"These are herbs, wild spices, fruits, and roots used for healing and, well, killing. You need to identify which is which. Antidote? Medicine? Poison?" Loco flashed his playful smile. Why do I feel like he is setting a trap for us? I don't feel good about this.
"The purple liquid is called Greuthe, the yellowish liquid is liquified ginger, and the powder is cannabis. Now, which is which?" He looked at both of us. I grabbed Sera and turned our backs to him.
"I may not be much help, but one thing I know is ginger is organic and no matter how much you consume, it won't have harmful effects," I told Sera. She looked at me with a poker face.
"What?" I asked.
"Dumb-dumb. All of those are organic. Greuthe is like poison ivy, but less itchy and lethal when the dose exceeds two tablespoons. And you're right, ginger isn't dangerous in large quantities. Greuthe is obviously a poison, and ginger can be both an antidote and a medicine. Ginger has many health benefits," Sera said, and now we were stuck between ginger and cannabis.
"Cannabis can be a medicine too. Many studies have shown that it can treat nerve illnesses. I saw online that a guy with Parkinson's disease smoked it, and his tics slowly subsided. But cannabis can also cause disorientation in large quantities." I can't believe all of that came out of my mouth.
"Impressive. You know so much about it. Are you taking it?" she asked with a bitchy smile.
"No. I don't smoke. Wait, so cannabis can be a medicine?" I asked, shrugging off her bitchy smile.
"It can be. Cannabis shows promising effects when smoked. I don't know much about modern medicine, but from what I've learned and read in books, cannabis can be taken orally and topically. It can be mixed with water or swallowed as a powder and even treats witch blisters. Witch blisters are curses from witches that cause blisters with green pus on the body, just so you know." She is quite amazing.
"So, Greuthe is poison, cannabis is antidote, and ginger is medicine. Right?" I asked Sera, nervous as hell.
"Right." She nodded, and we turned to face Loco.
"I believe you have your answers?" he asked.
"Yes. Greuthe is poison, cannabis is antidote, and ginger is medicine." I may look brave, but my hands and legs were shaking.
"Are you sure about your answers? There's no turning back. Remember, one wrong move and you're dead." He looked at me as if he knew our answers were wrong, but no! I trust Sera; she knows all of this more than anyone else. I have to be brave. I don't want to look intimidated.
"Then, if that is the case, your answers are correct."
Yes! I hugged Sera and felt relieved. There is no better word that I wanted to hear from him than "correct."
"Second question." His voice sent goosebumps to my skin. Please, get this over with!
Emerging from the ground were three stumps of wood. But this time, each had a coconut shell filled with a black liquid, a very pale blue liquid, and a clear one. And I didn't have a single idea what they were!
Loco showed us a long needle-like object.
"This is called a dipstik. It is similar to what you call acupuncture needles. This dipstik is used to administer medicine, antidote, and counter-spells inside the body. It is made from citrus plant thorns. What you see here are substances used as poison, antidote, and medicine with the help of this dipstik. I will not provide definitions for these liquids, so it is up to you to identify them." Shit. He is definitely playing with us. There are a million possibilities, and we need to identify these three? This is a trap.
"Sera. I knew it. He's setting us up. How can we identify these three when there are millions of possibilities?" I was exaggerating, I know! But Sera was silent, concentrating.
"Then we shall not let him. He is setting a trap, but he will fail." Damn. Sera was serious and feisty.
"Your godliness, since you haven't introduced these liquids, may I have a closer look?" Sera looked at Loco's eyes without breaking contact.
"Suit yourself." Loco backed away a little from where he stood. Sera grabbed my hand and we carefully examined all of them.
"Don't inhale any of it directly. Smell it from a few inches away from your nose, just to be sure." Sera took the first coconut shell with the black liquid. She smelled it and eventually put it down. I studied her expressions; she seemed doubtful and hesitant.
"Ro, smell this. What do you smell?" She took the coconut shell with the pale blue liquid. I took the coconut shell carefully, positioned it a few inches away from my nose, and smelled it. I quickly put it down because I felt nauseated.
"Oh god! That smelled horrible! I think I'm going to throw up! It smelled like sewer water mixed with a dead rat!" I felt like throwing up. I felt dizzy and nauseated. I needed candy!
Sera looked at me and smiled a little. Is this dumb bish laughing at me?
We moved to the last coconut shell and she smelled it. She looked confused. She repeatedly smelled it and still looked confused.
"Here, Ro. Smell this." She offered the coconut shell to me.
"Hell no! I still feel like throwing up and you want me to smell that?" I looked at the clear liquid and didn't feel like smelling it.
"Do you want to get out of here alive and save your sister or not?" I looked at her with annoyance and carefully smelled it.
It didn't smell like anything. No particular scent.
"What the? This smells like—"
"Water. Spring water." Sera cut me off and pulled me back to where we originally stood.
"How could you possibly know it's spring water?" I asked.
"In agriculture, seawater is definitely a no-no because the salt percentage is unsuitable for land plants. So we have rainwater, spring water, and river water. Here in the forest, rainwater falls into all bodies of water, so we can count out rainwater. That leaves us with spring water and river water. Now, watch the water closely." Sera raised the coconut shell and brought it near our faces.
"River water is home to plankton and algae that live in freshwater. So river water has traces of sandy residues and particles from the riverbed. Spring water is suitable for drinking. In other words, humans need clear, fresh water to avoid diarrhea. Look at it, no traces of foreign particles at all. Clear, fresh, and ready-to-drink water." She said. Yes, the water was indeed very clean, like processed drinking water.
"What about coconut water?" I asked.
"Coconut water has a distinct smell to it. So this is definitely not coconut water," she said. That cleared things up.
"Okay. The dipstik doesn't have any particular dose to take; it only relies on the frequency of administering. So the black one is Joba and it is an antidote. The second one is diluted essence of mogi flower, and the last one is spring water," she said.
"Okay, let's answer him." I was about to go, but she stopped me. I looked at her face and saw doubt and seriousness in her eyes. Gosh.
"I think you're partly right that he is setting us up. Because right now, he is," she said.
"What do you mean?" I was puzzled. Sera usually shrugs things off and stays cool, but now she was serious.
"Joba can be an antidote, poison, and medicine. A mogi flower can also be an antidote, poison, and medicine. And what category do you think spring water falls into? He is messing with us," she said.
As much as I know about some basic herbal medicine, I don't know anything about botany or voodoo herbs!
"The Joba and mogi flower should have exact doses. It shouldn't go above or below the dose because it won't work. Joba should be administered until 76, both as a poison, an antidote, and a medicine. The same goes for the essence of mogi flower; it should be until 23." She pulled her hair out of frustration.
I looked back at Loco, and the punk was smirking. He definitely ensured that we couldn't get out alive. So much for his hatred of humankind! Not all of us are mean, you know!
Then I came up with a bright idea.
"Maybe he isn't talking about the doses! How about the formulation of the liquid? Didn't you say diluted essence of mogi flower? So it can be used in its original formulation?" It might sound weird and confusing, but I hoped Sera understood what I meant.
"Yeah! Right! Why didn't I think of that!" Sera pulled me back in front of Loco.
"I believe you have your answers?" Loco asked.
"Joba and the diluted essence of mogi flower are all antidote, medicine, and poison, while spring water is just a medicine." Her confidence was kicking back in.
"I said you must pick the three choices into each category. And why can mere water be a medicine?" Loco's smirk attacked Sera's confidence.
"But you didn't say we should only choose one for each category. Right, Ro?" Sera returned the attack with her smirk.
"Yeah. You didn't say anything." I crossed my arms and pretended to be brave.
"And any fresh water is a medicine for those who are thirsty," Sera continued.
Silence fell as Loco stared at us. His eyes widened. I felt fear rushing through me and Sera held my hand.
"Your answers are correct," Loco admitted.
We held our breath, not expecting this would end this soon.
"But you only got one correct in each question. You lose," he said.
"What do you mean?" Sera exclaimed, stepping forward.
"This means you both lose. Prepare to die." he said.
Before he could do anything, the words burst from my lips.
"And fresh water is like medicine. It relieves dehydration, sustains all life. It's the reason Earth thrives!" I exclaimed, feeling a surge of triumph from my studies in geology.
Loco's smirk twisted into a strained smile, then hardened into a scowl as he shook his head, maintaining his composure. "Got you!"
"Very well, onto the final test," Loco sighed briskly. With a flick of his hand, a wooden stump appeared, bearing three unmoving animals—a toad, a snake, and a calf.
"These creatures have been paralyzed by Skowra venom, from eyelid to toe. Your novice friend here must cure them. Assorted herbs and spices are at hand, but remember, you must reverse their paralysis," Loco announced.
Sera hesitated briefly, then selected ingredients and a dipstick. I couldn't see her actions clearly, but soon the frog hopped off the stump, followed by the snake slithering away. She lingered over the calf, her brow furrowed.
"Sera, what's wrong?" I asked, stepping closer.
"The Skowra venom is fatal to mammals, including us. There's no known antidote," Sera sighed, her gaze fixed sadly on the calf.
"You played dirty," I accused Loco, meeting his gaze with defiance. He responded with a smirk and a nonchalant shrug.
"I suppose that means you lose," Loco taunted.
Sera met my eyes apologetically. "Sorry, Ro," she murmured.
(Sera's POV)
I knew from the start that Loco was toying with us. Now, we were trapped. How could he be so ruthless? He knew there was no cure for Skowra venom in mammals.
I knew.
Because it took my sister's life.
The grand priestesses were powerless. Even their efforts had failed against Skowra venom—a creature born of dark magic, engineered as a lethal tool. Only vampires were immune to its potent venom.
Venom...
Too powerful...
Dark magic...
Damn it. I understood.
(End of Sera's POV)
Sera marched away with tense shoulders. I gripped my batons tightly, preparing for a confrontation. I couldn't die here—Rizanna was waiting for me.
Suddenly, Sera sprinted back towards Loco. He looked puzzled and launched attacks at her, but she evaded them all. I expected her to strike Loco, but instead, she plucked several sprouts from his head.
"Thanks for this," Sera declared coolly, then returned to the calf, dipstick in hand and Loco's sprouts clenched tightly. Loco's eyes widened in shock and confusion—and so did mine. Everything happened so fast!
Sera crushed a tiny bit of the sprout between her fingers, rubbing it onto the calf's forehead before carefully applying the dipstick.
Slowly, the calf's eyelids began to flutter, its legs trembled, then it stood shaky but upright.
"There you go, easy now," Sera murmured, supporting the calf until it steadied itself and walked away.
My eyes widened in astonishment and relief. Sera had discovered the antidote to Skowra venom! My surprise matched Loco's disbelief; his jaw dropped as he watched the calf bound away.
"Close your mouth, please," I quipped, a smirk tugging at my lips. Justice served, Loco—you're done!
Sera beamed with satisfaction. I grasped her arm eagerly.
"How did you do that? You said there was no cure for Skowra venom, yet you found it! Or invented it? Either way, you did it!" I hugged Sera, thrilled by her ingenuity.
"Good magic defeats bad," she said proudly, a touch of sarcasm in her tone. Classic Sera. She leaned towards Loco. It struck me as humorous; she met his gaze squarely, but he avoided hers.
"You've passed the final test. Your rewards and passage are granted," Loco conceded, waving his hand to conjure a heap of juicy, delectable fruits before us.
"Wait," I moved to pick one, but Loco halted me, sprinkling something over the fruits.
"Is that poison?" I raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"These fruits will stay fresh for a month—they won't spoil. You have a long journey ahead; they'll sustain you," Loco explained.
I began loading the fruits into my bag, starting with eight pieces. Oddly, the bag didn't feel heavier or full, so I added more—three, five, ten—until the entire batch fit inside. Remarkable! I lifted my bag; it felt as light as a single notebook. Amazing!
"Almost forgot," I remarked, taking a bite of a fruit. Its flavor was divine; I closed my eyes, savoring each delicious chew.
Loco handed Sera a small drawstring pouch. She inspected its contents, exchanging a meaningful look with him.
"This is Chupla. It will protect you on your journey. You know its benefits," Loco explained. Inside were Chupla's sprout, bark, leaves, fruit, and seeds—processed and dried. Sera had only read about Chupla, the miraculous plant that thrived in the spirit world. This was her first encounter with it in reality. Chupla could be a lifesaver; she felt gratitude welling up.
"Can I plant this back home?" Sera inquired.
"Chupla only grows in the spirit world, but its seed will thrive in yours. When it bears fruit and seeds, share it with others," Loco instructed, glancing at me before vanishing. In his place, a tree sprouted, a symbol of his presence.
As Sera and I finished speaking, Loco nodded at me before disappearing into the ground, leaving a tree in his wake.
"Where do we go next? Are we still searching for the second clue?" Sera asked, walking towards me.
"Yes," I replied, ready to embark on the next phase of our quest.
Got it! Here's a revision that emphasizes Sera's character as an unbothered, emo-like personality with a soft side:
"It's Oshun. She's the one we're after. Come on, the sea's right over here." Sera grasped my wrist, leading us forward.
"I can't see the road. Where's all this fog coming from?" The mist veiled everything, creating a blurry, mysterious atmosphere.
"It's not fog; it's mist from the coast. Means we're here," Sera explained casually as we moved closer. The crash of waves grew louder.
Finally, we arrived. The sea lay before us, a dazzling expanse of blue, with sand that sparkled in the sunlight and a gentle ocean breeze that felt therapeutic.
The water was crystal clear. I scooped some into my hand, and my bracelet glowed. Suddenly, like a myth come to life, the sea parted before us, revealing a dry seabed. Blue pearls emerged from the sand, guiding us towards something.
"After you," Sera said, her voice betraying none of the awe I felt.
Despite the beauty of the scene, a ridiculous thought nagged at me—that the water might crash down on us once we were in the middle of it. It felt like walking through an underwater park, with fish of all shapes and sizes gliding past.
"Look, that one looks like a whale! And that one, a hammerhead! Wow!" Sera exclaimed, clearly intrigued by the spectacle.
I hated it. Fear clenched my chest—I'd always been afraid of sharks, of deep waters, and of what might lurk in the unseen depths below. My mind conjured images of giant octopuses, megalodons, or even krakens. I'd read somewhere that only 10% of Earth's water and creatures had been discovered. Great white sharks and box jellyfish were terrifying enough; what about the other 90%? It sent shivers down my spine, and I couldn't shake the feeling of dread as I walked, eyes squeezed shut.
"Don't pull any tricks, sea."
Then it hit me— I didn't know how to swim.