“I can’t believe I got it done so quickly.” I had finished the method of purifying my territory. Truly, I underestimated my chi sorcery of balance perception. It just made finding the balance among all the runic arrays I needed for this so easy.

“Heh, I really have outdone myself here.”

I lifted my hand and looked at the glass like orb with wooden veins intricately surrounding the whole thing and a subtle multifaceted glow, the ‘seed’. An enormous amount of alchemy (and money) went into the production of this. I first needed a small branch of the actual world tree and a specially customized whitefyre orb, along with some other things to alchemically create a seed with the properties of taking in cursed or ‘tainted’ mana and purifying it before releasing it back into the atmosphere. I also built in the range of mana release with bottlenecks starting from the centre where the seed would be planted and tapering off when reaching the borders.

‘Man, knowing the exact borders of the territory made things a lot easier for my calculations. Anyway, today is a busy day with a lot of things that need to be done.’

I needed to sign the documents and select a last name for myself before I officially own the land, and that is what I’ll do today. Fortunately, I had already contacted the royal lawyers and they were kind enough to come to the academy to make things easier on me and currently, I was on my way to the principal’s office to do just that.

I knocked on the door and waited for a response.

“Come in.” I opened the door and entered the office to be greeted by who I’m assuming to be the lawyer and Flamel.

‘Why the hell does this guy have a sharp nose for when I want to do something.’ My brow twitched.

“Good morning sirs.” I greeted, then we got into it. For my last name and territory name, I chose Heartree. A nod to my elven heritage and an allusion for what was to come. The documents were quickly taken care of before they glowed when I signed them.

“Good, the bureaucracy magic has ensured that your name has been updated on every level. Good luck and good day, baron Heartree.” The lawyer left. There was an awkward silence in the room before I broke it.

“Well then, tha-”

“Heartree huh.”

‘Fucking hell.’

“Yes, in honour of my mother who was an elf.” He looked at me intensely before turning to the principal.

“We’ll be leaving, I’ll get back to you on that issue.” The principal just sighed and waved us out. But as we exited the office and were walking down the hallway.

“I smell a potent alchemy on you. One I’ve never sensed before.”

‘Of course it’ll never be that easy.’ The seed was on my person at the moment so it was understandable that someone so in tune with alchemy could sense it. In fact I’m pretty sure the principal could also sense it but just had the decency to mind his business.

“You’re not going to answer?”

‘I’m thinking. Well, I might as well have him come with me in case things go incredibly wrong, even as unlikely as that is.’ I looked at him.

“I used alchemy to create a seed that I hope would aid me in clearing the great waste. I’m going out later today to plant the seed in my territory.” Hook, now let’s just wait for the fish to bite. He looked at me in silence for a bit, then-

“That form of alchemy is not taught to students, at all, and is very niche.” He said dryly with a brow raised.

“I’m a voracious reader and I was looking for the most hands off method of curing the waste.”

“Then I don’t suppose you would mind my being there?”

“Not at all Mr Flamel, you’re very welcome to spectate.” Line and sinker.

The rest of the day was spent in preparation for what was to come the following morning. The following day was the start of the weekend and I had procured permission for the outing I was about to make. I left the school gate with a large box of the things I would need and met Flamel by his carriage.

“Just in time boy, let’s go.”

We made record time to the teleportation arch and were at the border of my territory in no time. I motioned for the carriage to stop and got off the carriage. Mr Flamel followed me with confusion in his face. I placed my palm up, facing the border and an intricate and geometrically perfect circle took form in front of my palm before forming a portal with patterns at the edge. As we passed through, he turned to me.

“Interesting spell you’ve got there.”

Indeed it was. There were already numerous iterations of teleportation and portal spells but they all required the amount of mana I didn’t have right now, so I had to engineer a new spell from the ground up using the teleportation arch as reference. If anyone studied my magic circle, they would have a clear understanding of where I got my idea from, that was intentional.

‘Don’t want them getting to suspicious’

“Are you going to publish a paper on it? It’s a good way to build up a reputation as a competent magic scholar.”

“I’ve already had the paper edited and ready to go, I was just waiting to get this done first.” I came to a stop.

‘This is the spot, this is dead centre of my territory.’ I let out a heavy sigh before turning to Flamel.

“I’m starting.”

I opened the box I was carrying and pulled a jar filled with the ash of a world tree along with some other magically potent things alchemically mixed with each other. I used the ash to draw a large alchemy array with its centre point being where I will plant the seed, letting my chi sorcery guide me in achieving absolute balance. Circles were also made along the array at the four cardinal points for the other ingredients.

“The ritual begins now, please don’t interrupt until it’s over.” I centred myself and let my mana flow. I let out a long exhale, and began.

In the east circle, I placed a wood dragon’s horn, signifying the azure dragon, wood element and spring. In the south circle, I placed a phoenix feather, signifying the vermilion bird, fire element and summer. In the west circle, I placed a white tiger’s claws, signifying the white tiger, autumn and the metal element. Finally, in the north circle, I placed a piece of a dragon turtle’s shell, signifying the black turtle, the water element and winter. I took out the seed from the box and held it in my palm.

“Well, isn’t that just gorgeous.” Flamel said and I had to agree.

I used magic to float the seed to the centre of the array and drop it there. I took out a knife and pricked myself, letting the blood fall on the ash making up the array. I began speaking in an ancient elven dialect that is said to be the oldest language of the druids in this world.

“As with the shedding of my blood, so too shall this land be bound to my bloodline and purified of all corrupting influence.”

The ash started taking on a red glow and all the objects, including the seed I had placed there, started to sink into the earth. When they were sufficiently buried I backed away to stand beside Flamel who was looking intensely at the spot where the world tree disappeared into the ground. Nothing seemed to be happening, but I knew that not to be the case. The ‘seed’ was sending out metaphysical roots throughout the area of influence of the curse to feed off it and accelerate its growth, just as I designed it to. That would take a very long time, maybe even years to fully reach all areas affected but it didn’t need to do that to germinate. The glowing ash sunk into the ground, following the objects until a green shoot came up.

Immediately, I was hit with a wave of pure mana from the sapling that continued to grow visibly in our eyes. The growth continued until it reached about 20 feet, settling into its new size as a fully grown tree. The wide trunk was a dark brown that seemed to glow softly with an inner golden light that branched off into many branches and twigs of the same colour which held leaves with what seemed to be druidic symbols ingrained into their surface. The mana radiating off it was so pure and intense that even I had to take a step back. I could sense that it was battling the curse of the great waste but the curse was regenerating faster than it was breaking down, but that would change in the coming months as the tree grew.

“You’ve outdone yourself here boy, truly. This is a spectacle I was not expecting.” He looked at me this time.

“I’ll protect the tree and make sure no one comes close to damaging it, for I want to see how this beauty would change the landscape.” I smirked inwardly.

‘Gotcha.’ It was going to be a pain to protect this place effectively without giving anything away, but with him doing the job for me, I don’t need to worry.

“Thank you, Mr Flamel. Your help really is needed if I’m to succeed.” I smiled at him.

We left the territory through my portal and made our way back to the school where I got my research paper on the portal for him. He offered assistance in publishing once again for showing him spectacular alchemy and who was I to deny that. I retired to my room when all was said and done and just laid in my bed and closed my eyes, letting sleep take me.