"Kill her; the Lord demands a sacrifice."

With a racing heart, Valen suddenly woke up from his nightmare, immediately forgetting what it was about, just a vague shadow of fear remained behind.

Immediately calming down in an experienced way, he scrutinized his surroundings. "Dark, damp and filled with a rotten smell; I'm either in a cave or in an old cunt. Time to get out." He said slowly getting up, careful not to hit his head in the dark.

However, when he was halfway up, he lightly hit his head against the ceiling.

"Tight fit," he said sighing. Moving his hands, he tried to get a feeling for the shape of the walls surrounding him; then he started crawling forward hoping to find an exit. "He can't have placed me in a sealed cavern, right?" he entreated himself as minute after minute flew by and transformed into hours.

As his anxiety grew, he finally felt on his sweat covered skin a light breeze. What did it mean? An exit was close! Immediately he felt rejuvenated, and while still crawling he broke into a sprint of sorts. Little by little the cavern got wider and brighter as tiny amounts of light bounced inside from the entrance.

Soon, from crawling, he started climbing as the path became vertical. The walls turned from hard rock to dirt, making the climb even harder as the soft soil sporadically collapsed under his weight, setting him back a little every time.

Finally, he reached the exit. A small crack in the ceiling barely big enough for a hand to pass through. Light squeezed in from the fissure and cascaded on the cavern like a holy revelation.

Valen positioned himself right below it, fastened his body with some roots growing on the side and with all his strength started punching the crevice. Dirt fell upon him, mixing with the sweat.

A few minutes later, like a ghoul full of resentment, his dirt covered body emerged from the ground. His hands bloody from quarreling with the earth remained strong and pulled the rest of the body out. Like a newborn, he took the first breath of fresh air and screamed out his coming to the world.

The first thing he did after getting out was to plop down like a dead man. He stared at the immense blue sky above him, the crown of the trees gave him a little shade as he felt his body burn. "The Lord is getting 'creative' with the dropzones lately. I should discuss with him when I get back."

With a huff, he got up. His body screamed in agony to rest. "Well, ain't no rest for the wicked." he looked around him scanning for anything useful. To an untrained eye, the surroundings would look like a random spot in a forest, trees and random plant grew strewn.

However, to Valen, every leaf and pine-needle was a treasure. He could immediately recognize every plant and list all its uses and properties. "So this is what it feels to be a master alchemist?" he took a random leaf and information immediately popped in his mind.

[Atropa Belladonna, Solanaceae family: foliage and fruits extremely toxic. Contains the following toxins: atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine. Effects: hallucinations and Delirium. Other effects include....] the list kept going including tips on harvesting procedures and other data.

"What is such a cute lady like you doing all alone in the woods?" he smiled wickedly at the plant. Seemingly out of nowhere a glass vial appeared in his left hand, he then filled it with all the leaves that could fit inside, in a second vial he stuffed the cherry like black fruits and finally in a third one the roots.

"Let's see what else we can get." One after another he examined all the plants around him stripping clean any plant with remarkable effects. He then went north after orienting himself with the moss growing on the side of trees.

On the way, he didn't forget to gather more plants. As the sun started to set, he climbed a tree and nested himself a dozen meters above the ground. As the desperate cries of animals hunting and being hunted echoed in the dark, he calmly popped his knuckles" time to work." One after another the vials he had filled with plants appeared around him together with other mysterious instruments.

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The Sun lazily rose drowning the forest in light. The chirps of morning birds waking up resonated like an alarm clock orchestra. Valen softly yawned, the injuries on his hands healed entirely. "Ohayo creepy forest." After some morning stretches, he climbed the tree further until the top and got a good look at the forest from above.

A little east from his position he could see a path, to the west was a river, and continuing north would bring him to a mountain. He decided to go east, his mission required him to find a certain city after all.

Traveling on the dirt path revealed to be duller than expected. No interesting plants grew on the side of the road, and the lack of road signs made him unsure of whether he was going the right way. To pass the time he started whistling a little tune.

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Being a highwayman had never been an easy job. Working on a busy road where merchants and rich people passed would bring in great rewards, but also the dangers of frequent patrols ready to hunt you down. On the other hand, stalking a secondary road would significantly lessen the risks. However, it came with the cost of having to wait days or even weeks for a person to go through.

Pondering on the intricacies of robbing people in daylight, stood a few men squatting behind some brushes, their eyes making it clear they weren't just travelers taking a break; in their callous hands, chipped daggers and rusty axes, clashing against the whetstones in a rain of sparkles. They had been holding up in there for a week now, knowing that their lookout would warn them in case of incoming targets they had been mostly slacking off smoking some furgrass or playing dices.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Breaking their idle waiting, a tall and thin man suddenly appeared out of the bushes. "Guys!" he yelled not too loud, "A guy is coming, no weapons or fancy clothing." the group gave out a guttural laugh in response, standing up and reading their weapon. Easy targets were the best after all. However, one of them didn't share the excitement. Pulling a grimace was their labrys wielding leader Lothral, an enormous man, easily over 2 meters with a scruffy beard and braided blonde hair. He had been part of an infamous raiding force in the past, burning entire villages and raping women. And now he was getting tired of crumbs.

Soon the faint sound of whistling reached their ears carried by the wind, their ears perked up in expectation and trying not to expose themselves they took a glance from behind the brushes. A lonesome traveler wearing commoner's clothes and with a bag on his back was walking the path leading straight to their ambush. The group gripped their weapons harder and prepared to give a meaning to the day.

Finally, the unaware wanderer reached the trap and, without wasting the chance, the bandits jumped out of their hiding spot blocking the way forward and back. The unfortunate victim looked with startled eyes to the men and noticing the weapons in their hands he realized they weren't just looking for a fright.

The tallest of them took a step forward, his double-headed ax aimed at the throat of the victim; However, before he could speak out his demands or do anything else, the traveler threw both of his hands to the air and kneeled down. “Please milord, don't hurt me! I'm just a novice alchemist, being summoned to the capital!” his head bent down as he pleaded, too afraid to even look at his aggressors in the eyes.

The bandits were taken aback for a moment; they were robbing an alchemist! And one being summoned to the capital of all people, the moment he disappeared, knights would be dispatched immediately to hunt them down to hell if necessary. Lothral's fierce expression froze and with a faint trace of regret he sheathed back his weapons. They were here for some easy money, killing a few farmers wouldn't attract any troubles, however, killing an alchemist was akin to taking a bath in honey and jumping in a bear's cave.

“Milord, please..." Said bandit's leader offering his hand to the alchemist, "No need to kneel down like this, I swear we mean no harm, right guys?” the leader immediately tried to somehow fix the situation by appeasing him. The alchemist raised his head and stared at the bandits now armed with awkward smiles instead of daggers and greed.

“Pardon me, but weren't you trying to rob me just now?” spoke the alchemist with a slightly shaky and dubious voice, and to answer him the bandit behind him almost cursed his damn curiosity out loud. “Of course not! Hahaha...” some cold sweat dripped out of his forehead, “It's just a misunderstanding, we are actually farmers from a nearby village. Days ago, our small village's miller fell out with his wife and murdered her. As he has relatives living in Marle we thought of intercepting him on the way there; unfortunately, we mistook you for him!” with an 'it's all just a big mistake' face, the bandit lied through his teeth.

The naïve alchemist nodded through the story muttering “ I see, I see...”, he looked thoroughly convinced as he stood up dusting off his pants with a few pats. “I'm really sorry I doubted your reasons. Actually, I think it was luck that brought us together." spoke the alchemist with a relieved tone. The bandits could only grit their teeth in response, thinking of how lady luck had brought a fat fish under their nose, just to make them unable to eat it.

"You see, I am headed for Marle. However, I lost my orientation to due unforeseen circumstances, if you would be so kind and indicate the way, I would gladly reward you and your friends."

Lothral simply confirmed he was on the right way and in two to three days he should see Marle. In response, the alchemist took out two vials from his pouch and offered them up. "This is one my original creations, it will permanently enhance your strength and vitality." the swirling red liquid captivated the gaze of all the bandits who started to heavy breathing.

"I- I cannot accept such a precious gift!” The bandit leader was no idiot, what if that was poison? Who would be stupid enough to drink a mysterious liquid offered by a stranger?

"I Insist," stated the alchemist. "weren't you saying just now that you are fighting for justice? then as a law-abiding citizen I can't help but praise and reward such behavior, please accept."

Unable to contain his greed for power any longer, one of the bandits stepped forward and snatched the vial. Under the expectant gaze of the alchemist and the worried eyes of his friends, he took a quick sip; the warm crimson liquid flowed down his throat like water and was soon absorbed by the body.

A weird feeling spread from his throat, like a wave of fire, it engulfed the whole body; his heart started beating faster like a drum as adrenalin was produced throwing his head in a state of euphoria. Veins swelled up on his body like snakes coiling around a skinny tree, even his skin got a little redder under the influence of the accelerated blood circulation.

The other two bandits looked at their friend in worry, ready to take out their weapons to avenge him, however, against their worries a big smile widened on his face, “Dvartos be damned! I feel like a new man. You have to try this!” The buffed bandit threw the leader the vial and then unable to stay put any longer, he dropped to the ground doing push-ups like a madman. Sweat was already dripping down his eyes, but he didn't even care or notice, he felt too energetic and had to do something; anything to waste that energy.

“I see it's working already.” The alchemist was watching with interest the effect of his concoction on another human. The other bandits seeing the state of their friend were convinced to drink the rest of the potion. Soon they were all either running around like kids high on sugar or punching the trees. Under their dreamy status, they didn't notice how their knuckles had actually got bruised and broken by hitting the trees, the pain thankfully suppressed by the adrenaline.

The only one not drinking the miracle potion was Lothral, the leader. Once when he was still with his raiding party, a group of women had offered themselves to them in exchange for their families lives. Naturally, the raiders enjoyed their bodies and then slaughtered everyone all together. Little did they knew that those women had beforehand taken a special kind of poison that could be sexually transmitted.

In the end, half of the warband perished in agony. He didn't want such a tragedy to happen to his small band of bandits; however, he was a step too slow to stop them. He now waited, being wary of the alchemist.

Soon the bandits stopped dead tired one after another, their energy seemingly exhausted. And a moment later the bandit leader's fears came true, their breathing got shallower, he could feel they were dying.

"So, you are the only one left?" Hearing that rhetorical question, Lothral turned around staring daggers at the alchemist now wearing a slightly amused expression, a far cry from his previous scared face. Immediately he went for his ax, ready to cut his legs and force him to save his comrades.

"Too slow." However, before the leader could even start swinging his ax, the alchemist blew some powder in his face. Immediately the ax became too heavy, his legs quivered, and he felt like his mind bog down. With a muffled thump, he fell like an autumn leaf under the victorious eyes of the alchemist.

"Huff, I only had enough of this paralyze powder for one person, thank god all your men took the potion and died off like idiots. Now..." the alchemist took the ax in his hands and raised it up in the sky in front of a terrified bandit. "how do they say in movies? Off with the head!"