Chapter 14: The Awakening of the Fallen Star Pendant
In a well-lit, spacious room, a floor-to-ceiling mirror stood, its ornate design a stark contrast between white birch wood and dark, intricate black leaves. Multicolored gems adorned its edges, exuding an extravagant aura.
Ron, a young man in a swallow-tail coat, stood before the mirror. His maids had just finished adjusting his attire, and he waved them away, leaving him alone in the room.
Ron studied his reflection - of medium height and slender build, with brown hair and a somewhat pallid complexion. His delicate features masked a mind teeming with intellect and ambition. Over a year had passed since his return from his last expedition.
In his palm, Ron held a peculiar pendant that closely resembled a silver cross, adorned with red and blue diamonds that emitted a faint, enchanting glow. A satisfied smile graced his face.
The Fallen Star Pendant, a low-grade magic artifact with exceptional defensive properties, had taken considerable effort to craft. Ron had expended most of his resources, grinding magic crystals and using rare ingredients like the Great Mankestre Snake to complete this prototype.
"I've consumed nearly all my expendable resources. According to the Lowian Academy Teachings, this is only an incomplete product. The core is ready; all that remains is the final step," Ron contemplated.
His gaze shifted to the intricate patterns etched on the pendant's surface, their mystique both captivating and intimidating. The final ingredient was already in his possession; all that remained was the opportune moment to initiate the spirit awakening for the Fallen Star Pendant.
"A.I. Chip, display my current statistics," Ron commanded.
[Beep! Ron, level 3 acolyte, Grand Knight. Strength: 7.3, Agility: 4.9, Vitality: 6.1, Spiritual force: 15.2, Magic power: 15 – (magic power is synchronized with spiritual force). Status: Healthy]
Over the past year, Ron had concentrated on advancing to a Grand Knight, achieving significant improvements in all his attributes, particularly in strength. His spiritual force, at 15, met the threshold for becoming a Rank 1 magus.
"The Academy's return order will arrive in six months. I must retrieve the Inheritance at Dylan Garden. I need to complete my Fallen Star Pendant," Ron contemplated, his fingers tracing the pendant.
Under the bright light, the gems on the cross sparkled, and Ron's confidence in his forthcoming adventure swelled.
Turning to his lab beside the room, Ron retrieved the Confining Spirit Sphere containing Roman. As he unsealed it, the crystal ball emitted a radiant, amber-like light, revealing a translucent figure within.
"Roman, I had hoped to play with you a bit longer," Ron sighed, with no need for further information from him. Roman had served his purpose in Ron's spiritual research.
Within the Confining Spirit Sphere, Roman's once crazed, bloodthirsty visage transformed into one of intelligence.
Placing the silver cross beside the sphere, Ron began inscribing runes and symbols on a large experiment table. The runes writhed and twisted, forming a peculiar magic rune under his incantations.
Roman, now within the Confining Spirit Sphere, appeared to sense danger and stammered, "No… You can't do this."
The final step of synthesizing the Fallen Star Pendant required a sealed spirit full of energy - the perfect catalyst. Roman, a former level 3 Acolyte, fit that role.
Ron had meticulously calibrated Roman's spirit strength to match the final step.
"Now, with Roman as the catalyst, I can ensure that my Fallen Star Pendant will be perfect," Ron noted with satisfaction.
As the incantation continued, the magic rune on the experiment table radiated a dim grey glow.
Roman, feeling the inevitable, tried to bargain, "I'm an outstanding alchemist. I have many secrets and unique skills in alchemy. If you let me go, I'll share them all with you."
Ron, unmoved, responded, "Not enough. Your secrets are already recorded in an alchemy book. They won't compensate for the loss of my Fallen Star Pendant."
Roman, desperate to survive, revealed another secret, "I know of a hidden method for advancing to an official Magus, closely guarded by the magician guild's higher-ups."
Ron inquired, "Do you know the spell model of a Rank 1 spell, the location of Grine Water, or advanced meditation techniques?"
Roman, stunned, admitted, "Yes, I know all of those."
"Or perhaps you have information about Zither Moon Mountain Plains or Dylan Gardens, where the Great Magus Serholm's inheritance is located?"
At this, Roman was genuinely terrified.
Ron declared, "Your time is up," and with a snap of his fingers, activated the spell formation. The Confining Spirit Sphere engulfed Roman, who was now thoroughly frightened.
Ignoring Roman's pleas, Ron placed the silver cross at the center of the runes. The incantations continued, and the runes converged onto the Fallen Star Pendant.
The final step for the pendant was spirit awakening, an aspect beyond Ron's knowledge until now.
Years of research had made Ron a leading expert in soul research at the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy. As a result, the spirit awakening was no longer a mystery to him.
Looking at Roman, who was struggling within the Confining Spirit Sphere, Ron felt that everything was proceeding smoothly.
[Beep! Low-grade magic artifact - Fallen Star Pendant has been successfully synthesized!]
The A.I. Chip displayed the pendant's statistics: Physical Defense: 13 degrees, Magical Defense: 15 degrees. Instant activation when the host is attacked.
With the Fallen Star Pendant, Ron could confidently face the attacks of level 1 and 2 acolytes. Together with Trevor's Revolving Shield Potion, he could even withstand a level 3 acolyte's assault.
Securing the pendant beneath his collar, Ron concealed its presence. His chances of survival in the coming adventure had significantly increased.
The success of the Fallen Star Pendant had become his ace in the hole.