Regis let out a sigh as he thought about the work ahead of him.

“I’ll have to upgrade a lot of stuff while we’re still in a safe place. I also found all of the elemental runes we need, so I can fix up your weapons and Letty’s sceptre.”

“Recycled equipment would also take up a lot less space,” Amanda reminded to group. “Once we set up our new home base, we’ll have to come back for what’s left of it.”

“We’ll have to come back for a lot more,” Osmond sighed. “And we’ll have to visit other places as well. Fixing up whatever was left behind in Red Clay Outpost will be a serious undertaking. We’ll need funds and resources.”

“And manpower,” Fabien said. “We can’t do everything with only the ten of us.”

“There are lots of refugees in almost every town that had a large enough wall to defend against the undead. I’m sure they will be more than happy to start over in a safe place.”

“We can talk about that later,” Amanda spoke her mind. “For now, we should get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.”

“I think today was big enough already,” Khan stretched his arm while yawning. “Regis; please try to make my swords sturdier this time.”

“It will never be sturdy enough for your reckless ass.” The dark elf retorted, earning a slight chuckle from the group.

Elder Derris lead them up to the third floor of the guild where a similar hallway greeted them, but with a lot more doors.

“Most of these rooms were meant to house two or more apprentices, so some of you might have to share.

“That’s alright sir,” Sophie nodded. “It’s not like we were expecting a first class hotel or something. And besides; we spent a couple of nights under the stars, so this will be a huge leap from that.”

“She’s right about that,” Quentin agreed. “We’re already thankful to have a roof over our head. A comfortable bed is a straight-up blessing.”

“I’m fine with sharing rooms as long as I can get a proper bath,” Valerie sniffed herself. “It feels like it’s been ages since I got a chance for that.”

“The bath is in the first room to your left,” the old scholar pointed at a door. “But you will have to haul up water from the kitchen yourself unless you have enough arcana to make the water creating enchantment working.”

“I think I will manage, but thank you for the warning.”

“Which one is Qadir’s room?” Regis is asked from the other early man.

“It’s the one straight at the end of the hallway. Why?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure that a guy like him would stuff his room full of valuables, maybe even a couple of magic trinkets.”

“You are irredeemable.” The infernal woman rolled her eyes.

“I’m being pragmatic. He won’t need it, but we might.” The dark elf argued.

“Whatever. I call dibs on the first bath.” Valerie said, not leaving the others that chance to speak up before she rushed into the room and locked the door behind herself.

“Someone’s a bit grumpy.” Khan said.

“My sister was never really the camping type of girl. Just let her have this much.” Fabien said as they walked forward, opening up the doors along the hallway so they could see the apprentices’ accommodations for themself.

The rooms weren’t too big, reminding them of the dormitories of Earth’s school system with the bunk beds, and drawers that made the rooms habitable.

“We’ll take this one.” Amanda stated as she and Sophie walked into to the first room.

“I think we’ll take this one then.” Letty and Cruz picked another one.

“I’ll take this one for me and Val.” Fabien laid claim to the third room.

“I’ll take over Qadir’s room.” Regis stated in a non-negotiable tone as he left the group behind.

He walked over to the door at the end of the hallway, finding the same barrier hindering him which he met so many times already that day. It only took him a few minutes to pull apart the rune of connection, making the barrier fade away. Once he opened the door a spacious and well decorated room greeted him. It was slightly tacky for his taste, but the bed seemed comfortable enough and there were plenty of things to look at.

Expensive paintings hung on the walls while a large carpet covered the floor. A wine cabinet stood beside a window of the left wall along with a bookshelf that had several thick tomes and ornamental objects. The obvious signs of someone trying to show off their power and wealth. There was a dressing cabinet a few steps away from the bed, revealing several sets of well made clothes once the dark elf opened it.

Although the clothes were expensive and well crafted, none of them were magical in nature. The books on the shelves mostly held the copies of arcane tomes Regis had already seen in the library with the addition for a few books that must have been acquired recently by the guild master. Several different small trophies dotted the shelves, most of them likely the reward for small services to the local lord.

Some of the baubles were made out of silver or gold with semi precious gemstones adorning them. ‘That Qadir fellow sure had an expensive taste.’ The young spell weaver thought to himself as he weighed one of the golden cups from the set. He walked over to the cabinet that housed dozens of bottles, spending some time checking each and every one of them.

Regis barely reached the third row when his hands shook to the point where he almost dropped the bottle he was staring at. ‘Dragon Blood Wine.’ He read the label of the thick dark green bottle that had a strange looking wax seal on its cork. Not believing his absurd luck, he cast charlatan’s wisdom on the bottle. For the first time since he began to use the spell, blue words appeared above the item he cast it on.

{Dragon Blood Wine}

{Item rarity: rare}

{Item quality: excellent}

{Elixir type: Wine}

{Boon granted: 3}

{Use per person: 1}

“It really is dragon blood wine. Unbelievable. How did this bastard get his hands or something so precious?” The dark elf mused before almost dropping the bottle once again when someone knocked on the door.

“Bloody hell,” he cursed as he slipped the bottle back into the cabinet. “Come in!”

Valerie’s head popped through the gap of the slightly opened door, her eyes taking in the sight of the lavishly decorated room as she let out a low whistle.

“Looks like you hit the jackpot with the king’s suite. Do you want to trade rooms with me?”

“Not a chance,” Regis shook his head. “But could you do me a favour?”

“Sure,” she nodded. “What do you need?”

“Could you call everyone into the room please? I found something nice I want to share with all of you.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“You’ll know soon enough.”

“Tease.” They are woman chuckled has she left in a hurry.

Regis barely had the time to use a piece of cloth to clean up the dozen golden cups on the shelf before he heard another knock.

“Come on in.” He said as he walked back to the wine cabinet.

“So what did you find?” Khan asked curtly as the group swarmed the room, looking around with an obvious interest.

The dark elf pulled out the bottle from the cabinet and held it up firmly.

“Have a look.” He waved the bladedancer a bit closer.

“Dragon blood wine. Sounds like an expensive brand.”

“Holy shit,” Valerie almost threw Khan to the wall as she pushed him aside so that she could have a look at the bottle herself. “Is that... I mean is it really?”

“Only one way to find out.” Regis smiled as Fabien and Osmond walked closer, both of them staring at the bottle mesmerised.

“Okay,” Amanda rolled her eyes. “I guess it is a really expensive brand.”

“It’s not a brand,” Letty stepped closer with Cruz by her side. “The name simply states the contents.”

“What?” Khan steadied himself after his near wall encounter.

“Dragon blood wine is a special sort of elixir,” the wood elf explained. “As its name says, it is a type of wine that was made through alchemy, using the blood of some kind of a dragon.”

“You’re shitting me, right?” Khan jumped closer to the crowd around the dark elf. “So you’re telling me that not only are there actual dragons in this world, but Regis found a bottle of dragon blood?”

“It’s not entirely made out of dragon blood,” Osmond corrected the bladedancer’s thoughts. “But at least 10% of it is supposed to be pure dragon blood.”

“You told us before that elixirs are very rare and very expensive.” Sophie chirped as she watched the others fawn about the bottle.

“They most definitely are,” Valerie said as she made way for Regis so that he could walk over to the shelf with the prepared cups. “And every elixir grants some kind of boon to the one that consumes it.”

“I remember Qadir once mentioning that his father got a few bottles from the Royal Court as a reward for his services in the marsh wars, but I never knew what happened to those bottles.”

“It seems that he was kind enough to leave a bottle for us share.” Quentin concluded as he watched the dark elf slice off the wax seal before using a cork drill to open the bottle.

As soon as the cork got pulled free, the scent of wine and medicinal aroma filled the room along with a scorching heat.

“It sure is a strong stuff.” Osmond nodded in appreciation.

“One cup for everyone should do the trick.” Regis said as he poured the dragon blood wine into the golden cups before waving everyone closer to take one.

They all took their share with only Derris and Mary stopping themselves from reaching out to take one from the shelf.

“There’s plenty enough for you as well sir.” The young spell weaver said as he raised a cup toward Mary, holding the other one towards the elderly scholar.

“Oh no,” the grey haired man shook his head. “Such a treasure would be wasted on this old man.”

“Boons and wealth are best shared between friends.” Quentin stated with the others nodding in agreement.

In the end, old Derris gave in and accepted the cup with slightly shaking hands while the spell weaver picked up his own.

“Sic Parvis Magna!” Osmond was the first one to raise his cup high.

The rest of the outlanders looked at each other smiling before they too raised their cups, slightly knocking them together.

“Sic Parvis Magna!”

Elder Derris said the words as well, watching as the outlanders drank out the wine from there cuts in one gulp.

A moment later almost everyone dropped their cups on the ground as they either reached up towards their throat or their chest due to the sudden pain the dragon blood wine caused. A scorching heat rushed down the dark elf’s throat as if he drank molten lava instead of the supposedly refreshing wine.

Pain spread out from his chest and stomach, coursing through his veins to reach every fibre of his being. Tears welled up in his eyes that quickly evaporated while golden words flared up in the air in front of his burning gaze.

{You have consumed a ‘Dragon Blood Wine’ elixir and were granted three boons.}

{You have gained the ‘Enhanced Fire Affinity’ feat.}

{You have gained the ‘Fiery Blood’ trait.}

{You have gained the ‘Lesser Regeneration’ feat.}

‘Bloody hell,’ he thought. ‘They forgot to mention that drinking dragon blood wine would hurt like a bitch!’ His mind was in a disarray for several seconds as the pain finally eased up. After he could actually breathe again, he looked at his companions whom seemed to be fairing just as bad as he did.

“Is everyone alright?” Regis asked with a dry and raspy voice.

“I’m pretty sure my insides got roasted into a crisp.” Amanda spoke up first as she helped Sophie up from the floor.

“Was it supposed to hurt this much?” Mary asked as Fabien helped her and elder Derris stand up.

“The records were a bit vague about the consequences of drinking dragon blood wine, but I’m pretty sure we can all agree that the boons we gained greatly outweigh the suffering it caused.” Valerie said, clearing her throat with a slight cough that produced a tiny gust of flame.

“I don’t know about you,” Khan stretched his limbs. “But I gained three cool feats in a row, including one that makes me immune to fire.”

“I got that one as well.” Regis admitted with most of the group nodding in agreement.

“At least we know that the wine was made with fire dragon blood.”

“Now we only have to drink half a dozen other elemental dragon wines.”

“Oh hell no,” Cruz cursed as she shook her head. “I’d rather give up on the boons than to have to go through this again. I felt as if some of my blood was evaporating from the inside.”

“You do realise that’s completely impossible without you dying.” Osmond looked at the exaggerating wood elf.

“I know,” she grumbled. “But it sure felt like that.”

“I finally managed to get a bath,” Valerie sighed. “And now I’m going to need another one.”

“Alright everyone,” Quentin sighed. “I think it’s best if we all cool down a bit and get some rest.”

“You do that,” the dark elf agreed. “But first help haul up our loot into the enchanting room along with your emptied out knapsacks. Also; if any of you want to switch gear, put those into a separate pile and I’ll enchant them for you.”

“You really are preparing for another all-nighter.” Fabien said with a sigh, earning a slight nod.

“Someone has to do it and besides; tomorrow is going to be a busy day. You’ll need all the edge you can get.”

“I’ll bring up something for you to eat,” the infernal young man offered. “I think I saw a couple of herbs that could be boiled into some tea as well.”

“That would be nice,” Regis accepted the offer. “By the way. I now have a matching rune for everyone’s element, so I can spruce up your weapons if you want me to. Except for you Valerie; I can only infuse one element into a weapon and yours had already been fired up."

"Savage,” Khan noted as he turned towards the door. “As metal as a pack of elemental weapons sound, let’s just hurry up with the loot hauling so we can get some shut-eye. Today was tiring as hell.”

“I agree with his suggestion,” Osmond said as he followed the bladedancer out of the room. “The sooner we can get this done the better. “