Chapter 48: Test of Wisdom
The woman turned out to be a member of the alchemist guild, and she led them to the guild house. She had her doubts, that the boys will be allowed to become members, but she didn't want to be the one to crush their spirit. After all, they must be intelligent, to have made it past the blockade of the goblins.
Fiona was her name, and she led them straight to the guild master's office. When she left them, she gave them each a piece of candy, and some beef jerky, to the wolf. All in all, the boys send her off with smiles. Not that she could see Lysander's, as he had scarves wrapped around his face.
Lysander knocked on the door of the guild master, and soon, a man opened it.
"Children? What are you doing here? What is with the wolf?" The man, who was balding, and had a mutton chop on his face, asked.
"We came in here to register in the alchemy guild," Lysander said, as he began to pull out some of the potions they have made. "So far, we can make rank D potions, but we are learning."
"Children are not allowed to become members," the man said, as he began to close the door.
"Please, if we don't sell our potions and herbs, we won't be able to eat anything this winter. We don't have parents," Erin sent Lysander a look. What of Belle and Tine? Yet, Lysander didn't look bothered by the lie. After all, the nymph and the spirit of the wizard didn't make sure the two boys had food on the table. As far as Lysander was concerned, they were there to offer a kind word, and nothing else.
"Well, come in. You will go through three tests. If you pass at least two of them, I will accept you in the guild," the guild master was not a heartless man. He could see that the children were small. More than once, he made such children apprentices to one master or the other. Just so they will have three meals per day.
"The first test, is the test of wisdom," the guild master said. Then, he went to his desk, took out a leaf, and then placed it on the desk. "Take this leaf, and tell me, if it is poisonous?"
Lysander knew that this was a trick question. Yet, he knew most of the herbs around Snowfalls, having been here before. Back then, no one made him deal with the guilds. Then again, the guilds were still rather new when he visited last.
The leaf was from a plant named Goblin Snare. And here, Lysander knew, lay the problem. Anna had asked him to steer clear of this plant because it damaged the lungs. Yet, there were still people who used it for back pain. The trick was, that for it to not damage the lungs, it had to be made into paste, and then boiled.
Yet, Lysander knew that the guild master wasn't testing whatever or not the two boys knew of the goblin snare. He wanted to hear the logic behind their verdict. Lysander pulled Erin to the side, and began to whisper in his ears.
"Rin, he is testing our reasoning. Not our knowledge. You have to list everything you know about poison plants, get it? All the traits you have seen before. I will end up with my knowledge of the Goblin's Snare," Lysander said, and Erin nodded.
"Leave it to me," Erin said. He then let go of Lysander's hand, and went to stare at the plant.
"This leaf looks like one of a poison ivy," Erin said, as the guild master grinned at that.
"And that makes it poisonous?" The man asked. Erin shook his head.
"No, but it is a bright orange color. Normally, plants aren't this colorful if they are not flowers. Or, if they can't defend themselves," Erin continued to reason with the guild master.
"I see. And how can this leaf defend itself?" The man asked.
"Well, it can be bitter. I know how to check for that. If you can only give me gloves, I will cut up some, and run it through a mana scan," Erin said. The guild master's eyes widened.
"You can make a mana scan? How accurate is it?" Even as he spoke, the man began to pull out gloves from his box with gloves. He handed them over to Erin, who put them on. He took out a knife, and then ran his mana over the blade, just like how Lysander had taught him. Then, he cut up some of the plant, and flooded it with mana. It turned purple.
"It is poisonous, but do you see these blue lines? Sir, it can still be used for good. I don't know how, but Ly knows. He knows about this plant," Erin said, and then stepped back, to let Lysander speak.
"Sir, this is a Goblin's Snare. It damages the lungs, but when made into a paste, and boiled, it can help with back pain," Lysander said.
The guild master looked first at Erin, and then at Lysander.
"Boys, I have apprentices, who don't know even half of what you know," he said, amazed. "I dare say, you passed the first test. It was good of you, to show me the mana scan, and your reasoning methods, before you revealed your knowledge of the plant."
The boys shared a look and a knowing smile. Lysander's plan had worked.
"Now, to the next test. The Test of Perseverance," the man said, and then stood from his chair. "Follow me. Grab some new gloves. Safety first."
Lysander took a pair of gloves for himself, and then took a clean pair for Erin. The blonde's gloves were already stained orange, from the Goblin Snare. So, Lysander put on his own gloves, and then took off Erin's. When the boys got their gloves on their hands, they followed the guild master out.
Chapter 48: Test of Wisdom
The woman turned out to be a member of the alchemist guild, and she led them to the guild house. She had her doubts, that the boys will be allowed to become members, but she didn't want to be the one to crush their spirit. After all, they must be intelligent, to have made it past the blockade of the goblins.
Fiona was her name, and she led them straight to the guild master's office. When she left them, she gave them each a piece of candy, and some beef jerky, to the wolf. All in all, the boys send her off with smiles. Not that she could see Lysander's, as he had scarves wrapped around his face.
Lysander knocked on the door of the guild master, and soon, a man opened it.
"Children? What are you doing here? What is with the wolf?" The man, who was balding, and had a mutton chop on his face, asked.
"We came in here to register in the alchemy guild," Lysander said, as he began to pull out some of the potions they have made. "So far, we can make rank D potions, but we are learning."
"Children are not allowed to become members," the man said, as he began to close the door.
"Please, if we don't sell our potions and herbs, we won't be able to eat anything this winter. We don't have parents," Erin sent Lysander a look. What of Belle and Tine? Yet, Lysander didn't look bothered by the lie. After all, the nymph and the spirit of the wizard didn't make sure the two boys had food on the table. As far as Lysander was concerned, they were there to offer a kind word, and nothing else.
"Well, come in. You will go through three tests. If you pass at least two of them, I will accept you in the guild," the guild master was not a heartless man. He could see that the children were small. More than once, he made such children apprentices to one master or the other. Just so they will have three meals per day.
"The first test, is the test of wisdom," the guild master said. Then, he went to his desk, took out a leaf, and then placed it on the desk. "Take this leaf, and tell me, if it is poisonous?"
Lysander knew that this was a trick question. Yet, he knew most of the herbs around Snowfalls, having been here before. Back then, no one made him deal with the guilds. Then again, the guilds were still rather new when he visited last.
The leaf was from a plant named Goblin Snare. And here, Lysander knew, lay the problem. Anna had asked him to steer clear of this plant because it damaged the lungs. Yet, there were still people who used it for back pain. The trick was, that for it to not damage the lungs, it had to be made into paste, and then boiled.
Yet, Lysander knew that the guild master wasn't testing whatever or not the two boys knew of the goblin snare. He wanted to hear the logic behind their verdict. Lysander pulled Erin to the side, and began to whisper in his ears.
"Rin, he is testing our reasoning. Not our knowledge. You have to list everything you know about poison plants, get it? All the traits you have seen before. I will end up with my knowledge of the Goblin's Snare," Lysander said, and Erin nodded.
"Leave it to me," Erin said. He then let go of Lysander's hand, and went to stare at the plant.
"This leaf looks like one of a poison ivy," Erin said, as the guild master grinned at that.
"And that makes it poisonous?" The man asked. Erin shook his head.
"No, but it is a bright orange color. Normally, plants aren't this colorful if they are not flowers. Or, if they can't defend themselves," Erin continued to reason with the guild master.
"I see. And how can this leaf defend itself?" The man asked.
"Well, it can be bitter. I know how to check for that. If you can only give me gloves, I will cut up some, and run it through a mana scan," Erin said. The guild master's eyes widened.
"You can make a mana scan? How accurate is it?" Even as he spoke, the man began to pull out gloves from his box with gloves. He handed them over to Erin, who put them on. He took out a knife, and then ran his mana over the blade, just like how Lysander had taught him. Then, he cut up some of the plant, and flooded it with mana. It turned purple.
"It is poisonous, but do you see these blue lines? Sir, it can still be used for good. I don't know how, but Ly knows. He knows about this plant," Erin said, and then stepped back, to let Lysander speak.
"Sir, this is a Goblin's Snare. It damages the lungs, but when made into a paste, and boiled, it can help with back pain," Lysander said.
The guild master looked first at Erin, and then at Lysander.
"Boys, I have apprentices, who don't know even half of what you know," he said, amazed. "I dare say, you passed the first test. It was good of you, to show me the mana scan, and your reasoning methods, before you revealed your knowledge of the plant."
The boys shared a look and a knowing smile. Lysander's plan had worked.
"Now, to the next test. The Test of Perseverance," the man said, and then stood from his chair. "Follow me. Grab some new gloves. Safety first."
Lysander took a pair of gloves for himself, and then took a clean pair for Erin. The blonde's gloves were already stained orange, from the Goblin Snare. So, Lysander put on his own gloves, and then took off Erin's. When the boys got their gloves on their hands, they followed the guild master out.
