My next stop was the apothecary. After talking with Mala, the owner, I got permission to use his equipment and began to spend the next few hours crafting potions. I needed them for what I had planned next. It was clear to me that I wasn't strong enough. As soon as I lost my bow I was almost useless aside from being a distraction and even though I had made it to the Hero's side in the end all I could do was die in front of her. My sacrifice wasn't even helpful. I was just glad I didn't have to see what came after.
By noon I had aligned multiple boxes and each one held several sets of vials. It should have taken longer but I splurged and bought the proper catalysts to quicken the reactions. My teacher only used them in emergency and they were expensive but with the Queens money the impact it had on us was insignificant. If my teacher ever crossed the same amount of money I feared what she would do.
There was a commotion out the front of the store just as I finished and I poked my head from the back room to see Mala staring down below the counter.
A boy's voice shouted, "Please I just need some medicine she's been sleeping for days now!"
Mala sighed, "I can't just give you it kid. This stuff is expensive."
I moved closer and peered over the counter. It was Michael. My mind seared in pain as his body crumpled over, an arrow through his chest as his sister cradled him lifelessly.
"Agh," I groaned and shook it off.
"Sorry were we disturbing you?" Mala apologised.
"No it's fine," I waved it off. "Umm kid did you say you needed some help?"
"You- are you an apothecary!?" he looked at me with bright eyes. Seeing those same eyes so full of life crushed into my heart and I felt my hands tighten.
"You could say that," I smiled softly.
"My sister is sick and she hasn't woken up in days. Please help her," he begged earnestly waving his hands.
I knew his sister would be fine even if I did nothing. Eventually the monster possessing her would leave once it had its fill and return to the forest. They were harmless enough. In fact some people used them to induce a coma like effect. Still… I couldn't refuse, "I'll take a look."
"Good sir," Mala turned to me. "You don't have to help the boy."
"I know," I smiled ironically. "You're a good business man Mala but don't lose touch. Here's my payment." I handed him several gold coins and packed my boxes into a bag.
"Sir this is too much," he replied honestly and began to sift through his change box.
I stopped him, "Keep it. If anyone who needs it comes in, help them with that money."
"Ah yes sir," he bowed. "You are a better man than I."
I walked away mumbling, "I'm really not." For one it wasn't my money. I was just satisfying the guilt in my chest. Seeing the town in flames, all those dead…. I agreed with Earnest back then and I still felt that way. This was me trying to pay for it.
"This way," Michael tugged on my sleeves bringing me back to my senses.
"Hold on there," I patted his head gently. The problem was how I handled the monster possessing his sister. I could easily get it out but killing it was another matter. To kill something like that you needed magic or a weapon that could use magic of which I had none. Worst case it would end up possessing me and then I'd really be in trouble.
"Oh there he is," Taylor called out from the street ahead of me, standing beside her was Lara.
Lara frowned as they approached, "What are you doing here? You're still injured."
"I'm fine," I dismissed her concern then smiled. "Actually could you come with me for a bit? This boy needs some help." Michael looked at the two of them shyly. The pair were quite a sight to the eyes. Though I had gotten used to it now, Lara's white hair was still as eye catching as ever.
"Hmmm," Taylor leaned over and looked at the boy intently. "He looks desperate."
"Eep," he squealed and hid behind me.
"I've seen eyes like his before. Another step and he would have made a bad decision."
Lara pulled her back, "Taylor stop it. Rain we'll help however we can."
"Really?" The way Michael looked at her was if he was staring at an angel.
"Of course," she rubbed his head fondly, "I'm pretty awesome you know."
I pushed Michael onwards and we followed him to the western quarter just by the wall. The scenery was reminiscent and my head started to pound again as the memory overlayed with the peaceful town. We walked past the same houses Ardent had saved those people from, the small gate we entered, and finally towards the house where I had seen their dead bodies.
"Of course you live here," I sighed quietly.
"Did you say something?" Lara asked me innocently.
"Never mind," I said simply. "Come on let's go in."
The house was actually multiple homes built into one. Michael led us to the third floor and into a small one room apartment. Lying in the middle of the floor was his sister covered in sweat on top a simple mattress. I hushed Michael before he could speak and began to inspect his sister. It was mostly for show and after five minutes I made my assessment.
"She's possessed," I pulled out my needle before they could properly react. "Don't worry I know how to fix it. I'm going to poison her and the monster will come out. Lara I need you to kill it when it does. Afterwards I'll give her the antidote so nice and easy. Got it?"
"Umm yeah," Lara nodded as Taylor watched from the door. Michael watched anxiously like last time.
I pricked the needle into his sister's skin letting the poison drip in. A few seconds later she began to convulse and I stepped back. A howl released from her mouth and the monster shot out like a dark spirit. In flash Lara gripped it and tore it apart as the shadow disappeared to nothing. I kneeled down next to Michael's sister and prepared to administer the antidote. My eyes flicked up to Lara. She looked at me with a red blush. I knew she knew what I was going to do but it seemed like with Taylor in the room she didn't want to do it for me this time. Whatever. I poured the bitter liquid into my mouth and planted my lips over Michael's sister's.
"W-what?" Taylor gasped.
I shifted my eyes over to her as I rose wiping my mouth, "Is something wrong?"
"No, everything is fine," she looked away from me.
"Okay then," I stood up and looked down to see Michael's sister's condition begin to stabilise. "You sister will wake up soon." I handed him some vials. "Have her drink this and then this one tomorrow morning. She should be good as new by in a few days."
"A-are you sure?" Michael looked between us anxiously.
His sister flinched and her eyes opened ever so slightly, "Michael?"
"Lily!" he jumped into her crying.
"Good boy," she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
"I'm staying at the Oxen Roost Inn if you need anything else," I patted his head once more. "Don't do anything bad now."
"I won't! I promise," he nodded vigorously. "When I grow up I'm going to be an apothecary just like you!"
I smiled, "Yeah you do that. Till later kid." Hopefully this time he'd make it out of all this alive.
We left the apartment and returned to the streets of Greytree. It was about one in the afternoon now. I still had time.
"Hey," Taylor grabbed my shoulder, "Do you do that with all your patients?"
"What stabbing them with poison? Only if I need to."
"No I meant the kissing part," Taylor frowned.
"It wasn't a kiss," I sighed. "That particular antidote needs to be ingested orally. It was the easiest way. Right Lara?"
"Ah, um yeah…," she turned to me but couldn't look me in the eye.
"You're not lying to me are you?" Taylor's grip tightened.
I couldn't escape, she was stronger than me. "Of course I'm not. If you needed the antidote I'd do it to you to."
"Hmph," she finally let me go.
I brushed myself off, "Thanks for the assistance. Well I'm off to find Earnest."
"Wait what?"
*
"Again!" I stood back up stiffly and raised the wooden sword. Earnest charged forward. He was fast and every time I thought I'd catch him he'd speed up that tiny bit more. It was infuriating but at the same time I knew it was his way of teaching me.
He stepped into range I jumped to the side and swung across his body. It was a clear miss as he bent around the wooden blade. A split second later I pulled back and defended instinctively. The wood cracked dangerously in my hands as I skidded to a halt. Just as I gathered my bearings my side erupted in pain and I hit the ground.
"Argh," I coughed and blood came out.
"Are you done?" Earnest hovered over me with his hand out.
"Not yet," I groaned and let him pull me back up. With uneasy steps I made it to the edge of the courtyard and to my bag. One box of vials had already been depleted and I cracked open another. We had already been training for over two hours and the amount times I had reenergize and heal my body was no longer in the single digits.
A hand stopped mine just as I went to drink another potion. "Rain I think you've had enough," Lara eyed me seriously. "Your veins are bulging. I know what the signs of an overdose look like."
I tried to shake her off but she held on tight, "I'm fine Lara. I'm not drinking anything dangerous. It's just the reactants building up in my system."
"I'm fine with you training to get stronger but this is too much. At least let me call Marley."
"I don't want to bother or tire Marley out with this," I finally managed to break her grip. Marley had her own work to do within the fortress and they needed all the fighting power they could get.
"Earnest please say something," she huffed and looked towards him.
He shook his head, "I never thought Rain would be the one to ask me to train. I'm keen to keep going. You see it as well don't you? How much he has improved in the span of days. Besides I'm not one to say no to a man's determination."
"Taylor?" Lara faced her next with pleading eyes.
She had been lounging relaxed and shot up, "I don't see what's so wrong. You've gone through worse haven't you? As long as Rain can take it he can do what he wants. Just don't die okay?" While Lara's concern could be overbearing Taylor's callousness was grating as well.
"It's not the same. Rain is normal. I'm… different," Lara stumbled on the last word and looked at us one last time before groaning and stamped her foot down. "Fine but no more after dinner!" She didn't leave however and hovered at the other edge of the courtyard.
"You heard the lady," I said to Earnest with a laugh and chugged another potion. The effect kicked in quickly and the pain in my side melted to nothing though my head was starting to become foggy. "Just one moment." I took out a syringe filled with a black liquid and poised it above my thigh.
"Now what are you doing?" Lara sighed.
"Turn away this isn't going to be pretty," I stabbed the needle down and injected the liquid. For a few seconds nothing happened and I put the syringe away. Then it kicked in and I keeled over in the corner spewing a blue mess into a pre-prepared bucket.
Lara, Taylor and even Earnest were concerned now and they all approached me. I held them back with a wave, "Don't worry that was meant to happen."
"You just threw up blue stuff!" Lara yelled.
"Yeah it was kind of gross," Taylor averted her eyes.
"You should have been there when I was learning about this," I wiped my mouth. "Like I said before, the reactants were building up so I discharged them. We do it quite a lot on patients undergoing extended treatment."
Earnest laughed scarily, "True determination indeed. I have decided Rain, you are my apprentice fully and truly."
I nodded my head, "Appreciated. Now let's keep going."
"Of course. Assume your stance."
I did as I was told and true to his Spartan ways Earnest swung immediately. I blocked and began to retreat but a loud crack resounded between us.
"Ah," my sword snapped in half and I was sent into the ground.