"Well that was anticlimactic," Lixin murmured as he stared down at the book, disappointment washing over him. He expected a cut scene to pop up and fill him in on the history, or for a notification to appear with a concise summary of all he needed to know. But nothing happened.

He supposed he had to do it the old-fashioned way and read the book himself. Although he found it somewhat tedious especially since this was a game he would do what he had to.

Sighing, he leaned back against the soft leather sofa and turned to the first page. Lixin was surprised to see that it was a letter written in an unknown script but for some reason, he was able to read it.

'It must be the game mechanics at work,' he thought, his eyes darting across each word as he began to read.

 

Amitabha,

Aldwin my friend, although I would have liked to instruct you in the ways of Herba, I have made a solemn promise to never stay in one spot for longer than three months. Thus, I leave you with this book which contains my research and the recipes I have discovered. These recipes can be used to benefit yourself and others.

Even though I have known you for only a short time I know you are a good man. You will use what you have learned righteously and teach your descendants to do the same. However, it is essential that everyone who trains in Herba understands that it is intrinsically intertwined with the Earth.

You must never take the plants you use to create your mixture for granted. Without them, this power would not exist. For that reason, we must work in harmony with the land and never forget to offer gratitude for what it provides us with.

During my travels, I have gained a great deal of insight into Herba; due to its power, for balance, there must be both light and dark. I have focused primarily on the lighter aspects of Herba, which are mainly used for healing and protection. 

However, I foresee that someone from your lineage will need the skills of the darker side one day. For your own safety, I have locked this section and the few recipes I know within it.

Only the one who holds the key will be able to read them. But heed my warning: never use these powers without instruction or understanding of their consequences.

This book consists of invaluable knowledge so treat it as such. There are still numerous mysteries surrounding Herba; therefore, feel free to write down your discoveries as well as those of others.

Through the power of Herba, you will be able to nurture relationships with beings from other realms. With that powerful bond comes an immense responsibility so always use it wisely.

May peace be upon you and until we meet again, take care.

Zin

 

As he stared at the page, his thoughts swirled as he tried to process what he had just read. Could a monk foresee the future? What did Herba have to do with beings of other realms? He had so many questions but nowhere to direct them.

Lixin sat straight in the chair. His interest peaked, and curiosity raced through him. He found this storyline to be more intriguing than he had ever anticipated.

His body tingled with excitement at the thought of unraveling all of its mysteries. With some expectation, he quickly turned to the next page.

However, as soon as he did, a brilliant flash of light filled the room and dings sounded throughout the room. After blinking to clear his fuzzy vision, he saw an array of notification screens floating in front of him. 

"I should have never let my guard down," he muttered, running his fingers through his hair. "I should have known the game wouldn't make players read entire books."

Putting the book down next to him he began reading through the notifications.

[Cora:]Quest completed!]

[Cora:] [You have gained: 40 EXP]

[Cora:] [You have gained: 40 Bronze Coins]

[Cora:] [You Have Leveled up!]

[Cora:] [You are now level 2!]

 

'At last, I finally leveled up! But it took me five quests to do so,' Lixin thought with a sigh. It seemed like Zeyu was right - leveling up in this game was slower than he expected. He shook his head and continued skimming the notifications.

 

[Cora:] [You have gained 5 skill points!]

[Cora:] [Herba skill tab has been unlocked! Please navigate to the status page and check it out!]

[Cora:] [You have Learned: Ceylon & Lamprocapnos!]

[Cora:] [Two new skills have been added to your Herba tab!]

[Cora:] The Atropa Tea Style has been unlocked!]

[Cora:] [You have gained 50 (S Grade) Ceylon Tea Bags & 50 (S Grade) Lamprocapnos Tea Bags]

[Cora:] [Notice: Since your inventory is still locked the (S Grade) Ceylon Tea Bags & (S Grade) Lamprocapnos Tea Bags have been slotted into your weapon!]

 

"Slotted into my weapon... what did that mean?" Lixin wondered, glancing at his Tskhali bracelet. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. "Could it be similar to a gun and instead of bullets it is loaded with tea bags?"

Lixin imagined himself shooting tea bags at monsters and shook his head. That seemed way too silly. But it made him curious about how he would fight. "I guess I will learn in time." However, as soon as he said that, he exited from the screen he was on and discovered he hadn't received another storyline quest.

It felt strange since every time he finished a quest so far another one would pop up. However, he took it in stride thinking that the game was giving him some time to take in everything he had learned and manage his stats, etc.

Since he was already curious about his newly acquired Herba tab he decided to do exactly that. "Open Status." 

As soon as his Cora opened, he quickly scanned the different tabs until he found the one he was looking for. Once he clicked on it, a projection of the book he was reading appeared before him. 

This gave him a pause until Lixin realized that the projection was probably interactive. So treating it like something he would read on his HaloScreen, he used his hand to swipe it open to the first page. However, the book pages kept turning until it reached a page with the word Atropa on it.

Lixin deduced that because he had only learned this tea style, he couldn't read the other portion with Dexatrim abilities. It didn't really matter because he knew he would learn it sooner or later.

Turning the page he saw another note from the monk but unlike the previous one this seemed to be instructions and the words were directed at him.

 

If the Atropa Tea Style was unlocked, then it means the prophecy has come true. It was said that a war would come to this realm and only a fish could prevent it. The beings will consume the fish's realm and search for him in this one when the purple moon rises. If they capture the fish, all hope will be lost. Little fish, I am hopeful that with such strength you can defeat the malevolence that is following you.

Though these recipes are highly hazardous, I believe you will use them well. To utilize this Herba method, you have to depend on your conduit. It will be an essential weapon in the upcoming battle.

To use it, you should think about which brew you want to use before saying 'Steep.' When those words are uttered, a teapot or teacup made from spiritual power will materialize with the tea inside. Simply focus on your enemy and say 'Serve.' As soon as you say that, it will break apart, allowing it to navigate toward your adversary.

It is my prayer that you will succeed and save us all, little fish.

Zin

 

Lixin's eyes widened after reading Zin's note. This answered some of his questions. Not all but at least he figured out one piece of the puzzle. It seems it wasn't an accident that Peter's ancestor saved the monk from the bear. He thinks it might have been planned to put the book in their hands. "Oh man, I'm getting really invested."

~

Author Says

 

Lixin: Now I know why you kept giving me tea. Are you still going to do it?

 

MomoCatt: Nope. I’m going to mix it up.

 

Lixin: Oh? How?

 

MomoCatt: Here, have a Strawberry Crunch cupcake.

 

 

Find your Persona here: https://www.quotev.com/quiz/15692146/What-is-your-Persona

Share in the comments which storyline you get!