This is the first time i release a chapter the day after i finish it.

This is a side story though so i guess i don't have to worry about inconsistencies.

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Side Story : Serin POV 1

My name is Serin and I am one of the geniuses in Magic Department.

My mom is the daughter of the current head of the elven magic guild.

My dad is one of the rising star of the elven magic guild.

He is one of the youngest Master-level mage.

My elder brother goes to Durothar to study.

A short trip from Arnheim, our home.

I refused to go to Durothar too, instead I opt to go to Avalon, reputed the best in the world to study magic.

Though my parent objected to my wish, they finally relented and contact my mom’s father friend, the headmistress of the Avalon Royal School.

To put it short, I spent 13 years from 5 years old to 18 years old under the guidance of Zephira.

First, I was afraid of her but I got close to her over time. In the end she becomes like second mother to me.

I graduated from the university at 18 years, being one of the youngest expert-level mage in the world.

Instead of working for the elven magic guild, I opted to explore the world instead.

I have a desire to train my teaching ability; I guess it is much from Zephira’s influence.

I also want to see the world especially the plants.

I have a passion about plants; I think I inherited it from my mom’s side.

Though not very talented in magic, she is a very accomplished herbalist.

The fateful day is when I see the posting for tutoring job in the elven guild.

I am browsing through the posting when one of the requests caught my eye.

No, the payment is not that good, but it is ok.

The terms and location is the ones that interest me.

The request is from the village chief of Alastair village, I never heard of the village and the location is quite remote. To put such amount of money and a secrecy clause in the request means that there is something more in it.

I can also explore the surrounding forest to check the local plants, I might find something that interest me.

If nothing interesting happen, I will just quit and find another job.

So I send a letter along with my CV to the village chief.

Meanwhile I will relax at home with my parents and siblings; I got a sister which is 15 years younger than me.

I will spend my time playing with her.

The reply letters surprise me, they require an oath of secrecy and ask a lot more about me.

This just furthers my curiosity so I replied the letter and answer the questions.

I also agree for the oath of secrecy.

They reply that they ask for some time to discuss but they like me so far.

The response is late but they accepted me and requested whether it is possible to come in one month, at the end of the eleventh month.

I replied ok and started to prepare my luggage and talk with parent.

Needless to say they objected that their beloved daughter to work in such a remote area.

Not that it matters though, they never win against me.

Beside I am an expert-level magician; any common bandit would be history if they met me.

Planning my trip, I would stop several times in the small villages along the way from arnheim to alastair to observe the local plants.

My previous adventures were on eastern continent.

The western continent plants differ from their eastern cousins, I have seen a lot of interesting plants along the way.

Of course there are several wolves and other wild animals in the forest but nothing an ice blade can’t deal with.

Things went differently in the village of suzerain, when I arrive there are very few villagers in the harbor.

I see an old looking elf in the village harbor and ask him the question.

Serin = “Excuse me sir, where is everybody?”

The villager look at me and says

Johann = “My name is Johann and I am no sir, young lady. They are gathering in the village chief’s house. If you would take an advice, you better leave the village now.”

Serin = “My name is Serin. Why Johann? Am I not welcomed here?”

Johann frown at that = “You are very much welcomed here but there are circumstances lately. If you want to know more ask the chief. His name is Hendrik. They are gathering at his house.”

So I proceed to the chief’s house. It is the biggest building in the village but without any fancy ornament. A standard two-story building which is very poor compare to the buildings in arnheim.

The door is opened and there is discussion inside. I say discussion but it was more like they are all speaking at once.

Serin = “Excuse me, may I know what is going on here?”

An adult elf in the end of the room answers my question.

??? = “Forgive us for our lack of manner, young lady but I would suggest you to leave the village now.”

His voice is full of authority and I felt that he is the village chief.

Serin = “I assume you are the village chief, Hendrik? I don’t know what is going on but I am an expert-level mage.”

Hendrik = “I am sorry for my rudeness, mam. Yes, I am Hendrik. We have an epidemic going on here so I instructed to turn away any visitors.”

Serin = “Epidemic? I am no doctor but I am a herbalist. Let me see the sick, I might be able to help. Btw, you can call me Serin.”

Hendrik = “At the risk of getting infection? I am afraid we can’t risk it Serin. An expert level mage is too precious.”

Serin = “Well, if it spreads out easily then I think everyone here is infected already. I will create a layer of water around my body to reduce the risk of infection.”

Hendrik = “As your wish then Serin, I would bring you to my wife. She is the head volunteer.”

Serin = “Volunteer?”

Hendrik = “The ones who take care of the sick.”

Serin = “I see.”

We go to a house in the other end of the village, furthest away from the harbor and Hendrik calls out Eva, his wife I presume.

Not long, an adult elf comes out of the door.

Hendrik = “Eva, this is Serin. She is an expert-level mage and she wish to check the sick. Serin, this is my wife Eva.”

Eva = “We can’t do that. She is still very young, what if she caught the disease?”

Serin = “I can create a layer of water around me first before entering Eva. But how about you explain me the symptoms and the conditions of the patients?”

Eva = “A few days ago, the first patient fell sick. He is a woodcutter. His symptoms include loss of motor function, fever, and then losing his mind and he died yesterday. Not long after he fell sick, some other people also fall sick with similar symptoms. We are afraid that it is an epidemic so my husband want to enact a total lock out of the village.”

Hendrik = “We already dispatch a letter when the third victim fall sick but It might takes some time to get to the capital.”

Serin = “I see. Eva, I need you to describe to me the patients, their job, their eating habit and their symptoms.”

To put it short, all the victims are the ones who have connection with the forest. Some of them were housewives who went out to find fruits in the forest. The rest are woodcutters, hunters and trappers. Some unlucky people also sick after they walk a stroll to the forest.

In contrast none of the volunteers are sick.

Serin = “I don’t think it is infectious. I think the cause lies with the forest. To be safe let me check with the patients.”

I cast a water layer around my body and start to talk with the patients.

The worst ones couldn’t speak at all but some of the new patients describe the forest is strangely lack of wild animals.

After checking their body, I assume it is some kind of poison but I am not sure what.

We went out to talk with Hendrik who waits outside and dispel my water layer.

Serin = “Hendrik, I don’t think it is an epidemic. It is more like a poisoning case. There must me something in the forest that cause the poisoning. You need to dispatch another messenger to inform the capital.”

Hendrik = “Are you sure Serin? We can’t risk spreading the disease.”

Serin = “Yes, I am sure. None of the volunteers are sick.”

Hendrik = “Ok, I will do that.”

Eva = “Serin, since you are a herbalist. Can you make a cure for them?”

Serin = “I think I can if I can find out the source of the poison. We need to send people to the forest though and it will be dangerous.”

Eva = “I see. I can’t ask something so dangerous from you.”

Looking at Eva’s dejected face I sigh inwardly.

Serin = “Ok. I will lead an expedition into the forest. I need volunteers and they all must wear thick clothes that cover everything and wear a wet face mask.”

Eva = “I can’t ask you to do that.”

Serin = “That’s ok. I want to do this. Beside, I will cast a layer of water around me to alert me if there is a change in the air.”

Eva = “In that case, I will volunteer too.”

Smiling I really like this lady.

Serin = “Let us discuss this later. I think around 5-6 people will be enough. No need for too many people.”

Surprisingly I got many volunteers.

I pick the ones that are able to handle weapons.

Hendrik, Octave, Josh, Tiny, and Albert are joining us.

They would fight if there are wolves or other wild animals in the forest.

Assuming the source of poison is a poisonous animal, we would avoid using magic unless we find the poison source.

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Eva also wants to volunteer but I reason with her that she is more needed in the village.

Hendrik insist to come since he thinks it is his responsibility.

By talking with the victims, we manage to get a rough idea where the source of poison might be.

But since they didn’t notice anything strange we still need to explore a large part of the forest.

I spent a night in the inn and we set out to the forest in the morning.

We will explore the forest until noon and then back to the village.

I don’t want to be catch off guard in the night.

We are resting half an hour for every 2 hours travelling.

I am restoring my mana by using mana potion every time we stop.

Mana potion is quite expensive and only restores mana slowly per time.

It is a basic rule for a magician to always keep their mana for dangerous situation.

I kept casting water magic to detect impurities in the air so my mana is depleting quickly even if I only cast a simple water magic.

Almost 4 hours of exploring I detect a sign of poison.

Serin = “Stop, there is a trace of poison in the air. We need to make camp first. I need to restore my mana first.”

After gulping mana potion and standard antidote potion and resting a bit I am prepared to continue my journey.

Serin = “Hendrik, I need you to wait here. The poison is in the air and purifying the air cost me a lot of mana. I need to preserve my mana. You guys drink these antidotes; it will reduce the poison effect but not completely.”

Hendrik = “We are reluctant to let you go alone for our village but we understand. You would need every mana you have.”

I nod at him and continue my journey to the center of poison.

The closer I got to the source, the thicker is the poison in the air.

Suddenly I can see a green fumes in the front and I realize the source is nearby.

I just hope that the source is a plant not an animal.

Cursing my luck, I can see a big red snake lying in the forest floor.

I remember that this is one of the most poisonous snakes in the western continent, [the red death].

Observing the snake it seems that it is metamorphosing from juvenile to adult.

I recall that sometimes, rarely though, a giant snake species is losing control of its poison when it is metamorphosing.

Causing poisonous fumes for weeks until it finish its metamorphosis.

I will try to kill it since the antidote is in the snake meat.

I am confident to kill a juvenile [red death]. An adult one is very difficult to kill though.

Since it is metamorphosing, I hope I still can kill it.

Casting a ice spear silently I launch to the head of the snake.

Hoping for an instant kill.

The snake, by instinct or luck moves its head in the last minute and the spear only graze his head, causing it to scream and releasing more fumes.

Its red eyes look to the direction of the spear and found me.

Bad.

It spit poison ball to me hoping to poison me to death.

I quickly cast a water ball spell in the hope to absorb the poison to the water.

Luckily it works.

Surprise the snake opt to launch his head to me.

I avoid the snake head and launch a small but numerous ice crystals [Ice Rain].

The snake avoids the crystals from hitting his vital area but some of them lodge into his body.

Screaming a rage, it releases much bigger poisonous fumes around its body.

Unable to see my enemy, I opt to drink my mana potion.

What I see next makes me shudder.

An adult [red death] comes out of the fumes.

Bad, it has finished its metamorphosis.

I am not sure that I can handle it anymore.

Launching its body to me, I barely able to dodge it and cast another [Ice Rain].

I can feel I got poisoned, I need to push the poison out of my body before it is too late but it will takes time and the snake won’t let me do that.

Suddenly from the shadow comes out 5 people that hack the snake’s body.

Completely concentrated to me, it didn’t manage to avoid the slash.

Sadly the snake scale is very hard and the wound only serve to anger it further.

Stupid people, why did the follow me? Now instead of just me, they will all die.

Desperately trying to save the villagers, I cast another [Ice Rain].

I can feel the poison is slipping into my body.

I am also angry to myself for being too proud of my skill and going without a backup or properly battle plan.

When I am thinking that all six of us are doom a wind magic [wind crescent] is casted and took off the snake head.

Relieved I quickly shout:

Serin = “Eat the meat, it contains antidote to the poison. We need to bring the meat to the village.”

Serin = “James, what are you doing here?” I shout to no one in particular.

A dark elf with handsome young looking face comes out from the shadow.

Despite his look, he is already 50 years old.

Well, he is still young as an elf.

We can reach more than 200 years.

James = “How do you know it is me?”

Serin = “Who else is a Master level mage that can cast a dark magic to avoid my detection and wind magic that can kill the [red death] easily.”

James = “Sorry my lady, your parent ask me to watch over you.”

James is one of my parent’s top-ranked spy.

Mastering wind and dark magic, he is a very able spy.

To send the guild’s top ranked spy to watch over their daughter is an abuse of power…

Well, thanks to my parent I am still alive.

Serin = “Help us to bring the meat back; I also need to eat the meat. I have been poisoned.”

James = “You have been poisoned? I didn’t see it. What should I say to your parent…”

Serin = “I casted a spell when I should concentrate to push out the poison. No need to fret, I won’t tell my parent. Now help us to bring the meat back. You should help me purify the antidote. The villagers in the village have been poisoned for quite some time, the meat won’t be enough to help them.”

I eat the meat and we travel back to the village.

Since we don’t have time, we quickly spend the next week purifying the antidotes.

The meat is able to postpone the severity of the poison but unable to cure them completely.

Finally, we finished the purifying and luckily no one died anymore.

Serin = “Are you going to follow me to Althair?”

James = “Yes my lady. It is my job.”

Serin = “I can’t say anything to convince you otherwise, right?”

James = “It is my job my lady.”

Serin = “Ok, you keep hiding. I don’t want to be seen travelling with you.”

James = “Yes, my lady.”

Serin = “Also you may not tell anyone what happened when you are shadowing me before asking my permission first.”

James = “But I need to report everything to your parent my lady?”

Serin = “So you need to tell them that I was poisoned by an adult [red death]?”

James = “I understand. I will always ask for your permission first my lady.”

Serin = “Good. Now I need to get going since I am more than one week behind schedule.”

James = “Yes, my lady.”

Serin = “What else my parent did?”

James = “I am sorry, my lady?”

Serin = “You heard me the first time.”

James = “They made a background check and sent me to spy to their house.”

Serin = “As expected of my parent. What did they find?”

James = “I don’t know my lady but from my observation the family is a normal elven family.”

Serin = "I see."

James = "Also, it seems they did a background check to you too."

Serin = "Hmm, very interesting indeed."

My meeting with the skysingers is very surprising.

My student is unexpectedly a 2 years old.

I didn’t see it coming.

He is a very quick learner.

I have a mixed feeling of jealousy, sad, proud and awe to my pupil.

Jealous to his talent.

Sad that I realize that I am no genius at all (At least if compared to him).

Proud to have him as my student.

Awe to his learning speed.

I am only worry about his non-element.

Zephira assures me that it is theoretically possible but I never heard about a non-element before.

Soon I realize that I really love my student like my own son and wish him the best.

He also motivates me to be better.

I have been lacking in my training due to my reputation of a genius.

He, on the other hand, is diligently learning sword, archery, herbalist, scribing and magic despite being much better than his peers.

I make a promise to go to adventure that challenge my limit once I have bring my student to Avalon

It would be shame if I don’t reach master level when my student reaches grandmaster level.

A grandmaster in magic is very rare.

There are less than 10 people in the whole world but I believe he is able to do it.

He will be the youngest Grandmaster ever and I believe that he will be the best.

I pray that he doesn’t attract the ire of the other grandmasters or the gods.

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I plan this to be a short side story to introduce Serin more. :?:

In the end, this become a full chapter [20.gif]

As always, thank you for reading. :=B:

I would welcome any suggestions and critics.

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