Reaching for the Stars

Chapter Forty-Four

The looks I received when I stepped out of my room this morning were strange, as if I had suddenly gone from a nobody to someone people actually recognized, with the only two other Ashara Academy students left I think it had more to do with the fact that I had scored higher than them in the rankings. With today being the second round of the competition nerves were extremely high, because one we had made it past the first round, but would we make it to the last round was the true question.

Even if one didn't win the competition, the longer you lasted and the higher your rank, the more desirable you were to the numerous guilds and families that wanted to hire herbalists into their service. I wasn't sure what the second round could be, it had to be harder than the first I knew that, but what could they possibly decide on?

Luckily, I didn't have to wait long, because they seemed to follow the same schedule, letting us enter the competition hall and set up our equipment in advance, now that they had gotten rid of about half the desks. Though to draw even more attention they had our ranks posted next to our names and academy now, making sure everyone knew exactly who was a person to watch out for. Time seemed to pass by so quickly once we finished setting up, and everyone's equipment was inspected for tampering and cheating.

Tampering may not seem like something the judges should watch out for, but tampered or damaged equipment when dealing with potions usually resulted in explosion, which could injure a lot of people, meaning they wanted to avoid it if possible. This time the queen did not make another speech, merely sat on her throne and observed as the same judge who had introduced the first challenge, spoke again. "As this is the second round of the competition, it will inevitably be harder than the first. Your task today, is to brew a poison any poison, you will have six hours to do so, and after that, your poisons will be ranked by us.

Then that poison will be given to one of your fellow competitors who will then have to brew the antidote for it, bells have been placed on each of your desks, if anyone of you wish to withdraw from the competition because you decide you cannot form an antidote, you will be eliminated from the competition and then brought to a medical wing for an antidote. Are there any questions or shall we begin?" I hated to be the odd one out here, but I just had a question I needed answered before I could move forward with this round, making me be the person who stands out as I raise my hand in question, he waves at me, asking me to speak, which I do so only a little hesitantly.

"Is it specifically poisons we are to brew, or can any other potion with ill effects be made?" He stares at me in surprise, and maybe a little doubt, as if wondering if I was asking because I didn't know any poisons, but as the judges' glance at each other, quickly conferring, I soon get my answer.

"I suppose that is appropriate, all of you will have six hours to brew a poison or potion of your choosing, your time starts now." I may have seemed foolish for asking that question when I knew so many poisons to choose from, but if this competition was about showcasing our best skills, then I had the perfect potion in mind for this round.

It was one I had never purposely learned before, and brewing it in six hours would take proper planning, but it was the one potion I had been forced to make, that I knew no one else would able to withstand, it was bound to push me even further up the rankings, because I did want to win this competition, and the rankings were a part of that. The Soul Devour potion while practically a poison was classified as a potion, which is what made me ask that question, why I wanted to use it, was because it was a potion with no known cure, meaning no student would be able to successfully consume it and brew an antidote, surely that would gain me quite a few points?

Especially since only the crazy brewed this potion, this time I took my time collecting all the ingredients making sure I had all the proper quantities, I was still collecting ingredients when everyone else had already begun brewing their poisons or potions, while I had done this before, it was still no less dangerous, and while I had done it in seven hours before, I had been slower than I needed to be, so I would need to hurry it up.