Caster stepped out of the orb, leaving the void of space behind. He walked into the middle of Casterville, the bright morning sun illuminating everything around him.

Was it this bright when I went inside? Oh, it’s probably just my eyes readjusting.

Dozens of villages were hurriedly going about their business around the village, fulfilling the task given to them by Sherman, Woody, and Elenore.

Caster looked down and realized that he wasn’t alone. Phoebe was sitting cross-legged on the ground. With her back straight and eyes closed, it was clear she was in deep meditation.

“Hey… uh, Phoebe?” Caster said, waving his hand until he realized she wouldn’t be able to see him.

Phoebe’s reflective eyes shot open, and she blinked once, tilting her head up toward Caster.

“Your holiness, I knew you would return,” she stood, bowing deeply.

Return? Caster looked toward the Zz’Wrath again. Oh, the space-time speed-up thing happened again.

“How long was I gone for this time?”

“Two days,” Phoebe said calmly.

“Two days!?”

Caster cleared his throat, trying to collect himself.

“Did anything… happen in my absence?”

“The villagers have felled over 3,000 trees within Buckley’s Wood. They have sown several hundred paces worth of farmland with various seeds. They have finished the core sections of the Casterville living complex. Grand General Elenore has begun to train over two-dozen Challengers out of our current villagers. Currently, Woody is constructing the city wall while he tries to plan out the underground catacombs,” Phoebe explained.

Is she joking? Caster stared at Phoebe’s expressionless face.

“How did they get everything done so quickly?!”

“Their faith in your power has given them great inner strength. It’s allowed them to work at several times the speed of any normal person. Though, they are of little faith and feeble mind. It would be good for them to know you are still with them. I, have not doubted your assured return, of course.” Phoebe said proudly.

“Phoebe I…”

I wish she would just treat me like a normal person, but…

Caster remembered Spooky’s words.

They are your servants, not your friends. Such is the rite of the Elder Gods.

I can’t tell if that guy was giving me advice, or a warning. But… since Phoebe’s a cleric and I’m the Avatar of an Elder God, I think she’d prefer it if I acted all spiritual and deep. It’s like a roleplaying game.

“Yes, just as I suspected.” Caster clasped his hands behind his back. “Well done. Once the necessary buildings are complete, the temple will be built next. I look forward to your continued service. Come, follow me as I inspect the work.”

I sound like some pretentious old rich guy. Is this what the other Gods are like?

“Of course, your Holiness,”

Phoebe stopped to the side and behind Caster as he began to walk toward the outer rim of the village. Immediately, Caster realized just how much the village had changed in what, to him, felt like just a short couple of minutes.

Every single shack had been replaced. Now, the village was nearly an empty field of flat ground. There were two buildings in the center, each one facing the other.

Kinda looks like one of those towns from an old western movie. Maybe we should add a saloon?

They walked between the two structures, stopping in the middle.

“This one houses families, and this one houses individuals,” Phoebe said. “Though the family unit can hold nearly 100 people, it is almost full. Mayor Sherman said we will build more of them after the other structures are complete. If you wish, I can tell him to override the other operations and continue building housing.”

“No, he was right. We should keep up with the wall and well catacombs.”

Wow, looks like they really can survive on their own. Well, at least for a few days. Phoebe said whatever strength they get when I’m around starts going away when they haven’t seen me in a while. It’s like a symbiotic relationship. I should focus on trying to inspire them, rather than doing everything myself.

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“It appears the wall is nearly complete, your Holiness. Both Woody and Sherman were standing on the outer edge of the village, watching as the final portion of the wall was being built.

Wait, they’re not building it. It's… building itself?!

Caster marveled at the scene as he and Phoebe approached. Woody had his arms folded, intently focused on his task at hand. Sherman looked exhausted, but his eyes watched carefully as if learning the technique from the master craftsman. Board by board, the wall’s final section came into place. Its base, supports, inner and out panels are all connected to each other with tar and intricate notches. Not a single hand physically touched the materials as they zipped through the air, connecting the end of the wall, to the start.

It was finished, though missing a gate. The ring of wood was two men tall, and looped around the village, the tar and gravel keeping any prying eyes out. The wall may have been made of mostly wood, from the felled trees in Buckley’s Wood, but it appeared as if it were made of solid stone.

Now, only a gap remained in the middle of the last portion, where the gate would be placed.

Objective: Build basic defenses around Casterville - Complete! Next Step: Make Casterville Self-Sufficient!

“Bear witness! His Holiness has returned,” Phoebe announced.

Caster almost jumped from how loud her declaration was. Her voice bounced off the village walls. Both Woody and Sherman turned to face them.

“Master Caster!” Sherman raced forward, his tired eyes now overflowing with energy.

He slid into a keel, stopping a pace away from Caster

“Report,” Phoebe said.

Did they practice this? I wouldn’t expect someone’s daughter to boss them around so casually otherwise. But I guess they do think I’m an Elder God.

“Master Caster, we have felled over 3,000 trees in Buckley’s Wood, We have sown several hundred paces o-”

“Phoebe already told me; you can stand up. Good job!”

Sherman stood, puzzled by Caster’s statement.

“I wanted to share the news,” he whispered at Phoebe under his breath. Caster glanced toward her and saw the slightest smug grin growing on the corner of her lips.

“Lord Caster,” Woody said as he approached them, not repeating the same theatrics Sherman had. “It’s not my best work, and took twice the amount of time I thought I would but, it’ll hold while I design the catacombs. I’m a bit out of practice, after all.”

“No, that was amazing! I’ve never seen someone build a wall or house with their mind before. Do you have some kind of telepathic powers?”

“Ha! I appreciate the compliment, but no. I’m but a simple master craftsman, a Skiller through and through. You’ll only see Normal Skills come from these hands.”

“Normal… Skills?”

I know what Combat Skills are, but I haven’t heard that one before. Caster glanced at his Stat boxes, but there was no ‘Normal’ category to be found.

“Ah, I suppose you wouldn’t be familiar, seeing as that you’re an Elder God and all.” Woody nodded.

“Steady your tone, master craftsman,” Phoebe said.

Caster glanced between the two. It was amusing watching a girl correct a hulking elder twice her size.

“Didn’t mean nothin’ by it, lass. It’s a simple matter of fact the Elder and Old Gods cannot use nor level the Normal Skills. Just how a fish cannot breathe air.”

I don’t even know what a ‘Normal’ Skill is.

“He’s right, Phoebe. And he didn’t mean anything rude by it. Woody, please explain to my assistant how it works.”

Amazing save! Now I’ll learn while they think I know exactly what’s going on!

“Well, there are two kinds of Skills. Normal Skills, and Combat Skills. Challengers are those who live their lives adventuring and engaging in combat, that sort of thing. Skillers, such as myself, forgo lives of fighting and instead choose to build things and live practically. We all can use either type of Skill whenever we like, but there’s only so much time in the day, and in one life. So folks usually choose one or the other. I’d say the split is about 20/80 in favor of Normal Skills, but the Challengers are the ones who really rule the world.”

Huh. Hard to believe people wouldn’t all try to figure out how to unlock the cool abilities like illusions and my disintegration ray. But I guess if you can’t eat, you die.

“The Challengers can ascend into Lord status after they have mastered one of the eight Combat Skills. Like that fellow, Lord Griffin did a few years back. From there, the second part of ascending the combat chain is to master multiple combat skills, renounce the Normal Skills, and… well I don’t know. I think the Old Gods keep the third part a secret. Can’t imagine it can be good though. The Elder Gods are a different story altogether. They’re just born or err, exist that way. No different than gravity.”

Clever - Knowledge is Power, Activated! +1 Arcane!

“That much is certain. The Elder Gods are the true Gods of this land, and Caster is the greatest, and noblest of them all.” Phoebe nodded.

You know, I could get used to having a hype-man, or hype-lady I guess, around.

“Woody is right. Sure, I can harness primordial powers from beyond space and time, but I’m useless at building walls or digging wells. That’s why I’ve come here to ask for your help. Just as you need me to fend off the violent Lords, I need you all to build Casterville to be the best it can be. I know for a fact you won’t let me down!” Caster put on his fake smile of unshakable confidence.

“Of course, Lord Caster! I will tell them, workers, to get started on the catacombs immediately!” Sherman said.

“Actually, have some of them start on the temple. I need a place to keep my sacred orb, and Phoebe needs somewhere to get her work done too.”

“Of course! How could I forget to build a monument to your righteousness! It should have been built first! Excuse me, I will double time!” Sherman bowed, then left.

“Elenore’s out back training the folks she saw fit to become Challengers. I’ll get started on the next project with Sherman,” Woody nodded, then followed Casterville’s motivated mayor.

Caster looked outside the gate and walked forward.

I should ask her if she’s found any threats in the area. Hmm… maybe she knows more about Lord Griffin, or who the arm that saved him from my disintegration ray belonged to.