A Renewed Beginning
I awoke to Arwita opening the door, pain piercing through my eyes and out the back of my head. I pushed myself up, muscles refusing to flex. The combination of little sleep and intense physical exertion had caught up. I had never worked my body like this before. The hard wood floor didn’t help either. It was enough to make me forget that I was now a criminal on the run. Almost.
“The brilawell is done.” Arwita said with his usual insecure stare.
“I’ll be right there.” I rubbed my face, feeling the layer of scratchy soot. I desperately needed a bath to. Catching a whiff, I stunk something terrible, though you’d have a difficult time detecting it over the chemicals in the lab. I pushed myself off the ground, nearly falling forward and stumbled out to the lab.
Arwita was scraping the last of the gelatinous liquid into a large, green clay pot at least three times my size. The thick, light purple goop would pile up before needing to be flattened with a spoon. He sealed it with a cloth and piece of string, then gave it a pat.
I walked up to it and examined it closer. There was small, hard bits floating in it.
“That s-should be enough to last a long while. Wha-what are you using it for anyhow?” Arwita asked.
“Well-” I paused for a moment. “Theres something very big and precious I need to protect.” Hopefully that will suffice. I thought.
“I see.” Arwita groaned in reply.
Looking around the room I came to wonder. How am I going to sneak out of town in broad daylight with this? I spotted my satchel and rubbed my head in annoyance, reached down, tore it up and wrapped the long pieces around my head, tying them at the bottom. With this and being hunched over due to the weight I might look like an old lady.
“Thank you Arwita for the help.” I grabbed his hand, gave a small bow in appreciation and then looked up. “Could you, possibly, not tell anyone you saw me?” I must have looked hysterical.
“Sssure.” He nodded.
“Thanks.” I brought a couple ropes around the pot and myself using levitation magic then tied them around my chest. I hoisted it up, feeling the weight trying to drive me straight through the planet’s surface. I tottered towards the door.
“You kn-know… you really do have something special going for you with your more pra-practical, use of magic.” Arwita spoke from behind me. “It really could cha-change things.”
Tears flowed under my hood, I looked back and saw for a glimmer the old Arwita; the one who inspired me all those years ago. He was still there, underneath the fog of alchemy and time.
“Thanks.” I said in reply. “For everything.” I wanted to keep it simple. If he knew I was the one who blighted the root cellar he’d surely be disappointed and the last thing I wanted is for him to be wrapped up in all this. “Goodbye.” I said walking out into town.