Mage And Wolf
Chapter 145

Chapter 145: Chapter 145

That evening I pull Mica aside for an important conversation. "I’ll put this as simply as possible. We’re not going to be in this world long, we’ve got things to do elsewhere within a few months. What I want is for you to look over this place and keep its secrets"

"I could do that, other than my disciple I have no other bonds. But as you know, I don’t have long to live. I’m old and sick."

"Here, take this regeneration pill, it should cure the curse on you. And then I will give you a pair of pills that should push you over the brink into Immortality."

"At what cost? Nothing is free." Mica looks suspicious.

"As I said, guard this place and its secrets. For the remainder of your life or until a suitable replacement can relieve you and keep the promise"

"Can we stay here?" Mica asks

"If you agree, this will become your place the moment we leave. You can stay here for eternity if you desire."

"I like the forest, and picking herbs with my disciple. If we can take over this cathedral, bring in a few more clergy and live in peace, hidden away from the world it would suit me fine" Mica agrees, taking the pill from my hand.

As with the other Elder, her aged appearance fades, her health returns to near perfect and her posture corrects itself as old aches fade.

"I am told it’s hard to break through to Immortality in this world, so the next step could be difficult" I tell her with a frown.

"I’ve got a solution for that" Karl tells us, stepping into the room. There’s a portal near here, nothing living in it, but it seems to have strong energy and no restrictive effects. If you break through there and return you should be fine."

We decide to go tonight, while the alchemists are resting. It’s a short run, and as Karl said, the portal leads to an apparently empty storage room.

"I can feel the restriction lifting" Mica informs us. "I’m so close to enlightenment, but I just can’t reach it"

I give her the two pills and a cup of Elven Wine. "I’m told this helps with mental flexibility, wash the pills down with it and see what happens"

I can feel the power rising as the pills are absorbed, and the intoxicating effects of the Elven Wine release her inhibitions, freeing her from old ways of thought, allowing the breakthrough to progress.

"Videos and notes?" Karl asks.

"Elder Song loves thorough research, especially when it’s hard to duplicate." I smile at the thought "I’m certain you two will get along."

The process is beautiful. Swirling green energy surrounded and melds with the Priestess, fundamentally changing the very nature of her being. Her green scales are glowing and her eyes gaze off into eternity with a smile.

It takes a half hour before her body returns to normal and her conscience is fully focused on this world again. I catch her as she collapses, completely exhausted by the ordeal, and lift her into a princess carry.

"Shall we return? I’m sure nobody will panic if she’s still a bit exhausted come breakfast time and it’s best we’re not missed." Karl notes. I am sure the sight of our return is a bit comical, given how much bigger the Dragonkin Priestess I’m carrying is compared to myself, but physically I’m the much stronger of us.

I chase all the disciples out of bed at first light to eat breakfast and start walking their cauldrons. Some barely finished before dark yesterday and we’re still short on lights. I’ll have to ask Karl to help with that.

Mica is going to be taking over, so Karl includes her in the spell hiding the entrance to the clergy dorms and begins showing her what remains, mostly the office areas, as most everything else has been cleaned.

I’ve been patiently guiding the alchemists all day. Well, somewhat patiently. They’re making remarkable progress so far, but given the need back at their Sects, I think two more days of regeneration pill creation will be good for them.

"What will we be learning after this one Young Miss" Green, or more correctly Michelle, Mica’s disciple asks the morning of the third day.

"I thought we might take a poll of the students. See what everyone’s Sect needs and what they have ingredients for"

This idea is a huge hit, as everyone’s Sect Masters instructed then to beg for specific grade 4 recipes if they had a chance.

"Okay, so the top answers are invisibility, polymorphism, sensory enhancers, and aphrodisiac." Most of the disciples laugh at the last.

"Is there really a grade 4 aphrodisiac High Priestess?" Michelle asks in shock.

"Of course there is, but there’s some debate as to if it’s a forbidden recipe. It’s just as effective as its rank would indicate."

"You’re not teaching them that pill!" Karl bellows from somewhere across the cathedral and I laugh

"Are you sure? I’ll be breaking through soon." I laugh back loud enough to be heard.

"No forbidden aphrodisiac. And I’m making you mittens devil woman." he insists with a serious tone, standing right outside the room now.

"Mittens?"

"Definitely mittens. I barely survived that last incident."

"We’ve got lots of regeneration pills now." I pout teasing him, making most of the alchemists blush bright red.

"No aphrodisiac in the Temple" he orders as he leaves again.

"You all heard the High Priest. What’s the winning pill recipe, and you can’t say aphrodisiac"

A short debate erupts and ends in a question "How long does a grade 4 polymorphism pill last?"

From my memory, about a month if you don’t shift back first. That’s quite the pill.

"One month, or until you shift back." I inform the group, who look excited.

"Now do you have the ingredients?" After a bit of trading, the answer is yes. Everyone has enough for two attempts. This is a short recipe to make at only two hours, so after writing the recipe on the wall I bring out my cauldron and show them.

"Now, my technique is a bit different at the end because of my cultivation style. We don’t want them turning into zombies from my pills, so ignore the purification and condensing steps and do that in your own style." I tell them as I’m getting close to done.

As intended they go to their rooms to begin when I start purifying the pills, giving me a chance to try to make a cursed version of the pill. It comes out beautifully, five flawless grade 6 cursed Polymorphism pills.

I look up to see Mica staring intently at me "That was the Forbidden cursed pill creation technique wasn’t it?" she demands.

"It was and I won’t apologize." I shrug.

"On the contrary, that is amazing. Are those grade 6 immortal pills? If used on someone else they should theoretically stay in that form for life"

"Exactly, if you set the form on someone else they won’t be able to change themselves back without a good purification pill"

"But why would you even make something like that? Are you planning to curse someone?" The Green Priestess seems not to understand scientific curiosity.

"I didn’t have any, no other reason. I find having fun things on hand for emergencies is always worth the effort to create them."

"I don’t want to seem rude, but the will of your Goddess is a bit odd isn’t it?" Mica asks.

"Oh, that’s not the effect of the Goddess’s Blessing. She was like that to begin with. Like a puppy, she must investigate every single new thing she finds, and if she likes it she’ll keep it to bring to someone else who might like it." Karl interjects.

"You say that like it’s a bad thing? Don’t I find lots of fun stuff?" I laugh.

"Like when you found a whole bunch of Priestesses to build a cathedral and gave the responsibility of setting it up to me?"

"There’s a really awesome university that goes with it too." I laugh, knowing he was stuck doing the paperwork because he outranks me.

Mica has tears in her eyes laughing. "You’re right, she’s like a puppy with a toy. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, she’s got the toy. I think I just learned a little something about life from you two."

At that moment her robe shimmers, going from a Green Priestess robe to a Green First Rank High Priestess Robe.

"Seriously, that’s the bit of enlightenment on nature your Goddess was waiting for you to gain? Congratulations High Priestess. You’re the first local High Priestess in a thousand years." Karl cheers.

We decide to wait out in the front room in our formal robes for the alchemy disciples to finish. We hear no explosions and every disciple comes out within a ten minute window after the four hour mark.

Many congratulations ensued, this is a truly monumental occasion for this world.

"Hey, should we hold a feast? We can hold it here, celebrate the fact the cathedral is rebuilt and the ascension of the Green High Priestess!"

"We can bring only the Sect Masters and swear then to secrecy of this location?" Karl suggests "Unless you want it to be known?"

"No, it’s better that I’m not bothered frequently. How about we hold it at the Sacred Thunder Sect again?" Mica suggests.

Sect Master Qin will be overjoyed. Good Food is coming back to the Sect. But this time I’m preparing in advance, it will be Grand event.