Sentenza stood with Narissa over the small portal. He finally seemed to realize his cigarillo wasn't actually lit. So, he struck a match on the edge of the firepit. As he lit it, he looked over at Narissa.

"Just handed it to you, huh?" Sentenza shook out the match as he looked over at her. She was still scratched up pretty bad from Nugget, but he wasn't looking too good himself, with the fresh claw marks along the left side of his face. "Hang on. You've got water down here somewhere, right?"

Narissa pointed over towards a large stone basin.

Sentenza walked over and shook his head as he looked down at his filthy hands. He let out a sigh and turned back towards her as he leaned up against the wall. "This like your magic?"

"It's..." Narissa struggled to find the right words. "Sort of. There's a lot more nuance to this kind of thing."

"Then don't worry about filling me in on all that. I've seen it, now tell me straight." Sentenza stared right into her eyes. His one eye held with it the weight of all of his threats so far. "Can you do it?"

"In the simplest terms. Yes, but it'll take time." she stared right back at him with the burning gaze of someone determined to overcome any obstacle that may cross her path. "That good enough for you?"

Sentenza scratched his neck as he slowly nodded. "Nope, to be blunt that really is no good."

She scoffed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll just go ahead and tear through all..."

"But," he interrupted, "I figure that's the best we got, so no point wishing on something else."

"Hmph," she scoffed again before rolling her eyes and turning to look at the small, fist sized portal. "I will go a lot faster than you would have. That's for sure."

"Agreed," Sentenza nodded as he looked around the room. "Though I must say, you picked quite the location. Real morbid here. Reminds me of a cemetery."

Narissa sighed as she waved her hand over the portal. "It's not like I had much of a choice in the decor. This was just the best spot for it."

"No choice? Hmm, for some reason I doubt that," smirked Sentenza as he looked at all the dust, vials of strange chemicals, and mysterious machines. "Sid would've had the time of his life exploring down here."

"Then why don't you invite him?" she sneered.

"Can't. Threw him over the edge after shooting him didn't kill him." He said flatly.

Narissa stopped and turned back towards Sentenza with genuine shock on her face. "What?" she spat out, "Why would you go and do that?"

Sentenza smirked as he let out a dry chuckle. "Alright. Guess I can tell you some things." He pulled off his hat and tossed it onto a dusty counter. "Seeing as how we're partners and all."

----------------------------------------

No no, see I can do it!

"Where did you even get that skateboard from?" sighed Ted as he watched Death fall onto the ground again.

Huh? I got it from Sentenza's room.

"Why were you in his room?" Ted asked before realization dawned on him, "Wait, he has a room too?"

Sid was sitting at a table and braiding some rope. He looked up for a moment as Death picked himself back up. "Perhaps you should try and find your own room, Ted?"

"I mean, I did when I first got here." he mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Nugget just ended up claiming it as hers. I still grab clothes from there though..."

"Then it seems you do have a room. It is just shared with a roommate who takes up the entire bed the majority of the time." explained Sid.

Dang bro, that sucks...dang it!

Death clattered onto the floor again.

"It is fortunate that Trizel already destroyed your glasses, or this effort in futility would surely have done it by now."

"I wouldn't call that fortunate." sighed Ted.

Look, I'm getting closer, I can almost pull this kickflip off. I just have to focus.

Death pulled himself back up and stepped back onto the skateboard. He had gotten down the kicking the board up part, just not any of the rest of it. As it launched into the air, it tangled up his legs and sent him falling back to the ground.

Next time I'll have it for sure!

"Learning stuff takes a long time. Don't just expect you'll be perfect right away." Ted's mouth was moving, and he was saying things, but his mind was miles away.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It was this entire mess. Of course Trizel would storm off again. He didn't blame him and also wished Sid could explain things. Life here wasn't always the easiest, but it was safe enough. There was usually some tension when a new person arrived, but that seemed to fade pretty quickly. Now? Well now that was all up in the air. Was there someone lurking nearby and hunting them from the shadows? They were all separated and now he was down here with the two people who were probably the least afraid of dying. He heard Death say something back to him, but even though it was coming from inside his head, he couldn't seem to focus on it.

After all, how stable was he really? How long could they last here? What if those tentacle puppets showed back up? What would they all do with all this time and only one building? What if they started to hate him? What if they already did, but were too polite to say anything? What if...What if... What if's spun around Ted's head like foreboding meteors ominously growing closer and closer. Ted slumped his head down onto the table as he felt his entire world ripped out from underneath him. This was just like what happened back in college. The start of the end all over again.

----------------------------------------

Earth to Ted. You listening to me bro?

Death was physically shaking Ted by the time he actually heard the reaper's words again. "Hmm, wha? What?"

Dang man, you were really out of it there.

"Sorry. There's just a lot on my mind right now." Ted sighed as he looked around. He must have lost track of time as his mind spiraled down that dark path, because Sid was gone along with all of the rope he was making. "Huh? Where did Sid go?"

Wow, you really were out man! Must've totally missed me nailing that kickflip. Sid left up the stairs with that bundle of rope ages ago.

"Oh yeah? I could see you do it now if you want."

Death pulled on his collar and shook his head. Uh? Nah, not right now bro. Don't want to test my luck too much, you know?

"I don't think I do, but sure." Ted looked down at his hands where his head had been lying, and he saw bright red marks. He sighed as he knew that meant he'd have some on his face, which he did. "Has Trizel come back yet?"

Nah. Been out since that big argument. Too bad too. Only you were here to see my sick trick, but you were staring into space or whatever.

"I mean you could..."

I know! Death crossed his arms over his chest and nodded sagely. Just say you definitely saw me pull it off if anyone asks. Then it won't be awkward for you that you were there for hours staring at a wall.

"Can't you just...wait! Hours!?!" stammered Ted.

Yeah bro. It was like crazy long. Hey, uhh what are you doing?

Ted had stood up and was heading towards the door. "Trizel's been out there way too long. This rain is too heavy, and he didn't bring any gear for it. So, unless he's run to the woods, he's just going to get himself sick, or maybe worse."

Whoa, hold on then. You don't want to go looking for him and get sick or whatever yourself. Death rattled up and put a hand on Ted's shoulder to stop him. Besides, if you go and get into some raincoat and boots, I should be able to rummage around in Trizel's room to get some of his rain stuff. And I'll be going with you too, of course. Can't leave my bro out as easy pickings for that new monster that attacks whoever knows about it, or whatever it is. Wait...uh oh...

Ted smiled slightly. "You're right. I'll be back down as soon as I can." He started to run upstairs. "Oh, and...thanks."

Death nodded as he watched him go, and then just disappeared.

A few minutes later, Ted had returned with a large, hooded raincoat and tall rubber boots. As soon as he got to the door Death appeared behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. Ted nearly jumped out of his skin but managed to compose himself as he put his hand on his heart.

"Geez, I thought that might've been it for me. Something is on the loose, and then. Oh man." panted Ted.

Death was in a long, bright yellow coat you'd expect to find on a fisherman, with a matching sou'wester and his own yellow galoshes. He had a big bundle strapped onto his back and was holding a lantern in his hand. Ted assumed the bundle must have been Trizel's rain gear. I grabbed some fresh socks too. Man, wet feet are the absolute worst.

Ted raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Death's feet.

Hey man. You ever have soggy bones? Not a fun time.

"Alright, well let's get going then."

Death was suddenly next to the now open door. Agreed, now hurry up and let's get going.

----------------------------------------

Ted led the way. He could swear he never saw Death walking, but he was always right behind him.

You know, it's pretty spoopy out here.

"Spoopy?"

Oh yeah. With all this rain and lightning, it's so dark and foreboding. Like a skeleton could pop out...

Suddenly Death was right in front of Ted as he added, From anywhere!!!

Death waved his hands back and forth which might've been scary if he didn't know who they belonged to. Death was just too relaxed to instill much fear outside of his accidental jump scares.

"Hey, how do you do that?" asked Ted after he overcame the initial shock of a skeleton appearing right in front of him.

Oh it took some practicing. Death waved his arms above his head again. See, you have to get the timing just right, or it won't rattle correctly.

"No, I mean the whole appearing right in front of me thing. Are you just so fast I can't see you move? Because you seemed to be moving on that skateboard."

Nah, nothing crazy like that. I just don't walk places.

"Why? Or more importantly, how?"

I just do. I didn't walk everywhere in my old world when I was collecting souls. I just appeared where I needed to. It's the same here, except there's nowhere I really need to be anymore, so I just appear wherever I want to.

"Could you walk?"

Honestly man? That sounds like a ton of work. Way more effort than it's worth.

"And just magically appearing places isn't?"

Have you ever tried to walk without any muscle? It's a lot harder than I made it look while I was doing those sick kickflips.

"The ones I totally saw, right?"

Exactly! Knew I could count on you.

Ted shook his head as a small smile forced its way onto his face. "If the rain wasn't here, I'd think Trizel would be at this spot on the edge, but with this much water, I think even he would get swept away."

So where are we looking then?

Ted looked up towards the tree line they were quickly approaching. "My guess is he went into the woods to avoid at least some of the rain. He may have been upset, but even he wouldn't just stand out in a storm for hours."

From what I saw, I'd have to disagree.

"He's just got a short fuse."

Hey, not like I hate the guy for it or anything, but that exit seemed sort of final. Like a 'goodbye forever because you guys are all idiots' kind of exit.

"He'll calm down eventually. Things get under his skin, and he gets upset, but he cares about everyone in The Oasis. Just, with what's happening right now. I didn't think he'd be out for so long."

Worried he got caught?

"I...yeah." sighed Ted as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Okay, then explain to me the still thing. Why is there the smaller pot on it, and isn't it supposed to like explode? Don't they say that about distilling that you risk getting yourself blown up?

Ted saw what Death was doing. He was trying to bring up something else to distract him from focusing on the idea that Trizel could be hurt, or worse. Still, he figured he would go along with it. "Let's start with the multiple pot thing, okay?"

Sounds good to me.

"So, distilling is essentially concentrating and purifying something. We do a steam distillation. We heat up the pot, so the water doesn't evaporate, but the alcohol does. This alcohol goes up the copper tubing and into the second pot. where it condenses again in the mash there. This second pot sits on top of the first one, and it heats up as it collects the evaporated alcohol. Eventually it gets hot enough to turn the alcohol back into vapor, and that is sent up the second pipe, and out through the copper coil in the third pot. This third pot has cold water constantly running through it through the two holes in the side. In the top, and out the bottom."

Ted cleared his throat as Death's plan was actually working. "This keeps the copper coil cool and makes sure the alcohol vapor turns back to a liquid again where it drips out of the end and into the glass jar. And remember, it's supposed to go slowly. So, a small drip is what we want, and if it's pouring out quickly the pots are too hot and need to be cooled down. Usually by taking them off direct heat. A few splashes or more is fine, but it shouldn't be a constant big stream. A constant drip is alright, but not a stream."

Okay, so it kind of does the distilling twice?

"Basically, yeah. It's twice the distillation in a single run."

And what about the whole exploding thing? Or have you just been lucky so far?

Ted chuckled. "I don't know about your world, but that only really happened with people doing things they didn't understand. Like trying with things that weren't made to distill stuff. For example, the one we use couldn't explode, because it's never under any pressure. The copper tubing directly leads right out into the open air. From the first pot all the way through to the end there is an open channel. It couldn't explode unless one of those got completely blocked, and the rest remained airtight. It's more likely for a seal to go before it'd come close to exploding if it somehow got clogged."

What, so it won't explode? Ever? Bummer...Uh, I mean, wow! Great!

"You wanted to see an explosion that bad, huh?"

I uh...maybe...

Ted shook his head. But Death's plan had worked. He had gotten distracted enough to have calmed down. As they continued into the woods and talked about distilling with a focus on explosions and fixing broken seals in the middle of a run.