Noctis potion store

As the sun begins to set, all the workers are released from the caves, each carrying their hard-earned rewards. Thanks to Cinder's x-ray vision, Legion emerges as the top earner this time, his first victory ever displayed in this body. Despite his exhaustion and the fatigue weighing heavily on his body, he manages to score one extra coin, bringing his grand total for the day to four coins.

"Do you need help?" Blaise, who's looking just fine after gaining the second-highest count without any help, asks Legion as they both leave the check-in station. 

Legion, limping his way out, shakes his head even though he doesn't want his help, still unsure about where he stands with Blaise. "Yes…please." He says in between breaths. 

Blasie chuckles slightly and makes his way over, throwing Legion's arm over his shoulder as they continue back on their walk. "Is there anywhere you need to go?" He questions. 

"Yes, do you know where the potion store is?" He flips his head to him. 

His eyes open for a second then lightens."Of course. I do go there to get my mother's medicine after all, would you like to go there?"

"Mhm." He shakes his head in approval. 

"Can I inquire why you would like to go?" 

"I don't see why not." He says. "I need a healing potion for Morgan, before I came to work I say she got slashed by one of the orc and I can't just leave her like that." 

Also I need to see if the remaining bits of Legion's memories would come back.

"That's Legion for you." He laughs lightly. "Always putting other health over his." 

Yeah, it's the least I can do for this body's parental figure. If not I'm sure Legion would be disappointed with me, and even if he's dead I can't let the people that take care of him suffer like that. 

"Yeah." He chuckles awkwardly keeping his thoughts to himself. 

Nevertheless, they moved through the narrow streets, the fading light casting long shadows on the thinly parted snow filled floors. The marketplace winding down, most stalls closed or packing up for the night, maybe to get ready for the send off later on. 

After this, I'll have to go join them as well, and I should probably carry the kids too. They should learn the harash tendencies of this world as well even If I'm their protector I can't be their forever they'll come a time where I won't be there for them. 

Because I also have my path and goals to follow. 

While walking his eyes lifts to face Blaise. "Are you going?" Legion asks, curious to know. 

"Going what?" Blaise inquires, but he realizes Blaise probably didn't know about the incident that occurred early on. 

"There was a minor inconvenience before I arrived at work which landed in a woman being killed by the orcs," Legion explained. "Everyone should be attending to send her off with a fire."

Blaise takes a moment to let everything sink in, and he nods slowly coming to terms with it all."Yeah…I have to go." He says softly. "It should be common courtesy to attend a send-off." 

"Yeah, it should." Legion mutters remembering the eyes of his people staring at him as he takes breath as the blade disconnected his head from his shoulders. 

I say that but in that moment where I was to die, I wanted all of them to look away, to remove that disgusted and hateful expression from their faces. But in the end, I couldn't look away from them basking myself in their hate as if it were fine wine. 

"Oh yeah!" Cinder chimes in his voice carrying a cheerful pitch. "Legion would you like to know how many mana cores this young man has?" 

"You can tell how many they have as well?" Legion inquires. 

"I can, and this boy has five and all are shining brightly." Cinder exclaims. "But I don't have the ability to detect what magical ability he'll have but I presume it's something extremely powerful." 

Does he have five mana cores? Five of them!

"That's right. They harness the color of a very bright sliver almost white." Cinder says floating all around him as if to get more information." 

Mana cores determine how much mana you can absorb, with more cores allowing for greater mana capacity. However, raw mana alone isn't enough to determine magical strength—the color and brightness of the cores play a crucial role.

The brighter a core is, the more efficiently it refines and channels magic, resulting in stronger abilities. The color reflects the nature and affinity of one's magic, with rare colors often signifying unique or powerful abilities. Some individuals may possess multiple cores but have dull ones, limiting their magical potency. These individuals are known as "Vessels"—capable of holding vast amounts of mana but unable to fully harness its true power.

And the way Cinder is describing it it seems like he is going to be one powerful ability user. 

"Yeah, and he should be a great ally to keep at your side at this time." Cinder suggests. "And even if you don't trust him, keep him at arm's length so someday he'll be useful to you." 

Yeah… even if I don't trust him, with as much potential he has it would be a waste not using him. 

Soon the air went silent again, the only sound being the shuffle of their boots on the uneven stone and snow, the faint hum of distant chatter from the few remaining market stalls. 

Legion's mind races, still digesting the revelation that Blaise had five mana cores. It explains why he is able to keep up in the mines without the aid of magic, and why he always seemed so composed despite the grueling work.

Having so many mana cores also boosts your stamina, and having a useless one like this one seems to make your stamina even worse. 

His sigh escapes his lips just thinking about his predicament. "Five cores... and no way to use them," Legion mutters under his breath glaring at Blasie's smiling features. 

Blaise glances at him curiously but doesn't press the issue. "You know I always wonder what the outside world is like," he says looking up at the sky. 

"What do you mean? Have you never been out of here?" Legion questions. 

"Never." His eyes fall onto Legion's bright blue eyes. "I have been here since birth as most of us did. I know everything from the stories of the people who have been sold into this stronghold. About the monster monarchs, the human race is almost close to nothing compared to the monsters and the magic the outside world contains." 

"So…" Legion gulps down the silver that accumulates inside his mouth. "So if you have a chance to get out, or there's a possibility to get out, will you help?" 

At first he looks at him for a second trying to discern his cryptic message. He seems to be hesitant to answer, but does. "Yes, I would take it just like my father once did." 

"And what will you do when you get out?" 

"Become strong," he answers. 

"But for what reason?" 

"To survive," he says sternly. "And help my mother survive, so if there's a way to leave this cold environment and settle her down in a place safe I'll take it."

Good answer. 

Leading them to a small tucked away corner of the marketplace. A faded sign hanging above the door read Noctis's potion store. 

There are a few things I need other than a healing potion.

"Is that why you stole one of the black crystals?" Cinder flies over using his eyes to detect the shard inside his pocket of his rugged pants beneath his cloak. "I'm surprised they don't check you." 

Because they'll always think all humans are weaker and can't surpass them in intelligence. The orcs only move with one emotion, anger and one rule of strength, so since they're on top of us they think we can one day conquer them. 

That's where they're wrong, if I must be the next human to overpower them I'll do it and succeed. I have a goal and staying in this place or dying here won't make me any stronger. 

As a human or a monster.

As they step into the shop, the soft chime of a bell rings overhead. Their gaze shifts from the door to take in the cozy, open space. Neatly arranged potions line the wooden shelves, and the air is filled with the calming scent of herbs. Warm sunlight filters through the skylight, casting a gentle glow over the room as the sun begins to set.

There aren't just potions, but books placed neatly on shelves as well as wood gadgets of people and monsters next to them. 

"Noctis?" Blaise says softly wondering where she is. "Normally she's over there." He points over to a desk, using his next hand which is not supporting Legion. 

"Maybe she's not here?" Legion says, moving out of Blaise's hold. 

Cinder flies around the shop, his eyes wide as he takes in every detail. Just as he reaches the desk, a sudden burst of energy startles him, causing him to jump. 

"Oh! Sorry!" A girl exclaims, her long white hair falling in soft waves around her as she quickly adjusts her dress. Her dull pink eyes glance around nervously before she spots Blaise "Customers…" she mumbles out as her eyes land on Legion. 

"Noctis!" Blaise moves over with a skip in his step while Legion stays behind, but her eyes are pinned on him.

 She's Albino. She resembles the people from the modern world I only saw once or twice. But why does it feel like I'm missing something? Her familiar frame, the shoulder shape, and the voice. 

"Blaise!" She says, snapping out of the trances her eyebrow furrowed in confusion. "I didn't expect you to return today, is your mother's condition getting worse?" She asks while searching for something along her clouded desktop. 

"Head." Blaise signals as she finally catches on and pulls her glasses down. 

"Thank you." She says with a slight scoff escaping her lips. "I always forget I place them there-" Her eyes land back on Legion and a rush of memories flood back into his mind. 

This is the only person who knew Legion was going to die. Noctis the potion brewer, and the same person that came to my door this morning knowing that I was going to die. But then seeing me alive and well I'm sure he has questions. 

"Blaise." She says his name her expression unreadable. "Can you give us a moment alone? There's something I'd like to talk about with Legion if you don't mind." 

Blaise taken aback exchange glances between Legion and Noctis unknowing of whatever might playout or how they even knew each other but respecting her request his leaves the ring of the door signaling his absences but that split second of silence is cut short as jumps up onto the desk scattering all of her belonging on the flower and dashing forward a blade heading straight for his neck. 

Legion thinking fast, ignores the caching of his body as adrenaline erupts forth. He swiftly removes the pickaxe from his back and blocks the hit, the small handcrafted knife clanging with the pole of the also rusted pickaxe. 

"Tell me what are you!" She grunted out her pink eyes gleaming with an intent to kill.