Edwin M. Griffiths
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The Newt and Demon - Book 6 Chapters 37,38,39
🕑 Added 2024-08-16 11:00:09 +0000 UTCChapter 37
Creepy Statue Man
Crossing the 100 Wisdom threshold had extended Theo’s precognition to an absurd level. It had more than doubled since he last tested it, making Tresk’s attempt in the Dreamwalk almost futile. Even when she looked through his eyes, she had trouble keeping up with the predictive effect. The alchemist was most surprised at how uncomfortable he felt with this level of power. He realized how difficult it must have been with Khahar. If that man hadn’t found some kind of Soul potion, he would be shocked.
“Thank god for the Wisdom of the Soul potion,” Theo said, sighing as Tresk tried another futile attack. “Hey, do you think I should try to find the space elves today?”
“I don’t care! How about you stay still so I can hit you?” Tresk asked, grunting as she lunged forward.
Theo had seen the attack long before it was made. He stepped to the side, dodging it with little effort. “I think I can make it there, but something tells me getting the shards back will be harder.”
“Why?” Tresk asked, tossing her dagger and hitting air. “Damn it!”
“I can’t assume the shards are just waiting for me to pluck them from their resting place. The space elves would have put defenses.”
Tresk growled, crouching as she prepared to launch another attack. “Maybe you can just drag the whole place back here.”
Theo tapped his chin. That wasn’t a bad idea. The issue with moving the thrones was more a matter of moving a piece of the realm with them. But that was before the gods had returned, putting new restrictions on the way the void worked. He wasn’t certain he could do it again. But he expected the Throne of the Dreamwalker to be there. “Perhaps I can just claim my throne and exert my authority to move the whole realm.”
“Yeah, that might work,” Tresk said, stabbing at air with less vigor than before. “Man, I hate you. I’m gonna summon something I can hit.”
Tresk spent the rest of the Dreamwalk fighting against monsters. Theo stayed behind. He had already dominated an absurd amount of undead, bolstering his willpower to new heights. Instead, he spent time with Alex.
“Has Tresk even examined you in a while?” Theo asked, patting her on the head. “How did you even absorb the power of a dragon?”
Alex giggled into his mind. “She hasn’t examined me in a while. Each time we went into the underground, I sipped some energy from that dragon.”
Theo examined the goose again.
[Alexandria D’Goose]
[Goose]
[Familiar]
Stage:
[Proto Dragon-Goose]
Master:
[Dreamrealm of Tero’gal]
Level 40
Description:
Geese are known as the most loving creatures in all the realms. Any rumors spread to disparage these honorable creatures will be met with a flurry of feathers and bill.
Affinities:
Fire
Nature
Her level had advanced a lot, but her stage had changed. She was at the Proto Dragon-Goose phase. Whatever that meant. The goose was becoming something between a goose and a dragon, which was interesting. Theo didn’t know if this was the right path, but she was her own goose. She could do what she wanted.
“Wanna come with me through the void?” Theo asked, nudging the goose with his elbow.
“That would be fun. Are you bringing Tresk?”
“Yeah, I didn’t want to tell her until breakfast. You know how she gets.”
“Oh, yes. I know very well how she can get.”
Instead of grinding more willpower, Theo spent time with Alex. She wanted to display what she could do now that she was a Level 40 Proto Dragon-Goose. Her speed on land and in the air had increased significantly. While her progression with Fire and Nature weren’t predictable like other magic systems, she was getting good with both of them. Alex could combine both affinities, creating flaming vines. But the most interesting thing she could make was a flaming tree-creature that shambled across the ground. As long as she had enough material, she could create something close to a golem.
Theo broke the news to Tresk when they woke from the Dreamwalk. She seemed okay with it, eager enough to guard her partner in the expansive void. The marshling wasn’t great at navigating the void, but she had the authority of the Dreamer. That was good enough for Theo to feel more comfortable before they went. After breakfast, he checked on Salire and got her started on a few things without him. The void still moved at a slower pace than the mortal world, meaning he would be gone for only a few minutes.
“Stay safe,” Salire said, waving as he departed.
“Thanks,” Theo said, heading out.
Theo, Tresk, and Alex assembled outside of the Newt and Demon. Tresk seemed slightly bored while Alex was excited.
“When was the last time you went to the void?” Theo asked.
“I go directly to Tero’gal when I used my ability. I don’t go through the void like you. Ya weirdo.”
“It has changed,” Theo said, wrapping his bubble of shadows around them. “Just hold on. It’s a bit of a ride.”
Tresk shrieked as the group fell into the maelstrom of the void. Theo appreciated his increased willpower, realizing he wouldn’t have been able to hold onto everyone if he hadn’t been grinding it so much. The marshling wrapped herself around his leg as they soared to the void’s edge. It had a distinctive edge now, allowing the alchemist to see the difference between the near and far void. Before long the seas had calmed, giving way to the expansive nothingness.
“Well, that wasn’t so bad,” Tresk said, her voice echoing through the darkness.
Theo gestured forward. On the horizon, he could see a speck of light. It stood out against the eternal gloom, shimmering like a gem. “Do you think that’s our place?”
“How should I know!?” Tresk shouted, still on edge. “You’re the master of the void.”
Theo smiled to himself. He knew this was the place he needed to reach. It called to him, pulling him forward. The last throne that needed to be claimed to complete the council that would oversee the world. With true gods now in place, he didn’t know how they would work. None of that mattered now. The expansive space between him and the gem shrunk. It grew larger, revealing itself to look much like the other realms when they had been sitting on the ribbon.
“Here we go,” Theo said, angling them toward the orb. A moment later, they passed through the veil and alighted on a beach.
“Oh, this is lovely,” Tresk said, looking around. She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of the ocean.
Theo looked around. They were standing on a tropical beach with crystal clear waters lapping against their feet. The weather was hot, but not overly so. There was no sun in the sky, and tropical palms lined the beach where the sand turned to sparse grasses. But there were no people on the strand. The alien realm was vacant. At least in the immediate area where they had landed.
“I suppose we should look,” Theo said, heading to the inland area. He felt himself being drawn in that direction.
“I’ve never been more ready to stab someone,” Tresk said, her daggers at the ready.
The beach gave way to a tropical jungle. Thorny bushes mingled with tall grasses, punctuated occasionally by both tall and squat palms. The group walked for hours before they found anything of note. They approached a sandy clearing. Rising to the sky with a blocky form was a ziggurat. The wide gray stones that made up the structure had been weathered by untold years. Most curious of all, was the silent bara’thier that stood outside.
“Hello!” Theo said, getting a closer look at the elf. He wore simple robes that had fared just about as well as the temple in whatever untold time had passed here. His expression was gaunt, eyes cast to the ground. The alchemist lowered his voice. “This is creepy.”
“I’m getting bad vibes, captain,” Tresk said, gripping her daggers tightly. “Let’s leave.”
“But we came so far…” Alex groaned.
Theo approached the lone figure, counting on his precognition to keep him safe if needed. The figure didn’t move. At all. The alchemist had to observe him for some time before he realized the guy was breathing. He drew long breaths that were almost imperceptible. “Hello. Anyone there?”
The figure didn’t move.
“I don’t wanna be here,” Tresk said, shaking her head. “Can I stab him?”
The figure twitched slightly. Theo watched as he held his hand out, as though to gesture to the ziggurat.
“Yeah, let’s just do what the creepy statue man says. Sounds like a great plan,” Tresk mocked.
Theo ignored her, approaching the foot of the structure. Stairs ran up the middle, but he couldn’t feel anything within. Even when he extended his shadow senses, he couldn’t feel anything inside. The throne wasn’t here. So why did the elf want them to go? The alchemist ascended the stairs, joined immediately by Alex. It took Tresk a moment, but she screamed up the steps after being left behind.
The group ascended the last of the steps, laying eyes on what rested inside the temple. A house-sized crystal sat within a dark stone room. Whatever power had created the thing had long-since faded, leaving only a husk of what it once was. Theo scrutinized the crystal for some time, wondering if this was the shard he was looking for. There was more than one though, wasn’t there?
“We’ll come back for the crystals. We’re looking for the throne.” Theo said, making his way back to the entrance. He stopped, gritting his teeth. The elf had moved and was now standing at the foot of those stairs. “Still got those daggers ready?”
“Duh!”
“Good. I’m feeling the creep factor going up.”
Theo heard something. An echoing voice filled his mind as he stood atop those steps. Only a moment later he realized it was the phantom voice of someone about to speak. He turned, spotting Void popping into existence behind them. The small, spiral-faced man seemed surprised.
“Oh, yeah. What a pigsty, huh?” Void asked.
“Interloper,” Tresk said. Without considering the implications of attacking a true god, she lunged forward. Only to be frozen in place, unable to thrust forward.
“Har har. Good try,” Void said, waving a dismissive hand. “I was wondering when you would get to work, Theo. You’re doing a great job, by the way. Promotions all around!”
“You stink,” Tresk grumbled. She pulled back, relaxing her posture.
“What are you doing here?” Theo asked. He tried to act unphased before the god, but it was hard. The power emitting from this guy was nuts. He felt like an ant under a boot.
“Making sure you’re doing the job. Honestly, I was kinda interested in this place. These guys have been isolated for fifty-thousand years.” Void shook his head. “But this is a proto-realm. They never got the shards working, so it never became a true realm.”
That was frightening. Time hadn’t been kind to the denizens within. Well, at least the one guy standing at the bottom of the stairs with a vacant expression on his face.
“Do you think I can pull the entire realm back?” Theo asked.
“I doubt it.” Void looked around. The air shimmered with power. “Even with the throne, your authority won’t extend to this place. Hell, my authority doesn’t extend here. I’m only able to stand here because it is kinda half-void.”
“What about them?” Alex asked, tilting her head to the figure below. There were two of them now.
“Their brains are so cooked, I dunno if you can save them.” Void sighed. He turned to the side, brows knitting. “Hey! No interventions! This area is off limits to you, buddy.”
A tall, hooded figure appeared nearby. The cloak it wore was pure darkness. It was slightly shorter than Theo, but held a presence that seemed to draw in all light around him. The alchemist felt as though the reaper had come to collect his due. Another god, no doubt.
“Aren’t celebrations in order?” the figure asked, his voice as cold as the grave. “The holders of the throne will meet us eventually. Why not provide introductions?”
“Ugh. Fine. Hey guys, this is some idiot that I hate. I thought we killed him back in the old world, but would you look at that? He’s back. Hooray.”
“After all, we’ve been through, Pib. You wound me.”
“No real names.” The dark spiral on Void’s face spun.
“Theo Spencer. Tresk. Alex. I’ve heard a lot about you.” The man bowed, revealing nothing under his cloaked form. “While you weren’t the man I was looking for, I’m glad it was you that emerged first.”
“I don’t know you,” Theo said, shaking his head.
“He’ll figure it out eventually. Like you said, he’s gonna grab the throne. Today, more than likely.” Void shrugged as though defeated. “It doesn’t break the rules, and I’m not your boss.”
Theo realized how much this was like playing with fire. He would have thrown himself to the wolves with the ascendants, but these were true gods. The newest one that had appeared had an obvious name. No one had to spell that one out for him. Death stood before him, lording over this realm like a hungry buzzard.
“As Theo has deduced, my new name is Death.”
“And your old name,” Void shrugged. “Before we usurped you.”
“I promise to be a good boy this time.”
“What are you people, anyway? What is the other place people talk about on Earth?” Theo asked.
“If someone could answer that question, they would put millions of years of research I’ve done to shame.” Death sighed, pushing the sleeve of one arm up. Despite Theo’s expectations, it wasn’t a spooky skeleton hand. “I woke up in that other place. I ruled a kingdom I didn’t remember with a wife I didn’t know. When ascendancy opened up, I found the most powerful realm I could command.”
“Yeah, until you started siphoning souls from the real world.”
Death shrugged. “Theo, you’ve had trouble with lingering souls, haven’t you?”
“Yes. I’m guessing that’s your job.”
“It was then and it is now. I am the shepherd that ushers souls to the places they belong. Whether that is the afterlife in a godly realm, or reincarnation, it is my job. So you don’t need to worry.”
“Feels like he’s couching something here,” Theo said, speaking to the members of his Tara’hek.
“Full transparency here,” Void said, holding his hands up. “We can hear that.”
Death laughed. A laugh just as cold as his voice. “I told you how important I am so you wouldn’t be upset. I am forbidden from issuing orders about the mortal plane, but I can tell you this. Tarantham is now without their emperor.”
Chapter 38
Thronies
“What!? That’s the big bad!?” Tresk shouted, flailing around. “I was gonna raid your city and stab you in the face. This is disappointing. I’m upset.”
Theo felt unsurprised that Kuzan had outmaneuvered him. Perhaps it wasn’t some brilliant feat, but the alchemist knew this was planned. But what remained of Tarantham? How would this change the state of the empire?
“Is the empire going to be okay without you?” Theo asked.
Death inclined his hooded head toward Theo. “I cannot comment.”
“At least the new gods are bound by actual rules. Instead of fake ones.” Tresk crossed her arms, seeming to grow more grumpy by the moment. At least this bit of news made her feel better.
“Perhaps more gods will appear if we wait.” Void huffed. He seemed more upset about this than Tresk. “With most of the ascendants driven from their realms, I suppose it doesn’t matter. We haven’t cleaned everything up yet, and we’re waiting for the system to figure itself out.”
Theo took a steadying breath. “Clear some things up for me, Void. Are you the boss?”
“Nope. Just the boss of the void.”
“And you can’t share anything that would influence the mortal world?”
“That’s right. You’ll be bound by that when the system reboots.” Void nodded to himself. “Remember what happened last time, Death?”
“Like it was yesterday. That was chaos.”
“So the system will form a council. The four thrones and twelve gods will be on the council. You thronies should already know your roles, right?” Void asked, nodding to Theo and Tresk. “So you do that job and you do it right. No half-assing.”
“Did that elf just move?” Death asked, gesturing toward the elf below.
The space elf man below had moved slightly, edging forward toward the stairs. Theo felt a shiver run up his spine as he observed him. “Why do they have to be so creepy?” he asked.
“Yeah, anyway. While we’re in this transition phase, the rules are slightly loose. After that, everything is set in stone.” Void let out a steady breath. “I’m bored. This place is boring. You guys have fun with the cursed elfs.”
Without warning, Void vanished. Like a dog that had just spotted something interesting off in the distance, he had left the group to stand atop that ziggurat. Death stood awkwardly with the others, looking out over the tropical landscape.
“You can’t say things that influence the mortal world,” Theo said, his mind spinning ways to get information from Kuzan. “What about Earth?”
“I suppose Earth is destroyed. You want to know about the other place, but I’m not sure I have answers. Things were strange. By the end we could move between that other world and Earth. We ascended and fought. The mortals came together, beating back forces that threatened to spill through the veil. Our plans were dashed when the Baleful Eye put a hold on everything. I then waited and schemed. But, we’re finally here.”
“Think we can be besties now?” Tresk asked, fluttering her eyes at Death.
“Maybe. Would you like some cores?” Death asked with a laugh.
“Let’s negotiate.” Tresk rubbed her hands together.
Theo had to turn away from the negotiations. He descended the stairs, poking the space elf in the face as he went. The man didn’t respond at all. These elves would need some serious therapy if they wanted to stop acting like a chameleon stalking a bug. He narrowed his eyes at an elf that had come out of the tangle of thorny bushes. The woman was stalking out of the brush as though if she stayed still she would be unseen. What did these people even eat? Fish from the sea, or perhaps some coconuts. The alchemist looked to the trees, finding no fruit to eat.
“All done!” Tresk said, scampering down the stairs with Alex close behind. “Should we find this throne of yours?”
“Yeah. Before the elves learn they can move quicker than this.”
“Think they’re stuck in some time dilation crap?” Tresk asked.
“Maybe. My thought is they are insane. Let’s go.”
The party plunged back into the tangle, pushing their way through to find yet another structure. This one was a gray stone tower that seemed half-ruined. It was partially crumbling, and there were a few elves standing outside. They all bore the blue-silver skin that Xol’sa had, marking them as part of the same race. Space elves. While they searched for the throne, they discovered five inert shards. Some had a hint of magic inside of them, but all seemed inactive.
“I can smell the throne,” Tresk said with a laugh. “Ready for a fight?”
The group had moved out of the jungle, pressing forward up a slow rise that brought them to rocky terrain. In the distance, Theo could spot a large white stone building. Like Tresk, he could feel the energy of the Dreamwalker’s Throne rolling over the landscape to smack him in the face. His attraction to that throne was undeniable. He could not resist, finding the easiest path down to the lowland area. Even the temperature changed as they walked, going from a balmy heat to biting cold. He felt it mostly through Tresk, as his Coat of Rake still worked in this strange place.
Approaching the stone building, Theo spotted more elves. A lot more elves than were around the various shards. These ones struck various poses, looking like mannequins that had been left to molder among the ruins of an isolated world. The alchemist gained the sense that someone was watching them as they approached the building. He opened the door, listening as magical lanterns hummed to life within. When he passed into the Realm of the Dreamwalker, he felt his skin tingle.
The building was one giant room with dark pillars running along the sides. Braziers lit as he walked, cast from iron and formed into metal cages to contain magical fires. The Throne of the Dreamwalker was made from black stone with a small red cushion on top. Even at a distance, Theo knew the throne was unoccupied. He didn’t know how, but he knew it had never been occupied. Unlike the Throne of the Dreamer, this virgin throne seemed to wait for someone.
“The elves are following us in slow motion,” Tresk said, poking her head out of the door. “I saw that one move!”
“No you didn’t.”
“I did so! He was walking. Like this.” Tresk struck a pose as though she had been frozen mid-sneak. “Like this.”
“Perhaps you should claim the throne. Sooner rather than later,” Alex said.
Theo considered that as an option. Another option would be to take the throne without claiming it, taking it back to Tero’gal. He dismissed this idea, deciding that delaying the world’s restart sucked. Void said it would take a while to get things going. So, why not?
“I just sit on it?” Theo asked, approaching the black throne. “Why does it look so evil?”
“Because you’re evil,” Tresk said, giggling. “You nasty little boy.”
“I’m not evil.” Theo placed his hand on the throne, swallowing hard. “Here goes nothing.”
A wave of power radiated outward when Theo sat on the throne. He looked at Tresk for guidance and she clicked her tongue.
“Did I tell you about the pain?” she asked.
A breath later, pain lanced through Theo’s chest. He felt the system carving a new core slot in his chest. His head swam as his willpower was increased to an absurd degree. As soon as the pain came it was gone. But within this stone building, he felt his authority grow. The space elves had stolen the throne along with some of the realm, hiding it away here in this chunk of reality. Now that Theo sat on his throne, with his new core in his chest, he could see how much of an affront it was to his position.
“I was expecting more,” Tresk said, tapping her chin.
Theo examined his newest core.
[Dreamwalker’s Core]
Unique
Throne Core
Bound
2 Slots
Level 1 (0%)
The Dreamwalker is the title of the person holding the Throne of the Dreamwalker. This position is the guardian of the void. Their duties include managing the passages between worlds and enforcing the will of the Arbiter.
Effect:
Significant increase in Willpower
Absolute authority when facing those that break the Dreamwalker’s design
[Passage]
It was just like Tresk’s core, with some minor differences in the text. The increase of willpower was insane. Theo could feel this new willpower radiating through his body. He examined the attached skill.
[Passage]
Dreamwalker’s Skill
Unique
The Dreamwalker performs their duties by passing between realms.
Effect:
Allows you to pass between realms unimpeded. While visiting another realm, you will be locked in a passive state unless acting in the interest of the Dreamwalker.
This skill drains your willpower, which will need to be recharged by resting.
“Theo! I don’t think we should linger!” Tresk shouted.
The skill was interesting, but Theo dismissed it for now. Once again, it was close enough to the Dream skill for him to get the idea. He looked up to see twenty-some elves working their way across the room at a snail’s pace. He reached out with his will, wrapping it around this small piece of the Dreamwalker’s realm before plunging it through the void. One moment they were within the abandoned realm, and the other they weren’t.
“Whatever happens to them… the throne is more important,” Theo said, steering them through the void. “Right?”
“Of course. You’re not a murderer.”
“Maybe a bit of murder.”
“It wasn’t as though those elves were helpless.”
“Oh my god stop,” Theo said, swatting at Tresk. The marshling evaded him. “Maybe take the situation more seriously.”
“I can feel you laughing on the inside.” Tresk shivered, shaking her arms and legs out after a moment. “I can also feel how creeped out you are by the weird elves.”
“I didn’t like them at all,” Alex said.
Whatever problem the space elves were having was beyond Theo. The only thing he could think of was a problem with the realm trying to sit out there in the deep void on its own. While the closer void was more like an ecosystem of powerful energy, that deep void was desolate. It wasn’t meant to sustain life. And the life it had sustained was mortal. This led to another problem. Xol’sa would want to know what happened to his people. The more Theo thought about it, the more he realized what must have happened.
“So the elves get themselves caught in the deep void. There’s no way they wanted to stay there.” Theo let his thoughts gather, clicking his tongue. “So they sent Xol’sa away. To the mortal realm. That’s kinda sad, actually.”
“I’m depressed. Can we stop talking about the doomed elves?”
“They’re not doomed,” Alex said, honking. “We can bring them back to the mortal plane. Or Tero’gal.”
“But not today,” Tresk said, patting Alex on the head. “Hey, what’s up with this stuff anyway?”
The marshling walked around the space that Theo had created for them to travel through the void. He was wondering when she would notice how his method had changed. Instead of overpowering the void with his willpower, he used his new skill. It had created a bubble around them and the chunk of the Dreamwalker’s realm. This brought more questions to his mind, but he didn’t have answers that would satisfy him. He didn’t want to spend more time than he needed fixing the void, let alone time fixing the realms of the throne holders.
But as Theo drew them closer to the near void, catching sight of the swirling galaxy, he felt something in his chest. His new core was practically vibrating, ready to do something after they returned to Tero’gal. A Wisdom of the Soul message popped up, and he nodded. That made sense. It was as though the realm understood his intentions beforehand and prepared itself for what happened next.
“Might be a hot landing,” Theo said, watching as his planetoid came into void. “Brace for impact.”
“What? Really?” Tresk asked, holding onto Alex’s neck.
Theo couldn’t hide the smile from his face. “No.”
“You dirty little demon.”
Theo felt his bubble pressing against Tero’gal. Instead of a smooth transition, it was like pushing an orb through a bucket of molasses. The bubble rocked back and forth before everything went black. A prompt appeared moments later.
[Evolution Synergy]
Your realm has consumed another realm. The Realm of the Dreamwalker has been absorbed into Tero’gal…
[ERROR]
Dual-souls detected containing signatures for both the Throne of the Dreamer and Throne of the Dreamwalker. Signatures almost indistinguishable… Recalculating soul signature detection sensitivity…
[ERROR]
Detection failed. Seeking solution…
[Solution Achieved]
Solution reached, please stand by.
“Why is it dark!?” Tresk shouted.
“The system is having a fit, just give it a second.” Theo clenched his jaw, hoping the system would reach the same conclusion he had. A moment later, another message appeared.
[Realm Evolution]
Tero’gal, the Throneworld wants to evolve into a Twin Throneworld.
The proposed evolution would transform this realm to support two primary thrones. This evolution was instigated by the power of the Tara’hek bond shared by the primary owners.
Failure to accept this change will result in the ejection of the Throne of the Dreamer.
“There we go,” Theo said, accepting the change. Although they were still in darkness, he knew which message would come next.
[Evolution Synergy]
Your realm has consumed two additional realms. The Realm of the Dreamwalker and the Realm of the Dreamer have been absorbed into Tero’gal.
The owner of the Realm of the Dreamer has proposed a joint building to represent these realms within your throneworld.
Would you like to accept the following proposal?
A BIG OLD PALACE WITH BUTTRESSES AND STUFF.
The sound of Theo’s palm slapping against his face echoed through the void. “How did you get the message faster than me?” he asked, accepting the proposal.
“I’m just cool like that. Come on. I want my palace.”
Theo sighed, accepting the proposal. His sight shifted, giving him a view of Tero’gal from the sky. Below was a green-outlined version of a massive building. He fought with Tresk on the building’s placement. But they ended up selecting the top of a remote mountain range. While both Theo and Tresk could teleport around the world, others couldn’t. If they wanted to go for the thrones, they’d have to climb a damn mountain. Good luck with that.
The landscape was evened out to accommodate the giant palace. Once it was placed, Theo and Tresk were teleported to the large wooden doors near the front. They looked up at the white stone building, mouths hanging open. The building was enormous, looking like the old cathedrals on Earth. As Tresk had instructed, it had buttresses… and stuff.
The interior of the building was wide-open. The pair’s footsteps echoed off the pillars that stabbed to the impossibly high ceiling. Several hundred feet later, they stood at the foot of two thrones on a platform. One black and one white.
“Gaudy, don’t you think?” Tresk asked, tapping her foot. “That echo is horrible.”
“Yeah, this is a bit much. We have to guard these, don’t we?” Theo asked.
“What are you thinking? A million golems?”
Theo nodded. “At least.”
Chapter 39
Wisdom! Wisdom! Wisdom!
Creating an army of golems to watch over the new location of the thrones wasn’t difficult. The task wasn’t made simple by Theo’s growing abilities, but by the authority of Tero’gal. The Throneworld had become more a part of him than ever, and the commands he used to issue with upgrades were now more like instincts. He knew what he could do with this world, and how the energy within influenced his base abilities.
While 100 golems was good enough for now, there were also the original loyalists within the world. People like Belgar would be more than happy to defend this place, as it was the key to keeping it running. Without much prodding, the center of Tero’gal was moved in a flash. From the rolling hills of some unnamed region, to one that had been named just as quickly. The original souls of the realm—along with some willing to join the cause—settled in the Seat of the Thrones region at the base of the mountain.
They got to work carving a staircase, which might have revealed how bored they were. Or how enthusiastic.
“We could just magic that path,” Tresk said with a shrug, watching the group work.
“Maybe,” Belgar agreed, half-heartedly. “But we all feel that thing inside us. Those that had cores back on the mortal plane remember the sensation.”
That was another concern. The power to gain cores had always been something reserved for the mortal realm and the ascendants. Theo frowned as he considered it, refusing to allow his world to end up like the mortal world. The mortals fought constantly, killing each other in an endless loop to appease people who called themselves gods. Well, he suspected they were killing each other long before the ascendants were a thing. It was the way the world was designed. But not his world. His senses spread as he touched the energy of Tero’gal. It reached back, as though recognizing his intent.
“Just got the chills,” Tresk said, giggling and shivering. “Yuck.”
The pair shared silent commands and unspoken wishes as to what they wanted their system to look like. A more logical system of progression with defined stages would be best. If people knew which rank of development they were at, it would give them a better sense for their power. Creating something of a cap on that power would also be good. This staging system would need to have an end. Perhaps a point where someone had to decide if they wanted to remain a mortal, or ascend to a higher realm.
Tero’gal reached back as though to say it would think about the suggestions. It joined the disconnected thoughts sitting between Theo and Tresk, digesting them in its own time. There were many changes bound for the world, but it would take time. Like a child learning to walk, Tero’gal needed to get used to its new legs.
“Well, this has been fun,” Theo said, clapping his hands together. “Feels like time is getting weird in here.”
“Yeah. Slowing down a bit,” Tresk said, licking her finger and stabbing it into the air. She then licked the air, but learned nothing new from the motion.
Theo found no problems when leaving the Throneworld. While he was confident he could evolve his alchemy core, he wasn’t eager to do so. But the waning energy of Drogramath drew more distant by the day. He landed back on the mortal plane, letting out a sigh. There were too many potions to make. He searched his memory, taking stock of the ones he needed to make. The list was long enough that he didn’t want to recite it in his head, counting them instead.
“Thirty-four unique potions,” Theo said, scratching his chin. “Excluding modified potions and spirit fruit potions…”
“That’s a lot of potions, buddy.”
“Ten attributes each. Three-hundred-forty attribute points.”
“What the actual hell?” Tresk said, stomping her feet. “I want a million attributes, too!”
“I can’t finish them all. Not here on the mortal plane.” Theo ignored Tresk as she bit his leg.
“Pay attention to me!”
“I need your help, Tresk.”
“With what?” she asked around his leg.
“We need to bully the Dreamwalk into allowing me to brew new potions. Maybe I can do it with my new core. My willpower almost doubled.”
“Worth a shot. But I think you owe me. This isn’t fair.”
“That’s fine.”
Theo could find a way to make it up to Tresk. He could feel her jealousy for his increasing attributes, but what more could he do? This was his chance to seize a power that no one else had a shot at. Kuzan might have been gone, but there might be other remaining world powers that wanted to stab him in the face. Following that thought, he realized there might be others who had predicted the arrival of the gods, and made their move. The alchemist shook away the thought, shifting his focus to things of a mortal nature.
The town and nation were coming along nicely. A few more upgrades to the town itself, and they would become a proper city. There were a few buildings that needed upgrading, but Alise was doing a great job keeping up with civil projects. Between the railroad, housing, food, and water she hadn’t staggered in her pace of development. Even the market project was impressive, bringing trade from distant nations.
Instead of running off like the goblin she was, Tresk remained with Theo for the rest of the day. They stopped into the various businesses in Broken Tusk, checking on people. Sledge was still guarding her clutch of eggs in Mudball Fundamental, leaving behind a half-ogre to pick up her slack. Whisper’s butcher was producing more sausage by the day, and she even had a toora worker helping out. The elves had integrated completely, seeming to take on more half-ogre and marshling qualities by the day. Their level of refinement had dropped, resulting in a bunch of dirty elves playing in the mud.
After the day wore down, the group headed back to the manor. Sarisa and Rowan appreciated a day where they weren’t running around like crazy people. They served the ribs of some beast Theo couldn’t identify, slathered in a sauce that seemed close to barbeque sauce, but not quite. It was more tangy than it should be, with hints of some citrus fruit. Although the meat hadn’t been cooked for long, it still fell off the bone as though it had been cooking slowly for the entire day.
As Theo ate his dinner, he thought about something that had stuck in his mind recently. The Dreamwalk was an interesting place, and had always been somewhere he went to exploit his connection with the system. But what was it? The power in each aligned core faded, but the Tara’hek Core remained strong. That was a core that refused to diminish, no matter what happened to the world. But the Dreamwalk was a kind of realm. The proof for that idea came from the intrusion of the previous Dreamer.
“Do you think dreams are realms?” Theo asked, smacking his lips. The meat was good.
“They’re like… sub-proto-realms. The idea of a realm,” Tresk said, shoving an entire rib bone in her mouth and sucking it clean. She then spoke around a mouthful of food. “Think of it like the manifestation of someone’s will.”
“That’s oddly eloquent. If one ignores the food you just sprayed on the table,” Sarisa said.
The meal went well enough. Everyone enjoyed the food, and Theo felt a sense of pride watching his innermost circle talk about whatever. If the Dreamwalk was the Tara’hek’s manifested will, they could overpower it. That might cause the new gods to intervene, so he needed to exploit it as much as possible.
“Time for bed,” Theo said, pushing his chair away from the table and standing. “We’ve got some exploits to take care of.”
“Yeah, just be ready for him to faint tomorrow,” Tresk said. “Home boy here is about to pump his stats so high, he might just poop himself.”
“I’ll prepare the diapers,” Sarisa said with a bow.
“Your royal crib awaits, sir,” Rowan said, performing an even lower bow.
“My liege,” Sarisa said, bowing lower still. She tipped forward, falling on her face.
Theo turned before he could laugh, heading up the stairs and to their bedroom. It was a shame Alex couldn’t join them, but he could feel her comfort from the barn. He could also feel her impending evolution, but there was enough evolution to go around. The last thing he needed was to consider the implications of a dragon-goose.
Theo, Tresk, and Alex landed in an imagined version of Tero’gal. They looked up at the mountain, standing within the region named the Seat of the Thrones. The power of his new Dreamwalker’s Core radiated in his chest. The Dreamwalk pushed back, but it didn’t stand a chance now. The combined willpower of the group crushed any opposition, removing all limitations it set. They were free to do and imagine whatever they wanted.
“This is gonna be fast,” Theo said, imagining the equipment he needed. “And it needs to be… If the gods can see into this realm, they’re gonna be pissed.”
“Make it quick, stinky,” Tresk said, jumping up and down. “Get them attributes!”
It wasn’t difficult. Theo could imagine everything he wanted in the last stages of brewing, allowing him to exploit this quirk of the system. He raced through the process, creating every potion that was on Salire’s list. The notifications rolled in, informing him of each new potions he brought into the ‘world.’ It didn’t care that this was a dream. It instead flooded him with potential power. Ten attributes for every new potion he made. 340 new attribute points to place. Which was more than he had gained through the normal means.
“This is stupid,” Theo said, inspecting his attribute screen. “Absolutely dumb. How should I put my points?”
“Shove everything into Wisdom!” Tresk shouted.
“Wisdom! Wisdom! Wisdom!” Alex chanted.
Adding every single point to Wisdom would cause the attribute to shoot up to 452. His precognition would skyrocket, while his intuition would be completely absurd. It wouldn’t approach Khahar’s level of prediction, but it would be close. But there was something else to consider. Something he had been thinking about for a while now. It was foolish to assume he had no enemies in the world. New or old, there might be people out there that wanted him dead. Strength wasn’t something he was interested in pumping, and neither was Intelligence. The alchemist was almost certain that physical attributes wouldn’t mess with his mind. That left Dexterity and Vigor, both of which would help him.
The problem with precognition was the ability to act on it. As an attribute, Dexterity increased a person’s ability to manipulate things with fine detail, as well as their ability to move quickly. It was dexterity, agility, and speed all rolled into one. Vigor influenced a person’s resistance to disease, recovery from injuries, Health, and Stamina. If he placed 200 points into Wisdom, and 100 into both Dexterity and Vigor, he would see a massive boost. Theo explained the plan to Tresk.
“Hmmm, yes,” Tresk said, stroking her bare chin. “That seems like a good plan. You’ll be faster than me… Wait, you’ll be faster than me! No! Wisdom!”
Theo placed the points how he wanted. He normally wouldn’t place points while within the Dreamwalk, but felt as though he could swing it this time. He felt the power surge in his body, but it was dulled by the dream. He watched as Tresk moved to the side, a full thirty seconds before she actually did. While his precognition didn’t make him feel dizzy, it still made his mind spin to see. Getting used to this new way of being would be hard. The alchemist moved to the side before Tresk had even started moving, grabbing at the air where her arm would have been.
“Gotcha,” Theo said, smiling down at the marshling. He snatched her other hand from the air. “And again.”
“Gah! You suck!” Tresk shouted, twisting from his grip and drawing her daggers. “Let’s see you survive this, alchemist boy!”
Tresk launched a series of attacks that Theo saw coming half a minute in advance. 312 Wisdom meant he was operating like someone at Level 300 that had dumped every point into the attribute. Adding his other attributes, he could keep up like someone at Level 500. Which was stupid. The system should have never worked in this way. Every attack she brought against him was foiled in advance. Which was a great way to get Tresk mad enough to figure out a loophole of her own.
Something twitched in Theo’s chest as he watched the marshling work her daggers through the air. The duo fell into a rhythm that transcended martial trances. He felt his mind connect to her, synchronizing in a way it never had. The alchemist struck out with a palm, knocking a dagger aside. Tresk performed a riposte, thrusting low only to have her dagger smacked away again. It turned into a game of move and counter-move. Until the marshling kept up with the pace.
A faint violet light issued from Tresk’s eyes as she focused. Her entire being became dedicated to something deeper than the fight. Theo flexed his newfound agility, dodging to the sides when the strikes became more pointed. The gap between precognition and action was narrowed. This distance closed by the moment, until it was nothing. Theo had a second of warning before she made her strikes. And she wasn’t cheating by using his vision against him. There was only one fate that played out on the Seat of Thrones.
The Tara’hek Core resonated in Theo’s chest until the purple light in Tresk’s eyes grew bright enough to give him pause. With a deft thrust, she drove her dagger through his chest. The alchemist looked down at himself, then back to Tresk. She had a smile on her face, and something… strange.
“Tresk… when did you get horns?” Theo asked, pulling the dagger from his chest.
Tresk probed at her forehead, then gestured to Theo’s hand. “Your fingers are webbed.”
Honk!
A core evolution system message appeared.
[Core Ability Evolution!]
The ability [Tara’hek Communication] has evolved into [Tara’hek Union].
