Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 1161: Work
The expedition moved with urgency following Vale’s acceptance into Ilya’s unit just a few hours prior.
Guided by a map the Master Alchemist had kept secure for years, they marched into the Ashen Plains of Myrrh under Lord Ilya’s leadership.
An oppressive heat weighed upon the group the moment they crossed the second boundary of the scorched territory.
The air was thick and suffocating, filled with ash and smoke that drifted like a sentient fog, making it nearly impossible to see.
This was clearly a region where no ordinary human could survive, justifying its status as one of the Forbidden Lands.
Patches of the earth emitted a faint glow, suggesting that liquid lava moved just beneath the surface, ready to burst forth at any moment.
“So this is what it truly looks like,” Vale pondered silently.
He had once considered these Forbidden Lands as potential training grounds for the Academy students, but he quickly dismissed the idea upon seeing the reality. Only those he personally took as disciples would be capable of braving such a hostile environment.
Vale moved quietly with the group, the sound of his cane striking the burnt earth echoing softly. His Divine Sense was fully extended, allowing him to monitor every shift in the fire essence surrounding them.
Finding Fire Stones was, after all, one of his primary objectives.
“The temperature is rising...” Vale noted. He watched as the Alchemists began to release their power, creating a cooling effect to combat the searing environment.
Their level of preparation was impressive.
Although he had heard rumors of the Plains, witnessing the actual landscape was much more intimidating than the stories suggested.
They hadn't traveled very far before the first threat manifested.
Ember Wraiths emerged from the flickering haze. Their bodies, composed of swirling ash and flame, looked formidable due to their sheer numbers.
The Wraiths let out high-pitched shrieks that vibrated through the air, carrying a mental effect meant to shake the resolve of the travelers.
Vale thought about stepping in, but he held back. Since the situation hadn't become dire yet, he decided to observe the group’s combat capabilities.
The mercenaries and Arcanists showed no signs of panic when the enemies appeared, just as one would expect from experienced fighters.
With practiced precision, the Third-Class Arcanists drew their Runic Revolvers in perfect synchronization, and the rest of the team followed their lead.
Moments later, a volley of runic-charged bullets was unleashed!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The shots tore through the Ember Wraiths, shattering their unstable elemental forms.
Vale noticed that the revolvers were specifically calibrated for these types of foes. They were designed to pierce through spiritual entities and disrupt the Spells they utilized.
The Wraiths quickly dissolved into harmless embers, scattered by the wind and smoke.
“That was a bit of a letdown,” Vale thought, seeing how easily the threats were neutralized. They were much weaker than he anticipated. It seemed that for second and third-class Arcanists, the environment was a greater challenge than the creatures themselves.
Nevertheless, the efficiency of the runic revolvers was something he couldn't ignore.
Seeing them in action made Vale consider his Shadow Pillars. As technology advanced, perhaps he could equip them with similar weaponry.
The group continued their advance, bolstered by the easy win. However, the Plains were not so easily defeated.
They soon stumbled upon clusters of Sentient Flames.
These appeared harmless at first, looking like steady, quiet fires that offered a deceptive warmth.
To the eyes of an Alchemist, these flames mimicked the aura of Fire Stones perfectly. Several Master Alchemists stopped in their tracks, examining the flames with intense interest.
The resemblance to the precious Fire Stones was uncanny.
Lord Ilya held up a hand to halt the group.
“Stay back. These are traps, not treasures,” Ilya warned. He was checking a pendant he wore, which possessed the ability to sense nearby Fire Stones.
Without such a tool, they would have been forced to use expensive Formation Arrays to suppress the heat just to identify the stones. It was a tedious and costly necessity.
If a Fire Stone was handled incorrectly without suppression, it could shatter. Conversely, if the object turned out to be Sentient Flames, getting too close would be a fatal mistake.
Ilya’s specialized pendant was a vital asset for this mission, saving them both time and resources.
Heeding the warning, no one moved toward the flames. Instead, they launched spells to eradicate the mimics from a distance.
Realizing its cover was blown, the Sentient Flames flared up violently, lunging toward a nearby mercenary.
The fire shaped itself into a jagged claw, reaching for the man's throat.
Fortunately, the mercenary had kept his distance and managed to leap out of the way just in time.
“Tsk... That thing is fast. It nearly took me out,” the man muttered, visibly shaken as he backed further away from the flames.
The Alchemists reacted immediately.
Rather than using standard spells, they threw vials filled with liquid flame essence into the heart of the Sentient Flames. These mixtures caused the fire to become unstable, forcing the creatures to collapse into piles of gray ash.
Their thorough preparations were paying off once again.
It was clear why Ilya had successfully led four of these expeditions.
As more Sentient Flames appeared, the others joined in with their revolvers, using runic bullets to scatter the elemental threats.
Vale watched the proceedings with a keen eye.
The Sentient Flames were cunning, using the lure of Fire Stones to bait Alchemists, though their only goal was destruction.
Vale reflected on the history of these forbidden lands.
He mused over the origin of these creatures, considering them a remnant of the land's dark past.
As they moved deeper into the plains, Lord Ilya glanced back at Vale, noting the young man’s unshakeable composure.
Vale had spent enough time watching from the sidelines; Ilya decided it was time to put his skills to use and make him contribute to the journey!