“Don't trust the heart, it wants your blood.”

- Stanisław Jerzy Lec

In the Academy after 'Alchemical Arts of Healing'

“Mrs. Jangres?”

“Yes, Alyssa?” The woman turned from where she was tidying up her lab table.

“Could I talk to you for a moment or is it inconvenient just now?”

“No, I have some time. Traveling back to my shop is always a bit variable so I usually don’t schedule anything important for after lessons.”

The room slowly emptied and only Valens and Vivienne briefly lingered before the latter pulled her brother with her, not without giving Alyssa a wink.

“What did you have for me.” the alchemist smiled.

While the smile was a bit businesslike Alyssa took heart and asked, “I have need of a laboratory outside the academy because it is not for any sort of school project. It is mostly for personal reasons…” she trailed off.

“Mh.” Valeria Jangres hummed noncommittally and arranged a few unused flasks. “I would have to know more specifics. That seems uncomfortably vague and I know that the academy is not averse to letting students have the laboratory here if it's for a good reason. You should practice after all. So, why would you want my lab?” Her eyes turned sharp.

“I would not work alone. A friend of mine would do most of the work and she is not a member of the academy. We wanted to brew a rejuvenation potion for a person who had her vitality damaged by void.”

“This person is not perchance yourself?” Valeria raised an eyebrow. “You look healthy enough." She squinted. “But there is something.” She tapped a finger on her lips then shook her head. “I have no problem with that but my laboratory is my lifeblood so I would for one take coin for you using it and would have to insist on collateral.”

“We should be able to work something out?”

“I am sure.” Mrs. Jangres smiled.

It was painful but bearable. Alyssa exchanged some of the jewels from the maid spy assassinated in the Green Dragon and thought ruefully about her lacking skills in negotiation.

The alchemist grinned a more natural smile and said, “One is for my services and one is my education fee.” She laughed. “So when will you be gracing my humble establishment? I must warn you, I use the laboratory on weekends mostly. During the week there is too much to do. And what would you need in terms of ingredients? If you don’t know, tell me sometime in the next few days and I will make you a good price.” Seeing the alarm in Alyssa’s eyes she added, “Truly this time!” She put two fingers above her heart. “Merchants honor.”

“You are a lot more mischievous than I thought.” Alyssa covered her mouth as the sentence simply slipped out and Valeria laughed again.

“It should be a serious matter for you to need rejuvenation but you seem hale to me...just…” She looked at her again. “There is…mh.”

“Thank you for your help! I will confer with my companion. I think it will be on Friday evening next week for we might have to procure the ingredients first.”

“As I said- tell me what you need and I will see. Even if I don’t have it ready I am relatively sure I would know where and how to get it. I do this for a living after all.” There was a bit of pride in her voice.

“I will remember! Thank you for your time. I will give you notice when we know more details.”

Evening, the training ground of the academy

Mireille stood beside the training field after finishing another bout with Paula. She had declined the ‘offer’ of her teacher Julia for another spar. ‘I’m mighty popular at the moment’ she thought not without humor. The sky was overcast and the sun had already set, the sky began to grow from a faint pink to a bluish dark grey.

She spread her hand and deep in her chest the gate irised open. Lightning shot through her palm forming a sword made of crackling energy, twisting like an eel caught out of the water. With an effort, she straightened the blade and made some experimental swipes. It was natural as breathing and without much effort too. Only keeping the shape forced her to spend a tiny bit of concentration. She felt the brand in her arm heat up a bit and light shone through her clothing. Spinning with the sword extended she fed a bit of the abundant energy into her legs and began to practice in earnest. Tumbling slicing and thrusting changing she lost herself to the dance.

Jumping three meters into the air she somersaulted backward while her feet drew arcs of flashing light before she twirled around covering her body with an intricate pattern of slashes the afterimages made it seem as if she was caught in a cage. The electricity sparked between her hands, in her hair, her eyes glowed with flickering blue light.

Some of those cuts drove into the ground as she fell down again and gravel sprayed, some of the stone still glowed from the heat.

And then she came to rest with both feet firmly planted on the gravel breathing heavily with a smile on her face spreading her arms in a Y shape.

Clapping came from nearby and as she turned she saw Vivienne standing in the shadow of a hedge slowly stepping out of the dimly lit area.

With a sizzle and a snap, the lightning ceased and the sword vanished. Mireille bowed exaggeratedly toward the other girl and nearly lost her balance after getting light-headed with the sudden loss of power.

“Hey, be careful. You don’t want to spoil your splendid image.” Vivienne grinned eyes hidden by her long green hair.

“Pft, my image. For that and a couple of coppers I could perhaps buy a piece of bread.” Mireille laughed. “Where did I put my degen.” She looked around.

“It’s on the bench over there together with your practice sword.” Vivienne helpfully pointed out.

“Oh, yes I remember.” Walking over she grabbed a towel and began to dry her hair.

She cleaned the wooden practice blade and took up her unused mana-metal sword putting it over her shoulder. She thought herself very cool as she did that and glanced at Vivienne secretly.

And froze as she met the dark eyes of the half-elven girl holding a faint smile.

Clearing her throat to alleviate her awkwardness Mireille shrugged and said, “What brings you? We could have met up in the dorm and had some cookies to boot?”

“I was interested in seeing you sparring. There were rumors about you developing elemental weapons and they were right.”

Mireille’s eyes lit up, “Yes! That is the absolute greatest. I worked sooo hard at that and could shoot some sparks and such but then one day it simply clicked. This brand might be my favorite thing yet. I can nearly forgive it hurting like hell back then.” She grinned, “Just kidding, I have nearly forgotten that. But my sewing spells are a much more serious matter.”

Vivienne blinked at the enthusiasm. “How did that come about?”

“That click? It really should have been that dream. I was dreaming of flying and there were wings, so many of them and they were beating the clouds away and everywhere there was the lightning. Those wings should have been as big as the academy towers.” She made a gesture to indicate, hastily adjusting her posture to prevent her sword from slipping.

“Wings you say? Where they blue in the center and like pearls on the outside?”

“Yes, exactly. I thought about how to describe the color- it fits. And after I had that dream I no longer needed the words so much as if they were within me you know? It still helps a lot and the lightning bolt does not work without the command but this..” she pulled her hands apart and formed another blade of crackling energy before snuffing it again. “...works very well.”

“Interesting.”

They left the yard joking and chatting with each other and light snow set in, the heavy clouds hung low and only a shimmer showed the position of Gesserachs wayward eye.

Later in the dorm room, the siblings shared, Valens extinguished the glow globes. Shifting fabrics and slowly deepening breaths were the only sound. A group of students, late from whatever endeavors kept them, shone the light of their lantern through the mostly covered window landing on the page of a book titled ‘Forgotten Myths’ an old picture gorgeously painted with white, blue, and mother of pearl showed a feathered serpent coiling through towering clouds sporting many pairs of large wings in the colors of blue and pearl.

And as the light faded and the students walked on, a richly illustrated inscription glittered with gold leaf, ‘Vyarlis, Titan, Firstborn Son of the deity of Storms, Yrgos Worldstrider’

In the Wisteria Dorm

Alyssa looked at Butler One and then shook her head focusing on Iseret. “Iseret?”

“Yes, milady?” The stoic snake woman gave a shallow bow.

“Could you contact Vanessa? We should have an opportunity to use a laboratory but I would like to know what we need in terms of reagents for the potion. And when we are at it how about brewing another one for Adelaide, Alea’s grandma?”

“I will relay your question. Do you still have need of me tonight?”

“I don’t think so and even if there is something we have Lorelle and our own two hands and feet.” Alyssa smiled. “Thank you for helping us. I would have thought that after the whole thing was settled you would leave?”

“I have some debts to repay to Lady Vanessa and accompany her some nights for different errands, she finds my connection to you useful, so I try to be here as often as possible.”

Alea nodded from where she was fluffing Semiramis. “Thank you for your help. And thank you for thinking of grandmother, she seemed weakened.”

Alyssa fidgeted, “As we brewed the first potion you did not know about Vanessa and she said that it would only be temporary unless we found some pretty rare ingredients. We could not be so open with that at the time and later I forgot to tell you.” she looked guilty, then added hastily, “but it should still be good for half a year or so, so don’t worry too much we will find a way!”

The hand stroking Semiramis stopped for a moment and Alea’s breath hitched for a second. “There was a lot that has happened and I understand.” She sighed.

Alyssa looked more guilty still, “Please ask about a potion for Adelaide, Iseret.”

Iseret nodded and gave a slight smile. “I think all will be well. Vanessa is a fantastic sorceress and I can assist with alchemical endeavors. If there is a need for something rare I could even ask Kadira she looks at all of you very favorably.”

“Thanks a lot.” Alyssa nodded and smiled. “Please ask Vanessa first then we will see what we need.”

Iseret nodded, bowed, and left.

The silence deepened a bit before Alyssa walked to Alea and hesitantly and carefully hugged the smaller girl. “Sorry. We so wanted to help but there were all those secrets between us and we did not know that it would turn out this way.”

Alea nodded. “I don’t think ‘I forgive you’ is the best way to say it for you helped a lot when you had no need other than perhaps for a good impression but you are my dearest friends so please say it if you can’t tell me. Don’t hide such things from me.”

“I honestly forgot with the academy and our journey, the assassination in the Green Dragon. We normally planned to present Vanessa there as a wandering alchemist but that fell through for obvious reasons.”

“Truly, I am not mad. But it hurt for a moment. My grandmother was the one who practically raised me. I had no real memories of my parents, those are back now even if still hazy but back then she was my whole family, together with Max.”

Mireille came in at that moment and looked at them while Butler One turned in her direction and asked, “Ms. Annirstochter you seem to have missed lunch, may I bring you something?”

Mireille was a bit confused and said, “Yes please…what are you two doing, did something happen?”

They separated and sat down but the air was a bit heavy. Alyssa shrugged, “Do you remember when we brewed the potion for Adelaide?”

“Yes…?”

“We used Vanessas’s and Asandria’s expertise for that and because we could not very well be truthful about everything we glossed a bit over the effect and the reason for Adelaide's illness. And we never did tell why we knew. It was Asandria who told us and the potion's effect is only temporary after all.”

“Oh. I think I remember something. But I did not understand it so I forgot.” Mireille scratched her nose and looked at Alea searchingly, “We simply brew another one?”

“That will probably be the direction we will be taking. But it dawned on me that we were still keeping secrets- Unintentionally!”

“Better for it to be out in the open. How bad is it by the way?” Alea looked up.

Asandria spoke, ‘It has gotten worse. The effect we wanted of shoring up her damaged soul has led to it becoming dependent. If you cease supplying this potion or something similar it will get worse faster. But that is not a problem, she would not survive this winter without help anyway.’ The specter gave a helpless shrug. ‘Manipulating souls is something only very few people are proficient in. Perhaps you should ask some colleagues of her grandfathers'. I feel after all I heard and saw that he should have some very advanced knowledge in that regard.’ She gave a thin smile.

“Asandria says that perhaps some documents or colleagues of your grandfathers might help. She said there were indications that he knew a lot about souls?”

“I never heard that.” Alea was silent then buried her face in Semiramis's thick coat.

“We don’t have to talk about it just now. Let’s go to sleep, tomorrow is going to be another busy day!” Alyssa looked at her friends and tried for a bit of cheer.

“Yes, that should be best.” Mireille shrugged out of her used pieces of training clothing and vanished into the bathroom. Butler One brought a bowl of soup and some bread which she ate after washing up.

And then they went to sleep.