The Newt and Demon

Theo pressed his forefinger and thumb into his forehead, picking free a chunk of metal. He followed his intuition and the guidance of the Wisdom of the Soul prompts. A gas form of the unbound dilution had mixed with gaseous essence. The mixture was even stable, if only for a few seconds. But as the mixture condensed, pooling in a flask underneath, it exploded.

“Are you good?” Theo asked, trying not to cough.

“I’m alive,” Salire said. “Why didn’t it work?”

That was a good question. Theo was certain this was the way forward, so why had it failed in the last step. But this wasn’t something he could solve in a moment. He was too laser-focused on the problem, and needed to clear his head before he moved forward.

“Let’s take a break. Could you do me a favor?” Theo asked.

Salire nodded, dutifully pulling out a notebook. He instructed her to get with Throk’s people again, refining the design of the vapor mixing artifices. The alchemist knew this wouldn’t be a waste of time. This was it. They just needed to find the missing piece of the puzzle before he got what he wanted.

“Agreed,” Salire said with a drawn-out sigh. “I was certain that was going to work.”

“Yeah, me too. Get your brain working. Check with everyone you can find about evolving buildings. I’m gonna find Throk.”

The duo broke for the day, parting from the clearing to perform their own tasks. Theo located Throk up north, working on the northbound train system. He stopped by Miana’s ranch on his way there, finding the ex-mayor of the town working with a team of trained wolves and marshlings to ride them. After that, he checked on the market. They hadn’t found a seed core to plant there, but the area had developed on its own. Merchants from afar now brought their wares to Broken Tusk. The place that was once an empty field now bustled with activity.

“And yet,” Theo grumbled to himself, the wind whipping his face. “We still don’t have windshields.”

It didn’t pass Theo’s notice that the trains were slightly faster than before. He had to hold on tighter so he didn’t get tossed as the train took a corner. Throk must have juiced the artifices that drove the train. That or he refined his ability to make fake coins. Whatever the crafty marshling had done, the trip to Gronro could now be accomplished in less time. Theo didn’t think he’d ever get used to seeing the new Gronro-Dir. It seemed as though everyone stayed indoors when the threat of the undead was here. He spotted several new citizens, which he was surprised to learn came from the north.

“I thought everyone was dead,” Theo said, slapping Grot on the back and startling the dwarf.

“Balls, you scared me,” Grot released a heavy sigh that stirred the whiskers of his mustache. “Yeah, there was some druid enclave somewhere up north. Those folks have been walking for a while. Bet they didn’t expect to see Qavell all the way down here.”

“Good to see. Hopefully, they’re adjusting…” Theo trailed off, spotting a new train station to the north. So there would be no line connecting Broken Tusk to this line. They would need to disembark and board the next one. “Where is Throk?”

“Working with some folks. You can take that little train if you want.”

Theo craned his neck, spotting the ‘little train’ sitting on the tracks. It was hovering, waiting for someone to board it. “What’s that all about?”

“That’s how the workers move along the track. Keeps them from walking for days.”

“Keep up the good work, Grot,” Theo said, slapping the dwarf on the back. He considered giving him finger-guns, but walked away instead.

Theo mounted the tiny train. It was a small platform with a few seats. But there was nothing to cover him, leaving him exposed to the chilly mountain air. Without the Coat of Rake, he would have been too cold. Unlike the train that ran between Broken Tusk, Rivers and Daub, and Gronro, this one didn’t have a conductor. The alchemist fiddled with the controls for a minute before urging the train forward. It hummed along the track, approaching the first obstacle of the journey.

The bridge that Ziz, Theo, and others had designed was nice. It was over-engineered, using far more materials than necessary. But Ziz had a way of working with things that the alchemist didn’t want to shoot down. The track was set in on the bridge, separated from the main path by a guardrail. That should prevent traders from driving their carts over the track, which would cause a disaster on both sides. Theo urged the cart to a stop as he approached a worksite. Workers waved at him, shouting for him to slow it down.

Theo dismounted the train after engaging the break, finding a group of workers creating the impressive road. He had passed over two more bridges, noting that each landmass was mostly barren. Throk waved from within the ground, shoving a dwarf out of the way to approach the alchemist.

“Fancy seeing you all the way out here, archduke. Where is your cadre?” Throk asked.

Theo looked around. Sarisa and Rowan appeared from behind the cart. Both were sweating. “There.”

“That wasn’t a pleasant journey.” Rowan released a heavy sigh.

“You guys can tell me when I forget about you. Ya know that, right?”

“Where would be the fun in that?” Sarisa asked, her face pale.

“Anyway, check this out,” Throk said, waving a sawn-off shotgun in Theo’s face.

The alchemist instinctively slapped the weapon to the side. “You need to learn some weapon safety.”

Throk thumbed the release, causing the break action shotgun to fold in on itself. “It isn’t loaded. Alise told me to figure out how this thing works, but…”

“But that’s dwarven technology!” a dwarf shouted. Other dwarves laughed at the proclamation.

“Yes, apparently the dwarves have weapons like this.” Throk waved the shotgun around, uncaring as he flagged most people there. “It just inspired me to make a handheld version of our acceleration guns.”

“Rail guns,” Theo corrected.

“I thought those used magnets? Mine uses magic.” Throk folded his arms, scratching his chin with the barrel of the shotgun.

Theo winced, pulling the weapon from the marshling’s hands. He held it on its side, looking at the strange tech on the side. He scoffed as he realized what this was. “Yeah, this is pretty close to some Earth tech from my time. I’d be surprised if Jan didn’t add these changes himself. This device reminds me of an accelerator weapon we used back on earth. Look, it even has a charge.”

“Could you explain how it works?” Throk asked.

With a shrug, Theo explained how different it was from stuff in his time. To him, this was ancient tech he could only hope to describe. Not only was it 250 years before his time, but he was never the one working on weapons back on Earth. While he had used them, these weren’t the weapons of his profession. Perhaps if it was a bomb, he could give some more insight. But he explained everything he knew anyway, detailing each part. Including some ancient tech battery that would have been useless in his time.

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“And how do we make electricity? I’ve seen a lightning mage before, maybe we could hire some.”

Theo shook his head. “You’re better off replacing all the tech components with magic. I’m guessing the dwarves use explosive powder. The only thing you’re trying to replicate here is the ability to throw a slug forward. RIght?”

“True. Still, this is very interesting.”

“Agreed,” Theo said, handing the weapon back to Throk. “Have you talked with the new guy?”

“No. He’s too busy working with Sulvan.”

“Cool, cool. How about you explain your bridge project? While I’m here.”

Throk looked at the workers with pride. He explained how the work was going. Some of those workers were hired from afar, either remaining for the entire project or floating between this region and others in the world. Crossing the continent was now a problem. Ziz and Throk worked to create bridges between the new islands of the continent, allowing people to pass over. The latest group that settled in Gronro had done so with an airship, which seemed exceedingly dangerous.

“They were shot down,” Throk said with a shrug. “But no one died.”

“Good to hear.”

Theo remained at the work area for some time. It was always a marvel to see how classes made arduous tasks trivial. Ziz’s ability to take prefabricated things into his inventory before placing them where he wanted them to go was amazing. The alchemist watched as the half-ogre set sections of the bridge in place. Welded pieces of stone that weighed tons were set in place as though he worked with Lincoln Logs.

Theo got back on his tiny train after a while, heading back to Broken Tusk. Things were going to get weird once the way north was opened. What he needed was a few Town Seed Cores to claim land along the way. He had been so consumed with his newest project that he neglected the underground city and Qavell. Checking his administration interface on the way back, he was happy to see the Cave Dungeon situation evening out. They might have some minor monster waves soon, but it wouldn’t be bad.

“I need to make a checklist of crap to do…”

Theo split his time in the Dreamwalk between increasing his willpower and messing with alchemy. He had a few ideas on how to make this next phase work, but he was uncertain. Between the events of the day and his work in the dream realm, he gained a level in his alchemy and herbalism core. The Tara’hek Core didn’t care about restrictions on his main cores and had jumped to 37. Both his Zaul and Taru’aun core were about to hit Level 10. That would require some deep thought and perhaps some research.

After breakfast in the real world, Theo had plans to work with Salire. But his attention was drawn away from that with a notification in his administration screen. Sulvan had some issues with Jan.

“Keep working on the problem,” Theo said after stopping in at the Newt and Demon. “I need to sort out an old noir detective.”

“Right.” Salire’s expression was one of steely resolve. Theo left her with a sheet of parchment, filled with all the ideas he had. While her skills in alchemy were good, her ability to organize information was amazing.

At least there was now a road that led to Qavell. While the town still wasn’t part of the alliance, Theo doubted anyone’s ability to assault the city. He climbed the stairs leading to the main entrance, losing count of how many there were about half-way up. He was greeted by guards holding their spears and shields. They gave him a brief nod, allowing him entry into the city.

Qavell had done a great job of rebuilding already. Theo wandered around for a bit, unsure of where to find Sulvan. He spotted the man dressed plainly, flanked by the guy in the detective’s coat. The alchemist shook his head as he approached, watching as Jan tried to make a run for it. Sulvan tripped him, gritting his teeth and looking down at the wayward Earthling.

“What’s going on?” Theo asked.

“He will not accept the teachings of my lord. He is unteachable.”

“I thought you were trying to integrate, Jan,” Theo said, looking down at the prone man.

Jan rolled onto his back, letting out a heavy sigh. “Can we have a word without the bible-thumper around?”

Theo knelt, looking at the scarred face of Jan. “The difference here is that the gods are real.” He placed a hand on Jan, interdicting them both through the void. Of course the earthling screamed, but sound didn’t travel far in the void. When they landed in the Realm of Healing, he was still screaming.

“That’s just about enough,” Glantheir said, turning to smile at Theo and Jan. The god was standing on his balcony, overlooking the endless gardens of his realm. “To have the stillness of the day broken by him. Surprised it took you so long to bring him to me, Theo.”

“Yeah, things get busy on the mortal plane.”

Glantheir walked over, hoisting Jan to his feet and dusting him off. Without explaining, he pressed palm against his forehead. “That should calm you down. If only a little.”

Jan glared at Glantheir, as though he could do anything. Within the realm of a god, that god’s word was absolute. Someone could drop a nuke in the center of this place and nothing would happen. Only a declaration of war from another god could do anything.

“Your friend is troubled,” Glantheir said, turning away to return to his balcony.

“John,” Theo said, holding his arms out. “He’s from Earth.”

“I know. You dislodged him from the queue.”

“So you should understand he’s not having a good time.”

“I agree with the purple devil,” Jan said, jabbing a thumb at Theo. “Can I go home?”

“There’s no home to go to,” Glantheir said. “Earth was destroyed 250 years after you left. Why don’t you tell Theo what’s really bothering you?”

Theo watched as Jan went to war with himself. Glantheir had a way of stripping people down. He could soothe whatever Jan was feeling, washing away worries. Being around the Elven God of Healing was like getting express therapy.

“I can still feel her,” Jan said, averting his eyes. He gazed at a pair of elven women, giggling in the room’s corner.

“Who?” Glantheir asked as though he already knew the answer.

“She called herself Fate, but I think she had another name.”

“What was special about this woman?” Glantheir asked.

“Girl. She was a young girl—maybe eight. Said she could see everyone’s fate.”

Theo narrowed his eyes at Jan. What the hell was Earth like 250 years before his time?

“A girl from old Earth is calling to you. Glantheir, how is that possible?” Theo asked.

The god turned to Theo, smiling. “Oh, you’ll use my true name again? No more ‘John’?”

“Sorry. It makes little sense, but Jan is convinced this person is in this new world. Is that out of the question? No. Of course it isn’t.” Glantheir paused for a long moment, summoning an image of Broken Tusk in the air. It was obscured by shadow, but golden lines were visible running here and there. “These are the threads of fate. I’m drawing them for you to see, but anyone who got strong enough on the mortal plane could see them.”

“That’s how she described them,” Jan said, leaning in. “Could she be here… Mister Glantheir?”

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“That’s possible. Theo, I suggest you let him loose. If Jan has a connection with another factor, you should know about it.”

Theo shrugged. Jan wasn’t meshing well with Sulvan. Perhaps would do better to be paired with Aarok or Luras. “Fine. But we’re giving him some cores before then.”

Glantheir held out his hand, a glowing silver orb in his hand. “May I suggest one of mine?”

Jan looked between the orb and the god.

“Just take it,” Theo scoffed, shoving Jan forward.

“Under protest,” Jan said, wrapping his hand around the core.

Theo had a few items to bring up to Glantheir, but the god was sparse with information today. The alchemist grabbed Jan’s arm and brought them back through the void. He could feel the mortal’s body degrading, but at least he had a core he could use. Hopefully it was something useful, and not something to keep him in chains. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

The pair alighted on the paved streets of Qavell. Sulvan had barely moved. Something caught Theo’s eye and he turned to see Twist. The pale elf’s expression was unreadable under the mask, but he turned after seeing the alchemist. Then his eyes shot to Jan. Blades were in his hand a moment later.

“Jan Turowski,” Twist said, coiling on the spot. “Bastard.”

“Twist. You son of a bitch.” Jan produced a knife he had hidden in his boot.