D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 2361 An Alchemist’s Perspective

--- Appoline ---

Wiggles was curled up on one of the many, many nearby chairs asleep, while Grunkle had gone off to do this own thing. It left Appoline alone with her thoughts. Images of chains came to mind and the large, spacious room felt so much smaller. Placing a hand on her chest, Appoline calmly breathed in and out a few times to settle her racing heart. It took longer then she wanted, and occasionally her other hand would twitch towards her storage ring. She didn’t reach for it. Not at the moment. Not for now.

*I’m a touch surprised Kat and Lily left me alone. The massive worry-warts. Then again... I have been careful not to show how stressed I’ve been. Spending so much time outside has helped... but there was more than one reason I took to brewing in the backyard of Steel’s house.

Probably best to do some brewing now to calm myself down. What should I make? I already have the fire resistance potions done though maybe I want to make some more? They last plenty of time though and we shouldn’t need too many spare dosses. Kat doesn’t need any after all and I’ve got three dosses left for the rest of us.

Then again, what else do I need? Combat stuff? I suppose I could maybe try making some water prison stuff? I think I have enough of the more lethal stuff... then again, it’s not like Kat is going to go easy on that mouse if we see her again so maybe I don’t need them? Though if I can refine the recipe a bit with all the moss I have perhaps Steel would be interested in some batches when I got back?

Wait why am I thinking of that place like home? Also fuck you Thyme for actually locking me in a cell for days! I know I signed up for it to potentially happen but dammit that’s just rude. Why did I agree to this shit again?*

Appoline’s mind flashed through the two rare potion books she’d been offered for participating. Books so rare that they were almost unique. Lost to time after the wars of the past. That shitty tree had probably restored some fragmented manuscripts with time magic like the cheating teacher that they were.

*Alright so I remember why I agreed to it. I also can’t use the good potions to relax that sort of trauma because I, as Appoline, don’t know of the existence of those damned plants. Then again... was there something in the contract about having a box of them delivered afterwards? I think there was but it feels like so long ago I signed that contract. Thyme’s been working on this for a while after all...*

Appoline flopped down into one of the nearby chairs, notably not the one with Wiggles on it and let out a long breath of air. What am I doing with myself? Why am I pushing so hard here? Sure it’s ’in character’ of me but... Appoline ruthlessly ignored the fact that it wasn’t just in character for ’Appoline’ but also Vivane, the actual real person behind the mask. There had honestly, never been much of a difference.

Same family situation growing up, if a bit more in the distant past. Same love for alchemy, same love for teaching. Heck, Thyme had made the transition as seamless as possible for her... though perhaps that was the problem. It was a bit too seamless in her case. Appoline sighed, before pushing herself back up. Time to brew some potions.

It was around an hour of brewing later when she heard knocking. Appoline didn’t bother to react, she was brewing something up at the moment... though... hmm... *Can’t be Kat and Lily. They wouldn’t have bothered knocking on the way back. I don’t think Grunkle would knock either? So... hmm... hopefully nothing to worry about.*

Soon Grunkle could be heard stomping down the steps so it was clearly being handled. Appoline just kept working on her current potion. It was meant to trap someone in the air. The idea was that they wouldn’t be able to do anything but float harmlessly in the air. Wouldn’t work on people like Kat and Lily that could fly, at least, not properly, but for more normal people it would essentially trap someone in place... hopefully.

It was more of a test then anything else and Appoline was getting a sense that this particular batch might launch you into the sky instead. It was a bit too... vigorous feeling. Appoline suspected she got the layering wrong. Needed to treat the essence with more gentle care in the future. Less like pushing off the ground and more like gently lifting. That was the plan anyway.

Appoline barely glanced up as a dwarf cleared the stairs behind Grunkle, decked out in armour and weapons. He wasn’t a concern... except for the fact that a Timmy shot off into the piles of stuff not long afterwards. Kat may not have taken the time to explain everything so ’Appoline’ didn’t know... but she had been warned about Timmys as an easy shorthand for other contestants. Didn’t work with all of them... but it had clearly been enough.

*Now what do I do about this? I’m not actually a contestant and as long as Kat doesn’t return before he leaves it should be fine...*

Just as Appoline was thinking this she felt the dwarf’s gaze upon her. Appoline continued brewing her potion. It wasn’t her problem. Not when she felt him look elsewhere... except, that would turn out to be an issue. He looked squarely at Wiggles before asking Grunkle, "Is that your rabbit?"

Grunkle of course, shook his head, "Nope, the rabbit came in earlier with another group. The elf was a part of it too. They’re just waiting around here while they do some jobs for me-" before Grunkle could even finished explaining a crossbow bolt was shot at the elderly looking elf, with a second being shot in Appoline’s direction not a moment later.

Grunkle didn’t even bother dodging, a wall of force appeared to eat the attack on him. For Appoline she raised her cauldron up, letting the thick metal walls of it tank the hit from the bolt, though it sent her stumbling... and probably ruined the brew. Shit.

"You know... boy, it’s rude to attack a wizard in his home. Pretty stupid too," commented Grunkle.

Strigor grinned, "Just business old man." Then the entire floor was rocked with explosions. Appoline had to hurl the cauldron away from her as she was forced away. The contents spilling everywhere and causing the things it touched to float. Wiggles was up and about now, wide awake but not making any movements.

Grunkle was blowing out a thick cloud obscuring the vision of everyone in the tower. Clearly he wasn’t used to fighting in a group. The explosions continued to pop off, sending bits of furniture flying as Appoline manoeuvred a table to block the incoming projectiles. Downing a healing potion to fix her eardrums she glanced around and found most of the floor now covered in mist. The occasional sound of steel on something else rang out but with her ears still being repaired it was hard to tell exactly where anything was.

Shit what’s the plan? Also where is Wiggles now? Just as she was thinking that, the little rabbit popped up next to her, likely to use the table as cover as well. "You realise this is your fault right?"

Wiggles rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah I get it, technically you didn’t do anything wrong but I do still say this is your fault."

*I also don’t really know what else to do other then complain at the rabbit. I can’t see anything to throw my potions at and I don’t really have anything that would let me see through mist like that. Especially not when it’s a magical effect. I think it’s real mist despite that, but the magic inside is probably extra obscuring because I can’t see even faint-*

Wiggles dashed off to the side, impacting with Timmy, something Appoline hadn’t noticed approaching. The clashed together multiple times, tiny limbs locking at every impact making them almost hover in place for a few seconds. Appoline was readying her bubble trap potion she’d finished earlier but Wiggles managed to kick the Timmy into a wall, hard, before following it up with a stomp. A good idea in theory, until the Timmy exploded.

"Stupid rabbit," grumbled Appoline as she threw herself sideways to catch Wiggles as he was thrown back. A healing potion already in her hand as she applied it over his fur. She got to work quickly pulling away the splinters that had ended up embedded in his body, with the healing potion getting to work sealing those spots up behind. Probably not properly healing the stuff underneath the skin... but a second potion could deal with that later.

*Dammit. Now I don’t know if I want Kat to show up soon or not. Grunkle seems... to hopefully be managing just fine but I don’t really know if that’s true. It IS his wizard tower so it should be fine. But wait, shit ’Appoline’ wouldn’t know that, not really. Dammit does that mean I should help? I might just get in the way though?*