****

Part of the old story, make sure to check out the remade Alteration here.

***

Blake slowly poured some Minor recovery potion into Rose's mouth. The latter lost consciousness after her ritual turned on her and Blake immediately ran to help her. Teruna stood guard a few steps away and seemed to be on edge. She looked restlessly around her and clicked her tongue when she saw Rose on the floor.

-''We have no time to spare, can't you just let her recover alone while we go ahead?''

Blake threw an angry glare at Teruna and responded with an unrelenting voice.

-''I won't abandon Rose in the middle of a forest when she is unconscious. She did me a favor and it might have also been our fault that she took that strange wind hit.''

Suddenly Rose's hands jumped up and grabbed Blake by his collar. She seemed to have recovered quite a lot because she managed to drag him down and make Blake look her into the eyes. A silent growl came from her mouth.

-''It might have..? You owe me double.''

Blake knew this look on her face and he gulped audibly. He tried to keep cool, but his voice turned quiet and he bowed his head lightly.

-''Yes, s-sorry.''

Rose let go of his collar and stood up. She looked around herself while massaging her temples. She noticed that Teruna was looking at her with a strange expression.

-''What is it?!''

Teruna was unfazed by her sudden outburst and just kept looking at her.''

Rose continued to grunt annoyedly but then her expression suddenly lightened slightly up.

Ah it must be because of my race. I totally forgot after coming to my senses...

Rose spun once around herself to show off to Blake and Teruna. A moment later she inquired with a self satisfied tone.

-''So, what do you think?''

Blake was the first to answer with a light smirk.

-''You look cool. What's the name of your race?''

Rose smiled after he complimented her.

-''Verdelarian. It comes with a lot of downsides, but it has some unique options which made me

unable to resist picking it.''

Blake sighed,but his smile grew wider.

-''These options have something to do with lore or exploring, I suppose? Predictable as ever.''

Rose frowned.

-''I like what I like and that's all. You call it predictable, I call it consistent.''

She suddenly turned towards Teruna.

-''You haven't said anything yet, why is that?''

Teruna shook her head like she was trying to clear her mind and responded in a tired tone.

-''Don't mind me, you look very pretty Rose. It's just that I used to hunt for the little ones and plant monsters were the pray I could get most quickly. It is a curious feeling having a plant ally.''

Rose shivered lightly at the thought of just how Teruna hunted plant monsters. Just as she wanted to answer Blake spoke up while pointing at the bag on the floor.

-''That's the plant, isn't it? Where's the rest?''

Rose took a seed out of a pouch that was made of intertwined leaves and hung off her belt.

She handed the seed to Blake and started explaining.

-''When you need the liquid just plant the seed and a cauldron like plant will grow out in a couple of minutes. It would only take a few seconds if I do it though. Anyway, the liquid is inside the plant and you can simply take it out with some vials or simply turn the plant upside down. Just a warning though, if you do the latter be prepared that the plant fights back.''

Blake nodded while looking fascinatedly at the seed.

-''That's quite a neat trick. So I guess you can make minions grow out from seeds? Is that tied to your race or your profession, which,by the way, you haven't told me anything about?''

She smiled mischievously.

-''I wonder... It wouldn't be fun if I revealed everything at once, would it?''

He shook his head annoyedly and put the seed in his bag. He also took the bag that was on the ground and looked at it surprisedly.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

-''Are you sure this is the plant I was looking for? I don't really feel...''

Rose interrupted him just as he wanted to open a bag.

-''It is probably a minor protection spell to keep it safe. Once opened it immediately disappears, you should open it only after you come to your destination. You wouldn't want to damage the plant in transportation.''

Blake grimaced and put the bag under his arm.

-''It is certainly handy, but how do we know that this is actually it?''

Rose cocked her head with an irritated look.

-''Do you want me to go back and ask them?''

Blake chuckled and started walking with the plant under his hand.

-''No, it's okay. I have more pressing things to do anyway. Thank you for all you have done.''

Rose walked up to Blake and took him by his shoulders, stopping him.

-''Now wait just a second. You haven't told me anything at all about what is happening, also where is that wolf?''

Blake shook her hands off and replied.

-''We split up, he is doing something else. Look, Rose, I will tell you everything later. Not even I am sure what is exactly going on and that's why I need to go now. I want to clear this up.''

Rose nodded.

-''If that's how it is then I want to go with you. I want to help you and see for myself what is happening.''

Blake looked for a moment surprisedly at her, but then nodded and started massaging his temples.

-''Fine, but you will have to do what I say. And if you want to see for yourself then so be it, but don't ask me any questions while we are in the dungeon. I already talked so much about this situation that I'm sick of it and I will have to keep a lot of things in mind while we are in there.''

Teruna nodded with a strained smile when Blake mentioned being fed up with talking.

Rose looked highly displeased but also nodded.

-''Okay, but you will still tell me everything that happened until now after we are done with the dungeon, right?''

He nodded.

-''Right, Teruna?''

Teruna transformed with smoke and flames covering her into the hedgehog form and signaled the two that they should get on. Rose looked with big eyes as Teruna transformed and inquired with a small voice.

-''We are going to ride on Teruna?''

Blake was already getting on her, carefully avoiding the spike tips and trying to find a more or less harmless position.

-''Yup, it is quite difficult but it will just be for a short time. Trickster's dungeon entrance is quite close.''

Rose reluctantly climbed on Teruna and tried to place herself just between the spike tips. She somehow managed to calm down and signaled Teruna that she was ready. The latter then started running and carried tho two through the forest at an astonishing speed.

-''A dungeon you say? It better be close... Um, do you mind if I check some lore that I acquired earlier?''

Blake shook his head.

-''No problem, it doesn't take much time I suppose. Just be careful that you don't loosen your grip.''

-''Ok. Check Lore piece!''

Initiating Lore piece decryption.

Type: Memory

Everything around Rose went dark and the sounds of Teruna's mighty steps seemed to get more distant.

Afterword

Thanks for reading

This time it is a little bit above 1k words, but that's just how it turned out. I just want to take the opportunity to remind you that I don't guarantee anything. Don't go thinking I will make regular daily releases because I won't. I will write only as much as my other chores let me. I hope I don't come off as grumpy but I really hate giving false hopes.

Also please remember the [C] thing that I will do before you complain how this isn't a real chapter (this is a part of a chapter and I addressed that problem last time)