Chapter 2

Alec left the second shop of the day, the previous day’s energy not having worn off in the slightest. After an encouraging lunch at the Watter farm, he had spent the rest of the day preparing for what he expected would be a long day of going from shop to shop seeking an apprenticeship. Normally, this was done by one’s parents, who would have spoken to several different masters, both craftsman and hunter, prior to their child’s awakening. The trait their child awoke would then determine the master they would choose. Alec had no such assistance. He had simply gathered all his possessions into a pack, slung it over his shoulder, and prepared for a long day of attempting to convince random masters to accept him.

Neither shop he had visited was taking on an apprentice, though they were both kind enough to refer him to an acquaintance who might be. The first, a tanner just outside the south wall, referred him to the shop he had just exited, A leather worker specializing in armor. The owner of this shop then referred him to a friend, saying that he knew for a fact they would be looking, as they had spoken about it just this weekend at The Tickled Sheep. Arnie, an alchemist, had an opening after his last apprentice ran off with the weaver’s daughter.

Alec thanked the master and started off toward what he hoped would be his new residence for the next few years. His face fell when he arrived. The building was set back, further from the street than the surrounding buildings, with a higher fence and a larger yard. The fence itself had seen better days. It was broken in several places and needed a new paint job desperately. The gate screamed as it opened, and Alec walked into the yard, mouth agape at what he saw. The grass was knee high. Two long rectangles of overgrown garden lined either side of a door that was also in desperate need of paint. Branches fallen from several trees liberally peppered the yard, and he was sure that the roof would leak come the next storm.

If he had been anyone else seeking an apprenticeship, he would have turned around at once, quickly forgetting this broken building. Alec was different, though. He looked at the building and saw a durable foundation, sturdy walls, thick glass windows, and smoke rising out of a solid stone chimney. Sure, it could use some work, but this was a place that had weathered many a storm and would weather many more. In a way, it mirrored Alec himself.

He approached the door, constantly noticing more areas that needed work. A variety of insects swarmed over a pile of what must have once been fertilizer that was slowly melting into the surrounding soil. Thick plants had sprung up around the edges, keeping it at least somewhat penned in. He pushed at the door, surprised when it opened easily, and immediately regretted it. Strong odors fought for dominance in the shelf-lined room. Vapors strong enough to almost be visible floated toward the stirred-up air near the now closed door. Alec’s eyes watered, and his breakfast of stale bread threatened to divorce itself from his stomach. His head swam from lack of air, and he was forced to dig deep to keep moving forward. He walked past rows of dried herbs, haphazardly strewn along the shelves.

Upon reaching a solid, well-worn wooden counter covered in a light layer of dust, he spotted a bell and pulled its string. A muffled ringing came from a small bell above the counter. Alec sighed as he climbed onto the desk and removed the dusty rag that was wrapped around it. He got back to the floor and rang it again. There was a crashing noise from a nearby back room, followed by an annoyed scream.

“WHO IS MAKING ALL THAT RACKET!?!” A man raged, slamming the door into the wall as he kicked it open. His eyes, round as a raging bull’s, settled on Alec and pierced him with their glare. Grey-white hair, unkempt and wild, framed a shining bald spot on the man’s head. His clothes, while of decent make, were crumpled and dirty. Alec was glad for the overwhelming stench of herbs in the air, as he was sure the man’s stench would match his appearance.

“What are you doing in my home?” He continued, not letting Alec open his mouth before raging on. “I will have your hide for this boy! I was in the middle of a delicate mixing process! Now I have a pile of goo in a bowl! Give me one good reason I shouldn’t call the guards and have you jailed for trespassing in my home!”

Alec stood there, unable to form a coherent though for a full second due to this man’s outburst. “Master Fremhan, the leather worker near The Tickled Sheep, referred me to you, said you might have an opening for an apprentice?” There were other things in his mind that he would have preferred to say but decided that it was best to proceed with tact instead.

“Gerald, ey? Well, he was wrong. After the last ungrateful, no-good, woman-chasing, son-of-a...” He went on for an impressive amount of time, cursing his last apprentice.” ... ran off with some skirt, I have neither the skill gems nor the patience to deal with another wayward brat. I’m too old for this kind of headache. Taking another apprentice would be the death of me I tell ya!”

“Skill gems?” Alec blurted out, unable to hide his surprise. He wasn’t aware that he would get any of those, as they were particularly valuable items. Each person, depending on their level, could absorb several skill gems. The higher your level, the more you could absorb and use. Alec wasn’t sure on the specifics, but they were a major part of crafting and adventuring. They were mainly found in dungeons, making them rather rare and expensive.

The old man took a breath and looked at Alec as if he were an idiot. “Are you touched in the head boy? How else would you be able to make salves or mix powders? Don’t even get me started on the complexity required to make even the simplest potions and pills. You need imbue mana and mana sense at a minimum. Add to that the amount of time I would need to teach you to identify the vast number of herbs and other materials I use…

“I could still do all the leg work for you. This place has seen definitely seen better days.” Alec interrupted, feeling he wouldn’t get a word in otherwise. “I can do everything you need for you to be able to focus solely on your work. I’m not afraid of hard labor and learn quickly. You wouldn’t regret giving me a chance. I don’t need much more than room and board.”

“Look, you seem like a good kid. Even if the skill gems weren’t an issue, which they are, you simply don’t understand how long it takes to learn the materials I work with here. If you mix the wrong components, the least that will happen is that they are wasted. The worst that could happen, well, let’s just say you wouldn’t have time to realize you made a mistake.”

“I have an identification trait!” Alec blurted out again. The old man may have been a mess, but he was better that than some of the other masters Alec had heard about. There were more than a few places he hadn’t planned on applying due to the rumors he had heard. “I unlocked it yesterday, and I think it’s good enough to be used while I learn.”

“Hmm...” the man started, not the least bit upset that he had been interrupted again. He eyed Alec for a moment, his eyes as sharp as a master appraiser. “That may help, but you still wouldn’t be able to make a proper medicine.” He thought for a second before reaching under the counter and bringing up a slender blade of grass with a metallic-colored tip. “Identify this. And pray that you aren’t blowing smoke.”

Alec took the plant in his hand and used his trait.

//Silvertip Grass

Rarity: Common

Condition: Fresh

Strength: Weak

Durability: 5/6

Weight: 7 grams

Silvertip grass commonly makes up the delineation between forest and plain biomes, due to its unique energy needs. It requires direct sunlight, in which it quickly absorbs the sun’s energy, followed by a period of darkness or shadow, in which it processes the energy it gained. Too much direct sunlight will lead the plant to absorb too much energy, causing it to wither and die. It is commonly used to enhance the strength of low level potions.//

He read the screen to the old man and received a nod in return. “Fine.” The old man started, though he looked more annoyed than pleased. “You may call me Master Swanson. I can give you a bed, 2 meals a day, and we can work toward getting some new skill gems for you. It will take some time, so you’d best not be in a hurry. The standard terms of apprenticeship will apply. You will be mine for the next three to five years, depending on how quickly you learn. I will expect you to put at least one point per level into intelligence. You will do all the manual labor, including keeping the yard and garden clean and orderly at all times. If we are going to do this, we are going to do it right. There are supplies in a cabinet behind the counter. I want this place cleaned up by dinner, yard work starts tomorrow. I’ll show you to your room and the rest is on you. Any questions?”

Alec took a moment to think. “I am grateful for the opportunity, sir. I will not let you down.”

“Bah, see that you don’t.” Saying this, Master Swanson turn and led Alec to his new room.

Several moments later, Alec had been left to his own devices. He looked around. It wasn’t much, a small bed in the corner, a writing desk with some supplies, and a chest to keep his things in. He made plans to let the Granny know that he would no longer be living there and let Sam’s family know as well. Now, though, he couldn’t wait to put the front room in order, if he was going to be working here, he was going to make it look good.

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Dinner was being put out onto the counter as Alec made his way past the shelves. He had started by wiping all the accumulated dust onto the floor, but that had the added effect of making the air almost unbreathable. He opened the front and back doors, along with all six windows, making a nice cross breeze that both blew the dust out of the air and made the smell more bearable. The old man had gone back into his workroom, leaving Alec alone to work. It took Alec longer to dust than he had originally expected. Some of the dust and grime stuck to the shelves more stubbornly than the rest. By the time he was finished, he had moved every bunch of herbs in the shop, cleaned their alcoves, and shaken the dust off them.

He then moved to the floor. It turned out to be pain as well. He ended up sweeping the entire store three times over before bringing out the mop. He had to go into the backyard to get to the local well. The path to the alley which led to the well was overgrown, as expected, and he had to kick and stomp his way through to make the path traversable. When he got to the well, he set down the buckets, which were hung on a bar that sat across his shoulders. He then began drawing water. He was filling up the last of the four buckets when a woman walked up with a bucket of her own to be filled.

“I haven’t seen you around here before.” She said with a smirk. “This well only covers a small area, so we don’t get many new faces. Now, I know most of the young ones who are apprenticed around here, and you don’t look like a shopkeeper’s son. The only man around that needs new blood is old Swanson. You trying to be his new student?”

While she was speaking, Alec took the chance to get a good look at the woman approaching the well. She was tall and thin, had long sandy hair falling straight behind her shoulders, and the look of someone always ready to gossip. Her clothes were clean and straight, and she wore earrings, a necklace, and several rings on her fingers. She displayed all the signs of a bored shopkeeper’s wife. He glanced at her hands as she put down the one bucket she had brought out to confirm his suspicions. Her nails were painted and whole, and her palms were free of any scrapes or callouses. He immediately assumed that she hadn’t even needed water. She had seen a new face at the well, grabbed a bucket, and come running for the latest gossip. Not wanting to be caught up gossiping when he could be finishing the floor, he decided to keep his reply short and concise.

“I am.” He stated, continuing to draw water to fill his bucket.

“Oh, how wonderful! Goddess knows he needs one after he ran his last one off. Such a wonderful young man he was, we would sit and talk for hours when we caught each other here at the well. Why, there was this one time he and I...” Alec tuned her out as he finished filling his bucket and attaching them all to his wooden bar. He was going to simply walk away from the woman but didn’t want to start off on the wrong foot with any of the locals.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you miss, but I should get back to my chores before the master gets upset.” Alec decided to once again play it humble, as it had worked for him in the past.

“Oh, that’s fine dear, make sure to tell him Mrs. Rocet says hello! I’m sure we will see each other again soon.” With that she walked off, taking her empty bucket with her. She was so wrapped up in her gossip that she hadn’t even gotten Alec’s name. No big deal to him. He lifted the wooden bar onto his shoulders and went back to work.

He had just finished mopping the floors when he smelled food and made his way to the counter. Master Swanson had put out dinner on the main counter. They sat across from each other, each on a stool pulled from the workroom. It was silent as they ate, as Alec enjoying the chicken and potatoes. It had been a couple weeks since he had last eaten meat, and he wolfed it down quickly. The flavor was unlike any he’d tasted before, and he suddenly realized that this would be an unexpected benefit of working under a trained herbalist. The potatoes had just the right amount of butter, salt, and pepper. It was the best meal he had eaten in years, more so than the few times he had shared dinner with Sam’s family.

“You might want to try chewing.” Argie said, a grumpy expression on his face. “Though now is a good of a time as any to get your story. You look like something out of the gutter. Judging by your skin and hands, you see a lot of sun, and aren’t afraid of hard work. You’re thin but have a bit of muscle, so your diet must be extremely basic. I’m going to assume you are bright enough to learn what I can teach you, until you show me otherwise. We will start with lessons tomorrow. Now, tell me about yourself.”

Alec finished chewing and swallowed the chicken he’d had in his mouth. “Not much to tell really. My folks died around four years back. I’ve been on my own since then. Spent a year or so crying, looking for someone to help me or take me in. The temple turned me away when I went to them, something about not having room for anymore strays. I took up odd jobs to feed and clothe myself. I was doing a job for Granny Yessip, and she ended up letting me fix up and live in a lean-to attached to her barn. That was about three years ago. Been doing odd jobs ever since, saving up for my awakening day, which was yesterday. If I’d gotten a combat trait, I would have enlisted at the hunter’s guild. Seeing as I got a crafting trait, I decided on taking an apprenticeship. I went to a couple other shops until I was pointed here.”

The old man looked at Alec for a minute. “That’s good enough for me. Tonight will be yours. Get yourself settled and moved in. Meet me in the workshop when you awaken in the morning, and we will get started.”