The elixir bottle was small. Stan turned it over slowly beneath the bathroom light.
The pale jade liquid within the glass glowed with a soft, muted radiance. It wasn't bright enough to illuminate the room, yet neither did it seem to be reflecting the overhead light. The glow appeared to come from the liquid itself, subtle and self-contained.
He studied it for another moment before letting out a quiet breath.
"It's called a Purity Elixir," he muttered. "And elixirs are supposed to be... gentler than pills."
He paused. "...Right?"
Silence. The bathroom, unsurprisingly, offered no opinion. Stan gave a small, resigned nod.
"Yeah. That's about the level of guidance I've been getting."
With a twist of his wrist, he uncorked the bottle. A faint scent drifted upward. It was remarkably clean. Cool. Not mint cool. Not medicinal either.
It reminded him of crisp winter air spilling into a warm room, carrying the sterile freshness of untouched snow.
