Chapter 18: Like Hell-Broth Boil and Bubble

The cooking contraption was pleasantly easy to set up. It was at the top of my Recipe list with a labeled picture. Once I clicked the icon, it greyed out in the menu. Then there was an immediate rush of air and tangle of Leyline stitching within the fireplace. While I waited for the Neverwatch Pot to build itself, I Mana Dusted up some ashes around the place and deeper into the tunnel below.

I went to physically check the time outside, then kicked myself when I remembered I still couldn't see the sky. Naturally, there weren't any clocks in the house either. Unless they burned up in the fire. I already regretted not picking up that Power to see farther.

Instead, I measured time through the garden. Either the sun had just risen or would rise shortly. The grasshoppers had taken a bow, letting birdsong continue their chorus. Toadstool mushrooms poked up through a small compost heap and into the underbrush, then dropped a veil of black spores upon a passing snail.

For ever so brief a moment, a frog hopped out of the creek, then hopped back in.

Crepuscular creatures crept past. A few stray cats here and there. A doe with her fawn skirted by dew kissed the grass. All sure signs of dawn’s quiet approach.

The whole time I waited for my project to finish I kept busy. I continued to Mana Dust, Gardencraft quick repairs to walls and cabinets, pondered over a few thoughts, and overall just breathed in everything. Watching, listening, and feeling. Falling into the rhythms of man and nature.

The rest of the night was peaceful. Crisp, yet not cold.

Eventually, slow warmth graced the surface of my Dungeon.

The sunlight felt delightful. Like digging cold toes into a sandy beach. The Construction finished by the time the sun fully rose beyond the mountain.

I'll be honest, Milly. I thought it was going to be more like a stockpot. Or a Dutch Oven.

This, without a doubt, is a Cauldron.

It was smaller than I expected. A thick cast iron cauldron with a detachable lid, with two small, sturdy handles.

The Neverwatch cooking Pot hung from a newly created metal trammel hook and fireplace crane. The wide arc, swinging arm crane was attached to a bracket that had bolted itself into the brick fireplace. It seemed like an awfully elaborate setup just to boil some ingredients.

Tiptap had slept through the entire construction. Only waking after it's completion to cock her head, then let out a yawn before falling back asleep.

I sniffed. It felt awfully crowded in here between me, the contraption, and the cat.

My skeletal companion for the grave shift, Spinemess, had also appeared to have slept through most of it. His eyes had smoldered into deep green embers that glowed faintly in the morning light.

They sparked alight when I Soul Strolled over, taking a seat upon the couch beside him. "Good morning. Well, lazy bones, I've got good news and bad news. The good is that I might have figured out a way to fix you up. The bad? This way could also kill you and turn you into soup."

Spinemess looked up at the new Construction. His eyes widened. He frantically shook his head and gesticulated with his arms, repeatedly crossing them before his chest in an X-shape.

His humerus disagreed with the motions.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The arm bone popped off, taking with it his other hand, which flopped limply onto the floor.

I raised an eyebrow.

He turned to look away from me.

I waited. Patiently.

He scratched the top of his head with the ulna of his one remaining arm.

He shrugged, then looked into my avatar's eyes. He nodded slowly.

"Glad to hear it. I'll tell the other boys I need help putting you in the cauldron."

I pointed at the Neverwatch Pot, then toggled on the Pyreplace Simmer Power and mentally sprinkled a pinch of Mana into the Pot. I then Strolled downstairs to get some helping hands.

The cauldron lid rattled. Magical energy boiled and bubbled at the corners, like a witchy hell-broth froth.

True to the name, it did not spill.

Instead, it erupted.

A skull shaped plume of pink smoke poofed out of the cauldron. It arose into the chimney flue, then let out a ghastly howl that echoed through the cottage.

Spinemess's embers widened. He shook his head violently, spilling rivulets of emerald sparks across his lacrimals and down his cheekbones.

Whoops. That might have been more than a pinch.

For once, Jellybee was the one that protested. His voice sounded almost hurt as he spoke. "You want us both to stop digging. And drop Spinemess into ... a cooking pot? You want us to make..." His body sagged. His voice cracked. "Our friend a soup?"

"Heavens no! No, Jellybee." I reassured him with a smile and reached out a ghostly hand to grab his shoulder. "No, one pair of hands should be plenty enough to throw him in." I turned to the other skeleton. "Jimbo-no, wanna help me make–as Jellybee so eloquently put it–a ‘friend soup?’"

He hopped in place. "Oh, boy! Do I ever!" Jimbo-no clearly had no reservations whatsoever in regards to boiling alive one of his previous squadmates.

Jellybee sagged further.

"Chin up, Jellybee. It's for his own good. I promise. Besides, you are doing a great job here. I want you to keep up the good work on the tunnel. Look how far we've gotten!”

It was true. My Gardencrafting Skill had been put to good use with all the repairs I had been able to do to the house while waiting on the Neverwatch Pot to boil into reality. All thanks to having a steady supply of guilt free Mana.

"Think about it, lad!" Jimbo-no said. "Obviously there must be a good reason for this, Jellybee! I mean, I certainly can't think of any good reason. Granny Ethel must be off her rocker. This ship is going down with this captain. But ya know, I'm all there for it! Ya can count on me, Cap!" He cackled as he rattled up the stairs at a jog. "C'mere, ya little devil!"

There was the sound of struggle. Then another horrible howl rended itself from the chimney flue.

I rolled my eyes and Strolled away.

I reappeared next to the cauldron, greeted by a skeleton flailing about like it was trying to waltz with a macabre pogo stick, along with a new notification.

.

That sure took its sweet time, huh?

Contrary to the advertised name, I didn't fully trust this new process of minion rehabilitation. I had reason to believe it might work like I expected. And reasonable suspicion to believe I might have somewhat unintentionally sentenced one of my few minions to certain doom.

I watched the Neverwatch Pot. Peering inside its depths, more specifically, seeing right through it.. Like some sort of nightmarish ultrasound from Hell.

Sure enough, something was happening.

What, I couldn't say. I just knew the heat wasn't exactly breaking down the bones. More like, refining them?

I noted Tiptap was nowhere to be found amongst all the racket. I didn't blame her.

After Jimbo-no finished shoving Spinemess in and covered the Pot with the lid, a number engraved itself into the side of the vessel. It glowed a sickly green.

"Six? Is that a timer?" Jimbo-no asked.

"You know, that would make sense," I replied. "Do you suppose that's in hours? Or days?"

He shrugged. "Guess we'll find out. Welp, that was cathartic! Back to work. Did ya see how far we got? Must be twelve, maybe fourteen feet deep, I wager! Let's build a new room in the Dungeon next!" He walked down the stairs without even sparing the cauldron a second glance. “Oh, didn't ya say ya leveled up? What other goodies did ya get?”

I sighed. Time to confront the other choice I made.

These precious early morning hours could possibly be our last respite. I had to make every decision count. Including the Elemental kinds.