I looked around the lab, taking in everything around me as I prepared to leave. I ran my eyes over the tables and shelves, ensuring nothing was left out or forgotten. I made sure that all of the ingredients had been packed away carefully into their containers and locked securely in place. All of the potion bottles were secured tightly with wax seals, and any tools or equipment that had been used were put away neatly.
Helvara and Sadie stood at attention beside me, both looking rather anxious as they waited for me to finish my inspection.
I gave them an assuring smile as I turned in their direction, hoping it would allay their concerns. “The scorchers get two desert locusts every second day. Sting will steal Scorch's so make sure you're watching, okay? Make sure both get theirs."
Crouching down by one of the tables, I pointed to an area where hopping mice lived in the cold storage chest for the Cobra to feed on. "Just place it in some warm water to defrost before feeding it," I advised. "And try not to get bitten." They nodded their heads in understanding before I added, "If you do get bitten there are some vials of LeoP-1 in the vault."
Helvara was responsible for having the key to access this vault containing these special vials as well as mana crystals which could be used to feed my pet mimic M-Doreen who had been shifted to the door separating my personal rooms from the lab.
"Give Doreen one crystal every two days. I don't recommend attempting to approach when feeding," I warned the duo before suggesting that they throw any mana crystals towards the door from a safe distance away instead.
I handed over one of the low grade mana crystals to Sadie who accepted it with a gulp before tossing it weakly towards the mimic disguised as a door. As it reached the mimic, its wide mouth opened and snapped shut around the crystal, devouring it in a single bite.
Sadie looked around the room nervously as she asked, "What about the other mimic?" I smiled at her, patting my maroon and gold cape, which held the mimic. Though no one had been killed by either of my mimics in our encampment yet, stories still ran rampant.
Aside from my alchemy and transmutation apprentices, no one was willing to step inside my laboratory. In an effort to make the environment more conducive for work, I had moved the potioneers further up the hallway. I also expanded the two laboratories in the hallway into two additional workshops, providing ample space for Sadie and Helvara’s projects.
They would soon be joined by Lucas, the disciple who had managed to discover spark moss who was traveling with some of the Eternia guild towards Sēkrit. At this point, it seemed possible that Lucas could be recruited into the guild if all went according to plan. I hoped he would be a good addition to our team, but only time will tell what would come of him.
The situation of recruiting new alchemists for the guild was complicated, as there were risks of too many people learning about my new title as High Priestess. Dorian, the main healer in the guild and an acolyte of Vēdiovis, had informed me of another healer who'd been named a High Priest of Vēdiovis - though they'd since gone into hiding in their temple to avoid being hunted by everyone in Kaledon. It appeared that many high ranking priests and priestesses often ended up sequestered in temples due to the constant attention and non-stop pestering of favor-seekers and would-be power brokers they received.
To his knowledge, there were only four digital citizens with such titles, but I knew that others could well exist and simply not be public about their position. Though Trismegistus likely had a temple too, he hadn't offered any information when I inquired. Alchemy wasn't openly taught - only a handful of alchemists in the cities sold potions - so it seemed more likely that such knowledge stayed within the circles of people already acquainted with such practices.
Transmutation, on the other hand, was taught at Rivera's magic Academy - though it was thought to be an unpopular magical art due to its complexity and precision needed for its transmutation circles. The Transmuter I spoke to in Hathus told me that there was only one instructor who didn't really do much teaching beyond having students copy down basic circles from books and sending them away to read in the library.
Astrology didn't seem to be taken seriously either - when I mentioned using stars for blessings, Darius had been surprised.
It was clear that if I wanted others to learn astral magic, it would take time and effort as no one seemed keen on spending their nights studying constellations while pouring mana into them. It was a strange situation that I was in - needing to find people with an interest in alchemy, transmutation and astrology, but also wanting to be careful about who I recruited for the guild as there were risks of too many people getting wind of my title.
“Is there anything else that needs attending to before we go?” Helvara asked, bringing me out of my reverie.
I led them out into the hallway, checking each workspace as we walked past. Most of them were empty, apart from the potioneers lab at the end.
“Have Cassidy oversee the new novices in lab P2 when they arrive," I instructed and gestured to a woman working in the corner. Cassidy was the most experienced potioneer in our group, so I knew she would be able to handle any incoming tasks.
“Yes, craftmaster," Helvara responded, scribbling in his notebook.
“Lab P1 will take on the production of light foot potion, paralysis poison and wound salves," I continued as I made my way towards the main gathering area with my two apprentices trailing behind me. "P2 will work on pain relieving tinctures, hype juices and burn relief creams."
“Shall we include disciple Lucas amongst the novices?" Sadie asked as we arrived at the entrance to the upper encampment and stopped just outside of it.
“No, he can assist with research on light potion formulas if he agrees to join us," I replied thoughtfully as I scanned the now-deserted area around us. "But if he doesn't want to join our guild then reward him with a book for his trouble and let him be on his way."
I paused briefly before continuing. “If you need me while I'm away on this fire drake hunt, you can always pray to me; however remember that it drains my mana when we connect, so ensure your communications are brief and to the point."
Helvara and Sadie nodded in understanding as we left the underground compound.
The topside camp was abuzz with activity, as the fourteen different hunting teams readied their gear for the journey to the canyons in the south-western portion of the desert. At the center of it all stood the towering figure of Victoria, my team's captain. The kijo's skin was a deep, fiery red, and two horns protruded from her forehead. Her hair was snow-white and cascaded down her back in an intricately braided pattern. She wore a well-fitted tunic that showed off the curves of her strong form, with loose cotton pants tucked into leather boots. But what truly set her apart were the two massive tower shields she wielded in battle.
Victoria's presence alone commanded respect on the battlefield; she was always the first to act, never wavering in her decisions and never hesitating to take charge. She was a force to be reckoned with.
I made my way over to her, two apprentices following close behind me. Victoria had just finished checking and ensuring that all items were securely fastened onto a beautiful black stallion when she noticed me arrive.
Victoria gave me a nod, stepping away from the stallion and turning her full attention to me. “He’s all set, Foxy,” she said gruffly. “Don’t know what you plan on doing with your cub though.” She gestured over her shoulder towards where Leo, my Leosaur cub was rolling around on the ground wrestling with Pia.
I watched as Pia put Leo into a headlock, laughing as the cub squeaked in protest. Pia had a wild punk style of dress; she wore an off-shoulder tunic that was loose, but cinched at her waist by a leather bodice. A short ruffled skirt hung low over her haunches, which were covered in thick fur typical of fauns. Her face and shoulders were dotted with freckles, and her spiky hair was dyed in various shades of pink, orange and yellow. Her large floppy ears jutted out of the sides of her head, flicking back and forth as she wrestled with Leo.
“Leo will ride with Markion when he gets tired of running,” I told Victoria and she gave me a nod before proceeding toward her mount - an immense gray shire horse which made my black Friesian look minuscule in comparison.
Letting out a sharp whistle, I called out for Leo who immediately stopped his game and bounded across the sand towards me with Pia chasing after him, laughing at his antics.
As they came nearer I could see that Pia's hair was mussed from their wrestling match and couldn't help but chuckle an admonishing comment as the faun tried to tackle the retreating Leosaur. “Playtime is over Pia!”
“Aw, you’re no fun!” she whined.
I raised an eyebrow in response. “Considering your idea of fun is clinging to the back of a sand whale as it carries you for miles across the desert, I’d have to agree.” I said in reply.
Grinning, Pia was about to reply but a loud call from our captain had the faun moving away to mount behind the woman on her large shire horse. Turning to my own horse I quickly mounted, before glancing back down at my two apprentices.
“Pray if you need me, but try not to need me.” I informed them, causing both to let out a laugh as they inclined their heads in understanding.
“Yes, high priestess.” They responded and I let out a groan in response. “Just Kadia is fine." I grumbled before giving Arion a light squeeze to move forwards and fall into position to the left of Victoria's horse.
To the right of Victoria was Rainy and Kip, both riding a pair of bay geldings which had been borrowed from another hunting team who were remaining at the encampment.
Riding out of the encampment's gates, we joined the larger riding formation, which sat stationary outside the gates, waiting for the commanders to give the order to depart. The sun was just beginning to rise, bathing the desert in a hazy golden light that gave our procession an almost ethereal quality.
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A shout from the front of the riding formation sent the crowd into silence as the front row, which consisted of two horses and a gray rhino, began moving out across the desert. As one, we spurred our mounts forward and after some jostling, managed to even out in lines of four as we rode behind the three commanders.
The clatter of hooves and rumble of armor filled the air as we began moving slowly forward. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I watched my guild mates ride alongside me. We were all dressed in matching tabards featuring a black wolf before a pair of crossed blades on a maroon background trimmed in gold; a symbol that marked us as members of The Eternia guild.
Our group of forty-three was no doubt a sight to behold as we rode past the slowly expanding settlement Sēkrit, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride as people gazed up at our guild as we rode.
It would take three days to reach Hathus, where we would enter the tunnels running beneath the desert floor. From there, we would remain in these subterranean passages until we reached a settlement called Harin two days north of Valonia. Unfortunately, due to our guild's reputation in Valonia, it would be impossible for us to leave the tunnel at Valonia's exit so instead we had decided to leave before reaching it altogether.
"Ugh, it's hot." Pia whined from behind Victoria, her face already slick with sweat.
I shot her a sympathetic look before turning back to the horizon as our procession continued its steady progress.
"Didn't you apply some cooling balm before-" my words ended on an ear-shattering scream, which was echoed by the shriek of the mimic disguised as my capelet. Despite the pain coursing through me, I gritted my teeth and held on to my horse desperately.
My eyes followed my arm to the source of the pain where I saw an arrow embedded into my shoulder. Our previously smooth riding formation descended into chaos as people tried to assess the situation.
Victoria's enchanted tower shields activated and swirled around us, creating a protective barrier while the commanders rallied our ranks.
As I dismounted my horse with my uninjured arm, the next few minutes were a blur as I was tended to by the healers and the guild tried in vain to identify my attacker. In the end, we had nothing other than guesses and speculations, as my assailant was nowhere to be found.
"Kads," Markion stomped towards me, his expression grim, "are you okay to keep going?"
I glanced at the healer who was patching up my arm. Unlike Dorian, this healer didn't possess the magical strength to completely heal my arm, but she did manage to close the wound and dull the pain to a manageable level.
I let out a sigh before nodding my head, "Yes, I'm okay to keep going."
My brother gave an approving nod as he returned to where Darius sat astride his horse. Taking a deep breath, I slowly made my way back to my horse and remounted, this time taking extra care to position my wagasa to protect my back. It didn't offer much protection, but at least it made me feel a little safer.
We continued riding through the night and into the next morning until finally we decided to set camp as sweat rolled down our faces and temperatures began to become too unbearable. We made sure to set up camp in a protective circle and quickly got to work putting up tents, tending the mounts and establishing guard posts.
My tent was one of the first to be set up, and I sighed in relief as it expanded. Taking a seat on the futon laid out in the sleeping partition, I watched as my teammates went about setting up their own sleeping areas.
Leo curled up beside me on the futon, his head resting on my lap as I began to gently stroke his smooth scales. The reptilian feline purring contentedly as his eyes drifted shut. He'd been startled by the attack, and it had taken a lot of calming whispers from Rainy before he settled down enough to let the healers tend me.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, I continued to drift off in and out of sleep, dozing restlessly with Leo curled around me like a shield.
Sometime later, I was startled awake by a loud crash. In a daze, I stumbled to my feet and out of the sleeping, only to find Pia standing there with a broken clay jug in her hands and water seeping into the floor.
"Sorry," she said, gathering up the remnants of the jug. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"What happened?" I asked, sleep still clouding my brain.
"I was trying to balance it on my head, just like the villagers we passed do, but I guess I'm not quite as skilled as they are." She grinned at me sheepishly.
That certainly sounded like a Pia thing to do. I couldn't help but chuckle in spite of the situation.
"Let me help you clean this up," I said, motioning for her to pass me a cloth. Together, we cleaned up the mess and managed to wake everyone else in the process.
Victoria grumbled irritably as she stomped out of the ten in search of food with Pia and Rainy in tow. The communal cooking tent had been set up not far from our own and a delicious smell of freshly cooked food wafted through the air, but I didn't have an appetite just yet.
Pacing around the perimeter of my tent, I gripped the silver arrow firmly in my hand. I was reflecting on the events that had transpired throughout the previous day as we departed the guild compound. All began seemingly normal, with our guild convoy departing as scheduled. Yet, soon after we passed a small burgeoning settlement known as Sēkrit, I was shot with a silver arrow.
I already knew there had been a bounty set out for me- a fact of which I had been made aware of by The Whispers- but I didn't expect anyone to take it seriously considering its meager value.
Furthermore, I was shocked that someone would launch an assassination attempt while so many of my guild mates were present and even more astonished when I discovered the shooter was part of The Silver Arrows- a group notorious for their precision and prowess when it comes to killing targets. They often used silver arrows using them as "calling cards" in order to further spread their reputation across Kaledon.
The system of bounties within Kaledon was regulated by Nyxi- the goddess of deception, murder, trickery and ill-gotten gains. Upon killing someone targeted with a bounty, the assassin would be able to collect any gold offered for the death of said person. Usually, this would come in the form of prayer to Nyxi- declaring a fulfillment of her will.
Regardless of all this I couldn't help but feel unnerved by the fact that someone had attempted an assassination on me; even if their aim had been woeful and their skill suspect.
Kip glanced over from his workbench as I angrily hurled the arrow to the ground. “What’s got you so riled up? You knew there was a bounty on your head.”
I grumbled under my breath, turning away from the frustrated dwarf and pacing across the workspace section of my tent. “It's not the bounty or even being shot at. It's that they used an arrow with "Arrow Saul" engraved on it, not Lena. Yuki arranged for us to meet months ago, but she still hasn't shown up!”
Kip shook his head, returning to tracing transmutation circles onto paper squares which he had spread across the bench. As he worked, I stomped back over towards where I had thrown the arrow and yanked it out of the wooden floor board with a snarl.
Inspecting what remained of the shaft, I noticed a hollowed interior filled with something small and rattling inside when I tapped against my palm. I pried apart the two halves of the arrow shaft and pulled out a tiny scrap of parchment. Unfolding it, I could see faint writing scrawled across the paper.
"When the two moons meet, so shall we, within the ancestral village of Vulpīnus." I read aloud.
"The moons met three nights ago, so it'll be another eight weeks before they meet again." Kip commented.
I nodded in acknowledgment. Kaledon’s two moons, Sela and Cynta, would eclipse each other every two months. During this period, the smaller moon Cynta would orbit Kaledon and move further away from Sela before meeting her again at the end of the eight week cycle.
As Trismegistus’s high priestess, I was bestowed with the special blessing of being able to track the movement and location of the planets in the heavens by simply focusing on them, although the ability wasn't very useful.
"I need to speak to Darius," I said to the dwarf before departing the tent.
On my way out of the tent, a bundle of maroon fabric suddenly flew across the room and wrapped itself around my shoulders. The mimic possessed capelet had recovered from where the arrow had pierced it and seemed none worse for wear.
It didn't take much effort for me to find Darius, Markion and Corvus deep in discussion about the travel plans for that night. As I entered, Darius was already greeting me with a smile.
“Kads, how are you feeling?”
“Better," I said, sliding the scrap of paper containing Lena's note across the table to Darius who frowned as he read it aloud.
"I found it in the arrow pulled out of my shoulder," I said as the three men looked at me questioningly. "Considering the contents and the location mentioned, I suspect it's from Lena."
Markion furrowed his brow, his gaze settling on the map of Salvia that Darius had spread out on the table. "Vulpīnus- isn't that the Kitsune ancestral village?" he asked, scratching his head as he studied the map.
I nodded in response. "From what I've been told, yes."
Darius interjected, pointing to a spot on the map close to a mountain range. "The area we will be hunting in is close to here," he said. "If you travel west from Airus along the mountain path and down into Bovia, then you can move along the foot of these mountains here until you reach Fenlin. That is where Yuki indicated the Kitsune village was located after her own trip there."
I quirked a brow as I looked at him skeptically. "Why can't I just cut across the mountains? It seems like it would save us some time."
He shook his head slowly, a serious expression crossing his face. "The dragons inhabit those mountains further east," he said gravely. "You definitely don't want any run-ins with them - they're protected by the Draekin clans and any attempts to intrude on their territory are met with severe consequences."
"Dragons are few and far between," Corvus added. "The Dragon Knights guild was destroyed by the Draekin clans after they attempted to steal a dragon egg - every member still has a kill on sight order in place. So I wouldn't recommend going anywhere near the dragons."
I sighed heavily, casting aside my fleeting dreams of slaying dragons and gathering their parts for alchemy experiments as I gestured towards Airus once more. "Well," I said finally, trying not to sound too dejected. "Airus it is then."
Markion nodded, his expression determined as he studied the map once more. "It should only take a week to reach Fenlin from Airus," he said finally. "We can hunt for two weeks then head back across Bovia and down into Airus."
I grimaced, then shot a pleading look in the guild leaders direction. He nodded, understanding my unspoken plea.
"We'll need you for the full hunt Markion," Darius said, looking at my brother seriously. "I plan to make an attempt at taking down the Hydra once the teams from Caruan and Airus join us. Kadia and her team can handle making the journey alone."
"You can't seriously be planning on letting her go off alone," my brother said, his face still twisted with worry.
"She's not going alone," Darius replied, his gaze turning to me. "And Kadia is more than capable of handling herself in a fight - she's just in need of some experience without being shielded by her hulking menace of a brother."
Markion snorted and crossed his arms over his chest as I grinned sheepishly at him.
"See, even Darius thinks you are annoyingly over protective," I said, elbowing him lightly before turning my attention back to Darius.
"So it's settled then?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
Darius nodded slowly, offering me a reassuring smile. "It is," he said.
"I don't like this," Markion interjected, his expression still troubled.
"I’ll only be gone for a few weeks. What’s the worst that could happen?" I said quietly as I reached out to squeeze his hand.
Corvus barked out a laugh, his shoulders shaking with mirth.
Markion groaned and his grip on my hand tightened. "This is you we're talking about, Kadia," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if you flattened a mountain."
Darius chuckled, his smile widening as he folded up the map and tucked it away in his bag.
"Foreshadowing," Corvus muttered under his breath with a sly grin before clapping Markion on the back. "Come on, let's get some food- I'm starving."
As we made our way out of the tent, I couldn't help but feel a slight flutter of excitement as I looked towards the distant mountain peaks. Despite my brother's concern, I had no doubt that everything would turn out alright - after all, what's the worst that could happen in a world where death wasn't permanent?