The door was locked by powerful magic but as she touched the handle, it pulled her through the door to the other side. That would come in handy, she thought as she tested going back and forth quickly. The Sorcerors Laboratory she entered was extremely tidey. The entire western wall was wall to wall, floor to ceiling books of all shapes sizes and natures. Beakers and Flasks were still drying from the night before on a wooden rack near a cauldron used for washing them. Lab Benches and a pit locked and bolted and amplified by magic made up the center of the room and there was a stone stairway up and out of the room.
Where to start? There was so little she could remember. Vague faces and locations came to mind but nothing solid. The Lab was cleaned almost too well. It was as if the person who cleaned it didn't want her to find anything amiss and mistake its importance. There must be more to this place. She climbed the steps and placed her hand on the door. Again she was pulled through it and was suddenly standing in the middle of a Gallery of Rare Artwork.
There were beautiful depictions of all sorts of places and people. The grandest was a knight fighting a 5 headed dragon in a giant tapestry. Staying here to view them all and soak in the rich history within would have been interesting but there would be more time for such things later. The doors to a sitting room were open to the west. The room had magnificent windows that stretched to the ceiling. Black, green runed curtains blacked out the light which would have poured into the room. A tray with a crystal bottle with a stopper of the same crystal was laid out ready for someone to drink with only one glass set out. After sitting luxuriously in the couch next to the table with the tray, she picked up a small card from the tray. It said merely "Drink Me".
Pouring the drink into the short glass she held it to her lips and inhaled gently. Her sense of smell was acute now and the alcohol burned at her nostrils but there was something more.
Sipping the glass, she felt the familiar sting and smooth texture of chilled, pure alcohol. There was more to this she thought, another sip and she nearly bit the glass involanterily. The Leather Tome she found in the crypt glowed again and she opened it:
(Scrolled ina very neat handwriting, glowing Gold)
I hope you're enjoying the luxuries of this Manor it's been my home for the past 20 years. I've shared it with close friends for most of those years but haven't seen them in quite some time. Here is where we spent countless hours preparing for the moment we achieved last night. These halls have secrets but they did not reveal the actual elixir that transformed us. That was the work of the past 50 years, it sounds like a long time and it would be if we were not already gifted with long life.
The object of our desire was not immortality, but the desire to transcend. To break free of the clandestine and terrestrial and delve into the secret realms of this world. There were those whom I very much desired to help through all this and I will reveal why and whom soon enough. You have such great potential, I only ask that you obtain it eventually. There is one thing I must warn you about, but it can wait. For now enjoy the drink and when you're ready, open the curtains.
(Again the book shut on its own and sealed itself)
No wonder the drink was so enticing. She poured more and sipped it, wondering what could be outside. There were new feelings, she could tell, that coursed through her like knowing how to move her hands. It was that easy to tell there was someone outside. Waiting for her.
