The Newt and Demon - Book 5 Chapters 7,8,9 (Patreon)

Chapter 7

Aarok’s Dream

Theo had grown to dislike laboring away in the Dreamwalk. When he went to bed that night, he corrected his thinking. The dream realm was a place to grind experience, while Tero’gal was the place where he could relax. With that in mind, he focused on raising his Drogramath cores, figuring they were the only way to increase his personal level. Now that both his cores matched in rarity, they leveled at about the same speed.

The alchemist rested in his bed, eyes wide open as he looked over his interface. Alchemy, Herbalist, and his personal level had all ticked up to 26. His poor [Toru’aun Mage’s Core] was still at Level 14. Xol’sa might have been mad, but it often took him a while to work himself up to a seething rage. Theo’s attributes were all over the place at this point. Tresk had told him that generalization was a good thing, so he dumped the latest point into Dexterity. One more point and he would be at 20 Dexterity, which would come with a boost. Every 10 attribute points came with the same boost, often providing a new realm of power.

While those realms of power weren’t documented very well, they were clear. Wisdom of the Soul suspected it was something to do with the way the system was incomplete. It was as though the mortal system wanted to segment people into ranks, but couldn’t.

“Busy day,” Tresk shook Theo, trying to pull him out of bed.

Theo reviewed his administrative interfaces, finding that Alise had created a schedule for the day. Nothing too intense. Open house at the Town Hall by mid-morning, tea with the administrators after that… oh yeah, and a monster wave at midday! Xol’sa had estimated the upcoming monster wave to be somewhere between Level 30 and 50. They had let the [River Dungeon] go for far too long, resulting in an accumulation of power. Since the dungeons converted that power into both quantity and quality of monsters, they were in for a ride.

“Quick breakfast,” Theo said, getting to his feet and slipping on his coat. “Then we have a strategy meeting with Aarok.”

“Yay,” Tresk said, twirling her index finger in the air. “Strategy meetings. My favorite.”

Honk!

“At least Alex found her place in the army.” Theo pat his familiar on the head. She was getting bigger by the day. If she stretched out her slender neck, it could reach up to his chest. Before long, she would be larger than Tresk.

The trio ate a quick breakfast before making their way to the adventurer’s guild. There were some new arrivals from Tarantham that would fight against the monster wave. Theo wanted to have hope in their abilities, but they looked worn down. Tired beyond anything that a potion would help, they needed bedrest and some leisure time before they were in fighting form. There were still a few among the new elves that stuck out to the alchemist. There was a young man with a [Coresmith’s Core] that shone amongst the rough gathering of laborers, artisans, and adventurers.

The problem with Coresmiths was their difficult learning curve. Or so Theo had heard. Like the [Drogramath Alchemy Core], the Coresmiths had a vast learning curve. The materials required to create any cores were also extremely expensive. It just reminded the alchemist that he still didn’t have the coin mint that Fenian promised.

Aarok’s office in the Adventurer’s Guild was always stuffy. Even with the air conditioner, he couldn’t seem to get the stale scent of body odor and dried monster blood out of the air. The half-ogre leader of the guild sat at the head of the table with a series of maps strewn out before him. There was no difference in their strategy for defense. Since Xol’sa could spawn the wave at will, they only needed to sit back and let the monsters come to them.

Theo could hardly pay attention as he thought of the [Living River Water] that the boss would drop. He interjected several times, making sure the adventurers knew to use as many freeze-style attacks as they could. That would ensure that his yield of water was maximized. If the boss’s water soaked into the river itself, or the ground, it would be useless.

“We get it, Theo.” Luras smiled over the table. “Alchemy reagents are more important than lives.”

“In some cases.”

Aarok shook his head, trying not to laugh. “We know what we’re doing. I’ve got units from Rivers and Gronro ready to go. They want to get out on the field and get some real-world practice.”

Theo didn’t like that part of the plan, but he didn’t have Aarok’s experience. If the grizzled half-ogre wanted to send some dwarves out to face fade or fald, that was on him. It wasn’t as though either race of water-dwelling monsters were difficult. So long as they were out of the water. There was one main difference compared to the last time Broken Tusk had defended against the [River Dungeon]. They now had a harbor, which bordered the southern section of the river. It stood to reason that the monsters would head there directly.

“We’re reorganizing the towers right now,” Aarok said, jabbing his finger into the map. “Stripping a few from the western wall, and installing one of Throk’s guns on the eastern wall just in case.”

Aarok’s finger traced a path over the wall. He pressed it into a section of the eastern wall nearest Miana’s ranch. Theo wasn’t sure they could mount a rail gun there, but he nodded anyway.

“We’ll need Theo to use his magic on the walls before we kick the wave off,” Luras traced his finger along the map.

They wanted Theo to ward most of the wall. It would require complex, interlinked wards that would take him hours to complete. The alchemist suppressed a groan, only looking up to nod resolutely at his commanders. He was comfortable overriding much of what his administration team told him, but matters of war? Yeah, that was best left to the experts. None of Earth’s spycrafting methods would work on a wave of monsters, so it was best to leave it there.

Aarok and Luras went over a few things. To Theo’s surprise, Zan’kir had a few things to say. Since he was now the captain of the newly formed defense-based unit, he had much to say. He mostly complained about having only one gunnery team.

“Your squads will still be at the piers,” Aarok gestured to that section of the map. “We’re not dropping our guard just because there’s a wave.”

“Understood,” Zan’kir said, nodding. “You’ll see the Sandscourge Company pull its weight today.”

Theo smiled as the pair patted each other on the back. It had taken Zan’kir a while to get over Khahar’s arrival. Well, if the alchemist really thought about it the Khahari man had betrayed Broken Tusk. Since the result was a [Kingdom Core] and a reunion with his old best friend, he let that all go. He also reflected on how nice it would be to have more Khahari in town. It was becoming more of an elven town with each passing day.

“That’s it,” Aarok said, clapping his hands together. “Everyone knows their post. We’ll have a town alert before we start. You’re all dismissed unless you have other duties.”

Theo, Tresk, and Alex lingered in the office as the others departed.

“Are you living out your boyhood dreams?” Theo asked, smiling at Aarok.

The half-ogre chuckled, running his fingers through his hair. “Somehow, I didn’t imagine it would be this stressful.”

Luras elbowed Aarok in the ribs. “Cheer up, commander. You were made for this job.”

“Hah! Something like that. At least we have the dungeons under Xol’sa’s yoke.”

Tresk and Alex remained in the commander’s office while Theo headed off. He made his way to the Newt and Demon, finding Salire handling town-related business. She was handing out their stock of bombs, enhancement potions, healing potions, and so on. Those things were earmarked for the town during emergencies, so they were either sold at a massive discount or given for free.

“I’m going to work on the new potions,” Theo said, patting Salire on the shoulder. She gave him a smile-grimace hybrid expression. “Let me know if you need help.”

Up in the lab, there was enough clutter to occupy Theo’s entire morning. He cleared away the mess into a crate, vowing to clean it properly later. Of course, he wouldn’t. Creating a proper third tier suffuse-based potion was going to be difficult. But the first part of that task was to distill as much liquor as possible. Banu had already delivered absurd amounts of [Zee Kernels] to the lab, allowing him to get ten mashes started. Once the distillation had started, the alchemist turned his attention to the bottles of [Refined Sow Essence] and [Refined Hallow Ground Essence].

Wisdom of the Soul popped, giving him some much-needed information. To create a proper tier three suffuse potion, he would need to use both essences to create an unbound dilution. It was a concept that was effortless to think about, but almost impossible for Theo to approach. Essence didn’t play well together. The [Suffuse Potion] took the essences and made them play nice. A [Unbound Enchanted Dilution] was just mana-infused alcohol that had an essence mixed in.

Theo clenched his teeth, tapped his foot, then drummed his fingers on a table for good measure. Another message claimed it could work if he introduced essences directly to the dilution. Maybe. An experiment was required.

The alchemist dug through his crates, finding a few bottles of liquor. He tilted his head to the side, searching through his near-perfect memory. There were at least three bottles missing. Someone had been getting drunk off of alchemical hooch. He shrugged, withdrawing a few flasks before heading downstairs. Salire was struggling to deal with the massive number of adventurers in the shop, so he sent a message to Gwyn. She arrived promptly, bowing at the door before entering with a gaggle of junior administrators.

Theo pointed at several crates within the lab. “Bombs, attribute potions, restoration potions. Prices are listed at the desk. Come on, Salire.”

The alchemist dragged the shopkeeper out of the building by the arm, despite her objections. They found their way to a secluded section of town, far enough away to prevent the spread of any fires. “Without my gravel yard, I need a new place to test explosive experiments.”

“Explosive? Should I be worried?”

“Explosions are a part of this life, Salire,” Theo said. It was hard not to smile at her. She was always so excited to explore new alchemy, then worried when they got to the part where things blew up. He placed a flask of liquor on the ground, then stepped back. “Third tier suffuse potions. So, I often thought of those potions as third tier already… so…”

“Does this mean you’re going to craft a fourth tier potion?”

“I guess we could think of it like that. Maybe third and a half? No, this batch is strictly third tier. We’re going to bind two second tier essences, then brew them into a suffuse potion. This is something else entirely.”

“Let me see if I understand the plan. We’re experimenting to see if we can make an [Unbound Enchanted Dilution] with two essences, which lets us brew third tier essences of either essence… and uh… we…”

Theo scratched his head. “Yeah, we’re doing something else entirely. We’re taking base essences and priming them to be only suffuse-made potions. We could distill each one on its own, then just bind it as a standard suffuse combination.”

“Seems like the result would be more powerful this way,” Salire said with a nod. “The potency would increase, because you’re telling the essence what it’s going to be in the end.”

That was a fun way to think about it. Since each essence, no matter how pure, had elements of another property from the base reagent, they were always imperfect. While a perfect potion didn’t exist, if they tailored each step toward the suffuse route, the resulting [Hallow the Soil] potions would be more potent by default. It might also affect the speed that the suffuse potion brewed.

“Phew!” Theo mopped his forehead reflexively, but he was perfectly comfortable. He experienced the sensation of being in a humid environment, but was perfectly content. His coat was paying for itself. He chugged a [Greater Vigor Potion], pausing for a moment as he felt himself become significantly more ‘tough,’ then proceeded with the experiment.

Theo created an unbound dilution with both essences, then observed how they interacted when introduced to the alcohol. As he watched, he noticed how the Zee liquor acted as barrier between the two essences. They didn’t want to react violently, as they were too busy being suspended in the solution. Both he and Salire stood back, expecting a violent reaction. But nothing happened.

“Okay. We learned something.”

“We still need to distill it. And we need a seed sample of both third-tier essences.”

“But look,” Theo said, holding the solution up. “It has both properties. Success?”

“Success,” Salire said, smiling softly. “Back to the lab.”

As annoying as it was, in order to make their special version of the suffuse potion, there was a lot of brewing to be done. It was too much work to get done before the monster wave, but that wouldn’t stop the duo from trying. First, they needed to create [Unbound Enchanted Dilution] for both potion types. After that, they needed to distill the resulting [Bound Enchanted Dilution] to create third tier essences for both properties.

Salire operated in a supporting capacity, often pulling the pipes around from the [Internal Liquid Storage] feature to dispense liquor. Theo handled all the measurements for all ten stills, relying on his [Unstable Material Handling] ability to prevent disaster. They split the stills in half, five working on the [Sow] property, and five for the [Hallow Ground] property. The result would generate five-thousand units of [Bound Enchanted Dilution], which would result in five-thousand units of the final [Hallow the Soil] potion. If the potion came out with the standard naming scheme of [Greater Hallow the Soil] it was third tier. If it was any other name, it was fourth tier.

Theo went downstairs to help Gwyn with the adventurers. After sorting those needy people out, he left Salire to manage the stills so he could ward the walls. The alchemist was cutting it close, but both projects were important. He joined with Xol’sa on the battlements, who was gazing off into the distance.

“Busy day,” Theo said, producing a bottle of [Mana Pills] from his inventory. He got to work, chanting the first layer of his [Defense] array.

“Ah, your wards are improving,” Xol’sa said, pausing and waiting for Theo to respond. But the alchemist was chanting a complex spell, and didn’t want to break his concentration. “Right. I can feel the way you’re lacing the magic over the wall. Since the wall is generated by the system, it's complex to interact with.”

Xol’sa had a lot of experience in messing with system-generated things. Ever since he got his [Dungeon Engineer’s Core], he had delved head-first into that realm. And he was far better than Theo at it. One thing the alchemist had noted was how willful the walls were. He found the same thing to be true with the integrated towers at the piers. Every layer of spellwork that was laid had to be done so expertly. It was like drawing a circle in chalk over a cracked sidewalk. Every line he made had to connect over those cracks, never breaking the form of the ward’s array.

Theo took a deep breath, popping a [Mana Pill] into his mouth and swallowing. “One down. A million to go.”

“You’re not practicing as much as I would like,” Xol’sa said, tutting. “But I suppose you’re busy. You know, I always wanted you to look at the wards that I’ve seeded throughout the swamp.”

“I have a feeling those wards are different. I doubt they work with Toru’aun’s magic.”

Theo felt Alex flying somewhere overhead. He focused on her for a moment, catching flashes of the ground below. Aarok had assigned her to keep an eye on the coast, making sure no interlopers came to ruin their day.

“I’m learning plenty by just watching you. Dronon magic is strange, isn’t it?”

“Why?” Theo asked, waiting before he began the next ward.

“Spells are typically cast through three modes. Chanting, somatic gestures, or channeled. Remember how I had you learn Axpashi? That is the language you’re supposed to be chanting when you form a ward. But you’re not drawing from raw magical energy, you’re pulling from Toru’aun’s realm directly.”

“That sounds problematic.”

“It’s the problem with all aligned cores. I wonder… can you feel Toru’aun’s power as you channel?”

Theo thought about that for a moment. He had been exposed to a lot of godly power. Ever since he arrived in this world, the area was so soaked with Drogramath’s raw power that it was hard to tell what was normal. Even though he had ventured to Rivers and Daub, he still felt the lingering effects of that energy on his body. When he drew from his [Toru’aun Mage’s Core], he felt something.

“She’s so subtle,” Theo said, shaking his head. “It’s like feeling for that one spot of warm water in an icy stream. I can sense it for a moment, but no longer. It slips through my hands before I realize which god’s power is flowing through me.”

“That might be a problem caused by your patron. Drogramath. How does it feel being a champion?”

Once again, Theo was reminded that he had always been a champion. He didn’t know what it was like to be a normal Drogramathi Alchemist, so he couldn’t say. “I’d bet that was the problem. Wisdom of the Soul agrees.”

Xol’sa nodded, fiddling with his robes. “Speaking of. I was wondering if you could make one of those for me.”

“A soul potion? Which one?”

“Intelligence, of course.”

“Absolutely. Give me three to four days.”

“At your leisure.”

Theo turned his attention back to the wall. At least Xol’sa was mad that he hadn’t been keeping up with his magical studies. It was hard enough juggling his other cores, let alone one that needed such intensive research. The alchemist fell into a rhythm in his chanting, finding it easier to weave the complex wards by the hour. Before he knew it, the monster wave was ready to kick off.

Chapter 8

Intruder

Theo drummed his fingers on the battlement’s edge, humming a tune as he waited for things to align. Aarok and his boys sure did like to make things official. Gathered in neat rows below were the forward-facing units of Gronro’s shield bangers. The alchemist didn’t have a better name for them. The damned dwarves were as likely to kill the monsters through sonic means as they were through swords and spears. He had never seen a more rowdy group of people, even considering the half-ogres in Broken Tusk.

Luras had given the alchemist a boring job, which was understandable. Theo was on support duty, defending the back-liners and carting potions around like some glorified merchant’s cart. The more he looked down at the soon-to-be battlefield, the more he appreciated his role on the wall. Tresk moved somewhere in the shadows, urging her squad into various positions, then changing her mind. Rowan was with her, but Sarisa remained back.

“Standard monster wave stuff,” Theo said. “Nothing ever goes wrong in a monster wave.”

“Sounds like a good way to curse us all.” Sarisa shook her head.

Broken Tuskers weren’t superstitious. They were practical people. Still, it was better not to tip some cosmic scale with snide comments like that. Theo cleared his throat, then nodded. “Good point. What do you think is going to happen?”

Sarisa fanned herself with her hand, breathing a frustrated breath. “We’re going to sit out in this heat. Then we’re going to fight, which will make me hotter. Then I’ll complain, and we’ll go home when it’s done.”

“You should get one of these coats.” Theo fanned his coat out to either side, flapping it to provide a breeze for his assistant. “Maybe they could provide us with cool drinks while we fight.”

“Do you understand you are the ‘they’ in this situation?” Sarisa cracked a smile.

“Oh. That’s right.”

Aarok made a few announcements about Xol’sa starting the monster wave. Theo waited patiently on the wall, focusing on the river far in the distance. A shot of pain ran through his head for a moment, forcing him to grab at the area. He found only hair and horns, discovering no sign that he was wounded. The pain pulsed with the beat of his heart, quickening by the moment. The alchemist pitched over to one side, caught by Sarisa as he tumbled to the ground. Bells sounded throughout the town as fish-like creatures emerged from the river.

“What happened?” Sarisa asked, pressing her fingers into the alchemist’s head. She withdrew her hand, finding no blood.

[Wisdom of the Soul]

It is reasonable to assume that your connection to the town also connects you to the dungeon. Since you selected Tero’gal as one patron realm for Broken Tusk, you are tied to the mysterious magic of the dungeons.

“Did you feel that?” Theo asked Tresk through their mental connection.

“Yeah, like someone just drove a spike through my dome. What the hell was that?”

Theo explained what the Wisdom of the Soul message had told him, but he could offer no more information. He could only assume that the things Xol’sa was doing to the dungeon weren’t natural, and there was some kind of feedback. But the pain had gone as quickly as it came, leaving him as soon as the wizard completed his work. The alchemist stood, patting his assistant on the shoulder.

“I’m fine. That can’t be good, but… I’m still alive.”

Sarisa maintained the worried expression on her face, but nodded. “Whatever you say, archduke.”

Any adventurer on the wall could see the perfection of combat that the shield bangers from Gronro performed. Theo admired their formations, watching as they split into defined groups, spread out, or formed various shapes. The first wave of monsters slammed into them, joining in a wild melee. Broken Tusk’s version of cavalry showed up next, sweeping in from either side and harrying the monsters. Marshlings rode wolves, charging in from the side with flashing weapons and gnashing teeth.

“Do they even need us?” Theo asked, leaning against the wall.

“The boss hasn’t appeared yet. Think we’ll get another water elemental?”

“That’s what I’m hoping for.” Theo stared at the river. Under that current was the [River Dungeon]. The boss would spawn once it had released enough monsters.

Zarali and Xol’sa appeared on the wall after some time. They were holding hands and grinning at each other.

“Fine day for a stroll,” Theo said.

“It is. Isn’t it?” Xol’sa said.

“Actually…” Theo explained the pain he felt in his head when the wave started. “Not sure if that’s normal.”

“Nothing is normal with you, alchemist.” Xol’sa could only offer a shrug. “You could have a connection with the dungeons. We already know the dungeons are connected to the realms, so it makes sense. Why you experienced pain is beyond me.”

“It could be the effect of power siphoning,” Zarali said, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “My brother might know something more.”

And Theo could take Zarali to see the guy now. That wasn’t a subject he had broached yet. Interdicting a mortal from this plane to a heavenly plane was risky business. There was no guarantee that Uz’Xulven would let them pass. Tresk was getting better at that by the day, but compared to an actual god? She didn’t stand a chance.

“I don’t know if I should say this. But I can bring you to Tero’gal,” Theo said, holding his hands up to silence his adoptive sister. “But I can’t say for sure.”

“I remember what happened when I looked at your realm.” Xol’sa leveled an accusatory look at the alchemist. “How can you be sure you can bring her?”

“We brought Fenian. So it’s… Ugh,” Theo’s eyes fluttered. He fell back, caught once again by Sarisa. The alchemist grabbed her arm, gritting his teeth.

Xol’sa, Sarisa, and Zarali were shouting something to him, but all Theo could hear was the sounds of battle below. He focused on that chorus of voices, shouting war cries and slamming shields. But there were no shields. He couldn’t hear them anymore. His mind swirled, drifting away from the mortal plane until it snapped onto Tero’gal.

Tresk picked up on Theo’s intentions before he executed his thoughts. With one hand he grabbed Sarisa, and the other Zarali. The world swirled around them, finally breaking until the trio tumbled through the realms. The two women shouted as they fell over the Bridge. Uz’Xulven was somewhere below. He couldn’t tell where, but he felt her approval flood over him. Reality parted again and the group floated over Tero’gal, falling gently into a crowd of confused spirits.

“Theo!” Zarali shouted.

“Tero’gal is under attack,” Theo said, spinning to point in the distance. A section of the sky had buckled, revealing a twisted indentation.

Sarisa had her spear and shield out in a snap, then took a position between Theo and the intrusion. Tresk appeared a moment later, daggers flashing from her hips.

“Where they at!?” she screamed. “I’m gonna gut them!”

“Sister!” Belgar shouted somewhere in the distance.

Theo, Tresk, and Sarisa left Zarali behind. They dashed across the landscape of the realm, heading for the strange anomaly in the sky. The alchemist wouldn’t soon forget the way his assistant fell into line, charging through a strange realm at a hole in the sky without a question. They ran as quickly as they could through the rolling hills and low valleys until they came to stand beneath the scar.

“What now?” Tresk asked. “How am I gonna stab that?”

A tense silence settled in over the glade. The chirping of insects issued from every direction, joining with the low whistle of the wind through the trees. Theo kept his sight locked on the section of the realm that had been torn open. He felt Tresk spread her senses through the realm. She poked her mind into the defensive towers, but they were inactive.

“Is this an attack?” Theo asked, looking around in confusion. “Wouldn’t the towers be active?”

Sarisa dug the end of her spear into the ground. She shook her head. “I have no clue. I’m new here.”

The scar in the sky looked as though someone had dragged a massive claw over a pale blue sheet, revealing a void of black on the other side. The edges were jagged, glowing with an energy that pulsed with the beat of Tero’gal’s heart. Standing there for long moments that stretched to hours, the group waited. Waited until the scar shivered, and something fell out.

“Is that a… What is that? A squirrel?” Tresk asked.

“What is a squirrel?” Sarisa asked.

The creature that had fallen out of the scar looked like a glowing red squirrel. Like the spirits of the realm, it was ethereal. Pulsing with a slow rhythm, the creature looked up and cleared its throat.

“Apologies for the intrusion.” The creature didn’t move its mouth. Sound just issued from its being with a chime-like quality. “We couldn’t find another way to communicate.”

“Yeah? Spit it out before I stab you, squirrel,” Tresk said, crouching low. She was preparing to strike.

“You have reason to distrust me. I know that. But we have no one else to turn to.”

Theo felt his stomach drop. He recognized the voice. It was a voice he had hoped to never hear again. “Uharis.”

“Ah, was it that obvious?”

Uharis had been a pain in Theo’s ass since the start. He was an inquisitor, along with the High inquisitor Sulvan Flametouched, who had given him trouble in the past. Their plot to control Theo’s life had failed spectacularly. The result was the destruction of their patron and the annihilation of their cores. But not before Khahar sent them to the damn moon.

“How’s the moon?”

The squirrel shuffled its legs, huffing. “It’s boring. And cold. Which is why I’m here. Well, I’m not here. This is a spell that I’ve cast at great personal expense. Sulvan and I…”

“Shut up!” Tresk shouted. “Your dumb ass is stuck on the moon and that’s that.”

Theo turned, nodding with approval to the marshling. He watched as she closed her eyes, mustering all the concentration she could.

“Wait. Before you banish me, listen to what I have to say. My patron is dead. I am without a home. We could be vital to rebuilding the continent. We…”

Tresk reached out, closing her hand in the air. Theo felt her wrap her will around the scar, then force it shut with sheer power of will. The squirrel screamed something unintelligible before the opening closed with a snap. Drawing labored breaths, the marshling fell to one side. Sarisa was there to catch her, easing her to the ground.

“Sulvan Flametouched?” Sarisa asked, a wild expression in her eyes. “Grand Inquisitor of the Burning Eye? You’re kidding.”

“Indeed. He’s ascendant.” Theo tried to force his thoughts to gather, but they wouldn’t. Tresk did the right thing by shutting the intrusion, but would this be the end of it? Their request was obvious, though. They wanted a path back to the mortal plane through Tero’gal. Which means they had already tried to convince Uz’Xulven to let them use the Bridge, and she denied them. “Can we summon Uz?”

“I’m not doing much of anything,” Tresk groaned. “That took a lot out of me.”

Theo scooped his companion up, then walked back to the center of Tero’gal. Sarisa followed behind, the spear still clutched firmly in her hands. As expected, he found Benton, Belgar, and Zarali dancing near a large fire near the village. Other spirits roamed around, performing their own dances. It was a joyous reunion, and the alchemist couldn’t help but smile. Tresk could stand on her own by the time they returned.

“What happened?” Belgar asked, breaking away from the celebration.

“I’m not sure. Benton, do you know how to summon Uz’Xulven?”

“Summon a demon god? Here? To Tero’gal? Uh…” Benton furrowed his furry brows, shaking his head.

But the bear-god’s keen wisdom wasn’t needed. Theo felt something swirl in the back of his mind, echoing throughout the realm. It was a request for interdiction. He accepted it, then waited. A shadowy gate appeared, rising from the earth as though pushed from below. The center of the portal was an impenetrable mass of shadows. The figure that stepped through was obscured, but her dress dragged behind her.

Theo gritted his teeth for a moment, then let out a breath. “Tea?”

Uz’Xulven gestured vaguely in the direction of the cottage. Theo left everyone behind as he and the Queen of the Bridge of Shadows followed close behind. She snapped the door shut when they entered the cottage, then took a seat. For the first time, the alchemist watched as the shadowy veil dropped from her visage. She was a noble-looking dronon with charcoal-black skin. The swoop of her horns was elegant, decorated with jewelry. An ornate diadem rested atop her head, glittering with black jewels.

Theo got to work on the tea.

“Quite cozy for a mortal realm.”

“This is the only mortal realm.”

“Hmmm.”

Theo set the kettle on the fire, then added some moss. An awkward silence set in as he brewed the tea. Uz’Xulven gazed into the distance, her expression unreadable. She accepted his invite to the realm, so that was a good start. Maybe the patrons were starting to see him as something other than an annoying gnat on their butts. He didn’t even know it was possible for folks from the higher realms to come down to this level. Then again, Tero’gal was weird like that.

“So, you have an annoying wizard pestering you, too?”

“Indeed. He assaulted my realm.”

“Hah! Just like wizards, isn’t it? Poking in matters that are far above them.” Uz’Xulven still held no expression on her face. She didn’t even make eye-contact with Theo.

The alchemist prepared the tea, pouring a cup out for both of them.

“Do you have any advice?”

Uz’Xulven sipped the tea, nodding with approval. “Most people put too much sugar in their tea. Too much sugar, too much honey. That takes away from the flavor, doesn’t it? How is one to appreciate the subtle flavors of a drink when it’s sickly sweet?”

“Is that a metaphor?”

“Yes. Don’t dilute your realm with fallen angels. The spell Uharis Banetouched cast is incredibly difficult. He won’t have it in him to cast it again for quite some time.”

The door swung open. Khahar grunted as he entered. He closed the door behind him, then took a seat at the table and poured himself a cup of tea. “Howdy.”

“Oh, don’t you ‘howdy’ me, you usurper,” Uz’Xulven hissed.

“Funny that you turned to this old bag before me,” Khahar said.

“Old bag!? Oh, you’re funny. Nothing like a drunk Moscovian asshole to run the realms.” Uz’Xulven pushed herself back, then slumped in her chair.

“Funny. It took you a few thousand years to show me your face.” Khahar flashed a toothy smile.

“We have more in common than you think,” Uz’Xulven muttered. “He looks up to me. Don’t you, Theo?”

“Uh, well.” Theo paused for a moment. Maybe a moment too long. “I’ve always looked up to you. The Bridge has always been important to my people.”

“See? He practically loves me. Might take an Uz’Xulven core as his next. And we’re kin. Blood is a strong connection, Khahar.”

“The blood of the brother is…”

“Shush! I’m still mad at you.”

“So, about Uharis…” Theo looked awkwardly between the two patrons.

“I denied him entry because he was rude.” Uz’Xulven folded her arms. “He sent them to the moon. Not me.”

Khahar sipped his tea. “That’s up to you, Theo.”

“What would you do?”

“I’d let them in. Then bind them with so many contracts that they could never hope to escape. Sulvan has requested godhood at least five times every day since he was banished. He has sought other ways to escape Antalis.”

Uz’Xulven made a disgusted face. “I can’t believe you sent them to the dark moon. The people there are rude.”

“That they are.”

Khahar, Uz’Xulven, and Theo enjoyed their tea. No one said anything for quite some time, leaving the alchemist to his thoughts. There was no way to go about this that didn’t ruffle feathers.  Both Uharis and Sulvan had been massive jerks when they were on the planet. They threw their weight around, attempting to manipulate him into doing what they wanted. They were even part of the plan to make him serve the Burning Eye. Only Drogramath’s intervention saved him from that fate.

But Theo couldn’t help but see a lot of Yuri in Khahar’s eyes. They were once enemies, weren’t they? Both had orders to kill each other, and both had avoided doing it. After a few scuffles, sure, but they grew to be close friends after that. If there was a path to redemption for the pair, the alchemist would help find it.

“Would Glantheir give them cores?” Theo asked, leaning in over the table.

Khahar smiled again. “There he is. The clever man I knew.”

“Glantheir gives cores to those who take vows. Binding vows, mind you,” Uz’Xulven said. “Could I have more tea?”

“Certainly,” Theo said, busying himself by brewing more tea.

“If you get them both to take Glantheir cores, they’ll be forced to do the right thing.

“Looks like I have an ultimatum to give them.”

Chapter 9

A Trip to the Realm

Belgar and Zarali hugged each other endlessly. They cried, laughed, and ‌had a good time in each other’s company. The souls in Tero’gal were happy to see more mortals in their realm, giving them a sense of energy they hadn’t felt since their mortal lives. Uz’Xulven and Khahar had departed after arguing over petty things, but that was to be expected. The Queen didn’t get what she wanted in his takeover and felt jilted.

“Do I have to go back?” Zarali asked, turning to give Theo those puppy-dog eyes.

“If you stay, you’ll be here for almost a year. We’re also not sure how well mortals do in Tero’gal.”

Sarisa raised her hand. “I don’t wanna stay.”

“Me either,” Tresk said, swaying on the spot.

“Uz’Xulven is warming up to Theo,” Belgar said, hugging his sister again. “She might let you visit more often.”

“Heh. I’ll be able to overpower her soon enough.” Tresk rubbed her hands together.

Theo didn’t care either way. Zarali could stay, or she could go, but his time in the realm was limited. At least he understood what that shooting pain in his head was. He couldn’t help but consider letting Uharis and Sulvan into his realm. They had wronged him, but if they took Glantheir’s cores, the world would be a better place. The Elven God of Healing was the only patron who had cores effective against the undead. If you didn’t count the tangential effect Drogramath’s cores had on them.

The group lingered in the realm for some time. They had twenty-four hours to kill, so Theo took Sarisa on a tour of the realm. She was struck by how massive it was. The hills and valleys stretched on forever, and he brought her to the sea he had created. Swimming in the shallow places near the sandy shore were little fish that darted around. The latest upgrade, [Simulated Reality], had introduced animals to the realm.

“This is an entire world, isn’t it?” Sarisa asked, marveling at the fish.

“Almost. It’s not as large as a real planet, but we’re getting there. One soul at a time.”

“You pluck souls from the void, then give them a home? Reminds me of something.”

Theo nodded. This was the same thing he was doing with Broken Tusk. In his town, he harbored those that didn’t have another place to go. Refugees from the elven wars, mostly. Here in Tero’gal, the spread of races was vast. They were mostly dronon, but not exclusively. Sarisa had a lot of questions about the realm. It was one thing to hear about it, but to experience it was altogether different. The passage of time was something that caught people off guard. Even Fenian had trouble keeping a handle on the way time moved in here.

As time went on, both Zarali and Sarisa seemed less eager to stay in the realm. It wore on them strangely, completely dissimilar to the way it wore down spirits. They weren’t just uninvited, they didn’t belong. Tresk had recovered enough to stand, and had gained enough of her energy to face the monster wave that waited for them. Theo grabbed both women as he prepared to depart, not willing to put the strain on his companion.

“Uz’Xulven should be more eager to send us through this time,” Theo said, holding on tight. “She showed me her face, after all.”

The realms parted, allowing the group easy passage back to the mortal plane. Theo targeted the place where he had departed on the wall, spotting the scenes of battle from a distance. Only a few minutes had passed since they left. Xol’sa was tapping his foot impatiently as they appeared.

“What was that about?”

“Realm was under attack.” Theo leaned over the wall, checking the battle. It hadn’t moved much. “Uharis was trying to break in, so we slapped him on the wrist. I thought I would need Zarali and Sarisa, but I didn’t.”

“So you interdicted them? Seems risky.”

That was true, but Theo wasn’t thinking when he did it. He had just snatched the two closest people that could have made a difference in a fight. While he was confident in his throwing abilities, he could only do so much. But what he learned was that he could drag along mortals into his realm, so long as he stayed on Uz’Xulven’s good side. She seemed to like him. Perhaps she would make for a keen poker player in the future. That shadowy face could come in handy when bluffing.

Zarali was excited to be reunited with Xol’sa. They hugged and kissed before the Drogramathi Priestess went over the story of her adventure. There was a look of jealousy on the wizard’s face. But the more excited Zarali got, the less he seemed to mind that she had gone without him. The adventurers fought below as the pair warmed up to each other again.

Alex circled overhead, feeding information to Tresk who then fed it to Aarok. The monsters were well contained near the river at first, but they were getting the upper hand. Each monster outleveled the adventurers by at least ten, and they were gaining momentum. The front-liner shield bangers were performing a fighting retreat, coming under the protective gaze of the towers. The rail gun hadn’t fired yet, reserving its deadly ice-based rounds for the boss.

“They sure looked practiced,” Theo said, chuckling as he looked down on the fighters. The back-liners covered them as they retreated while the towers did the heavy lifting.

“At this rate, we’ll see the boss,” Sarisa said.

Theo’s assistant remained close, although there seemed to be little danger. But she took her job seriously, and remained on her guard. The only problem was that her visit to Tero’gal had placed a haze over her eyes. It was as though she was back in that realm, frolicking in those fields and playing in that water. The alchemist just smiled, remembering his initial shock when he visited the Dreamwalk for the first time.

“There she is,” Sarisa said, gesturing toward the river.

Theo had fallen into his own thoughts and hadn’t noticed the swirling waters of the river. He narrowed his eyes, waiting for the boss to spawn. Sure enough, the moment the boss’s head poked out of the water, he got a notification.

[Boss Monster] spotted! River Lady Zara has been sighted. This monster is stronger than regular monsters, use caution.

The boss removed itself from the river, sloughing over the edge and sending waves of herself crashing forth. Theo rubbed his hands together, salivating at the chance to get more [Living River Water]. He had made sure his people were stocked with ice-based attacks this time. Between the towers, bombs, and the rail gun, there was enough ice to freeze the entire boss solid. The alchemist flinched as the sound of the rail gun firing sounded throughout the town. Most everyone else gathered there also felt the shock of the round.

Before River Lady Zara had even removed herself from the river, a sizable chunk of water had been removed from her head. The area surrounding the hole had frozen over and was spreading quickly. As with most things involving monster waves, things went slightly sour. The monsters rushed forward, assaulting both the eastern gate, and the harbor gate. Several creatures pushed through and the defenders within the town swooped in to support the retreating adventurers.

Theo withdrew a bone throwing knife from his inventory, and tossed it into the wild mass of monsters below. It impacted one in the chest, sending it falling on its back. Then the field of [Dragon’s Dance] erupted, shredding the nearby monsters into a fine mist.

“Oh, that’s effective.”

But between the towers and the adventures with ranged weapons on the walls, Theo’s warded throwing daggers weren’t making the impact he had hoped for. The boss monster waded through the field of monsters, caring little for its own kind. Creatures were washed aside with the tide of living river water, casting them away from the area in a great torrent. Zan’kir barked orders to his companies, focusing on the boss. Several of the gross fish-people scaled the walls, using the piles of fallen monsters as ladders.

“Watch it,” Sarisa said, sweeping her massive spear through the air. The few unfortunate monsters that got in the way were sent tumbling back to their deaths. The air filled with the scent of stagnant water and stinking monsters. The half-ogre bashed her shield forward, sending more monsters over the edge.

Theo’s wards sprung up as the water elemental struck out at the wall. A shimmering, prismatic barrier caught her attack. The water that remained fell over it, falling to the ground and sweeping some monsters away. The barrier cracked in places, but remained mostly stable. Each shot from the [Frost Cone Towers] staggered the boss’s attacks, slowing the creature more by the moment. Adventurers tossed bombs, freezing it further.

This was the most chaotic boss encounter the alchemist had witnessed in Broken Tusk. Well, aside from the troll that broke through the wall. That was bad. But with all the weapons they had accumulated, and all the levels each adventurer had gained, he thought this was going to be a simple fight. When his barrier cracked overhead, he realized how wrong he was. Sarisa held her shield high, and Theo tucked underneath it. Even her strength couldn’t hold back the river. It sent both of them tumbling off the wall, and onto the ground below.

Fresh air refused to draw into Theo’s lungs. Desperate to suck in a lungful, he rolled on the ground, clutching fresh wounds on his head. He chugged a [Greater Healing Potion] and turned his attention skyward. The half-frozen water elemental loomed, striking out at anyone who was near. From his prone position the alchemist tossed a bone dagger, watching it arc before impacting the ground near him.

More freezing bombs flew through the air, freezing outreaching appendages. Magically infused arrows impacted the boss, sending large chunks of ice slamming into the ground. Theo rolled to one side, still taking enough blunt impacts to inflict damage. Powerful hands scooped him up, dragging him away from the fray. The space between the eastern gate and Miana’s farm had become a wild battle with no defined front. Aarok barked orders somewhere in the distance, corralling the willful adventurers to do his bidding.

There was some kind of strategy at use here. Theo finally found his feet, turning to spot Zan’kir smiling at him. The Khahari didn’t remain there long. He darted off, joining with the adventurers to batter the fish-people back.

“I underestimated the quantity,” Xol’sa said, jogging up to stand near Theo.

The alchemist held his hand out and channeled a spell. An uncomfortable sensation spread through his body. The unfamiliar act of creating a ward in real-time, rather than imbuing an item with the effect, felt like using his non-dominant hand for a task. Eventually, a defensive ward sprung up around him and Xol’sa, glittering with the prismatic light of Toru’aun.

“That’s why we have Aarok,” Theo said, gritting his teeth. A chunk of ice fell, impacting the barrier and falling away as smaller shards. “Maybe we should get more walls.”

Aarok slipped through the barrier, clapping a hand on Theo’s shoulder. “This is a lovely forward command post. You! Tighten up that formation! Don’t let them go north!”

“I could do without the shouting.”

“You’ll live. Saw you take a tumble. Everything turning right in that head of yours?”

“Fine. Just fine.” Theo focused on his ward, feeling mana trickle from his chest as he maintained the form of the spell.

“Theo acting as a real defensive mage.” Xol’sa tutted, swiping his hand through the air. A complex array formed, causing his spell to fulminate in moments. Twenty monsters were sent spiraling off into the void. “Careful. Aarok might reassign you for the next fight.”

“Yeah, I’m thinking about it.” Aarok grunted, swiping through the air as he interacted with his military interface. Theo pulled that screen up, nodding with approval. The commander was drawing lines on the map, directing the adventurers into various positions. “For now, he’s my mobile command post. Can you move this thing?”

Theo nodded. He could move it, although it would be laborious. The water elemental was staggering back, losing more of her form by the moment. Pushing forward, and dragging the barrier along with him, the alchemist spotted the damage to the wall. It was far worse than the time the troll broke through. A large section of the wall had been destroyed, taking Throk’s rail gun with it.

“We’ll be ready for the bonus wave. No way this elemental lasts much longer.”

“Zarali is ready. I’m almost certain we’re getting a new wave modifier.”

“I could use the rewards,” Aarok muttered.

Theo could only maintain his barrier. The words of Toru’aun’s poems repeated in his mind, barely holding on to the shape of the shield. They passed by large chunks of [Living River Water]. It was enough to stock his lab for a long time, providing him with the valuable [Tunneling Potion]. But for now, he walked. Aarok shouted. And Xol’sa tossed spells around. The alchemist was happy he wasn’t in charge of the fight. It was a chaos only Aarok could manage.

The fight went on for longer than it should have. Everyone held their breath collectively as the elemental fell, waiting for the system message to appear.

[Boss Monster] defeated! River Lady Raza has been slain. Bonus Wave!

[Bonus Wave!] Broken Tusk defeated the monster wave in 3 hours! Bonus wave: [Death From Above].

[Death From Above]

Monster Wave

Duration: 30 minutes

A strange creature has spawned high in the sky. This creature will continue to descend, destroying everything if it touches the ground. Inflict enough damage on the creature to avoid being crushed!

Effects:

1 Boro’tal has spawned high in the sky. It will descend at a constant rate until it hits the ground.

Increased reward for completing the monster wave.

“That’s a new one!” Aarok shouted. All eyes in the town turned skyward.

A mountain had appeared in the sky. It blocked out the sun, casting a massive shadow over Broken Tusk. If it wasn’t bad enough that a mountain was falling on the town, the monsters from the wave still lingered around, fighting in the streets of Broken Tusk. Theo saw Zan’kir run, shouting orders to his gunnery teams. Within only a few moments, explosions issued from the mountain above. Large sections of rock fell, impacting the ground. Theo winced from the blast wave of his improvised explosive bombs, barely holding on to his barrier.

“Zarali! Don’t cast it!” Aarok shouted.

But Zarali was already chanting a spell. She couldn’t hear Aarok over the sound of a falling mountain. The [Blessing of Drogramath] spell fulminated, filling every defender with increased power. Theo’s heart skipped a beat as he referenced his memory of the effect.

[Blessing of Drogramath]

Spiritual Effect

Duration: 24 hours

A priest or priestess of Drogramath has blessed you with power. You will receive a series of buffs based on the caster’s willpower.

Effect:

Increased effectiveness of combat (increased Strength, Dexterity, Vigor by +10).

Double the effectiveness of all potions used while under this effect.

“Oh, crap,” Theo muttered. “If Zan’kir shoots another potion, he’ll…”

The Boro’tal overhead shattered. Massive sections of stone fell off, careening down toward the town. Theo spread his will as far as it would go, extending his barrier to a breaking point. He watched as a town-sized chunk of mountain hurtled toward him. In an instant, the mountain vanished. A system message appeared.

[Monster Wave] complete!

1,080 Monsters Destroyed!

30 gold bonus (paid to the Leader of Broken Tusk).

Bonus for defeat both wave bosses:

Obtained: [Tulwar of the Stalker].

Obtained: 5 gold, 1 silver, 82 copper.

[Broken Tusk] gained new effect: [Defensive Effects].

Theo’s ears rang from the effect of the enhanced bomb annihilated the creature. He was glad that the thing vanished when the wave completed. Even if they won, that would have been a disaster for the town. Looking around, the damage didn’t seem that bad. Some buildings took hits, but the walls earned the bulk of the attack.

“Why did it give me a sword?” Theo asked, holding up the massive weapon the system granted him.

“Well, that didn’t go as planned.” Aarok laughed it off, but there was an edge of nervousness in his voice. “I was expecting a normal boss.”

“And Zan’kir just had to take it into his own hands.”

“Could have ended much worse.”

All Theo could do was shrug. The adventurers had done well to use as many freezing bombs as they could. Piles of frozen [Living River Water] were strewn throughout the town. This was going to be a hell of a cleanup effort.