Well, it’s not like I actually know what makes a black hole or anything…

Slightly demoralized, Lee continued with his brainstorming on creating a new Void spell.

A void, to my understanding, is an area with nothing. The feeling of nothing I get from the element seems to align with that, but I don’t think a black hole is ‘Nothing.’ I think a black hole has something to do with gravity and space and a bunch of other factors. Maybe in the future, I can synthesize a black hole.

Waiting for his mana to regenerate, Lee continues brainstorming.

Nothing… no light? We see light by the light particles refracting off surfaces or something like that, right? If there is ‘nothing’ then would it just be black nothingness? Would it be like space? Not elemental space which I assume the Bag of Holding makes use of, but outer space?

A slight chill came down Lee’s spine at this hypothesis.

Could I fucking throw someone into a pocket of outer space? What would that even do? No air pressure, so the body is fucked I assume. I think I recall hearing something about collapsing lungs as your body rapidly decompresses.

Sighing, Lee realized that Xander’s deal might have been useful in this situation.

Well, if it’s like outer space there is no resistance for projectiles to slow down, and I would assume a projectile traveling through the void would be invisible. I will have to test that later to be sure. No air means no breathing and the lack of resistance to a person would make them unable to move properly, I would assume you’d be blind in a void but I could be wrong… Well, I made one debuff that affects a person, now I can make a debuff that affects an area.

With his mana regeneration at one per minute, Lee continued to think about the void and what he knew of space until it was full, and once it was full, he made his way back toward the firing range to attempt to fill an area with the void element.

Before Lee made his attempt, he looked around the area at the many scholars testing their own spells and theories and spoke loudly to get their attention. “Excuse me!”

The training room was not a very loud space but it was neither quiet, only having the occasional sounds from the many groups talking to themselves, a few lone elves doing their own testing, and the spells that made noises themselves. The sudden exclamation from Lee grabbed their attention.

Lee, seeing that the attention of the room was on him after only a moment of waiting, continued. “I am about to test a potentially dangerous spell and I am reasonably sure that I will be successful. Please be alert and prepared. If anybody here is somehow injured by my attempt, which I don’t believe will happen mind you. I will heal you immediately. I just wanted to let you all know ahead of time so that you are not caught unaware.”

Hearing Lee’s mini-impromptu speech, the many groups of elves were intrigued and many murmurs began to spread. One of the elves grabbed his small notebook and strode directly to Lee’s side, radiating excitement.

Lee took in the elf’s appearance. The elf was wearing the same robes as most of the consortium scholars, appeared to be in his mid-twenties, and stood a head taller than Lee. The elf had vibrant violet-colored eyes and even had a silverly metal nostril piercing. A first from what Lee could recall seeing on an elf. The left side of his hair was braided in a single long flowing braid coming down his front, and the right side was free-flowing and straight.

The elf gave a short bow. “If you would not mind, I would like to observe your spell and take notes.” The elf then began waving his notebook around very excitedly.

Chuckling slightly and smiling at the hyper-excited elf, Lee nodded. “By all means, you can observe and take what notes you like. Just remember what I just said though. This spell might be dangerous. Even I don’t fully know what might happen. What is your name by the way?” Lee finishes speaking as he holds his hand out for a handshake.

“Artus Maiven,” Artus replied as he shook Lee’s hand. “I have heard your warnings and I accept the potential outcomes. Research must be done!” Finishing the handshake, Artus began using the familiar Darken spell to write into his notebook. “What element is the spell we are attempting?” Atrus asked.

We? Lee thought. Smirking at Artus, Lee responded. “Well, we are attempting a void spell. It will be my first void spell.”

Nodding furiously, Artus began speaking once more. “Void! How magnificent. To have an advanced element at such an age…” Artus began to slowly trail off and he blinked owlishly with his vibrant violet eyes at Lee. “You’re not an elf.”

Unable to hold in his laughter, Lee laughed out loud. “Well, I think you’re the first elf to realize that this late. I am Lee Barnes, the only Human in Neldam.”

Still blinking slowly Artus began to look around at the other elves, only to notice them facepalming. “I wasn’t aware of any humans in Neldam. I did not think any of your people would allow themselves to be associated with us since the Harrowing. I am glad things have changed.”

The murmurs of the surrounding groups of elves suddenly stopped and a very tense atmosphere appeared in its place in the blink of an eye.

Artus, completely obvious of his surroundings, was nodding towards Lee with a contemplative look. “Did things actually change or are you the only one? Some kind of rebel of your people?”

Lee was now extremely confused. Taking in the looks of the elves in the suddenly tense atmosphere around them, he began to notice that some of the elves were glaring daggers at Artus, and some even left the training room with haste.

Lee decided to explain his origins to clear up some sort of misunderstanding. “I’m sorry, I am not familiar with this Harrowing. I suddenly appeared in the Shadowgrove forest roughly two weeks ago. I was taken in by your people since then.”

Before Lee could ask about this Harrowing. The doors of the training room burst forth and Nirus Sindris was standing next to Lee with a blank face, arms folded into the sleeves of his robe. Lee jumped in shock as he did not even see any movement from Nitus. It was as if he teleported.

With his blank face and stare, Nitis spoke. “It is good to see you, Lee. I was told you were attempting a new spell. Might I observe along with Artus here?”

The atmosphere is still extremely tense for what Lee assumes to be the topic of the Harrowing being mentioned. Deciding that continuing the topic would be a bad choice at the moment, Lee simply followed along with Nitus’ segway. “Of course, all are welcome. Were you informed of the potential danger?”

A slight break in the emotionless facade of Nitis came, as a slight forced smile appeared. “Yes. I will be sure to minimize potential damage to the surroundings if the spell goes amiss.” Nitis Gestured towards the firing range.

Artus, still oblivious to the tense atmosphere, jumps back into the conversation and smiled excitedly towards Nitus. “It’s a void spell! We haven’t seen one of those in a long time! Even you appeared to witness it!”

The smile on Nitus’ face was blatantly forced and he responded sarcastically to Artus. “Yes, that’s why I came to observe.”

Lee decided to cut in the conversation to try and attempt to ease the tension, but also to imply that he wanted to know more about this Harrowing. “I’m sure Nitis will ensure the safety of everyone here. I also had some things I wanted to ask him about my lecture tomorrow so we can talk privately later about that, among other things.”

Nitis slowly shut his eyes and held them closed for a few seconds, giving himself a moment. Resigned, he exhaled slowly and opened his eyes once more. “That would be perfect. Come with me to my office after this test and we shall talk at length about the lecture.” Lee nodded and prepared to focus on his new spells creation as Artus walked up to the firing range along with Lee with a smile and his notebook at the ready.

Having the topic of the Harrowing pass, the tension in the room dissipated slowly and Lee began to feel the feeling of nothing within his mana and tried to will his mana to create a small bubble-like zone about thirty meters ahead of himself completely full of the void mana but with nothing at the same time. A very foreign and contradicting thing to will into the world.

Raising an arm outwards towards the range, Lee began his attempt in earnest. It took a few seconds, but soon the mana within himself flowed down his arm and out his extended fingertips, rapidly swirling forth the thirty meters and creating a pitch-black sphere about 3 meters in diameter. The sphere of void looked like a miniature black hole but did not function as one, as the gravitational pull was unchanged to the things around it. The rim around the pitch-black was offputting. The view of the rim was in the appearance of an event horizon.

Basking in the sight of his new spell, the room erupted back into murmurs and many scholars began to take notes. Artus was giddy and writing as fast as his dexterity allowed and Nitis watched with interest as well.

Lee checked his mana and noticed that his mana was being channeled towards his new spell slowly.

Lee, happy with the success of his new spell, ended the channeling of his mana and the spell stopped.

The void sphere ceased to exist instantaneously. A loud explosion bang erupted from the location the sphere used to be, created from the refilling of the space with the air around. Those closest to the range including Lee, Artis, and Nitis, felt a minute sudden pull downrange, and the loose papers around were jerked towards the ending location of the spell as well.

Lee read his newest spells description with a smile. That will do just fine.