The Artificially Genius Doctor
Mysterious Herbalist Shop

Elsa set foot in the crowded afternoon market. The cold of the afternoon breeze caressed his face, carrying the aroma of a mixture of spices, fresh fruits, and local snacks that were being cooked. From a distance came the sound of merchants promoting their wares, the laughter of children, as well as the hissing of steam from the big pots in the small stalls.

Elsa paused for a moment, noticing a merchant hawking exotic kitchen condiments. With an enthusiastic look on his face and sparkling eyes, he asked, "Sir, do you have a 'blue jahe'?"

The merchant, a middle-aged man with wrinkles on his face that showed traces of his age, raised his eyebrows, "That's a rare item, Miss. But maybe I have a little bit behind. Just a minute."

While waiting, Elsa is distracted by a row of wooden toys in a tavern next to her. A little boy with curly hair was playing with a horse-shaped wooden toy. Elsa smiled, remembering her childhood.

A middle-aged woman, who appeared to be the owner of the tavern, noticed Elsa's interest and said, "This wooden toy is no ordinary toy, Miss. Made by hand by local craftsmen. Every carving has a story."

Elsa nodded, "What's the story like?"

The woman picked up a toy shaped Phoenix bird and said, "This is a Phoenix, a legendary bird capable of rising from its own ashes. In the hands of artisans, his story became immortal in the form of wood."

Elsa's face turned serious for a moment, her eyes focusing on the Phoenix carving. "Phoenix..," he murmured softly.

Before the woman could ask any further, the spice merchant had returned with a small package in hand. "This is the blue ginger that Miss asked for. It's expensive, but the quality is guaranteed."

Elsa nodded, smiling gently, "Thank you, sir." After paying, he gave an additional appreciation to the woman who owned the toy store by buying the Phoenix toy.

As it left the market, the sky began to turn into a golden orange color. The birds returned to the nest, and the lights began to be lit along the way. With the kitchen spice in one hand and the Phoenix toy in the other, Elsa steps home with a hopeful heart. There is a great adventure waiting, and he knows that every step he takes right now is part of an even bigger story.

With a slow step, Elsa stared at the engraving details on the Phoenix toy she had just bought. There was a special energy flowing from the toy. However, before Elsa got too late in her thoughts, a voice greeted her.

"Elsa?"

Elsa's eyes were wide open. That voice is so familiar. He turned his head and found the figure of a long brown haired woman who was left free-spaired. Behind her hair, Luna's brown eyes shone full of joy.

"Luna?!" Elsa exclaimed with an astonished expression.

Luna laughed softly, "Yes, I am! Didn't expect we'd meet here." He stepped closer and the two hugged each other tightly.

Elsa brushed off Luna's hair slowly, "You changed once! It has been a long time since we met. How are you?"

Luna smiled, "I'm fine. Traveling to different places, looking for inspiration for my paintings. How's yours?"

Elsa sighed, "I? Same. Still here, in this town. A lot of things happened, Luna. One of them is about this Phoenix." Elsa shows the wooden toy Phoenix to Luna.

Luna stared at the toy with eyes that felt different. As if there was something hidden. "Phoenixes? Is there anything special about the bird?"

Elsa nodded, "There is. But, not at the moment. I'll tell you later."

Luna took a deep breath, as if preparing herself, "Elsa, I have information about the Phoenix that you may not know yet."

Elsa looked at Luna with a sharp gaze, as if trying to read the mind of her old friend. "What do you mean, Luna?"

Luna took a deep breath, "First, when we were kids, we used to hear stories about the Phoenix, right? About its power capable of reviving anything from ashes. I found something that might be related to that."

Elsa watched carefully. His facial expression changed from curious to serious. "Tell me."

Luna pulled an amulet from her bag. The amulet glittered with a strange light, and in the center was the same image of the Phoenix as the one on Elsa's wooden toy. "Here, amulet Phoenix. He said, this amulet has the power to protect its owner from any kind of danger."

Elsa stared at the amulet with round eyes. He felt that there was power flowing from him, despite just looking at him. "Where did you get it?"

Luna sighed, "From a remote village in the mountains. I got it from a local shaman. He said this amulet will find his soul mate, and it looks like, his soul mate is you."

Elsa paused for a moment, trying to permeate every word spoken by Luna. "Why me?"

Luna smirked, "Perhaps because we are indeed destined to solve this puzzle together."

The two laughed, but behind the laughter, there was a strong curiosity and determination to unravel the mystery behind the Phoenix and the amulet.

The night gets darker as Elsa and Luna step closer to the corner of the market. The hustle and bustle of merchants began to die down, replaced by the gurgling of water from a small fontein near the trail. However, one thing that did not change was the pungent aroma of the spices, growing thicker as the two approached a shop hidden behind a thick curtain of blood-red cloth.

From the outside, the shop looked ordinary, yet upon stepping inside, the two women felt as if they were entering another world. The old wooden shelves are neatly lined, featuring a wide variety of potions, small bottles filled with colorful liquids, and other mystical objects that are difficult to spot. In the middle of the room, a large wooden table stood, with a black hooded old woman behind him.

"Come by," the old woman whispered in a hoarse voice. Elsa and Luna approached cautiously, her eyes fixed on the glittering amulet on the table. The amulet was made of silver, with a blue gemstone in the center that lit up as if it had a life.

Luna pointed towards the amulet, "This is what I mean, Elsa."

Elsa looked at him with interest, "This amulet...why is it so special?"

Luna took a deep breath, "Said, this amulet is the key to awakening the power of the Phoenix. But not many know how."

Elsa hesitates to bring her hand closer to the amulet. The moment his fingertips touched the cold surface of the amulet, he suddenly felt a powerful gust of energy, as if there was a whirlwind swirling within his body. His eyes closed for a moment, and as it reopened, he saw visions of an erupting volcano and a Phoenix flying above him.

He gasped backwards, taking a hard breath. "What...what just happened?"

The old woman looked at Elsa with her sharp eyes, "You feel the power of amulet. Only the chosen ones can feel it."

Luna looked at Elsa with concern, "Elsa, are you okay?"

Elsa nodded weakly, "I'm fine. But this amulet there's something very powerful in it."

The old woman smiled mysteriously, "This amulet is indeed no ordinary item. And it seems, you are the one who is destined to have it."

Elsa and Luna exchanged glances, sensing that their adventure was just beginning. Both know that this amulet may be the key to unraveling the Phoenix's mystery and protecting his family from a menacing danger.