"Firstly, we'll start with a little dragon scale" Matilda smiled stretching her hand and grabbing a small transparent bottle containing red orange hues.
"Dragon? Leo asked.
"Yes, we at the leaf still have scales from the dragons of old" Matilda replied, chuckling on seeing Leo's guilty look.
"Don't worry, it's not like many people even come for enhancements nowadays".
"Which is quite a pity since it could prove very useful to regular human and elven soldiers".
"Not when they already have magical items crafted by top tier mages". Matilda sighed as she strapped on a pair of two large black gloves.
With a loud clatter the dragon scales entered the cauldron, Leo moved closer to the edge of the cauldron and peered in curiously as he tried to guess which metal it was probably forged from.
Dwarvenstone came into his mind first but then again it might just be regular iron.
Matilda picked up another bottle containing what seemed like a black tentacle completely covered in ash.
"Ash Kraken tentacle".
"I guess there is another reason why your art went down so fast". Leo rubbed his chin. "The disappearance of many magical beasts during the last centuries must have prevented your craft from sourcing the ingredients needed for potions.
"Not really" Matilda replied with a smile before pouring a small flask that contained a golden sparkling dust. "Most of the parts we need for Alchemy can still be found in former nesting grounds that belonged to those great beasts".
"After all" Matilda added with a gesture towards a green bottle opposite Leo.
"We never did kill those beasts, though sadly you do have a point, after all even all the former dragon nesting site have been made almost empty due to generations of alchemists".
"Which is why we have kept such nesting sites secret from other races including our fellow elves".
Leo nodded in understanding and handed the old elf the bottle. She held it slowly in shaking hands and one look was enough to tell Leo that this was going to get a little dangerous.
*Plop*
The drop landed in the cauldron and for a while nothing special happened until a loud boom echoed from the iron walls.
*Cough*
"That was unexpected" Leo smiled wiping the green muck from his face. Matilda still chuckling offered him a small napkin and continued with the final stages of the potion.
"If you could be so kind". Matilda grinned while holding up an empty steel pail. Leo collected the pail gladly and followed her directions to a hidden black door that he hadn't noticed at first even when he used the Azure eye.
"All this is just strange" Leo frowned. "First the alchemy lab and now her, what is really going on? His thoughts continued even as he effortlessly drew water from the small well bordering the outside wall that should most likely be the end of the strange shop.
"Let's try again".
Leo's eye glowed once more searching for any sign and ultimately blinking back in frustration when like before, the inner area seemed to be nothing more than an old plain looking bedroom.
"An illusion? Leo asked himself and honestly doubting whether a spell as simple as that would be able to deceive something as powerful as his Azure eye.
Sighing he picked up the pail and was already half way through the door but ultimately had to stop when his instincts (which up to now had never failed him) urged the assassin to look towards the lintel.
"What the heck! Leo panicked as he stared into the imbedded bulging azure eye above.
"That explains a lot but why would an ordinary alchemist want to hide something as simple as a lab from a Huntran".
And as for why the eye still remained fresh didn't bother him one bit after all with magic, mages could regenerate bones so something like keeping an eye forever fresh didn't seem so impossible.
"Must be a high rate alchemical tool" Leo eventually concluded because that would be the only reason why it was able to mess with his eye.
"Wondering what the purpose of the eye is? Matilda asked from behind.
"Yes, is it for decoration?
Matilda had expected him to be shocked by her sudden arrival but it had already become obvious that Leo must have already known of her approaching.
"It is a relic from the times when the elves were at war with the Huntrans".
"What purpose did it serve? Leo asked hoping to hear the reason.
Matilda moved into the room with Leo following before she replied.
"Hiding the alchemical labs of course, it prevented those vile beasts from ever finding out the source of the elves' magical strength.
"Vile beasts? Leo asked in shock.
"Yes" Matilda replied. "They had committed one simple crime; a crime that was simply unforgivable".
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"The crime of having too much power, power that wasn't meant to be wielded by mere mortals".
"And so they had to die for this? Leo asked, now realizing why Fang had warned him to keep his race a secret.
"It's sad but for all of our sake it had to be done".
Leo remained quiet for the rest of the alchemy class, now understanding why the Huntrans had seemingly disappeared from this realm and who knows maybe that was why the other forgotten humanoids had been annihilated.
The forgotten humanoids consisted of five races which like the Huntrans had also disappeared from the realm many centuries ago.
Ogres, Werewolves, Vampires, Goblins and Giants made up this group. Huntrans weren't included in the list since they had disappeared long before the five's destruction. It was even rumored that a good number had joined in the war that eventually led to the Huntran's untimely extinction.
Sadly, there was a dark side to this story. One that could shake the very foundations of everything the Phoenix stood for if found out and also why the war against the Huntrans had been scrapped from most of the history books…
"Thanks for the wonderful experience" Leo waved.
"It was my pleasure Fanghyr". Matilda bowed. "And please do come again".
"I will! Fanghyr smiled from the street.
"I just hope that book would have the answers I seek" Leo sighed before pulling his hood.
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