Chapter 5 Purge (2)

A fire blazed in the hearth, warm and comforting. The shop’s fragrance was a tonic that can soothe any illness and its scent wafted to the little corner where Morganna was sleeping. She woke up on a plain white bed. She finally recovered from her exhaustion.

Ailit looked her top to bottom, smiling, “You been very fortunate. If I’m not mistaken, you’re still not fully healed. “

Morganna looked at her robe, embarrassed that she was so careless with her beautiful new dress.

“You can have my plain tunic,” Ailit offered. She studied Morganna’s body. “Though it might be a little bigger than your size, I guess.”

Like most magicians, Morganna owned a minimum of two or three outfits in case any of her apparels lose durability.

“Those won’t fit,” she proclaimed and took out her own enchanted robe that had been catered by professional tailors. “Where are my weapons? Give them to me,” she commanded to a boy a few years younger than her; he looked around 17 years old. She extended her arm, and for a moment Ked was afraid that she might intend to blast him with magic. “Don’t worry. I won’t harm you if you give my weapons back to me,” she said, seeing that was Ked panicking and wasting her time.

Morganna tugged the bag of weapon and then ducked into a separate room to change clothes. She stripped off the burnt robe and linen shoes and pulled on her new robe with almost the same quality enchantments and boosts.

“I’m thirsty.” Her voice was full of arrogance, and her eyes aimed at the flowing spring of water. Without saying anything, her condescending attitude and body signals commanded: you will bring me water.

At last, Ked’s patience was all fed up. There was no need to be afraid of a bully.

“Fetch me some water,” she repeated.

“You fetch yourself water,” he retorted. “Use your own hands and feet. I am tired and have to sleep.” Ked pulled the last of his ingredients to create the last recipe of the day.

“Cockamamie,” she called him. “I don’t know where it is. And you should respect your superiors.”

Ailit was interfering now, a bowl of honey water in her hands, trying to please her visitor. Ked flipped a couple of pages in the recipe book, staring blankly at the pictures.

“Strong is subjective. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you are not strong because you share my gift. My powers are also your powers, and it’s all that matters. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Ked whispered.

Ailit could not help but reverting back into her old habits. She told herself that she would change, never to assert her dominance and voice. Pain shot through her throat after she said, “Good.”

With one gulp, Morganna quenched her thirst and had two steps out of her bed before she heard shouts outside.

Thoughts flowed back in her head. She yelped, “Stop! We must leave this instant. Now before everything becomes destroyed.”

The three of them stood near each other, only two rooms away from the front entrance. The candles lighting up the room flickered, and then waned.

“Leave through the back door,” Ailit suggested, pushing Ked towards its direction.

“If it is through the back door, didn’t you say not to go there because some of the herbs are poisonous?” Ked asked, his head jutting from the agape backdoor where the wooden steps outside lead into gray wilderness.

“So you knew this would come eventually,” said Morganna, “You should have told him.”

Ked was already out the door. “We should go,” Ked said. “I always want to see where it leads.”

“The path might be faded though. But hurry and go. Call upon Thafi if you go astray.” Ailit was impatient because their safety was in danger. If Thafi recognize Ked as a fitting master, then my dear apprentice will attain great power. But the chances were slim, and it was only for last resort.

In two swift movements, Ked and Morganna had slipped out the backdoor with both of their boots and backpacks prepared. In Ked’s backpack, a special wooden flute was secretly stuffed, branded in Ailit’s personal handwriting: “Thafi.”

“Ha. There’s absolutely nothing dangerous here,” Morganna said.

“Stick close to the paths. Some of these plants seem different from the normal ones I encountered. Tread carefully or else you will get injured.”

I can always heal myself with magic, Morganna thought and continued her wild pace.

Ked badly wanted to catch up to Morganna to check the road ahead but Morganna was too fast with her enhancements, so she led the way, blocking Ked’s view.

---

Oracular magic of the clovers swirled in the airtight room and formed the words of destiny.

A seventeen-year old boy will begin a dark journey that will change his life forever. His companions will fall ill, and no healer will be able to cure them. Unwilling to give up, the boy will recruit help from formidable allies and foes on a dangerous mission for the ingredients to create the forbidden elixir. Only he has the capabilities, but impossible odds, hazardous alchemy, and bitter jealousy threatens their journey at every stop.

He will not fail, but the outcome depends on his will- to push the borders of magic, emotions, and rules- and great sacrifices.

Dried flowers, leaves, and dyes added to the rainbow colors and smothering texture as all the patterns circulated before the bowl. The sweet scent of kelp breezed through the door’s crevice. Twisting the jar’s lid, Alit dipped out fine crystalline white powder with a long spoon. Careful not to leave one ash behind, she held another spoon containing purple liquid that weighed as much as the depths of ocean. Only her magical forces could counter the strain and lethality of her greatest creation.

“Spirit from the Great Two Seas, Ancient King of Sufokia. Arise from your remains to serve my last wish.”

A giant electric eel in the midst of the room twitched with liveliness as if reborn from the graveyard of defeated boss and slowly took form of its human shape. He was handsome under the bruises that remained unhealed. Through his blue sapphire hair lied the golden crown that lingered gloriously. Ailit resisted her urge to reach out to caress the beauty that she once fell in love with. A being created by the game years ago when she was a teen: when her father and his father were experimenting with ideas.

“Would he remember?” Ailit wondered. It was a nostalgic sensation of a love that never could be.

Could she trust her instinct –Did he really let go of her for her safety? He hadn’t harmed her yet, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t.

The King of Sufokia spread his cloak, and let loose his overcoat. His mind connected with Ailit’s, in complete synchronization of two spirits. He knew the past was the past, and now they would be together for the last time.

Moisture rose to the air, sucking the leaves and potions dry of its contents. Fumes hurled into the clouds like invisible petals drifting upwards. The clouds grew dark as if the change in weather was natural.

The front door finally couldn’t hold, and intruders encroached on to the second room. Ailit sacrificed her health, converting all but a remaining 1% to spiritual power. At her will, the King of the Two Seas let out a twist in his monster form, rippling the sky in Lightning Gales.

The wood easily flammable from its lack of moisture streaked with fire. In seconds, her shop was a blazing inferno and her existence had vanished from the game forever.

End of Chapter 5 The Purge (2)