Magic X Beat

Chapter 1: Beat Dies at the End

Summer days in Leifrest were always the same; long uneventful days, resistant to change. Beat started his day the way he always did. He cleaned the lab-kitchen while boiling two tablespoons of calmwort in the good pot. He couldn't tell whether the brown liquid in some of the potion flasks were whiskey or deadly rat's bane potion, so he threw them both out the window. Better safe than dead were words to live by when dealing with alchemy. After 10 minutes he added a cup of oats and a cup of milk to the wort-water. While the ingredients set, he cleaned the clinic-living room. They didn't have many patients yesterday, so naturally the place was more trashed than usual. After 5 minutes he added a dash of cinnamon, sugar, and pure caffeine to the creamy blue oatmeal. He channeled healing aura while stirring the mixture, which turned it blue. As the blue oatmeal began to lighten Beat took a needle and pricked his finger. "cleanse" he whispered as a drop of his blood fell into the mixture. The blue oatmeal became a vibrant green. Beat scooped the creamy oatmeal into a mug labeled 'Party Master'. While the green oatmeal cooled, he washed the good pot and utensils then hid them in the lower cabinet for next day. After the mixture was just cool enough Beat raised his hand and chanted "liquefy" and the creamy green oatmeal took on the properties of water. Just like that Beat's "cure the drunk" breakfast potion was done.

Beat waded through the sea of glass bottles that was Master Horik's room to get to the large man sleeping on a broken bed. "Master, wake up." he said, shaking life into the old man.

"WHAT!?" Master Horik sprung to life, Beat held his breath on instinct. He'd seen stronger men than him felled by Horik's morning breath. "By the gods, the hell did I drink last night" He held his stomach and winced. The answer was the same thing he drank every night. "Lad, get me the..." Before he could finish Beat offered him the cup. He gulped it all down without question. His pained demeanor softened as the potion did its job. "thanks lad, now let's open..." His gratitude turned into fear the moment the potion's side effects set in. He sprang out of bed and ran into the bathroom before the cup could even hit the floor.

Milk and oats for magic retention, calmwort water for pain relief. Cinnamon and sugar for his breath, healer's aura to repair the damage from the toxic amount of alcohol he drank, and caffeine so he didn't immediately fall asleep again. Because coffee and milk aren't exactly digestion friendly, side effects include diarrhea so fierce he'd spew out things he only thought about eating.

While Master Horik yelled about how he would never drink the morning potion again, Beat opened the clinic.

Ghastly old man Walker was the only patient at the door. The wrinkled mass of sagging, spotted flesh shambled to the examining table without a greeting. Odd since Horik assured him that he'd be able to talk again after his last appointment. Beat pulled his file to see what tools Master Horik would need. Despite the appearance that earned him the nickname "Ghastly Old Man", Walker was only 30 but suffered from Pneumatic Lepromatous. An infection of the soul that reflected in his physical body caused by miasma exposure. His skin was wrinkled, swollen, and decaying. Master Horik removed the miasma before the disease could become more severe and now the treatment was mostly antibiotics and aura. According to the file he was bacteria free and was here today to have the physical damage reversed, which meant Horik would only need his catalyst crystal. Before he fetched it, he glanced over Horik's appointments for today. There were no other appointments. After Walker was the word "RUN!!" written in red ink and sloppily circled several times. It was out of the ordinary but not exactly out of character for Master Horik. Beat shrugged it off as drunken antics and grabbed the dazzling blue crystal from its pedestal. He sat across from Walker and admired its radiant cut, bright blue color, and the way it shined even in the dinky clinic-living room. It was the most valuable thing they possessed. Catalyst crystals are an integral tool that allows a healer to pull of more complex treatments with basic pneumatics like blood and aura. If Beat was allowed to use it Master Horik wouldn't spend half an hour of every morning voiding his insides. Alas, He says Beat "just isn't ready."