It had been two weeks since Anthony had begun his training and everything had started to get into a routine of day to day life. Clio and Anthony would go to the stream to train and work to help around the shop on their time off. All the while Anthony learned many things from medicine to gathering herbs, and helping acquiring rare ingredients. Having a hunter meant a new line of products, more than ever before, a time of quiet prosperity for the little pharmacy.

While Clio and Anthony trained with Master Zoe, Jason was left managing the shop, and Selene was left juggling the books. A lot of it involved specialty orders for materials for crafting, custom made tools made from special minerals that could only be found in higher states. Plans for the future and prosperity of the Pharmacy sprang up in Selene’s head like fresh crops of wheat ready to be harvested. For once she didn’t even complain about her job, and every day was looking brighter than the last. That was until the day a single unexpected customer arrived on one of the busiest times of day.

The crowd was clamoring trying to get their hands on the recent surplus on soap bars. In the past it had been hard to acquire for lack of a hunter but with Anthony’s hunting skills they now had enough to fill orders for all the people who couldn’t afford the liquid variety. While selling this product along with several tinctures and frozen treats that Clio had concocted, a single customer tried to grab Jason’s attention. Each time he approached the counter, he was met with the same excuses.

“How about one moment...I’ll be with you in a second...just another minute.” Jason would say that, but the man began to get discouraged.

It was then Anthony managed to come inside with another shipment of supplies for sale that he saw the single customer amongst the crowd of people. He was short, scrawny and pale skinned but the look in his green eyes and amber hair sparked a familiar sense that he had seen him somewhere before. He seemed like a miner with his belt, cap and miner’s apron draped around him. When Anthony placed down his supplies, he approached the man with a curious demeanor.

“May I help you, sir?” He politely asked.

“Oh, thank goodness, I’m here to see Master Gaia, but this crowd seems...” The man tried to find the words.

“My sincerest apologies, sir, we are currently in a bit of a staff shortage, but perhaps I may help you?”

“That would be marvelous.”

“Do you have an appointment by chance?”

“No, I’m afraid I had to rush over here rather unexpectedly, so I doubt anyone would...”

“Poko?!” A voice called out from the crowd.

Anthony looked to see Iris stepping out from the backroom, an occasional occurrence to stop for refreshments especially since the new ice beverages were for sale. She looked at the young miner as if she had seen a ghost or more like a long lost friend whom she hadn’t seen in ages. She practically dropped the cold drink in her hand before grabbing it again and rushing over the mysterious young man and wrapping her arms around him.

“Poko, I can’t believe you’re here!” She squealed in exuberant glee.

“Iry, how’s my favorite sister?” He called her as he embraced her back.

“You rock head, I’m your only sister, remember?”

“You know this person Ms. Iris?” Anthony asked, noticing their sibling bond.

“Oh, you don’t know, but Ms. Gaia knows.” She let go of his arms and tried to gain her composure. “I mean, if you’re here than Ms. Gaia...I’ll lead you to her. Anthony you come to, I want you to meet older brother Prokopios.” Together they walked to the backroom storage. “Here, try this sassafras seltzer, it’s one of the best sellers.”

He took the drink and casually slipped it as he walked. The bubbles from the carbonated water tickling up his nose cause a surprising refreshing reaction.

“It’s...burp...good.” He called. “Not sure about the name though.”

They had a walking tour of the back office, chatting on many things they had not caught up on. She introduced Anthony as their new hunter, gave a glance at her workshop, until they arrived in the back accounting room where Zoe and Selena were mapping out plans for their store's future and advancement.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“...we’ve increased production, we would really think about expanding our storage area.” Zoe explained in mid sentence.

“I didn’t expect Bios to be that good of a hunter, but even with his training he’s making us more than I thought in such a short time. Still, before we even think about expanding we need to...”

“Oh, speak of the demon.” Master Zoe noticed the trio walking into the office. “By the Kings is that who I think it is?” She noticed the young Poko standing next to Iris and Anthony.

“Master Gaia, it’s an honor to see you again.” He politely bowed after handing Iris back his finished beverage.

“Have you grown taller since the last time I saw you?”

“I hope not, I might lose my spot in the mines if I get too tall.”

“Speaking of which, if you’re here, that means you’ve got some news from your father Hermes don’t you?”

“As a matter of fact I do Master Zoe, I was just about to explain it to Iry before we got here.” He started to speak quietly as if expecting someone might be here. “My father says there’s been seeing decreased myrrh activity in the Gnoss mines recently, you know what that means.”

“Ah-ha, that’s wonderful news, but he didn’t send you here with just that did he?”

“No, he also wanted me to give you this.” He reached under his apron and pulled out a small map and handed it to Master Zoe.

She grabbed it peacefully and eagerly unfolded it to take a peek.

“You better hurry too.” Poko cautioned. “This information is time sensitive, I only hope you’re there before it reaches less respectable ears.” Zoe happily placed the map on the table and shook the miner’s hand.

“Tell your old man to give me a call if ever gets a cough.” She gave the young man a hardy handshake.

“You know he’ll hold you to that Master Gaia.” He shook her hand in respect before Iris led him back out the door and into the hall.

“Selene, make the arrangements, you know what I have to do.”

“I guess our expansion plans will have to wait until later.” She walked out the door with her designs and other paperwork in hand.

“Bios, I know I’ve been pushing you hard, but we gotta make plans for another excursion. This time I’m taking both you and Jason because we’re going to need his special help with this kind of task.”

“I’m not sure what’s going on Master Zoe, but does it have anything to do with that map you’ve got?” Anthony wondered.

“Don’t go blabbing or anything but what you’re looking at is prioritize information there, kid.” She pointed the marks on the map of many caverns and passages.

It looked to be a map of an underground facility with large rooms marked with black and white “X” and others not even marked at all.

“This is the map of mines near Gnoss, and these caverns mark the areas of high levels of white and black myrrh ant activity.” Zoe explained with excitement. “Ordinarily, workers work near or around these areas but are told to avoid them at all cost because they could cause an outbreak from disturbing the entire colony.”

“I’m aware, it’s how many Grade E hunters start out working in the mines escorting workers near those areas and fending off the occasional myrrh scouting party. It was later said that activity can be high or low depending on seasons and mining activity which is why mines are often closed off during certain times.”

“Did you also know that there are sometimes when the mines are closed when there is practically no activity in the myrrh colony?”

Anthony looked baffled at this fact, that he didn’t already know.

“It’s a secret known only to a select few groups, but there is a time when practically all the myrrh ants retreat deeper into their own colonies causing a least a week where there is no ant activity leaving the mines practically vacant.”

“What time is that Master Zoe?”

“When a new queen is about to be born.”

“A Myrrh Ant Queen?”

“You sound almost dumbfounded, Bios. Surely a learned man such as yourself knows that every ant colony has a queen.”

“Yes, but a myrrh ant queen is a different story.” Anthony said. “No one has actually seen it, only traces, pieces, remnants of ant gravesite. They’re so elusive they’re practically a legend in their own right, supposedly the Duchy has offered a special Grade S status to any hunter to find and capture a live one.”

“We’re not going to be anything that crazy, kid.” She waved her hands in protest. “What few people don’t realize is that when a new queen is born the entire colony retreats to the inner sanctums of its hive to make sure she comes of age in peace. That makes it the perfect time to pilfer ant gravesites for special fungus left over from their graves. Valuable medicine that could be used for various remedies if one knows how to use them.”

“With no ants, wouldn’t the miners take advantage to mine those areas as well?”

“No, it will be practically abandoned, because miners know that it’s also the time when myrrh ants are on highest alert. When we gather the herbs we must be very careful or it could cause an outbreak with the full forces of the colony. Now even the Imperial Army could stop an entire colony, which means this is strictly a stealth operation.”

“Understood.” He nodded in agreement. “I’ll inform Jason of this matter immediately.” He left the store leaving Master Zoe to plan a careful strategy for an important journey.