Tale 15
We Bring Menace to Ourselves

"A challenge??" amuse na tanong ni Amara

"Yes! A challenge! They must be out of their minds! That woman said that you are a wicked woman that would ruin the reputation of us alchemists!" tugon ni Ayla

"Hmm? Interesting.. Within a day that Master Donovan managed to heal that girl's injuries. She's already jumping around again, she would bring manace to herself.." saad ni Amara

"That's not the point! That pair of master and disciple are a bunch of hypocrites! They are accusing you instead of thanking you! You helped her and even helped to perfect their fertilizer formula.. But they claim white as black! Hypocrites!" nanggigigil na saad ni Ayla

"Ayla calm down.." Lyndon

"Grrrrr." Ayla

"Lady Amara is not someone they can easily bully." Lyndon

"But this challenge is dangerous. We don't even know what they want." Master Flint

"It doesn't matter. I'll accept it." Amara

"But—"

"Don't worry. I wont disgrace the name of our guild." Amara

***

The next day, maagang nagtipon-tipon ang lahat sa Garden of Serenity. Normally, isang lecture ang dahilan ng pagpunta nila sa lugar. Subalit espesyal ang araw na ito. Mainit na balita sa buong Bloodmoon ang challenge na ibinato ni Master Donovan sa Level 5 Expert na si Amara ng Thousand Crows.

Isang dyosa ang tingin ng mga believers ni Amara sa kanya. Subalit wala silang magawa dahil ang pinakamaimpluwensyang Elder ng kanilang guild ang kalaban ni Lady Amara. Hindi sila makakapagcheer para dito kahit gusto nila huhu.

"Huh! You have the guts! Akala ko ay tatakasan mo na kami.." Tala

"Why would I? You're just a small potato, I can beat you in everyway possible even if Im blindfolded." Amara

"You!" gigil na saad ni Tala

"Hmm? You have a poisonous tongue. Interesting." Master Donovan

Nilingon ni Amara ang matandang lalaki sa tabi ni Tala.

"So what kind of a challenge is this??" Amara

"Pill refining challenge! You have lectured about alchemic theories and methods these passed few days. Everyone claims to be very enlightened by your words. You already proved how knowledgable you are! But do you dare take on this challenge?" Hamon ni Tala

"Yes, an alchemist who only understand principles but do not possess practical knowledge is useless on this field." Komento ni Master Donovan.

Sa angking kaalaman ni Amara, hindi sila naniniwala na mahusay din ito sa actual process of pill refining. Someone of her age must have dedicated her years studying principles and theories. At her age, she surely didn't have time to practice refining pills.

Ito ang rason kung bakit nila ito napili. Nais nilang ipahiya ang babae! Bago pa man nito maipagaspas ang kanyang pakpak, puputulin na nila ito agad! Amara is a threat. She must be dealt with!

"Ok." Amara

"As for what kind of pill.." Master Donovan

"I have an idea!" Tala

"What idea?" Master Donovan

"Why don't we put a twist to this challenge? Instead of normal refining contest, why don't we create Unfriendly Potions!" Tala

"Unfriendly Potions?" Lyndon

"Yes! We will consume it then the person who could refine an antidote first under the effect of the potion would be the winner!" Tala

"Interesting.." Master Donovan

Of course, this is all just an act. They already planned this from the very beginning!

Unfriendly Potions are those with negative effects on the body. Normal ones can make people feel dizzy or drowsy. But Highly Unfriendly Potions can be dangerous. They are normally not as lethal as poisons but some highly Unfriendly Potions can be as dangerous or deadly as poisons! For example, Warm Potions. Warm Potions are consumed by people who have low temperatures because of exposure to cold weathers. But it's categorized as Unfriendly because if the amount is too much, it could burn and kill someone from the inside. There are also those who could make people lost their senses such as sight, touch or hearing. There are even some that could cause severe pain. An antidote is needed when the amount consumed is too much.

By proposing such a challenge, they would have a chance to eliminate or humiliate Amara.

Nagready pa sila ng speech para i-provoke ito dahil baka hindi nito tanggapin ang hamon.

"As an alchemist, you should have the heart to face all adversities that comes your way. A friendly challenge between alchemists like this is----"

"Sure, no problem." Casual na saad ni Amara

"I know that you're scared so it's normal to say no. But life is not fair to—Wait.. Did you just say yes?" Tala

"Yes.. We should start. I still need to give a lecture after this." Amara

"Good. Good.. You're brave." Papuri ni Master Donovan

May nakaready nang mga kagamitan sa hardin. Halatang pinagplanuhan nila itong mabuti.

"You can only use the herbs and medicinal plants and flowers within this garden to create an Unfriendly Potion. After that, you will exchange it to the other party and consume the potion prepared by that person. Then again, you can only use the herbs in this garden to create an antidote." Paliwanag ni Master Donovan

"What? That's too dangerous! What if one of them created an Unfriendly Potion that isn't familiar to the other person. How will they create an antidote then?" Master Flint

"It's just an Unfriendly Potion. What are you so afraid of? Don't tell me you don't trust her? Pfft.." Tala

Kumunot ang noo ni Master Flint. Nagpakita na ng totoong kulay ang babae!

"Don't worry too much." Saad ni Amara sa kanyang team

"This is a battle between Amara and Tala, two Level 5 Experts. We are forbidden to interfere until someone wins and someone loses." Master Donovan

"No!!" Master Flint

"I disagree! This is---" Master Roland

"It's okay.. Trust me." Pagpapakalma ni Amara sa dalawang master

Agad natahimik ang dalawa. If she's really confident, then they will trust her.

"Just a question. Who will be the judge?" Amara

"Everyone in here. The first one to cure the Unfriendly Potion will become the winner." Master Donovan

"Okay." Satisfied na tugon ni Amara

"Let us begin!" announce ni Master Donovan

Agad kumilos sina Amara at Tala. Gamit ang isang basket na inihanda para sa kaganapan na ito, agad silang namitas ng mga kakailanganin nilang ingredients.

Unang bumalik sa kanyang pwesto si Tala. Inihanda nya ang kanyang mga ingredients base sa pagkakasunod-sunod ng steps kung kailan nya ilalagay ang mga ito sa cauldron. Binilang ito ng mga manonood. Limamput apat na kasangkapan. Isang Mid-level Potion! Bihira lamang ang mga Experts na nakakalikha ng Mid-level potions. Ito ay mga potions na may effectiveness sa pagitan ng 30 to 60%.

Ang mga Experts ay may kakayanan na magproduce ng pills, elixirs and potions na may hanggang 30% effectiveness. Ang mga Master Alchemist ay nakakaabot ng up to 60%. At ang mga Grandmaster Alchemist ay nakakaabot ng up to 90%.

"She's going to refine a Mid-Level Potion? For real?"

"She's this talented?"

"Don't forget that she's only 26 but she's Master Donovan's personal disciple."

"Lady Amara is also back!"

"What kind of potion will she make??"

"L-look!"

"Daf*ck! Why is there so many ingredients on here refinement table?!"

"That's more than one hundred ingredients! Is she going to refine a High-Level Potion?"

"No way! Even Master Alchemists struggles to do that! High-level potions can only be refined by Grandmaster Alchemists!"

High Level Potions have more than 60% effectiveness. Master Alchemists have low chances of sucessfully refining them so instead of wasting materials, only Grandmaster Alchemists would refine them..

Hindi lang ang mga manonood, maging ang tatlong Master Alchemist na sina Master Flint, Master Roland at Master Donovan ay nawiwindang. Lalong-lalo na si Master Donovan. Bigla syang kinabahan. Natatakot sya na baka maling desisyon ang ginawa nilang paghamon sa babae.

"Please tell me that she knows that High Level Potions are hard to refine. Im really worried."

"In the entire known history of mankind, no one ever recorded an Expert successfully refining a High Level Potion. This is bad for our goddess."

Kinakabahan sina Lyndon pati na din ang dalawang Master. Never pa nila nakitang lumikha ng pill or potion si Amara. Alam ba talaga nito ang kanyang ginagawa? Common sense doesn't apply to her. Logic is useless as well. Experts cannot refine a high level potion. That's a fact. But what is she doing? Why is she acting like this? Will they lose?

"Wait! I get it! She's making two potions!" sigaw ng isa

And he's right! Isang pulang likido ang isinalin ni Amara sa isang flask mula sa cauldron. May limamput anim na lamang na ingredients sa table.

Agad nakahinga ng maluwag si Master Donovan.. False alarm.. It was a false alarm..

"What is that?"

"Isnt it a Calming Potion? The one we use to calm down hysterical people?"

"I thought they would create Unfriendly Potions? Why did she create a Calming Potion??"

"And why is she so fast? I didn't even notice her process of creating that potion?"

"Indeed! She's extremely fast!"

"But Im still wondering why she's making two potions?"

Master Donovan snorted. What a stupid girl. Calming Potion? Is she not aware that it's not an Unfriendly Potion? Nagkamali ba sya ng paghusga? Is she actually an idiot?

Maging sina Master Flint at Master Roland ay nagtataka.

"What?! Lady Tala is done making her Unfriendly Potion?"

"What is it? What did she make?"

Isang kulay berdeng likido ang makikita sa flask na hawak ni Tala. Bumubula-bula pa ito at tila bumubulong ng: "I'm deadly."

"What is that?"

"The Hidden Poison Potion!" sigaw ng isa

"What?! Does she wants to kill Lady Amara?!"

The Hidden poison Potion is an Unfriendly Potion used to kill another poison. But if there is no other poison in the body, it will become the poison that will torture and slowly kill the body!

"Ruthless!" Master Roland

"You cannot interfere." Paalala ni Master Donovan

Ipinapanalangin na lang ng lahat na makagawa agad ng antidote si Amara dito!

"Lady Amara is also done with her second potion!"

Agad naexcite ang lahat.

Nananalangin sila na sana ay isa ding delikadong potion ang nilikha nito. Napaka-unfair naman kung hindi mararamdaman ni Lady Tala ang sakit na mararamdaman nya!

"Fudge!" mura ng isa

"Isnt that a Meditation Potion?!"

"Lady Amara why would you make a Meditation Potion at a time like this?! Get out! I will make a vicious Unfriendly Potion for you!" hindi na makapagpigil sa pagsigaw ang isang manonood.

However, Amara continued to act strangely. She put a bluish white powder inside a third flask. Then she poured the content of the two other flasks to the third one, mixing them together.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ng lahat.

"Is she crazy?!" sigaw ni Master Donovan. Hindi sya makapaniwala sa kanyang nasaksihan.. Isnt she aware that mixing two potions will ignite an instant explosion cause by chemical reactions?!

But to their surprise, nothing happened.

Amara finished her Unfriendly Potion. It was a light pink potion. Compared to the sinister potion on Tala's hands, Amara's potion looks harmless and innocent.

"What potion is that?" tanong ng isa

"I don't know... But it looks delicious for some reason."

Pinagmamasdan ng lahat kung anong klaseng potion ang nilikha ng babae.

"Now let's proceed to the next stage." Saad ni Master Donovan

Iniabot ni Tala ang hawak nyang flask kay Amara. Ganoon din ang ginawa ni Amara sa potion na nilikha nya.

"After you." Saad ni Tala

Amara smiled at her before she drank the entire content of the flask.

Mabilis na nagbago ang ekpresyon sa kanyang muka.. She started to sweat and grit her teeth. She looks to be in so much pain.

Parang sinaksak ang puso ng lahat ng mga believers nya. Kung pwede lang sana na sila na lang ang masaktan para sa kanilang dyosa!

Tala smiled sinisterly after seeing Amara's sorry state. She completely believe that it would be impossible for her to create an antidote!

Tala drank the pink potion. After finishing the content of the flask, she suddenly felt warmth inside her stomach. There is no pain. She felt so fluffy and comfortable. She cant explain it! It just felt good!!

Tala was instantly struck by a thought. How is this an Unfriendly Potion? Don't be ridiculous! This is a one sided win! Victory is hers!

Samantala, matapos inumin ni Tala ang potion ay isang ngiti ang sumilay sa labi ni Amara.. Pinunasan nya ang mga butil ng pawis sa kanyang noo. All of a sudden, she look as healthy as ever!

"W-what??" hindi makapaniwala si Master Donovan.. She was in pain just a while ago. How is she okay all of a sudden?

Kinuha ni Amara ang basket at nagsimulang maglibot sa hardin. Hindi sya nagmamadali sa paghahanap ng mga ingredients para sa antidote. She's not even affected by the potion. She already mastered the first chapter of the Resurrection Chapter after all.

Everyone stared dazely at the girl. They are completely baffled by what is happening.

It's already been five minutes since Amara started looking for ingredients. But Tala is still standing there.

"What's happening?"

"Why isn't she moving?"

"No.. S-she's paralyze!."

Pinagmasdan nila ang babae. She's standing still like a statue.

Agad natigilan ang lahat..

"L-lady Amara...... she created a Paralysis Potion."

Everyone stared in astonishment..

"A Paralysis Potion? Are you kidding me?!" Master Donovan roared in anger

"I think Lady Amara made some improvements. This is my first time seeing someone petrified like a frozen solid statue like this after drinking a paralysis potion!"

A Paralysis Potion is just a low level unfriendly potion. It is essentially harmless, except that it makes the drinker not able to move for a limited period of time. It's actually very kind of Amara to use a harmless potion like this. The only problem is, this is a competition! Amara obviously made some improvements on the potion making it's effect lasts longer! And with Tala being frozen like a statue, she wouldn't be able to create an antidote even until midnight! Who the f*ck would wait for her?!

"Shameless! You shameless brat!" sigaw ni Master Donovan

"At least play fair! How could you use such despicable potion in a competition! Shameless! Despicable!" sigaw pa ni Master Donovan, gusto nya nang sugudin ang babae. Mas gusto nya pang makitang namimilipit sa sakit si Tala, at least may chance na makalikha ito ng antidote! Pero ngayon, she's just standing there like an idiot!

"Master Donovan you cannot interfere." Sabat ni Master Flint gamit ang sariling mga salita ni Master Donovan kanina.

Gusto nang sumabog sa galit ni Master Donovan..

"You cant call her shameless.. Isnt it your disciple who use such a vicious and deadly potion? Lady Amara was so considerate to use such harmless potion. Hmmp!" Master Roland

Everyone on the other hand, continued to watch Tala. There's no movement at all.. There's even a smug smile flastered on her face. She's smiling as if victory is on her grasp.. Everyone is aware that her smile would last for a very very very very long time. It's creepy.

Amara finally returned after picking the herbs that she needs. She moves lazily, she's obviously not in a hurry at all!

Amara lazily and casually throw all the ingredients inside the cauldron. The fire started to dance as it started to refine all of the ingredients.

Master Donovan wanted to hit people with a flask! He is so angry that he couldn't pay attention to Amara's refining technique.

"Done!" Announce ni Amara

"So fast!" react ng lahat..

A faint fragrance of medicinal scent entered their nostrils as Amara transferred the liquid from the cauldron towards a flask.

Just base on it's smell, they can tell that it's not an ordinary antidote.

"Ninety two percent effectiveness!!" bulalas ni Master Flint

"W-what?!" napanganga ang lahat

"I suddenly remembered that she created a Soul Tempering Pill with 85% Effectiveness during her Alchemic Trial of Fire." Ayla

"N-no way! Is she---"

"She's a Grandmaster Alchemist!" sigaw ng isa

"A Grandmaster Alchemist!"

"Oh gods! An 18 years old Grandmaster Alchemist!"

Napaupo sa lupa si Master Donovan.. G-grandmaster Alchemist?

How is this possible?! This girl?

Why is he so stupid to challenge someone like her..?

Amara looked at them innocently.

"I win right?" tanong nito

She's still concern about that?!

What the f*ck!

~~~~~~~