The Married Life Of Immortals

Bane had never felt so tired in his entire life. It was all he could do to drag his sore and bruised body back to his room with the potion he had been given. Once he finally drug himself up on the bed, he held the blue vial above his head as he stared at it.

“What do you think?” Bane asked out loud.

‘If you are asking if it will kill you, then I don’t think so. Wei Nam Lee seems like he genuinely wants to help, but I also think that he has his own reason. What those might be, I can only speculate,’ Eve explained, and Bane sighed, pulling the cork out of the vial.

Bane sat up and raised the vial up to his nose. Almost immediately, he pulled the vial back because of the vile smell it emitted.

“What in god's name is inside this tube?!" Bane asked in revulsion as he used his other free hand to cover his nose. The smell was so potent that it actually burned the inside of his nose without giving him a chance to identify what was so bad about it. Not that he cared, but he was curious to know what was in this vile concoction.

'Try taking a deeper smell of it,' Eve suggested, but that only made him sit up to hold it farther away from himself while he tried to find the cork.

"No way! This shit burns my nose with even a slight whiff of it, and you want me to basically drink in the smell with my nose?! Why in lord's name would I want a round 2, plus extra?" Bane demanded, and then spotted the cap, but froze when Eve spoke up.

'While I can't be very useful to you right now to help you get much of an advantage, there are still things I can do. This thing in question is my ability to process your tastes and smell to break down the components in your mind. The only issue is that I need you to smell something a lot, or taste a certain amount, depending on what it is. If you can handle taking at least ten deep breaths through your nose with the vial held up to it, I should be able to almost identify all the items used to make it,' Eve explained, and all the while he was listening, Bane was glaring at the vial in his hand.

Screwing up his nose, Bane let out a sigh with a grumpy face, and then mentally said, 'While your ability is amazing, this sucks. I will do this, but why can't I just drink it, and then you analyze it while it is in my body?'

Eve had expected this question, and had an answer ready. 'I can't scan things already in your body. Only things that affect your sense of taste and smell can be processed. In the case of a liquid, you would have to hold it in your mouth for about five minutes to get a full profile. Anything solid has to either chewed up, or rolled in your mouth for about ten minutes. In this case, smelling it is the best idea since it is giving off such a strong smell. Normally, smelling something can take up to an entire day of smelling something if the scent is weak.'

Bane steeled himself for the ordeal, taking a deep breath and bringing the vial closer to his nose again. The noxious fumes assaulted his senses immediately, burning his nostrils and making his eyes water. Despite the discomfort, he persevered, taking slow, deliberate inhales as Eve had instructed.

By the fifth deep breath, Bane felt as though he might pass out. His vision was blurry, and his head was pounding. But he refused to give up. This was a test of his determination and resilience, and he would not let a vile-smelling potion defeat him.

Finally, after the tenth inhale, he pulled the vial away, gasping for fresh air. He waited for Eve's analysis, hoping the ordeal had been worth it.

'Good job, Bane,' Eve said, her voice gentle but encouraging. 'I've identified several components: some powerful healing herbs, a few rare strengthening agents, and something I can't quite place. It could be an alchemical catalyst, something Wei Nam Lee developed himself.'

Bane nodded, still trying to regain his composure. "So, it should help with my training, then?"

'Yes,' Eve confirmed. 'It should aid your recovery and prepare your body for the next phase of training. But remember, the process will be painful. You need to be prepared for that... One more thing.'

Bane winced at the last part, but he had already done what he considered the worst, so he nodded, and Eve continued. 'If you can hold it in your mouth for at least one minute, I should be able to identify the herbs, agents, and maybe even the catalyst.'

'Why is this that important? I mean, this seems really cool, but I guess I just don't understand why this is so important?' Bane asked, now having returned to glaring at the vile vial.

'Right now you might not think it is important, but if you think of me as a memory bank that you will always have access to, then you should see the value. I have also been recording the processes you see, along with all your fights. The more information I collect, the better you will become at these tasks. Think of your time here in the village as information gathering of the highest level. Most of the people here are experts in their fields, and not many would have the chance that you do,' Eve explained and Bane nodded along, not completely understanding, but enough for him to get a basic idea.

'So, what you are saying is that I just have to watch people work and fight, and I will naturally get stronger?' He asked.

Eve sighed. 'Something like that, but you will still have to train your body to fight, and practice the motions for others. There will be things that you will just become good at naturally because of all the information you will have inside of you.'

Bane finally smiled. 'You know, we should have had this conversation when we got here. From the sounds of it, even without some cheat system, or your past memories, you have the potential to turn me into a monster that could choose to rule the world, or destroy it with a wave of my hand. I could be considered something that prodigies would have to call unrivaled genius, right?'

Eve chuckled and sighed. 'That does sound great, but my abilities are far from perfect. As an example, you don't have access to this information. I have to relay the images to you, and you will be able to learn from them, even being able to step into the memories to put yourself in the place of the person you are watching. While powerful, you still have to learn all of this, and no matter who you are, you can't be good at everything.'

Bane chuckled, finally feeling a sense of excitement and purpose. "Alright, I get it. Let's do this."

He steeled himself once more and brought the vial to his lips, pouring the glowing blue liquid into his mouth. The taste was as vile as the smell, bitter and acrid, making him gag almost immediately. He clenched his jaw, holding the liquid in his mouth, trying not to think about the horrible taste. Every second felt like an eternity, but he counted in his head, determined to reach the minute mark.

When he finally swallowed, it felt like fire running down his throat and into his stomach. Bane coughed, his eyes watering again, but he managed to hold it down.

'Good job,' Eve's voice echoed in his mind. 'I have the information I need. The potion contains several potent healing herbs, including bloodroot and phoenix flower, which are known for their regenerative properties. The strengthening agents include dragon scale powder and nightshade essence, both of which will fortify your muscles and bones. The catalyst is a bit more complicated. It's a unique blend of elements, possibly something Wei Nam Lee created himself to enhance the effects of the other ingredients. It's a brilliant piece of alchemy.'

Bane nodded, feeling a mixture of awe and dread. "So, what's going to happen now?"

'The potion will start to work immediately, but you need to lie down and rest. The pain will come soon, but it will pass. Your body is about to undergo significant changes. Be strong, Bane.'

Bane lay back on his bed, trying to relax as he felt the potion's effects begin to spread through his body. A warm sensation started in his stomach, slowly radiating outwards. At first, it was soothing, but soon it turned into a searing heat, making him grit his teeth in pain.

The hours that followed were some of the most excruciating of Bane's life. His muscles felt like they were being torn apart and rebuilt, his bones ached as if they were being stretched and strengthened. He could feel every cell in his body undergoing a transformation, and it was almost too much to bear.

Eve's voice was a constant presence in his mind, offering words of encouragement and guidance. 'Breathe through the pain, Bane. Focus on your breathing. In and out, slow and steady.'

He followed her instructions, trying to keep his mind focused despite the agony. Eventually, the pain began to subside, replaced by a deep exhaustion. Bane felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, his body finally surrendering to the need for rest.

When he woke, the morning light was filtering through his window. Bane sat up slowly, feeling a strange mix of stiffness and newfound strength. He looked at his small hands, clenching and unclenching his fists. There was a noticeable difference; his muscles felt denser, more powerful.

'How do you feel?' Eve asked, her tone curious and concerned.

Bane took a moment to assess himself. "Like I slipped down half a flight of stairs, but I do feel stronger. It's different. Like my body is more... efficient, even if my body is still that of a child."

'That's the effect of the potion. Your body has been tempered, but this is just the beginning. You will need to continue training and taking the potions to reach your full potential. only then will you have a hope of surviving the body tempering pill'

Bane nodded, feeling a renewed sense of determination. "Let's get to it then."

As he prepared to head back to the training grounds, a knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. He opened it to find Wei Nam Lee standing there, a small smile on his face.

"Good morning, Bane. How do you feel?" Wei asked, his eyes scanning Bane's form.