This choice: Luci makes her way to Gwyn’s tower • Go Back...Chapter #6Eli and Luci set off on their journey by: max   Eli secured the reins of the horses to the carriage as he heard the thump and rattle of a many wheeled object being brought around. Lucinda came around the corner of the store's rear, pulling an ornate miniature cabinet. She approached the carriage without a word. Then jumping lightly she unlatched the back panel and caught it with a grunt as it fell. Eli immediately moved to assist and she waved him off. With obvious effort she lowered the back panel to the ground and then rolled the mini-cabinet up it and into the back of the carriage.
“Eli, I am not some damsel who blanches at the thought of chipping a nail. Are the horses ready?” Luci asked as she secured the cabinet into a groove in the carriage floor. Engaging a set of weighted wooden locks as she did.
“Sorry my lady, and yes my lady. May I ask why you are bringing the portable lab?” Eli asked, knowing better than to comment on his master's height.
“I checked the map, the closest town to Gwynevere's tower is Durmrin. Which means if I want or need a lab to work in while proving the egotistical windbag wrong I'd have to ask Rizzik.” Luci answered.
“Ah, and you don't want to risk him finding out you filched some potion. I bet he sits around all day thinking up thief jokes just to humiliate you.”
“Oh, I didn't think about that. I just didn't want to drown in the cobwebs of that dilapidated building he calls a store. But you're right, he probably doesn't have anything better to do than think about dueling my wit.” Lucinda said, the highlight in her hair changing ever so slightly to reddish green.
“I was joking.” Mumbled Eli as he rolled his eyes and walked towards the carriage front. Luci climbed into the back and drew the panel shut behind her. Luci immediately cracked open the top of her portable lab, revealing a many trayed top with a built in heat source. A simple stone device with a concave surface. She grabbed an appropriate lid for it, edged around the sides to slot in place with an indentation to hold a glass beaker in the center. She added a little orange powder from a tray and then poured in some water before sealing the top.
“Now where are the reduction blanks?” Luci asked as she pulled out a drawer on the side. Vials lined the inside of it, including a set of vials with a clear viscous fluid. She had developed these when she first started her business. She had quickly discovered she had a talent for creating potions of exemplary strength. Which should have been a great selling point. Until you realize that most people can barely stomach a potion of average strength. It didn't concern her much, until one day when healing potion caused a wounded client to projectile vomit over her at point blank. After that day Luci quickly devised a solution, reduction blanks. Alchemically primed fluid that would dilute a substance poured into it and then attune to its properties. She carefully removed the small vial of elixir she had procured from Rizzik earlier. Even the single ounce still shimmered so vibrantly it cast light over the carriage's cabin.
“I may not like admitting this. But this is a work of art, so potent, so beautiful. And If I'm going to educate that arrogant mage I'm going to need every advantage I can get.” Luci said as she poured the elixir into a blank. The potion changed immediately, losing only a fraction of its luminous quality. Luci quickly set about breaking down its qualities and figuring out a way to use its potency to safely improve her own brews.
***Durmrin***
Zevine stared out the window as she waited for some willow hollow to concentrate into a vial. She saw a beautiful carriage heading down the road and then rather than turning towards town it headed along the road to the north, before turning off the road and heading towards the hills.
“Master Rizzik? Master Rizzik!” She shouted.
“Zevine, I am busy. Somehow my beauty potion lost volume and I need to figure out how, and why. Lest the whole thing evaporate into air, much like my patience.” Rizzik growled.
“But sir, some noble is heading north, and it looks like they're heading to Gwynevere's tower.” Zevine said, stress filling her voice as the carriage got further away. There was a heavy sigh as Rizzik hurried over to the window. He saw the dark oaken carriage with blue and gold trim and frowned.
“Oh, why is she back? And where does she think…” Rizzik eyed the nearby pamphlet that the mage Gwynevere had rained down onto the town earlier, he smirked. “Oh she wouldn't, would she? Of course she would. The only question is how she fit her ego into a single carriage.”
“Master? You know that carriage?” Zevine asked.
“Indeed, that's Lady Lucinda's carriage. She certainly isn't coming out here for business. Which means she must be researching first hand what transmutation is like.” Rizzik said
“Transmutation research?” Zevine asked, noting how Rizzik's smile was growing.
“Master Rizzik, that's not very nice. Besides, Lady Gwynevere doesn't actually turn people into frogs…right?” Zevine asked
“Of course not. She's far fonder of toads.” Rizzik said, walking away.
***Gwynevers tower***
Eli gazed upward at the immense stone structure. The outside seemed to be a single solid piece of granite, hundreds of feet tall. Even in broad daylight it was an imposing sight.
“Umm, Lady Lucinda, are you sure about this? I don't know a lot about mages, but I do know a fair bit about stone and masonry. Owing to my father's business dealings.”
Eli said nervously.
Luci emerged from the side of the carriage. Her hair still bearing the crimson streak, and a satchel of potions belted around her waist.
“Eli, you are a wonderful assistant, and an almost passable alchemist. But what does Masonry have to do with any of this? This is a matter of pride.” Luci said as she glared at the tower.
“Well ma'am it's just that, you see…” Eli paused and took a breath “That tower shouldn't be possible, which means she built it with magic. If she can do that then maybe she-”
“She what?!” Luci interrupted. Her hair flared with crimson light. Eli sighed, he didn't particularly want to deal with an angry Luci anymore than he wanted to deal with a powerful Mage.
“It's just, I don't want to see you get hurt.” Eli said sheepishly. Luci was taken aback by that, and when her shock wore off she smiled softly.
“Oh Eli, I'm not going to attack a mage. I'm just going to offer her conclusive evidence that her published views on alchemy are demonstrably false and that she is utterly wrong in this matter.” Luci clarified as she patted the young man on shoulder and then turned and walked towards the tower.
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