The Alchemist

"Master wake up!", a girl's voice sounded out loud. Ace laid there slowly opening his eyes, his mind still remembering his past. Sitting up, he looked around to realise he was back at the Inn and not being taken away.

The sunlight shone through the slits of the window curtains. At the side of his bed, Audaxia was staring at him, her eyes watery with a tray of food laying on the blankets beside his waist.

"You alright?", Audaxia spoke looking worried. She lightly put her hand on his forehead before slowly taking it back. "You don't seem to have a fever", she gave a confused look while taking a glass of water and giving it to Ace. "I'm alright", he replied while taking the glass from her hand.

"Who's Ryze?", she suddenly asked while he was drinking. *Spfffrrt! Cough! Cough!* water spurted as he choked, his face surprised. "How did you know?", he asked. "Well, you kept saying his name as you tossed and turn in your sleep. So I figured he must be someone you care deeply", Audaxia explained as her eyes looked up in thought.

"He was my first companion since my parents died. He was with me throughout until I was caught and enslaved", Ace said as he looked at the empty glass of water. "What happened to him?", she asked again. "He's dead", Ace replied as he puts the cup on the tray.

The room went silent. Audaxia blanked out for a moment before shock slowly showed on her face. "He was killed while trying to save me, my pursuers threw a knife from behind and he pushed me away before I could react", Ace continued explaining to her while he ate the food on the tray.

"Anyways, tonight we will be getting our weapons, so I'll be going to buy some things for the next trip", Ace grumbled as he puts the food tray on the table before looking through his clothes.

"Master, what about me?", Audaxia looks at him with a blank expression. "Alright, you can come along but stick close to me", Ace sternly said to her.

Wearing a plain blue shirt with black pants and sandals, he walked towards the door. Audaxia wore a fitting green shirt with black pants and sandals looking almost identical with Ace. Taking a pair of caps he turned to put it on her head and his at the same time. "Let's go", he said while opening the door.

'What should I get first? Hmm, medicine and surgical equipment since I used it on her that night', Ace thought while walking towards a store with a sign "Lifesaver" on the door. Looking throughout the store, he picks up a bunch of needles and thread along with some alcohol and painkillers. Just as he was reaching the counter, he noticed there were bags at the side which were quite rare since some of the materials for it are hard to get.

As the weather can be unpredictable at times. Monsters with unknown power could damage it and spilling the contents. Making it difficult to find tough and flexible materials.

'Wow, a medicine bag. She might need it since I won't always be there to protect her', Ace wondered as he picks up a rectangular bag the size of his arm. The bag could be strapped around the waist or sling over the shoulder. After paying, he realised she was not around.

Walking out, he saw Audaxia looking through the glass of an Alchemy store. Fascinated by the wide range of pills and accessories, she stared wide eyed back and forth the rows of merchandise. Ace stood there for a moment thinking 'oh yeah, I need some smoke bombs and flash crystals. Maybe a few potions but damn they are expensive'.

Bringing in Audaxia who was surprised since Alchemy stores were expensive, Ace looked through the shelves. Searching through the 'Health' section, he found that the regeneration potions cost 100 silvers. Regeneration potions are instantaneous when drank. It recovers almost any injury unless the injury is too heavy or the part had been severed. The consequences was that it heavily affects the stamina. If used too much, it causes fatigue or be incapacitated.

There was some orange stamina pills, but those are only effective if there is food or food pills to digest. It basically increases the metabolism to increase digestion for a limited period of time. Or else, it would burn body fat making it a last resort in a fight. Or a weight loss option.

Looking through, he picked up 10 regeneration potions along with a bag of food pills and stamina pills. 'Guess that's a total of 2 gold, damn this stuff is expensive', he shook his head as he walked through the shelves towards the counter.

Suddenly he spotted a jar full of round pink pills with a label saying 'Intel Temp Upg' under the 'Mental' section. Curiously, he picked it up and brought it to the counter. Audaxia followed behind him all the way unawares of what was going on.

"What do these pills do?", Ace asked standing in front of the counter. The cashier was an old man wearing a big pair of glasses on his face with a long white beard growing until his chest. His black eyes were filled with wisdom as he stared at the young man. His purple cloak wrapped around his body to his feet making it look like a dress instead.

"You have good eyes sir, those are intelligence pills that increases the mind performance to its peak for a short time depending on dosage", the wise man slowly explained. "Most people use this for studying or practicing their skills or memorizing information and even meditation", he continued explaining while holding the jar up to his eye level.

"But, taking too many at a time could cause irreparable damage to the mind. So I suggest caution when using them as there have been instances where some consumers became permanently incapacitated", he warned before placing it back on the counter.

"Master, it sounds dangerous. You sure?", Audaxia said to him while tugging the end of his sleeve. "Sounds good, I'll be taking a bag of it then", Ace replied. The old man and Audaxia were taken aback for awhile from that casual reply as if he did not hear the consequences at all. "Young man, are you sure about that? Total would be 4 gold coins", the old man asked wearily. "Of course, there's no free lunch in this world. Though I preferred there was", Ace answered lazily.

"Hahahaha! I like you boy, tell me your name. I might see you out there one day", the old man joyfully said to him. "Ace". The old man stopped laughing for a moment before roaring out again causing customers to be bewildered. "HAHAHAHA! You're funny too, I like that in a young man. Alright off you go then", the old man continued as he took the money and wrapped the merchandise in a bag before passing it over.

Ace with a confused face went off with Audaxia not knowing what just happened. Shrugging it off, he went on his way towards the food shop.

In a room behind the store was a little window facing the streets, the old man looking through at Ace walking away. "Master Cruz, who is that? You never bothered with people who don't know Alchemy", a disciple in blue robes asked as he was grinding together materials.

"He is a very interesting young man, beneath that lazy attitude is a beast waiting to be unleashed", the old man replied while turning around to face his disciple. "Carry on with the work, I'll be going out for awhile", he ordered before wearing a hooded cloak and walking out the back door.