“Of course, you’re petrified of poor, old Nestor, who, yes admittedly does look like an unfortunate pincushion,” Aleister was pacing back and forth on the table, his tail twitching irritably, “but is mostly harmless. And yet. And yet, you decide to engage that Thing! And, I catch you, in the middle of the night, trying to play its game! Have you gone mad?”

The next morning I woke up with an awful headache. It was almost like I was hungover, but I hadn’t had any drink. On top of that, Alesiter was giving me a tongue lashing that just went on and on.

“Alright, look, I’m sorry? But I didn’t light the candle, so it should all be okay, right? Nothing happened! Everything is fine now, and we can keep on making Mr. Caskard his breath mints, or whatever.” I was becoming annoyed with the whole situation. How was I supposed to know that an evil spirit would try to trick me into playing some evil game?

“Yes,” Aleister finally quit his pacing, “Everything should be fine. You’re extremely lucky you woke me up.” The cat puffed up his chest, and threw his little shoulders back. I saw where this was going.

“Thank you, Aleister, I don’t know what I would do without your sage advice and priceless guidance.” I said, mostly managing to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

“Hmpph,” Was all the cat had to say back.

“Let’s focus. The potion should be done this morning! We’ll be sending the first Parcel. You up for it, Cheerful?” I asked the bird. He had been very quiet all morning.

“Sure am!” Was all the normally talkative bird had to say.

---

The alembic had done its job through the night. The glass jar I had placed under the catch tube was full of a sweet smelling fluid. It was almost clear, with a green tinge. Overall, it looked quite decent. I was proud of my first potion!

I brought the jar over to the kitchen counter, intent on pouring some out into a phial, since Mr. Caskard shouldn’t need the whole mason jar.

“Which one of these should I use?” I said over my shoulder, pointing to the various sizes of glass containers.

It took a few moments, but I knew that Aleister couldn’t resist being a know-it-all. He pounced on the counter to carefully examine all the glassware. After a few moments of deliberation, he gently placed his paw on one of them without a word, and pounced off again.

The phial he selected was just longer than my finger, and about as wide. I carefully poured some of the greenish potion into it, and used a cork to seal it.

I felt my heat in my cheeks as I thought about the next step. I still didn’t know the Winter Lady’s true Name. I felt so embarrassed at having failed my mission the previous night.

Being forced to skip that step, I went on to the last piece of instruction.

After the preparation is complete, it is wise to speak the Winter Lady’s true Name over the decoction and then one should Open the properties of the mixture.

I drew the sign of Opening over the phial. I felt a gentle billowing in my clothes, and maybe the phial warmed a bit in my hands. But it could have all been my imagination.

I the got a message:

Winter’s Kiss

Complete!

+35 EXP

+5 Water (Cooking)

+15 Coagula (Alchemy)

+5 Solvé (Alchemy)

+10 Theoria (Alchemy)

For just a moment, I was happy to be earning EXP again. I had gotten a huge chunk from that one potion! Then I got further info on the product I had created:

Winter’s Kiss

2 of 10 Quality Points (Awful Rating)

I only got two points. All that effort, and my potion was Awful! I breathed a heavy sigh. Was I really cut out for this?

Quality Improvement:

Using Distilled Water

Using Fresh Herbs for Simples

Using More Herbs

Imbuing with a Name

Using More Potent Opening Gesture

The second message was a helpful reminder that highlighted all the ways in which I failed.

It all felt so unfair.

I didn’t have time to make distilled water, and I didn’t even know how.

I only had dried Sage, and I couldn’t source fresh Sage within two days.

I couldn’t use more herbs; if I had, I might have killed my little Balm plant.

I couldn’t get the Winter Lady to come to me in a Vision. Instead, I got some kind of horrible spirit, that wanted to play stupid games with red yarn.

And what was a more potent Opening Gesture? I had no idea.

And that’s not even mentioning that I don’t remember ever signing up to do any of this!

I left the corked phial on the counter, and went to lay down on my miserable little nest of quilts. I didn’t even have a real bed. I felt extreme pity for myself. As I covered myself up, so I didn’t have to face this awful, dirty, locked up house, I tried very hard not to cry.

I had no past, no name, no nothing, except this obligation, that I don’t believe I ever chose! My body was all wrong, and I was no closer to fixing it. I would starve in the house soon, unless I could sell some potions. But who would buy my terribly prepared products?

I decided to just lay there for a while. Mr. Caskard and the whole damn house could wait a bit.

As I hugged myself under the blankets, I felt a gentle weight settle down next to me.

“What is it?” The cat asked.

“My potion sucks.”

“Undoubtedly. It’s your first one, isn't it. You can’t expect to be Grandmaster Alchemist right off the bat.”

I stuck my head out of the covers.

“Yeah?”

“Yes. What rating did you get anyway? It can’t be that bad.” The cat proceeded. I was touched that he had forgotten his anger, and came to try to console me.

“Two of ten. Awful rating.” I confessed.

Aleister chuckled. “That is pretty bad actually; maybe consider giving Mr. Caskard a discount.”

Despite myself, I chuckled too.

“We could ask him for some fish instead of money? I don’t feel right taking any payment for an awful product.”

“No, no. Even with an awful rating, it’s still worth something. Instead of 6 Bones, take 3. Or hell, he might not even notice the lack of potency. Take all the money and run, I say.” Aleister concluded.

---

We sent Cheerful off with the first parcel. I told the bird to only accept 3 Bones as payment. Cheerful said he understood, and flew off.

As soon as Cheerful cleared the room, my To Do list (which was thankfully back to normal) got updated.

EXP: 74

 

To Do:

  1. Solve The Riddle of Doors

  2. Unlock the Parcel Service

  3. Send the first Parcel (1 days remains)

Then, on cue, I got another message:

3 To Do items complete!

+30 EXP

Watching Cheerful fly out of the room, something was bothering me.

“Aleister, how is Cheerful able to leave the house? I mean, he just flew out of the kitchen, but how'd he actually get out? Isn’t the house locked?” I asked. I couldn’t leave, because the only door that went out of the house needed 750 EXP points to unlock.

“We’re not constrained by the locked doors, of course. Those are for you, not us.” He answered.

“But why? Why do I have to unlock those doors?” I asked.

“It’s part of your initiation,” the cat was very matter-of-fact when he answered, “Your initiation into Sorcery.”

“My initiation? What is that?” I had heard the cat mention that I was a fledgling, or un-initiated Sorcerer, but I truthfully wasn’t sure what that meant.

The cat blinked at my question. He didn’t seem to know how to answer my question.

“What exactly do you remember?” He finally asked.

I told him about floating in the star space and picking Snake as my Zodiac sign, and then waking up in the hallway, all the doors locked.

“That’s it?” He prodded.

“No, there was also something else. Brief flashes of memories, but it didn’t feel like they were mine. I felt like I was watching snippets of someone else's life. I remember someone dying, and being at a funeral, then taking a train, and then this really tall woman letting me in her house. That’s it.” I answered. Hadn’t there been something before? Something totally different than this world of magic and talking cats? I was sure there was, but as I tried to remember, I couldn’t come up with anything.

“I can’t imagine why you don't think they’re your memories.” Aleister sounded confused, which was disconcerting to me. The cat was usually very confident.

“Do you know who the tall woman was?” I asked. “She had very blue hair, if that helps.”

“Naturally, I know her. That's the Mistress of the house.” The cat replied.

I wasn’t sure what I had assumed, but I never thought that this house was somebody else's. I hadn’t been sure it was mine, but with no one else here besides the two animals, who else could be the owner?

---

Cheerful returned very quickly. He brought back three Bones, a fishy-smelling package wrapped in paper, and more letters.

The Bones were coins. They were rectangular, and made of iron, about an inch long and half an inch wide. On the reverse side, there was an image of a skull, which I thought was a bit macabre for currency. The obverse had a bust of a man, and an inscription that was too tiny to read. I put the three coins into my pocket.

I got a new stat right above my EXP.

Auros: 0.075

EXP: 104

It wasn’t much, but it was the first money I had made, so I felt good about it.

I opened the fishy package next. I had expected a whole fish, but instead I found two white filets, ready to cook! There was a note attached to the package.

My Sincerest Gratitude, Sorcerer!

The bird you sent wouldn’t take all 6 Bones which I had offered as payment. I sent along a couple of choice Mackerel filets for your dinner table. Fried in a little oil, they should be delicious.

I haven’t tested your potion yet. To be honest, I haven’t asked Miss Mary to the festival yet, either. I’m sure one of these days I’ll work up the courage.

All The Best,

Bernard C.

I put the note away, hoping that Bernard really would find his courage, and ask Miss Mary to this festival.

The last thing that Cheerful had brought were letters.

“Those are requests, aren’t they?” I asked, pointing to the letters.

“Yes, yes! Good, nice people, asking for more things!” Cheerful replied.

I gathered them up and put them on the counter. We had food for the day, and those letters could wait.

---

I cooked the Mackerel just as Bernard’s note suggested. It was exceedingly difficult to do over the hearth. I propped a skillet over the andirons in the hearth, but flipping the filets involved me sticking my arm into the fireplace. I had to work quickly to avoid getting burned.

“The woman that owns this place, where is she?” I chatted with Aleister while the fish cooked and he warmed his fur by the fire.

“Away.” Was all he had to say.

“Is she coming back?” I asked.

“I imagine so. She would hardly leave her apprentice forever. And, this is her home. She’ll have to return eventually.” Aleister replied.

Right. She was some kind of Sorcerer master, and I was her apprentice. And the confusing and bewildering journey I was undertaking was some kind of weird initiation. Really, it felt more like hazing.

“When is she supposed to return, then?” I asked.

“No idea. She goes and comes as she wishes.” Aleister said.

“What am I supposed to do until she gets back?”

“Mistress, kind mistress, left you instructions! Things to do, things to get done, while she’s away.” Cheerful flitted over to the table and joined the conversation.

“Oh? What’s that?” I stared at the cat. Neither of my guides had mentioned this.

“She said, keep the house spotless, the larder full, and the store turning money!” Cheerful answered happily, then realizing how much I have been failing this task, looked down at the table, and gave it one strong peck.

“It’s not so bad that she’s gone. She would be furious to see her house in such disarray.” Aleister added.

“But I woke up to it like this!” I protested.

Despite feeling the unfairness of the situation, I felt myself blush. Was this house really my responsibility? If so, I needed to pick up the pace. I suddenly got a quick flash of an angry Sorceress coming home to see her beloved store all but abandoned, and her house a complete ruin! Oh dear, she might turn me into a toad, if she didn’t think of something worse.

“She won’t be back soon, I should think. You have time.” Was all Aleister said.

“And we’ll help you! I love to help!” Cheerful added.

---

I almost burned the fish, but managed to save it at the last moment. It came off the skillet golden and crisp. When I pulled it out, and slid the two filets on a plate, I got a message.

+20 EXP

+20 Fire (Cooking)

New Recipe Unlocked!

Fried Fish, (Lunch or Dinner)

Odd. I had made food before, but I guess my lentils didn’t count as a recipe.

I cut up one of the filets, and gave it to Aleister and Cheerful, who both seemed happy to share it. The other, I ate myself. It was delicious!

When I was done, I got a buff:

Filling Lunch (1 day)

All prices are 20% better.

It was good to know that eating recipes would give me buffs. I would have to try to unlock more. And, I had an idea of how to take advantage of the buff.

I decided to give Cheerful all the money I had, which was three measly coins. I told him to fly to the market and bring back anything that looked edible and that he could purchase with the small sum.

After he was gone again, on his second flight of the day, I sat down and decided it was high time for me to investigate leveling up my Skills.

I opened my Character Sheet. Before the info spilled out on my overlay, I got a brief flash of a message that chilled me to the bone.

DID YOU FORGET?

It went away quickly and I was almost successful in convincing myself it was just my imagination.

Alchemy

   -Coagula (LVL 0, 24 SKP)

   -Solvé (LVL 0, 9 SKP)

   -Theoria (LVL 0, 13 SKP)

Botany

  -Tending (LVL 0, 5 SKP)

  ???

Cooking

  -Fire (LVL 0, 21 SKP)

  -Water (LVL 0, 6 SKP)

  ???  

Homesteading

   -Fire Tending (LVL 0, 7 SKP)

   -Tidying (LVL 0, 35 SKP) Ready to level up!

   ???

Speech

   -Logic (LVL 0, 32 SKP) Ready to level up!

   -Linguistics (LVL 0, 7 SKP)

   ???

I was ready to level up Tidying and Logic. I mentally focused on Tidying, and tried to select it with my mind.

Do You Wish To Level Up?

Tidying Level 1 Grants ‘Dirt Buster’ Passive Effect

Cool! I would get some kind of buff from leveling up Tidying! I tried to answer yes to the message box.

Nothing happened, so I tried again.

HA

I tried stabbing the message with my mental focus, but I just couldn’t make anything happen! For some reason I couldn’t level up.

HA

I tried doing the same thing for Logic.

Do You Wish To Level Up?

Logic Level 1 Grants ‘Rhetoric’ Passive Effect

I concentrated, and used all my will to say Yes to Leveling Up.

NO OTHER GAMES. WE’RE STILL PLAYING

I exited out my character sheet as quickly as I could, my heart beating wildly against my ribcage. I looked around. Aleister didn’t notice anything wrong, as he was sitting on the window sill, and looking out, swishing his tail.

He had been so mad at me this morning. I decided not to mention to him that something was very, very wrong.

---