prevously in chapter 13
"Come on, turquoise…" he muttered to himself. After a few moments, the potion turned a vibrant shade of turquoise, swirling gently as the heat circulated through the cauldron. Satisfied, Gray reached for the next ingredient: a measure of doxy eggs. The small, glossy black eggs rolled gently in his hand as he poured them into the cauldron. The reaction was immediate—tiny bubbles rose to the surface, and the potion started to fizz.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 14
As the bubbles popped, the liquid began to shift colors once again, turning a delicate pink, just as the recipe indicated. Gray nodded to himself, adjusting the flame to ensure that the heat remained steady. Now, for the next step: toasted dragonfly thoraxes. He picked up the small, toasted thoraxes from the side of the table, their texture crispy under his fingers. "One... two... three," he counted aloud, dropping them into the potion. The color slowly shifted to a deep orange, glowing warmly in the cauldron.
Gray gave the mixture a slight stir, letting the orange potion settle before moving on. Now came the trickier part. He picked up a single flying seahorse, its wings still fluttering weakly as he carefully placed it into the cauldron. The seahorse dissolved almost instantly, and the potion's hue started to lighten, turning a bright turquoise once more. Gray smiled at the perfect color shift, his confidence growing. Next, he added more toasted dragonfly thoraxes. The potion began to darken again, this time transforming into a rich, royal purple. He adjusted the flame, increasing the heat gradually, and watched intently as the color began to change yet again. Soon, the mixture turned a deep, ruby red. "Right on track," Gray muttered, wiping his brow.
It was time for the doxy eggs again, but this time, he needed three measures. He measured them out with precision, making sure not to spill any as he added them into the cauldron. The potion responded immediately, bubbling and fizzing as it turned from red to blue, its surface rippling with each color change. Gray was in the zone now, moving with purpose.
He reached for more toasted dragonfly thoraxes, tossing them into the potion. The reaction was swift—blue swirled through the cauldron as the liquid thickened slightly. The instructions called for three flying seahorses next, and Gray didn't hesitate. He retrieved them from his ingredients cabinet, their small forms fragile in his hand. He added them one by one, each dissolving with a faint hiss.
The final step required him to heat the potion until it turned green. Gray carefully adjusted the flame beneath the cauldron, watching as the colors began to blend. The turquoise slowly shifted, then deepened into a bright, earthy green, signaling that the potion was ready. A smile crept across Gray's face. The strengthening potion was complete, and it glowed with a vibrant green hue.
[ Name: Girding Potion ]
[ Grade: Medium ]
[ Description: Grants the consumer prolonged endurance with a 154% increase in physical stamina. Brewed using fairy wings, doxy eggs, toasted dragonfly thoraxes, and flying seahorses, this potion is crafted at level 4 Potion Creation skill. It allows the drinker to endure long periods of physical or magical exertion with minimal fatigue. The maximum dosage is two vials due to its potency. The potion has a foul odor, No permanent effects. ]
[ Deterioration-Rate: 100%, the freshness of the potions ]
Gray smiled as he examined the potion's description. "It's not perfect, but it doesn't matter," he muttered, placing the bottle down. His thoughts shifted to a different matter. "Well, talking about strenuous activity and stamina, there was this talk of unexplained things happening on an island in the Indian Ocean, which I also need to visit in order to gain the ingredients needed for High-grade potions, which I can create after reaching level 5." Gray pondered, tapping his fingers on the table. "But not only is the Manistery of Magic monitoring all underaged wizards and witches, but it's prohibited and illegal for any witch or wizard to use magic under the age of 17," he thought, frustration flickering across his mind. Still, he reassured himself. "But since I have enhancements brought on by permanent potions, I am not completely defenseless, plus, i can pop a temporary potion any time i want to" which made him smile proudly before he returned to his work.
-Scene Change-
On the coast of Japan, a man stood with lush black hair at neck length. He wore dark clothes—a dark jacket, dark jeans, dark shoes—and glasses perched on his nose. In his hand, he gripped a cane. Not just any cane, but a very familiar one. This was, in fact, Gray, though he had taken the form of someone else through Polyjuice Potion, a concoction he will need to master for his second year. While normally the potion's effects lasted for just an hour, his skill had extended the duration to four hours, though it also meant having to drink a fresh dose every four hours. A flask hung from his waist, containing the potion. He had taken on this adult disguise to roam freely along Japan's coast, searching for the tomb of Himiko, the legendary shaman queen of Japan, rumored to possess magical powers.
Gray had learned that Himiko could supposedly control life and death, killing thousands and creating rivers of blood, only to be sealed away by her own generals. Gray's true goal was not the legends themselves, but the extraordinary ingredients related to death that might be hidden in her tomb. "I should be able to find something extraordinary related to death," Gray mused, thinking ahead. Aside from becoming a god, he also sought immortality—after all, who wouldn't want to live forever? And since such a grand goal required immense effort, Gray knew he had to start early. After hours of walking along the coast, his thoughts racing with possibilities, Gray finally returned to the densely populated city area, bustling with ships and travelers. Just as he was about to enter the crowd, a shout rang out.
"Oi, wait!" a woman's voice with a thick British accent called out. As Gray turned, he accidentally bumped into a group of teens, who were much older than him but far weaker. The teens tumbled to the ground, falling back in shock. A woman, clearly chasing after them, snatched up one of the kid's purses as they scattered. She panted heavily, clutching the bag in relief as she checked the contents. Her expression softened as she saw everything was intact, and she looked up at Gray, who was watching the scene with mild amusement. "Thank you," she said, still catching her breath. Gray smirked. "You should thank their stupidity," he chuckled, surprising the woman, who raised an eyebrow. "You're not from around here, are you?" she asked. Gray, playing along, smiled and replied, "Neither are you. It's nice to meet another Brit."
The woman giggled at his response. "I'm Lora, by the way," she introduced herself, extending a hand. Gray took it briefly and replied, "Artemis… Artemis Fowl," giving her the fake name he had chosen to use during his time in Japan. Lora paused, her eyes studying him curiously, before shaking her head with a smile. "Look, you don't happen to know where Lu Ren or his boat is, do you?" she asked, her voice filled with hope. Gray considered for a moment before pointing toward a decaying fishing boat docked not far from them. "As a matter of fact, I do," he said with a grin. Lora followed his gesture, her eyes lighting up when she saw the boat. "Thank you, I've been looking for that boat for a while," she said, relief evident in her voice. She turned back toward him and added, "I'll see you around?" with a hopeful smile. Gray nodded. "Sure," he replied smoothly, watching as she waved and walked off toward Lu Ren's boat, disappearing into the crowd, "well, that was something" gray though as he didnt think anything of the interaction he just had, he then continued to gain data by asking the locals more questions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: As I mentioned, this fanfic will include multiple worlds from different fictions mixed together, and I promise that each of these worlds will add something (most likely an important potion ingredient) to the story that will help Gray on his journey. Of course, in return, Gray will have to face the challenges of those worlds or at least assist the protagonist in each one.
P.S.: I know that Tomb Raider, especially the 2018 version, takes place in that year, but in my story, it occurs in the 1900s. It might not make sense, and you probably won't notice the time difference, but it is indeed set in the 1900s.
PS: yes, I will 100% include the Artemis fowl movie, and yes, you know what I plan to do.