THE LIZARD CAVE - X

_{artwork by me
except from the previous episode}

I observed as Misa took off her hooded cloak, Although I was dumbfounded at the whole ordeal, I was slightly comforted when she slightly stooped and kissed my forehead as she covered me with her hooded cloak.
"Go quickly Thorak, follow the white smoke it will take you out of the caves, I trust you would come back with a cure for my father" Misa spoke in a somber mood.

I briefly uncovered the hooded cloak that Misa gifted me and took a large whiff of fresh air and freedom but I still perceived Misa's body fragrance in those robes, perhaps that was the reason she gave them to me, to keep reminding me of the mission at hand.

The Lobab root is usually abundant in marshy areas, I just had to get there on time, Although the paths were lonely, I covered my head with the cloak and marched on toward a familiar trail of wet soil.

As I approached a dense area of green vegetation, I was confident that I would find the priced herb I needed, I brought out my handy knife and began scanning the area, The atmosphere was slightly illuminated by the early morning sky.

After a while of wandering, my eyes brightened with excitement as I spotted the Lobab tree, I rushed towards it and began cutting the root with my knife, I was busy with my tasks when I suddenly became startled.

"Ahem..." Someone coughed behind me.

I must have been so busy I didn't notice a footstep approaching where I was, I covered my face a bit more with the hood and turned around slowly with my heart racing faster by the ticking seconds which seemed to slow down.

I turned around and noticed the old man behind me with a faint wrinkled smile.

"Oh... I'm sorry to have startled you child, It's just that I've never seen a young herbalist... I see you came all this way for the Lobab..."

"haha.. yes sir... The legendary Lobab" I spoke with forced laughter.

"But you are cutting it wrong, son... may I?" The old man offered to help with my task.

I sensed that he was an Old lonely man happy to have found a conversation, I didn't want to refuse or raise any red flags so I succumbed to his gesturing. The Old man grabbed the knife, eager for a teaching moment.

"You see... child... cutting a Lobab takes some skill, you don't cut prematurely at the edge of the tree, or it exposes it to parasites, The root beneath the ground is richer, you follow the closest root to the ground and dig around it, then you cut and bury it back with the soil..."

I watched and nodded as the Old man cut the herb with precision and thanked him.

"Where do you live young man, is your master a practitioner I know of... " The Old man asked, poking for some more conversation.

"Oh, you wouldn't know sir... This herb is for my father" I replied hastily and began the preparations for my departure.

"Alright then, child, be safe out there, I'm sure you know one of our noble princes, Thorak, was stolen by the Orktargs..."

"Ah... yes I'm well aware..." My heart thudded at the irony of the situation, the Old man didn't know he was speaking to the actual prince, and I wanted to keep it that way.

"I didn't catch your name, young man" The Old man poked his nose a bit more.

"Oh... I'm... Cyril, Nice to meet you, Goodbye sir... " I bowed my head deeper into my hooded cloak, I hoped that the pseudo-name I told him was convincing enough and turned away from the Old talkative.

I took a longer path as if I was heading to the settlements, a slight ruse at deceiving the Old man whom I suspected to be staring as I walk away, when I was sure that I was alone, I resumed my mission on my long journey back to the caves with a rich quantity of Lobab root tucked within my cloak.

It took me a while to reorient my path but I soon followed westward towards the general direction of the secret cave entrance I had escaped from.

STORYLINE

PART 1	PART 2	PART 3
PART 4	PART 5	PART 6
PART 7	PART 8	PART 9

_{art and concept by @abmakko}