The minor purification went off without a hitch, the bees handling it as they had many times before. Belissar was curious when they arranged themselves differently than before, but figured that was the influence of a queen joining the battle. Regardless, everything went according to expectations. Belissar got the usual minor choices and added another ten mana to his max. He wasn’t planning another expansion for a while, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to start working on the mana beforehand. More mana never hurt, either. Belissar threw a celebration for the bees and then turned in for the night.
The next morning, Belissar walked over to the Orchard and found the wood tree having completely regrown over the night. He went ahead and chopped it down, then started to remove the branches. He was just finishing up when something caught his attention. A shift in the Tower’s mana.
He turned his sight to the area in question which turned out to be the entrance. A group of bear folk had entered the dungeon, including Chief Rohsuak.
“Oh. Right.”
Belissar had sort of forgotten about them, but it had been a day or two since the purification so it was just about time for them to return. Belissar sighed and wiped some of the sweat off his brow. He didn’t want to put off the beehouse work, but he did want to keep learning magic. Making magic honey that could help bees heal themselves was great, but there was a bit of gap between that and the massive fireball Chief Rohsuak had displayed.
Belissar walked over through the Flower Meadow and on to the entrance. Chief Rohsuak smiled at his approach.
“Hello, Sacred Den Master. I hope we’re not intruding.”
Belissar shook his head.
“It’s fine.”
She smiled at him and waved to Metsaitti and his hunter group.
“Thank you. Would you mind if our hunters resumed their challenges?”
Belissar slowly nodded.
“That, um, should be fine. Just don’t disturb the bees.”
Belissar made a point to glare at them at that. The hunters all shook their heads, while Metsaitti nodded, and then the group departed. Belissar turned back to Chief Rohsuak…and the young woman who remained with her. Belissar thought he had seen her from an earlier group, but he didn’t remember exactly.
“Um, so, should we start with the magic lessons, then?”
Chief Rohsuak made a bit of a smirk.
“About that…I have to admit you have already completed your studies, Sacred Den Master.”
Belissar gaped at her.
“Huh?”
Chief Rohsuak nodded.
“The magic that you and I possess is not so much of a school to be studied as an innate blessing that we have received from our respective gods. All you needed to learn was how to sense and manipulate your mana. And I have to say, you picked that up marvelously quickly. You have a talent for this.”
Belissar squirmed a bit at that.
“Oh, um…but I can’t do big fireballs like you? Surely there’s more you can teach me?”
Chief Rohsuak shook her head.
“From now on your blessing and your patron god will guide you as to the development of your magic as you continue to use it. Our patrons are quite a bit different, so while I am willing to share my experiences I do not expect you would learn much from them. My best recommendation would be to use your magic often and in as many ways as you can think of, as well as to reflect upon your patron’s domain,” she glanced up at the soldier bees flying overhead, “though I don’t imagine that will be problem for you.”
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Belissar frowned at that. But before he got caught up in his thoughts, Chief Rohsuak motioned and the young woman stepped forward.
“However…I suspect there’s more than one mystic art you may wish to learn? Allow me to introduce Juosiutik.”
Juosiutik gave him a nod.
“Nice to meet you, Sacred Den Master.”
Belissar glanced at her.
“Oh, um, nice to meet you.”
Chief Rohsuak nodded.
“Juosiutik here is our herbalist and potion maker. You may remember her from when she offered tribute at your patron’s shrine; she, too, is seeking a blessing from your patron. She is also most interested in your Den’s products.”
Juosiutik leaned in and stared at him without blinking.
“Especially the honey and the mana flowers.”
Belissar took a step back and gulped. The soldier bees flew a bit closer, arranging themselves for an attack run if needed. Chief Rohsuak placed a hand on Juosiutik’s shoulder and the young woman jumped a bit before glancing around sheepishly at the bees. Chief Rohsuak gave Belissar a reassuring smile.
“What we’re proposing is that Juosiutik could introduce you to the art of potion-making in exchange for some of your products. Juosiutik tells me your bees’ honey has great potential, so perhaps a collaboration could benefit you both?”
Belissar rubbed his chin and started to think. So…his magic lessons with Chief Rohsuak were done? That was unexpected. Apparently, he could just learn magic on his own by using it a bunch?
With all the supposed dangers and complexity of magic he had been told before, he figured it would be more complicated than that. Just another lie, he guessed. On the other hand, he was a dungeon master blessed by a god, so maybe it was only easy for him. Now that he knew the feeling of mana, he couldn’t remember ever feeling something like that in his life beforehand, so who knows how hard it might have been for him to sense and move the mana if it weren’t for the Tower?
But that was besides the point for now. The point was his lessons with Chief Rohsuak were done, but they were offering to start new lessons with this Juosiutik regarding potions. Another magical field Belissar had vaguely heard of and been warned against, though at this point he was leaning towards completely disregarding any warnings from his past. How many of them had proven to be even remotely true?
…well, the warnings about the Hunger seemed to be all too accurate, so there was that.
So, would it be worthwhile for him to trade resources and time to learn potion-making? Belissar looked at his hand and felt the mana flowing through it. The answer to that…was a resounding yes, even with what little Belissar knew of real potions. He had seen the growth of his bees accelerate thanks to the Mana Flowers. He had seen basic herbs turned into healing honey and poisonous flowers turned into a weapon that could affect a shade of the Hunger. He had seen brand-new types of bees he could never have imagined taking on the attributes of those honeys. He had saved the wounded soldier with the magic honey he managed to produce.
If he could develop those resources into actual potions, who knows what might be possible? Maybe he could make healing potions that could fully restore a crippled soldier’s wings. Maybe he could make poisons that would not only intoxicate, but suffocate a shade of the Hunger without putting his bees at risk. Maybe he could make magical honey that would promote the growth of his bees even further.
One thing both the folk stories and the Tower Lords’ warnings agreed upon was this: potions were magic, for better or for worse. Having access to that magic would give him new and potentially powerful options both to grow his bees and to defeat shades. More and powerful options were precisely what he needed to protect his Tower and his bees from whatever the future may hold.
But still, he hesitated. Chief Rohsuak kept smiling as he pondered, but Juosiutik was starting to frown and fidget.
“Um, Sacred Den Master…?”
Belissar jumped a bit, realizing he had gone silent for a while and both women were now staring at him.
“So, um, I am interested in your potions but…I’m starting work on a project for the Sacred Den right now. If our original lessons are over, I would like to focus on that.”
Yes, as helpful as learning the mystic arts was, Belissar had put off building beehouses long enough, and didn’t want any more delays. If he had the chance to spend more time on the bees, he would take it.
Juosiutik’s eyes widened.
“Y-You can’t, I need those…!” She cleared her throat. “Ahem, I think you, uh, shouldn’t be too hasty in your decision, Sacred Den Master. Perhaps we could help you with whatever you’re working on, then you would have time to fit in a few lessons, right? Right?!”
Belissar took another step back at the sudden assault.
“Oh, um, maybe? Oh, do you have any building materials? Clays, sealants, adhesives? Dry wood if you have any?”
Chief Rohsuak’s smile grew bright.
“Actually, we could help you with that.”
Belissar’s eyes widened for a second, and then he started to grin. New materials that would let him upgrade the quality of the beehouses, plus learning magic potions in the mix? Now that was a deal worth taking.
“In that case, let’s discuss the price?”
Juosiutik smiled as wide as she could while Chief Rohsuak chuckled.