The Third Realm

by Michael Chatfield

  The second reason was to see Old Man Hei again and thank him for his guidance.

  Well, there was a third reason, but it wasn’t for some valiant or big reason. To this point, he had been working to be an alchemist and he didn’t have anyone to compete against. He wanted to see just how his skill matched up with others in the Ten Realms. He wasn’t aiming to hold anything back.

  A smile appeared on his face as the monitors came around, making sure that everyone was in their right location before the master of ceremonies stepped up.

  The entire stadium went quiet as they looked at the man wearing a cauldron badge on his chest with a gold emblem and two lines on it.

  “Five of you will be heading on to the tier-two cities, aiming to make it into the Alchemist Association. The person who makes it into first place will gain the formula to make a mid-Journeyman-level pill and ten Mana stones. The second will get the formula for a mid-Journeyman-level potion and seven Mana stones. The third will get the formula for a mid-Journeyman-level powder and five Mana stones. Fourth place will get three Mana stones and fifth place will get one Mana stone. You will have four hours to create your concoction. Try your hardest. May the strongest alchemist win!”

  Alchemists bent forward and started working, moving into the preparation stage. Flames appeared and started heating as knives slashed and mortar and pestles were put to work.

  Erik looked around, his smile growing as he looked at them all.

  “Let’s start.” He had already put the ingredients to the side, readying them all. He created two balls of Mana flame, gathering up the ingredients into them as a third flame warmed the cauldron.

  He used his right hand to move the centrifuge, checking that it worked. One of the balls of flames disappeared, ash falling into a beaker. Erik opened a tap above it; the liquid dripped down onto the ash and then drained through a series of filters.

  Most of the gear looked handmade and worked like it too, but still Erik was pleased with it.

  It wasn’t long until he had finished the preparation stage and he was moving into the formation stage.

  He took the prepared ingredients and checked on the heated cauldron, making sure that it was ready.

  ***

  “Journeyman Di, what do you think of my daughter and son?” Lord Jonsain asked with a pleased smile.

  “They are indeed proficient, taking their time in preparing the ingredients diligently to bring out the greatest of effects,” Journeyman Di said with a slight smile. He looked to be in his middle age but he had seen these kinds of contests for decades already.

  His eyes looked over the rows of alchemists competing on the stage.

  Although it was good to give face to the powerful figures in the region, he also used it as an exercise in searching out talented Alchemy youths in the future. His Alchemy had been stopped but if he was able to nurture or pass on a student to one of his peers who had a great ability, then he might find a path forward or gain more luxuries in the future.

  Barely passable. He looked over the people on the stages. The children of the lord, although they wore flashy clothes and they looked to be mystical alchemists in their own right, cared more about the performance with Alchemy than true Alchemy.

  Most were through the formation stage when he looked at one man. He was middle-aged, didn’t seem to care for the others, and unlike those who had flashy equipment, he had simple tools around him. They looked as if he had made them himself. He didn’t seem to care about his appearance either as he worked with his cauldron.

  Journeyman Di focused on him. Although his tools looked to be elementary, his actions weren’t rushed. They were well rehearsed and practiced. And his cauldron…

  That is nothing simple. It must be a decent cauldron. Much better than most of the others. Hmm, maybe something interesting will come from being here.

  Journeyman Di’s interest increased as he continued to look over the stages one by one.

  ***

  Erik didn’t care for the others all around him; he didn’t pay them any attention as he worked, he seemed to be utterly focused on the process at hand.

  He tapped the side of the cauldron as his flames died down and a powder came out from the top of the cauldron.

  He stored it in a box. He frowned and put the box to the side.

  Then he looked up at the time. There was still two hours to go.

  Since I’m here already, it would be a waste if I didn’t make some more healing powders. They only said that I would be judged on one of the things I made, so I can pick out the strongest one and give it to them.

  Erik smiled to himself, cleaned out his cauldron and started again.

  He thought back to how he had got his three formulas from Old Man Hei, how he had made Erik make repeated concoctions in order to pay them off.

  Now Erik knew that it must’ve been a test. At the time, Erik was nervous to fail and excited at the challenge. Now he knew of the prices for those two formulas in the Third Realm and could figure out what they should have cost in the Second Realm. He knew that Old Man Hei was going easy on him.

  So Erik did what he had done since he entered the Ten Realms: he grinded, making more and more of the healing powder. The weaker powder he would put in boxes off to the side, with one box being placed in the testing area, ready to be checked at the end of it all.

  I’ve been able to get it to eighty-three percent efficacy. I think it’s not the way that I make the concoction but rather what’s in the concoction. Combining them, there is a loss of efficacy because the actual ingredients counteract one another on a small degree.

  I have already made more than enough of the correct concoction. I’ve still got an hour until the end. I can try to alter it a few more times with the amount of prepared ingredients I have left over.

  Erik started to go through the ingredients used and then think of the reactions that they might be having to decrease the efficacy. It was something he had done many times. Now he started thinking of ingredients he could add to amplify the effects of the ingredients or allow them to be combined without a greater loss in ability.

  ***

  “Look at that man over there—made boxes and boxes of powder. Shame to have failed at making his concoction so many times.” Lord Jonsain sighed. “Truly, it is better to spend more time on one concoction and make sure it reaches perfection.” Jonsain looked to his son and daughter with a look of pride as they took their time in making sure that they completed their concoctions.

  Journeyman Di made a noncommittal noise.

  Already a large number of the applicants had failed, burning up their ingredients, failing in the preparation stage.

  Some were lucky enough to have enough time to try again. Others could only look at the merciless clock, gather their supplies and leave the stage.

  It was hard to not get disheartened, failing in front of so many people.

  Journeyman Di was looking at the interesting man from before. He had not made one concoction but dozens of them. He had made boxes of them and put them to the side, placing one box ahead of him to be tested.

  He had changed it two times already.

  Now he was having failure after failure. Journeyman Di was using a spell on his eyes to look over the stage; the man only frowned slightly, muttered to himself and cleared out his cauldron before starting again. He had prepared ample ingredients with his odd-looking tools and simply started again, adding in new items to the powder.

  With just ten minutes to go, he pulled out a powder; he checked it and put it in a box and added it to the stack he had created.

  There was an excited look on his face as he started to create another concoction.

  Journeyman Di leaned forward. Seeing the man’s frantic movements, Journeyman Di could see that the man had made a breakthrough.

  Not only did he make dozens of powders, he also made a breakthrough in them!? Journeyman Di’s eyebrow rose slightly as the corner of his mouth quivered.

  Journeyman
Di had seen many people attempting this very same test across hundreds of cities. He could tell who was working their hardest and who was showing off.

  He could tell that the two children of Lord Jonsain were only as good as their teachers; they had drilled in the process of making their concoctions again and again. He had no doubt that they had laid out the different concoctions that they would make in the second round and been tested on the different standard ingredients and mutations to pass on the Path of Alchemy trial. There was no skill, only rote repetition. It could get one into the academy, but they wouldn’t be able to go that far.

  It was the people who poured out their everything who were able to go further. They would not gain great fortune, but their fame and ability would be great.

  Journeyman Di had been focusing on several people on the stage who could be nurtured into good alchemists. It was how he knew that the man on stage three four seven had been substituting new ingredients into his concoction; he was already intimately familiar with the concoction and he made it perfectly the first time, but he didn’t sit back and continued to make more of the concoction. By changing out the boxes, he must have improved it again and again.

  If he doesn’t pass this round, then I should see about taking him under my wing and seeing if I can raise him up personally and apply for him to take the Path of Alchemy trial in a few years.

  “Little Jing’er is almost done,” Lord Jonsain said.

  The brother-and-sister duo’s hands moved, their robes serving to frame their features and actions, drawing one’s eye.

  Jing Jonsain created a pill as her brother Luke created a potion.

  They collected their products and placed them on the testing square, looking calm and composed, as if they could create countless others and remain untouched. They relaxed and waited out the remaining time.

  “A pill and a potion—their skill is indeed high,” one of the lord’s advisors said.

  Lord Jonsain laughed and smiled with the praise but his eyes were on Journeyman Di.

  “It looks like they will easily be able to enter the second testing phase.”

  “Thank you, Journeyman Di. I also think the same,” Lord Jonsain said with a bow to Journeyman Di.

  Journeyman Di gave a simple smile and looked over the alchemists. The man made a second modified concoction. He looked pleased but he still put it with the pile of other boxes off to the side.

  It looked rather comical: others had potions and pills but he had boxes and boxes of powder, as if he were selling them in bulk.

  The timer hit zero as a gong was hit.

  There were those who hadn’t been able to time their concoctions well enough and it had ended in failure. Others had finished but they were still nervous. The items all had to be tested, after all.

  “Those who have failed, please leave the stage. If you have a successful product, please remain seated and a monitor will come along to test your concoction,” the head monitor at the front of the stages said.

  More people left the stages, leaving just a hundred or so.

  The monitor came over to Erik and looked at his workspace.

  “This one.” Erik held out a box he had set to the side.

  The monitor took it and went on to collect others before heading to a testing platform. A number of people were there with silver cauldrons on their chests, putting the concoctions into the testing formations and using their tools to check on the ability of the concoctions.

  It might be hard for one to find out how to make a concoction from the finished product, but appraising them, finding out what they do, and their efficacy was much easier.

  Lord Jonsain’s children were tested first, then the others followed.

  It took a half hour before the results were checked.

  Everyone was watching the monitors before they stood and apparently agreed.

  “In first place is Jonsain Jing. In second place, Erik West. In third place, Jonsain Luke. In fourth...” The monitor kept on going and calling out results but there was an uproar in the stadium.

  The lord’s two children were in first and third place, not first and second! Who was this second person?

  Well, we’re going to need to get the hell out of here quickly. Didn’t think that this would be a big thing. Erik looked at the concoctions off to the side. His eyes rested on the two boxes of powder that he had finished last.

  Though I have at least one new thing to test out and I should be getting that Journeyman-level potion formula and Mana stones.

  “Third! How did I get third! I demand a retest!” Jonsain Luke demanded.

  The head monitor cleared his throat, calming the crowd. “We went through the testing multiple times to check the result. He did not make a higher level item than yours but the efficacy was much higher, showing a high ability in Alchemy.”

  Luke made to open his mouth again.

  “Are you going against my ruling as a certified tester of the Alchemist Association?” the head monitor asked in a low voice.

  Jonsain closed his mouth and curled his fists, but held in his anger. “No.” His answer was short and quick.

  The monitor’s eyes stayed on him for some time before looking away. He was just some young kid, after all. It wasn’t abnormal for some of them to get hot-blooded in this kind of competition. The fact that he was also the son of the city lord allowed his arrogance to only grow.

  “Will the top five come forward? The rest of you may leave.” The head monitor dismissed them.

  Erik cleared up his workspace, taking in his tools and completed powders. I should be able to make some gold off these as well. Maybe I can get a few formulas and then between those pick out a formula best suited for my skills to have a greater chance of completion in the next round.

  Even as he was calmly thinking of his next steps, Erik couldn’t help but smile. He had come out on top, after all. He was pleased with his own achievements.

  He reached the stage with three others. The Jonsains were already standing there. Jing didn’t pay them any attention; they were nothing but flies to her. Luke glared at them, looking at the two men, Erik and another alchemist who looked down at his feet at Luke’s glare.

  Luke’s eyes moved back to Erik, who simply raised an eyebrow.

  Reel your neck back in there, or else I’ll do it for you.

  “Lady Jonsain.” The head monitor passed her a gift box.

  “Thank you, Head Monitor.” She bowed to the man, elegant and refined.

  “Erik West?” the head monitor asked.

  Erik stepped up to the head monitor.

  The head monitor looked him over and passed him a gift box as well.

  “Thank you, Head Monitor,” Erik said.

  “Watch yourself,” Luke whispered as the head monitor glared at him, taking a box and pushing it into Luke’s chest.

  Luke looked at the head monitor, who had moved onto fourth place, and then back to Erik as if it were all his fault.

  Reminds me of my brother and sister back home. They had to be the top of the class and if they weren’t, then the people above them were their worst enemies and they would do anything to bring them down, kids are kids everywhere.

  “Inside your gifts is a medallion to allow you entrance into the second part of the competition held at the second-tier city Khusai, controlled by the Willful Institute. The contest begins in three months. If you do not arrive on time, you will lose your spot. I now call this application contest to a close!”

  Chapter: On the Run

  Erik didn’t have time to check in his gift box. He stuffed it into his storage ring and left the stage, quickly following the other monitors.

  Luke, staring daggers at Erik, sent a sound transmission.

  Erik pulled out his own device. “Rugrat, I think it’s time we got the hell out of here. Let’s get some rides and start for this Khusai.”

  “Willful Institute—you remember that lot?” Rugrat asked.

  “Sounds familiar,” Erik said.


  “Those are the pricks who chased us and I killed with a grenade before we entered the Beast Mountain trial,” Rugrat said.

  “I thought that they were only in the Second Realm?”

  “Looks like they’ve got more reach than we were expecting. Sending you a location. I’m going to grab a map. I’ll meet you there,” Rugrat said.

  “Sounds good.” Erik checked the location that Rugrat had shared with him.

  ***

  Luke stormed through the stadium, his butler coming up to him.

  “Who is he?”

  “We don’t know but he only made powders while the testing was going on. He made dozens of boxes of powders. I got a report from one of the monitors I know. He only made Minor Healing powder, low Apprentice grade,” Luke’s butler reported faithfully.

  “I want him brought before me and I want him killed!” Luke yelled out.

  “Yes, Young Master.” The butler looked to Luke’s personal guard as they walked out. He pulled out his sound transmission device and started to make some calls.

  ***

  Didn’t take them long. Erik had changed his cloak to try to hide his identity but it looked as though it was useless. He saw people following him. They wore the symbol of Girus’s guards. People moved out of their way as they followed, not trying to hide their actions.

  Erik picked up his pace and started to jog. With his tempered body, his jogging was faster than a full-out sprint from world-class athletes back on Earth.

  The guards were stunned and yelled out to one another as they started to run after Erik.

  I need to start doing things that are smaller profile. What a fucking little prick. If I come back here, I’ll bring him out and slap him in front of everyone like the little losing bitch he is. First, I need to get into the Alchemist Association. Then I can start to do something about this whole situation.

  For once, I would like to leave a city without the guards or some bastard trying to kill me or steal something from me. Would be nice!