Chapter Text
Qin woke up with his cheek pressed against the cool wood of his work desk. It was a little sticky from the flowers he had been grinding on that same spot before passing out. With a soft, sleepy groan, he sat up and rubbed the stubborn ache at the back of his neck, silently pleading to Yueyon that the pain was only temporary. He blinked away the haze of sleep and looked around his dimly lit workshop. When he noticed the charcoal was running dangerously low in the main fire pit, he scrambled up so fast that his head spun.
That fire pit was the quiet heartbeat of the entire building. It kept the massive chimneys warm so they could steadily pump the smooth, comforting fragrance he mixed by hand every single week out into the twilight streets of the town. Qin jumped up, the pain in his neck shifting into a cold numbness as he rushed to the storage room. He dragged back a fresh, heavy sack of coal and quickly nursed the glowing embers back to life until a warm, golden light flooded the room.
At just 256 years old, Qin was remarkably young to be the head of the Olaris department. It was a heavy burden for a small life like his, leading elves who were both older and wiser, but his talent was undeniable. While the entire Olaris wing was responsible for the town’s complete ambience, from the gentle warmth of the street lanterns to the soothing temperature of the walkway stones, Qin was a master who specialized entirely in the delicate alchemy of fragrance. His purpose was brewing scents to hold the moods of every sprite and elf in a gentle embrace, keeping the valley’s heart beating at a peaceful, steady pace.
His home was Yueya, a beautiful twilight town that was the ultimate pride of every single Yue-lin who lived there. There was a deep, unspoken bond in the valley. The people existed because of the town, and the town lived because of its people.
Yueya had been founded long ago by Alkahest, an ancient and wise seelie who had spent a thousand years rescuing elves and sprites from fracturing patches within the magical world. The realms had existed for far too long and their magical systems had begun eroding, resulting in tragic, chaotic accidents. Alkahest had given the survivors a sanctuary, a safe haven where they could finally focus on their true calling without fear, keeping the gentle soul of the Earth alive. Over the centuries, the great seelie had poured almost all of his immense power into weaving an intricate, unbreakable safety spell around the valley. Now, his grand magic spent, he lived peacefully as a majestic retired seelie, using simple, nurturing magic to help the town grow.
To keep everything running smoothly, Yueya relied on two working bodies. First were the sprites, flighty and energetic beings who worked directly with nature to help the human world function. Then came the elves, who looked after the sprites to make sure they didn’t burn out from the heavy weight of their duties.
Qin, of course, fell into the elf category. He had always shared a deep, quiet bond with Alkahest, stretching all the way back to his own childhood stupidity. When he was only a hundred years old, Qin had accidentally bound himself to a faraway rainforest during a play-pretend game using a wild potion he had mixed. Because even his young and uninformed magic was so strong, the forest accepted the offering as a gift and ultimately bound him to it.
He had to spend his earliest years alone, caring for the forest’s flora and fauna. Not being able to leave, he had come to know the plants so well he could tell you their names just by hearing the way they rustled in the wind. He started making potions for the animals of the forest, slowly becoming a natural alchemist who knew no magic beyond that, not even how to break his own bond.
That was until the day Alkahest arrived looking for a medicinal plant to heal a sick sprite. Terrified and defensive, young Qin had fiercely attacked the giant seelie, thinking he was an intruder wanting to harm his forest. Instead of striking back, Alkahest had gently unraveled the bond, rescuing the lonely boy and bringing him home.
"You don’t look too well today, Qin," a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
Marvis, a Vayre elf, had entered the workshop carrying a tray of warmly cooked breakfast. He spoke as politely as possible, making sure the head alchemist, who was infamous for running himself into the ground, actually ate something.
"Thanks, Mar. I hadn't noticed," Qin muttered, glaring back with a glint in his eyes that wasn't very fae-like at all.
"Why are you so cranky right in the morning?" Marvis sighed, setting the tray down and standing directly in front of Qin’s work chair. "I told you to go to sleep on time before I left the workshop last night. You never listen to me".
Qin looked up at his friend. Marvis was dressed impeccably, looking like he had a meeting with the god himself. It was a stark contrast to Qin, who was currently covered in dark charcoal stains and reeked of a sickly-sweet honeysuckle scent.
Qin rubbed his face, letting out a long sigh. "I tried, Mar, I really did. But believe me, something is off. I don't know what it is, but something is wrong with my latest batch. I’ve made three different samples already, and they all smell correct. They seem to be working just fine on the town, but something in me feels completely unsettled".
"Qin, first of all, breathe," Marvis said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Secondly, do you think taking in these concentrated fumes constantly might be playing tricks on your head? You need to get out of this workshop. Come to my boutique. I can do fittings for you, I’ll stitch something that soothes back aches, and you definitely need a change of clothes anyways".
Marvis was judging him, and fairly enough. Qin looked down at his white blouse. It was ruined with multiple stains of different colors from all the flowers he had been crushing. His hair had stray leaves and thorns stuck in the strands. To make matters worse, as he caught his reflection in a glass vial, a thin streak of dried saliva ran down to his chin. It was humiliating, even in front of a close friend.
Why did I even wear white in the first place, he thought bitterly.
Defeated, Qin agreed to the plan. He promised Marvis he would clean himself up and meet him at the boutique after eating his breakfast. Marvis turned to leave, giving him a lingering look that clearly said you better show up.
Qin knew well enough not to fight a doting Marvis. He dragged himself to the floor below his workshop, which was his actual home, though he seemed to spend less time there than in the workspace right above. If the ground floor of his quarters could speak, it would sound like a neglected partner who gets left alone every night. He took his time in the bath, mixing a potion his Silane friend, Tong, had given him to relax, and slowly got himself back into shape.
Once Qin reached Marvis’ boutique, he beelined for the couch. He went almost boneless, the spell-soaked cushioning instantly molding to his body and relaxing every muscle that had been aching since dawn.
"You are far too good at this, Mar," Qin murmured, his voice dazed and heavy with sleep.
Marvis smiled softly, continuing his work and refusing to disrupt the silence. He knew exactly how much magical energy the Olaris head had exhausted casting spells the night before. Qin fell asleep instantly, the magical couch living up to its comforting purpose.
A few hours passed in still, beautiful peace until the quiet was broken by a soft knock on the door. Kim, a Floridance elf, stepped in looking thoroughly guilty as he glanced at Marvis.
"Hey, Mar. Can we please sort out this month’s revenue for your boutique?" Kim asked quietly. "I know I’m coming at a weird time, but I really need to submit these financial logs to the head Floridance".
"I swear to Yueyeon, one of these days I’ll end you, Kim," Marvis whispered back with a dramatic roll of his eyes. Nobody liked accounting, and Kim was so quick with calculations it gave everyone a bit of a complex.
Kim only offered an awkward, apologetic smile, but shamelessly walked over and settled onto the very edge of the couch where Qin was curled up.
"Oh, we need to wake him up too," Kim added, nudging Qin gently. "Aon wants to talk to him. I went to him to flag a problem, but he already knew about it and said he needed to see Qin".
Just the name of Alkahest alone stirred Qin awake. As gentle as the ancient seelie was, there was a profound, soul-deep reverence for him in the heart of every Yue-lin, a devotion so intense it bordered on a protective fear of ever letting him down.
"He asked for me?" Qin questioned, rubbing his eyes and sitting up quickly. He blinked at the intruder. "Oh. Hi, Kim".
Both Marvis and Kim chuckled softly. For someone holding such a powerful and serious position in the department, Qin could be incredibly adorable when he was sleepy.
"Yeah, you should go," Kim said, his smile fading into a respectful seriousness. "It is a little urgent".
Qin was on his feet and leaving the boutique in a single second. He practically ran across the cobblestone paths toward the headquarters, tripping multiple times over his own rushing feet, which was a bit out of character for him. He burst into the courtyard and found Alkahest in a small, mist-shrouded garden, patiently training a flock of golden bennu birds.
Caught in his frantic momentum, Qin tried to stop his running at the very last second, but the sudden movement startled the flock, sending the birds scattering into the twilight sky in a flurry of feathers.
"My birds...." Alkahest trailed off, his deep voice like the low rustle of ancient autumn leaves.
"I’m so sorry, Aon," Qin panted, bowing his head in embarrassment. "Kim said you were looking for me and that it was urgent".
The seelie shifted his stance, his moss-covered antlers catching the soft light. "Oh, yes. Come inside, son. Help me up".
Qin stepped forward, gently supporting the elder seelie’s weight as they walked into the warm living area of the headquarters. They settled onto the large, pain-relieving couches, yet another brilliant Vayre invention.
"Qin, you know I trust your skills with alchemy completely," Alkahest began, offering Qin a warmly baked cookie. "And I need your help, my great yueli".
"I will help you any day, Aon," Qin replied instantly, his chest tightening with a mix of pride and worry. Despite that, he still accepted the cookie, being a sucker for sweets.
"I rescued a young Tachy Quickling recently," Alkahest said softly, referencing the incredibly rare sprites. "A sweet boy, I must say, but his past was heavy, and nothing in the valley seems to calm him. He is currently so hyperactive that he is single-handedly making a large fraction of the human population agitated".
Qin offered a confident, reassuring smile. "Consider it done, Aon. There is no restless spirit I haven’t dealt with before".
"I know, my yueli" Alkahest murmured, a bittersweet smile touching his ancient face. "But this one is different. He will test your skills for sure, and our limited knowledge on Tachies might turn out to be a hiccup".
There was nothing accusing or doubtful in the old seelie’s tone, just a simple, heavy statement of fact. Yet the words made Qin’s ribs feel as though they were closing in on themselves. Driven by a quiet need to prove he was worthy of the sanctuary he had been given, Qin took the warning as a direct challenge to his craft.
"Where do I find him, Aon?" Qin asked, his determination returning.
"I’ll bring him to your Conservatory soon. He could be of great help for the human world, Qin, but he needs to calm down a bit before I bestow duties on him," Alkahest replied, picking up a cookie for himself.
There was a strange affection in his tone, which Qin decided he did not like. He was bad at sharing.
"Though I think you will know exactly when he arrives. His name is Duang".