Still Learning To Live As A Cultivator

Chapter Forty Nine - I meet the new Mage in the team

The only silver lining regarding the matter was that the arrogant, rotund Mage was not looking down upon Leon due to his commoner background. 

"Are you certain that this alchemist is reliable?" The man narrowed his beady eyes until they were almost invisible as he stared at the thick stripes of white within the otherwise ebony hair captured by a string upon Leon's head.

"I am sure," Pike advised him, not seeming to take offence on Leon's behalf this time. 

The Mage waved his thick fingers uncaringly and continued as if he didn't put weight on Pike's words.  "It's too late otherwise to change alchemists, so he'll have to do.  Just try not to drag us down!"  Leon flinched at this stab into his soft spot; he was already worried enough about doing so!  No need to remind him!

Meanwhile Troy exchanged glances with Velana; just who was leading this team?  Pike again did not seem overly offended, so they kept their peace.

"Caelus has a water root," Roman mentioned, quietly as he finished introducing the new member to the rest of the team. He had been the one to suggest Caelus to Pike and felt it was up to him to point out the mage's good points. "Predominantly uses ice spells."  A smug expression appeared upon the mage's face and he glanced out of the corner of his eyes to gauge the other's reactions.  His face lost a little of his smugness, presumably as he didn't see exactly what he wished to.  Leon was quite curious though and asked what Caelus' most powerful spell could do.

Caelus in turn was happy to talk about himself and his abilities, happier still to see some signs of awe in the alchemist's eyes, so forgot his earlier displeasure caused by Leon's appearance and thought that this alchemist was not so bad.  The discordant note quietened and Pike began to smile and finally pressed forward with what he wished to discuss finally seeing things settle amongst his team members.

"Apart from Velana," Pike pointed out, "the rest of you aren't familiar with the Isles. So Velana will be second in command and take over if necessary." Caelus did look like he wished to argue, but was stopped by Roman, who pulled his sleeve and shook his head. Caelus looked miffed, yet did actually abide by the scholar's warning. "The Isles aren't a place to mess around, people will be injured and it cannot be said that this event has never resulted in death." Leon visibly gulped, as did Troy, who while was not as nervous as Leon, did feel some trepidation beneath his excitement.

"Do not worry too much," Velana mentioned in a voice that was both smooth and a little liquid, like molten gold. It was the sort of voice that somehow put people at ease. "We will be give a set of totems by the mages. Breaking one totem will bring teleport the entire group to the gates on the Isles side. Naturally, we will only break them in a life threatening situation or when the time for us to leave is nigh, for once broken, our time participating in the event will also end."

"Also, do not worry about leaving room to collect things in the interspatial bag I have given you," Pike mentioned. "Take everything that you feel that you need, but is not superfluous to survival. Bring a blanket, do not bring a bed!"

"W-What about food?" Leon inquired.

"Do you not have fasting pills?" Caelus asked with slight disbelief.

Leon shook his head; "Don't kn-now how t-to m-make them."

Pike shook his head over Caelus' sneer, before offering the crestfallen alchemist a reassuring wink. "And where would Leon get the ingredients for fasting pills at this time of year?"

Pike's knowledge regarding pills was generally shallow, but fasting pills were a troublesome thing; high in demand, but supplies were fluctuating. This was because one of the main ingredient came from a cactus that only germinated in the desert following the annual rains, took three years to mature and then would die after it flowered and fruited. The sap of the plant was able to keep death at bay when a normal person was lost in the desert, but taking the sap would delay its maturation. The delicious fruit was what was needed for the pills, but it was also a delicacy sought by royalty, so people would come far and wide to plunder the desert during the hottest time of the year.

However the fruit had as poor a shelf life as the matured cactus and the fasting pill also took on a reflection of this trait. So the peak time to make them was during the summer and they had to be stored in either an inter dimensional bag or at least in the highest quality jade bottles that extended their shelf-life to about a year.

After Body Tempering was complete, fasting pills were no longer necessary anyway and food was inexpensive so although eating could disrupt meditation or study, it was not the worst thing. Learning to fend for themselves was also part of this test, so even if fasting pills might appear in some of the interspatial bags belonging to students, Pike's people would definitely not be alone in scavenging for food in the Isles.

Pike let them return to their places of rest before it got too late, from tomorrow sleep would definitely be precious. They were all leaving for the Isles tomorrow morning and the event would officially start.