The Alchemist of Rozarre

Chapter 1

Cerise de Vernase noticed some strange affliction overcome her beloved sister, Anna. She simply guessed it was the season, as it was a very rainy and stormy month and it could’ve been illness born from the cold weather, but when it happened at midnight, her sister was in a kind coma. She still breathed, she still had a healthy color to her skin, and she willingly would take food and drink when offered to her, but her eyes remained close and she dozed in a dreamless slumber, unresponsive to anything else around her and remaining tucked under the comforting worth of sheets and comforters in the cozy bed next to the fire hearth. Cerise clasped her sister’s hand—it was surprisingly warm, though her Anna’s fingers remained lax and didn’t twitch or curl in response to this sisterly affection.

The doctor was confounded by this. Anna was perfectly healthy in every single way—except for the fact that she remained asleep and wouldn’t wake up no matter what happened. Cerise ventured to guess that this wasn’t a very common phenomenon, though she guessed that the closest it would be is a coma. That’s what the doctor diagnosed it as, though his brow was furrowed and his spectacles belied a troubled expression indeed.

Cerise stayed in the house, putting more logs into the fire and then holding her sister’s hand, praying to God that her sister would wake up from her unusual slumber. No matter how much Cerise called her sister’s name or pleaded to God, however, her sister still didn’t wake up. If the doctor didn’t know what happened to her, then she would have to find her answer somewhere, wouldn’t she? The trip to the Kingdom was a long and perilous road, though Cerise was sure someone in the Kingdom could help her with her problem. The wise King would probably know. Yes, that is it. Consult the King with her plight, and maybe he would use his resources and wisdom to help save her sister! That’s what Cerise surely thought, as she made her way out into the night and brought a white horse from the stables and started to ride into the forest where the wind snatched and snarled and furled her cloak behind her.

Staccato flashes of lightning flickered in the distance. Her horse whinnied in fear, though Cerise held firm with the reins. Lightning struck the tree ahead on her journey, causing it to tumble and fall down with a thunderous crash on the ground. Thunder itself blasted the charged air, and Cerise could feel a certain static crawl along the fine hairs of her skin which prickled with gooseflesh as the close encounter with the tree could’ve fallen on her and her horse.

“Easy girl, easy,” Cerise said while she comforted the white horse, which trampled it hooves deep into the earth and refused to move further. The lightning and thunder scared the horse, obviously, though there was something else that would prick Cerise’s attention. Glowing yellow eyes surrounded them in the forest, and then wolves prowled among them.

“Go!” Cerise shouted, slapping the horse on her rear and that motion along with fear of the wolves spurred the horse into running. They sped through dark twisting passageways with gnarled tree roots threatening to trip them up in their mad dash towards teh kingdom, with wolves snapping at their heels. One of the wolves leaps and attempted to grasp its jaws around the horse’s flank. The horse squealed in pain, though adrenaline caused it to run faster and faster until they made their way into the kingdom. The wolves stopped their mad pursuit, retreating into the darkness, though her horse was wounded. She needed to find a stablemaster who could help tend to this horse, but more importantly, she needed to find information on the illness that befell her sister!

Leading the horse to a stable, Cerise promised to come back to it later. She then made her way up the twirling path to the castle, though knights stopped her from entering.

“Halt!” one of them called out, peering down at Cerise through the slatted visor of his helm. “Identity yourself!”

“I am…I am Cerise de Vernase,” Cerise said in a breathless rush of words, and suddenly tears came unbidden down her cheeks as the stress of everything that happened came to her. “My sister has fallen ill with a mysterious illness and I was hoping that the King—”

“The King isn’t available right now,” the Knight said coldly. “He has other matters to tend to.”

“Please,” Cerise said, suddenly feeling very small underneath the Knights’ scrutinizing gaze. “The King can help, I’m sure of it. I just need to seek an audience with him, and—”

“No means no, little girl. The King will not see you. Off you get.”

Then with a nudge of his lance prickling her back, Cerise was shoved out of the castle grounds and she stared back despondently, wondering what she should do now.Why couldn’t the King see her? Surely the King welcomed any and all to his castle home if they were in need. But why did the knight seem so stubborn that Cerise be driven out?

“I guess I’ll have to wait till morning,” Cerise said to no one in particular, huddling in a lodging where she could take shelter from the rain and storm. For three gold pieces they could spare a comfortable room, warm food and drink, and a nice bath to soak in. Cerise performed her ablutions and she got out of the tub, soaking wet, toweling herself dry as her red hair flowed freely behind her, let loose from the bonnet that she normally wore over her head.

When Cerise dreamed that night in the warm bed, she dreamed that she was aware of everything around her, though she was trapped in her body, apparently in the same strange coma that her sister was in. No matter how hard she tried to open her mouth and shout to the others that she was still alive, the doctor looked mournful and told her parents and everyone in the household that she passed away, dead from fright. Cerise awoke, startled, and the sun was shining through the windows.

Cerise put a hand to her chest, to help still her beating heart.

“What was that?” Cerise wondered aloud, before she shook her head. She needed to find information, and her discouragement from everything that happened seemed like a distant dream.

She asked everyone in the mess hall that she could bout why the King wasn’t available. No one knew anything, though someone rumored that the Queen was going to hold a tournament. Cerise thanked them and then headed out to the town square where the tournament would likely be held. Cerise stared in awe at all the handsomely dressed knights with their plumed helms and their insignia ingrained armor. It certainly would be a grand affair, though Cerise attempted to gather as much information as she could. However, both the knights and townspeople seemed to be annoyed with her questions, as the Princess has gone missing. Probably off on one of her escapades, no doubt.

Cerise then took her place in the audience, watching through the sidelines as a mysterious figure in a cape and masquerade mask appeared before them.

“En garde, you unrefined curs!” the mysterious figure aid, as she leapt off a building and landed gracefully on her feet into the ring where all the knights had gathered. “I’m here to join the tournament as the sophisticated and lovely crusader who will challenge anyone and everyone that dares! I’ll have you warned; I haven’t lost a single match once! So prepare yourselves for a grand spectacle!”

Cerise found herself drawn to this compelling figure. What a grand entrance! And what wonderfuly swordplay she had with her rapier. Cerise watched in awe as the mysterious masked figure danced and parried and pirouetted in sinuous motions to dodge, weave, and land attacks on her opponents. It was a complicated dance of something that was a grand spectacle like the masked figure said it would be. Cerise was so awe-inspired by this figure that she stepped into the ring herself, wanting to ask this masked figure if she could help her.

“Excuse me…” Cerise began, before the masked figure pointed her rapier towards Cerise.

“Another challenger? Very well, I accept your challenge, maiden! But know that I won’t go easy on you! I have a reputation to keep, after all.”

“Actually, I wasn’t here to challenge you…” Cerise attempted to say, before the masked figure went on.

“Have you no pride? You stepped into the ring, that was when you confirmed that you would challenge me, the Grand Duelist! Pick up a sword and I will best you!”

“I…I don’t know how to fight with a sword,” Cerise said nervously, wondering what kind of person was so eager to challenge anyone and everyone to a duel.

“Well, you mustn’t keep the audience waiting, you know!” The masked figure said with a huff. “Since I’m the Grand Duelist, I will accept any and every challenge! How about a jousting tournament where we try to knock one another off of our horses?”

Cerise bit her lip. “I couldn’t possibly do that.”

“Then perhaps we can climb to the highest mountain peak and stake a flag there, avoiding avalanches and crumbling rocks and prowling mountain cats that may shadow our feet!”

“That’s dangerous,” Cerise said nervously.

“Well, since I don’t seem to have any good ideas, why don’t you choose the nature of this competition, fair maiden?”

Cerise considered for a moment.

“How about…rock paper scissors? That’s the only game I have a chance of winning at against you.”

The masked figure seemed intrigued. “Oh? Such a simple game. But no matter how simple, it is still a competition, and I will do my best to win it. I will give it my all!”

Cerise nodded, before she took a deep breath and counted to three inside her mind. She closed her eyes, and played scissors. When she opened them again, she saw that her opponent played paper.

The masked figure seemed to be in shock, as was the rest of the audience.

“Impossible…” The masked figure said. “ I lost? How could this be?”

“So I would like for you to answer a few questions, maybe,” Cerise said, before she realized that her opponent ran off, trying to evade the crowds and Cerise.

“Wait!” Cerise cried out, and gave chase towards the mysterious masked figure. They dashed and waved through the various alleys and throng of people, yet Cerise couldn’t hope to catch up with the masked figure. The knights, however, rounded both Cerise and the masked figure into a corner, roughly grabbing the two ladies and leading them towards the castle. Cerise suddenly felt a sudden pang of fear resonate through her bones. What if she was in trouble? She did interrupted a tournament after all for her own selfish reasons. Is that why they wanted to capture her and bring her before the King and Queen? Cerise’s heart thumped in her chest madly, while the masked figure remained silent and almost sulking while she was led to the castle gates.

Once the Queen stood before them, the Knights bowed, and forced Cerise and the masked figure to do the same. Cerise swallowed. What was the Queen going to say? How would she reprimand them? What was she thinking? Will she banish Cerise and the masked figure from entering the Kingdom ever again?

“Please rise,” the Queen said, and the knights and two girls rose up. The Queen stepped forward and removed the masquerade mask from the figure in the tournament; revealing that it was the princess. “That swordplay couldn’t have been anyone else except my very own daughter. As trouble-making as she is, there is no doubt that she would be the winner of the tournament. But then unexpected complications happened.”

The Queen then glanced towards Cerise. Cerise felt her stomach plummet. What was going on here?

“As a royal family that is known for being the best in all tournaments and competitions, our very own princess had been bested by this girl.”

Cerise felt her heart beat even faster. She was in trouble, wasn’t she?

“So, in order to resolve this shame, there is no other choice,” The Queen said. “This young girl and the Princess shall be wed to one another after they go on a quest for the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“The Philosopher’s Stone, Your Majesty?” Cerise tentatively said. “The alchemist’s ultimate treasure?”

“Yes, yes,” The Queen said a little impatiently. “What did you think the tournament was for? It was a grand tournament to see which champion would be brave enough to take on such a quest and scout out the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“I…I see…” Cerise said, feeling her stomach plummet even further. “But what does this have to do with me getting married?”

“You see, the royal family has a spotless record of being the best in tournaments and competitions alike,” the Queen said patiently. “And the Princess has won them all…except for one simple game. That involves you, my dear. So in order to negate the shame of losing, Princess Roselle will bed wed to you, the victor, and your victory will also be our victory. You see? That also means that you must go on this quest, as you are the champion of the tournament.”

“I see,” Cerise said very weakly, before Roselle turned and gave a huff.

“To think that I would be bested by this little girl,” Roselle said. “I’m sorry, dear Mother, that I have tarnished out family reputation.”

“Not to worry,” the Queen said while a twinkle in her eye indicated mischief. “Roselle will be accompanying you on your journey, Miss…?”

“Cerise de Vernase.”

“Very well. Miss Cerise de Vernase, you are now our current Champion and you are the only hope to save our King.”

“Save the King,” Cerise said while her curiosity was roused.

“Yes,” The Queen said while overlooking the balcony. “The King has fallen with a mysterious illness where he will not wake up from his slumber. We’ve consulted all the best doctors in the kingdom and nothing will rouse him from his slumber. So we think that our only hope is staked on the Philosopher’s Stone, which is said to be a panacea for all illness and mysterious ailments. That being said; will you, Cerise de Vernase, help save our Kingdom?"