The lakehouse of the Amniel family was a quiet refuge for Jayce and his friends. They whispered to each other, careful not to make too much noise.
Jayce's eyes darted around, checking for any signs of danger. He felt uneasy, wondering how secure the house was.
Celeste noticed his anxiety and tried to soothe him. "Relax, Jayce, this house is safe and hidden. No one can find it on any maps or records. My father made sure of that."
A loud tapping sound interrupted their conversation. They turned to see a raven pecking at the glass window, holding a message in its leg.
Lucian walked over to the bird and stroked its head gently. He unfastened the message and read it quickly. His face darkened, showing the seriousness of the situation.
He looked at his friends and said, "They know who we are, except for Celeste. We are wanted as fugitives."
Jayce let out a sigh. "We fell into the Duke's trap," he said. "I won't make that mistake again."
Poppy held Jayce's hands lovingly and gazed into his eyes. "You had no choice," she said. "You had to save your mum."
Ekko glared at Jayce and Poppy with a flash of intense rage and hate in his eyes. He quickly masked his emotion and looked away.
Riven sat on the ground and crossed her legs. She closed her eyes and started to meditate.
Karma, Jayce's mother, watched Jayce and Poppy closely. She noticed the soft looks they exchanged with a raised eyebrow.
Lucian wrote a note in a hurry and tied it to the raven's leg. He let the bird fly into the sky.
He turned to his friends and said, "We have to hide here in the Lakehouse until we figure out a plan."
Karma spoke with worry in her voice. She reminded them, "Don't forget about the Stormcloak family and their sickness from Scarlet fever. My healing didn't help them at all. I don't know why I didn't catch it."
Lucian shared, "I have information about an old alchemist named Cyril. He was supposedly on the verge of finding a cure for Scarlet fever." He continued, "Unfortunately, our current situation makes it impossible for us to seek his assistance. There's a substantial bounty hanging over us."
Master Yi interjected, his wisdom prevailing over the tense atmosphere, saying, "Jayce, remember my father's journal that I gifted to you. I remember it containing a spell to change appearance."
Jayce summoned a small black void, retrieving the journal from within his interdimensional storage. Flipping through its pages, he stumbled upon a spell that seemed promising. At first, he mistakenly believed it to be an illusion spell, but upon further examination, he realized it was an alteration spell, capable of assuming the physical form of another.
The ancient Zoroastrian chant etched in the journal translated to: "Whispered verse, profound and true, Shapes my being, a different hue."
Lucian, the voice of reason, urged the group to learn the spell, but Jayce, to their astonishment, grasped its essence immediately.
Jayce, fueled by eagerness, asked, "Where can we find this hermit?"
Karma, her voice filled with protective concern, directly expressed her worries about Jayce going alone, taking solace in Lucian's agreement. She said, "I'm concerned about Jayce going alone. It's dangerous out there."
Reluctantly, Lucian revealed, "Cyril resides on the outskirts of the Nyr Forest, near the Tyne River in the far north. It's a perilous location, dangerously close to the volatile border between the Fire Kingdom and the Demon dark lands."
Jayce recited the incantation and his appearance morphed. Lucian and the others were astounded.
Karma wasn't the least bit impressed. "I prefer your old face. I hope you will return to it soon," she said as she dragged his cheek.
Jayce's eyes blazed with determination as he embraced his mother before rushing outside, ready to find Cyril.
But before he could leave, Riven grabbed his arm and pleaded. "Please, let me go with you," she said. "I can help you."
Jayce hesitated for a moment.
He nodded and picked her up in his arms. "All right, come on," he said before quickly taking flight towards the meeting point where the Nyr Forest intersected with the Tyne River, his path set in a quest for answers and a potential cure.
As Jayce and Riven reached the intersection of the Nyr Forest and the Tyne River, a quiet log cabin came into view, nestled amidst the towering trees. They approached the cabin cautiously, their steps muffled by the dense foliage. Inside, the atmosphere grew tense as two men engaged in a heated argument.
A younger man's voice reverberated through the cabin, as he accused the older man, "You're growing senile with age! You can't keep up anymore!"
In response, the older man swiftly retorted, defending his sharpness and vitality, "Nonsense! I'm just as sharp as ever! Age hasn't dulled my mind or my body!"
Jayce and Riven's sudden entrance surprised the two men, momentarily halting their dispute.
Curiously, the older man directed his inquiry towards Jayce and Riven, saying, "I didn't hear any horse hooves. How did you two arrive here?"
Jayce, thinking quickly, decided to fabricate a story, replying, "We walked here."
The older man, his skepticism evident in his expression, introduced himself. He said, "I'm Cyril." Then, he gestured towards the younger man beside him, adding, "And this is my son, Vance."
Taking a deep breath, Jayce started to explain the purpose of their visit. He said, "We came here because my family is suffering from Scarlet fever, except for my mother."
Cyril's eyes widened, and he interrupted, "Does your mother possess healing magic?"
Surprised by the accuracy of Cyril's assumption, Jayce responded, "How did you know?"
With a touch of sadness, Cyril confessed, "I have dedicated my life to studying that insidious virus. My wife succumbed to it. The gods bless her soul. For some reason, anyone with healing magic is immune to it. I wasn't so lucky."
Cyril opened his shirt to reveal red sores with a cream on them. "The balm is a homemade recipe. It keeps the sickness at bay if caught early," he said.
"I have searched through ancient texts and moldy tombs for a cure," Cyril said. "I have devoted my life to this quest. But my son, he doesn't understand this. He thinks I'm too old for this. He thinks I should give up and retire."
Cyril looked at Vance with a touch of anger. "You think I'm an old fart, don't you?" he said. "Well, let me show you what this old fart can do."
He leaped towards the table, hoping to impress his son with his agility. But his leap faltered, and he stumbled, crashing to the floor. "Ow," he groaned. "Maybe I am an old fart after all."
Jayce saw Cyril fall to the floor and reacted swiftly. He sprang into action and recited a combination of three different chants.
A warm light enveloped Cyril's body, healing his injuries. Cyril opened his eyes and looked at Jayce in awe.
He recognized the tremendous healing abilities bestowed upon him. "You… you are a healer," he said. "I've never seen a healing spell this powerful before. How did you learn to do that?"
"My mom taught me," Jayce replied. "I need to find a cure for this thing and no disrespect but you don't seem like you're in the best shape to help me."
He sighed and said, "Maybe you're right, son. Maybe the time for adventuring should be left to the younger generation. Maybe I should let you take over this quest."
"Let me go and find the cure that you were working on," Jayce offered. "You need to rest and recover."
"Thank you, Jayce." Cyril said, his eyes showing his gratitude. "Listen closely then."
"What is it?" Jayce asked, curious.
"There is a legend about an alchemist and a philosopher who was half-demon. Absolutely obsessed with finding a way to live forever. His earlier creation was a golden chalice that could turn any liquid poured inside into a powerful potion. A potion that could heal any disease and restore health, stamina, and mana. It was the ultimate elixir," Cyril said.
"Wow, that sounds amazing. Where is this chalice?" Jayce asked, amazed.
"It is hidden in the alchemist's tomb, beyond the border, in the demon territory. The tomb is in the forgotten caves. But be careful, there is a dangerous beast there. An ice beast, over time it has lost its sight but it can hear everything," Cyril warned.
"That sounds very risky. But I'm willing to take the chance. Thank you for telling me this, Cyril. I'll be back soon with the cure," Jayce said, determined.
With a sense of purpose, Cyril handed Jayce a map, outlining the path to the forgotten caves.
Jayce turned towards Riven and directed her, saying, "Riven, please wait for me here in the safety of the log cabin."
Riven nodded in agreement. "Be safe and come back quickly."
Determined, he embarked on his quest to locate the hidden cave, leaving the cabin behind, his heart filled with resolve and hope.