Anabel was in Marela's lab in an instant. Marela was hovering over a vat of thick, viscous, vibrant orange bubbling liquid. Plumes of violet smoke rose above the vat. Anabel could smell wildflowers, spices, and a hint of rot.
"Why are you not making the medicine for Jolan?"
"This is it. It will be ready in another second or two."
Anabel frowned. "I know he does not need to bathe in it. Why are you making so much?"
Marela smiled. "I know at least ten different dimensions that I can sell this stuff in. This time you have found us a goldmine."
Anabel silently looked at her for a very long moment. So long Marela looked up at her puzzled, pursed their lips, and then cleared their throat. "You and I both know we need to finance our experiments and now that Allistar is back we will need even more."
Anabel pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "We have lucrative mines across several dimensions, and we have many gardens of rare herbs, trees, and other important ingredients. Why would we need more profit."
"Okay, okay." Marela had straightened and raised her hands up, palms out, in a motion of surrender. "Shouldn't others benefit from our findings as well?"
Anabel's face softened and then she exhaled. "Agreed. But don't set the prices to high Mar."
"Of course not. Of course not."
Anabel pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. She knew her friend was lying but she also knew Marela was not naturally greedy. In the end she decided to let the topic go.
She sniffed the air. "You are making a second potion though aren't you. The rot I am smelling is not plant material." She sniffed lightly again, not wanting to inhale all the fumes in the lab too deeply. "It is not even an animal rot. Is this a decaying magic? Something ancient."
Marela inhaled and exhaled dramatically. "How is your alchemical nose even greater than mine? I am make potion of Brabar."
Anabel's eyes went wide. It was true that Alchemists could forego the equivalent exchange of alchemical processes due to the way they were born but alchemy was still dangerous. Anabel knew, on a fundamental level, that situations within her own family had occurred due to her own practices in alchemy.
"Is this for you or for you to sell."
Marela looked down and stirred Jolan's medicine. A dense plume of purple streamed out and a brilliant silver star shone above and directly in the center of the vat. Marela smiled broadly. "It's ready. And both."
"Okay. I will take it to Jolan. And we will talk about the Potion of Brabar later."
They looked at each other for a long moment. A vial appeared in Marela's hand and a small stream of the medicine moved from the vat and into it of its own accord. Then they both disappeared.
"I want to give the medicine to my godson. Will you call Allistar?" Both Marela and Anabel appeared near the entrance to Jolan's rooms.
Anabel shrugged. "He says he does not want to be a bother."
"He is their father." Marela's voice became deep and rumbled through the house when she spoke her next sentence "Allistar get your self here now. Your son needs you."
Allistar was immediately pulled to them. He smiled, nodded to Marela, and moved to Anabel. He never liked arguing with Marela.
"And where is Lost Within Time?"
"Who?" Marela looked perplexed as she moved to the entrance to Jolan's rooms.
Allistar answered "He Jolan's soul fragment."
Both Marela and Anabel stopped, causing him to stopped. His hand stayed on the middle of Anabel's back and he gently looked at her.
"Let's talk about this later. He is down in my lab. He does not want to be in the same room as Jolan right now."
Marela gave a look of understanding as she turned back to the door. "I guess he wouldn't. We will definitely need to discuss this later. My God children are truly beyond me." She shook her head as she entered Jolan's rooms.
"Aunty Marela is here love. Let's get you well."
When the three entered Jolan's bedroom there was a moment of silence and then Amethyst moved to Allistar and wrapped an arm around him. "Thank you for coming daddy. I was worried that you would feel neglected."
No one spoke. Jolan struggled to sit up. Two spirit beings appeared and gently helped him into a seating position. Jolan purposely did not look at his father but he acknowledged his sister's words in his heart.
At this point Jolan was ready to move forward. His sister had returned more powerful than he could ever imagine and she had told him about an island surrounded by a whirlpool of time.
He was eager to investigate and experiment.
Marela was at Jolan' side in an instant. "Open your mouth and stick out your tongue and hold it there until I tell you to draw it back into your mouth."
Jolan did as he was told and Marela allowed three drops of the medicine to hit his tongue. He left his tongue out and Marela watched the drops soak in and disappear. His tongue turned a vibrant purple then black and back to normal. The smell of sweet berries wafted through the room and Marela nodded in satisfaction.
"Okay. Draw your tongue back in and close your mouth."
Everyone waited quietly. All eyes were on Jolan. He closed his eyes and began to mediate. His body shimmered as if it was phasing in and out. Anabel gripped Allistar's hand tightly.
Jolan's body shimmered in and out six time. On the seventh black and purple energies began flowing towards him. He inhaled deeply and his body suddenly focused and seemed to snap into place before them like a rubber band snapping back on itself.
He opened his eyes with a broad smile on his face. His eyes were the vibrant purple that they had not been for over a century.
"Thank you"
Amethyst moved to him and sat on the bed next to him. "You need to proceed slowly Jolan, but let's practice a bit tomorrow." She looked at him deeply. "You may need one more dose." She looked back at Marela and then Anabel.
"What do you think?"
Anabel nodded "Probably two more."
Marela nodded slowly and held Jolan's chin. "Agreed. Practice with your sister and come to me after you have eaten lunch and I will give you the next dose."
She looked back at Allistar. "Your mother and I will go to the lab. You two stay here and speak with your father."
Jolan didn't react. He looked to his sister and smiled. "Okay Aunt Marela."