Aya woke to the smell of breakfast blowing through the door, the sizzling of pans let her know Mars was cooking something nice.
She yawned and stretched her hand over her head.
"I should go help her," Aya said rolling off her mattress and getting up from her bed. After a small yawn, she headed towards the kitchen in her pajamas ready to assist her friend and roommate.
"Oh, good morning," Mars said to Aya as she felt the shorter girl come up beside her. Mars greeted her with a head pat before returning to the sizzling bacon on the stove.
Aya noticed a solemn expression on the girl's face and inquired.
"Hey Mars is everything okay? Thoughts still aren't bothering you are they?" Aya asked in worry.
Mars shook her head.
"Nah," the dark haired girl said shrugging, "Why don't you go shower and have breakfast and we can talk about some things," Mars offered with a smile.
Aya nodded.
"Sounds good to me, I love your cooking!" Aya said enthusiastically, Mars threw her head back in laughter.
"Bootube taught me well," she winked, "Now go before I make you wash up this mess,"
Aya saluted and ran towards the bathroom, as she walked she couldn't help but notice Mars' smile didn't quite reach her eyes. She stopped to look at Mars who, as she cooked, stood over the stove with a vacant expression.
The girl still had some things on her mind Aya could only assume were related to her former teammates.
She heard the sound of the spatula clattering to the floor before Mars growled in frustration and stopped cooking to pick the fallen object.
Aya watched her friend rub her face and sigh in exasperation.
It saddened Aya to see her friend this way but Mars would not so readily talk about her feelings. If the girl didn't want to say anything Aya would have to wait until she was ready to.
But that didn't mean she wouldn't express concern.
----------
"Mars, are you sure you're okay?" Aya asked again over breakfast, Mars nodded and reached over to flick Aya's forehead.
"I am! Now geez stop asking will you, you look like a kicked puppy," the dark haired girl said. At Aya's expression, Mars relented, leaning back into her chair.
Mars' expression softened. "Look I just...Had a really bad late night gaming session alright? Don't worry about it too much,"
"And here you are telling me I need to sleep early," Aya joked but still wasn't convinced.
Mars gave a weak chuckle, her mind clearly on something else.
"Well, whatever it is you know you can tell me," Aya said encouragingly. Mars only nodded in response.
"I have to go brew a potion in Moon Valley," she said. "Oh there, something I've been meaning to ask you,"
"What is it?"
"I got a dungeon key but I have no idea how to use it or what it does," Aya said scooping some eggs into her mouth as she spoke.
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Mars leaned forward with interest. A dungeon key? In Bloom Haven? That was certainly interesting.
"It's basically like a miasma dungeon from what you've told me about them anyway, but less hostile. They're limited dungeons, you go in there and clear them by beating the boss. You can score some rare and pretty good loot from them too," Mars explained. "Just activate whenever you're ready,"
Aya considered her words.
"Alright, I have a bunch of things to do so maybe after I've finished my backlog of quests," she said.
"Just be careful with dungeon keys, the criteria are often vague, you could get yourself in a lot of trouble but it's good for grinding at least," Mars advised.
"Definitely,"
After breakfast Aya and Mars spent time cleaning up the kitchen before heading to their rooms to play.
"Remember to take breaks in between," Mars said warning Aya. "I'll check too," she added ominously before disappearing into her room.
Aya gulped and nodded, she took a step back and slipped quietly into her room to begin another gaming session.
----------
Yvlena opened her eyes underneath the tree she logged out under, she rubbed her head groaning as the same exhaustion she felt previously followed her into the session.
[Your constant adventuring has taken a brief toll on your body]
The game told her.
"What? But I thought the Revista didn't have a stamina bar!" Yvlena whined. Her body felt weighed down by some invisible force that threatened to keep her under the tree basking in the rays of the sun.
[Yvlena inflicted with exhaustion]
"I wonder if the potion Risel gave me will help?" she said to herself.
[Relaxation Potion (Uncommon)
***
Type: Crafted Potion (Risel)
Grade: S+
A potion brewed for adventurers after a long and mentally draining journey. Drink to regain some energy and soothe the aches that come with a long day of battling foes both great and small.
It can be used in a pinch if food is scarce but is no substitute.
The grade determines the effectiveness
Cures Exhaustion]
"Thank you Risel! And wow the potion's an S+ grade! Risel's gotta be one hell of an alchemist!" Yvlena said downing the potion in one go.
The cool, minty liquid rushed down her throat followed by a hint of fruity sweetness. Yvlena sighed as the feeling of refreshing calm washed over her.
The game was right, the better the grade, the better the taste. The drink had gone down easy, almost like soda at just the right temperature after a hot day.
[A sense of calm washes over you]
[Yvlena is cured of her affliction]
The game told her
Yvlena's back relaxed against the tree as if all the knots in her neck and body had been kneaded out by a master masseuse. She exhaled in utmost peace and closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling while it lasted.
A gentle breeze whistled through the manor as she rested.
"That felt great," With a grin she jumped up, ready to start work on the Swamp Balm potion for the cranky Bone Witch Bavga.
"I don't think I have to extract anything, so I'll just start," she said assembling her ingredients and the cauldron.
The pot bubbled and growled, shaking in a manner Yvlena had never seen before.
"Uh oh!" She took a step back waiting for her potion to cool. The pot simmered down and soon the potion was ready to be collected.
[Yvlena Acquired
***
Swamp Balm (Incomplete)]
"Incomplete?" She asked in disbelief, frustration bubbled within her and almost led to her kicking her feet in a display of anger at the potion's result. Yvlena forced herself to calm down knowing she could ask Risel for help.
"Let me try weaving the spider's silk before I go, I still need to work on the silk rag," she said.
Doing something else would take her mind off Bavga's quest series and it would be a welcome distraction from all the brewing she had been doing lately.
Yvlena placed the loom on the ground and took the raw spider's silk to pass through the wooden wheel.
She spun it watching the silk roll and roll until Yvlena's hand was free of her first piece of spider silk. She saw it now, gathered at the end of the spindle, and gently plucked the finished product off.
[Yvlena Acquired
***
Silk Thread x1]