Sanctum of Sages

Sizzle!

Hot steam rose from the ice cold bucket of water as Samar quenched the molten hot arrowhead in it. He then sharpened the arrowhead and placed it with the 99 other arrowheads.

His Arrow Shafts were already fletched and prepared. The only thing left to do was attach the arrow-heads to the shafts.

Pouring the Meltree sap into a cauldron, he heated it a bit to loosen its dense consistency. Then he coated the tip of the arrow shaft with a generous lather of the sap and attached the metal arrowhead to it.

The number of arrows on the table increased as Samar repeated the action again and again without any mistakes. 

After a few minutes passed, the Meltree Sap coating the arrow dried, and he heard the first of many notifications, which would tell him whether his attempt was a success or a failure.

[You have succeeded in crafting an Ash-Gray Grade, Ordinary Arrow.]

[Proficiency in Arrow Crafting Technique +2]

[Your attempt to craft Ordinary Arrow has failed.]

[Proficiency in Arrow Crafting Technique +1]

[You have succeeded in crafting…]

[Proficiency +2]

The notifications kept on ringing in his ears. He succeeded more often than he failed as this technique had an 80% success rate when crafting Ash Gray Arrows manually; even at the Novice Level.

Samar had collected lots of materials to create Ordinary Arrows after learning the skill but never put them to use. The only reason why he had not used this skill before in the Barbarian Village was mainly because of the lack of proper smithing facilities. 

Bowsmith Sangma had offered his shed as a temporary workshop but it was like starting at a hell difficulty. Due to lack of proper tools, he failed more often than not. As a result, his Arrow Crafting Technique was stuck at Lv 1, even though he had received it for quite a few days.

He finally found a chance to raise his proficiency in the technique today.

As his proficiency in the technique increased, the messages of failure became fewer and fewer. When the 62nd notification for proficiency rise arrived, it brought with it a surprise.

[Your proficiency has reached the maximum limit of Lv1. You have triggered the Upgrade quest for the skill, Arrow Crafting Technique.]

—-----

[Upgrade Quest]

[1. Forge a White-Wood Grade Arrow.]

[Reward: Arrow Crafting Technique (Lv 2)]

—-----

[OR]

—-----

[Upgrade Quest]

[Craft a White-Wood Grade Arrow using the power of Runes.]

[Reward: Rune Arrow Forging Technique (Lv 2)]

—------

"So this was what Bowsmith Sangma was talking about!"

Samar came to a realization after the two Upgrade quests popped up. It was obvious he could only complete either one of them, and his choice was clear from the beginning - Rune Arrow Forging Technique. 

From observing Bowsmith Sangma, Samar had learned the two processes involved in using the power of Runes - Inscription and Invocation.

Samar could learn Inscription on his own but he had no idea where he could learn the Hymns of Elements needed for Invocation.

Back then, when Samar had asked Bowsmith Sangma to teach him the hymns, the old man had told him to obtain the Invoker Class!

He had not told Samar how to obtain the Invoker class nor had he provided any concrete information about it. Samar had not thought much of it back then but now he regretted not pestering the old man until he coughed up the information. 

Samar scoured the forums, and it did not help him unveil the mystery around Invoker Class. He asked Stivi and realized that the Grandeur Guild also did not have any information about the it.

Without the crucial knowledge of how to become an Invoker, he had hit a wall.

As a last resort, he decided to check the website of the Dreamverse VR.

When he checked the promotional materials, he did not expect much. All the information that could be gleaned from the introductory material on the website had already been extracted and compiled by thousands of dedicated analysts and players and was posted on Forums.

However, even the dedicated experts would sometimes overlook information if they did not have a context. Knowing this, he carefully read each and every line about the Factions and Classes. 

While looking at the introduction video of Elven Faction, one line in particular caught Samar's eye.

".... the Sages sang hymns and invoked the runes, seeking blessings of their power."

This line… Most players would dismiss it as just another lore from the Dreamverse' story, but he had seen this process happen with his own eyes! 

While teaching him Arrow Crafting Technique, Bowsmith Sangma had sung a hymn that invoked the power of fire and directed it to bless the Arrow!

He quickly replayed the video and checked which building the line was about. A few seconds later, he had his answer - the Sanctum of Sages. 

Any Elf who reached the Grandmastery of his or her profession was titled a Sage. Every Sage had one thing in common; All of them were Invokers! 

They may not have learned the way of Invoking in the beginning, but as they grew more skillful in their profession, they had to work with runes and invoke their power to create more powerful items.

Their incredible knowledge made them the most revered beings in the Elven society, second only to the Prime Elves.

A Sage's position was even higher than that of the Elven Imperial Family! If the Prime Elves were the pioneers of the new knowledge paths in antiquity, then the Sages were the reclaimers and preservers of that knowledge in the present day. 

The place where Sages accepted new disciples into their lineage and passed down their knowledge was called the Sanctum of Sages. Every town and city in the Elven faction had a branch of the Sanctum. Naturally, Torana Town also had one.

The Sanctum of Sages in Torana was on the eastern outskirts of the town, away from the hustle and bustle of the town center. In a town filled with greenery and wildness, the Sanctum of Sages was the only place radiating a serene peaceful vibe. 

Melodies of hymns and an aura of sacredness surrounded the tree building. Had he seen this place before, he would not have to wrack his brains trying to find out where he could get the Invoker Class!

He walked through the gates of the expansive Sanctum. What he expected was quiet calm and peace, but the reception hall was in chaos. 

Elves, whose levels were far above his perception, were running around frantically. They ran to and fro between the Adventurer's Mission Board and the Quest board of the Sanctum of Sages.

The chaos suddenly came to a standstill with the arrival of a female Elf wearing glowing sapphire earrings and necklace. She held a long staff with a crescent moon at its head, and her attire exuded a noble charm. 

"Has anyone responded to the Quest yet?" She asked in a soothing voice, like that of tinkling bells.

"Hymn Chanter Yuki, we have increased the rewards, but there is no news of Soul Essence yet." One of the Elves, who had the most authority, stepped forward and answered with a tinge of regret and shame. 

Samar watched their interaction for a while before he moved to the front of the Mission Boards to see what the fuss was about.

—---

[Sage Reva's disciple, Yuki's Request]

[Quest Priority: ❁❁❁❁❁]

[Bring a Soul Essence to the Torana Town's Sanctum of Sages.]

[Reward: 1 Gold, Enchantment on any Weapon/Equipment.]

—---

Sssi! 1 Gold coin!

Shocked, Samar sucked in a deep breath. His eyes were ready to pop out of the sockets upon seeing the reward. 

Currently, every copper coin was precious and could be sold for 10 Bezos each in the market. Even Guilds were struggling to purchase coins, offering prices as high as 10 Musks per Silver coin. A Gold Coin could be sold for a 1000 Musks! 

To put things into perspective, any R1 member of a recognized Guild only received a monthly salary of around 1000 Musks. 

Yet, the reward for this quest was a Gold coin; A prize worth the monthly salary of an R1 member of a Guild!

In addition to that, the quest reward also offered to enchant any weapon or an equipment regardless of grade or level. For NPCs who treasured their equipment like family heirlooms, this reward was a thousand times more valuable than the Gold Coins! 

It made Samar wonder just what was this Soul Essence to warrant such high rewards?

"The auspicious moment is getting closer. Our Agni Ritual cannot be complete without the Soul Essence…" Hymn Chanter Yuki said with a sigh. She closed her eyes, and a look of determination appeared on her face. "Increase the renumerations. Along with Enchantment of Equipment, add the 'Knowledge of First Hymn of Fire Rune' as reward." Yuki said in a heavy tone. 

The Elf in front of her was shocked. "Miss Yuki, isn't this a bit too much? Are you really willing to divulge the Knowledge of Hymns?"

"Baram, do I need to remind you of the importance of this Ritual?" Yuki asked sternly. Then the female Elf showed a helpless smile. "I need to pay this much if I want them to loosen their purses. If we do not receive any news within half an hour, request help from the Sanctum in Panjal City…." 

The dialogue between Yuki and the Elf continued, but the Quest on the board had already been updated with the new rewards. After seeing the rewards, even Samar was tempted, dearly wishing he had the Soul Essence to submit.

Then suddenly he remembered the quest item he had purchased for 10 GCP.