Chapter 1
*This story is filled with many spelling mistakes and sentence structure issues. And is only just the draft of this story, this book will be going through many updates as it is written but I want to share the story with you as I write it. Please note that the chapters will and may be changed as the story goes through its course hope you guys can still like the work anyway and I hope to have many chapters to offer.*
Do you, you know how hard it is toβ W- Whoa!!β
Crash!!
βOh, my! Kai! Are you okay?β
I quickly stepped down from my stool and rushed over to Kai putting my hand on his shoulder helping him sit up. My red hair falling to the side as I leaned over.
Kai looked at me his cell of her eyes watering as he set up. One of his eyes closed as if to ease the pain.
βY-Yeaβ¦ I think.β He said as he winced rubbing his lower back.
I watched as Kai struggled to make his way back to his seat. His messy black hair falling over his eyes as he stared at the ground.
Hmmβ¦. I wonder were everyone is.
I looked around the library. The large row of books circling around us, only two large windows across from each other dividing the rows. A small grand staircase a few feet leading to the second floor. I desk sitting neatly on a small ramp by the entrance. Theaβs check book and quill lying neatly on the centre of the desk.
βI am never doing that a gainβ Kai said sitting down.
βDonβt you find it strange that nobodyβs come to the library today? Not even Thea is here and sheβs usually always here.β I said moving towards the table.
Kai said nothing as he stretched, glancing around the empty library the silence echoing.
βI guessβ¦ But I mean itβs Thea she kind of gets here when she gets here,β Kai said glancing back at the book. βWhen has Thea ever have the correct schedule? She opens the library at noon yet is never in at noon.β
I guess he has a point but itβs still weird, Thea is never this late even to Thea standards.
βCome one Alice you know we need to get this project finished anyway so who cares if the library is empty, we came here because it would be empty. If everyone came to the library now, we would never get our project done.β Kai said.
Heβs got a point, itβs already difficult as it is to figure out potions when there are so many idiots running around interfering with my concentration.
βIf you can figure out this potion, I promise Iβll take you to the bakery that just opened the other day.β Kai said nudging the book towards me.
Damn⦠He knows my weaknesses.
βFine.β I said plopping down on the wooden chair scooting it closer to the table.
Kai grinned at me then opened is book and began reading.
I slipped a few strands of hair behind my ears moving away from my face as I glanced at the book I had open.
Hmmβ¦ according to this book to make a potion of healingβ¦. You would needβ¦. Sage, Mint andβ¦Wait what is this?
Iβve heard there are many rare plants outside of the city but Iβve never heard of this one.
How are you even supposed to make a really good Healing potion?
βYou know I havenβt been able to figure out what Iβm looking for.β Kai said as he pushed the book and dropped his head on the table with a small thud.
I turned my attention to him, his eyes staring at the mahogany table as he pouted annoyed. I chuckled a bit as I glanced at the book that was partially covered by his hair.
βHave you ever heard of this before?β Asked sliding my book over to him.
Kai lifted his head then looked at me still pouting before reluctantly grabbing the book and glancing down at the paper.
βHoney kissed Herb? Grows in blessed groundsβ¦? Never heard of it, Iβve never heard of anything going on blessed soilβ¦ I donβt even think we actually have blessed grounds to begin with.β He said perplexed as he picked up the book and studied the image of the herb.
βDo you think it even grows here? Iβve never heard Thea talk about it before.β I said.
βApparently, itβs some sort of healing potionβ¦ You brew it in the cauldrons,β Kai said as he flipped the page then flipped it back after scanning the backside. βIβve never heard of it even my father who was a renowned healer has never mentioned this before.
I bit my lip as I stared at the strange -looking flower, even on parchment the flowers seemed to shimmer in colours almost like it wasnβt drawn on paper.
Itβs such a pretty flower and the detail is insane; I know magic can be intriguing but I didnβt think they could make artwork look like itβs real.
βDo you think I should give it a try? I mean Thea said to make a healing potion she didnβt say how the healing potion would function.β I said taking my book back.
Kai looked at me hesitantly then back at the flower. I could see his eye narrowing as if he was looking at something vicious on the page.
βI guess thereβs no harm in trying, the point of learning potions is to experiment soβ¦ And Thea once said the best way to advance in potion making is to try everything.β Kai said sighing.
βHmm.β
I stared at the potion, the pretty flower sparkling on the page almost like it was ready to pop out of it.
βBut how am I going to make a potion for strength I canβt find it in any of the books.β Kai said grunting. βIt would be a lot easier if she asked me something simpler likeβ¦ How to make a potion for flight or something.β
βIs there even a potion for that?β I asked.
βNot that I can remember,β Kai said in a mumble as his face was pressed into the desk again βI swear Thea is trying to get me expelled.β Kai said turning his head to face me.
His cheekβs mushed on the desk his eyes half closed as he looked at me. His silver eye gleaming off the candlelight.
A potion for strengthβ¦hmmβ¦?
I stared blankly at the flower when an image of a glass bottle with a yellow liquid swirled around in my mind.
The bottle looked beautiful, almost magical. Shimmering light surrounded it as it hovered in my mind. The swirl of the liquid inside entrancing me.
βTryβ¦ Buffroot, grounded bear claw magic powder and add water.β
βHuh? What.... Alice....ALICE!β
Kai said loudly. I jumped startled as I turned my attention to Kai who looked at me confused and slightly worried.
βWhat?β I said blinking a few times.
βBuff root? Grounded bear claw? Magic powder? And water? What are you talking about?β Kai asked.
Huh? What is he talking about? Who said that?
I looked around to see if Thea was in the library but all I could see was the candle that we lit still illuminating the space.
βWhy are you looking confused? You just stared at a book and listed some ingredients. Buffroot, grounded bear claw, magic powder and water...β
βI did?β I asked confused.
βYou did what exactly are these ingredients to?β
I looked at him confused when the flash of the yellow glass bottle illuminated in my mind almost like a picture.
βItβs the ingredients to strength potion.β I said hesitantly.
But where exactly did I see that? Can I even tell him where Iβve seen it? Would he believe me if I told him that it just popped into my head for some reason?
βIt just came to me.β I said truthfully biting my lower lip in fear as I looked at his sceptical expression.
βA potion for strength?β
I nodded nervously as I glanced back at the book, the shimmering flower seeming to catch my attention again.
Why am I so attracted to this flower? Is it because itβs pretty or is it because it looks so real?
Kai rose to his feet questionably and moved to the back of the library. I looked at him for a moment confused, I then followed him hesitantly as he moved towards the cauldron.
βWhat are you doing?β I asked feeling wary as I looked around the library as if people had entered.
βIβm putting what you said to the test,β he said as he opened the lid to the cauldron. Revealing the murky grey colour inside.
βDo we even have Buffroot? Iβve never heard of grounded bear claw either.β I said.
βAnd Iβve never heard of using magic powder? Theaβs never said something before about it even Roslyn a year III student has never mentioned it before.β Kai said.
βRoslyn?β I asked confused.
Kai smiled at me with a mischievous grin.
βYeah, sylphs sisterβ¦ The one with the long silver hairβ¦ The one that everyone calls the potions master even though she is only a III yearβ Kai said sounding impressed.
βOh, herβ¦ I kinda forgot that she was considered a potions master even though sheβs only three years ahead of us.β I confessed.
βYeah, a lot of people kind of forgetβ¦ Especially if youβre a year I or a year II student. First years and second years donβt normally interact with III years often.β He said.
I never understood that, if you are a year I or a year II you were in your own click and you canβt interact with year III or higher because you were not smart enough to talk to somebody of such high ranking. Itβs such a stupid thing everyoneβs created.
βDo you think we should talk to Thea about it? What if itβs something that is dangerous? We could destroy the library from doing the potionβ¦ Probably.β
Kai sighed reluctantly putting the lid back on the cauldron and folding his arms. I looked sheepishly down at the ground putting my hands in front of me as if Kai was a stranger.
βYeah, were going to have to talk to Thea sheβs going to have to test this potion you mentioned and see what happens, worse comes to worse itβs a good potion and we have to go hunt those ingredients you listed down.β Kai said putting his hand on my shoulder.
βIβd be more worried about that grounded bear claw, to get a bear claw Iβm pretty sure youβd have toβ¦ ughβ¦ Kill a bear.β I said disgusted and slightly afraid.
Iβm not exactly equipped in combat if I were to go up against a bear it would eat me alive. Our safest bet would be to find a warrior and see if they will hunt for us.
βDonβt look so scared, you forget I am a student warrior and I am well-versed against fighting big things, do you remember that thing I fought during training last year? It wasnβt exactly a bear but it could sure as hell passes one.
βKaiβ¦ That thing was massive it was more dangerous than a bear couldββ
βThen why are you worried? If that thing was more dangerous than a bear then that bear would be nothing to me.β Kai said grinning.
I would have more faith in him if it wasnβt for the fact that that victory did not come at a very big cost. It took Gizzda for ever to heal himβ¦ And he still struggles with back pain to this day, no amount of healing is going to fix that.
βCan you stop having that look please?β Kai asked.
βWhat look?β I asked nervously as I tried to give my best nonaffected expression I could muster.
βThe look that says you have zero faith in me. That was a year ago Alice my injuries are no longer thereβ¦ Except for maybe the scar but thatβs about it.β
I frowned as I turned away and walked back towards the table where our books were. I plopped down and close the book with the flower, sighing heavily.
Itβs like he doesnβt care that it bothers meβ¦ He wouldnβt have gotten injured if it wasnβt for me.
βAliceβ¦β
βKai β¦β
βAlice, Itβs Not your fault I was not being smart and it could have led to more people being hurt.β
I fidgeted with my hands, looking down at the ground. I know what Kai means but I still feel reasonable for his injury.
βIββ
βWhat are you to doing in here?β
I turned my head to see Thea moving to her big desk. Her long auburn hair tied back and a long ponytail, that made its way down her lower back. She wore a white button-down shirt with a black skirt and shiny doll shoes. Her big blue eyes looking at us for a moment.
βWe came her to do research on potions.β Kai said gesturing to the stack of books.
βAre you now?β Thea asked as she sat down in her chair grabbing her quill.
βYeah, we are thoughββ
βThough we had a problem.β Kai said interrupting me.
Thea looked at us confused for a long moment then put her quill down and slowly rose from her seat.
βA problem? what kind?β Thea asked as she made her way towards us. The sound of her shoes clicking on the hardwood as she walked.
βWell for oneβ¦ You know how hard it is to find a potion for strength when there are literally almost none in any of the books.β Kai stated as a picked up a book as if to prove a point.
Thea stopped in front of us glancing at the mess that we created then smiled mischievously at Kai as if expecting this from him.
βThatβs why I had you do it,β Thea stated as she folded her arms. βYouβre a very clever boy Kai and I know you have parents that work in potionsβ¦ Finding a potion for strength shouldnβt be difficult.β
βThatβs what I thought but none of my parents know how to make one nor do any of their books say how to make one.β Kai remarked.
βHmmβ¦β Thea said as she nodded.
βAre you sure there is a potion for strength?β I asked feeling nervous for some reason.
βThere isβ¦ But thereβs only one that exists at least as of right now.β Thea said.
Only one! Does that happen to involve Buffroot?
βJust one?β Kai asked surprised.
βYes, there is only one way to make a strength potion, the fact that you havenβt discovered how to make it yet is surprising.β Thea added as she grabbed his book and started scanning through the pages.
I scanned the library; large bookshelves filled the walls leaving gaps for the big massive windows on either side allowing sunlight to bleed in.
I hummed to myself as I slowly moved away from the table and towards the bookshelves across from us. Two more tables with rows of chairs around it lined perfectly from each other down the row towards the next set of books.
I made my way to the bookshelves slipping past some of the chairs and reading the titles, searching for anything about potions. I sighed when I got to the very end of the rows stopping at the stairs just before the second floor.
Not a single book about potionsβ¦ Itβs like somebody just took out all the books on potions andβ
βAnd you havenβt checked any of the other books?β Thea asked breaking the long silence.
I turned towards them as Thea put the book down. Kai looked around the library then back at Thea.
βNot all of them butβ¦ A good chunk of them down here, we havenβt exactly checked the second floor yet.β He said.
βAnd there arenβt any over here I just checked most of them.β I said.
Thea looked perplexed then scanned the library. I watched her head move slowly around the books even looking back at her desk.
I looked at the stairs that led to the second floor debating whether or not I should check there but that would be a much longer search.
The second floor is much bigger than down here there could be books on potions there as well but⦠It would take hours even days just to go through all books.
βTheaβ¦ We didnβt exactly find any potions for strength butβ¦β Kai looked thoughtful as he planned his thoughts thoroughly. Almost like he wasnβt sure if he wanted Thea to know. βAlice found a potion for strengthβ¦ The thing is we donβt know if itβs usable or even possible.β
Thea looked at me with curious eyes. I slowly nodded and made my way back to the table, my heart pounding in my chest as I plopped down on the chair.
βYes, I did it asked for quite unusual ingredient list,β I said.
Thea looked thoughtful than grabbed a chair from the other table placing it down in front of us.
βOkay, what did the strength potion require, and where did you get this information? If there arenβt any books on them then where did you discover this?β
I looked at her nervously fidgeting with my fingers as I tried to calm my nerves. I quickly glanced at Kai who nodded.
βIt kind of came to me.β I said slowly. Stroking a clump of my hair.
βIt came to?β Thea asked intrigued as she turned her body to me putting her full attention on me.
I kept playing with my hair nervously as I took slow deep breaths to calm myself.
I donβt know why Iβm so nervous itβs not like sheβs mad at me or going to lecture me. I didnβt do anything wrong right?
βYes, I was looking at this book and looking at a pretty flower that just pops out at me andβ¦ This potion popped up in my mind, it was in a glass bottle filled with yellow liquids, and the ingredients just kind of came to me.β I confessed.
Kai nodded confirming what I was saying then grabbed a piece of paper and started scribbling something on it.
βThe ingredients that she listed seemed unusual to me I was going to test it but we donβt have any of the ingredients and youβve never mentioned any of them before soβ¦ We thought we would tell you and see if it was safe to experiment,β Kai said sliding over the paper to Thea.








