|Chapter 3| The Acolyte

Hadassah woke up to the sun filling her room, the leaves doing little to hide the time of day. It was so early that the beasts weren't even awake yet. The entire tribe was eerily silent, and for a moment she felt like she was still dream threading.

She winced, her head pounding as she sat up. "I need to practice a bit more," she muttered. The better she got, the fewer side effects she'd have. "At least they haven't found me yet. I'll have to thank Ahqi later."

"Who's Ahqi?"

"Ah!" She screamed, pushing her back against the wooden walls, her heart nearly stopping in her chest.

"Did I scare you?" Neveah emerged from the shadows of the corners of her room. Hadassah nearly fainted. If Neveah wasn't so beautiful, she would have freaked out way more.

"Junior Kesmes!" Hadassah began, not wanting to reveal more information than necessary. "What are you doing here?"

Neveah flipped her long brown hair behind her, the beads on her wrists rattling with each movement. "The Great Kesmes is gathering his students. You should come along."

Hadassah breathed a little easier, knowing she wasn't in trouble. "I need to just wear my clothes. I'll be out soon!" she said awkwardly, gathering the blankets to cover herself. Neveah looked at her, and the beads on her wrists began to glow. More specifically, one particular bead began glowing, and an outfit set appeared in her hand.

"Here, a set of clothes befitting an acolyte. We will be sisters now, just call me senior sister."

Hadassah reached out, her fingers tracing the fine silk. It felt so soft against her skin. "This is for me?" Her expression was complicated.

Neveah nodded. "The Great Kesmes made it especially for you. I will see you in the Aeos Library." She turned and opened the door to leave.

"Thank you!" Hadassah called out as the door closed.

Once Neveah had left, Hadassah quickly changed into the long tailored dress with a high collar and a pair of loose pants underneath, paired with beautiful embroidered flats. The silk was incredibly comfortable. "As expected of the rabbit tribe, even their clothes are top-notch." She ran her hands down her clothes and twirled a bit, relishing this feeling.

She stepped out into the halls of the Life Tree, feeling the soft shoes on her feet made her inexplicably happy. She nearly skipped the entire way through to the Aeos Library. A massive space located in the center of the tree, multiple floors opened up to this library as books lined the entire length. Hadassah concluded the Kesmes must fly around the place, because how else could someone reach the top without being a winged beastman?

Her suspicions were confirmed the moment she looked down from the end of the hallway, down the Aeos Library.

A rabbit came barrelling up at her, and she had to move back quickly to dodge.

"Watch it!" he snapped as he stopped mid-air to look at her. Hadassah looked up to see a rude-looking rabbit beastman with short, dark hair and striking golden eyes. He was dressed in dark purple robes, giving him an air of arrogance and authority. He held an apple in his hand, taking a bite and chewing lazily as he scrutinized her.

"Who are you?" he demanded, floating effortlessly in the air.

Hadassah straightened, trying to maintain her composure. "I am Hadassah, the new acolyte under the Great Kesmes."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "A human acolyte? That's a first. The Great Kesmes must be feeling generous."

Hadassah's face darkened. Did everyone here know she was a human? What the hell?

Before Hadassah could respond, Neveah appeared, her presence calming the tension. "There you are, Hadassah. This is Zarek, another of the Great Kesmes' students."

Zarek smirked, taking another bite of his apple. "So, you're the new pet project. Try not to get in my way." With that, he turned and flew off, disappearing into the upper levels of the library.

Neveah sighed. "Don't mind him. Zarek can be difficult, but he's quite brilliant. Come, let's join them."

Hadassah nodded, following Neveah down the hall. The encounter with Zarek left her feeling uneasy, but she pushed the thoughts aside. There was so much to learn, and she couldn't let one rude student deter her.

As they entered the main area of the library, Hadassah was in awe at the sheer volume of books and scrolls. The room was filled with the quiet rustle of pages and the soft murmurs of other students.

The Great Kesmes stood at the center, looking quite relaxed. He looked up as Hadassah and Neveah approached, a smile touching his lips. "Welcome, Hadassah. I see you've met Zarek; he's your senior brother." He said, referring to the rabbit standing by him. Zarek merely glanced her way condescendingly.

"Do you have other students?" Hadassah asked, a little intimidated. Being surrounded by Kesmes who knew her identity, was quite risky. Kesmes were on par with royalty; their studies were so revered that in some tribes, they were the royal family.

"It's just us three," Neveah answered on her master's behalf. "The Black Rabbit Tribe is quite rich, seeing they have three of us." Most tribes that were able to produce a Kesmes could not keep them, as their research was dependent on how much money was available to them.

"Alright! You two have to be nice to Hadassah and show her around!" The Great Kesmes said. He then pulled out something that looked oddly like rabbit ears, matching her brown hair. "Come here," he said, signaling her to come over.

She did as told, and he placed the rabbit ears on her head. "There, now you can be a convincing rabbit."

His smile was quite handsome, making her blush fiercely.

Hadassah's fingers reached up to touch the ears, feeling a bit self-conscious but grateful. "Thank you, Great Kesmes." It must have been her luck meeting two kind beastmen one after the other, it was a nice change to constantly being on the run.

"Now," he said, looking between Neveah and Zarek, "show her the ropes. Make sure she feels at home."

Zarek did not care for the human, instead, he went off on his own mission, leaving Hadassah and Neveah. Neveah took Hadassah to her study, a large room made up of mostly windows on top with so many plants growing all over the place Hadassah struggled to find her footing.

Neveah led her to the center of the room near a spring by a small firewood stove. If the size of the room wasn't an indicator, the spring in the middle clued her in that this must be maintained by the Great Kesmes. Neveah tapped the beads on her wrists and a large black pot popped out, landing on the stove with a loud 'thud!'

"Well, you might as well help me make potions," Neveah said as she handed Hadassah a potion to look at. "You probably have an idea, but Kesmes have three main gifts: brewing, enchanting, and divination. Apart from the common use of essence and maintaining life trees, we tend to specialize in these three areas. I," Neveah said, tapping on the cauldron, "specialize in brewing."

Hadassah was unaware of the details; she just knew Kesmes as users of strange powers. As for their specialty, she had never considered that they did things like this. "I have never seen a potion before," she pointed out to Neveah, who merely smiled, flicking her hair back again.

"Well, it's probably too expensive. They are mostly bought up by the great clans."

Hadassah nodded in understanding. Considering there were limited Kesmes and even fewer brewers, potions must be really expensive. It explained why Neveah looked so expensive.

"Truthfully," Neveah continued, her gaze lingering on her cauldron. "Brewing is the most lucrative specialty. The rest are quite common. Since you are human, you can't really learn divination and enchantment due to your lack of essence affinity, but potion brewing might be for you."

Hadassah nodded in understanding. Humans had no affinity for natural essence, but they had a very strong affinity with spirit essence. Their ability to manipulate matters of the soul is what made them shunned in the first place. Because of that, the spirit fox tribe was especially vulnerable to human manipulation since their abilities also lay with the spiritual. The celestials of the sea had a strong resistance since their abilities clashed with humans. Ahqi not knowing her race was really a blessing. Despite her gratitude, considering he saved her life, she had no intent on ever meeting him again. It was like a mouse walking into a cat's den.

"Anyway, help me gather the herbs on the parchment. Look at the Great Book of Botany if you are unsure," Neveah instructed.

"I will be back soon, senior sister!" Hadassah said respectfully before scurrying away.

She began her search, carefully navigating the lush, plant-filled room. The parchment Neveah had given her listed several herbs, each with a small illustration. Hadassah found the Great Book of Botany on a nearby table and opened it, the illustrations jumped out of her, lifelike images floating above the pages.

'I really should have been born a beast man, I would be a great kesmes.' She thought with a sigh, this entire tree was so fantastical, she had seen life trees in passing but to enter one - this was her first. 'Knowing my luck, I would be born a common rabbit beast.'

She gathered the herbs as instructed and despite the unfamiliarity of the task, she found herself enjoying the work. The room's atmosphere, filled with the scent of various plants and the sound of the spring, was calming.

After collecting the necessary herbs, Hadassah returned to Neveah. "I have the herbs, senior sister."

Neveah smiled approvingly. "Good job, Hadassah. Now, let's begin the potion-making process."

Together, they started brewing the potion. Neveah explained each step in detail, showing Hadassah how to prepare the herbs and mix them correctly. Hadassah watched intently, absorbing the knowledge and trying to memorise the process.

"Brewing requires patience and precision," Neveah explained. "Each herb has its own properties, and the way you handle them can affect the potion's effectiveness."

Hadassah nodded, carefully following Neveah's instructions. The junior Kesmes was patient and knowledgeable, and Hadassah found herself looking up to her. Neveah knew the ins and outs of her crafts, Hadassah could only wonder how many hours she had spent relentlessly studying.

"You're doing well," Neveah said encouragingly. "With practice, you'll become skilled at this."

"Thank you, senior sister," Hadassah replied, she knew Neveah was just being kind. Since she had no way to use essence, her potions would only be subpar at best with common properties.

As they finished the potion, Neveah poured it into a small vial. "This potion is for healing minor wounds," she explained. "It's one of the most basic potions but also one of the most useful."

Hadassah took the vial and looked at the shimmering liquid inside. "It's surprisingly easy to make."

Neveah smiled. "It is. As long as you remain here, I will teach you what I can. At least you will be able to sustain yourself."

Hadassah felt a surge of appreciation. This senior sister of hers was a really nice person.

"Let me make a major healing potion. Just watch me," Neveah said next and started to use the same herbs collected. But this time, it felt different. The air seemed to vibrate towards her, as if she was a black hole sucking in the essence in the atmosphere.

Hadassah watched in awe as Neveah worked. She moved with grace and precision, her hands deftly handling the herbs. The beads on her wrists glowed faintly, indicating the flow of essence. The air around them seemed to hum with energy, drawn towards Neveah as she concentrated on her task.

Neveah's focus was intense, and Hadassah could see the strain it took to control the essence. She carefully measured and mixed the herbs, her movements deliberate and exact. The potion in the cauldron began to change, the liquid thickening and taking on a deeper, more vibrant hue.

"Major healing potions require a lot more essence," Neveah explained, her voice steady despite the effort. "It's not just about the ingredients but how you channel the essence into the potion."

Hadassah nodded, understanding the complexity. She realised that while the minor healing potion was simple, the major potion required a deep connection with the essence around them.

After a few more minutes, Neveah poured the potion into a larger vial. The liquid inside glowed with a golden light, radiating warmth and energy.

"This is a major healing potion," Neveah said, holding the vial up for Hadassah to see. "It can heal more severe injuries and restore vitality. It's much harder to make but also much more valuable."

Hadassah took the vial, feeling the warmth emanating from it. "It's incredible," she said softly.

Unknown to them, hours had passed in the green room. Their time together was interrupted by the door slamming open.

"Neveah! The scavengers are back!" It was Zarek, calling out from the entrance like an annoying little sibling.

Neveah didn't seem to mind, placing the bottle on the table. "We should go and see what they brought back for us," she said lightly. Hadassah nodded and followed. Tribes tended to have scavengers, and for carnivorous tribes, they also had hunters. Scavengers were for scouting and for bringing back what the tribe desperately needed from the forest. Such a large forest still had places left unexplored and resources left untapped.

The two walked out to the foyer at the top of the tree. There, a trio was waiting for them, dressed in scavenger uniforms. The one who stood out had long black hair with black bunny ears and a mean look on his face. His body was scarred considerably, and he was quite muscular, looking like a warrior. He bowed respectfully, placing his fist in his palm. "Junior Kesmes," he greeted.

Neveah nodded and turned to look at the haul they brought back. "It seems you've brought the usual, good job."

The man bowed respectfully. "We do not deserve your praise, Kesmes. This time we also found something you should see."

He drew their eyes to something in one of the brown bags around his feet. It glistened darkly, beautiful black scales reflecting the light. Neveah's brow furrowed. This wasn't good.

"Is that—"

"Yes," he said. "We found this at the outskirts. We are unsure of how they got this far under the celestial's territory."

Zarek, who had been watching, growled. "Ferals."

"Don't call them that," Neveah corrected. "The Black Wind Tribe beastmen."

Ferals, cold-blooded beasts who were fiercely independent, did not naturally form tribes. However, a few hundred years ago in the continent's lost history, somehow they fell under the rule of a human, though no one had seen them for the past hundred or so years. After the extinction of all humans, there was technically only one human left, and she was arguably on par with the five great clans. But beastmen do not accept them, and so they remain unrecognised.

Hadassah felt a chill down her spine. Ferals were not welcomed in the great clan's territory. The celestial god in charge of the territory should not have allowed them. So what happened?

"Thank you, Theron," Neveah said grimly. "I will talk to the Great Kesmes."

Theron bowed once more. "Of course, Junior Kesmes."

Neveah turned to Hadassah. "You should come with me. This could be important for you to understand."

Hadassah nodded, her mind racing with the implications of what they had just seen. The presence of a naga so far into the celestial's territory was unsettling.

As they made their way to the Great Kesmes' study, Neveah explained further. "The Black Wind Tribesmen, previously known as ferals, are known for their independence and ferocity. They don't usually encroach on other territories unless something significant is happening. We need to understand why they are here."

When they arrived at the study, the Great Kesmes was already waiting. He looked up as they entered, his expression serious.

"Neveah, Hadassah, what brings you here?" he asked.

Neveah quickly explained the situation, showing the Great Kesmes the black scales. He examined them closely, his brow furrowing.

"This is indeed troubling," he said finally.

Neveah nodded, "I am worried something happened to the celestial god."

Hadassah listened intently. She wondered if Ahqi knew what was happening. The celestial sea gods often had a king, and if she could find Ahqi... Hadassah immediately stopped herself from thinking rubbish. Why create more trouble for herself? She should just let the Kesmes deal with it; it had nothing to do with her.

"Let us continue this later," the Great Kesmes said, dismissing them. "Lest we scare our little acolyte." Hadassah felt embarrassed at her title. She knew the Great Kesmes was just amusing himself, so she refused to show any signs.

Neveah accepted his proposition and left with Hadassah following close to her.

"Hadassah," the Great Kesmes called out to her, making both of them stop and look back. "Stay for a moment. I have something to discuss with you."

Hadassah did not want to be left alone. She turned to Neveah, who smiled at her reassuringly, thinking she was scared of being scolded. That was not what she was scared of; she was scared of being mercilessly teased! The Great Kesmes made her feel like a child who was being toyed with, despite being in her twenties.

Neveah gave her a pat on the shoulder before leaving the room, leaving Hadassah alone with the Great Kesmes.

"Hadassah, there is something important I need to give you," he said, getting straight to the point, which made her feel relieved.

The Great Kesmes walked over to a bookshelf and pulled out a thick, leather-bound book. He turned to her with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Are you enjoying playing 'apprentice'? It must be quite entertaining to you."

Hadassah frowned, feeling her temper flare. "I'm not playing at anything. I'm here to learn."

He chuckled, clearly amused by her reaction. "Oh, I can see that. You take your potion brewing very seriously, don't you?" His tone was teasing, almost mocking. She couldn't use natural essence, so how much could she realistically learn?

Hadassah clenched her fists, trying to keep her composure. "I do. And I want to learn more."

"More?" The Great Kesmes raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. "And what exactly do you wish to learn, dear acolyte? The secrets of the Kesmes? The mysteries of the universe? Or perhaps," he leaned in closer, "you want to find out more about me?" His tone turned weirdly flirtatious giving her the chills.

Hadassah's eyes narrowed, and she considered smacking him for a moment. "Do not flatter yourself, you are not that interesting."

The Great Kesmes laughed, a deep, hearty sound that filled the room. He held out the book to her, but as she reached for it, he pulled it back slightly. "Are you sure you're ready for this? It's not just about brewing potions and following instructions."

Hadassah felt her frustration boiling over. "I'm ready. Give me the book."

He looked at her for a moment longer, then smiled and handed her the book. "This is a book on humans. I believe it will help you understand your own potential. I am sure you did not come here to learn just about potions, right?"

Hadassah took the book, feeling its weight in her hands. "Thank you, Great Kesmes. I will study it carefully."

"Good," he said, his tone still light but now with a hint of seriousness. "Who knows where you will find yourself in the future. It's better to be prepared."

Hadassah nodded, her anger subsiding a bit. "I understand. I appreciate this."

"Ohohoho, really? With the way you looked, I was afraid you'd hit little old me." He said as he acted pitiful, wiping away imaginary tears from the corners of his eyes. Hadassah thought in that moment that she should have just hit him.

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