Symbiotic: Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Sara spent the rest of the morning weaving through the village streets, her boots crunching softly on the packed earth. Everywhere she went, villagers paused in their work to nod or bow, offering quiet thank yous. She returned their gratitude with a smile or a nod, never lingering too long, but always asking, “What do you think the valley needs next?”

A farmers son, unloading produce at the market, “The village is growing. More people meant more food needed, which required more farms. If we had more farmsteads, some of us younger generation would happily work them as our own.”

A Rancher, wiping sweat from his brow. “Viscount, the livestock are thriving now, but we could use a proper smokehouse. Meat and fish spoil too quickly without it.”

Many around town mentioned need for better tools.

Near the stables, another rancher approached, leading a pair of oxen. “We need proper pens and stables, Viscount Bloom. The animals wander too freely. If we had stronger enclosures, we could breed more, and mount patrols too.”

Sara’s eyes lit with interest. “Mounted patrols… yes, that could serve both trade and defense. Tas, see about designing some proper fencing where the Farmers and Ranchers desire it. I want Cavalry!”

Others called for a town healer. A dedicated Bakery rather than a handful of shared ovens. A Library for access to knowledge when needed.

A mother carrying her child mentioned a small shrine for prayers.

Sara listened, her expression thoughtful, and each time she turned her head slightly, Tas shimmered into view at her side.

“Tas,” she said firmly, “keep a list of all the townsfolk’s requested upgrades. And let everyone know they can come to you directly with questions or needs. I’ll try to see that they’re addressed.”

The spirit bowed, her glow brightening. “Acknowledged, Viscount. I will maintain a ledger of requests and serve as their voice to you.”

The villagers seemed reassured, murmuring among themselves as they realized they had a direct line to their Viscount through Tas.

As she crossed into the Market Square, the bustle of trade and chatter filled the air. Stalls were already busy, merchants haggling, children darting between tables. Sara’s eyes caught on something unusual: an odd workshop tucked just beyond the square among what was now Crafter’s Way, its doorway framed with faintly glowing runes and a sign by the door showing potions and bottles.

Her heart skipped. The Basic Alchemy Workshop.

She waved hurriedly to the villagers around her, offering rushed goodbyes. “I’ll be back later, keep talking to Tas!”

Then, without hesitation, she broke into a jog, weaving through the crowd until she reached the workshop’s door. She pushed it open, breath quick with anticipation, and stepped inside ready to begin her own journey into Alchemy.

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Sara pushed open the door to the Basic Alchemy Workshop, and the scent of dried herbs and old wood washed over her. The space was small but alive with detail, cluttered in a way that felt purposeful rather than chaotic.

Bundles of plants dangled from the rafters, their leaves crisp and curling, some still fragrant, others brittle with age. Strands of lavender, sprigs of mint, and unfamiliar herbs with shimmering veins swayed gently in the draft from the door.

Along the walls, shelves bowed under the weight of jars, glass and clay alike, each filled with powders, roots, berries, and strange looking things she couldn’t tell whether they were animal, vegetable, or mineral. Some jars were neatly labeled, others marked only with faded runes, and a few had no markings at all, their contents glowing faintly as if alive.

At the center of the room stood a clear workbench, its surface seemingly scrubbed clean and waiting. Around it, tools of craft and mystery were arranged: beakers of varying sizes, burners with adjustable valves, mortars and pestles, and long stirring rods of glass and bone. Sara recognized some of them from her long ago days of basic chemistry, but others were alien, their purpose only guessed at.

The workshop felt both humble and arcane, a place where everyday ingredients could be transformed into potions that shimmered with power. The air carried a faint hum, as though the walls themselves remembered every brew mixed here.

Sara slipped the slim, rune etched Novice Alchemy Skillbook from her Pocket Storage. The System prompt hovered before her eyes, glowing with anticipation. She pressed her hand to the cover, and the familiar DING rang in her ears.

*DING* [System Notification: Crafting Skill: Novice Alchemy Learned]

You have accepted the Crafting Class: Alchemist (Novice), Level 1.

She stumbled as her mind was suddenly flooded with recipes, processing steps, ingredients, preparation methods, and more. A dozen formulas, a hundred techniques, a thousand fragments of knowledge cascaded through her thoughts. She staggered back against the workshop wall, gripping it for balance as her Mind Thought and Knowledge wrestled the torrent. Slowly, the chaos settled into neat, accessible details, like drawers opening in her mind. And this was just the basic Novice knowledge!

“Ok…” she muttered, scanning the shelves and tables of the Basic Alchemy Workshop. Jars of dried herbs, bundles of leaves, a few vials of powdered minerals. She began mentally making a mental list of what was missing, already thinking of villagers who might know how to harvest what she needed.

“Tas,” she said aloud, her voice steadying, “can we set gathering quests for villagers to complete for us? If so, make a list of the required ingredients in the Rejuvenation and Restoration potions for Body, Mind, and Soul. Let’s start there.”

The spirit shimmered, bowing slightly. “Acknowledged, Viscount. I will prepare a Job Board for villagers. Harvesters will be guided to collect berries, plants, and crystals as required.”

Sara chuckled as she read the novice recipe. “Of course. Easily harvestable berries and plants… and a Small Life Crystal per batch. There it is. I knew I was carrying all these shiny rocks for a reason!”

She reached into her Pocket Storage, pulling out several glowing Small Life Crystals, their light pulsing faintly in her palm. She had enough for two, maybe three attempts. Drawing the recipe into her mind, she laid out the ingredients on the workbench.

The workshop seemed to hum with anticipation as she ground herbs, measured powders, and set the crystals into place. Her hands moved with surprising confidence, guided by the flood of knowledge now woven into her thoughts.

Sara grinned, excitement bubbling up. “All Right! Let’s make magic potions!”

The first batch shimmered faintly in its vial, a pale green liquid swirling with life energy. Haven Valley’s first true alchemical creation was born.

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Sara staggered out of the Basic Alchemy Workshop, coughing faintly as villagers turned to stare at her and the cloud of black smoke pouring from the workshop door. Her hair was blown back as if she’d stood in a gale, her hands blackened with soot, and her torso and face smeared in an off red explosion of color that looked suspiciously like berry pulp mixed with ash. She muttered under her breath, heading straight for the well.

“I need Water. Lots of water.”

Children giggled from the market stalls, and one farmer whispered to another, “Alchemy, eh? First time?” Sara ignored them, dunking her hands into the bucket and splashing her face, trying to scrub away the sticky residue, careful not to get any of her berry soot stained filth into the well itself.

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Moments Earlier

Inside the workshop, the air had been calm, filled with the faint scent of herbs and crystal dust. Sara had laid out her ingredients neatly: berries, leaves, a vial of powdered root, and a glowing Small Life Crystal.

The recipe seemed straightforward. Easy. She was only half paying attention, her mind already wandering to bigger plans.

“What potion should I make next? Where do I get more Life Crystals? How much will these basic potions sell for in the System Shop?”

Her hands moved automatically, grinding, pouring, and stirring without the careful precision the System’s instructions demanded. She dropped the crystal into the mixture, still thinking about profit margins.

And then…

BOOM!

One minute she was stirring a small pot of bad scented tea. The next, the cauldron erupted in a burst of black smoke, red vapors, and sticky spray, blasting her backwards. Beakers rattled, herbs fluttered from the rafters, and the workbench was left dripping with a mess that smelled faintly of burnt fruit. The explosion was small and unable to harm more than her pride.

Sara blinked through the haze, coughing, her hair standing on end. “Okay… note to self. Pay attention next time.”

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Back in the present, she splashed another bucket of water over her face, joining in with the children in laughing despite herself. “First potion attempt: catastrophic failure. But hey, at least I know what not to do.”

Tas shimmered into view beside her, glowing faintly with amusement. “Alchemy is a discipline of precision, Viscount. Distraction leads to… colorful consequences.”

Sara grinned, dripping water down her chin. “Yeah, yeah. Next time, I’ll keep my mind on the potion instead of the profits.”

The villagers chuckled as she walked back toward the workshop, determination in her stride. Haven Valley’s first alchemist had made her debut in a most spectacularly messy fashion. But down was not out.

“Round Two…. Fight!”, she muttered.

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Sara steadied her hands this time, every step deliberate. The berries were crushed with care, the herbs measured precisely, and the Small Life Crystal placed gently into the mixture. The liquid shimmered faintly, then settled into a steady glow. She then poured them into their small travel bottles.

Three vials sat cooling on the workbench, filled with a pale red potion that pulsed softly with restorative energy.

[System Notification: Crafting Success]

Basic Body Rejuvenation Potion (x3) created.

Effect: Restores 1 lost Body every 30 seconds for 5 minutes.

Sara grinned, pride swelling in her chest. “Not the potion to save the world… but it’s my first potion ever made. And I’m pleased. Very pleased indeed.”

*Ping* 50 Crafting Experience Gained

Crafting Experience: 50 of 250

She glanced at the dwindling pile of crystals, sighing. Two spent already, one lost to the explosion, one consumed in success. “I’ll definitely need to go crystal harvesting soon.”

But first, she cleaned the workbench, wiping away berry stains and soot, setting her tools neatly in place. Then she drew two more recipes into her mind. Basic Mind Rejuvenation and Basic Soul Rejuvenation.

Her hands moved with growing confidence, guided by the flood of knowledge now woven into her thoughts. Soon, two more sets of vials gleamed on the bench, each humming faintly with their own energy.

[System Notification: Crafting Success]

Basic Mind Rejuvenation Potion (x3) created.

Effect: Restores 1 lost Mind every 30 seconds for 5 minutes.

[System Notification: Crafting Success]

Basic Soul Rejuvenation Potion (x3) created.

Effect: Restores 1 lost Soul every 30 seconds for 5 minutes.

*Ping* 50 Crafting Experience Gained

*Ping* 50 Crafting Experience Gained

Crafting Experience: 150 of 250

Sara laughed, exhilarated. “Wow. Actually gaining Experience like a normal person feels great!”