After toying with Veriyal, Jarren made his way to the Scholar's Vault. A place dense with malcore as artifacts, items and vials seeped with wild and refined malcore. The place heavily armed however he sighted students making their purchases.
However the place wasn't kind to wandering eyes as it required a fee entrance of two blue shards and for a noble like him it felt like pocket change. In front of him a wide selection presented to him towering to the very skies.
All in display all kinds of ingredients essential for breakthroughs in both paths, to the left a hallway decorated with all the essentials for knights and to the right what was required for mages. The central hub actin as a spine for the Scholar's Vault.
He felt all kinds of glyphs and arrays all over, easily to break to his whim and yet he refrained as he made his way to the left wing of the Vault. There were other students present browsing as well, locked within their own banters as they looked at the prices. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for.
"What do you mean a single vial of Crude Crimson Sigil Molt is fifty blue shards?! Considering the subsidiaries I'll need it'll be way past the stipulend!" He heard a frustrated comment ring through. "I can't believe they ramped up the prices like this! How do they expect us to progress with discouraging prices like these?!"
Picking up the Silver Vow Molt, he realized that there was more to it than just Molt. Unlike him, the others had go to about it legitimately and that path was extremely harsh and unforgiving. Every single Molt had subsidiary ingredients that came with it.
Like his Silver Vow Molt had two subsidiary ingredients those being Vowroot Core for mental clarity and Lustrasil Ink to help weave the silver into his bones. The former at a price of fifteen blue shards and the latter at twenty blue shards. Given that he had chosen the Pure Silver Vow Molt which was thirty blue shards, it came to a total of sixty five blue shards.
The stipulend of the Scholar's Vault applied differently to the year student purchasing however this wasn't a problem he actively had given with his token he could demand for certain items to be sold at half or bypass the stipulend by a couple thousand shards.
He had an allowance of four thousand blue shard stipulend which was remarkable as fourth year students usually had a thousand blue shards stipulend. First with a hundred, second years with two hundred, third with five hundred, fourth with a seven hundred and fifth with one thousand.
Before he left, he checked out the other items that were on display. 'Each rank of the Knighthood path has a Molt of it's name however the problem with some of them isn't the Molt price that's the problem but rather it's the subsidiaries ingredients that posed a challenge.
Some of the subsidiaries ingredients went as far as the Molt of the same rank. For the the Dragon Wrought Molt as an example had the Molt itself at a bare minimum of five hundred blue shards, for the pristine version of the molt was eight hundred blue shards but there was a subsidiary ingredient that had a cost of nine hundred blue shards among other things.
Thus one had to be extremely careful wen making their selection. 'Since I'm here I might as well.' He picked a Pure Crimson Sigil Molt which was sixty blue shards along with it's subsidiary ingredients. It came to a grand total of two hundred and sixty five blue shards.
Making his way to the front desk, he handed over the items along with the required money. "Would you like to have a secluded training room at the price of five hundred blue shards, this won't be counted as stipulend?" The registrar asked, his tone flat and devoid of life.
"No thank you." And with that he made his way to his room. By now it was noon and the students were free, some busy with their studies, others with their training and what not. However he met a visitor he has been waiting for ay his room. A fourth year student, a lackey sent by Ravien no doubt.
"Jarren Velros? I don't know what you were thinking ignoring Ravien's orders about joining the Aurex Sanctum but you'll definitely regret it." The air around him reeking with arrogance. However he didn't bother wasting any time with him, barging into his room and closing the door behind him.
"Don't think that you can hide forever Jarren, here you don't have your mother to comfort you." A scoff rang shortly after before the goon took his leave. However before he could settle, he came across a package on his desk. A letter accommodated it.
[{Since you're one of us, the Eyrie, you'll have to carry our badge and honor.
-Orissa}]
A sigil of the Eyrie came with it, a black obsidian pin with the 'E' symbol in luxurious bold. 'Now it's time to get this under way.' When it came to ascension in ranking, luck among other things played out here.
Taking off his clothes, he began the procedure with fluidity and ease. He picked up the Silver Vow Molt along with the subsidiaries, took a lotus position and placed them on the floor.
Closing his eyes he started off with the Silver Vow Molt which flowed with relative ease out of it's vial casing. The Lustrasil Ink started to bore into his bones and flesh, paving the way for the Silver Vow Molt. As for the Vowroot Core, it gently drifted on his head slowly withering away.
It's role to help ease the mental burden and improve the resolve of one's own will. As it continued to wither away, the Lustrasil Ink had finally melded with the Silver Vow Molt and slowly seeped into his flesh. It was meant to be agonizing however there was no look of pain on his face, only composure and regality.
It started with his upper torso before slowly making it's descent. The pain akin to lynch sprinkled with pin pricks for a sadistic edge but he went through with it. The room fell silent as non existent eyes watched his growth. The aura that threatened to seep out was contained by Jarren.
The process was slow and agonizing, but he had time on his hands.
***
A man dressed in lavish attire and a cool air around him made his way through a set of halls before arriving at his destination. A small garden acting as a sanctuary to which a lady gave a light look in his direction. "Vaelric, how have you been my son?" The lady inquired, her voice warm.
The cold air around him melted away as he took a seat next to her. "I'm well mother." Vaelric mused, his figure loosening up as his eyes drifted to the hotchpotch of flowers lightly swaying in the breeze. "I heard that Jarren chose to abandon the family crest and go for Darkness. I hope that this is rumors."
Lady Elyria, the mother to her three sons, Vaelric, Thalen and Jarren gave a heavy sigh. "Sadly it's not. He had a fallout with your father. He hasn't returned yet." She went on as a manservant came to the two, offered tea and scurried off back to whence he came.
"It would seem that he's ignorant of what this means to the Velros Family name. Some proper discipline is in order." Vaelric spoke before shifting to the sweet lemon tea, taking a bird's sip. "If need be then so be it but don't be too harsh on him." Vaelric looked at her mother.
"Mother you dote him too much. If he never experiences pain or failure then how will he grow as a person? He'll be made fun of and bring shame to our name." Vaelric, the eldest brother of Jarren was more into the political courts and games unlike Thalen who went out on adventures.
Elyria knew that such information would be detrimental to his campaign in the court. "How are you doing at work ? I hope that it isn't stressing you out that much." Vaelric took a long look at his cup, the weight behind his stare apparent to Elyria. "Not great I guess."
Vaelric let out a sigh. "With the emergence of new technology sweeping the world, all the kingdoms are in a race to not only dominate but also eradicate the other kingdoms as well. News of sabotage have been frequent, more extractions into the dying world a common phenomenon. I've seen what that kind of power cane do."
A somber silence took the scene. "A war perhaps?" She inquired. "Yes and no. Not of blood and screams but that of economic strifes and psychological games. I can only shudder at the thought of what is to come." Vaelric came to his end as he took one long sip of his tea finishing it in a gulp.
"I'd like to spend more time with you but duty calls." Rising to his feet, he was about to take his leave however something seemed off about Elyria. "What is it mother? I may be your son but that doesn't mean I don't know what isn't bothering you. I promise I'll be careful."
Elyria's face spoke volumes of dread and contemplation. "It's Jarren, there's something different about him the last time he was here. He wasn't as rowdy or as careless as he usually was. It feels like he's a completely different person. There's just this feeling, urging me to stay away from him but he's my son."
Vaelric paused for a moment. "It would seem that he's growing up is all. And it's just a matter of time before he finally realizes how punishing this world is to the careless." Her tense shoulders didn't relax. "No, it doesn't feel like maturing but replacement. As if he's not my son anymore." Vaelric as much as he wanted to spend more time knew that he had to get back to his post.
"I'll make preparations so that we have a day, just the two of us but for now, try to relax." Elyria calmed down, taking a lion's sip of her tea. "Maybe you're right. I've been on edge as of late." Vaelric closed the distance and knelt to hi mother. Her palm cupped his face in affection.
"See, it's already working. I'm sorry but I have to leave." Kissing her knuckles, he rose and took his leave. Alone in the colorful sandbox of flowers, she recalled that night. How brazen he was, his attitude and callousness before recalling Clomere.
'She's also being acting strange as of late. Or maybe I'm just overreacting.' With that she rose to her feet making her way indoors.