Chapter 121: From fighting a goliath to building a mountain.
I awoke damp and sweaty, images still fluttering across my eyes. Blinking to get rid of the afterimages of my dreams. Taking deep and slow breaths, hoping it will ease my beating heart.
An intense nightmare having plagued my early morning rest. A nightmare occasionally is alright, but that was far too realistic. The memories have already started to dissipate from my mind. Which I am grateful for, that is for sure.
“Let’s not dream of chains and murder for a while? How does that sound, subconscious?” If it could respond, I would hope it would say, “yes, that is fine.” Alas, the subconscious does not listen to the woes of the conscious.
Getting up from bed, I fold my sheets over my table to let them dry. Not a perfect solution, but I am in no mood to clean sheets after waking so abruptly. I must have only gotten a few hours of sleep before being rudely awakened.
“No use crying over spilled milk; let’s get on with our day.” Walking towards the kitchen, I am followed by Chic. To watch one of her pranks or sneak some food? Only time will tell.
Walking through into the pearly white room unencumbered by webs of any kind. “Must be the latter.” With no wish to speak so soon, I keep my wits about. On alert for any unseen traps that may spring; you never know.
Having reached the kitchen, ever vigilant of traps. I neglected to think of what to make. “Oops… Well, what should I make?” Asking no one in particular.
I had hoped for inspiration, it did not come. So without it, I had to manually go through the list of breakfast items I enjoy. Settling on something among the college dorm style.
Taking a loaf of bread, I slice an opening in the top. A large rectangle angled towards the middle for the top. I slowly remove a large amount of the internal bread, leaving a hollow space.
Taking butter, I melt it down in a pan. Once fully melted, I filter off the top. Dividing it into ghee and clarified butter. Storing the ghee for another day, I turn to the butter.
This is the best thing since sliced bread. Taking the opportunity to add seasoning and some herbs. A sparing amount of hard herbs. I allow it to cool until the runny liquid has thickened to a rich oil consistency.
Taking a brush, I slowly lather the internal part of the bread with the butter. Thinly, but evenly I spread the butter over the entire cavity. Once done, I begin to layer cheese and meat inside. Adding the occasional layer of roasted tomatoes between the pork and beef.
I don’t pack it, allowing it to be loose and light. Finishing it by replacing the top and brushing it with egg yolk. I put it in the oven at a log temperature for about an hour.
The time between the preparation and presentation was torturous. Hunger having overstayed its welcome. Alas, I am in the mood for meaty and greasy. Using books to pass the time, I nearly burnt my delectable treat. Chic having long since scampered off; in favor of finding their own meal.
Yet, they quickly returned. I opened the oven, releasing a wonderful smell. This attracted the spider hastily. Placing the loaf on the side, I slowly slice into it. Revealing a beautiful cross-section of gooey cheese, hot meat, and steaming tomatoes.
Me and Chic alone demolished the breakfast. Enjoying the heavenly meal sent from the Gods. I say that, but I made it; Felix is not stealing any credit from me. I pat my round stomach in happiness, finding amusement as Chic attempts to do the same. The poor spider ate so much they remind me of a wheel of cheese.
“Shouldn’t have eaten so much,” I say to the spider, who attempted to walk towards me. Failing to do so, they just angrily hiss in my general direction. Rolling my eyes at the drama queen, I head out. Leaving the softball shaped spider to their fate.
“What was it I needed to do?” I ponder while walking.
“Ah, yes. I need dragon hearts; a hell of a lot of them, which I don’t want to do. I have 12 charged draconium at the moment. Switching it out whenever I remember. My power accumulation is good, not godlike. I guess I should add, expand the power system, to the list. I also need to do the blueprint.
To start with, let us give the power system a boost. I will need to make a gas generator at some point. Heading to my ME, moving my excess stuff into the drive. Using the ME system, I mass-produce a lot of thermoelectric generators.
Spending a few hours installing them underground. Making the whole area look like a terrifying cube of lava and machine. On a side note, it has resulted in me producing more power than I could possibly need, outside of draconic evolution, of course.
Next, I head to the outskirts of town, pondering on what crafts to construct. To my annoyance, Average didn’t specify a use he needed. Just variety, leaving me to my own devices.
Well, some fighter jets of some kind would be nice. I don’t know how to boost the speed, but the concept is valid. Speed aside, how about a small versatile craft. Only for a few people, maybe for maintenance or transport. Of course, I could make a mega-ship as well. Tell you what, why not.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
“Let’s start with the smaller vessel.”
Taking out some wood, I begin to create it. I plan for it to be flown above with a small internal cavity. Side doors and steps to stand on the outside; I want it to be easy to move on.
Creating the 2 floored craft, the bottom compartment only 2 blocks tall. Side doors and 4 small windows along with some ladders to the top floor. A slightly raised front for the helm. I create a tail of balloons to make the craft float. I also add small and narrow balloons along the side in the shape of wings.
With the basic structure finished, I add ladders to the outside. Along with the ladders, I add a center pillar with ropes attached. Installing chests into the floor for maximum space. Any free space got stuffed with balloons.
Okay, the small one is done. Now, it is time to do something crazy.
Flying high into the sky, I use my builder’s wand to create a giant wooden rectangle. Adding walls and a roof, I make an absolutely massive rectangle. I keep both ends open but narrow the opening slightly. I then create over a dozen floors inside the giant cavity. Walkways 6 blocks wide along the edge; I also add stairs leading to each floor from the one above and below.
I create docking ports on the rows for ships to dock. For now, I leave the inside like that. Heading up, I add a town’s worth of wooden buildings on top. Inside, I simply add floors, doors, and stairs; nothing fancy. I don’t have the time for detail, only quantity. These buildings are a few floors each, split by walkways of varying wood types. I planted a few trees for decoration. A small park rests in the middle, a fountain surrounded by nature and benches.
Selecting a single building, I add games to it. Craftable board games, cards, poker tables, bar shelves; everything I could think of. Not really organized but inside all the same.
I then go to the back of the vessel. Creating the most important building, the command center. Much larger than its counterparts, it dwarfs the small citadel. Lined with rooms of bunk beds, kitchens, bathrooms, and all basic amenities. I then add important spaces, board rooms, larger quarters.
I also add a monumental amount of storage, enough for an army and then some. On top of this building, I build a tower, an observatory of glass with the helm, the most important room.
Happy with the top of it, I return to the main vessel. Stuffing every corner and hiding spot I can find with balloons. I also add wings to the side of balloons and balloons to the internal cavity. The walls had insulation of balloons; I used a metric ton of balloons. With the main structure done, I begin to refine it. Adding wood, removing wood, anything I can do to improve its appearance.
Night had long since fallen, but I ignored it. Mind focused on the task at hand, I lost myself in it. Adding rooms to the side of the structure, observation posts. Ladders along the outside hull and small platforms occasionally. Happy with the sides, for now, I return to the top. Turning the humble houses to skyscrapers, the park to a lush jungle, more vegetation. I added a large vegetable field on top, snuck on top of a large building. I replace the decorative trees with fruit trees. I add bathrooms with flushable toilets, pipes running through the body of the vessel.
I don’t envy the person has to clean the septic tank. I even used stone to make the paths look better, Glowstone lightning the entire vessel. I even created a small dome of glass, white clay soldiers living humble lives. I placed a mountain of parachutes in several storage rooms along with planting them in random locations. I placed a few feather falling spells inside the vessel.
The final touch was creating an enclosed thermoelectric generator system. Obsidians surrounding the whole structure, a single pipe of power leading into a room in the command center. What do they choose to use it for? That is up to them.
By the time the whole task is finished, dawn has passed. Mind exhausted, and I still am not happy. But it is enough; Average can sort the rest. I am in no mood to do anymore, not for a while.
Dragging my tired body towards the town. I head towards the Mayor's office. Finding him outside his office looking at me. “Take it you are done.” He says.
“Yeah.”
“I suppose you should come inside.”
“That would be nice,” I say before collapsing into one of his chairs.
He patiently looks at me, prompting me to speak. I don’t have enough energy, just relaxing in the chair.
He slowly taps on the table, tapping faster at every passing moment.
With a deep breath, he exhales. Stopping his tapping; “What did you build?”
“The ships you asked for,” I say in my tired voice.
“I said variety.”
“And I gave you 2 ships.”
“1 of them is half the size of the damn town.”
“And?”
Average just sighs, “fine, what are they?”
“A small utility vessel and a mothership. The first for engineers and accessing places. The latter for carrying ships and massive quantities of things at a time. It is a slow lumbering vessel; but pretty much a moving city.”
“It is going to cost me a fortune to make more than 1 more of those.” He mumbles. “I like the idea with the small vessel, and I will get people sorting both ships.”
“Awesome; the larger ship just needs optimizing. I didn’t have the time to work over every little detail. Get some builders and tell them to go mad.”
“Okay, I hate you but… thank you.”
“Your welcome,” I say to him. “Now, my bed has my name on it. Have fun exploring the ship.” And with that, I disappear, leaving Average to his own devices.
Average immediately calls for his many aids.
“I need a full detail of builders specialized in optimization.”
“Yes, sir.” The first aid responds.
“Get me the blueprint makers, tell them we have a job to be done tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.” The second aid responds.
“Arrange a meeting with the business managers for the airships.”
“Yes sir.” The third aid responds.
“Now, let’s see what Aeternum has made us.”
Average flies out the floating mountain awed at the size. He slowly goes through it, admiring it in its entirety. Landing on top, he is surprised by the green city he finds. Walking slowly down the roads overshadowed by hanging fruit trees.
“You are the craziest damn bastard I ever met,” Average says out loud, sitting on a bench in the beautiful park.