Woah, you're still here? curious perhaps? Anticipating our little adventurer's journey? Possibly. Whether that or entirely something else matters not, for peculiar potato is thrilled to know that you've reached this far.
Now, where have we left off last? Ahh, yes. The little human girl named...umm, well, let's just call her Isabel shall we? Isabel had finally gathered all the ingredients to make this so-called " potion " whatever that is. Let's just hope that this " potion " would suffice for her surviving kins.
And of course, why would our peculiar adventurers agree to Isabel's benevolent mission in the first place? After everything that the humans did to Potato and Duck's kind...Hmm...ah, yes! To help little O'Isabel save her kins from " Extinction "...and learn magic to become a dragon...sure why not?
But of course Duck had something else to say...or just gesture out...you how Duck goes. Anyhow, she pointed out that she wanted no part of this! For hatred had already rooted deep within her heart. But Potato on the other hand sees things differently, this troubled Duck. What would become of Potato without her? She thought.
And with that thought Duck agreed to help Isabel for Potato's sake. So, another peculiar party had emerged with a newborn potato, a yellow duck with almost the same size as the potato, and a little human girl named Isabel with pale purple-dyed hair and eyes. The unlikely band now traverses to the temporary shelter of Isabel's remaining kins.
Potato sat on Isabel's left shoulder while Duck sat at the right without ever dropping her guard.
" Duck!...fast!... " Potato yelled with a gleeful expression as both her smile and the breeze invited something to feel good about, but of course Duck had other things in mind.
Potato and Duck discovered something new, a new way of venturing at great speed. Potato wouldn't have imagined that a faster type of journey would be of reach, not until Isabel placed her atop her shoulders.
Upon reaching the human's shelter, the unlikely party was greeted by horrid groans accompanied by painful moans. The humans were all over the place, plenty laid on the dirt, some were lucky enough to lay on animal leather or cloth, and a few who can still manage to stand assisted those who were unable.
The humans who survived made a temporary shelter amidst the jungle, a slight crater from the ground made it easy for those who assisted the unable to put up bits and pieces of tarpaulins made in animal hide which they've claimed from their homes. These pieces of tarpaulins were strung atop the trees to form some kind of roof over their heads. The excess was made to comfort those who suffered severely upon the wrath of the dragon.
" Arthur! Arthur! I'm here! I've gathered all the ingredients! " Isabel sprinted to the center of this painful attraction where a tall human named Arthur was brewing himself something at the round-looking table.
Arthur had an eyepatch on his left eye and a white reddish clothe wrapped around his left arm to form some kind of cast. The left side of his face was slightly burned but not to a point where it's been disabled. The same goes for his entire left.
" Little sparrow...and...guests? " Arthur replied, not quite sure what to make of a small potato and duck.
" Ah! Yes! This is Potato on my left and Duck on my right. " Potato waved with an eager smile as Duck on the other hand greeted with a menacing glare.
" Yes...It appears to be. "
Isabel grabbed her satchel made from animal skin and organized all her gathered ingredients to the table including Duck's feather.
Across the table were:
- 1 bottle of water from the puddles near the hill before the burnt fort as the base of our brewing.
- Bountiful of algae, for the primary agent of healing.
- Handful of bushwack grass, for healing efficiency.
- Bramble berries from the bramble tree for the latent potency.
- Sour grapes from the vined lianas of the eastern jungle, Duck's knife would be of good use to squeeze out their juice, this would be our primary numbing agent.
- And lastly, a duck's feather together with wood's ash. We burn it together for the encantation of healing.
" Okay, everything is set. Now, Arthur can you help me with... " Isabel was interrupted by the loud and repeated cough of Arthur followed by blood as he tried the best he could to place himself on the dirt, for his will to stand had finally diminished.
" I'm sorry...little sparrow. But it appears that I can no longer help you on this one. "
" Endure...Arthur...this won't be long. I promise! "
Isabel assisted Arthur to his sleep then hovered to the round table where Potato and Duck waited. Isabel handed the small bowl of sour grapes to Duck, she told her to squeeze every bit of these to collect the essence which is the juice. Isabel gave Potato the same instructions with the bramble berries but heeded her to be cautious for as the name applied these were brambles, plenty of their surface was deformed to make a spike.
Isabel hastens her efforts for someone who she truly cares, was now in peril. She gathered dead leaves together with dry wooden branches underneath the round table where she then ignited to the stove-like mechanism.
While the fire was growing, Isabel placed a glass cylinder full of the water she'd gathered to the port where the heat of the fire underneath the table was transferred to a thick spiral-shaped metal. She broke the bushwack grass into little pieces until she could no more, then rolled it into a ball together with the algae until what comes of it is a slimy ball of elongated pieces of grass.
The water began to bubble relentlessly. Isabel used the metal tong to lift the glass cylinder out of the port and into the center of the round table. She puts out the fire underneath then collected the juices from Potato's bramble berries and Duck's sour grapes.
Isabel mixed these two juices into one bowl then crushed the slimy ball with them using a wooden pestle, once the substance is thoroughly mixed, she rigorously poured it into the bubbling glass cylinder then carefully swirled back and forth with the metal tongs.
And now, for Duck's feather to burn with the wood's ash. But for this to work, an incantation is needed, Isabel ignited Duck's feather by the faint ambers and cinders from the smoldered fires underneath the table.
Once the feather twinkled in faint red, Isabel showered the wood's ash from it, she overlapped her hand over each other before shutting her sight from the enchanting murmurs.
" Lady of the lost, The unrivaled rage, Chariot of war, Harbinger of the fiery spirits. I humbly call upon thee, for the souls of those in need is not to be forsaken. The lady in red, may your undying rage fuel me, may your mercy and compassion grace me. "
Layers of arcs scribbled with diminutive runes from within gradually appeared outlined in red flame.
" OAHHH...!!! " uttered Potato as her eyes dazzled in fervor, she scoots closer for nothing as magnificent as this had ever captivated our peculiar potato.
" MAGIC!!! " yelled Potato as she points at the fiery arcs that circled at the palm of Isabel, it later lit Duck's feather as the ashes levitated whilst ignited in the rage of red.
" SHHH!!! And it's alchemy, not magic! " grunted Isabel. The feather raged in red's divine sheen and luster. Duck, Potato, including Isabel find it hard to look at for too long, they winced every once awhile for the feather's gleam is nearly blinding.
Isabel mixed it together inside the glass cylinder, the enchanted feather didn't sunk no matter how hard nor many Isabel swirled it. This blew away Duck and Potato for magic, wait no it's alchemy, had never made them think possible. ( Of course, don't expect magic, IT'S ALCHEMY DAMN IT, *sigh* but expect dragons...or a potato dragon...what's next? A unicorn?... Please don't. *sigh* )
The substance gradually turned the same color and gleam as the feather.
" And...it's finished! SCIENCE! "
The word science fared the same as the word alchemy to Potato, all these she didn't know but magic...to this she was more than thrilled, exhilarated even.
" Ma...gi...c...Woah... "
" I keep saying, IT'S ALCHEMY!!! "
Duck for a moment was lost, drifting from what was once hers. Her feather glowed in divine red, now she wondered if she too could shine in such magnificence. To be reborn into...a phoenix. This filled dreams of waking for our vigilant Duck, she thought nil of Potato's chance to be a dragon, but after seeing this, her hopes of becoming a phoenix is likely than Potato becoming a dragon.
( My word...I fear that unicorns could also be likely after hearing Duck's thoughts, what do you think? )
Isabel poured plenty into all the bowls that her little companions could muster as the bowls were indeed more than enough for her kins. This includes Arthur as he still laid in pain after finishing his bowl of enchanted medicine.
" Little Sparrow...you've done me proudly. " Arthur whispered into Isabel's ears as she sat beside where he laid with their hands touched against one another.
" This must've been more than enough to mend your pain. It worked on most of our people in great haste. I don't understand..." Isabel groaned in disparate.
" My wounds, are beyond mending, nor repair... "
" Our Lady, is beyond all...and is bound to no imperfections..."
" ...I know... " Arthur replied in comfort as his hands patted Isabel's puffy purple hair.
" I thought you that. Little Sparrow. This would not make my recovery, for I no longer bear my left sight, left sensation from my toes to my face. It would take... "
Isabel's eyes widened as she immediately realized the answer. " ...Magic. Not alchemy. "
Arthur gave her a complimentary smile as if she earned a point or two for beating him to it. Arthur might no longer have sensation from his entire left, but this doesn't mean that he no longer controls them. He stood to his feet and unwrapped his bandages across his entire left toes all the way to his neck and face.
" You see. Pain is no longer my enemy. Our Lady's blessing saved her descendants, proving our alchemy to be superior to none. But...alchemy does have its limits. To where alchemy lacks, magic fills. "
Isabel's people roared in cheer as they showered her with gratitude and love.
" HOOORAAAHHH!!! "
" ISABELA THE PRODIGY!!! "
" SAVIOR OF TRIBE IKATHY!!! "
The relieved and proud people of Ikathy embraced this gift as their Lady's eternal love for her descendants and depicted Isabel as her reincarnation in spirit and in craft.
Although they found the small duck and tiny potato to be...peculiar of most things. But nonetheless was welcomed with warmth and joy as did with Isabel.
" So...what lies next for the child prodigy? " Bantered Arthur.
" MAGIC!!!... " Interrupted Potato to Arthur's surprise.
" Is that... "
" Yes, a talking potato and a knife-carrying duck. You'll get used to it. " Answered Isabel
" And...yes, it appears to be so. I'll be accompanying my friends to grand Maestro's academy in the city of Zunn. I'll make sure to make you a new pair of eyes and, body, apparently. "
Arthur jittered to his yet another surprise. He'd never thought in a million years that his student would eventually surpass him, for his knowledge and skill is second to none. ( A prodigy indeed. )
" Well then, we'd better be rebuilding a new settlement while you're off. But before you're departure, what say you a feast? For Ikathy's descendants is now forever in your debt. "
Arthur kneeled to his last words as all eventually followed. Potato stood upon the round table where the alchemy had been performed and so did Duck as they watched a familiar scene.
Isabel helped in preparation for the feast, Potato and Duck however were treated as esteemed guests, they were found sitting together at the piece of leather that was prepared first for them.
By noon, the feast had commenced to all of their delights. Little of what was left and salvaged by everyone was enough to fill the remnants of their tribe. Our companionship grows to the addition of Isabel, the child prodigy of tribe Ikathy. With Duck the ever vigilant, and of course our courageous and most peculiar potato.
Where will their search for magic lead them? What has the city of Zunn had stored for our companions? What is the " grand Maestro academy "? Will Duck ever achieve to become a phoenix as Potato to become a dragon by magic? And what about Isabel's benevolent quest to mend her master's broken body? Will all these be achieved or will fate tell them otherwise?
Tune in to the next chapter to unravel these mysteries as we discover more about magic and more! Including how our peculiar potato would become a dragon. ( If it's even possible. *sigh* )
( P.S. Guys if y'all confused, the "Lady" that was talked about is Lady Ikathy, the tribe's name is after her including her descendants. Lady Ikathy is known by many titles those include the titles that Isabel used during her enchanting spell. Lady Ikathy has been long dead okay? And is now more like a religion for them. Ikathy's descendants keep praising her for she is no mortal being. That's all hope y'all enjoy this chap! )