The Alchemist: Dawn of Destiny

by L. A. Wasielewski

  Crumbling crates and barrels sat covered in dust. A moldy smell wafted through the space, years of rotten food and ingredients creating a sickening stench. Roann searched for anything that looked like it might contain a precious artifact. Most of the containers were simple, once housing supplies or various other items. Nothing out of the ordinary. He was becoming irritated when a glint of silver caught his eye, illuminated by his night vision. The corner of a box, covered by a tattered quilt, stuck out from beneath a pile of crates. Smashing the cartons above it with a mighty heave of his arm, he picked through the remaining shrapnel to unearth what he hoped contained his prize.

  The box was sturdy, not made like the rest in the basement. An ornate lock adorned the front, which Roann pried off with ease. The tandlewood splintered as the latch was forcibly removed. He grasped the hilt of the dirk within carefully, mindful not to damage it with his grotesquely strong hands. A jewel studded the pommel, ancient symbols etched into the blade. Roann dashed up the stairs and out into the forest light to get a better look at the weapon. His eyes adjusting to normal, he inspected the dagger in higher definition.

  It was made of silver, centuries of tarnish coating the once-luxurious metal. The blade was nicked and scratched, but the tip was still pointed and sharp, more than likely still able to inflict major damage if needed. The stone in the pommel was ruby-red, small inclusions of black peppering the gem. Once exposed to the light of day, it was obvious it had been faceted by a master jeweler, for it shimmered brilliantly. Roann didn’t know just what Lyrax’ intended use for the blade was, but he would honorably return it to him without question.

  Looking to the sky, he noticed rain clouds moving in. He tucked the blade close to his body, his clawed fingers making sure it stayed with him on the journey back to the volcanic lair. With nothing more in the destroyed hamlet that needed his attention, he leapt into the air, his mighty wings carrying him onto the currents.

  ~~~

  “…do you have it?”

  Roann landed in the stifling chamber, his wings flapping behind him. He approached the font and reverted to his human form, protectively clutching the blade to his chest. Once his transformation was complete, he set the dirk on the edge of the font, and obediently waited for his master to praise him.

  “…at last…”

  Roann lingered on Lyrax’ every word, waiting for the appreciation that did not come. Trying to hide his disappointment, the emperor brushed it off and moved on. “When do we begin?”

  “…you must bring my remains to the cathedral of the king…”

  Roann looked over his shoulder at a cloth parcel on the floor. Contained within were the bones of Lyrax, obtained at great peril to the young man. He had almost fallen to his fiery death within the volcano. Finally changing into his monstrous form to not only escape the heat, but aid his climb into the cauldron of heaving lava, he had managed to grab the skeleton and remove it to safety. Lyrax hadn’t, as the old warriors had hoped, fallen into the molten lake. Instead, he had landed on an obsidian shelf just above the undulating liquid rock, finally succumbing to the intense heat and splashing lava. His flesh burnt from his bones, they lay undisturbed for centuries, safe from the magma as it retreated down into the caldera over time. They baked in the furious heat of the volcano, awaiting the time when they would be needed again. The emperor quickly packed away the ceremonial materials before kneeling beside the linen-wrapped bones. He picked them up with reverence, carefully nestling the parcel within a simple box.

  Roann smiled maliciously in the chamber, his black eyes a haunting reminder that who he once was no longer existed. A moment later, he was gone, flashing from the room in a hail of red sparks.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  8 fluid ounces Base fluid, 5 Viper’s Cress buds, 1 clove Emperor’s Garlic (crushed), 10 Fire Wasp wings, 8 fluid ounces sugar solution. Boil constantly for 2-4 hours, until oil released from buds goes from red to yellow. Remove wings before bottling.

  --Recipe for muscle pain relief potion, Maxxald Bren

  The salty wind blew through Ryris’ hair.

  He stood barefoot, staring out at the endless blue stretching clear to the horizon. His toes dug into the sand, the waves crashing over his feet in icy torrents. The water soaked the cuffs of his rolled-up trousers, and the sun baked his bare shoulders. His amulet gleamed in the morning light. Shielding his eyes from the blazing sunlight, he took a deep breath, the crisp ocean air tickling his nostrils. With a great sigh, he turned from the coast and meandered back toward the small camp they had erected on the beach. Ass of the East nibbled on some dried berries, her tail flicking sand flies away from her backside.

  Kaia tended the fire, poking at the meat of a lizard she had trapped at dawn. The scent wafting up from their prospective breakfast was tantalizing. Jaric lounged lazily under the makeshift tent constructed with the assistance of Ryris’ cart, the fabric billowing in the sea breeze. An arm thrown over his face, it was hard to discern whether or not he was awake. Ryris plopped down on the sand, leaning back to let the sunlight kiss his cheeks. After a serene moment, he slipped on his shirt, not bothering to button it, and focused his attention on his companion.

  “I’m glad we decided to come up from the desert along the coast. I’d never seen the ocean up close like this before our journey.” He accepted a small portion of charred lizard, gnawing on the meat as he continued. “I mean, Keld has a harbor, but I never got close enough to enjoy it. And I certainly couldn’t see out over the sea wall from my vantage point.”

  “It’s definitely beautiful.” Kaia helped herself to the last of Nar’s gifted cactus fruits, leaving the rest of the meat for Jaric. “If you think the ocean is spectacular here, you should see it from Zaiterra’s southern coast. The waves crash against the break wall at the base of the Everbright Lighthouse with unimaginable force.”

  “What’s it like? Zaiterra?”

  “Windy.” Jaric’s voice grumbled, gravelly from a night of disuse. He sat up, clearing his throat before reaching for his waterskin. “Filled with forests, and the wind whips through the trees like no one’s business. Sounds like spooks. Always cold, too.”

  “I wonder how much it’s changed since you’ve been there? I mean, we learn about them in studies as children, but you really can’t know a people until you walk amongst them, right?”

  “True.” Kaia wiped pink fruit juice from her chin with the back of her hand. “The citizens were industrious and kind. The continent isn’t very big, and their culture relied heavily on their trades, namely weapons, armor, and gems. Their martial arts school was legendary.”

  “Now that I know. There was a man that came through Blackthorne when I was a kid, and did a demonstration in the village square. He swung these incredibly thin swords around, slicing fruits and leather like they were butter.” He tossed the inedible lizard skin into the fire, watching it curl up and turn to ash as the heat overtook it. “I was only ten, but I was so mesmerized by his talents that I actually wanted to become a fighter for a while. Then one day Grildi accidentally hit me too hard ‘practicing’, and that was the end of that. I ran back to alchemy so fast—and my dad had a great ‘I told you so’ moment for sure.”

  “Fighting isn’t for everyone. You fall into the place in life that suits you best.” Kaia smiled at him. “Alchemy is definitely your calling.”

  “Thank you. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am. I just hope…” Ryris stared off to the west, knowing that Keld was hundreds of miles away. “…I can return soon and pick up where I left off. I feel like I’ve abandoned my life’s work—and my father’s trust. I hope he understands when we get to Blackthorne.”

  “He will.”

  Ryris snorted. “You don’t know Maxx. It isn’t going to go over well.”

  “Well then, we’ll just make it go over well.” Jaric smirked, patting his loyal crystal sword stowed in its scabbard.

  “Ha ha. He may be old, but he’d scold you into submission, trust me. Your w
eapons are useless against his stubbornness. And besides, when his money’s involved, he can be very tenacious. I don’t blame him, but he’s…well…” Ryris honestly didn’t know how to prepare his two cohorts for Maxx and his antics. They may have been seasoned soldiers, having fought wave after wave of rotting garrisons, but his father was a completely different animal. He chuckled inwardly at the notion that they had no idea what they were in store for.

  “I can take him.” Jaric puffed out his chest with pride, a wry smile crossing his lips.

  “Okay then, you’ll see.” Ryris quirked an eyebrow before turning his attention to Kaia with a longing sigh. “I suppose you won’t let me stay in this tropical paradise forever, huh?”

  “We’ll leave in the afternoon, when the sun gets lower on the horizon. If we make good time, we’ll be able to camp in that forest where the beach ends by nightfall.” Kaia pointed down the coast. “A ten-or-so-day walk and we’ll be in Blackthorne.”

  Ryris swallowed hard, his throat suddenly as dry as the desert they had left earlier in the week. He was admittedly nervous about returning to his hometown. Maxx’ wrath would be at legendary levels, of that he was sure. But, with his two companions at his side, he was confident they could make the headstrong old man understand just what they were up against—and why the shop in Keld didn’t matter at the moment.

  “Dad can’t stay mad at me forever, right?”

  Jaric shrugged and reached for the slice of lizard Kaia had set aside for him. “Couldn’t tell you. My parents died when I was a baby. I got sent to an orphanage and when I started fighting with the kids, they asked the Guard if they’d take me. As soon as they saw how I swung a club, they stuck a sword in my hands and trained me.”

  “Was it hard growing up without them?”

  “My father was a drunk and my mother sold drugs. Not exactly a quaint family life. They got killed after a deal went sour. I was asleep in my cradle, the guys never even saw me. I’d like to think that I was better off without them.” Jaric tore into the charred lizard, ripping a giant piece of meat from the exposed bone. It was obvious he was done reminiscing about his lost childhood. “Listen, I suggest we all get a nap in after we’ve filled our bellies. It’s a long walk up the coast, and I don’t want to have to drag your heavy ass when you get tired.”

  ~~~

  Kaia followed her companion through the thick underbrush. She watched as he tried to navigate around a burr-covered bush, grumbling when dozens of prickers became lodged in the fabric of his pants anyway. Ryris tried in vain to brush them aside, only to find himself on the receiving end of their wrath. They embedded themselves in his shirt, and before long had even ended up in his hair. Unable to control her laughter at the pathetic sight, she jogged forward and offered her assistance.

  “You know, if you swat at them, it just makes it worse.” She tried to pick the brambles from his brown locks.

  Ryris glowered at her, pushing her helping hands away in frustration. It was obvious to her that he was trying to hide his embarrassment. “I think I know how to remove burrs.”

  “Obviously not.” She smirked, picking at the offending pods.

  He huffed and reluctantly allowed her to assist him. Kaia couldn’t help but chuckle at his flushed cheeks. He was so adorable when he was frustrated and embarrassed.

  She noticed the way he chewed on his lower lip—perhaps unconsciously—as she brushed her fingers over his ear in an attempt to remove a burr from his hair. Admittedly, she found herself uncharacteristically nervous making contact with him. It perplexed her to a degree, having never been this unsure about her feelings ever before.

  Their hands touched the same bramble on the alchemist’s shirt, both attempting to pluck it from the fabric. A brief moment of awkward eye contact followed, quickly ended when Ryris hurriedly looked the other way. Kaia removed the burr and tossed it to the ground.

  In that moment, her stomach fluttered in a way she hadn’t felt in centuries. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand—and not her confused heart. When the last of the burrs were discarded to the forest floor, she finally received a word of gratitude.

  “Thanks.” Ryris rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Sorry I snapped at you.”

  “No worries. Those little bastards are unrelenting.” Kaia winked at him before putting her hands on her hips and looking up into the forest canopy. She hoped taking a moment to focus on something else other than Ryris would give her some emotional clarity. Thin beams of sunlight filtered down through the leaves. “It’s so peaceful here.”

  Ryris mirrored her actions by craning his neck backwards. She glanced over just in time to see him close his eyes, a shaft of light illuminating his face from high above. She marveled at how innocent—how young—he looked in that instance, even though she was fairly sure they were close in age…or they had been, before she was interred. They stood there quietly for a long moment before Ryris finally spoke.

  “Reminds me of home. Although it’s warmer here.”

  Kaia regarded him closely, noting the yearning tone in his voice. She felt for him, knowing that he left his comfortable life with his father for new adventure in the big city—only to have his world turned upside-down. He wouldn’t be returning home with tales of fortune in Keld, but rather news of an uprising on the horizon, toting two ancient warriors alongside him. Kaia knew all the emotions he was experiencing must be weighing heavily on him.

  Ryris suddenly gasped and grabbed Kaia’s hand, dragging her before she had time to object. He led them to a small adjacent patch of thin stalks swaying in the forest breeze. They looked simple enough to her, but she had learned long before that with Ryris, things were not always what they seemed. He knelt, pulling her down with him. Picking one of the stems, he broke it in half and rubbed the pieces between his fingers. A sweet aroma wafted up from the greenery.

  “What is it?” Kaia accepted a stem from him, gently touching the small pink bud perched on the top.

  “Viper’s cress. It’s used to make pain relieving tinctures, mainly for muscle aches. You boil it for hours in a sugar solution to bring out the oils. You can also eat it raw.” He motioned for her to pluck the bud from the top. “Go ahead.”

  As the seed hit her tongue and she began to chew, a bitter, acrid taste filled her mouth and she spat the material onto the forest floor with a gag. Grimacing at the horrid aftertaste, she turned to Ryris, irate. “I thought you said it was edible!”

  “It is edible, but I didn’t say it tasted any good.” The alchemist laughed, his eyes glinting with mischief.

  “You’re such a child.” She threw the plant stalk at him with a huff.

  “Come on, it’s not that bad.” Ryris tried to pacify her with a charismatic smile.

  “Why don’t you try some, then?”

  Ryris shook his head. “I’ve already had the pleasure.”

  Kaia glared at him, eyes narrowed.

  “C’mon…” Ryris rose with an apologetic smile, extending his hand to her. She sighed and accepted, her anger melting as his hand closed around her fingers. Smiling in thanks, she quickly withdrew her palm and picked up her basket. She followed him off into the forest once more. They walked in relative silence, Ryris occasionally pointing out a specific flower or tree. Kaia was enjoying her impromptu alchemy lesson, and was in awe at the vast knowledge that resided in her friend’s mind. He was a walking alchemy textbook for sure.

  After an hour or so, they had ventured fairly far from their camp, where Jaric had stayed to tend to the fire and keep an eye on the horse and their belongings. The sun was getting lower on the horizon, the forest animals beginning their dusk routines in preparation for the night. They had made small talk about Ryris’ hometown, the alchemist regaling her with tales of his childhood with Grildi. He had asked about her tenure with the Crystal Guard, but Kaia was having such a wonderful time listening to his stories that she didn’t want him to stop. She promised him she’d return the favor and tell him
all about her life at another time. He accepted the deal, and happily went on describing everything from the shop he and his father owned, to the beautiful scenery that made up his small hamlet.

  “…and if you get too close to the river, Grildi is liable to throw you in, so be careful.” He enjoyed reminiscing about his friend. “The water is miserably cold, even in the summer.”

  “Sounds lovely.”

  Ryris nodded with a nostalgic smile. He stopped and arched his back, stretching out the tired muscles. When he had sufficiently adjusted his spine, he rolled his neck and sighed contentedly. “You want to see something neat?”

  Kaia was intrigued, albeit cautious. After all, the last time he had shown her something interesting, it had left an awful taste in her mouth. “Depends…”

  “Come on, I spotted it just ahead. You’ll like it, I promise.”

  She followed him through the underbrush until they came upon a large fallen tree trunk, covered in tiny silver spheres. They glistened in the mottled light of the forest, like little jewels on a crown.

  “Those are called moat pearls. If you eat it, you can ‘blow smoke’ from your mouth.”

  “Smoke?”

  “Well…not really. They’re little spore pods. If you break it open on your tongue, you can blow them out and it looks like wisps of smoke.” He plucked one off the bark and placed it on his tongue. His voice was garbled as he tried not to bite down on the object. “Shee? Washh…” He moved it around, nestling it in the side of his cheek. His face bulged outward as he maneuvered the sphere carefully, mindful not to pierce the thin membrane containing the spores until he was ready to do so. He finally bit down, forming his lips into an ‘o’ before expelling the cloud of spores into the air. It indeed looked like silvery smoke. Kaia had to admit, it was mesmerizing. The alchemist tracked his head from side-to-side, blowing a stream of ‘smoke’ onto the currents, even making a ring. Kaia laughed at his antics. When he was out of spores, he spat the empty pod onto the forest floor, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “Give it a try.”