Welcome to the second part of the two-part mini-arc of sorts. This chapter will finish up the detailing of Alchemy, thereby setting the standard for all the Alchemy training to come. Strangely enough to me, I expected this chapter to be shorter than the other, but it ended up being longer by nearly two pages or so.
Book I, Part II: Mortal Conflict - The Zodiac Brave Story
Chapter XI: The Dawn Of Wisdom, Part II
[March 21, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Second Floor, Classroom 3-B | 9:04 AM]
"Well, everyone's back on time, I see. Good to see some punctuality out of cadets for a change," he says, smiling a little and earning a few chuckles from the class. "Since we're all so attentive on our first day, we'll move right along."
Reaching into a pocket of his uniform, Katanas takes out another Potion, holding it up for the class to see.
"I'm sure you noticed me using my alchemy skills to create these earlier. The next logical step in alchemy, and also the next in line in terms of difficulty, is Deconstruction. This step, quite simply, involves imparting energy into the transmutation array not to identify an item, but to break the chemical and molecular bonds within an object. This allows you to either separate it back into base parts or to simply turn it into another form altogether. Base atoms would likely be the most commonly use form, outside of combat, for effectively discarding materials that would have no other use, even in alchemic reactions. In combat, however, a multitude of options may be applied. Deconstruct an item or weapon that was dropped by an enemy into base atoms to keep it from being used against you, deconstruct it and reconstruct it into something to your advantage, or even turn it into the very magical energy used to cast spells in order to replenish your own energy."
Blinking a little in surprise, I begin to take shorthand notes on what Katanas just said. I figured that many things could be done with the ability to break something down in this kind of manner, but I hadn't imagined something like turning into pure mana and using it to replenish your own.
"Now, I want you to take the item that's still on your desk and I want you to do the same thing you did for Analysis. This time, however, I want you to think about the item being broken down into base atoms rather than identifying them. A bit of warning, as well...this will make you feel quite a bit more tired than using Analysis."
Looking down at the item for a moment, I think carefully about how Katanas just explained the process, before putting my hands on the circle once again. The Ether on my desk is still sitting inside the circle, and so I begin to focus carefully, putting my energy into the transmutation array. This time, however, I'm focused mentally on breaking the Ether down into nothing but atoms, invisible to the eyes. Several seconds later, a bright yellow light flashes from the circle, and I have to close my eyes to avoid being blinded.
When I open my eyes a few moments later, the Ether is gone. And, true to Katanas' words, I'm feeling tired now, though not enough to make me fall asleep at my desk or anything.
"Well done, all of you," Katanas says, looking around the class at the successful transmutations. Some people, however, couldn't get their transmutations to work, and Katanas looks over at a few of them in turn. "If you couldn't get it to work, just try again. This is a more difficult concept to learn, and you aren't expected to get it right the first time."
Stepping back a bit, Katanas folds his hands behind his back.
"We'll take a few minutes in order for all of you to complete at least one transmutation, before moving on. This part goes hand in hand with Creation most of the time, and so I'm going to have you practice both parts together. Some say it's more difficult to teach, not to mention learn, but I believe that one becomes more proficient at the two arts faster by combining them and learning them in conjunction rather than having them taught separately and leaving it to the student to combine them."
Taking out a Potion from my pocket, I place it back on the circle before placing my hands on the circle as well. Focusing, I begin to channel my energy back into the circle, watching as the circle begins to shine, then flares with yellow light again. The Potion is gone when the light clears, and I smile, glad that I practiced magic so much with Yuna and Lulu a few months ago. It seems to be making the channeling of power much easier for me.
All around me, I can see more flares of light, and Katanas folds his arms in front of him, apparently pleased with the work we've done.
"Good work, all of you. Now that everyone has completed a Deconstruction transmutation, we'll move on to the third basic step of alchemy, and also the most difficult for beginners: Creation."
Katanas unfolds his arms at that, leaning back on the desk some.
"I'm sure no one needs any explanation as to what Creation does, so I'll move on to why and how you would use it. Creation is quite possibly the most applicable of the alchemic arts, provided you are aware of your surroundings. With keen use of Analysis, Creation can be used to make rare materials that may otherwise be extremely hard to come by. You can also use Creation to reconstruct materials that were used in a failed or flawed transmutation, thereby saving materials for use once again. Take care, however, as too many transmutations upon materials may permanently flaw their characteristics, or make them unstable and useless. For example, you may deconstruct and recreate a sword's blade several times, but each time, the sword may lose some of its edge or luster."
Quickly, I file that note away in my notebook for future reference as Katanas continues.
"Creation is the most draining of the three basic concepts of alchemy, as well. Beginners won't be able to do more than one or two transmutations at a time before requiring rest, but as you use alchemy, just like magic, it becomes easier. The more you exercise your mental ability to do alchemy, the more you will be able to use it, similar to how exercising your body gives you more stamina to run, climb, and perform other tasks."
Katanas' words about the mental training for alchemy make sense to me, as I experienced a similar mental training before the SFA Grand Championship. With Yuna and Lulu's help, I learned not only to cast spells that I had lost the capability to cast, but I became able to cast more spells at higher power levels simply by increasing the amount of mana I was mentally able to focus and store.
"There are two main ways to create items for alchemy, and you will use both in this class. The first is through materials. Using Analysis, you may find items containing ingredients that are usable in another item you may want, before using Deconstruction to separate them into those ingredients and then reconstructing them into the item that you desire. Alternatively, there is another way."
Katanas moves away from the desk, folding his hands behind his back.
"Alchemy works through the principle of equivalent exchange - the primary law that governs all alchemic transmutations. Equivalent exchange states that "in order to obtain, something of equal value must be lost." Your output has to be of similar mass and materials to what you started with, as well as having related base elements. You can't take something obscure such as a tire and turn it into a fence, for example. There are some ways of getting around this, however. Mana - the spiritual energy that enables us to use magic – is a malleable enough force usable in alchemic transmutations. You can substitute differing amounts of your own mana for materials in a transmutation, thereby creating items from nothing but your own spiritual energy. However, it is far less efficient to use mana for transmutations, at least until you are very experienced in the alchemic arts. Also, the amount of mana used has a great effect on the quality of the object – and this is very important, because you can have too much of a good thing, just as you might not have enough."
Quirking an eyebrow, I jot down notes about what Katanas just said, being careful to write down the law of equivalent exchange, before looking back up.
"There is one other way of bypassing the law of equivalent exchange, and that is by using a special alchemic item called the Philosopher's Stone. The Stone harnesses raw energy for use in alchemy, substituting part of its energy in transmutations. This forces you to give up nothing but the energy within the Stone itself. However, with use, the Stone gradually degrades, becoming useless, even as jewelry."
'Philosopher's Stone...that was what alchemists in the early years of Earth wanted to create as part of the elixir of immortality...'
"Now, what I want you to do is this. Working with your partners, each of you will practice Deconstruction and Creation alchemy in tandem. One will create an item, and the other will deconstruct it. For now, I want you to practice using your own spiritual energy to create items, as I didn't bring anything with me today for you to use. Focus your energy the same way you did for Deconstruction, but imagine an item being created from your energy instead of being destroyed. You'll have the rest of the period, about an hour, to work on this, so I suggest-"
A knock on the door cuts Katanas off, and he looks over at it with curiosity.
"Come in."
The door opens a moment later, letting a young boy, with slightly spiked brown hair and dressed in a Trabian SeeD uniform, no older than about 12 or 13, into the room. He quickly walks up to Katanas, speaking calmly but urgently.
"Um, mister Commander Professor Katanas, sir? There's been a disturbance by the front gates and mister Headmaster Senior wants classes out, the cadets secured, and all available SeeD members on high alert."
Katanas frowns at this before nodding, all business.
"Thank you, Ein. I'll be up to the third floor soon."
The boy, Ein, nods again, before walking out as quickly as he came. A moment later, the entire Garden seems to rumble and shake just slightly, as if an earthquake tremor had occurred nearby.
"Okay, everyone, it looks like class is over for today. I want all of you to report to your dormitories or a nearby designated classroom until instructed otherwise. Garden officers will make sure that the floor is secure and no cadets are to leave until this disturbance is dealt with."
With no further prompting, all of us stand up and begin to head out the door before a thought races through my mind, filling me with dread.
'The front gates...that's near where the Celsius is...Rikku!'
Quickly splitting myself away from the crowd of cadets, I bolt off, running around a corner and making sure that no one around is watching, before warping away silently.
[March 21, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Front Gates | 9:28 AM]
A moment later, I reappear outside of Trabia's front gates, where a group of four SeeDs are wielding weapons at...something. I don't recognize the breed of fiend, but it appears to be some kind of devil-esque demon, easily eight or nine feet in height, with a fairly muscular build and black, curved horns extending back over its head. The odd feature about the fiend is the six tentacles that I quickly recognize as belonging to a Malboro fiend, sprouting from the middle of the fiend's back and hovering around him like snakes poised to strike. Immediately, I change back into my Blade Knight dressphere, my SeeD uniform vanishing to be replaced by my familiar blue and white garb.
The sight of the other threat standing next to the fiend makes my blood run cold. The familiar form of a young girl.
Fayt.
"Well, well, Emissary. So you decided to show your face out here," Fayt says, giggling. "You're more stupid than I anticipated."
"You shouldn't underestimate me," I shoot back. "That's a dangerous thing to do, after all."
My thoughts wander momentarily to why Fayt just called me "Emissary," before I put them aside for now and take out one of my swords, holding it down beside me.
Fayt just smiles, and it almost makes me flinch at how...evil it looks.
"Daeva. Kill the SeeDs, and then kill the Emissary. I've got my own business to attend to."
Without another word, Fayt is gone, and the Daeva spins back to the SeeDs before I can do anything.
"Flare!"
A white hot beam of fire blazes from the Daeva's hands, engulfing all four of the SeeDs before they can react and burning them severely, their agonized screams echoing across the area as they hit the ground, either dead or badly wounded. My eyes widen in shock as the Daeva turns to me, smiling sadistically.
"Now for you, Emissary."
My eyes narrow, and I bring my sword in front of me in a horizontal guard. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see several more SeeDs running in to get their comrades out of the area.
"Not today, demon."
(Play: Dancing Rhapsody - Norikazu Miura, Suikoden V)
The next instant, I'm racing towards the Daeva, sword cleaving across in a brutal arc that the Daeva smashes down with a clawed hand, lashing out at me a split-second later with the other. Leaping back, I stab out again, another deflected attack, before spinning and launching a kick at the Daeva's ribs that connects. The thing doesn't even flinch, though, and it feels like I just kicked a solid wall.
The Daeva lashes out again then, a brutal punch that knocks the wind out of me and sends me hurtling back onto the ground, skidding to a stop. Blinking, I get back to a kneeling position, just in time to leap backwards as a Firaga crashes into the ground where I was just at. A retaliatory Blizzaga spell from me rushes at the fiend, crashing into its face and stunning it for just a brief instant - which, really, is all the time I need.
"Crescent Strike!"
Lashing out hard with my sword, a red energy wave flies towards the fiend, who brings the six tentacles on its back in front of it, blocking the wave of energy with little effort. The fiend chuckles at that, almost seeming to be mocking me as the tentacles spread out once again.
"This is the mighty Emissary? Surely you can do better than this."
Growling, I focus my energy, calling up a more powerful spell.
"Fine," I mutter, holding a hand up towards the sky. "Holy!"
The sun overhead begins to shine more brightly for just a brief instant, clouds parting overhead...before nine beams of intense light rocket down, smashing into the Daeva and engulfing the entire area around it in Holy-elemental power. The demon's roar of pain is almost music to my ears, and I carefully walk closer to the Daeva, preparing to attack again.
I'm not quite prepared for the Daeva to lunge forward at me, sharpened tentacles lashing out ferociously.
One spikes into the ground in front of me as I jerk back on instinct, then dive aside as a second spears the dirt. Flipping backwards and then rolling back even more, I dodge the third and fourth tentacles as they come down before standing and cutting the tip off of the fifth, just before the sixth comes in behind it and smashes into my ribs, throwing me through the air hard as my midsection explodes in agony.
"And so ends the mighty Emissary," the creature spits, tentacles raising up over its head for a final strike before I can get up.
"Scatterburst!"
A veritable shotgun-blast of pistol rounds blow the creature back an instant later, right before another figure leaps into view in front of me, a sword enchanted with Holy energy carving a deep gash across the demon's side and stomach to further wound it. Paine turns around to face me as the demon recoils in pain from the sudden attacks, holding a hand out to me.
"Looks like you could use some help."
"Yeah...thanks," I say, taking her hand and pulling myself to my feet before casting a small Cure spell over myself to dull the aching in my chest. "Where's Rikku?"
"Still in class," I hear Yuna say from behind me. "We had a different class time than she did, so she's probably still inside the Garden."
"Good," I say, breathing a slight sigh of relief. "For now, though, I say less talking, more killing."
"Works for me," Paine mutters, raising her sword again as she gets ready to strike.
"Miasma!"
The demon's shout preempts a wave of green gas that blasts from its hands, rolling over the area like fog and forcing us to shield our mouths and noses from the obviously-poisonous substance.
None of us expected the fog to be poisonous to the touch, however.
All three of us drop to the ground as the poison burns at our very skin like fire, the demon merely standing and smirking at our situation.
"You girls should never have interfered. Piercing Graviga!"
A moment later, a crushing force slams into our backs from above, forcing us to the ground as we struggle to counteract the poison. Managing to grab a Remedy from my pocket, I down the bitter-tasting liquid, before standing up and casting Esuna on Yuna and Paine…even as the creature prepares another spell. Paine looks thoroughly angry now at being bested so easily, and her blade begins to glow with a deep white light once again as she lunges out at the creature in a hard stab. The beast is forced to cancel its spell to twist around the attack, and Paine immediately turns her momentum into a sweeping chop that cuts a tentacle in half as the creature tries to defend. Letting out a screech of pain, the demon lashes out at Paine with the other tentacles, knocking her back and giving it a moment to recover.
But Yuna would have none of that.
"Scatterburst!"
Another powerful, shotgun-like blast of bullets blows the creature several steps back from the impact. Paine's next strike is right on the mark, tearing a gash across its right shoulder and severing the Daeva's entire right arm. The howl of agony from the creature is deafening, and all five remaining tentacles lash around violently, knocking Paine away again to roll across the ground.
"I'd love to have some Aura magic right now," I mutter, focusing intently as I get ready to attack. "Flare!"
Leveling a palm at the creature, I blast a searing beam of energy that engulfs the Daeva, burning and roasting its body with Non-Elemental flames and causing the wails of pain to only increase in intensity, before a barrage of bullets begins to smash into its skull, courtesy of Yuna. The beast finally slumps to the ground, heavily injured and bleeding from a multitude of cuts, not to mention the bloody stump that remains of its right arm.
"You...won't survive...much longer, Emissary..." the Daeva snarls, looking up at me weakly, its tentacles now drooping on the ground.
"We'll see," I simply reply, smirking back at the creature.
A moment later, Paine's sword sweeps across again, the head of the Daeva falling neatly from the rest of its body and landing on the snow-covered plains. The creature's body begins to shine, dissipating into particles of energy that begin to float up towards the sky as Paine walks back over to the two of us.
(End: Dancing Rhapsody - Norikazu Miura, Suikoden V)
"Thanks," I say, looking over at my two friends before sheathing my sword. "Couldn't have done it without you."
"Don't worry about it," Paine says, looking back at where the creature was a moment ago. "So, what was that, anyway?"
"Fayt called it a Daeva...but we've seen Daeva fiends before, and I never saw any with tentacles growing out of their backs, did you?"
"Not that I know of," Yuna chimes in, her pistols now holstered. "Why was it after you?"
"Apparently, Fayt really wants to see me dead, but doesn't want to do it herself," I reply, shrugging.
"Why does she want you dead?" Yuna asks, blinking a little.
"Because I meddle," I say with a smile.
Yuna just shakes her head.
"We should probably get back to Garden. They should lift the alert soon, so we can get back to class," I continue, looking between Yuna and Paine.
"You go ahead," Yuna says. "Our class isn't for another hour or two yet."
"Lucky...you two got the mid-afternoon class while I got stuck with the early bird special here..." I mutter, shaking my head and causing Yuna to giggle. "Anyhow...okay, then. I'll see you two later," I say, changing out of my Blade Knight dressphere to reappear in my SeeD uniform, before waving and heading back towards Garden.
[March 21, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Second Floor, Classroom 8-A | 9:31 AM]
Trabia Garden's policy on alerts was simple. There were designated "safe rooms" for cadets to be taken to in case of emergency, if the dormitories could not be reached or were farther away than the safe rooms in question. All SeeD officers would be put on immediate high alert for threats against the Garden, and cadet safety was a priority.
Rikku, in the middle of class when the alert was issued, found herself in one of the classrooms that had been locked down and now protected by three SeeD members. One of them was the instructor that had been teaching, and the other two were SeeD members both at the rank of Lieutenant, a mid-level rank in the SeeD branch. Fairly good protection against most things, especially in normal situations.
However, when you're dealing with a Pillar of Reality, "normal" takes a vacation.
The door to the classroom opens suddenly, sliding away to reveal the child-like form of Fayt as she walks slowly and quietly into the room. Rikku watches for a moment, then suppresses the urge to let out a squeak as she recognizes the childish goddess from earlier. She looks around for help, trying to find some other way out...
Before she realizes that not only was the only door behind Fayt, but that every other person in the room had been Stopped.
"Oh, calm down," Fayt says with a sigh, glancing over at the teen girl. "I'm not going to hurt you. All you hero-types are so paranoid..."
"...Then-"
"You're just going to help me with something," Fayt says, cutting Rikku off. She raises a hand towards Rikku, and purple rings of energy begin to surround her, encircling her body and keeping her from moving. "It's so hard to find good help these days."
Immediately, Rikku's head begins to droop, energy leaving her body and making her feel faint as Fayt's spell begins to take effect. Trying to move, she finds herself unable to, the Pillar's spell easily many times more powerful than her own will to defend against it. As her eyes close, the final parts of her will to stay awake leaving her, the last words she hears are from Fayt, even as the child-like entity leaves the room.
"Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist...but you have ceased to live."
Fayt's little quote at the end is a quote from Mark Twain, for the curious.
With this chapter comes the end of the major explanation of Alchemy. There will be more explanations of pieces of Alchemy, similar to how the classroom scenes here went, later on as Ben and Yuki begin to advance to higher levels of Alchemy study. Elemental Alchemy, more complex background and techniques for general Alchemy, and advanced magical techniques are just some of the things that will eventually be covered and introduced.
One more note that occurred to me while I was writing this chapter. Since I am doing a rewrite of Destiny's Call, I am going to be changing some things in that story - one of which is the series of Overdrive skills that I use in that story. I will be using those skills in this story as well, of which there are three: Spark Waltz, Dragon Dance, and Lightning Waltz. (For those of you who have played Xenosaga 3, you should recognize these three techniques. Thanks to a reviewer for the idea of using these three skills.) Just a minor note for anyone who may be concerned as to how and/or where I learned these skills. The continuity is being based from the rewrite, as nothing major will change for my techniques in Eternal Requiem.
As always, please read and review.