"If the elemental flow is unimpeded, you will only feel momentary discomfort," the alchemist explained.
Aether frowned doubtfully at the flaming potion seated on Albedo's workbench, considering whether he should actually drink the concoction or not. He'd really only just met the alchemist; was it wise to trust him so readily? But, Albedo did just sample it himself with no ill effects, and based on what he'd experienced so far with the man he had no reason to distrust him. There was also the possibility of getting some answers about his place in this world, which would be more progress than he'd made in the past month of dead ends. Aether cast aside the clenching in his heart at the thought of his sister (he's going to find her, no matter what), picked up the flask, and downed the potion in a few gulps.
By the end of the third gulp, Aether wished he hadn't. A bitter taste coated his tongue and the liquid burned as it made its way down his throat. He couldn't help but scrunch his nose up in distaste.
"Tasty?" Paimon asked. "You got a funny look on your face."
Coughing slightly to clear the burning sensation (no, it didn't help), he reassured Paimon that he was ok. Turning to the alchemist, he began to ask if the burning was normal before his stomach turned uneasily and black wisps started rolling off his body. He was on fire?!
Paimon swivelled to Albedo, worry coating her voice. "You said you tried some already! Are you sure it was ready? What's happening to him?"
Aether turned in panic towards the alchemist as he tried patting out the flames and commanding his stomach to stop doing loop-the-loops.
"Hm? oh this was the result I was expecting, and a very positive one at that," the young alchemist reassured them. "In conclusion, it seems that you, Aether, are no different than a human of this world."
Albedo's reassurance eased his worries, doubly so as the black flames began to die out, but it did nothing to reduce the discomfort in his gut. Sweat beaded on his forehead, the room having become uncomfortably warm. "Is it hot in here?" he asked while wiping his clammy hands on his trousers. Albedo glanced dubiously at the dying fire, then to the beginnings of a blizzard forming outside the cave of the campsite.
"Quite the opposite," Albedo responded with a frown. "How are you feeling?"
Aether shook his head to clear the fuzzy spots in his vision. More heat rushed to his cheeks, making him feel lightheaded, and he swayed in place as the room began to tilt. Clumsily, the traveller sought to brace himself on the workbench before he toppled over.
The alchemist had said these side effects were normal, right?
Aether heard glass shatter around him as his grip on the bench slipped. Luckily, Albedo had noticed his unsteadiness, managing to half catch him before he fell over completely. The alchemist huffed with exertion as he struggled to keep him upright.
"Aether, you're going to have to help me out here. Do you think you can get your feet under you?" He managed to nod in response, although the heat made it difficult to focus on moving his limbs where he wanted them. He must have done something right because he felt them moving, most of his body weight being supported by the alchemist. A few moments later, Aether felt something blissfully cool against his skin, easing the unbearable heat.
He must have blacked out for a moment; he fluttered his eyes open to see a fretting Paimon floating above him, dusted in a layer of snow. She appeared to be trying to speak with him, but he couldn't make sense of the jumbles of sounds through the loud static in his ears. He could feel a violent reaction continue to swirl in his stomach, extending to his limbs and his head. He was in a vortex, spinning around and around, his entire body burning and cooling simultaneously.
A brisk slap against his cheek caused him to refocus his gaze. Albedo's face, eyebrows slightly furrowed, was far too close to his. Snow settled on his long eyelashes, his nose and cheeks tinged a slight pink. The deep sea green of his eyes reminded him of another world, one coated in water and where life flourished under the vast seas. Lumine really loved that place, and he remembered promising her that they'd return to see it again. He wondered how she was, and if she still thought of that place too, and of the unending aqua.
Another slap.
"—verse reactio—Aeth—, this — importan— how—re—feeling—symptoms." He managed to partially process the alchemist's words.
Symptoms? Was he having a reaction to the potion? Albedo had mentioned he'd prepared something for this, so he needed to help him by telling him what was wrong. His head throbbed, thoughts swirling in his mind and making it very difficult to think.
Carefully, Aether tried to focus and convey his discomfort. "H-hot," he managed to say before a sudden exploding pain ripped through his temples. Coupled with the tightness and nails digging into his chest, he found himself unable to squeeze out anything else other than a sharp exhale. Instead, he settled for tapping his temple with a clumsy finger, followed by hovering a hand on his chest and stomach. He vaguely noticed the crease between Albedo's brows deepen.
"Breathe deeply," he instructed, before disappearing out of sight.
All Aether could do was lie there, hazily watching the falling flakes of snow. When had they moved outside? Another shock of pain tore through him, tears stinging his eyes as he let out another short wheeze. He tried taking a deep breath as Albedo had instructed.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
So far so good.
Breathe in.
He felt his chest rise, more nails digging into his stomach and the returning vertigo making the vortex feeling return. He squinted his eyes closed to stop the spinning, but he still felt the sensation of the world tilting around him. As he choked out another gasp (sob?), Aether wished he could pass out, but it seemed consciousness didn't want to leave him.
"Albedo, hurry!" he heard Paimon yell. Aether silently agreed with her. Stupid potion.
The swirling in his stomach returned in force; he was going to be sick. Barely managing to turn on his side, Aether proceeded to heave the contents of his stomach onto the snow beside him, staining the pristine white a sickly yellow. Now laying unmoving on his side, head resting on the slowly melting snow, he noticed purple sediments scattered amongst the yellow.
Moments later, the hurried crunching of snow underfoot signalled Albedo's return. He didn't even have the energy to feel embarrassed, just lying there and begging the vertigo and pain to cease. The snow felt cool on his cheek.
Aether felt himself being pulled upright, the sensation of heat immediately returning as he was pulled away from the coolness of the snow. Grunting in objection, he tried wriggling away to return back to the solid, cold, unmoving ground. Firm arms held him in place, pressing something to his lips.
"Drink," they instructed.
No, he wasn't going to have any more of that foul potion! He pressed his lips firmly shut, turning his face away. He felt them sigh.
"Don't be a child. This will help." He still refused, smacking a clumsy arm in an attempt to knock the potion from their hand. Another sigh. "So be it," he conceded, laying him back gently in the snow. Ah, sweet sweet coolness. He vaguely heard the alchemist converse with Paimon, too focussed on trying to block out yet another surge of pain to hear them clearly.
"Now!"
Without warning, his nose was pinched, forcing his mouth open to breathe. Paimon rushed at him, bottle in hand, and a warm, sweet liquid was poured into his mouth. He didn't have a chance to sputter before a hand was clamped over his mouth too.
Eyes wide, he stared at his floating friend in disbelief. He felt betrayed; how could Paimon go along with this? She didn't make eye contact, flinching and curling back on herself with a squeaked apology before disappearing in a brief shower of stars back to her pocket dimension.
The alchemist gave her no mind. "Swallow," he instructed plainly.
Unable to breathe, he tried to scratch at the alchemists hands and arms, but they were unrelenting. Eventually, his lungs could take no more and he was forced to swallow the mouthful before he passed out from lack of oxygen. As soon as he did, the alchemist released his grip, sending Aether gasping for air and promptly into a coughing fit before collapsing back into the snow.
It wasn't long before the potion's effects took hold, the traveller's eyes fluttering closed, limbs relaxing, and his breath deepening. His head lulled to the side, unconscious. Albedo crouched beside the blonde for a few more minutes before checking his temperature. Placing a clinical hand on the traveller's forehead, Albedo hummed in approval when his skin felt cooler compared to the burning heat he had exhibited earlier. Good. Now he just had to get the unconscious boy back into the campsite so he didn't get frostbite.
After trying and failing to lift the boy, Albedo settled for dragging the traveller by his arms. Once inside, he positioned him onto his bedroll, arranging his limbs at less awkward angles and tucking a thick blanket around him. There. Leaning back and huffing slightly in exertion, Albedo left the traveller to rest as he mulled over the results of the experiment.