As it turned out, improving on something he didn’t understand proved to be difficult. During the next few weeks, he experimented with different ingredients, giving it less water focus or even more, even bringing in more ingredients from outside, but to his immense frustration, couldn’t come up with consistent results. About half of his experiments yielded no effect at all, while the others often caused minor and temporary changes that just didn’t seem to follow any pattern or logic. Once, after testing an especially vile-tasting mixture, Kraghtol was plagued by a severe hiccup that wouldn’t subside for three days.
As the first signs of spring weather appeared, his frustration had grown to a point where he almost felt like giving up. He had tried the well-known glowing paste recipe yesterday, and not even that had worked. His mind was too distracted by the fact that he was constantly failing to concentrate enough on the Activation of even this simple recipe, which he had done so many times before. It didn’t help that his change back into a half-orc had been slowly creeping forward, and he was now almost as green as he had been before taking the potion. If he was being honest, he had trouble finding any differences at all.
Collecting today’s ingredients, he was determined to make any kind of progress today, at least. At this point, he was just throwing together whatever he found even remotely useful and hoping for the best. He had just returned to the workstation when he heard the laboratory door opening. Heart racing fast, he threw over his cloak but didn’t see a place to hide. Instead, he hunched over his desk, hoping to hide his inhuman features the best he could.
“Mr. Krasen?”
The voice belonged to Mrs. Hawke. Fey’s breath!
“Yes, Mrs. Hawke?” he mumbled, not looking up.
“You don’t sound well. Are you sure you should be studying this late?”
Her steps came closer, surrounding his desk. He hunched even further over his work, still trying to conceal his face.
“I’m still not well.”
He feigned a cough.
“But I’m trying to keep up with the lessons this way. Aniriel gave me her notes and…”
“Really? She and Mr. el Greylune have inquired about your well-being lately, and since instructor Flint told me he has seen your name on the list every day for the last few weeks, I took it upon myself to have a look.”
He sensed she was rather close now but didn’t dare to look up. Valir had asked for him?
“Hm. I’m not sure what you are practicing, though. Hedgehog spikes, powdered quartz and a chicken feather?”
Kraghtol didn’t answer immediately, trying to come up with an explanation, but Mrs. Hawke interrupted him by sighing.
“You are experimenting. Do I need to remind you that this is a most dangerous and foolish endeavor? You don’t even know what you’re doing.”
It wasn’t meant as an insult; he knew that. It was a fact. How, if not through her teaching, was he supposed to understand?
“I know, but…”
He didn’t know what to say.
“Mr. Krasen, look at me. Whatever you are trying to accomplish, you won’t get far by randomly throwing ingredients together. You need to understand that — by the tusk!”
Driven by the unusual emotion in his teacher’s voice, he had actually looked up, and Mrs. Hawke had immediately backed away.By the tusk!He hated that figure of speech, but the irony was not lost on him. Mrs. Hawke tried to bring as many desks between herself and him as she could, and Kraghtol just sighed.
“Don’t. I mean you no harm. But yes, that’s why I couldn’t come to class.”
His low and rumbling voice really stopped her, and now she was eyeing him intensely.
“Is this some kind of alchemical accident? How long have you been afflicted? What —”
“Mrs. Hawke! Please —”
He realized he had raised his voice and continued at a lower volume.
“Please promise me not to tell anyone.Anyone, okay? I will explain everything.”
She nodded slowly, and he continued. It was the second time in a short while that he had to come clean.
“This is how I really look. I have taken a potion that turned me into a human, but it ran out. Can you…”
He sighed. This was grasping at straws, especially considering who her son was, but what choice did he have? Besides, the damage was already done.
