Page 16 of Demon Lord's Proposal

As she places it in the mortar, I watch silently, a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth. The pod erupts in a flash of hellish flame, a small explosion sending Sage stumbling backward. She yelps in pain and surprise, her face smeared with soot, eyebrows singed, and the palm of her hand an angry red from the burn.

I let out a harsh laugh, shaking my head. "Congratulations, you've just learned your first lesson in handling Hellfire Pods. Bet you won't make that mistake again, will you?"

She cradles her burned hand, her eyes watering from the pain. I can see the embarrassment and hurt in her expression, but I don't soften my approach.

"Oh, don't give me that look," I sneer. "Pain is an excellent teacher. Now you know why they're called 'Hellfire' Pods. Clean up this mess and try again. And this time, use that brain of yours before you use your hands."

Sage's cheeks flush red, a mixture of pain and humiliation evident on her face. She nods silently and begins to clean up the scattered ashes and fragments of the exploded pod.

I watch her closely as she approaches the task again, noting her newfound caution. Her movements are hesitant, almost fearful, as she reaches for another pod.

"Well?" I bark impatiently. "We haven't got all night. Unless you'd prefer another dose of Hellfire to speed things up?"

Sage flinches at my words but steels herself, focusing intently on the task at hand. This time, she handles the pod with extreme care, her recently scorched fingers a constant reminder.

"That's better," I growl, a hint of grudging approval in my voice. "Nothing teaches quite like a good burn, does it? Now, let me show you how it's really done. Pay attention this time, unless you fancy losing those eyebrows permanently."

"Observe," I command, taking the mortar from her. With practiced ease, I demonstrate the proper technique, my movements swift and precise. "You must apply pressure gradually, allowing the pod's outer shell to crack before fully crushing it. This releases the internal fires slowly, preventing a conflagration."

I continue grinding, explaining as I work. "Feel the resistance of the shell, the way it yields under consistent pressure. Listen for the subtle crackling as the inner membranes rupture. Smell the release of brimstone fumes – but don't inhale too deeply unless you want your lungs to feel like they're on fire."

Her eyes follow my every move, her attention unwavering. When I hand the mortar back to her, she mimics my actions with surprising accuracy. Her movements are tentative at first, but grow more confident as she progresses.

"Better," I grudgingly admit. "Now, let's move on to something more complex."

I guide her to a towering apparatus that dominates one corner of the laboratory. A complex array of glass tubes, copper coils, and pulsating crystals, it thrums with barely contained power.

"This," I announce with a hint of pride. "Is an Ethereal Essence Extractor. It allows us to distill the very essence of otherworldly substances, concentrating their power for use in our elixirs. Misuse it, and you'll find yourself torn between realities."

Sage's eyes widen as she takes in the intricate machinery. "It's... beautiful," she breathes.

I snort, amused by her awe. "Beauty is irrelevant. Power is what matters here. Now, pay attention."

I guide her through the basics of operating the device, explaining the interplay between elemental forces and spiritual energies. "The key is to maintain a delicate balance between the flow of infernal and ethereal essences. Too much hellfire, and you'll incinerate the spiritual components. Too much void energy, and you risk collapsing the entire process into nothingness."

As I speak, I manipulate various controls, causing the machine to hum and pulse with changing frequencies. Arcs of dark energy dance between the coils, and the crystals flare with inner light.

"The Ethereal Essence Extractor allows us to break down the barriers between the material and the spiritual," I explain. "It's what allows us to create potions that defy the laws of nature as mortals understand them."

Sage nods, her brow furrowed in concentration as she attempts to replicate my actions. Her first few attempts are clumsy, but I notice a rapid improvement in her technique.

"Now," I say, stepping back. "Let's put your newfound knowledge to the test. Create a simple Elixir of Shadow Sight. You have ten minutes."

Sage's eyes widen in panic, but she quickly composes herself and gets to work. I observe silently, my critical gaze catching every misstep and hesitation.

"Your flame is too high," I bark as she begins heating a mixture of Abyssal Salt and powdered Umbral Essence. "You'll scorch the components and render them useless."

Moments later: "Faster! In a real situation, you won't have the luxury of time. An improperly mixed elixir could be the difference between life and eternal torment!"

Despite my harsh words, I notice something... intriguing. There are moments when Sage's hands move with an almost preternatural grace, her hexeblood heritage manifesting in subtle ways. She intuitively adjusts the Extractor's settings without being told, her fingers dancing over the controls as if guided by some unseen force.

As the minutes tick by, I increase the pressure. "Multitask!" I command. "Start preparing the ingredients for a Vitriolic Tincture while you monitor the elixir. In the field, you'll often need to juggle multiple concoctions at once."

Sage's movements become frantic, her breathing labored as she struggles to keep up. Sweat beads on her forehead as she juggles multiple tasks, her concentration never wavering. I watch as she chops Mandrake Tendrils with one hand while stirring a bubbling cauldron with the other, all while keeping an eye on the Extractor's readings.

Suddenly, she encounters a particularly complex transmutation process. The mixture in her alembic begins to bubble ominously, its color shifting from a deep purple to a sickly green.

"Figure it out," I snap, resisting the urge to intervene. "I won't always be here to hold your hand. Use that hexeblood intuition of yours."

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