๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐ธ ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐ธ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ถ, ๐๐๐๐๐๐พ๐ถ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ธ๐ ๐๐ป ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐ท๐๐๐๐น๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐น ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ธ๐ฝ๐พ๐๐๐ธ๐ ๐ท๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐๐๐น๐๐๐. ๐๐๐๐๐๐พ๐ถ'๐ ๐น๐พ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ป๐๐๐๐๐ธ๐ ๐พ๐๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ถ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐ถ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐ธ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐, ๐น๐พ๐๐๐พ๐๐ธ๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ท๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐พ๐๐ ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐พ๐ธ๐ถ๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐พ๐๐๐, ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐น๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐น๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ธ๐, ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐ธ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐พ๐ถ๐๐, ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐ธ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐ธ ๐พ๐ ๐ถ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐๐๐น ๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐.
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๐ธ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐พ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐ธ, ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ป๐๐๐, ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐ ๐ท๐๐ ๐ถ ๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ฝ ๐๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐น๐, ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ธ๐๐พ๐ธ๐, ๐ถ๐๐น ๐ถ ๐น๐๐๐ ๐๐๐น๐๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐น๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐น'๐ ๐๐๐๐๐พ๐ธ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐. ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐ป๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ฝ ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐น๐พ๐๐ธ๐พ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ธ๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ ๐ธ๐๐ธ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐๐๐๐ธ๐๐ถ๐ป๐, ๐๐๐ธ๐ฝ๐๐๐, ๐ฎ๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐, ๐ถ๐๐น ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ธ๐๐พ๐ธ๐๐.
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"Hm.." Viviana hummed as her eyes followed the texts, "Interesting." She flipped the page and continued reading.
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Time, in its ceaseless march, had wrapped its cloak around the day, dragging the sun down below the horizon. Viviana, engrossed in the reading, hardly noticed the dimming light outside the window until the pages before her grew difficult to read. With a soft sigh, she closed the book, and soon it settled into its nook on the shelf, a faithful sentinel returning to its post.
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As she headed towards the exit she couldn't help but overhear murmurs from a group across the room. It wasn't difficult, she'd say. "Oh my, it's getting late, and he still hasn't come back yet?" one voice carried, "What if those rogues get to him? Poor guy," another chimed in, only to be met with a dismissive, "Don't be absurd."
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Viviana has come up with a vague idea of what happened but then again it's not really her business. But then she made one fatal mistake, as she was staring off into the murmuring group, one guy raised his head, and the two made eye contact. Immediately the man walked towards her, "Excuse me!" He waved.
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Viviana was still, glancing around for a sign to escape but the man was already in front of her with an utmost worried expression, "I'm so sorry but are you perhaps a Chosen?" "Ah," Viviana should lie, the whole purpose of getting new clothes was so she wouldn't be identified as one of those 'Chosens' that always seems to mean she is up for work. She's not but..even so as she looked at his doe eyes and wrinkly face, she couldn't exactly bring herself to lie. She nodded.
Relief waved over his expression as he suddenly inched closer, "Oh thank the goddess! I have this son, a 12-year-old with muck hairโ" He extended his hand, fingers forming a small gap, mimicking the height of a child. " โa-and about this tall." he indicated, lowering his palm to the approximate height of a twelve-year-old boyViviana thought back to her, it's true she could very well have missed him but she don't recall seeing any other child recently, so she shook her head.
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"Oh my, where has that little boy gone?" He clasped the small-cap he wore.
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Viviana tried to give him a sympathetic look and attempted to move past him, she already helped someone today, she didn't have another mindless task ahead of her.
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As she edged past him, a fragment of conversation from the nearby murmuring group caught her attention, "Poor man, adopted that orphan boy out of the goodness of his heart," one whispered, not quiet enough for the words to escape Viviana's ears.
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"And look at the trouble it's brought him," another added , "No good ever comes from orphans, always a hassle."
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She stopped, standing still for a few moments before ultimately sighing, she turned back to the father, "I don't suppose you have a flashlight in this world, do you?"
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Viviana, clutching a gleamglobe in her hand, ventured into the embracing darkness of the forest. The orb's light blue luminescence cut through the night, casting eerie shadows that danced along the path.
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"Oh Tommy..Zaney..whatever..come out wherever you are." Her calling was met with crickets, Viviana groaned, why was she even doing this? She doesn't know herself, just that when those hags insulted him, called him a 'hassle' a burning feeling in her chest flared up. And she just wants that feeling to stop.
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So here she is, in the dark, looking aimlessly for this one kid who supposedly ate grass when he was younger. Great.
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As time stretched on, with no sign of the boy, she yawned as the night carried on. Just as she was about to call to quit. She heard a noise, a rustling, and immediately her heart started to race. Maybe she wasn't as smart as she thinks she is. In fact she is probably the dumbest girl in this world, coming out to the same spot where those masked jerks appeared and attacked. All without a weapon.
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She cursed under her breath, maybe she could still make a run for it. But then she heard a groan, a whiny high-pitched groan. Her eyes shot up, it can't be..
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She stalked closer, carefully she peeked from the brushes.
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"Oh shit, fuck!" She rushed over to the kid, who was lying unconscious, face bright red. Viviana placed her head on his chest, his heartbeat was slow, what even happened? She looked around and saw that just beside his thin hand were berries, above it were symbols, and she recognized just one from the book. Poisonous.
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"Shit.." Shaking, she wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Come on kid.." She attempted to make him rise, his breath hot and staggered, "Where..help.." Then she saw it, a soft warm light in the distance.
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She tried making as fast as she could towards the light, as fast as a barely unconscious kid could. Finally she burst into the home, seeing Eldranthia.
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"Eldran! Ah.." She stumbled, her feet hitting the floor but she made sure the kid was cushioned.
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"Oh dear," Eldran rushed to help them, she glanced at the kid and almost immediately she understood. Together they were able to lay him on a bed. Viviana was pacing, stammering, and frantic, trying to explain the situation, how he found him and how she thinks what happened.
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"Dear calm down.." She urged.
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"Calm down? Well, what am I supposed to do? All I wanted was to find a kid not give his dad my grievances."
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"Viviana." Eldranthia placed both hands on her shoulder, firm but not forceful, "Listen to me very carefully, he is not going to die. Not while we act with haste, now come, help me conduct an antidote."
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"Right.." She squinted before taking a deep breath, "..antidote, antidote..what do I do?"
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Viviana was anything but precision and calm. Her hands were hurried and clumsy, spilling herbs and knocking over vials in her rush. The mortar and pestle felt awkward in her hands, the grinding motion jagged and uneven.
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"Eldranthia, Iโฆ I can't seem toโ" Hot burning sensation in her chest, "I-I'm sorry I'm a burden. I shouldn't have triedโ" looked at Eldranthia, more like she was looking for comfort, for reassurance, but..she found none of that in her eyes. Instead what she found was a cold, sad stare. She was disappointed at her. She was a disappointment. No, no.
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She took a heavy breath, wiped her eyes and started again. This time her movement was measured, deliberate. And she was able to grind the herbs into fine dust in a matter of seconds.
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In a far corner of the room, Eldranthia smiled and nodded before continuing, "Now, carefully pour the distilled water over the herbs."
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Viviana obeyed and poured the distilled water, watching the liquid merge with the ground herbs, the vibrant green of the mixture.
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"Stir it in a clockwise motion," Eldranthia said, her eyes fixed on the bowl.
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As she did, her hand in circular motion, she found her heart become slower, calmer, like she was completely absorbed in the act. The vibrant green of the concoction a mesmerizing dance of light and shadow in the gleamglobe's luminescence.
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Eldranthia approached the cauldron with a sunflower, Viviana observed, her brows furrowing, "What's that for?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, afraid to break the solemn atmosphere of the room.
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Eldranthia turned to Viviana, "The essence of the sunflower holds properties that aid in healing," she explained, "It will enhance the potency of the antidote, ensuring a swifter recovery."
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Viviana nodded, her eyes returning to the cauldron as Eldranthia carefully extracted the essence from the sunflower. She watched in awe as the liquid shimmered with a golden glow.
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Once the essence was added to the mixture, Eldranthia guided Viviana through the final steps of preparing the antidote. Together, they meticulously combined the ingredients, their movements synchronized.
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As the potion took shape, Eldranthia handed Viviana a small vial, its surface glinting in the soft glow of the gleamglobe. "Carefully transfer the antidote into this bottle," she instructed, her voice steady and reassuring.
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With trembling hands, Viviana followed Eldranthia's guidance, pouring the potion into the vial with meticulous care.
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With the antidote prepared, Viviana approached the boy, her heart pounding in her chest. Gently, she tilted his head back and placed the bottle to his lips. "Here," she murmured softly, urging him to drink.
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As the boy swallowed the potion, Viviana held her breath, her eyes fixed on his face as his eyes closed once again. His breathing slowly returned steady.
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"When-"
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"It will take time my dear," Eldranthia said, "For now, rest."
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Viviana let out a heavy sigh of relief, the tension that had been coiled tight in her chest finally releasing. She sank down onto a nearby chair, her limbs feeling heavy with exhaustion. The rush of adrenaline had dissipated, leaving her feeling drained and weary.
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As she sat there, her breathing gradually slowing to a steady rhythm, Eldranthia approached her with a gentle smile. "You did well, Viviana," she said softly.
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Viviana managed a tired smile in return, her eyelids feeling heavy as she fought back a yawn. "Thanks," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She leaned back against the cushion, allowing herself to finally relax.