The pain that once was, has dulled. Motion returned to his limbs, and although he could not see, Eiso could hear three voices whispering next to him.
“Oh my! Is he going to be all right?”
“Don’t worry, with Sister here he’ll be fine, and once he is I’m gonna strangle him!”
“Please, Marle, that is a terrible thing to say, even as a joke, please, let us be thankful that they are all fine.”
“To hell with gratitude! I want to know what in the world they were doing!”
Eiso blearily opened his eyes awoke to the scent of stale medicine and walls of potions and vials of unknown liquids that he had been so used to. Before he could become fully accustomed to the surrounding light, a pair of arms flung themselves around him as a woman squeezed out what little life he had left. Evidently the comment on strangling was not a simple jest.
“Ahh! I’m so glad you came out all right, deary! You have been so kind to play with my little children; I simply do not know what I would do if anything happened to you,” said the woman as she seemingly tried her best to strangle him. She was a thin woman who wore a simple white single piece dress tied with a bit of string by the waste and had lengthy brown, wavy hair. She had the soft demeanor of a doting mother whose pleasant smile was a welcoming sight.
“Good. Now that you’re up, get your ass up and place it with the rest of that lot,” grunted Ms. Marle, gesturing towards the wooden table stained in scorch marks and acid burns.
“I fear that this is a matter best left to the parents. If you need anything, please call me.”
“Indeed, thank you for your help Sister Diam,” said the kind woman.
With a single bow, Sister Diam walked out of the Apothecary and as the two doors softly closed shut, and an uncomfortable peace, filled the room. Many emotions raced through Eiso. Trepidation, guilt, sorrow, all impacted him one after another until Ms. Marle broke that deafening tranquility.
“Eiso...you… you were always the reasonable one. Why? Why would you do something so stupid!”
Eiso did not know what to say. Many things ran through his mind, perhaps there was something he could have done different. For that moment, the only thing he could do was emit a pitiful apology, however…
“Don’t give me a damn apology! Tell me what went in the hell were you thinking.”
“It’s not his fault, Ms. Marle, we were only going to gather a few leaves and that’s all.” To every one’s surprise it was Rikka who spoke up with eyes wide and clearly desperate.
“Leaves? What could you possibly want with leaves?”
“Err- well…”
Without being told. Tynan stood up, his eyes to the ground and a hesitant strain in his voice, he recounted their past events.
Ms.Marle’s scowl grew deeper and filled with disdain as Tynan recounted their ‘adventure’.
“I see”, she said collecting her thoughts, “So you wouldn’t mind saying why-”
“To buy a girl a present.”
“I see."
"I...didn't want this to happen."
"Well of course you didn't. If you did I would have killed you myself. But what you did was far worse. Instead of malice you were simply stupid. Now, take a good look at you friends here.” She whispered, forcing his head to Eiso and the rest.
“Tell me boy. Do you think it was worth it? Can you weigh their lives in silver and gold? Do you think it’s worth trading your friends for money? To let your friends be snuffed out, all because of your idiocy?”
It was then that Eiso finally took notice of everyone’s condition. Papri looked relatively fine, only have a few tears in her skirt and specks of dirt on her blouse. The other three did not fare so well. Tynan was exhausted while having lengthy tears across his shirt with scraps of cloth missing from his trousers. Rikka looked just as pale. Her hair turned into a bird’s nest with bits of twigs still caught in it; her clothing splattered in dirt. Eiso too, was dirtied by a rather disgustingly deep brown stain on his cloths from the earth.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“…No. I… no,” whispered Tynan. His eyes empty. The spark of warmth and joy in his carefree eyes replaced with cold and distant sorrow.
“Next topic. Was this what you were going to use to sell?” She demanded as she lifted the paltry bundle of herbs.
“…Yes.”
“You really are idiots. Don’t you know that that there are medical gardens that harvest those plants regularly.”
This time it was Rikka turn to speak up. “REALLY!”
“Yes, really. With something so useful why wouldn’t they try and cultivate it? If you were to simply ask, you could buy a several batches on the cheap. Honestly which one of you two had the bright idea to get this garbage.”
A burning sensation seared through Eiso’s face. It was his turn to face the proverbial lion as he slowly raised his hand. This time, rather than anger or frustration, Ms. Marle gasped, “You! But! Why? How could you possibly think these were worth anything!?”
Eiso merely looked at the prices on the shelves; Minor Hemo potion ’90 silver’; Anti-venom ’125 silver’. All high prices for bottle that were only successful in gathering dust. Seeing this, Ms. Male places her hand on her temple,
“Tell me, have you actually seen the price of medicine outside my shop.” Eiso slowly shook his head, his face still burning and his tempurature rising.
“Don’t…don’t worry about it. I should have told you about how, err, different my store is,” she dismissed before turning to Tynan. “Still, who gave you the bright idea to go to the forest of all places?” Tynan remained silent for a few seconds when suddenly he jolted straight up, his face filled with shock, confusion, until finally a flash of pure anger.
After a brief moment of silence the thin woman spoke up. “If your story is to be believe, that beast sounded like it would be a Mossback Ape, an aggressive creature, and a very dangerous one too. Could be said to be nomadic since they never stay in one place for very long”. Said the kindly mannered woman in a surprisingly nonchalant manner. Suddenly, the warm mother, who had been silently observing for a while, spoke with both, a clear conviction, and sharp, penetrating eyes. Her welcoming glow, simply vanished as if it was a lie.
“So if I understand correctly, you three used magic to fend of the beast. Is this right?”
“Yes,” answered Tynan stoically, his complexion now parading a calm mask that was definitely not his own.
“Did it have a solid form?”
“What?”
“Were you able to cast a spell without it falling apart, or blowing up in your face?”
“…Yes.”
“Have you used magic before today?”
“…Yes.”
“How long?”
“…Almost a year.”
“What alignment?”
“…Mostly fire.”
“Now. Where did you learn these spells?”
“…”
“Who taught you to how to use proper form. Who told you the incantations?”
“…”
“Perhaps you did not hear. I am asking you for the name of the one who taught you to use magic.”
Silence pierced the room after every inquiry. Tynan, refusing to take his eyes off of the floor, remained steadfast.
“What about you two, surely my own daughters know of who it was.”
…
They did nothing, choosing instead to look away.
“Oh well. No matter! We will find out eventually. And so. Eiso, it has been a pleasure meeting you, deary. Do come over to our home when you get chance. I dare say my daughters would be thrilled to have you by. But for now, I am afraid it is time for you to go home.”
Unsure as to what she meant, the front doors burst open as Eiso was abruptly embraced by a familiar rough faced, scruffy bearded man. Although his father’s actions were warm, the moment he parted form him, his cold, hard and furious gaze petrified Eiso. Without another word, Deckard forcefully grabbed Eiso by the arm, and dragged him out of the Apothecary.
As Eiso staggered past Tynan, he heard a single faint whisper that forced icey cold water into the pit of his stomach as he left through the front doors, across the town square, and back to the familiar tiny fence and usual gray wooden house…
“-I’m sorry.”