Asher studied the intricate magic circle etched into the wall.
With his newfound attunent to magic, understanding its patterns ca easily. The sequence of symbols and the flow of energy revealed its activation requirents. He just needed to sense the right alignnt.
He raised his hand, allowing his energy to flow into the circle, tracing its pathways and feeding it the power it needed.
Within monts, the lines began to glow, their soft blue light intensifying. The air humd with energy as the circle ca alive. A shimring blue portal materialized before them.
He glanced at Index, who gave him a small nod, and together they stepped through the portal.
When they erged on the other side, the difference in atmosphere was imdiate.
The space was far larger than the library they had just left, with towering ceilings supported by intricate arches. Shelves stretched high, filled with books, notes, papers, and other docunts.
But it wasn't just the books that caught his attention. Scattered throughout the room were devices, artifacts, and magical tools of various shapes and sizes.
So shimred faintly, while others seed dormant but emanated an underlying force that spoke of their potential.
"This is quite a collection," he muttered, his eyes scanning the items.
Despite his growing mastery over magic, he understood that his expertise was still leagues behind her in many departnts.
Her ability to create magical artifacts, for instance, was far beyond his own.
It wasn't surprising, though. His focus had always been on honing personal magic, not on the intricate art of crafting magical objects.
The difference could be compared to a doctor and an automotive engineer.
No matter how intelligent a doctor might be, they wouldn't be able to design and build a car, just as automotive energy couldn't be used to heal a human body. Enjoy new chapters from empire
The two disciplines, while rooted in skill and precision, operated on entirely different principles.
In the sa way, his understanding of magic and her creations existed in separate realms. It was a humbling realization, but instead of discouraging him, it only fueled his determination to master this aspect of magic in the future.
Index, standing beside him, crossed her arms. "This is where I keep everything I've created."
"There are a lot of them. I didn't know you were this fond of inventing artifacts," he pointed out.
Index shrugged, her tone nonchalant. "It wasn't about being fond of it. I just needed sothing to do. A distraction."
Her tone might have co off as arrogant, but he knew better. There was no ego in her words—just a stark truth. This vast collection, awe-inspiring to anyone else, wasn't created to impress.
It was born out of sheer necessity. In a place like the void, where ti and darkness stretched endlessly, she needed sothing to keep her mind from unraveling. Without these creations, the crushing weight of monotony would have consud her long ago.
He looked around and noticed an object resting on one of the desks. Its ornate design imdiately caught his attention—a goblet carved with intricate patterns, featuring a skeletal goat's head engraved at its center.
A faint green gem embedded in its base shimred under the soft light, giving the artifact an eerie yet captivating presence.
Curious, he stepped closer, his hand hovering near it as he felt the faint hum of magical energy radiating from the object. It wasn't just decorative; this artifact had a purpose.
"What's this?" he asked.
Index glanced at the goblet and let out a small smile.
"It's a purification goblet," she explained, walking over to the desk. "Anything you pour into it—water, wine, even poison—gets instantly purified. It's impossible for soone to poison you if you're drinking from this."
He nodded in understanding and picked up the goblet to examine it more closely.
"Sounds useful."
She shrugged, a faint smirk on her lips. "It's a great tool, but for soone like us, it's completely useless. Our perfect Magic Body makes us immune to almost all types of poisons and toxins anyway. This thing might've been useful before your transformation, but now? It's just a fancy cup to you."
He placed the goblet back on the desk, a small chuckle escaping him. "A fancy cup, huh?"
Asher turned around and wandered further into the room, scanning the various objects.
For so reason, it felt less like a treasure trove and more like walking through a mall, browsing items he couldn't quite resist inspecting. His curiosity led him to a painting hanging on one of the walls.
The artwork depicted a beautiful woman with her eyes closed, her face calm but unsettling. Her hair, made entirely of writhing snakes, gave off an ominous aura. Sothing about it drew him in.
"What about this?" he asked.
Index glanced over with a relaxed expression.
"Oh, that. I found it in one of the floating ruins I explored. Then, after reading about a mythological creature that could turn anything it looked at into stone, I decided to recreate the concept. The painting functions the sa way."
Asher raised an eyebrow. "So if the woman in the painting opens her eyes…?"
"Anything or anyone in its line of sight gets petrified instantly," she said, her tone casual, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
He frowned, taking a step back. "And you thought it was a good idea to display that thing in the entrance?"
"Relax. It only activates if the magic runes behind the fra are triggered. And it won't affect beings like us," she added, glancing at him with a reassuring smile.
He shook his head, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He was just ssing with her, enjoying the mont.
Then, his gaze landed on an object that really piqued his curiosity.
It looked like an ordinary backpack, simple and unassuming, sitting casually on one of the shelves.
But his instincts were on high alert. Sothing about it didn't sit right with him. His gut told him it was far from normal, despite its outward appearance.
The backpack was crafted from brown leather, giving it a vintage, rugged look. Its simple design featured a single zipper at the top, indicating it had only one compartnt.
"What is this thing?" he asked, lifting it up.
To his surprise, it was super light, but the texture felt really durable. As he narrowed his eyes, he noticed the threads in the leather had been etched with magical formulas.
Her face brightened with pride. This was one of her finest creations.
"That's a space bag. It lets you store anything inside, and I think it holds about 100 by 100 ters of space," she explained enthusiastically.
Asher paused, studying the bag carefully. If she could do this, it ant her knowledge of space magic was exceptionally advanced.
So for her not to have figured out a way out of this place, despite her mastery, ant that the challenge he was planning to tackle was far more complicated than he had initially thought.
'Maybe I'm in way over my head,' he sighed.
When he gained his perfect magic body, he was eager to escape this place. However, he had severely underestimated the difficulty.
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