She checked the map her grandmother gave her and followed the directions toward the farm. After a 30-minute walk, she finally reached the farm. Rows of green stalks were planted neatly on the ground, and workers were harvesting them. She approached one of the workers and asked where she could find the Blood Celery. The worker pointed toward the end of the field, and she made her way toward it.
As she got closer, she noticed that the Blood Celery differed from any celery she had seen before. The stalks were deep red, almost maroon, and the leaves were a dark green. She plucked two sprigs and placed them in her wooden box, making sure not to damage them.
She took in the breathtaking view of the farm, where fields of various colors extended as far as the eye could see, bordered only by thick blue forests in the distance. Goats and sheep grazed and lounged in the silent pastures, adding to the serene atmosphere. During the fields, a weed-ridden sandy road ran through. As she continued on her journey, she saw an enormous lake at the bottom of a mountain, surrounded by sheep and deer that slept and loitered in the peaceful pastures. The farm had a delightful feel to it, enhanced by the sweet aroma of ripe fruits carried by the wind and the melodious sounds of birds chirping in the trees.
She expressed her gratitude to the farmers and made her way towards the lake to gain the water avens. However, her grandmother had cautioned her that this particular ingredient would necessitate her taking a swim since it was located at the bottom of the lake.
She quickly swam back up to the surface and searched her bag for her shears. With the tool in hand, she took a deep breath and dove back down into the water. As she approached the plant, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and saw a mermaid swimming toward her.
Panic set in as the mermaid came closer and closer. She had heard stories from her grandmother about mermaids being dangerous creatures, and she didn't know how to defend herself. But as the mermaid approached, she saw that it was not aggressive, but rather curious.
The mermaid circled her for a moment, examining her, before swimming away. She let out a sigh of relief and focused on the task at hand. With her shears, she quickly cut the thick stock of the Water Avens plant and swam back up to the surface.
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With the Water Avens in hand, she heard a strange sound behind her. She turned around and saw a mermaid crying and reaching out to her. Her grandmother's warning echoed in her mind, and she knew she had to be careful. Despite feeling the pull to go towards the mermaid, Ophelia reminded herself of her mission and quickly swam away.
Once she reached the shore, Ophelia could still hear the mermaid's cries behind her. She gathered her things and started running towards the portal, feeling a sense of relief wash over her as she moved farther away from the lake. She knew that her journey was far from over, but she was grateful to have obtained another ingredient for the potion. She carefully placed the Water Avens in her bag and started on her way back to the portal, grateful to have completed her task without any harm.
As she walked, she took in her surroundings, feeling the cool breeze brush against her face. The trees rustled as if whispering secrets to each other. She realized that she had never truly appreciated the beauty of this realm before. She wondered how much of it was still left in her home realm and whether it would ever be the same again.
Lost in her thoughts, Ophelia almost missed her next destination, the Dream Galangal. She consulted the map her grandmother had given her and saw that she had to cross a small bridge over a stream to reach the Dream Galangal fields. A thick forest, which made it difficult to spot from a distance, surrounded the fields.
As she approached the field, Ophelia saw that the Dream Galangal plants were in full bloom, their bright purple flowers almost glowing in the sun. She carefully plucked four tablespoons of the roots, making sure not to damage the plant in the process.
With four out of five ingredients gathered, Ophelia felt a sense of accomplishment. She knew that the remaining ingredient, Witch Galingale, was going to be the most difficult to obtain. But she was determined to succeed, for the sake of her grandmother and the sake of the potion. She set off toward the direction of the Witch's Galingale, her heart pounding with anticipation.
As she walked towards the shining portal in the distance, Ophelia couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. She had successfully gathered all the ingredients for the potion, and she was one step closer to helping the village of Coveward. As she approached the portal, she could see her grandmother sitting in the garden, waiting for her return. Ophelia gave her a wave goodbye, knowing that she would miss her dearly.