With the final creature defeated, Zeni could breathe easier. After a quick perusal of her general damage level, she decided that a moment to regain her strength was in desperate order.

She found a relatively safe nook in the vast hallway, taking a moment to recover from her intense battle.

Zeni was thankful that she'd had such arduous lessons from Hesira during her stay at the village. The old woman had practically beaten the knowledge into her. However, she'd found that she took to it quite well—an apparent side effect of gaining the ability from her class. So, she set about crafting the dram of revitalization.

She began by removing her apothecary kit from her bag. The small wooden container was deceptively heavy, and she carefully lugged it to the floor. It had been the gift from Hesira before she left, and she was thankful the woman had likely taken a lot of time and care to stock it full of ingredients.

Zeni unfurled a small, neatly-folded cloth on the ground, creating a clean workspace for her potential potion-crafting. Then she set a delicate, pearlescent vial at the center of the fabric, its surface gleaming in the dim light.

"Okay," she breathed, looking down at her kit. "Hopefully, this turns into something other than a mess."

She opened the wooden box, staring down at the rest of the contents with reverence. It was the first time she'd opened the gift since the first night she'd gotten it, and she took a moment to appreciate everything her tincture tutor had bequeathed to her.

She retrieved a small copper kettle from the box and filled it with water from her waterskin. Then, because she worried she'd become thirsty, she used Water of Hapi to refill it. Then, because she decided that she was thirsty after such a harrowing encounter, she drank. Then she filled the waterskin again before turning back to the kettle.

To heat the water, Zeni called upon the Ignition of Ra, her fingers sparking with a golden glow. A tiny, controlled flame sprouted from her fingertips, dancing beneath the kettle for almost a minute until the water within began to bubble with a gentle, soothing sound.

Zeni turned her attention to the array of ingredients she had laid out as the water warmed. Once done, she took a small mortar and pestle and ground a dried peppermint and lavender mixture. The herbs released their fragrant oils as they were crushed, filling the air with a comforting, invigorating scent.

Once the herbs were finely ground, Zeni gently poured the steaming water over them, the liquid hissing and swirling as it mixed with the crushed plants. She let the mixture steep for another minute, allowing the warmth of the water to draw out the healing properties of the herbs.

While the infusion steeped, Zeni added a small spoonful of honey to the pearlescent vial. Hesira had told her the honey had been harvested from the hives of desert bees, renowned for their ability to produce particularly potent and restorative nectar.

"Let's hope that's not all woo-woo," she said.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

The infusion darkened to a rich, amber hue as the minutes ticked by. Zeni carefully strained the liquid through a fine mesh cloth into the vial, the hot liquid mixing with the honey to create a potion that instantly shimmered with an inner warmth.

Lastly, Zeni added a few drops of a rare, silvery elixir derived from what she was told were moonflower petals, imbuing the potion with an otherworldly glow. She gently swirled the vial with a tiny tincture wand, blending the ingredients until the brew became smooth and uniform before placing a cork into the neck to wait. It was only another minute before she felt the process was done.

With her potion complete, Zeni uncorked the vial and raised it to her lips, taking a small sip. The potion filled her with warmth and energy, its healing properties coursing through her veins. Her aches and pains subsided, her breath steadied, and her strength returned.

Zeni savored the moment, appreciating her potion's comfort and safety.

With the memory of her conversation with the village's eccentric apothecary woman lingering in her mind, Zeni turned her attention to the fallen frog creatures. Neith and Hesira had instilled her with tales of dungeon creatures and their penchant for carrying valuable loot, mainly ingredients for alchemy and potion-making. An Ankh, the rarest and most coveted of prizes, was also said to be a rare find, she knew. Still, Neith had assured her it was exceedingly rare among the weakest monsters in a lower-tier dungeon.

Zeni approached the first body, a faint smile playing on her lips as she imagined Hesira's animated gesticulations and the mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"You see, dearie, you never know what treasures you might find in the oddest of places," Hesira would say each time she showed her something new, her voice a raspy yet warm lilt. "Just like finding a perfectly ripe Persea in a box of lemons, life's full of surprises."

Crouching beside the lifeless form, Zeni rummaged through the creature's simple garments, feeling a bit weird about the whole ordeal. This was the first time she was ransacking the corpse of something other than a small game animal, and it made her stomach feel a little upset. However, she persevered, her fingers brushing against the rough, damp texture of its skin. In a small, crude pouch, she found a collection of glistening, scarlet beetle wings. Though she wasn't sure how the information had entered her mind, she knew they were Bloodwing Beetle wings, known to be useful in concocting potions that increased one's agility and reflexes, albeit for a short duration.

As she moved on to the next frog creature, Zeni chuckled at the thought of Hesira's delight upon seeing such a find.

"Oh, you've got an annoying habit of unearthing the most marvelous trinkets, don't you?" she imagined Hesira would say. "Knock it off; you're making me look bad."

Zeni discovered a small bundle of twisted, dark roots nestled within a woven belt. Once again, the knowledge was hers to glean—the roots were from the Blackthorn bush, a rare and thorny plant that grew in the shadows of ancient ruins. When properly prepared, Blackthorn roots could be used to create a potion that granted brief bursts of heightened strength and resilience.

"I swear, Zeni," Hesira's voice echoed in her mind again, both teasing and affectionate, "one of these days, you'll stumble upon a treasure trove so grand, even the gods themselves would be green with envy! And I'll take all the credit."

Finally, Zeni inspected the last of the frog creatures, urged on by the odd assortment of ingredients she had found thus far. Hidden within a small leather pouch, she found several pearlescent scales that shimmered with a mesmerizing iridescence. They were Moon Serpent scales, a rather unusual ingredient that, when ground and mixed with water, created a soothing elixir that alleviated fatigue and promoted restful sleep. The potion was also rumored to enhance the drinker's connection with the mystical world, allowing them to tap into the Ka of the moon and, allegedly, experience vivid, prophetic dreams.

Although she had not uncovered any Ankhs among the loot, Zeni still felt satisfied as she carefully stored the ingredients in her bag. She imagined Hesira's approving nod and the inevitable barrage of stories accompanying her return to the village. If she returned.

Basim would slap her on the back and tell her she'd done a great job warming up the dungeon for when he inevitably had to run through it—defeating everything with a simple pair of shears and one hand tied to his foot. Yasmine would simply smirk and ask her if she killed anything unique. Neith would likely just be happy to see her safe. And there was no doubt Hesira would insist on examining each ingredient she'd found with the meticulousness of a master alchemist, her gnarled hands moving deftly over the haul. Then, she'd likely launch into an impromptu lesson on their various uses and properties while telling her how unbecoming it was to return from a dungeon so dirty.

With a wistful sigh, Zeni turned her gaze back to the path ahead, her spirits buoyed by the unexpected treasures she had found.

"Alright," she said. "Let's see what these little assholes were guarding."