"We're going to escape all this death, all this famine, beyond this planet. Nay, beyond this galaxy!" declared Arnika, the adept herbalist. The "aethercraft," a vessel akin to a celestial keel, constructed from layered alloy plates, surged forward but wrestled with the gravitational tides, its mechanical cogs churning tirelessly within its core.
"Arnika, time is fleeting," her father said, clutching his hourglass. "It won't be long until the cataclysmic stellar convergence," added the man. Arnika looked resolute, clutching a rosemary stalk in her hand. "We shall prevail. We must," she said.
---
The year is 1610. Arnika, who had just come of age, pressed some stalks of rosemary into a paste, offering it to a coughing villager. "Take this potion thrice daily. Remember to observe proper rest and hydration," she advised. The villager expressed gratitude and departed. As her last patron left her apothecary, Arnika let out a sigh as the sun began its descent.
"Truly, my daughter has evolved into a proficient herbalist," her father remarked, materializing behind her counter. "D-dad, I've cautioned you repeatedly not to startle me so," the startled Arnika replied. Her father picked up vials that Arnika had arranged on the counter, inspecting each one and gently shaking a few. "You know, Arnika, these concoctions are truly remarkable. You've unquestionably surpassed your mother's skill. Why not depart this rotting village of ours and introduce your prowess to the wider world? With abilities such as yours, you could garner the favor of even the monarch!"
"I-I did entertain that notion, Father. However... Mother cherished this village. She... sacrificed herself for it," Arnika murmured, her fingers curling around her apron's edge. "Mother didn't flee. As her heir, it's my obligation to tread her path. When the shadow of the Black Plague casts itself upon this village once more, I shall stand prepared."
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, her father spoke somberly. "I am sorry for failing to protect Rosemary, your mother, Arnika." "It's alright, Father," Arnika responded. "You said it yourself," she continued, leaving her counter to stand by the door, gazing skyward with arms outstretched. "She is among the stars now."
---
"The end! The end is near!" cried a lady in an ornate gown and goggles, proclaiming loudly on the bustling streets. "Woof! Woof!" chimed in her dog. The lady clutched a peculiar contraption resembling nothing anyone had ever seen before. It brimmed with intricate gears, bolts, and enigmatic mechanisms. In her other hand, she brandished a screwdriver, gesticulating wildly. "Ah, it's your friend again..." Arnika's dad remarked, as they strolled past her. The eccentric lady noticed Arnika and hastened her steps. "Arnika, you must heed my words... The end! The end is nigh! The stars have unveiled it. We must depart this cursed town!"
Arnika, seemingly unfazed by her companion's erratic behavior, replied calmly, "Galilea, your concern is touching, but I have pledged my allegiance to this town. A promise binds me here." Galilea's expression soured, yet she regained her composure and said, "Very well, Arnika," followed by a muted "Woof" from her dog.
"Um, on a different note, what might that be?" Arnika inquired. Galilea's visage illuminated as she launched into an explanation of the contraption, a minuscule replica of a device she's constructing. Supposedly, it could facilitate people to travel to the heavens. "All the stars in the sky could be within our grasp! Nay, even beyond!" Galilea proclaimed with unwavering pride. "And what lies in wait beyond those distant stars?" Arnika inquired. "Well..." Galilea momentarily contemplated, then continued, "As we are well aware, our realm, Earth, orbits the Sun, as do the other celestial bodies. Yet, I dare to envision..." Galilea paused, a radiant smile breaking through, "I dare to envision that there exists an expanse beyond—a separate cosmos. Perhaps an alternate realm, akin to our own. A world where ailments and mortality are but foreign concepts." "I find such a claim rather incredulous," Arnika responded.
Undeterred, Galilea passionately elaborated that the phenomenon she mentioned earlier could occur only sporadically across lengthy intervals, contingent upon the alignment of certain stars. Following that, Galilea proclaimed, a "cataclysmic stellar convergence" would unfold. Eager to expound further, Galilea was cut short as Arnika's father let out a yawn and declared his intention to forge ahead. Arnika apologized to Galilea, explaining she, too, must take her leave.
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