Light from the 3 moons dances across the surface of the lake, weaving a tale intertwined with the ripples moving across the water. Next to the lake a tall figure sits, staring out in to the distance oblivious to the natural beauty surrounding her. A deep sigh escapes her lips as she reaches up to brush a strand of hair from her face. She looks up to the First Moon and smiles. As the light hits her face, her skin begins to glow with a gentle radiance. White as the Moons themselves she had an unearthly beauty about her, it almost seemed as if in that moment, if you were to reach out and touch her, she would disappear. As if she had been a figment of an overactive imagination.
The smile left her face as she raised herself up. Reaching down, she brushed off the dirt that had clung to her dress, and began walking away from the lake. Gathering up the bag she had left on the ground, she reached in and pulled out a small vial. Grimacing, she uncorked it and downed the contents in one swift motion. The smell that came from the vial was putrid, and the taste... Well there is nothing that can be said to describe that horror.
Putting the vial back into a different pouch, she begins her trek back home. Hopping across rivers, wading through meadows thick with foliage, and evading the more dangerous parts of the forest with only the light from the moons as her guide, she finally reaches her destination.
She now stands close to a very large tree. It is what many would call a "World Tree" in lore. Roots as large around as a full grown Mann, bark tougher than steel, and leaves that could easily hide your face. Setting her pack down yet again, she begins to search around the roots of the tree. Frustration marrs her face as she struggles to find her prey, then she laughs in exaltation as she spots it. A lone mushroom, no larger than her small finger partially hidden under one of the roots.
She dashes back to her pack, grabs a small metal instrument, and returns to her prize, crouching down and ever so carefully moving closer. The metal piece proves to be a contraption of sorts that latches onto the stem of the mushroom gently. Letting go, she pulls out another object. This one appears to be made out of wood, and with this she begins to carefully excavate the area around the mushrooms, exposing its glistening roots. Working carefully at this, she spends around an hour just clearing the area, at points pausing to brush off the tiniest insect that works its way towards the mushroom roots, looking for an easy meal. At last, she sets aside her wooden instrument, grips the metal one, and pulls up.
The mushroom comes free without a problem. Giddy with excitement, she takes great care in securing it in her vial safely. Once protected, she shouts in joy. An incredibly rare ingredient, this mushroom was a key part in many of her experiments, and she had only successfully obtained two before, of much lesser quality. With this... She could do wonders.
Rushing to her things, she grabs her pack, and sets off once again. Looking up into the sky, she realizes that a new light has started to appear... the sun was rising!
Panic floods her being as she rushes forward. She could not be allowed to be out in the sun, that was unthinkable. The last time she had done so, she had almost been blinded by the light!
Crashing through the brush, pain flares through her thigh. Looking down, she notices a rip in her robe, gritting her teeth, she pushes on. With a final push, she breaks through and spots a small depression in the face of a hill. Yes! She made it home! Rushing up to the entrance, she ducks inside, and pushes forward. It's narrow, dark, and cold, it makes her instantly feel safe and comfortable. With the little light left from outside, she reaches for a small box stored safely by the entrance. Inside, she finds a set of 6 vials and several rags. Grabbing a vial, she wraps the top in a rag, turns it upside down and opens it, allowing the contents to pout all over the rag. a slow glow begins to emanate from the rag, growing brighter with every second it's exposed to the air. Placing the empty vial with all her others, she continues her walk. Going forward, the cave begins to widen out, going further down with every step. After a few minutes of steady walking, she reaches a large cavern. Ahhh yes, home at last.
Approaching a table laden with vials and various instruments, she places her prize with the others, revelling in how lucky her day had been. At that moment she felt a sharp pain and remembered about her little run in with nature. She reached into her pack and brought out yet another small box. Opening it, she saw various small containers and vials, though she knew instantly which one she needed. Grabbing a smaller container, placed it on a nearby table and began undressing. Laying her robe across a the table as well, she pulled down her trousers and examined the wound. The skin was red and flushed around the abrasion, and small black lines stretched outward...
Of all the things... She had been cut by one of the native plants in the area. It was a small shrub that exuded a slow acting poison. Often if you found wildlife dead for no reason for out in the country, it was due to this plant. Thankfully, she had long learnt how to deal with such matters. Taking her container, she scooped a portion into her fingers and began smoothing it over the wound, taking care not to waste any. As the concoction entered her bloodstream, it began to numb the pain, and provide a gentle warming sensation. Putting the lid back on the container, she finished undressing and went over to her bed. Before laying down, she picked up a small wooden trinket she had resting on her nightstand. She raised it to her lips and kissed it, running her fingers across the small name engraved on the back. "Aika" was what it read. This was a nightly routine for her, and not one day since it had come into her possession had she skipped it. She then set it back down and crawled into bed, falling into a deep slumber.
