ACT 8: Raine Kinsley

The Fearful Alchemist

โ€œWait! I didnโ€™t sign up for this.โ€

โ€œI think itโ€™s not worth it anymore.โ€

โ€œI did that to save the entire fairy race, not to endanger them!โ€

โ€œStop! Enough of this madness.โ€

Nation: Aerawatch

Sex: Female

Birthday: ?

Raine Kinsley is a Fairy cat from the Kingdom of Aerawatch. She is one of the second playable character limited theme editions in the DEFVERSE cosmos. Once again, she is back to show Neko Sekai her love for alchemy and the powerful potions she will make.

Finally, Raine Kinsley's effort has been recognized by everyone. The Kingdom of Aerawatch applauds her discovery, an exemplary alchemist, like her father. With her perseverance and intelligence, she made a potion that could make Eirians flee by just the scent of the brew. Now tasked to make a significant number of batches of the said potion, all rejoiced, for their fear of these foreign species has ceased. Their protection would now be forever secured as it was scattered across the kingdom's borders. Still, to ensure the Eirians would never attempt invading again, the potion's recipe was released to the public so even the locals could help reproduce the brew. Although the effect of the tincture can last for a long time, it still was necessary to be renewed now and then constantly.

The kingdom's peace was finally restored; the fairy guards on patrol could now rest in comfort. The life of the 'unlucky' did indeed improve. Her heroism and contribution to the kingdom have awarded her the acknowledgment she had yearned for all these years. The people who had insulted her abilities before were too embarrassed to look into her eyes now. No one would even believe that the girl they had taunted before has now become the fairy everyone respects. The royal family of the Lillystorms even provides her with imported materials and unique ingredients that can only be gathered from the distant and deepest places of Neko Sekai for her to use in future experiments.

Even though Freya, Raine's mother, could see the determination in her daughter's eyes, she was still hesitant and terrified. She can't bear to lose another family member again; just the thought of putting herself in danger brings anxiety and discomfort. However, Raine assured her mother that she wouldn't do anything harmful and hurt herself in the process. After much thought, even if it was against her will, she gave in and finally gave her the goggles her late father used. She couldn't disregard the shine in her daughter's eyes as she became the alchemist like her father. Leaping in joy, Raine felt the entire cosmos was in her favor.

CAVING INTO THE DEVIL'S LURE

Snow slowly fell in the kingdom of the Aerawatch; it was a sign that the Noel season had finally started. As the cold season began, it didn't hinder Raine's creativity in producing new tinctures. It was the season where countless herbs and elements were waiting to be discovered and experimented with. Although it is not her goal to explore the wild jungle ahead of her, feeling the growl of the forest was indeed worth exploring. When she was about to pour the red mixture into her flask, a royal fairy messenger knocked her home in surprise. She was startled as she was not expecting one in the front door of her humble abode, carrying a royal letter in hand. Reluctant in that situation, the queen had sent the letter to her. An invitation of some sort encouraged her to visit the castle for an important matter.

Raine couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing; the massive castle gate in front of her was enough to make her gape in astonishment. She walked quietly following the trail of the royal guard; the nervousness she had never felt in the beginning started to settle itself. Upon approaching the giant doors coated with gold, all she could see were walls embedded with shining diamonds. Taking breaths in between, the royal family welcomed her with smiles on their faces. However, her peripheral vision could see the princes had a dirty smirk plastered while retreating in the dark. Although they were not in sight anymore, she could still hear their annoying snickering. Like a mature one, she didn't give them any attention and continued to follow the queen's lead into a secret chamber.

As to why the royals were touring her, she had no clue; all she knew was they ended up in front of a door with a 'Kinsley' engraved on it. They opened the door to find an abandoned laboratory surrounded by cobwebs and dust. Most importantly, many familiar handwritings were on the wall; that was when she realized that this was where the laboratory of the late Alston Kinsley, Raine's father, was kept. Tears began escaping her eyes; the king handed her a worn-out notebook, her father's diary, filled with personal letters to her wife and daughter. Before she could even put the notebook in her bag, the queen held her hand tightly; the look on their face was suspicious.

A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH

Observing in the shadows, it waited until the royals left the chamber for it to emerge from the dark. Raine had her potions ready to disperse at the unknown presence in the room; it wore a cape long enough to be dragged onto the ground and cover its face. Her breath quavered in dread as if its eyes could stare deep inside her soul. When the light took a glimpse, all of it became visible: the burned skin on its face while the left arm resembled a monster. A myth foretold by the locals, born out of wedlock, was the bastard of the royal family. He was treated with disgust and indifference, tested to be of service, and became the monster they created in secret. He was utilized as a weapon to kill enemies that would hinder the success of the Fairy catsโ€”always been confined inside the castle walls and employed only for the kingdom's gain.

Raine didn't dare to speak with it as the sharp claws were all she could think of. She almost left a cry out when it suddenly moved to her side, fast as lightning; she knew her magic wouldn't last if ever it attacked. Confused and frightened, she looked back to see it setting a black letter above the table. Her tense shoulder couldn't even look back in its retreating frame; black always means bad luck or death. One thing was for sure; it didn't want her here in the chamber. The voice she heard came from it, a warning that threatened her safety if she persisted in working here. She didn't know what it wanted, but the letter contained secrets; dark and evil as it is, it can remove a royal from their position on the throne.

THE REGALS' SHADY AGREEMENT

In exchange for the laboratory's restoration and letting Raine work as the royal alchemist, the queen had also required payment in return. It was a condition that is indeed difficult to fulfill and was easy for someone to say. They wanted her to invent a gift that would be suitable for this coming Noel seasonโ€”to be favored and rewarded by the three gods. Raine grew up hearing and witnessing each offering the locals prepare every year, but the aftermath of this revelation was unpredictable. Deep inside her heart, the pressure and doubt were too much to bear. However, she could not let the opportunity go; seeing the place at close range and the notebook on her reach urged her to do it.

The impurities of her desperation and negative emotions created something ominous, a tincture never seen or heard before in the face of their world. It turned out to be a black liquid that glowed in the dark, called the Sakhan. It is a potent potion that the high-ranks can only use if necessary, making anyone obey one's commands. She slowly fell to the ground, dizzy, with no strength or even magic left to use. In her blurry vision, she saw a familiar physique enter the room; it grabbed the potion and, just like that, disappeared. Raine reached out to stop the intruder, but she was too exhausted to do anything. The frigid floor embraced her unconscious body while a tear fell; all her efforts were now in vain.

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