44 Compensate
They then entered another cave-passage, the steps changed from gray dark stone into marbled-floors, took many left and right turns, which Ery failed all to rember, before finally seeing a large ominous black gate where the origin of darkness seed to be stored.
Chumo led Ery to a magus talking to another acolyte. Chumo exclaid, "Magus Xion!"
The magus had a dark cloak with a hood that almost covered up to his nose. Xion spoke with a rough and raspy voice, "Chumo, I see that you're eager to train and you've brought a friend."
"Yes, Magus Xion. His na is Ery, he also has a dark affinity and it's his first ti here," explained Chumo after he had made a fist and a palm before his chest.
"I see..." Xion turned his attention to Ery and said, "And I assu you are wanting to cultivate for half a day in the darkness origin stone room?"
Ery copied Chumo's palm and fist and nodded. He said, "Yes, Magus Xion."
Xion glanced at the origin stone room before shaking his head. "I'm afraid you can't. The origin stone room is not available."
"Why not?" Ery asked.
"It is being used and no one is allowed to enter," Xion replied.
After going through so many misfortunes since yesterday, Ery still couldn't catch a break. He had hoped things would be back to normal now that a new day had arrived but apparently not. Expectations against reality always bit him in the back.
Ery put his hands together, determined to enter this place since if didn't he wasn't entirely sure he would pass the required spirit power after he had taken the potion from Master Grom. "Please Magus this is probably my last chance to pass the academy requirent!"
Magus Xion checked Ery's status and comnted, "Aptitude B, no wonder."
Xion observed Ery from head to toe and finally sighed. "It would have been no issue giving you access to it since all first year acolytes have the privilege to enter it, however, Grand Magus Zenoia is using the room right now."
"But Magus Xion—"
"No amount of pleading will work, Chumo"—Xion then sounded a bit gentler this ti—"Like I have ntioned, we can't let anyone enter the room right now but your friend's privilege to cultivate still stands in the future."
"Ery, I understand your needs but—"
Xion stopped talking and beckoned Ery to co closer. "I see... I feel so odd connection with you now that I got to take a closer look at you. I wonder what it is."
Ery was also confused as Xion. Xion said, "Ery, there's sothing about you that wants to help except my hands are tight. If you manage to pass, find next year and I will surely compensate for what you have missed today."
"Thank you, magus," Ery and Chumo said at the sa ti.
He left the institute after being guided by Chumo through the maze-like cave-passages. Now, he only hoped the Green Essence Potion would be more than enough to make him break through to second level acolyte and he still needed to find an institute that would accept him.
Ery found the portal heading to Elder's Respite open once more and confird from the knight nearby it was safe again to enter. He entered the portal along with the crowd and arrived back at the hall where master Grom was indeed still waiting and accepting submissions for the four-leaf moon clovers.
The dwarf caressed his long overgrown beard as he said to one of the acolytes just handing over their rare plants. "Ah, I know the west location had encountered so undesirables last night but really? Just one plant for the four of you?"
The acolyte, who seed to be the leader of the four, looked like he had taken a bitter pill before walking away without saying a word. Whispering comnts then about this dwarf traveled amongst the first year acolytes saying how he seed to be underestimating the danger of last night's event. After all, the magus that had introduced him was nowhere to be found, magus Erica had been severely injured and was now recovering in so place Ery didn't know.
Master Grom could hear the acolytes murmurings about him but heed no mind into it. He knew last night's incident forced most of the acolytes to leave the location too early. As for those who didn't, it was a sha to hear what had happened to them. He also felt regretful that this moon clover only grew on that night once a year. Hence, he couldn't help his disappointnt. He called out to the remaining crowd, "No other?"
Ery imdiately rushed forward and passed over Cole's bag filled with the clovers.
"Let see how many you got." Master Grom then counted, "1... 2... 3..."
His eyes glowed and said, "Not bad kid! Not bad at all! Here, nine potions for you as a reward. Now, if there's no one else, I'll take my leave and start work."
Ery hadn't participated in this gathering from the start, so he didn't know how many moon clovers the others had exchanged it with. But seeing the master's reaction, it seed that he didn't win this challenge.
At least, Ery was quite satisfied with the nine tiny bottles in his two hands. He planned to drink a bottle or two and keep the rest for Mags and probably Cole since he had joined them in the last few hours or so. As soon as he turned around, however, the look on the faces of the other acolytes appeared restless. He couldn't but wonder why they looked like that when a woman he knew ca rushing forward.
"Wait, Master Grom!"
Grom turned around and Silva said, "Master, you forgot to announce the winner of this challenge!"
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