Chapter 5: Alka

Syryn was once again in Maple Town. Visitors and hawkers crowded the market in a cacophony of noises and smells. He passed by many makeshift food stalls that were selling breakfast. Stuffed dumplings, fruit pies, game meat porridge, fried dough, and an assortment of delicious-looking food. Syryn was almost broke now and had to sell his wares before he got to eat breakfast. He visited maple cottage and spoke to one of the attendants.

"Good morning, I have some potions and herbal medicine to sell."

The young man who he had spoken to looked down his nose and frowned at Syryn. "This brat, we sell only the best items here. Nobody has time to waste on foolish kids. Get out!"

This time, he wore commoners clothes and thus his treatment was par for course. "You won't even take a look?" Syryn's reply was calmly spoken.

"Didn't you hear me? I said leave!" The attendant shouted.

"Eh? Why are you shouting at the kid?" A lazy voice drawled. The owner of the voice, a young man wearing a conspicuous uniform was standing by the herb aisle. His partner was a little male beauty with black hair and cat-like eyes.

Syryn noticed that their uniform distinguished them as students of the King Hill School for sorcerers and supernaturals. It was one of the 3 reputed Magical Institutions that held sway of power in the kingdom. These two teenagers were no ordinary mages if they were truly students of King Hill.

The little beauty stepped forward and sniffed at him daintily. His eyes were the colour of a spring leaf, bright green and vivid.

"You have something good on you." He was the same height as Syryn and stood close to him.

"Oi, Alka, you can't just go around sniffing people." His companion chided. The taller man had a dark head of luxurious hair. He gave off an air of indolence and confidence. Just like his beautiful companion, the taller man was also handsome.

Ignoring his friend, Alka stared keenly at Syryn. He seemed to be expecting something.

'Ah', Syryn thought and pulled out his wares. He held out the herbal poultice to Alka. "Is this what you were looking for?"

Alka brought the package to his nose and took a delicate whiff. His eyes brightened up and Syryn could see a flash of pure happiness in them. "You added Purple heart weed to the medicine." His voice was soft and polite. "Such a delicate plant in the hands of a master can bring out an unparalled aroma. You are the master aren't you?"

Contrary to his soft voice, Alka's eyes were bright and focused like the sun. Syryn felt himself tingle with a tinge of embarrassment at the compliment.

"So you're gonna buy it? I have 10." He avoided the question that Alka had asked.

Gently nodding his head, Alka pulled out a crown from his pocket. "I only have this much left." It was more than enough and definitely more than anything Syryn had expected to gain out of selling the herbal poultices. But for the skill that demanded the handling of the herbs he had used, Syryn would have charged less. It was nice to meet a person who could recognise quality.

"If you can add another 20 silvers to it, I can give you one of these." Syryn then pulled out his vial of hemostatic potion.

Alka's eyes went wide and he tentatively received the vial from Syryn. He uncorked the vial and held it before his nose. Eyes closed, Alka smelled the potion and smiled. "Hemostatic potion, grade 1, and 3 stars. How rare to find in such a place. Free of most impurities, your potion will not cause any side effects or damage to the stomach if swallowed. Yes, I'll take everything you have." Alka's gentle voice soothed Syryn. He had a way of talking that made the people around him feel like they were being caressed by a gentle breeze.

"Magnus, lend me 5 crowns. I've already spent all of mine." He turned to his companion who had been quietly watching the shorties exchange words.

"What? That's too much. 1 crown is enough." Syryn held up a finger.

Alka shook his head at that, "It is the price that I wish to pay."

"He wants 1 crown. Why do you insist on giving him 5?" Magnus grumbled but still, he pulled out a pouch of money and threw it towards Syryn who deftly caught it in midair. It earned him a grin from Magnus.

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"There are 10 crowns in there. Keep the change." Magnus's heavy-lidded black eyes narrowed into a feline smile.

Syryn couldn't understand the brains of genius kids that attended fancy schools. Magnus had complained about Alka paying him too much and yet had gone and doubled it. He was practically getting money for free.

"Thank you for your patronage." He stuffed the goods into the hands of Magnus since Alka already had his hands filled with herb packages. Syryn happily put the money into his satchel and turned to leave.

"Wait" Alka's soothing voice stopped him.

Syryn turned and Alka smiled, a small tug at the corner of his lips. "In the future, if you ever visit Elysium, find me at King Hill School. I'd like to buy whatever else you make." He held out a tiny gold disc and waited for Syryn to pull out his own.

Syryn didn't have a pi-cal disc.

"I don't have one." He shook his head at Alka. Syryn had nobody to communicate with and so a pi-cal disc was low on his list of items to buy.

"Ah, I'm sorry." Alka put his disc away and pulled out a small piece of paper. He inserted some mana into it and gave it to Syryn who accepted the paper. Every mage had a unique mana signature and it was used to identify their pi-cal disc. Alka was taking a huge risk allowing his mana to be stored and given away to a stranger who could misuse the signature. It made Syryn feel a sense of camaraderie with the young man.

"Thank you. I'll reach out to you as soon as I get a pi-cal disc." He cheerfully informed the beauty who graced him with another smile.

"By the way, are you a shapeshifter?" He asked Alka.

"Yes, I'm a cat." Alka nodded.

"That doesn't explain how your sense of smell is so sharp," Syryn replied.

"Mmm, he's a special cat." Magnus lazily smiled.

Alka blinked and looked down at his herbs as he replied to Syryn, "my magic is attuned to nature. I'm not special."

Syryn nodded thoughtfully, "but not all plant mages have the capability to identify the ingredients in a mixture with just their noses. You ARE special." He replied. A faint blush appeared on Alka's white cheeks.

"Alright, it's time to leave," Syryn told his customers when milky sneezed and stuck his head out of Syryn's pocket.

The two shapeshifters immediately turned their gazes to the white cat and Magnus gasped. It went unnoticed by Syryn who waved and left them behind watching his back with interest.

"You think he'll call you?" Magnus asked Alka who shrugged. "I can't say. I hope he does."

"Mmm"

"I don't think he knows about the kitten." Alka's eyes crinkled in a mysterious smile.

"I'm sure he will find out eventually."

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