Athos Savage has always grown up admiring his parents' work. He was born with a weak body that constantly needed care not to get sick. But luckily was born as the son of the only alchemist in the small border town of Faltra, which allowed him to have an almost normal life thanks to the constant treatments that received from parents.
His father Robert Savage was praised as a good and honest man who sold potions cures and treated illnesses at reasonable prices, never trying to make more money than you should about your products.
His Mother Agatha Savage was a former adventurer who decided to retire when she got married with your father. She became a botanist who helped her father and together they maintained the only potion shop in town. She was kind like her father, but she was strict about her his upbringing and whenever he did something wrong a solution was always a good spanking.
His parents always told bedtime stories of adventurers, knights and wizards legendary. But Athos would always reply that he preferred to be an alchemist and help people like the father. He was the greatest hero in their eyes.
His parents were always smiled when he said that, thinking it was just the dream passenger of a child, but as Athos grew he became more and more time in her father's shop watching everything he did.
The selection of ingredients, the preparation, the tools used, the mixtures and even were finally ready. Athos had learned the basics of alchemy the knowledge of their parents. And a week after turning 9 Athos decided to put your knowledge to the test.
*****
Late at night at the Savages' house, a small shadow moved stealthily across towards the potion brewing room while making the most of your concealment to avoid getting caught tampering with your father's lab.
Athos knew the most important part was not getting caught trying to make a potion or they would never let him near the lab again. they can only stay knowledge of what he did after the work was done.
His parents would still be mad at him after tampering with the lab without permission and he would probably still take a beating from his mother, but in his head it was worth it for him to prove that he could already make potions.
After arriving at the laboratory, Athos silently took the only ingredient that To make the simplest potion of all: the minor healing potion.
"hum...here! A flower petal of light!" Athos said while using the tools of the her father and ground the petal into a white goo, then split the goo into a small pot of water half full and put it to boil.
He turned on the only magic furnace in the house and watched closely until it vaporized all. Then he turned off the fire and waited for it to cool with crossed fingers.
"Come on... come on, it has to work!" Athos cheered softly as he waited impatiently. After it cooled down and Athos saw the milky white liquid in the pot he could not contain his excitement and shouted:
"IT WORKED! IT REALLY WORKED!!!" Athos shouted in the middle of the night as he took the proof of his success and ran towards his parents' room.
"DAD! MOTHER! WAKE UP, WAKE UP SOON! I DID IT!!" Athos said while invaded her parents' room.
"What's going on? Are you okay son?" Asked his father half confused and half still sleeping.
"Why are you screaming at this hour Athos?" Said his mother angrily as she dropped the hatchet hid under the bed.
"It worked, look, I made a potion!" Athos said with his best smile as he placed the prize in front of her eyes, hoping it would lessen her anger his mother when she realized he went through his father's things.
"What??" They both said at the same time.
"Look, it's true, I managed to-" Before Athos could finish speaking, his father interrupted in concern.
"I don't care! I want to know if you got hurt! You if burned did? Son, Why did you do that?" Yelled his father, as he looked for any sign of burn on Athos' hands, arms and face.
"Well, I wanted to prove that I could make potions dad! You never let me do it! I thought that by doing that you would let me help you!" Said Athos trying to justify.
"Look Athos it's not that we don't want your help, but, you have to understand that you only 9 years old, what kind of parents would we be if we let you mess with potions at that age?" said his father gently as he scolded him.
"I know dad, but I got tired of having to stay in the store doing nothing, if I at least helped father at work would be less boring." Athos said with a tone of sad voice.
His parents always worried about him and even when he stayed at the store he could only observe and at most help his mother take care of the plants in the greenhouse.
"Wait son I've been ignoring this until now but, did you really make a potion alone?" said his father after the worry had passed his curiosity led to best.
"Yes, I got it the first time just watching you!!" Athos cheered up again while displaying the potion to his father.
"Well let's see..." said his father in a tone of disbelief not believing he could make a potion without help.
"So? how was it?" asked his mother.
"..."
"Hey, why the silence? Say something! Is the potion useful or not?"
"...It's amazing" his father muttered in disbelief. "It's a minor healing potion, just like the potions I make! It has no difference with the potions I sell in the shop. "
"What? How is that possible?" his mother said.
"Athos how did you make that potion? I'm sure I never taught you how to do it." Said his father as he looked into his eyes.
"I just copied what dad does, it's easy." Said Athos as he shrugged.
"Amazing, just amazing! Does love know what that means?" asked his father with the same enthusiasm as a child in the park.
"That your potion is so easy to copy that even a child can do it?" said your mother with a raised eyebrow.
"Gaah… no! That means our son is brilliant!" Said your father half embarrassed that his potion was easily copied.
"That means I can start making potions now doesn't it?" Said Athos, he was so happy you could almost see stars shining in his eyes.
"Just a minute son." Said her mother in an oddly gentle tone as she holding his shoulder, Athos knew what that meant and it gave him goosebumps.
"Wait, I can explain!" Said Athos while trying to free himself, but without success.
"No, you've explained enough to me. You sneaked into the laboratory your father, used the ingredients without permission, and used the magic furnace to make the potion, even though your father and I said it was forbidden to stir. Did I forgot something?" Said your mother, while counting on her fingers how many times he disobeyed her and how many beatings he would take it.
"You forgot the part where I succeeded." Said Athos in a proud tone.
He already knew he was going to get beaten up, but he wanted to get out of it with dignity.
suddenly a vein it jumped on her forehead and her eyes were like a dead fish.
"Yeah, I forgot about that part. What do you think about us testing how effective this is potion?" said his mother with a crooked smile as all Athos' bravery faded and he trembled in front of her like a rabbit in front of a wolf.
For the rest of the night, his mother insisted on teaching Athos the consequences of moving in your parents' things.