With a heavy sigh, Melis started working with the chemicals to see what was being done with the lab equipment. Thankfully there were a lot of extra books and equipment in a chest for her that she was able to use. The Archmage loved helping others to learn so when he learned of her interest in potion making he had given her a lot of free stuff. The value of the stuff was worth several thousand gold pieces but he just waved her off when she tried to deny the gifts.
She would start with the more expensive and more difficult of the potions because much of the stuff she had seen had been running the last time she was here months ago. He would have shut down the equipment if it was a potion little value. Melis focused on her memory to see if any of the chemicals had started to shift color. One of the beakers that was bubbling had become a brilliant golden color so she took a small sample of the bubbling material and placed it carefully in her own beaker for testing.
It was tedious work trying to decipher the notes but she picked out the easy words for her to figure out to narrow her search. Worry started to fill her because many of the ingredients were worth thousands of gold by themselves. Whatever was being worked on was certainly worth killing for. Melis eliminated to the possibility of a youth potion, immortality potion or the most dreaded of all, the potion to transform someone into a lich. Undead of the foulest and most dangerous nature, liches require a life in order to make the final transformation.
She didn’t want to think it was possible that her friend would take that transformation. Melis knew he was very old and over time the potion that could make you younger faded in effectiveness but to become a lich seemed extreme and hard to believe. The more she thought about it the more of a possibility it seemed. The Archmage always viewed things as an obstacle to overcome and wasn’t death but a challenge to overcome to reach the eternal learning that he desired.
The temptation to smash the equipment was great but she wasn’t certain yet and there would be no taking back what she had done if she was wrong. Looking at the information she had it looked like the potion was nearing completion which worried her. She doubted she could stop her friend if she challenged him but he wouldn’t have the time to start the potion again if she were to smash it.
Perhaps, it was best to test further even though she was reaching the edge of her knowledge. If she was wrong she could be killing her friend by ending whatever potion he was creating. Melis cast a spell to detect evil over the equipment and the stench of it was overwhelming and she had to take a few steps back. The spell was a tool but it wasn’t very precise because certain creatures you use for potions could detect as the evil they used to be. There was some regret in the casting because she now had more worries and concerns.
Taking another look at the notes it looked like it was possible that this potion might not even be for the Archmage. King Emeril’s name appeared to have been written several times in the notes but it was hard to tell why. Was he the source of the ingredients or the final recipient of the results of the potion? His children wouldn’t be happy to hear their Father was planning to extend his rule indefinitely which would explain why several of them had been shipped away lately. Melis had thought it was to help stabilize the kingdom now that they were mostly at peace but there could certainly be a much darker motive.
Her dealings with the King were limited but she knew of the terrible acts that were sometimes committed by his most loyal forces the Crimson Tigers. The young cleric had hoped the next generation would disband them. The idea that he wanted to become the eternal ruler of these lands worried her and she wondered what she should do next.
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