Chapter 36: And Now For Something Exactly The Same
Right step. Left step. Thrust. Return to start.
Right step. Left step. Thrust. Return to start.
Right step. Left step. Thrust. And break.
I wasn't tired from constantly using the lance. It was more I was letting the monotony get to me. That's the funny thing about using it; learning the basics is easy. It's when you put your own spin to it that learning becomes difficult. Maybe I should start trying that.
On the one hand, I've seen a LOT of different ways to handle it, and I could mimic or even combine what I observed to make my own unique style. On the other hand, it was still pretty early to be thinking about it. I mean, I may have been doing this for the past seven hours and a half (read: only one hour) but that did not make me a master immediately.
Just go inside and take a break, Bard said. That's enough for today.
Looking out for my well being? Who are you and what have you done with the real voice in my head?
I said it was enough for the lance. You've still got a LOT more work to do.
Oh, there he is. Instead of going inside, though, I decided to see what the garden had. ...what? I'm allowed to see the sights, even if it's just an underground garden! Y'know, for a place without sunlight, these flowers didn't seem to have any problems with growing. For some reason, a small group of red flowers put me on edge. I'd never seen them before...so why did I feel there was more to it than just the looks?
I went back into the mansion, my mind still lingering on the flowers. Yeah, they were pretty...pretty dangerous, an unknown thought echoed. This was stupid...I shouldn't be so hung up on such a stupid IDEA! I can just show Marcy and ask her! Being an alchemist, I'm sure she could tell me what it is! Plus, she can add it's harmless so I don't have to fret over it any longer!
Now I just need to find her. Somewhere in this huge...three-story...mansion...possibly with a basement. I took a moment to voice my...frustrations.
"FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-"
"-UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!" Ah, that felt better. And thus, I began looking for our resident alchemist. Amazingly, it was very easy to find her. The reason being? I bumped right into her as I opened the door to the hallway. Seriously, stop doing that, Bard scolded.
Thankfully, neither of us flinched at the contact. "Ah, Daniel!" the gryphon yelped. "What are you doing in here?"
"Well, I WAS going to find something to learn, but there are some flowers outside that are giving me..." I gave an involuntary shudder before I finished, "...the jibblies."
Marcy blinked. "The jibblies? What in Tartarus are the jibblies?"
"Um..." I put my hand on my chin. Jaw. Whatever you wanna call it. "...it's kinda like..."
"The willies?" Marcy asked.
"Y-yeah," I nodded. "I can't help but feel they're dangerous, and I thought maybe you could...identify them?"
"Why, Dan," Marcy gasped, "I had no idea that you, of all creatures, were interested in BOTANY!"
"Yes, I am very interested in botany. It is a guilty pleasure. How dare you figure it out," I replied, trying to sound as deadpan as possible. "Anyway, since you know more about ingredients than I do, could you tell me what it is?"
"Just lead the way," Marcy said with a smile. I could've sworn a glint of mischief flashed across her eye, but then again, I'm paranoid. I blame the flowers.
"So, what are these?" I motioned to the red flowers. The two of us were in the garden, Marcy looking at the item in question with a magnifying glass. I couldn't tell what was special about them, but by the smile on her face, it was something big.
"Wow! I've never seen a flower like this!" she exclaimed. "But I've heard so much about them! What was their name again?” She hummed a bit before examining the flower a bit more.
"Is it special?" I asked.
Putting away her magnifying glass, she nodded. "Well, this particular patch isn't special. But, I've heard rumors that this can, when cultivated correctly, be brewed into the ultimate potion! One that can revive the dead!" She coughed before adding, “Provided, this is what I think it is.”
"We're already dead," I pointed out. "What use would we have with a potion that can re-" I facepalmed. Of course: revive could mean restore the bodies to what they were when they were alive. Or raise the bodies of the dead and cause the destruction of a town or, in extreme cases, a country. Whoa, where'd Bard come up with THAT idea?
Okay, let's try rewording that. "Excuse me, can you rephrase that? How 'revive the dead' are we talking here? Like, restore life, looks, and memories, or raise hungry zombies with a virus that could spell trouble if not kept in check?"
Marcy...seemed quite stumped at the question. "Y'know, the rumors never said," she admitted. "I had hoped to find a book about it, but we don't quite...keep books."
"Think Drac has one? I mean, this is a mansion. There's gotta be a library, and it's gotta have a book on flowers, right?" I could only hope.
"Yeah, great idea! Let's look for it together!" she exclaimed, grabbing my arm and flying to a nearby second story window.
I looked from Marcy to the red flower bed. It's weird, knowing that that thing, depending on the truth, could be a breakthrough for immortality...or raising hell. I looked back up to see Marcy had entered the window.
"HEY, YOU FORGOT SOMETHING!!!" I shouted.
Marcy poked her head out of the window, looking at me and the limb she had torn from me a moment ago in her haste. She sheepishly chuckled before coming back to pick me up properly.