Azriel Capoue - The secrets of Al

Chapter 06

"Assist her with the circle and all the accompanying symbols, ensuring her comprehensive understanding of every aspect," the preceptor instructed as he made his way to the door. He paused in his stride, turned, and locked his gaze with Mira.
Mira nodded in acknowledgment and replied, "Certainly, I will do that."
The preceptor's gaze remained unwavering as he emphasized, "Indeed, Mirabel, I will hold you accountable if she does not meet the requirements of my test during our next session."
Mira, taken aback, leapt from her chair, her eyes wide with astonishment. "What?" she exclaimed. "How can her failure be attributed to me?"
"Well, from my perspective, Azriel is a bright young woman who has the capacity to grasp anything presented to her. If she fails my test, it implies that you haven't adequately instructed her." The preceptor explained.
He said, locking eyes with me. Our gaze met instantly as I had already been looking at him. We held each other's gaze for a moment until embarrassment filled my soul. I quickly averted my eyes. My cheeks and neck tightened.
What just happened? - I wondered.
"Intelligent? Well, she's not! I mean, not really." Mira retorted. "The responsibility is yours." He stated and exited the room.
Mira looked up, squinting and clenching her fists, perhaps with all her might – because afterward, I could hear her breathing heavily. She turned to me, her gaze piercing. "Why is Mr. Koebel looking at you strangely?"
"I suppose he recognizes intelligence more readily than, well, people of your sort." I responded.
"Of my sort?" Mira chuckled, shaking her head. "Never mind. Get back in your seat. I'm going to impart all my knowledge to you before we leave here."
Mira's lesson extended longer than Mr. Koebel's. She was dedicated to imparting all she knew about the practice, the circle, the symbols, and the principles governing alchemy. And after that session, I knew everything... well, I hoped I did. I wasn't going to let Mira be held accountable for my failure.
"Alchemy, being a science, adheres to the principle of Equivalent Exchange," Mira explained. "Alchemists can transmute various substances using different methods, but the foundation is always that of equivalent exchange. To create something, something of equal value must be lost."
"There are various methods by which alchemists can transmute the different substances of the world. Some alchemists are said to transmute using the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, and Air), but the fundamental principle at the core of alchemy is that of equivalent exchange."

Apparently, the term equivalent exchange signified the practice of creating objects from raw matter or transforming one object into another, OR, creating something meant that something of equal value had to be sacrificed.
"Since the alchemical forces being manipulated are not of human origin but rather of the world as a whole, attempting to circumvent the law of Equivalent Exchange in transmutation results in more than just failure and cessation. When too much is attempted with too little, it leads to a rebound, in which the alchemical forces are thrown out of balance and either side of the equation fluctuate wildly to stabilize themselves. Taking or giving more than what was intended often leads to unpredictable and catastrophic consequences, such as accidental mutation, severe injury, or even death."
"Death?" I mouthed, clearly alarmed.
"Yes. You still think alchemy is amazing?"
I gulped, my eyes widened, and wondered if I'd grasped the gravity of alchemy's risks.
Mira began drawing a circle in front of her. I watched the process closely, determined not to miss any crucial detail. I had only just heard her mention the possibility of severe injury or even death; that was genuinely frightening. I had initially thought alchemy was just a fascinating scientific pursuit, but now I realized it required utmost seriousness. I had to be cautious about how I applied the laws of equivalent exchange to stay on the safe side.
I observed intently as Mira connected various points and symbols in the circle, placing her hands over it to make it light up. I marveled at Mira's adeptness and her manipulation of the atmospheric pressure. My curiosity deepened as an object emerged from the ground within the circle. Mira effortlessly extracted the object, revealing its true nature as a metallic rod.
Astonished, my mind raced with questions. "How did you do that? Isn't that breaking the law of equivalent exchange?"
"You tell me, Az, what have you noticed about my circle? And secondly, how did I do it? How did I get a metal rod from the ground?" Mira inquired, her tone intriguing. I couldn't help but briefly chuckle at her formidable alchemical demeanor.
I remained silent and lost in thought for a while.
"Okay, um... first of all, your circle has a different color from Mr. Koebel's," I answered. Mira's circle emitted a crimson red glow, in stark contrast to Mr. Koebel's green.
"The symbol... or shape in your circle is different from his."
She nodded. " Now, how did I get a metal rod from the ground?"
I squinted my eyes for a moment, and then it finally dawned on me. "You identified the iron composition in the ground, deconstructed it, and then reconstructed it into a different form or shape, in this case, a rod. Am I... close?"
Mira erupted into laughter at my realization.