A breeze swept Selina by her skin through her half-coat. The chill gave the cobblestoned path an eerie and confined feeling.
It didn't take them long before they reached the alchemy room's entrance.
When Seeka twisted the handle. Selina heard an old voice, a familiar one, his tone tinged with eloquence.
"However, be aware that often times. These rituals would entice malicious entities, of course you would know what will happen next from then on..."
Old Neil! Selina quickly recognized the voice.
On the area, just next to the blackboard with written lines. Old Neil, in his 'wizardly' attire hold what seems to be a crystalline globe.
Right before him was a young man. He wore a dark vest, complete with a jet-black coat. Listening to him with utmost attentiveness.
Oh, So Klein's here as well. Are they currently in session...?
Her eyes didn't lingered on the two for long as she had a task at hand to deliver a batch of materials.
The moment Seeka Tron stepped in. Old Neil halted and muttered. "Oh, it seems that the ritual materials have arrived."
Klein heard him and in turn, glanced at the two lady's direction.
"I would...! Fetch them myself, but since the captain insisted on requesting Seeka out of convenience..." Old Neil hanged his words for Klein to figure out.
"I gave the simple task to her instead." He continued.
Klein, however, gave only a slight nod before silently observing the two ladies.
When contrasting the two. Their silver-white hair nudges the observer into believing they're siblings.
The only difference that shows was their demeanor and figure.
Selina can be described as a woman of elegance. Curved in the right places and mesmerizing when faced.
Even her poise as they walk to the storage area, with an outward posture reminds him of how students of high class were taught.
Old Neil watched for a bit, then quickly shifting it back to Klein for more lessons when he saw him staring intently at the two.
The corners of his mouth lifted, a jester's manner rose from his expression, "Giving utmost appreciation through looking I see?"
"It doesn't have to be with motives. Often times, remarkable things requires acknowledgement." Klein gently retorted, added with that peculiar humor recognizable for men-alike.
Accompanied by relatable agreement with the term "man of culture."
After placing the batch where Seeka had instructed her to. Selina glimpsed a series of laughter from across the shelves.
They have a healthy teacher-to-student camaraderie, Selina quietly commented.
"Alright, Old Neil will handle the arrangement of these materials." Seeka straightened herself. "By the way, what job did the Captain suggested for you?"
Selina casted her attention to Seeka Tron, following a soft smile, "Mr. Du- I mean Captain suggested that I should be in charge of procuring medicines for the team."
Seeka Tron nodded briefly, "Alright, it's nice to know the team will receive medicines from now on."
Her hand took out a bronze watch from her coat and snapped it open.
After checking the time, she turned to Selina and said. "I better return. I'm tasked to guard the Chanis Gate today so lingering away for too long might risk our safety."
Selina returned with acknowledgement, "Very well, It's a pleasure acquainting with you."
"You don't have to be so formal." Seeka withdrew her pocket watch, then said kindly.
"We're part of the Nighthawks now and in the same division at that. I would appreciate it if you can refer to us as fellows as well."
Her tone breaking the stiffness in the air, laced with a hint of confidence.
Selina lightly drew a breath, a corner of her mouth lifted, "Very well."
Seeka bade farewell with a brief courtesy.
After the door clapped shut. Selina gathered her thoughts momentarily before walking out of the shelves.
From there, she saw Old Neil, who had resumed teaching Klein.
"The charm's effectiveness varies from the desires of the recipient on what to utilize it as it's dependent on their engraved symbols." Old Neil explained.
"You would also have to consider the materials. A pure metal is the minimum as it's the conventional material for making sacrificial daggers, a gem is moderate because of its close symbolism with the deity while a carcass of a beyonder creature that contains immense spirituality provides higher grade."
Charms...? Selina slowly approached the two, then stopped halfway.
"Now to proceed, first choose a material then set up a-" Old Neil paused abruptly.
He noticed Selina, with her hands intertwined as they hold a sunhat, quietly and attentively listening to his lectures.
Old Neil pointed out with a gaze and said. "Have you finally joined the Nighthawks?"
Klein quickly noticed that he's not the subject of Old Neil's words, prompting him to glanced behind.
"Yes Mr. Old Neil." Selina gave an impeccable, faint smile.
"Did he gave you an order to be included in the mysticism lecture?" Old added, returning the same expression.
Selina nodded and said, "I have requested it, the Captain didn't mind."
"He had also instructed me to ask for your guidance in picking an appropriate gun."
"Hmm... I agree with his suggestion. Your revolver produce recoils that without experience, will disorientate the wielder for a moment", Old Neil followed with evaluation. "Alright, but for now, would you like to learn something new?"
Selina nodded slightly as she replied, "Of course..."
There was only one chair present in the alchemy room. Old Neil was behind a table, in front of the blackboard while Klein occupies the high-back chair facing him.
After a light courtesy for the gentleman, her fellow learner. Selina could only stood as she listens to Old Neil.
However, Klein quickly gave up his seat, saying in a gentle tone, "Ms. Roy, you should sit here."
Selina tilt her head towards him, "What about you?"
"It's alright. I've..." Klein began reminiscing the days he used to frequent the train station. "I'm used to standing, also it would me help me better digest the food from earlier."
Selina didn't bought his excuse, sensing that it would be impolite to reject regardless, she replied "Alright, thank you."
When his lecture came to a swift break. Old Neil recalled a few things within his mind.
During the switch of positions between his now two students, he calmly asked, "Klein, since Selina is new to mysticism. Would you mind rehearsing our past topics for her and step in my place?"
Klein couldn't help but return with a question, "Why so sudden?"
"I forgot to patrol the armory. While I'm away, do your best to include her about spirit vision and rituals." Old Neil said in passing.
Before Klein could process what he had been instructed for him. Their mentor left without another word.
*Thud*
Klein stood next to Selina in silence.
Spirit vision...? Selina on the otherhand, had her interest piqued by the term.
She pictured an old folktale that depicts how humans are able to perceive spirits through ritualistic gestures.
Will I be able to see a mischievous marshmallow spirit with this?
As her mind trailed off. Klein suddenly opened his mouth and said, "Old Neil is away. For now, I can brief you about certain things so you can catch on the current topic, is that alright Ms. Roy?"
Selina shooked her head lightly, she smiled while replying, "That won't be a problem."
Klein drew a breath and anchored himself, This is the first time I'm teaching someone...
He first began with an introduction of the mysticism, coupled with precautions and awareness for danger, then slowly worked his way to one of the terms Old Neil had given.
"Spirit vision can help us perceive inconceivable beings with ethereal bodies normal means will have a difficult time detecting. Old Neil had disclosed to me before that few pathways lack in this aspect until much later. As for your pathway, the Apothecary, have been recorded to exhibit the ability to see through a person's well-being, though limited to a person's emotional state." Klein kindly explained with mimicked eloquence.
"This can be activated through a simple gesture accompanied by Cogitation."
Cogitation...? Selina committed the term to memory.
Klein fixed his posture before continuing, "The changes you've seen after transitioning to a beyonder..."
He paused, then felt his eyes shifts into a different hue. Klein raised his index finger and pointed to the changes.
"Such as this."
Selina saw his pupils dilated, then began to turn darker. Their previous dark-brown pigments were replaced by a deep-set of jet black eyes.
Fascinating... I wonder if I had unknowingly experienced something akin to this. Selina murmured as her hand habitually began caressing her sunhat.
"Were a manifestation of the potion's powers. A beyonder must be able to converge them to achieve resonance with themselves."
"However, Ms. Roy, perhaps you're already aware of this." Klein held himself back, in case of assumptions.
Selina shook her head slowly, replying in a mellow voice, "No, before I even discovered it, I had already become a beyonder..."
Before even discovering it? Klein's inner-self creased its brows.
Without letting the lady notice anything. He quickly revised his words, "I see... Then, would you mind if I proceed with this?"
Selina smiled politely as she said, "Please, go ahead."
Klein paused for awhile, processing what had played out before him.
It took him a few seconds to say with a fixed voice, "Cogitation is a state where one concentrates on a target, maybe an object, scene, or being. This is to centralized your thoughts and retain rationale during any sort of mysticism activities."
"To perform it, choose a target item, albeit a simple object first and picture it from the darkness. Then let your brain go somewhat blank. Exchange that object into something that does is non-existent, it has to be completely out of thin air."
Klein withdrew himself from Selina's side and recalled Old Neil's words, "You have to follow this rule."
Then, he continued, "Only by doing this can you enter Cogitation, exceeding the concept of 'I'"
"The limitless 'I' will be become one with the universe, giving you the ability to see and understand the truth. Obtaining knowledge only you yourself can understand."
Klein gestured for Selina to attempt.
"I'll be monitoring you."
After ingesting the information thoughtfully, Selina nodded briefly before closing her eyes.
From there, she imagined a round, spherical light.
It was simple. There were no elaborations required.
Then, pondering on what to exchange for the object, Selina was slightly at a lost on how to proceed.
Her first thought was to derived from her world and project it into her mind. For example, picturing a vehicle, a concept that are mostly found in science textbooks or scenes that are considered as non-existent.
To be honest... I'm having a slight difficulty in what to pick. Selina smiled wearily at herself.
It's true that there many things in her world that may or may not exist in her current one. However, she did not want to leave any evidences, even in her thoughts, that she's a foreigner.
One could not be careless in a world heavy with mystery!
There might be beyonders that can read thoughts, which is why I have to limit mentioning about my origin... Selina silently took note.
Mhm, alright, then I'll settle with this...
With that said, she first sparked the darkness with speckles of light.
Upon doing so, she gathered them. Slowly and gradually shaping the brilliant orb into a sculpture of a figure that had once captivated her enough to remember:
A statue of a veiled woman.
The mesmerizing, almost magical illusion that a veil, seemingly soft and transparent, paved awe as it sparks disbelief that it was carved from a single, solid block of marble.
It was one of the things she frequented whenever she have staycations.
However, nothing occurred in the first attempt.
Did I do something wrong...? There seems to be nothing happening... Selina creased her brows while her eyes closed.
Noticing Selina exhibiting difficulty on the task. Klein gently guided, "Try to let your imaginations run wild. Maybe that will produce anything."
After all, he had also initially thought a single object will suffice as a target for cogitation.
Selina wasn't bothered, rather, her expression eased for a bit upon hearing from Klein.
It wasn't that she hadn't thought of this before, limiting her imagination may have also been part of this first failed attempt, only allowing herself to outline a single object.
With this in mind, she let out a silent breath. Her image of the veiled woman's sculpture turned into a bright light that only retained its shape.
In the next second, multiple spherical lights stacked one after another. Selina began instilling the object she first imagined with many similar objects from her world.
However, her attempt still didn't yield anything.
It felt like a reflection of her return ritual. Her thoughts were chaotic, searching what could have gone wrong.
I did what was instructed... Selina brooded over her failed successions.
Within a few moments of silence, her creased brows ease as she fixed her state of mind, A method that works for one won't usually apply for another...
After placating herself, Selina gave her utmost attention in creating another series of objects, now with a varied approach.
She didn't stacked them at once. In an ordered manner, she collected these spherical lights starting from small to large, producing a uniformed shape only she can picture.
The result felt like an object of an illusive dream. Selina's mind gradually turned ethereal and afloat.
Beneath her eyelids, her sapphire irises slowly gained whiter luster.