MTLNOVEL Chapter 13: A Trial of Fire
The grand Alchemy Arena loomed before Lyra, its towering walls casting long shadows across the circular battleground. The structure was vast, built from polished obsidian and marble, its high columns adorned with sigils of the alchemical guilds. Thousands of spectators filled the tiered seating—nobles, scholars, merchants, and fellow alchemists—all gathered to witness the famed Alchemy Trials.
Lyra stood among the competitors, her heart hammering as she took in the arena floor. It was divided into multiple alchemy stations, each equipped with flasks, cauldrons, mortars, and rare ingredients, all arranged meticulously under the watchful eyes of the guild judges.
At the highest podium, Guildmaster Aldric Marlowe, an elderly man with silver hair and sharp golden eyes, raised his hand for silence. The murmurs of the crowd died down instantly.
"Welcome, esteemed alchemists," his voice echoed through the enchanted amplification crystals. "Today, we test not only your skill but your resilience, your adaptability, and your ingenuity. Only those truly worthy will leave this arena victorious."
Lyra exhaled slowly. This was her chance.
A sudden hush fell over the competitors as the final trial was revealed.
The Final Challenge: The Phoenix Elixir
The enchanted banner above the arena shimmered, revealing glowing words in golden script:
Final Task: Craft the Phoenix Elixir.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
The Phoenix Elixir—a potion that granted temporary enhanced strength, resilience, and vitality. It was one of the most difficult elixirs to brew, requiring an unstable balance of volatile ingredients. If brewed incorrectly, it could explode on contact.
Lyra swallowed hard. She had never attempted this potion before.
A judge strode forward, unfurling a scroll. "You have one hour. Begin."
Crafting the Phoenix Elixir
The moment the time started, Lyra dashed to her station. She scanned the ingredients laid before her:
Phoenix Feathers – rare and powerful, needed to infuse the elixir with fire essence.
Dragon's Blood – thick, dark red liquid, known for its enhancing properties.
Sunstone Shards – tiny crystalline fragments that radiated pure heat energy.
Calming Nectar – a stabilizer, used to neutralize volatile reactions.
Her fingers moved swiftly, gathering the Phoenix Feathers first. She ground them into a fine powder, each stroke of the mortar releasing a faint, ember-like glow. The air crackled as she worked, the magical essence of the feathers already reacting to the ambient energy.
Next, she reached for the Dragon's Blood. The thick, viscous liquid shimmered ominously as she measured precisely three drops.
She added it to the brewing cauldron, and immediately, the mixture sizzled and roared, a wave of heat blasting upward.
"Damn—too fast."
She instinctively reached for the Sunstone Shards, crushing them between her fingers before sprinkling them into the mix. The reaction was instantaneous—a brilliant surge of flames erupted within the cauldron. The golden-red potion boiled violently, sparks flying like a miniature star gone wild.
Her breath caught. It was unstable.
She needed to act—fast.
Her eyes darted to the Calming Nectar, the last ingredient. If she mistimed it, the potion would detonate in her face.
The mixture pulsed. Shook. Flared.
Lyra didn't hesitate.
She tipped a single drop of Calming Nectar into the cauldron.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then—
FWOOSH.
The potion calmed, its swirling chaos settling into a smooth, molten glow. The once-wild flames condensed, turning into a concentrated fiery red liquid that pulsed with raw power.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Lyra let out a shaky breath, her arms trembling from the exertion. She quickly bottled the glowing elixir, sealing it in a reinforced glass vial.
She had done it.
Judgment and Accusation
As the hour ended, the guild judges stepped forward, their robes billowing as they approached each competitor's station.
Guildmaster Marlowe lifted Lyra's vial, inspecting the glowing Phoenix Elixir with narrowed eyes.
"Impressive," he murmured, turning the vial in his fingers. "Such purity and balance… But tell me, Miss Voss—" He fixed her with an unreadable stare. "How did you come by such rare ingredients?"
Lyra's breath hitched.
She hesitated, then squared her shoulders. "I… I found them in the Thornwood," she admitted. "It wasn't easy, but I knew I had to try."
A murmur spread through the audience. The Thornwood was notorious—a cursed forest where magic was unpredictable and alchemy was dangerous.
But before Marlowe could respond, a voice cut through the tension.
"She's lying."
Lyra froze.
Selene Faelor stepped forward, her elegant features alight with cold amusement.
"This girl," she said smoothly, "has been using forbidden alchemy."
Gasps rippled through the arena.
Lyra's stomach twisted. "That's not true!"
Selene smirked. "Oh? Then why do I have proof?"
With a wave of her hand, a guard stepped forward, holding a tattered, leather-bound tome.
The Book of Eternal Flame.
Lyra's blood ran cold.
She had hidden that book away days ago—it contained ancient, lost knowledge about forbidden fire alchemy.
Selene continued, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "This book contains recipes long since outlawed. And it was found in her possession."
A judge stepped forward. "Miss Voss, do you deny this?"
"I— I don't know how she got that!" Lyra's voice shook, panic rising.
Selene just smiled.
"Seize her."
Before Lyra could react, strong hands grabbed her arms, pulling her back.
The crowd erupted in chaos, voices rising in shock and confusion.
Callan surged forward, shoving past the guards. "Let her go! This is a setup!"
But it was too late.
As Lyra struggled against the iron grip of the guards, her gaze locked onto Selene's.
The noblewoman tilted her head, a silent victory gleaming in her eyes.
And in that moment, Lyra realized—Selene had planned this from the start.
The Book of Eternal Flame was gone. The Syndicate had it now.
And Lyra was their scapegoat.