Several hours later with the light of dawn filtering through the window shades, Randidly scratched his jaw. “What do you mean, there’s one small problem with the new housing project? The hard part is done. We are just selling real estate now.”

While most of the rest of the population of Kharon was taking a rest day after the party, Tatiana and Randidly were standing in Tatiana’s office, working as they had been for almost a week. Both of them had too high physical Stats to have anything like a hangover. But even more than that, both were people that threw themselves even more seriously into work after taking some time to rest.

Probably why we are always developing a headache, Randidly through as he rubbed his temples and looked at the mayor of Kharon.

Tatiana shrugged helplessly, but Randidly could tell from the mischievous light in her eyes that she was not actually as upset as she would have him think. “No one has purchased the first few tracts of land you’ve created. So what can I do? If no one wants them, it is very hard indeed to sell real estate.”

Randidly shook his head. The tracts in question were the first of a series of larger platforms that Randidly had engraved with the runes that would allow the moss spirits to grip the land. After the success of using the moss spirits as a part of commerce, Randidly had moved forward his plans and turned to the real motivation for the Engraving experiment: he wanted to move some of the rising population to floating islands that would follow along behind Kharon like a supernatural tail.

He had believed it would be quickly adopted because Tatiana had made sure he was aware that real estate prices in Kharon were currently spiking swiftly upward. After all, Kharon’s land area was fixed. Without new lands for the rich upper class of Kharon to buy, their growing appetite would steadily price out the average workers in the area. Which would incite a whole host of social problems that would distract from the true purpose of Kharon.

Which was why it had become a thorny enough problem that Randidly had created a plan to deal with it.

So floating islands that could be used as compounds for the elites had seemed like the perfect answer. After all, who wouldn’t want to own their own floating island and show off to their friends? It would devour some of the significant capital of the 1% of Kharon while also making Kharon appear even more fantastical as they returned to the Zones.

Sighing, Randidly said, “Tatiana, what’s the real problem? I don’t believe for a second that people are really unwilling to buy these islands. Is it the prices?”

Randidly had created three platforms for the first batch. Each was about a half-mile in diameter, leaving plenty of room for construction. Randidly had even carefully selected relatively scenic pieces of ground that Kharon walked past and scooped them out of the ground directly with Absolute Grasp of Yggdrasil. One of them even had a lake that was teaming with fish. So he had set the prices commensurately high.

Tatiana chuckled. “You’re right, its not that they aren’t willing to buy… but they believe it’s inappropriate.”

“What? Why?” Randidly asked in frustration.

Tatiana gave Randidly an amused look. “Because the first floating house obviously has to be yours, you idiot.”

*****

Obyrn Myyr sat and faced the entrance of the Ogre Gorge, now flanked on either side by tall walls and armed security towers. Twelve ogres were in each tower, six watching the gorge, two watching the surrounding area, and four resting. Periodically, the captains of the guard would stage mock attacks to make sure that the ogre’s vigilance did not waver. And as the ogres were a naturally patient people when not gripped by bloodlust, Obyrn was confident that any antagonistic force would be discovered.

As such, it was an extremely effective choke point. No matter how powerful the opponent was, it would be difficult for them to force their way through the rather tight passageway and assault the defensive fortifications effectively. And it would lead them down a thin path where the ogre mage’s significant firepower could be concentrated.

Rather than an army, what Obyrn feared most of all was one supremely powerful individual that could blast through the defenses and create an opening for an army behind him to march forward. Which was exactly what group from Nordawn, the ancestral home of the Ogres, possessed in their leader. Which was why Obyrn had been camped out by the entrance for the last week, hoping to be there instantly if something went wrong.

Yet the army from Nordawn had paused a half day’s journey outside the portal. And now they waited. So Obyrn waited in turn. And while he waited, he once more felt the heavy pressure of the same decision that had plagued him and most other ogres for their entire lives.

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“What’s up Obby? You’re all frowny.”

Obyrn smiled wryly and turned to find the figure of Delilah. The small child hung from a nearby tree like a bat, her legs wrapped around a tree branch while her torso swung freely. Her growing hair drifted in the wind. “Delilah, you know you are not supposed to come near the entrance to the Ogre Gorge.”

Delilah made a face. “But you are here! Nothing will happen.” She dropped to the rocky scrubland, scurried across the intervening ground, then scuttled up Obyrn’s arms and back like a beetle. “Well, maybe you will have gas. Ogre gas is very dangerous, but daddy-”

“I’m thinking about splitting, finally,” Obyrn interrupted before Delilah could finish. Better to distract her then let her talk about Dozer’s gas.

“Splitting?” Delilah asked.

Reaching up, Obyrn rapped on his thick skull with a wry expression. “Heads. You know how generally the more powerful ogres have multiple heads? It’s because when you split your heads, your strength gets divided in two. But then your Skill Levels can grow almost twice as fast with two minds working on them…”

“Then you should definitely do it,” Delilah said seriously. She patted Obyrn’s shoulder complacently. “Less shoulder space for me if there are suddenly two heads up here… but strength is the most important thing! Hmph, as if I would obey you all if you weren’t stronger than me.”

That earned Delilah a glare from Obyrn, but she gave him a nonplussed look that conveyed something like ‘what? That’s just the way that it is. I wouldn’t listen to you if you were weak.’ After seeing that his glare had no effect, Obyrn could only shake his head helplessly and then continue talking about the other issue. “Splitting provides a long term benefit. However, there is a period of weakness after splitting your heads; most of your Skills fall by about a hundred Skill Levels each… and there is a possibility that the new personality in the head won’t get along well with the first head… It has just… never seemed like it was the right time to split for me… and now with Nordawn about to invade...”

Delilah patted Obyrn’s shoulder again. “If you are scared, just delay. Someday I’ll be so strong I’ll solve all of your problems for you… as long as you play hide and seek with me now!”

And without a second thought, Delilah launched herself off of Obyrn’s shoulder and dashed into the coniferous forest around the edges of the Ogre Gorge. After sparing a long glance at the entrance to the Ogre Gorge, Obyrn heaved himself to his feet and proceeded to follow after Delilah into the woods.

Because he knew that it was not due to his presence that the deligation from Nordawn waited… Perhaps it was pride that had kept him here, but Delilah’s childish antics were enough to shake him back to wakefulness. He shouldn’t just be sitting here, driven mad by the anxiety. He should be preparing.

Perhaps preparing for the worst.

Pushing that thought from his mind, Obyrn threw himself totally into the game of hide and seek, pursuing his quarry until the forest was filled with the shrieking laughter of Delilah and the ogre guards watching over the gorge smiled fondly at the sound.

Nothing lasts forever, Obyrn sighed to himself.

*****

Sydney sat very still as she looked down at Drake. “Is there truly nothing that you can do, Regina?”

Regina Northwind’s face was tight with strain. It was clear that the last several hours of energy surgery had not been easy for the woman. “Unfortunately, curbing the chaotic influence of his Fate is the most I can do for Drake. And even managing this much is only because of some tips that Nathan taught me… without reshaping his Fate, there is nothing more we can do. And as Nathan said while he examined Drake… Drake is currently engaged too closely with his Fate. Remaking it before he recovers would be… dangerous.”

“...then thank you for your help.” Sydney’s left hand twitched. Hidden from Regina’s vantage by the bed between them, ice began to creep across her fingers. The elemental focai on her rings began to glow. “I would like a bit of time alone with Drake, if you please.”

Regina gave Sydney a long look then turned away. Although she probably sensed something wasn’t right from Sydney’s tone, she was still currently on the clock in Donnyton’s hospital. There were always more patients. The System improving people’s Endurance and Vitality didn’t mean that people didn’t get injured anymore, just that the injuries were even more serious when they required a doctor. So Sydney was soon alone in the room with Drake’s silent form.

For several seconds, Sydney looked contemplatively at the IV that fed powerful tranquilizers into Drake’s body. She abruptly wanted to rip the needle out of his arm and wait by his side while he regained his lucidity. Then, when he had recovered… perhaps she could reason with the beast that Drake had become.

Instantly, Sydney’s gaze darkened. Perhaps it would have been possible to resuscitate his original mentality if she had set out immediately to find Drake after he had disappeared, but she hadn’t. Since then, not only had Drake been influenced by spending an inordinate amount of time around Roy, but he had also then gone into the clutches of the Toad Lord, who had tortured him in amusement upon discovering his loss of sanity…

“No…” Sydney’s frost-covered hand reached out and touched Drake’s fingers. Some ice bridged the gap and began to spread across his skin. With her control, it was relatively simple to keep the ice mild and cool, rather than the suffocating sea of power that it could transform into at a moment’s notice. “Now is not the time for you to wake up. First I’ll find the ones responsible… perhaps the beast ruling your heart will be placated by blood.”

On the hand not touching Drake, lightning danced across Sydney’s knuckles. When she stood up and walked slowly out of the hospital, Sydney carefully reflected on what she knew about the recent movements of the Nemesai.