Sage Raph motioned for Lucas to sit, though he himself remained standing, pacing slowly with his hands folded behind his back. The chamber was lit by pale blue lanterns, their light reflecting off shelves stacked with ancient manuscripts, preserved herbs, and crystalline cores.
They spoke for several minutes, about the meeting, about the state of alchemy in the kingdom, and about the instability in the continent. Raph asked about Lucas's cultivation progress as well, nodding approvingly at each detail.
Then, when there was a brief pause in their discussion, Lucas reached into his inner robe.
"Sage Raph," he said quietly, "there is something important I need to tell you."
Raph stopped pacing. "What is it?"
Lucas drew out a small, jade-lined case and set it on the table between them. His voice lowered. "I completed it. The Core of Dominion."
Sage Raph's eyes slowly widened.
"You… completed it?" he asked, the words almost breathless. "Not advanced the process. You finished it?"
