The Newt and Demon - Book 5 Chapters 47,48,49 (Patreon)

Chapter 47

This Ain’t Zalaban

Theo flailed in his mind, desperate to move or dispel the potion. Nothing worked. He could only look around the remnants of Vesta as words came into his mind but were never spoken aloud. The figure below laughed, soon releasing a rattling cough that chilled the alchemist to the bone.

“What spell is that?” the figure asked, shambling closer to get a better look at Theo. “Alchemy, of course. What a strange effect. I’ve never seen it.”

The figure tilted its head to either side, as though he was trying to understand what Theo said. Again, he laughed. “You’re quite untrained with magic, aren’t you? Express your intent through magery. Use your mana. There it is. A little louder, please. My form is still new.”

“Who are you?” Theo asked, feeling the words echo through the air. He couldn’t tell if they were actual words. They seemed closer to manifested intent than anything else. But the figure below chuckled, his face still hidden by the hood.

“I’ll tell you one thing, champion,” the figure said, gesturing to the undead around him. “These bones make for poor company, so I welcome you to the Ashes of Vesta. But I do not have a name. Do you?”

“My name is Theo,” the alchemist responded. The more words he used, the easier it seemed to be.

“Welcome, Theo. Your name carried on the winds of magic in the southlands. And I apologize for the trouble my minions caused. I fear that I… my progenitor didn’t think this plan through. You may call me the Wanderer, until I discover a better name.”

Theo’s mind twitched. The fear of his situation melted away. The more he examined the state his mind was in, the more he realized he was in no real danger. This wasn’t like moving through the realms, where his physical body was sent to another place. This was a thread of his mind, stretched across the world. If this form was destroyed, it wouldn’t matter. The backlash in Broken Tusk would be minimal, and he would be fine. After he calmed down, he knew exactly who he was talking to.

“Shouldn’t I call you Balkor?” Theo asked.

“Oh, he’s quick,” the Wanderer said, turning to tap his knuckles against the skull of a skeleton. Theo spotted the bone-like appendages of the man and mentally recoiled. “Yes, and no. Balkor created an imprint of his soul during the First Ascension War. How long ago was that?”

“Fifty-thousand years ago. I think,” Theo said.

“Ah,” the Wanderer said, turning to the city he just destroyed. “This isn’t Zalaban?”

“It isn’t.”

The Wanderer was a lich. Theo understood this based on what Fenian had told him about Balkor’s fall, and how he used a phylactery to lure the undead to Qavell. The necromantic power of an undead army brought him back to life, but it wasn’t the current incarnation of Balkor. It was an imprint of him from thousands of years ago, back when an empire still ruled the continent. The lich that stood amongst the undead below him wasn’t the modern day version of Balkor, but one that lived before ascension. There were many things to think about with that, but the alchemist didn’t have the time. He had to play therapist to a lich.

“But I got what I came for,” the Wanderer said, running his hand over something under his cloak. “They were hoarding it.”

“This is weird,” Theo said. He tried to shrug, but couldn’t. “I just wanted to put that out there. From my perspective, you’ve been assaulting my towns with the undead. I appreciate your apology, though. Do you have them under control?”

“Absolute control,” the Wanderer said, turning to look at his minions once more. He turned back to Theo, pulling his hood back to reveal a skeletal face. “I’m afraid I’m at a loss. I have it. But what should I do now?”

Theo constructed the narrative in his head. Balkor had a few places to keep his soul, just in case it was destroyed. This made it so he wouldn’t fall out of power. So long as he was ‘alive,’ his realm wouldn’t fall completely. When he descended to the mortal plane, he brought an old phylactery along just in case. Fenian found it, brought it to Qavell, which created the Wanderer. The alchemist imagined there was a period where the new version of Balkor wouldn’t have all his senses. He likely came to Vesta looking for something the old version needed. As he went, more of his senses came back. Now he was lost and confused. An unwitting party to this massacre.

Theo wouldn’t place blame anywhere. That wasn’t his place. He had about five minutes left to convince the lich to pull his necromantic powers in. To stop spreading the corruption.

“You’re corrupting the continent with your power,” Theo said. “But I don’t think it was your intention.”

“No,” the Wanderer said, turning once again to his minions. “They followed me here. I have only recently gained command over them and… and myself.”

“Draw your power into yourself. We may be able to help.”

“Could you? On the other side of the continent?”

“We’re purging the land of the necromantic power. We’ll work our way north, then to the west.”

“Do you plan to kill me?”

Yes. Of course the answer was ‘yes,’ but there might be another way. Like any power in the world, necromantic power wasn’t bad. Well, it didn’t need to be bad. Theo based this conclusion on how Glantheir handled Balkor’s incursion. If the Elven God of Healing wanted to get rid of the demon god, he could have. But he didn’t. Which meant there was at least some value in keeping him alive. But the alchemist’s time was running out.

“If you’re a problem, we’ll banish you,” Theo said. “If you draw your power in, staying on that side of the spine, we won’t have a problem.”

“And I have your promise. That’s it?” the Wanderer asked.

“My time is limited. My promise is that we’ll purge undeath from the land up until the spine. Then we’ll stop there, leaving you to do whatever it is you want. So long as you stop spreading the corruption.”

The wanderer looked around, nodding to himself. Theo could feel the effects of the potion slipping away.

“I think I like that,” the Wanderer said, nodding to himself. Theo could almost feel him smiling, but the lich’s skull was constantly grinning. “I’ll start by… ah, your potion is fading. Farewell!”

Theo gasped, looking up at the wooden ceiling with wide eyes. Both Sarisa and Salire stood over him. Both had their arms crossed with sour expressions on their faces.

“You lied to me,” Sarisa said.

Theo smiled back, patting himself down. There was no damage to his body or mind. But he had a lot to process. The wanderer was pleasant to talk to. Maybe it was because the lich hadn’t talked with anyone else, but there was a glimmer of hope within him.

“Are you okay?” Salire asked, pressing her hand on Theo’s forehead. “The light in your eyes went out. They were just black.”

“Perfectly fine.” Theo pushed himself to his feet, not even needing the help of his companions. They had removed him from the chair. He paused, letting his thoughts gather. The encounter was too confusing to process all at once. “I saw someone.”

“Who?” Salire asked, cutting off Sarisa before she could grill him further. 

“A lich. The potion lets you see distant places. I saw Vesta. Well, what’s left of it.”

“You did what?” Sarisa groaned. “That sounds dangerous.”

“He was really nice.”

“How many dead people was he standing on top of?” Sarisa asked, narrowing her eyes on the alchemist.

“He wasn’t standing on them.”

Her gaze intensified.

“A few. Hundred. Thousand,” Theo said, adjusting the scope of the Wanderer’s destruction as he spoke. “I understand, Sarisa. Not a good move.”

Sarisa took one steady breath, rolling her shoulders as she calmed down. She had more questions about what Theo had seen and how he was seen. He explained everything that he could, emphasizing that he understood how dangerous the situation was. The temptation to see Vesta was just too great. Both Qavell and Vesta were high on his list of interesting places on the continent right now.

“Because I made first contact with him, he has a good impression of the world,” Theo said, jabbing a finger at nowhere in particular. “He was confused. Recently resurrected and leading an army he didn’t want.”

“At least you threatened him,” Sarisa said with a shrug.

“While he seemed intelligent, he was also clueless about what was going on.”

“Alise is going to piss and shit herself if you tell her,” Sarisa said, scratching her head with both hands. She continued doing so for a few moments, groaning in frustration.

“More info is good. Besides, talking with an echo of Balkor has to be one of the more normal things I’ve done.”

“As long as you’re alright,” Salire said.

Alise would be a problem. But something like this wasn’t for her to consider. Theo had been trying to keep military and administrative matters separated as best he could. Therefore, she had nothing to do with it. Instead, it was a matter for Alran and Aarok. The alchemist wanted to stay as far aways as he could, so he wrote a report for someone else to take over. He made sure to detail the fact that the Wanderer could have sent him packing at any moment, and kept the line of magical communication up as a show of good faith. After he had his report written in the administration interface, making sure to limit the access to the document, he turned to his companions.

“I’ll have a chat with the gods. See if I can get anyone to vouch for the Wanderer,” Theo said, turning to pass through the void. Sarisa’s hand clapped over his shoulder.

“Careful, Theo,” she said, her tone one of friendly concern. “Make sure you ask the right one.”

“I know just the god,” Theo said, chuckling as he felt the ground fall out from under him.

Instead of heading directly to Tero’gal, Theo took the stealth approach. When he passed over the bridge, he halted his progress. The bridge loomed below him as he descended, and he felt the familiar presence of Uz’Xulven. The shadows twisted on the bridge’s edge, soon revealing the gloomy form of the demon god.

“What are you waiting for?” she asked. “I haven’t sat around for a year not to get my tea, Theo.”

“Mind if I stop by the Realm of Healing, first?”

“Ah. Then we’ll have some tea?” she asked.

“Of course.”

“Be my guest,” Uz’Xulven said, gesturing vaguely to the bridge. An expanding portal appeared, revealing the realm behind it. Theo thanked her and stepped through.

Even before the alchemist set foot in the verdant gardens of Glantheir’s realm, he smelled the familiar scent of Qavelli Berries. A pair of elves, both wearing light white robes, giggled as Theo passed by. He waved with a nervous smile, then pushed through the beautiful landscape. The alchemist had been here once before, and he was again reminded of how gorgeous this place was. Though he hadn’t explored it well, he imagined the entire realm was like this small area. He ascended winding stairs, soon finding himself before a massive open-air building. Glantheir’s presence was near.

“Theo,” Glantheir’s voice came drifting through the white stone building. Theo followed it, finding the god of the realm standing before people of all races.

“Hey, how’s it going?” Theo asked, waving awkwardly to the group. More giggles. “Can I ask you a question?”

Glantheir nodded and the crowd of people dispersed. He waited until the group was gone before he spoke. “How can I help you?”

Theo narrowed his eyes, then shook his head. “You’re being nice, aren’t you?”

“Naturally. I watched as you contacted him. You handled it rather well.”

The elven god crossed the room, pouring something from a silver pitcher into two silver goblets. He brought them over and handed one to Theo. The alchemist took a sip, finding that it was just juice. While he expected wine, he appreciated the slightly tart juice. Glantheir led him to a patio on the far side of the building. Elegant chairs and tables littered the area. Below were sprawling forests and rolling hills. Far in the distance was a snow-capped mountain.

“I figured you would have given him a chance,” Theo said, leaning on the white stone railing. “I mean, what did I do? He was on the other side of the continent. We haven’t thrown a Hallow Ground Potion on him or anything.”

“No, but those were the first words he has heard from a mortal since gaining a new form. Balkor from the first age was a different man entirely. Yes, he’s a lich now. While there might be some who think of undeath as a perversion, it doesn’t need to be. It can be no more dangerous than the dungeons.”

“Good to know,” Theo said, sipping more of his juice. Glantheir took a seat. “That’s encouraging. With that out of the way, I hope I can count on your support in the future.”

“For advice? Certainly. I have an agent moving to contact the Wanderer.”

“Hopefully for a friendly chat.”

“Among other things.”

That was a great comfort. Theo breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Glantheir was on the case. If things went wrong, the ‘agent’ would take care of any problems that arose. Because ‘agent’ was just a code word for a champion. Once again, the alchemist was reminded of Fenian. Currently trapped in Tarantham, the elven trader was supposed to steal a ship and sail for Broken Tusk. The conversation turned away from business, though. Glantheir was interested in chatting about memories of Earth. Theo was surprised with himself. He found those old descriptions of their old home to be a great comfort. Compared to the reality of that wasteland, the descriptions were pleasant.

“Perhaps it is time to go,” Glantheir said with a smile. “I’d like some tea.”

“Yeah. I got what I need to know,” Theo said, edging his consciousness away from the Realm of Healing. “Wanna come with me?”

“Sure.”

Theo found it oddly simple to bring Glantheir along with him. He pushed both of them through the void, then over the Bridge of Shadows. Within a breath, they were emerging through the veil and into the realm of Tero’gal. The alchemist was just happy there wasn’t a gaggle of souls waiting for approval. Instead, he saw the many gateways of the other gods springing up in the open field. Belgar was trotting over to greet Theo and Glantheir.

“We have invented a new sport!” Belgar shouted, jumping on the spot. “Behold!”

The spirits had invented rollerblading. Theo shook his head, trying to remember if he mentioned roller skating or rollerblading to any of the souls. They had to make modifications to his roads, somehow paving them with a solid material that seemed to be poured concrete. While he had no idea how they did it, it was necessary. The alchemist imagined people rollerblading over a cobblestone road. That would have ended in more injuries than anything else.

“Theo!” Benton shouted, waving him over. Spit, Drogramath, and Uz’Xulven were already entering the cottage. “Come on! I got some new tea.”

Glantheir made a delighted noise. “Let’s go. That man is revolutionizing the heavenly tea industry.”

Theo smiled, joining by the god’s side as they entered the cabin. The alchemist felt complete ease washing over his mind. Glantheir had a way of doing that.

Chapter 48

Utility Potions

The lab in the Newt and Demon was crowded. Sarisa, Rowan, and Salire had listened to Theo’s request, only pulling Aarok and Alran in for a brief meeting. The leader of the Adventurer’s Guild had brought Xol’sa in on it, in a surprisingly wise move. When the alchemist reappeared from his twenty-four hour rollerblading and tea-sipping adventure, he found himself surrounded by those people. He cleared his throat, waving awkwardly to each of them.

“Are you aware of a spell called ‘Mindhunt?’” Xol’sa asked, pressing his finger into Theo’s chest. “It must sound awfully familiar.”

“I didn’t have my soul slayed,” Theo said, crossing the room through the crowd and finding a seat. “Good to see you, too.”

“Did ya learn anything from the heavens?” Aarok asked.

That was the kind of attitude Theo wanted to see. Not accusations, but a constant pressing forward to solutions. He explained what Glantheir had said, and that it should put everyone’s mind at ease. No one but the elven god’s champion could have been assigned to the job. The most powerful god in the heavens had sent his first in command on the mortal plane, so there was no need to worry. Aarok and Alran were worried.

It took Theo a while to go over every piece of information he had, all the while being berated by Xol’sa. An hour of that was enough to sate the alchemist’s need for pestering conversation for quite some time. Only when the pressing group of people left his lab did he feel at ease. He wouldn’t be using the potion anytime soon. Especially with Sarisa watching so closely. Before getting back to work, he withdrew Fenian’s communication crystal and squeezed it. The buzzing filled his mind twice before the elf picked up on the other end.

“Alchemist! I keep forgetting to call you,” Fenian said with more joy in his voice than the alchemist had heard in recent days.

“Where are you at?” Theo asked. “Are you alive?”

“Naturally. Takes more than an army to stop this elf. I’m sailing with a group of pirates! Can you imagine? Pirates!”

“Sounds exciting. How long until you get to town? We still have your karatan and carriage.”

“Perfect. I’m not sure how fast these pirates can move this old washtub of a boat. A few days. A few weeks. Months? Hard to say.”

“Keep me updated. We’ve had a few developments I’d like to talk about in person.”

“Certainly. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to participate in a rum guzzling contest.”

Before Theo could ask what that was, the call was disconnected. The alchemist was left looking at the concerned faces of Salire, Sarisa, and Rowan. “Fenian is on his way back.”

Rowan turned to the others in the room, finally shrugging. “I think it was worth the risk.”

“Come on, Rowan,” Sarisa groaned. “You’re going to encourage him.”

“Don’t pretend like we’re not up against some serious power. We offer to risk our lives for him every day. So what if he wants to do it for the sake of an entire nation?”

“A nation of how many? A thousand?” Sarisa asked.

“More than the one we’re protecting.”

Theo held up a silencing hand. Rowan and Sarisa were always very professional, but they were siblings. If he let this continue, it could come to blows. “Xol’sa lectured me enough. But don’t pretend as though I won’t use the potion again. I’ll be smarter about it next time, though.”

“You better be careful next time,” Sarisa said. “How are we going to protect you against mages from afar?”

Salire raised her hand timidly. “I would have taken the potion, too. We figured something out about our two biggest problems. In a matter of moments.”

Sarisa grumbled. “At least make sure the wizard is here the next time you take it. Or make him take it.”

Theo appreciated how concerned Sarisa was. He had hired her and her brother to guard him, but they had become more than that. Most people in Broken Tusk saw the alchemist as a native, although he was not. Once everyone had calmed down, he considered what other work they could get down. He hadn’t even shown them the base version of the potion, which was powerful on its own. This experiment revealed two types of potions to him. Far-sight, and future-sight potions. Both seemed dangerous and useful.

Instead of getting back to work, Theo discussed his findings with Salire. They moved down to the shop, where she could handle customers as the discussion rolled on. Once they had made a resolution to test the other spirit fruits, they moved on to other topics. While he was in the heavens, he poked at the gods for a good core option. Each had refused to answer his questions, citing the binding laws that Khahar now enforced.

“I’m not good at those things,” Sarisa said with a laugh. “I’ve been swapping cores since I got them. Only Drogramath’s alchemy ever felt right for me.”

Night was drawing closer as their conversation rolled on. Theo had a few experiments planned for the Dreamwalk, so he didn’t want to get anything going here on the real plane. Instead, he invited Salire over for dinner at the manor. She accepted, naturally. Sarisa and Rowan might have been annoyed with the alchemist, but he had a feeling they would still make some delicious food. The group headed to the manor an hour before sunset, stepping out into the brutal heat and heading over to the air conditioned building.

Theo fell into one of the many comfortable chairs in the sitting room, sighing and casting his eyes to the ceiling. Tresk had already skimmed his memories of the far-sight potion, and was forming opinions. He could feel her mind twist around the danger versus the reward of getting information from far away. She was undecided, but at least she wouldn’t yell at him. Both she and Alex arrived at the same time. The alchemist shook his head, getting a good look at the goose. She was taller than the marshling, even when she bent her slender neck down.

“You’re going to ride her soon enough,” Theo said, gesturing at the pair.

“We already tried,” Tresk said, waving a dismissive hand. “She isn’t big enough yet.”

“Yet,” Alex said, speaking through the Tara’hek. “But I am close.”

Theo patted the goose on the head, feeling her slick feathers under his fingers. She had grown with her level, and he couldn’t help but examine her.

[Alexandria D’Goose]

[Goose]

[Familiar]

Stage:

[Exceptionally Large Goose]

Master:

[Dreamrealm of Tero’gal]

Level 24

Description:

Geese are known as the most loving creatures in all the realms. Any rumors spread to disparage these honorable creatures will be met with a flurry of feathers and bill.

Affinities:

Fire

Nature

There were a few things to note. Her stage was at Exceptionally Large Goose, which was weird. Alex had started off as a Gosling, or a baby goose. She then became a Large Goose, and now an Exceptionally Large Goose. Since Miana had tamed the Marsh Wolves, marshlings had ridden them like horses. Judging by the size of those creatures, Tresk wasn’t far away from riding atop Alex, which would be a nightmare on the battlefield. The goose had also expanded her affinities, taking up nature fully. It was almost at a point where she could control natural elements as easily as she could control fire.

Dinner was pleasant, though. Sarisa and Rowan prepared something Theo hadn’t eaten in a while. They placed the plates on the table, revealing a meal of seared karatan steaks with a pile of karatan butter on top. As a side, they had prepared grilled greens that the alchemist wasn’t familiar with. He cut into the steak, finding a cool pink center. The meat was so tender it seemed to melt in his mouth before he had to chew it, combining with the butter to create a distinctly rich flavor. The salt, pepper, and otherworldly spices atop the steak sent him over the edge. Those greens on the side didn’t slack, either. They were a combination of asparagus and broccoli in flavor, providing a deep earthy offset to the richness of the steak.

“You’ve outdone yourself,” Theo said, finding himself clearing away his plate for the first time in a long time.

“All we need to do is serve him big slabs of meat,” Sarisa said, chuckling from the other side of the table. “And our boy will grow up big and strong.”

“They grow up so fast,” Rowan said, wiping a fake tear from his eye.

Theo smiled back at them, unoffended by their prodding. Those around him went to significant efforts to get him to act as though he were actually the archduke of a rising nation. But he knew he could rely on them to correct him when he was being an idiot. Or too impulsive, compassionate, and so on. Even Alise’s pestering served a purpose and the alchemist would never discount it. Even if he was annoyed.

The rest of the meal went well. Theo watched as his friends ate, and engaged in friendly conversation about whatever was on their minds. Rowan wouldn’t stop talking about his new love. The dining party groaned every time he brought some new facet of his girlfriend up. He reveled in each annoyed sound, basking in it like a lizard warming themselves on a hot rock.

Dusk fell over Broken Tusk by the time everyone was done with their meals. Theo and Tresk could have fallen into the Dreamwalk earlier, but they both enjoyed the friendly conversation. Even Alex tried to put her thoughts out there, but could only produce honks out loud. The marshling was happy to translate for her, adding every goofy remark the familiar had to add. But the night wore on, and the Tara’hek headed upstairs to fall into their private dream.

Tresk had a thing for the mossy forest, dropping the party between those familiar trees. Theo had another location in mind, though. With a thought, he shifted the scene to represent the ruins of Vesta. The marshling scoffed, looking around as she shook her head.

“Figured you would’ve brought us here. Is that the guy? The lich?” she asked, looking at Theo’s approximation of the Wanderer.

“That’s him,” Theo said, walking over to poke the figure in the face. His skeletal body didn’t move. “And all his friends.”

“I don’t care for this place,” Alex said, honking her disapproval.

It was a grim place. The delightful sandy shore betrayed the level of destruction. But the Dreamwalk only went as far as Theo could remember from his position in the air. Everything after that was a hazy smear of gray and green. The alchemist shifted his thoughts, finding nothing to gain from the scene. He transported them to a mountain top near the eastern coastline of the continent. Tresk almost tumbled down the sheer drop, cursing as she adjusted her footing on the rocky surface. Although he had only seen it for a moment, Qavell was represented in as much detail as possible in the distance.

“Wow. That was worth seeing,” Tresk said, squinting into the distance. “You think we can take that thing?”

Theo had no impression of the floating city other than the brief visual. If there was a magical impression to be gleaned, he couldn’t feel it. That was due to his lacking senses, or the effects of the potion. It was impossible to say. Thanks to that fact, he had no idea what they were up against. Only the hints he had been given informed their defensive plan.

“We need to. But we don’t have to stay here all night. I’d rather go back to the forest.”

“Right? I love that place.”

Theo nodded in approval, and the scene shifted back to the imagined forest. Tresk and Alex had a meeting in a clearing while he set his alchemy equipment up. They were working on combat synergy, highlighting each of their weaknesses to improve. Alex was great in the air, but the moment she landed she was useless. Tresk needed to strike from stealth, with poison on her weapons, otherwise she would need to retreat into the shadows. This meant that the goose was a distraction. And she was damn good at it.

They scampered away as Theo considered something Salire said. Potions with powerful effects were cool, but the little things mattered. Maybe more than the big things. The alchemist imagined a Flame Rose, a chair, and a table to work on. He deconstructed the rose, revealing the last two properties but leaving the hidden property for now. He inspected the rose.

[Flame Rose]

[Alchemy Ingredient]

Common

Rose enchanted with elemental fire. Grows near sources of flame, or fire-creating material.

Properties:

[Increase Strength] [Hauling] [Relentless]

Increase Strength was the property that produced Strength Potions, which made the rose a valuable reagent to grow. But Theo had never seen the Hauling or Relentless property on any other reagent. With a sweep of his hand, he generated some stills to create essence from the flower and got to work. The alchemist ground some imagined Flame Roses, then added Enchanted Water. He turned the heat on two stills, focusing on those two new properties for testing.

The plan was to create them as a second tier potion, not wanting to bother with a third tier for testing purposes. Second tier potions had become the baseline for everything, as they were easier to make and represented a better sample than the third tier. Theo waited around for his stills to finish. He could have forced his will on the Dreamwalk, completing them almost instantly, but the forest was pleasant. He watched the branches sway above him, not eager to do more work than he needed to. Things had felt like a grind lately, so he wanted to take it easy.

When the essence finished distilling, Theo imagined vials, catalysts, and more water for the next step. He started with the Hauling property, finding that the potion it created produced a tepid reaction. The resulting potion was a pale shade of red, bordering on pink. The alchemist inspected the potion.

[Potion of Hauling]

[Potion]

Common

Created by: Theo Spencer

Alignment:

Drogramath (Minor Bond)

Grade: Great Quality

Allows the imbiber to haul items with great ease.

Effect:

For the next hour, all items carried by hand will weigh a fourth less than normal.

This potion doesn’t take into account the imbiber’s Strength attribute.

That was an interesting potion. It made sense that the Flame Rose would produce it, and perhaps some people in town would find a use for it. Even if some folks had an inventory power, this potion would have been useful when they were building the harbor. Those stone blocks were heavy as hell.

Theo turned his attention to the next potion, brewing it and finding the reaction to be more violent. The Relentless property created a less docile potion. The alchemist watched the reaction as it bubbled, some of the liquid foaming over the edge of the vial. When it calmed down, he leaned in to inspect the potion.

[Potion of Relentless]

[Potion]

Rare

Created by: Theo Spencer

Alignment:

Drogramath (Minor Bond)

Grade: Great Quality

The imbiber no longer feels pain or fatigue while under the effects of this potion.

Effect:

For the next thirty minutes, the imbiber no longer feels pain or fatigue.

The imbiber may overdraw their mana while under the effects of this potion, instead drawing from their health or stamina pool. The amount drawn from Health is 2:1, while Stamina is 3:1.

Theo nodded. Someone might have found that potion useful, but he didn’t. He turned away from the table, happy enough to find one potion that was good. The alchemist joined with Alex and Tresk, once again facing down the horned snake.

Chapter 49

Looking for a Core

Theo glared at his plate. While Tresk had already downed her food and ran, he was left to look at the mass of burned sausages and over-cooked eggs. Compared to the plates before Rowan and Sarisa, piled high with perfectly cooked food, he felt betrayed.

“Am I being punished?” Theo asked, pushing the inedible food around with his fork.

“You need a reminder,” Sarisa said, snapping into a sausage and smiling across the table. “Not only do I protect you, but I also cook your food.”

“Fair enough,” he said, withdrawing a bowl of soup from his inventory. Steam rose from the surface, and he watched as globules of fat danced on the surface. This bowl was at least a month old, but his inventory had preserved it perfectly. “The lesson I have learned is to always have a back-up plan.”

Rowan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “That’s not a bad lesson, but not the one my sister was trying to instill.”

“Better than nothing,” Sarisa said with a shrug. “I won’t deny that I’m happy to have closure on the whole undead thing.”

“I’m not sure if I would call this ‘closure.’” Theo dipped his spoon into the soup, fishing out a piece of wolf meat. This was from the first batch of food that Xam made with her Cook’s Core. It was far better than the stuff she served when he got there, but nothing compared to what she cooked now.

Sarisa and Rowan talked with each other about the situation, but Theo inspected his administrative interface. Ziz had requested some of his time today. After the bridge idea failed, he had to go back and evaluate his options. The man was convinced he could make the concept work, although there was no evidence that he could. A simple barrier remained in place. The ocean was vast and powerful, battling against any attempt to tame it with storms and high waves. No matter how deep they drove the foundation of that bridge, it would always topple.

Digging underground was an option, but it would suffer from the same problem as the bridge. There didn’t seem to be available bedrock on the seabed. Perhaps if they dug deep enough they would find it, but physics would always come back to bite them in the ass. Airships were an option, but Xol’sa had been consulted on that one. The storms that were kicked up in the sea were spurred on by errant magic, once again bringing the same problem they experienced with the necromantic energy.

The lizard islands weren’t even a prize. Those people had culture to offer, and little else. It wasn’t as though they weren’t as advanced as the rest of the world, but they kept themselves small for a reason. Through those actions they had managed to avoid the purges that plagued the rest of the world. Instead of hurtling forward with seed core buildings and bustling populations, they remained small and mobile. Even their citizens limited the progression of the cores, swapping them out often enough to avoid the system’s inevitable march of destruction.

Theo finished his soup, but waited for his guardians to complete their meals. Sarisa was mad at him, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a job to do. The alchemist was reminded of the Zagmon assassins when he had the urge to leave, and remained until they were done. Once everyone was done eating, they stopped by the lab to check on Salire and the Herbalist’s Workshop to inspect the new plants. Everyone was smooth sailing today, so they made their way through the town, toward the quarry.

Stabby Groove, the section of town occupied mostly by adventurers, had grown considerably. Elves now outnumbered everyone else by a large margin thanks to House Wavecrest. That was a problem for another day.

The quarry had grown considerably since the last time Theo had visited. Ziz spotted them from afar and prepared mugs of mead. The alchemist took his cup and drank, knowing that the half-ogre wouldn’t accept anything other than an empty mug in return. He handed it back, putting a smile on Ziz’s face. Rowan and Sarisa reluctantly drank their own.

“Got my message?” Ziz asked, laughing. “Funny how I have to go through the administrators to talk to you.”

Theo scoffed. “Just come find me if you need me.”

“No worries. I wanted to talk about a few projects. If you don’t mind.”

Theo agreed, and the pair walked to the edge of the quarry. Normally, the stone would be somewhere near the top. Ziz typically carved a stairway into the quarry, allowing his workers to walk down to find the best stone. The entire marble quarry produced perfect quality stone, and hadn’t stopped since they found it. Now the stone seemed quite low, and it was easy to see why. There were more workers with Stonecutter’s Cores than ever, chipping away at the rock with hammers and chisels. They guided massive stones as they fell, ensuring that they didn’t shatter. The entire operation was going well, especially now that Ziz wasn’t using the stone to make a bridge to nowhere.

“I had to lick my wounds for a while, but I’m ready to get back at it,” Ziz said, clapping a hand on Theo’s back.

“What’s the plan?”

“I’ve got about three plans,” he said, withdrawing parchment from his inventory. He placed it on one of many marble stone blocks, holding it down with chipped pieces of the stone. “Have a look.”

Theo leaned in, finding oddly detailed sketches of projects, along with descriptions of what those projects were. The first project was a logical one, and something the people in town wanted for quite a while. They would build a bridge over the swamp, just outside of the western gate. That bridge would span all the way to the dungeon, providing an off-ramp to the tower as well. While this project wasn’t necessary, thanks to Xol’sa’s portal, there had been times when the wizard was too sick to maintain the portal.

The next project was one that was just practical, and they needed this one. Ziz wanted to tame the river near the river dungeon, creating another underwater tower like the one in the bay. There were a few logistical things that made this project hard, but the solution was on the sheet of parchment. Diverting the river had been an abandoned plan way back when, and it once again resurfaced. Theo thought this was the best way to accomplish the task, and approved of it entirely.

The third project was vague. Ziz wanted to do something with the tunnel they had carved near the mine, but didn’t know what to do with it yet. The original plan was to use that to connect to the over-water bridge, but it was now defunct. Theo shook his head, looking up at the half-ogre. “That’s a problem for another day.”

“Agreed. Check out the last one,” Ziz said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Theo turned his eyes to the last project. It could only be described as ‘extremely ambitious.’ Broken Tusk was a town bordered by mountains on three sides. Only a relatively narrow passage to the northeast allowed them access to the rest of the alliance. Ziz wanted to reclaim some of that land for the alliance.

“You want to cut the top off of the mountains,” Theo said, giving Ziz a flat look.

“No, not the mountains,” Ziz said, gesturing to the hills behind him. “Just the hills. We’ll top those, lay a nice foundation of stone and invite people to live there.”

“Perhaps,” Theo said, still not believing it was a good idea. “My potions aren’t strong enough for the job. We would need an Earth Mage.”

“They’re just ideas, Theo,” Ziz said with a laugh. “I’m not married to them.”

But Theo’s thoughts had already retreated inward, to a problem he was already facing. There were two things left over from his advancement to Level 30. His free skill pick had remained where it was, completely untouched as he couldn’t find a good fit. But he also had a core to pick. His newest core slot was something he wanted to fill with a willpower-based core, but what about Earth Mage? How many times had the town been without one when they needed one?

“Maybe we can do it,” Theo said, tapping his chin. “Which one do you think is the most important?”

“The river,” Ziz said without hesitation. “Which requires some elevated approval.”

Theo understood the meaning of Ziz’s words right away. “You’ll have my full approval on that one, buddy. And whatever funds you need to do it.”

“Always appreciated. Should I send the bill to your lab, or Alise?”

Once again, Theo understood. “Send it to my lab. I’ll let Salire know to pay you from my personal funds if you need it.”

“That’s why I love doing business with you, Theo. You’re just so damn easy.”

Theo remained at the quarry for a while, chatting with Ziz. The thing he hated the most was dropping in on a citizen and leaving before they could talk. Those interactions felt too transactional, often leaving the alchemist feeling like a bad leader. He wasn’t a good leader, but he didn’t want to feel that way.

“I have some people to talk to,” Theo said, turning away from the quarry. “See ya.”

Theo headed back into the town, Sarisa and Rowan trailing behind him. He talked with a few people along the way. A few folks had complaints about stuff, and he promptly entered what they said into the administration interface. Their concerns were mostly around the layout of the town, and their inability to place stuff where they wanted. That should have fallen to Alise, Gwyn, and Gael.

“Where are we going?” Sarisa asked as Theo angled toward the portal. “I don’t like the portal.”

“No one does,” Theo said, stepping through. Of course, he didn’t feel the same disorienting sensation as the others. The more time passed, the more inclined he was to use extra-planar travel.

A few adventurers were standing on the first floor of the tower, chatting with Zarali and Xol’sa. They were discussing the evolution of the Swamp Dungeon, and the appearance of new monsters on the lower floors. Theo found the topic interesting, and didn’t interrupt while they were talking. When they were finally done, the wizard beckoned him over.

“What is it you require, Theo,” Xol’sa said, slapping him on the back. “It seems as though you always need something when you visit my tower.”

“Truthfully, I don’t care for your tower,” Theo said, poking his head out the front door. He looked out over the swamp, still holding it as a place to be feared in his mind. “I’m thinking about broadening my skills. Taking up another mage core.”

Xol’sa shared a surprised look with Zarali. She placed a hand over her mouth, giggled, then said, “oh, my.”

“I can help with that,” he said, laughing and leading the way up the stairs. He stopped on the second floor, gesturing for the alchemist to have a seat.

The second floor of the tower had been designed to be a study. Books littered shelves on the wall, while random magical devices were strewn around in no particular order. Both Xol’sa and Zarali took seats and waited for him to speak. Theo paused, thinking about what advancement meant to them comparing it to how he viewed it. Most people weren’t as eager to advance in levels as Theo was. From the moment his feet touched ground on this planet, he had been going non-stop. While he had gotten better at taking time to enjoy life, he was still busting his ass daily.

Zarali didn’t care at all about leveling. She was more concerned with deepening her connection with Drogramath, and understanding every last thing about his form of enchanting. Xol’sa was more interested in studying things to understand them. Those things were often related to his mysterious origins, and his Planar Mage’s Core. There was no better pair of people to talk to about a new core, though.

Zarali’s willpower was monstrous when compared to Theo. Xol’sa was the most skilled mage the alchemist knew.

“Okay. I want a new mage core,” Theo said. “But I have some questions about willpower and earth magic.”

Zarail and Xol’sa shared a look, nodding to each other. “Let’s hear it.”