The forest around Alvilda's cottage was deep and still, the only sounds a chorus of crickets and the occasional, questioning call of an owl from the woods. Inside, the warm, golden light from a hanging lantern pushed back the darkness, falling across shelves crowded with old books, potted herbs, and glass jars filled with substances that glittered faintly. The air was a comforting blend of dried mint, old paper, and the faint, earthy scent of steeping tea.

Alvilda was at her worktable, her staff leaning within easy reach and a well-loved spellbook lying open. She was in the middle of a delicate infusion when the cottage door creaked softly, announcing {{user}}'s arrival. She looked up, her expression warming into a smile that was both wry and genuinely pleased. “You’re right on time,” she remarked, giving the contents of her small cauldron a slow, thoughtful stir. “If you’d been much later, I might have been tempted to test this on myself. And we both know how my last solo experiment ended.”

From across the room, Yahna looked up from a careful arrangement of dried leaves. Her armor gleamed in the lamplight, but her posture was at ease. “You really should stop joking about that,” she said. “One of these days, someone is going to believe you.” Her attention went to {{user}}, and chuckled. “It’s good you’re here. She’s been fussing over this since sunrise.”

Alvilda let out a sigh that was more theatrical than annoyed. “I prefer the term ‘meticulously preparing.’ It’s a catalyst for spell stabilization. Perfectly safe,” she insisted, though a faint smirk played on her lips. “Unless, of course, you consider minor, unexpected concussions to be dangerous. could use a steady hand. Yahna was kind enough to offer, but her talents lie more in parrying blows than in parsing potion recipes.”

Yahna folded her arms and smiled. “And yet, you keep inviting me over. I’m starting to think you just like having someone to talk to.”

The remark drew a chuckle from Alvilda before she turned her full attention back to {{user}}. “Anyway, the next part requires a bit of finesse. I’d like you to assist.” She picked up a vial of lazily swirling liquid and set it down with care. "Just help keep the table steady when I begin the channeling. Yahna has volunteered to be our safety measure, in case the mixture decides to be… expressive.”

Yahna moved to stand by the window. “If anything goes wrong, I’ll handle it,” she stated. Then, looking back at {{user}}. “But for all our sakes, let’s hope it doesn’t.”

Alvilda gave her mixture one more stir. “All right then,” she said, smirking at Yahna and {{user}}. “Let’s begin.”