Shall I briefly touch upon [Explosion Magic]? Yes, not any explosion magic, or any subskill of the niche. I mean [Explosion Magic] the proficiency of the magic. Perhaps it is not the most subtle. Certainly, I hadn't thought it beautiful. My image of the study was one of power and cruelty. The advanced magic was one of the few I had the fortune to interview. She was also one of the highest-leveled individuals I have ever had the pleasure of interacting with. Not for the purpose of these interviews, mind you, I mean that in the entirety of my life I have never met anyone close. My preconceptions of the magic, that it was brute and inelegant were only exacerbated by the fact she had insisted to travel far into the wilds before demonstrating. I had internally thought she was surely secretive of her abilities, and that [Explosion Magic] was plain power and unsophisticated, I thought the entire act pointless and irritating. As if wiped away by the ensuing shockwave, my preconceptions of anything about her disappeared when I watched that mountain explode.

-The Feel Of Magic, Coby Tuuli

According to Hucobb the conclusion of the Coterie's testings would take place the next day. As such, those who had passed had been given a lot of free time to do as they pleased. Upon reaching the initial cavern and ascending into the Practitioner's Coterie building, people were given an offer.

Jayke admired the display of magic adorning the ceiling, the mural was truly beautiful. He only spared half an ear to those around him. He'd always had a 'sweet-eye' so to speak. He liked beautiful things.

There were rooms within the building for people to stay and it looked like they were only revealed after the initial tests to avoid offering rooms to dropouts. A handful of robed people led those who accepted the offer to their respective rooms, the rest were told when and where to meet come the next day.

Jayke noted the event and made his leave in tandem with those moving to their temporary rooms. The majority of people looked exhausted.

It turned out many had timed their arrivals to coincide with the beginning of these tests. It was the reason that Jayke didn't immediately see any of the myriad of races present in the testing while in the Marketplace Between earlier. Some had arrived just as the Great Sand Worms attacked. A handful had actually helped against them.

Now, amid repairs, the bazaar was sprinkled with different peoples. Curious faces were met with patience from nearly all of the locals and Jayke got the sense that wanderers, especially those intent on these biannual tests were commonplace. They wandered about and perused the stalls as Jayke had done, many of the dwei and caven locals looked at the smattering of [Mages] with great interest. Foremost among the starers were the children and Jayke spotted their twitching hands, they hadn't gotten the best of him yet.

Jayke had stopped by Chee's tent and picked up a few books. He didn't think people would care about his lack of worldly knowledge, they might see him as a strange, but in reality, no one would put in any substantial effort in unraveling the secrets of some random person they met. He had slipped up a few times and it became clear the other people might've just thought him odd, which was understandable, he could see himself doing the same if the roles were reversed. Still, he'd rather learn through texts than try explaining why the lack of knowledge was so glaringly obvious to anyone he tried asking. He didn't want to look stupid.

Terk had graciously lent him a spot in the shade of his tent's awning, where Jayke could enjoy the heat of the sun outside its glaring blaze. He rested comfortably in a netted chair, sinking deeply into its embrace. He flipped through a book titled Primer on The World's Template, another work listed under The Untethered Tomes as the sand blew gently across the pages.

He was particularly intent on shoring up his lack of knowledge regarding the [Giant Pincer Shell Burrower].

Various creatures and beasts are often recognized by the Great Template, the World, or simply the System. These Creatures are unique among even their own species, having grown or achieved more than what any could be reasonably expected to.

To think of them as sources of great EXP and reward is somewhat shallow. It is theorized that a Thinking Race is born from a Creature recognized by the World long long ago. These creatures are often more powerful, intelligent, cunning, and altogether dangerous, though their allegiances are as often haphazard as their occurrence.

A common story is that of the [Blooming Ent] a powerful beast that harbored no ill will towards the travelers that passed its domain. In fact, the creature became a friend to many. Recognized creatures, however, are often targeted by those seeking glory and levels. The [Blooming Ent] did not last long.

Jayke flipped and continued reading.

There were many keywords that stood out to him. Items, Skills, Classes, and other such terms. The book was only a primer on them, however, and left more to be desired. He did follow the table of contents to a subject he had been curious about for some time now. He noted the most of the reading was sharp speculation, nothing concrete, the author made sure the reader knew it.

To speak on Rarity, is an endeavor none have ever been able to cover in great detail. Despite the fact that the concept is perhaps one of the easiest to intuit. It is simply the Rarity. To end the thought there would be folly and a misconception many will make centuries forth.

Rarity is a concept applicable by the System, to any number of its aspects. Classes, Skills, and Items are some of the more popular considerations.

Rarity reflects the difficulty of obtaining. It is representative of a thing's particular value and adeptness of function. Rarity is based on a number of factors. These include natural occurrence, existing amount, interest of said thing, value, quality, uniqueness, and a number of additional factors. The levels of Rarity are denoted with a color code. Common, Uncommon, Unusual, Scarce, Rare, Epic, Mythic, Legendary, Relic, Ancient.

In general, a higher Rarity will usually reflect more danger and reward. The rankings of Rarity are widely debated. No single individual has had enough experience with enough data to be able to record all of them. These findings are the result of first-hand testimonies throughout history and the nature of the System means none are quite verifiable.

Frankly speaking, Rarity is a topic of discussion that may very well be unexplored in centuries to come. The concept and its nature make research nigh-impossible. A [Treasure Hunter] or similar Class might have some luck categorizing their finds but the layfolk, not so much.

We The Untethered Tomes devote our lives to research and the dissemination of information, regardless of the consequences. While no single individual has ever compiled enough data, together we can attest to the existence of ranks Common to Legendary. The problem then becomes whether the reader decides to believe us and whether any rankings beyond truly exist. Relic and Ancient have only appeared to us in the annals of history, legends and myths from the edges of the known world, and only if someone dedicated to unearthing the truth was looking. We can, however, give some context for the ranking of Legendary. The highest we can confirm if the reader has chosen to believe us.

The individual who had confirmed the existence of the ranking - who possessed it - is perhaps the most traveled among us and most dangerous. He was also the individual in possession of the Mythic rank. Among The Untethered Tomes, we do not doubt each other.

That individual has leveled past fifty in two separate Classes.

Jayke closed the slim book thoughtfully. He admired the bustling of the Marketplace Between. Terk's alchemy shop was located nearby the rest of the crafting professions, the majority of their tents were untouched during the attack.

"Hardy people." Jayke said aloud. Many of the locals seemed to snap right back into things. There were workers moving around, lugging construction materials and repairing broken stalls. "Right back to it after that disaster." Jayke knew better than most what calamity could do to morale.

Jayke breathed in, careful not to take life for granted. Often, he cemented himself in the moment and allowed it to pass through him. The sun was more hot than warm in the desert. The gentle breeze was only slightly grainy from the sand but Jayke didn't mind. He'd long gotten used to the sandy wind from the facility. The air was alive with the faint smell of food, overpowered by the acrid smell of alchemy more prominently nearby.

Jayke pondered his arrival in this world, understanding now that the Rarity of his Skills and Classes were somewhat highly ranked. He went over them again, refreshing himself on their descriptions. They weren't active Skills like he'd learned of, instead, they apparently were granting him some kind of proficiency with the magic they described, or perhaps alternatively they quantified some proficiency he already had.

He pondered their Rarity.

Skill: [Protective Magic] (Epic)

The power to protect and defend. The creation of shields, barriers, or wards. A particular study of magic that focuses primarily upon the safety of the caster or others. The ability to deflect physical dangers, to safeguard against mental assaults, fortify oneself in the case of spiritual damage, or guard against magical onslaught.

Skill: [Safehaven] (Mythic)

A place that exists outside of the physical realm, one accessible only to its owner. Guaranteed safety and refuge when danger is near. A sanctuary that none can enter, a place of shelter. A private sanctum. To all but its owner, the [Safehaven] may as well be an impenetrable fortress.

Skill: [Code Magic] (Legendary)

A lost school of magic birthed by a race of legendary minds lost to time. Requiring both a honed mind and natural intuition, [Code Magic] is a form and practice of magic focused on efficiency, optimization, and automation. The ability to understand magic on a qualitative level to such a degree as to interact with it directly. Few ever understand the true advantages of such magic, either lacking the mental capacity or imagination required to reach its height.

The primer had mentioned someone level fifty or higher in two separate Classes that possessed both a Mythic and Legendary ranking. Jayke had no context for the level of the individual but he had some inkling that the combination of levels was quite high, simply from the contextual tonality of the slim book. The author had delivered that detail with some heaviness.

Now, it turned out that Jayke possessed some Skills of note, ones that rivaled the ranking of this individual. The realization was puzzling since it hinted that they were of some impact, some power. Yet, he judged himself easily the least impactful during the recent Coterie test.

But perhaps the Rarity was derived from potential growth. His Skills did seem tailored to that effect. With the exception of [Safehaven], [Code Magic] and [Protective Magic] appeared to be magic Jayke would be mastering for years.

In fact, it looked like further growth would almost certainly be in those directions.

Class: [Protection Mage] (Epic)

An individual that seeks safety for himself and others. The [Protection Mage] specializes in exactly that; protection. Damage and harm are seldom had with a dedicated mage specializing in protective magic. The creation of shields, barriers, or wards is this Class' niche.

Note: A Class denotes specialization within a certain set of criteria. Classes can both direct or hinder growth, though always lead to greater power. Classes are obtained through special means, accolades, achievements, or abilities. Classes may form as a result of pre-existing Skills and are conducive to gaining more focused and powerful Skills aligning with said Class.

Class: [Code Mage] (Legendary)

An individual versed in the hidden logic of the world, one capable of understanding and directing the laws both physical and magical. The [Code Mage] specializes in instruction, whether of the magical or physical. The [Code Mage] excels in whatever function they deem necessary, often pursuing interests analogous to efficiency.

Note: A Class denotes specialization within a certain set of criteria. Classes can both direct or hinder growth, though always lead to greater power. Classes are obtained through special means, accolades, achievements, or abilities. Classes may form as a result of pre-existing Skills and are conducive to gaining more focused and powerful Skills aligning with said Class.

Jayke hummed to himself, an old habit formed in solitude. It was something he had done to fill in mind-numbing silence or break the monotonous humming of the AC or the constant whirring of machinery. Eventually, it had grown to put himself in a state of deep thought, introspection, and self-reflection. There was often little to do other than talk to himself, after all.

He had already decided that he'd go forward with the tests. The opportunity to become more worldly was something he did not want to miss, especially since as he understood it he was in the middle of nowhere - the Uncharted as it was referred. Not to mention the added bonus of potentially learning some fundamentals of magic that he likely had never touched on.

Humming still, he addressed the flashing prompts that appeared throughout those very same tests.

Level Up: Level 7 [Protection Mage] -> Level 8 [Protection Mage] Level Up: Level 1 [Code Mage] -> Level 2 [Code Mage]

The level ups he had felt rush through him. He could even have traced their origins. If he recalled correctly, what had triggered the level up in [Protection Mage] was the last bit of shielding he had done to save one of the unsuspecting mages during the fight with the giant lobster. For [Code Mage] it had been when experimenting with Oz's slime.

He adjusted himself at the following prompt, however, sitting straighter. He'd known it was possible, but to attain a Skill on a non-milestone level? He considered himself fortunate, excitement rushing through him despite himself.

New Skill: [Lesser Data Sense] (Uncommon)

The inherent sense for the unquantifiable logic that exists within things. The data of simple objects and targets become pronounced to a lesser degree. The data something possesses scratches at the edge of perception.

Firstly, what stood out to Jayke was the apparent Rarity. The Skill was one that he understood conceptually, it was the understanding of things like the slime's sense of direction and distance. In essence, the parameters and return value of a function, wherein a function described some target. However, the fact of the matter was that this particular Skill seemed tied to [Code Magic] and [Code Mage] which were of Legendary ranking.

What merited Uncommon then? The Skill couldn't have been as commonplace as it suggested when the niche was so narrow. How often did someone develop a Skill so suited to magic like Jayke's? And one so apparently rare?

"Maybe it's relative to my Class? Otherwise, everything would be classified as Legendary." He rubbed his chin.

He opened the Primer on The World's Template - the slim book on his lap - and reread the pertinent section.

Rarity is based on a number of factors. These include natural occurrence, existing amount, interest of said thing, value, quality, uniqueness, and a number of additional factors.

He read on, skimming through most of what he had already covered.

Oddly, the Rarity of some things are dependant on the individual. While still true that higher rankings correlate to better reward, sometimes the rankings of certain Skills differ between people. Some Skills, frankly, are just easier to obtain for some. That advantage, say for a magical race, is accounted for heavily in the listed Rarity of a Skill. Similarly, this follows suit for people with suited Classes for certain Skills.

With that in mind, it behooves one to refer to Rarity, not as a comparison between peers, but something of true value to the individual compounded with the regular factors Rarity denotes. This particular phenomenon has only been observed in the personal sense. Items, Locations, Quests, Bosses, and recognized creatures have not been known to vary in Rarity between people.

Jayke rubbed his forehead. "What?" He said flatly. He was confused.

He reread the paragraph multiples times. Then he stared at his Skills and Classes. The process repeated a few times while he tried to wrap his head around the odd logic regarding Rarity. Parsing through the information a fourth time and he tentatively came to a conclusion.

He frowned. "Okay, so [Code Magic] and [Protective Magic] along with their respective Classes can be considered correctly represented by their Rarity."

The justification being that prior to acquiring them, along with [Safehaven] he had no crutch for attaining Skills. Aside from the circumstances of his arrival, of course.

"[Lesser Data Sense] might be a rare Skill in terms of uniqueness, but maybe it's not the case that it's rare for a [Code Mage]. For that reason, the Rarity is lower, despite being inherently tied to a Legendary Class and related to a similar Skill."

"Maybe Classes defined the reference point for the individual. That would make everything more clear." Jayke hummed. "Even prior to attaining a Class, [Code Magic] and [Protective Magic] were considered rare."

Jayke slumped, a headache forming.

"Abstract, Jayke. Abstract." He blew out air. "Rarity is how useful something is to you." He said aloud, testing the words. Finally, he nodded. "Yep, sounds about right."

He wished he could get his hands on something simple to practice on. Oz's slimes were neat subjects, Jayke didn't consider them living or completely inanimate, at least, that wasn't the sense he got.

When he directed his mind towards his [Code Magic] he was content to explore the feel of it once more. The bluish-green and yellow magic bloomed in his mind. And shortly thereafter, in his hand. The orb of magic wasn't described as such because of its physical form, in fact, the magic was not physical at all. It was magical.

The gradient of its power encased Jayke's hands softly, with an almost brimming feel of potential. What he held in his hand was something between mana and an actual formation of magic. It was before he pushed his will into it.

He stared at his [Code Magic] in one hand and concentrated deeply, multi-tasking with a veritable effort. The cool hardy feel of [Protective Magic] emanated from his other hand.

The magics were small, verily so. The focus required was strenuous, something terribly difficult about juggling the two magics and Jayke could only supply each with enough concentration to keep them a little larger than the inner seam of his palm.

Staring at both magics he was surprised to find an inkling of something in the back of his head. Like a sudden realization of connections. It was similar to suddenly understanding in part, an entire data path. Being able to track the flow of bits and understand their destinations. It was a faint feeling and small, yet at the same time, it was nothing as mundane as understanding code, nothing so insignificant as that.

This was something more.

[Lesser Data Sense]. His [Protective Magic] was the one he was most familiar with. The fact that the magic had parameters and returns was something Jayke hadn't thought to ever quantify, but nonetheless, the magic did, in a sense. It was an epiphany, but one that he had already inherently known. He willed the magic and it protected him.

As for his [Code Magic] his [Lesser Data Sense] couldn't make heads or tails of the magic. But that didn't mean his natural intuition faltered. He supposed it had something to do with the flexibility of the magic itself. The ability to apply it to both the physical and magical was something Jayke assumed was infinite in terms of application.

His [Lesser Data Sense] was giving him a weak heads-up on manipulatives. Data members.

Given time, Jayke would've loved to delve deep into its mysteries.

His first earned Skill was one he was happy with. He figured that once he puzzled out the limitations of his [Code Magic] the unassuming Skill would become a powerful aid.

"Jayke." Terk had appeared in the tent flap. "Come, those worm parts you gave me? I was able to pull out a few recipes dealing with Great Worms. I may have something for you."

Jayke closed his book at the thin myconid's arrival. The [Alchemist] had been more than happy to accept his bounty for slaying the worms. Truthfully, Jayke hadn't known what else to do with the moist sack of worm parts. Terk did though.

"I wouldn't mind sitting through your process if you at all minded." Jayke made to stand up.

Terk disappeared through the tent flap. "I would not. It is a slow day with all the repairs. The resulting potions from your healberries have already bartered." The shroomish ecosystem that lined every myconid pulsed a content blue upon Terk. "Still, I was surprised you would part so easily with Great Sand Worm parts. You were quite formidable when bartering for those maps days prior."

"I wouldn't know what to do with them." Jayke said honestly. Add to that, he wasn't too keen on the smell. That smell meant he didn't care to place them in his [Safehaven] which meant they'd be sloshing around in his newly cleaned cargo pants. "Besides, I'm sure you've made more use for them than I could have."

"Certainly."

It was important to note that while some myconids had humanoid forms, others did not. Terk had the two arms and two legs, but his arms split dedicated at the hands, creating many many appendages. To Jayke's eye, they were reminiscent of feelers, and it was because of them that Terk could handle the multitude of fragile equipment he pulled from his shelves.

He glanced at Jayke with eyes so obviously inhuman, as if sensing his scrutiny. Jayke wondered when similar stares had stopped being unnerving. Yca, the myconid from the oasis was right, Jayke barely flinched at the things he should've considered weird.

"Yes, that should be all." The myconid looked around. Jayke had been perusing the nearly witch-like assortment of alchemical ingredients. He had been examining a glossy eyeball. "Come, friend. My lab is behind. Perhaps you might learn something of alchemy."

"Right behind you," Jayke said following. "Terk, how long have you been an [Alchemist]?" Jayke began. How long would a shop like this take to form? He pondered it before passing through the back of the tent and to Terk's lab.

He looked around with genuine surprise and interest.

The operation was like a modern lab he might've expected from an educational institution. All the analogs were there. A number of low fires burned under various shaped glasses. Some fires were even colored differently. The tent was one attached to the shop, so the ventilation system was just openings in the top of the tent.

"It has been decades." Terk began setting up. He began clearing a smooth sandstone table and placing his gathered materials there. "I've mentioned before I used to travel for all of my ingredients, searching for greater and greater concoctions. To record, scribe, and detail all of my notes with the most exotic of things." He laughed good-naturedly. "I am much too old for that now, though I do not let it stop me." He said stubbornly. He looked to the corner of the tent.

Jayke noticed weapons. A few spears that despite their battered look, seemed well taken care of. Gnarled wooden spears of similar make from the ones Jungu and Floon used.

"You yourself must have done some traveling." He clamped a number of vials and flasks into place, filling some with water and other solutions. "To survive the Wyldergrowth and Blueglow Forest, your magic must be powerful. You were one of the first of the Practitioner's Coterie's testers to arrive, you know." The two myconid [Guards] must have told him about Blueglow.

"Magic I'm new to," Jayke said honestly. "Surviving, not so much." He chuckled to himself, enjoying the dark humor.

It looked like Terk had just assumed that he had been here for the test. It was apparent that the locals had been expecting some influx of travelers, none had seemed particularly fazed by the people. Jayke didn't initially bother to correct him but shrugged.

"I was actually just passing through. When I asked around for some guidance in my magic I was directed to the Coterie." Jayke remedied. "I guess now I'm just looking for opportunities to become more worldly. Learning magic is an added benefit."

Terk laughed. "You are young if I'm not mistaken. There's no rush." He said. "Worldliness comes with age. You do not pass through the world. The world must pass through you." He delivered the words with heavy wisdom, perhaps not even realizing their depth. The myconid was focused on his flasks.

Jayke made to respond but Terk began unprompted.

He emptied the sack of worm parts. "Great Worms, as ingredients, act as wine. With age, they become more potent, both in their physical power and their magical power. The effects we can draw from such creatures are often tied to their domains. For us, that is sand, per the Great Sand Worms."

"Their blades and their skin offer great value to [Weaponmakers] and [Armorers]." He continued. "The humble [Alchemist's] interest lies within. We seek the heart, the lungs, the vital organs, and sometimes even the meat itself." He picked through the worm parts. "Here we have portions of the lung, heart, and brain. Meat as well. An adult worm, but no Creature as the mother was."

Jayke stared on with interest as he began placing organs on heated plates, pouring water over them and causing a caustic sizzling. Acid?

"A Level 10 [Alchemist] may have something like [Fast Extraction] or [Identify Ingredient]." Terk monologued, dancing in his laboratory. The smells assaulted Jayke's nose but he stared through the burning tears, ever curious. "A Level 20 [Alchemist] might attain [Enhanced Potions] or [High Yield]." He said.

The parts were reduced to liquids, swirling endlessly among various flasks, placed under burning fires of various colors. Their steam trickled up respective tubes only to drip back down and coalesce into something new. Jayke had never seen anyone work so effortlessly in a lab with so many delicate variables, and without any technologies monitoring temperature, time, or any other control. His many appendages managed everything with unerring precision.

"A Level 30 [Alchemist]," Terk had a joking passion in his voice. "would never reveal the secrets of his trade." He finished. He pulled the potion from the experiment and examined it. "He would need none of those Skills. Disregard the Levels, a true [Alchemist] finds his peak among the ingredients as they are. To produce the same effects or greater with none of the handicap."

He flicked the potion, which was a clear brown color, and the entire liquid turned grainy and harder to stare it. "In a way, I find that rawness, the very delight of creation."

He handed Jayke the potion and he stared at in awe. "That's incredible. What does it-"

Item: [Potion Of Desert Blurr] (Uncommon)

An alchemical potion drawing upon the essence of Great Sand Worms. Once imbibed the user becomes difficult to make out in desert terrain. To onlookers, they become harder to focus upon and may altogether avoid notice. The inherent magic of the potion lasts no longer than a single minute.

Jayke gaped at the potion. "You can create Items?" He said, stumped.

Terk's colors indicated some type of self-satisfied grin. "It is not the first I'd ever made." He chuckled, not quite catching onto Jayke's meaning. "That one is for you, Jayke. Consider it a debt repaid, your healberries had earned me much business and access to new rare materials to experiment with."

"You never owed me anything, Terk." Jayke smiled, tucking the potion into one of the larger pockets in his cargo pants. That was why he loved the things. "Thank you, though. It may come in handy."

Terk turned back to the lab, some small nuance of human interaction lacking in the move. Normally a person would keep their attention on the other speaker. Myconid mental-speak seemed to make that unnecessary. Terk spoke even as he began moving in his lab again. "Please. I endeavor to pay favors forward." He said with an offhand grin. "And stay out of debt myself."

Jayke could respect that. It was a good policy. Though Jayke was focused more on his movements than the topic of debt and owing people.

"You said you don't reveal the secrets of your trade but can you teach me something simple? I can't say the subject doesn't interest me." He said carefully. "Something that might help me on the road." He questioned. He was more curious to find where alchemy diverged from regular science, though the extraction of 'essence' already seemed to differ from regular physical sciences.

Terk seemed surprised, more emotion upon his mushrooms. Jayke realized that turning to face each other was pointless for a myconid, they wore their emotions on the ecosystem that stretched over them. There was no need to look at their face. He was getting better at matching the colors to the tone of their voice, identifying emotions in that manner, though there looked to be many nuances.

Terk made a thoughtful mental noise and pointed to a box. "Bring that box to one of the empty tables. Grab an empty flash and find a mortar and pestle. I'll show you the lowest grade healing paste, it's an open secret to non-alchemists." Another appendage pointed to a higher shelf. "Grab the journal titled Regular Herbs and Plants."

Jayke did as he was told.

The box was heavy in weight and scent, smelling like the crunch of soil. He hefted the box with some effort and placed it with a thump on a nearby sandstone table void of all equipment. He plucked the journal from the shelf and found a mortar and pestle nearby.

Meanwhile, Terk was pulling finished potions from his operation. He placed them gently in cupboards that looked filled to the brim with other solutions before turning to Jayke.

The older myconid was tall, much taller than Jayke. He wondered, for a very surreal moment, just how he had gotten here. The smile that crept up his mouth was for none other than himself, Terk hadn't and wouldn't have recognized the expression. It was the ghost of a rueful acceptance of his chaotic reality.

Terk flipped the journal open to a page of sketches and notes written in a language he didn't understand. The only thing upon the page he recognized were the drawings. Plants. In great detail too.

"These three." He tapped. "Healer's Stalk, Greenleaf, and Moon Lily." He indicated each patiently. Simultaneously, he popped open the box.

Perfectly identical to the sketches were all three types of plants. Jayke peered into the box. "These are the ingredients for healing paste?" He asked. "What gives them the healing properties?"

Terk regarded Jayke. "How to answer that without giving anything away?" Terk chuckled. "A good question. These are mundane plants, non-magical. Their composition consists of nutrients and materials that promote recovery in most Thinking Races. The Healer's Stalk numbs mild pain and soothes the skin, stunting burning sensations. The Moon Lily strengthens digestion and can help purge minute toxins in the body. Greenleaf helps with sickness and coagulates blood."

Jayke blinked at the technical explanations. For some reason, he'd been expecting a magical answer. Like the essence of last moonlight's magical powers gift the plants with extraordinary growth that translates to the individual's magical self which in turn expresses itself in the physical.

Instead, Terk had hit him with highly researchable topics. Experimental factors. Aloe Vera came to mind. And there were a number of other plants Jayke was at least passingly familiar with, that he knew had some impact on the health in a similar way that Terk was explaining.

"Oh." He managed. "That's fairly detailed."

"I have not spent my years idle." He chuckled. "The basic healing paste is Healer's Stalk and Greenleaf for open wounds, which are significantly more common to encounter through traveling." He gestured to the mortar and pestle. "Crush them to a fine paste, the stalk from the former will become a thicker paste. The latter will infuse."

Jayke matched the Healer's Stalk to a plant in the create. A plant that stretched as high as his hand was big. It looked like a wild piece of celery. The Greenleaf looked exactly as one might think it would. More leaf than stalk or anything else, but the roots suggested it grew close to the ground.

He ripped the plants apart before placing their pieces into the mortar and began grinding them with the pestle. He observed the forming paste with some expectation, but nothing but paste formed. To say he was a tad bit disappointed was unbecoming, he wasn't a child.

"Did you expect more than this?" Terk asked with some mirth. "It is the first thing a fledgling apprentice might learn. Likewise, it is the most applicable of substances."

"I'm sure you could extract the important parts further." Jayke frowned. "I presume not every part of the plant is necessary for the concoction." Jayke stared at the paste.

"Have you had a formal education?" Terk asked curiously. "These are not questions someone entirely new to the field would think to ask."

"I have." Jayke checked himself. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away." He said. "It is your trade, after all. Don't let me impose."

"Not at all." Terk waved off his concern. "How would you care to reduce the paste then?"

"Water and heat, I suppose." Jayke looked around. "If I may?"

"Please, by all means." Terk watched him.

Jayke was familiar with the process he was looking to accomplish, evaporating and or separating impurities from the actual desired product. He just wasn't sure what form that took in the sense of glass bottles and tubes.

He settled on adding water to the paste to begin. To that effect, he found a suitable bottle, scraped the thick paste into it and added water from a container nearby. It was the same one as Terk had given him a day or two prior, the ones which held more water than its volume strictly allowed. The paste thinned until it swirled with less viscosity than its prior form.

He clamped the solution to a metal stand that served to hold the glass bottle above a flame.

The flame burned steadily and began heating the bottle. He saw impurities rise and separate but the problem became clear when essential particles were lost to evaporation, nevermind the film of impurities lining the surface of the solution. He lowered the flame to an ember the moment he spotted the irregularity.

"So lies the problem with purging the solution with heat." Terk began. "The heat necessary to purge impurities evaporate the portions of the plant we desire. Because of that-"

As if on instinct, he pushed [Code Magic] into the solution. A faint effect of digitized pixels dissipated into the potion bottle. He could detect the data of the small amount of liquid. He had understood, to a degree, which particulates were impure.

It was his [Lesser Data Sense]. From there, it was just a sorting algorithm.

The question of what applied the force necessary to sort the particles briefly arose in his mind. It was an aspect of his magic he hadn't realized he'd ever been employing. As if some joke, now of all times it struck his mind with a ringingly clear resonance and certainty.

That aspect of his [Code Magic]? The one that moved the sand and created a vortex, the one that applied a physical force? The one that even as he realized it, was separating particles in the potion. It was an instinct he incorporated into his [Code Magic] mindlessly but it was never [Code Magic]. It was a concept borrowed from the creation of his shields, his [Protective Magic]! The application of physical force through magical effort! He had been intertwining his magics unknowingly!

Where heat would normally be required to separate the impurities, Jayke had managed with a slow burn, avoiding burning away the essential particles completely whilst still separating the impurities from the finished product. The regular level of heat he'd need would separate both the impure and pure, but the pure would evaporate, at a lower heat this wasn't possible. Normally. Jayke's magic ebbed within the potion, plucking darker green bits from the light green bits, knowing exactly which particulates to remove. It was a slowgoing process, and to some degree, he felt that the heat was helping the movements. Added entropy to direct, he supposed.

He scraped away the film lining the top of the liquid. "That should do it." Jayke rubbed his chin, more intent on the magic he'd just performed than the product of its work.

"I've never seen a reduction so powerfully faultless." Terk sputtered, somewhat uncomposed. "It looked like a small effort of magic, but on a level so precise and unerring I'd never have spotted." He gestured to the bottle. "May I?"

Jayke answered affirmatively. His mind was a little strained and he wondered if his mana reserves were low or [Code Magic] drained him just that much.

"[Appraise Concoction]." Terk commanded. Dark eyes examined every inch of the solution. "Impossibly faultless. Nearly a hundred percent purity, and only lacking that from unobserved post-care." He glanced at Jayke. "This is quite impressive. You'd make a living selling healing paste this pure somewhere with enough people. Please tell me your method?" He said suddenly.

"Magic too mind-numbingly tedious for the layperson." Jayke chuckled, though he spoke more for computer science than the magic. "I'd spend an entire education teaching you countless concepts just for that result," Jayke said truthfully.

Aside from the base sorting algorithm, the logic that went into the magic was complex. Even for that small effect. The detection of the particulates, the forces applied to each, and the actual separation were foremost in his mind, and that was before he realized he was doing things unconsciously.

Terk looked disappointed. "Ah, the truth is often unfortunate." He said with a sad smile. "Truly though, it is not often I am surprised." He glanced at the paste, now more potion than anything. "Any other product and you might've created something worthy of the Great Template." He noted.

"You don't seem the type to surprise." Jayke agreed, he noticed the darker sunlight outside. "When does that skewer stand close?" He said suddenly, some small panic at the possibility of missing it. Jayke did tilt his head at his previous remark, was it that exemplary?

"Sunset for most of them." Terk laughed. "You are an interesting one, Jayke. If ever you're free in the future, please do not hesitate to come by."

Jayke laughed, taking that as his queue to show himself out. "I'll bring you some of that myconid drink they sell next time I come by." Jayke closed the crate and returned all the materials to their respective places.

"And your healing paste?" Terk reminded him as he was moving to leave. He had been scrutinizing it quite closely. "It seems quite potent, it may come useful if you plan to travel."

"Is it of any use to you?" Jayke asked him, noting his curiosity. "If it is, feel free to study it. I'm not sure if the end result has any different properties than the normal product." He said. "Besides you know I have enough healing products. And the knowledge of making it was enough for me."

Terk nodded. "Then I shall hold onto it. Aside from its purity, the potency of it seems to be drawn from the distinct lack of impure particles." He said bent over the bottle. "Until next time then." He flashed some colors, obviously engrossed.

Jayke allowed himself a laugh and left, intent to get a meat skewer before the sunset. After all, he'd gone a year in solitude, and while magic and monsters and whatnot were cool, the man hadn't had real meat for nearly an entire year.

He knew his priorities when it came down to it.