1. Macabre Marmalade (COMPLETED; EDITING)

XXXI (14.2)

Todor left Cassandra sleeping as he walked to the kitchen where he grabbed a potion he made a few days back. It allowed him to go without sleep for a few days. He swallowed the concoction which tasted as stale, warm beer. But the effect was noticeable right away. He became more energetic and more aware of every little detail.

He went to the garage and started modifying his railgun with the second orb Irry brought him. The work went faster now when he knew what he was doing. The robust weapon had technology that Todor understood one hundred percent as well which sped up the entire process. Hell, high schooler should understand the mechanics behind railguns. Or maybe not. I shouldn't measure other people from the perspective of the geek, he mused as he closed the casing of the weapon and screwed it back tight. Alright, now to test that tomorrow.

He then moved back to the kitchen and summoned Ezezu. He was eying a potion there that looked promising, and from what he remembered he almost understood cryptic instructions. Why are some potions written clearly, and some are puzzles, eh Ezezu? he asked the book putting the tome on the kitchen counter. His bare feet felt coldness creeping from the ground, which to Todor was quite refreshing after the hot day in the sun trying to meditate. The book sent amusement as a response.

Why can't we talk with each other Ezezu? I heard your words back when I confronted Midnight Breeze. The book stayed silent. Todor sighed and moved his attention to the words written on the page. 'The potion of insight' the title said. Todor's eyes went down to the No Terrors annotation first. Unlike Learning Potion, which power I used for so long with great success, this potion baffled me for so long. It doesn't help you learn faster, but it opens your mind to new possibilities, it makes you more connected to your true self and realizing your true potential. It was the line that mentioned true self that caught Todor's attention to this particular potion. Will this help me learn my True Name, I wonder? his mind wondered as his eyes went over the instructions.

Dew and droplets from a lady love,

from the lips of which we don't speak of.

They must be a fruit of the fierce battle

When a man and lady parts together prattle.

The spice of love, the kiss sublime

Add such nectar to mouths slime.

Pour the water of garments stained

Boiled and cooked for hours on end.

To such stinky soup add a twinkle of rose

As if that will protect your poor nose.

And last but definitely not least

A feather from black and flying beast.

Todor sighed as he looked at the ingredients he collected. Some were easy to obtain with Cassandra's help. Others, which were much more mundane took days. Roses were nowhere to be found in Moriganhold which he had to order from a flower shop to be shipped from other free cities. Thanks to pure luck, he stumbled upon crows feather in the park.

Why are all these ingredients so ... bodily fluids and random animal and plant parts? So gross, he wondered as he held the crow's feather. It was the last thing he needed to add. His saucepan was filled with disgusting water which held underwear and other nasty things. He dropped the feather in the mix. For a second nothing happened and then foam coated the surface of the mixture. Then the foam dissipated leaving behind clear, faintly blue liquid that contained golden flakes. Wow, where did that underwear go? He glared at the potion and then took a shot glass and scooped some of it.