It was a laboratory that was not very spacious. The alchemical platform and all kinds of magic items that should've been there were gone, but it did not feel empty at all. On the wall, the floor, and the ceiling, silver or black magic patterns were protruding. Rippling like flowing water, they connected with each other into a three-dimensional model.
Also, they extended to the center and interweaved into layers of illusionary webs, which were integrated with the complicated magic circles deployed at the center of the laboratory, constituting a profound and mysterious picture.
"A magic circle?" Heidi looked at the small laboratory in surprise. Her teacher had been busy and mysterious in the past few months just to set up this magic circle? Also, it did not look too complicated. It was obviously not the kind that would take a grand arcanist several months to set up.
She had thought that her teacher was setting up a new experiment device, such as a better and more powerful particle collider, but she found it hard to understand the truth.
After a brief daze, Annick recognized the general purpose of the magic circle first. "A space-time magic circle? A Portal to Alternate Realm? "
It made him and Heidi even more surprised and confused than before. After seeing that it was not an experiment device, they speculated that the magic circle had special purposes and could help arcanists find the mysteries of electrons and other microscopic particles in the microscopic domain. However, it turned out that it was a teleportation circle of the Portal to Alternate Realm! What could it do for the Atom Institution? Could it be teleported to the inside of an atom?
Lucien, whose back was turned to them, did not notice their shock and curiosity. He walked into the laboratory unhurriedly and stood at the center of the magic circle. Then, he turned around and smiled at Katrina, Sprint, Annick and Heidi. "You'll know what it can do after you try it."
"Master, you are so naughty. My curiosity is exploding!" Heidi said with an exaggerated expression. In the meantime, she trotted into the laboratory and stood next to her teacher. Although Sprint and the rest of them were confused, they did not dare to lag behind, fearing that somebody else would steal the opportunity. So, they followed her into the laboratory.
"Heidi, you must tell me everything you see and feel later!" Layria raised her voice enviously. She was too slow to raise her hand.
Lazar, Rock and Jerome stood aside and watched them with a smile. Although they were curious themselves, they felt that they were Lucien's friends and uncles, and it was inappropriate for them to compete with them. Even though their arcana level and magic level had been caught up by Annick and the rest of them, their feelings could not be changed, unless they could become legendary sorcerers or grand arcanists in only ten years like Lucien did.
Snap! Lucien snapped his fingers, and all the magic patterns in the surroundings lit up at the same time. The wave-like light from before was as dazzling as the noon sun.
As the light converged, a small sun seemed to rise in the center of the magic array. It was dazzling but not scorching.
Gradually, the pure light was extended into a 'gate of light' that was as tall as two people. Magic symbols were vaguely visible in the flowing light.
Lucien extended his right hand as if he were wearing a silver glove. He pressed the 'gate of light' hard, and the gate was immediately opened. Infinite light flooded out and drowned Lucien, Heidi, Annick and the rest of them.
By the time the light was gone, Lucien, Katrina and the rest of them were already gone. The 'gate of light', on the other hand, seemed to have lost all its vitality. It was lackluster and lifeless, as if it were entirely made of pale stones.
"I wonder what Heidi and the rest of them will see …" Chelly clenched her hands subconsciously.
… …
The dizziness caused by the change of time and space hit them as expected. Thankfully, the fifth-circle sorcerers such as Sprint and Heidi had enough experience and cast spells to resist the feeling. So, they were soon better.
Before she was completely freed from the dizziness, Heidi couldn't wait to look ahead. She was too curious!
In front of her was the transparent 'glass', and outside of it was nothing but darkness. It was the deepest and heaviest darkness that Heidi had ever seen. It was boundless and endless darkness.
Deep inside the darkness, the white spots of light were bright and clear, without any flicker. It gave Heidi a profound and spacious feeling that she had never had before. Her heart seemed to have been calmed down, and she felt that she was insignificant and that the world was vast and boundless.
"This is …" Heidi had completely forgotten her dizziness. Her voice was as unpredictable as a dream.
Sprint, Annick and Katrina also looked at the endless darkness and spots of light around in confusion. They vaguely guessed something, but they could not grasp it clearly.
Lucien stood in front of them and raised his right hand, pointing at the deep darkness and the white spots of light outside. He said in a slightly sighing tone, "This is space."
"Space? Universe? "Heidi and the rest of them were back to themselves and hurried to look down.
Below their feet was the same transparent 'glass', on which tiny magic patterns were rippling now and then, as if they were eliminating and resisting something. Below the 'glass', it was no longer the solid ground, the sky, and the blue ocean, but the darkness that was no different from the surroundings. The deepest, heaviest, and boundless darkness, in which the bright spots of light were embedded. It was vast and profound.
It was the same darkness, the same vastness, and the same glittering stars in all directions. Every human being in it couldn't hold back the sense of loneliness and insignificance in their heart, and they couldn't help but feel deeply awed.
"This is the most beautiful starry sky that I've ever seen …" Heidi had been on adventures before, but neither the starry sky on the plateau nor the night view on the ocean could compare to what she was seeing right now. It was a picture that had never changed. It was the 'sea of stars' that most arcanists yearned for!
Like Heidi, Katrina was fascinated. Who said that arcana studies were not romantic? This was the greatest romance!
Sprint and Annick were more interested in the significance of the cosmos. Therefore, they were back to themselves after being fascinated. They looked around carefully, only to discover that they were in a "glass room" the size of a regular laboratory. It was floating in space, emitting vague light on the surface. Countless magic patterns were vaguely appearing, constituting magic circles one after another.
The inside of the 'glass room' was even more unbelievable. Complicated magic circles were everywhere. Some of them provided gravity, some created air, and some turned the place into a 'ground'. Of course, most of the magic circles had nothing to do with that. Together with the alchemical platforms and cyclotrons, they constituted a fully-functional laboratory.
"Master, where are we?" Sprint asked, although he had basically guessed the purpose of the 'glass room'.
Lucien nodded and said with a gentle smile, "This is a cosmic observatory."
"A cosmic observatory?" Heidi and Katrina were woken up by the conversation and happened to catch the term.
Lucien pointed outside. "It is well known that the universe is full of weird curse rays and all kinds of great dangers, such as ultra-low temperature and ultra-high temperature. Therefore, only archmages dare to enter this place. However, in fact, considering that many of the dangers in space are unknown, few archmages have ever explored this place. The vast universe has been left to the legends."
"Our previous studies have shown that a lot of curse rays are particle streams and electromagnetic radiation of different frequencies. Then, what about the curse rays in the universe? We search through all kinds of materials over and over again, colliding particles over and over again. Isn't it all for the sake of new discoveries? Cosmic rays are something that we barely study. Maybe we can find something new from them that can help us unveil the next layer of the microworld. "
"In the past, the exploration and research work were always done by the legendary sorcerers. However, to find the appropriate rays in such a vast universe and to find the weird traces from countless experiments requires a long time and the accumulation of experiments. Therefore, the legends haven't achieved much in that regard yet."
"Based on that reality, I've applied to the Magic Research Board to build a 'cosmic observatory' that can resist cosmic rays and teleport back and forth so that the regular arcanists can participate in the studies of cosmic rays and the vast space. The number of people and the number of experiments will offset the accumulation of time."
Lucien briefly explained the cause and effect. Then, he taught the students how to use the special experiment devices inside the cosmic observatory and how to guide the 'cosmic rays' in.
Heidi, Katrina, and the other students were excited. They could study the space too? I can also "walk" in the universe?
In the meantime, Heidi and Katrina had a weird feeling too. Previously, they had imagined themselves sitting in the cosmic observatory with their knees in their arms. How lonely and romantic it would have been under the contrast of the boundless cosmos!
However, as his teacher introduced the Cosmic Observatory in a very objective way, as well as the magic circles and alchemical items in it, the romantic feeling was shattered without a sound. The only thing left was how to use the magic circles and how to deal with the collected data …
Lucien noticed that Heidi and Katrina's expressions were not right. He asked in confusion, "What's wrong? There shouldn't be any cosmic rays leaking in. Well, we must pay attention to the energy consumption of the cosmic observatory and replace the magic gems in time. The solar energy alone can't last long … "
Heidi sniffed and interrupted Lucien gloomily, "Master, give me back the romance of arcana studies!"
Huh? Lucien raised his left eyebrow, not knowing what his two female students were thinking at all.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
