Arterian ushered me behind the counter to a door leading to the back. The hallway connected to the other side of the building and then turned back towards a workroom. It was just as dark back here as the rest of the alchemy shop had been. We moved around a workbench topped with flasks, some filled with various colored fluids, others were empty.

The person sitting at the desk in front of us was writing on sheets of paper. Many other sheets were pinned to the wall covered in mathematical calculations and listing of ingredients and their effects. Arterian coughed abruptly to get her attention because she still hadn’t acknowledged us standing there.

She jumped to her feet, obviously startled. “Arty, don’t DO that!” She turned to look at Arterian and spotted me. She was a stern-looking woman, probably in her mid 40’s. She had light brown hair that turned ashy, blue eyes with shallow wrinkles around them and around her mouth. She was a little taller than me, my head nearly level with her eyes. “Who is this then?”

[Helena - Human, Level 22]

“Helena, this is Jak. Jak, this is Helena, the best alchemist in the Kingdom of Rune,” Arterian Supplied.

“Stop it, Arty, and call me Lena, Jak. What are you doing here?” Lena said as she glared at Arterian

“I’m here to ask you to teach me Alchemy. I..”

“Not happening.” She cut me off.

“Lena, look at the boy again. He is probably not who you expect to be asking.”

Lena sighed and finally seemed to take in my hair color. “The hero the King was going to summon? But what is he doing here?” She was shocked.

“The King has apparently cast him aside, he is in a unique situation that means he is not what they want. However, the same thing that makes him unwanted by the crown puts him in a position that would be beneficial to many others.” Arterian had an odd tone that clearly meant something to Lena.

I jumped in to help press the point. “I have a nearly completed education in math, reading, writing, and science. And by science, I mean chemistry. I was the top of the class at the time, though I don’t know how it directly relates to alchemy.”

“But you believe it has some relation to alchemy. Okay, I’ll bite. I’ll have you make a potion for me following a recipe. Let me get it ready for you, and we’ll begin.”

Arterian put a hand on my shoulder and moved me back a couple paces. While we watched, Lena grabbed three pieces of glass equipment. A bulbous glass flask with a long pipe end that angled downward slightly that she put on top of a metal ring that was embedded into the workstation, a container she put under the end of the tube, and a set of small tubular vials. Then she set out a deep crimson root, a small pouch, and a small container of clear liquid. There were extra measuring scoops on the counter pushed to the side as well as a knife.

“This is the instructions for a Tier 1 healing potion.” She said as she handed me a slip of paper. “This has all the instructions you need to make at least 3 doses.” She seemed dismissive as she turned away to talk to Arterian. I looked at the list she gave me and was a little disappointed, it was basically a recipe.

--

Healing Potion:

Add 1 part Liferoot to 10 parts pure water and boil. Purify distillation with pine ash.

--

Looking around, I saw all the measuring tools I would need to make it, but I knew most types of ash would add to the alkalinity. Possibly making it harsh on the body to drink depending on how it interacted with the Liferoot.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Lena and Arterian whispering near the doorway.

“Do you have charcoal and a mortar and pestle or something I can use to break it down?” I asked loudly, hoping they would hear.

Lena perked up and looked at me. “Why? I gave you everything you needed.”

“Wood ash contains high Ph levels, which can cause unwanted changes to other mixed materials. It may make water safe to drink, but I’m assuming it wouldn’t be an issue.”

Her eyes went wide but still answered me. “I have charcoal here. And there is a mortar and pestle in the cabinet to your right.” She moved to a large bag and pulled out a scoop putting it in a bowl she pulled from a shelf while I grabbed the equipment from the cabinet.

I took it from her and gave a short bow in thanks. Turning back to the table, I crushed the charcoal into a fine powder. I split off a small scoop with the tools on the workstation. Grabbing the flask she gave me, I put a filter on top and filled it with the charcoal, and I moved it back under the tube-like spout. I used the knife to cut up the Liferoot, split it down into as small pieces I could, and then put it into the mortar after cleaning out the charcoal. Crushing it to a paste gave me a better measurement when I added it to the proper amount of water.

I had to ask how to manage the heating ring, but it was pretty simple. It was able to be turned on or off with a touch to the side of the device. So I waited. I let the mixture boil away and distill through the tube, and it slowly fell to the flask. It was a crimson liquid like the potions I had seen in her shop. I filled five of the small vials and nearly filled a sixth.

I turned to look at Lena and found her standing right behind me watching. I stepped out of the way, so she stepped in to check on the solution. After a minute of looking through the liquid, she held it out and said, “Appraise.” The vial in her hand glowed for a moment as her face changed to one of total shock.

“This is beyond high grade!” She looked at Arterian, who also had a surprised look on his face. “This is beyond high grade! It’s labeled ‘Peak Grade’! The impurities are at 0 percent. Someone could consume an endless number of these and never hit potion fatigue!”

She looked back at me with wild eyes. “What level is your alchemy skill? It has to be extremely high!”

“When I looked earlier, I didn’t have any skills at all.”

Name: Jak Rollins

Level: 1

Race: Human

Class: None

Strength: 12

Dexterity: 18

Intellect: 17

Wisdom: 14

Skills:

Alchemy - Level 8

I checked my skills and saw that I did, in fact, have the Alchemy skill now. “I just gained it, it looks like... it’s at level 8 now.”

Arterian closed his eyes and nodded along as Lena just stared at me. “You gained 8 levels in alchemy with one batch of potions… That’s completely unheard of.” Arterian finally said.

Lena started talking again, looking a little less wild now. “You said you have had an education in chemistry? It must have a large amount of overlap with alchemy. I’d like to offer you a position as an apprentice, but I’d like to talk to Arterian for a moment if you would wait. I bobbed my head in assent, so she walked through the door with Arterian.

I spent the next 10 minutes looking at all the equipment and papers in the room. Lena had all kinds of recipes for alchemical concoctions. Volatile mixes that explode into a ball of fire, various poisons that people would likely use while hunting, and a potion that explodes into smoke if exposed to air. I was still looking through them when Arterian and Lena walked back into the room.

We stood in silence for a while before Lena began. “I would like to formally offer a position of apprenticeship here in my workshop. I will teach you all that I can. Though I would like you to teach me and advise in situations you can. For all that alchemists experiment with different products, it isn’t often we adjust older potions that have a tested and accepted set of instructions. Would you like to work here and learn from me?”

“I would love to, please!” I have a place to work, learn, and earn money! I was so glad to already be on a path that was much better than what I had on Earth.

Her face settled into a small smile. “Excellent, there is something else I would like to ask you about. Or rather, I’ll let Arterian explain and ask you.”

“Jak, I told you about how Demi-Humans are persecuted and enslaved. My relationship with Lena is a little different. We are actually husband and wife or as close as we can get in this city. I still have to wear a slave band.” He pointed at a necklace I hadn’t noticed before. “But it is all but disabled to fool anyone who would check. That said. Lena and I would like to offer a room in our house to you. You told me before that you are an orphan, and you have nothing in this world, so would you like to stay with us?”

I laid still, staring at the ceiling of the room. My head hurt from crying so much. I never thought I could actually have a family after the years in the children’s homes, let alone a family from a completely different world. Arterian let me know he could feel my relief and happiness. He knew it was important to me due to his empathic bond. I had never really had anyone to care for me while growing up. It made this feel even more like a dream when Arterian pulled me into a hug, and I just sobbed until I passed out.

Since I was a mess of tears and apparently exhausted, Arterian carried me to their house behind their shops. We hadn’t been able to talk too much, mostly because I was a hot mess. I eventually woke up, and they let me know that I could call this home. They genuinely seemed to care, and I wasn’t sure why. No one else cared about an orphan. No one else cared that I was bullied or beaten up.

As soon as my headache dropped to a manageable pain, my stomach started rumbling again. I had gone most of the day only eating a few cookies if the fading light outside was anything to go by. I sat up and looked at the room. It was mostly bare with some crates filled with empty flasks and vials on top of a writing desk, a wardrobe, the bed I was on, and a couple of tall metal poles on stands.

I got to my feet and wandered over to one of the poles. I had seen a few in Lena’s alchemy shop, and a shorter version in Arterians apothecary. They were lamps, but I didn’t know how to use them, yet. There doesn’t seem to be any markings on them, but if they were set up like the ring used to heat the healing potion mixture, it should only take a tap.

I reached out and tapped the bar, but nothing happened. I tried it again, and my hand slipped a little, but as my hand slid the top of the pole lit up with a faint glow. I tried it one more time but deliberately pushed my knuckle up the metal like a lightswitch, this time the light got much brighter to the point it was able to light up the room. Success! As I turned around, the door opened to Arterian. “We’ve got some food out here if you’d like to join us.”

He stepped away, leaving the door open for me. I followed him out to the living space. The house was all one floor, there were three rooms split off the kitchen and dining space. The first room was Lena and Arterian’s. The second room was the servant’s quarters, set up only for appearances. The last had been a guest room up until today, but now it was mine. The first room I didn’t have to share with someone else, and I was happy. Thinking about that made my head start to hurt again as the tears wanted to start up again.

Arterian beckoned me over to the table where Lena was sitting. There was a vegetable-filled stew. “I’m sorry if you enjoy meat. Being a faun, we don’t eat much meat, and if we do, it’s usually fish. This should taste excellent. Lena’s skill with Alchemy crosses over to cooking as well, making her an excellent cook.” Arterian dished it out into bowls and passed us each one. I immediately started eating. It was delicious!

"We have a few things to talk about, Jak," Arterian said after taking a bite. "You clearly have magic. Would you like to be tested for an affinity? I know you don't know what that means, so I'll explain if you'd like."

I nodded to him while my mouth was full. "Excellent. Affinities are an elemental attunement. There are six elements, and each corresponds with one of the six Elemental Gods. They are Light, Shadow, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. The test is something I can administer for you. Though I would like to wait until the morning if that is alright with you?"

I grabbed another bowl of soup while Arterian explained. "That sounds fine to me," I said as I sat back down.

"Okay. Next is your clothes. You are wearing something from the castle. That is great, it looks well-tailored to you. But you didn't have any other outfits or anything with you, I'm assuming. We should get you some clothes and other items you'll need while you live here."

I was full now and was feeling very tired after having nearly finished the second bowl, but this got my attention. My head snapped up to look at Lena and Arterian to see them smiling gently at me.

Two words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. "But why?"

"I'm sorry, why what?" Lena said.

"Why are you guys doing this for me? You don't know me. Nobody cared for me before." The tears started again. "My parents didn't want me. The volunteers at the children's homes ignored me. People bullied me. So why are you helping me?!" My voice started getting shrill at the end. This was the first time I let any of it get to me. I've been on my own. Always alone. What do they want from me!?

Arterian moved his chair over closer to me. "Jak, I can feel your pain. I could feel it when you came into the shop. I can feel it even more powerfully now." He took a deep breath, "In faun culture if something happens to a family and one of the young ones are left an orphan other families step in. This empathetic link that Fauns, like myself, have allows for us to reach out and bring them into our families. We never let a lost child stay lost. This is why I would reach out to you."

"This also coincides with something else." Lena spoke up, "Arterian and I cannot have children. Interspecies relationships can produce children. But for humans, it's a bit different. Only male humans can have children with the females of the other races. You have already proven yourself a good person to Arterian. He was the one that had the idea."

Arterian piped in, "And we both can tell that you may be an adult in human years, but you haven't been able to grow up, age has likely been forced on you. We would like to help make a place for you to do so. We would adopt you if you would like."

We were silent for a while as they looked at me kindly. I was dumbfounded. They both didn't want to just offer me a place to live and a job. They want to adopt me. ME!

Lena was the one to finally speak up, "It may be challenging to get used to at first. But Arterian and I will work hard to make sure you feel like this is your home." Arterian nodded along with her.

I was choked up. "I-I would like that."

Arterian chuckled softly. "Why don't you go to bed. Tomorrow we can get you some of the things you need."

I agreed and headed back to my room, leaving the couple to clean up after me. I fell onto the bed and passed out within seconds.