Wraithwood Botanist

Chapter 136 - Helix of Annihilation

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You have created an unrecorded elixir. As its creator, it is your duty to name your creation. What will you call it?

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"Void Helix," I whispered.

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You have chosen the name: "Void Helix." Are you sure this is the name you want to give your creation?

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"Absolutely not," Elana snapped the moment I said it. "Do you think you can name an elixir whatever you wish?"

I winced as Felio looked at me. "Please tell me there isn't some elaborate taxonomy."

"No," Elana said. "That is the Oracle's job. Your job is to create a name that attracts the gods. The more intriguing the name, the more valuable it becomes. That includes Oracle rewards, monetary success, and multiversal prestige. And I refuse to allow my pupil to give this elixir such a hideous and unbefitting name."

I sat down on the nearest stool, eyes drifting in frustration. "But it is fitting. Whatever this came from... connecting to it was like entering an endless void. That's the only way to describe it."

"No, you can describe it as a harmonizer," Elana said, "because that's what it is. You're staring at one of the most valuable categories of biota in the multiverse—and I refuse to let you label it by your crude interpretation."

I raised an eyebrow. "Harmonizer? What's that?"

Elana tried to answer but paused, searching for words. "There are five stages to soul assimilation, and this plant accomplishes four, placing it at the edge of where soul force breaks apart into mana. That is why it's able to bridge aura, neara, and mana—it's pure soul force."

"Woah..." I whispered. No wonder she's pissed, I added in my thoughts.

"Do you understand now?" Elana asked.

"Yes, I understand," I said. "Though... I'm still not sure what you want to name it. Putting 'harmonizer' in the name is boring."

"You needn't put the name into the title," she said. "You just can't name it crudely."

"I guess not..." My lips curved into a playful grin. "Then what about... Helix of Annihilation? It's flashy enough for the murderverse, right?"

I was joking, but the notification came up regardless.

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You have chosen the name: "Helix of Annihilation." Are you sure this is the name you want to give your creation? Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

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To my surprise, Elana didn't chastise me for wasting my time nor demand I fix my hair and personality. She genuinely pondered it and mumbled to herself:

"It's still crude..."

"If I may," Lithco said, materializing from behind me. He captured Elana's full attention. "Mira has already garnered multiversal notoriety," he said, "so the name is less important than the lore. And between Areswood Forest and the nature of the ingredients, that name certainly tells a story. Helix of Annihilation has a seventy-six percent chance of capturing the interest of at least a hundred councils."

Elana must've been a numbers woman because she turned to me. "You have my blessing."

I turned to Felio. "Is Helix of Annihilation fine with you?"

For the first time, I noticed she was crying, giggling, and overwhelmed with emotions.

"What?" I asked panickedly.

"It's just... the reward... I just got this reward... and now you're asking me...." She laughed harder. "No... You name it."

I wasn't one for going back and forth with the whole, No, I insist, game, so I just sighed and accepted the name confirmation.

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Congratulations! You have created the elixir "Helix of Annihilation." Your name has been added to the annals of history as a pioneer crafter. Would you like to make a public announcement?

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"Should I announce it?" I asked.

"Absolutely not," Elana said. "It would be foolish to announce your expertise this early."

"I agree," Lithco said. "Nearn manipulation is highly regulated and limited primarily to the upper domains. If you announce your soul manipulation to the universe, it would immediately trigger a grieves investigation."

"Oh..." I whispered. "I was hoping to send you some as a thank you." There were over six liters of the elixir, and I only needed a dosage. This was a supply I could give to my entire village.

"Relax," I said. "I didn't unthread the neara. This plant already had pure neara, so I just unthreaded the aura, and it released. It's not like I turned water to wine."

"It would be nice if you could," Aiden quipped, taking a drink from his flask.

"You sure? 'Cause if I could, I'd turn whatever's in that flask to water."

Aiden smirked. "It's already water."

I rolled my eyes.

"Seriously, though," Aiden said. "What does that elixir do? Explain it like I'm five."

"It synchronizes your mind, magic, and soul," I said. "Literally. It upgrades your brain with magic. Beyond that, I don't know. My god doesn't know. No one knows."

I ended the conversation because I didn't want to share with anyone but Felio, so I didn't want to entice the guards. Unfortunately, they already knew.

"Well, we sort of know," Felio said. "We can't make them because we don't have the resources, but Hadrian and Brexton have had them imported."

"What does it help them with?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"I'm not sure," Felio said.

"I'm not sure, but I can guess," Cassain said. "The elixirs help with magical processing. With Brexton, it extends the range of his spells and allows him to multitask. Same for Hadrian. It allows him to use his ice spears in multiple directions without losing focus."

"So that's why he could keep up..." I whispered. I had Moxle Dilation, yet Brexton could keep up. It didn't make sense—but now it did. "It'll be a boon to take it."

"You know..." said Maine, one of the guards. "I didn't think it was possible for you to catch up to the legacies, but I'm starting to think it's possible."

Asail studied me as if she was appraising me for the first time. "Actually... now that I think of it. If this is as powerful as it says, you actually might."

"Especially with Kira," Cassain said.

I blushed as the group dogpiled me with praise.

Aiden rested his chin on his palm and looked at me. "You know what I think we should do?"

I glanced at him tepidly.

"I think we should start a fire..." he said, "get cozy... and then write Hadrian a message telling him that he's not God's gift anymore."

Cassain almost spat out her tea, and her cheeks puffed out to keep it in. Felio giggled at her reaction, and most of the table turned boisterous.

"Why not?" Aiden asked. "Do you understand how nonchalant you were about not getting an epic reward? Who cares if I didn't get an epic reward! Why are you so hysterical?"

Felio giggled uncontrollably, falling onto Cassain's shoulder for support. It didn't do much good because the guards were also laughing.

"Could you imagine if Reasan heard you say that?" Aiden asked. "That guy would fall on his sword in shame."

I smiled wryly when I was reminded of the outside world.

"Come on," Felio said. "Lighten up!"

My smile got wryer. When did I become the no-nonsense party pooper? I wondered. It wasn't a good trait. So I smiled.

"Don't force it," Aiden said. Asail snorted, and I blushed and pointed to the door. "Out."

"Hey! Hey!" Aiden threw up his hands. "I'll be good. I promise."

I smiled helplessly and then looked at the others. "Can we just... screw it. There's booze right? This girl just got an epic request! Why aren't we celebrating! Wait..."

I ran outside and into the conference tree, where I had stacked up two years' worth of unsorted treasures and gifts from harvesters, and pulled out a box that contained bottles of what appeared to be wine. I returned victorious, presenting the bottles.

"Can I see that?" Cassain said.

She grabbed one, and her eyes widened.

"I don't care how much it's worth," I said. "It was a gift from... God I can't even remember who."

Felio started giggling again, and Aiden extended his hand. I passed him a bottle, and he laughed. "This thing's like... one hundred percent poison."

The table went silent.

"The good kind," Aiden said. Apparently, the wine riselmore wine a random family member gave me was like a sixty thousand hawk bottle of poison meant for those whose bodies, like mine, cleansed booze too fast. So, as one progressed, people just stopped drinking wine and took to drinking literal poison. He explained that I said:

"Fuck yes... Let's get it."

An hour later, I was tripping and puking my guts out as Asail rubbed my back. I treated it like normal alcohol, which I could drink like spicy water, and ended up tripping before puking. But I had zero regrets. I missed my poisons. I really needed to make some this year...

I put it onto my to-do list, right next to learning soulmancy, telling a killer mushroom to fuck off, and creating an elixir of Immortality. But first, I had a Helix of Annihilation elixir to chug down. I had a feeling that it was going to be an unpleasant experience—but I was excited for the results.