“Ah, thrice-accursed hands.” Shaking as if a chill draft came through, Theodore cut a bulb roughly in two before losing both halves to the floor. Sighing deeply, he picked them up as quickly as his old bones were capable before crushing its juice into a vial over a tiny flame with his bare hands. Without quick action the whole thing would have been wasted anyhow, even if he could no longer guarantee its potency.

The withering alchemist took a swig of a vile rose-tinted concoction, trying to replenish his energy. Scraping tongue against teeth to try and remove the tangy, bitter residue, he continued on with practiced movements. Vibria required a quick hand, but unfortunately also needed to be adjusted as one went due to the pace the ingredients reacted. Dom could still hardly tell a bulb from a bud, despite so many years passing. Saying his apprentice had no grip on the theory would be an insult to both Dom and himself, but Theodore sometimes felt the words on his lips. Whether he said it or not, he couldn’t leave making vibria to Dom.

Luckily that rose concoction of his helped immensely. Still a work in progress, the few physicians Theodore had a chance to talk it over with found his ‘artificial blood supplement’ to be ill advised. It would lack in ‘elan vital’, but they each gave a different reason for why that would be the case. He didn’t dismiss them entirely, because after his limbs steadied and feeling full of vigor, a strong lethargy would descend; six and a third hours later, as far as he could tell the same delay each time.

Melting some wax to ensure that the jar was sealed, Theodore took out an ink brush and labeled it. The air trapped inside would temper the caustic nature, and would finish curing after several days. He’d double check the properties before sending it out, but it should be sufficient.

For the moment, he wanted to make use of his steady hands to continue compiling his lifetime of learning in the field of alchemy. Bringing four slim tomes over to his desk, the first sat open to the illustration of reigran flowers. Theodore included proper terminology for the parts as well as possible variations that could be found. Then he added in the usual efficacy for each part, the best way to harvest and then preserve it, its preferred environment and when it bloomed; he went on and on until the margins were almost black.

Then he skipped over to another, writing down some of the recipes that worked best with reigran flowers, before moving to a thinner volume to list his theories on the actual processes that took place.

Dom only memorized concepts like averages, not really understanding the reason behind why upper and lower portions of a root may differ in content, or how nearby herbs might indicate and affect the potencies of each other. Theodore still inscribed his knowledge with no simplifications. The books may end up in his hands, but they weren’t really written for him.

At this time Theodore already received word that Alric left Salt Village, apparently on a journey with the chief’s ill daughter to find a cure. Maybe if he’d just come back… well it was unlikely Theodore could do anything about it. If the lad had been stupid, he wouldn’t have been so good at alchemy. He probably could tell it was something that couldn’t be fixed by normal means, especially given the fact he was a mage. It was a shame for a natural alchemist to disappear without a proper education like that.

After finishing with the books, there was the possibility of sending them after him. While he might think it best to stay hidden he had an… explosive way of doing things. Alric’s biggest flaw as an alchemist was an indifference to results. Be it the astounding success of mixing his first potion successfully, or dissatisfaction with others not having used rare ingredients for experiments, despite knowing the result would bring about nothing, it was all around doing as he fancied. Even when he’d shown up bloodied, or cut himself when mincing ingredients, he ignored it if he wanted to do something else.

A personality like that would leave a trace, and since he’d headed east, he was probably on his way to Medean at the moment. Should Theodore spend on a renown courier group, finding him wouldn’t be too hard. Castor’s contacts might be of help as well, he would ask next time they met.

“Master Theodore, Golmen’s come around again, and I’m not sure what it is he’s asking for.” Dom entered without notice. Theodore didn’t reproach him, as he at least came up to see if a potion was in progress before shouting about. As for Golmen, well, you can’t blame the unskilled for being incapable. Golmen seemed to know the properties of the ingredients he wanted, but rarely their proper names.

Leaving the books open for the ink to dry entirely, Theodore headed downstairs, with Dom in tow.

“Pill King Theodore, I have my apologies for coming by at such a late hour.” At least as old as Theodore, he cupped his hands and bowed smoothly. His face looked as worn and weathered as the leather he worked, but he moved without age. “I am looking for, with nine leaves upon the stem, found of sunshine, a fiery flower of earth and water, of 100 years. This time, it is hard to know how to speak what is its use.”

“You have come in rather late this time, but still, come back and sit down. Dom, fetch a Ranis, Lothan, a branch of Hansberry, and a River Tear.” With most items made to order, alchemy shops didn’t have much in the way of a storefront, so Theodore invited him to the back to sit down. Since starting to compile his knowledge, he once again began relishing chances to explore the mysteries of alchemy further, instead of making concoctions by rote.

The leatherworker never asked for potions, only ingredients. Theodore suspected he had a unique method to create certain types of medicines, as he invariably referred to his planned results as pills. Yet there were never any waves or suggestion he was selling the product, either he enjoyed throwing money away, or used them all himself.

Golmen’s only response to what he was using them for was ‘he would look into it’, or ‘seeing their use’. The language barrier was entirely insufficient to communicate the idea, and he refused to demonstrate. If nothing else Golmen’s visits allowed Theodore to take a look at his knowledge through a new perspective, reevaluating how he viewed different properties.

“You only wish to purchase one this time?” Golmen also tended to buy the same herbs in batches as large as he could afford. To only want one was a surprise, though the qualifications for this were much more specific than usual. Normally selling raw materials in bulk let him recoup costs when they would otherwise go unused, but depending on what this flower was, Golmen might not be able to afford it in the first place.

“To have more objects I desire is better than only having one. Only one is required, I may not be successful however.”

“Will it be mixed with anything?”

Golmen paused in thought. He was considering if he should reveal something kept secret, but in the end, if he did not share he could not be certain to get what he needed.

“Yes, the fire-bones of two weeks ago, the earthen sprigs in abundance, and a mirror-stone.”

Theodore nearly fell off his chair in surprise, perhaps the pills weren’t being eaten but transformed into some sort of weapon? The combination of those ingredients would be volatile without the utmost caution; with it they would all burn away.

Dom arrived, placing the items requested on the table before stepping back. Golmen eyed them each. This process happened between the two before, Theodore knew none of these were what he wanted. Instead, they were grouped with similar properties. Theodore would explain how they might be used, and Golmen would make his judgement about how closely it resembled what he wanted.

“These berries are too numerous, they should only grow. The flower should restrain them.”

“Vibria, the metal will return amidst fires? And it turns to large ash, I believe this flower is closer to what I need.”

“This Tear will not dry a cup of water? That is what it should without the rest of the plant.”

“It sounds more and more unlikely that a plant such as this exists. The best option would be for me to attempt to synthesize it myself.” Picking at his beard, Theodore thought of a few plants only mentioned by the Church, and several more they monopolized. Of the ones he knew of and could acquire, there were none.

“No, there are requirements, it must not be changed. It must not be...altered.” Golmen firmly refused, trying to find the right word for how he disagreed.

As an alchemist Theodore knew how things could fail if something minor was changed, but it seemed in this case it was more important to preserve the ‘natural state’ than get a correct balance of properties. Being in a natural state never affected anything he’d ever done, but it was the demand of Golmen; he was going to be paid either way.

“In that case, dried roots of Valkengrave are the closest I can acquire. I believe it has more properties of transformation than desired, when powdered and placed in a large volume of water, the water becomes more like the powder, the water taking on its properties.”

“Yes.”

“Hm. Just be cautious with whatever you’re doing then. It’ll take a week and a half to get it, and six silver.”

Golmen agreed to the terms, bowing again before heading on his way. Foreigners had such strange customs.

“Wait, master, how were you able to tell it’s Valkengrave? You’ve said it’s more of a catalyst than anything else.”

“Yes, it’s like a catalyst in that it can bring disparate parts together. But that’s only for specific recipes, if there isn’t a balance of destruction and repair, one of those aspects will take over.” He still didn’t seem to grasp the difference between the process of fusion and destroying, then recreating with multiple elements. “Take five shade beans. Use anything in the three-dot category or older with more than one jar. I want to see at least three doses of anything acceptable tomorrow morning. I’m going to sleep.”

“Yes master. I’ll exceed your expectations.”

At least he’d been getting better in terms of the effort he put in. Before, whenever Theodore assigned work where he could make a choice, his apprentice would always choose Livewood oil or callus ointment, anything he could make reliably, trying to make sure he had something to sell to build his reputation. A positive in terms of business practices, while not pushing his own abilities forward.

Alric’s appearance shamed Dom; previously thinking he could do just fine ambling forward, he was outclassed by a man who’d never concocted before in his life. Passion ignited, Dom wouldn’t reach greatness in alchemy that way, but at least he might be worthy to be called Theodore’s apprentice now. In a few years, who knew, maybe he could even begin taking over the orders from the Church.

And maybe Alric would visit again…