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I burst my eyes open as soon as I could. Thoughts of what tonight would bring were practically fueling me as I rose from my bed. I can't remember the last time I felt all giddy like this. I rose to my feet and stretched. After that I began to get my clothes in order, putting on my shopkeeping shirt and some pants strewn across the ground.

I left my room and started for the stairs. A peculiar smell accompanied by the sound of bubbling came from the bottom of the stairwell. That must have been Amelia, she found a habit of coming in early. I guess that since she is my apprentice now, I'd need to get used to that.

I slowly stepped down the creaky stairs, and upon reaching the bottom I was in the storeroom. Surprisingly, the room was empty, Amelia not in sight, but the brewing stands were active. Flasks sat above burners causing the liquid inside to bubble. Steam wafted from vials, causing the room to smell of herbs. Someone was definitely making something.

I went closer to the brewing stands and inspected the assortment of flasks and vials. The contents of the bottles seemed to glow with a variety of colors. The ingredients were strewn about the storeroom. Bowls of powder, herbs, and jars of various liquids were everywhere. This is most definitely Amelia's doing. A creaking sound broke my concentration as I looked toward the door to the room.

Amelia walked in, smiling. "Morning Master Lawrence!" She didn't sound like her usual nervous self, instead, she sounded peppy.

I saw that she was wearing those glasses again. "Hey Amelia," I replied.

She walked toward me with her hands behind her back. She had a wide smile worn across her face, seemingly proud. Once reaching a few paces away, she stopped and stood in front of me.

"What's cooking?" I asked while pointing toward the active brewing stands.

She hummed with glee for a moment before pulling out what was behind her back. In her hands, she cradled a flask of glowing dark purple liquid. Her face shone with pride upon showing me the concoction. Within her grasp was a potion of Revive Dead.

"Ta-da!" she exclaimed as she raised the potion.

"A potion of Revive Dead? Actually?" I couldn't suppress my shock.

"See, I told you I was skilled!" she gleamed.

"You actually made one, pretty impressive," I chuckled. "You know how illegal these things are right?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah, they apparently have horrible side effects in the long term, and it's like a fifty-fifty chance," I shrugged. "Much easier to just not die in the first place."

"Wha-"

"You shouldn't be carrying those things around though, major legal trouble."

"But-"

"Here," I said while taking the potion out of her grasp. I went over to a nearby shelf and stuffed the flask at the back. I then put miscellaneous items in front of it, my best attempt at concealment. "I'll just leave that right here."

I looked back to Amelia. Her face, once shining with pride, was now filled with confusion and shock. I felt bad. She tried so hard to make this potion. I should've told her sooner about the legal trouble it could potentially cause. With regret filling my being, I attempt to make amends.

"How about I show you how to make another advanced potion, that won't get us arrested," I asked

She lightened up a little and put on a smile.

"You know about resistance potions right?"

"Yeah, they are quite common around here," she tilted her head, "and aren't very advanced."

"True," I said while nodding my head. "But those can only last after a couple of weak hits, then shatter."

"That's what all resistance potions do," she replied.

I couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "Nuh-uh, not the ones I make." I turned around to face the still-active brewing stands. "Here, let me show you."

I walked over to one of the bubbling flasks and took it off the burner. Setting it to the side, I rummaged around the cupboards to find an assortment of ingredients. I got a jar of glowing stones, a bowl of steaming power, and a vial of a red creamy substance.

"So here are the ingredients to make a normal resistance potion, right?"

She looked over everything I laid on the table. "Right?"

"But look at this." I took a small amount of the black powder out of the bowl and let it rest in my palm. It started to shake and then transmute. The dark color of the powder soon began to turn a more blue hue and it started to crystalize. Soon, what remained in my palm was a small heap of tiny blue crystals.

Amelia stared in amazement. "What is that?"

"Cobalt," I replied.

She gawked for a moment, staring at the heap of material in my hand. "How does that make the resistance potion stronger?"

I smiled as I felt an overwhelming sense of pride build up. "After a while of trial and error, I found out that cobalt can increase the durability of the shield, exacerbating its potential."

"Oh! That's quite the discovery," she said while leaning in to look at the cobalt. "Is there a reason why this isn't used in the resistance potions distributed everywhere?"

"Well," I set the cobalt on the table near the other ingredients. "Unless you want to go to the local quarry and mine for years on end just to get a fraction of this amount, then it's best you just don't include it at all."

"I see."

"And also," I looked toward her. "You need a fair amount of blood for the cobalt to have the desired effect."

Amelia snapped her head to look at me, shocked upon hearing my words.

"Yeah, blood farming isn't the best business practice either," I chuckled

"I wasn't expecting that," she said with a worried laugh.

"Are you still up for making it?" I said. "No shame it turning back," I leaned in, "But just so you know, there are some potions that are a lot more demanding than this."

Amelia stared at me, seemingly in thought. Silence shrouded the room for a moment. She looked conflicted, unable to make a decision. That was until her expression shifted to a more determined look.

"Yeah, let's do it!" she exclaimed.

Nodding my head, I went to the table. I sorted out the ingredients and readied the brewing stands. Reaching below the table, I grabbed a particularly small flask and placed it on the table.

"Why the extra small bottle?" she asked.

"Well, to make all the ingredients work properly, they have to be put in a condensed space."

She nodded and grabbed the flask, examining it.

I patted her on the back, prompting a slight jump from her. "Alright, you got everything you need, the rest is up to you."

"Wait! What? B-But, are you sure?" she asked, panic exuding from her voice.

"Oh! You're right!" I reached into a nearby cupboard, pulled out a knife, and placed it on the table. "Okay, now you're ready."

Amelia looked even more worried than before. She anxiously nodded her head and stepped toward the table. Looking at all the ingredients before her, she placed the small flask on the brewing stand. She took up a nearby mortar and pestle then took a deep breath.

She started by making an ordinary resistance potion. Putting the rocks, powder, and red cream into the mortar, she ground them together with the pestle. She crushed and churned the ingredients until they were all combined into a fine paste. Taking the mortar, she positioned it above the small flask. She slowly poured the contents inside, with much precision, only stopping once the small flask was about half full.

Cranking a nob on the side of the brewing stand, the flame beneath the flask increased, causing the contents of the inside of the flask to melt. The paste started to bubble and then liquefy, turning into a brothy substance. Once the contents of the flask were fully dissolved, she turned down the heat and took it off of the stand. She shook the bottle and the solution inside turned into a uniform black color. It started to give off a soft glowing hue. That right there was a bonified, run-of-the-mill, average resistance potion.

"Do I just put in the cobalt now?" she asked.

"Yep," I gave a reassuring nod. "You're doing great."

With her free hand, Amelia scooped up the blue cobalt on the counter and positioned it above the flask. Carefully, she poured the crystals into the small bottle. The solution inside started to fizz and bubble, and a stream of gas started to emerge from the lip of the glass.

She flinched at the reaction. "Is... is it supposed to do that?"

"Mhm," I gave a single nod. "Now for the hard part, blood." I gazed toward Amelia, who still had an uneasy look on her face. "You want to use mine? Again, no harm in it."

She shook her head with great vigor. "No, no. I want to do this. Just, give me a second."

"Take your time."

After a moment, she delicately placed the small flask on the table. With a shaky hand, she took up the knife and positioned the blade against her opposing palm. She took a deep breath and was still. Then swiftly, she pulled the blade back, cutting the palm of her hand. She winced in pain and then balled up her fist as the crimson blood started to leak from her hand, stopping its escape.

Putting down the knife, she quickly picked up the flask and positioned her bleeding hand above it. Easing the tension in her hand, she let the red liquid pour into the flask. Some of the droplets missed and hit the ground, but a majority of them landed inside the bottle. Once the contents of the potion mixed with the blood, its glow started to become brighter and its color darkened.

"Did I do it?" she asked.

"Perfectly," I said as I reached for a nearby cork and handed it to her.

She took the cork and placed it in the bottle. It seems like the realization of what she did just hit her as her face lit up with excitement. "I did it!"

"Indeed you did," I replied as I nodded. "Make sure to keep good tabs on that thing, might save your life one day. It has enough power to stop a charge from the Demon King, pretty powerful stuff."

She looked amazed. "You're letting me keep something like this?"

"Well, you made it didn't you?"

Her grip increased as she clutched the small potion within her grasp. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

I walked over to a nearby shelf and grabbed a healing potion. Looking over to a cupboard, I picked up a clean rag. Popping the cork off of the flask, I poured a small amount of the contents of the potion on the rag. "Here, let me see your hand real quick."

She complied and reached out her hand toward me. I took her hand in mine and positioned it so the palm was facing upward. I gently rubbed the doused rag across the small wound. The red cut began to dissipate once the contents of the rag seeped into her palm. Soon enough, it looked like her hand wasn't cut at all.

I looked up at Amelia's face and noticed that she was staring at me intently while blushing. Upon realizing that I was looking at her, she shyly turned her gaze downward.

She stammered for a moment. "T-Thank you."

"Don't mention it," I replied with a smile while letting go of her hand.

For a moment, I completely forgot to open up the shop. I walked toward the door of the storeroom and opened it. Looking into the main room of the store, I looked toward one of the windows with its curtain still closed. A light gleamed behind the curtains, indicating the time of day was past morning.

I glanced over my shoulder to look at Amelia. She was gazing at her once-wounded hand, a faint warm smile on her face. "Mind helping me open up shop?"

"Uh." She snapped out of her mesmerized staring and looked toward me. "Yeah!"

We both walked out of the storeroom and into the main room. Amelia walked toward the curtains of the window and undid them. I went over to the door and pulled out my key. I unlocked it and walked back to the front desk. The opening routine was basically clockwork for me at this point.

Amelia proceeded to the shelves, scrutinizing the inventory, while I surveyed the store, ensuring it presented an inviting environment for potential customers. Noticing the front counter was a bit unkempt, I grabbed a nearby rag and began to scrub away the accumulated grime. As I diligently cleaned, my eyes fell upon the flask containing the copper herb—it possessed a peculiar yet intriguing quality, making it an ideal decorative element.

Suddenly, the silence of the shop was shattered by the creaking of the front door. A hooded figure emerged, a bow slung around their back. Their attire bore the scars of wear and tear, and they stood just beyond the threshold, fixating their gaze on the interior. Eventually, their gaze locked onto mine, and an unusual stillness enveloped them. Certainly not the weirdest customer encounter I've had.

They walked into the store, practically barging inside. "Hey, Lawrence." Their voice was hazily familiar.

The figure unveiled their face by removing the hood, revealing a hyena with brown fur adorned with black spots. A mischievous grin adorned their face, and their white teeth practically gleamed as they displayed them. An unusual laugh, distinctive to hyenas, echoed as they took a couple more steps into the shop.

"Djura?!" I yelled as I couldn't hold in my surprise.

He giggled in his odd hyena laugh. "Been a while, yeah?"

"Haven't seen you since we broke up the old party!" I could feel a wide smile on my face emerge. "Where have you been?"

"Got on a new gig." He chuckled. "Working for this rich guy now, got me doin' his dirty work." He started to walk towards the counter.

I couldn't help but laugh as well. "Never change, Djura, never change." I sighed. "So what brings you here?"

The hyena stood at the other side of the counter. He placed his hands on the wood and leaned in. His spotted fur was shining in the rays of the sun as he got closer to me. His large ivory smile glistened.

“Heard you had a shop of your own.” He leaned in even closer. "Just wanted to stop by and catch up on old times, friend."

I nodded and smiled. It has been so long since I saw Djura, and now he was here. The old party days seem to be coming back to me with every passing day, not that I mind.

"How's the job been treating you?" I asked.

“Well, actually,” he said as his grin seemed to widen. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure."

"Bossman put me on a search for a special rock." He stared me directly in the eyes. “Said it was magic or somethin’”

"Oh?" was my only response.

"Yeah, called it a Philosopher's Stone." He shrugged, but his eyes held a hint of malice behind them. "Know anything 'bout it?"

I could feel my heart skip a beat after he said those words. I started to feel a pang of unease as I wondered why Djura would ask me about something so specific. My Philosopher’s Stone is a close secret, I could count the amount of people who I told about it on one hand. He wasn't one of them.

"No, no I don't," I skeptically responded.

"Really? I heard all good alchemists have one lodged in their heart." He started to snicker.

I took a small step back. "Sounds painful."

His vile grin was still plastered all over his face, showing no signs of waning. “I bet it is."

Trying to break up the odd conversation, I thought of something else to speak of. "I met with Felicity. We're actually going to a bar tonight."

"My oh my," The laughter began to rise. "Is that right?" His words were twisted with a hint of devilish mischief. “Don’t tell me,” he said while putting up a hand. “The Hog’s Mead?”

"Yeah, catching up on old times." I was a little surprised he remembered the old place. "Wanna join?"

He shook his head. "Nah, don't have the time." He tapped on the wooden counter and straightened up. "Speaking of time, I think I best be going."

"Already?" I raised my eyebrow. "You just came in."

"Yeah, gotta find this stupid little rock." Djura walked over to the door and hastily swung it open. He stopped at the entrance and glanced over his shoulder. "Hey! If you find anything out about it," he said as he raised his hand in a wave. "Let me know."

I kept my words measured in my response. "Alright, see you around."

The door swung shut behind Djura, leaving me in the shop, bewildered and slightly uneasy. Been years since I saw the guy then he just strolls in and asks about the Philosopher's Stone. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his visit than just catching up.

Amelia tapped on the desk, prompting me to look at her. "Who was that?"

"That was Djura," I replied. "An old party member."

"You didn't look too happy to see him," she said while tilting her head. "Did something happen between you two?"

I shook my head. "No, nothing like that. He was just actin' all weird."

"Well, what did he-"

Breaking up our conversation, the door to the shop opened again. Instead of an old friend or a hooded figure, a regular customer came trotting in. We gave them a nod, and Amelia went over to ask what they needed. And just like that, the day seemed to return to its normal monotony.

---

The day at the store unfolded in its usual mundane fashion, even as it came to another close. Counting coins, arranging shelves, attending to the occasional customer – it was all a familiar rhythm. Yet, despite the routine, the peculiar interaction with Djura lingered in the recesses of my mind, a subtle disturbance in an otherwise uneventful day. Still, I refused to let it dampen my spirits, especially with the anticipation of an evening with Felicity on the distant horizon.

I hastened my cleaning, an urgent desire to vacate the shop propelling my movements. Swiftly, I positioned the potions in their designated places, diligently dusted numerous shelves, and vigorously swept the floor with resounding fervor. Each action fueled by an unspoken need to conclude the day's proceedings and immerse myself in the upcoming night's anticipation. The rhythmic tasks became a race against time, as if the sooner I completed them, the quicker I could escape the confines of the shop and embrace the promised moments awaiting me with Felicity.

Soon enough, the shop was ready for closing. I put up my cleaning supplies and retrieved my old coat. Slipping it on, I notice Amelia walking toward me.

She sheepishly approached me and looked away. "Hey, uhm, Master Lawrence?"

I didn't even take my eyes off my coat as I proceeded to button it up. "Yes, Amelia?"

"I wanted to give you this," she said as she pulled out the resistance potion she made this morning.

I sighed and looked her in the eyes. "Like I said, it's your potion, you keep it."

She persisted and presented the potion closer to me. "Well, I want to give it to you as a thank you." She started to blush.

I raised my eyebrow.

"For, you know, taking me as an apprentice," she said as she averted her gaze. Her cheeks were a vibrant red at this point.

I gently took the potion out of her grasp. "Fine."

After I took the potion, Amelia rushed toward the front door, giggling all the way. She slung it open and looked back. "I will see you tomorrow, Lawrence!"

"Goodbye, Amelia," I said as I waved.

She slipped out of the shop and let the door shut behind her. I could hear her audible giggling as she walked down the street.

With a sigh, I slipped the small potion into the pocket on the inside of my coat. Looking around the shop, everything seems to be good to leave. I left the store and locked the door behind me. Looking at the same old cobbled streets as I gazed in the direction of where I needed to go. An unwilling smile was on my face, even a surprise to myself. A long night with Felicity is in my near future and I couldn't wait.

I started to walk down the streets of the dark city. However, something didn't seem right. I was just a few steps away from the shop and I started to hear footsteps behind me. Daring not to look, I continued for a few more paces. The footsteps grew louder and louder with each of my steps. It sounded like four, no, five people walking a distance behind me.

I quickly turned into a nearby alleyway, attempting to ditch my pursuers. But the footsteps followed me, and at the entrance of the alley stood five figures. They slowly walked in, and as they got closer, the dim moon illuminated their faces.

They were an assortment of beast folk, a human, and a hooded figure. Each held a variety of weapons, they seemed to look like adventurers with the weathered garb they wore. A large dire wolf clutched an axe in his hands, the warrior. A snake with green scales wore heavy armor and had a large sword on his back, the knight. A human, short in stature, unsheathed two jagged daggers in his grasp, the rogue. A large muscular panther who had no weapons cracked his knuckles, the berserker. And the strange hooded figure who had a familiar bow on his back, the ranger.

"Djura!" I called out. "Fancy meeting you here! Find that rock you were looking for?"

Djura removed his hood, revealing that snickering hyena beneath. He had a grin plastered all over his face, white ivories illuminated by the moonlight.

"No," he laughed, "but I think I know where to find it," he said as he pulled out a crossbow from his waist.

The snake grabbed at the hilt of the sword on his back, unsheathing it. "An alchemissst without potionss," he brandished the large piece of metal in the air, "isss a sssitting duck."

The dire wolf twirled the axe in his hands. "You sure were getting paid this much to kill this guy?" He started to bellow out a deep laugh. "This pint-sized runt can't even put up a proper fight, look at him!"

The human grinned. "Smart job getting him out of the shop," he chuckled. "Let's gut this sucker and get the stone."

I shifted my gaze between all of the men and then landed my sight on Djura. "What's with the new friends?"

He let out one of his sick laughs. "You see, Lawrence, I kinda need that rock you got."

I darted my eyes around the alley, surveying the scene before me. I spotted a small potted flower that rested on a nearby windowsill. "I'd like to see you try."

The four men started to get closer, they brandished their weapons as I began to slowly walk toward the nearby window. In a split second, I ran at the potted plant and ripped out the flower. The men started to rush me as I stood near the window. They reeled back their weapons, ready for slaughter.

I sidestepped one of their attacks and rolled out of the way of another. There was now a small distance between me and the hoard of men who wanted me dead. I clutched the flower in my palm, crushing it in my grasp. I felt the once-leafy petals of the plant start to crumble. Soon the entire plant felt like dust in my palm. Opening my grasp, what remained of the plant was a small mound of black power. The transmutation worked. Perfect.

The warrior of the party, the dire wolf, reeled back his axe, ready to cleave me in two. With a quick motion, I released the powder in my hands, throwing it at the wolf. There was now a small cloud of black dust in the air.

He recoiled as the dust hit his eyes. "G-Gunpowder?" he exclaimed, hand instinctively reaching to shield his nose.

With a snap of my fingers, the black powder erupted in a series of explosions. The dire wolf's form disintegrated, showering everyone in a grisly rain of limbs and viscera. In the next moment, the only thing remaining of his upper half was a gory red mist. His lower half fell to the ground on its knees, bleeding profusely from the heap of gore that rested on top of it.

The remaining attackers leaped backward, avoiding the explosion. They stood and stared, seemingly gripped by fear. Their hands trembled as they clutched their weapons, faces a mixture of anger and fear.

"Damn it!" The snake spoke out. "Djura you basssstard! You sssaid thisss would be an easssy job!"

Djura giggled with laughter. "He's still got some tricks up his sleeve."

I took a couple of steps back and sized up what remained of the party. The snake's huge sword was still brandished, a single swing of that would tear me in two. The human's daggers shone in the moonlight and seemed to gleam with a liquid on them, poison? The panther had his hands raised, taking a guarded stance. And then there was Djura. That traitorous hyena. He had his crossbow aimed directly at me.

I picked up a loose stone on the cobbled street and grinned. "I got a date tonight, ya know? You're going to make me late."

The human of the party scowled and raised his two daggers and took a low stance. He lunged toward me, brandishing the two shimmering blades. I leaped backward, avoiding the initial swing of the man. I swiftly put the stone in my mouth and bit down. The cold smooth surface of the pebble started to dissolve and turn into a liquid. The bitter taste of it sloshed around on my tongue.

The man still attacked with rather quick strikes. I maintained my distance as he pursued. One of the swipes was deathly close to my throat as I took another leap back.

The liquid in my mouth began to churn and swirl. Almost ready, any moment now. Soon, my mouth was now enveloped in a searing heat. I took a deep breath and unleashed the contents inside. Aiming directly toward the man, I spewed the fiery liquid out of my mouth. It looked like a stream of flames was escaping my lips as I was practically breathing fire. As soon as the flaming mass touched the human, he burst into an inferno, engulfing him.

He flailed about, flames eating his skin. He fell to the ground, attempting to roll around and extinguish the blazing mass. To his dismay, the flames only grew stronger and larger. He was now fully covered in fire. His shrill screams broke the silence of the night. Though they did not last for very long as his burning body soon went limp, now completely silent.

I looked to my side to see the snake starting to get closer to me, his large sword was raised in the air, poised for a deathly blow. As fast as I could, I reached into the pocket on the inside of my coat, pulling out Amelia's small potion. I quickly slammed the bottle on my chest, causing the glass to shatter. I let the liquid contents seep into my skin as the snake slammed his weapon toward me. Once the huge sword made contact, it shattered upon hitting my skin.

The snake recoiled in shock, clutching a broken hilt that remained of his sword. "What in the hell issss thiss?"

I didn't even respond as I reeled back my fist to punch him. My knuckles made contact with his scaly face, and a stream of blood came out of his small nostrils. The snake quickly recovered and lunged toward me with his wide mouth open, brandishing his large white fangs. With a fierce amount of force, he bit into my jugular. Upon contact, his two large teeth shattered as they tried to sink into my flesh. The snake fell to the ground and clutched his mouth while he thrashed.

I looked down at the snake writhing about on the ground. "How about you leave before I use your scales as potion ingredients," I sneered.

Without a moment to spare, the snake clumsily rose to his feet and ran. His hands were still grasping at his mouth as he made his exit. He bumped into nearby barrels and walls, trying his best to stay on his feet. He rounded a corner into the city streets.

I didn't even notice the panther lunge toward me while I was watching the snake's escape. He set off a barrage of punches. As each landed, blood sprayed out. But the blood wasn't mine as his knuckles were horribly mangled with each blow. The resistance potion made it so he caused more damage to himself than me. In a desperate attempt, he grabbed me by the neck, trying to strangle me. His efforts were futile, my windpipe barely moved as he applied more pressure.

Returning the gesture, I grabbed his neck with one of my hands. The moment my palm made contact, an ethereal energy surged through my fingers, a power that resonated from the Philosopher’s Stone in my heart. His head, from the neck up, began to transmute. His black fur began to contort into stone.

At first, the change was subtle, like ripples on the surface of a pond. The individual strands of fur began to lose their luster, transitioning into a matte gray hue. As my grip intensified, the texture altered, becoming more granular and solid. The once vibrant and dynamic features of the panther's face now began to freeze in a state of petrified terror.

He thrashed about, trying to free himself from my grasp. With each strike against my skin, his efforts were only met with bloodied hands. My form remained unmoved as he writhed about, flailing his arms, striking at random. Once his entire head was fully transmuted, his attempts to escape abruptly stopped. He now hangs limp in my grasp with a face of stone.

His head took on the appearance of a bust, resembling a statue frozen in time, capturing the essence of the once-living panther. As I loosened my grip, allowing him to plummet to the ground, his face met the floor with a resounding thud, soon followed by the unmistakable sound of cracking. The entire head began to crumble, the stone features shattering into a cascade of dust. What remained was reduced to a disarray of stone fragments, forming a pile of dust on the ground.

The point where his head had shattered began to seep blood, a macabre juxtaposition against the now lifeless stone. The crimson liquid tainted the ground, a stark reminder of the vitality that once coursed through the now petrified form.

I turn my head to look at Djura. "And then there was one."

He had a worried grin on his face, his white teeth shone in the dim moonlight. "As skilled as ever, Lawrence," he laughed.

He hesitantly pulled the trigger of the crossbow. A crack of a string sent a small bolt barreling toward me. The shot was aimed directly at my heart as it made contact. However, the bolt shattered upon reaching my skin, the effects of the potion still active.

"Did you not see what happened to that guy's sword? You did not think that was going to work," I laughed while I pointed behind me, where the snake made his hasty retreat.

His grin widened and he giggled. "Worth a shot, right?" he shrugged.

I was not amused and rushed him, tackling him to the ground. The face of the hyena below still had that feverish grin etched into it. I punched down on him repeatedly. Each time my knuckles hit his face he cackled. He tried biting my hand in defense but was met with the hard barrier of the resistance potion. His fangs cracked upon contact with my skin, sending small shards of white ivory in every direction. He howled in pain as I continued my assault, blood splattering with each punch.

I soon stopped, looking down at the sad Hyena. He still had a small grin on his face as he huffed with labored breaths. His eyes were squint shut, anticipating the next blow. His face was now riddled with bruises and gashes from my assault.

I was full of adrenaline, this was the first fight I had in so long, and my body was practically shaking with excitement. I was so exhilarated that I barely noticed the effects of the potion finally wear off. However, a tinge of pity writhed throughout my hands as I lowered my fist. Seeing an old party member, a once good friend, in a state like this was saddening.

I sighed. "I'm not killing you, Djura."

The hyena held his breath before slowly opening one of his squinted eyes. He was still frozen as if waiting for my next swing. I slowly stood up above him and dusted myself off. He still stared up at me with wide eyes, almost a quizzical expression on his face.

"Like I said, I got a date tonight," I said as I started to walk away. "I don't want to be covered in blood."

I continued to walk, about to emerge back out into the streets from the ally. Hopefully, Felicity is still at the bar, I don't want to keep her waiting, she might think I stood her up or something. I was almost about to enter the main street when the snap of a bowstring reverberated through the narrow ally. I stopped in my tracks as I felt a sharp pain in the back of my left shoulder. Looking at the sight of the pain, I saw a small bolt sticking out of my skin. I ripped it out, blood dripped from the tip of it. I let it clatter to the ground as I released it from my grasp.

I looked back to Djura who was lying on the ground with the crossbow clutched in his hands. "Djura, you little shi-" I felt the pain in my shoulder become unbearable. It felt like it was burning as I stumbled backward. I put my hand on the wound and then moved it to my face. Looking at the blood on my palm I noticed that a feint purple liquid was mixed in. Poison.

Stumbling around, I can feel my head become light and my legs stiffen. My arms now went limp and I failed to move them. I slammed my back into one of the walls of the ally and slid to the ground. I saw Djura get up, clutching his wounded face as he slowly made his way toward me. His cracked smile was still glimmering in the moonlight. Nausea clouded my vision, casting a horrible blurriness on the scene. Djura now stood directly above me, he pulled out a knife at his waist and crouched down.

"That poison, pretty expensive stuff," he said. "So potent that it even negates healing potions." He looked down at his knife. "You know, you were the one who told me about it."

"Fuck... you," I barely said, my breaths strained.

He started cackling as he toyed with the knife in his claws. "Did all this complacency make you weak, Lawrence?" He pointed the knife directly at my heart, grinning all the while. "The old you would've killed me in a heartbeat. What happened?"

Trying to speak, pain clouded my head. I grunted while moving my mouth. "Djura... why?"

His laughter grew as he pressed the knife toward my heart, the tip of the blade began to pierce my skin. "Money," he simply said with a giggle.

He pressed the knife deeper into my flesh. The sharp pain rang throughout my body, trying to tell me to run. However, my limbs would not respond to me as I tried with all my might to move them. The only thing I managed to do was raise my hand, softly clutching at Djura's knife arm. My efforts did nothing to deter him as he pushed the knife deeper.

He stopped the knife at a certain point and removed it. The grin on his face expanded as he dropped it, letting it clatter to the ground. He started to cackle feverishly as he clutched at the edges of the small wound he made. He began to tear the lesion, making it wider. The pain was horrible. I could feel my skin being torn apart, screaming in anguish as he continued to rip me open. My bellows tore through the night, echoing through the small alley.

Djura looked towards me, "Quiet down, will ya?" his vile cracked grin was all that filled my gaze.

He stopped tearing as he made an adequately sized hole. He reached into the grisly wound and I felt him clutch my heart. The feeling was an odd mix between unbearable pain and a horrible burning.

"Let's see what we got here," He said while looking into the gash.

I felt him squeeze and tear at my heart, feeling the stone within being pulled. Blood spewed out of the injury with every movement he made. The fur of his arm was now caked in blood as he continued. With a final rip, he tugged his hand out of the wound. Within his fingers was the Philosopher's Stone. It shone with otherworldly colors, shimmering in the cold night. However, the blood that it was coated in tainted the light it emitted.

"HAHA! You had a nice one this whole time! Bossman was right!" His face widened while looking at the stone. "At first, I had no idea why he wanted yours, but now when I look at it, yours is different!"

I could barely think with the pain clouding my thoughts. "W-What?" I barely managed to ask.

"Look at these." He pulled down the collar of his shirt, revealing a small rope necklace. On it shone several different stones, each shining an assortment of colors. Their hues were dim but their glow was still evident. "These rocks are dim compared to yours." He sounded giddy. "The boss is really going to like this!"

Even though I could barely see, I knew that shape well. On his neck, entwined in his necklace, rests several Philosopher's Stones. The sight set a shiver down my spine. This feeling, however, was overrun by the gutwrenching pain of my now-exposed heart bleeding out. My sight began to dim, my muscles now becoming lifeless. However, my breaths still continued, my only lifeline as my own blood left me.

"Still alive?" Djura said, a mixture of astonishment evident in his voice. "Most alchemists die as soon as I tear out the rock," he said as he picked up the knife on the ground. He pressed it to my throat and smiled. "Should I let you bleed out?" His hyena laugh made its way into his speech. "Or just kill you right now?" He was now cackling like a maniac. "Decisions, decisions!"

I felt him press the knife to my throat, blood began leaking out as he slowly pressed the sharp blade harder. I could offer no resistance as my limbs wouldn't move. All I could do was watch as I got killed with my fading vision.

"L-Let go o-of him!" I heard a familiar voice call out.

Suddenly, a rock hit Djura in the head, causing him to recoil and drop the knife in his hands.

He snapped his head to look at the culprit, a menacing smile etched into his face. "And who are you?" he cackled.

I slowly turn my head, my movements sluggish with the loss of blood. I could barely see a figure holding up a stone, reeling it back ready to throw. My vision, however, offered me no help in discerning who my savior was.

"I-I-I said, l-let go of him!" the figure called out, throwing another rock at Djura, which landed directly in his face.

The hyena shook his head and clumsily stood up. He looked between me and the figure with a vile grin. "Fine! I got what I needed!" he said as he bolted deeper into the alley, disappearing after turning a corner.

After Djura was out of sight, the figure ran closer to me and crouched down. I felt their hands gently grab my shoulders while they looked at me in the eyes. At this distance, my hazy vision was finally able to discern the figure, it was Amelia.

"Master Lawrence!" she cried out, "I heard an explosion and screaming, what happened?!" Her voice was full of panic. Her eyes darted about my form, finally landing on the grisly wound that now lay on my chest.

I could barely respond. "Got in a little tussle," I rasped, trying but failing to smile.

"Master Lawrence! Your chest! You're bleeding a lot!" she responded, unaffected by my attempts to lighten the mood. "We have to get you to a hospital! Now!"

With every fiber of my being, I attempted to raise an arm. The now bloodied hand started to shakily rise with intense effort. I gently grabbed her shoulder, a form of reassurance. "Amelia," My voice was barely audible. "I'm fine."

"No! No, you are not! I can see your heart, you have a huge hole in your chest, Lawrence! You are going to die!" she practically yelled.

Reaching inside of her coat, she pulled out a vial of clear liquid. She removed the cork and splashed it on the wound. The liquid stung as it hit my exposed flesh. It made a sizzling noise as it trickled deeper into my gash. The profuse bleeding, however, managed to dim a little bit once the liquid fully dissolved.

Amelia looked at the wound. "That's only going to stop the bleeding for a moment, you still need proper treatment!"

She tried to grab me, but her strength proved too futile. She settled for placing her hands under my shoulders and started dragging me. The cobbled ground beneath was bumpy and uncomfortable, exacerbating the pain in my chest.

With tremendous effort, she pulled me out of the alleyway but then stopped. "The closest hospital is too far," she paused, staring at me, "you'll bleed out before we get halfway there!" An idea lit up her face. "The shop!" She resumed her pulling. "Hold on, Lawrence, I'm taking you to the shop."

She dragged me on the bumpy cobble for a little while. The shop itself wasn't too terribly far from the alley, but the speed at which we were going was not offering any benefits to my situation. She struggled and heaved with each pull, slowly dragging me along with her. My neck started to feel numb as we continued, promptly hanging limp. We eventually arrived at the door of the shop. My consciousness was holding on by mere threads at this point, I could feel myself starting to drift off.

With panicked hands, Amelia shakily rummaged through her pocket, trying to find her key. "Come on! Where is it!" she exclaimed while still searching. A moment later she pulled out the small silver key and opened the door to the shop. She turned around and grabbed me by my shoulders and started to drag me in.

She sat me on the ground, propped up against the front counter then immediately started to search for any type of healing potion inside of the store. She clumsily grabbed one and popped off the cork. Rushing over to me, she crouched down and poured the liquid on the wound. But nothing happened. The gash remained open and bleeding. Dismay found its way on her confused face.

"Why isn't it working?!" She poured the rest of the potion, a last-ditch effort to stop the bleeding.

"P-Poision, the poison," I rasped. "It stops the effects of healing."

"What do I do?!" Tears welled in her eyes. "God, Lawrence, please don't die!"

I tried to steady my breathing as her sad face looked at me. "L-Listen carefully," I started. "You need to make a warding potion," I took a deep breath as the pain coursed through my body. "It will remove the poison."

She sniffled and wiped at the tears dribbling from her eyes. "O-Okay!" She quickly stood up, looking around at the counter that I was leaning against, and began observing the ingredients that lay on it. "How do I do that?"

My eyes grew heavy. The energy needed to keep them open was waning. "The... the blue vial... do you see it?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, good... now mix that with..." A fit of coughing seized me, my throat feeling torn. "With a healing potion."

She shuffled toward the shelf with all of the healing potions and grabbed one. She popped the cork off of the blue vial and poured the contents into the crimson flask. She swirled it around and rushed back toward me. After a moment, nothing seemed to happen and the healing potion looked unchanged.

"Lawrence! It's not doing anything!" She started to hyperventilate. "Oh god! Did I mess up?" I could hear the crying bubbling up in her voice.

With all the remaining energy I had, I reached out and put my hand on her shoulder. "No, no, it's supposed to do that," I said while smiling. "You're... doing great."

My hand, now deprived of energy, started to slip off of her shoulder. It fell limp on the ground, palm facing upward. I couldn't move it now, I couldn't even move my neck either. My entire body is now unresponsive. However, I felt her tail wrap around my hand, an odd form of comfort exuded from the action. In a sense, she was holding my hand. The fleshy appendage was warm and tender to the touch. Amelia seemed unaware of her own action, still fixated on the flask in her hands.

The warm feeling gave me a little more strength in my speech. "When it turns yellow, place the lip of the bottle to my mouth. Make me drink every last drop."

Amelia nodded then swirled the flask in her hands. The liquid inside began to churn and twist about until a dim yellow hue emanated from inside the glass.

"Okay! It's yellow!" she exclaimed as she gently placed the flask to my lips.

Tilting my head upward, she let the contents of the flask slip into my throat. It tasted horrible as it slid past my tongue, but I could feel the poison dissipate as it settled in my stomach. My head remained tilted upward until the bottle was completely empty. I couldn't feel any trace of the poison left, but the pain from the hole in my chest offered me no reprieve. Blood was still slowly seeping out of it. This had me feeling horribly lightheaded, my vision started to fade until everything went black.

"Lawrence! Lawrence stay with me!" Amelia said as she patted me on the cheek.

I realized that I had my eyes closed for a moment.

She was clutching another healing potion in her hand and poured the contents of the flask on my still-open wound. This time, it worked, the flesh began to regenerate along with the missing muscle. Skin started to form over the lesion, enveloping the once gaping hole in my chest. Soon, the entire wound was healed. I felt relief rush through my body at the sight of my repaired body. The pain, however, did not go away. Nor was the blood that was lost coming back.

"Lawrence! It worked!" Amelia screamed. "Lawrence?"

Her voice was fading as my ears gave away. My entire body was still numb and I didn't have any more energy left. My lost blood left me a husk, and I could feel myself drift off. My eyes shut and everything went dark.