Chapter 7

    Master of the Spirit Element

    The young boy's thoughts were so scattered he couldn’t grasp the hidden meaning of the ghost's gritted words. Las was momentarily lost in thought when the ghost, visibly annoyed, abruptly turned towards him. A slender finger pointed out from the hem of the grey cloak, stopping right in front of Las's forehead, making him dodge backward. The alleviated pains returned fully, causing the small body to collapse onto the ground, releasing the spherical pill from his grasp, which then rolled away and fell onto the grass.

    "What are you dawdling for? Hurry and take the pill" Dragoon said nonchalantly, flicking the pill into Las's wide-open mouth as he gasped for air. Las was taken aback by such unexpected action.

    "Gah...! It's stuck in my throat!" Las jerked up, pounding his chest, trying to get the pill down his throat or spit it out before suffocating. Soon, the pill began to take effect, heating his throat as though it was scalded by hot water.

    "What did you put in my mouth?!" Las writhed in agony, the thought occurring to him that this unconventional medicine might be a failure. Yet, when he looked up with a pale face at Dragoon, the ghost stood there, arms crossed, laughing heartily.

    "Come to think of it, I also died because of my own potion." he continued to laugh.

    "Dragoon, you...!" Las yelled, outraged, followed by a fit of coughing.

    When he thought he would surely die, a gentle breeze touched his skin. The searing heat inside began to dissipate, spreading a cool refreshing sensation throughout his body, like cold water coursing through him. The pain eased, not just alleviated but vanished entirely, along with the fatigue.

    Raising his hand, Las saw a green mist emanating, not just from his hands but all over his body.

    He had heard that some potions crafted by experts contained hidden properties beyond their primary effects, but he had never seen or experienced them firsthand, especially as such items were overly expensive.

    "This is..." Overwhelmed, Las stood up and turned to face Dragoon... The ghost stood there, grinning confidently as usual.

    "How is it? My body-balancing potion." the cloaked ghost inquired.

    "How could you create a potion with special properties that easily!" Las couldn't help but probe. Reflecting on Dragoon's prior demeanor, he saw no seriousness, just casually performing the making. Dragoon arched an eyebrow, rubbing his temple slightly.

    "Not really." Dragoon denied.

    "What?" Las was flabbergasted. Was it all just a fluke?

    "Rime grass possesses neutral properties. When mixed with these ingredients, it only helps blend the main ingredients but its own characteristic will have no effect. Using it would be wasteful. So, It is better to use tea leaves with cooling properties to counter the heat, since you are of the water element, which resonates with cooler traits. Ordinary ingredients cannot produce something extraordinary." Dragoon explained, surprising Las with his thorough calculation. New questions bubbled up.

    "So, it's true you died from your potion?"

    This question made the young ghost's expression darken before he frowned.

    "That's true." Dragoon said, then averted his face. "Being targeted for assassination and blinded, I had no choice but to consume that potent potion, fighting until it killed me. And well, I died."

    Las nodded in understanding.

    Well, he is a ghost after all...

    "I do not wish to dig up the past. Both I and them are devoid of life, any grudges have faded with time. On the contrary, I am better off than them since I still exist, having preserved my spirit energy and slumbering in the furnace, waiting for someone with the spirit element to find me." Dragoon said, raising his translucent hand to observe it before looking up at the sky.

    "You've been asleep all this time?"

    Las continued to inquire, but Dragoon shook his head in denial.

    "I needed to preserve my energy. Occasionally, they would display my belongings to commemorate that detestable Rezan. I took it as an opportunity to seek someone with the spirit element, so I would awaken to catch glimpses of the outside world. Yet, I never found anyone until I thought the lineage had been completely eradicated in that purge..."

    It was the first time Las saw the man turning his face away, his voice lowered, a clear sadness showing in his demeanor. The past must have been harsh, and centuries of waiting, hoping for the day could be far more tormenting. Just the thought brought him involuntary tears. His expression was noticed by Dragoon, who looked puzzled before smiling gently.

    "Don't overthink it. It was like having a long dream before waking up, and here I am, I have found you."

    Those words didn't help at all, the tears that had just welled up began to flow, forcing Las to wipe them away.

    "Then, what do you need my help with?" Las asked, his voice still shaking. He then looked up after hearing a sigh, Dragoon was smirking with his arms crossed.

    "I want to live again. A spirit form is quite inconvenient, you see."

    Those words hit like a hammer. His mind spun for a moment.

    "That's impossible..."

    Las blurted out, but Dragoon just laughed it off, his demeanor as nonchalant as ever.

    "I have my theory, but explaining now won't make sense to you when you don't even grasp the basics of Spirit studies. You just need to know that being a spirit without a body, I can't regenerate energy. I can only accumulate residue from those with the spirit element or absorb from objects imbued with spiritual power."

    "So mutual dependency is like this..." Las nodded in understanding, then leaped up to stand on the rock, flashing a grin. "Alright, I'm alright now. How do you plan to train me, Dragoon!?"

    Las tried to stay cheerful, pushing the tension aside, for the important event was approaching. In less than a month, he would face Arthuria’s test again. Time was pressing, and he was eager to improve himself, lest he become a laughingstock once again. Dragoon tapped his chin thoughtfully for a moment before clapping his hands together.

    "How much do you know about the Spirit element?"

    Dragoon's very first question already made Las shake his head in denial.

    "Have you ever heard about this element before?"

    Upon the next question, Las shook his head again. Dragoon nodded deeply.

    "If that purge was indeed to eradicate the lineage of the 'Spirit' element, it means you must keep this a secret. Do not let anyone discover that you possess this element. It could endanger both you and your family."

    Dragoon raised his hand to the eye level, pointing a finger toward the sky. He was still maintaining a calm face even while discussing such frightening matters. Las nodded earnestly in agreement. He thought so, and even if he told someone he could see ghosts, it's unlikely anyone would believe him. Worse, they might think that he was insane.

    "But why would the Spirit element... need to be purged?"

    Las asked innocently. Dragoon's eyebrows drooped, and he shook his head.

    "I'm not clear about the thoughts of those who wish to dominate all. But it might be because they didn't want someone with power they couldn't understand surviving and obstructing their plans, or something along those lines." Dragoon shrugged nonchalantly, suggesting that a ghost's centuries-long life might indeed clear out any feelings of resentment. Las pondered before raising his hand to ask again.

    "You've mentioned the lineage twice now. Does that mean... the spirit element is only transmitted through lineage?"

    Dragoon nodded in affirmation.

    "From what I know, it is so. It's a latent ability that doesn't appear often because it's usually overshadowed by other elements. It's rare to have the spirit element as dominant as you and me."

    "That means... either my father or mother might possess the spirit element... and you could actually be a direct ancestor of mine."

    This time, Dragoon burst into loud laughter without restraint.

    "Indeed, your parents might carry the spirit bloodline. But I can hardly be your ancestor since I was a wandering apothecary without family or children." Dragoon said, closing his eyes and twirling a finger in the air, trying to be serious but undoubtedly failed, making Las unable to suppress a chuckle.

    "Listen carefully, Las." Dragoon paused for a moment, "Those who can see what is invisible to others, hear what is unheard by others, smell what is undetectable to others, and touch the intangible, they are the spirit elementalists."

    Las nodded vigorously.

    "Seeing ghosts, hearing their voices, fighting with them, and maybe smelling something peculiar from them, right?" He then wrinkled his nose before receiving a playful smack on the head. It was proof that he could indeed touch a ghost, but with such interaction was not what he expected!

    "How rude! If there were other elements, I wouldn't be so irritated." Dragoon lamented.

    "I was just joking! Ouch, How can ghost hands be as hard as stones?!" Las complained, rubbing his head.

    "Las, aren't you curious about your own power at all? Haven't you seen anything unusual?" Dragoon floated closer, scrutinizing him so closely that it was too close. Las really wanted to say, "Isn't seeing the ghost right in front of me unusual enough?" but he thought that it was better to avoid another spiritual skull-knocking attack.

    Las was puzzled as he was thinking. Indeed, there was something he had recently seen, not because of the awakening of his elemental power since he had seen it before. It was the faint orange specks of lights from several individuals with genuinely strong powers.

    "Or could it be..."

    With a sudden realization, Las closed his eyes and focused intently. When he slowly opened them again, nothing seemed different at first glance. But looking carefully, there it was.

    He saw tiny orange specks of light flowing from a large tree positioned slightly behind Dragoon. Dragoon who was observing this flashed a grin.

    "That is spiritual power." Dragoon's statement made Las feel a sudden chill. "Everything in this world has a spirit, but only a few are brimming with such radiant power."

    As Dragoon spoke, he floated towards the tree and reached out to touch the orange light at its core. Las caught a glimpse of Dragoon's dark eyes narrowing, intensely focusing in a slightly intimidating manner.

    "If you concentrate enough, you'll notice that this spirit aura originates from... this bark." Dragoon pointed out. Las tried to observe and indeed saw it. Dragoon's slender finger then traced downward, following a fine, sharp line barely noticeable, leading to the ground. "Below this soil, if one were to dig, they would find a nutrient source generating this Thams's bark, endowed with spiritual properties that enhance bodily strength."

    The young ghost then turned, smiling at the dumbstruck boy, who felt slightly dizzy upon realization. As Dragoon saw Las starting to understand, he then continued.

    "Each ingredient might seem similar, but they are distinct." Dragoon emphasized. "Ingredients imbued with high spiritual essence, if wielded by a skilled weaponsmith, can create supreme weaponry. Similarly, when skilled weavers use them, they can produce the unparalleled garments, and likewise, when skilled apothecaries use them, they can craft medicines with hidden properties as you inquired. However, that all depends on luck. Especially crafting a potion with more than one hidden property is exceedingly difficult. It's true that some are sensitive enough to perceive the differences, but it's largely a guess."

    "Are you suggesting that for us, the Spirit elementalists, luck isn't a necessity?" Las asked and gasped with excitement.

    "Yes." Dragoon replied succinctly.

    "Then I can also create potions with more than one hidden property, right?!" Las exclaimed in excitement, realizing the gravity of this truth. Just the thought of crafting an enhancing potion was already miraculous. Dragoon watched the boy's elation and laughed, his arms crossed.

    "You can, but it requires intense practice as it's no simple feat. Mastering spiritual power fusion or balance requires a lot of time to study. Even with top-tier ingredients, I can be a waste if put in the hands of someone with inadequate skill. You've heard of potions with adverse effects, haven't you?"

    Las nodded. Indeed, negative-resulting potions are easier to come by than beneficial ones. The risk is high, naturally for cheap, back-alley sales. Yet, people continue to use them, fearlessly courting death each day.

    "It's no wonder you're excited. In my era, though spirit elementalists were scarce, those who could infuse medicines with hidden properties were even rarer, known as practitioners of miraculous arts... divine alchemists."

    Dragoon had a faint smile as he was speaking. The story was heart-stirring that Las felt his hands tremble with excitement. Though the sun's heat was quite strong, his skin prickled uncontrollably, feeling a chill down his spine. Dragoon clapped his hands a few times to bring the boy back to reality.

    He saw Dragoon still maintaining that slight smile, showing a good mood, but those deep, probing eyes were intimidating.

    "Now, Las, do you have a map of a place where we can look for potion’s ingredients? I need to find some morning dew grass to enhance the pill keeping in your room." Dragoon asked.

    "Right." Las remembered, glancing upwards at the sky where the sun was almost directly over the head.

    It's almost noon.

    The boy spun around a few times and then slipped into the bush. Initially, Dragoon was puzzled by his action, but when he saw Las stopped in front of a small tree with branching limbs and a dozen fist-sized orange-colored fruits dangling. They were easily within reach but he did not hastily pick them, he just stood with his arms crossed, observing until he picked one.

    "Smart." Dragoon commented. Las chuckled and bit into the fruit, crunching loudly.

    "Then... Dragoon, let's head to the library." the boy spoke with his mouth still full of the crispy fruit.

    "Ha! The library? A place with collections of rare books from across the kingdom?" Dragoon was genuinely surprised. Las nodded in response, "That's great! Even in this era, there's a library accessible for someone like you!!" The young ghost laughed heartily, floating around. Although Las felt slightly irked by the phrase "someone like you." he didn't mind since it was indeed true.

    "It's quite recent, isn't it?" Las replied. Indeed, public libraries only emerged recently after Arthuria began granting access to individuals of other elements. The lower classes started to gain entry to Arthuria, yet still lacked knowledge resources. However, the higher classes struggled mightily to keep them away.

    Until a mysterious benefactor funded a library that transcended class barriers.

    "Las, you can eat it later. Let's go!" Upon hearing that, the daydreaming Las jumped alert, the sweet fruit that he was about to bite on had slipped out from his hand His small body trembled not from excitement but frustration.

    "Look what you did, Dragoon! Didn't you say we shouldn't misuse our powers!" Las scolded, but the young ghost had already zoomed off while laughing with the ripe fruit in hand, showing no signs of waiting even without knowing the library's exact location.