Ripples of pure white light washed over the bridge outside of Gronro. Theo worked with his companions to drive Balkor’s influence back, sending the befouling necromantic magic retreating into the mountains. The alchemist reserved half a barrel of [Greater Hallow the Soil] for the southern section of town, but intended to scrub as much of the northern section clean as possible. Destroying the source was more important than addressing the residual energy.

Theo stepped over the bridge, approaching a pile of skeletal remains cautiously. The pile of bones seethed with more of the demon god’s power, and the potion didn’t affect it. “I don’t think these skeletons are dead.”

“Can skeletons die?” Rowan grumbled, releasing a single arrow into the pile. It didn’t move.

Grot approached the pile, then dug through it with abandon. “We hit some skeletons with conventional means.” The dwarf withdrew a skull with glowing green eyes from the pile. It chattered, emitting a low, whispering moan. “Yeah. It’s still ‘alive.’”

“Back in the pile,” Theo commanded, watching as the dwarven duke complied.

Once the skull was back in the pile, Theo tossed a [Hallow Ground Bomb]. He watched with satisfaction as the pile of bones lit up with white flames. After a few minutes of burning, every undead within the heap was truly dead. The souls that were trapped within the skeletons were sent into the void, where they would find their way to their new homes. That might have been Balkor’s realm, or another god entirely. It was hard to say.

The group got back to work, clearing piles and curing the land. Theo pulled Sarisa aside as they worked. A thought had been lingering in his mind since they started their work that day. “I have two ideas.”

“Here we go,” Sarisa said, smiling.

“The town’s core is weak. I can ward it with my newest ward easily. That would create a safe bubble around the town.”

“And the second idea?”

Theo splashed some [Greater Hallow the Soil] potion on the ground. He watched the wave of light wash over the ground. “I can overlay my realm over the town. That was my first idea when we got here. Before I felt how weak the town’s core was.”

Sarisa’s amused expression shifted to concern. “You can do that? Would that do anything?”

It was worth experimenting with things like this. Theo planned on warding the town, rather than overlapping his realm here. But any avenue of power was worth pursuing, so it was important to consider it.

“It would remove Balkor’s influence entirely. But I’m not confident I could do the entire town.”

“Then go with the ward. No need to stir up a demon god.”

Theo nodded, getting back to work. He let that reckless part of himself fall away, favoring something that would protect the town rather than bolster his own confidence. As he worked around the craggy area, he constructed a new ward in his mind. Combining both concepts of anti-undead essences, and magic repulsion, he could create a linked ward that did a bit of both. Thanks to his [Detect Adverse Magic] trigger, the spell was easy enough to craft.

The group finished their work, meeting back at the gates to observe the changed area. The haze of green that lingered in the air had been banished. When they breathed in the air, it felt crisp and pure. Of course, Grot withdrew a barrel of stale-smelling beer from his inventory. Theo politely had a mug, but refused another. The guards within the town poured out into the cleaned area, kicking off an impromptu celebration. Of course, the alchemist had more work to do.

Theo felt Alex flying overhead. She might have been confident that she could keep up, but that proved not to be the case. After hours of work in Gronro, she caught up. He could feel her exhaustion from the flight, and beckoned her to land.

“I cannot fly fast,” Alex spoke into Theo’s mind.

“I can see that,” Theo said, watching as the goose sagged on the spot. “You can ride the train back home. We’ll leave as soon as I finish here.”

“Thank you.”

Taking a seated position near the town’s core, Theo got to work on his newest spell. Sarisa seemed interested, kneeling nearby and watching him work. The moment he pressed his willpower against the town, he felt it fall away. There was virtual no defense against his probing, which made sense. He wasn’t casting a negative effect on the town. The spell he wove was two parts, requiring him to chug a few [Mana Potions] while he cast. First, he layered the concept of the [Deflect Magic] ward he had created before.

[Deflect Magic]

[Advanced Ward]

Creates a reactive barrier that impedes all foreign magical energy from entering the bubble.

Trigger:

Detect Adverse Magic

Duration:

5 days.

Theo linked another ward to that one, binding it together with his [Linked Wards] ability. The result was a ward that bound the effects of [Deflect Magic] and [Hallow Ground] together. He inspected the resulting ward after weaving them together.

[Deflect Necromantic Magic]

[Advanced Ward] [Linked Ward

Creates a reactive barrier that banishes all undead-aligned magic.

Trigger:

Detect Adverse Magic

Duration:

5 days.

It only took a few moments for the ward to activate. A silver barrier sprung up from the town’s seed core, spreading out over the town in an instant. It encompassed the entire town, bringing with it shouts of surprise and awe from the citizens. Theo slipped to one side, tripping over his own feet. Sarisa was there to catch him.

“Took a lot out of you.”

Theo nodded. It took something more than mana to create the ward. And he wasn’t done. The alchemist went back to his sitting position, withdrawing supplies from his inventory. He placed a pile of [Drogramathi Iron Ingots] on the ground, then got to work binding a new [Monster Core] to a containment core. He tossed the core onto his pile of metal, then his [Fire Construct]. It erupted in flames, melting the iron instantly. The [Drogramathi Iron Golem] rose, the black-purple metal glittering in the afternoon sun.

“One more experiment,” Theo said, channeling the same ward he used on the town onto the golem. It was much easier to brand the hulking metal golem, and the barrier sprung up immediately. “He’s a walking undead cleaner.”

The golem regarded Theo without expression. It was a blank slate, waiting for orders. The alchemist withdrew two more things. A lodestone to bind his will to, and a [Mana Construct] to power the golem while it worked. This wasn’t the ideal plan. The alchemist had wanted a golem that would walk around, sucking up the ambient energy in the air. But for now, he could set the golem to scour the landscape while he wasn’t in town.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

As with most things, there wasn’t one solution that would fix the corruption problem. It was a long list of things he needed to do. The most important thing was to change and adapt as they went. Balkor’s energy was a living thing. There was no reason to assume it wouldn’t shift to meet the alchemist’s measures. Perhaps that meant it would double down, growing more powerful and resistant to the [Hallow Ground Potions]. Or maybe the undead would return.

“That’s something,” Sarisa said, looking up at the golem. As with all the second-tier golems, it was huge. Unnecessarily so. “What’s he gonna do? Guard the town?”

“An undead cleaner,” Theo repeated, driving the base of his lodestone into the ground. “He’ll wander around, clearing the mountains while we’re not here. And if I link him to Tero’gal’s will…”

Theo had to focus hard on the lodestone. He added a fraction of his willpower to the stone before linking it to his realm. He felt a thread of connection spear through the void, then into Tero’gal. Distantly, he felt the power of his lodestone network in Broken Tusk falter. That network should have been smart enough to release one golem from its control, making way for this new one.

“I can tell what he’s doing,” Theo finished, looking up at his creation with pride. He wove a series of instructions into the lodestone. The golem would walk around the mountains, clearing away the corruption with the ward. It would return to town when low on power and report back if it found anything odd.

The hulking golem lumbered away, drawing a crowd from the locals as it went. Before long, Grot came asking about the intimidating thing. Theo explained it, and the duke seemed happy enough. These were the three means the alchemist intended to use to clear the town of corruption. Golem sentinels, undead-clearing potions, and town-sized wards. It was a lot for one man to do, but he was up for the challenge.

“Can you find your way back to Broken Tusk?” Theo asked. Sarisa’s face took on a look of confusion. “I’m headed to my realm. From there, I can jump to wherever Tresk is.”

“Oh. Uh… Can you bring me along?”

“Me, too?” Rowan asked, approaching in a drunken stupor.

Theo shrugged. “Grab the goose, Rowan. Sarisa, take my hand.”

Rowan scooped Alex up, nuzzling his face into her plumage. Sarisa grabbed Theo’s hand tightly. She was clammy, meaning she was nervous. Most people didn’t like falling through the void, but the alchemist enjoyed it. The infinite blackness put things into perspective. Theo and Alex dropped through the veil‌, leaving Gronro-Dir at the same time. Uz’Xulven didn’t summon them onto the Bridge, allowing them passage directly to Tero’gal.

The spirits were doing their own things, and there were even a few new souls to the mix. Theo accepted them errantly, watching as familiar archways sprung up. Uz’Xulven, Benton, and Glantheir entered the realm at the same time. They said nothing to the alchemist, chatting amongst themselves as they moved into the cottage. Rowan and Sarisa just looked around, dumbstruck as ever.

After accepting five new souls into his realm, Theo headed to the cottage for some tea. His companions joined him, but Alex teleported away. He felt her head for the sea. Off to hunt some fish, no doubt. The alchemist found his seat at the table, listening in on the conversation as Benton made tea. Glantheir was an extremely supportive conversationalist. He encouraged both Benton and Uz’Xulven to pursue pet projects they had been working on. After light conversation, scones, and some tea, the Elven God of Healing turned to Theo.

“Are you ready to transport Sulvan?” Glantheir asked.

Theo took a sip of his tea. “I’m ready if you’re ready.”

“We should do it outside,” Glantheir said, standing and dusting the crumbs from his plain robes. “Just in case.”

Theo left with the elven god. Instead of bringing Sulvan to the town of souls, he teleported himself and Glantheir far away. There was a mountain range to the west, just beyond the sea he had created, that was isolated enough. In a snap, both men appeared in a heavily forested area. Conifers grew skyward, and the sound of forest creatures skittering in the underbrush echoed off their trunks. A delighted smile played across the elf’s face.

“I’m ready when you are,” Glantheir said.

Closing his eyes, Theo felt for connections with his willpower. It was as though a million threads spread out from him in every direction. Through intuition, he focused on one. Sulvan’s thread felt like a cool summer’s breeze. The alchemist wrapped his willpower around that thread and tugged, sending a strange sensation spreading through his body. A moment later, and a loud popping sound, Sulvan Flametouched appeared in the forest.

Sulvan’s eye was still missing, and his face was a webwork of old scars. But the humility that now lingered in his remaining eye was shocking. The big man took a knee, casting his gaze to the ground. “I am not worthy of forgiveness, Lord Glantheir.”

“None of that ‘lord’ stuff,” Glantheir said, waving the thought away. “Rise, Paladin of the Eye.”

Sulvan rose to his feet, eye still glued to the ground.

“Too bad Uharis didn’t want to come,” Theo said.

“Give him time,” Sulvan said.

Glantheir cleared his throat. “I don’t like paladins. Therefore, I’m not offering you a [Glantheir Paladin’s Core]. I’m offering you a [Glantheir Cleric’s Core]. Is that agreeable?”

“I live to serve.”

“And serve you shall.” Glantheir chuckled, punching Theo in the arm. “Sulvan’s heart was so wrapped up in his service to the Eye, that he couldn’t see how much the beast warped his heart. When the Eye hears about…”

A loud snapping sound came from behind Glantheir. Khahar appeared with a scowl on his face.

“Sorry, Yuri,” Glantheir said, wincing. “I’m just excited to see this man’s redemption.”

Sulvan took a knee once more.

“Mortal,” Khahar said, looking down at Sulvan with spite. “If it was within my ability, I would strip you of your personal level. Reset you to Level 1 and watch you flounder through the ages.”

“I accept whatever punishment I deserve,” Sulvan said, head still bowed.

“Really?” Khahar asked, surprised.

“Yes, Arbiter.”

“Oh, my. This might get interesting,” Khahar said, snapping his fingers.

Tero’gal warped around Sulvan. Space bent, but the ex-inquisitor remained motionless. Theo felt his intent through the realm, like an echo. He had spent his entire life serving the Burning Eye. But he wasn’t a willing servant. The Eye had bent his will, filling his mind with whatever nonsense suited the dead god. Well, perhaps not a dead god, since Glantheir slipped up earlier. All that regret poured off him like an open faucet, flooded through his body and soaking into the surrounding air.

“All 100 Levels you gained while in the Eye's service have been purged. A fact only possible by your willingness to serve Glantheir,” Khahar said, looking down on Sulvan with an expressionless gaze. “Rise, Cleric of Glantheir. Are you prepared to serve?”

Theo watched in awe as Sulvan stood. He was smaller. Less broad in the shoulders, and shorter. A pair of gray eyes stared back at Khahar. Two complete eyes. The scars that tracked the man’s face were gone entirely. Other signs of age had been purged, such as the lines at the corners of the man’s eyes. A smile crept across his face.

“You understand what I ask of my followers, right?” Glantheir asked. “Forgiveness. One day you may have to forgive even the Eye. Are you prepared to do so?”

“I’ll do anything to atone,” Sulvan said, locking eyes with Glantheir.

Theo felt his conviction in the air. The fire of the Eye had been replaced with another kind of warmth. Heat that spread from his chest. It was absolute and unwavering. A flash of light issued from Sulvan’s chest.

“Now, let’s play some poker,” Khahar said, twirling his finger in the air. They all appeared outside of the cottage in an instant. Each one of them filed into the building, finding a seat at the table as the Arbiter produced his deck of cards.

“Look at him,” Benton said, gesturing to Sulvan. “Reborn and all that.”

Sulvan remained silent, finding his seat at the table. The bear god poured him a cup of tea, and scooted a berry scone across the table. The newly reborn Cleric accepted the food with humility, but he couldn’t hide his constant smile. After playing poker for several hours, Khahar had to take his leave. Glantheir remained to chat with Benton for a while, but Theo pulled Sulvan aside. He teleported them to the ocean where Alex was still hunting for fish in the water.

“Uharis will come around,” Sulvan said, looking at his hands as though they weren’t his own. “Do you know his surname?”

“Banetouched, right?”

“All followers of the Eye get new surnames,” Sulvan said, removing his shoes. He approached the beach, digging his toes into the sand. “Those with the Banetouched surname are the most fervent.”

While that was interesting, there was only one question lingering in Theo’s mind. “I need to ask,” he said, laughing. “Are there really people on Antalis?”

“There are,” Sulvan said, nodding and smiling. “An entire civilization living up there. Living their lives.”

“Do they have access to the system? To cores?”

“They do. But I have a question for you.”

“What is it?”

“Have you forgiven me? Truly?”

Theo didn’t have to think about that one. He had experienced the effects of a core’s influence before. Even if Drogramath’s intentions were good, the demon god had tried to manipulate him. Sulvan had at least 100 Levels in his Eye-aligned core. The alchemist couldn’t imagine how devastating that would be for a person’s personality. Over those 100 Levels, Sulvan would have become an entirely different person. The man standing before him was the true Sulvan.

“I forgive you completely,” Theo said, placing a hand on the cleric’s shoulder. “Glantheir didn’t say it, but I’m pretty sure you’re coming back with me. To Broken Tusk and the alliance. I trust you around my people, but…”

“I’ll sign a contract,” Sulvan said. “Already signed one with Glantheir, but I’m happy to do it again.”

Theo and Sulvan lingered near the ocean for the rest of their time in Tero’gal. While they spoke little, they shared a lot in their silence. When the time came, they found Sarisa and Rowan. The alchemist linked arms with Sulvan and Sarisa while Rowan held the goose. Tresk was standing guard on the walls in Broken Tusk, and the group fell through the void toward her.