- 125 -
Eggs sizzled in a cast iron pan ballanced over a high quality three legged burner screwed to an alchemical granite workbench.
The small laboratory adjoined the parlor and functioned as a kitchen. Reandre even kept a simple table and a single chair against the window that overlooked her patio garden.
Reandre’s girl turned away from the pantry and brought her mistress her usual steamed rice and milk, enhanced with an elixir of the Master Alchemists’s own concoction.
Reandre hunched over the small kitchen table and breathed in the steam from her meal.
“Thank you my dear.”
The young woman was somewhere between the first and second rank. Old enough that Reandre expected someone to wed her before long. She helped around the house in the mornings, tidying up, preparing meals for the storage box, and shopping for Reandre’s essentials.
She was a quaint beauty, and stood head and shoulders above the hunched alchemist. Her tawny hair was uncommon for a Ressian and Reandre had secretly tested the girl’s blood to see how far back her desert blood branched off.
The floor creaked upstairs and Reandre sent the girl away with a look.
Reandre had employed the girl for nearly a year now and was just getting used to her ways. She would be more than inconvenienced if some man swooped in and stole her away. Although she had refused her multiple times at first, it was likely that the next time the girl asked to apprentice under the wizened alchemist, she would consent.
The young woman dipped her head politely and turned off the flame under the eggs before she stepped through the glass paneled double doors to the small patio garden.
“Come down already,” Reandre said, aware thar the girl would be listening near the window. “Your eggs are getting cold.”
Damien came down the stairs and crossed the room. He slid a pair of notebooks from under his arm onto the table without missing a step.
“Good morning Reandre,” He said.
She took a bite of her porridge and glared at him. He smiled weakly while he scraped the eggs from the pan onto a plate.
”They aren’t Skurr eggs if that’s what you are thinking.”
He pulled the lid off the crock and portioned out some rice.
Damien stood in the middle of the room a moment.
“Thank you for the meal.” He said.
“The new girl made it.”
Damien looked down and appraised the food.
“Oh come sit already damn you! I cannot imagine what those wild Johns have taught you.”
“They aren’t so bad, for young bachelors.” Damien said.
He pulled a worn chair to the table from the corner and sat at the small table with Reandre.
He watched her discretely through his brows as he chased the eggs around his plate with his fork.
“Eat! Already, Eat!” She sighed.
As soon as Damien scooped the food into his mouth her questions started.
“Where did you find the Gallows Bird?”
“Rotterdale.” Damien mumbled through his full mouth.
“Did you enhance him at all? Muddle with his egg?”
“No.” He said clearly, after he swallowed. “A couple alchemical baths to bring his physical stats up, we had a few run ins with wild beasts and it seemed prudent.”
Reandre thought to herself and drummed her fingers on the table. Damien waited patiently before he ate another bite, expecting more questions. After five seconds of silence he gave in and took another bite of eggs.
“Which court were you going to sell him to? Vexilar is trying to grow a flock, but every Skurr he finds for his pet chimera gets devoured. He would bid the highest at auction for your Skurr, even for the barest chance to have a flock and spread his creation’s traits to its offspring.”
Damien nearly choked on his food.
“Although now that you are going to lead the winter court… that won’t be your plan anymore.”
“Your man, D’Aeggett suggested I visit the council offices and register Drew with the Winter Court as an enchanter.” Damien said with a shrug. “Either way, I cannot sell him. He is my apprentice.”
“Registered apprentices have been bought and sold before.”
“I have much more to teach him.” Damien said.
He quickly stuffed his mouth with more of the eggs.
“Maybe I will take him. Teach him Alchemy yeah? You’ll be too busy with your court to teach him anything. And his flame affinity needs work.”
“You would have him develop his flame affinity? He is already becoming more volatile. Or muddle things with a water affinity too?”
Damien glared at her stubbornly while he chewed.
“Or will you leave him when it gets too difficult?”
Reandre’s words wedged at a crack in Damien’s heart but he managed to swallow calmly. He drank some water from a glass on the table to gather his thoughts.
“I should have been here,” Damien said.
Reandre waved away his words.
“You would have made just as much of a mess if you were here.” She said disdainfully.
“I could have done something. At the very least I would have heard first hand, and not the rumors months later.”
“They lost control Damien. There was no stopping them. It took the full power of the council to bring the three of them down, but we could not make it in time to save anyone.”
“I would have run with you, helped you.”
“It’s nice you think that. But it’s not true. You would have fought and died like all the other stubborn men.”
“Next time I’ll run if you run, Reandre.”
-
Drew perched on the wall of Reandre’s patio. Her home leered two stories above the street below. He was able to see the length of the mezzanine in the crisp morning light.
A cute couple strolled up the magical tree-lined boulevard. A few shops and cafes were open already but the two young people only had eyes for each other.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
A pair of children were laughing on a well manicured lawn in the yard next door. Drew hopped along the wall to get a better look. His claws clinked off of the wrought iron caps implanted in the wall. The wards engraved in the iron caps were over grown with moss.
I could clean these wards up, it would be hard for Damien to get up here on a ladder to do it.
He watched the children with light blue hair, a girl and her younger brother, use wands to pass a floating orb of water back and forth to each other.
He’s likely just hit his first rank.
The girl flew the orb of water in a complex pattern and released it for her brother to catch.
It’s easy to forget that this is a magical world with rpg leveling. Are they are practicing with their water affinity? They are starting so young. At least these kids will have magic before they go fight monsters.
The sound of feathers rustling startled Drew, he ducked down instinctively.
Brontide!
But there was no sign of the familiar. Instead the rustling came from some Guiles Reandre kept in a coop for their eggs.
“These stupid chicken snakes have me jumping at shadows.” Drew said to himself.
Better to not be an easy target.
He flew down to the cover of the patio and peered into the hutch.
The winged snakes tried to hide from Drew. They slithered underneath the wood shavings that lined their hutch but there wasn’t enough cover enough to hide them all.
“Dont worry little chicken snakes, I wont hurt you,” Drew said soothingly.
One of the larger Guiles hissed at him.
These are wild animals, not as big as the ones that attacked us on the cliffside… i wonder how Reandre gets their eggs without getting bit.
“There’s no way.” Drew said to himself and pulled up his quests.
Racial Quest: Puzzling: A New City: Point of Interest I (0/10)
Racial Quest: Nesting Grounds I
Racial Quest: Find a Mate I
Racial Quest: Start a Flock I
It would be too weird to keep Skurrs as pets, and even if a few could become smart enough to become trusted friends I could not date an animal. I could never start a flock.
The Guiles grew increasingly agitated and a second Guile joined the first, both hissing, threatening Drew with their sharp teeth.
“Alright calm down I’m leaving.” Drew huffed and ruffled his feathers.
Drew sauntered through the small patio garden, trying to mind his own business. He passed a variety of herbs and other interesting flowers with specific alchemical uses he did not know. One larger flower occupied a back corner of the patio. It was enclosed in a small ring of enchanted stones and sat in a murky pool of water.
“What kind of plant needs to be kept behind an enchantment?” Drew asked.
He looked closely at the thick meaty petals of the plant’s singular large flower. It was resting open and presenting its stamens enticingly.
“Kinda looks like a orchid that could eat a rat.” Drew said after he got too close. “And it stinks.”
The petals twitched, Drew pulled his head back quickly before the flower snapped its petals closed. It hissed at Drew.
“Rude!” Drew hissed back.
-
“Oh! You naughty bird!”
Drew had been working on the stone cylinder in the shade of a patio on the edge of the garden. After the altercation with the plant he had decided todo something productive.
He had a few of his favorite carving tools out scattered around the stone cylinder, and he was at the point where he usually got frustrated and threw the cylinder back into his ring. But Reandre’s house girl found him.
“Put that back in the library!”
Who’s this girl!
“It’s mine I found it.” Drew said indignantly.
“You cannot just take things that you find lying about in a library.” She retorted.
The girl went to shoo Drew away and grab the cylinder. Drew shuffled away with it.
“What? I found this in a cave.” He said defiantly.
“Oh dear! You broke it.” She cried and stumbled over his tools as she chased after Drew. He easily slipped out of her reach again.
“I’m telling you. It was broken when I found it! In a cave! I’m fixing it.”
“Mistress told me you could speak, but she will not take well to your lying!” She said tersely. “Now you will come with me and apologize to the mistress for breaking one of her scrolls.”
Drew took to the air with the stone scroll in his claws.
“Wait! Just stop! Are you telling me she has a library of dwarven memory scrolls?”
“No, of course she does not, she is not a queen with hundreds of scrolls! Just a few precious ones secured on a shelf in the library… are you telling the truth? Have you never seen her library?”
If I can see what a functional scroll looks like then I can finally complete this busted one!
“Show me.” Drew cried excitedly.
“We will ask the mistress first.”
“Let’s go then!”
Drew swept the scroll and his tools into his gathering ring and flew back into the house.
-
Mended item: Memory Scroll. Exp 3098.
Skill upgrade: Enchanting lvl 12.
WILL +1
“Celebrating so soon! Ha!” Reandre cackled.
“It’s a remarkable accomplishment,” Damien said halfheartedly. “I believe it’s good for an apprentice to have hobbies.”
“If he was my apprentice he would not have wasted his time on repairing a scroll from scratch.” Reandre said and turned to Drew. “As my apprentice you would have access to my labs and library any time of the day.”
“Now really Reandre, poaching my apprentice is not some joke.”
He moved to block the alchemist’s advance on Drew.
“Drew does not even speak Dwarvish, he managed to pick up what little he could have the script and repaired it phonetically.”
“He worked on it without consulting his master?” Reandre laughed. “Guess you do not know everything, heh?”
I still don't read Dwarvish, but the enchantment is recursive, atleast on the outside, so was able could fill in most of the gaps.
Drew considered the scroll again. As soon as he had a functioning one to review the mistakes were clear.
He was able to find the missing punctuation from other scrolls.
“Well? What’s on the scroll?” Reandre demanded.
I should wait to watch it with William. He waited so patiently.
- Interlude -
The memory in the scroll was strange. As soon as he channeled mana into it Drew was transported to a cave with an elaborate lustrous fountain.
“There! On todays episode of the Hero of legend!” A voice drummed out a sick air-guitar solo and a few action movie explosion sound effects.
Where am I? This is a memory right? Why does it feel like a home video?
Drew was on the ground, his entire view taken up by stones and some beat up sneakers.
“Aye di nit fash’n ta scro fo ya to ‘ake ya tee vee sho, you’g masta.” An old dwarf grouched.
“Selene!” The kid’s voice cried out, ignoring the dwarf. “Selene! Lovely Selene, could you pick up the scroll and follow me.”
A young Ressian girl in silk robes knelt and reverently picked up the memory scroll. As she aimed it at the young man before her, the view focused on her modest chest in a lewd angle.
“T’ca st??r ya mem’ries d’of wot ya see’t wit ya peeps. Tis ah ‘igh e’chanta ‘tifact. Dun?? de peeps ‘roun de alla! Ye git do’nah aim tit.” The dwarf cried. “De nadda ya Tee Vee cam’ra!”
“Calm down grumpy chan!” The young man pouted as he plucked the scroll casually from the girls hands. “Don’t get your knickers in a twist! Im still learning how it works.”
“You have a responsibility to document the ritual and conditions of your newest bonded card.” Selene admonished quietly. “If you were to die without recording them, then your family’s magic may as well be wasted!”
The view swung again to bring the young man back in to frame. He was dressed in similar robes to the Ressian girl, but he wore his crossed across his breast and tied with a sash like a kimono, while the girl wore her’s laced up the front and wore a scarf across her shoulders.
The young man struck a dramatic pose and used a lower voice than before to do a narrators introduction.
“Last week on-“ he interrupted himself with more sound effects. “Legendary hero! Our hero braved the mushroom dungeon and the spore filled bogs within. He fought off wave after wave of monsters until he had reached the purpose of their adventure, the boss room.”
The young man set the scroll down on the fountain’s edge to free up his hands for the dramatic reenactment.
He’s like a kid from a Saturday morning cartoon!
He swept his hands back and forth energetically while he spoke and at its climax he whipped around to look directly at the camera.
Selene was joined by another pretty young Ressian girl, this one wore tight fitting black leather breeches and matching vest, a dark blue cloak, and a wide brimmed witch’s hat. The two fangirls clapped enthusiastically for their hero.
“Our hero and his party fought the giant mushroom to a standstill, their success due mostly to the amazing talents of their windbender, Scillia. Without her, the boss’s spores would have coated them all and reduced them to rabid husks!” He said, ending with a pantomime of a whimpering puppy.
“An da wot e’crets dint’a leer’n bou da sum’non?” The dwarf grumbled impatiently.
The boy’s face soured at the arduous process of building the grimoire’s affinity with mushrooms.
Images flashed through Drew’s mind.
Dozens of monstrous mushrooms falling to the hero’s blade. Deep pits dug below the stems to understand the mushroom’s root systems and collect their cores. The giant boss mushroom with its black cap and skull pattern. How it stomped around the room spewing spores at the hero’s party.
The hero shuddered and checked his nail for any hint of the rich loamy earth that he had suffered through.
“Yeah nope! That’s all! And that was enough to capture the monster!” The hero cheered.
He pulled the pristine grimoire, bound in red leather, from his robes and opened it to a random page.
“And to the victors go the spoils!” He withdrew a card from the book, pinched between his first and second fingers and held it up over his head.
“Takkun! The King of Mushrooms!”
The two Ressian girls clapped and cheered on cue.
“Dat’e nuff!” The dwarf shouted.
He rushed into view and snatched the stone scroll from where it rested on the fountain.
“Hey! Give that back!” The boy said.
“Ya canno ‘ake ‘s ser??s. I dina n?? whe’ y tot ya w??! Ya’ll a’bak ta c??p’n ye n’try n’da grimi’??r d??n, til ya’ve cop’yeed ‘vry ten! An’??t in ya h??k’n scr??ch!”
The view shifted chaotically as the dwarf threw the scroll deeper into the cave.
Drew heard one last petulant wail before the recording ended.
Drew startled awake and looked around at the few faces around him.
”Well!” Reandre demanded. “Was it a recipe?”
What. Was that petulant kid the legendary hero?
