Before the creature could hit Dreu, Marun got in the way and stopped the swan in its tracks with a single paw swipe. The two of them then traded blows, appearing to be evenly matched. Dreu could see that Marun was slowly winning as the swan’s movements were becoming more and more dull. It no longer boasted the same speed and power it had when it first attacked them. Several minutes later, the swan collapsed onto the ground in a pool of its own blood while Marun stood tall.

  What should we do with the swan? It killed all those velos but it also attacked us…

  Let me heal the swan, Dreu!

  The young man knew Dar was eager to heal others, regardless if they were friends or foes. He debated internally before he summoned Dar. The demon butterfly immediately flew to the swan’s side, casting her healing spell. Dreu knew it was a gamble but he wanted to believe that the swan would be a strong ally in the future against foes from the underworld. While Dars worked hard, Dreu, Ilveroz and Marun stood guard. He still didn’t know where the velo came from so he didn’t want to take any chances. When he asked Marun, the netherbear was certain that she got all the underworld creature after she unlocked her powers.

  I hope there isn’t a new portal to the underworld.

  Dreu couldn’t help but wonder if this realm was becoming more and more unstable. Ragellon was very confident no other beings or creatures could enter freely unless they were demonic creatures. Yet, such incidents were only becoming more frequent. The velos came from somewhere while the swan clearly came from somewhere else. If such dangers continued to show up, he and the demonic children might have to abandon the place altogether. The place was great for training but it wouldn’t do them any favor if they were dead. With the worry of danger being around the corner, he drew his blade and got into a ready stance.

  “Who are you?”

  The young man looked around for a young man, trying to locate the source of the voice. Eventually, he looked down to see the swan had woken up. The swan was weak but its eyes were focused on him with fierce concentration.

  “My name is Dreu. I’ve been training in this region.”

  “Does this demonic butterfly serve you?”

  “Dar is my companion. We fight for each other.”

  “Thank you for saving my life! If you don’t mind me asking, where am I?”

  Dreu tried his best explaining where they were. He never fully grasped the creation of Isonron nor how the artificial demonic city could exist so his explanation was lacking. Once he was done with his explanation, the swan actually thanked him, claiming that it made a lot more sense why it arrived in this place. The young man then asked where the swan came from.

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  “The mythical realm,” said the swan.

  Mythical realm?

  The young man couldn’t recall ever hearing of such a place. His puzzlement must have been obvious on his face because the swan went on to elaborate.

  “I’m certain you have heard of the underworld and hell. You can say their opposites are the mythical realm and heaven. I was originally from the mythical realm before an accident brought me here.”

  “Accident?”

  “Alchemy accident! I was experimenting and got carried away.”

  “Alchemy?”

  The swan shook its head as it began explaining the basics of alchemy but not before it muttered something about Dreu being uneducated.

  “Alchemy is a process of combining herbs and animal components to create medicine in the form of pills and elixirs. As new herbs and animals are discovered, new medicine can be unlocked. I am one of the pioneers in discovering new recipes.”

  With only a vague understanding of alchemy, Dreu pretended that he knew what the swan was saying. During the talk, Dar finished using her spell which ensured that the swan could stand on its two feet. He then asked the swan its name.

  “I’m Zraiw, the legendary alchemist!”

  Not wanting to get ambushed, Dreu suggested that they head to Isonron where they could rest more easily without the interference of the local fauna. Zraiw agreed with the assessment so the group headed back. During the walk back to the artificial city, Dreu asked the swan about the velos.

  “I may not have trained as a warrior but even I can fight multiple velo at the same time. Don’t tell me you cannot do that.”

  The young man admitted that he was still too weak. With his weapon, he couldn’t even hope to beat a single velo without support. He was almost certain that the swan would make fun of his weakness but, to his surprise, the swan began inspecting his body. Then, the swan shook his head.

  “Your body is a mess! No wonder you’re so weak!”

  For the next couple of minutes, the swan spoke nonstop about gibberish that Dreu couldn't even start to understand. When it became apparent, Zraiw stopped to pause.

  “Your body never had the proper medicine to build a solid foundation. Luckily for you, I can aid you in that regard. It’s my way of thanking you for saving my life.”

  Then, Zraiw started poking around the nearby bushes, eagerly picking various herbs. Dreu didn’t bother stopping the swan as he suspected that this must be common among alchemists. Since they weren’t attacked on their way back, the small group managed to reach the city in no time. During that time, the swan collected countless herbs and stored them in a magical pouch. Once they got inside the city, Zraiw asked for a quiet place to work.

  “I need to concentrate when I make my medicine. Do you know what buildings are available? Don't worry about the cost!”

  It didn’t take long for Dreu to find Zraiw a satisfying residence. With so many free options, the swan was also not too picky while Dreu served as the guide. The swan picked one of the largest buildings in one of the remote parts of the city.

  “Don’t bother me! I’ll be busy for the next few days!”