Dungeon of Niflheim

101 Chapter 101: High level health potion

“Huuuu huuuuu” Leo panted heavily while slumping down onto his backside, he was exhausted. His abilities were quite a bit lower than his assailants, forcing him to rely heavily on his armour and weapon. His stamina was depleted, he needed rest and more importantly food.

Rumble!

His stomach grumbled as it craved sustenance. With a shaking hand he withdrew an item covered in cloth from his side pocket and opened it up. It was jerky, dried meat, perfect for quickly replenishing lost energy in dire circumstances. The taste wasn’t that bad as well, a staple item required for any adventurer.

Unfortunately, their spatial rings couldn’t preserve perishable items, so he needed to carry it the old fashion way. Without regard for noble etiquette Leo tore into a few strips of jerky as he inspected his injuries.

Whereas Luna immediately rushed over to Frost, she knew the extent of Leo’s damage and didn’t have anything to worry about. Frost however was a different issue entirely.

“Frost-senpai are eh!” Luna wanted to ask how he was but gasped in shock once she arrived next to him. His injuries were very serious, blood was currently pouring out of his many wounds, and some gashes were so deep the bone was visible. Hardly the image of someone who won.

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she came to terms with the extent of Frost’s situation.

‘I can’t heal this.’ She screamed internally. This was far beyond her abilities, she only knew the 1st circle level of heal which could replenish some blood, close minor wounds, and aid natural regeneration. But closing these wounds was impossible, she’d need to at least be able to cast 3rd circle spells like her father and even then, it might not be enough. They weren’t finished fighting yet but Frost would need months if not years to heal from these wounds naturally.

But most of all she could imagine the pain, the agony he must feel. She’d never seen someone so injured and battered. She tried to channel her mana in preparation to cast another healing spell to give even the slightest aid, but her magic crest collapsed mid-way and she was struck by an intense headache, she was out of mana.

.....

Frost smiled gently, well as gently as he could, his face was twitching and convulsing from the pain. He appreciated Luna intentions but knew the extent of his own body as well as the limitation of her healing magic. He was unsure in how to proceed; he still had a health potion left which would help to staunch the bleeding at least and he could use some cloth to make some emergency bandages. Proceeding in this operation however looked to be impossible, there’s no way he could fight in his current condition, moving alone would be a miracle.

‘Fuck!’ Frost internally cursed, he wanted to get revenge on Adam for what Alex made him go through, he even prepared a special gift. Frost with shaky movements tapped the cloth covered item hidden within his sleeves. He had kept some of the wyvern poison needles Alex fired at him last week with the intention to make Adam suffer under their effect. He’d allow Leo to do what he wished with him after that.

‘Can we even proceed?’ Frost looked up at Luna and then to the prone Leo stuffing himself with jerky.

‘Their injuries seem to be minimal just lacking stamina and mana.’ Leo and Luna would be ready to battle once again after a short respite and refuelling. The problem being whether they were strong enough alone.

Baron Adam could very well be stronger than Leo and Luna combined and given his level of wealth, they’d likely no longer have an advantage equipment wise. But carry on them must, regardless of risk, Adam must be excised.

If they allowed him to survive either by escaping or by them having to retreat, Adam would simply round up more goons with his money and charisma before attacking Leo and his group in earnest. Since after tonight, he’d have no reason to hide his machinations.

‘Should I use the talisman to call Maya?’ His guardian should have means to heal his injuries given her magic level. But how would she react to his current state.

‘Actually, scratch that for now.’ He wasn’t currently in danger of dying and using the talisman would be a waste. Plus, when she arrived, she’d probably go into a rage filled rampage and forcible abscond him back to the dungeon, refusing to let him leave until he reached S-rank level strength. He could really imagine her doing that. Maya also had her own mission to complete. Until Adam was dealt with, she couldn’t leave Douglas’s and Cassandra’s side.

“Luna don’t worry I’m fine; my last health potion and bandages will stop the bleeding, I’ll survive.” Frost spoke calmly and as gently as he could to calm the young girls nerves. As long as they dealt with Adam, Leo could easily call upon the local guards to deal with the rest and see to everyone’s safety. Since without Adam they’d have no reason to refuse his orders. In fact, they’d most likely be incredibly eager to help so as to appear loyal to house Furano.

“But!”

“Luna focus on what you can do and not what you can’t.” She’d be more helpful if she drank a mana potion and helped heal Leo’s injuries and ignored him.

Luna frowned, clearly torn between logic and emotion but eventually acquiesced under Frost’s gaze and retrieved a mana potion from her spatial ring and began drinking.

Meanwhile once Leo had devoured a few strips of jerky and calmed his stomach he manoeuvred himself to his feet and walked over to Frost, his face clearly showing guilt and sympathy. He was the reason Frost was even here. His eyes were full of pain, and he struggled to take in Frost’s visage. He knew that he was injured but not to this extent. No way Frost could continue this operation.

“Can you eat?” Leo held out a few strips of jerky for Frost to take.

“I can move my mouth, but grabbing will be difficult.” Frost could barely lift his arms a few inches off the ground, with his left being almost completely immobile.

“Ah! Sorry” Leo then proceeded to tear off pieces of the jerky and bring them to Frost’s mouth to chew. Food would help replace lost blood and boost natural regeneration.

Frost struggled to contain his laughter as he was hand fed a few pieces of jerky.

‘It’s tough but not bad.’ He chewed and swallowed the jerky with joy, salty food after a round of hard work was extra tasty. Leo meanwhile downed a low level health potion to seal up the minor wounds he sported thanks to his battle. No point in wasting Luna’s mana when he still had potions.

After a few minutes Frost finished his portion of Jerky as did Luna who pulled out her own stash. Luna and Leo were now pretty much battle ready, they just needed to help out Frost with his bandages and make sure he’s stable.

In fact, Frost dreaded having to drink another low level health potion even more so than his current injuries, it was nasty stuff.

“Frost-senpai is there any residual healing magic left in your body?” Leo asked somewhat seriously. Frost taken aback by his sudden change in attitude checked without question.

He closed his eyes and sensed the internal structure of his body, checking for any sign of foreign mana or unnatural regeneration.

“No, it’s all used up.” His body was no longer healing itself at an observable level or even at a micro level, trying just to not degrade anymore. He’d need to drink a health potion soon otherwise he’d likely die of blood loss.

“Haaaa good that means we can use this.” Leo sighed before tentatively withdrawing a liquid filled vial from his spatial ring. This vial was of a much higher quality, the glass was instead beautiful crystal, and was adorned with golden decorations. On the centre of the crystal was a beautiful carving of an ice phoenix, this was by far a more lavish potion by the vial alone. The liquid inside was glistening and appeared incredibly thick and viscous, like a syrup. It was a mix or red and silver throughout with the red being a far deeper shade than seen in the low level health potions. The vial was sealed with wax and cork just like that of a high quality wine bottle.

Frost’s eyes glinted with interest as he saw this vial held in Leo’s hand. It was beautiful.

“What is that?” Curious he couldn’t help but ask

“A high-level health potion of excellent quality.” Leo spoke with nervousness as he held the crystal vial.

“Eh!” Luna gasped in shock at Leo’s reply, not expecting him to be carrying something so valuable.

“You have a high level health potion of excellent quality!” Luna repeated what Leo said and rapidly moved up close to him and wrenched the vial from his hand, delicately in a way.

Leo couldn’t do anything but let her have it, not willingly to risk the potion. Luna then while inspecting the vial from all sides regaled to Frost the meaning of such a potion.

“High level potions are incredibly rare within the empire and usually strictly controlled by the royal family, having one alone requires not just money -due to their rarity and that’s just regular high level potions- yet this one is of excellent quality almost impossibly rare.” Frost didn’t know much about different quality of potions amongst those of the same level and tilted his head to the side in confusion well the most he could while lying on his back.

Luna happily expanded on the knowledge glad to put her studies to use.

“Potions can be categorised into different levels of quality, sort of sub levels between low level, medium level and high level. Standard quality potions grant the bare minimum of their effect and are usually created by low skilled alchemists or those in training. Within low level potions there isn’t much difference in the effects of a standard potion and excellent quality potion but in high level potions the difference is magnitude. By the way all the ones we supplied and used so far were of standard quality.” Luna took a breath as she cradled the potion in her hands.

“As you probably noticed the body can only withstand so much healing energy at once before using more becomes pointless.” Frost nodded.

“To combat this issue, we need to increased the quality of that healing energy, enter high level potions. The higher the quality of a health potion the higher the quality of healing energy it grants. With this excellent quality high level health potion, it’d be able to fully heal all your injuries in a matter of minutes all without any side effects. It’s a truly rare and exceptional item.” Luna frowned as she spoke, such items were incredibly restricted by the royal family, and Leo really shouldn’t have one. Also clearly engraved on the vial was an ice phoenix holding a sword in its beak, the symbol of the Northrend royal family. She turned around to interrogate Leo.

Leo simply shrugged his shoulders and raised his hands up in the air.

“It was a gift to my family generations ago from the royal family, its been gathering dust within the vault. Father stressed that I should take it with me just in case and good thing I did.” He then smiled gently towards Frost, with this potion he’d be able to end Frost’s pain and repay him for saving his life-if you don’t count the fact that he was injured helping Leo and Luna in the first place.

Luna held the health potion carefully before sitting down close to Frost, she’d help him with drinking the potion. Normally she’d be completely against using such a precious resource especially given that it’s been within Leo’s family for generations, and they’d likely never be able to get their hands on another, but she too owed Frost her life. Plus, what good is a health potion if you don’t use it when required.