The Newt and Demon - Book 8 Chapters 67,68,69 (Patreon)

Chapter 67

Down to Business

The first and last arena games to take place in Broken Tusk were almost ready to wrap up. Theo had informed the officials that they could buy a few more days, and they couldn't have been more excited. There were, after all, arena battles that were less than standard. The one the alchemist was most interested in was the naval battles. They would be small-scale things, sure, but filling the arena with water and watching people battle it out on half-sized ships was going to be an interesting event to behold.

No one knew what the prizes were going to be. Theo hadn't publicly announced what he was offering, and of course, that was a measured step. He didn't want the competition to become so fierce that people actually died. He knew that there would be those who were happy to break the rules to get their hands on such powerful potions.

"Well, it's on your mind there, Alchemist?" a familiar voice called from behind. "Are you deep in thought or just blocking the road for no reason?"

Theo turned to spot Miana standing there. She had a devious smile on her face. Nowadays, if one were to run into Miana Kel along the road, they would see her covered in a layer of filth. She worked the ranch hard, caring for those animals and producing the food that the town loved. Of course, now she wasn't producing nearly enough for all the outsiders, and she instead sold her meat, cheese, and other farm products to the locals. That was a fact the alchemist deeply appreciated.

"I'm just thinking about the prize for the games," Theo said with a knowing smile. "When people figure out what it is, they're going to lose their minds. Anyway, how are you dealing with the change? Are you ready to go?”

"I get to keep my animals, right?" Miana asked with a shrug. “They said you're bringing along the entire town.”

"I'm actually bringing along the entire region," Theo said. "I guess your animals are welcome. As long as they behave themselves.”

"You've never seen sweeter livestock in your life," Miana said proudly. "But good to hear. Mind telling me what the prizes are going to be? That way I can spread the rumors at lightning-quick pace."

"Yeah, I'd rather not. We'll see some issues if I announce what they're going to win. Anyway, I was standing here because I've got too much to do today. Another group wants to migrate before the end. And unfortunately, each person in the group has a planet they want to go to. How they learned about the planets or the differences is beyond me." 

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," Miana said. "I'm glad it's you and not me. I could hardly stand in the position back when it was mine. Back before Broken Tusk was a city and the world's population clambered to attend some silly game. If only they had come when we needed a workforce."

“I guess you don't even need to decide which planet you're going to. You're going to mine, since you're following the town. I'm afraid to say it won't be exactly as you remember. First, it will be flying. And second, the region is much more temperate. We might even get snow in the winter if we're lucky.”

Miana’s eyes sparkled at the mention of snow, but the skeptical look returned to her face only a moment later. "Are you joking with me, or are we actually going to get some snow?"

“Guess we can just move the city, right? So, yeah. We’re gonna get snow.”

“I can’t help but wonder if you got the idea for a flying city from… well, the flying city that attacked us,” Miana said with a laugh. “Are you out here stealing villain ideas and pretending they’re a hero's idea?”

Theo clutched his chest in mock shock. "Miana, you wound me. Of course, I came up with this idea on my own. I definitely didn't study what makes the flying city fly, and I most certainly do not plan to use that same technique to power my city.”

"Oh, I meant no offense," Miana said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she performed an overly elaborate bow. When she returned to a standing position, she was laughing, eventually crossing the distance to slap Theo on the back. "Well, you better get back to it, Mr. Big Important Man. Meanwhile, I'm going to go get drunk. Have fun."

"Heavy as the head indeed," Theo said, watching as she left. Eventually, he shook his head and returned his thoughts to more important things. Of course, the most important thing today was the migration of a group. This group had about 500 people, and the distribution of those wanting to go to one planet or the other was uneven. To his surprise, Khahar's world had about 50 folks on today's docket.

Tresk’s world oddly had 100 people ready to live the swamp life.

Although the administration team had done a great job of rounding everybody up, they had not yet been segmented into groups based on where they were going. Theo wrangled a few junior administrators and went through the massive crowd that had gathered along the road to the north. It was the only area outside of the row housing Ziz and his people had built that could accommodate so many people.

"Listen up," Theo said, clapping his hands. He looked over the group of excited faces and this time found more than just the elderly or infirm. He saw faces from all over the world and only one person from Broken Tusk. Apparently, the locals planned to ride it out until the very end. Which was a very half-ogre move. “We’re doing the express version today. On your assigned world, there is a team waiting for you. Although the effects of reforging your souls will only take an hour, there could be effects that last longer. Understand?”

Theo earned a series of nods and grunts for his efforts.

“Well then, you better hold on tight because we're going,” Theo said, sending his aura out and wrapping around the first group of fifty.

Today Theo planned to go in reverse order, starting with Khahar's world and then working his way back. He wasn't sure about dropping people on Erradon, but the 75 people who wanted to go would find their way one way or another. For now, he wouldn't object. They had been given a warning about the world and had agreed to it. So, whatever. Compared to yesterday, when he had used the reforging technique, this time it went a lot smoother. He understood the timing of using his aura better and handled the first group with ease. Thankfully, there was a team waiting to integrate those people into society, allowing the alchemists to leave and head off to his next destination.

The process of distributing 500 people to 4 worlds took about an hour, which shocked Theo. It was mostly thanks to the organization of the administrators on those planets. As the alchemist was wrapping up things with Belgar in Boar Hollow, a wild Elrin appeared. He had a sheepish smile on his face and waved before pressing his back against a nearby building.

“Thanks again. For everything,” Theo said, patting Belgar on the shoulder. “Unfortunately, I think Elrin needs my attention.”

“Of course! We’re always happy to get new people.” Belgar bowed his way into the distance, eventually running off to help with the rehousing issue.

Theo took his time walking over to Elrin, the smile hanging plainly on his face. "So why did you need my help?" he asked, leaning against the building and shaking his head. "The only reason I could see you waiting here for me is if you needed help. Wait, now that I'm thinking about it. How did you get here?"

“Aren't you the one supposed to be enforcing people traveling from the mortal plane outside of it? That's easy enough after I watch you do it a couple of times. That's how I figured out how to break into the Bridge of Shadows.”

“I bet Uz’Xulven was happy.”

“She tried to fight,” Elrin said, his smile growing broader. “I won… Well, I have a predicament back in the mortal world. As you know, there are quite a few shards on the surface, and I need help to attune them. I tried doing it by myself, but I simply can't be in as many places at once as I need. There are slight variations between them that are causing synchronization issues. We could leave it as it is, but the World Anchors will be much more powerful if I attune them properly.”

Theo tried to hide his surprise. Elrin was such an independent person that he had never expected the man to come to him for help. But of course, he was happy to offer it. Managing the mortal world was something that fell in Tresk's purview. And since Tresk was part of the Tara’hek, it fell into Theo's purview.

"You know, we'd be happy to help you. I can bring along the gang, and we can do it all at once if you like. No need for error."

"Are you bringing the dragon? Are you sure she can perform the task? I mean, it isn't that complicated, but she is a dragon." 

“She draws on the connection we share, so giving her orders from afar is very simple. I wouldn't worry about it," Theo said. "Did you want to get started now? Do I need to learn how to do anything?"

"Yes, I need to show you how to configure it. How good are you with energy manipulation?"

"I'm pretty damn good. I mean, you've seen me do it," Theo said with a laugh.

"Fine then. Take us to the Shard of Calet and I'll give you a demonstration."

Theo didn't wait for any more confirmation. He folded space in on itself and interdicted both himself and Elrin to the frozen plains. He had become familiar with, based outside of the massive tower, the shard spinning a lazy circle inside. Both men surmounted the steps, removing themselves from the frigid tundra and providing a reprieve from the howling wind. 

"So this isn't very difficult," Elrin said. "Typically, I'd say a normal person couldn't interact with the potent energies of the shard, but the network seems willing to open itself to others."

"As long as you can provide a series of steps, then I'm happy to help," Theo said. He regarded the shard and tilted his head to one side. As far as energy went, it seemed like a pure, constant stream that flowed from within the giant crystal. So how do we do this exactly? Do I need to draw the energy out or something like that?

"No. Think of it as a beating heart. It goes at a certain rhythm right now. The rhythm of all the shards is out of sync. What you need to do is basically tap the central core at a certain pace. Like this.”

Theo felt Elrin reach out, connecting with the Shard. Within the core of the crystalline thing, he heard a low tapping start. It was a matter of forcing one’s senses inside, then producing the rhythm. Easy enough.

"Like this?" Theo asked, getting closer to the shard and forcing his aura inside. He tapped it at a steady beat, which he expected was wrong but close enough for their example. "How will I know if it is the correct rhythm?"

"Pretty easy. When it syncs up with the entire network, you'll see some sparkling and a small pulse of power. When you take your proverbial finger away, the rhythm you were imparting into the Shard will continue." 

Eyes still locked on the Shard, Theo shook his head. “But that’s not the hard part.”

“Nope. Going between each one and getting that rhythm right is the hard part.” Elrin let out a sigh. “I wish I could teleport more often, but… what can you do?”

“I get it,” Theo said, rubbing his hands together. “I think we’re ready to start.”

“I like a man who gets down to business.” Elrin cleared his throat. “Let’s get started.”

Chapter 68

Synchronization

"Look at us doing something important," Tresk said, hands on her hips as she stood on an unfamiliar plateau.

Theo wasn't even certain of what part of the world he was. Elrin refused to use the new names of things and instead resorted to poking his finger on the map. Theo, Tresk, and Alex had assembled in a region he had never visited before. The map said that it was Bantien, but he was unfamiliar with the entire landscape. It was mostly notable for rocky hills and falling crags. It would not have been his first choice to establish a civilization, but there they were.

"Everyone has the order of the Shards they're supposed to synchronize, right?" Theo asked. "Between the three of us, it should be easy enough. And Elrin has his communication crystal so he can tell me if things go wrong.”

"A little trial and error never hurt anyone," Tresk said.

"I am prepared to do my duty," Alex said with a somber nod. "Although it feels my time might be better served growing stronger and more draconic."

"You're about as draconic as they come, Alex," Tresk said with a grumble. "If anything, I want to be more draconic. We're apparently at the same level of dragon, and I've got little stumpy horns and barely any scales over my body. I want to be more like a dragon."

“Thumbs are a requirement to hold a throne. Sorry, Tresk,” Theo said.

“I’ve got thumbs,” Alex said, showing what could be described as a proto-thumb on her forepaw.

“Those are barely thumbs,” Theo said. “You need real ones. Like this.”

Alex looked down at her proto-thumb and then at Theo's real thumb with a frown on her scaly face. "I suppose I have something to work on," she said.  

"All right, enough talking about thumbs. We need to get going on this because Elrin is very antsy about the Shards being synchronized properly. You all have your tasks. Just communicate directly with me if you need advice, but you should be able to draw on our connection to get all the information you need."

“Gooooo team!” Tresk said, jumping in the air and shooting for a high-five no one else returned. “Wow. Tough crowd.”

With the team assembled, the only thing left to do was zip across the world and tap some crystals. Theo wouldn't question either how absurd it was or the fact that Elrin hadn't thought this far ahead. Perhaps he had expected that the shards would be more helpful when it came to synchronizing themselves, but it didn't matter. Both Tresk and Alex took off to their locations, leaving Theo behind with his own shard. He entered the tower and stood by the massive rotating hunk of crystal to wait for the order. Apparently, the frequency would continue changing until they had them all synchronized to the correct one.

“Ready when you are,” Theo said, squeezing the communication crystal after sensing that Tresk and Alex were both in position.

“Excellent. Let’s start,” Elrin responded.

Theo utilized the Tara’hek to keep everyone in sync. They started with the first set of three, then dashed to the next. Elrin had a view of the entire network, and relayed realtime information to the group when a Shard they had previously visited fell out of sync with the others. It was a pain in the ass how many fell away from the rhythm. Even a few they had just been to did their own thing. As annoying as it was, they all drew closer to the same beat over time. It was almost as though the entire world were swaying from side to side like some great pendulum.

"We're very close," Elrin said, "but you're going to have to circle around to short number 10 again. It fell out of synchronization."

"I got it," Theo said, folding the void on itself. He arrived an instant later in an oasis in the middle of a desert. This was the place Elrin had called Skaral. It was an island south of Tarantham, and had once been a thriving civilization.

Entering the tower, Theo pressed his hand against the giant crystal and produced the appropriate rhythm. It sparkled, just as Elrin had promised, and a pulse of power shot out. After a pause, there was a considerably stronger pulse. It radiated outward, washing over him with an unfamiliar energy. He turned, clutching the crystal hard in his hands and speaking to Elrin.

"I think that did it. I think we're finally in sync."

When no voice flooded into his mind, the alchemist looked down at the crystal and cocked his head to one side. It didn't hold the same pulsing glow that it normally did when it was successfully connected during a call. Instead, it was the same shade of pale blue that refused to change.  

"Elrin, can you hear me?" Theo asked, waiting a moment. "I think something might have gone wrong." 

“No, nothing went wrong,” a soft, somehow familiar voice came from nearby.  

Theo turned, narrowing his eyes on the shard. "Did you do that? Did you freeze time?"  

"I might have," the shard said playfully. "Does it matter to you? Your mission is done."

“One of many missions,” Theo said, kicking a rock at his feet. He watched as it went forward, as though to follow an arc that made sense with the physics he understood. But as soon as he stopped applying pressure to it, it froze. “My question is: why do you want to talk to me in a place where Elrin can’t hear you?”

“You’re mistaken,” the shard said. “I’m not the one that wants to talk to you.”

Theo turned, spotting the form of an unfamiliar spirit. How a spirit had found its way into the Shards themselves was beyond him, but the quality of her soul was powerful. It was the figure of a middle-aged elven woman, floating in the frozen time and regarding him with a curious expression.

“What’s wrong with her?” Theo asked. “I’ve seen a lot of spirits in my day, and the energy that binds her is… The energy is your energy.”

“Give her a moment to gather her strength,” the shard said. “She doesn’t want to speak with Elrin, because she fears it would steer him from his mission.”

“His mission to burn the galaxy?” Theo asked. “Gotcha. Take your time, ghost. If you need to be relocated, I can help with that.”

“I seriously doubt that,” the shard said, the normally sing-song voice dropping to something somber. “Ah, she’s just about ready.”

“Apologies, Dreamwalker,” the spirit said, bowing her head low. “I haven’t had the easiest time. All these years spent in the void, hiding out in a Shard. I thought the end of my time was near when the energy faded to almost nothing. Then my savior came along. First, I’d like to thank you.”

"Just doing my job, man," Theo said, tipping an invisible hat. He shook his head, rebuking some of the silliness that flooded into his mind from Tresk. Even if he was cut off from her in time, he couldn't help but adopt some of her mannerisms.  

“And unfortunately,” the spirit said, "I need a bit more help." 

“Gladly,” Theo said. He didn’t even need to hear the proposal. He was quite good at adapting spirits to new worlds, giving them new bodies. Tero’gal was the perfect place for her. “We can leave for my world right away.”

“That’s another unfortunate reality of my life. I need to go somewhere specific.” The ghost paused then, as though she were weighing her options. Although her spiritual body was strong, it wasn’t anything close to a corporeal form. “I’m afraid I can’t take a body, yet. I evaded Death’s Gate, but in doing so I’ve bound myself to the Shards.”

“I'm unfamiliar with the effects of shard-based energy on spirits, so you'll have to explain it to me.  “

“Of course. To put it simply, the composition of my body is no longer compatible with mortal life. Although I've discovered a few paths forward, there is nothing here within the mortal plane, or the void where I spent countless thousands of years, that could help me.” The spirit drifted downward, her feet passing through the stone ground. A moment later, she spasmed as though being jolted awake. “I’ve listened to the rumors, and understand a place of learning is being established.”

“You’re talking about Leon’s world,” Theo said.

“King Leon.” The ghost said the words with a mirthless laugh. “To think, after all this time he’s still around. Yes, that’s the world I’m talking about.”

“I don’t want to dash your dreams, but it isn’t likely for his world to be ‘a place of learning’ for quite some time.”

The ghost gestured down at herself. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Take this,” the shard said. A small, finger-length section of herself fell to the ground with a clatter. It rolled toward his feet, defying the lacking flow of time. “Bury it somewhere deep in that world. It should give her enough time to find a solution.”

“And if she can’t figure it out on her own?” Theo asked.

“This is my road,” the ghost said. “I know enough to understand how difficult this is. Avoiding death has been arduous. If I die after knowing Elrin accomplished his goals, that’ll be enough for me. And there is still yet someone I need to take from Death’s Gate.”

“Depending on when that person was put into the gate, they might get spat out on their own,” Theo said. “I can also talk to Death for you.”

The ghost nodded a few times before shaking her head. “I’d rather if everyone stayed out of this. Can you plant my crystal, or not?”

Theo thought about it for a few minutes. There were a lot of angles to consider, especially the idea that he’d need to keep this from Elrin. Obviously, the ghost was someone important from his past. She didn’t want him to stick around for her sake. While that was inspiring, it was also somewhat selfish. But Theo was good with ghosts. He wouldn’t fight against her, and a trip to Leon’s academy world wasn’t a hassle. If anything, it was always fun to see what changes had happened since he was gone.

Scooping up the crystal, Theo nodded. “Okay. I’ll bury you there. Deep, you said?”

“As deep as you can get,” the ghost responded. “I’ll be quite fine, so don’t worry.”

With a final shrug, Theo said, “okay, let’s go.”

“Excellent,” the ghost said, clapping her hands together. They made no noise.

Theo staggered forward, clutching the crystal in his hand. He squeezed a bit too hard with both fists, paging Elrin with the communication crystal.

“Yes?” Elrin asked.

“We’re good. Looks like this one is synchronized.”

“Same on my end,” Elrin said. “Let’s keep an eye on this for a bit. We can’t be sure they’ll remain so perfectly aligned.”

“Got it. Keep me posted,” Theo said, rolling the shard over in his hands. “I wonder what your story is.”

“I could tell you if you like,” the ghost said, giving Theo the fright of his life.

The alchemist spun around, hand on his chest as he looked at the ghost. “I thought you were bound to the weird space-time of the Shards.”

“No, I’m bound to that,” the ghost said, gesturing to the fragment. “Now I’m disconnected from the network. Huh. That’s a strange feeling.”

“We have to stick around here for a while,” Theo said. “Until we’re sure the Shards are in place properly, I can’t abandon my post here.

“That’s quite fine. Oh! How very rude of me. I never gave you my name, even if I know yours. My name is Avalara. I was once the matron of the Manastream clan. I suppose that organization is long gone…”

“Nice to meet you, Avalara. Anyway, keep your eye out for anyone or anything. This area is still teeming with monsters.”

Theo and Avalara took seats.

When Avalara caught Theo raising a skeptical brow at her, she laughed.

“I know I don’t need to sit,” she said. “But it makes me feel better.”

“Okay, Avalara. What do you want to do while we wait?”

“Got any games?”

Theo dug around in his shared inventory, shaking his head. “Yeah, we got a few games. How Tresk got her hands on a chessboard is beyond me.”

Chapter 69

We Saved the World

Avalara became suspiciously scarce when Theo wrapped up with the shards. He met with Tresk, Alex, and Elrin in a mossy forest. The alchemist didn’t give much thought to the ghost. If she wanted to keep her existence quiet, he was happy to keep his mouth shut. Because, as always, he had too much stuff to do as it was.

“That actually worked,” Elrin said, breathing a sigh of relief. “I still need to ensure the synchronization took, but I think we’re good.”

“Hooray. We saved the world,” Tresk said, dusting her shoulders off. “And Alex is pretty good with her thumbs.”

“Yes, my thumbs are very good,” Alex said, digging at the ground. She did her best to pick up a rock between her forefinger and her thumb, but it was clumsy. “They’re getting better, anyway.”

“Yes, I thank you all for your help,” Elrin said.

“Well, Khahar got himself trapped in his world,” Theo said. “We knew he couldn’t enter the mortal realm, but I believe he’s also having trouble leaving his own planet. Tresk and I have to step up to fill that gap.”

Theo refused to be mad about the situation the arbiter had gotten himself into. Unfortunately, Yuri was the kind of man who had difficulty admitting his mistakes. A mistake as massive as being trapped in one world forever was a tough pill to swallow. For now, he was happy to do everything he could to ensure the transition to the new world went smoothly.

“Well, we have some business to attend to,” Tresk said, climbing up onto Alex’s back. “Come on, Theo. Let’s get this next project done.”

Tresk no longer occasionally read Theo’s mind. Instead, it seemed as though she siphoned off every little piece of information that he obtained, processing it and then making her decisions based on that. Perhaps he should do the same thing. He climbed up on two. Alex is back and bid one final farewell to Elrin. Space folded in on itself after they took off, and the group arrived outside of Leon’s academy world.

“Is that a ghost in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” Tresk asked with a laugh. “No, but seriously, do you think that ghost is related to Elrin? How does that work?”

“They have the same surname,” Theo said. “Or rather, clan name. I actually don’t know how that whole thing works, but anyway, they are related, maybe not by blood, but by some familial connection.”

“Okay, we picked up a ghost, and she wants to live in Leon’s world. Is this something we run by him or what?”

“She expressed a desire for stealth, but honestly, my preference is to avoid asking for permission, especially from someone like Leon. So let’s just approach the planet, teleport to the center, or dig our way there. I don’t have a preference. And plant her like a seed.” Tilting his head to one side, Theo ran the plan through his mind one last time and shrugged. It wasn’t a great plan, but it was what the ghost wanted, so why not? “Just hold on. I don’t know what the situation is like on the surface.”

As always, it was interesting to see the advancement of a planet. In terms of how the other planets had developed in the system, Leon’s world was slow. It barely had the ability to maintain a natural appearance, and the structures on the surface were minimal. The alchemist spotted several people he didn’t recognize working. They were creating basic structures and using magic. He wasn’t altogether too familiar with the kind of magic, though. Construction magic, perhaps? Nobody sensed the trio as they descended to the surface and they found a sneaky mountain to hide behind before Theo spread his senses over the world.

“I’m unfamiliar with ghost rules. Tresk said, marveling as Theo withdrew the piece of the shard from his pocket. “That looks like a bit of the shards we just synchronized. So this ghost lady is working with the shards.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Avalara, do you want to come out and give us some more instructions or are you trapped in there? Because if you don’t come out and tell me otherwise, I’m putting you in the center of the planet in this.”

After waiting a few beats, Tresk nodded. “That’s basically consent.”

“Alex, I hope you don’t mind staying here on the surface.” Theo said. “I can feel some open spaces underground that would be perfect for hiding a ghost. I just wish she would come out and tell me if this would actually work. From what I understand about ghosts in general, if we put her too far from where she needs to be, she won’t be able to manifest.”

After waiting for a few more moments, Tresk shrugged. She reached out, sending a flash of mana into the shard. That was a technique she had taken from Theo. It put a smile on his face. A moment later, the ghost appeared, barely visible in the fake sunlight up above. She looked around in confusion, jabbing a finger at the alchemist.

“Too soon,” she said with a sigh. “What do you need?”

“Yeah, well maybe you should have told him where to put you, lady,” Tresk said, placing her hands on her hips. “We thought it would be best to put you in the center of the planet, but then Old Grumpy Bones over here got thinking about it, and he was like, ‘Oh no, what if she gets stuck and she can’t get to the surface?’”

“That’s a valid concern,” Theo said. “She could get stuck.”

Avalara pinched the bridge of her nose. She looked between Theo and Tresk with an expression of annoyance. “The center is the perfect spot. This shard will soak into the planet itself in a few hundred years. I just need it to be undisturbed.”

Theo clapped his hands together. “Well, so it’s perfect. Center of the planet it is. I doubt there are any paths down there. And if there are, they’ll be difficult to navigate.” Theo rubbed his hands together, nodding. “And yeah, I can understand how the mechanics of this work. Your soul will integrate into the planet itself, and you’ll be spared from the queue. You could also dissipate whatever Shard-based energy is keeping you bound to that form over hundreds of years. You might not even need somebody to figure out the secret.”

“Excellent. I’m glad you’ve taken up scholarly pursuits, but now is my time to go,” Avalara said. “Once again, I thank you. Please don’t wake me again.”

Without warning, the ghost vanished again.

“Hey, you can’t blame us for being certain about something,” Tresk said, folding her arms in annoyance. “If she wants to get all sassy with us, I’ll pitch her crystal in a lake. See how she likes living with the fishes for a few hundred years.”

“No, I understand her frustration,” Theo said, shaking his head. “We are, after all, idiots.”

“Speak for yourself,” Tresk grumbled.

Using the void folding technique to teleport within Leon’s domain was difficult. Theo found a place in the middle of the planet that seemed appropriate. He didn’t want to consider the idea that this place did not have a molten center, instead focusing on the large castles he felt. Unlike most times when he teleported, this time he took half an hour before finally being satisfied with their approach. He took a deep breath and fought against the authority of the planet.

“Whoa, she’s a feisty one,” Tresk said with a nervous chuckle. “Are you sure you got this?”

“I think so,” Theo grunted, surrounding only himself and Tresk with the bubble. “Unfortunately, you’re going to be too much to bring along, Alex. Just go fly around and set something on fire or something.”

“Ooh, sounds fun,” Alex said, taking off without a second thought. Nearby forests were ablaze within seconds.

With one last spike of willpower, Theo sent himself and Tresk into the center of the planet. He felt himself falling for a moment and then a cushion of something slightly soft beneath his feet. It was nearly pitch black down there, but leave it to Tresk to have something useful for the situation. She drew a lantern from the shared inventory, holding it high. The light it cast made little sense for its size. Instead, the entire interior of the underground was illuminated in an instant. The alchemist’s mouth dropped open.  

Tresk snapped her fingers. “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” she said. “Look, I see a dinosaur.” 

“I don’t even want to think of the implications,” Theo said, wiping sweat from his brow. He narrowed his eyes into the distance, taking stock of the strange landscape.

The scene before them was a lush jungle landscape. Tropical plants grew here and there while jagged peaks appeared far in the distance. Tresk’s lantern had the power to illuminate them even miles away. And true to the marshling’s words, there were dinosaur-like creatures roaming in a valley below. The alchemist looked over the edge of the cliff they stood nearby and shook his head.

“This place is massive,” Theo said. “And why is there life?”

“Doesn’t track with the way Leon is forming the planet,” Tresk said. “Did you see any life up there?”

Theo scanned his memories, nodding. “Insects, fish, and small mammals, but that’s about it. This might be some overflow container, or another technique I’m not familiar with.”

“Whatever it is, I wanna ride that dinosaur.”

Theo waved her away. “Go for it. I’m going to find the perfect spot for this crystal.”

Tresk scampered away with glee, giggling to herself the entire way. Theo surveyed the area and determined that almost anywhere would be perfect to place the crystal. As long as the creatures down here remained, it wouldn’t even matter if one of them found the crystal and ate it. They would eventually return to the planet. However, he figured it was best not to risk it. He equipped his Earth Sorcerer’s Core and drilled down, creating a hundred-foot-deep hole into which he unceremoniously dropped the crystal and immediately buried it.

“Job done, I guess,” Theo said, dusting his hands off. “Hope you don’t become a dinosaur ghost, Avalara.”

“Yeehaw!” Tresk shouted in the distance.

Theo turned, tracking the source of his companion’s voice before he found her in the valley below. Tresk sat atop the back of a creature that looked eerily similar to a stegosaurus. She was kicking it in the side, spurring it on to trample through the jungle. He did his best not to laugh, but their connection was growing so close that he could feel the joy flooding through her body and felt it in equal measure. Instead of yelling at her to be serious about it, he made his way down to the valley and picked out a triceratops of his own.

The creature was naturally reluctant to allow him on its back, so he jumped and held on for dear life. Just like the dinosaur Tresk had picked, this one went wild and trampled through the jungle. None of the tropical trees could withstand the force of his dinosaur’s rampage, causing palms to fall away with ease.

They rode dinosaurs for hours, until Theo had to question the ethics of it. But he couldn’t deny how fun it was to trample through the jungle. Other dinosaur-like creatures fled from their path, and there seemed to be no predators to swoop in to eat the tired herbivores.

“I’m adding that to my list of things we do every day,” Tresk said.

“Seems like a great way to get caught,” Theo said. “Maybe once a week.”

“Twice a week. Final offer,” Tresk said, reaching her hand out.

Theo refused to shake her hand. “Come on. Let’s see what other mischief we can get up to.”