Chapter 262: Alchemy
"This is your first work, you must be extremely careful, understand?"
"I understand, teacher!"
Still the innermost classroom on the third floor.
However, unlike before, today all the desks and chairs in the classroom had been moved to the back, clearing out most of the classroom space. It was clearly visible that the walls, ceiling, and floor of the classroom were all inscribed with numerous runes and lines. Some ancient magical runes, and some others as well.
In the centre of the classroom floor, Sean was rapidly drawing an alchemical array about two metres in diameter, using a flame-red viscous substance as the drawing material.
Sean drew quickly with steady hands. Under the quite satisfied gazes of Antonius and Nicolas Flamel, Sean rapidly completed the alchemical array. Setting down his materials, Sean took out the twelve prepared ingredients and placed them sequentially on the twelve points of the twelve-pointed star within the alchemical array.
"Nicolas, I think we should back away some distance now. What do you think?"
Nodding, Nicolas Flamel lightly tapped his finger. The alchemical puppet Lisa behind him immediately pulled his wheelchair back some distance. At this moment, Nicolas Flamel also said to Antonius: "I never expected that for Sean's first time using alchemy to create his own alchemical work, he would use the Double-Layered Great Flame Hexagram Array. Such a volatile alchemical array. I'm very curious to see what Sean will actually create."
In this world's alchemy, depending on what item one wanted to create, the choice of alchemical array varied accordingly.
What Sean wanted to create this time could actually use a more stable alchemical array, but the effect would definitely not be as good as the Double-Layered Great Flame Hexagram Array.
Holding his wand, Sean stepped back slightly, looked at the alchemical array before him, took a deep breath, and suddenly raised his wand.
Immediately, as Sean raised his wand, the outermost ring of the alchemical array burst into flames, forming a wall of fire that rose up. Then the flames quickly spread along the array's patterns, forming a flaming alchemical array.
The high temperature of the flames rose, and the runes on the classroom walls, floor, and ceiling immediately brightened, isolating the heat's spread and protecting the classroom from damage. These runes were all created by Antonius and Nicolas Flamel, with extraordinary effects.
Sean waved his wand, and the flames rising from the alchemical array split into twelve streams, each entering one of the twelve materials placed on the corners of the two overlapping hexagram arrays that formed the twelve-pointed star. Under the faint glow emanating from the alchemical array, they slowly began to levitate.
Waving his wand again, Sean pointed at three of the twelve materials. These three materials quickly fused together, rapidly melting and combining into one mass. Under Sean's wand control, they quickly took shape while their material properties also rapidly changed, becoming a small, delicate ring.
Then the second group of three materials went through the same process, followed by the third group of three and the fourth group of three. All shaped into rings with their properties similarly altered.
Flames rose as the four rings gradually fitted together. Only then did Antonius and Nicolas Flamel directly see that the four rings Sean had created were of different sizes, perfectly sized to fit one inside another in a nested arrangement.
"Antonius, can you tell what Sean is trying to create?"
Antonius looked at the four nested rings on the alchemical array and slowly said: "I can only tell that Sean seems to be trying to create something very dangerous. Those four rings are actually some kind of binding object, meant to restrain magic that can complement the Double-Layered Great Flame Hexagram Array."
"That's right. If I'm not mistaken, he should be trying to create some kind of one-time alchemical item. I just don't understand what Sean wants to do with this thing."
Of course Sean had a purpose.
In fact, he had been conceptualising this item for a long time. Today was his first attempt at making it. Just a crude experimental piece. It was precisely because he had Antonius and Nicolas Flamel beside him that Sean dared to attempt this creation.
Pointing his wand at the nested rings, as Sean recited an incantation, streams of yellowish flames shot from his wand, mixing with the flames from the alchemical array and pouring into the nested rings, condensing into a small red crystal within them.
This crystal grew larger and larger until it became finger-thick. At that moment, the four rings forming the nested structure rapidly rotated, firmly binding the crystal within them. The runes and patterns forming the alchemical array then transformed into points of firelight, gathering onto the four rings and forming runes and special patterns covering the rings.
The firelight dissipated.
The nested rings containing the fire-red crystal fell from mid-air, landing perfectly in Sean's hand.
Thus, Sean's first alchemical work was officially completed.
Seeing Sean finish his alchemy, Antonius and Nicolas Flamel immediately came forward. They examined what was in Sean's hand, basically confirming their earlier speculation.
However...
"Sean, what are you making this thing for? If this thing accidentally explodes, the consequences could be very serious."
Being his own teacher, Antonius's first reaction was concern for whether Sean might be in danger.
Looking at Antonius, Sean said directly: "Teacher, actually this thing can also bind other magic. Using the power of the alchemical array, the magic within these items can be used multiple times. As long as we can solve this thing's stability issue and create alchemical devices that can safely extract the power within, then with just the device alone, one could stably use the magic contained inside."
Hearing Sean's words, Antonius nodded in realisation. He suddenly understood what purpose Sean had in creating this thing.
Seeing Antonius nod, Nicolas Flamel immediately said curiously: "You two shouldn't speak in riddles in front of me. You should tell me what this thing is actually for, right? I initially guessed it was some kind of high-powered magical bomb, but now it seems like it's meant to be used as the core of some kind of alchemical item that can cast magic?"
"That's right, Teacher Nicolas." Sean looked at Nicolas Flamel and said: "Both my parents are Squibs. If I can create stable alchemical items that can extract the magic within, then I could allow them to use magic. Although this method of use would completely depend on alchemical items, I think even so, my parents, and Squibs like my parents, would all be very willing to use these things to cast magic!"