Won't Work
"That type of antidote only works if you let the arrow soak in it first, so it can build up the necessary defenses against that type of Mana," Alessandra explained.
"In other words, that vial is useless," Venden finished.
"That seems like the kind of thing you'd tell someone if you send them off with an object necessary for your survival!" Fate said in his defense.
How was he supposed to know what people didn't tell him?
"It's my fault," Venden admitted. "After you exposed your ignorance towards the Black Dragon, I should've known you wouldn't know how the antidote works. I was too preoccupied with getting the antidote."
"Relax, both of you," Alessandra commanded. "There's no reason to panic. I have another method, but it has some… complications."
"Complications like what?" Venden asked.
"For starters, what was the Grade of the Imprint?"
"Sapling," Venden said.
"Okay. I'll need a certain answer as to what kind of Facet created the arrow. The Black Dragon has Health, Death, Envy, and Wrath enchanters that all make similar arrows.
"Judging by the green of your veins, we can safely cross off Death and Wrath, which leaves Health and Envy. Do you know which of the two made it?"
"I'm not sure," Venden frowned. "It just felt… constrictive."
"I was afraid of that. I'm going to need to scan you with my Skill to find out."
"Alright, go ahead."
"I'm going to warn you ahead of time, it can be very unpleasant, as Fate here can attest to."
"Better than being dead."
Alessandra closed her eyes, a formless pressure wafting out from her as Mana seeped into Venden's pores. Instantly, he started to twitch and fidget, clenching and unclenching his facial muscles in random patterns as the principal examined his body.
When she moved on to his memories of the arrow, he released a shuddering breath as his eyes dimmed. Fate knew from experience that Alessandra had seized control of his thoughts. He could only think of the arrow, and breathing and moving was a conscious effort on Alessandra's part.
The connection was cut as Alessandra opened her eyes and Venden leaned forward on his knees, struggling to regain control of his breathing. "Did… Did you get it?" he panted.
"I did," the principal confirmed. "It's neither Envy nor Health. From what I can tell, it's an Air Imprint that deprives your blood and brain of oxygen, suffocating you.
"It's not lethal; the assassin must want you alive for whatever reason. It would've kept you in a comatose state long enough for the Black Dragon to retrieve you.
"The green veins and pulsing green of the arrow were both a ruse to throw off anyone making an antidote.
"The bad news is that what Fate risked his life to get wouldn't have worked in the first place. This type of arrow is brand new to me, as I'm sure it would be to Jkn-ala. She was probably fooled just as I was and thought the provided cure would work."
"And the good news?" Fate asked, hoping it was enough to offset such horrible news.
"The good news is that my Skill should be able to alter the antidote to work on you. The soaking process is purely reactionary, so if I can get a sample of the poison from your blood I can get to work."
Venden nodded and pulled a small knife out of his storage ring, slicing open his palm in one smooth motion before stowing the weapon and catching the drop of blood that flowed out with his Mage Reach.
Alessandra plucked it from the air and once more closed her eyes, aura wrapping around the scarlet droplet as the liquid started to bubble.
Fate watched as the red slowly evaporated, leaving only a small drop of green a tenth the size of the drop of blood. He handed her the vial of sludge upon request, and she unstoppered the vial and dropped the liquid inside.
The black sludge foamed and roiled furiously, attacking the drop of green as the principal surrounded the vial in her aura and got to work. It raged against its container, but while the cap was not present, the liquid still could not escape, hitting an invisible barrier every time it bucked against its confines.
Soon, the only indication that the poison was still present was the glaring green light that shone through the inky black antidote. But that was snuffed out not long later, only for the sludge itself to adopt a forest-green sheen.
The vial clattered onto the desk as Alessandra let out a breath, the invisible barrier mentioned earlier keeping the green liquid inside. Alessandra handed it to Venden and instructed him to drink all of it.
Venden downed the small vial's contents in one gulp, grimacing in distaste as it went down. "Tastes like garbage," he said.
"The taste is the best thing about it," Alessandra warned.
"What does that – ugh," Venden threw his hand over his mouth turning a sickly shade of green and his veins wriggled under his skin like worms.
"Don't throw it up, or it won't cure you," Alessandra said. "I suggest you bite down on this." She gave him a thin leather book, which he promptly stuffed in his mouth as he started to scream.
The green of his face and veins slowly faded to their normal colors, disgusting black goop leaking out of his ears, nose, and mouth as he trembled in his chair, gripping the armrests so tight that the wood squeaked in protest.
It ended, quite literally, with a bang, as his Mana exploded into action, aura blanketing the room in its entirety as he jumped from 5% to 10% through the Journeyman Stage in one leap.
In his unfocused state, he imbued a fraction of his Mage Reach into the Mana, rattling the cup full of quills and causing Alessandra to hold down the papers on her desk as they flapped wildly from the force.
He took the book out of his mouth with a dazed look, throwing a barrier up around himself a full second before the goop on his clothes and the floor sizzled and evaporated into the air.
"…Stronger," Venden said absentmindedly.
"How do you feel?" Fate asked, only to realize he had already been answered.