8 Root Encounters

The messy haired Sage already left the grounds, His father Aries told him to come back tomorrow to continue his basic training. He visited the local alchemist where his initial plans of going before getting taught a harsh lesson by his father. He saw the cabin after asking around the village, Sage knock at the rustic wooden door.

"Coming!"

The door opened up a little kid opened wearing an oversized shirt, they stared for a short while till the kid realised the guest of his house and immediately closed the door on Sage's face.

"Who was it?"

"No one, I don't know him, he's the weird boy"

Three muffled contradicting answers were leaking through the door in succession.

"Finish this I'll go talk to him"

The door opened once again, now with a handsome man that looks relatively young with a short neat hair.

"What can I help you with young man? Oh, are you by chance Sage?"

"Yes that's me, I came here to thank someone for helping me out the other day, but I don't think he's willing to see me"

"Oh nonsense come inside, have a seat"

There was a set of tables and seats beside a divider, behind the divider smokes are rising up outside into an open ceiling.

"Charlotte can you kindly make us something to drink? My name is Carmond"

Behind the divider series of rumbling, bubbling and stomping were heard

"Hehehe don't mind her. So what did you want to say earlier again?"

"I want to thank your sis-"

At that moment Sage remembered his mom told him that there are two males in this house. Beyond the divider, a metal object fell.

"Sorry about that!"

"Can you repeat what you said again?"

"Oh I want to thank you- mister, for saving me back then, without your vials the parasitic butterflies would have killed me"

A tray of warm drink slammed in the middle of them, Charlotte looked at Sage in disdain.

"Actually It was Charlotte that helped you, all the concoction was made by her. Charlotte sit here and talk to him I'll return to my brewing"

The two awkwardly sat down on their chairs, Sage enjoying his drink in silence while Charlotte drinks awkwardly.

"I guess I have to thank you for your help back then"

Charlotte was startled from the ice breaker sending shivers up his spine, Charlotte's face was starting to get flushed from the situation. He's still embarrassed from the what happened back in the forest.

"It's not like I wanted to help you or anything! They were orders from the chief"

"Charlotte! Can you get me some Mandara roots? We're all out"

His brother called from behind the divider.

"You can take Sage with you, you can continue your conversation while you're at it"

The man winks sending Charlotte's flushed face into glowing red from embarrassment Charlotte awkwardly sprinted at the door. Sage was still unaware of what was happening and simply looked at them with an uncaring neutral face. He calmly followed Charlotte outside, Charlotte took the woven basket that was hanging from the porch.

"You've been acting odd is anything alright?"

"Yes I'm fine you can go home now, you don't have to do what my brother told you"

"No, I'm curious about what you two do I wanna know what alchemy is"

If I answer your question would you leave me and go home?"

Sage simple nodded. They talked as they prance deep into the forest.

"Alright then, alchemy is the pursuit of recreating the heart of Midel every alchemist's goal was the unification of everything the soils, the fluids, and the cosmos under a flame while the smoke being flown by the wind"

'His definition of alchemy sounds like he's repeating a script maybe it was the mentor's words'

They'd already walked a substantial amount until they've reached a place where most likely the Mandara root grows. Charlotte was searching around for it, then he spotted a bush a dead leafless red branchy wood.

"Is that what you're looking for?"

Charlotte's heart jumped out of her rib cage.

"Woah why are you still here? You told me you'd go back if I answered your question."

"Correct"

"Then why are you still here?"

"Cause that was not your definition of alchemy it was probably your mentor's words. That you were mimicing"

"Does it really matter? It is what it is"

"I get it. You don't want to pursue alchemy"

"How can you say that?, you don't know m-"

Charlotte stopped abruptly Sage's finger was stopping Charlotte's mouth from further speaking. Charlotte again confused as to what Sage was doing. Sage then slowly with the same finger put it on his lips.

"Shhh"

Charlotte's childish mind thouht aout this situation differently, Sage never in his mind contemplated what his actions meant to a kids perspective. Sage's action what Charlotte thinks are bold he just simply submitted himself in shyness.

"I heard something. Get the thing quickly before we find out what it is come on"

Charlotte still confused panicked and collected the Mandara root. Sage learned the past couple of days were that the forest was dangerous, so they took a handful of Mandara roots and hid themselves from the oncoming threat. Their face close to each other behind the trees, breathing felt among themselves. Then a small marsupial like animal came out of the bushes it was only there to eat some of the Mandara roots. The tension quickly released from their bodies as they were in the clear of danger.

"I thought a wild beast would come out again. Sorry"

Sage reached out his hands to pull Charlotte up, he's reluctant to take his hand but Sage grabbed it anyway and pulled him up. Sage observed the animal, it was evident that animals from his world are present here, what got his attention more is the weird plants that they picked.

"What are Mandara roots anyway?"

"They're plants used for a lot of things but mainly it's for mana recovery my brother is really good at making them"

"Brother? Mana recovery? mana?"

"Yes my brother Carmond anyway mana is the energy beyond the ether the air is abundant of them and this plant absorbs nutrients from the air and sometimes that nutrients are mixed with mana"

'Here he goes again mouthing someone else's words'

"So you are telling me we have mana in our bodies?"

"Yes just like this plant we absorb some of the mana around us in the air into our bodies"

"How can two existing en-"

"KAAAAAAA!"

Multiple high screeches came from the heavens Sage knew exactly what it was, they were Shelled Ospreys flying above them. One of them landed to the Mandara root field and it was attracted by the marsupial-like animal. It immediately pounced at the animal with it's claws it abducted the helpless animal into the skies. The Shelled Ospreys are a common flock of birds the size of an eagle their feathers were light, thin and hard like a shell hence the name, making them a force to be reckoned with in the skies. Sage and Charlotte back again in the same position ever so closer to each other, Sage was worried about the situation while Charlotte's too occupied with Sage being too close.