I slid the bag across the table, the hooded figure opposite me peered inside. “Where the hell did you find this?!” I remained silent because we both knew where it came from, it was what we had been searching for for years. The hooded man lowered his hood and with shaking hands reached for the bag.

“I wouldn’t touch it if I were you.” I coolly said as though the words were like smoke escaping from my mouth. “Could take ya some place ya don’t wanna go, ya know?” I smirked. It was kind of a joke, but only the kind of joke I enjoyed. The material was dangerous, and being unrefined left it to be volititle especially in contact with carbon. Lucan paused, the smile from his face was whisked away and replaced with a scowl. He put his hood back on and closed the bag in one swift motion.

“You are meaning to tell me that you got unrefined Bolirium?” He snorted. I simply nodded, my smile never removed from my face. I knew he wouldn’t like it, and yet that gave me a sense of pleasure, nothing I ever did seemed to please Lucan. If only he knew the troubles I had to go through the get it, maybe he might be a little more grateful. He must have had some sense of the struggle just by his initial question. Bolirium, the most illusive substance in the universe, due to its properties to warp space and time, one second it is here, another it is there, and then poof, it is in another universe. “You know that the master is not going to be happy about this.”

“Well then you can tell ‘im to find the damn substance ‘imself.” I spat back. To find even a table spoon of the subtance takes a lifetime or more, I had a whole bag of it. It was enough to make a whole world disappear, the only problem was controling where the world went exactly, that is where refinement helps. Refining Bolirium allows the user to direct where things go, and when. I knew Lucan was mad, he seemed to be fuming over in his chair across from me. The refinement process was only known to a select group of people, the Scholars, and their ranks were so selective and secretive that no one even knew where they were.

“So now what?” Lucan stood up from his chair with the Bolirium in hand.

“Now, we are needin’ to refine the stuff.”

“I know that.” Lucan threw the bag on the table a small puff of Bolirium shot up in to the air and then in a flash of light disappeared.

“Be careful ya fuckin’ idiot.” I cried out. I grabbed the cloth sack off the table and peered inside to make sure the bright blue powder was still inside, it was. Losing any amount would be a loss of a years worth of work. I sat back in my chair, my brain buzing with ideas. I knew we would need to refine the substance, but didn’t have a clear path as to how. Master Kuriun would have my head if he found out if had only retrieved unrefined Bolirium, and Lucan was afraid that he would meet the same fate, that must have been why he started to pace the floor.

“What do you suggest we do?”

“Well, refine the stuff.” I joked again. Lucan stopped pacing the floor and glared at me, or at least I assumed he glared at me, I couldn’t see his eyes under his hood. “I have an idea, okay?” I stood up and approached him. “The only people who know how to refine the stuff are the Scholars, right? So, we simply get me in with the Order of the Scholars and I learn the process.” In a process that was too quick for me to comprehend Lucan’s hand colided with my face as he spit on the floor at my feet.

“This some sort of game for you Ramos? You think this is funny? You report to me, and I don’t like your attitude.” He began pacing again. I was upset that I was only slapped, I was expecting a punch right between the eyes. I was serious though, this was the only way that we could get this stuff in working order. Although the plan was simple it was near impossible, but it was either follow my plan or be seated on the right hand of Master Kuriun with my head on a stake. Lucan finally sat down again, this time his hands folded on the table in front of him. He seemed to have calmed down, and knew this was the only option. “I have some options for us, we will get you in to the Order, but it is going to take some work. Come back tomorrow.” Without another word I was dismissed.

I grabbed my leather satchel from the ground and made my way out of the room. The long stone castle halls were gloomy this time of day, it didn’t help that there wasn’t movement in site. The guards were forced to stand still, completely still for hours on end, leading me to believe that some of them were just decoys. I thought they could liven up a little bit, but ironically that would lead to their death. Being a rouge scout meant that I was one of the only people to be able to come and go from the castle without question. I worked for Lucan, and yet some times had to do things my own way.