Three days had passed since Alfred and Elder Ahote started perfecting the art of pottery.
A lot had happened within those days.
One of the most surprising things was when Alfred returned in a hurry and discovered that Shaman Catori had decided to adopt one of the White Lions.
Aponi, having no choice, brought the cubs to Shaman Catori's abode as she had to attend her lessons. There, the old Shaman became intrigued, and the rest was history.
He knew the Shaman had a strong urge to acquire knowledge, but didn't expect she would choose to tame a monster, despite knowing the risk and uncertainty.
Nevertheless, Alfred saw the unexpected occurrence as an opportunity. If one of the leading figures was involved in his experimentation, then the chance of it being accepted would increase, meaning a higher success rate.
Still, it didn't mean less responsibility.
He had to make sure the Elder didn't get hurt in the process. It would be disastrous if that transpired. Not only that, but he must also regularly check on her to help and inform her of everything. If he thought it more thoroughly, perhaps his mission became even harder.
Next was a funeral.
One of the older members of the tribe passed away due to starvation. They burned the body and sprinkled the ashes around the Guardian Tree, believing that those who leave the living world would become a part of the Guardian Tree, overlooking the tribe as long as it stood.
Even though he had a different belief when it came to where the soul went after death, Alfred accepted the tribe's tradition with an open heart. In his previous world, funerals were filled with solemn prayers and cold stone graves, but here, the dead were returned to nature itself. He found it poetic, in a way.
Finally, the most important one.
Currently, Alfred stood before a fire, staring at its swaying tongue.
They were on the brink of a breakthrough and believed their next pot would be the one.
The fire crackled, licking hungrily at the clay pot. The heat shimmered in waves, distorting the air above the flames. Alfred wiped the sweat from his brow, his fingers coated in a thin layer of clay dust. Beside him, Elder Ahote stood firm, his gaze locked on the pot as if willing it to succeed.
There was no crowd today, as they had been doing the same thing, which had lost its luster in the eyes of the tribesmen.
"Do you really think it's a good idea that I drew the Sealing Rune on the pot while we are still unsure of the outcome? What if it affects the durability or even the shape of the finished product?" Alfred questioned while giving the old man a sideways glance.
"Trust me, with how many times we repeated the process, I say without a doubt this will succeed." Elder Ahote answered without looking at him.
Reassured by the words, Alfred turned his gaze back to the dancing flame and observed the glowing surface of the clay pot.
A few minutes later, the bulky Elder moved, taking out the baking pot from the fire.
Alfred's heart thumped loudly as the anticipation built up within him.
Although they had experienced this several times, he could not resist this time because the old man was too confident for him not to be hopeful.
After all, a new chapter would be written not just for him but for everyone in the tribe as they stepped into a new era.
After the pot lost its red glow and turned cold, Elder Ahote took it up.
The two scanned the item with utmost care.
No cracks, smooth surface, no deformation, and best of all, the Sealing Rune was intact.
"Elder, we succeeded!" Alfred almost jumped upon finishing his examination. He was so happy he barely felt the sweat dripping all over his body.
The Elder nodded continuously, a smile of appreciation plastered on his face. "Not yet, young Alfred. We must try containing the Spirit Energy before we call it a success."
Alfred tempered his cheerfulness. "Oh, yeah. I have completely forgotten about that."
"Go fetch us monster blood, the fresher the better," Elder Ahote ordered Alfred's guard.
A moment later, the bald old man held two items. In his left hand was the burnt-smelling pot, while in his right hand was a waterskin containing blood.
Using his teeth, the Elder pulled the cork from the waterskin and poured the contents into the clay pot. Then, a transparent fire engulfed the green eyes of the old man.
"Hm… interesting." Elder Ahote mumbled without clarification.
"What kind of interesting? Is it bad interesting or good interesting?" Alfred said with a crooked smile; his anxiety grew by the second.
'I really need to learn that fire thingy around the eyes. The ancient book method requires something I have yet to understand, so I have to rely on their method.'
"Your Sealing Rune works, but we still lack something." The Elder looked at him while grinning.
"It works?" Alfred whisperingly asked, failing to process everything at once. "But, if it works, what are we lacking?"
"The Spirit Energy inside the pot has indeed been contained, though there is still leakage; it is minor compared to before," the bald Elder explained. "I said lacking, but in reality, it is an easy fix. We just need something to cover the pot, and we are done."
Alfred sighed in relief. "Oh, I thought it was something difficult. In our experience, creating a lid is a simple task. I'm more concerned about the leakage. Do you think it will be a problem in the future?"
Elder Ahote passed the pot to him and started shaping another wet soil. "No, it is a bit inefficient, but that kind of problem needs to be left in the future. Reaching this far is good enough. After we make a lid, we should inform Chief Viren and Shaman Catori. I am sure they will be delighted by this creation."
After a while.
Alfred, Elder Ahote, Shaman Catori, Vir, and Chief Viren gathered once again, sitting at the same spot they had been.
"I assume we are here because you succeeded in creating a Spirit Container?" Chief Viren asked while glancing at the old man on his right.
"You still have no sense of anticipation." The bald Elder released a mouthful of air. "Can you at least pretend to wait for our big surprise? Why do you always have to ruin it like this? Do you know how hard we work on this project? Giving us the satisfaction of appreciation is the least we can have."
"For goodness' sake, can you act according to your age?" The Shaman on the left threw her hands in the air, exasperated by the childish display. "Do not waste our time and just show us."
Alfred couldn't help but scratch his head.
'Are they usually like this? This is a good thing, I guess. They are showing me their unusual side, meaning there's a slight trust building between them and me.'
Vir awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Fine!" Elder Ahote surrendered and then looked at Alfred. "Go on, young Alfred, display our magnificent creation."
Hearing his cue, Alfred took something from behind him and exhibited it to everyone.
The sunstones' glow cast warm highlights across the pot's earthen surface, emphasizing the fine etchings of the Rune. Its weight changed as the blood inside shifted with the movement. On top of the pot was a brown lid with a small handle in the middle, and on the side, a similar Runic Symbol was engraved on it, paired with the pot beneath it.
Alfred passed it to the towering muscle beside him, wanting to give the other three a chance to appreciate the new creation.
Vir accepted it with a careful touch.
Even with his lack of knowledge about the craft, he immediately saw the value of the seemingly ordinary item.
When he was done, he moved closer to the old Shaman and gave the pot to her.
As expected, the Shaman examined the item's every corner, especially the symbol carved on its surface. "This Runic Symbol is a bit different from your usual."
"Good observation, Shaman Catori," Alfred answered with a lot of pride. "It is also my first time creating a Rune without the Formation Circle; luckily, it works fine."
"I see," the old Shaman's eyes lightened with transparent flame. "The Spirit Energy is indeed contained much better this time. Is this because of this new item or the Rune?"
"It is the Rune. Although the containment isn't perfect, I think once I become more proficient with Rune making, I will definitely remedy the problem."
Shaman Catori nodded and handed the pot to Chief Viren.
"Such a magnificent creation." The scarred old man praised. "This kind of thing has to be celebrated. I know we have a limited food supply, but it is also necessary to boost morale, especially when the Beast Core Hunt is around the corner. Tonight, we will gather everyone in the tribe's square. I think it is time to announce and clarify things to our tribesmen."