"So.... Madam Chai needs me to harvest fresh leaves from carnivorous vines, right?"
She nodded.
"The same vines known for drinking blood of wild animals, that can kill an adult man when in groups, and are classified as intermediate one-star rank monster, right?"
"I am glad you understand!"
"Then I am to find a way to kill some and harvest their leaves? Would Madam be kind enough to at least lend me a sword? Madam knows I can't control Chi since I haven't passed the Provation yet"
Madam Chai looked at me as if I had just spoken the funniest joke she has ever heard, giving way to a broad smile amidst her peach lips.
"You surely likes to jest, my boy! Of course you can't kill them before harvesting the leaves..."
I looked at her dumbstruck.
"Don't you remember? I need fresh leaves! And since the leaves of the carnivorous vines wither shortly after it dies, it has to be harvested while it is alive!"
She flaunted her robes in exaggerate movements, as one would to when retelling an epic tale.
Epic tale? Epic Failure! We Newman are born weaker than the beasts and most hazardous plants, only by passing the Provation can our meridian be opened, allowing for further cultivation. Without the power acquired by cultivating and absorbing the spiritual energy inhabitant in other brings, the strength exerted by an adult can barely compare to a intermediate one-star monster. To kill it is one thing, to keep it alive AND harvest its parts is way more challenging.
I clenched my jaw and bowed to Madam Chai. I know she can see through any facade I might try to put on, so I might as well be honest with her.
Soon enough, her hand rested on my shoulder, while her voice sounded as a song, to put my heart at ease:
"Of course, I won't simply send you into the forest without any preparation"
As she turned back and started to fiddle with the content of one of the many wooden boxes that rested in her stall, I could take glimpses of many herbs, still fresh, as if recently picked, even if dust had long accumulated in the lid of the pot.
"Here you go, my boy. A good herbalist never journeys into the forest without an alchemical satchel and a sickle"
She passed those to me and quickly followed her speech:
"... and you might need these too..."
As she showed me two packs of powder, one of immaculate white and the other of burning red colours:
"The white one is a soothing calcium composite, use it to make the carnivorous vines dormant. The other is a sulphur salt, use it to lure them after you decided on where and how to harvest."
She looked into my eyes, with her penetrating stare analyzing every though of mine before going on:
"But be careful, the effects are the opposite when used on wild beasts. And don't forget, I need at least fifty leaves, the bigger, the better"
"Wait, Madam Chai! I don't think I can simply make this work...!"
Madam Chai faced me and replied rigidly:
"Excuses and more excuses! Stop being a boy and turn into a man! I would not be imprudent enough to send you into this request if I though you were not capable! Now stop whining and go back home and get ready to enter the forest during the night!"
Although the tone of her voice was rigid, the look of her eyes were akin to a bird throwing her children out of the nest so they could fly.
How could I get angry if she seemed to be suffering more than I am?
I must gather my courage. Even if it is dangerous, even if none can surpass death, I must believe in her, and myself.
"Un... I understand and it will be done. Madam Chai, you better be waiting for me with tea and butter cookies, I will request lessons from you."
As I recieved the items, I could also see the now proud look on her face, as she slapped my shoulders with a strength one would never imagine she could pull out with such a lean body
"That's my boy! Now go and I might maybe consider taking you as my apprentice. Just maybe"
She knew there was few things I could ask for, and turning into an apprentice to a retired five-star apothecary is no matter of laugh!
I bowed once again before running to outside of the city
.
Tonight, I will join the harvest!
Paying my respects to the guards outside and buying a few dumplings in Chief Han's store, I hid in a back alley before leaving, and departed earlier than usual today, as I needed to prepare before going into the forest that surrounded the Sword Mountains.
As I started to walk my descent on the stone stairways, I couldn't help but be amazed by the view of the green open fields that extended south, after the Spirit Forest ends, with the Dragon River dancing gorgeously in the open prairies, as if a real dragon was frozen during its flight and laid to rest in that very position. Who could say where it would end?
The forest, with robust trees, performed a live show to those who had the eye to observe, as birds of a myriad of colours traversed the skies, or simply jumping from one branch to another in order to find the most delicious fruit or the crunchiest seed, leaves danced and fell at the tune dictated by the wind.
This sight and experience made the travel way more enjoyable, as one could slowly but surely notice the difference in the trees in different altitudes.
Thanks to my earlier departure, I returned to New Opportunity shortly before the night fell upon us. I went around delivering the requested items that were brought from the city, from working tools, to books and remedies, any single coin gained was a coin closer to my dream, thus, it was worth it.
Finally, as my legs screamed for mercy, I went home. The night was already dark and few lights could be seen dotting the scenery.
"Mother! Father! I am back! I have the money from the requests and Uncle Paul sent us meat!"
...
No answer was heard. I walk further into the house to find that both Mother and Father's workbench were empty. The fire at the kitchen was lit, but there was no pot on it.
Soon enough, I hear the sound of wood being dragged coming from upstairs, followed by a rhythmic sound of wood scratching wood.
Well... The least I can do is dinner, I am sure they will be too tired later on. At least they won't mind me going into the forest later.
Let's cook then. Let me show you my cooking prowess, oh voice inside of my head!
First of all, prepare the portions that will be used. I will take 2 cups of rice, one medium white onion, two clovers of garlic, ginger, half a cabbage, 1 tomato, milk, lemons, butter, salt, black pepper and a portion of the meat Uncle Paul tipped us with.
Actually, first of all, wash your hands, only then you are ready to touch the ingredients.
Now back into cooking. Cut the portion of the meat you will be using, be it cubes, stripes or slices, that's up to your taste, although I recommend the first two in detriment of the later. Wash the meat with lemon juice and salt and let it marinate in a bowl.
Take a pot and stir-fry the diced garlic and onions until you achieve a glistening golden aspect, I recommend you to add the garlic a littler earlier than the onion. Than you put the meat and mix it with a pinch of salt, pepper and ginger, a little bit of water and let it simmer, soon enough the entrancing aroma should be teasing your noise as much as the tingling sounds teases your ear.
Wash the rice and add it to the pot after the meat has acquired a nice brown colour but is not yet fully cooked, cover it with water and let the rice grow. Later, half a cup of milk and a pinch of ginger will guarantee you achieve the perfect creamy texture and spicy taste!
Alright, done and done, and by the sound, rather, by lack of it, that lovey-dovey couple is also done. I quickly enjoy my mellow portion of rice and meat, leisurely bath myself to remove the pungent smell of garlic, packup my material and the items Madam Chai passed to me, slowly creeping into the night, blending myself with the shadows the full moon projected on the ground, balancing my body so that each side advances as a whole, in order to reduce the noise.
Soon enough, I stood at the margin of the forest, almost unable to hold my dinner inside. Where was the bravery I had not so long ago? My legs were trembling and I don't know if it was fright or anticipation. I knew that the same way I was staring at the forest, it was staring back at me. I can't and I won't flinch!
'If you are so scared, why would you go to the forest during the night?' is a plausible question any sane person would ask. The answer is: the carnivorous vines erect themselves from the ground during the night to bathe in moonlight and wait for their prey, that's the moment they are more exposed, thus, the safest for me.
The first step was the hardest, but I did it, and kept going, embraced by the darkness the trees created, I joined the battlefield. Slow and steady, I advanced, probing the environment that existed around me. There were no more vivid and colourful birds singing. The silence was occupied the sound of wings flapping in the distance, insects beating their wings, branches and twigs being occasionally broken by god-knows-what.
Cold sweat ran through my back, as I tried to locate the vines amidst the foresr, avoiding poisonous mushrooms and roots, and, most importantly, avoiding predators. After reaching a clear area, my eyes are laid upon a strange sight: a circle of root-like things sprouting from the ground, standing straight from the ground, pointing to the night sky. Vicious red thorns emerging from their surface, as did the lush green foliage.
Those were the carnivorous vines, and a group composed of twenty five, encircling...
Wait! They are encircling something!
A better inspection allowed me to notice that in the middle of the circle that the vines formed was a crystalline piece, about as big as two open hands, possessing a translucid appearance, slightly inclined to the crimson. I don't know what it is, but it must be valuable!
What could go wrong, after all?
As I held the sickle in one hand, I tied the sack with white powder to my leg, so that I can easily reach for it and throw portions at the plants. I move slowly, covering the plants with the white powder, perplexed by the little reaction they showed, seems like they wouldn't budge even in front of a blood fountain. Minutes seemed as hours as I encircled them, patiently powdering their surface, before I finished the last one and could finally let out a deep breath.
Finally, time to harvest. I move the sickle swiftly, cutting the stem of the leaves right next to the main vine, and immediately putting them into the alchemical satchel. One, two, three... Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty of the best leaves those guys had to offer!
Easy, way too easy!
I walk straight into the circle and grab the stone, felling its weight as I try to lift it. It should easily surpass thirty kilograms!
"This strange oval-shaped stone must be precious! I wonder how much I could get from it?"
As soon as I finished my whispers, I could notice that the bag of white powder has fallen into the hole where the stone was. When I pick it up again, my hands strike something hard and smooth, just the same texture of the stone.
"Wait! Could it be...?"
I quickly dig and found a bigger stone underneath! Big enough that I couldn't even dig it whole!
Alright, I will burry it and come back later to dig it up! That's it.
As I burryied the greater stone and walked away with the smaller one in my leather sack, joy filled my hearth.
Nonetheless, my joy lasted exactly ten steps, as I felt the ground rumbling and heard the dirt being shifted. The vines agitated themselves back again, but they could not be causing it.
"What could it be...?"
Even before I could finish my question, the ground exploded! launching me against the trees, making blood spurt from my mouth and some cracking sounds I could only pray were not from my bones.