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nEveryone in the room immediately set to work. Small tools were pulled from their robes that looked similar to magic wands.

nThe tips of each wand were sharpened into a fine point. Minuscule Formations led from the end to the base.

nAlbus monitored the group as they began to move into position. Ninety individuals spread evenly around the circular room.

nOnce they were in position, each started to inscribe Runes on the stone floor. Geth felt that something was off about the inscriptions, but he couldn't be sure.

nThe remaining ten met in the center. This included the women who had arrived with Albus.

nEach of the ten spread evenly on the outer layer of the center platform. They took out a similar wand and worked on inscribing the surrounding area.

nThe room commenced filling with a powerful wave of Mana, even more potent than the pond floating somewhere above. Geth could sense the energy in the room through the young Albus.

nIt was eery. Something dark was contained in the Mana that reminded Geth of the blood-red Mana used by the Demons.

nAlbus approached the high center of the platform. He took out his own wand and started to carve into the surface of the stone.

nIt was then that Geth noticed something that he hadn't before. At the base of the wands were small thorns.

nEach of these thorns was incredibly sharp and pierced into Albus' skin.

nBlood ran from the wounds but never dripped to the ground. The thorns absorbed the blood as it flowed, pulling it into the wand and staining the carvings on the other side.

n'Are they using blood as the ink for these Formations?' Geth watched from his place inside Albus' mind.

nThe Formation being drawn by Albus was much more intricate than anything he had seen before. Not even the Immersion Formation could compare.

nAlbus continued to carve out symbols, each one filling with his blood as he went. The patterns became more complex the closer he came to the center.

nAround two hours into the process, a dull thud was heard from one side of the room. Albus looked up from his work to find one of the outer members had collapsed onto the cavern floor.

nHe stopped what he was doing and rushed over to the young man... Or, at least Geth remembered him as a young man.

nAs Albus helped the man to his feet, Geth found that his face had aged many years. Wrinkles had formed, and his cheeks were drooping slightly.

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"I'm sorry to have to put you through this, Charles,

" Albus whispered.

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"Don't be,

" The older man wheezed,

"Every member of the Council knew what we were getting ourselves into when we agreed to this.

"

nAlbus nodded and placed his hand on Charles' forehead. A pale blue light surrounded the man. His features slowly returned to that of a young man.

nAlbus' hand looked slightly more aged than before, but it was hardly noticeable.

nCharles shook his head,

"It's amazing how much more life energy you have than the rest of us.

"

nAlbus smiled and looked around at the other members of the Council,

"I'll take your burdens for as long as I can manage. You just focus on finishing the Formation. Leave the rest to me.

"

nAlbus walked around to the other Council members, who looked like they were on their last legs. He performed the same magic and sacrificed his own life energy for them.

nBy the time he had finished, his hands had become slightly wrinkled, and his hair had become dull. Geth could feel Albus' pain as his body aged close to a decade in mere minutes.

nAlbus returned to his own circle and continued working on the center Formation. After having walked around, Geth could see that it was much more complex than the others.

nThe ten Council members closest to him each had their own complex Formations. It was also plain to see that their life energies were much more abundant than those in the outer areas.

nAfter another two hours, one of the outer circle members collapsed again. When Albus went to stand up, he was stopped by a delicate hand being placed on his shoulder.

nAlbus looked up and found Mara shaking her head at him. She didn't say anything, simply walking over to the fallen Council member and performing the same magic.

nGeth could feel the sadness coming from Albus as he watched Mara, her body aging slightly as she took the burdens from those too weak to continue.

nThis process repeated for some time. Tori took the next shift, followed by Ren, and then the other inner circle members.

nWhen the final member of the inner circle had given his life energy, Albus called for everyone to stop.

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"That's enough for today! Everyone, head to your chambers and rest. The process will continue in eight hours!

"

nAll of the outer-circle members looked relieved as they lined up and left through one of the two entrances. The inner-circle members all stayed behind.

nAlbus looked around at the aged faces around him with a hint of sadness. Every one of them had been in their late twenties or early thirties.

nIt now looked like the room was full of middle-aged men and women. Geth could feel the sorrow welling up inside of Albus.

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"They wouldn't be able to continue, otherwise. And you certainly couldn't take all of that on by yourself,

" Albus turned and found a grey-haired man speaking.

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"Xander, my friend. I'm sorry to have to put you through so much pain.

" Geth recognized the name as one of the authors from the Library's books.

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"Stop beating yourself up already!

" Another of the inner-circle members shouted. The rest soon followed suit.

nRen was the last to speak,

"Alright, don't flatter him too much. It'll go to his head!

"

nEveryone chuckled at her statement and clapped one another's shoulders as they left the room.

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"You girls go ahead. I'll see if I can help on the outside and be back soon..

" Albus kissed each of the women and swiftly left the room before they had a chance to argue.

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