Immersed in Progress

"Hey, Dago."

In the Ascetic Chamber, so quiet that even falling dust might have been heard, the air trembled with a sudden current.

A Rainbow Spiral Parrot with feathers almost unnaturally vivid traced strange, beautiful geometric patterns through the air, deliberately defying gravity rather than flying like an ordinary bird.

It landed on the worn tabletop with a snap, carrying a chill no living creature should have had.

Tilting its head, it winked at him with jewel-like eyes devoid of emotion. "Settling in all right?"

Steel.

Dago's fingers paused over the runes he had been working out on the parchment. Surprise flickered in his still, dark eyes at the illusion parrot's arrival.

During his confinement, he had expected nothing beyond the lifeless fluctuations of elemental energy. Certainly no "visitors."

"What brings you here?"

Dago's voice was hoarse from disuse, with a rasp like metal scraping metal.

"I came to see you."

Steel preened the nonexistent "feathers" on its wings with its huge, metallic spiral beak. Each stroke stirred a faint ripple of mana.

"And to bring you a few things," it replied in its familiar playful drawl, tinged with mockery.

With that, Steel raised a claw that looked forged from adamantine.

A Spatial Ring on the claw glimmered dark blue in the dim candlelight.

Space warped slightly, and more than a dozen bottles and jars appeared on the empty stretch of table between them.

In the shifting light, the containers gave off unnerving waves of magic.

Steel opened its beak and spat out a small rune stone covered in intricate markings. It nudged the stone toward Dago with its beak, producing a crisp clink.

"These are all potions that can increase a Second-Ring Wizard's mental power. A few of them are resources for your attempt to become a Third-Ring Wizard...