The fifth-floor work chamber was completely quiet as the midnight hours ticked away. Shadows from the heavy stone pillars stretched across the floor under the dim light of the lamps.
At a corner table, Kale Ardentis was surrounded by parchment, preservation jars, and chemical instruments.
To any observer, he was simply working through the baseline experiments his master had dumped on his desk... a tedious mixture of basic Toolcraft and Pillcraft meant to prepare him for advancement. But the corner of his desk held a far more dangerous secret, shielded from prying eyes by a subtle layer of localised mana.
Kale slowly set down his carving knife, wiping his fingers. He retrieved an insulated metal container from his spatial storage. When he opened the lid, orange light spilt across his face, accompanied by a wave of heat that made the air shimmer.
