With Savion's instructions, we were able to destroy every magical beast the test run threw at us. Savion's extensive knowledge of each creature put us at a great advantage. I found myself learning so much about the world that I had barely yet traveled.
Milices, giant flying birds with heads of humans, were our first test. Their screeches filled the air until Savion's wind attacks scattered them. His daggers glimmered blue with magic, reminding me of the day when he had touched the stone wall. This was the first time I had seen him in action, and it made me wonder why Heather didn't take to him. He glided through the air with grace, as if he had invisible wings.
"Throw a fog potion with essence of lightning, then leave the rest to me." His daring eyes didn't leave the testing field.
"You can do these magic attacks and never bothered to show them?" I blurted.
"The empire would attack Gisser if they knew everything about me," Savion started. "I want to interact with these monks the least possible. You're my alchemist shield, all right?"
I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was joking or being very serious.
"I'm being very serious," he continued. "I'll let you get most of the credit, and that keeps them off my back. Deal?"
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Are you really a traveling bard? Is Blathe's Legend the only song you know?"
"I'll explain tonight, just please, don't let them think I have strong magic."
I poked his chest with my finger as I scowled. "You're telling me everything, buddy!" To think that he had secrets! Well, I had mine, too, but still!
I did as he said and threw a fog potion with essence of lightning. I hadn't expected to have such weapons before, and it made me wonder how Savion knew about alchemy.
The attacks merged seamlessly, and the yellow lightning grew into bright blue orbs as big as human heads. Each orb zipped into the air and blasted into the milices. Burnt feathers and bird flesh littered the ground before vanishing with a wave of Tholus' hand.
The next monster was more menacing, a mix of fast cobra heads and wolf-like legs. It was almost taller than me, and it moved fast enough to nick my ear.
Savion hollered as he stabbed his dagger into its chest and used the other to cut off the heads. He grabbed Groff herbs from my belt and pressed them to my bleeding ear. "This'll neutralize the poison. Hurry, eat some, too."
The Groff herb was bitter, but it did the trick. The feeling in my limbs returned, and after a few minutes, I was ready to continue.
"Impressive," Tholus praised. "That was enough to convince me. What about you Choud?"
"One more creature ought to persuade me," Choud revealed. "You've probably heard of them."
A group of five frost giants lumbered into the field. Their dark blue bodies shimmered gray in the sunlight. Large wooden clubs were their weapon of choice, and they caught sight of us. It was a test of strength, and I gave a bottle of my newest creation to Savion and drank one myself. Its blue and orange swirls were sweet and sour, and it went down quickly. He laughed with glee as he was fast and strong enough to take a wooden club and smack a frost giant's head off. Its black blood spurted onto the ground. I ran behind the giants and threw explosive chemicals at their feet. Two of them lost their legs from the potent attack. Savion finished beating the second giant to a pulp, his face contorted with anger. He stabbed the legless giants to death, covering himself in black blood. He seemed like a bloodthirsty demon at that moment. I couldn't help but feel pity for his broken heart and the way he was mending it. The last giant had watched all of this unfold. He summoned magic that sent a spear of hard ice aimed at Savion. I managed to catch its handle and changed its aim. Its form changed in my hands with a golden glow. I had a feeling it was the alchemist kit, but I couldn't control it well enough to demand a certain form. It turned to molten lava, but the kit prevented it from burning my hands. I yelled as I threw it at the frost giant. He swatted the spear away, but it melted off his arm.
Savion stabbed the frost giant from behind, his blades flashing with red flames.
The frost giant's body fell with a thunderous thud.
With a wave of Tholus' hand, the magical test run was over.
"That was wonderful!" Choud admitted as they approached us. "You must join us on our next expedition!"
"I don't take less than 5,000 hol per day. The same goes for her," Savion declared. "We go together or we don't go at all." He pointed at each of them. "You want to live? Listen and do everything we say. Got that?"
Tholus and Choud glanced at each other before nodding.
"Give us a contract to look over tonight," Savion added. "I'm not going to be responsible for anyone else."
"I'll get that for you right away," Choud offered.
"You owe me an explanation!" I started as we headed for the hill to make more potions and gather more ingredients. "Do I even know you?"
Savion sighed as he took off his shirt and showed me the mark on his shoulder. It was the brand of the empire. It was a red R for Royogg. "The empire used me to help win their battles against the eastern tribes. With help from your grandfather, I was able to escape."
"You don't look a day over thirty," I told him. "You expect me to believe that?"
He stood in front of me, his daring eyes not losing their ferocity. His bulging muscles were shimmering with sweat. The blood was gone, but I still felt . . . uneasy.
"I'm a luzinn," he explained as he donned his shirt. "After I lost a battle to Blathe, my people kicked me out of my homeland. This is my place now, to wander and never . . . be whole."
I stared at him for a moment, wondering why he hadn't spoken of this before.
"Did Heather know?" I asked, unable to help myself.
"What does it matter?" he hissed. "She's gone!"
"There's more to it, right?" I queried. "You weren't planning on telling her at all!"
He tightened his fists and glared at me. "I didn't want her to think less of me. I'm an outcast and wifeless because of Blathe. I won't stop living until his severed head is in my hands!"
"And then what?" I muttered. "You'll travel far away from this village and never return?"
Savion was my only friend left. All three of us had grown up together. I was saddened by this truth, and I had to face reality. The reality of life spitting in your face and leaving you to die or you get on your feet and do something about it.
Savion's harsh gaze mellowed before he sat on the grass and sighed. "My life wasn't easy, Izzy. People still . . . remind me of things I wish I could forget. I won't ask you to try to understand. I am asking you to be my alchemist shield. I promise to keep you alive, your family well taken care of . . . after all this is over."
"What if the empire comes?" I whispered.
"To hell with them!" he blasted. "I'll gladly die fighting them."
"Did they have more luzinns in their clutches?" I asked.
Savion held his head and sighed. "I don't know, and I don't care."
A wonderful plan formed in my head.
"If the empire does target us, we can hide in the Sombest Forest and diminish their forces with the creatures that live here."
Savion looked up at me, confused. "Sombests rule this forest, Izzy; not you or me. They'll go after anyone."
"They'll go after the bigger threat," I nodded.
Savion stared at me for a moment, narrowing his eyes. "Do you think we can do it? Sombests have a chief that lives in the heart of the forest. With your speed and strength potions, I think we can do it! We'll need some kind of absorption contraption to harness their immense energy. Do you think the alchemist kit can make one?"
"I recall seeing a recipe for an absorption cube called the star-eater. I'll need the heart of a lunadragi, the heart of a solidragi and the . . ."
A fire in his eyes lit up his face. "Once we capture their energy, they'll have to comply with our demands to get it back!"
I didn't like where this was going. They won't forgive us if we pull a stunt like that. Did we have much of a choice?
". . . and the blood of Blathe."
Savion stared at me in shock. "Is the empire trying to do the same thing?"
I shrugged. "Maybe they'll tell us along the way."
Savion scowled. "That's as likely as my ass going home."
"Isn't the solidragi in the Luzinn Forest?" I wrung my fingers as I figured he'd do anything to go back. He must miss his people.
"There is a time when they leave . . ." Savion uttered as he tapped his chin. He glanced at the sky and moved his finger across the sun's path. "They will be on that Luzinn Temple in ten minutes."
"Can we make it there with the speed potion and be back in time to sign the contract?"
Savion smiled, and I felt relieved that he was looking like his former self.
"Let's go," he urged. "We'll need fire proof skin to withstand its attacks. The alchemist kit should have one listed. It's fairly easy to make."
With one minute left on the speed and strength potion, we were able to find the solidragi, resting on the highest point of the mountain that was decorated as a Luzinn Temple.
The stone pillars were covered in depictions of the solidragi flying overhead, providing sunlight for the crops to grow. I gasped when it took to the sky. Its long, snake-like body was covered in golden feathers. Wings that were as long as its body swept it through the air, as graceful as Savion. A long tail brushed the sky, and the orange hues of a sunset appeared for a minute before fading.
I glanced at Savion, and he motioned to the stone steps to climb the Luzinn Temple. The ones that led to the highest point looked neglected with time, covered with weeds and moss. Had the people suffered here as well?
My gut told me it would be sacrilegious to kill a luzinn creature at a Luzinn Temple, but we were determined to do what we had to.
Its mournful cry as Savion cut its wing off sent chills through me. I winced when Savion returned with its golden heart, but his hands that held it were black as night. I searched through the alchemist kit for a cure, but Savion didn't seem alarmed.
"It just means I'm cursed, as I've always been," he muttered.
After the alchemist kit stored the heart, I took his hands and studied them. The darkness faded, leaving his hands red as human blood.
"Does it hurt?" I queried as I pressed his fingers gently.
He gulped and shook his head.
"Don't be so careless next time!" I scolded. "We have to depend on each other to get this done!"
His angry eyes pierced me until he wrenched my hands off of him. "I know what I'm doing, Izzy! Don't treat me like a child!"
"You didn't tell us the truth!" I barked. "You didn't tell her what you really were! She's dead because of you!" I gasped after I had said it. What was coming over me? I glanced at my feet in shame and noticed the violet eyes in my shadow from before.
When I looked up, the man in wraps was swinging his swords down to kill Savion.