact. They seldom came into conflict with humans, let alone wizards.

"The fey?" Lilia looked sceptical. Such timid, reclusive creatures rarely became involved in matters of human conflict.

Furthermore, the fey were often targeted by wizards, who coveted their long lifespans and unique qualities. Some wizards had even developed techniques to transfer their consciousness into fey bodies to extend their own lives. Others used fey as invaluable subjects in complex experiments.

Such demand meant that even a single Wood Fey could fetch a price higher than that of a standard third-tier wizard apprentice on the slave market. This made them highly sought after even by High Wizards.

If there were fey on Cossay Island, it was strange that Herli hadn't chosen to remain and capture them himself. After all, securing a supply of fey would yield enormous profit for a Formal Wizard; it seemed unlikely that they would send mere apprentices to take on the task if that were truly the case.

"Yes, fey. Judging from the traces of magic left behind, it seems to be the Wood Fey species, specifically the Lenken branch," Bennett said with a slight nod, meeting Lilia's doubtful gaze without flinching.