As I strolled into the tavern that evening, I spotted the monk sitting at a large dinner table, surrounded by famous adventurers.
Darla Lei, one of the best archers, was sitting beside him, eating pork soup. Her short lavender hair wisped as her dark eyes glanced at me. Her crossbow and quiver full of bolts were propped on her chair. The gleam of cold steel on her hip warned of the dagger she kept ready. Black leather straps seemed to make the shorts she wore, while her leather jacket torn in half at the back seemed to tell a curious tale. The green shirt was shredded beneath the tear, making me wonder if a dangerous creature had attacked.
Tuk-Tuk, a mountain of a man, sat on the opposite end, his mouth almost bursting with rice and eggs. I gulped at such gluttony and stared at the two broadswords sheathed at his back. His build looked buff enough to cleave the table in one strike. I didn't see any armor on his cotton shirt and leather pants, but that didn't mean he didn't have any. A strange gray shimmer surrounded him, much like plates of semi-transparent steel.
Mayesca, a well-endowed sorceress, tapped her long fingernails impatiently as she glared at the monk. The red and gold silk dress fit tightly and accentuated her curves. "We don't need anyone else," she hissed, her glossy red lips pursed into a thin line. Ambitious storm gray eyes lit up with pride. "Tuk and I are enough to deal with Blathe."
The monk chuckled as he held a goblet of wine.
"You just want the money for yourself," another monk accused, his voice gruffer than the one I had met. His robes were a dark shade of crimson.
I felt another pair of eyes watching me, but they were hidden quite well. I listened to the crystals, and they sensed no danger. A violet glow emanated from the top of the stairs. Someone vicious was here. Who could it possibly be?
I kept my focus on the table and approached them. "Mind if I sit?"
The first monk bowed his head, still covered in the hood, and motioned to the chair on his left. "Everyone, this is Izilim Garvotti. If things go smoothly, she'll be joining us for our expedition. Izilim, this is Darla Lei. She'll be our guide. This is Tuk-Tuk and Mayesca, the whirlwind couple from the Barsy Federation. Choud is accompanying us as a scribe and entertainer." A hushed silence filled the whole tavern before Choud glared at him.
"Tholus here says you're an alchemist," Darla Lei began. "What can you do, exactly?"
"I know herbs that grow here and lands beyond," I responded. "I can make potions for healing and useful battle potions for quickness and strength. Enhancing states of mind with food and drink, as well."
"She's a goddamn gem in a coal mine," Tuk-Tuk remarked. "We need to get some meat on your bones, woman!"
Mayesca slapped his arm. "I'm your woman! Not her!"
Tuk-Tuk burst with joyful laughter. "Yes you are, my feisty fox!"
"She will be useful, but can she survive?" Darla Lei queried before sipping her hot green tea.
"That's why we're going together," Tholus responded, glancing at everyone. "We are an integral part of an ever-spinning wheel. Should one of us fail, the wheel will bend and collapse under pressure."
"Well put," Choud concurred.
"She'll just drag us down," Mayesca frowned.
"Let's give her a chance," Tuk-Tuk beamed. "I haven't had a quickness and strength potion in twenty years!"
Mayesca stared at him with daring eyes. "Before you met me? Who was your alchemist?"
"Go-go," Tuk-Tuk answered, his brows furrowed in thought. "We just called him Go-go. He had gotten a really nasty hit with an axe, right to the head. I think that's how he died."
I stared at him, fairly sure that it could've been my father. I kept my mouth shut in case they were in league with the empire. Wouldn't that make him as old as my father? In his late thirties, early fourties?
"Not prone to talking, are ya?" Darla Lei asked me.
A heaping plate of ham and cheese was set before us. Rolls of fresh bread and sticks of butter were placed as well. I glanced at Tholus and Choud.
"Eat up while we tell you about the test run," Tholus explained.
I nodded eagerly as I stuffed my mouth with the sweet ham and nibbled on the cheese. I stuffed more in between the rolls and scarfed those down.
"She can pack a meal, eh?" Tuk-Tuk chuckled.
"The test run will start tomorrow at the break of dawn," Tholus informed. "We will have magical beasts to train with, but they can't kill you. Don't be careless with them though. Choud and I are not going to risk our lives with unprepared misfits."
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"We'll observe and make our decisions on whom to keep in the expedition."
I glanced at his robes. "I hope you're not going to wear those baggy clothes in the Thorned Tunnel."
Tholus sat up straight, making his lower chin visible in the lamplight. "What did you just say?" His lips parted, as if in disbelief.
"Wear tight-fitting clothes, or the thorns will catch you and alert the sombest trees. The sombest trees will pick you up and throw you into the Chestblood Spikes," I warned.
A flash of malice passed through Darla Lei's eyes. I had a feeling she wasn't planning on telling the monks any of this important information. That could mean she was planning on stealing their money.
"Have you been in the Sombest Forest?" Tholus blurted.
"I've heard stories from adventurers and traveling bards," I admitted. "You do know that Blathe is the most dangerous hell beast? Why are you after his blood?"
Tholus took a deep breath and sighed. "I was just hired to get it. I heard that the survivors stayed here and that a healer bound their wounds and cared for them. She asked for little in return."
I gulped the food in my mouth as I figured it could've been Mother.
"It seems so strange that such an amazing healer can be so elusive," Tholus muttered. "Anyway, good luck on the test run. Choud and I will take our leave."
Darla Lei crossed her arms as she glared at me. I raised an eyebrow, sizing her up.
"This isn't going to be as easy as I had thought," she uttered.
Mayesca rolled her eyes. "Speak for yourself. Defeating Blathe will be easy. Did you know I've conjured many spells that can flatten an entire city? They don't call me the Barsy Dragon for nothing."
"Can a dragon kill a hell beast?" I queried.
"Of course!" Mayesca replied with a proud smile.
"He can attack faster than a dragonfly beats its wings," I notified. "How will you cast your spell? How long does it take to do so?"
Mayesca stared at me, dumbfounded. She scoffed and waved it off. "You're lying! You haven't even seen Blathe."
"Survivors have told me everything I need to know," I countered. "I can't say the same for you." I stood from the table and quickly made my way home.
When I reached the front door, I was surprised to see Father standing in front of the fireplace. He turned to me and heaved a deep sigh.
"Are you really planning to join the next expedition?"
"Yes, Father," I nodded. "There will be a test run tomorrow. Tholus, the monk, said he'll decide whom to bring afterwards."
Father nodded firmly. "I have something that will help, daughter. Come with me."
We stepped into the barn where our livestock had been. We had already sold most of them off, and only one dairy cow was left. She mooed as we entered.
Father approached the rear of the barn and pulled up two planks of wood on the floor. Inside was a hole, and in that hole was a small black box. He pressed the four corners of it at the same time, revealing a golden cube that fit neatly in his palm. I marveled at how it glowed before he wrapped it in a black cloth and handed it to me.
"This was your grandfather's alchemist kit," he notified as we strolled to the edge of the farmland. "Do not use it near our farm or the village. The empire has declared it stolen, and there are bounty hunters that are searching for it. Use it only in the forests that border these lands." He pointed at a hill in the distance. "It should be safe to use it there. Bring your herbs and ingredients to store inside of it. Show it to no one."
"Thank you, Father!" I cried as I hugged him. "How did you get this?" I wondered as I held it in my palm. Its warmth flowed through the cloth.
"Don't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you," he warned as we approached the stone wall. The owls hooted as the moon shone bright in the night sky. "Your grandfather was Emperor Daley's alchemist, and he was entrusted with treating the emperor's ailments, mainly infertility. Emperor Daley only had one son, Arlin, and when he inherited the throne, he accused me of treason. He wanted to get rid of me, for he knew we came from a great line of alchemists, and he felt we were a threat to his power. Your grandfather was executed, and I was forced to fight in the front lines against the Darok Riders, bandits from the east. When I was injured with the axe to my head, I was left to die."
I trembled as I followed his scar with my eyes.
"The Darok took me in and healed me. I had felt bitter and betrayed, but I held on because your mother was pregnant with you. It took me three years to infiltrate the empire and bring your mother and you here, to the edges of Gisser, where I thought no one would ever bother us again."
"You're always so valiant, Father," I praised. "I promise I'll come back, and we'll celebrate with a great feast." I handed him the ham and cheese I had stuffed in my pockets.
He chuckled as we strolled home.
That night, I couldn't help but think about how to get Blathe's blood. If he can move faster than a dragonfly's wings, how could we possibly survive? If he was stronger than ten men, how could we overpower him? Music could calm him, but what kind?
I picked up the alchemist cube as I sat on the moonlit hill. I gasped when it opened in a flourish of golden light before mellowing to a soft green glow. Impeccable glass bottles floated around me. Tiny vials to store finished products were waiting to be filled. Little blue flames had curious eyes that followed my every move. "It's like a dream," I whispered as a mortar and pestle ground the herbs and filled a few bottles. Fresh water swirled in from the river close by. Minerals and rocks collected at my feet, brought in from the water purification process. I stared at a lump of rock the size of my thumb that shimmered like gold. That would definitely take care of the family for the weeks that I would be gone. Would it be safe to sell it? Savion might know someone trustworthy.
The alchemist kit also had a huge recipe book, and many of the first listings were hard to read. I finally found the speed potions and marked them to find them easily next time.
"Dragonfly wings, a fly's heart, and a mimic herb should do the trick," I mumbled as I dropped the ingredients into a cooling bottle. The words glistened like fireflies as they swirled out of my mouth and into the potion.
After concocting a speed potion that could potentially make a person as fast as a dragonfly's wings, I decided to test it. I drank the orange potion and felt my mind racing along with my body. I sped across the terrain and even the ocean! The effects started to wane after three minutes.
I screamed in delight at the top of my hill, ecstatic for the possibilities. The alchemist kit even cleaned the used bottles and utensils, as if asking for more.
It made me wonder who was the genius that crafted this irreplaceable treasure.
"Now, for the strength potion," I continued, studying the ingredients. "Frost giant chest hair, polar bear tooth, and a slice of brown tube root." I rolled my eyes at the musty smell as it boiled down to a sienna sludge. It'll be fun chugging that down, not!
"Here it goes!" I declared as I drank the gritty slime. I almost vomited until my muscles bulged. My whole body tingled as I grabbed the nearest tree and wrapped my arms around it. I lifted it out of the ground, roots and all. The alchemist kit processed it into lumber and stored it away. "This is unbelievable!" I almost shouted as I picked up a rock the size of my chest and crushed it into dust. The effects also waned after three minutes.
It was then that I realized why the empire would want this back. Over my dead body! That train of thought made me wonder if bringing someone dead back to life was possible.
I found a dead raven by the river and let the alchemist kit bring it to the hill. I tapped my chin at the ingredients on hand. Allidrie root, known for quickening heartbeats, Seemie grass, which can regenerate organs, and a drop of blood. I used my blood, which made me wonder if this is what Blathe's blood could be used for.
The alchemist kit boiled the essences out of the herbs. Once the purified water mixed with the herb essences and my blood, the potion became crimson. I let it cool before pouring it on the raven. The liquid encased the creature, and I watched in awe as its body regenerated. After a few seconds, it wobbled to its feet and stared at me.
"Hi there," I whispered.
"Hi there," it repeated with a guttural squawk. I stepped back in shock, and it hopped towards me.
"Can you understand me?" I blurted. "Are-are you alive?"
The raven tilted its head. A maggot dropped out of its ear, and it promptly ate it.
"Ahh, much better," the raven muttered. "Say that again, my dear. I didn't quite hear you."
"You can talk!" I started. "How did you--? No, nevermind that. How are you feeling? Do you remember anything before waking up?"
"One at a time!" the raven fussed. "Who are you, anyway?"
"Oh! Forgive me! My name's Izilim Garvotti. What's yours?"
"I'm not sure," the raven admitted. "I remember someone screaming before the darkness took me."
The raven flew to my shoulder and perched itself. "Oh, that forest. I recall a terrible beast with glowing red eyes. It chased after me and my group. Its claws ripped through our bodies like scythes of death. My men screamed, because my legs had been cut from beneath me. I landed on my stomach, and my entrails lay before me like snakes of blood."
"Only one man survived," I whispered. "Savion."
"Savion? The bard?" the raven muttered. "He's still alive?"
"He's much older, now. Will speaking with him help you move on?"
The raven chuckled. "That wily Savion. He did warn us, and we didn't listen." The raven flew to the river and drank the water. It had been over five minutes, and the raven looked none worse for the wear. "Let's go meet him, dear. I hope it's not too late."
I closed the alchemist kit and brought him to the tavern.
"You'll have to be very quiet right now," I whispered as we approached the door. "Savion might be upstairs." When I opened the door, Savion was standing there, as if leaving.
"Savion, can we step outside and speak for a moment?" I queried.
His look of shock didn't fade until he nodded.
As we strolled beneath the moonlight, away from the ears of the village, the raven finally said something.
"It's been a long time, Savion."
He stopped walking and glared at the raven. "If you wish to curse me, so be it."
The raven sighed and shook his head. "I won't be so petty, Savion. I don't have much time. You should tell her how you feel. She knows about the letters."
Savion's face fell. "She died a few days ago, Munz. I arrived too late to dissuade her."
"Who?" I asked. "Heather?"
Munz flapped his wings in exasperation. "She has a hand, you know! This Izilim can bring her back, too! For a while, anyway."
"Shh!" I scolded. "Don't talk about that!"
Savion grabbed my shoulders, his face strewn with regret. "Izzy, please! Help me bring her back!"
"No good will come of it!" I protested. "She'll die again, and you'll never be satisfied!"
Savion crashed to his knees and begged at my feet. "Please, Izzy! I'll give you anything you want! I don't have much, but I'm sure I can--"
I slapped his cheek so hard that my hand burned.
He held his red cheek and stared at me, confused.
"Don't ask me to bring her back, ever!" I shouted, holding my hands to my heart. "She was my best friend, too!" Hot tears streamed from my eyes. I couldn't bear to see her die before me. She was my idol and she had a strong will. I couldn't sully such an image of her.
Savion trembled as he stood and held me in a tight hug. "Forgive me, Izzy. I wasn't . . ."
He stepped back and glared at Munz. "Where did you get Munz?"
"At the border of the Sombest Forest," I answered. "He told me how he didn't listen to you, and everyone else died."
A loud howl blared from the Sombest Forest.
"What was that?" I blurted.
Savion grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the port. Munz flapped his wings behind us before he fell down, unmoving.
He lasted an hour with the resurrection potion, and I shook my head as I swore to myself that I would never use it again.
"Why did you get Munz, of all people?!" Savion grumbled. He pulled me behind a warehouse that was closest to the docks. "Stay here by the water and don't move!"
He headed back towards the fields where we had been talking.
A snarl sounded close to me, and I gasped when I saw the hell beast's glowing red eyes a few feet away. His long dark fur glimmered blue in the moonlight. Inside his wolf-like snout were large fangs shimmering with drool. Sharp claws raked the wooden floor as he charged at me. I froze as I thought this was it. Blathe himself was going to kill me.
I shielded my head with my arms, shaking with terror. When nothing happened, I opened my eyes.
The beast lay in a pool of blood, the head severed from the neck.
"What is an alchemist doing without her potions?" a young masculine voice queried. His dark attire covered his whole body like wraps, and his lower face was hidden with a cloth mask. Violet eyes pierced through the night. In his hands were otherworldly blades that seemed to radiate a deathly red aura. He sounded familiar, almost like the monk.
A tuft of golden hair was visible from his turban.
"Who are you?" I asked. "Besides the monk that was hired?"
"You'll have to join the expedition to find out," he replied with a twinkle in his eye.
I pursed my lips as he jumped into the air and vanished. I glanced around and realized he could be on a rooftop.
I gulped when Savion appeared a few seconds later, daggers at the ready. He stared at the furred beast and sighed with relief. "Izzy? Are you all right? What happened?"
"A young man covered from head to toe in wraps came and killed it," I notified. "He said I should join the expedition if I want to find out who he is. He has violet eyes and golden hair. I saw it from his turban!"
Savion blinked twice and saved his daggers. "You must be seeing things. I think you need a good night's rest."
"Cut it out, Savion! I sensed someone watching me in the tavern earlier. It must've been him!"
Savion studied the dead hell beast and shivered. "Whatever you do, don't disappoint him."
"Come with us," I offered. "You can be our guide. I don't trust Darla Lei after what she did in the tavern. She didn't tell the monks to dress appropriately for the Thorn Tunnel! Isn't that right around the first day of hiking?"
Savion worked his jaw and sighed.
"Please, Savion! We need you for this expedition!"
I took his hands and held them. "I know Heather meant a lot to you, and you were planning on marrying her, and that she didn't want to settle down just yet. If I make the resurrection potion for you and let us say our goodbyes, will you help us?"
"You make quite the tempting bargain, Izzy," he admitted as he squeezed my hands. "She won't be the same person, as we've already witnessed with Munz coming back in a raven's body. What I do wish . . ."
I held my breath for his response.
"I wish to avenge her. Be it Blathe or the gods themselves, my daggers will spill their blood. I will guide you through Sombest Forest and into the borderlands of Luzinn Forest. Blathe should be there, waiting for us. I will cut off his head, and we will fear him no longer."
There was something in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. I was never afraid of him because he had been so kind, but now . . . a terrible darkness was there, eating away at rationality. His heart had been slaughtered by a dangerous creature. This wasn't for Blathe's blood anymore. This was for vengeance. He didn't seem to care for his life anymore, and that scared me most of all.