Chapter Seventeen: Mildred and the Alchemist Trials
*DISCLAIMER: The Alchemic Language is Al-Bhed, the language used in the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy is copyright Square Enix.
Mildred made her way to the mountains and she was met by a young adult boy.
"I am here to assist you on your quest. I am Achilles. You are here to become an Alchemist..." He told her.
"Yes, I am." Mildred said.
"Do you have the tattoo?" Achilles inquired.
"I do... but it is not complete." Mildred said as she lifted the back of her shirt to reveal an upside-down triangle with Alchemic symbols along each point.
"Do not worry. Once you master the Taho and Yhkamel incantations, you'll have a complete tattoo, and you will be a full Alchemist." Achilles told Mildred. "I will send images toward you. You have to be able to deflect them and shield yourself. Are you ready?"
"I am." Mildred said and took a breath. "I am ready." Achilles muttered an incantation which sent a phoenix toward Mildred.
Mildred shook and her voice was nervous and scared.
"T...Taho!" She stuttered, The phoenix got larger in size. "It isn't working." Mildred said.
"You can't show fear in your voice and you have to relax or else it will not work." Achilles looked back at her. She nodded. "Try again." Achilles commanded. Mildred tried again a few more times, unsuccessful. "One more time." Achilles said, "And remember, no fear and relax."
Mildred was determined to get it right so she commanded again. "Taho!" The image of the phoenix was blocked and immediately disappeared.
"You've mastered Taho. Taho means 'Deny." Achilles affirmed. Constance watched, unseen. She was proud of her niece. She had followed Mildred to the mountains, wanting to see what she was doing.
"You have one more incantation to master. Yhkamel is a shield It will shield other incantations and spells directed at you and will protect others if you use it as such, But be warned, it will cause you a lot of pain. As you continue to use this incantations, you will have scars along your shoulderblades. Yhkamel means Angelic." Achilles looked serious as he gazed back at Mildred.
Constance's jaw dropped. She knew at the mere mention of this how Mildred could suffer. But she knew how strong Mildred was.
"Are you sure you want to continue?" Achilles asked.
"Yes... I have to." Mildred told him. determined to complete what she had started.
"Very well." Achilles said and muttered another incantation. A large fire-breathing dragon appeared. Mildred was terrified.
"Y..Y..Yhkamel." She said, her teeth chattering. It wasn't working. The image only got larger.
"Remember...You can't show any fear and you need to relax." Mildred heard Achilles remind her. She set her jaw, stared down the dragon and commanded: "Yhkamel!" A searing pain tore through her body and she began to scream as a shield in the form of apparition-like white wings sprouted from her shoulderblades. They enveloped her in a white light. The dragon disappeared in a puff of smoke. The wings disappeared in thw same instant.
Mildred thought for sure that there would be blood as she touched her shoulderblades. But there was none.
Lift the back of your shirt." Achilles told her. She did as told. Three more Alchemic symbols appeared within the triangle. "Your tattoo is now complete. You are a full Alchemist. Congratulations."
Constance then appeared next to Mildred.
"Aunt Constance, I told you that I would tell you later what I was doing." Said Mildred.
"I know, but you know that not telling the teachers where you are going is against school rules. This is the only time an eception will be made. But don't do it again, understood?" Constance replied.
"Yes, Aunt Constance." Mildred said. "Achilles, I'd like you to meet Constance Hardbroom, deputy Headmistress of Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. "
"Pleased to make your acuaintance, Miss Hardbroom. Your niece is very talented and has studied hard to be both a witch and an Alchemist. When she is older, after many years of being an Alchemist,she will then train an Apprentice to be the next one and they will go through the same trials she has." Achilles bowed in respect.
Constance nodded in return.
"Mildred is a hard working student. Of course she makes mistakes sometimes, but she has proven herself." She said. "If you will excuse us, we need to return to the Academy."
"Of course." Achilles bowed in farewell and they went back to the Academy.