After returning to the spire, Niphru found the area where his group usually met to be empty. Since he wasn’t busy with anything, he decided to go back downstairs and work on charging more mana stones. Even if he was in an advanced group now, it was important to keep w to help the spire out, and he could take some of them for himself as well.

  Just before he went dowairs, however, he realized he was still pretty dirty from the trip through the city. Due to this, he ged his objective to ing himself, and headed back to the residence he shared with Dawn. As he entered, he found Dawn sitting in one of the chairs in the main room with a number of books nearby, engrossed in one about light magic.

  After a quick shower, he returo the tral room just in time to hear Dawn’s stomach growl, ially reminding himself that he haden in a while either, so he headed into the kit to make some food. It appeared Dawn was so busy reading that she hadn’t noticed, so he decided to make her a portion of food as well.

  A short while ter, he had two small bowls of sad as well as ptes of assorted bits of meat and potatoes. Using his magic t them out to the table, he got Dawn’s attention a her know he made food, for which she thanked him before joining him for the meal. Ohey finished, Dawn insisted on doing the dishes since he cooked, so he resumed his earlier pn and headed out to go downstairs again.

  As they had gotteo him before, no one gave him any trouble as he worked, and only one person bothered him at all, asking where Dawn was. Unfortunately, since she was at home, that meant the woman would have to look for her another day. After thanking him for his time, the womao return to her practi another baly.

  Having recharged about a dozen crystals, Niphru decided it was time to head bad go to bed. Returning to their living quarters, he saw Dawn reading the same book and decided not to bother her, simply heading to the other room to get some sleep.

  The m, he found that Dawn hadn’t goo bed, judging by the way she was sagging in the chair. Out of worry, he nudged her to get her attention and told her she should get some sleep and she would be able to uand what she was reading more after refreshing her mind.

  Fortunately, she realized he was right and thanked him before putting a bookmark in pd shakily heading to the bedroom. Somewhat worried, he followed her to make sure she didn’t fall, only leaving once she had made it into bed.

  As he headed out towards the stairs, he spotted most of his group gathered at their typical spot. Making his way over to them, he quickly let them know that he nning on practig his magic for the day and asked if anyone wao join him. To his surprise, Miaiohat she was ied in trying out steam magic after their enters in the wilderness.

  It also appeared that she was already aware of the o use the practis below ground, to join him around noon if he was free then. After taking a moment to think, he agreed, deg to try some potentially more dangerous spells as well, and just sit around and rex until then.

  Shortly afterward, Miana headed downstairs to take care of getting some supplies for her residence, and the rest of the group tinued chatting about various topibsp; Eventually the topic of using magic to help the on people came up, and Niphru mentioned his work yesterday. The idea of w on entments hadn’t crossed the minds of most of the group, for some reason or another.

  The reminder about simple entments got them talking about how best to design some of the more on ones. In the end, Thomas had a better design for moving air than anyone else, which was surprising since Richard was the one who specialized in that form of magibsp; He also had some iing ideas about iing with water, though he admitted that Miana robably better for that one.

  Viera quietly mentiohat she had been w on some light entments before that were desigo dim hten based on nearby mana sources. Apparently it was an attempt to make lights that used less mana over time by barely using any power when no one was around. Niphru had several ideas for fire entments that were apparently more advahahers had seen, even iools within the spire, likely due to his close e with fme.

  Eventually, they left that topic behind and spent some time talking about what their goals were for learning magibsp; Niphru didn’t find muterest in the subject, deg to leave and go check the store at the base of the spire instead. A short trip ter, he decided to spend a few moments enjoying the peaceful little se of nature since he usually just hurried through.

  Once he had rested there a bit, he headed towards the store and quickly found it had a new person in charge. Apparently, no one had told him that there was a fox around, as he jumped upon seeing Niphru. A moment ter, he rexed, muttering that there was no way mages would allow a dangerous monster within their home. Niphru smiled at the man’s quick acceptance of his presend greeted him, only slightly surprising the man.

  Iurn, the new caretaker of the shop introduced himself as Franklin, remarking that sihe previous handler was called Frank, he was fih the name as well, as it would make it easier for everyone else to not have to get used to a new name. Siniphru hadn’t been down here much, he was fih the man’s full name, as he had not gotteo the prior person.

  Franklio grab a catalog for a moment before asking Niphru if he was able to read it, and was quite surprised when it simply floated up off the ter to hover before him instead. A short while ter, Niphru had found several types of food that her he nor Dawn had tried yet. He asked for those, as well as a book on fire magic that seemed to be quite advanced pared to the previous ones he had read.

  It was only then that he realized he had fotten his pouch of s when he utting on his harhat m. After quickly mentioning that he would have to run back really quickly, Franklin stopped him, pointing at a small ste anchored to the wall nearby, stating that it would dispy how much credit he had earned with the spire through his as, and that it could be transferred as well, allowing payment without having to lug s around.

  Surprised and pleased by this, Niphru nodded and headed over to the panel, surprising Frankli again as he jumped up into the air and nded on a ptform of force magic to exami. A moment ter, he ran his mana through it, after spotting an area marked out for su a. Immediately, a fairly rge number appeared, and he saw several bels below it. Franklin moved to the other end, and shortly after, a number appeared oher side, mentioning it was for a sale.

  Sihe number matched what he had been told the cost was before, he ran mana through the bel marked trade, and his credit number dropped as the sale number zeroed out. Seeing this, Franklin thanked him and, after being told Niphru would carry it himself, headed back to get the book he had requested while an apprentice grabbed the list of food and headed off in another dire.

  Moments ter, Frankliurned with the book, handing it across the ter as they waited for the other man to return with the food. A few mier, Niphru headed back upstairs with several bags of food floating around him auro his home, quickly putting everything away. Dawn was still asleep, so he was quiet as he made a small meal for himself with some of the new produce.

  Later, after eating, he returo his group’s meeting area, spotting Miana sitting there with a book about steam magibsp; It was still a while until noon, so he simply joihe group with his own newly-purchased book, notig Miana had seen him as she o him. A fair portion of the book discussed things he had already felt about the fmes, though it did include some iing ideas that he had not sidered, such as how some forms of metal could be added to fire in order to produce poisonous gas, which could theilized with air magibsp; Some of them were even able to further bih water magic to produce acid.

  A few hours ter, Miana interrupted his reading, stating she was ready to try practig if he wao join her. He agreed, and while she went to return her book, he did the same, not wanting t it where it might get damaged.

  Shortly afterward, they headed downstairs together before Miana opehe stairs at the entry, leading them down. A few steps from the room where the guardian stood watch was aunnel leading to the side. After Miana stopped for a few seds to inform the man standing guard that they were using the practis, she led Niphru down the hall, and they found the first pair of doors had one closed. Miaiohat meant it was in use already, and they headed through the door oher side of the hall.