Lira settled into the quiet corner of the library, the scent of parchment and ink wrapping around her like a heavy cloak. She traced her finger along the lines of the old rulebook, letting each word sink into her. The restrictions were clear, elemental essence could never be infused into potions without risk of imbalance. Such mixtures had sparked great devastation in times long past.
Still restless, she pulled a stack of older histories from the shelves, the cracked leather spines creaking in her hands. Page by page, she uncovered fragments of truth. During the wars, alchemists had sought shortcuts - potions laced with elemental fire, water, air, and earth. They brought soldiers flight, unstoppable strength, or terrible destruction, but they also twisted the bodies and minds of those who drank them. Many experiments ended in madness.
