Pale moonlight filtered through the upstairs window of the Newt and Demon. A flame danced above a [Fire Artifice], licking over the edge of Tresk’s copper pan. The Marshling dutifully flipped the morning steaks, sending globs of grease over the edge. The pair woke that morning before dawn, as they typically did. Theo sat at the table near the window, staring out as crisp night air flowed inside. He swatted away the intrusive thoughts that would steer him away from his goals, the shiny things that he wanted to fix.

“I don’t even want to consider it,” Tresk said with a weak shrug.

Theo had explained Miana’s words in more detail, a fact the Marshling didn’t care for. She was always good at keeping the past where it belonged, looking forward to a brighter dawn. The alchemist was typically there with her, but the mystery nagged at the corners of his mind. Last night was the first in several weeks where he didn’t have haunting dreams. Not nightmares, just uneasy images of things he didn’t understand. After hitting the threshold of level 10, and meeting with Sulvan, those dreams left him like carrion on the wind.

“No, we shouldn’t dwell on the past. I agree,” Theo said. “It’s the strangeness of it all that gets me. Someone wanted me to be here.”

“Well, the answer to that is simple,” Tresk said, perking up. “You’ll refuse to be put on a leash. Whoever comes to collect will find a dagger in their back, just you wait.”

“Especially if you’re a Shadowdancer,” Theo said, grinning.

“We gotta get the cores,” Tresk said. “I’ll pay for them. I need them!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll get them,” Theo said.

Tresk served the steak, a dish that seemed lacking without the salt and butter. Theo had a greedy thought to push the farmers into raising Karatans, but shrugged it away. Salt would go a long way, though.

“Plans?” Tresk asked through a mouthful of meat.

“I’m taking it easy, still,” Theo said, waving her away. “I’m going to make my rounds with the rest of the town. Aarok’s adventurer’s guild is my first stop, then Banurub’s farm.”

“Finally getting to the farm?” Tresk asked, chuckling. “I bet they feel abused.”

“Not as much as Ziz and the miners,” Theo said. “I told them I’d look into the magic rocks they found, but I haven’t.”

“You can’t do everything,” Tresk said. “At least they paid off the debt they owed.”

Theo reflected on that. The few weeks he spent trying to break his barrier saw the quarry being paid off in full. Ziz and his stoneworkers worked tirelessly to pay off their debt, handily producing the 3 gold they owed him, and a little more. Now he had the pleasure of sitting back and taking 10 percent of their profits without lifting a finger. He felt guilty, but only for a moment. Without him, they’d still be laboring for poverty wages.

That was a selfish thought that led back to Miana’s portent. The entire town would still be on the verge of starving, living in the mud. He didn’t want to be anyone’s savior, let alone set up by some nonsense concept like destiny. Theo often felt like an invader in Broken Tusk. Thrust into the mayor’s seat with little fanfare. He wanted the position, but that didn’t make it any better.

“I deserve the mayor’s position, right?” Theo asked. “Even after what Miana told me.”

“Of course,” Tresk said, blowing raspberries. “Look, you didn’t have to stay here. It made the most sense for you, but you could have left. Some big-time alchemist in Qavell would have killed to have you in their shop. Anytime you feel doubtful, talk to me. I’ll set you straight.”

“That’s brilliant advice,” Theo said, grinning.

He wasn’t just inflating her ego, either. Tresk made a great sounding board for his doubts.

“Of course it is, you dirty Demon,” Tresk said. “Eat your food.”

Theo obeyed, cutting off a sizeable chunk of steak and shoving it in his mouth. Instead of dwelling on something he couldn’t change, he shifted his thoughts to the task at hand. The problem with the farmers wasn’t a single problem. There were several problems. He didn’t have the growth potion, but had reserved that until he talked to them. Unlike with Perg’s tannery issue, he couldn’t be sure if making things grow faster would be a good thing. Perhaps the demand for Zee, the corn-like crop the farmers grew, wasn’t as high as he expected.

“I wonder what the farmers need,” Theo said, taking another bite.

Tresk shrugged, swallowing the rest of her meal with little chewing. “Good question. Karatans, maybe. I don’t know how they do in the southlands. Maybe a breeding program for another kind of creature. Access to different seeds. Some growing potions—that was your original plan.”

“Well, no sense sitting here,” Theo said, looking out the window. “The farmers rise well before we do, so I’ll go have a chat with Banurub after I’ve met with Aarok.”

“Guess what I’m doing?” Tresk asked.

“Dungeon?”

“Nope. Patrol duty,” Tresk said, grinning. “Someone said they saw a Goblin riding a Wolf.”

Theo grimaced. “That’s weird. Does that normally happen? Monsters working together like that?”

“Yeah, they get more organized. It’s like phases of development. More monsters, more cooperation, stronger—you know. Phases.”

“Right. I’ll tell Aarok to reserve monster cores for the town,” Theo said.

“Yeah, come here,” Tresk said, holding her arms up, beckoning him to stoop to her level. She pressed her forehead against his, and they gained a bit more experience. “Almost 10. So close. We’re gonna get something cool—I can feel it.”

“I can feel it, too,” Theo said.

Tresk departed first, leaving Theo to look over his lab before he went. The Newt and Demon had grown considerably since he inherited the place. Even with the expansions, he didn’t know if pressure tanks would fit inside. The artifices Throk was creating might need to go outside. These thoughts fell away as he descended into the empty shop below. A scatter of useful potions sat on the shelves, but the supply was dwindling. The alchemist would need to perform profitable alchemy soon.

The ground was slick outside from morning dew, glistening in the fading light of the moon above. That pale light mingled with the fire of sunrise, splashing the eastern horizon with a wash of purples and oranges. The sunlight scoured away the wispy clouds of the night, banishing them for the day. It made way for the constant storms of the Season of Blooms already visible to the west. Theo pulled his robe close and moved north to the center of town, the night chill still biting in the air.

Aarok’s adventurer’s guild occupied the ex-mayor’s building. It was a hand-built place made of rotting timber with a failing roof and shoddy foundation. Theo knocked on the door and waited. The guildmaster appeared moments later, smiling. He was larger than most Half-Ogres, earning his station by both strength and intellect. Like most of his kin his skin was a pale red color, bordering on ochre. He’d trimmed back the mess of black hair since Theo saw him last, revealing his powerful features in full.

“Finally,” Aarok said, the smile turning slightly sour. “Come in.”

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Theo followed the Half-Ogre back to Miana’s old office. Aarok plopped down into a hard wooden chair and let out a sigh. The alchemist joined him on the opposite side of a heavy table.

“Any problems?” Theo asked.

“Yeah, my mayor was on a spirit journey,” Aarok said, laughing. He was in higher spirits than normal. “No, it’s fine. I just wanted a little direction.”

“Alright, what’s going on?”

“Well, I have a few problems,” Aarok said, reclining in his chair. “First, I got an offer from the adventurer’s guild in Rivers and Daub. It’s a pittance.”

Theo waved him away. “Don’t take it. Whatever they’re offering you to join their group isn’t worth it.”

“Agreed. I just wanted your word on it,” Aarok said. “We think alike, in a lot of ways. They offered a lump sum, but it was an insult. The guild will remain localized, outside of their influence.”

“Perfect,” Theo said. “That was my thoughts on the matter, anyway. We’re strong enough to make it on our own, for now.”

“Next problem. Should I be reserving cores?” Aarok asked. “The adventurers won’t like it, but I can make them put the [Monster Cores] into the town.”

“Yeah, put everything into the town. You’re right, we think alike,” Theo said, laughing. “We won’t need the protection of a foreign guild if we have big lightning flingers on the walls.”

“Agreed. That’s it,” Aarok said, grinning. “I have no more issues.”

“You’re the easiest to deal with,” Theo said. “How are you doing, by the way?”

“I’m getting into it,” Aarok said with a shrug. “I expected to hate the position, but it’s nice. It really reminds me of my days training for the Qavelli Irregulars. Seems like a stupid dream, looking back on it.”

Theo shrugged. “Gotta take what we can get. I see what you mean, though. You’re building a force here.”

“They’re getting strong, too,” Aarok said. “The way the monsters are spawning in the [Swamp Dungeon] gives them a chance to push themselves.”

Theo nodded. That made sense. More monsters meant more stuff to kill. Broken Tusk had the dungeon all to themselves. In reality, they had 4 dungeons to themselves. Once the others started overflowing, the adventurers would get even stronger.

“Well, it’s been a pleasure,” Theo said, standing up. “Come find me if you need anything.”

“Sure.”

Theo left the adventurer’s guild, heading directly for the farms. He was happy that Aarok enjoyed his position as the guildmaster and excited that he agreed to stay independent. There was something about the other guilds that rubbed the alchemist the wrong way. They seemed to provide little in the way of support while still collecting dues. Since the adventurers in Broken Tusk were mostly natives, they were happy to agree with whatever their guildmaster said.

The town’s tight-knit community ‌gave it charm and would see it prosper in the future. That made the alchemist’s journey to the farm painful. He’d ignored them since he got to the town, taking on too many other side jobs before turning to address their issues.

The ascent to the farmer’s hill was arduous. It left Theo gasping for breath by the time he saw the sprawling fields, some currently fallow. The smell of tilled earth filled his nose, mingling with the scent of oncoming rain. Ozone was a common smell in Broken Tusk during the Season of Blooms. One could rely on that thing alone to be precede a storm, but the advantage of height gave him a clear picture of the clouds brewing west of the town. They hung in the sky, low and filled with rain, prepared to cover them in another thick downpour.

The people who worked the farm represented the lowest, least-earning peoples of the town. Theo watched as they toiled in the fields, performing tedious work for little pay. Whatever he did to help these people, he needed Banurub to agree to an increase in wages. Without that trickle of income, they couldn’t hope to overcome the growth in the local economy. The alchemist worked his way over the cobbled path through the middle of the fields, Zee growing on the left where the right remained fallow for the season. He found Banurub’s farmhouse before long, knocking on the door and waiting for the Half-Ogre to appear.

Banurub, who preferred to be called Banu, appeared at the door with a smile on his face. He was like most Half-Ogres, if not a little stunted. He didn’t rise to their typical heights, standing a head shorter than Theo. What he lacked in height, he made up for in width. The man had the kind of build and strength only a farmer could have, and the alchemist suspected he put all of his points into strength. He didn’t know what level he was, but it had to be pretty high.

“Morning, mayor,” Banu said, grinning. “Finally break that barrier?”

The farmer gestured, allowing Theo inside of his home. It was a quant, hand-built structure that felt cozy. The alchemist assumed a chair near the rear window, looking out over the fields.

“I did. The answer was right in front of me,” Theo said.

“It often is,” Banu said, taking a seat. “So, is it my turn?”

Theo snorted a laugh. “Yeah, it’s your turn.”

“Honestly, we’re fine,” Banu said, leaning forward. “I’m sure there are others that need your help.”

“No, you’re next on my list,” Theo said, knitting his brow. “I wanted to elevate the whole farm. I wanted the laborers to get paid more.”

“I already raised their rates,” Banu said, waving a dismissive hand. “Laborers can make 5 copper a day, now.”

“Why?” Theo asked. “How can you afford that?”

“Cost of Zee went up,” Banu said, grinning.

Theo let out a long breath. He pressed his fingers into his temples. 5 copper a day was good, but it wasn’t sustainable. People earning that wage would make a decent living, but they wouldn’t thrive. And what would happen when the price of Zee went down? They’d be left living a lifestyle they couldn’t support, coming back to the same problem they had before. No, that wasn’t acceptable.

“Alright, Banu. We need to think of ways to improve your business,” Theo said. “Things that I can invest in, so you can make more money. You need to expand to support your workers.”

Banu’s brows knit tightly, and he stared out of the window. He stayed like that for some time before responding.

“Well, I guess I can think of a few things,” Banu said. “Exporting Zee is profitable, but we could grow other things.”

“Would you have any use for potions that make your crops grow faster?” Theo asked.

“The problem with that idea is that I don’t know what it’ll put in the soil,” Banu said. “Zee has a very specific need, namely the mud from the marsh. If that gets screwed up, the Zee won’t grow.”

“Alright, that’s a start,” Theo said. “I can look into improving the quality of the soil. Do you have any interest in starting a ranch? Raising livestock?”

“Well, that’s quite expensive,” Banu said.

“Good thing you have an investor sitting in your house,” Theo said, narrowing his eyes.

The alchemist couldn’t figure out if the man was leading him on, being intentionally short-sighted, or if it was honestly just the way he was.

“We’ll put a ranch on the back-burner and focus on improving the production of Zee,” Theo said. “I hope you don’t mind if I stop by the farm occasionally to experiment.”

“As long as you don’t hurt the crop, I don’t care,” Banu said.

Theo reached out a hand for the farmer to shake, which he did. “I’ll be back often. We’ll sort this out.”

“Bye.”

Theo left, feeling worse about the problem than when he started. Banu’s farm would need a firm hand, he could tell. He walked down the avenue between the fields and scooped up a handful of dirt from the base of a Zee stalk, intending to return to the lab and begin experimentation immediately. The [Drogramath Alchemy Core] whispered in tandem with the [Drogramath Herbalism Core], urging him to investigate the soil. There was something special in that mud. He just had to discover what it was.

Plants needed nutrients in the ground to grow, Theo knew that much. Earth was a mess when it was destroyed, and he never tried his hand at growing anything in the fouled soil there. Still, he understood the base concept and his cores would do the rest of the work. His mind reached for information it shouldn’t have, his intuition coming up with a few ideas to start with. Then, his thoughts shifted to his own needs. The needs of his lab and the constant hunt for the never-ending reagents.

“Back burner,” Theo said, nodding to himself.

The storms opened up over the swamp, a sheet of rain visible from the distance. Theo pulled his robe tight and let the storm wash over him. The curtain pulled itself over Broken Tusk, visible clearly from the height of the farmer’s hill. Tresk had been collecting [Spriggan Hearts] from the dungeon, giving him a hefty stockpile. He reserved himself to grinding out herbs to get to level 10 in his herbalism core, letting everything fall by the wayside until the pressure vessel was done.

“Light experimentation until then,” Theo said, barely audible over the driving rain.

The alchemist made his way back to the Newt and Demon, watching as people ran to cover from the rain. He pushed through his front door, pouring some [Cleansing Scrub] on his head before greeting Azrug.

“No customers, yet,” Azrug said.

“I doubt we’ll see much in this rain,” Theo said, peering out the front window.

“You never know. Any plans for the day?” Azrug asked.

“Experimentation,” Theo said. “The farmers don’t want my help.”

“That’s farmers for you,” Azrug said. “You need to show them they want your help.”

Theo nodded, clapping a hand over the shopkeeper’s shoulder. “I think you’re right.”