Chapter 49: Test of Perseverance
This new test brought the two back to their beginning days of learning alchemy. They were made to cut up a whole barrel of leaves. Without using mana. Just their hands, and a knife.
Erin let his mind wander. He already knew the movement one needed, to cut up leaves in strips. Roll the leaf, cut a thin strip, rinse and repeat.
They were not allowed to talk during this test. Or, allowed to sit down on chair. Erin's legs were beginning to hurt somewhat. Yet, he kept on cutting. And cutting. And then cutting some more.
The final rays of the sun tickled his skin, from the gaps in the curtains. How he wished he were out, and exploring the pretty town. Yet, he was in here, cutting.
Hours passed, and yet the two boys didn't stop with their task. No one came to fetch them when the candles burned out. Lysander made two light wisps so that they won't cut themselves, and they continued.
When morning came, the barrel was empty, and yet, no one came to pick them up.
"Ly, did they forget about us?" Erin asked. Then, just as he said that, the door slung open.
"Ah, so you spoke in the end?" The guild master was there, in the doorway. He went to the two boys, and peered into the barrel.
"Let me see... oh! You managed to cut everything, before you spoke?" He asked, astonished.
"Did we pass?" Lysander asked. His legs hurt. If the next test was done right after this one, he didn't like his chances.
"With flying colors. Granted, I nearly disqualified you, when you made the wisps, boy, but Fiona said it was only fair that you won't cut in the dark. After all, I should have come to change the candles," The guild master placed a hand on each of the boys' shoulders, and then began to lead them out. "Now, you have earned some time to sleep. I bet your legs are killing you. But before that, let us share a meal."
As if on cue, the stomachs of the boys grumbled. Even Paul let out a bark.
"And there will be meat for your wolf too, although, I doubt, he managed to stay awake during the night," the guild master said with a belly laugh.
"Paul did stay awake," Erin protested. The wolf had sat quietly, and watched over them, as they cut. "He is a good boy."
"I think you have earned for me to tell you my name, seeing as you passed two tests," the man said, as he walked before the boys. "My name is Warren Leafsong. And the two of you are?"
"Lysander," Lysander said, before Erin managed to dub him Ly again. "And this is Erin."
"We are pleased to know your name, sir," Erin said, with a slight bow of the head.
"I am glad, then. Few children your age can pass the test of perseverance. Some people twice your age can't. You might become alchemist of this guild yet, boys," the man was not giving them false hopes. The two boys knew the basics of alchemy, and more than that, didn't think that there was a job beneath them. Not to mention, they had good heads on their shoulders.
When they made it to the cafeteria, Warren led them to an empty table. The two boys had some trouble getting on the chairs and so, with a chuckle, Warren picked each one of them up, and placed them on the high chairs. Erin kicked his feet, as Lysander blushed at the fact that he couldn't get on a chair.
The guild master went to the buffet, and then came back with a giant platter, loaded with food. The boys stared at it with open mouths. Lysander reached out for his coin pouch.
"None of that," the guild master said, with a gentle smile on his face. "The leaves you cut up will be used for potions. You earned a meal, seeing as you didn't get one, last night. And your wolf, too."
Warren took the plate with the bloody meat chops from the platter, and placed it on the ground. Yet, Paul didn't move to eat.
"Paul, come on, eat up," Lysander said, and Paul finally neared the plate. He sniffed the meat, and, after a nod from Erin, finally began to eat.
"So well-trained," the guild master said, as the two boys shared a smile. Seeing as the two couldn't reach the platter with the food, Warren served them their food before them. With two cups of steaming cocoa milk for each of them. He, in turn, placed some grilled meat before himself, and a glass of water.
Lysander looked at the brown thing in his cup with interest. Yet, he knew that, if he were to remove his scarfs, then the guild master might end up chasing him away. So, despite his stomach grumbling, he didn't dare touch the food.
"Lysander," the guild master said, as he looked at Lysander with disapproval. "I don't care that you are a wanderer, my boy. Just remove these scarves. No one in Snowfalls will cause you any grieve. You are a child, and you will be viewed as such in this town."
"You know what I am?" Lysander asked, surprised.
"I did see you put on the gloves," Warren deadpanned.
Lysander blushed, and then removed the scarves, one by one. Finally, he could feel some coolness on his skin. He looked at Warren through his eyelashes, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"There, now we can eat," Warren said, and Lysander blinked back tears. He was not a baby. He was not going to cry, just because someone had treated him as the child he was. "Lysander, you should stop hiding. I bet that if you stopped hiding, you'd be happier."
"But, most towns and cities hate wanderers," Lysander said. For, this was the reality he lived with.
"Then go only into the ones, which accept them as the human beings they are. I will mark these settlements on your map. Now, do eat up," Warren said, with a soft smile. Lysander looked at Erin, who was taking sips from his cup, and kicking his legs. If Erin liked the brown thing, then, maybe Lysander would like it as well. He took the cup, and took a sip. His eyes widened, and he began to gulp down the delicious liquid.
Chapter 49: Test of Perseverance
This new test brought the two back to their beginning days of learning alchemy. They were made to cut up a whole barrel of leaves. Without using mana. Just their hands, and a knife.
Erin let his mind wander. He already knew the movement one needed, to cut up leaves in strips. Roll the leaf, cut a thin strip, rinse and repeat.
They were not allowed to talk during this test. Or, allowed to sit down on chair. Erin's legs were beginning to hurt somewhat. Yet, he kept on cutting. And cutting. And then cutting some more.
The final rays of the sun tickled his skin, from the gaps in the curtains. How he wished he were out, and exploring the pretty town. Yet, he was in here, cutting.
Hours passed, and yet the two boys didn't stop with their task. No one came to fetch them when the candles burned out. Lysander made two light wisps so that they won't cut themselves, and they continued.
When morning came, the barrel was empty, and yet, no one came to pick them up.
"Ly, did they forget about us?" Erin asked. Then, just as he said that, the door slung open.
"Ah, so you spoke in the end?" The guild master was there, in the doorway. He went to the two boys, and peered into the barrel.
"Let me see... oh! You managed to cut everything, before you spoke?" He asked, astonished.
"Did we pass?" Lysander asked. His legs hurt. If the next test was done right after this one, he didn't like his chances.
"With flying colors. Granted, I nearly disqualified you, when you made the wisps, boy, but Fiona said it was only fair that you won't cut in the dark. After all, I should have come to change the candles," The guild master placed a hand on each of the boys' shoulders, and then began to lead them out. "Now, you have earned some time to sleep. I bet your legs are killing you. But before that, let us share a meal."
As if on cue, the stomachs of the boys grumbled. Even Paul let out a bark.
"And there will be meat for your wolf too, although, I doubt, he managed to stay awake during the night," the guild master said with a belly laugh.
"Paul did stay awake," Erin protested. The wolf had sat quietly, and watched over them, as they cut. "He is a good boy."
"I think you have earned for me to tell you my name, seeing as you passed two tests," the man said, as he walked before the boys. "My name is Warren Leafsong. And the two of you are?"
"Lysander," Lysander said, before Erin managed to dub him Ly again. "And this is Erin."
"We are pleased to know your name, sir," Erin said, with a slight bow of the head.
"I am glad, then. Few children your age can pass the test of perseverance. Some people twice your age can't. You might become alchemist of this guild yet, boys," the man was not giving them false hopes. The two boys knew the basics of alchemy, and more than that, didn't think that there was a job beneath them. Not to mention, they had good heads on their shoulders.
When they made it to the cafeteria, Warren led them to an empty table. The two boys had some trouble getting on the chairs and so, with a chuckle, Warren picked each one of them up, and placed them on the high chairs. Erin kicked his feet, as Lysander blushed at the fact that he couldn't get on a chair.
The guild master went to the buffet, and then came back with a giant platter, loaded with food. The boys stared at it with open mouths. Lysander reached out for his coin pouch.
"None of that," the guild master said, with a gentle smile on his face. "The leaves you cut up will be used for potions. You earned a meal, seeing as you didn't get one, last night. And your wolf, too."
Warren took the plate with the bloody meat chops from the platter, and placed it on the ground. Yet, Paul didn't move to eat.
"Paul, come on, eat up," Lysander said, and Paul finally neared the plate. He sniffed the meat, and, after a nod from Erin, finally began to eat.
"So well-trained," the guild master said, as the two boys shared a smile. Seeing as the two couldn't reach the platter with the food, Warren served them their food before them. With two cups of steaming cocoa milk for each of them. He, in turn, placed some grilled meat before himself, and a glass of water.
Lysander looked at the brown thing in his cup with interest. Yet, he knew that, if he were to remove his scarfs, then the guild master might end up chasing him away. So, despite his stomach grumbling, he didn't dare touch the food.
"Lysander," the guild master said, as he looked at Lysander with disapproval. "I don't care that you are a wanderer, my boy. Just remove these scarves. No one in Snowfalls will cause you any grieve. You are a child, and you will be viewed as such in this town."
"You know what I am?" Lysander asked, surprised.
"I did see you put on the gloves," Warren deadpanned.
Lysander blushed, and then removed the scarves, one by one. Finally, he could feel some coolness on his skin. He looked at Warren through his eyelashes, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"There, now we can eat," Warren said, and Lysander blinked back tears. He was not a baby. He was not going to cry, just because someone had treated him as the child he was. "Lysander, you should stop hiding. I bet that if you stopped hiding, you'd be happier."
"But, most towns and cities hate wanderers," Lysander said. For, this was the reality he lived with.
"Then go only into the ones, which accept them as the human beings they are. I will mark these settlements on your map. Now, do eat up," Warren said, with a soft smile. Lysander looked at Erin, who was taking sips from his cup, and kicking his legs. If Erin liked the brown thing, then, maybe Lysander would like it as well. He took the cup, and took a sip. His eyes widened, and he began to gulp down the delicious liquid.
