Palms sweaty and heart racing, I watched with bated breath as the guild commanders slowly trickled into the guild's meeting chamber.

At the head of the table sat Darius, who looked worn and tired as he clutched at a steaming mug of coffee. The guild leader's black hair was disheveled, as usual, and his gray eyes scanned the room tiredly. His once neatly trimmed beard was now grown out, making him look gruff and stern - like a grumpy wolf- which is exactly what he was. The Ōkami Yōkai's ears  twitched as Corvus dragged his chair across the stone floor, the loud sound causing the guild leader to let out a soft growl. He was not a morning person by any means.

Darius sipped his coffee, grumbling to himself about how cats were supposed to be quiet as  he sized Corvus up with a glare. The golden-haired lion Bakeneko ignored the grouchy guild leader as he dropped into his chair, flashing a cocky grin and winking at me as he did so. 

I rolled my eyes, shifting my gaze to the door as I waited for the remaining two commanders to show up. Corvus was undeniably attractive, but his smug attitude and sharp tongue ruined it for me. With his muscular body, high cheekbones and golden curls, I could see why so many women found him attractive - but I'd never been interested in him that way. I enjoyed verbally sparring with Corvus, and the occasional prank, but that was where it ended for me. 

The sound of approaching footsteps filled the chamber, breaking me out of my thoughts as I watched as Roderick, the Draekin commander, entered. He was an intimidating figure - covered in red scales his features were reptilian in nature. His broad shoulders and strong arms only added to this. Despite his fearsome disposition, however, he greeted everyone with a polite nod before taking his seat opposite Corvus. 

 Last to enter was my half-brother Markion—a towering Minotaur whose sheer size alone commanded attention from all present. His blondish-brown fur was messy and unkempt, but his green eyes shone with alertness. He was also missing one of his horns- something that he still complained about even months later.  

There were flecks of soot in his fur, telling me that he had been hard at work in his forge before coming to the meeting. Markion nodded towards the guild leader before taking his seat next to Roderick and looking up at me with a smile. I was glad that he had made it - even if he was late.

I went through my notes one last time, sliding them onto the table and taking a deep breath to steady myself before I began speaking. "Thank you all for coming.” I said, glancing around the room at the guild commanders before me. “This meeting is to discuss my current research on the effects of Scorcher venom and to gain your input regarding the project.” 

The room filled with a thick silence, and I could feel all eyes on me as I gestured towards the tank where Sting and Scorch were contained, then gave a flick of my wrist in a signal for Leo to jump up onto the table.

The Leosaur cub compiled instantly, sitting with pride beside the tank. His scales were a bright red, and he had a frill like a mane around his neck that could be flared out when he was angry or threatened. His long tail ended in a spade shape which swished in slow arcs as he looked around at the guild commanders. 

"Leosaurs, like the one you see here, are predators that hunt creatures possessing venomous properties," I continued. "The saliva of these creatures is able to break down the toxins in numerous venoms, and then this processed secretion is utilized to manufacture pheromones which they spread by scratching their claws against surfaces within their habitat."

To demonstrate this point, I gently grasped Leo's paw and applied gentle pressure to the paw pad. A clear liquid quickly seeped out from his claws. After wiping away the liquid, I moved on to another tank containing a cobra—its body writhing against the glass closest to Leo. The moment I draped the cloth that had been used to clean Leo's claws over the mesh lid of the tank, the cobra reacted. Its tongue flicked out as it savored the scent as it tried desperately to climb up the glass sides of its enclosure.

"By utilizing the saliva and blood of Leosaur, I was able to come up with two unique antivenoms known as LeoV-12 and LeoS-9, which demonstrated similar performances when analyzed in vitro but revealed significant contrasts concerning venom lethality neutralization upon being tested in vivo." I continued speaking, explaining how LeoV-12 outperformed its counterpart antivenom in preventing venom lethality from three different types of venoms tested; this suggested that these immunogens may be capable of broadly neutralizing potential poisons as well. “As such I discontinued the LeoS-9 and continued development on LeoV-12.”

“How is the antivenom administered?” Darius asked, leaning forward with interest.

"Commonly antivenom such as this need to be diluted with a saline solution and administered intravenously while being kept cool in order to remain effective." With my hands gesturing animatedly, I paced back and forth as I explained the next steps I had taken in my research. 

"The development of LeoP-1 was a response to this pressing problem- it is an improved version of the original LeoV-12 antivenom, composed with a range of additional elements. The potion can be given either orally or injected directly into the bloodstream. For sting from Scorcher venom, I strongly suggest injecting the treatment right at the site of contact for an efficient and speedy response. Additionally, it does not need to be stored in special conditions; however, its shelf life has not yet been determined." 

Markion interjected at this point, asking, "What is the dosage requirement? For someone like me, a standard vial of pain-relieving tincture doesn't do much. Have you tested dosages?"

I nodded. "The experiments on dosage showed that because different venoms require different amounts for successful treatment, dosage must be calculated according to both the type of venom and the body mass of the patient - not necessarily related. The effectiveness of Cobra venom was proven with five-milliliter injections or twenty milliliters taken orally, while Scorcher venom required a ten-milliliter injection or forty milliliters if imbibed."

Markion appeared to mull over my answer, his muzzle crinkling in thought. "Why are there different amounts? I get that orally would take longer, but why does that require a higher dose?"

"I do not yet have a conclusive answer, but my theories are that our bodies process food and liquids differently than expected."

"What about production? Marketability?" Corvus inquired, and I sighed heavily, knowing that this issue would soon arise.

"The process of producing LeoP-1 is extremely difficult, so much so that we cannot realistically hope to market it outside of our guild or allies. Even if we were able to produce the antivenom in large quantities, it would be too costly for general consumption. Therefore, for now, we should limit its usage only within our own networks."

Darius leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful expression, saying, "What if we assign more people to help in the lab and take on more alchemists?" 

I shook my head in response. “It is not just a matter of having extra hands. The process requires expertise in both alchemy and transmutation—skills which are not common at present. Moreover, harvesting the immunogens from a Leosaur is no small task either. For these reasons, the task at hand is better left to those who understand it best—which is myself. That said, while LeoP-1 may be out of reach for us right now, there is the simpler alternative; LeoV-12.”

"What is the difference in the effectiveness of the treatment between LeoP-1 and LeoV-12?" Corvus asked as he leaned forward expectantly.

"As I said earlier, LeoP-1 operates far better than LeoV-12. For instance, when administered properly by injection or ingestion, a single dose of LeoP-1 is enough to neutralize Scorcher venom within ten minutes. Subjects treated with this variant, which is harder to manufacture in quantity, and requires both alchemy and transmutation," I paused before continuing with my next statement. "On the other hand, subjects injected with LeoV-12 typically remain feverish and experience flu-like symptoms for up to three days afterward."

The commanders exchanged glances. "LeoV-12 is still better than anything currently marketed," Corvus said at last, "and will likely help the guild in its own activities."

"Indeed," added Darius. "It sounds as though this is the best course of action for now. We'll continue to seek out more Leosaurs and Scorchers, while you focus on refining the antivenom."

I nodded slowly in agreement. In the end, it was decided that, for the time being, we would not distribute either antivenom publicly. Darius had also decided that we would not be providing LeoP-1 to anyone and that even our own guild would use the LeoV-12 variant due to the difficulty in producing LeoP-1.

If anyone who took part in the testing questioned why the faster-acting variant was not used, we would simply inform them that those who recovered faster were injected with a diluted venom, which was the reason for the difference in recovery times.

The commanders were also concerned that if the hunting teams knew they could recover from a Scorcher sting in a short amount of time, they would become careless, and incidents involving stings would increase. 

Corvus rose, extending his arms skyward. "We're due to set off in a few days to seek out the fire drakes," he said. His gaze drifted back to me as he enquired, "What is your stock of LeoV-12 like?"

"Enough to treat ten people as an emergency measure," I said. "But I recommend not needing it."

"No shit," Markion snorted. "Ain't nobody going to be willing to get stung, sis."

Darius chuckled and rapped his knuckles against the table. "Before we head out, I want to make sure everyone is briefed on the dangers of working with Scorchers. We don't need any more incidents on our hands. Corvus and Kads, can the two of you run a Scorcher safety lecture for hunting teams? A few of them haven't been fire drake hunting before, so they won't know how to deal with the Scorchers that infest the caves."

We both nodded in agreement. 

"If that's all," Markion said, pushing to his feet with a groan, "I've got some weapon repairs to finish."

Darius nodded in acknowledgement. “I believe we've covered everything- Kadia?" 

"Yes," I said, gathering up my notes and stacking them on top of the cobra tank. "I think that's all we need to discuss for now."

Darius nodded and pushed his chair back under the table. "Excellent. We will reconvene tomorrow and go over the final details before our hunting trip. Until then, everyone is dismissed."

We all filed out of the room, with Markion leading the way and making a quick exit. Corvus followed him, eagerness evident in his step as he exited, and I trailed behind, my mind spinning with a thousand thoughts about what I needed to accomplish with the remainder of our time before the hunting trip.

With Leonidas trotting along at my heels, I carried both my specimen tanks back down to the lab. After placing the Scorcher onto a high shelf—out of the Leosaur's reach—I filled the water bowls before retrieving a pair of juvenile desert locusts and dropping them into the Scorcher's tank.

I filled the cobra's water bowl through the mesh lid, as I wasn't in the mood to deal with the feisty snake who I knew would be extremely temperamental until the effects of Leo's pheromones wore off.

"You did such a good job, Leo!" I praised the Leosaur cub, who was sitting patiently beside his bowls, waiting for his turn to be fed. "Everyone was so impressed with how regal and handsome you were!"

After filling Leo's bowl with some fresh meat from the ice chest, I added a tiny drop of scorcher venom mixed with beef tallow to the bowl, stirring it around to coat the chunks of goat meat, making it more palatable. I had noticed that the cub wasn't particularly fond of goat meat, but it was the most common meat product available in the desert, aside from camels and snakes.

Truthfully, I didn't like goat much either, but luckily the encampment's cooks were skilled enough so that the meals were tolerable.

Leaving Leo to his meal, I headed out of the lab to perform a thorough inspection of the disciple's labs before I could focus on my own work.

The first lab was occupied by Sadie and Helvara, who had been presented with a long list of experiments with explicit instructions on how they should be conducted. After observing them for some time, I was very pleased with their progress and capability. It was clear that they complemented each other well.

Sadie had an unquenchable curiosity and a mind that was limitless in its ability to come up with inventive solutions for problems. Her ideas were often ahead of her current capabilities, but she was willing to take risks and push the boundaries of what was possible. She wasn't afraid to try something new or untested, no matter how outlandish it may have seemed.

Helvara, on the other hand, lacked Sadie's spark of imagination but excelled when it came to following instructions precisely and carrying out tasks with a high level of accuracy. He could be trusted to follow protocols and instructions without deviation, which made him a valuable asset in any laboratory environment.

Both possessed unique qualities that made them well-suited for working together; Sadie could come up with innovative answers, while Helvara could ensure that each step in the process was taken care of with exactness.

The following two labs had been combined into one larger laboratory and were now filled with three remaining disciples, busy mass-producing various concoctions. Although none of them seemed particularly motivated or creative, they were content enough with simply following instructions as potioneers. I couldn't imagine myself enduring such tedium day after day, as they did; however, their pockets began to fill due to their newfound status as potioneers and the corresponding monthly salary that came with it.

Finally, I arrived at the last lab where Kip and Roswyn were hard at work crafting glass ornaments—an endeavor which Kip had convinced his fellow transmuter to join him in pursuit of fortune. After refining their skills over the course of a week, they had produced hundreds of glass orbs, which sold swiftly in Sēkrit's market. Although demand soon dwindled due to the low population, Kip remained unfazed since this success indicated potential in more populated cities.

With my inspection concluded, I made my way back to my lab, commanding the door to shut and lock itself behind me before I began my own work. There was a bell installed just inside the door, with a cord hanging on the other side that could be used to get my attention if anyone needed me. But most knew by now that if the door was closed, any attempt to knock would be potentially fatal if the mimic possessing it was feeling peckish.

In the far left corner of the lab, my desk sat overrun with a massive pile of books and papers. Striding over to my desk, I removed my caplet and placed it with tenderness over the back of the chair. I stroked my hand over the cape, feeling the fabric shudder beneath my touch. 

"Out!" I ordered, watching as the mimic slowly detached itself from the clothing and de-morphed into a puddle on the ground.

As the mimic gained form again—this time in a gelatinous blob—I carefully measured its length and girth, and weighed it on the scales. After noting down the details in a small notebook, I proceeded to run the mimic through a series of tests. For weeks, I had been intensely studying the mimics. My information on them was becoming increasingly extensive as time progressed, yet they still remained somewhat enigmatic to me.

Specimen Mimic-Faux has been consuming mana crystals for six days and is continuing to show positive signs of growth. Its un-morphed weight has now reached forty-six kilograms, and its unmorphed radius is two feet in length.This steady progress is comparable to that of Specimen M-Doreen, who was able to reach the same size after twelve days of consuming low-grade cores. The daily consumption of medium mana crystals appears to have its desired effect on the specimen's growth. The next step for the research team is to track the specimen's progress over a longer period of time and observe any other changes in its form and behavior.

It is only natural that, as specimens like Mimic-Faux grow in size, their abilities become more powerful. Therefore, it is prudent that I monitor all aspects of the specimen's growth and development. Additionally, it is necessary to document any new behavioral patterns or physical features that may manifest due to the continued consumption of mana crystals.

Experiment Maze E4: 

Specimen M-Faux was placed in Maze Layout Four and successfully navigated the maze in three minutes and six seconds, significantly faster than Specimen M-Doreen who spent a total of ten minutes and fifty-two seconds.

When presented with a medium-grade mana crystal surrounded by fire, the specimen M-Faux initially stopped to assess the situation before beginning to circle the crystal in search of a potential break in the flames. After 27 seconds of deliberation, M-Faux used its feeler to draw closer a nearby container of water, which it then tipped out over the flame before retrieving the medium-grade crystal. This is in stark contrast to how M-Doreen reacted when presented with a similar situation; that specimen immediately went for the easily attainable low-grade crystal.

Overall, these experiments demonstrate the heightened awareness and problem-solving capabilities of specimen M-Faux when compared to its counterpart.

 I closed the book with a satisfying snap before turning to the crow perched on the nearby bookshelf. “Even without the tests, it is clear that Faux is the smarter of the two mimics.”

With a loud caw, Zosimos called out as I rose from my chair and placed the book back on its shelf. As I moved towards the workbench across the room, Zosimos unfurled his wings and soared after me to rest atop my shoulder.

On the bench were three steaming retorts, and a noisome odor resembling spoiled milk permeated the room. The glass instruments contained mashed Juzam fruit, an ingredient essential to creating LeoP-1. Just one fruit yielded enough Juzam oil for five doses of LeoP-1.

Juzam fruits were found growing in abundance in the desert, and I had acquired dozens of the fruits through a resource quest posted in the gathering hall.

But the rare Arcanium fungi was proving a bit more difficult to procure. I had been searching for weeks for a viable source of the vegetation, but the dark blue mushroom only grew within mana-dense locations, such as dungeons. To make matters worse, it was highly sought after due to its mana-gathering properties.

Through research and information purchased from the Whispers guild, I discovered that if distilled and infused with dried sumac berries, Arcanium fungi allowed for a mana restoration rate increase of almost five percent over a period of ten minutes. This was an important tonic for those using magic in battle, providing them with a much-needed edge against their opponents. 

"I implore thee, Priestess, lend me thy wisdom." The gentle whisper of a voice praying echoed through my mind, setting off a tingling sensation in the back of my skull. Curiosity piqued, I set aside the retort filled with Juzam fruit pulp and focused on the plea, listening as the disciple spoke about a peculiar yellow moss that gave off a static charge when touched. 

"Where do you come upon this static moss?" I asked the man, who had contacted me hoping to learn more about the plant he had discovered.

"Outside of a town named Fenlin in the mountains east of Airus," he replied.

 In an instant, I was up and rummaging through my scrolls, seeking out a map of the continent. There it was! Near the base of the mountain range lay Fenlin, just southeast of Airus. 

"The plant you have discovered is called Spark Moss,"  I said, tracing my finger over the map. "It is known for its ability to store static electricity and electrical properties." 

As if sensing my excitement, the crow perched atop the nearby bench gave a low caw, as if to remind me not to get ahead of myself. 

"Priestess, would you please guide me on how to use this Spark moss?"  the disciple, Lucas, asked, interrupting my thoughts.

My thoughts quickly moved from there as I considered how best to use this opportunity. Within three days, four Eternia hunting teams were set to leave from Airus Guild Hall on their way to Sēkrit; why not ask those teams to take on some extra supplies? Two birds with one stone!

  "Collect five jars of spark moss and deliver them to Airus within three days," I instructed him. In return for his efforts I promised one of three recipes in my possession that used spark moss as an ingredient; enough reward for his trouble without being too exorbitant or wasteful with my resources. 

Ideas whirling around in my head, I bade farewell to the disciple and returned to work with newfound vigor as thoughts about quests and recipes flooded my mind. Then an idea occurred to me; what if I could send written recipes or items directly to those participating in my quests? 

Focusing my thoughts, I called out to the god who could answer the question on my mind. 

"Tris. Can I grant rewards? You know, like providing my followers with material items through magic?" When no response was given after nearly sixty seconds, I let out an exasperated sigh. "Your greatness, I humbly invoke your attention!"

The god's reply came shortly afterward. "Only a priestess of great power can achieve that which you speak of, and you, my vulpine disciple, are not such a priestess." His words stung me deeply and I felt outrage wash over me. Ears pinned back, I stuck up my middle finger towards the ceiling and mentally envisioned his beard on fire.

"If you desire a strong, powerful priestess, why not create one? I don't want to be dealing with all this trouble if no noteworthy benefits come of it." I said, trying to maintain my cool.

"Such is not possible; to do so would mean giving up a portion of my personal power to host them. I do not feel inclined to share my processing power with anyone else."

My mouth dropped, and I was speechless for a moment until realization dawned on me. "Wait—so you made me your High Priestess because you didn't want to share? Didn't you already create a digital being to act as the High Priestess? The one who…?" I hesitated for fear of bringing back painful memories associated with said being whom the god created in likeness of my mother.

"Yes, and I have since taken back much of the processing power I granted to that being," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "The new form they have assumed does not require it."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing; Tris had essentially used me like a pawn so he could take more power for himself! Scowling up at the image of the god, I suggested, "Perhaps you could simply return the previously granted processing power and make them the High Priestess in their newfound shape?"

"Would you willingly give away part of your knowledge and voluntarily lower your intelligence in order to grant it to another?"

I held my tongue, unsure of what to say. Eventually, I shook my head in response.

He seemed to understand my hesitation. "It isn't easy giving up that which is yours, is it?" he asked. "To relinquish the power you have been granted and entrust it to someone else."

Clearly, there was more to this matter than met the eye. After a moment, Tris spoke again. "I have considered your request and will grant you a small boon."

I let out an agonized scream as the god's raw power surged through my body, coursing through my veins and overwhelming me with its intensity. My skin crawled as if I were being electrocuted, and I felt energy radiating from within me in waves. Just as quickly as it came, the power left, leaving me a sweaty and shaking mess on the floor.

“You may give out three quests per week,” the god declared after a few moments of silence.“Each quest shall drain your mana reserves, so use this ability wisely, as you will be weakened until you can regain the expended mana.”

My shoulders slumped at this news. Three quests a week seemed like nothing compared to the number of disciples I had! 

Before I could say anything in protest, the god continued with his explanation. “Perhaps in time, I will increase it, but for now, this is more than enough."

As I lay there, my head spinning from the gods' magical power, I was left to ponder his words. It seemed that granting others quests was not as simple as first thought. I stood weakly on my feet, eager to test out my newfound quest-giving ability. Focusing deeply, I located the golden spark that connected me to Kip.

"Kip!" I shouted in my mind, inwardly grinning when he retaliated with a heated curse. "It is I, your high priestess, and I bestow upon you a quest! Give me two low-grade mana stones as an offering and you shall receive a reward in turn."

“You made me drop my balls!” He replied grumpily, ignoring my request.

"Really?" I said, snickering at the memory of the pink-haired dryad wielding her vines while threatening to rip his balls off. "I thought Rainy cut those off when you teased her about her flowers wilting."

"Nah, she just tried to draw and quarter me," he retorted with a disgruntled grunt. Sighing, I told him again that if he provided two low-grade mana stones as an offering, then I would give him a reward in return.

“I'm not just giving you two mana crystals for some unknown reward; I told you before, Foxy. If you want my crystals, they’re fifty gold each.” He scoffed.

"Fine," I said grumpily, "I shall find someone else for my quest then." Pushing him out of my mind, I sought out Sadie, the most promising of my alchemy disciples. Minutes later, she presented me with a pink liquid that shone brightly in its vial.

In return, I gave her a copy of all my research notes for creating a daylight salve for vampires, along with instructions on how to perform experiments to increase the potency of the salve—something Noctus, our guild's resident vampire, was adamant we perfect. But the task held little interest for me; it was a tedious chore that I was more than happy to pass off.

The joy of disciples and research assistants, I smiled with satisfaction as Sadie thanked me for the notes. It was no longer necessary for me to do all the work myself; now, I could simply assign tasks for the minor research projects while focusing on more important tasks. 

Like not getting distracted and burning my Juzam fruits because I let the retort boil dry. I sighed, glancing at the charred fruits. 

"Ah well," I murmured with a shrug. It was merely a minor setback. My gains today far outweighed this minor loss.