Eiden knocked on the door. An elderly but strong voice came from inside: "It's open. Come in."
The wooden door hinges creaked slightly. As Eiden stepped over the threshold, his nostrils filled with a mixture of dried herbs, incense, and the scent of earth. The interior of the cottage was dimly lit; sunlight filtering through the windows seemed suspended in the dusty air. Dried plants, oddly shaped roots, and colorful bottles were lined up along the walls.
The old woman was sitting at a roughly hewn wooden table in the center of the room. She was methodically chopping dried roots with a sharp bone knife. Her hair was silver, tightly braided and gathered at the back of her head. Her face was deeply wrinkled with the marks of time, as if each line told a story. But her eyes — those eyes were something else. They shone in the deepest shade of jade, containing the vitality of a young spirit and the gleam of ancient wisdom.
"You're Eiden, aren't you? You've lost your memory," she said, continuing her work without raising her head. Her tone was familiar, as if she had known him for years.
Eiden raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Yes," he replied, clearing his throat. "I was told you could help with that. But... how do you know my name? Please don't tell me you can read my thoughts."
The old woman laughed, slapping her hands on her knees. "Oh child, mind reading? No need to be so dramatic. Marvus stopped by this morning and mentioned you. 'Tall young man with vacant eyes, red hair and name's Eiden,' he said. Not much of a riddle."
Eiden's face reddened. He had gone from feeling like he was in the presence of a wise oracle to being part of village gossip in an instant. "Ah... of course. That makes sense," he murmured, unable to lift his eyes from the floor. "You must be... Selia?"
The woman nodded, then stopped her cutting and wiped her hands on the apron in her lap. "Yes, I'm Selia. Healer, herb specialist," she said. After pausing briefly, she continued: "I occasionally look into memory problems too, but I can't claim to be an expert."
She narrowed her eyes, examining Eiden. "I can try to help you, but such things are complex. I don't have a definite solution. However, there are a few herbal mixtures we could try."
Eiden leaned forward eagerly, hope in his voice. "What should I do? I want to remember everything... completely everything."
Selia frowned. "Don't set your expectations too high, young man. These things take time and don't always yield complete results. But if you can gather a few ingredients, I can prepare a mixture. It might trigger your memory."
"I need three things," said the woman, raising her bony finger and counting. Her fingertips were slightly yellowed from years of working with plant extracts.
"One: Devil's Tongue. The kind that grows in the eastern swamps, along the edges of Black Lake. It's a red plant with a forked, tongue-like leaf in its center, growing in damp soil. These flowers have mind-opening properties. Be careful, the swamp can be dangerous."
"Two: Night mushroom from the Ancient Grove. It emits a bluish light at night, easy to find. This mushroom sharpens perceptions, perhaps it can also clarify hazy memories. It has a round cap that gives off a bluish-green glow in the dark, growing in colonies at the base of old tree roots."
"Three: Malvina Flower. This..." Selia hesitated, as if thinking. "This is a bit harder to find. The Malvina flower has thin, long stems with purple and white petals, emitting a slightly sweet scent. It's a rare plant."
"Why is it difficult?" Eiden asked curiously.
"Because it must be gathered from Greenfall Meadow, which is quite far from here." Selia pulled out a small map from under the table and opened it. "Here, it grows in this area. These flowers have a calming effect, they might release memories suppressed by the mind."
She pointed to a spot on the map with her finger. "Wild animals live in that area, you should be careful. Go during the day. I would tell you to take a weapon, but I suppose you're a mage."
[Map learned.]
Eiden looked at the map, then turned back to Selia. Worried wrinkles appeared on his forehead. "So... I'm collecting all of them? How many do I need to gather?"
Selia shrugged. "As many as you can. I can't traverse those paths with my old bones anymore. Besides, the country air and walking might do you good. Sometimes physical activity can stimulate memory."
The old woman stood up, took a small leather pouch from the shelves and handed it to Eiden. "Keep the plants you collect in this. And take this..." She produced a bottle containing a clear liquid. "It's an ointment, might be useful on your journey."
Eiden took the pouch and bottle. "Thank you," he said, with slight disappointment in his voice. "When I return... will these ingredients really work?"
Selia answered honestly. "I don't know. I haven't seen a case as severe as yours before. But there's no harm in trying. At worst, you'll have enjoyed a nice cup of tea."
He headed toward the door and paused at the threshold for one last look. "You'd better set out before the sun sets. And Eiden..." she paused, her eyes narrowing with concern. "Don't get your hopes up too high. Sometimes memory returns on its own, sometimes it never does."
***
As Eiden left the village gate, he began muttering to himself. "Great, now I'm going to dangerous places for plants mentioned by an old woman. And there's not even a guarantee it will bring my memory back!" He looked at the map in his hand and examined the information appearing on the system's screen.
"At least this thing inside me learned the map," he murmured, shaking his head. As he scanned the markings on the map, he added: "I guess I need to head toward the eastern swamps first."
New Quest: [Bringing Memories Back]
You've forgotten who you are, great. Let's see if you can remember again.
Objective: Go to the Black Lake, collect Devil's Tongue.
Bonus Objective: Eliminate 20 Lesser Monsters
Reward: Simple Hooded Robe
Bonus Bonus Objective: Eliminate 10 Lesser Monsters with Big Fire Bolt
Reward: Magic Book Level I
Eiden examined the map, then lifted his head and looked at the quest information. "The Simple Hooded Robe looks like a nice reward, at least I'll have something to wear," he muttered. Then his eyes caught the Magic Book Level I reward. He raised his eyebrows curiously.
"A magic book? I wonder if it's something that will help me learn new spells?" He placed his finger on his chin thoughtfully. "Killing things with Big Fire Bolt won't be easy but I should try. Learning stronger spells wouldn't be bad, especially if I want to stand against the Swarm."
Eiden began walking along the dirt road beyond the village. The path stretching eastward wound through verdant meadows. The sun's warmth could be felt on his neck, but the occasional breeze made the walk bearable.
After the first hour, the landscape gradually began to change. The meadows thinned out, giving way to taller, darker grasses. The soil began to moisten, becoming softer with each step. Eiden's boots occasionally got stuck in the mud, making each step increasingly difficult.
"I think I'm approaching the swamp area," he muttered, checking the map again. In the distance, a dark spot began to appear on the horizon. It must be the Black Lake.
After walking for two more hours, the trees thickened and daylight diminished. He was now in a full-fledged swamp area. Under his feet were puddles of water, around him strangely shaped trees. The branches of the trees were twisted and covered in moss, as if they had been underwater for a long time. A strange, sour smell hung in the air.
Eiden moved carefully, considering each step. Occasionally strange sounds from afar—perhaps a bird's cry, or perhaps the sound of another creature—made him uneasy. But so far he hadn't encountered anything dangerous.
As the sun was about to set, he finally reached the shore of Black Lake. He thought the lake lived up to its name; the water was so dark, so still, like an enormous ink stain. The surface of the lake shone like a mirror, carrying perfect reflections of the twisted trees and cloudy sky around it.
Standing by the lake, Eiden took a deep breath. The air was heavy and humid, giving an almost wet feeling when he drew it into his lungs. His surroundings were silent, with only the slight rustling of reeds at the water's edge and the vague sounds of creatures in the distance.
"Now I need to find this Devil's Tongue," he said to himself, looking around. He tried to remember the flower Selia had described. It should be in the marshy area along the lakeshore, where water and land meet.
He hesitated for a moment and felt the energy within him. "Hmm, my mana pool is completely full. I guess I regenerate 50 mana every three hours," he thought to himself.
He began moving slowly along the shore, his eyes scanning the ground. The swampy ground sank beneath his feet with each step, sometimes he sank into water up to his ankles. "I hate having my feet wet!"
After searching for about half an hour, a striking color caught his attention.
There, at the point where water and mud merged, strange-shaped flowers were growing. They were an unusual red, almost blood-colored. Each flower had a long, forked structure in its center—looking like a "tongue" true to its name. The flowers were swaying strangely, despite there being no wind.
"There it is," Eiden whispered excitedly. He approached carefully and took out the leather pouch. Just as he was about to reach out his hand, the surface of the water rippled.
The still surface of the lake suddenly began to move, as if something was swimming beneath it. Eiden took a step back. Bubbles appeared on the water's surface, then... nothing. The rippling slowly settled and the lake returned to its former still state.
"Must be just a fish," he muttered, but even his voice couldn't convince himself. Everything in this lake looked eerie. He took a deep breath and turned back to the flowers.
He carefully collected several Devil's Tongue flowers, taking care not to damage any of their leaves. As he placed the plants in the pouch, he felt a slight heat emanating from the flowers.
He looked at the sky. The sun had almost completely set, and the lake and surrounding swamp were rapidly sinking into darkness. He didn't want to stay in this eerie place at night. "I need to get out of here as soon as possible," he thought. "I need to go to the Old Grove to find the night mushrooms, but first I should find a safe camping spot and spend the night."
He tied the pouch securely and hung it on his belt. Just as he was about to turn away, that strange rippling in the lake started again. This time it was more violent, and the bubbles rising from the water's surface were larger.
Eiden created a Fire Bolt in his hand, ready to throw it.
Suddenly, the surface of the dark water split. First, a muddy-colored, wet protrusion appeared, then the top of the creature rose above the water. The thing standing before Eiden was a frog-like creature about a meter tall, with rough, moss-covered skin. But it wasn't an ordinary frog. Its body was fat and misshapen, its arms disproportionately long. Its wide mouth covered almost half of its head, revealing yellowish, rotten teeth inside.
The creature turned toward Eiden, its large eyes pitch black—there was no iris, just completely black spheres. A bubbly, greenish fluid was dripping from its nose. When it breathed heavily, the sound coming from its throat did not match the natural sounds of the swamp.
Quest Updated: [Bringing Memories Back]
Bonus Objective: Defeat 20 Swamp Toad
"So I need to kill these," thought Eiden. He looked the creature up and down and a mocking smile spread across his face.
Eiden gripped the Fire Bolt tightly, the spell glowing with flames dancing between his fingers. Then he pulled back his arm and hurled it with all his might toward the creature. The fireball left a crimson trail in the air as it struck the toad-like creature right in the chest.
The creature shrieked in pain, a shrill and hoarse sound echoing throughout the swamp. Its skin blistered and darkened where the Fire Bolt had hit. Eiden's strike was accurate, but the Swamp Toad was still standing upright and enraged.
The creature lunged forward suddenly, its long tongue shooting out from its mouth toward Eiden. Eiden dodged to the side at the last moment, but the sticky fluid at the tip of the tongue touched his arm and created a painful burning sensation.
"So you're poisonous," Eiden muttered, looking at the redness on his arm. "Well then, I'll have to keep my distance."
Taking a step back, he created a second Fire Bolt. This one was more intense, brighter. He felt the flow of mana as he created the spell, energy flowing from his body to his palms. With a single fluid motion, he launched the second spell.
The Fire Bolt passed by the side of the creature's head, missing. The toad suddenly jumped and came at him much faster than Eiden had thought. Eiden stumbled backward, his foot sank into the mud, and he lost his balance.
Just as he was about to fall, he regained his composure, created a third Fire Bolt, and launched it from almost zero distance. This time he couldn't miss. The fireball hit the creature's face, its skin bubbled, and the toad retreated in pain.
"I've hit it twice, but I don't know how many more it will take," thought Eiden as he maneuvered around. The Swamp Toad's movements had now slowed, but it was still dangerous.
The creature lashed out with its tongue again, this time Eiden managed to avoid it completely. At the same time, he prepared a new Fire Bolt and hurled it toward the creature's chest. The fireball reached its target and smoke began to rise from the creature's skin.
The toad was now visibly staggering, each movement seemed laborious. Eiden seized the opportunity and prepared another Fire Bolt.
"Goodbye, ugly thing," he said and hurled the spell right into the middle of the creature.
When the final Fire Bolt hit its target, the Lesser Swamp Toad let out a shrill scream and toppled into the water. Its body trembled as flames danced on its surface. Within a few seconds, it lay motionless, half-submerged in the dark waters.
Eiden approached carefully, wanting to make sure the creature was truly dead. Yes, the Swamp Toad was now motionless.
Suddenly a semi-transparent panel appeared before him:
[Swamp Toad defeated!]
Items dropped: Toad Tongue (1)
Bonus Objective Progress: 1/20 Lesser Swamp Toad
Eiden picked up the fallen Toad Tongue and placed it in his bag. "Maybe it will be useful later," he thought. Looking around, he noticed that the swamp had returned to silence, but he knew this silence was deceptive.
"Nineteen more to go," he muttered. "But first I need to find a safe camping spot. I don't want to wander around this swamp in the dark."
He began to move away from the edge of the lake, checking the Devil's Tongue flowers he had collected. They were all intact. He had successfully completed his first quest, and this made him smile. Now he needed to find the night mushrooms and complete this bonus objective.
Eiden looked down at his feet and groaned. "Great, my pant legs are all covered in mud..." He tried to shake off the bottom of his pants but only made things worse. "Probably even a spell wouldn't work to remove this mud. Well, maybe I'll start a swamp fashion trend." Chuckling lightly at his own joke, he continued on his way.
As he left the swamp, the dark waters rippled slightly behind him. Eiden didn't turn to look, but he felt a pair of black eyes watching him. He quickened his pace, moving toward the drier area at the edge of the swamp.
When he found a clearing that looked safe, he began to set up his camp.
Eiden sat down and looked at his muddy pant legs. Then an idea came to mind. "Maybe I can clean this," he murmured. He extended his hand and concentrated on his fingertips.
A moment later, clear, clean water droplets began to appear from his fingertips. Controlling the droplets, he directed the water in a thin stream toward his pant legs.
The water slowly began to dissolve the mud. Eiden gently rubbed his pants with his other hand, helping the mud wash away. The process took longer than expected, but finally his pant legs were almost completely clean.
"That's much better," he said with satisfaction. He cut off the flow of water and shook his hands. It might have been a small spell, but it made a big difference in daily life.
"Tomorrow I'll start looking for the night mushrooms," he planned. "And in the morning, I need to kill the toads."