13 Chapter 11: Alchemy

Entering the class, the teacher in green uniform, that looked like a man in the middle years, looked at the class filled with students. Only he himself knew how many of them would stay here 1 month later.

The arrival of the teacher quickly silenced the class while the teacher continued to look at the children before him.

A moment later, he finished thinking about his own things and approached the students.

"Greetings, students, I am your teacher for this course, my name is John, you can call me alchemist John or teacher John, nice to meet you." said the teacher with a smile on his lips.

His glance continued to move across the class, stopping on every student near to him, but none of them provoked his curiosity.

A moment later he coughed and continued his speech.

"I know that you are here because you want to learn alchemy, you may want to learn how to concoct pills, work with alchemy flame or learn how to create battle puppets. But, are you sure that you will be able to pass through the challenges before becoming an alchemist?" said John, looking at the students.

Many students nodded to the teacher's word in agreement, while some showed resolute expressions on their faces.

John smiled before sighing.

"Well, since there are so many resolute students, let me explain to you what it takes to become an alchemist," said John, showing his alchemist badge to the students, "At first before becoming an alchemist, each of you has to evoke battle energy, you will never become an alchemist without it because battle energy is fundamental to every alchemy sphere,"

"This is your 1st challenge, those who came here from the Magic department, will have to make efforts to evoke their energy sources," said John, making some of the students troubled for the next month while others who have already evoked their energy sources made proud expressions on their faces.

"Don't rejoice yet, the 2nd challenge which each alchemy apprentice has to pass is to learn basic things, depending on the alchemy sphere. Only after learning the basics, and improving his battle energy realm, he will pass the theoretical and practical examinations and get this badge,"

Students continued to nod with resolute expressions on their faces without any big worries because of John's words.

John could only sigh again, continuing his speech.

"Well, there are only two spheres that are compulsory for every prospect alchemist, it isn't a big deal right?" asked John with a sly smile on his lips.

Students didn't pay attention to his smile and nodded in agreement.

"Since it's not a big deal, let me show you them so that you could see it for yourselves," said John, giving a signal to the elder students outside the class.

A moment later, several students began entering into the class with many thick books in their hands and placing them on the teacher's table, putting them into 2 different book columns.

Theo who already heard about the so-called basics didn't show a shocked expression on his face, he was already morally ready, but more than half of the students quickly changed their expressions when they saw the books and the fact that elder students still continued to bring new books.

Several moments later when 10 students bowed and left the class, John smiled, looking at the expressions on the students' faces.

"Well, there are only 2 small columns, the left is about medicine, books are mainly about plants, herbs, and their properties while the right is about ores and other materials useful in blacksmithing with a help of alchemy flame. It is a standard set of knowledge for any prospect alchemist," explained John, indicating at the books on the table.

Of course, he knew what students were feeling, he himself passed through a similar process in the past, but it was only the tip of the iceberg, if students can't pass through it, they wouldn't be able to learn much more advanced things. It was their challenge, and only they themselves could pass through it.

"I was also in your shoes in the past, was scared of these thick books in front of me, but I passed through that challenge and became an alchemist, but many of my friends didn't. I know that you want to learn alchemy, but I would ask you to be rational right now and answer honestly to yourselves, whether you will be able to learn so much information in these books or not. If yes, it's good, it would be a pleasure to teach you, but if it's no, it's not a big deal, you can leave and change your minor into a different craftmanship. Anyway, there would be many similar students like you that would change their minors, and not only in the Alchemy department but in others too." said John, giving some time to the students to process new information, he coughed after several minutes.

"If you have changed your mind, you may leave this class, it won't affect you in a bad way academically," said John, turning, and sighing, showing his back to the audience.

Several moments later, some of the students stood up, threw their glances at 2 columns before moving in the direction of the door.

With the 1st students as an example, many others joined them a moment later. Some were relieved that they made such a decision while others had conflicted expressions on their faces.

Anyway, 10 minutes later, more than half of the initial number of the students left the class, and only students like Akara or Theo, who has started learning by themselves long ago or had a strong resolution to learn alchemy stayed in the class.

Turning around, John threw a quick glance across the class, releasing a tired sigh.

"As usual, many would prefer to hide and run instead of trying to open an absolutely new world for themselves," said John with a regretting expression on his face, but he quickly sobered up and smiled looking at the students who stayed in the class, "Since only those who really want to learn are here, you may sit closer, now let me quickly explain to you other things you have to know to become an alchemist, and then begin my lecture, and your 1st lesson on alchemy,"

A moment later, John's voice resounded across the class, and he began his explanation.

***

Several hours later, John finished his explanation about the certain herbs and looked at the students with a smile on his lips.

"That's it for today, you have learned about the 1st 50 basic and the most used herbs and plants together with 10 ores that are used in Blacksmithing by alchemists. That's a good start for beginners," said John with a smile on his lips.

"Now as new students of Alchemy department, you will get such books from us," said John, pointing at the 2 columns, "We will also have many lessons about alchemy, theoretical and practical ones, but you will have to read those books and learn, the sooner you learn, the faster you will begin learning more complicated things, and closer you would be to becoming an alchemist. As a new student, you will also have 3 opportunities to write an alchemy examination, here in the academy, so work hard, so that your free chances would burn for nothing,"

Just at the time he finished talking, a bell resounded across the academy.

"You may leave now, by the way, I suggest you work in groups when you read those books, in that way learning wouldn't be so boring, and you will have someone to talk with," said John, leaving the class, ordering the elder students take the books.

When they finished taking the books, one of them returned and looked at Theo and others, counting them in his mind.

"Follow me, you will get your books, and will see where the Alchemy department is in the academy." said the student, leaving the class.

Theo and other apprentices followed after the elder student, and soon they were standing in front of the medium-sized building with several floors. The building was located at the edge of the academy, and had many gardens, surrounding it.

Several moments later, Theo, Akara, and 10 more students appeared with several big books in their hands together with the elder student.

"You may return and take the rest of the books, or come when you finish reading, the books you have. By the way, here in the gardens there are a lot of places where you can read and it's easy to find those plants and herbs from the books in the specific places, it's just a bit of advice from the elder student, whether to use it or not depends from you," said the elder student, returning back to the building.

A moment everyone moved in different directions except for Akara that moved to the gardens, Theo threw a quick glance at her back before leaving hurrying to his next lesson.

***

A short time later, Theo was sitting near to Leonardo in the Magic class. There were many students with additional books from their minors, but only students from enchanting and alchemy had the biggest and thickest books, placed on their tables while others had a book or two that were 2 times less than one book of alchemy basics.

So, Theo could only sigh, when he compared his and Leonardo's books he got from Blacksmithing, but Theo quickly forgot about it and looked at his friend's thinking face.

"How was your lesson on blacksmithing?" asked Theo.

Leonardo got interrupted from his thoughts and looked at Theo.

"It was interesting, a teacher told us about the basic method on how to work with metal, then showed us different types of iron, told us about their properties, and the things we need to do to become official blacksmiths. In general, we need to make a weapon and armor made of black iron, and the academy will register us as blacksmiths. Then took us to the smithy in the Blacksmithing department to show the method of working with metal he was talking about before on practice. I have already been to many smithies together with my father, but it's 1st time I saw how a piece of black iron ore is transformed into a pure black iron ingot. Just a skill of working with iron ores in a similar way as the teacher did can help me make some money, and I would be able to help my family a bit." explained Leonardo with resolute flames in the eyes, looking at Theo.

"What about you? How was your Alchemy lesson? I heard many students left the class when they saw how much they had to learn only to get a qualification to begin learning alchemy in practice. Are they the books that terrified so many people?" asked Leonardo, pointing at the 2 thick books on the table.

Theo smiled when he heard that his friend found an interesting sphere for himself, but his smile disappeared when he remembered that he still had a lot of theoretical lessons and examinations before he would even get the qualification to begin learning alchemy. Now he began learning compulsory things to begin learning alchemy.

Anyway, Theo could only pass through that if he wanted to get stronger, so quickly sobering up, he just gave a book to Leonardo to give him a chance to look at it.

Leonardo began looking at the contents of the book, and several moments later, he raised his glance and looked at Theo with a confused expression on his face.

"I don't get it, if there are only 2 books which you have to read about herbs and ores, why did other students escape from the alchemy lesson?"

Theo looked at Leonardo before a smile didn't appear on his lips.

"There are 8 more books exactly similar to current ones," said Theo, watching how the expression on Leonardo's face changed momentaneously.

"No wonder others escaped, Alchemy demands the similar amount of efforts as Enchanting do, I saw Zed after my lesson, and he had a terrified expression on his face when he was returning from the Enchanting department's building. His books were even a bit thicker than yours, he showed me them, and they were also filled with different materials, and their properties, he and other enchanting department's students are also in the same situation as you, they also need to learn many things before actual lessons would start," said Leonardo, and patting Theo's shoulders in the process.

Just as Leonardo finished his speech, the door opened and teacher Nolan in his mage's robe appeared in the class, quickly concentration all attention on the number of sheets he was holding in his hands.