Grand dreams sometimes died in the face of practicality. A system of pipes and tanks wasn’t off the table, but a simple organization of the lab’s storage crates would go a long way. The supply of unrefined essences was dwindling, giving way to only refined essences in Theo’s stock. While it wouldn’t be safe to dispose of those low-tier essences, it was easy enough to jam them all in a single [Dimensional Storage Crate] and forget about them for now. The process of organization had taken a few hours. The alchemist ran between the crates, his stills, and his fermentation barrels, targeting the most useful essences and modifiers.

From the perspective of an adventurer, [Anti-Mage], [Solidify], [Web], and [Aerosolize] were the most useful modifiers. For essences, restoration, and attribute-enhancements were the most valuable. Patrons might ask for other things, though. Stocking and organizing was about reducing the time it would take from receiving an order and completing it. No order would take more than a day, though.

The [Lesser Plant Golem] sent a signal into the lodestone network, signaling that it was done tending the garden. It went through the list of orders it had, and found one, shambling off into the thin forests within Broken Tusk to find more reagents. Of the 3 [Lesser Copper Golems], Theo selfishly kept one near his lab. When the Elves arrive, he’d have 10. It didn’t hurt to make a good impression, even if that impression was one of awesome power.

Theo let out a heavy breath. When he felt anxious, he often busied himself with other things. Zarali had gently pushed him to upgrade his herbalism core, and it was time to make that happen. He locked his eyes on the shrine to Drogramath in his lab, letting his gaze linger over the form of his deity. It was too much like a Dronon to deny the reality of gods. They were just people with more power than others. Reading between the lines, the alchemist understood what everything Khahar said meant. The true meaning, not the cryptic junk he left on the surface.

The gods in the Prime Pantheon were all from Earth.

The thought of pledging his loyalty to some person back on that doomed planet was disheartening. But time changed a person. Even months could ease old wounds and dull the edges of a personality. 60,000 years would have altered them completely. So Theo left his lab, heading across the street to Zarali’s enchanter’s workshop. She was often back by the late afternoon, having left Xol’sa’s tower to tend to whatever work she was entertaining.

“Theo,” Zarali said as he let himself in. “How do you feel about Elves? Are we certain they can be trusted?”

“They’ll sign the magic contract,” Theo said. “Same as everyone else.”

“Oh, I would enjoy seeing an Elf ripped apart by a magic beast,” Zarali said, sighing. “Anyway, how can I help you?”

“Time to upgrade this core,” Theo said sullenly.

Zarali clapped her hands together, letting out a shriek of excitement. With one deft motion she threw the table in the room’s center aside, then snatched a rug from the ground and tossed it. Beneath were Drogramathi enchanting symbols arranged in a series of circles. In Drogramath’s style, the symbols were written as stories. Short snippets about a Dronon conquering death, or Drogramath himself ascending to the Demonic heavens. What a hilarious contradiction.

“This is a very simple spell,” Zarali said. “Well, it would be simple… But Belgar’s [Drogramath Herbalism Core] was only at rare. We never had time to upgrade it to legendary. So! We need to jump two rarity levels, which is more expensive.”

“Do you need money?” Theo asked flatly.

“Of course not,” Zarali said, waving him away. “Just stand in the center of the circle and let’s go!”

“Hold on. I’m not jumping in some demon circle just because you said so,” Theo said, crossing his arms. “How long is this going to put me out for? What do I have to give?”

“When we did the ritual for Belgar, he wasn’t out for more than a few minutes,” Zarali said. “What we have to give, as you say, is quite a lot of materials. Oh, my! Look at all this Drogramath-aligned metal we suddenly have. Convenient, isn’t it?”

“Too convenient,” Theo grumbled, moving into the circle.

He could leave his herbalism core at its current rarity, but his abilities would suffer. Since the constructs ability was tied to both alchemy and herbalism, he wasn’t getting the most out of it. This was a necessary move, even if he didn’t like it.

“Take me all the way to mythic, if you wouldn’t mind,” Theo said.

Zarali cackled, slapping her knee. “Oh, good joke. Now, stand still. Let me know if you experience any pain.”

The pain was immediate and mind-numbing. In a flash, it was as though Theo’s chest was filled with angry, flaming bees. But as quickly as it started, it ended. The room faded to black and the pain was gone. The alchemist found himself in a new room, not unlike that which he went to when talking to the Qavelli representative. A single, shadowy figure stood at the opposite end of the room. The swoop of the man’s horns and swishing, thin tail gave him away as a Dronon.

“I admit to some deception,” the figure said with a shrug. He had a calming voice. Not what Theo was expecting. Not from a Demonic Lord. “But the faithful are often easy to deceive.”

“Drogramath,” Theo said. He didn’t know whether to bow his head or spit in the Demon’s face. “So, am I getting my new core? Or am I screwed?”

“The new core, I should think,” Drogramath said. “Time is short. The realm of your Tara’hek is growing too strong. An unintended twist that bore more fruit than I could have imagined. Glanthier, Parantheir, Zaul, Ulvoqor, Uz’Xulven, Tworgnoth, Toru’aun, and Khahar. Those are the realms you can trust for your next core. Select myself, Uz’Xulven, and Khahar as your town’s patrons, in that order, when you upgrade Broken Tusk next. Again. Time is short.”

Theo’s mind swirled. His superior memory would ensure he remembered every single word, but it struggled to understand the meaning. Drogramath was nothing like he expected, and in an instant the meeting was over. The alchemist didn’t have time to ask another question. The Demonic God flicked his hand and the room faded into nothingness.

He gasped for air, waking in a cold sweat in his bed.

“Theo!” Tresk shouted, slapping him across the face. “You’ve been asleep for ten years!”

“Shut up, Tresk. You stupid idiot,” Luras said.

“It was funny!”

Aarok grunted his disapproval.

“Someone bring me up to speed,” Theo said, his mind still reeling from the encounter with Drogramath.

“Theo, I’m so sorry,” Zarali said.

Theo had time to take stock of his surroundings. Tresk, Aarok, Luras, and Zarali were all crowded around his bed. Morning sunlight flooded through his window, casting them all in a halo of yellow light.

“Zarali messed up your ritual,” Luras said, his eyes burning with the power of his Ogre Patron.

“I didn’t mess it up,” Zarali said. “I did exactly as He said.”

Theo ignored their bickering and inspected his cores, finding that Drogramath kept up his end of the bargain.

[Drogramath Herbalist Core]

Legendary

Herbalist Core

Bound

3 Slots

Level 16 (25%)

[Herbalist Core] given to the descendants of Drogramath.

Effects:

+5 Vigor

[Rare Material Handling]

While his friends argued about who messed what up, the alchemist inspected the new skill attached to his herbalism core.

[Rare Material Handling]

Herbalism Skill

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

Rare

Allows the user to handle rare reagents without destroying them.

Effect:

Some reagents are too gentle to be handled by normal people. This skill allows you to handle those reagents without destroying them by touch.

It was a skill to match his [Unstable Material Handling] skill, although he found no reagents he couldn’t handle. That meant there were plants in the world he hadn’t discovered yet.

“Enough,” Theo said, snapping out of his thoughts. The room went silent. “It was a ploy by Drogramath, but he delivered. My core is upgraded, and that’s the end. No more shouting, I have a headache.”

“I really didn’t mean to do it,” Zarali said.

Tresk must have been reading Theo’s mind, or his emotions. She shot him a wide-eyed look, but kept her mouth shut. The Marshling knew that if he had a good reason to hide information, she wouldn’t force the issue. The group talked, but Theo fell into his thoughts. His first real encounter with Drogramath had ended in a way he couldn’t have expected. Where he expected a fearsome creature he found a man.

Just a man, Theo thought.

The group let out a gasp of surprise as Tresk disappeared. Only a few heartbeats later, her voice filled his mind.

Teleport to me.

Theo obeyed. The Dreamwalk flashed by, then he was standing on a hill. A chilly breeze blew from the north. Broken Tusk sprawled out in the distance to the south. Tresk knew exactly what he needed at that moment. Perspective.

Spill the beans, Tresk said.

Theo relayed the events through their communication skill. He spared no detail, making sure his companion knew he didn’t feel in danger. The cold snapped away in an instant. Warmth like nothing he had ever felt washed over him. It was dry and inviting, as though part of an ancient family home.

“What are you going to do when you die, Khahar?” Theo asked. His heart thumping in his chest like a drum. He stole a look at the Khahari leader, who smiled.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m going directly to hell,” Khahar said, grinning wider. “Although, that strip club in the sky is sounding more appealing by the day.”

“Were there any strip clubs left? By the end, I mean,” Theo asked.

“No. No there weren’t,” Khahar said.

“What’s a strip club?” Tresk asked, keeping her voice to a whisper.

“A place where nude women—” Khahar started.

“So, you and Drogramath,” Theo interrupted. “I mean… Damn, is it even safe to talk aloud?”

“Around me it is.”

“You’re working together?” Theo asked. “Where did you send Sulvan?”

“Antalis,” Khahar said.

Theo’s brows knit tightly. It was now too much information to take in. Was it Drogramath, Khahar, or someone else that had a plan? And where did that plan go? A catastrophic event was coming—an event they thought Theo could survive—but there had to be a plan. While the alchemist now knew Khahar’s true identity, it didn’t seem to matter. With a deep breath, he stroked the egg at his side. It was always at his side, now. None of it mattered.

“Didn’t know you could live on the moon,” Theo said, gesturing to the town below. “Doesn’t matter, though. Does it? Look at the harbor. People running around like little ants… We don’t even have any boats, but I can feel their excitement from here. Look! A refugee train. We’ve been getting those often. Is it really coming together? Just like that?”

“Looks like it,” Tresk said, finding a rock to sit on.

“Rivers and Gronro have also seen an influx of citizens,” Khahar said. “The situation in Qavell is… Horrible.”

“You could fix it all, right?” Theo asked.

“I’ve done that before,” Khahar said. “It doesn’t end well.”

Theo nodded. “I’m good. Thought it would be worse when I finally saw that guy, but I’m good. Still can’t shake the feeling that I’m a pawn, though.”

“You were a pawn,” Khahar said. “Someone orchestrated this entire scenario, but they didn’t count on one factor. I can see a million futures. I discount the ones with the least likely probability. Whoever did this never expected a new Tara’hek.”

So Theo’s survival hinged on a fluke with Tresk. Something that shouldn’t have happened, but it did. There were still more questions than answers, but it hardly mattered. The way forward was clear, and he’d done everything he could to prepare. 66 days seemed so short, looking back on it.

“Doesn’t matter,” Theo said. “We got work to do. You can go home, Khahar.”

Khahar shrugged. “I’d like to see the Elves one last time before I leave.”

“Suit yourself,” Theo said. “Mind giving us a ride back to town? Would that be cheating?”

Theo was standing with Khahar and Tresk in front of the lab. There was no spatial distortion when they moved. They were simply standing in one place, then another. No one even noticed them arrive. People just walked around them as they appeared. Like so many things before, the alchemist washed his hands of the situation. It wouldn’t do to dwell on something he couldn’t change. The right move was to work, making Broken Tusk better than it was before. More weapons, more people, more food… A higher chance at survival.

“Right. Time to call a meeting,” Theo said. “Thanks for the ride, Khahar.”

“My pleasure.”

[Theo]: Administration staff, please report to the town hall meeting room. This is not an emergency.

“Always good to tell them it’s not an emergency. That always works,” Tresk said.

Alise assembled her staff at a moment’s notice, cramming everyone in the small meeting room. Aarok, Luras, Zarali, and Azrug were also there. Fenian had departed while Theo was unconscious. The staff was concerned, but Theo waved all concerns for himself away. Zarali’s process worked, and the alchemist had more information on which realms to trust for the future. That was a big win, and he expressed that sentiment to everyone.

“Just glad you’re not dead,” Zarali said. She looked like she was going to be sick.

“Well, it ended well,” Theo said. “I know Drogramath is an ally.”

“I’m disappointed you ever thought otherwise,” Zarali said, drawing herself up. In classic fashion, she recovered in moments.

“That’s fine,” Theo said, waving her away. “I’d just like a report from the administration staff on how we’re doing. Food, resources, trade deals. All that stuff.”

Alise cleared her throat. “Despite our original estimate of 200 citizens before the first day of the Season of Fire, we’re now expecting 300. At minimum. Without counting the Elves.”

“That would have impacted our food quotas, but Azrug has taken care of that. If you would, Lord Merchant?” Gwyn said.

“I shoved a hot poker up the collective asses of Rivers and Daub,” Azrug said with a shrug. “Altered our original deal, so now we have wagon trains of dried food coming in. I got the food at a steal, so we’re attaching it to the free food initiative we started. Funny thing about Broken Tuskers, though.”

“No one is taking it,” Alise finished. “There are jobs enough for everyone, so everyone is working. Making a decent wage and buying their food. So there’s two options they can take. Cheap dried food provided by the town, or expensive meals prepared by the tavern.”

But it was as important to be self-reliant. Throk had made that comment before, and Theo couldn’t agree more. The alchemist hated when systems were built without the idea of failure in mind. But it was a good start.

“Do we have any trade deals with anything north of Gronro?” Theo asked.

“Several,” Azrug said. “If you want my opinion, we need that harbor to function. We’re sitting on piles of resources with no way to trade them.”

“Once we do get boats, I can enchant them to move faster than anything else on the ocean,” Zarali said.

The conversation devolved from there. Theo got what he wanted to hear. These check-in meetings were too important, and he wanted to do them more often. Another scandal like the farm situation would be horrible. The alchemist sat and listened to their strategies, agreeing where it was appropriate and declining otherwise. It was the perfect salve to an unsavory event, leaving him feeling excited and confident. When they finally broke off, sometime around midday, he went to inspect his town.

[Large Town]

Name: Broken Tusk

Owner: Kingdom of Qavell

Mayor: Theo Spencer

Faction: [Qavell]

Level: 19 (22.12%)

Core Buildings:

Alchemy Lab

Greenhouses (x6)

Blacksmith

Artificer’s Workshop

Large Farm

Windmill

Quarry

Stonecutter

House (x231)

Tannery

Leatherworker

Tavern

Adventurer’s Guild

Hotsprings

Sawmill

Mine

Smelter

Enchanter

Ranch

Townhall

Butcher

Defensive Emplacements:

Chain Lightning (x12)

Frost Cone (x7)

Fireball (x10)

Firebolt (x25)

Upgrades:

[Stone Walls and Gates]

[Stone Roads]

[Turret Emplacements]

Effects:

[Troll Slaying]

[Coordinated Fire]

Current Resources:

Timber: 32,501

Stone Blocks: 15,000

Metal: 20,000

Motes: 5,000

While the town’s level hadn’t made progress, that was part of their plan. They needed more citizens to make that work, and it was only a matter of time before they had another flood of people. Theo consulted his mayoral interface to inspect the map. Alise pointed out a few areas they could expand easily, creating more land for homes. Purchasing land to the west, into the swamp, wasn’t ideal. But there was plenty of land to the northeast. After that, they could expand from the harbor to the east, taking over the vast prairies. Xol’sa needed to get his [Dungeon Engineer] core so they could do something about the [River Dungeon], which now sat north of the harbor.

Another notable thing to come out of the meeting was that Aarok had purchased more weapons for their walls. Theo still wanted to get Sledge to work with Throk to create an automated mote-feeding system for the artifices, so that might be their next project. The old Marshling would moan about how he didn’t want to do it, only to eventually cave. There was also the need to get rid of their resources. They were packed to the gills with all the important ones, more than they could ever spend repairing their walls and buildings. Some of those resources were now being traded for dried food, but that was fine. Production was at an all-time high.

Theo looked forward to the meeting with Rivers and Daub, and Gronro-Dir. Whatever alliance they formed would form the basis of the southland’s power, and their ability to fight whatever was coming. Azrug had expressed his plan to create an overland shipping operation, and he had a [General Store Seed Core] in hand. The young Merchant Lord was reluctant to reveal this information, but Theo had expected it.

“The truth is,” Theo said, patting his egg. “Seeing that guy took a weight off my shoulders.”

The egg chirped in response.