Whispers In a Bottle (Chapter 1)
Imported from SF2 with no description.
I look to my side to see my paladin, once a stalwart defender of our party, lying on the ground clutching her broken shield. The ranger was much the same, but with his arms twisted and mangled. Our mage was in no better condition, she lay on the ground clutching at her throat, gasping for breath. Breaking my gaze was the Demon King, his large form loomed over the broken party. His red skin and twisting horns cast horrible shadows. He smiled devilishly while looking toward me.
I look at my surroundings to gauge my situation. The cold stone floor beneath me is splattered with the blood of my party. Though I could still hear their breaths, barely. The walls of the throne room are large. This demon's castle is quite the piece of work, not the worst place to die, to be honest, and without a party, I'm pretty much dead. My alchemy could only get me so far in a one-on-one fight, especially with a demon of his size. I'm not going to drop dead though, I'm putting everything I got into this.
Reaching into the huge, rugged rucksack on my back, I pulled out one of my vials. I popped the cork open with an audible pop. A feint vapor wafted from the vial as the liquid inside stirred to the reaction with the air. I threw the concoction at the monster. Once the glass shattered and the liquid splattered across his rough scaly skin, the solution immediately burst into flames. Howls and wails came from the demon, buying me precious time to retreat. Jumping backward, I reached into my pack to obtain two small flasks. Each one clutched in one of my hands.
I popped both the corks off with my respective thumbs and poured the contents of one into the other. Swishing and swirling it about, I turn my head to notice the Demon King recover from his inferno. He began to charge at me with horrible speed. I dodged out of the way, but my heavy pack made the action difficult and I briefly stumbled. The monster quickly hit my side with the back of his hand, launching me backward. I could feel my insides churn as the force reverberated through my organs.
I almost dropped the flask amid the impact but balanced myself in time. Reeling back, I threw the finished potion at the monster. As soon as the flask left my hand, I ducked to the ground. It exploded in mid-air with a ferocious crack, sending shock waves and blasting me backward. I glimpsed at the horrid monster and noticed that he was cast back as well.
Taking this time and distance to my advantage, I reached into my pack and pulled out an empty bottle. With my other hand, I reached into one of the large pack's many little pockets and pulled out a vial of glowing liquid. Biting the cork off with my teeth, I downed the contents on the vial. I swished and swirled the liquid in my mouth before putting the empty flask to my lips and spitting the contents into it.
The concoction cast a horrible coldness into my hands, attempting to freeze the very fingertips that I clutched the flask with. Chilling fumes and vapors began to emanate from the solution, threatening to fill my lungs with ice if inhaled.
I rushed toward the recovering demon who held his head in his palm. However, the abhorrent beast noticed me and rebounded to his feet. He opened his toothy maw and a bright glow emanated from within its throat. Seizing my moment, I threw the flask into the mouth of the beast. Bursts of ice and frost jut out from his maw as he recoiled in pain.
The monster clutched at his throat while the culminating ice caused its jaw to freeze in place. Trying to pry his jaw open he grasped the bottom of his mouth and pulled, causing the ice to splinter. He struggled and writhed for a moment before blasting all of the ice away with a blazing fireball that he released from his throat.
The demon shook his head, breaking his jaw free from the remaining clumps of frost. He stared at me with pure malice in his eyes, causing a shiver to run down my spine. He raised his clawed hand in the air and a ball of dark red energy began to form in his palm. I could feel the power in the air as the mass grew larger.
Without even thinking, I reached into my rucksack with one of my hands and pulled out three small vials, each clutched in between my fingers. I shook and threw them toward the demon who was still charging his attack. Each vial acted as a miniature bomb as they exploded upon reaching his skin. Chunks of flesh, pools of blood, and splinters of bone spewed from the demon as he recoiled. Before he fell to the ground, he threw what remained of the energy that was gathered in his palm.
The dark red ball flew toward me with great speed. I couldn't even grab a potion in time as the energy tore through my right arm. It practically ate all of the skin and bone it touched as it made contact. I could feel a large amount of blood leave me as I looked at my new wound. My heart almost stopped beating as I realized I was missing my right arm. All that was left was a profusely bleeding stump of muscle and flesh, I could even see the bone sticking out. I felt my gag reflex kick in.
Keeping calm, I reached into my pack with my left hand to grab a small flask of green liquid. I poured its contents over my wound and a mass of small plants started to grow out of the gory stump. Roots, leaves, branches, vines, all of it grew from where my arm once was. Even though the pain is excruciating, the plants and roots stopped the bleeding. I can deal with the missing appendage later, for now, the Demon King has my full attention.
Looking at the monster, I notice the missing chunks of flesh that once riddled his body began to emanate a large amount of steam. The skin, muscle, and bone started to reform quickly as the demon rose to his feet. Once he was at his full height, it looked as if he was unscathed as all of his wounds regenerated.
"You're one persistent bastard, aren't you?" I called out to the demon, my breaths rugged.
"As are you, human!" A sickening laugh clouded his words. "You must be the strongest of your kind! Never before have I had such a thrilling fight!"
"Flattering," I laughed and clutched my missing arm, feeling the wood and plants that were now lodged inside of it. "But you should at least take me out to dinner first." I tried my hardest to grin.
His only response was a ferocious roar, the shrill sound reverberated through my ears. He stared at me and attempted another charge attack. I reached at the belt on my hip and pulled out a peculiarly small flask. I smashed the glass on my chest and let the liquid soak into my clothes and skin. A glowing barrier soon surrounded me after the solution fully dissipated. I guarded myself with my remaining arm and braced for impact as the demon's horn was about to puncture my flesh.
The beast recoiled after hitting me and bounced backward due to the sheer force of the attack. The resistance potion that took me a full week to perfect worked and my body was still intact. A sense of relief trickled through my bones, which was short-lived. The blow of the demon was immense and shattered the shield, causing the glowing barrier to dissipate. One of his almighty horns, however, cracked and splintered due to the impact. Shards of it flew in every which direction. The beast released another howl as he raised one of his sharp clawed hands to tear me into ribbons.
The potion only worked for one blow; I'm fucked.
As fast as I could, I dove beneath the demon, narrowly missing his furious swipe. But now I am beneath the behemoth, and he raised one of his cloven hooves to crush me. I tried to scurry out from under him, but a dreadful pain stopped me. My leg was crushed by the demon as he slammed his foot down onto it. A terrible cracking sound filled the air as I felt my bones splinter and shatter. He crushed and twisted my leg beneath his weight, causing pain to wriggle up my lower half. I couldn't help but release a shriek of anguish.
"Insolent fool! Your cries fuel my rage!" The horrible beast spoke out, bellowing a laugh while he continued to mangle my leg.
I grabbed another vial at my waste and threw it at the Demon King's face. The concoction exploded into a tremendous blinding light, causing the monster to cover his eyes with his beastly hands. The light was so bright that even I had to look away, lest I become blind. Gathering together my senses, I quickly crawled out from beneath the demon, using my remaining arm to fuel my escape.
Once I was free I grabbed the most refined healing potion that was tied to a rope that rested around my neck. This thing is one of a kind, a rarity in its excellence. The glorious liquid inside churned and swirled with its bright crimson solution. With regret already filling my heart, I steeled myself and smashed the flask into my mangled leg. The shards of glass ripped my clothes and tore my skin. However, those insignificant wounds practically vanished once the liquid seeped into my flesh. My leg began to untwist and repair itself. The contortions were even more painful than when the demon broke it.
After a few moments, my leg finally reformed and I quickly rose to my feet. Looking at the demon, I notice that he is still in a daze as he cradles his head in his hands. The light potion really must have done a number on his eyes. That is only the start of this monster's anguish, it will pay. I had to use one of my finest potions, a perfected piece of work wasted on a mere wound.
With anger fueling my hand, I grabbed three of the last vials on my waist. Each one of the concoctions radiated in otherworldly colors. With these three potions combined, that fuck will be obliterated into the next century with whatever cursed offspring it had. With the vials all resting in my grasp, I shook them for a moment and began to run toward the monster.
The Demon King shook his head free of the daze and looked toward me running at him. He opened his mouth again and prepared another fireball. Not this time. I dodged to the side as soon as the blazing mass left his mouth. My large pack caused my movements to be encumbered, and the blazing fireball grazed my left shoulder as I rolled to the ground, igniting a part of my clothing. My sleeve was nothing but fire for a moment, causing searing pain throughout my left arm. I grit my teeth and persist toward the demon.
Once I was close enough, I stuffed the three vials into my mouth and bit down. The shattered glass cut my lips and serrated the inside of my mouth. The pain was a mere byproduct of the process. As my blood mixed with the liquid from the vials seeping into my throat, I swallowed, glass, blood, potion, and all. A surge of power shortly followed as my veins pumped with otherworldly energy. In a burst, my once missing arm regrew out of its stump back to its former glory. I could see the skin expand and grow as it coated the bone. I felt every muscle I have increase in size and my weary bones harden. This is extremely painful.
I lunged toward the demon, striking his gut with my elbow. The mighty force that hit the beast caused blood to spill out from his stomach. A gaping hole was now blasted within his bowels. The Demon King flew backward and landed quite a distance away. He clumsily got up to one knee and looked toward me.
"What did you do, Human?" The demon snarled as his gaped maw started to spew blood.
"Those vials housed only the greatest physical enhancing potions, and mixing it with my blood only bolstered my power tenfold." I couldn't help but laugh as the power surged through my body. "In other words," I took a deep breath and stared at that beast in his red eyes. "You're dead bozo."
Right after those words left my mouth, I immediately ran toward the hunched demon, not even giving him a brief moment of respite. Once I was in range, I reeled my fist and unleashed a powerful blow directed toward his face. Right as it made contact, half of the monster's head exploded into a gory paste.
The Demon King himself fell backward and clutched his broken face. "AUGH! ARRGHHHHH! AUHHGHAHHHH!" He writhed in anguish while he bellowed in pain. Slowly, the wails of the demon turned into a burst of mocking laughter as he stood up and removed his hand, revealing his wound.
His face emanated columns of steam from the mass of gore that was once half of his head. Bone, flesh, and skin slowly began to reform as the demon continued to laugh. Half of his face regenerated with fierce speed as a wide smile was etched into his mouth.
"That's cheating!"
"HAHAHA! Weak humans like you can not match my power! Not even with all the potions and tricks you have, you can't kill me!" The Demon King mocked.
The time of my physical boost is running out, only a couple more minutes then I'll be out like a light. Thinking of a way to get my ass out of this mess, I notice the demon begin to rush me. The horn that wasn't shattered was brandished and heading right for my chest.
Once the tip of the horn was deathly close to me, I grabbed it and diverted his charge away from me. The beast crashed into the ground as I turned myself around to face his direction. He was lying on the ground with his horn stuck in the stone floor. I took this moment to leap toward the stunned beast. I landed on one of his hooved legs with great force. The impact caused his leg, from the knee down, to explode in a bloody red mist. A howl of pain was all the Demon King could conjure in response.
An idea finally emerged as I thought of something. I hastily grabbed an empty flask from my pack and a couple of red herbs from one of its many pockets. I stuffed the red herb into the empty flask and grabbed a vial from my pack. Pouring the contents of the vial into the flask, I swirled it around for a bit before the herb in the flask dissolved. The result was a nice crimson color.
Walking toward the demon, I noticed steam began to rise from his leg. It was regenerating fast, best be quick. Once I got to his head, I crouched down and opened his maw with my hand. His large-toothed mouth was limp due to his dazed state. I swished the red concoction in front of the demon as I looked into his eyes.
"See what I got here?" I laughed as I began to explain. "This is an undistilled healing potion." After I said that I threw the flask into the gaping mouth of the beast and let it slam shut.
"What?! You heal me? Have all those chemicals begun to rot your brain?" The Demon King's breath was rugged and the words rasped out of his throat.
"Not quite." I stifled a laugh as I stood up from my crouched position. "The reason we distill potions is to avoid uncontrolled side effects. You see, healing potions boost cell growth, and if the potion isn't-" I couldn't even finish my monologue before the demon's flesh began to expand and contort. His skin erupted in droves of lumps and tumors. His arms twisted and bloated under the effect of the potion. He was soon a large mangled and malformed heap of flesh, until, pop.
Blood spewed in a climactic explosion of gore as the Demon King burst. Intestines, a liver, and what I think was his heart were flung out of what was once his body. I stood and watched myself get drenched in the demon's blood. It was a tsunami of pure red as I was washed from head to toe. The stench was a horrible coppery fume.
Right after the bloody explosion, the effects of my physical enhancement potion dissipated and left me powerless. I fell to my hands and knees, exhausted. The weight of my heavy rucksack, full of potions, flasks, vials, and other alchemy ingredients, offered no respite as I collapsed to the ground. Victory.
I opened my eyes to be met by that ceiling. That dreadfully, horribly, boring ceiling. Every day felt the same. Get up, brew potions, sleep. Best get started early today. Stretching off the sleep, I looked toward my window. The sun started to peak over the horizon, an early morning indeed.
Stumbling out of my bed, I couldn't help but groan and stretch again. The remnants of sleep tugged me back to bed as I rubbed my eyes. I groggily hobbled towards the door to my room. Opening it with a slow squeak I entered my hallway. I shuffled toward the stairwell and began to descend.
It has been four years since I killed the Demon King. Yeah, the country has found a new age of peace and prosperity, but it's so boring. I kind of miss the old days when I almost died every waking hour of my life. Killing hoards of monsters while engaging in monumental fights was pretty fun. Now I just run this little shop, selling potions. I mean I am a master at brewing, but it sure gets boring after a while.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I am in the back of my shop. Shelves full of flasks and vials lined the walls. Cupboards of chemicals and ingredients were also abundant in the cramped space. I rummaged through one of the cupboards, pulling out a mix of herbs and a vile of blue liquid. I put the herbs inside the vial and shook it for a bit. Once they were fully dissolved, I popped off the cork and drank the solution. The drink invigorated my very soul. I can feel the weariness evaporate. This is one of my most sold products, pure energy in a bottle. It's kind of sour.
Opening the door to the main shop itself, I am greeted with the always familiar surroundings. A quaint little place, lined with a variety of potions and other miscellaneous concoctions. The dim morning light shone into the building through the windows as I opened the curtains. I head to one of the shelves to look at the inventory and see if anything needs to be restocked before opening.
"Master Lawrence!" A familiar voice found its way into my ears. "What are you doing up so early?"
I turn around to see that familiar face. Amelia, a little rodent beast folk, greeted me with a kind wave. Her grey fur glistened in the dim light of the shop. Her apron was already covered in dust and splatters of liquid. She is a pretty good employee, always does her work on time, and is a master at sales. Could be a little clumsy though. Her whiskers twitched as she cocked her head while looking at me. Her pink tail flailed about behind her.
"I can ask you the same thing, the shop doesn't open till a few hours," I replied. "I'm not paying you extra you know."
Amelia giggled in response. "I know that, I just wanted to come in early, too, uhm, you know..." She was going on until her words became a faint mumble. She awkwardly rubbed her hands together. "To... check on the inventory?"
I stared at her for a bit, I could feel my eyebrow raise in suspicion. "Sure," I relaxed my gaze as I noticed the poor girl turn red with embarrassment. "Could you check that shelf for me?" I pointed toward the shelf I was just about to look at. "I'll go and take a peek at the healing potions we have in stock."
Amelia, with her big round floppy rat ears, shook her head and rushed toward the shelf. I went toward the healing potion section and examined the shelf. Everything seems to be good. All of the crimson red healing potions are aligned by order of price, each one glistening in the light of the shop.
The loud sound of shattering glass filled the room. I feel myself instinctively wince and snap my head backward. Amelia stood there above a broken flask, the liquid inside was spilled all over the ground with shards of glass everywhere.
"I'm so sorry! It was an accident and I-" Amelia started but promptly stopped as the liquid on the ground started to bubble and make a horrible screeching noise.
The solution let off a minor explosion, resulting in a blinding mass of flashing lights in the small store. I quickly shielded my eyes from the light and kept them covered until it died down. Looking back at the scene, I see that Amelia did not do the same, she was stumbling around with her eyes closed.
"Lawrence! I think I'm blind!" she yelled in a panic.
"You're fine, it's just a light potion," I said while walking to the flailing and panicking girl. "Here, let me just-"
She staggered backward into another shelf of potions, sending it toppling and flasks crashing to the ground. The potions, mainly simple enhancement concoctions, weren't too challenging to replace, at least with my skill, so it wasn't too much of a loss. However, my attention was drawn to a potion on a nearby shelf that teetered precariously due to the impact of the fallen shelf.
I lunged toward the bottle as it began to fall, trying my damnedest to save the thing. One of my finest pieces of work and I won't be caught dead if I see it shatter on the ground. I dove to the cold wooden floor of the store, slamming to the ground on my stomach. I managed to catch the flask in my palms as it landed gently within my grasp. Its contents swirled with a delightful glow, signifying my success.
However, I feel another bottle fall onto me from the nearby shaking shelf. Right as it made contact, it shattered and doused me in a liquid, which promptly burst into flames. The heat was searing as I tried hard not to writhe and drop the potion already in my hands. The fire spread across my body, entirely engulfing me in burning pain.
"AMELIA! HEALING POTION! NOW!" I screamed as the flames ate away at my skin.
Amelia ran toward the shelf chock-full of bright red healing concoctions and grabbed one. She shook the flask in her hand and swirled it about before throwing it at me. The glass shattered as soon as it landed on me and dowsed me in its contents.
The searing pain began to fade as the flames died. The healing ran its course and I rose to my feet, the precious potion still in my palms. I looked toward Amelia, trying my best to hide my sheer disappointment.
"Master Lawrence, are you okay?" She looked at me with a wide-eyed shocked face. "The fire, and the potion, and the... the..." She started to ramble on again, almost breaking down into tears as she looked at me with those big red eyes. "I'm sorry!" She started to cry, tears dribbling out of her eyes.
I couldn't help but sigh. "Amelia, it's okay, accidents happen." I delicately placed the potion on a nearby shelf and then proceeded to pat myself off of any embers, dust, or ash that covered me. A wry smile took over my lip as I looked back toward Amelia. "Back in my adventuring days, my arm would get cut off, at least, twice a week. I'm used to worse."
Amelia, trying to stop her crying, sniffled and wiped at her snout with her sleeve. "T-twice a week, how d-did you survive?" Her large teary eyes bore into me.
"I may have gotten soft due to years of complacency, but I was once called the Potion Master way back when." That stupid name found its way back into my head. "I hate that stupid little name." I scoffed. "It's pretty lame."
Amelia, however, found some delight in it as her crying was replaced with a light sobbing giggle. "That does sound pretty dumb." She wiped the remaining tears from her face.
"Okay enough goofing around, let's clean up this mess and open up shop, yeah?"
That was probably the most eventful thing that would happen today.
Today was as boring as usual. Customers came in and went out, purchasing a variety of concoctions and vials. It's so incredibly monotonous. I couldn't help but lean against the front counter, my head propped by one arm, my eyes half-lidded, watching the patrons as they came and went.
Amelia was efficient as ever, conversed with the customers, checked stock, and maintained the order of the shelves. Good employee she is, despite the whole mess this morning. She made up for her shortcomings in efficiency so I'll cut her some slack.
Looking at one of the windows that lined the shop, I can see the bustling streets moving with life. Beast folk, humans, kobolds, and every race seemed to just move about on a whim. Carriages took patrons from one destination to the other. Guards patrolled the street, keeping a keen eye for any rogue thieves. Merchants at the side of the road tried to peddle their goods to any passersby. The kingdom seemed to be as prosperous as ever.
The hustle and bustle of the street became a distant hum as I looked back toward my shop. My small little shop. The golden rays of the midday sun cast a warm glow into the interior. My inventory glistened in the light, shining and shimmering with my alchemical handiwork. Customers peered at the selection and shopped as they pleased.
Yeah, the money is nice, but the life is dull. This whole era of peace and prosperity was because of how I killed that stupid demon. I can't deny the irony in it though. The very victory that brought peace to the realm now left the great hero yearning for excitement. The once-thrilling life of an adventurer now reduced to mundane shopkeeping. The most thrilling thing in my life now is cleaning dust off of shelves.
I shook my head and sighed. Perhaps I'm just ungrateful or something. Peace is good, right? Everyone is having a blast, why does it matter that I don't feel the same? What if I'm the real problem?
"Don't look so depressed, you'll scare away all the customers," Amelia said with a giggle while tapping the wooden counter.
I broke up my brooding and looked towards the cheery rat. She held a long list that was filled with names and prices. She put it flat on the counter and turned it towards me.
"These are all of the orders we got," she said while pointing at the names on the paper. "I labeled the dates and prices due for each one," Amelia entered her zone while explaining her work. Any trace of the clumsy shy rat before was replaced with this determined fervor to get her job done.
"I appreciate it." I took up the sheet of paper and looked it up and down. The list of names was long, very long. I guess this is good business, with everyone purchasing my product and whatnot, but it can't get any more boring than this.
"Also," she said while reaching for her pocket. "I made a list identifying each ingredient we need for the new batch of potions."
I tried my hardest to hold back a sigh but failed. "Alright, let me see it."
Amelia handed me the paper and I took it. My eyes glazed across the list, looking it up and down.
"We need at least two dozen vials of magma dust for those fire-warding potions, those are quite popular now," Amelia explained while I continued to read the list. "And we need more light potions."
"Mhm," was my only response as I put the list down on the counter.
"Should I go to the guild to see what they have in stock?"
"Yeah, yeah." I reply "Sounds good, get that done by the end of tomorrow, but for now, keep an eye on the customers." I pointed toward a woman behind Amelia. She seemed to be confused about one of the potions she was holding. "Deal with her and let me get started on those light potions."
Amelia nodded and went to talk with the woman.
I stuffed the two lists of paper under the counter and lit up one of the nearby brewing stands. I retrieved an empty flask from a nearby cupboard and a jar full of radiant dust. I started making the potions. The process was practically engrained in my head with the amount of experience I had. That's probably true with every single potion I sell, just repetitive brewing.
I absentmindedly stirred a vial on the counter, making sure the ingredients blended properly. I can feel the hours practically leave me as the work day continues. Monotony runs its course. I placed each completed potion into a crate and stacked each one on the other until there was a pile of wooden boxes next to the counter. The light potions are now done.
Before I even knew it, I looked outside to see the sky turn orange as the sun began to set. Another day coming to a close.
There were a few customers still poking around the shop, buying anything at the last minute they could. Amelia still did her duties and tasks throughout the day. I began to wipe the counter clean and prepare the shop for closing.
I heard the door to the store open again, like always, but this time a familiar voice spoke out.
"Well, well if it isn't Potion Master himself."
I snapped my head towards the source of the noise, subconsciously wincing at the name. Accompanying the familiar voice was a familiar face. A tall fox barged into the store. Her orange fur glistened in the setting sun as she looked toward me with her brown eyes. The white-tipped bushy tail followed her inside of the shop as the door closed behind her.
"Well, well, if it isn't the noble fox. Coming to grace my humble abode with your presence?" I couldn't help but smile as she entered.
"Your humble abode reeks of," she stopped talking and started to sniff the air. "I don't know what that smell is anymore."
"That's the scent of genius at work." I cracked another smile, chuckling as she approached the counter. "So, what brings you here, Felicity?"
"Just checking on my favorite potion peddler," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, you got me," she chuckled, scratching the back of her head. "The royal guard needs an influx of healing potions." Her tone shifted to a more formal one. "We require ten crates, and we need them as soon as you can manage."
"Why so many?" I inquired, pulling out the long list of customer orders that Amelia had handed me. I slid the paper toward Felicity, along with a quill dipped in ink. "Just jot down your name here, along with the order details."
She took the quill, scribbling on the paper. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure," she confessed, finishing up and returning the quill to the inkwell. "There's suddenly a surge in the demand for healing potions among the ranks of the royal guard," she explained, looking back up at me. "And, well, you're the best alchemist around."
I nodded while my ego was stroked.
"Speaking of alchemy, how's the thrilling life of counting inventory."
"Riveting," I begin to go back to cleaning the counter. "How's the royal guard been treating you? Beats slaying demons and saving the world, right?"
"Eh," she tilted her head while looking directly at me, with a familiar sly smile etched into her snout, revealing her white ivories. "Pays well."
Felicity's gaze drifted towards the shop windows, and I found myself staring at her. It had been ages since we crossed paths, yet there she was—unchanged, her vibrant orange fur and those unmistakable, bushy ears. I couldn't help but smile. Her whiskers twitched as she caught a whiff of the air, a familiar gesture that sent me down memory lane.
Nostalgia washed over me, evoking vivid recollections of our adventuring days. I'd mend the party's wounds with a healing potion after every skirmish, and Felicity, with her knack for getting us out of tight spots, would promptly scold us for getting into trouble in the first place. The camaraderie we shared, the post-battle celebrations at the local tavern—it was pretty fun.
But those were different times, times when the looming threat of the Demon King gave our adventures purpose. With his demise, peace and prosperity took center stage, leaving behind the echoes of our thrilling exploits. I'm just stuck with the memories of the good old times, back when things were simpler and more exciting.
I could feel the smile on my face begin to fade as nostalgia kicked in.
"Woah, woah, who died?" Felicity looked back toward me and gave me a playful tap on the shoulder. "You look like you're about to cry, Lawrence. What's eating at you?"
I looked back toward that fox, that familiar fox. A sly grin ate away at her mouth while her eyes shone in the light of the shop. I couldn't help but smile while looking at her.
"Don't worry about it, just thinking," I replied, trying to remove the somber tone.
"About?"
I sigh and slightly look away from Felicity. "About the good old days. Miss the chaos, you know."
"Heh, it was a blast, wasn't it?" Felicity turned around, leaning on the counter with her elbows. "But we did our duty and saved the country. No more adventuring left to do."
"Yeah, I guess." I look toward Felicity, who is slightly looking back at me with her brown eyes. "You ever hear from Djura or Evelyn? How are they holding up?"
Felicity looked back forward toward the interior of the shop. "Don't know much about Djura, haven't heard from him after we disbanded. But Evelyn, besides being the town drunk, found a job as a professor in that big-wig wizarding school."
"Really? I've never seen her as the academic type." I continued to scrub away at the counter. "Pretty good mage though,"
Felicity chuckled a little bit before clearing her throat. "Yeah,"
There was a silence between us for a bit. I continued to clean the counter and Felicity just stared off into the distance. The rest of the patrons seemed to flow out of the store as they finished their shopping. The sun still cast orange rays of light throughout the shop as the day came to a close. But this day was different, albeit slightly. Felicity made a rare appearance, I won't let this opportunity go to waste.
The ambiance settled, and I decided to break the silence. "How about you and me go to a bar, you know, like we all used to."
Her fluffy ears perked up and swiveled in my direction, her face alight with excitement. "You know what, that's not a bad idea!" But the enthusiasm quickly faded, and her expression drooped. "I forgot I got guard duty until midnight." She slowly lifted her head, looking at me with pleading brown eyes that shimmered in the fading orange light. "How about later tonight, yeah? Could that work?"
I simply nodded toward her, trying to mask my own excitement. "Sure, sounds like a plan. It's a date then?"
Felicity leaned in close, her warm breath tickling my ear, and her cold nose pressed against my cheek. She swiftly licked the side of my face and giggled. "Oh, it's a date, Lawrence. I'd love that."
Returning to her upright stance, she fixed her gaze on me. She straightened, brushing off her rugged guard uniform. "About time I get back to work," she said, heading towards the shop door. A subtle, yet peppy, trot marked her exit. Upon opening the door, she threw a glance over her shoulder. "See you tonight, Potion Master." The door closed behind her.
I found myself just staring at the closed door, looking at Felicity disappear into the crowded streets through the glass pane. Maybe today wouldn't be so boring after all. I felt a slight tap on my shoulder, breaking my gawking.
"Who was that?" Amelia asked. I could hear the anger in her voice.
I looked toward the small rat, her face was practically beat-red while she stared at me. I stopped slouching and straightened my back. "Who? That?" I pointed toward the door.
"Yes! That!"
"That was just Felicity, a good friend."
"Just a friend? Might I ask why you two were kissing?"
"Kissing?!" I couldn't help but scoff at the remark. "That, my dear employee, wasn't even a smooch."
Amelia looked to teeter on the edge of bursting out into tears as her nostrils flared. She seemed furious. "I can't let you be seduced by a vixen, Master Lawrence."
"Heh, that would be hard for her,"
"And why is that?"
"Well, she used to be our old party's paladin. She's too pure for any seduction," I sighed while thinking back to her. "She's a little overbearing though, " I paused for a little while to think about the past. "Just a little."
There was an audible "Hmph." as Amelia's rage seemed to be quelled by that response.
Looking back toward the store, I noticed that there were no more customers, and our inventory seemed to have almost been wiped out clean. "About time to close up shop, yeah?"
Amelia, her anger seemingly sated, simply nodded in reply. She walked over to the windows of the shop and began to lower the curtains to conceal the inside. After that, she began to walk toward the shelves of the store and began to clean.
I might as well do the same so I can hurry up and close up. I've got a big night tonight, can't go while the store is still a mess.
I begin by finishing the cleaning of the counter. I head over to one of the many shelves of the shop and begin to arrange what was left of the potions back in their original order. Customers love moving things and then putting them back in the wrong spots. At least there weren't any thieves. Actually, that might have been entertaining.
Amelia's voice interrupted the quiet rhythm of cleaning. "Hey, Master Lawrence, can I say something?"
"Amelia, you're already saying something," I replied, not looking up from my cleaning.
"Well, uhm, what do you see in that fox?"
"Still on about that?" I audibly sighed and began to dust the shelves. "Amelia, I told you that she is an old party member."
"Yeah, but what do you see in her." Amelia pressed.
I chuckled a little bit and rubbed my forehead. "She has unmatched skill with the blade. That's what I see in her."
"Well, you know," Amelia started, her cheeks were flushed red. "I'm pretty skilled."
"Yeah?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I'm serious!" she pouted. "You've taught me a whole bunch about alchemy, and I've been practicing!"
I couldn't help but smile at her earnestness. "Come back when you can brew me a potion of Revive Dead, then we'll talk"
Surprisingly, there was no retort or comment to my remark. I looked at Amelia, who stared at me. Etched into her face was pure determination. She resumed her cleaning with an increased fervor that I had never seen before. I may come to regret what I have said.
The hours flew past as we cleaned the shop, the rays of the sun outside, once bright and orange, were replaced by the mere glow of the moon. The store was almost ready for another night of stillness, where the only sounds would be the occasional creaking of the wooden floorboards beneath our feet and the distant hum of the city settling into its nightly rhythm.
"I'll be off, Master Lawrence!" Amelia spoke out while removing her apron and putting on a coat from the nearby rack.
"Till tomorrow, Amelia." I waved her off as she exited the shop.
The small shop was bathed in silence once again.
Alone again, but not for long. It's time to meet up with Felicity; her guard duty must have wrapped up by now. No doubt, she's waiting for me at that familiar, crummy old bar—the one we all used to go to after cashing in a quest to the guild. The booze there was total garbage, yet, it always seemed to lift all of our spirits.
I walk into the back storeroom of the shop. The flasks and vials shone with as much brilliance as ever. as they lined the shelves and cupboards. Though, I am not here for them, not tonight. I need to prepare myself.
I took off my dirty apron, sullied with dust and several stains of an assortment of liquids. I slung it on a nearby shelf as I won't be needing it where I'm going. Looking around the backroom, I found my old adventuring coat. It was all rumpled and stuffed in the corner of the room. This thing has seen better days for sure.
In this moment, the routine of the day is shed along with the apron. The coat, weathered and worn, carries its own history—the stains of potions gone awry, the dust of countless roads traveled, and, I think, blood? One of the sleeves was still burnt and charred black. I slung the old thing across my back and stuffed my arms into the sleeves. The feeling of the coat was familiar, reminding me of days past.
Scanning the room once more, my eyes settle on the large rucksack stuffed in the adjacent corner. That thing was my lifeline in battles, always boasting enough space to cram an overwhelming assortment of potions and ingredients. Incredibly reliable, albeit a tad encumbering.
With my coat on, I leave the storeroom and head toward the front door. Emerging from the shop, the chill of the night bites at my face, nothing I'm not used to though. I fumble around in my pocket and pull out a silver key, locking the door to the shop.
The cobbled street of the city awaits me now as I begin towards the bar. It is quite rare that I leave the shop for any reason but potion ingredients. Looking around the moonlight streets of the city, people come and go as they please. Even if the sun sets, the city remains active. Taverns, inns, and brothels pulse with life as I navigate the familiar path, spurred on by faint memories of our former escapades.
Soon enough, I see the old crooked sign of that old tavern. "The Hog's Mead" was barely tangible as the old wood was etched with scratches that threatened the words of the sign. In front of the old bar was Felicity. The tall fox stood straight, she looked around from left to right, seemingly on sentry duty. She wasn't in her usual guard attire and now sported an old rugged coat, much like the one of my own.
I waved down the fox until she noticed me. Even from all the way over here, I saw her brown eyes shine with excitement. She returned the gesture and began to swiftly scamper toward me.
Once she was within an appropriate distance, I called out. "Hey! Felicity!"
"Lawrence!" she replied.
We got a few paces closer and then stopped. I reached out for a small hug. Felicity wrapped her furred arms around me with a gentle embrace. The moment lasted not even for a few seconds before we retracted.
"Glad you made it," I say, looking her in the eyes.
She chuckled while resting her hands at her sides. "I see you still wear that old coat." She looked me up and down with a sly grin on her face. "Seems like you're missing that oversized backpack and then were ready for a good time adventuring."
"Yeah, and you're missing that bulky armor," I replied with a laugh.
"Why would I need armor if I'm with you? Oh, great demon slayer." She giggled before starting towards the bar.
I quickly followed behind her, eager to have a good time. We make it to the old warped wooden door of the place. The glass window it had was cracked and shattered in places, just like I remember. The harsh smell of old alcohol and drunkards wafted from the other side of the door, nostalgic.
Felicity took the lead, graciously opening the door as I quickly shuffled in behind her. The interior unfolded before us, teeming with patrons of all kinds. Humans and beast folk mingled seamlessly, their distinctions blurred by the shared camaraderie. The clinking of glasses and the rich aroma of mead and alcohol formed a universal language.
We both walked up to the front bar where two empty seats remained. The old stools creaked and groaned as we both sat. We sat side by side and looked at each other. To our other side was a ruckus of drunk patrons who didn't have a care in the world but the drink in their mugs. Yet, their uproar seemed distant and inconsequential; in this moment, it was as if we were the only people in the room.
"What ya want?" A large boar-headed beastman spoke to us, breaking up our focus.
"Your finest mug of beer," I replied with a grin, adding a playful "pretty please." I dove into my pocket and threw a couple of gold coins on the wooden counter.
"An' what'll the pretty lady have?" He replied while turning his gaze to Felicity.
She looked at the bartender with annoyance and a hint of disdain. "I'll have a beer as well."
The pig nodded and walked to the side of the bar.
"This place hasn't changed one bit," Felicity remarked.
"Yeah, kinda weird," I concurred. "Seems like time just froze here."
"We changed a lot though," Felicity added, a note of somberness tinging her tone.
Our conversation was momentarily interrupted by the solid thud of two wooden mugs meeting the worn surface of the bar. The bartender, uninterested in pleasantries, didn't spare us a glance as he continued his routine, moving on to attend to another patron.
"Bottoms up," Felicity said while putting the mug to her opened mouth and started to down the drink.
I simply replied by doing the same.
The beer itself was terrible, hard as it went down my throat. But the taste of nostalgia made me go for another swig. As the lukewarm liquid traveled its familiar path, I could almost hear the echoes of laughter from years past, mingling with the less-than-appetizing notes of the beverage.
Felicity, undeterred by the lackluster quality, continued to down it. Once we both finished we slammed the mugs on the counter. We both raised our mugs as a signal for the bartender to come over, refilling the mugs to the brim. The foaming beverage frothed as it sloshed around. We both downed more of the drinks and repeated the process.
In the dimly lit tavern, the atmosphere seemed to warp, blurring the present with fragments of our adventuring days. The worn-out furniture, the stained walls, and the boisterous patrons—all fade into the backdrop of distant memories. It was as if the air itself carried whispers of the past, inviting us to linger in the nostalgia, bittersweet and irresistible.
We continued downing drink after drink, hours seemingly slipping through our fingers as we laughed together at the bar. We kept clinking our mugs together, every drink a larger step into the past.
I looked at Felicity, her form now blurred in my vision. She chugged every last ounce of her drink and called for another.
"You... *hic* You remember when we fought that dragon?" I asked, my head was still spinning from the beer.
Felicity struggled to respond. "W-Wha-What about it?" She stuttered as she swayed back and forth, beer dripping from her snout.
"Didn't you like, cut off its head or something? That was so *hic* so cool."
She stared at me for a little bit before going into a fit of laughter. She slapped my back repeatedly. “Y-yeah! I 'member that! Didn't y-you like *hic* freak out because you got its scale o-or somethin'?"
Her laughter was nauseating and contagious as I began to laugh as well. My stomach churned as the alcohol within wobbled from my movements. I could feel it rise to my throat as I audibly gagged.
“Hey!" The bartender barked at us. "You two lovebirds go home. Bar's closin'." He snapped his fingers in my face.
I tried to focus on him, but my gaze was only met by a horribly blurry figure. I could somewhat make out the figures of his swine head, but it was just a mess to look at.
Looking back at the rest of the bar, no more patrons seemed to be present.
“Where's everyone at?" I asked while stumbling to my feet from the stool. The hours of sitting and drinking made my legs numb.
“I said get out!" The boar started to push me and Felicity to the front door.
Realizing what he was saying, I tried my best to nod without making my dizziness any worse. I took Felicity by the hand and started to stumble towards the blurry exit.
She seemed to understand what I was trying to do and walked with me to the door. Once we exited the bar, we were greeted by the cold empty streets of the dark city. Trying to walk any further, my nausea got the better of me and I started to stumble to the ground.
"HAHA! You always couldn't handle your drink!" Felicity taunted me as she slurred her words.
"S-shut up and help me out here!" I pleaded.
Felicity, laughing the whole, grabbed my hand and hoisted me up. She wrapped my arm around herself to support me. Being this close to her, I could really smell the beer seeping from her mouth. But, her warmth more than made up for it.
I couldn't help but nuzzle into her warm neck. “You're *hic* so warm."
Felicity was now a giggling mess as she wriggled around due to my prodding. “C-cut it out! That tickles."
I kept my face stuffed within her fluffy orange fur. The warmth was addictive, especially on a cold night like this. I tried to speak up out of the mass of fluff. But the only things that came out of my mouth were slurred mumbles.
"What?" Felicity said while practically yelling in my ear.
I raised my head from her neck and restated what I said. “Y-you're place or mine?" After the words left my mouth, I planted my face back in the fur.
She started walking and simply said “Mine."
I only followed her slow stumbles with my own wobbly steps. I couldn't focus on anything as I was completely enraptured by her fur. Each bristle was silky to the touch and smelled of hazelnuts. My face felt like it was experiencing a nice summer day as the warmth radiated out from her tuft. I must have died and gone to heaven, nothing in this realm could be so perfect.
We continued our drunken gait, each step a challenge as we tumbled and swayed back and forth. Felicity was practically dragging me along as I hung on her shoulder. My head offered no reprieve as each section of my brain was pained with aches.
"God my head hurts," Felicity spoke out.
I couldn't offer a reply in coherent sentences, I just simply mumbled in agreement into her fur.
"D-don't you have a potion for this?"
I raised my head and tried to focus on her. She was still a blurry mess, even as close as she was to my face. "Ye-" was my only response, I dove my head back into the sea of comfort.
She offered a little laugh, that teetered on the edge of being confusion and pure happiness. "You know, Lawrence, I always loved you." She paused for a moment. "But not in a soft stupid way, ya know, in a cool warrior way." she sputtered out.
All I could do was groan in response.
We continued walking in silence after that, our steps still inebriated. We wobbled through the alleys of the dark city until I felt Felicity stop moving.
"Okay, here we are, big guy." she abruptly said.
I looked up and saw the large cobbled building. Well, as much as I could, everything was still so blurry.
"Already?" I pouted. "I wanted to use your fur for a little longer."
"Oh," Felicity giggled, her laughter echoing. "You'll be doing more than that."
I felt my cheeks flush red after hearing that. My heart pounded with anticipation. My head raced, trying to decipher what she meant with those words. Mustering up every last ounce of strength I had, I quickly removed my head from her fur and propped myself up with my own two legs. I tried my hardest to stay upright as we both walked into the building.
Upon reaching the door, Felicity fumbled inside of her pocket for a moment before pulling out a key. She fiddled with the lock for a moment before the door came to a creaky opening. We both stumbled inside, almost knocking each other over after entering the building. The interior was extremely dark, with no light inside I could not see two inches in front of me. Not that it mattered with how plastered I was.
"This way~" I heard her say as she grabbed my hand. Her words held a bit of mischief within them.
She tugged me along through her home and into one of her rooms. Upon entering it, she let go of my hand and lit up a nearby lantern. The low light hurt my eyes, I tried my best to shield them as the brightness made my head ache all the more.
In the dim glow, I witnessed Felicity removing her coat, laughing drunkenly as she continued. More than just buttons came undone as she discarded her undershirt, leaving her completely topless. Her breasts, large and furry, were the first thing that met my gaze. Their white coloration was a distinct contrast against her orange fur. I could see soft pink nubs emerging from the white fur, indicating that her nipples were erect. Finally, my inebriated brain connected the dots and understood the implications of what she said earlier.
Feeling awkward with my shirt still on, I attempted to take it off. My drunken movements, however, made such a simple task impossible. I got about halfway until my head was stuck within the coat. To make matters worse, I could feel my legs giving way as I began to wobble. Before I even knew it, I felt myself fall and my face plant into the floor. The stuck coat did little to cushion the impact, and I felt not just the pain of my headache but also the newfound wound on my forehead.
I could hear Felicity burst out in laughter as she poked me. "You okay down there?"
"Probably," I grunted in response.
Surprisingly, the wooden floor felt oddly comfortable as my face remained planted. So comfortable, in fact, that I sensed myself drifting towards sleep. My limbs grew weary and my body refused to move.
"You're going to sleep already?" Felicity nudged me, much to my discomfort. "We didn't even get to have any fun," she moped.
"I'm just going to take a quick nap, wake me up in five." I lied.
My consciousness waned and my eyes closed, finally allowing myself to drift off.