A few weeks had passed since the pair had arrived at Dryfort. The nights were noisy in snores of tired men training and patrolling the fort, while the temperatures had significantly dropped making the evening a bit harder to endure.

Andrei had started a very basic training for the body that he absolutely despised; he was never interested in physical appearance or brute force, finding his joy in dusty books and science. He found himself absolutely unfitting to such strict discipline. However, now was not a time to complain. Days were passing by, cold was slowly taking over the territory and the training would become more challenging. Andrei had wanted to find a way to some healers or medics of the place, but he was constantly rejected. Rade was, on the contrary, making himself valuable to the generals. He was in much better shape than Andrei, and he knew exactly what he was doing; reactive, always wanting to put in more work, it seemed as if he was never tired. But some nights Andrei would see him escape the underground barracks without a trace, only coming back at the first morning light.

The two had briefly talked, as they were put in separate battalions, neither of them mentioning the outburst of Rade. Both had their mind elsewhere: one regarding the Howling Halls, and the other finding his target. Their different schedule resulted in them barely seeing each other but in the barracks; though even there they were too exhausted to speak properly, and being surrounded by noisy men made it hard to say anything in secrecy.

One day, as Andrei was asked to sweep the courtyard, (the battalion chief realising he was not going to be of any use) he caught a glimpse of a butler who looked distraught, looking around frantically. The man had in hand a small piece of paper, which seemed to hold a list the butler did not quite understand. Sensing his frustration Andrei approached, willing to help him, but also realising he was someone who had access to the castle itself.

"Is something the matter, kind sir?" he asked with a faint smile on his face. The butler turned to him, surprised, and started scratching his head.

"Oh it is nothing, some herbs to acquire," he answered in a weak, trembling voice. Hearing this, Andrei widened his eyes.

"Well sir, it so happens that I was a student of herbs myself a few years back; would you perhaps, be interested in my help? Clouds are starting to darken the sky, it would be a shame to not be able to collect your goods before the rain…"

The butler looked at the sky, and his face now showed worry.

"I do not have much time indeed," continued the man looking back at Andrei. "Do you swear on your life that you know the plants on this list?"

The butler showed the list to Andrei who took a look at it with a serious face.

"Hyssop, Motherwort, Burdock… Yes yes, I do know them," replied Andrei, pensive. "I recall seeing them growing around, if we are lucky we should have returned within the hour."

"So be it, I have no time to waste. I shall rely on you for this, for I have no knowledge in that field." said the butler with a stern look on his face. "Refer to me as Sir Colton."

"Of course, sir," complied Andrei, slightly bowing.

Sir Colton took the lead, leaving his broom behind, Andrei followed the man obediently. The inner court was quite empty on this cloudy day, as the only people out were the soldiers coming back from a patrol in the nearby forest. As they approached the main gate towering above them, they passed a troop of soldiers that just came back from the said forest. Andrei looked at them briefly and saw Rade who was chatting enthusiastically to another soldier; he could hear, however, Rade's forced laugh and eyes devoid of interest in the conversation. Whatever he was using to gain his mate's trust, it was working. Suddenly Rade's eyes widened when he saw Andrei walking out the main gate, accompanied by a butler of all things, and he made a questioning face, raising an eyebrow.

Andrei smirked and looked away, leaving him to his own assumptions. Some guards at the gates controlled Sir Colton briefly, before letting him pass without asking any questions. A slight wind passed through Andrei's brown hair as they both left Dryfort, and he looked at the main road he took with Rade the first time they arrived here. Some merchants and horses were coming, probably seeking shelter before the start of the storm.

"Follow me," sir Colton ordered.

The butler took a steep path that cut through the trees. Andrei felt the air around him growing heavier, the humidity was getting more prominent as the minutes passed. The trees and bushes that covered the hills around Dryfort were of the brightest green, seemingly taken out of a beautiful painting. However the woods were disturbingly silent; the birds stopped chirping, rodents were hiding and somehow insects stood still unwilling to make a single sound. It was as if all living creatures were holding still, waiting for the storm to roll in at any moment.

"My master told me this place was where he found most of his plants," explained sir Colton. "When the days are brighter and warmer I carry him all the way here."

They had made their way to a small grove, surrounded by ancient trees and a small river passing through. Orange leafs were scattered on the ground, branches were denuded of their usual foliage, and calm reigned despite the menacing clouds. The grove held a peaceful atmosphere, untouched by mankind - anyone could sense the tranquillity, the serenity of that place the moment they stepped in. A gust of wind blew in Andrei's direction, jolting him back to reality, as he was absorbed in the beauty of this little grove.

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"Be quick," continued the butler. "All the herbs should be around that area."

Andrei obliged, "Right away sir."

He put himself to work immediately. As he was scouring the surroundings, kneeling down to examine each little herb, Andrei was having flashbacks of his time with Master Ikron. He very much enjoyed picking himself the raw materials he was going to use in his experiments. Like a cook crafting a new dish, Andrei always took time to gather his ingredients he was about to use in his new alchemical tests - something Master Ikron always pushed him to do.

"So what's your story?"

Andrei turned his head to the butler, surprised he even wanted to make conversation. He did not trust the man yet, therefore he refrained from giving him the real story; although all the best lies have some truth in them.

"I… I used to be a scholar. Five years ago, before the comet arrived. After that all went astray, I ended up in a place I was not wanted… And before I knew it, here I am."

The butler looked at him with curiosity, raising an eyebrow.

"Now that seems a little vague, what do you mean went astray?" questioned Colton again, as Andrei turned back picking out some Burdock he had managed to find.

"I mean," started Andrei, "That the comet threw the world in disarray, and I happened to study alchemy, sir, so I was one of the first to understand its impact."

"Oh? Did you manage to get close to an artifact at all?"

"Absolutely not," laughed Andrei. "But my master became obsessed with the idea of making the Magnum Opus, and so he sent me to the capital to plead his studies and importance to the crown."

"It seems you were someone important. How come you became a poor soldier in a place so reviled by the emperor?"

Andrei sighed, handing out a pile of Burdock to the butler who took them carefully. He walked to another part of the grove and started picking other herbs.

"When I came before the emperor, pleading my master's intellect and importance to the research of the artifact, he listened and agreed. My master was summoned shortly after to aid in the experimentation of the relic."

"Well you are a good student it seems-"

"Once my master arrived, he denied my existence, and claimed I was a simple valet and not worth more than a commoner," interrupted Andrei in a low voice.

Sir Colton was taken aback.

"What do you mean?"

Andrei stayed put for a bit, his heart tight with memories of his betrayal. Master Ikron, whom he always admired, felt no need in keeping a young student by his side when a monumental advancement of alchemy was within his reach. Ikron had dedicated his entire life to the arcane, and he had now a chance to resolve it and create perfection. He had not much time left, why waste it in teaching a young man full of life who still has many years to live?

"I don't know," Andrei lied. "After that, my master sold his domus and now resides in the palace from what I know. Since the crown had no use for a valet and my master referred to me as incompetent, I was thrown aside. I tried looking for some work, but being shunned by the crown didn't really help, and I ended up becoming a beggar."

A small silence followed. Far away the echo of a thunder resonated, and both men looked up to the louring sky, observing. Andrei got back to work without a word, snatching a pile of Motherwort and bringing it to the butler who was examining his demeanour.

"A shame your knowledge was left out," pointed out sir Colton.

"I guess I was not needed," answered Andrei coldly.

Andrei did not want to reminisce about times that brought him pain. As far away as Lolûne was, he did not forget the suffering he endured during his time in the capital. He had met friends, yes, but his life had turned for the worse; Andrei was afraid he was not able to hold books anymore - as it became a privilege to own one since the comet landed.

The falling star made all books and scripts suddenly being summoned to the capital with the best alchemists, philosophers, researchers to help in trying to harness the immense power of an artifact. Since all these bright men and women stepped foot in Lolûne, none was heard from again, although the crown assured they were all deep in research about the Great One and its gifts. Their silence though, was deafening; it was hard to believe that the brightest of citizens gathered around in one place had not communicated a word concerning the relic.

"And finally Hyssop, we got everything sir," said Andrei, handing out the rest of the herbs.

Colton took the plants with him, looking at the tired face of a young man who lost a lot. He saw how his tired green eyes were filled with anger, his drawn face bearing regret and guilt. But someone knowledgeable like him would be a dead weight in the army, unable to correctly hold a sword. The butler suddenly thought of something.

A slight rain began to fall.

"Let us go," said Colton in a stern voice.

They both took the same path back, walking slowly so none of them would slip on the moist grass. None uttered a word, only wanting to go back to some warmth before the rain intensified. Finally the muddy path led to the main road, where no soul was to be seen and they both rushed through the gates, heading to the great halls deep inside the inner court. Horses filled the empty space, merchants sitting all around the courtyard, already drinking ale to keep themselves warm.

As both approached the great halls Andrei slowled down and slightly bowed.

"Thank you for trusting me with this sir, I shall go back to the barracks now," he said his head still down before the butler.

Sir Colton looked at him, and gazed at the sky, seeing as the rain was getting heavier by the minute.

"You're coming with me young man, no questions asked. You shall meet someone that you may relate to, at least a little bit."

The butler rushed to the great halls, delicate doors seemingly separating two distinct worlds: the ones who had a choice, and the ones who suffered from it.