Neo enjoyed the walk to the Tinker's castle finding the morning sun shining warming Neo's stiff back and lightening his mood as he walked towards the castle he kept seeing all the strange creatures again he tried not to stare too much but how could he not it was making Neo feel a little giddy.
‘Am I, ever going get used to it…… definitely. I’m going to bet that in a few days, it’ll become a lot less awesome!’
As Neo reached the castle he found a young looking dwarf waiting outside the gate, the dwarf walked up beside him and nodded “You our psychic crane?”
‘An unexpected greeting’ Neo thought “Yes, Neo's the name” holding out his hand in greeting.
The dwarf snorted walking past Neo without shaking his handed.
‘Ok, that was rude.’ Neo thought looking at his hand. Shaking his head, he followed the dwarf back into the city taking a slightly different path, it took them an hour to get across and out into the fields beyond.
They kept walking for half an hour before they crested a hill bringing in to view a magnificent tower that stood within the valley below. It was as tall as the hill they were standing on and a question formed. “Why isn’t the tower on top of the hill, wouldn’t it be better able to defend from up here?”
The dwarf chuckled and bluntly said "No, it's a defensive array, so it has to be setup in line with the other towers. There are smaller towers on the hills in order to attack any intruders. There is infantry under the shielding of these big towers which can do some serious damage and defend at long range with magic artillery. Attackers that are trapped within the shielding have to charge the towers in order to get out whilst under an onslaught of other attacking towers.”
“Interesting thank you, I didn’t catch your name?” Neo replied
“That because I haven’t told you!” the Dwarf walked away down the hill.
It took them another half hour to get down the hill and with every metre, the tower became ever more impressive.
As they drew closer Neo also saw several dozen beings milling about the base of the tower, seeing that a good half of them were Dwarfs, a dozen Gnomes, a couple of giants and some kind of Beastkin.
Neo checked out the Beastkin finding it male in physique, with fur covering most of its body its face was mostly clear of fur but had fangs and sharp looking claws on its five humanlike fingers, and cat like paws for feet.
Neo wanted to go up to it and pet it but held himself back as he thought that he might not have fingers left after.
While Neo was admiring the feline beastkin the young dwarf beside him had broken off, heading toward an older looking dwarf who spoke to the younger dwarf before looking at Neo.
Neo waited for the old dwarf to move towards him before introducing himself “Hello, my names Neo, I'm here to help with some lifting”
The dwarf had a confused look on his face for a while before understanding overcame him. “Hello, My names Hal Grath, just call me Hal, do you know what you’ll be doing today?”
“No I don’t, I just know you need help with moving items around much like a crane.”
Hal nodded and explained to Neo that they were putting in steel supports to strengthen the tower so that they would use less manain supporting it during an attack, after a few questions about how the mana could support a build Hal took him inside.
Neo was surprised by the little amount of stone that the building needed to stand, the walls were only about a metre thick with the height of the tower and that amount of rock he imagined it could never support the weight.
Neo entered into a large circular room with the stairs directly to his left but what held Neo's attention was the ceiling adorned was a large crystal hanging like a chandelier over a round table that had a 3D model of the city and surrounding lands, Neo could see from a glance that there were sparkling stars on the 3D map with some being brighter than others.
Neo stepped forward to get a closer look but was stopped by a mist that formed in front of him. The mist moved and reformed into a humanoid shape which then solidified into a robed reptilian who’s eyes glistened golden with black slit irises, Neo couldn’t help but stare into them.
A smooth snake-like voice originated from the standing reptile “My apologiesss, but you cannot get any clossser, this is a restricted zone you are only allowed in here for the refit.”
Neo stepped back and the reptilian turned back to mist and disappeared, ‘ok that was cool’ Neo thought
“Follow me,” Hal spoke as he ascended the stairs leaving the room with the map and crystal behind.
As they past the first floor the room opened up into one space that reached up to the glass roof with the walls glowing multicoloured and the spiral of crystal that came up through the middle of the floor swirled up the centre of the tower to where Neo thought he could see another crystal, everything in the room glowed different colours which illuminated the tower with hues of colour.
Neo stood amazed and intranced as the lights move and pulsed with life.
“Amazing isn’t it!” Neo looked down at the smiling dwarf returning the smile “Yeah it is beautiful.”
After a few minutes of soaking in the view, the dwarf coughed drawing Neo’s attention “We will have to turn the crystal off, before we start working so soak it in while you have it, because once we get to the top we need you to help get the glass roof off so we can get the steel beams in here so the towers defences will also need to be turned off before we start, so the light show will dim.”
They continued to ascend the stairs Neo noticed that the work force had already set up where the steel supports would go, He saw an entrance to the sloping walkway that curved around the outside of the tower forming a defensive platform as it sloped around.
They decided to stay on the inside of the tower as it was windy and cold and Neo would also miss the amasing streaks and rays of colour that assaulted his eyes.
It took them a while to get up to the roof and both were breathing heavily by the time they arrived, he felt the wind cooling his hot body. Neo took in the roof space, he confirmed that there was indeed another large crystal in the middle of the glass roof and an entrance for the slanted walkway.
Hal shouted over the wind “We have to get the glass panels out and we’d like you to move them down to the giants below.
Then, we’ll take out the frame pieces and then get the steel beams in.”
Neo gave the thumbs up which only confused the old dwarf, Neo nodded which he seemed to understand. Soon the dwarves started taking out the panes of glass, as they did Neo would used his telekinesis if a bit wobbly from the wind buffeting the panes and lower them over the side of the tower.
The giants at the base would then grab them placing them into carts when full they would then be carted off elsewhere.
It took them a few hours to remove all of the panes then they waited for the mist lizard to join them on the roof to extracted the crystal using the iron frame to walk on.
After it was done Neo wondered aloud how heavy the frame parts were and was told that it was about a ton apiece. The dwarves removed the rivets and supported the frame from beneath, time flew as it was about mid day by the time they had finished these preparations.
Hal called out to Neo “Will give the first one a try and then we’ll stop for a break.”
Neo focused on the closest iron frame piece, his telekinesis connected as he started tugging at the frame. Neo mental gripped more firmly then carefully continued increasing the amount of force, but as he started reaching his limits he struggled to move it, as a final hurrah he pushed what remaining power he had into it as sweat poured down his body and it didn’t budge. He was going to try again, he need this job if he was going to survive here but a hand landed on his shoulder. “Don’t push yourself Neo.” Hal said handing Neo a napkin gesturing to his nose.
Dabbing his nose pulling back to see a red stain, placing the napkin back pinching his nose. “Thank you perhaps I need a bit of a break before trying again after lunch.”
Hal nodded and walked over to the parapet an shouted down at the workers below“Alright everyone go for break.”
Neo sat down looking at the beautiful scenery, Hal walk up beside him “You coming down to lunch lad?”
“No thank you, I bought my own I think I will stay up and admire the view.”
Hal shrugged “See you in an hour!”
Everyone slowly left the roof, Neo waited until it was empty before say.
“Soul Shop.” Neo searched for his telekinesis and found it quite quickly but it had changed it was now Telekinesis 2 and was double the price from the last time, Neo needed more information so thought about a way to see more Neo hovered his finger over the ability and thought ‘describe’ nothing, held down the tab that had the telekinesis, a box appear after a few moments.
Telekinesis 2
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Souls = 50
Telekinesis is thepsychic power that will give the ability to move or alter the shape of inanimate objects without the use of physical force, level 2 of telekinesis gives the ability to manipulate upto 1 tonne.
'Ow, I can alter the shape of inanimate objects and be able to move 1 tonne of weight a bit convenient if I do say so myself?'
Neo checked again on his 211 souls thinking about how the people he might of killed to get those 46 souls. But I really need this job so I could just say that I'm still using what Death gave me yes that's it. If I get this job and reputation then I wouldn't need to waste souls on gold or other precious metals to exchange for cash, Neo came to the conclusion that he needed the job and spending 50 souls would guarantee it.
Neo pressed buy, as he did the scroll brightened unleashing lights that flowed into Neo’s chest when no excruciating pain overwhelmed him. He decided to check the price of level 3 finding it with three digits of 100 souls in exchange for doubling the carry weight to 2 tonnes.
Neo closed the scroll, and reached for his bag that had his lunch in, thanks to Bethany.
As he sat himself down on the frame rim of the hole, he allowed himself to admire the mana glowing walls even if they had lost some of their luster after the crystal had been removed. He also contemplated the ethics of using souls of others to buy power.
He wondered whether they knew anything of their predicament or if they where just in limbo 'I really need to ask Death when I next see him.'
Neo finished his lunch that consisted of mystery meat and mustard. It was delicious apart from the lack of a name.
It wasn’t long before Neo could hear the heavy breathing of people coming up the stairs, smiling he pulled the stuffed tissue from his nose, he checked whether his nose was bleeding anymore finding that it had stopped, Neo got up from his contemplation as the first dwarf returned to the roof.
As he waited Neo decided to stretch,when Hal eventually arrived and walked over to him "You better kid, Think you can do it this time?"
Neo nodded but let out a sigh as he stood up from his stretches
One inquisitive Dwarf close to him asked: "Why are you doing that?"
"Simply it makes me feel better I had a really stiff back a while ago so by stretching out I have found that I got fewer headaches, plus it also helps my martial arts."
The same dwarf asked curiously, "You do martial arts?"
"Yes, don't suppose there is anyone around here that practises?"
The Dwarf thought for a while "I think there is a few around but where exactly I don't know, we" he gestured to the dwarfs around him "use the Tinkers Clans Masters to learn at the practise fields at least once a week mandatory."
Neo wondered if he could start his own if he couldn't find one, smiled at the thought of his own practice, either way it would give him the opportunity to practise against unique and different beings as they will have different ways of fighting, extra weapons in their arsenal.
"Sorry, Hal I’m ready just a bit stiff that’s all." standing above the frame again Neo nodded and said, "When you're ready Hal!"
Neo mentally grabbed the frame part and he mimicked the move with his hands and waited for Hal to tell him to begin, Neo heard a bit of movement around and shouts to and from the workers below.
"Ok lad it's up to you now hope you are up for it" Neo mental tightened his grip and pulled at full power it started wobbling and with a loud pop the frame came away from the now empty space.
Neo followed the path that had been set up for him as he did so he navigated the swirling wind that pushed and pulled at the bulky frame.
Once he was over the edge he lowered the frame until it was in the hands of the two giants that were waiting for it, who then placed it in another cart and then pulled it away at quite a pace.
Another pair of giants set themselves up awaiting the next piece.Neo looked around at the other workers and saw what he thought was a little awe, fear and a small amount of respect.
"Shall we get to the next one?" Neo asked after that it was plain sailing as Neo steadily pulled the frames out and down to the ground one at the time, it was a lot of hard work but gradually it got a little easier as he learnt to manipulate the pieces without using the full extent of his power.
The last of the frame was out by about 4pm and he was shattered "Good job lad, you can head off home come back here tomorrow and we will have you lift the steel beams in place."
Neo nodded and wearily made his way down the tower where he saw workers tied to safety lined drilling into the much more gloomy inside, the crystal spring had been disassembled and taken out.
As he reached the ground floor he stopped he eyes being attracted to the table, but a voice spoke from the gloom "It isn't worth a dead cat now is it" Neo looked into the gloom and replied, "but satisfaction brought the cat back!"
Neo heard a little laughter and he headed to the door understanding the meaning that the lizard man spoke of course Neo wasn't stupid, he'd just have to wait for the right moment.
Neo explored the city for a while making his way back home, he found the tailors, apothecaries which Neo couldn't believe seeing that name on basically a pharmacy and bought some essentials toothpaste, toothbrush, some hand cream, some candles, clothes just the basics.
Neo found himself in a park just a little way from home, Neo thought that it was a park but found that he had just walked into someone's home as the trees moved and shouted at him to get off their property and when a 70 odd metre tree moves to thrash at you and shout at you, it was perhaps the scariestthingto happened to him since he arrived.
Neo had his heart in his mouth as he ran back onto the public path apologising profusely to the offended trees.
Once he was back on the path he turned toward home but bumped into someone as he turned, bouncing backfalling on his back, looking up he a found beautiful women, who was wearing nothing she had long green hair and was perfectly crafted.
She smiled down at him offering a hand which Neo took, thinking that it might seem rude not to.
After standing back up Neo patted off the earth from his cloth, Neo noticed that he couldn't stop thinking about her, he'd even stalled on apologising and thanking her, he stuttered out a sorry and a thank you.
The women merely smiled at Neo’s nervousness. He started to get the feeling of impending doom, when he looked closer he noticed that she had branches poking out of her hair, he then started double checking the rest of her body, finding that she had branches coming out in random spots.
Neo nerves seemed to fade away "About time you got out of that illusion although you did better than the rest of them!" Neo started blinking as he felt the world had shattered Neo could hear the busy streets again, he didn't even realise he couldn’t before.
He then looked around and found a large number of people who were looking in to empty space, she was made of wood with branches and leaves covering her body.
She was still alluring even with the illusion broken "What happened?"
She smiled at him "When you bumped into me you startled me and I released and illusion on reflex.
I do apologise, it's a reflex from the days in the wild where we had to run from herbivores and carnivores a like."
"No problem you can't help it, there is no harm done. Name's Neo?"
Neo held out his hand and looked her in the eye, taking the offered hand she spoke "Elisa Eldertree, ple…." Neo saw her eyes dilate and her branches rustle as she quivered.
Neo's hand was suddenly covered in butterflies as she burst into butterflies and disappeared. Neo didn't notice as she ran away putting everyone she passed into their own illusion.
Neo stood not even noticing nor caring that she had disappeared, as the butterflies flowed around him, he was enraptured by it, eventual the butterflies fade away and left one exhausted human and hundreds of confused beings.
Neo sighed not having a clue of where Elisa had disappeared off to but he'd learnt something important, 'find away to get out of illusions because damn they could be deadly' he thought.
As he headed off home, realising that the sun was started to dim he jogged back home where he found a peeved Bethany at the door.
After apologising for being late for dinner they sat at the table, he explainedwhy, which too Neo’s surprise she believed because if he had heard that from anyone he would of thought they were crazy.
"They are called Dryads and they do have a bit of a reputation for illusions and being a bit skittish. Now if you had said that you'd fought a dragon then it might be harder to believe."
She giggled "If you do meet a dragon be polite, they're on the top of the food chain around here and you being on the bad side of the Drakens as they kind of represent dragon kind."
"Say, Bethany what do you see when you look at me ?"
"……"
Bethany hadn't replied as she looked down at her food sighing and smiling, "I see colours mainly sometimes words that are engraved, to you, each colour resembles a sin or virtue, then you get the ever-changing colours that show what you are feeling now, like white, with specks of black which is what you are currently feeling curiosity and a bit fearful.
But the long-term is far harder to decipher, I can tell that you are kind, honest, fierce, knowledgeable, calm, relaxed and open.
Weird really that is so different from what I have ever seen before compared to the majority of males in the magical world you are so accepting, maybe a little naïve."
Neo smiled contently at her answer finding that he was A-ok with what she said a little naivety probably never hurt anyone.
Neo was tired after everything that had happened today having finished the lukewarm meal he helped with the washing up and headed off to bed, with the new necessities he could brush his teeth and wash after lying down in bed.
His mind wandered to his family the thoughts that they have probably buried him and are in mourning by now.
He awoke the following morning to find Bethany knocking on his door and spoke: "And a little lazy it seems, you're going to be late to your job, also I won't be here when you get back tonight so here is the key."
Neo heard something land on the floor and slide under the door, Neo groggily lifted himself out of his bed as her words slowly engaged his mind.
He got up having no form of time reading he assumed the worse and rushed everything, Neo was downstairs in no time with the key in hand and a clean body.
Neo grabbed some breakfast, made himself some lunch with the rest of that mystery meat then headed out, Neo looking into the sky where he saw that dawn had arrived, and he wondered if he would be on time.
When he arrived he found that everyone one was already there and waiting he ran up to Hal apologized for his lateness "Don't worry lad, you're pretty much on time, let's get on with it."
"Sure let's get started!"
Grabbing the steel beams out of the giant's hands manoeuvring them up the tower andthrough the hole that the frame had been in, attaching them to the supports that the workers had placed yesterday. He would let go once they had screwed them in a place he'd then go for the next beam and so on for the next two days.
After that, they had to put in the new frame and then place the glass into the frames once it was finished the mist mage returned with another perfect crystal which slid into place
He then had to help place the crystal spiral which was interesting it was like a puzzle you had one piece join another and then they would seemingly meld together in one larger piece without any gaps, amazing really.
The feeling of awe of the tower for the first time was replaced with a feeling of accomplishment as the steel beams joined the glowing pulsing room.
And Neo then suddenly had two days off for the weekend it took them fours days to do the refit and now he hadn't a clue to what to do with it.
That Friday night Neo asked Bethany what she would usually do?
Bethanyreplied, "I don't do anything, as I don't have that many days off so I just tend to read and relax!"
Neo couldn’t sit and do nothing it just tickled his wasting time, wasting resources even if he liked doing nothing as much as the next guy.
He asked if there was a public libraryand got a negative response but there are some bookshops which she gave him some directions to.
Neo spent the next two days off reading a few books that had caught his attention at the bookstore one about different species of Magical beings, and the other was about the basics of mana and magic but understood little to none of.
Neo also practised his forms to keep his muscle memory strong.
Because of this Neo found his two days of being engrossed in books or training in the back garden which Bethany seemed not to have a problem with but did ask why Neo was waving his arms around like a madman.
Neo explain the idea of muscle memory and just by practicing the moves in a dance or form like he was. It was instilling the movement within his muscle, and told her that the idea was to go as slowly as possible but not to stop.
With the two days off he was pretty much bouncing to start work again on the next tower in their refit journey.
He went outside and gazed at the new day,a week on and he still couldn't get over the amount of unique life that was just beyond the door.