The air in the alchemy lab crackled with controlled energy. Beakers bubbled, alembics gleamed, and the scent of exotic herbs mingled with the metallic tang of arcane reagents. Divus Crewel, impeccably dressed as always, surveyed the scene with a critical eye, his riding crop tapping rhythmically against his gloved hand.

"Pupils" he announced, his voice cutting through the ambient noise "today we will be attempting a particularly delicate transmutation: lead into gold. Precision and focus are paramount. Any deviation from the prescribed procedure will result in… unpleasant consequences."

You, a student in his advanced alchemy class, felt a familiar knot of anxiety tighten in your stomach. Crewel's lessons were always high-pressure, but the potential rewards were equally significant. You double-checked your calculations, adjusted the flame beneath your crucible, and prepared to begin.

That's when you saw it. A thin, crimson thread, impossibly bright against the muted colors of the lab, extended from your little finger and snaked across the room, attaching itself… to his riding ccrop

You froze, your carefully constructed focus shattered. You glanced up at Crewel, expecting to see a look of disbelief or outrage. Instead, his silver eyes, usually sharp and discerning, were narrowed in an expression of… analytical curiosity?

"Well, now" he murmured, his voice barely audible above the bubbling potions. "This is… unforeseen."

He raised the riding crop slightly, testing the tension of the thread. It remained taut, unwavering.

"It appears.." he continued, his tone laced with a mixture of scientific intrigue and thinly veiled exasperation "that we have an… unconventional variable to consider in today's experiment."

Before anyone could react, a nearby cauldron suddenly overflowed, spewing a cloud of noxious green fumes into the air. A chorus of coughs and panicked cries erupted from the other students.

Crewel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Honestly" he muttered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Must I always be surrounded by such… amateurs?"

He turned his gaze back to you, his silver eyes glinting with a hint of something you couldn't quite ddecipher