章節 135: Chapter 133: A Mind's Harvest
Chapter 133: A Mind's Harvest
The Remembrance Potion. Its effects varied widely depending on its concentration, ranging from mostly harmless to permanently life-altering. At its weakest, the version Crelos now worked to perfect, it merely unearthed buried memories, pulling them from the shadows of the mind.
This affect was made possible by the peculiar chemistry of Starlight Faerie spores combined with Dreamworld Mushrooms. Together, they induced a dreamlike state while awake, opening a door to a corner of consciousness that typically lay locked away. The secret to it, however, lay in the Yakshas Moss. A plant that fed on the dreams of intelligent life, it could, through careful alchemical manipulation, be redirected to absorb and draw forth memories instead.
Dreams and memories danced in the same realm, intertwined in ways even the most learned alchemists struggled to define. Where dreams naturally pulled fragments of memory to the surface, this potion forced that process into focus, allowing the user to relive or uncover what had been hidden.
Useful, yes, but also dangerous. This concoction carried a darker name whispered among the wary—Mind Harvester Potion. Tales abounded of mages and knights driven mad by its revelations, tormented by truths they were ill-prepared to face. Repression served its purpose, after all.
Despite Crelos's stern warnings, Neko showed no hesitation. Perched at the edge of the cauldron, his turquoise eyes glowed with unwavering determination. 'Neko needs to know Neko.'
Crelos carefully held a bed of Yakshas Moss within an orange flame, its heat somehow coaxing the plant's latent properties without burning it. His brow furrowed, focus unwavering as he worked. "The affects will be short," he muttered. "Considering I'm guessing when it comes to your mana-beast physiology, I'm keeping the dose as low as possible."
'Neko not scared!' the weasel replied, his voice brimming with excitement. Balancing effortlessly, his tail twitched with anticipation. 'Pictures can't hurt Neko!'
"Pictures? Oh, yeah—memories," Crelos corrected, rubbing his temple. "The danger isn't to your body, but your mind. There's no telling why you have this block. It might even be something you did to yourself... to protect you."
Neko's head snapped up, his expression puzzled. 'Neko make Neko forget?'
"Possibly." Crelos's voice softened as he tilted the moss over the flame again. At first, there was no reaction, but then a faint sound, like a child's laughter, echoed from the moss. Strange smoke began to pour out, falling instead of rising as his eyes lit up. "Perfect."
Snuffing the flame with a wave of his hand, he quickly transferred the moss to the cauldron. Holding it between his palms, he pressed and crushed it, a white fluid seeping through his fingers. Then, with a steady breath, he inhaled deeply and blew into his clasped hands.
Neko's eyes widened as bright flames erupted from between his fingers. The laughter from the moss twisted into high-pitched, eerie screams, fading as the flames consumed it. When the embers died down, Crelos opened his hands, scattering the ashes into the bubbling mixture.
"Now we wait." He stepped back and wiped the sweat from his brow. A satisfied smile crossed his freckled face as he pulled a chair from the wall and plopped down. "We'll know it worked if the vapor turns crimson."
Neko was instantly perched on his shoulder, sparking with energy. 'How long?! How long?!'
"Not long," he replied, rolling his eyes at the beast's buzzing excitement. "It depends on the age of the moss. Keep your eyes on the vapor, and let me know if it changes."
Touching his pouch, a leather bladder appeared in his hand. Taking a long drink, he leaned back, his gaze drifting to the cauldron. "I just hope the Cannatiss Oil holds up. If it doesn't... well, we'll find out soon enough."
Crelos's gaze lingered on the alchemy room's altered walls, where the six doors normally stood. His voice dropped to a murmur, "The Valdenes really were sleeping giants... It's rotten luck that we ran into him that night."
'Who what night?'
"Haku." Leaning back, he pressed his head against the wall, staring up at the shifting ceiling. "Honestly, I've thought about it almost every day. When we fought Ramman… I know it sounds selfish, but not being able to help them, it's haunted me."
Tilting his head, Neko hopped from Crelos's shoulder, landing with a soft pat on the floor. He sat quietly before him, his turquoise eyes fixed on the young mage.
"It's pathetic," he continued, his voice strained. "Compared to Darius, I have nothing to whine about. But they were right there. My heroes. The one family in this shit world that gave me hope. And all I could do was barely not die while they suffered right in front of me."
His eyes flicked to the cauldron, then away. With a frustrated sigh, he buried his hands in his hair, tugging furiously. "Dammit! I need to stop doing this." Abruptly, he pushed off the wall and strode back to the bubbling pot. "Sorry. Complaining is starting to become a habit when I have nothing to do."
Neko watched the human's restless movements, his whiskers twitching as he processed the words. A thought, raw and unbidden, crept into his mind: 'Neko hide while Percy died. Neko weak while family hurts. Crelos not wrong to feel pain. Neko feel pain.'
Crelos's smile softened as he nodded. "Thanks, Neko. Starting to think you understand more than we give you credit for. I'll make sure to correct that starting now."
Neko's bright grin widened, only to vanish just as quickly. 'Neko understand many things! Big brother showed—'
"Wait!" Crelos interrupted, raising a hand as his attention snapped to the cauldron. His eyes lit up as a slow smile spread across his face. "Looks like the oil held. Congratulations, Neko, the potions complete."
The vapor rising from the cauldron began shifting, its dull gray color deepening into crimson. Slowly, the mist spread across the surface, glowing eerily like cascading clouds of blood spilling over the rim.
Zapping to the edge, Neko peered into the potion with wide eyes, his whiskers twitching. 'Drink whole thing?'
Laughing, Crelos shook his head. "No, no, just wait a moment." Touching his pouch, he produced a small cylindrical glass vial with a worn brown cork. Uncorking it, he dipped his hand into the boiling potion, and withdrew a vial filled to the brim with the glowing liquid.
Lifting it to the light, he swirled the vial gently, inspecting the mixture with a discerning eye. Satisfied, he turned to Neko but hesitated, realization dawning. "Ahhh, right. Hold on."
Crossing the room, he grabbed a small mortar and pestle from the alchemy shelves. Using the mortar as a makeshift bowl, he poured the potion into it and set it down in front of the eager beast. "There you go. Drink this, and it should take effect almost immediately. Lie down while you drink it, just to be safe."
Zipping to the bowl, the weasel peered into the glowing liquid before glancing up at Crelos, his aura dimming. 'Right now?'
Crelos knelt down as he smiled. "No need to wait. Everyone's growing stronger, this might be your chance to join them. You don't want to get left behind, do you? Don't worry—I'm not going anywhere." Settling into a seated position, he patted his lap and picked up the bowl. "Come on."
Sparking slightly, Neko grinned and bolted to his lap, curling into the folds of his heavy robe. 'Neko ready.'
"Good. Just remember, they're only pictures, memories you buried. And no matter what you see in them, you're not alone now." Tilting the bowl toward Neko's mouth, he carefully held it steady as the weasel leaned forward to drink.
The taste hit hard—a sharp, sour ash that coated his tongue and throat, burning as it settled in his stomach. Neko forced himself to finish, though his little body trembled at the effort. Licking his lips, he glanced up at Crelos with a frown. 'Neko feels nothing.' Looking around, he grumbled. 'Tongue tastes like hair. Why yell at Neko? Bad Crelos, but Neko forgive. Neko love Crelos. But Crelos look silly. Stop moving your teeth—'
Plop. Without warning, Neko collapsed, eyes still open and smiling as he passed out mid-thought.
Crelos blinked, his heart skipping for a moment before he noticed Neko's steady, even breathing. "That... was weird," he muttered, the brief panic fading as relief set in. Shifting to make the little weasel more comfortable, he let out a sigh. "Here's hoping this works. Something tells me this could change everything for you, little guy—just let it be for the better."
Adjusting his robe to cover him, Crelos leaned back against the warm glow of the cauldron, the soft light casting flickering shadows across the room. Settling in, he prepared himself for a long and potentially dangerous vigil, his mind quietly hopeful for what was to come.
----
Neko's dream began abruptly, the sensation of falling yanking him awake. His eyes snapped open, and he found himself back in Crelos's lap, the familiar folds of the robe beneath him. For a fleeting moment, relief flooded him—until he looked up.
Crelos's face was gone. Where his kind eyes and freckled nose should have been, there was only pale skin. Neko's heart thundered as he scrambled backward with a yip, slipping out of the robe and tumbling to the ground. Sparks danced along his grey fur as panic took hold. 'Not real. Not real. Crelos have face!'
The ground beneath him shuddered, and without warning, everything shifted.
He was running—his paws splashing through thick, murky water as towering, gnarled trees stretched above him. The air was heavy, oppressive, and alive with the hum of unseen creatures. Shadows flickered at the edges of his vision, and he whipped his head around, his breaths shallow and rapid. 'Why running? What running from?!' His claws slipped against a moss-covered root, sending him sprawling into the mud. A feminine whisper, soft but menacing, curled around his ears: 'You're my first.'
The swamp vanished.
Now, he was sprinting through a dense forest. The sunlight filtered weakly through the canopy, casting fractured beams across the undergrowth. The air smelled sharp and alive, but his chest burned with every breath. Behind him, something radiating a purple light crashed through the brush, heavy and unrelenting. 'Faster. Neko run faster!' The thought consumed him as his paws tore through the earth, his heart pounding against his ribs. But the faster he ran, the tighter the trees seemed to close in, their bark twisting into faces that watched him with hollow, accusing eyes.
'What are your secrets?' The forest dissolved in a burst of light as the feminine voice brushed across his mind.
He was in a town now, the cobblestone streets slick with rain and littered with trash. Shutters slammed shut as he passed, the sound echoing like thunder. Figures moved in the shadows, their intents unknown. Neko's legs burned, but he couldn't stop. His breathing was ragged as his mind raced. 'Neko can't stop? Where's Neko going?!'
A child's laugh broke the silence, high and chilling. He spun toward the sound, his claws scraping the wet stone, but the town twisted and blurred around him. His head spun, and the buildings leaned unnaturally as if they were about to collapse. The laughter came again, closer this time, and Neko bolted, his heart thumping.
He instantly slammed into cold, unyielding metal. The impact rattled his bones as he staggered back, shaking his head. His heart thundered as the realization sunk in, he was caged. Thick iron bars surrounded him, their surfaces slick with something dark and wet. His claws raked the ground, trying to find purchase, but the cage seemed to shrink, the space tightening around him.
Suddenly the bars screeched as they tore apart, twisting into straps that slithered beneath him. Neko yelped as they wrapped around his limbs, binding him in place and pulling him flat. He thrashed, but his struggles were useless. Adding to his panic the world spun violently, the ground dropping out beneath him while he flipped onto his back. Cold stone pressed against him, biting into his fur as he lay helpless. Above him, a blinding light consumed everything, forcing his eyes open.
Flashes of light and harsh, metallic sounds erupted around him, stabbing into his senses. His body felt wrong—compressed and stretched, poked and prodded as if it were nothing more than clay in cruel hands. Pain surged as he watched his limbs elongate unnaturally, his fur peeling away. His chest tightened as he watched his body ripping apart like paper in a jagged tear. He screamed, though no sound escaped.
The ripped pieces of his body lazily drifted down, sinking into a vat of green liquid below. The fluid churned, its glow sickly and pulsing. Both halves of him floated, slowly merging back together as if mocking his struggle. His body curled inward, and he realized he was in the fetal position, his small form suspended in the viscous green. The shattered panel of glass holding the liquid did nothing to spill it—it defied reason, just as his entire nightmare did.
A movement beyond the broken glass drew his attention. Shadows twisted and coiled before parting, revealing a pair of glowing purple eyes. They burned with intelligence and something darker—something cruel. A young woman's face emerged from the void, her features sharp and hauntingly beautiful. Her lips parted as her voice echoed through the liquid.
"I made you. You're mine forever."
The world shattered.
He jolted awake, his heart hammering and his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Cold sweat soaked his fur, and his stomach churned violently. He lurched forward, retching onto the floor as his tiny body rejected everything it had just endured. His mind spun, struggling to piece reality back together.
Wiping his mouth on the ground, he looked up, his wide turquoise eyes meeting Crelos. The human sat there, seemingly unbothered, though his appearance froze Neko in place. His skin was charred and his robes torn, arcs of purple lightning danced through his hair as it stood on end.
"How'd it go?" He asked casually, as if nothing was amiss.
Neko's mouth opened, but no words came. The dream still gripped his mind like iron chains, the young woman's voice repeating through every corner of his being. Her words echoed endlessly, gnawing at him, filling his chest with unbearable weight.
As he stepped forward, his legs wobbled, his strength draining like water through cracked stone. The world tilted, and his body collapsed, his small frame crumpling to the ground. His breathing slowed, and his glowing eyes dimmed, fluttering shut as exhaustion claimed him.
This time, Neko truly slept. No jarring shifts, no violent scenes. Only the voice lingered, a ghostly presence weaving through the edges of his dreams, a companion he neither wanted, nor could escape.
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