M.D.Syl
patreon
Chapter 107 colorless
🕑 Added 2023-08-19 17:09:09 +0000 UTCChapter 107 The Matters of the Heart.
Survival is the only justification you’ll ever need.
Tonisha, the Lady of Ventures.
{28} Tonisha (June) the 30th.
I head down to my garden to restock on flowers and spell materials. I also need to collect other ingredients for the glitter potion recipe, such as basil leaves, bell flowers, and poppy flowers.
The old gardener limps near the rose bushes, carefully pruning to make sure the flowers won't grow into the pathways.
"Tiom?"
"Ah. It is you, young lady. I thought you might've died during the fighting. I'm happy to see you alive."
Is he that disconnected from the world? "I need some ingredients. Poppy flowers. Bell flowers. Basil leaves. Guran leaves... not sure what Guran leaves are. Never heard of them. And onion roots. What do we have from that?"
"We have a little bit of poppy. You may use it to cast fire spells instead of hibiscus, quite a potent flower that one. We do not have bell flowers, but they're quite common in Tolste's Rest Forest in the south. I do have basil and guran. Hm? Never seen a guran? Here, this is guran, let me show you." He motions me to follow him to the small patch of odd flowers that are used for cooking herbs and points at odd tringle leaves. "It is very similar to mint. Unlike mint, it is poisonous. Like almonds, it may kill a person if consumed in large amounts. In small amounts they're considered to be a delicacy."
"I see. Mind cutting some of them for me? I need them for a potion."
"Hmmmhmmmm... Of course, young lady." He crouches and carefully cut the leaves. I fold my hands and watch him work silently.
"Is the potion a gift for the Lord Gemhand?" he asks as he moves to the basil.
"Lord Gemhand? Why?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Ah... you did not plan a welcome party for him? He just got back to the city from his vacation."
I frown. Just got back to the city... that means he avoided the city during the war... but how did he know about the war? By the time it became public knowledge everything was already closed down, he wouldn't have been able to leave... That means he knew about it beforehand...
Why does it matter to me? He had his informants and left before a storm hit, nothing's wrong with that...
But why does Tiom tell me about it? Something's off... "Any particular reason you mention the Lord Gemhand?" I ask as I push the pleasantly smelling herbs into my belt pouch.
"No reason, young lady." He turns to the poppies and carefully cut ten red flowers for me.
Another guy with riddles... I'm so tired of riddles... I'll have Marasi look into Gemhand... "Thank you. I'll need some flowers for spells too. Got onion in there?"
"You can find onions in the kitchen, young lady. Let me get you some roses and lavenders."
*
After receiving enough onion roots from Marasi I ask. "Do you have any idea how Lord Gemhand knew when to leave this city?" I look around the empty kitchen, the maids all left the place at my order.
The elflings smokes a tiny pipe. He's seated on a shelf, his legs dangling below. "Hm? Gemhand does business. Probably heard the armies south were buying lots of grain."
Makes sense... but another pointless pursuit. "Look into it for me." I'm not even sure he's going to find anything. Tiom could just be making random remarks...
"Will do, Majesty. Anything else you might need?"
I fold my hands. "Yes. What's the situation in Apricot City and Green Pear City? We brought them under our rule. Did you or anyone sent someone over there?"
"Yeah, sure. They're rolling the violet carpet for you."
I very much doubt that. But at least they're ready to see me... I roll my eyes. "That'll be all. I'll leave you to it..."
*
{28} Amaret (July) the 5th
Salik and Berthold are finally back with the rest of the ingredients, and without further ado I head for my alchemy lab with Salik at my heels.
I fix the materials around my cauldron. My one handed general watches silently, he uses his bronze hook to pull strands out of his straw hat.
"Anfero." <Ignite.> I light up my candles and read my list of alchemical components one last time, just to make sure everything is here.
A single bottle of human ectoplasm, and a human heart from the same human.
Five wolf teeth, and a wolf’s liver from the same wolf.
Two cat eyes from the same cat.
Two guran leaves.
Three poppy flowers.
Five basil leaves.
A single bellflower.
A single onion root.
Honey.
I wince at Luard's heart on the desk. This is just wrong! But I have to use it. I know I won't succeed on my first attempt. This potion is way harder to make than a 'Lesser Healing' potion.
Snakes... I hate the hag for this... What if I actually succeed? Then I'll throw the damn thing away... No. I'll need it as a backup in case I won't get other souls for Salik...
At this rate, all of my moral dilemmas and internal conflicts will distract me and ruin the potion. I cannot afford distractions, Salik's life is on the line!
Snake this! I make sure the cauldron is filled with water, then put ten spoons of honey in it. "Anfero." <Ignite.> I use a duplicating patter to light both the firewood in the stove and a fifteen minutes candle clock.
I spend the next fifteen minutes cutting onion roots while Salik leans on the wall at my right, watching silently.
Once fifteen minutes have passed, it’s time to add more ingredients. I add the onion root and bellflower, and chant the ‘Rod’e’ <Wood> words straight from the book: “Si to fullnokta xnaul si xa.” <This one wishes to bless the water.> as I weave four wood patterns, green smoke comes out of the cauldron.
When the smoke clears, the golden steaming content of the cauldron turns greenish-blue. “Anfero” <ignite> I light up the five minutes candle clock and turn to chop the wolf’s liver with a cleaver. Cutting the cold wolf’s liver is a bloody work. Eight years ago—before I lost my comfortable life at my father's castle—I would have an upset stomach from this alone, but I’ve seen much worse since then.
When the candle clock burns out, I put the cut liver with the teeth into the cauldron and read from the book in the ‘Nim’ <Water> language: “fainim, nimalo, num asano riquill, si nimalo riquill, si quillim riquill, si aluwe riquill, asano nia rilasu aluwe rissgeno.” <Life’s water, beauty, I (my) wish remember, the shape remember, the age remember, the skin remember, may you shine forever.>
I weave a set of ten complex water mana patterns, this feels like casting a first level spell, only there’s no elemental summoning or gestures. The cauldron fills the lab with blue and orange smoke that makes me cough violently.
"You ok, kid?" Salik waves his straw hat in order to disperse the colorful smoke.
"Felul." <Wind.> My 'Breeze' cantrip makes his effort seem comical. "I'm fine," I say dryly, glancing into the cauldron. The potion turns deep red, letting out large bubbles with pieces of the wolf’s liver floating inside.
Great... it's a failure. At least I didn't waste Luard's heart yet... I wish I did... I might just get my wish soon, probably at the expense of Salik's life.
I empty and wash the cauldron, then start over.
"Are you sure you can do this, kid?" Salik looks inside my cauldron and the liquid that just turned into an aquamarine color.
"No. I'm not sure I can do this. I have to figure it out. I'm trying. I should've tried sooner, but it wasn't on my mind with the war and everything..."
"If you need a break..."
I cut him off sharply. "I'll take a break when I need it." Why is he here? I need to concentrate!
"Ok. Maybe you should try cutting that liver thinner? I never felt anything solid in the glitter," he notes.
I nod and cut the wolf's liver thinner. After the chant, the liquid in the cauldron turns bright crimson with no sign of liver parts inside. Cut the liver thinner, noted.
I light a new twenty minutes clock, and eye Luard's heart with a pounding in my own heart. I can't do this... I have to! But... But Salik will die if I won't! I have less than a month to get him this potion, if I won't do it, he'll die, plain and simple. I cannot afford to be squeamish about it.
I pick the heart with a shaky hand, it's still fresh and even bleeding due to effect of my belt. I cut it up, make sure to mince it into tiny bloody pieces. After five minutes it's an unrecognizable gory mesh. It's wrong! It's survival! Salik's survival. Do I want him to die? But it's just wrong!
The candle clock winks out, and I drop the thinly cut heart into the cauldron. I take out another soul bottle of Luard's, and spill the ectoplasm into the pot. I stir the cauldron for three more minutes, trying my best to ignore the beads of sweat on my skin. I then chant: “Vesy ta foltmo, vesy ta nartiumo, serva ek! Nomme chiri, nomme fita, nomme foraev.” <Soul the mighty-of, soul the fallen-of, serve me! Become nourishment, become life, become time.>
I supply most of the mana from my necklace for this spell. This is a sixteen pattern fire weave, I simply don’t have the sixty five fire gems of mana this spell requires. It requires all of my concentration, and the pounding in my head is alarming. At least it’s not a channel spell, I don’t have to hold these patterns together for long.
I can cast this in safe environment maybe, but in a battlefield, a fire spell of this many patterns would be impossible for me. The most I can manage for now is the eight pattern 'Electric Channel' spell, and I have slightly more affinity for light than I do for fire. I should really learn more proper gravity spells instead…
White smoke comes out of the cauldron. The smoke swirls and takes the vague shape of Luard's face. His face contorts as if he's shrieking at me, but there's no noise. The wordless scream makes me back off in alarm. The smoke disperses and I let out a relieved sigh. The viscous liquid in my cauldron turns pearl white.
One more spell and it’s done! If I get it right. We'll have this potion... and... Don't think about it, just focus!
"Woah. Was that a ghost?" Salik's voice is fascinated rather than terrified.
The hot temperatures and the steam from the cauldron covers my body with sweat. I wince, wipe my forehead, and clean my hand on my skirt as I reply. "A shard of a soul. Ghosts are a type of undead as far as I know." I light a ten minutes candle clock and throw in the basil and guran leaves. I then stir the cauldron in a steady circular motion.
"I appreciate what you're doing for me, kid. I know it's not easy." Salik voice is low, almost whispering.
I sigh. "Yeah... I'd rather not see you dead, old man."
"We're leaving for Apricot city soon?" he asks.
I lean back from the cauldron and continue to stir, I'm way too afraid of my sweat dropping into the mix. Leaning back makes stirring very uncomfortable. "As soon as everyone are ready. According to Marasi they're waiting for me with a violet carpet..."
"I very much doubt that, kid."
"Yeah. Me too... Mind wiping my forehead? If my sweat drop into the cauldron this potion is useless. Make sure you don't drop any of my hair into the cauldron, it's the same thing as my sweat."
He wipes the sweat off my forehead with a handkerchief, allowing me to lean back over the cauldron as I stir. "This is more complicated than I expected," he says quietly. "Will you have to do it every month?"
"No. I'll make you a large batch once we get enough soul shards and magical beasts hearts."
The liquid is thick and viscous, stirring it takes more effort than I expect. By the time ten minutes are over my arms and back are sore. I'm a fool, should've asked Salik to stir it... Why do I make myself do everything?!
The smell that comes out of the liquid is intoxicating. I recognize the smell of ectoplasm, but this is better. Almost as if I just distilled the ectoplasm and turned it into an alcoholic beverage.
It’s finally the time to finish this potion. I throw in the cat eyes and chant in ‘Myrsha’ <Gravity> “Kalidir! Miltajy se karitsa, miltajy se zilo, miltajy se yats lisuryats. Lu latsa, kagut leyl yan lahi!” <Fate! Ignore this crime, ignore this liquid, ignore this life lifeless. Don’t oppose, shut both eyes (of) yours!>
I weave the eighteen patterns and drain eighty five gems of gravity mana.
The potion turns from pearly white into an ivory color, the liquid turns thicker, almost like a stew. I let out a sigh, I'm not sure whether I'm relieved at my failure or disappointed by it. "Failed," I announce as I turn to Salik.
Salik nods and his shoulders slump when the tension leaves them. "We'll get magical beasts souls then... Don't worry about it, kid. It'll be fine."
"It's me who should tell you not to worry," I note with a wince.
He chuckles and starts to clean the mess I made in the small lab. "Nah. I'm not worried. I lived a good life. If I die, it's the people who cares about me that'll be hurt... and you care, so thank you."
Why do I care? Why do I let myself care? People die... why the hell should I care?! I don't care! I don't! ugh! "Salik..."
"Yes, kid?"
"You're not allowed to die on us."
*~*~*
Interlude 107.1
Berthold.
Berthold lays on his back and watches the naked fairy stretching like a cat besides him. He loves this woman. Tonight is the best night of his life, they never did it this many times before.
The woman he loves curls up against him and traces a long finger on his chest. "Would you like to make a pact with a fae monarch, Sunayaknash? And please don't mention the Lady of Venture's name again."
He wraps his hand around the small of her back. "Why? What's wrong with my goddess' name?"
She leans up, and her starry blue eyes look directly into his, or at least Berthold thinks she looks into his eyes, there's no telling without a pupil. "Just don't do it near me," she says. "Mentioning a goddess' name will attract her attention, and let's just say that the Lady of Ventures and the fae aren't on good terms."
"Why?"
"No idea. Way before my time. But she makes her mortal worshipers hunt us like animals. If you want to make a pact with a fae monarch, you'll have to denounce your faith in her. The other fae probably avoided you because of whom you worship. We can feel things like that. Once you make a pact with a monarch, you'll be able to talk with many of the fae."
Denouncing his goddess. Berthold never held strong feelings for Tonisha, she was just... there? But denouncing his goddess feels like a bad omen. It'll let him see more fairies! He's already beloved by the fairies, even while worshiping a goddess they all hate. Imagine what it'd be like if he abandons that goddess?
Why does it feel so wrong? "Are fae monarchs like gods?"
"No. They're... different. They don't tell you what's right or wrong like gods. You don't have to act in a certain way. You do have to make an offering every once in a while. And at times they'll ask things of you, but it rarely happens."
"What kind of offerings?"
"It depends on the monarch in question. I follow the Queen of Nothing. She likes bones and teeth of magical beasts, mainly those of gravity alignment. In return she helps me hide when I turn invisible and empowers my shapeshifting abilities. I'm not sure what will she do for a human, but you do not have to follow my monarch."
"I'll... I'll think about it, Sharlafyn."
*~*~*
Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 79
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 16 gems. Conversion ratio: 6:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 26 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 13 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 19/20 gems
Water: Affinity 6: formed: 39 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 6 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 13 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 91/95 gems
Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freeze. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burst. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield II. Imari’s Minor Telekinesis. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.
Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.
Spells known:
Light: Rika's Electric Channelb1
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2.
Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.
Focus capability: 18 patterns.
Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Shaman of the Twin Moon Tribe. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.
Personal Wealth: 1465 Magic Gems. 1420 Golden Peas, 45 Silver Scales, 32 Copper Bits.
Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
5 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
Glitter ingredients. (1 bag)
Fresh rose petals, 40g
Fresh lavender petals, 10g
7 empty soul bottles. 3 Luard's soul shards. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 27/100
Present Companions:
Salik
Kolag of House Befar
Sharlafyn Nettledew
Jerro
Berthold
Loyal
Ryon
Zoe
Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu 1/10 <wolf tongue>
Injuries and scars:
Curses:
-
Kingdom’s treasury: 3836 gold coins. 123 magical gems.
Kingdom’s citizen: 3,881 humans, 1,836 human children. Twin Moon Tribe: 1,158 orcs. 293 orc children. 529 sheep-slaves.
Kingdom's army: 1,1158 Orc Warriors. 324 Footmen. 49 Peacekeeper Knights.
Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Marasi Chef extraordinaire (spymaster.)
Old Gardner Tiom.
Balgrum Orc Chieftain.
