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I sprinted with all my might, my legs pushing against the verge of collapse. The heavy rucksack on my back offered no respite as I ran. Glancing over my shoulder, the colossal dragon maintained its pursuit. The moonlight danced on its crimson scales, its gaping maw showcasing a formidable array of razor-sharp teeth. Desperation clawed at me as I attempted evasive maneuvers, agile turns to shake off the relentless beast. Yet, my efforts proved futile, the beast remained resolutely fixated on eating me.

I looked at the potion in my hands, its cool blue hues glowed in the dark. Clutching the chilled flask in my grasp, I felt the cold alchemical energy contained within, a blizzard encapsulated in glass. My eyes darted backward, seeking an opening to hurl the potion at the relentless dragon. However, the creature's pursuit denied me any chance, its gnashing maw urging me to quicken my pace.

In a swift motion, an arrow whizzed past my face, finding its mark in the dragon's eye. A thunderous bellow of pain echoed, and the creature recoiled momentarily. Yet, the respite was brief as it swiftly resumed the chase. Following the trajectory of the arrow, I spotted Djura perched atop a nearby rock, his bow poised for another shot.

"Thanks, Djura!" I shouted, my voice a blend of gratitude and urgency.

He responded with a laugh. "No problem! Just keep runnin'!"

Glancing back, Djura's well-timed shot created a crucial gap between me and the dragon's menacing maw. Swiftly seizing the opportunity, I pivoted and reeled back the potion in my hand. With a powerful throw, the concoction landed squarely on the dragon's front feet. Ice burst out from the point of contact, enveloping both of its front legs in glaciers of frost. The beast came to an abrupt halt, tugging at the ice and trying to free itself from its frozen prison.

"Evelyn! You're up!" I screamed while looking toward the opossum that was a fair distance from the conflict. Even from this distance, I can see her white face shine with determination.

She acknowledged with a nod and raised her staff. For a moment nothing happened, only the dragon's struggles breaking the silence. Then, a glimmering light burst forth in the sky, and tiny, radiant dots, resembling stars, began their descent. Growing larger as they approached, a cascade of meteors descended upon the dragon. Each impact created a violent explosion, scattering chunks of meat in all directions as the beast howled in agony. The meteoric onslaught persisted, an unrelenting barrage, inflicting a hail of pain upon the mighty creature.

As the meteorites dwindled and finally ceased, the dragon bore numerous gaping wounds on its back, though it stubbornly clung to life.

"That's all I got!" Evelyn exclaimed, lowering her staff, the battlefield now marked by the aftermath of her celestial bombardment.

The dragon snarled, directing its malevolent gaze toward me. Its scaly face twisted with malice as it opened its maw, a glowing light emanating from its throat. A stream of flames erupted, and I instinctively dove toward the ground. The creature thrashed its head, sending fire in all directions. Then, with a downward motion, it focused the inferno on the ice ensnaring its front legs.

The frost began to crack and melt, signaling me to resume my escape. The dragon, now free from the ice, renewed its pursuit. My legs propelled me forward at their utmost speed, a desperate attempt to escape the clutches of certain death. In my peripheral vision, I spotted Felicity, her imposing figure outlined by the moonlight. Clad in shining armor, she readied her large shield, prepared for defense.

"Lawrence! To me!" Felicity's urgent cry pierced the chaos.

I altered my course, sprinting straight toward Felicity, the colossal dragon still in relentless pursuit. She clashed her sword against the shield and raised it in defense. Suddenly, a radiant golden light erupted from the shield, creating a fortress-like barrier. As I neared, I plunged into the luminous wall, falling through it and landing safely behind Felicity. Swiftly regaining my footing, I witnessed the dragon collide with the shimmering barrier. Its head slammed into the wall of light, some of its teeth shattering upon impact.

"You okay?!" Felicity shouted.

"Yeah!" I yelled in response.

The wall of light started to crack. "I don't know if I can keep this barrier up for long!" she exclaimed, pushing her strength into maintaining the shield.

"Hold on a little longer!" I replied.

Rummaging in my rucksack, I retrieved a flask filled with shining orange liquid. From my waist belt, I grabbed a vial of black powder. Using my thumb, I removed the lid of the vial, and with my teeth, I uncorked the flask.

"Hurry up!" she yelled as the cracks in the barrier started to grow.

I quickly poured the powder into the orange liquid. As soon as it touched the solution, it fizzed and sizzled. I threw the vial to the ground and placed the cork into the flask. Shaking the bottle, the liquid inside trembled, causing the glass to crack slightly.

"Done!" I yelled, shaking the flask a bit more. "After I throw this, dive to the ground!"

Felicity grunted in acknowledgment as her golden barrier began to show even more signs of strain.

The dragon intensified its thrashing against the wall, making it increasingly unstable. With no time to spare, I hurled the flask toward the dragon. Felicity and I both dove to the ground, the barrier fading as we descended. The dragon lunged toward us, but the flask met with one of its scaly hind legs. The glass shattered on impact and the liquid inside exploded with tremendous force, propelling the beast backward. It slammed into the dirt, a good distance away from us, rolling for a moment. The impact was so powerful that it threw us back as well.

We both got up, looking toward the dragon with anxious breaths. A large cloud of smoke swirled around where the beast would have been. The cloud churned, slowly dissipating. Once the smoke fully disappeared, we saw the dragon. The beast lay on the ground, remaining still.

I flood of relief washed over me. "It worked!" I screamed.

"It better have worked," she responded while chuckling.

Amid the rushing sense of victory, I looked over to Felicity. I noticed that she was doing much the same, her brown eyes staring into mine. "Hey, thanks for saving me."

She softly sighed. "You know I'm always here for-"

"Guys! It's not dead!" Djura spoke out from a distance, breaking our moment. He was waving his arms while pointing to the dragon that now started to shift on the ground.

The beast started to rise, its breaths labored as it fixed its gaze upon us. However, a crucial detail marred its form. One of its back legs was obliterated in the blast, leaving only a large, bloody stump in its wake. With this hindrance impeding its mobility, the creature propped itself up on both of its front legs and commenced a relentless crawl in our direction. A primal bellow escaped its maw, cracking through the night air like the lash of a whip.

"It didn't work!" I screamed.

Suddenly, a bubble formed around the dragon. Once inside, its movements were slow and soon it looked as if it were frozen in time.

"I can't hold him for too long!" Evelyn cried out, her hands trembling as she struggled to keep her staff raised. "Think of something! Quickly!"

I gave a thumbs up to the opossum and looked toward Felicity. Reaching for my belt, I pulled out a small vial and handed it to the fox. She took it in her hands and looked at it quizzically.

"When I say so, throw that in your mouth and bite down!" I said with as much urgency I could muster.

She nodded and turned her gaze back toward the dragon. The beast, once still, started to slowly resume its movements.

"Times almost up!" Evelyn screamed.

I reached into my pack and pulled out a flask of green liquid. It shimmered in the moonlight as its contents seemed to surge with power. I looked over to the dragon, who now began to speed up in his movements. The bubble encapsulating the beast started to wane.

Evelyn was practically shaking where she stood, staff wavering in her hands. “Sorry, guys!” she screamed as she fell to the ground on her knees.

The bubble around the dragon began to crack and fracture until the entire thing shattered. It resumed its hasty crawl directly toward me and Felicity, determined to kill us.

The approaching beast drew nearer, its immense form casting a menacing shadow beneath the moonlit night. Swiftly, I hurled the flask toward the dragon's large neck. Upon shattering, a mesmerizing array of flora burst forth from the concoction. Vines, roots, and branches, accompanied by miniature trees, unfurled amidst the red scales of the creature. The roots, animated with a voracious hunger, stabbed the monster's hide, tearing into its flesh. The large wooden tendrils then pierced into the ground, firmly anchored in the earth, causing the dragon's head to be yanked backward. The beast was now ensnared by its wooden harness, practically rendering it immobile. Its vulnerable neck now lay exposed, awaiting a decisive strike.

"Felicity! Now!" I screamed.

The fox threw the vial in her mouth and chomped down. Glass shattered and cut her maw, causing blood to seep out between her teeth. But an almost wicked grin was plastered on her face as soon as the effects of the potion took place. Her eyes started to glow with otherworldly energy, and sparks of lightning entangled her body, flickering at random. With every breath she took, the faint crackling of electricity sounded. She threw her shield to the ground and gripped her sword with both hands.

Her grin widened. "Wooh! That's the stuff!" she yelled as streams of electricity began to leak from the sides of her mouth.

With an unreal amount of speed, she dashed towards the dragon's exposed neck. Leaping into the air, she raised her sword, its gleaming metal reflecting the soft moonlight. Descending with devastating force, she struck the dragon's neck. A loud slice sounded and blood spewed everywhere from the point of contact. After the cut, she landed on the ground, tumbling and dropping her sword.

The cut, practically invisible due to how seamless it was, caused the head of the dragon to slip off of the neck and fall to the ground, lifeless.

"Fuckin' nice!" Djura cried out.

"We did it!" Eveyln screamed in victory.

I ran toward Felicity. "That was so fucking cool," I said as I looked down at her.

She smiled back up at me but had heavy, labored breaths. She seemed to sway back and forth due to fatigue. I offered a hand to her, which she promptly grabbed. Struggling in my attempt, I managed to raise her to her feet.

“Thanks,” she said as she steadied herself.

I patted her on the side of her shoulder. "You know I'm always here for you," I replied with a smirk.

Djura ran over from the rock he was perched upon. Instead of running toward us, he went straight to the mouth of the dead dragon. “Hey! You know how much we can get for selling this thing’s teeth?” he laughed. “A whole fuckin’ lot I tell you what.”

I looked at him sawing away at the teeth with a knife, but I was soon distracted by the shining crimson scales of the dragon. "Those will fetch a much higher price, you know," I told Djura while pointing at the scales.

"Yeah? And why's that?" Djura's snide remark was accompanied by a smirk.

"These scales can make a poison so potent, it can negate the effects of healing potions," I said while ripping one of the scales off. "All you gotta do is throw one in a normal poison potion and BOOM. You got yourself one dead man."

Djura's demeanor changed and he dove straight toward the scales of the dragon, prying and slicing them off with his knife. He hastily threw each one he got to the ground, forming a messy pile.

Evelyn suddenly appeared, teleporting near us in a burst of blue energy. Her white-furred face and pink nose were a contrast to the dark blue pointy hat she was wearing, a true mark of a mage. She walked over to us with a slightly sad look and waved.

"Sorry I couldn't hold the dragon for longer," she said while walking closer. "I ran out of mana."

"Worked out didn't it? I'd say you did just fine,” I replied while patting her on the shoulder.

Her face lit up after hearing my words. She dropped her staff and came in for a quick hug. "You're the best Lawrence, you know that?" She tightened her grip. "Say, why don't you make us that cocktail, for a victory well-earned?"

I raised an eyebrow. “Evelyn, we just had some before the fight.”

”Yeah, and I want some more,” she replied with a giggle.

“Fair enough.”

I felt Felicity abruptly grab my shoulder “Hey, hands off my man, rat,” she said with a laugh.

“I’ll have you know I am an opossum, dog." Evelyn didn’t even remove herself from the hug as she responded.

"Ladies, ladies," I said while putting my hands in the air, an attempt to stop their bickering, "there's enough of me to go around." I could feel a shit-eating grin plastered all over my face.

"Never mind, you can have him." Felicity giggled while walking off to grab the shield she discarded.

"Gladly," Evelyn hugged a bit tighter before letting go. "Seriously though, can you make some of the stuff?"

I gave her a pat on the shoulders. “Only for the best mage.” I walked a couple of paces away from the head of the dragon and set my rucksack on the ground. I rummaged around for a bit. I felt the various flasks, vials, and ingredients within until I grabbed a handle. With extreme care, I pulled out a small cooking pot.

Putting it on the ground I looked over toward Evelyn. "Mind giving me a light?"

She nodded and picked up her staff. She pointed it to the ground below the pot and suddenly a burst of flames emanated from the spot. The fire persisted, flames licking and piercing the dark night. Almost like some sort of like a campfire.

I started to fill the pot with an assortment of ingredients. Putting in a variety of herbs, liquids from various potions, and glowing powders, I began churning the contents. The ingredients began to melt within the heat of the pot, creating a liquified mess of colors. I let it cook as the contents continued its process of boiling.

I notice the members of my party start to sit around the small fire. Felicity sat directly behind me, wiping away dirt off of her sword and shield. Evelyn sat directly in front of me past the pot, looking at me intensely as I cooked our homemade brew. Djura, with a large sack of scales in his hand, sat a little farther away and pulled out some jerky from his satchel which he promptly started tearing into with his large teeth. It felt as though I was surrounded by family members at a dinner table. A good feeling.

I looked at the liquid inside the pot. The contents were now a dim red. "It's done!" I exclaim while pulling out four small cups from my sack.

Evelyn was practically the first one who rushed toward me and snatched the cup from my hands. She quickly scooped herself some of the drink and went back to her spot. Djura was next, I gave him his cup and he served himself. I scooped a cup for Felicity and handed it to her before scooping my own. After I retrieved my share, I sat beside the fox and started to down the cocktail.

Evelyn took a big audible sip of the brew. “Lawrence. If I marry you, would you always make this stuff for me? It’s so good!”

Felicity gave her a hard glare then scooted closer to me.

“Eh. Honestly, I could’ve done better. Less parts glowing rock and more parts enriching magma,” I replied with a chuckle.

Felicity maintained her intense gaze on the opossum. “Well, I for one love it.” Her words had such a bite to them that they sounded past playful banter.

After the exchange, silence returned, only broken up by our hushed sips and the crackling of the fire. We all looked quite fatigued from the fight, especially Felicity. Due to how close I was sitting next to her, I could see the signs of strain on her face. Her fur was ruffled and he eyes looked tired. Perhaps that potion was too much?

"So," Djura broke the silence. "What are you guys planning to do after all this shit with the Demon King is over?"

"Well, I wanted to join the royal guard back at Hemwick," Felicity replied. She didn't even look at the hyena as she responded, she was looking into the cup she held in both her hands.

Evelyn didn't even glance up from her drink, which she was so devoutly drinking. “I want to try and become a professor. Teach magic and stuff, you know,” she said in between hasty sips.

Djura finished the last of his drink, tossing the cup over his shoulder with a laugh. "I'm going to be rolling in money after I kill that demon. I wouldn't even know what to do with it all."

"That sounds pretty lame," Evelyn responded, accompanied by a giggle.

Silence settled again. Djura pulled out his sack full of scales and started examining them, sort of like one would do with gold coins. Evelyn continued to relish every drop of her cocktail, her pointy white snout was practically stuffed into the small cup with each sip. Felicity, while still sipping from her cup, looked up at the sky, looking as if she was lost in thought.

Evelyn withdrew her snout from her drink, her pink nose dripping with the liquid. “What about you, Lawrence? What do you have in mind?” she asked, directing her gaze toward me.

I looked up at the sky, contemplating. It felt as if my entire life had been leading up to this fight with the Demon King. What if I win? Then what? I returned my gaze to Evelyn. “I honestly don’t know.”

Felicity looked down at me. ”You like potions, right?" she said, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Why don’t you open up a shop and sell them?"

I offered her a small smile. "You know what," I began, looking down into my drink. Its dim red contents swirled, offering me a faint reflection in the moonlight. "That doesn’t sound too bad."

---

With straining effort, I steadily opened my eyes. I felt extremely weary and cold. The first thing that I saw was a light coming from a nearby lantern atop a small table near my bed. Even though the light itself was dim, the glare caused me to wince. My head ached and felt light. My arms and legs barely responded to me. After adjusting to the brightness, I was able to discern my surroundings. Above me was the same familiar ceiling I always wake up to.

I shifted my gaze downward, I noticed I was in my small bed. I was in bloodstained clothes, and there was a hole in the coat where my heart is located, but there was no wound. Looking at my surroundings, I was in my same room. The moonlight outside of my window indicated it was night. My neck was stiff, but I managed to move it to look at my side. What met my gaze was Amelia. She was sitting on a chair right next to my bed and resting her head on the side of the mattress. I could see her torso rise and fall with faint breaths, sleeping soundly. In one of her hands, she was clutching an empty flask.

She was sleeping so soundly I decided to leave her be. I shifted my gaze upward, back to the ceiling, and tried to think of what was going on. All I can remember was fighting a group of people, then blood, blood and pain. Amelia was there, she helped me back into the shop. But trying to remember anything after that, my thoughts were only met with a haze of fog.

However, I began to remember a little more. Djura was there, he ripped open my heart, reached into my chest, and took something. He stole the Philosopher's Stone. That fucking hyena. Panic bubbled inside of my body and I quickly sat up. I clutched at my heart, trying to feel for any remnants of the stone's energy. But nothing, I could feel nothing. The only thing I felt was emptiness, I couldn't feel my link with the inner wells of alchemical knowledge I once had. It felt as if everything I've worked towards was stolen, all in one night. How could I let this happen?

Breaking my panic, I heard shuffling at the end of the bed. I turned to see Amelia steadily raising her head. Her half-lidded eyes met mine, and her expression shifted to one of shock. Without hesitation, she practically lunged toward me, embracing me in a tight hug. Her grasp tightened, like a warm vice, as she pressed her head into my neck. Muffled words escaped her lips, a gentle murmur that I couldn't decipher.

Trying to speak, my throat rasped, as if I hadn't used it in years. "Hey... Amelia," I strained to say.

She pulled back from her embrace but she still held onto my shoulders. She looked directly at me, her red eyes started to flood with tears as she began to cry. "Lawrence! Oh my god, Lawrence!" Her crying began to increase, which soon into wailing. "I thought you weren't coming back!"

I tried to laugh to lighten the mood, but all that came out were wheezes of empty air, almost sounding like a series of coughs.

She dove back into another hug, this one tighter than the last. Softly, she repeated a series of words. At first, I couldn't understand what she was saying. But as she continued to repeat them, like some sort of mantra, the words became clear: "Thank god it worked."

Straining and struggling with my stiff arms, I managed to reciprocate the hug. However, my side of the hug lacked the vigor that she had as she was practically squeezing me to death. And my actions only caused her crying to increase. I feel my neck now getting drenched in her tears.

"What... happened?" I barely managed to ask, my throat feeling like it would collapse.

Amelia pulled back from her hug, the grey fur at the bottom of her eyes now matted with tears. She hyperventilated while trying to speak, her eyes still wet. Her words were incoherent mumbles like she was trying to say multiple things at once.

I weakly patted her on the back. "Hey, Hey, Hey, calm down."

She took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before releasing it in a long exhale. "You weren't responding after I used the healing potion," I could see tears welling up again. "Then I-" She hesitated, stopping herself mid-sentence as if realizing she wasn't supposed to say something. "Then I... I took you up to the room," she said while slightly averting her gaze.

"Kept you waiting, huh?" I responded with a weak chuckle.

She looked directly at me, her expression teetering on the brink of tears once more. A warm smile briefly graced her face, but it quickly gave way to a fresh wave of tears. She hastily wiped at her nose, attempting to stave off the impending waterworks. "I-I'm sorry for crying so much," she managed to say between gasping breaths.

"I should be the one crying right now," I said, making another attempt to laugh. This time, it was somewhat successful, not devolving into a series of wheezes.

My response seemed to make the rat cry even more. Her head slammed into my chest, now getting the tears everywhere. Her sniffling and sobbing sort of tickled and she now began to push her snout into me further. I slowly moved my hand toward the crying rat. I put my palm in between her flattened ears and softly moved my hand back and forth, petting her fur.

Amelia flinched a little after the contact but eased her crying as soon as my hand landed on her head. She didn't retract, she simply stayed in the same spot with her snout stuffed into my chest. She remained still, her ears rising from their flattened position. I could faintly hear brief sniffles, but the wailing itself had stopped. I continued my slow motions as they seemed to provide a form of comfort for the poor girl.

She abruptly perked up her head, causing my hand to slip off. "Wait right here," she said as she rushed off out of the room.

I could hear her clamber down the stairs, leaving me alone. As I waited for Amelia's return, I simply laid back down and stared up at the ceiling. With the amount of blood I lost, I feel surprisingly okay. But something is off, something I can't really explain. I feel, weird.

Amelia soon came busting into the room, holding a steaming cup of liquid in her hands. She knelt down beside the bed and handed me the cup.

"Oh?" I weakly responded while taking the cup from her hands.

"It's a medicinal brew, it helps with fatigue!"

"And how did you make this?" I offered her a skeptical look.

"If you didn't mind, I used some of the ingredients in the storeroom," she replied with a nervous laugh.

Looking in the cup, I could see the murky green liquid slosh around. If I wasn't so fatigued, I would feel disgusted as I could see clumps of herbs floating about in the liquid. The smell itself was of a harsh earthy scent, wafting through the steam that rose from the cup.

I looked back toward Amelia and raised a brow.

She sat back in the chair. "Trust me!" she replied, gesturing me to drink.

I took a deep breath and put the rim of the cup to my lips. Tilting it, I let the warm liquid slip into my mouth and down my throat. I could feel the chunks of vegetation slide down my esophagus and land in my stomach. It tasted like actual shit. But, as it went down, my limbs started to feel slightly rejuvenated.

"Is it working?" she desperately asked with bated breath.

I let the rest of the liquid flow until the cup was empty, and then removed it from my lips. I notice that my throat isn't as strained as it was before, making it so I can speak more easily. "Actually, yeah."

"I'm glad," she said, slightly lessening her tense posture with relief. She cleared her throat and directed her gaze toward me. "So, what exactly happened-"

The sound of the door to the shop downstairs opening caught us off guard.

"Lawrence! You in here?" Felicity's familiar voice called out from downstairs. "You didn't come to the bar so I-" she immediately paused her yelling. "Lawrence?!" she resumed, her voice now filled with panic.

We heard her footsteps stomp into the storeroom and clamber up the stairs. Soon she burst into the room. Her ears were flattened and her fluffy tail swayed about drastically behind her. She still wore her tattered coat, the same one she wore the last time we went to the bar. Her tall frame entered the room, her eyes still wide with panic. She surveyed the room until her eyes locked on me. "Lawrence! Why is there blood downstairs?"

I managed a weak wave. "Hey, Felicity."

Amelia offered an awkward smile. "Uh, hello!"

Felicity's confusion only increased. She looked between me and Amelia. "Who is that?" she asked while pointing toward Amelia.

"Oh! This is Amelia. I don't think you two have properly met," I gestured toward Amelia while putting the cup on the ground. "Amelia, Felicity." I pointed between the both of them. "Felicity, Amelia."

Amelia gave a little wave.

Felicity stared daggers into the rat. She marched into the room then immediately stopped and snapped her head toward me. "Lawrence! You're covered in blood!" She walked over to the side of the bed and leaned on the mattress with her hands. "What happened?" she practically screamed while looking directly at the hole in my coat.

"Just got in a little tussle, lost some blood is all, nothing major," I offered a weak smile.

Felicity had an angry look on her face. "That is a lot of blood! That was not a tussle! Once I find out who did this to you, I'll rip their-"

I took a deep breath and sighed. "Djura."

"What?" Felicity asked.

"It was Djura."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I said while leaning back down into the bed. "Suprised me too."

"I haven't seen that hyena in years then he comes over and almost kills you?" Felicity's face now contorted into a mix of rage and shock. She snarled and wrinkled her snout, revealing her white teeth. "I'll hang him by his intestines!"

"Wait," Amelia interjected. "Like your party member Djura? The same one that came into the shop this morning?"

I nodded in response.

"W-Why would he do this to you?" Amelia asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

I looked between the two, they both looked at me with confused faces. One angry, one scared. I took another deep breath and sat up. "To be honest, I don't really know," I moved my hand to rest over the hole in my coat. "But," I said. "He took the Philosopher's Stone."

The room was completely silent after I said those words. Amelia looked almost pale with shock, while Felicity's face only contorted with more rage.

"I'LL KILL HIM!" Felicity shrieked while taking a couple of steps back.

Amelia stood up, "Lawrence! Are you sure?!"

Thinking back on the ordeal caused a small frown to grow on my face. "Yeah, seen him rip it out," I replied.

Felicity was now pacing around the room, back and forth, muttering to herself with her palm on her forehead.

"Is there any way to get it back?!" Amelia stood and stared at me.

"Probably, but-" I paused. A shiver crawled up my spine, sending an unsettling sensation through my body. That weird feeling grew until it was unbearable. It started as a subtle tingle, but soon it spread like tendrils creeping beneath my skin. My senses abandoned me, and the voices of Felicity and Amelia became distant echoes. The room blurred and twisted, as if reality itself were liquefying. It felt as though I began to fly.

Colors materialized and danced around me, merging and shifting in a chaotic symphony. The sensation was both mesmerizing and disorienting. Time lost its grip, and I floated in a surreal dreamscape.

Then, like a sudden jolt, lucidity returned A sharp pain throbbed in my forehead, and I became aware of the hard surface beneath me. The room snapped back into focus, and I found myself face-first on the floor. The disorienting episode had left me in a bewildered state, and I gingerly touched my forehead, wincing at the newfound ache. I spat something out of my mouth. Blood spilled on the ground and I realized it was a cracked tooth. Felicity and Amelia's concerned voices slowly pierced through the fog in my mind as I tried to piece together what had just happened.

"Lawrence!" one of them yelled. I couldn't tell right now, everything was still a blur.

I felt myself being lifted, and the blur that clouded my vision gradually dissipated. Felicity's face came into focus, her anger replaced by genuine concern as she held me under my shoulders.

"You can put me down now," I said, regaining my sense of self.

Felicity gently lowered me onto the bed, hands now resting on top of my shoulders. "What was that?" she asked, peering down at me.

I rubbed my forehead, feeling the dull ache. "I don't know." I felt around my face even more, noticing the cracked tooth in my mouth. "Probably the loss of blood is getting to me." But something else still gnawed at me inside, and it wasn't the lack of blood.

Amelia approached, taking a few steps closer. "I think you need some rest."

"Yeah, I think you're right," I replied, still holding my head.

"I'm not leaving this room," Felicity declared, gripping my shoulders. "I don't want you to have another freakout."

Amelia moved closer. "Well, then I'll stay too-"

"No," Felicity cut her off, her tone cold.

Amelia looked like she might pout as she glanced up at Felicity. The tension between them hung in the air. "But I'll—" Amelia began to protest.

"I said no," Felicity interrupted, her gaze unwavering.

Amelia sighed, her frustration evident. She turned her attention back to me. "Fine. I'll be going now." With a last, somewhat annoyed glance at Felicity, she exited the room.

We could hear her fading steps as she descended the stairs. Then the opening and closing of the main door marked her exit. Me and Felicity were left in silence. She began to walk toward a shelf in my room containing a plethora of miscellaneous potions. She grabbed a couple and looked at their contents. After finding one with crimson liquid swirling inside of it, she looked over to me and threw the flask.

I caught the potion, if barely, and popped off the cork. I drank a small amount of it, feeling my broken tooth begin to repair. "Felicity?" I started while prodding at my sore mouth, "What was that all about?"

"What?" she asked while walking back toward the bed.

"You were kind of being an ass."

"Sorry," she sighed and sat on the edge of the bed beside me. "I'm just on edge right now. Seeing you like this just got to me."

"You know," I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You shouldn't be so mean to her. I took Amelia on as my apprentice."

"Heh." She looked toward me. Her face looked somewhat defeated. "Good to know she's under the guidance of one of the best alchemists there are."

"Well," I sighed and looked toward the ground, "was one of the best alchemists. Without the stone, I can't even transmute anymore."

Felicity looked toward me. Her expression seemed to lighten with a grin. "Cut the shit." She patted me on the back. "You were an amazing alchemist even before you got that rock."

I offered a somewhat defeated laugh. I know that the loss of the stone severely weakened me, but I feel a small form of encouragement from her words. "Thanks, Felicity."

Silence enveloped the room once more. Our eyes met and held, a quiet understanding passing between us. I couldn't help but softly tighten the grip I had on her shoulder. The moonlight streaming in through the window and the soft glow of the lantern highlighted the intricate details of her orange fur. It seemed meticulously groomed, each strand catching the light in such a way that made it look like silk. Maybe she carefully prepared herself for our bar outing, or she just always looked this nice.

She drew in a deep breath and sighed, her gaze intensifying with a newfound seriousness. "Alright, tell me what really happened." The look in her eyes shifted, and a steely resolve took root. "I know Djura had his issues, but why the hell would he do this?"

"I don't know," I began, my voice tinged with uncertainty, "he said he wanted money, but something felt off." I paused, my brows furrowed as I recounted what happened. "He mentioned he was working for a 'bossman'. I don't think it was just a robbery."

"Yeah?" she replied while tilting her head, causing one of her pointed ears to flop to the side.

"And something else I can't wrap my head around," I said, unable to hide the bewilderment in my voice. I placed a hand over my chest, as if trying to grasp the missing stone. "He said that my stone was different, that the others were 'dim' compared to it." I furrowed my brow.

Felicity repositioned her head and placed a hand on her chin. "Weird."

"Yeah, still can't fully wrap my head around it all."

She looked like she was lost in thought, contemplating our next move. Then her face lit up, a spark of inspiration dancing in her eyes. "You know what," she said, a small grin etching itself into her face. "We could probably ask Evelyn for help. She's pretty good with all this magical stuff."

That wasn't too bad of an idea. Evelyn, despite all of her shortcomings, was an excellent mage. "That's a pretty good idea," I nodded in agreement. "I bet she could, like, locate its energy or something like that."

"And plus, we haven't seen that little drunkard in years."

"We can catch up after we get my stone back," I replied with a soft chuckle.

Soon the silence returned and we sat on the bed, locking eyes. Felicity's gaze bore into mine, revealing a subtle vulnerability that I hadn't seen in a while. Her eyes, now half-lidded, spoke volumes. She gently placed her hand on mine which was still wrapped around her shoulder. The touch was a soft caress, and time seemed to lose its grip. Until, with a sharp inhale, she patted my hand before letting go, allowing her arm to slip back to her side.

"Okay, I think it's time for big boy to hit the hay," Felicity teased, a playful grin on her face as she gestured behind us toward the bed. "You look terrible," she added.

"Thanks for the honesty," I replied with a weak smile.

"Har har, but seriously, you look extremely pale." Felicity's playful demeanor shifted to genuine worry.

"New skincare routine. Like it?" I said with a weak smirk.

Felicity gave me an annoyed glance and rolled her eyes. "Just get some sleep." She stood up and started to walk toward the door. "And make some room for me when I come back."

I watched her as she opened the door and walked out. "Come back? I thought you weren't going to leave the room?"

She started to walk down the hallway. "Going to see what you got to munch on!" she yelled, voice becoming increasingly distant as her footsteps led her to the stairs. "Worrying about your health has got me hungry!"

"Downstairs in the storage room, you should find something!" I yelled. "Just don't drink all of the wine!"

Her loud steps brought her down the stairs. "I'll try!" she yelled, her voice echoing from downstairs. I could hear the sarcasm dripping from her words.

Now, alone in the quiet room, the weight of weariness settled over me like a heavy cloak. I sank back into the bed, my gaze fixed on the familiar ceiling. The events of the day played out in my mind like a vivid reel, each moment etched in memory. At least I can't say today was boring, I mused.

I shifted to my side, a sigh escaping my lips. The absence of the Philosopher's Stone created a hollow feeling within. Closing my eyes, I gave in to the tiredness, feeling kind of empty as I fell into an unsettled sleep.

---

My sleep was broken up by a faint voice, causing me to stir.

"Lawrenceeee~" the voice was soft. "Laaawwwrenceee~" it continued. "Lawrence!" it now had a bite to it that jolted me awake.

I rubbed my eyes trying to see who was disturbing me. "W-What?"

Felicity was at the door, leaning upon its frame. In her hand was a half-empty bottle of wine, she sloshed it around before looking at me. Clumsily walking into the room, she made her way toward the bed, almost tripping over herself.

She stopped at the side of the bed, gazing down at me. She had a big, inebriated smile on her face. "Wanna finish what we started?" Her words were slurred as she put the bottle down on the ground.

"Felicity, are you drunk?" I asked while looking up at the fox.

She began to undo her top, promptly letting her coat fall to the ground. With her chest exposed she started to crawl onto the bed. "Mmmmmm, no," she replied, quite unconvincingly.

I rolled onto my back and looked up at the fox who was now above me on all fours. "No Felicity, you're definitely drunk, I can smell it from here."

She now positioned herself between my legs, looking up at me with a glint in her eyes. "I told you to make some room, didn't I?" she said as she placed a hand on my crotch.

I sighed, still feeling weariness cling to my bones. "Felicity, not right now, I still don't feel the best." Despite my fatigue, my member did not feel the same as it started to stir.

She started to prod at the buttons on my pants, trying to undo them. "Let me make you feel better, like old times." Her gaze was now transfixed on the growing bulge in my pants. "I know you want to," she said in a near whisper.

"Felicity, seriously," I said, tone more stern.

"Hush, let mamma make you feel good." Her inebriated attempts at undoing my pants were met with failure. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons. "Little help here?"

"Felicity, I said I don't want to." I tried to shuffle away, but she held my torso down with one of her hands while the other continued to work on the buttons.

"Almost there," she said while managing to actually undo one of them.

"Felicity!" I quickly slapped her hand away and shuffled back. "I said no!"

She stopped, and tears started to well up in her eyes. "B-But I just want to make you feel better."

"It's okay, just-"

Her tears began to increase, soon turning into abrupt sobbing. She looked at me with her sad brown eyes, her expression holding a tinge of anger in it. "Why did this have to happen to you!" she yelled.

Her crying increased and she moved to sit at the edge of the bed. She put her hands over her eyes while tears flowed from her palms. She was now gasping in between breaths, trying to speak. "I don't want to lose you, Lawrence!" she removed her hands from her eyes and looked toward me, drunken tears staining the fur of her cheeks.

I shuffled on the bed to sit next to her. With my arm, I wrapped her shoulder and gave her a soft hug. "It's okay," I said, trying to comfort her.

"It's not okay!" she yelled, tears returning to her eyes. "I already almost lost you once! I don't want that to happen again!"

I let go of the hug and softly rubbed her back, giving her some solace as her wailing decreased a smidgen. "You're not going to lose me," I said while pointing to myself. "See? Still here."

She looked at me with tears in her eyes and a small smile on her face. She sighed and flopped her head on my lap, looking sideways. I couldn't help but start to caress the side of her head. I could feel her whimpering breaths on my lap as I continued to comfort her.

She started to sniffle a little bit. "Promise," she asked, her whimpering still clung to her words.

"Promise what?" I asked.

She moved her head to look up at me, brown eyes glistening with tears. "Promise that you won't leave me."

I look up to the ceiling and sigh. The almighty paladin drunkenly crying on my lap. I'm not going to let her live this one down. I couldn't help myself from chuckling at the thought. "I promise that I won't leave you."

I notice that there is no drunken response or ocean of tears. Looking down, I notice that Felicity's head now rests back on its side. Her breathing was calm, her movements were still, and she now slept. To be honest, it was endearing, but it also made me feel sad. The once unbreakable paladin I shared victory after victory with is now reduced to a sniveling mess. And with Djura's betrayal, it seems like the old party days I yearned for started to slip out of my grasp.

But for now, all I can do is pet the fox on my lap. Her soft breaths continue into the night, gentle signs of her slumber. I couldn't bring myself to wake her up.