In front of the entrance to Stage Five of the maze, Ezra's group had set up camp to recover before attempting the challenge.
The four stone doors stood behind them like silent judges, no sound came from beyond them, no wind and no voices. Just stillness.
Lime sat cross-legged on the ground, face tense with focus. An opened Novice Gun Alchemy book lay in front of him, its pages slightly bent from repeated use. Beside it was a loose sheet of paper. He held a pen tightly, his fingers already stained with ink.
His brows furrowed, he stared at the Alchemy circle in the book, then slowly lowered his pen, then drew a rough circle.
Then a star inside it.
After that, he began sketching what he believed was the symbol of mercury.
"You know that's not the symbol of mercury, right?"
Ezra's voice came from behind him.
Lime froze mid-stroke.
Ezra stepped closer and pointed at the book.
"You're literally looking at the picture and you're still making mistakes like this."
