Len stepped out of his room wearing his armor and a pack. Most of his gear he’d be leaving behind.

Lydia nodded to him as she stepped up to her brother’s room and rapped her knuckles on the door.

“What is it?” Rick yelled through the door.

“Tenebrook is here, looks like he’s not slept in a week.”

That was the alchemist in training?

“One sec!” Rick yelled. A few minutes later he opened the door, wearing his own gear and pack. He nodded in greeting to Len and looked at Lydia. “Shall we?”

She led them through the house to one of the reception rooms.

Tenebrook nearly jumped out of his skin from where he had been pacing. The man was as described, wide eyed and almost crazed. That of one with too much focus and work and not enough self preservation.

“Rick!” He ran over to the room. “The ingredients you gave me! They’re like nothing I have ever seen. First I used them for the formulations that you gave me. Then I began running tests on them. Finding out their characteristics and how they interact with one another. I realized that the Eurin Root processing was actually less effective than another method I have for purification so I tried that out and then the balance of the formulation was skewed so I tried it in different combinations. Then I realized that it should be used for other concoctions so I began mixing it in with tho—”

Rick grabbed the man by the shoulders, pushing him away and holding him up so his feet weren’t touching the ground. “Breathe mister Tenebrook, just breathe.”

“But this is so revolutionary! This could change the entire way that pharmaceuticals are created! The advancements to science!”

“This is just the start,” Len said. “Were you able to get any alchemy levels?”

Tenebrook’s eyes snapped to him. “Journeyman grade, it felt like a connection being made in my mind.”

Rick lowered the man back to the ground.

“There will be all kinds of new ingredients, all different kinds of formulations, beyond Journeyman is Expert, then master and grandmaster,” Len said.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“I am up to date on all the latest information, this is beyond what I have ever seen.”

Len spotted paper on a table and a pen. “If you want to learn more, first we’ll need to enter into a contract.” He quickly outlined the parameters, before flipping it over and writing out the enchantment.

Tenebrook looked it over. “I will become a member of your alchemical research and development arm?” He raised his head.

“Your task will be to get a greater understanding of different ingredients. Figure out how to combine them into various effects. Try to decrease the cost of ingredients and increase the effectiveness of your products. We will supply you with a place and supplies to do so,” Len said.

Tenebrook read the contract three more times before he took out a pencil from his pocket and signed on the paper.

It burned apart as the enchantment sunk into his skin. “That was different. What now?”

“Might as well give him the rest of the books and ingredients we found,” Rick said.

***

Len nodded to Adrian before he sat down in the train carriage, it was filled with Isendia fighters, the leadership the ones Rick and Len had healed.

The train whistled as Rick waved goodbye to his Grandma, Everett was by her side as well as four veterans they’d started upon their path of gaining power.

He closed the door and stalked to his seat, dropping in down opposite Len, he sighed as he looked out of the window, the training gaining speed as it huffed out steam and smoke.

They’d head east more before the switching station at Karson that would direct them to the south and Warwick.

“Something wrong?” Len asked.

“I thought that Lydia would be here to see me off,” Rick said.

“She’s right there,” Len pointed to the guard trying to keep her head down.

“Huh?”

Rick turned and squinted.

“What are you doing here?” Rick said.

She raised her head, caught his eyes and lowered it again as if she hadn’t heard him or looked him in the eyes.

“Lydia,” Rick’s tone clear that he had spotted her.

She sighed and then raised her head, taking off the helmet and staggering through the carriage till she reached their seats and dropped down next to Len.

“I’m not going to be left behind,” She said, daring him to say something else.

“Fine, but you could have just asked,” Rick said, leaning back into his seat, getting comfortable while wearing armor.

Len pushed his foot onto the other bench and leaned back, looking out the window as they got to the outskirts of the city and continued to pick up speed.

“I—wait what?”

“Fine with you tagging along, though it’ll be good for you. Don’t know how much we’ll be leaving Goran before everything gets fucked up. Wake me up when we get there.” Rick closed his eyes.

“You just woke up.”

“First rule of fighting, when you can sit, sit, when you can lie down, lie down, when you can sleep, sleep. You never know when you’ll be able to rest,” Rick said.

Len looked outside the train. My whole family was wiped out in the apocalypse. He’d lived without them for so long, grown up and changed.

He watched the fields outside the window, falling into his own thoughts. For the first time in a hundred and thirty years—and six months, he was heading home.

===

Quest: Family connection

===

Find the Isendia family and make sure they’re safe

Find Farmer Edward and his family, make sure they’re safe.

===