by Phoenix Grey
This was definitely not the skill that Azure pictured himself leveling so quickly first. He understood how it would be useful when he was out on his own, but for now, there seemed like better things he could be doing with his time.
They supped on the salvageable pieces of meat with plenty leftover to stack in their pouches. Lonnell explained that it wouldn't go bad as long as it was stored away, which was met with much relief. The only disappointing thing was that each different cut of meat took up a different slot. Dividing the meat amongst them, Lonnell took on most of the odd bits that had a low stack number so that they wouldn't go to waste, saying that they wouldn't need to hunt again for the rest of their journey. Azure was grateful that he didn't have to fill up his entire inventory with meat. As it was, he only had six inventory slots left.
After all of the hard work that Azure had put in, the boar tasted divine, even though it wasn't seasoned in the slightest. He was fascinated to see that the different cuts restored a different amount of health and stamina based on the quality. He decided that having someone in his party with an advanced cooking skill was probably almost as important as having a healer, though he admittedly didn't want to take on that role. Cooking had been tedious and boring, and despite earning perks with every level increase, it didn't excite him in the least.
Azure glanced over at Uden. He had finished eating and was now busy sharpening his daggers. Lonnell was pulling out his mortar and pestle again. He nodded to Azure to join him.
Beginning Azure's lesson in Alchemy, Lonnell said, “There unfortunately isn't a wide array of alchemy components available in this area, so what I can teach you is limited. But I suppose it doesn't matter. There are many concoctions that you can't learn until you've leveled up your Alchemy skill.
“For now, you can create the Potion of Minor Healing, Potion of Minor Mana Restoration, and Potion of Minor Stamina. The Alchemy skill isn't like the cooking skill. You will always have success as long as you craft within your level. Trying to craft a potion above your level will result in a failure. Mixing random ingredients in an attempt to create a new kind of potion will also result in a failure.
“Alchemists have spent lifetimes creating the potions we have today. Believe me when I say that they've combined every ingredient known. The recipes we currently have are the only ones that will work.”
Lonnell picked up the mortar and placed it in his lap. Then he reached into his bag of holding and pulled out a bulb of garlic, a red mushroom, and a small empty vial. He set the vial on the ground beside him and placed the other items in the mortar. Picking up his pestle, he began mashing them together.
“It looks like simple work, and to a large degree it is,” he said as the components began to break down beneath the weight of his hand. “When liquified, the ingredients know what to do. They were made to combine. You can feel their energy begin to flow together. But a piece of you goes into every potion you make. Your skill and the amount of care you put into your alchemy will determine the quality of the outcome. If you put in enough concentration and connect with the ingredients well enough, you'll sometimes receive a quality boost to your potions. For that reason, it's important to take your time crafting them and preferably do it in a quiet place where you can really concentrate.”
As before, the mixture began to liquify. Now close to the action, Azure could see that Lonnell wasn't just combining the ingredients absentmindedly. His eyes were fixed on the contents of the mortar, his brow slightly furrowed. The sediment in the bottom of the bowl began to dissipate, and there was a soft red glow on the surface of the liquid within.
“It is done.” Uncorking the vial, Lonnell filled it with the red liquid. He held it up to the fire, examining it before handing it over to Azure.
You have received the following item:
Potion of Minor Healing
Quantity: 1/1
Item Class: Common
Quality: Good
Weight: 0 kg
Uses: Heals 35 HP.
“There's a quality system for Alchemy. The average Potion of Minor Healing restores 30 HP. You'll notice that this one restores 35 HP. That's because the quality of this potion is Good. Had I concentrated harder, I might have been able to achieve a High quality potion. High quality Potions of Minor Healing restore 40 HP. As you can see, there's a better payoff in putting your heart into your Alchemy.
“Would you like to try it now?” Lonnell offered over his mortar. “I believe you have most of the required components to craft this potion. It calls for Garlic and Red Mushroom. The only thing you're missing is a vial. You can pick them up for cheap at most markets. For now, I'll provide you with one.” Reaching into his bag of holding, Lonnell pulled out another small empty vial.
Azure took it from him along with the mortar and pestle. “Thanks.”
You have received the following item:
Empty Vial
Quantity: 1/1
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 0 kg
Uses: Alchemy Component
Taking the required ingredients from his pouch, Azure placed them in the mortar. The pestle felt cold in his hand despite Lonnell having just used it. Looking down at the ingredients, they seemed strange. Last he remembered, garlic and mushrooms did not liquify in real life, not that he'd ever tried juicing him. Sheila was the one who was into that healthy bullshit. Why was he even thinking about her right now?
Shaking his memories away, Azure put his weight into crushing the vegetables. As expected, the garlic gave resistance, but the mushroom squished almost immediately. A deep red liquid oozed from it. Oddly, the smell reminded him of cherries, though it was quickly overtaken by the pungent odor of the garlic. Azure wrinkled his nose, trying not to turn away as he mashed until his wrist began to grow tired. This definitely wasn't as easy as Lonnell had made it look.
Though it took longer than expected, Azure did begin to feel a reaction happening in the mortar. The garlic finally started to break down into a liquid, almost as if it were melting beneath his palm...wanting to join the red mushroom. The two liquids swirled together, the clear and red performing a smooth dance in the mortar before they began to combine. Azure was in awe of the process taking place before him. He concentrated hard on what he was seeing, trying to will part of himself into the mixture. There was no soft red glow when the sediment faded away, though. In fact, the final concoction looked a bit muddy.
Congratulations! New skill learned: Alchemy Level 1. There are many uses for potions. Hone this skill to heal yourself in battle and thwart your enemies!
“Did I do it right?” he asked, remembering Lonnell telling him that there was no way to fail. Maybe he had just invented one. If that were the case, Azure definitely didn't want Uden to see. He had endured enough ridicule for one night.
“Let's see.” Lonnell took the vial back from Azure and uncorked it, holding it so that he could pour the mixture in.
Potion of Minor Healing
Quantity: 1/1
Item Class: Common
Quality: Poor
Weight: 0 kg
Uses: Heals 25 HP.
A sigh escaped Azure's lips as he read the item quality. Poor. Of course, it was.
Seeing the disappointment on his face, Lonnell gave Azure a pat on the back. “Don't be disheartened. It takes a little while to master Alchemy. I promise that you will do better when you are alone. Almost everyone achieves a poor result the first time around.” Perhaps that's why Uden wasn't laughing at him this time. “But I can tell you what it is that you did wrong. You have to infuse yourself into your Alchemy throughout the entire process, from start to finish. Anything less will net you a poor result. Keep that in mind next time you give it a try.”
Azure wanted to keep trying, but it didn't look like Lonnell was going to offer him another vial, and he didn't want to be rude and ask. He wished his companion was just as adamant about him learning Alchemy as he had been about Azure learning Cooking,
but beggars can't be choosers. There would be many other opportunities for him to hone the skill. Of that, Azure was certain.
“It's getting late,” Lonnell announced, indicating that their lessons were over for the night. “We should both get some rest. We have a challenging day ahead of us tomorrow.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE REALM – Day 4
The morning brought its own set of surprises. Before continuing on their journey, Uden took Azure aside and offered him the blade that he had been wielding before purchasing the new dagger at the market the other day. It was an unexpected gift—especially coming from the half-imp—and one that Azure was grateful for. Now he felt less vulnerable against close range attacks.
You have received the following item:
Starter Dagger
Attack: +1-4
Type: One-Handed Weapon
Durability: 15/20
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 0.4 kg
A brief foraging expedition led to finding some eggs to have with their leftover pork for breakfast. Discovering that the eggs were both a cooking and an alchemy component, Azure made sure to stow one away for later use.
After breakfast, they continued on towards Baremire. As with the day before, Lonnell took his time harvesting what nature had to offer, and like a mimic, Azure followed suit, stowing away what he could fit in his pouch until his inventory slots were all full.
Just after midday, Azure began to notice a change in the forest around them. They had done their best to follow game trails up to that point, only veering off the beaten path when necessary. Lonnell's machete was getting a lot more use, and as Azure looked at the ground, he saw fresh animal tracks, yet the path they wandered down was almost entirely grown over.
As if reading his mind, Lonnell said, “We're getting close. We should probably take a break to come up with a plan of action.”
“The forest coverage is a good sign,” Uden noted. “This enchantment would not keep if the Tree Queen was infected.”
“Indeed.” Lonnell nodded.
“Enchantment?” Azure asked.
“Yes. A spell that protects the wildlife and keeps out intruders. Humans are obviously not welcome here or a path would have opened to us by now.” Lonnell gazed towards the curtain wall of trees and brush that lie before them. It was so dense that light couldn't even be seen on the other side.
“What are the odds that they'll attack us on sight?”
“Sprites shy away from fighting if they can avoid it. However, they won't hesitate to kill us if they see us as a threat,” Lonnell informed him. “We should proceed with caution from this point forward. More than likely, we'll be apprehended by guards before we can reach Baremire. We should handle this as diplomatically as possible, which means that you should let me do the talking. Do not speak of dispatching of the dark sprites. They will not take kindly to our killing their kin, magicked or not.”
“That is for certain,” an unfamiliar voice said from behind them. “Move a muscle and we will dispatch of you.”
Instinctively, the three adventurers turned toward the sound. It wasn't until that moment that Azure realized they were surrounded by the same dense foliage that lie before them. The forest had caged them in. While he wasn't typically claustrophobic, the area felt tight, as if the forest was closing in on them more with every passing second. One glance at the floor gave proof to that hypothesis. The trunks of the trees were growing wider. Branches sprung forth from them, filling in the space with thick leaves and greenery.
As if being birthed from the forest itself, two small green forms suddenly appeared, fluttering in the air before them. They were reminiscent of the dark sprites, except they were missing the vile fog and the glowing eyes. More human than mindless monsters, the sprites brandished tiny spears at the three men. Their ambush had obviously been choreographed and perfectly executed. None of the men had even sensed the presence of the sprites until it was too late.
Lonnell held up a hand in surrender. “We have come in peace to see the Tree Queen. We wish to speak to her about the darkness plaguing our island.”
The sprites eyed Lonnell warily and then whispered to each other before turning their attention to him again. “You have confessed to killing our kind. For that, we will take you to be judged. Whatever fate the Tree Queen says shall befall you will be done.”
Azure wasn't sure if he should be happy that they were going to see the Tree Queen or not. After all, he had partaken in the slaying of the dark sprites. Lonnell was the only one without blood on his hands.
His expression remaining stoic, Uden leaned in to speak to Lonnell. “Excellent, brother. Now they have a good reason to kill us. I hope your silver tongue can talk our way out of this mess.”
“Silence, you!” One of the sprites spat at him, waving its spear threateningly.
“Just in case,” Lonnell muttered, and two notifications popped up in Azure's field of vision.
Lonnell Namud has joined your party.
Uden Namud has joined your party.
One of the sprites took the lead, and the other fell behind them. With a wave of the leading sprite's hand, the branches and vines pulled back, and the trees made a path for them. It was strange to hear the forest creak and groan and rustle. An immense sound in such a small space.
Keeping their marching order, Lonnell went first with Uden taking up the rear. The two men felt like a wall of protection to Azure. Maybe they were. He was definitely a lower level than Uden, and probably lower than Lonnell as well. Speaking of which, now was as good a time as any to check out Lonnell's stats.
Name: Lonnell Namud
Race: Human
Level: 4
Health: 160 / 160
Mana: 130 / 130
Stamina: 150 / 150
Next, Azure Analyzed the sprite guards. Both showed up as orange. Maybe the three of them together could defeat the two guards, but it would be risky. As with many games where the NPCs were over-leveled, Azure assumed that they weren't meant to be fought.
The forest continued to part before them, creating a hallway of greenery that quickly became less and less dense. Soon, it opened into a clearing. Three giant sequoias grew in a perfect circle in the center of the clearing, their trunks about the width of a house and taller than anything Azure had seen in the region. Multiple small doors and carved out windows dotted all the way up the trunks. The closer the men approached, the more it became apparent to Azure that they had finally arrived at Baremire. This was the home of the sprites.
Upon seeing the humans, many of the sprites fled for the doors in the trees. A few were brave enough to stay out and gawk, confident in the guards' abilities to keep the intruders subdued. Azure was lost in the wonder of it all. The grand scale of the trees. The abundance of 12-inch human-like figures with their light green skin and small beady eyes. The children were tiny, hiding behind their mother's legs to peer around them in safety. There was a light green fog to the air that seemed to glitter when the light hit it just right. Azure felt like he was experiencing something magical.
The guards marched them into the center of the circle of trees. There was a landing sticking out of one of the sequoias. It was ornately carved, and the wood was white as if made of ivory. Azure wanted to touch it but knew better. Two sprites stood sentry guarding the opening. This was where the Tree Queen must reside.
The guard who had been behind them flanked their side while the other flew down to speak to one of the sentries. The sentry disappeared only to re-emerge minutes later with a willowy female sprite. She stood tall(in sprite terms) and slender, wearing a long white flowing dress made of layered flower petals, the pollen from them dotting it with a pale yellow. Tiny yellow flowers and vibrant green leaves adorned her head in the shape of a crown. Her flaxen hair was pulled away from her face but cascaded down over her demur shoulders reaching all the way to her waist. The wings on her back had the same translucence as the rest of
the spites, except they were shaped like that of a butterfly instead of the oblong wings of the other sprites. She was, Azure thought, absolutely stunning.
Unafraid of the apprehended humans, the female sprite placed one dainty naked foot in front of the other as she walked to the end of the platform. Her eyes moved from one human to the next, taking stock of them. When they settled on Uden, her lips dipped into a frown.
“You would bring this...creature before me,” she said with a slight turn of her head to one of the guards.
“He is half-human,” Lonnell defended Uden, “and assuredly not evil.”
“Assuredly,” she parroted with the tiniest hint of sarcasm before addressing all of them. “My name is Karma Poplarvale. I am the Tree Queen of Baremire. My guard tells me that you stand accused of...dispatching,” she said the word with distaste, “of some of my sprites that had been magicked. What say you to this?”
“It is regrettably true,” Lonnell admitted solemnly. “As you well know, our way of life has been compromised since this curse has befallen our island. Food has become scarce as the animals of the forest have begun to disappear. Goblins have been raiding our stores. Like many others who are trying to get through this, we're desperate to survive, protecting what little we can manage to harvest.
“The dark sprites you speak of were poisoning our crops and gardens. We should have come to you, but there was no time. We could not afford to lose what we had, and as you well understand, there is no reasoning with a magicked sprite. With their numbers so great, capturing them and returning them to you was not an option at the time without risking injury to ourselves. Your people are many and all live in a community together. Ours are spread out, tending to their own farms. At the current state, we can't afford to lose the manpower.