Chapter Six-2
1274 Words
Ella glanced at her but didn't refuse the request. She nodded with a smile and went to the back room to brew tea.
Leo followed his mother into the back room and whispered, “Mom, who is she?”
“I don't know,” Ella said, her tone reassuring. “But don't worry, she probably means no harm.”
Soon, the tea was ready. Ella brought it out and thoughtfully placed it before the old lady.
The old lady raised the teacup, inhaling its aroma before savoring a small sip.
“Fine tea.”
She praised appreciatively, “This must be Moonlight Tea, unique to the Moonlight Grove. Hard to find on the market.”
Ella sat down across from her and replied with a smile, “You know your tea. This is indeed Moonlight Tea. I brought it back from the Moonlight Forest.”
“Having lived this long, one learns a thing or two,” the old woman said, setting down her cup and turning to Leo. “Young man, may I see your hand?”
Leo glanced hesitantly at Ella. Seeing her nod, he didn't refuse. Puzzled, he approached the old woman and hesitantly held out his hand.
The old woman remained gentle, softly taking his hand and pressing her fingers lightly against his palm.
In that instant, Leo felt a warm current surge from his palm, traveling up his arm. It felt incredibly soothing, like soaking in warm water.
Seconds later, she released his hand, her gaze suddenly deepening, as profound as an ancient well.
“A very good child,” she murmured. “Your bloodline...It’s remarkably pure.”
Ella's hand tightened slightly, an involuntary reaction. Fortunately, it was hidden beneath the table, unseen by anyone.
The old woman turned to Ella. “Are you his mother?”
“Yes.”
“From Moonlight Glade?”
“Yes.”
Ella answered calmly and composedly. Yet the old woman's next words made her heart clench once more.
“Your bloodline...” The old woman paused. “...seems quite special too.”
Ella didn't respond. Silence might be the best answer.
The old woman didn't seem to mind. She just smiled. But just as she was about to speak again, the wind chime on the door rang out once more.
A young woman rushed into the shop, cradling a boy of seven or eight in her arms.
The boy’s face had a purple tinge, and his breathing was shallow. A dark bruise encircled his neck, as if something had strangled him.
“Please! You have to help him!” the woman cried out, sobbing. “It was a Shadow Vine! The hospital—they said they couldn’t do anything!”
Ella's expression turned solemn upon hearing this. She immediately stood up, strode over, took the boy into her arms, and began examining him.
But soon, Ella too furrowed her brow.
It was indeed Shadowvine.
"Shadowvine? That's a highly dangerous magical plant. Its tendrils carry a dark, corrosive toxin. This poison seeps through the skin into the bloodstream, then destroys the respiratory system. How long has this child been entangled?"
Upon hearing the name “Shadowvine,” the knowledgeable old woman immediately began explaining.
"Over an hour now. I first took the child to a nearby hospital, but the doctor said there was no treatment and advised me to seek out a witch-run potion shop. So I carried the child through several streets—this is the closest potion shop I could find. Are you a witch? Please save my child."
Seeing the old woman's appearance, the young woman assumed the herbal shop belonged to her. Besides, someone of that age would likely be more trustworthy if she were a witch.
“Oh, I'm not a witch. I'm just a customer here. This young lady is the shop owner.” The old woman offered an apologetic look before pointing to Ella.
“Quickly, lay him flat on the ground. We don't have much time. If it exceeds two hours, he'll suffocate to death.”
Ella didn't get angry over the young woman's mistake. She knew what mattered most. Saving lives was the priority now.
The woman hurriedly complied, helping Ella lay the boy on the floor.
Ella strode to the back room and soon emerged with a wooden box. Opening it revealed various tools and potions.
The old woman didn't remain seated either. She stood up, moved to the side, and watched Ella's actions quietly.
Ella first took out a small knife and gently made a small incision in the bruised area on the boy's neck. Black blood slowly oozed out, carrying a foul, putrid stench.
Ignoring the flowing dark blood, Ella retrieved a crystal vial from the wooden box. It contained a pale golden liquid.
Then, Ella instructed the young woman, “I need you to hold him still.”
The young woman looked nervous and hesitant, clearly at a loss.
“Now! Don’t just stand there!” Ella urged impatiently.
The young woman finally snapped out of it, nodded hastily, and helped Ella pin the boy's shoulders down.
Ella took a deep breath and slowly dripped the golden liquid onto the wound.
Ssssh—
A wisp of white smoke rose. The boy's body began convulsing violently, accompanied by gurgling sounds from his throat.
“He's convulsing!” The woman panicked slightly, her hands trembling as they pressed down on his shoulders, her eyes filled with sorrow and fear.
The fear stemmed from death and from loss.
Ella understood the young woman's feelings.
“It's a normal reaction,” Ella reassured her, though her hands never paused.
She retrieved several more vials of potions, carefully measuring each into an empty container. She added a specific liquid, then began shaking it vigorously.
With each shake, the various colored potions and powders rapidly blended together.
Eventually, the mixture transformed into a dazzling starry-sky blue.
After confirming the potion was complete, Ella slowly poured it into the boy's mouth.
As the liquid flowed in, his convulsions gradually lessened, and his breathing steadied. Yet his complexion remained a deep, purplish-blue.
“Hmm. The toxin seems to have already spread throughout his system via the bloodstream.”
Ella sighed, explaining regretfully, “We'll likely need to perform bloodletting to expel the toxins now, combined with the purifying potion to fully eliminate them.”
She looked up at the woman. “The process will be painful and carries some risk. Do you consent?”
“Yes! As long as it saves him!” The woman nodded tearfully.
Ella turned to the elderly woman and politely requested, “Could you hold his leg for me?”
The old woman nodded, walked over, and pressed down on the boy's leg with her wrinkled hands.
Ella took a deep breath and retrieved a specially crafted glass jar from the wooden box. She positioned the jar's opening over the wound and began murmuring an incantation.
It was an ancient language, its syllables awkward and its rhythm peculiar.
As the incantation progressed, a powerful suction formed within the glass jar.
The black blood from the boy's wound was quickly drawn into the jar, though the flow was slow. The toxins had mixed with the blood, making it thicker and more viscous.
Beads of sweat began to form on Ella's forehead, yet she persisted in chanting the incantation.
Her persistence bore fruit, however, as the black liquid inside the glass jar steadily increased.
But the boy's complexion shifted from purplish-blue to pale, his breathing growing weaker and weaker, as if he might cease breathing at any moment.
“He's dying!” the woman screamed.
- Writer
