《Heretical Fishing》 Chapter 69: Nice Chapter 69: Nice Sergeant Snips uncurled her body, her ears ringing from the sea snipper''s blast. She had felt the power welling and, unlike the overly curious Corporal Claws, had known an explosion would follow. As Snips¡¯ lone eye cleared, she gaped at the carnage. The lobster had both claws held before him, an intense gleam in his eyes as he surveyed the vessels of destruction. Where the tree had previously been, only a hole and debris remained. Unlike her attack¡ªwhich was precise, directed¡ªthe lobster''s attack was all-encompassing, the force exploding out. It had been slightly directed, as he still stood atop solid ground, but everything beyond was... gone. The hold left by the blast was twice as long as the lobster and almost as wide. All that remained of the tree was a collection of branches strewn through the hole. A tree beyond had also been destroyed, only its top half remaining on the forest floor. She scuttled over to the lobster, who still looked at his claws, an obvious look of confusion set on his features. Claws peeled herself from the base of a tree, shaking her head with a small chirp, then also moving to the sea snipper¡¯s side. With one claw, Snips rubbed his head. He''s strong¡ªimmensely strong. She blew bubbles of approval. Master will be pleased. *** "Nice!" I yelled. "I did it!" Maria called back, lifting her prize. She held another of the juvenile jungle perch, which she had caught and removed from the pond all by herself. I smiled, delighting in her enjoyment. "You''re a natural!" She giggled as she bent down, releasing it back into the water. "Bye, fishy! Thank you!" It darted beneath the surface, swiftly melding back into the camouflage of the pond. ¡°This pond might be a bit small to hold any larger fish.¡± I said. ¡°Should we travel deeper?¡± "There are bigger ponds?" she asked, her eyes going wide. I nodded. "At least one I''ve seen other than the big one we''re heading to¡ªwe might not reach it today, but if we leave now, we''ll get there the following day."Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com She picked up the hook, put it through an eye on the rod as I''d shown her, and wound the reel, pulling the line tight and keeping it in place. "What are we waiting for, then? We''ve got bigger fish to catch!" *** "Are you sure you don''t want to sit?" I asked, biting a croissant as we moved. "The sooner we get where we''re going," Maria responded, "the sooner we can catch more fish, right?" I smiled at her keenness. "You''ve really caught the fishing bug, haven''t you?" She paused, looking over her body. "Please tell me I don''t have a bug on me." I laughed. "Don''t tell me you''re afraid of bugs¡ªI thought you were a tough farmer." She leveled a flat glare at me, making me laugh harder. "Sorry, it''s just a turn of phrase. Saying you''ve caught the fishing bug means you''ve got the urge to do it more." She resumed walking, her eyes narrowed at me playfully. "I wouldn''t say I''m afraid; I''d say I have a healthy aversion to things with entirely too many limbs." I wonder if she''ll fear Sergeant Snips, then...? I smiled to myself. Nah. Snips is entirely too cute and lovable to be afraid of. *** "Can I tell you something, Fischer?" Maria''s question drew me from my meditative state, and I glanced up lazily. We sat at the side of the creek, resting our legs after coming across another of my abandoned shelters. "Of course. You can tell me anything." She kicked her legs, making the shallow water of the creek swirl around them. "Promise not to laugh?" With an exaggerated hmmmmmm, I rested my chin on a closed fist. "I can''t promise I won''t laugh, but I swear to you if I do, there''s no ill intent behind it." She dipped her hand in the creek and flicked droplets of water at me. "Yeah¡ªbrainstorming. It means just throwing out ideas and seeing if anything sticks. It''s particularly helpful doing it with someone else." She glanced at me, still unconvinced, but after a long moment, nodded. "Alright. How do we start?" "What of these sounds the most enjoyable to you: running a business, making art, or working with animals?" She perked up. "Animals? What do you mean by working with animals?" I raised an eyebrow, hearing the interest in her voice. "There are plenty of things you can do with animals. What about raising them?" "I had thought of breeding cattle before like some farmers in Tropica do..." She winced. "I hate the idea of growing animals just for them to be eaten, though..." "Good¡ªthat''s perfect. So you like animals, but you don''t want to farm them for food. What about farming them for other reasons, then? Chickens for laying eggs; animals for companionship, like dogs or cats; or animals for use, like oxen or horses to pull carts¡ªer, you have all those animals here, right?" She looked thoughtful at my words until my last question, which made her smirk. "Yes, Fischer¡ªwe have all those animals..." She squinted at me. "Just how far away is the Earth kingdom...?" I scratched the back of my head, grimacing. "I was just making sure¡ªI hadn''t seen some of them yet since coming here. Do any of those ideas sound tempting to you, though?" She lifted a hand to her head, playing with a loose strand of hair as she thought. "As much as I''d love to work with those animals¡ªif I could ever afford any, that is¡ªI''m not sure breeding them is the right move for me. We had a puppy once when I was younger. It was really expensive, and dad bought it on our way to Tropica. He wanted to have something to alert us of anyone approaching in the night." Maria gave me a sad smile. "She ate something she shouldn''t have while we were traveling with a caravan. She got sick and passed away, and that was the last pet we ever owned. I know I was young, but having something so small and innocent die in my arms... I''m not sure I could handle that part of breeding. It''s an inevitability, after all¡ªnot every animal is going to be healthy and make it past adolescence." "I''m sorry..." She took a deep breath, sighing it out. "It''s okay. It was a long time ago, but the memory of it still stings." I snapped my fingers as a thought came to me. "Do you have vets here?" "Like... veterans?" "Nah, not veterans," I said with a laugh. "Veterinarians. Animal doctors." "Veterinarian..." She spoke the word slowly, tasting it. "Yeah, I''m just gonna keep calling them animal doctors. We do have them, but they''re too expensive for a small village like Tropica. Most farmers just have to do it themselves." ¡°That''s even better¡ªyou''d have no competition! You would have to deal with some animals... passing, but at the same time, you''d be the one responsible for saving heaps more.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Something to consider, anyway.¡± She twirled her finger, the strand of hair twisting around and around as she stared at the pond in thought. "I will..." "Well, while you''re doing that, I''m gonna fix up this disaster of a shelter I left behind." She stood and stretched. "I''ll get a fire started for dinner, then." *** The cultivator gazed at the mountains stretching toward the horizon before him, wondering if they could be the same landmarks that could be seen from his families'' home. They do look similar... Trent, first in line to the throne of Gormona, snapped his fingers indignantly. "Faster, cultivator scum. It''s in the brown bag. Make haste." Glancing at the long-haired cultivator, and seeing he was staring off into space as usual, the shorter-haired cultivator sighed. The collar around his neck was an unignorable weight as he stepped forward to unclasp the prince¡¯s bag. "Not the light brown one, you moron¡ªthe dark brown one!" He felt his eyebrow twitch as he moved to the other satchel, and with deliberately slow movement¡ªand a secret hope that the tyrant atop the horse would have an apoplectic fit and fall to his death¡ªhe flicked open the clasp. "Hurry up!" the prince screeched. A soft whistling sound was the only warning that the prince had struck out. The end of his whip cracked down, striking his hand. At his flinch, Trent giggled. "That''s what you get!" The prince snapped his fingers again. "Now pass me the package wrapped in cloth, plebeian." Clenching his jaw, he removed it and offered it up. Trent snatched it. "I swear," he said, "if you two didn''t have a leader here beside you, you''d find a way to perish before the day was out. If it weren''t for your use to the Kingdom, I don''t think..." The words trailed off abruptly, so the cultivator glanced up at his jailer. Trent''s eyes were wide; he stared down at the artifact in his hands. A wicked smile spread across the prince''s face, making his already ugly face all the more detestable. "We''ve found him..." Chapter Index Chapter Index Book One Humans: Augustus Reginald Gormona ¨C The reigning king of Gormona Barry ¨C Local farmer, Fischer¡¯s neighbor Brad ¨C Local wood worker, Greg''s brother Duncan ¨C Fergus¡¯s apprentice Fergus ¨C Town blacksmith Gary ¨C Follower of Cult of the Leviathan George - Lord of Tropica Village Geraldine ¨C George¡¯s wife Greg ¨C Local wood worker, Brad''s brother Helen ¨C Barry¡¯s wife, mother of Paul Jess ¨C Acolyte of the Cult of Carcinization Joel ¨C Leader of the Cult of Carcinization Julian (formerly Marco) ¨C Local jeweler, owner of Noble Star Jewelry Lena ¨C Owner of local cafe on the north side of Tropica Leroy ¨C One of Trent''s cultivators, Helen¡¯s brother Marcus ¨C Traveling merchant Maria - Daughter of Roger and Sharon Paul ¨C Son of Barry and Helen Robert ¨C One of Trent¡¯s cultivators Roger ¨C Local farmer Ruby ¨C Steven¡¯s wife and owner of local clothing store Sebastian ¨C Leader of the Cult of the Leviathan¡¯s Tropica branch Sharon ¨C Maria¡¯s mother, Roger¡¯s wife Steven ¨C Owner of local clothing store Sturgill ¨C Sue¡¯s husband, baker Sue ¨C Owner of the local bakery, Sturgill''s wife Theo ¨C Marcus¡¯s associate, the crown auditor Thomas ¨C Owner of the local tool shop Trent ¨C First in line to the throne Tryphena ¨C Trent''s sister This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Creatures: Sergeant Snips ¨C An ascendant rock crab, loyal to Fischer Corporal Claws ¨C An ascendant otter, loyal to Fischer Maria - Daughter of Roger and Sharon Paul ¨C Son of Barry and Helen Peter ¨C member of Gormona''s Fishing Club, former sous chef in the royal castle Robert ¨C One of Trent¡¯s cultivators Roger ¨C Local farmer Ruby ¨C Steven¡¯s wife and owner of local clothing store Sebastian ¨C Leader of the Cult of the Leviathan¡¯s Tropica branch Sharon ¨C Maria¡¯s mother, Roger¡¯s wife Steven ¨C Owner of local clothing store Sturgill ¨C Sue¡¯s husband, baker Sue ¨C Owner of the local bakery, Sturgill''s wife Theo ¨C Marcus¡¯s associate, former crown auditor, member of Gormona''s Fishing Club Thomas ¨C Owner of the local tool shop Trent ¨C First in line to the throne Creatures: Sergeant Snips ¨C An ascendant rock crab, loyal to Fischer Corporal Claws ¨C An ascendant otter, loyal to Fischer Private Pistachio ¨C An ascendant lobster, loyal to Fischer, Gary''s friend Rocky ¨C An ascendant rock crab, loyal to Sergeant Snips Cinnamon ¨C An ascendant bunny, loyal to Fischer Warrant Officer Williams (Bill) ¨C An ascendant pelican, loyal to Fischer Bumblebro ¨C An ascendant bumblebee, loyal to Fischer Queen Bee ¨C An ascendant bee, loyal to Fischer Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket (Lemon) - An ascendant tree spirit, loyal to Fischer Currencies: 10 Copper = 1 Iron 10 Iron = 1 Silver 10 Silver = 1 Gold Iridescent Stone (Pearl) Ancient Gold Coin ¨C Has a scythe on one face, a man''s visage on the other Locations: Kallis, the realm in which the story takes place Gormona, the capital city of the continent and kingdom of the same name Tropica, a coastal village east of the capital Unnamed continent and capital, to the northeast of Gormona Prologue Prologue It was a perfect day for fishing¡ªor so I¡¯d read. I got out of my car and took in the old wooden pier before me. A barrage of sensations hit. The sounds of small waves crashing, the cool breeze ruffling my hair, the warm feel of the mid-morning sun kissing my skin, and the distinctive smell of salt-spray whipped up by the wind. I had brought everything needed; a fishing rod with line, a tackle box containing a myriad of different hooks, sinkers, and swivels, pliers, several leaders, a handful of other tools, and finally, an ice-and-bait-filled cooler¡ª No, we call it an esky in Australia, not a cooler, I reminded myself, trying to undo years of integration training. I felt eyes following me as I awkwardly wrestled all my fishing gear towards the pier. A pair of teenage girls had their phones out, thinking they were discreet in their recording. I was hoping it would take a little longer than that for someone to recognize me... As I fought with the armfuls of equipment, and seeing another person with all his fishing gear in a cart, I made a mental note to purchase one. The jetty was packed with anglers, at least a hundred people spread out along its length. I¡¯d heard it got busy when the seasonal fish were around, but it was still shocking to see just how many people were present. I eventually picked a spot half-way down the jetty with a young father and son on one side, and an older man with salt-and-pepper hair and weathered skin on the other. The father and son immediately started to glance at me, whispering to each other. I did my best to not let it bother me. ¡°Don¡¯t let other¡¯s negative actions change your own good intentions,¡± my therapist¡¯s words sounded in my head. The older gentleman on the other side of me stood and watched the ocean. I turned to him. ¡°Hey mate, mind if I set up here?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± the older fisherman responded without looking up from the sea. I smiled at the older man, then slowly and meticulously rigged my line, not making a single mistake with any of the knots after having absorbed the information of countless tutorial videos. I picked out a small hook, a light sinker, and thin, five-pound leader for the small, seasonal fish I was targeting. The hook I chose was barbless; I wanted a challenge. Through my life experience, I¡¯d learned it best to jump in the deep end if you truly desired to master something. The goal for today was not to catch a fish, but to become a better fisherman. Though, it would be nice to catch a fish... I tried to put the bait on my hook, but the sand-worm bunched up and exposed the hook, not at all presenting the way it had on the videos I¡¯d watched. I looked at it in confusion for a moment before a voice pulled me from my thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s because of your hook,¡± the old fisher said, pointing at the slipping bait. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, sure.¡± I held out the line for the man to take. ¡°Your typical hook has barbs on the back that help hold bait in place.¡± The angler deftly grabbed the line. ¡°If you use barbless hooks like you¡¯ve got here, it makes better sport, but the bait can sometimes fall down. What I like to do is slip part of the bait over the eye of the hook. That way, it will hold in place and look more natural to the fish.¡± Calloused fingers grabbed the bait and slid it up and over the eye of the hook. He jiggled the line, and the bait stayed in place. ¡°Thanks mate, I appreciate it.¡± The old fisherman smiled, crows feet bunching up in the corner of his eyes. ¡°No worries, lad. Happy to help.¡± He returned his attention to his own rod. Following the directions of the seventeen videos I watched specifically relating to casting, I sent out the line. Admittedly, the cast was terrible. I let go too late, and the end of the line flew down closer to the pier than I¡¯d intended. I didn¡¯t let the embarrassment of the cast in front of so many onlookers linger¡ªinstead, I focused on the line. My index finger was held against it softly, waiting for the tug that I knew would come when a fish took the bait. The first bite filled me with adrenaline when it came, and I tugged the rod up with a little too much enthusiasm. The hook pulled out of the fish¡¯s mouth before it could eat it, and I wound the line in to find both the bait and fish gone. The second bite similarly filled me with adrenaline, but I was a little more patient¡ªI waited for the fish to take the bait for a full second before softly setting the hook, then I wound in the line. He was looking at his phone, a phone made by a company my father founded. He drove a truck imported by a subsidiary of that same company, hauling a load of seasonal fish¡ªthe same such seasonal fish I¡¯d been fishing for¡ªto a supermarket my dad had helped establish as the leading grocer on five of Earth¡¯s continents. *** Jerry lived a menial life. He relied upon podcasts and audiobooks to get him through his boring work days of hauling fish along the same monotonous route. He looked down at his phone as he fumbled to hit the play button, and the two comedians with a podcast animatedly resumed their conjecture about what the richest man on Earth was doing after ruining his father¡¯s legacy and walking away from it all. *** As soon as I stepped out in front of it, I saw the oncoming truck and knew I had no time to do anything but think. I lamented my life choices, cursing the unfairness of the universe for taking me now that I¡¯d had finally taken steps on the right path. A profound desire to start things over was the last thing that went through my mind. Well, technically, that thought was the second last thing that went through my mind. The very last thing that went through my mind was the bull-bar of a 2015 Isuzu N-Series truck, filled with fish, and driven by a man about to discover firsthand what the richest man in the world was doing after walking away from everything. *** In a world long since abandoned by the god that created it, something miraculous occurred. Sound returned to a place of silence as an ancient construct struggled to start, its components caked with layers of rust and arcane waste. The construct had lain dormant for centuries, the source required to power its magic having fled with the ascended being that created it. That it tried to start at all in its current condition would have been sure to cause quite a stir among the ascended if any of them had been present to witness such an event. The grinding complaints of the construct receded as the movement of cogs scraped away rust, and its self-cleaning function whisked away any lingering arcane waste. It whirred to life and began its task. The construct was a fairly common thing for gods to possess. It was quite simple, really. It would search for anything matching parameters set by its maker, and when finding a match, would harness part of its maker¡¯s power in order to harvest it, hence the colloquial name used by the beings bearing the power to create them: harvester. Many harvesters looked for multiple matches, the effort and expense needed to create such constructs causing their inventors to direct them toward multiple purposes. This harvester, however, searched for a singular thing¡ªsouls. Not just any souls, mind you. This harvester had exhaustive parameters that, if boiled down, came down to two distinctive requirements: the targeted soul must possess both incredible willpower, and must have recently gone through a monumental shift in the application of that will. The latter requirement¡ªthat of requiring a shift or change in goal¡ªis an aspect that would be lost on most of the ascended. Even if they learned of the parameters set by the creator of this construct, they would likely assume it was the neurotic act of a god gone mad, or a test performed by a god with too much time on their hands. The god that created this harvester was neither. In fact, if another ascended learned exactly which god had created this construct, they would have likely noted the parameter down for experimentation themselves¡ªafter they fled for their life, of course. It was ubiquitously known that willpower was the main metric by which one could judge the weight of a soul. What was not so commonly known, however, was what it signified when a strong-willed individual possessed the ability to shift the application of that will. It had a multiplicative effect on a soul¡¯s willpower, something which the creator of this construct well knew. And so, when a truck destroyed the body of an individual meeting and far exceeding the parameters programmed into the construct, it churned into action, reaching desperately for the severed soul. The harvester recognized the weight of this soul, and lacking the creator that powered it, the harvester drew from the very world itself. A perceptive denizen of the long-abandoned world might have noticed a slight dimming of the sun, that the wind had vanished for a moment, or that the waves on the churning ocean seemed to flatten almost imperceptibly. All it took was a moment before the moving parts of the harvester wound back down into stillness, and the world returned to its normal state. A sound rang out in the room, a great clunk coming from within the construct as a pivotal component snapped in half. A small engine within the construct stirred, almost as if in afterthought. Lacking the power to generate all the materials the soul needed, the harvester chose the most useful, focusing the retreating vestiges of power towards the creation of a small sack. If a construct could feel emotion, the harvester would have felt content. It had completed one last task¡ªits final procedure one of profound ambition. The last whisper of willpower left behind by its creator dissipated, and it powered down for the last time as it sent the soul spiraling down to the world below. Chapter 1: Arrival Chapter 1: Arrival I opened my eyes with a start. I sat up, squinting against the bright light of the surrounding world. With perfect precision, the moment before the truck struck me replayed in my mind. Amazed to find myself alive, I waited for my vision to adjust to what was clearly the artificial lighting of a hospital. I made to sit up, but instead of a hospital bed¡¯s sheets, I felt cool grass between my fingers. A soft breeze blew, raising goose-bumps and causing the grass to tickle my exposed sections of skin. Rolling over and getting to my knees, I stared down with astonishment at the grass beneath my open hands. The sound of trees blowing in the wind drew my attention, and I looked up¡ªmy eyes finally adjusted to the luminous surroundings. I was in a clearing. Only patches of sunlight filtered down through the canopy of tall trees above. Another gust blew, and the branches far above swayed hypnotically. I looked down, seeing I was wearing three-quarter pants made of a simple beige fabric. A similar shirt covered my torso, with loose sleeves going just past the elbows. I wiggled my toes, and feeling resistance there, checked and confirmed that I wore shoes made of the same material, with a thin, artificially made sole sewn into them. ¡°Where... where am I?¡± My voice sounded hoarse and deep. The smell of the earthy forest hit me, a stark contrast to the salt-spray I¡¯d been inhaling what felt like only a moment ago. I breathed deeply, enjoying the sensation of cool, damp air as it passed through my nostrils. Is this the afterlife? I had delved into the theories of Buddhism, Taoism, and a number of other religious and philosophical beliefs in my search for myself, but I¡¯d never truly believed in rebirth¡ªor an afterlife at all, for that matter.Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com An odd sensation pulsed in my mind, and I became aware of something attempting to make itself known. With no small amount of hesitation, I leaned into the feeling, my brain subconsciously knowing how to acknowledge it. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] Please select a name. I stared at the prompt in my vision, becoming stuck at the situation I found myself in. I dismissed the messages in the same way I¡¯d acknowledged them, and the words cleared from my field of view. God, I need a coffee before I can adequately handle this. That thought brought on another creative whim¡ªthinking of the Nobel Prize recipient that discovered caffeine, a substance with which I was very much dependent, I entered a name. Name ¡°Fischer¡± has been accepted. Welcome to the Kallis Realm. A sensation akin to euphoria radiated from somewhere within, but was gone as soon as it had come. I felt different somehow¡ªas if indulging the blinking cursor and providing a name had fundamentally changed an aspect of myself. Assuming this wasn¡¯t a dream, and I had in fact been isekai¡¯d¡ªsomething I noted, with no small amount of amusement, was entirely possible given my fateful encounter with truck-kun¡ªI waited for another message to populate. A quest, a hint¡ªanything. Nothing came. I stood, my body stiff and sluggish as if waking from a long sleep. I stretched my hands towards the sky, the extension of my muscles bringing an unbidden smile to my face. Even given the situation I found myself in, some aspects of the human experience were simply too pleasant to ignore. Bending over, I curled down towards my toes¡ªthere was something on the ground beside my feet. I picked up the small leather pouch, noting its heavy weight and the metallic jingle of its contents. I undid the drawstring and peered inside. It was filled with gold coins¡ªa total of twenty-five¡ªthat had an unfamiliar face printed on one side, and a scythe on the other. I bit a coin; it was made of genuine gold. I cast my eyes around the clearing, looking for any other starting equipment if this was truly a game world. I found nothing. Alright. So I have starter clothes, the same body, and a bag of gold. No weapon, no abilities, and no means of defending myself. Well, except for a handful of Muay Thai lessons, and two Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes run at a corporate event. ¡°Quake in fear, monsters of this world¡ªthe fist of death has arrived!¡± Shaking my head and laughing at myself, I picked a random direction and started walking. Chapter 2: Decision Chapter 2: Decision I marveled at the beauty of this world as I traveled. The weather was perfect, and I barely worked up a sweat walking beneath the leaf-cover far above thick and plentiful trunks. I didn¡¯t recognize any of the trees, though historically I wasn¡¯t what you¡¯d call the outdoors type. I knew of the trees local to Australia from my childhood¡ªEucalyptus, Paper Bark, Norfolk Pine, and Acacia, to name a few¡ªbut none were present. In my passing, I noted a light-brown species covered in loose fibrous strands. I pulled a section of the bark off and separated it into strips before stuffing it atop the gold coins in my leather pouch. I thought to find a high point to survey the area, but couldn¡¯t make out any mountains or raised area of land to look from. The thick canopy of leaves above only let the blinding sun peak through, and the trunks themselves were too thick to climb without risking injury. I noted the passage of the sun as I moved, and seeing it climb higher in the sky as the day progressed, knew that I¡¯d woken in the morning. The day grew hotter; my mouth grew dry, my stomach hungry. The burble of water crept into my auditory field, and after a quick search, I found a shallow creek. It had a bed of river-stones, and was clear of algae and other plant growth, telling me that the water flowed continuously, or at least had done so in recent time. I rejoiced, inferring dozens of possibilities. I followed the creek downstream, scanning the rocks for something that was desperately needed. What I thought was two hours later, and as the sun descended from its peak in the sky above, I found what I was looking for. I took careful steps down the small bank of the creek and retrieved my prize. It was a large rock. One side had a concave dip that was just deep enough to hold water. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t made of the relatively porous rock that most of the river-rocks were composed of¡ªporous rocks could hold bubbles of air, which had a nasty habit of turning stones into primitive grenades when the air inside expanded after being placed in a campfire. As I lifted the rock, an involuntary grunt escaped me. It was going to be a pain to carry, but I didn¡¯t have much of a choice. I set it down on top of the bank and started looking for the last pieces of the puzzle. A few minutes later, with a handful of dried sticks, twigs, and a branch in-hand, I started constructing my project. I pulled out the fibrous bark first, separating it meticulously into thinner strips. The small twigs were the next thing I grabbed, and I made a small tipi-shaped structure out of them, ascending from thinnest to thickest. I carefully placed the thin strips of bark within, ensuring I left enough room for oxygen to circulate, then I notched the dead branch with a sharp rock gathered from the creek. Using another stick, whose base fit almost perfectly into the notch I¡¯d cut, I rubbed the stick between my hands with rapid and repeated movement. As a form of escapism, I¡¯d watched plenty of videos on survival, and primitive fire creation was a basic of almost every single one. Unlike the videos, however, creating an ember proved to be exceedingly difficult. Whether it was the wood used, or my lack of experience, I couldn¡¯t say, but as the minutes stretched on, and my arms started aching, I dropped the stick and let out a sigh. I felt the notch of thick branch; it was warm, but nowhere near hot enough to spark the beginning of a campfire. I stood and stretched, then left in search of the components for another method. With the sharpened rock, I cut a long section of fibers from a living vine. I pulled it taut between my hands. It didn¡¯t snap. Now I just need something to tie it to... After another search, I found a stick I thought would suffice. I bent it, and seeing it didn¡¯t snap, nodded to myself. I secured the strand of plant fibers to each end of it, and peered down at the bow I¡¯d created. ¡°What was it called again...?¡± I mused aloud. ¡°A bow drill...?¡± With a smile, I sat down by the notched branch once more and looped the length of vine around the stick I¡¯d spun by hand. I pulled the bow toward me; the fibers held to the stick, not spinning as the videos had depicted. I clenched my jaw, furrowed my brows, and pushed as hard as I could. The bow snapped, the wood unable to handle the pressure exerted. With another sigh, I discarded the broken tool over my shoulder, placed the stick between both palms again, and started spinning it. *** The sun had long since started descending from its peak, and the formerly pleasant heat of the day was no longer enjoyable as I hunched over, panting. Sweat poured from me, pooling around my eyes and dripping from the tip of my nose as I spun the stick back and forth with dogged determination. My arms trembled with the exertion, and I closed my eyes, trying and failing to ignore my body¡¯s complaints. My lungs worked like bellows, and I breathed through my nose, keeping the movements steady as best I could. An odd smell hit me, and I opened my eyes, blinking sweat away as I stared down at the source. The branch was smoking. So, I swallowed it. To be safe, I had to wait at least eight hours to see if I experienced any itching, nausea, or other adverse effects from the berry. With the afternoon sun still high in the sky, I started building a small shelter atop a flat patch of grass. When the sun was just starting to set over the horizon, I surveyed my newly constructed abode. It looked like shit. It was just longer than I was, about a meter high and a meter across, in the shape of a triangular prism. Well, it was supposed to be that shape, but if I was being honest, it looked more like an abstract-art installation. The frame was constructed of branches and sticks from the surrounding forest, and was lashed together with strips of the same bark I¡¯d used to make my fire-starter. I¡¯d found a patch of palm-like trees a short walk further downstream, then tried to weave their leaves together to make up the walls of the crude tent. The videos I¡¯d watched had woven palm leaves in a way that, if it were to rain, the liquid would roll down the side, hopefully leaving the interior¡ªand more importantly, the person inside¡ªdry. I held no such delusions that this thing would keep out a drop of water, let alone a tropical storm. ¡°Oh well,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯ll have to do.¡± Before the sun could set, I purified more water, drank it, then snuffed out the fire. As frustrating as it would be creating another one in the morning, drawing attention to myself and getting shanked by a fantasy creature in my sleep seemed like a worse eventuality. As darkness crept through the forest, the weariness of the day set in. I was emotionally and physically exhausted, but couldn¡¯t fall asleep yet¡ªI had to stay awake and attentive for any adverse effects of the test berry. I meditated, relying on the skill-set I¡¯d been developing in my previous life. When I reached a mindset I regarded as open and logical, I allowed my thoughts to come. I died. I¡¯m in another world. I¡¯d harbored some doubts as to the reality of my situation earlier in the day, but after a full day of living, breathing, and experiencing my surroundings, I no longer had any such misgivings. ... what the hell am I gonna do? The world seemed to have some sort of System, just as in the novels I enjoyed so much in the past. The issue was it was non-functional, or at least only partially so. I recalled the messages I¡¯d received when waking, as well as after drinking purified water for the first time. It said something about having insufficient power, and systems being offline. Have I arrived in a faulty world? Or one where the functional System, along with human life, has long since departed? That thought hit me with a surprising amount of sadness. I had just begun a journey of self-discovery and the seeking of genuine bonds when my life was snuffed out. Most of my life had been misspent¡ªfixated on the eventual inheritance of my father¡¯s business empire, smothered by the weight of expectation. To wake up in a new world, but one lacking any other humans to interact with... what a miserable irony that would be. If that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s my course of action? Will I try to level up and seek power like the protagonists in every isekai story, despite a seemingly dysfunctional System, and a lack of any other humans? While I¡¯d spent many nights in my previous life imagining such an escape, the reality of it hit different now that I was actually here. I¡¯d never imagined myself the hero type in those fantasies, but more of an economic conqueror. I recalled envisioning an underdeveloped world, where my vast training of business and capitalism would allow me to build a world-spanning empire. I snorted. That was before I tried heading such an empire, and given my recent experience, that idea now seemed tedious, repulsive. I already did that on Earth, and look where it got me. Sad and alone¡ªking atop an empire of dirt. The thing that had drawn my attention, and indeed, had seemed to pull me out of the misery created by my hubris, was fishing. Something as simple as fishing¡ªone of the world¡¯s oldest professions¡ªhad been exhilarating, calming, and everything in-between. ¡°What did that old bloke say on the jetty?¡± I mused aloud. ¡°It¡¯s a perfect day for fishing...¡± I recalled the Zen-like meditation of the wind in my hair and the sun on my face as I waited for a nibble on the line. The adrenaline spike and subsequent contentment that came when I caught that single fish was a feeling more enticing than all the pride I¡¯d previously felt from corporate domination. Long into the night, I pondered. By the time I fell asleep, I¡¯d completely forgotten to celebrate the fact that the berry hadn¡¯t made me sick. I had, however, reached a conclusion. There were many things I desired in this second life of mine, but I could reduce them to two key deliverables: genuine interactions with others, and as much fishing as humanly possible. Chapter 3: Discovery Chapter 3: Discovery I woke the next morning with a stiff neck and back. My body was accustomed to the best mattresses money can buy¡ªnot a bed of literal grass and dirt. To make matters worse, halfway through the night my mediocre attempt at a shelter had collapsed on me, and I¡¯d woken in a panic, fighting off my fallen roof like it was an attacker in the night. ¡°Those leaves and sticks never stood a chance...¡± I said aloud, shadow boxing the air in an attempt to cheer myself up. It didn¡¯t work. My stomach complained, but it was the groan of hunger, not the result of poisoning by berry. With more than a little dread for the work to come, I began crafting another fire. It took little time to collect the materials, and with a deep breath, I started spinning my fire-starting stick in the notch of the thick branch. To my surprise, the movement felt more natural, and my sense of dread dissipated like dust in the wind. I lost myself to the movements, and after only fifteen minutes, a wisp of smoke rose from the branch. My eyes going wide, I redoubled my effort, steadily twisting the stick back and forth between my palms. The smoke grew, and with a swift movement, I lifted the branch and poured the ember into my pile of tinder. I knelt and blew on the small coal, and after three breaths, the fire bloomed.Vissit for updates *** After purifying more water and gulping it down, I plucked another berry and ate it raw. The berry was so sweet on my fasted tongue that tears swelled in my eyes. It took all of my significant willpower to not rush the bushes and eat berries by the handful¡ªI needed to wait another eight hours to ensure the single uncooked fruit didn¡¯t make me sick. As I sat and stared at the water and lamented my lack of coffee, movement across and to my right caught my eye. Darting my eyes towards it, the lizard part of my brain expected an attack. Excitement replaced fear at the sight of a black fish swimming in the pond, slowly making its way along the outskirts in search of prey. My mind whirled with possibilities, and my mouth salivated at the thought of fish cooked over a fire. Could I craft a makeshift spear? Or even a fishing rod? Given I had eight hours to kill before I could deem the raw berries safe to eat, I welcomed the distraction and rushed headlong toward it. I found a suitable stick to use as a rod; it was neither too dry, nor too green, and had just the right amount of give. I returned to the palms and split a long string from the center of a frond to act as a line. Then came the most difficult part. For a hook, I carved and slowly worked at a stick using the sharp rock from the day before. It was long and tedious work, and by the time I finished, the sun was low in the sky. As the last sliver of wood was carved away, a familiar pulse tugged at my mind. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] I rolled my eyes. ¡°What would I do without you, System?¡± Eight hours had passed while I fixated on carving the wooden hook, and I all but skipped over to the berry bush and ate a single handful of the fruit. They were both sweet and a little tart; my mouth hungered for more the moment I¡¯d swallowed the last one. I had to wait another eight hours, however, before I would know for certain that the berries were safe for me to eat. I boiled some water, rehydrated, then set to searching for bait. I turned over rocks along the bank, but found nothing of use. I searched for fallen logs or rocks to turn in the forest, but again, I found nothing of use. I¡¯d found a single rock to turn, and expecting a fat worm to be hiding underneath, all I found was dirt. Walking back to the pond, I radiated frustration from both my hunger and futile search. As I walked, feeling sorry for myself and dragging my feet in abject disparagement, I noticed a section of bark on a tree with odd markings that seemed to be falling away. Raising an eyebrow, I walked to the bark, and carefully peeled it away, revealed a giant grub. It looked almost exactly like a witchetty grub, just a little darker. About the size of my thumb, it sat there uselessly, lacking the ability to do anything but burrow through wood. I smiled at my savior, but paused as I went to pick it up. Grubs and bugs are extremely nutrient dense, right? Would I be better off just eating this thing...? I glanced at the grub again, narrowing my eyes at the way its pincers worked at the air. Its weird little legs undulated ineffectually as they tried to find purchase. ¡°Nope. Fuck that noise. You¡¯re bait, my unfortunate friend.¡± I picked the grub up carefully and ran back to the pond as the light slowly leached out of the sky. I picked up my rod and slid the insect over the hook while silently apologizing to the ugly little thing. Then I cast my line out into the pond. With my feet in the cool water, and my eyes watching the tip of the line for any movement, a sense of ease radiated through me. If they¡¯re also growing here, there¡¯s a good chance they¡¯ll be throughout the entire forest... I was correct in that assumption, and I spent the next few days following the stream and nibbling on the sweet offerings of the forest. I had to stop a few times a day to purify more water, and the last few hours of daylight each day were spent creating a small makeshift shelter to sleep in. By the third day of travel, I¡¯d become so deft at crafting the small huts that it took less than an hour, judging by the sun¡¯s shifting and fading light. Creating embers by hand had been steadily getting easier also, but it was still a pain to get going each time. As I tied down the last palm-leaf of my fourth shelter, the System spoke up. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] The messages were starting to bother me less, and I dismissed this one without a reaction, instead crawling into my shelter and falling asleep within minutes. *** The sun was directly above the next day when I noticed something odd. In the forest ahead, there seemed to be a path clear of any trees. With bubbling anticipation I tried and failed to keep at bay, I power-walked towards the anomaly. Anticipation became hope, and hope became joy. I had found a road. The road wasn¡¯t paved; it was made only of dirt. The creek crossed paths with the road and weathered sleepers made of dark wood formed an old-yet-sturdy bridge from bank to bank. The road didn¡¯t look like it had seen too much traffic recently, with patches of grass growing towards the middle of the trail, but the trees of the forest had yet to reclaim any space. Which means it¡¯s been maintained¡ªor in the very least, used¡ªover the last five-to-ten years. My joy swelled. I hadn¡¯t realized just how much I¡¯d been hoping and praying to find other humans in this world. I told myself I¡¯d be fine living a life of solitude if I didn¡¯t end up crossing paths with humanity¡ªmy palpable, almost-physical relief at that moment told a different story. As I looked both ways down the road, there was an important decision to make. Which way do I go? I looked at the creek for guidance, and seeing that it seemed to travel to the left of where I¡¯d come, then ran adjacent to the road, my decision was made for me. I couldn¡¯t hold back a smile as I strode with renewed vigor down the road and along the creek. As the sun set that night, I basked in the warmth of my campfire and the burn of physical exertion in my legs. The anticipation of what was to come was an unstoppable force, despite my best efforts. I knew there was a distinct possibility I wouldn¡¯t find anyone at the end of this road; I didn¡¯t know the past events that had occurred in this game-like world, and whatever had broken the System may have also had a grievous effect on human life. Another possibility was that I did find humanity at the end of the road, but they were hostile. That trees were cleared to make a road spoke of at least some advancement within their society, but it still wasn¡¯t impossible that I found myself on the pointy-end of a tribal warrior¡¯s spear. Still, the possibility of human interaction¡ªthe friendly kind, not the stabby-stabby kind¡ªmade my cheeks turn up into a broad smile, and I felt almost nervous at the idea of striking up conversation with strangers. What do I say to them to seem like a regular person? Will they even speak English? I wonder what they¡¯re like... With these thoughts and countless others on my mind, I drifted off to sleep in a camp beside the road. *** The sun wasn¡¯t high enough to banish the cool air of the morning yet and was only just cresting the horizon when something beautiful grabbed my attention. The road had climbed a hill, and as I reached the peak, I could see what had to be the ocean poking up over the distant treeline. The shore was visible from my vantage point, and light-yellow sand arced out into dual headlands that formed a cove, at least a kilometer from end-to-end. To the right, and outside of the protected cove, a broad river-mouth fed into the ocean. Further right, the land turned mountainous after another stretch of flat beach on the other side of the river. Two things made my hopes soar. First, the saltwater of the sea, the freshwater of the river, and the brackish water of the two mixing meant one thing: an abundance and variety of aquatic-life. Second, and most important, there were dozens of houses built on the shore, some of which had smoke billowing from their stone chimneys. To the left of the buildings, farmland stretched as far as the eye could see, crops of different kinds sprawling over the area. There were people! Chapter 4: Welcome Chapter 4: Welcome I tried to calm my racing heart as I walked along the road, passing cultivated fields on the way to the small village. I reached out to touch a stalk of what I knew to be sugar cane¡ªthe crop was prevalent in the coastal plains of my hometown on the east-coast of Australia. Apart from a few patches of wheat, corn, and something unrecognizable, the sugarcane was the only thing being grown. There were acres of it, stretching far to either side of the village¡¯s border. The settlement itself had no visible wall or threshold, only a perimeter of dirt separating the houses from the crops, showing this was a peaceful area. I¡¯d suspected so already, given that I wasn¡¯t eaten by wolves out in the forest, but it was still nice to know I didn¡¯t have to worry about goblin raids, monster attacks, or some other, equally tropey fantasy-world shenanigans. Perhaps the smart plan would be to hang back and observe the town for a while, to watch the townspeople move and interact before seamlessly integrating myself among them. This thought came, and it passed. Through my relatively short yet experience-packed life, I¡¯d learned to trust my instincts when they spoke up. There was something unquantifiable about the hunches fed to you by the universe. Whether the result of divine intervention, subconscious calculation, or something other, the result remained the same; intuition was ignored at one¡¯s own peril. If my goal was to form bonds and connections¡ªwhich it was¡ªmy instincts told me to be my authentic self from the very start. While skulking may give me more information, it would undoubtedly alter my later interactions, and may even lead to suspicion and derision if caught doing so. With the contentment of doing the right thing, and a purpose-filled stride, I entered the street between two rows of houses. Both my contentment and stride were abruptly halted as I found the blunt side of a scythe¡¯s blade held to my throat. My eyes went wide, and I stared in shock at the wiry man across from me that held the impromptu weapon. Gray hair, countless wrinkles, a salt-and-pepper beard, and deeply tanned skin atop a farmer¡¯s frame blocked my passage through the street. ¡°Can I help you, lad?¡± the man asked, voice firm and as weathered as its speaker. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªuh¡ªlooking for people?¡± I found my words failing me. I¡¯d never been physically threatened before¡ªever. The man narrowed his eyes, pressing the blunted end of the scythe into my neck. ¡°And what people would that be, lad?¡± ¡°There you are, dad!¡± a feminine voice called. ¡°Where have you¡ªdad! What are you doing?¡± The stranger lowered the scythe, but kept his eyes pinned on me. A young woman of mid-twenties to early-thirties stepped into view from between two houses. She grimaced at me in obvious apology. ¡°By Freya¡¯s bouncing bosom, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± She put her hand on the scythe and lowered it further from my chest. ¡°He didn¡¯t hurt you, did he?¡± ¡°N-no. I¡¯m fine, really...¡± My voice still stammered, but this time for an entirely different reason¡ªthe girl was stunning. She had sun-kissed skin, with small freckles covering her face and shoulders, and light-blond hair that was partially tied up. Her blue eyes seemed to broadcast her intent, like windows into her soul¡ªshe appeared kind, honest, and caring. Maybe it was because I hadn¡¯t seen people in some time, or maybe it was the fact she¡¯d saved me from the beach-bum grim-reaper, but something about her drew me in. ¡°How many times have I told you, dad? There¡¯s nothing to worry about here! It¡¯s a peaceful town! That¡¯s why we moved here, remember?¡± ¡°I caught this young feller just skulking about, all shady-like!¡± The man¡¯s voice was petulant as he defended himself against his daughter¡ªa far cry from the gravelly determination it held earlier. The woman turned to me, giving me a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m Maria, and this is my dad, Roger.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Fischer.¡± The man squinted as a suspicious hmmmmm escaped his throat. ¡°What kinda dumb name is Fisher?¡± ¡°Dad!¡± I laughed and spelled out my name for the duo. ¡°Hmmm. Still a dumb name. Your parents cousins or somethin¡¯?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s a fisherman, he¡¯s dead-weight. I¡¯m going to the field. I¡¯ve wasted enough time on this fool already.¡± Without any further comment, Roger strode off and disappeared around a corner. Maria immediately apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The older he gets, the less his filter seems to work.¡± I laughed at the departed man and shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Other people¡¯s opinions won¡¯t change what I¡¯m about.¡± Maria paused for a moment and wrung her hands as she clearly thought about what to say. I smiled, able to read her body language as if she were a book. ¡°You can say whatever you¡¯re thinking, Maria.¡± She jolted, then flushed and averted her eyes. ¡°I... uh... I don¡¯t want to offend¡ª¡± ¡°You won¡¯t offend me. As I said, I know what I¡¯m about. What did you want to say?¡± ¡°Well, the thing is...¡± She paused as she gathered her courage. ¡°... fishing kind of is frowned upon, and it¡¯ll be hard to sustain yourself and integrate into this village if you intend on fishing.¡± I cocked my head, genuine confusion hitting me. How is a village in such a prime place for fishing not filled with anglers? ¡°I thought, given that this is a coastal town, that fishing would be an integral part of the village¡¯s economy. Is that not the case?¡± It was Maria¡¯s turn to show confusion¡ªit oozed from her countenance. ¡°Where have you come from that fishing is ever an integral part of anything?¡± ¡°A long, long way away.¡± ¡°Well...¡± She looked at me with keen eyes. ¡°Here, and everywhere else I¡¯ve ever heard of, fishing hasn¡¯t been done since the gods left. Living off the land is the proper way to be, and living from the water is a waste of precious time. If you intend to fish, I hope you¡¯re prepared for the weird looks. I also hope you either intend to work a proper job, or have a large amount of coin to burn through...¡± ¡°No ¡®proper job¡¯ for me, I¡¯m afraid.¡± I smiled at her, glad that she was so forthcoming, but also not swayed by the warnings. ¡°I intend to fish, and only to fish.¡± She stared at me with a weighing gaze. I¡¯d felt many such looks fall upon me in my previous life, but it was both surprising, and a little scary, to feel such a heavy stare come from such a young woman. She sighed. ¡°Well, I can see you won¡¯t be swayed. Do you intend to buy land?¡± I beamed a smile at her acceptance. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Come with me. I have to get to our field, but I can take a few minutes to introduce you to the village lord.¡± Lord? Does that mean the people of this village belong to a fiefdom? Or even a kingdom? I have to get that information... As we traveled, the layout and condition of the streets changed. The roads grew wider and cleaner, and the houses were larger, made of more organized stone-and-mortar. Some even expressed some artistic flair with the layout and construction of the materials. If where we¡¯d been previously was the working district, this is the upper-crust part of town. Maria led me to a building that was more akin to a cathedral than a house. It was three stories tall¡ªanother floor higher than any other structure I¡¯d seen, including the refinery and mill. Made of stone all the same color of gray, with large sheets of glass interspersed on the higher floors, it presented a front of opulence compared to the rest of Tropica village. Maria knocked on the door, and after an extended stretch of time, it flew open. Chapter 5: Acquisition Chapter 5: Acquisition George, the lord of Tropica village, was on only his fifth sugar-crusted pastry of the day when some cretin had the audacity to knock on his front door, interrupting the succulent and delicious-tasting treat. This assignment alone was already enough of a slight to his family¡¯s good name, but having to interact directly with the rabble was a daily insult. ¡°They dare disturb me, when I¡¯ve not even finished my second-breakfast?¡± he said aloud. His wife, Geraldine, rolled her eyes and made a noise of contempt around her mouthful of pastry. The things I do for these peasants... He grunted in frustration as he wrestled with his silk dressing gown, the damn thing seeming to have shrunken again. I¡¯ll have to talk to that miserly seamstress about her materials. He trudged down the stairs while sucking remnants of granular sugar from his fingers. Unleashing his fury on the door, he flung it open with wild abandon, casting his displeasure over the two people on his doorstep. One was a female field worker, who would have been a beautiful sight, if not for her sun-tainted skin, and starved-looking form. The other was a man in his thirties he hadn¡¯t seen before. He didn¡¯t have the tanned skin of the other peasants, but he had the similarly malnourished body that all the working class did. ¡°Yes? What have you disturbed my morning for?¡± George asked, using his shrillest and therefore most-authoritarian voice. ¡°U-uh, this is Fischer,¡± the plain woman said. ¡°He¡¯s just arrived, and he wants to buy some land.¡± She turned to the other peasant. ¡°Fischer, this is George, the lord of Tropica. I have to get to work. I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± She fled, walking with haste back to the peasant side of town. Fischer turned to him. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, lord.¡± At least he has the good sense to show the proper respect, George thought, deciding to bestow upon him the gift of not rolling his eyes at the insolence of interrupting his third-favorite meal of the day. ¡°Oh, is that so... Fischer, was it? And what sort of land do you desire?¡± ¡°Coastal. As close to, if not directly on the beach.¡± George was unable to stop himself from narrowing his eyes in confusion. ¡°What would anyone want with a coastal strip of land?¡± Fischer smiled plainly. ¡°For fishing, mate. I want a plot of land to call my own, and I want to be as close to the water as possible.¡± George rubbed his eyes and let out a sigh. Great. A madman has found his way to our shores. Employing his vast intellect, George devised a way to chase this madman away, and hopefully send him scurrying whence he came. ¡°Unfortunately, my dear man, it isn¡¯t possible to break up the coastal land¡ªcrown laws, you understand?¡± Fischer nodded, accepting the words of his betters as fact. ¡°Of course. How big a property are we talking?¡± ¡°The stretch from the last field on the south-side of Tropica, all the way up to and including the southern mountain-range, is available. It is worth quite a sum, however...¡± George shook his head in feigned sadness. ¡°Fifteen gold pieces, I regret to say. It may be out of your reach...¡± George knew that if someone were to buy the sandy, useless stretch of land, that it¡¯d be worth three, maybe four gold coins at most. What good would land that could hardly grow any of the staple commodities of the kingdom be, after all? A smile lingered on Fischer¡¯s face, but his eyes narrowed slightly, the expression disconcerting and unreadable to George. ¡°Fifteen? That seems a little steep, George. It¡¯s sandy land, after all, which isn¡¯t great for growing any of the crops I¡¯ve seen. How far inland does the land stretch?¡± George snorted, letting some of his disdain for the madman show. "All the way back to the village¡¯s boundary line¡ªjust over a kilometer." What does he know of land prices? He couldn¡¯t afford a coffee, let alone the useless sand he wants. George''s frustration with the intrusion growing, he looked Fischer up and down, his eyes lingering on the basic clothes. ¡°Do you even have any gold, sir?¡± Fischer kept his unsettling gaze on George as he reached into his bag with slow ease, grabbing something. He held it out. George stuck his hand out petulantly, half expecting this Fischer to drop a shell or other, similarly useless trinket into his hand. As I continued my path southward, I smiled at the people I passed, not letting their odd looks and stares bother me. Even if I were the type of person to be caught off-guard by such things, I was entirely too ecstatic to care. I¡¯d been shocked to see the state of the lord that opened the door. After seeing the rest of the village people, I had just assumed everyone would be lean from hard work¡ªtanned from days spent in the sun. The lord of the town proved to be the exception. The man was, well, large. Really large. His skin was pasty, too, telling me he rarely¡ªif ever¡ªsaw time in the sun. I suppose that explains Maria calling the people to the north of the village fat cats. George was the picture of noble entitlement from the stories, and he¡¯d led with the expected, holier-than-thou attitude, but that quickly disappeared when I paid up. George likely gave me an extortive quote, explaining the nervousness, but why did a single coin addle him...? Was even the single coin an overpayment? This thought made a twinge of frustration bubble up inside me, but I quickly stamped it out. Who cares if he tried to fleece me and I overpaid? I still held twenty-four of the coins, and more importantly, I owned my own beach, river, and mountains! Before I even realized, I was stepping out from between the houses of the town and between two fields of sugarcane. I stopped mid-step and turned to take in my surroundings. The air was fresh and carried the smell of salt. The sun was climbing ever higher, and now that there were no awnings protecting my skin from its rays, its touch was warm and pleasant. A tear of happiness swelled in my eye, and the emotion of the moment overwhelmed me. I¡¯d finally started to figure out life on Earth when I was robbed of that newfound path by truck-kun. Then, through a bizarre series of events triggered by divine intervention, pure happenstance, or some other, equally confusing interdimensional-fuckery, I was reborn into this world, and now possessed everything I could need. Well, everything other than a house and a fishing rod... but I have all the tools and money I need to make that happen. With that thought, I continued walking between the sugarcane and towards my property. Before long, the fields of cane opened up into a flat stretch. Some weeds grew in the sandy soil, but it was mostly bare, which was the only reason the land hadn¡¯t been developed, I guessed. What would be the bane of others was a boon for me. If it had been anything other than sandy soil this side of the village, it would have been developed into farmland and crops. The fact that it wasn¡¯t worth farming meant that I was able to buy it. I bent down and spread my arms wide, hugging the ground. ¡°I love you, sand.¡± ¡°Er, you okay?¡± I jumped at the voice, scrambling to my feet. There was a man in one of the fields I¡¯d just passed. He looked to be about the same age as me, wore a large straw hat, a set of basic clothes, and carried a hoe slung over his shoulder. ¡°Uh, yeah, don¡¯t mind me.¡± I laughed awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m Fischer. I just bought this land.¡± ¡°Oh, you did?¡± The man strode forward, hand extended. ¡°I¡¯m Barry. Most of the fields this side of Tropica are mine, so I guess we¡¯ll be neighbors. Nice to meet you, Fischer!¡± ¡°The pleasure¡¯s all mine, mate.¡± We clasped hands. He had strength that belied his size, the wiry muscles in his arm evidently hardened by years of slinging hoes. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of fields this side of the village,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s impressive that one man owns them all.¡± It was Barry''s turn to laugh awkwardly, and he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. ¡°It¡¯s not as impressive as it might seem. My family and I run it, and the land was much cheaper on account of how sandy it is.¡± Barry shrugged. ¡°But we¡¯ve worked out how to grow in the sandier stuff, it just takes a little more work. Let me know if you need help working it out¡ªI¡¯d be happy to give you some knowledge in exchange for a little work in our fields.¡± ¡°Thanks, Barry. I¡¯ll keep that in mind, but I don¡¯t actually plan on doing any farming.¡± ¡°No problem, you¡ªwait, what?¡± Barry raised an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t plan on farming? What do you plan on doing, then?¡± I smiled in delight. ¡°Fishing!¡± Barry cocked his head, then he laughed. He really laughed. He doubled over, leaning on his hoe for support, all the while I just smiled at him. ¡°Thank you, Fischer,¡± Barry said as he wiped tears from his eyes. ¡°I needed that. Seriously, though, what are you planning on doing with the land? Livestock?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m as serious as a Queensland summer. I¡¯ll just be fishing, if I can help it.¡± Barry¡¯s face went through a series of emotions as he realized I was telling the truth. It settled somewhere between confused and troubled. ¡°Well, the offer is there if you change your mind and want to learn about farming in sandy soil, alright? You take care, Fischer.¡± ¡°Thanks, Barry. You too.¡± I spun and strode further into my land, not at all disparaged by the odd interaction. I¡¯d have to work out why everyone was so averse to fishing. It seemed to be something to do with ¡°the gods leaving¡± and ¡°the ancients,¡± whatever the hell that meant. It was all a problem for another day, because I had some land to explore¡ªmy land. Chapter 6: Home Chapter 6: Home While the land I owned seemed to be barren farmland, it was anything but empty of life. Small weeds, grasses, and bushes grew sporadically, with small wren-like birds flying between them and making pretty sounds as they snatched up insects. I was tempted to walk directly down to the beach and make my way along it, but I had a better view of my lands from between the shoreline and the forest, and there was yet plenty of time in the day. There were a few spindly trees that looked half-dead¡ªthe kind that even a cyclone had no chance of uprooting¡ªgrowing from the sandy soil around me as I walked. Other than those few, there were no trees until the forest a-few-hundred meters to the west. George said that my land stretched back a kilometer¡ªmeaning vast swaths of that forest are mine. I smiled in delight. It didn¡¯t take me long to walk all the way to the river-mouth, excited as I was. As I arrived, I saw the familiar bushes bearing blackberries that had been my fuel and savior in the forest. In all likelihood, the same creek that had wet my thirst flowed down and into the very river before me. I took a moment to thank the land for everything it provided so far¡ªif not for the berries, and especially the water, I may never have made it to Tropica. There would be no shortage of wood for construction or fire, as along the banks of the river, entire trees and branches lay felled, washed up by flooding in the recent past. I peeled the bark off one such tree, seeing the wood firm and unrotten beneath. There were also some of the spindly trees still thriving in their spots on the bank, their great roots reaching deep enough that they weren¡¯t washed away by raised water levels. I walked over to one of the berry bushes and bent down, taking my time to inspect and make sure it was the exact same plant I knew to be safe. Satisfied, I indulged in the sweet berries. I walked down to the water and cocked my head to the side as I stared at the river in confusion. I¡¯d expected the waters to be muddy and brown, as most rivers are, but it was almost crystal clear. The floor of the river was covered with small stones, and it was shallower than initially expected, but still too deep to cross by foot. Scooping up some of the water, and having started a small campfire, I started the purification process. As it boiled, I contemplated my options. If I was being honest with myself, I felt paralyzed by choice. There was so much I wanted to do, all of which would take me in drastically different directions. As much as I wanted to get cracking on my fishing destiny, there were some things I had to sort out first. Water and food were still taken care of, if a little crudely, but I¡¯d be able to develop something more long-term later. I slapped my face, forcing myself to make a decision and end the paralysis. I would find somewhere flat to establish a shelter in the short-term, and a home in the long-term. The best thing to do would be to find a high vantage point, and to look out over the land. I turned to the headland, which was only one-hundred meters from my current position. The rock formation there was easily thirty meters tall, and twice that in length. A perfect position to scout the area from. As I walked towards the stones, a wind rushing in from the coast buffeted me. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the excitement of the day, but I felt stronger¡ªmy legs were filled with energy, like I could go on forever. It was as though my body had somehow grown more resilient; as if something powered my stride. The gale-force wind would have threatened to knock me over on Earth, but I now strode through it with ease. When I got to the rocks, I looked for a place to climb, but found something even more interesting. There was a cavernous gap between the colossal boulders, shielded from the coastal winds by the natural stone formation. The space was flat and stood at least five meters above sea-level. I knelt down and ran my hand through the earth. It was soft and pliable, meaning I could install the most vital things for any home, fantasy world or not¡ªplumbing. There was a dining area attached with a large hardwood table within that was big enough to accommodate all ten of the seats tucked into it. I stepped past the table, towards double-doors that led outside. I held my breath as I opened them, hoping against hope that what I¡¯d pictured outside had made it into the build¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t meant to be. My pride, my joy, my ray of hope in the dark night was most definitely not there¡ªthere was no barbecue. I found myself on a large wooden deck. It would be the perfect place for a barbecue, I reflected, protected from the wind as it was, but I guessed I¡¯d just have to go about crafting my own in good time. ¡°Cooking by campfire it is, then¡ªif I catch any fish, that is.¡± I laughed to myself as I realized I was complaining at not receiving a barbecue, when a house had just appeared from thin air. Walking on the deck around to the front of the house, the view was stunning. The sun still played off the water, and the fading light cast an ethereal tint over the land. It was untouched by civilization; the view from my home showed none of the town, hidden as it was by the rock formation. All I saw was a river, ocean, sand, vegetation, mountains, and a beautiful sky painted pink by fading sunlight. A wind picked up, and the air was cool as the warmth of the day fled alongside the sun. The breeze swirled around me, most of its force robbed by the relative shelter the house occupied. The moving air tickled the back of my neck as I watched the last vestige of sunlight disappear over the mountains to the west. There was a small table with four chairs beside the front door, and I sat in one of them, not knowing what else to do. Remembering what happened earlier, I felt for the pouch at my side. It was still there, but as I¡¯d suspected, was empty of the gold coins. This world, this System... it had taken all twenty-four of my coins, and had built me a home. As if to taunt me, I received an infuriatingly familiar prompt. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] ¡°Well, I guess that means I won¡¯t have to make a shelter for the night...¡± On the bank of the river just before my new home, there was a large swath of the berry-laden bushes, filled to the brim with the sugary snacks. They seemed to call to me, and I went. I inspected them, and sure enough, they were safe. I ate some, only now realizing just how hungry I¡¯d become. Collecting some more for later in my stone bowl, I turned to look at my house. From down on the river bank, it looked almost... quaint. The visible surface peeking from between sheets of rock hid the depth and size of the dwelling. Is buildings springing up from nowhere a normal feature of this world? I somehow doubted it, given the materials and rather crude method with which the houses of the village were constructed. What would the villagers think if they came over and saw a house, where the day before there¡¯d been nothing? They¡¯d probably burn me alive, like so many witches before me. A smile crept onto my face. This world was strange, confusing, and alien, but oh so exciting. I had no local currency, but I had access to food, water, shelter, and endless possibilities. I stood up on shaky legs. As it turned out, trading a handful of gold for an instant-build house was rather exhausting. I ambled back to the master bedroom, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out. Chapter 7: The Cult of Carcinization Chapter 7: The Cult of Carcinization The next morning, I set off toward the village for two reasons. First and foremost, I didn¡¯t want anyone to discover the house, especially only a day after it constructed itself out of nothing. The longer I could stall, the more feasible it would be that I built it up over time. Second, I wanted more information. As much as I wanted to throw myself into fishing¡ªand fixate on it entirely¡ªthere would be no point if a lack of preparation caused my untimely death by whatever this world did to witches, practitioners of the dark-arts, and other such evil-doers. The first person I ran into was Barry, who was also up in the pre-dawn light. The farmer was all smiles, and it put my somewhat troubled mind at ease. Beside Barry stood a young boy of perhaps seven years old. He stood tall for someone his age, seeming to radiate the surety that comes from a young man standing beside his father. ¡°Good morning, Fischer,¡± Barry said, wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°Morning, mate.¡± I gestured at the young man. ¡°This one yours?¡± Barry smiled in delight, answering the question before he even spoke. ¡°Aye, this is my son, Paul. Say hello, lad.¡± ¡°H-Hello,¡± Paul said, the previous confidence falling apart at having to talk to a stranger. ¡°Nice to meet you, mate. I was wondering how your dad managed all these fields, but seeing those brawny arms of yours, now I know!¡± Paul smiled and puffed out his chest, and Barry laughed. ¡°It¡¯s your first morning here, isn¡¯t it, Fischer?¡±?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°It is. Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a tradition in our family to watch the sunrise from the beach. Would you care to join us?¡± While that sounded amazing, I didn¡¯t want to miss the lord coming to find me for fear the man would seek me out and discover the house. ¡°I¡¯d love to, mate, but George might come looking for me about the deed to my land, and I don¡¯t want to miss him.¡± ¡°You talk funny,¡± Paul said, looking at me with squinted eyes. I laughed, unable to hold my mirth in. Barry slapped his son lightly on the back of the head, giving him a glare. ¡°Now, that¡¯s no way to talk to a neighbor, Paul. You say sorry to mister Fischer.¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine.¡± I smiled down at Paul. ¡°I do talk funny, but it¡¯s normal where I come from, and just Fischer is fine. We¡¯re neighbors, after all.¡± Paul nodded, accepting the statement for fact, as only kids can. ¡°Well,¡± Barry said, ¡°what if Paul waits here to keep an eye out for that wandering lord of ours?¡± ¡°Dad! I want to see the sunrise, too!¡± ¡°None of that, lad.¡± He shot a stern look at his son. ¡°That can be your apology for your tongue running faster than your brain.¡± Barry turned to me. ¡°Would that be alright?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to impose...¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Barry waved the concern away. ¡°Paul here has seen countless sunrises, and he¡¯ll see countless yet. It¡¯s your first morning in Tropica, and it feels right that you see it.¡± Seeing Paul¡¯s growing disappointment, I bent down, so we were eye level. ¡°Are you sure you can handle this, Paul?¡± Presented with a challenge, he straightened himself as I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to think what would happen if he were to walk onto my land and somehow lose the paperwork.¡± I winced. ¡°Maybe I should do it myself, or find an adult to keep an eye out for him...¡± Paul¡¯s eyes widened, then narrowed in resolve. ¡°I can do it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure? I don¡¯t mind having to get someone a little older...¡± ¡°He won¡¯t get by me! I promise!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I trust you, mate. Make sure George doesn¡¯t get past you and onto my land.¡± Barry smiled at me as he led us down to the water. ¡°That was expertly done. My boy would sooner eat shellfish than admit he wasn¡¯t capable of completing a task.¡± I grinned at him. ¡°I have no doubt he¡¯ll rise to the challenge¡ªhe looked like a hawk when we left him.¡± Barry laughed. Barry¡¯s eyes moved over the calm sea. ¡°The gods of water set about the events that led to all the gods abandoning this world. As such, only a fool would rely upon the spoils of their domain.¡± ¡°That would certainly explain everyone¡¯s reaction to me fishing...¡± ¡°Aye. Fishing is eating from the sea, not living from the land as is proper¡ªit¡¯s heresy.¡± Never mind the pop-up house¡ªam I going to get burnt at the stake if I go fishing? ¡°What would you villagers do to someone committing such heresy?¡± ¡°Do?¡± Barry cocked his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You know... like punishment-wise. Am I going to lose a finger or my head for going fishing?¡± Barry¡¯s eyes went wide, then he laughed. It wasn¡¯t a polite laugh¡ªhe roared his delight, so loud that even the crab men stopped their clacking momentarily, shooting us aggrieved glances. ¡°No¡ªno, Fischer. Not that. There is no punishment, it¡¯s just... people will treat you different, you understand?¡± Oh, good. I smiled my delight back at him, genuine relief flooding me at the news that my new-world plans weren¡¯t halted. ¡°Thanks for the warning, mate. I¡¯m not too worried about how I¡¯m seen, so that shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± Barry shook his head, but still smiled. ¡°You¡¯re truly going to fish?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± ¡°Ah well, at least you¡¯ve been warned what you¡¯re getting yourself into.¡± ¡°What about the cult and church thing?¡± I asked. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, the societal view is flipped¡ªchurches are recognized places of worship, whereas cults are looked down upon.¡± He shook his head in exasperation. ¡°I never want to go wherever you¡¯re from, Fischer¡ªthey got it all backwards.¡± I grinned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that¡ªI don¡¯t see you ever getting the opportunity. So, what¡¯s the difference between a cult and a church here?¡± ¡°Well, churches are blasphemous for a simple reason¡ªthere are no gods left to worship. They all ascended, and won¡¯t be returning. A cult is normal, because they¡¯re worshiping the eventual rise of another human or creature to godhood. ¡°Every cult is hoping to one day become a church when their chosen creature becomes a spirit beast, or their human counterpart ascends¡ªbut until then, to call yourself a church would be a lie. Take the Cult of Carcinization, for example.¡± He pointed at the five men, who were now neck-deep in the calm water, only their heads and imitations of pincers visible. One clacked at another, who shuffled to the side to avoid the violence. ¡°Their doctrine is that a crab will ascend and become a spirit beast. That we will all become crabs one day through carcinization means that to them, we are all holy beings just waiting to happen.¡± He shrugged. ¡°As I said, completely harmless.¡± At the mention of spirit beasts, all the novels on cultivation I¡¯d read came rushing to mind. So I¡¯ve arrived in post-ascension Xianxia land? Neat. ¡°I get it,¡± I said. ¡°So a church is inherently a lie, and therefore blasphemy, unless a spirit beast or ascended human emerges?¡± ¡°Just so.¡± ¡°Are there many cults?¡± ¡°Probably more than there are grains of sand beneath your feet. They¡¯re not all as benevolent as the carcinization folk over there, so I¡¯m glad Tropica only has two.¡± ¡°Two?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s the other one?¡± ¡°The Cult of the Leviathan. They¡¯re an odd bunch and a real chore to be around, but also relatively harmless. Unlike the Cult of the Carcinization, they deify lobsters. Their doctrine is that lobsters don¡¯t die of old age¡ªthey only die when they get too old to molt. Their plan is to help a lobster molt until it gets so old that it naturally becomes a spirit beast.¡± As he spoke, my smile grew wider-and-wider, and it was my turn to laugh uncontrollably. Barry laughed along with me, thinking I was laughing at the absurdity of the plan. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it was a ridiculous plan, but I was mostly laughing that ¡®the lorb¡¯ had managed to become the basis for an actual cult in post-ascension Xianxia land. It took me a good while to regain my composure. I love this place. Chapter 8: The Cult of the Leviathan Chapter 8: The Cult of the Leviathan It was a normal day at the Cult of the Leviathan¡¯s Tropica branch. Sebastian, who was the leader of this particular branch, was tending to the lobster crickets. The building he¡¯d acquired with the funds he brought from the capital was a far cry from what he was used to, but as long as he had space to tend to his precious lobsters, he was happy. ¡°Do you need a hand with the baby lobsters, sir?¡± Gary, his idiotic follower, asked. Sebastian felt the joy at his task drain from his face. ¡°For the last time, Gary, they¡¯re crickets. Baby lobsters are called crickets.¡± ¡°Right. Sorry, sir.¡± Sebastian still couldn¡¯t believe that Gary was the only follower he could find in this middle-of-nowhere village. I guess any help is better than no help. ¡°Huh,¡± Gary¡¯s stupid voice said. ¡°What¡¯s going on with this blinking thing?¡± Sebastian sighed as he looked up from his precious little crickets. ¡°What blinking thing, Gary?¡± ¡°The thing in this bag over here¡ªit''s blinking red.¡± A spark of hope welled within Sebastian, and he rushed to his travel bag. When in the capital, he¡¯d spent a large sum on an ancient artifact¡ªan act that had resulted in his expulsion to this backwater village. The artifact was something that detected cultivation in beings, and was supposed to light up when close to them. The leader of the Capital branch had called it an overpriced paperweight, but that the light was now blinking proved Sebastian¡¯s genius. He reached into his bag with barely contained glee. His eyes went wide as he pulled out the artifact; the light was indeed blinking. He was going to usher this cult into a church; one of his precious crickets was going to grow into the great Leviathan of story. He would prove them all wrong, his genius was unparalleled, he¡ª The glee on his face was replaced by confusion, then anger. ¡°Uh, sir?¡± Gary asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Not good, Gary. Very not good.¡± ¡°What isn¡¯t, sir?¡± Sebastian held up the artifact for Gary to see. There were two sides to the artifact, one with the simple drawing of a human, the other with depictions of a cat, dog, and fish. The side that was blinking was the one with a human. ¡°Uh, what does that mean, sir?¡± Sebastian snarled. ¡°It means it isn¡¯t one of our precious lobsters that is taking steps towards ascension. We have someone in Tropica that needs to be taken care of.¡± *** In the capital city of Gormona, Trent, the first-in-line to the throne, who was considered by anyone other than his mother to be the human equivalent of a stubbed toe, was hiding. Like hell I¡¯ll be attending something as stupid as decorum training. He was up to his fourth tutor on the subject, each of them being just as useless as the last. My family pays them so much, and for what? I haven¡¯t learned a thing! Rather than be subjected to today¡¯s lesson, he had found a tucked-away room to hide in. That it was a royal decree to stay out of the artifact-filled room was perfect; no one would look for him in here. He snickered to himself as he crawled further-and-further into the pile of ancient junk. ¡°Stay out of the artifact room,¡± he whispered aloud in a mocking tone. ¡°It¡¯s just a room of scrap metal.¡± Reaching a hidden pocket in the giant collection of uselessness, he stood and stretched. He was between four different constructs, all of which were lifeless. ¡°Just as they always have and always will be,¡± he said, making sure to keep his voice down¡ªit wouldn¡¯t do to have one of those cultivator freaks hear him and rat him out. One of the artifacts had a glass screen, and the light from the gap above let him see his own reflection. It warped his head, making his generally displeasing appearance even more pronounced. Insecurity flaring, and feeling insulted by the inanimate object, he slapped it. ¡°Shut up, idiot. You¡¯re ugly.¡± The screen lit up, and Trent¡¯s already too-large-for-his-head eyes went wider. There were words printed on the screen. New milestone! Fischer has learned bushcraft! New milestone! Fischer has learned construction! ¡°Th-thank you!¡± ¡°I give thanks to both of you.¡± Barry dipped his head. ¡°None of that, mate.¡± I gave him a genuine smile. ¡°That¡¯s what neighbors do, right? Happy to share.¡± George was just getting to his feet, brushing his considerable behind free of the sandy dirt he sat in. ¡°You want one, George?¡± ¡°Oh, I-I¡¯ve had a tray already. Thank you, though.¡± ¡°No, thank you for bringing them!¡± I turned to Paul and Barry. ¡°You boys want another?¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t possibly¡ª¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Paul yelled. They both glared at each other, giving me another genuine laugh for the day. ¡°Please, I insist.¡± I shook the tray at them. ¡°There¡¯s too many for just me¡ªI might have to throw them out if you don¡¯t help me...¡± They both came forward to get another, Barry sheepishly, Paul with enthusiasm that bordered on violence. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be getting on my way,¡± George said. ¡°It was a pleasure seeing you all.¡± He dipped his head to me, Barry, and Paul, then turned and headed for the town. *** George¡¯s face contorted as he withdrew from the fields. He found a spot in the shade to rest and collect his thoughts. There is no way someone of Fischer¡¯s station would be willingly consorting with peasant farmers¡ªhe was sending me a message: he¡¯s willing to win over the villagers, and I am replaceable. Just as egregious was the handing out of passiona-filled pastries to people of such a lowly station¡ªright in front of him, no less. His mouth still watered at the treats he¡¯d handed over. As if I would ever turn down a fifth breakfast. He was testing me; gauging my greed in the face of offered pastries. It was a ghastly test to perform on someone¡ªwhat kind of devious individual would play games with sweets? It showed just how far Fischer was willing to go. George wiped the sweat from his brow with his already sodden cloth. What in Triton¡¯s throbbing conch am I going to do? Fischer is on the offensive, and he¡¯s already ten steps ahead of me... *** ¡°So what¡¯s the big deal with passiona husk?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s tasty, sure, but not good enough to make you treat me like a lord.¡± Barry winced at his past actions. ¡°It¡¯s the price, Fischer. A single one of those pastries is worth two weeks of what we earn farming¡ªthe husk alone is worth a week-and-a-half.¡± I looked at the tray of treats, frowned, and looked back up at Barry. ¡°How are they worth so much? They¡¯re just donuts.¡± ¡°The bushes are controlled and exceedingly expensive¡ªthey¡¯re engineered so they don¡¯t grow seeds, and you can only buy plants directly from the distributor.¡± Oh, good¡ªthere¡¯s a fantasy-world Monsanto. I couldn¡¯t help but shake my head in dismay. ¡°Could I ask you a favor, Barry?¡± ¡°Anything, Fischer.¡± ¡°Would you check over this for me?¡± I held out the documents George gave me. ¡°I don¡¯t know the local laws and customs, so I was hoping you could give it a once over and check everything¡¯s up to scratch.¡± Barry cocked his head to the side as my sentence stretched on. Guess I might need to tone down the vernacular... ¡°You... you want me to make sure it¡¯s legally binding?¡± he asked ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Barry took the document. ¡°Is it alright if I check it tonight? There''s still a lot of work to do in the fields yet.¡± ¡°Yeah, mate. No worries. Could I ask one more thing?¡± He looked back to his fields, clearly feeling the need to get the day¡¯s work started. ¡°What do you need?¡± I gave him a disarming grin. ¡°Just some directions.¡±Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com Chapter 9: Currency Chapter 9: Currency Iarrived at my first destination with a broad smile and my tray of pastries in hand. I stepped into the clothing store, looking at the basic garments hanging on the walls. A kind-looking woman was behind the counter, and she gestured at the tray I was carrying. ¡°Sorry, dear, but there¡¯s no food allowed in the store.¡± ¡°No worries!¡± I stepped up and displayed the ten remaining pastries. ¡°I got a fresh tray of passiona-stuffed pastries from Lena¡¯s Cafe? just now, and while I admit you can eat them, these aren¡¯t food¡ªthey¡¯re currency.¡± The woman was giving me an odd look, but at the mention of passiona and Lena¡¯s Cafe?, barely contained greed quickly replaced her suspicion. ¡°Oh. Oh. C-currency is always welcome.¡± She licked her lips absentmindedly. ¡°What are you looking for, dear?¡± I set the tray down on the counter. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a few sets of clothes and a roll or two of string or line¡ªsomething thin, strong, and abrasion resistant.¡± ¡°I think I may have just the thing for the line¡ªone moment.¡± She all but ran out the door behind the counter, returning a moment later with a crate. She set it down on the counter. It was filled with rolls of different-sized string and plastic line. I felt my eyes light up. I¡¯d been hoping this world had plastic-based lines akin to fishing line from my world, but was willing to settle for fabric string if that was all they had. The crate before me was a treasure trove, and with the pastries George gifted me, I had the keys to the castle. I sorted through them, picking out two rolls¡ªa one-millimeter-thick roll, and another two-millimeter thick one. ¡°Y-you can have both for a quarter pastry.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do you have extra rolls, or are these the only ones?¡± A man came from the door behind the counter. Judging by the bow and deference he showed me, the woman told him of the treats I was using as coin. ¡°Welcome to our store!¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯m Steven, and this is my wife, Ruby.¡± I smiled at both of them. ¡°Nice to meet you¡ªI¡¯m Fischer.¡± ¡°We only have one of each roll,¡± Ruby said, ¡°but we can buy more when the merchant comes at the end of the month.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you need them before then?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but I¡¯m sure we can make do without . . .¡± I looked down at the rolls of line¡ªboth of which had what must be hundreds of meters of line. I shook my head. Before I could speak, the man intervened, misreading my intentions. ¡°An eighth! We only need an eighth for both rolls of line!¡± Damn, this passiona stuff is serious business, huh? I shook my head again with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you without the tools for your craft, and I don¡¯t need that much.¡± I rubbed my chin in thought. ¡°Tell you what, I¡¯ll trade two whole pastries for half of both these lines, some small lengths of different colored string, and a few sets of clothes to¡ª¡± ¡°Deal!¡± they both yelled, extending their hands. I laughed and shook both. The man darted to my side of the counter, a measuring tape appearing from nowhere as he rushed me. Ruby¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°What kind of clothes do you need, dear? Formal wear? Pajamas? Active wear?¡± I tossed my head back and forth in thought. I didn¡¯t think that far ahead¡ªI was just going to ask for three sets of regular clothes to wear while fishing . . . maybe I do need some variety, though . . . I started rattling off my thoughts as the man measured me. ¡°I might go with two sets of the plain clothes I¡¯ve seen the farmers wearing, and a set of more formal attire¡ªnothing too ostentatious, but something a little more suited for going out, if that makes sense?¡± ¡°Of course, dear,¡± Ruby said with a smile. ¡°For what you¡¯ve offered, we can do a lot better than that, though.¡± ¡°Much better,¡± Steven agreed as he measured my waist. Ruby tapped the counter in thought. ¡°How does a formal set, four work sets, and a set of silk pajamas sound?¡± ¡°Sorry, Thomas, what did you say?¡± ¡°U-uh, does one pastry sound like a fair deal?¡± I thought the tools would be more expensive than that . . . ¡°You¡¯re sure that¡¯s enough to cover it?¡± ¡°Y-yes, of course!¡± Thomas ran¡ªliterally ran around the store as he collected the rest of the items. I smiled as I watched the man sprinting around his domain, a whirlwind of tools and efficiency. ¡°Is there a Mrs. Thomas?¡± I asked. ¡°Y-yes, Fischer. There is!¡± ¡°All right. Take two, then. Call it a tip for your energetic service.¡± A look somewhere between confusion and awe filled Thomas¡¯s face as he arrived back at the counter with everything packed in the requested cart. ¡°Y-you¡¯re sure?¡± I laughed. ¡°I am, mate¡ªtake one for yourself, and one for the missus.¡± Thomas shook my hand as tears¡ªgenuine tears¡ªwelled in his eyes. ¡°Thank you, Fischer. She¡¯ll truly appreciate it, as do I. Come back whenever you want¡ªI¡¯m in your debt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to come back if I¡¯ve forgotten anything.¡± I held out the tray for Thomas, and he took the pastries with great care, placing them on the counter and staring at them as if he couldn¡¯t believe they were real. ¡°Until next time, mate.¡± I made my way to the blacksmith, tray in one hand, my new cart in the other. ¡°Just offcuts?¡± the behemoth of a blacksmith asked. ¡°Yep! The thinnest metal offcuts you have lying around, and do you have any soap?¡± He strode with purpose toward a shelf at the back, turning his head in passing toward who I assumed was his apprentice. ¡°Duncan! Thin metal offcuts!¡± ¡°Aye, Fergus!¡± The similar-sized apprentice had overheard our conversation so far, and his muscular form lumbered around the forge, picking up scraps and throwing them into a bucket he held. Less than a minute later, Fergus placed the biggest tub of soap I¡¯d ever seen on the counter, and Duncan presented his bucket of metal offcuts. I extended my hand and the blacksmith wrapped it in two meaty paws as he shook my arm with vigor. ¡°What¡¯s your name, lad?¡± Fergus asked. ¡°Fischer. Nice to meet you, mate. Fergus, right?¡± ¡°Come back anytime, Fischer,¡± his deep voice rumbled as he nodded at my question. ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure doing business.¡± ¡°Cheers, Fergus! The pleasure is all mine.¡± Watching the bear of a man gingerly pick up a pastry and split it in half with great care was a sight to behold. He passed one-half to Duncan, who licked the passiona jam timidly, then stuffed the whole thing into his mouth. His eyes went wide as saucers as he chewed the baked treat. Following his apprentice¡¯s lead, Fergus did the same. Their noises of joy and laughter were music to my ears as I carted my spoils back toward the furniture store. After picking up the rods and balancing them atop the rest of my loot, I took a moment to rest in the shade, intending to eat one of the pastries. Before I could even pick it up, someone slammed into my side. ¡°Out of my way, peasant!¡± Chapter 10: The First Act of Creation Chapter 10: The First Act of Creation Ilooked down at the man that had bounced off me ineffectually. He was tangled in his own robe, arms and legs lashing out as he tried to get to his feet. Did he just try to knock me down . . . ? The man stood, finally free of the tangle of cloth and limbs, glaring his hatred at me. I looked at the robe he wore, seeing the likeness of a lobster embroidered on the left side of his chest. Ah, one of the cult blokes Barry warned me about. I held out the tray of food. ¡°Fancy a pastry, mate? You¡¯re not yourself when you¡¯re hungry.¡± His face twisted in a snarl. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, peasant!¡± Damn, this fella must be starving. ¡°Righto, mate. I think if you checked the instant replay, you¡¯d find me standing still and you walking into me and falling over, making a proper dickhead of yourself.¡± ¡°Fischer!¡± I turned to see Maria walking toward me, her disgruntled father right behind her. ¡°I felt bad leaving you so soon after you arrived in town.¡± She gave me an apologetic smile. ¡°How did it go with the property?¡± ¡°All sorted!¡± I smiled in return. ¡°I¡¯m now the proud owner of all the undeveloped land south of town.¡± ¡°All of it?¡± She cocked her head. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of land . . .¡± Roger let out a condescending hmmm as he squinted at me. ¡°Bad farming land, that.¡± A weak hand pulled my shoulder from behind¡ªwell, it tried to. I slowly spun to look at my lobster-robed assailant, raising an eyebrow at the man who¡¯d only succeeded in pulling himself off balance. His eyes went wide. ¡°Y-you¡¯ll pay for this!¡± He turned and dashed away. I was more entertained than annoyed as I watched him shooting me furtive, over-the-shoulder glances in his retreat. Bloody cultists, man . . . ¡°What did you do to get Sebastian so worked up?¡± Maria watched the fleeing man with amusement. ¡°He¡¯s a bit of a dick, but I¡¯ve never seen him that worked up . . .¡± I shrugged. ¡°Couldn¡¯t tell ya. I was just trying to have a snack when he came out of nowhere and ran into me.¡± Remembering what Roger said, I turned to him. ¡°You¡¯re right, mate. My land is terrible land for farming.¡± I gave him a wink. ¡°Fantastic fishing land, though!¡± The older man¡¯s scowl deepened, and before he could call me heretical, foolish, or some combination of both, I held out my tray to him and his daughter. ¡°Pastry?¡± ¡°Oooooh, yes please,¡± Maria said, grabbing one without a second thought. ¡°No.¡± Roger crossed his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t break bread with heretical fools.¡± There it is. Maria bit into it, her eyebrows coming together in confusion before shooting up in surprise. She slowly chewed, savoring every moment. She swallowed with a rapturous expression. ¡°Is . . . is this . . .¡± ¡°Passiona-jam pastries from Lena¡¯s¡ªcourtesy of our village lord.¡± Roger¡¯s eyes went wide, and I could see a war of conflicting emotions being waged upon his face. ¡°Take one,¡± I said with a laugh, jiggling the tray at him. ¡°Call it a gift for telling me your war stories yesterday. I¡¯m not even having one, so you wouldn¡¯t be breaking bread with this heretical fool.¡± ¡°I guess I could accept one . . .¡± ¡°Nothing so secretive, mate.¡± I held out my final two pastries. ¡°I was hoping you could share this with your family.¡± ¡°Really? They¡¯d love that! Are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure, mate. Your mission is for all of them to have a taste.¡± ¡°Thanks, mister Fischer!¡± The boy took the tray and disappeared into the rows of cane without a second glance. There were two reasons for giving away my last pastries. The first was that it couldn¡¯t hurt to ingratiate myself to the people sharing a border with my domain. The second and most important, was that it brought me joy to share the scarce taste with people who¡¯d likely never experienced it before. I tasted literally everything money could buy in my previous life. The donuts are nice, sure, but I¡¯ve tasted more Michelin-starred food than I can even recall. Let the farmers experience something new. A grin spread across my face as I trudged back home, my cart and equipment in tow. Besides . . . I¡¯ll be eating flame-grilled fish before the day is through. Sitting on my front deck, I took three of the smallest hooks out. With my file in hand, I shaved off the nail end¡ªthere was a lip between the nail and the hook section that would lay flat against the wall when hammered into it, which I left on. I sharpened the hook ends carefully, taking my time to ensure a sharp point. Next, I cut small lengths of the different colored strings, making them just a little longer than the length of the hooks. Sorting through the different metal offcuts I¡¯d procured from the blacksmith, I picked three of the smallest ones, using the hammer to bend a lip at the base, then fold a ninety-degree angle lengthwise. With the hammer and single large nail, I pounded a small hole in the lip I¡¯d created in the metal¡¯s base, just small enough for the hook to slip through. When I pushed the thin bits of metal over the hooks, they ran halfway from base toward the tips. I took the colorful cuts of string, tying them in place so they held the metal sleeves against the base of the hooks. The threads of string protruded past the sharpened tips, hiding them. I ran a single line of leader from one of the smaller poles and tied a rock to the end to act as a sinker. Then, I made three drop rigs of thinner fishing line running from the main one, all of which had my makeshift hooks on the end. I held up my fantasy-world version of a sabiki rig, smiling at my creation. I¡¯d decided my first course of action was to create simple jigs and see what baitfish were present along the shores of the ocean and river. The small, multicolored strings would entice fish to have a bite, and the strips of metal would act as a mirror for the sunlight, imitating the reflective scales of their prey. A pulse grabbed my attention, and I rolled my eyes, knowing what would come next. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] Yeah, cheers System¡ªI¡¯ll keep that in mind. I shook my head at the annoying prompt as I headed for the shore. A cool breeze tickled my skin as I found a good place to cast my line. I walked along the rock of the headland¡ªmy headland¡ªas I looked for a spot I thought would hold fish. There was a calm patch right on the edge, a sheer drop of the rock¡¯s surface leading into an aqua-colored pool that faded into the deep blue of the ocean. With no small amount of anticipation, I cast my line. The rock I¡¯d attached slowly sunk to the bottom, and I felt the soft thud of it hitting the sandy floor. One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths, and I felt the tug of a fish on the line. I pulled it up slowly, remembering the lesson I¡¯d learned on the jetty in a previous life. I flung the sinker onto the rocks and smiled down with glee. All three hooks had a small fish attached, about the length of my palm. I dipped my bucket into the ocean, filling it halfway with water before putting it on a flat section of rock. I placed the three fish inside, taking care to not get spiked by any of their fins. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] ¡°Oh my god!¡± I said aloud. ¡°Can you just let me have a moment? These are the first fish I¡¯ve caught here!¡± I looked down at the three fish swimming in the bucket. They resembled sardines, but a little fatter. They were a silvery blue from above as they swam around in the salty water. I looked closer at one, and I felt something tug at me. My eyes lost focus. Juvenile Shore Fish Common Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. My vision refocused as I dismissed the words. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Chapter 11: Awakening Chapter 11: Awakening Istared down at the bucket of fish, reeling from the sensation of having the System show me something actually useful. Why had it only let me do that with the juvenile shore fish? I¡¯d looked at plenty of things since arriving in this world, but something about the fish I¡¯d caught had drawn me in. It felt natural, not at all jarring or forced. This . . . this is fucking awesome!Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com I cast my line in the same spot again, and after another few breaths, reeled in another two fish. I felt the same sensation as before when I focused on the fish. Juvenile Shore Fish Common Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. My eyes cleared, and I laughed in delight. I moved to the left, further toward the beach. When the stone of the headland ended and the sand of the shore was between my toes, I cast my line out again. I waited longer this time, but sure enough, the familiar tug came. I pulled in another juvenile shore fish, adding it to my bucket with a sense of joy. I cast out again, and when I pulled in the line after another tug, I noticed movement in the water. Something large trailed the two fish on my hooks, and I leaned in with interest, trying to make out what it was. As it walked almost onto the shore, I saw a crab the size of my head. Seizing the opportunity, I pulled the fish in slowly, luring the crab closer to me. With shaking hands and building anxiety, I pounced. I grabbed the crab by the back swimmers, making sure its no-doubt massive claws couldn¡¯t get a hold of me. Its legs scrambled as I pulled it from the water, my rod discarded and forgotten behind me as I held the crustacean high. Crab and lobster had always been some of my favorite foods, and my mouth watered at the thought of crab for dinner¡ªbut then I noticed something disconcerting. The crab had no claws, its sockets empty where they¡¯d once been. ¡°Oh, you poor thing . . .¡± It had clearly been in the wars, having lost both its claws to a predator or another crab. There was a large scar where one of its eyestalks should be, and the carapace had healed over long ago. I immediately felt guilty for having ambushed the thing. No wonder it had walked so close to the shore¡ªit would be next to impossible to hunt without its claws, and the fish I dragged past it must have been too tempting a meal to pass up. I walked over to my discarded line, throwing one of the fish into my bucket, and putting the other on the ground. I removed a nail from the pouch at my hip, humanely dispatching the fish with a single movement. I walked back to the water, the crab in one hand, the dead fish in the other. I lowered both into the softly lapping water, placing the fish right in front of the crab and taking slow steps backward from it. The crab didn¡¯t run. It froze on the spot, likely trying to play dead or pretend to be a rock. After only a moment, it shuffled up the fish I¡¯d left there, using two forelegs to hold it in place as it started eating. ¡°Sorry, mate,¡± I whispered, not wanting to spook the thing. ¡°No use kicking you while you¡¯re down. You go have some babies and fill the waters with tasty crabs!¡± The crab didn¡¯t respond, but the System was as chatty as ever. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] I rolled my eyes, but then felt the crab drawing my attention. Rock Crab Uncommon Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this crab is prized for its sweet flesh and subtle taste. Sweet flesh and subtle taste, you say? I felt my mouth water again. If I find a healthy one, I¡¯m gonna find out firsthand. Maybe I need to craft some crab pots eventually . . . I worked my way back along the shore, splashing some fresh oxygenated water in my bucket of fish. I caught three more of the juvenile shore fish before walking toward the banks of the river. The river¡¯s waters were deep at the mouth, and I looked for a suitable spot to cast my line. The tide was heading out, flooding fresh water out into the bay before me. I found a place protected from the fast-flowing water by two outcroppings of rock. I cast the line out, and I waited with bated breath. I¡¯d already caught so many fish today, but the thought of catching a new species in the brackish water where the ocean and river met filled me with excitement. ¡°Thank god for that flint¡ªI was getting seriously sick of starting fires by hand.¡± My brows furrowed in thought. Wait . . . should I say thank the gods? This isn¡¯t Earth, after all . . . I shook my head at myself. Who cares? I have fish! My feast of gutted shore fish lay on a grill I¡¯d retrieved from the kitchen, propped atop two large pots that held it far enough above the open flames to cook the fish without burning them. After dispatching the eel, I¡¯d wrapped it in a tea towel from the kitchen, then dipped it in the river. The water evaporating from the cloth would keep the eel inside cool, stopping it from spoiling prematurely. The smell of the fish cooking was tantalizing, and I watched with growing impatience as the flesh curled above the heat of my campfire. I picked one up with my hands, juggling the piping-hot fish and blowing to cool it down. I pulled a section of meat off and the skin easily peeled away. Breathing around the hot mouthful, I chewed. The flavor exploded in my mouth, the small fibers of the fish making it seem to melt. The sense of accomplishment and the knowledge I¡¯d caught the fish lent itself to the subtle flavor, making it possibly the most satisfying meal I¡¯d ever experienced. All the expensive and exotic food I¡¯d had in my previous life didn¡¯t compare; I¡¯d earned this. I ate the rest of the fish. The small bones I had to pick around did not impede the experience, rather slowing the process down, making me appreciate each bite all the more. With the sun setting, I put the pots and grill aside before stoking my fire with more driftwood. I set off back toward town to collect my new clothes. The crab ate every last bit of the fish it had found, even the bones and scales meticulously pulled into its mandible and pulped by the teeth in its stomach. As it digested the nutrients, a small light flashed from its body. A pop sounded, and it changed, two somethings extending from its body. Its single eyestalk looked at the two somethings with very un-crab-like curiosity. It moved the regrown claws with intention, testing the powerful muscles inside with an unfamiliar emotion. Words came to its newly formed consciousness, and it tasted them, chewing them just as it had the baitfish earlier. Baitfish? Yes. Small fish. Tasty Fish. Its entire body cocked to the side in thought, and it blew contemplative bubbles. Human caught. Lifted. Let go. He gave fish . . . ? It blew more bubbles, entirely overwhelmed by experiencing emotions of . . . gratitude? A blur and a flash of silver. Danger. A predatory mouth filled with teeth and a carapace-crushing jaw darted for it, drawn in by the flash and pop it had emitted, intent on partaking of the crab¡¯s flesh. It held its claws out in a defensive stance it knew to be ineffectual; the fish was too large, its jaw too strong¡ªthe crab stood no chance before this predator. Awareness. Fear. Danger. Run. The crab had nowhere to hide; it sat in the unprotected waters of the shore. Cannot hide¡ªmust fight. The fish was on it within a second of the flash of silver, and the crab instinctively clacked its claws together, trying to fend off its doom. As the claws came together, they clamped on part of the fish, and sharp somethings shot out from each pincer. The eyestalk pondered the clouds of blood spreading from the dead attacker, one of the sharp somethings having split its head in two, the other severing the tail of its large assailant cleanly off. Relief. Crab is safe. No, not crab¡ªI am safe. I am . . . strong? It shrugged, a decidedly unfamiliar gesture, and grabbed the fish in both claws. The crab took a moment to blow bubbles of contentment as it looked at the giant source of food in its grasp. It recalled the time before awareness. Hunger. Fear. Pain. More hunger. It took a bite of the large fish, delighting in the crunch of its bones and the savory tang of its flesh as it continued to think. I will not be hungry now. I eat. The prey had become the predator. No more fear¡ªno more pain. It took another bite, rather content with the situation. Chapter 12: Guard Crab Chapter 12: Guard Crab The sun was setting over the western mountains as I returned from town with a large bag of brand new clothes. I saw no one I recognized in my travels, the only people still out and about hurriedly finishing their last tasks for the day. I was glad I didn¡¯t have to stop and talk to anyone; I had an important task to return to. I threw the clothes inside, put some more wood on the smoldering coals, and gathered the necessary equipment by the fire. I sharpened a large hook, not the largest, but that was understandable¡ªthe largest one I had could hold up curtain rods and looked large enough to hook a whale. I lost myself in filing the tip down, feeling a sense of urgency with the fading light, but knowing that rushing would only cause me to make a mistake. When the tip was needle sharp, I filed off the nail end, putting it aside in my makeshift tackle box for use later. I got one of the larger rods, tied the thick line to it, and made another drop rig at the end. I tied a large rock in place, something that would hold its position well in the strong current of the river. I cut a slab off the eel, wet the tea towel with more water, and set off to the river, rod in hand, eel in the other, and the waning sunlight at my back. I slipped the eel slab onto the hook, pushing the top of the flesh over the jutting section of the hook, just as the fisherman had showed me in my past life with the worm. Without a reel or flexible rod, I would have to throw the hook and sinker by hand, and I whirled it round and round with increasing velocity. Taking a deep breath of the salty dusk air, I smiled and released my line, sending the weight of the rock far out into the river. The tide was coming in, and I aimed my cast toward the incoming water. The rock hit the water with a sizable splash and drifted further into the river as the weight of the water carried it. With a soft thud and the line going taut, I knew it had reached the bottom. I watched the drift of the line, worried that the current would be too strong and sweep my bait into the shallows; it held fast, taking root on the river mouth¡¯s floor.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com The eastern sky opposite the setting sun was a beautiful pink and blue, and my face settled into a wide smile as I waited patiently for a bite. Gulls and pelicans flew overhead, their wings spread wide as they rode the invisible currents of air. ¡°What a stunning place I¡¯ve found myself in,¡± I said aloud, my voice contending with the soft crashing of waves and calls of the birds above. The sun continued to set, and just as it was nearing the point where it would be too dark to fish safely from the rocks, I felt a bite. It was an exploratory nibble, and I set my hands as I prepared for the fish at the other end of my line to take the bait. Bump. Bump. Bump. Bump. I waited, frozen in position, ready to strike. Did it take the bait? I might have to¡ª The rod almost slipped from my fingers as the fish ate the hook and took off swimming. I leaned back, adrenaline spiking as I held onto the rod with all my might. It threatened to pull me off balance, but I bent my legs, leaning with the powerful tugs of its head as it tried to swim away. It swam into the river mouth, and I ran with it, walking back from the rocky shore to keep the line taut. ¡°It¡¯s fucking huge!¡± I yelled, unable to keep a laugh from bubbling up after my words. It swam back out of the river, making a mad dash for the ocean. I let it take some distance, walking with it to where the sand met the rocks. As I reached the rocks, I held fast, all too aware of the danger presented by the slick rocks now that I couldn¡¯t properly see. With my line drawn in the sand, and my feet planted in place, the fish pulled with all its might, and I stood still with all of mine. The line snapped, and I fell on my ass with a loud oof. I lay in the cold sand, staring at the sky, and I roared with laughter. The fish had escaped, but I had done everything in my power, and it had defeated me. The curtain rods I was using as a fishing rod weren¡¯t ideal, and neither was my lack of a reel. It would have been a miracle had I landed a fish that size on such a primitive rod. That there were fish that large just waiting to be caught only filled me with more determination. The thrill of the hunt had set in, and now it was just a matter of time. I smiled and watched the stars appearing in the sky. I¡¯ll come back for you, ya big fishy bastard. I collected the line and was surprised to find the rock still attached to the end. When I brought it by the light of the fire, I could see it had snapped off just above where the hook was attached. The line was frayed and damaged, and I suspected it had worn through where it touched the metal lip on the hook that was supposed to be as a wall hanger. Still quite full from the fish earlier, I gathered a handful of the berries from the bushes by the river, sitting in a chair by the fire as I ate them. I buried the tea towel-covered eel in the sand before going to bed, hoping that was enough to hide it from any would-be scavengers¡ªif not, I¡¯d just have to catch another. The next day, I woke before the dawn. I stretched before getting out of bed, sorely missing my morning coffee and resolving to ask Barry about coffee or tea when I went and got my land documents from him. I stepped out my front door, intending to go down to the river and wash my face, but froze mid-yawn at what I saw. Something had dug up my eel. The tea towel lay in the sand, discarded by the thief. Well, I should have seen that coming. Two clacks drew my attention, and I looked beside the campfire where they¡¯d come from. A crab sat there, one claw raised in greeting and . . . waving? It waved again. Unsure if I was dreaming, I walked closer, and saw a familiar scar on the crab¡¯s head. It was the crab from yesterday, the one I¡¯d put back and given a fish to, but it now had two full claws¡ªone of which was holding onto the last quarter of my eel. Is that the same crab? There¡¯s no way it could have regrown its claws overnight . . . right? I looked closer, and it was definitely the same one. The scar was identical. It waved again, more insistent after my lack of communication. I stared my confusion at the crab, then waved back. ¡°Uh, good morning?¡± It nodded¡ªactually nodded¡ªand took another bite of my eel. ¡°G¡¯day, mate!¡± he said in his strange tongue. ¡°No worries¡ªhappy to share. How¡¯d the papers look, by the way? All ridgy-didge?¡± Barry smiled at him, assuming he was asking if the paperwork was legally binding. ¡°Aye, the papers all check out. The crown recognizes you as the owner of your land.¡± ¡°Good stuff!¡± He took the papers, putting them away without looking them over. ¡°Hey, Barry, do you have a moment to talk?¡± Barry felt a spike of worry, but nodded. He hadn¡¯t been suspicious of Fischer in the least¡ªjust the opposite, in fact. His wife, however, had expressed some concerns the previous evening. ¡°Who is this strange man, Barry? He comes from nowhere, speaks in a strange way, and showers us with gifts? What is he trying to get out of us?¡± she had asked. ¡°You right, mate?¡± Fischer asked, shaking Barry from his memories. ¡°Yeah, sorry.¡± Barry gave him a strained smile. ¡°Still waking up. What did you want to ask?¡± Fischer sighed, and Barry¡¯s anxiety grew. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing mate, I have a really odd question.¡± Was my wife right? Is he going to request something impossible now that he¡¯s ingratiated himself with us? ¡°Have you ever heard of anyone, uh . . .¡± Fischer scrunched his face, looking like the words pained him. ¡°Have you ever heard of anyone getting strange messages from a System? Something about insufficient power, or the ability to inspect items?¡± Barry felt his eyes go wide and his mouth dropped open. ¡°Fischer . . . have you experienced this?¡± Seeing Barry¡¯s reaction, Fischer winced. ¡°Would you believe me if I said no? Based on your reaction, I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s not a good thing . . .¡± ¡°Do not tell anyone this, Fischer. No one. Not Paul, not my wife, not your own mother. This stays between us, understand?¡± Fischer raised an eyebrow. ¡°Uh, yeah, I mean I took a risk asking you because I trust you¡ªI¡¯m not going around yelling it from the rooftops, mate. What¡¯s the big deal, though?¡± Barry shook his head with a sad smile. ¡°Anyone receiving those messages is whisked off to the capital and confined. We¡¯ve had people from this village taken, never to be seen again. The royals do something to those that show the spark of potential.¡± ¡°The spark of potential? Jesus, mate, that¡¯s a lot. Thanks for letting me know.¡± Barry let out a weary sigh. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Fischer. I¡¯m sorry if I scared you, it just brought up some old memories better forgotten.¡± Fischer put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m the one that¡¯s sorry, mate. Someone you knew?¡± ¡°My wife¡¯s brother. We all owned our land together, and everything was going well until his spark awoke . . .¡± Barry trailed off in remembrance. The speed at which they¡¯d come, the superhuman power of the ¡®cultivators,¡¯ and their cold, lifeless eyes¡ªeach detail was unforgettable. ¡°Shit, I really am sorry, mate,¡± Fischer said, breaking Barry from his thoughts. ¡°Do you know what happened to him?¡± ¡°Nothing. We don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s dead or alive. The last few years have been hard on all of us, especially his wife.¡± ¡°Well, if you need a hand, you know where to find me. I¡¯m probably a useless farmer, but if you need a chinwag, I¡¯ve got plenty of shores to fish from.¡± ¡°Uh . . . chinwag?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate. A yarn. A chat. Same thing.¡± Barry laughed at Fischer¡¯s odd manner of speaking. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°One more thing, Barry.¡± ¡°Yes, Fischer?¡± ¡°Do you get many sapient, aura-blade shooting crabs around these parts, or is it just me?¡± Chapter 13: Sapient, Aura-Blade Shooting Crab Chapter 13: Sapient, Aura-Blade Shooting Crab Sergeant Sniiiiiiiips!¡± Fischer yelled, his hands held to his mouth as he projected his voice. Barry¡¯s morning so far had been a roller coaster of emotions. He¡¯d started the morning with a wariness of his new neighbor fueled by his wife¡¯s suspicions, swiftly had that replaced by a desire to help the man when he revealed his spark, then just as quickly realized that Fischer had a disease of the mind. ¡°I swear she was just here,¡± the madman said as he walked along the coast of his shoreline. Maybe everyone would be better off if I let someone know about his spark of potential . . . ¡°I really should get back to my family, Fischer. I missed the sunrise, and they¡¯ll be getting worried¡ª¡± ¡°There you are, you little scamp!¡± Fischer walked down to the water, leaning in. ¡°I see your little peeper hiding there, Snips. I brought a friend to see you.¡± A small stream of bubbles floated to the surface in front of Fischer, and Barry leaned in to see what was causing it. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Snips,¡± Fischer said with a laugh. ¡°He¡¯s a trustworthy bloke, there¡¯s no need to be nervous.¡± Barry walked down beside Fischer, tentatively peering where the bubbles had risen. A single eye broke the surface of the water, gazing intently at him. Barry took an involuntary step back as he made out the body of a large crab beneath the eye. ¡°Sergeant Snips!¡± Fischer admonished with a tone you¡¯d use on a petulant child. ¡°It¡¯s rude to stare at guests, at least come out and say hello. He won¡¯t bite.¡± Barry felt his jaw drop open as the crab¡ªSergeant Snips¡ªslowly walked out onto the beach. Sergeant Snips clacked her claws at him, streaming bubbles from the mouth. ¡°Snips says hello.¡± ¡°H-hello?¡± Barry turned to Fischer. ¡°You . . . you understand it?¡± ¡°Yeah¡ªwait, you don¡¯t?¡± ¡°No, Fischer. Not in the slightest.¡± Barry stared down at the being, implications running rampant through his mind. ¡°This crab has taken a step¡ª¡± It snapped its claws loudly and cut him off, blowing a slew of bubbles. Fischer cocked his head. ¡°She wants to be called by her name, not ¡®it¡¯ or ¡®crab,¡¯ I think.¡± ¡°O-of course. Sorry. I think Sergeant Snips has taken a step on the path of ascension.¡± ¡°Yeah, I gathered as much. Is that a common thing?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Barry stared down at the being with unconcealed wonder. ¡°The Cult of Carcinization would lose their minds over this . . .¡± ¡°I probably don¡¯t need to say this,¡± Fischer said, ¡°but this stays between us, yeah? I don¡¯t want her subjected to any experimentation or culty bullshit.¡± A sharp clack sounded, and sand sprayed against Barry¡¯s legs. He looked down, seeing a medium-sized hole in the sand before him. ¡°Snips!¡± Fischer put his hands on his hips and stared down at her. ¡°We don¡¯t threaten friends!¡± Sergeant Snips dipped her head, blowing a slow stream of bubbles. Fischer turned to Barry. ¡°She says she¡¯s sorry.¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s okay . . . and no, I won¡¯t say anything¡ªthis can stay between us.¡± Fischer nodded sharply, as did Sergeant Snips. ¡°I know, but I appreciate you confirming it anyway.¡± Fischer looked out at the sea and the sun rising above it. ¡°She deserves a peaceful life just as much as the rest of us.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m not sure you understand how monumental this is, Fischer.¡± Barry shook his head minutely, unbelieving of what he was seeing. ¡°For a creature to take even this small step . . . I didn¡¯t even know it was possible following the gods¡¯ betrayal.¡± Fischer smiled at him. ¡°Yeah, I kinda picked up on that, but there¡¯s no use stressing about it¡ªshe¡¯s here, and she¡¯s friendly, that¡¯s all that really matters. She¡¯s gonna be staying on my¡ªwell, our land¡ªfor the foreseeable future.¡± How is he so calm about this? Does he truly comprehend the meaning of this crab¡¯s existence? ¡°Anyway, thanks for your discretion, Barry¡ªand the info.¡± Fischer gave him a genuine smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to worry your family by keeping you here too long, so if you¡¯ve gotta get back, that¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re welcome, Fischer. I¡¯d better be getting back to them.¡± He turned, but paused, turning back to the being behind him. ¡°It was nice meeting you, Sergeant Snips.¡± She clacked excitedly, feeding off my enthusiasm. I¡¯d been looking for something similar to bamboo¡ªa long, flexible, and strong basis for a fishing rod. Instead, I¡¯d found the real thing. The patch of bamboo before us had shoots of every size, and I marveled at the larger ones with stems as wide as my arm and over seven meters tall. ¡°Imagine the rod I could craft with that sucker, Snips!¡± Though I doubted she knew what I was talking about, she still bubbled her excitement back at me. ¡°All right,¡± I said. ¡°Could you snip this one, this one, and that one, and . . .¡± I indicated seven of the bamboo shoots, settling on the lucky number. I can always come back for more later. She scuttled over and cut the ones I¡¯d shown, the wooden fibers standing no chance against her empowered claws. With six different rods over my shoulder, and one that Sergeant Snips insisted on carrying held in one of her claws, we set off back toward home. My defense crab waved her goodbye as she slipped beneath the surface of the river. Waving back, I shook my head at what life had become. ¡°This world is something else . . .¡± Walking around the side of my house, I set most of the rods on the back deck to dry out. I wasn¡¯t actually sure if they¡¯d function better when fresh or dried, but I intended to find out. I took two of the fresh rods with me as I walked around to my chairs. Collecting the makeshift tackle box and my smaller rod I¡¯d used to catch fish yesterday, I got to work. I cut the line from the curtain rod, retying it to the tip of the bamboo one. I tested the strength of it, bending it back and forth with no small amount of force. It held, and I knew it would be more than enough to handle the smaller fish. Maybe not for the eel, though . . . It was still a crude construction, but I had plans to bring it closer to the technological level of rods on Earth. As with all things, though, it would take time. ¡°For now,¡± I said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll catch a late breakfast.¡± Sebastian glanced over his shoulder as he made his way through the northern streets of Tropica. He¡¯d abandoned his cult garb for this mission; a plain brown cloak with a hood hiding his features draped his form as he neared the destination. He turned a corner, sighting the opulent house. He stepped through the side gate of the property, handling the metal latch with care to not make too much noise. He walked along the house and around the back, coming to a room that was clearly a later addition to the building. Its construction was crude when compared to the house it clung to, its stone-and-mortar build more akin to the structures the peasants of the village used for their dwellings. He knocked on the wooden door with the designated rhythm. Tap-taptaptap-tap. ¡°Come in,¡± a soft voice said. Sebastian opened the door slowly, and a sickly sweet smell rushed out to greet him. The inside of the room was dim; his eyes needing a moment to adjust. When they did, he saw all manner of dried plants hanging from the walls, different vials and distilling equipment atop drawers at the back of the room, and a single hunched figure swirling the contents of a cauldron atop a workbench before him. ¡°What brings you to the Cult of the Alchemist, Leviathan child?¡± Sebastian felt the grimace cross his face but made no effort to hide it. It had surprised him when his contact back in the capital informed him of the alchemy cult¡¯s presence in Tropica, but he had no issue making use of the misguided fool across from him. ¡°I require a tincture, Alchemist child.¡± He spat the last word, throwing the insult right back at him. ¡°Something of deadly potency.¡± ¡°Deadly?¡± The alchemist raised his head, revealing a face filled with wrinkles and bearing a wicked grin. ¡°Such things can be arranged . . . for the right recompense.¡± ¡°Name your price, alchemist.¡± Again, he spat the last word, unwilling to suppress his disdain. ¡°I have as little desire to spend time in each other¡¯s presence as you do.¡± The man chuckled in response, the noise sounding wet and wrong. ¡°No need for such insults, child. I no more hate you than I hate the flies that buzz around my concoctions. We all have our place in this world¡ªafter all, do you not have a use for me?¡± Sebastian slammed two silver coins on the bench in front of him¡ªa substantial sum¡ªwanting this interaction to be over as soon as possible. ¡°I need a single dose for a single man.¡± The alchemist eyed the coins before lazily reaching out and grasping them. ¡°And what has this man done to deserve such an end?¡± He slid the coins into his pocket. ¡°While what you request will deliver a finality, it is not a kind way to go.¡± Sebastian snarled. ¡°It is the concern of the Cult of the Leviathan.¡± The hooded figure looked at Sebastian for a long moment. He turned, opened a drawer, and grabbed something with serpentine sluggishness. At the same pace, he slid the small vial over to Sebastian. Sebastian snatched it and strode out the door without another word. Neither the touch of the cool breeze nor the smell of fresh air registered as he strode back toward his headquarters, consumed as his thoughts were. For his heresy, Fischer deserves a torturous death. Chapter 14: Coffee Chapter 14: Coffee Isat in the shade of my porch, delighting in the meal of fish I¡¯d just indulged in. A perfect late breakfast, if I do say so myself. I felt tired, my brain sluggish, but my synapses fired enough for a moment of clarity to strike. ¡°Shit! I forgot to ask Barry about caffeine!¡± No wonder I was so tired. What is a morning without coffee¡ªor at the very least, a hot cup of tea? ¡°How ya doing, Barry?¡± The man was so focused on his farm work he jumped at my words. ¡°Woah, sorry mate. Didn¡¯t mean to spook you.¡± Barry¡¯s face was white, his eyes daunted. ¡°O-oh, sorry, Fischer. My head was elsewhere. I¡¯m doing good. How are you?¡± Sheesh, I¡¯ll have to make some noise before I say g¡¯day next time. He looks like he¡¯s seen a ghost. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good Barry. I had another question for you.¡± Barry swallowed. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you guys have coffee around here? Or tea?¡± The farmer visibly relaxed. ¡°Tea is plentiful, and there¡¯s a coffee shop on the north side of the village, but it¡¯s a little expensive . . .¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Same situation as the passiona husk? Is it genetically modified to not reproduce?¡± ¡°No, actually.¡± He leaned on his hoe. ¡°But it is heavily regulated. Coffee is one of our kingdom¡¯s main exports, and after genetic engineering led to poisonings or some such scandal, the kingdom cracked down and made it illegal to grow unless you have a permit.¡± I made to laugh at Barry¡¯s joke, but at seeing his serious demeanor, quickly pressed my lips together in a frown. ¡°You¡¯re serious about it poisoning people?¡± ¡°Yes. It killed quite a few noble sons if the rumors are to be believed, but I don¡¯t really know all the details as truth.¡± I rubbed my chin. Could be an elaborate hoax, set up to commoditize coffee and drive up the price . . . I sighed, fearing the information I was about to request. ¡°The beans are super expensive, aren¡¯t they?¡± Barry nodded with a grimace. ¡°The merchant that comes once a month sells the beans for an extortive price unless you have an agreement with the crown. I don¡¯t know the details, but I¡¯ve seen the noble lady with a coffee shop on the north side of Tropica buy them for cheaper than our food supplies.¡± I shook my head in dismay. ¡°Tea is good, but nothing beats a good coffee. I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Barry raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ll see what you can do? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You let me take care of that, mate.¡± I shot him a wink. ¡°See ya later, Barry.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, bye Fischer . . .¡± I strode toward the village. If not for the kingdom¡¯s monopolization of beans, coffee would be easily accessible to everyone. All you needed was ground beans and water¡ªnot even hot water. One of my favorite types of coffee from my previous life was cold brew, and I¡¯d often made it for myself at home, finding the brewing method relaxing, meditative. No coffee for the common folk? How can I stand by and allow such oppression of the working class? George¡¯s thoughts had been a mess since Fischer¡¯s arrival, and he was taking solace in his first lunch of the day, allowing the contrast of sweet and savory pastries to whisk his troubled mind to a place of comfort. A loud knock came from his front door and a spike of dread sheared through his peace like a knife through freshly toasted buns. ¡°Want me to get it, love?¡± His wife waddled over and massaged his shoulders. He leaned into the soft touch of her well-fed form. ¡°Not at all.¡± He kissed her hand. ¡°It is a man¡¯s job to deal with the rabble¡ªyou enjoy first lunch, dear.¡± He walked down his stairs with care, holding the railings with butter-slick hands. Pausing before the door, he took a moment to catch his breath before opening the portal. When it swung open, the dread he¡¯d been fighting off slammed into him. ¡°G¡¯day George. How are ya, mate?¡± ¡°F-Fischer, hello.¡± He wiped the sweat from his brow. ¡°I¡¯m well, and you?¡± ¡°Good, thanks! I had a suggestion for you, though.¡± A suggestion? What plans has he put in place since I last saw him . . . ? ¡°Er¡ªof course, Fischer. What was it?¡± ¡°I came to ask about coffee.¡± ¡°Uh . . . coffee?¡± ¡°Right. Coffee. I know that a noble lady purchases coffee for a reasonable price.¡± Fischer leaned in. ¡°Is there any way I can get that same discount for some beans?¡± George felt his considerable jowls quiver. He dares test my loyalty to the crown? The audacity! ¡°Unfortunately,¡± he said, with deliberate pronunciation, ¡°the decreased rate is only available to those that purchase a coffee machine from the capital. Lena has such a machine, which is why she can purchase the beans at a decreased price.¡± Fischer¡¯s eyebrow twitched in annoyance, confirming George¡¯s suspicions. He was trying to trip me up! Oh, Fischer, my intellect is too vast for you to comprehend. You think I¡¯d fall prey to such an obvious trap? ¡°Of course,¡± Fischer said. ¡°The coffee machines are quite expensive, aren¡¯t they?¡± With his victory over the crown agent, some of George¡¯s anxiety was washed away by the crushing weight of his superiority. ¡°Naturally. The cheap beans are an incentive to buy one of the marvels created by the capital.¡± Getting to my feet, I put the last bit of croissant in my mouth. I walked around the corner to thank Sue but stepped right into an ambush. ¡°There he is!¡± Sue said, pointing at me. ¡°Go ask him about it!¡± Maria, Roger, and Fergus, the blacksmith, turned their heads to me. Fergus was the first to reach me, taking powerful strides. ¡°Is it true?¡± he demanded. ¡°Er, is what true, mate?¡± ¡°The coffee! You¡¯re really giving Sue a coffee machine?¡± ¡°Uh, I mean technically George is, but yeah, she¡¯s getting a coffee machine.¡± The behemoth of a man laughed and clapped my shoulders. ¡°I could kiss you, Fischer!¡± His eyes danced, and I thought he might actually kiss me for a moment. ¡°I had coffee once as a gift when I finished my apprenticeship¡ªI¡¯ve never forgotten the taste or feeling but haven¡¯t been able to justify the cost of buying it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re starting to make me suspicious, Fischer,¡± Maria said in a joking tone as she walked over. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing but good since you arrived¡ªwhat¡¯s the catch?¡± ¡°No catch,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°Can¡¯t a guy just do good by his neighbors?¡± Roger¡¯s scowl said No, you can¡¯t, but he remained silent. ¡°First the passiona pastries, now this?¡± Despite his size, Fergus was the personification of an excited child. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can ever repay you . . .¡± ¡°About that, Fergus¡ªI was about to come see you after thanking Sue for the lovely meal I just had.¡± ¡°Oh, what about?¡± Unbidden, my oldest nemesis returned. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] I wiped the sweat from my brow as I dismissed the unwelcome harassment. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ve never worked bellows before, Fischer?¡± I stopped pumping, looking over at Fergus. Both he and Duncan, his apprentice, gaped at me with odd expressions. ¡°Yeah, why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re working that thing like a seasoned pro,¡± Duncan said, still staring. I glanced down at the pump and the forge it was attached to, not seeing the big deal. Sure, it was physical work, but it seemed straightforward enough for me. I¡¯d expected it to be hotter too, but the heat radiating from the forge was almost cleansing. ¡°I¡¯m just pumping.¡± I shrugged. ¡°You two are doing the actual work.¡± Fergus shook his head with a smile. ¡°Maybe so, but thanks to you we¡¯ll finish today way ahead of schedule, even after making the cages you requested. You¡¯re sure that¡¯s all you want?¡± I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s all I need for now, mate. I wouldn¡¯t say no if you let me trade time on the bellows for more smithing in the future, though.¡± He roared a laugh. ¡°I¡¯d be a madman to turn that down with the speed we¡¯re getting things done!¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s get back to it then.¡± I resumed pumping the bellows. ¡°I think you fellas deserve an early finish.¡± A few hours later, I was walking out of the smithy with seven cages piled atop each other. ¡°Er, you¡¯re sure you¡¯re all right with those, Fischer?¡± ¡°Yup! Cheers boys!¡± I called over my shoulder. I hope Sergeant Snips is around when I get home¡ªI have a need for those sharp clackers of hers. Fergus watched Fischer go, his face frowning in confusion. ¡°Is he really human?¡± Duncan asked from beside him. ¡°He¡¯s certainly stronger than he looks. He was like a demon on the bellows.¡± ¡°I hope he comes back every day¡ªit was nice just being able to craft and not worry about keeping the forge lit.¡± Duncan cocked his head as he stared after the departing man. ¡°That¡¯s at least a hundred kilograms of metal he¡¯s carrying, right?¡± ¡°Closer to two hundred, I¡¯d wager.¡± ¡°Well, definitely not human, but he¡¯s a nice demon, at least.¡± Fergus bellowed a laugh. ¡°Aye, that he is.¡± Chapter 15: Farming Chapter 15: Farming There you are!¡± I said with a laugh. Sergeant Snips clacked her claws in delight as she emerged from the river. ¡°Do you have a moment to spare, Snips? I have a need for those clickety-clackers of yours.¡± She held out her claws, looked at them, then looked back at me and blew questioning bubbles. ¡°Oh, yeah, sorry. Your claws¡ªI have need of your claws.¡± She nodded vigorously, urging me on with said clackers. ¡°All right! With me, Sergeant!¡± I strode off toward the forest, my ever-reliable guard crab following. I looked about the trees as I tried to spot some pole-worthy trunks. Finding a suitably small and straight tree, I pointed at its base. ¡°Reckon you could cut this down for me?¡± Sergeant Snips obliged, unleashing a blast with both claws that sliced most of the way through the trunk. The tree fell, and she scuttled out of its path. ¡°Damn, Snips! That¡¯s some serious firepower!¡± She blew happy bubbles as her single eye glanced between me and the fallen sapling. ¡°Would you be a dear and trim the top and branches off?¡± A few cuts later, and I had a ten-foot-tall pole that was between four and five inches in diameter. I bent to pick it up and test its heft. I lifted it with ease. Is this new body ridiculously strong or is this tree just super light¡ªI can probably carry all four poles with ease. I thought back to the objects I¡¯d had Fergus and Duncan build and their reactions to me carrying my newly acquired cages back home. Guess it¡¯s probably the body . . . I shook the thought away. Strength was nice, and I was happy to make use of it, but there was no need to overthink it. ¡°All right, Snips, we need three more like this one. See any suitable trees?¡± She scuttled off further into the forest in search of saplings, blowing gleeful bubbles all the way. I shook my head with a smile as I trailed her. I set the four poles down on the sand. ¡°Thanks for the help, Snips!¡± Her carapace dipped below the water of the beach, her claws still visible as they franticly waved goodbye. ¡°All right,¡± I said to myself. ¡°Now to find a good spot . . .¡± I could have asked my friendly crab to have a look for me, but if I was being honest, I was excited to go for a swim. I owned a beachfront property and hadn¡¯t even been for a single dip in the ocean¡ªa crime against my Australian heritage. Stripping down to my jocks¡ªthat the tailors Steven and Ruby had thankfully had the foresight to provide¡ªI slowly walked out into the softly lapping waves. The water was the good kind of cold, enough to jolt the nervous system and wake me up, but not so freezing as to be uncomfortable. I got up to my waist in the ocean, took a deep breath, and plunged my head under. I sat there for a long moment, holding my breath as the cool water surrounded me. The peace of the sea washed over me, and a content smile made its way to my face unbidden. I swam out, floating on my back, the mid afternoon sun warming the top of my body just as the cool ocean caressed my back. I lost track of time, allowing the moment of mindfulness to linger. All right, that¡¯s enough relaxation. ¡°These things are tasty, right, Snips?¡± I asked when I reached the first cage. She nodded and blew bubbles of ascent. ¡°They¡¯re called oysters, and food isn¡¯t the reason I¡¯m putting them in these cages¡ªat least not the entire reason.¡± Her body tilted in thought¡ªever the attentive student. I opened the roof of the cage, sliding four oysters inside. ¡°These things can grow something called pearls. Everyone else in this town is a heretic and thinks eating fish or anything else from the sea is unthinkable.¡± She blew bubbles of dismay, and I nodded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more, Snips. That means I can¡¯t make money from selling fish, but the pearls these have a chance to produce means in the future, I might be able to secure a reliable source of income.¡± She looked between the caged oysters and me, blowing curious bubbles that I took to mean ¡°How?¡± I slid a cut of wire around the top of the cage and twisted, securing it in place. ¡°They reproduce by making larvae that float through the ocean and attach themselves to surfaces. I think just putting the cages here might have been enough to cultivate them, but by placing oysters directly in the cage, we ensure that the larvae are as close as possible when the oysters spit them out.¡± She paused, digesting the information, then nodded, blowing bubbles of comprehension. ¡°Clever girl, Snips. I¡¯m not sure how long they¡¯ll take to grow¡ªI don¡¯t actually know that much about their life cycle. But, with luck, we¡¯ll be able to harvest pearls from them soon.¡± I looked up at the fading light, the beauty of the sunset demanding my attention as it colored the western sky. A claw tapped me on the shoulder, drawing my attention. I turned to Snips, raising an eyebrow. She gave me a wave of the claws, a dip of the carapace, and jumped off the pole, sinking into the ocean and out of sight. ¡°Bye, Snips!¡± I yelled. Shaking my head in amusement at my pal, I set about filling the rest of the cages. I dug up a rather stinky bit of eel, leaning my head as far away from it as possible. Using a stick, I stabbed the bait, then carefully lowered it into the final bit of smithing Fergus and Duncan had done for me. I folded a bit of wire over the bait, securing it to the bottom of the crab pot. Maybe I should have warned Snips about this. Ah well, she¡¯ll recognize the eel as the one she cut for me . . . probably . . . I tied a length of line to the crab pot and set off toward the coast. I walked it out into the sea from the sandy beach, not trusting the relatively thin line to hold up against the sharp rocks. I tied the end of the line to a large stone, and with the excitement of the unknown, I walked back to the house, trying to put the crab pot out of mind, lest I check it every ten minutes and catch absolutely nothing. I felt a smile come across my face. It had been a long, productive day, and I¡¯d taken steps to improve both my life and that of the villagers. Guess I¡¯ll cook some fish and call it a night¡ªoh, alongside some fresh oysters, of course! Trent, the first in line to the throne and bane of all serving staff, opened the door to his hideout and slipped inside. He¡¯d escaped the feast by pretending to go to the bathroom¡ªonly after filling his stomach with hunks of meat and countless sweets, of course. He closed the door behind him with a soft click and started making his way into the veritable sea of ancient relics. A tiredness stole over him as he crawled further into the mess, and he relished the nap he was about to have while the rest of the royal family were downstairs doing useless things, like conversing and networking. He found a familiar pocket and took a moment to check if the working relic still held power. He¡¯d been surprised that it still showed information from the time of the ancients, listing the advancements of some long dead or ascended person named ¡®Fischer.¡¯ He stretched as he got to his feet, and with practiced precision, gave the relic in question a good, hard slap. That¡¯s what you get for insulting me, idiot. You will rue the day you looked down on Trent, the magnificent inherit¡ªHis thoughts cut off as the screen came to life, and another line of text had joined the other two. New milestone! Fischer has learned blacksmithing! His eyes became saucers, and his already drooping mouth opened even further. What in Poseidon¡¯s salted taint is going on . . . ? Chapter 16: The Noose Chapter 16: The Noose It was a fitful sleep with the excitement of a set trap waiting to be checked, and I woke to the light of the already risen sun creeping through my open bedroom door. Anticipation rising, I sprung from my bed and ran out onto the sands. A wet thwap sounded, and I paused on the spot, turning toward the noise. George stood to the right of me, eyes wide as he stared between me and my home, shoes covered in the topping of what looked to be a cake. ¡°Morning, George!¡± I gave him a broad grin. ¡°How ya doing?¡± George¡¯s face went white, and he stammered, ¡°G-good morning, Fischer. I brought you coffee and a treat . . .¡± He looked down, only just now realizing that he was wearing a portion of the aforementioned treat, the rest having exploded across the sand. I cared little for the cake, but my eyes locked onto the clay mug in his trembling hand. ¡°S-sorry, Fischer! I¡ª¡± ¡°Mate! You shouldn¡¯t have!¡± I walked over and held my hand out for the mug, mouth watering. ¡°You really brought me a coffee?¡± He seemed to recover slightly. ¡°Y-yes! I wanted to tell you that the coffee machine you requested should be here within the week, and I¡¯ve organized a coffee for you from Lena¡¯s Cafe? each morning until it arrives.¡± ¡°Every day?¡± I took the cup. ¡°Mate, you¡¯ve outdone yourself.¡± I took a tentative sip, and the familiar taste of freshly brewed coffee consumed my senses. It was bitter, the roast a little darker than my usual tastes, but it would pair perfectly with something sweet. I closed my eyes and breathed in, moving my tongue to let the flavors circulate. ¡°George, mate, I could kiss you right now.¡± He let out a strained laugh. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy. Sorry about the mess . . .¡± He looked down at the splattered remains of his other offering. ¡°I-I was just so shocked to see your home . . .¡± ¡°Oh, this thing?¡± I looked at the visible face of my house. ¡°Just a little something I knocked up over the last few days. You like it?¡± ¡°Y-yes! It is magnificent . . .¡±Vissit for updates ¡°Glad to hear, mate! It¡¯s nowhere near as opulent as yours, but it suits me just fine.¡± His eyes were vacant as he stared at the abode. After a long moment, I waved a hand in front of him. ¡°You feeling all right, mate?¡± He blinked rapidly, his eyes refocusing on me. ¡°Ye¡ªyes! Of course! I¡¯d better get going, there¡¯s a lot to do back in the village!¡± He turned and strode slowly away in the direction of Tropica. Poor bloke. I guess the house would be shocking, but his social anxiety seems debilitating. ¡°Thanks again, George!¡± I called after him, taking another big mouthful of my gloriously caffeinated beverage. George couldn¡¯t feel his legs, and barely recognized that he was moving at all. This is worse than I thought . . . Like the unwavering arrow of Apollo, seeing the house Fischer occupied had driven a shaft of despair into his heart. It appeared in only a few days¡ªhad Fischer built it before he even arrived? What resources must the man possess for him to deliver such expensive materials unseen, then erect it unnoticed? He had woken that morning full of intent¡ªhe¡¯d barely slept following the previous day¡¯s interaction with Fischer, and in the early hours of the morning, had decided to not let the machinations of the capital agent affect him. He¡¯d meant to show a facade of calm surety when presenting the expensive food and drink. Seeing the house had dissolved that intention like granular sugar in a hot beverage. It was made to resemble the ancient houses of old, and only the richest of nobles in the capital of Gormona could afford the materials required to make such an approximation. Does he intend to use his home as the village¡¯s new base of power after ousting me? Worse, a defensive wall of rock surrounded it. He hasn¡¯t built a home but established a fortress from which to torment me. He didn¡¯t even notice when his surroundings turned from sand and sugarcane to homes and street, troubled as his thoughts were. Did he antagonize me intentionally to draw me in? He was pleased for me to stumble upon his domain, smiling at me as I cast my eyes over it. Oh, Fischer, you devious man¡ªI am but a puppet dancing on your strings . . . I called and called for Sergeant Snips, wanting to give her a taste of the cake strewn over the sands, but she never came. ¡°Yes?¡± Her voice was dismissive and petulant, a far cry from the deference and cheer she¡¯d given everyone before him. ¡°One coffee, please,¡± Sebastian said, trying his best to smile at the mountain of a woman. ¡°You may not be able to afford it, priest.¡± She sniffed at him. ¡°Five iron coins.¡± He breathed in slowly, trying to keep control of his features. ¡°I heard the people before me paying only three irons, madam.¡± She shrugged a single shoulder, not bothering with both. ¡°That was for people of note, who I know will come back with their mugs, or pay to replace a broken one. For you . . . if you bring it back tomorrow, I¡¯ll happily charge you three.¡± ¡°And will I get the two irons back if I return it?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said with a caustic smile. ¡°It¡¯s a non-refundable deposit. You¡¯ll be charged three irons from then on¡ªassuming those skinny hands of yours don¡¯t slip and smash one of them.¡± Sebastian couldn¡¯t control the half sneer that sprouted, but quickly smiled to replace it. ¡°Of course, madam.¡± He reached into his pouch, counted out five irons, and held them out for her. She tapped on the counter, and he placed them there. She pulled out a cloth, grabbed the coins with them, and threw them into a jar as if they would bite. ¡°Won¡¯t be a moment, sir.¡± The last word was mocking, and as she turned away, Sebastian bared his teeth at her back. Push me, vile wench, and you¡¯ll be next. A minute later, she put the coffee-filled mug on the far side of the bench away from the line, then smiled brightly at the next person to order. ¡°Two coffees and thirty-four passiona pastries, Geraldine?¡± ¡°You know me so well, Lena¡ªGeorge and I just can¡¯t get enough!¡± Sebastian tuned them out as he headed back south with Fischer¡¯s coffee, ignoring the scorn-laden glances of the people that lined up behind him. A necessary cost, he reminded himself. The cultivator might suspect if the first gift of coffee was poisoned, but if I make a habit of it, the noose will slide around his neck with ease. ¡°Fischer!¡± a voice called as I walked through the village. I turned, seeing the man in a lobster robe that had previously threatened me. Sebastian, Maria had said . . . ¡°Hey, Sebastian. You in a better mood today?¡± He rubbed the back of his head, giving me a smile vacant of joy. ¡°I wanted to say sorry for my behavior the other day. I¡¯ve brought you a coffee in apology.¡± I raised an eyebrow but accepted the drink. ¡°Thanks!¡± I downed the coffee in a single swig, handing him back the cup. ¡°We all have bad days, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I clapped him on the shoulder by way of goodbye, and kept on walking, keen as I was to go about my errands. Sebastian seethed as he made his way back to his precious lobsters. I could have just poisoned the idiot then! He didn¡¯t even question it, didn¡¯t even bother tasting the thing that I¡¯d spent so much damn coin on! It¡¯s going to cost me another three irons, and for what? He sighed, and a malicious smile made its way out as he realized something. That just means the next cup will deliver his doom. Enjoy the coffee, fool, for the next one will be your last. He cackled as he went, ignoring the looks of passing villagers. Chapter 17: A Productive Day Chapter 17: A Productive Day You know, maybe that lobster bloke ain¡¯t all that bad, I thought as I power walked through Tropica Village. People I¡¯d never met before were smiling and waving at me, which was a welcome change from the usual suspicion and derision I faced. Guess they¡¯ve heard about the coffee machine coming in hot . . . Before I even realized it, I reached Steven and Ruby¡¯s . . . tailors? Tailorors? Whatever, I reached the clothes shop. The second coffee was kicking in, and in retrospect, it may not have been the best idea to subject this new body to who knew how many shots of coffee for the first time. Ah well, it¡¯s gonna be a productive day, baby! I paused. Did I just call myself baby in the third person? Definitely too much coffee . . . ¡°Hello, Fischer!¡± Steven greeted, skull-dragging me out of my questionable introspection. ¡°G¡¯day, mate! How are ya?¡± ¡°I¡¯m great, thanks! Is it true you¡¯re buying Sue a coffee machine?¡± ¡°Not me, George is, but you¡¯re goddamn right she¡¯s getting a coffee machine, Steven! The people need it!¡± He gave me a funny look. ¡°Are you all right, Fischer?¡± ¡°Yeah, why mate?¡± ¡°You seem a little off? And your hands are shaking.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com I looked down. ¡°Huh. They are, aren¡¯t they? How ¡¯bout that? Anyway, I need a hat, Steven. What you got for me?¡± ¡°Oh, right. What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°Straw hat, wide brim, red band around it.¡± If you¡¯re gonna wear a straw hat anyway, you may as well look like the future king of the pirates while doing it. ¡°Hmmm, we¡¯ve got a few different types of straw hats, but we don¡¯t have any spare red fabric at the moment . . .¡± He looked around the store. ¡°I could steal some from one of those red shirts if you don¡¯t mind waiting¡ª¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± I waved the half-formed suggestion away. ¡°It¡¯s probably an intellectual property infringement waiting to happen. Let¡¯s just go with a plain straw hat¡ªI do want the wide brim, though. Real wide.¡± ¡°O-okay. One moment . . .¡± He walked out back, returning with two boxes stacked atop each other. ¡°We¡¯ve got two different types of straw hats in. Which one would you . . . Fischer?¡± ¡°Yeah, Steven?¡± ¡°You sure you¡¯re all right?¡± I realized I was bouncing on my heels at an erratic pace. I stopped. ¡°Yeah, sorry, I think I had one too many coffees, but they were free, so what was I gonna say, no? I¡¯m only human, Steven.¡± ¡°Ah, I get it now,¡± he said with a laugh. ¡°You should see Ruby when she has an extra pot of tea in the morning. So, you wouldn¡¯t recommend having two when Sue¡¯s machine gets here?¡± ¡°What? Oh, no, I¡¯d absolutely recommend it.¡± I leaned over the boxes. ¡°Now let¡¯s have a look at these hats . . .¡± I walked out of the clothes shop with a spanking new hat, which Steven had refused payment for, saying something about the coffee machine, or the passiona pastries? Honestly, I forget. I was thinking about like five other things at the time. I jogged to Thomas¡¯s tool store, stopping by Sue¡¯s for my complimentary baked good. ¡°Fischer!¡± He gave me a broad smile, his glorious mustache lending it even more joy. ¡°Back for more tools, lad? What do you need?¡± ¡°Thomas! How are ya, mate? Your mustache is looking on point, by the way!¡± He cocked his head. ¡°Thank . . . you?¡± ¡°No worries, mate, I¡¯m just calling it how I see it. I¡¯m looking for an axe. You got anything?¡± ¡°Of course! What¡¯s it for?¡± He narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°Is it from the sea?¡± ¡° . . . maybe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep you company, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll partake if it¡¯s all the same to you.¡± ¡°No worries! Your company is more than welcome. Let¡¯s get a fire going.¡± We walked toward the headland, and as we rounded the corner, I caught sight of my home. ¡°Fancy a tour of my humble abode, mate?¡± Barry¡¯s jaw dropped, and he looked between me and the house with disbelief. ¡°When did you . . .¡± ¡°Over the last couple days. Come on, I¡¯ll show ya.¡± We walked through the house, and Barry showed an enjoyable amount of awe and confusion. The cat was out of the bag with George finding out about it, and I¡¯d trusted Barry so far with enough information to bring me down. It was only a matter of time until more people found out, so I saw no harm in letting my friendly neighbor know. ¡°Where . . . where does the water come from, and where does it go?¡± he asked, flushing the toilet at my prompting. ¡°Not too sure, to be honest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like something from the stories, Fischer.¡± He turned a tap on, held his hand under the cool water, and turned it back off. ¡°It¡¯s like magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called plumbing,¡± I said with a laugh, ¡°and it¡¯s common where I¡¯m from.¡± When we got to the kitchen, I gestured at my lack of a stove. ¡°Haven¡¯t found time to sort out somewhere to cook, so I¡¯ve just been using a campfire.¡± I picked up the pot with a crab inside, opening the lid and showing Barry. ¡°This is dinner if you change your mind.¡± The crab held its claws up in protest, promising a swift pinch for anyone daring enough to approach. ¡°Er¡ªno, Fischer . . . thank you, though.¡± I shrugged, walking out of the house with the pot and nodding for Barry to follow. ¡°No worries, offers open if you change your mind!¡± I set to starting the fire, and Barry sat in contemplative silence. ¡°How did you do all this, Fischer?¡± ¡°Do what, mate?¡± ¡°This.¡± He gestured vaguely at the house, the metal pot, and the surrounding area. ¡°It¡¯s only been days . . . I¡¯ve never seen anything of the like.¡± ¡°You have to allow a man a bit of mystery, mate.¡± I gave him a smile, unable to contain the elation his confused face brought me. ¡°Besides, I¡¯d say Sergeant Snips is a bit more amazing than that, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± He nodded, giving a deep sigh as the corners of his mouth turned up. ¡°You¡¯re a stalk of wheat, filled with unhusked grains of mystery.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite philosophical, mate, but you¡¯re not wrong. Thanks for accepting me and not pushing too hard on the details¡ªI like you, Barry, and I¡¯m glad we¡¯re neighbors.¡± He grinned at me. ¡°I have a feeling things are going to just get more confusing with you around, but I¡¯m glad you moved in¡ªyou¡¯re a source of constant amazement.¡± ¡°Glad to hear it, mate. You, uh, might want to turn away for a moment if you¡¯re a bit squeamish.¡± With two swift movements, I grabbed the crab and put it on a block of wood with one hand, then dispatched it with the knife in the other before it realized I had even removed it from the pot. I emptied the river water on the sand, put the crab back in the pot, and stood up. ¡°Back in a moment, mate¡ªneed to clean this and get some sea water.¡± As the pot boiled, we sat in companionable silence, both lost in the flames of the fire. After twenty or so minutes, I checked my dinner. The shell was a bright pink; it was ready. I took the crab out with a pair of tongs, setting it on the wooden board to cool. A welcomed clacking drew my attention, and Sergeant Snips emerged from the river, claws held high, a stream of excited bubbles streaming from her cute little head. Chapter 18: Wildlife Chapter 18: Wildlife Snips!¡± I ran to meet my friend, giving her a good scratch on the carapace. ¡°I was worried about you! Where did you get off to?¡± Her eyestalk twitched between me and Barry, blowing bubbles of . . . hesitation? Questioning? ¡°He¡¯s all right, Snips. No need to keep secrets from Barry.¡± She nodded firmly, then scuttled back into the river. What is she up to . . . ? She returned a moment later, and behind her a line of fellow rock crabs emerged. I raised an eyebrow, not sure what was going on, but she seemed to have recruited more of her kind. There were five of them in total, and they formed an orderly line across the sand next to Snips. Snips went to the first one, gesturing emphatically at the sand with one of her powerful claws. Its eyes looked at her, and for a moment nothing happened, then she gave it a light smack on the head, and two stones shot out of its mouth. I bent down to look at them¡ªnot just stones, they were pearls! She repeated the same gesture with the other crabs, and a total of eight pearls lay on the sand, each as big as my pinky nail, glittering in the late afternoon sun. I picked them up, an unbelieving smile spreading across my face. ¡°Snips! You beautiful little scamp! Where did you find so many?¡± She bubbled in delight, puffing her body up and swaying with joy. She turned and made a shooing gesture, and the five rock crabs scuttled off into the river. I picked up the pearls, walking back toward Barry. ¡°You¡¯re just in time for dinner, Snips! You deserve a reward for this!¡± She scuttled beside me, preening the entire way. ¡°Have you seen these before, Barry?¡± I held out the naturally formed stones, and his eyebrows shot up. ¡°No . . . what are they? They look almost like gems . . .¡± ¡°Technically, they¡¯re stones, but they can form naturally in oysters.¡± I petted Sergeant Snips with my other hand. ¡°This little scallywag gathered them with her crabby friends.¡± ¡°I wonder what they¡¯re worth,¡± he said. ¡°I could see them being used in some pretty high-end stuff, Fischer. It¡¯s a shame they¡¯re from the sea.¡± ¡°Er¡ªmaybe you can keep that tidbit to yourself, mate. I don¡¯t want to go devaluing them.¡± He nodded, giving me a conspiratorial look. ¡°Not a problem, especially if you intend on selling them to the people on the north side of Tropica . . .¡± I barked a laugh. ¡°But of course! Who else could afford such prestigious gems, definitely gathered from the ground, and not the mouths of shellfish?¡± We grinned at each other, and I started running plans in my head for how to market and sell the stones. I know I didn¡¯t want to engage in any business, but these could allow me the freedom to fish to my heart¡¯s content! When the cooked crab had sufficiently cooled, I snapped off a leg, holding it to Snips. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have any reservations about eating sand crab, but just making sure that¡¯s not an¡ª¡± She snatched the leg, shoving it into her mouth. A crunching ground out as she chewed it¡ªshell and all¡ªand she blew a stream of joyous bubbles when she finished devouring the first bite. Well, that moral dilemma is settled . . . I pulled a claw off, cracking it between my fingers and sliding the meat out with ease. The smell was intoxicating, and I took a moment to thank the crab for the gift of its flesh before placing it in my mouth. The flesh was sweet and salty, the flavor of it a perfect harmony. I moaned in delight, unable to contain the noise. ¡°That actually smells quite good . . .¡± Barry said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try just a bit?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s not as if you lived from the sea¡ªI did all the catching and cooking, after all, and if you don¡¯t eat it, Snips and I are going to.¡± I finally reached the Sergeant, the percussive noises tapping ever louder. I laid eyes on another creature, and my freshly woken mind struggled to make sense of what I was seeing. There was an otter on the jutting stone of the headland, bashing a rock into a bed of oysters. The lid of a mollusk flew away, and with a deft movement, the creature bent and sucked it into their mouth. ¡°What the fuck . . . ?¡± The otter heard me, and shot its head toward us, the rock held high in two cute paws. We looked at each other for a long moment, no one moving or making a sound. Then, with its eyes still locked on me, the otter swung the rock down on an oyster. This blatant disregard for our presence was enough to send Sergeant Snips into a frenzy, and she scuttled angrily toward the interloper, making a C¡¯Thulian hiss. The otter retreated, diving into the sea with its rock as Snips clacked her claws and shot attacks through the now empty air. The guard crab leaped in after it, and I had a moment of serene quiet as they both disappeared beneath the waves. A cool breeze tickled my skin, and I breathed deep of the sea spray it dragged along with it. I looked out at the water lapping the rocks, reflecting the light of the sun that threatened to breach the horizon. The otter emerged on the rocks, twenty meters from where it was before, and gave me a sidelong glance as it resumed smashing a different section of oysters. It ate one, started hitting the next, and a rabid crab emerged behind it. Sergeant Snips blew bubbles of fury as she scuttled at it, the clacking of claws replacing the chorus of rock against shellfish. The otter dashed away, slipping easily back beneath the surf, and Snips flew in after it. Another momentary reprieve, then the otter emerged from the sea closer to where I stood, once more resuming its meal as it monitored me. When the seething crab emerged after it, I yelled, ¡°Snips! Stop!¡± The otter disappeared again, and Sergeant Snips seemed to huff as her lone eye shot between me and the ripples where the creature dove. ¡°Come here, Snips.¡± She came to me, the raving bubbles tinged with confusion. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Snips.¡± I bent and scratched her carapace, trying to reassure the fuming crustacean. ¡°I don¡¯t think we could stop it if we tried, and besides, it¡¯s all right to share our land with the wildlife.¡± She gestured at the oyster beds, at me, and then back to where the otter had retreated, physically shaking with indignation. ¡°I know,¡± I said, rubbing her top with slow strokes. ¡°I know you want to protect our place, and it can be incredibly frustrating to be ignored, but it really is okay.¡± The otter emerged again, this time far away. With little regard for our existence except occasional glances, it started smacking the rock down again. Before Snips could race off, I spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave it for now, all right? There are heaps of rocks, and plenty of oysters besides. Should we go catch some breakfast? Maybe I can get you a nice fat fish?¡± She bristled but accepted my words, only flinching a little at the sound of the otter¡¯s tool descending as we walked back to the house. ¡°Can you carry this for me, Snips?¡± I asked, holding out the smaller rod and giving her a distracting task. She nodded and took it, still clearly conflicted by having something else on the headland and actively taking from my property. I grabbed everything else needed and began leading her up the river and further from the otter, when a voice cut through the otherwise silent air. ¡°Fischer! You here?¡± ¡°Hide,¡± I said to Snips. She picked up on the urgency in my voice, dropping the rod and scuttling into the river. I saw her single peeper emerge, poking almost imperceptibly above the surface. ¡°Over here, Sebastian!¡± I yelled, walking toward the voice. ¡°There you are, my friend!¡± the lobster cultist said, stepping over the sands and giving me a broad smile. It seemed to me the first genuine smile I¡¯d gotten from the man, so I returned it, happy to see him in good spirits. ¡°Good to see ya, mate! What brings you here?¡± ¡°Coffee, of course!¡± he said, presenting a mug of the aromatic liquid. Chapter 19: Justice Chapter 19: Justice Cheers, Sebastian! You shouldn¡¯t have!¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± the lobster cultist said. ¡°I still feel terrible about the other day, and it¡¯s the least I can do.¡± I accepted the mug, bathing in the scent flowing from it. ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly say no to a free cup of coffee! Thank you, mate!¡± He smiled again, wide and genuine. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, Fischer.¡± He shot a look back toward Tropica. ¡°I just wanted to drop that off¡ªhope you have a morning as pleasant as you are.¡± ¡°Thanks, mate, you too!¡± Sebastian waved goodbye as he turned and made his way back toward the village. I set the mug in my bucket, keen on finding a fishing spot before indulging¡ªmy hands were full, after all. Sebastian kept taking glances back at me, and I gave him a wave. ¡°Nice bloody bloke, that guy . . .¡± When he was gone, I returned to Snips. She¡¯d seen the encounter from her stealthy spot in the river and came to meet me where she¡¯d dropped the rod. ¡°He brought me coffee!¡± I said to her. ¡°Now, let¡¯s find a nice quiet spot for some fishing . . .¡± We walked until the sound of the otter¡¯s tapping was far from earshot, finding a spot on the riverbank that was deep enough to hold fish. Snips sat beside me as I cast the line of tiny jigs out. When it hit the water, I held the rod with one hand, and reached to take a sip of my life-giving coffee with the other. Snips was inspecting the bucket and mug within curiously, her body tilting back and forth as she smelled the brew. ¡°You wanna try some, Snips?¡± I picked it up, holding it down to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it, but a little caffeine couldn¡¯t hurt . . .¡± She dipped a claw in, getting a single drop on her limb, then tentatively shoved it in her mouth. Her reaction was immediate and violent. She spewed bubbles of confusion and anger, smacking the mug. It shattered in a spray of coffee and glass, leaving me with just the handle grasped firmly in my hand. ¡°What the hell, Snips?¡± I demanded, but she was already gone. She leaped into the river. Did I piss her off . . . ? I hope she isn¡¯t going back to harass that otter . . . She emerged again, running faster than I¡¯d ever seen as she returned to me. She had something clamped in her claw, and as I squinted at it, a prompt populated. Widow¡¯s Vengeance Rare Found in the brackish waters of the Kallis Realm, the poison of this fish is harvested for use in alchemical creations of an odious nature. She gestured at the fish with her free claw, then at the pile of broken glass and spilled coffee. Repeating this gesture, she glared at me. ¡°It . . . the coffee is poison?¡± I asked. A devious plan occurred to her, and with a long glance at the doomed poisoner, her claw begging to snap closed, she withdrew. She walked back out of his room, climbing the first wooden construction. She devoured each and every one of the sea snippers, going from tank to tank and scooping them up with her claws, shoving them into her devouring mouth. They had a delightful crunch. They weren¡¯t quite as good as the food her master provided, reminding her of the time before awareness. Nonetheless, her revenge was sweet, lending a complex undertone to the feast she helped herself to. When the last tiny morsel was eaten, she walked to the wall opposite the poisoner¡¯s door and scratched a message. Her claw left behind decisive marks in the soft wood¡ªan accusation, and a warning. With the message soon to be delivered, and a belief that Sebastian would no longer pose a threat, Snips made to leave, but something caught her attention¡ªshe smelled another sea snipper somewhere in the building. Walking to a crudely hidden portal in the floor, she lifted it, revealing a sea snipper of gigantic proportions. With a malicious glint in her eye, she lowered her powerful clacker¡ªas the master so affectionately called it¡ªand prepared to end the sea snipper¡¯s existence. With a single command, her muscles would contract and execute one of the enemy¡¯s numbers¡ªand yet, they didn¡¯t. She cocked her carapace in confusion. Her brain said that the sea snipper had to die; her claw didn¡¯t obey. Whether it was her master¡¯s innate kindness being infectious, her reluctant admittance of the creature¡¯s size and majesty, or some other unknown whim guiding her, every instinct told her not to kill the creature. Another devious plan occurred to her, one that she couldn¡¯t fully articulate, even to herself. With a nod of approval at her own deceitfulness, she slammed her claw shut, cutting through the sea snipper with ease. Sebastian woke with a sudden gasp, perhaps having escaped a nightmare which even now evaded him. As his brain started working, the memory of yesterday¡¯s events returned and a wolfish grin spread over his face. He had delivered justice. He¡¯d not heard of anyone finding Fischer¡¯s lifeless body yesterday, but knew it was only a matter of time before someone found the man. He¡¯d monitored his relic the entire day, hiding in the Cult of the Leviathan¡¯s building so as to not draw suspicion to himself. That it had remained blinking the entire day was a good thing; it meant that the death was slow, a deserving fate of anyone so blatantly going against his cult¡¯s purpose. He rose from the bed, stretched lazily, and strode over to his desk. The device lay there, and with a cruel smirk, he peered at it. The smirk died as he saw the light, still flashing red. Wh¡ªwhat? The poison was supposed to be slow . . . but this is too much. He should have passed by now. Did the alchemist sell me snake oil? He threw his door open. ¡°Gary! I need you to¡ª¡± The words died in his throat as he caught sight of a word carved into the wall. His eyes drifted down, landing on an antenna that could only belong to a single creature. He ran and picked it up, panic seizing his heart. ¡°No . . .¡± Sebastian bolted for the trapdoor, throwing it open with reckless abandon. ¡°No, no, no, no . . .¡± He held the antenna with numb hands as he stared down at the empty tank. His life¡¯s work had been slaughtered; the fifty-year-old lobster granted to him by the capital branch upon his relocation was no more. He felt nothing, shock robbing him of all emotions. Glancing at the tanks, he hoped, prayed, but no. They were all empty, each of his lovely crickets gone. He returned his eyes to the single word scrawled in the wall, deep and exacting. POISONER. His stomach dropped out, and he crawled back from the message as if physically distancing himself could take back every action of the last few days. ¡°Woah,¡± Gary said, pointing at the antenna. ¡°Is that from Pistachio . . . ?¡± ¡°He-he lived through the poison¡ªh-he killed Pistachio . . .¡± ¡°Who did?¡± Gary asked, leaning down to touch the words cut into the wall. ¡°Nice handwriting, that.¡± Sebastian¡¯s response was filled with anger, confusion, and fear. ¡°F-Fischer . . .¡± Chapter 20: Fish On Chapter 20: Fish On Iopened my eyes to the face of a rather cute crab engulfing my entire field of view. Sergeant Snips blew a single happy bubble and scuttled to the side, watching me intently with her lone eye. ¡°Morning, Snips.¡± I muttered, stretching my arms to the sky and arching my back. ¡°You seem a lot more chipper today.¡± She bubbled her agreement, nodding along with the sentiment. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, enjoying the lingering calm of a good night¡¯s sleep. ¡°What do you wanna get up to today?¡± She lifted both her claws above her head, held them together there, then mimed casting out a fishing line. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the gesture. I threw the sheets off, slid out of bed, and gave another big stretch. ¡°I was thinking the same thing, Snips!¡± We¡¯d spent the entire day fishing yesterday but had only gone in search of the baitfish that lived along the shoreline and riverbank. ¡°Shall we hunt for larger prey today?¡± I asked, giving Snips a sidelong glance and already knowing what her response would be. She nodded emphatically, her entire body bobbing up and down in her enthusiasm. I barked a laugh. ¡°But first . . .¡± I gave her a conspiratorial look. ¡°Shall we check the crab pot?¡± Her body rocked up and down again, this time even her claws joining in. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± I had to jog to keep up with Sergeant Snips¡¯s excited pace. The predawn light was as enjoyable as ever, and a cool breeze gave me goosebumps in its passing. We reached the shore in record time, and Snips urged me on as I pulled on the fishing line. I felt weight in the pot, and anticipation surged as the trap came into sight. I could see something in there, right in the back corner. It looked like a massive crab. It was¡ª It was a rock crab. Sergeant Snips let out a hiss of incomprehensible bubbles, and the rock crab shrank into the corner. I opened the trap and let it out. My guard crab rushed over to it. She unleashed a swift barrage of her claws, giving light taps to its carapace that didn¡¯t do any damage. The crab looked sufficiently chastised, dropping its body to the sand and blowing bubbles of embarrassment. They appeared to have a conversation, exchanging claw gestures and hiss-like sounds. Sergeant Snips scuttled to the side, pointing at the other crab, then at a spot on the sand. The freed crab dipped its head in acquiescence, stood on the patch of sand shown, and turned its back to us, looking out at the ocean. ¡°. . . Snips? What are you¡ª¡± In a single movement, she darted to the crab, put both her claws under its body, and flung it out to sea. The rock crab let out a notably cute eeeeeeeeee as it sailed up and out toward the horizon, its body eventually splashing down twenty meters from the shore. She dusted her claws off, nodded, then turned back to me. I raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. ¡°A little discipline, huh?¡± She shrugged with both claws, shaking her carapace in mock dismay. I put another baitfish in the pot. ¡°Would you mind placing this out into the water, Snips?¡±Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com She clacked her claws sharply, grabbed the metal frame, and dragged it out into the depths. When she got back, I bent down, putting on my most persuasive voice. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t want me going into the village yesterday, but how do you feel about me grabbing a coffee and pastry before we get started on the day¡¯s fishing?¡± She looked toward the village, looked back at me, appearing to consider the proposition. After a long moment, she blew happy bubbles, gesturing toward Tropica and nodding. ¡°All right! I¡¯ll be right back!¡± She waved goodbye with a single claw. Still not enough to justify that level of fury, though . . . ¡°No worries,¡± I said over my shoulder, already planning what I could wear tomorrow to piss her off even more. I¡¯d been cognizant of the fact that getting a machine for Sue might affect the sole existing cafe? in the village, especially with the price Sue could offer the coffee. If the rest of the north siders had the same prejudice as Lena, however, they probably wouldn¡¯t come to the south side of Tropica and mingle with who they saw as less than. After meeting the woman, I don¡¯t particularly care if Sue takes all of her business. I breathed in the rising fragrance of my mug, then took a sip of the coffee. It was delicious. Let capitalism rise. Sergeant Snips was awaiting me eagerly when I returned, the rising sun reflecting off her glittering carapace as she waved enthusiastically with both claws. She¡¯d already collected the larger bamboo rod, my bucket, and three of the baitfish from where I¡¯d buried them in a tea towel. Her body went tense, and she cocked her head, looking between me and the fish, the question clear. ¡°You¡¯re allowed to eat them, Snips,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°As long as we have some left to fish with, you don¡¯t need my permission.¡± She relaxed, almost seeming to sigh, and started snacking on one. ¡°You ready to go?¡± She bubbled her joyous assent between bites, and I followed her down to the shore. I found a spot on the rocks where ocean met river. Snips settled down beside me, content to watch. I placed an entire baitfish on the large hook, and breathing deep of the sea spray and wind, started whirling the end of the line round and round. I let go, casting it out into the water. The moment between letting go of the line and when the rock hit the water was a welcome flash of silence. Only the sound of water lapping at the rocks could be heard, and we both watched the sinker and fish-laden hook arc high into the sky. A few seconds later, they hit the water with a soft plop, and I held the rod out to let the line freely travel. It went taut, and I felt the thump of it hitting the sandy floor. The tide was still running out, but had almost stilled, telling me the tide would soon turn. ¡°Dawn is a great time for fishing, as is when the tide turns,¡± I said to Snips. ¡°I¡¯d wager having both at the same time gives us a splendid chance of catching something!¡± She looked at the line, her eyestalk and posture broadcasting the curiosity she felt. I took a seat beside her, and we sat in companionable silence. I held my hand on the top of her carapace, finding comfort in the feel of her. I closed my eyes and bathed in the moment. The smooth wood of the bamboo in my hand, the line taut and softly pulling when waves atop the water crossed its path; the cool, sturdy carapace of Sergeant Snips, her body seeming to radiate vigor; the sound of the churning river and ocean meeting; the calm breeze that blew fitfully, coming and going in sporadic bursts of varying intensity; and the calls of gulls and other birds singing their beautiful songs to greet the sun that shone down on me, warming my skin¡ªall served to ground me in the moment, no thoughts strong enough to break through the all-encompassing sensations of the body. Tug. I removed my hand from Snips, placing it firmly around the rod to join the other. Tug. My eyes remained closed as I tightened my grip. Bump . . . tug. I heard the soft sounds of Snips standing, responding to the hits. Tug, tug, TUG. The fish swallowed the bait, and I roared a laugh of delight as I finally opened my eyes. The bamboo rod bent down at a ninety-degree angle, the enormous fish doing its best to swim away, thrashing its head and making the rod tip shake. Joy and excitement flooded my entire being as I shot to my feet. ¡°Fish on, Snips!¡± Chapter 21: Evolution Chapter 21: Evolution Sergeant Snips scuttled in mad circles around me, an uncontrolled stream of excited bubbles following her. I held the rod firmly with both hands as the fish on the other end of the line did its best to pull it from my grip. It shook its head madly, causing the already-bending bamboo to jerk around. I took a big step forward, leaving enough tension to keep the hook secured, but not letting the fish put too much stress on the line. The bamboo flexed and bent but stayed whole. I walked along the rocks further to the ocean, letting the fish expend energy each time it made another blistering run. Snips followed my movements, her skittering legs and sporadically clacking claws cheering me on. Seeing that swimming into the ocean wasn¡¯t working for it, the fish changed tack; it swam back into the river mouth, its powerful muscles keeping me on my toes every step of the way. We danced like this for what felt like an eternity, the hooked fish doing its best to escape, and me doing my best to move with it, keeping tension but not letting too much pressure hit the line. It was a war of body and brain; the fish relying on its muscular form and sharp instincts, and me relying on my enhanced body and human ingenuity. I breathed in the salty air, reveling in the excitement of having such a large fish hooked. As our battle waged on, the fish was losing strength, but mine was only growing¡ªthe adrenaline coursing through my veins invigorated me even more with each passing breath. I was on the sands of the riverbank now, Snips still dancing in circles, the fish lethargic compared to how the battle began. I started moving back from the shore, one slow step at a time. The fish made another powerful run, and I took a few steps forward, letting it tire itself out. A new dance began, and for every step I let my enemy take, I took two more back, drawing it ever closer to land. I caught my first flash of silver as the fish neared the surface five meters from shore, the rising sun reflecting off its protective scales. At this, Snips lost what composure she held, and she launched herself into the river toward it. The joining of a sapient crab to the battle had an unmistakable effect on the fish; it took another desperate run, fleeing as best as its fatigued body could. This suited me, and I smiled to myself, knowing the war was coming to an end. I stepped forward, letting the fish run. The attempted escape didn¡¯t last long, and as soon as it showed weakness, I took long strides back from the water. I could see the flash of silver again as the fish swam near the surface, slow and languid as if swimming through molasses. It saw the shore and tried to make one last desperate attempt at escape. There was a flash of something beneath it, and Snips¡¯s mighty claws flicked it out of the water and onto the sand, sealing its fate. I dashed down to it, hauling it up with one hand under the gills and one on the body. I checked its mouth, and seeing that it had no teeth, moved my right hand to hold its lower jaw, securing the victory. I roared in delight, laughing toward the sky. ¡°Snips! We did it!¡± She nodded vigorously with her whole body, her claws moving around in chaotic happiness. A familiar feeling nudged me, but it was blunted, much less pronounced than before. Ah¡ªwilling the System messages to chill worked out? Take that, System, you non-functional gronk of a . . . whatever you are. Smiling, I inspected the fish. Mature Shore Fish Uncommon Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. The moment I saw it was edible, I grabbed the long nail at my side and spiked the fish, dispatching it fast and humanely. ¡°So this is a mature version of the baitfish we¡¯ve been catching . . .¡± I said to Sergeant Snips. ¡°Look how bloody big they get!¡± The fish was half again as long as my forearm and hand, and Snips nodded her agreement as she eyed the giant slabs of meat. I held it up in one hand, judging it to weigh at least three kilograms. ¡°What do you reckon, Snips? You want to eat your share raw, or should I cook it up for us on the fire?¡± In response, she tore off toward the fire pit, picking up driftwood in passing and leaving a slew of excited bubbles in her wake. I started the fire with ease, and as the newborn flames jumped from kindling to small sticks, I turned to my guard crab. ¡°You okay to keep growing the fire? I need to go clean and scale this.¡± She nodded enthusiastically, shooing me away with both claws. Down at the ocean shore, I took a moment to thank the fish for its meat as I removed the scales. It was a majestic creature, and its body would go on to nourish me and my beloved Snips. It was simply the way of the world that the strong fed on the weak¡ªthat was the food chain, after all, but that didn¡¯t mean I should disregard my respect entirely. I had an immense gratitude for the fish before me, both for the war it had waged and the sustenance it would provide. Back by the fire, I rested one hand on Snips as we sat in companionable silence. The fish slowly cooked, and the smell made my mouth water. She sat in exactly the same position, but where she was previously only barely larger than the other rock crabs, she had just almost doubled in size. She looked herself over with great care, her lone eye lingering on the inch-long spikes that now sprouted from each of her joints. ¡°Snips! You evolved!¡± She clacked her delight, now-spiked claws held high above her. She bobbed up and down as she blew bubbles of contentment, but then something in her demeanor changed. She paused, as if remembering something. Her eye slowly wandered back to the fish in front of her, and in a blur of movement, she resumed her meal with great gusto, the changes already forgotten as her improved claws threw food into her enlarged mouth. A raucous laugh escaped my throat, and suddenly feeling competitive, I raced her. I¡¯m not going to get outshone by my crab, evolved or not! Gary was feeling rather morose. He¡¯d quite enjoyed the company of Pistachio¡ªperhaps not at the same level as Sebastian, which was bordering on some kind of perverted attachment. Even so, he had enjoyed feeding the oversized lobster, and he¡¯d have even called the crustacean a friend. The only friend I had in this village, he admitted to himself. Gary had done his best to dissuade his boss from trying to poison someone, knowing that no good could come out of it, but it was what it was. Sebastian had gone through with the plan, and Pistachio had paid the price. With a feeling the same thing was about to happen, but knowing Sebastian probably wouldn¡¯t listen, he spoke anyway. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea, sir?¡± Sebastian looked up from the letter he was writing, staring hatred and venom at Gary. ¡°Yes, I am sure, you half-shelled moron! By the girthy conch of Triton, how many times must I explain myself to your simple mind?¡± ¡°Well, sir, it¡¯s just that it didn¡¯t go so well last time, and I think maybe it¡¯s best to leave things alone, you know? Fischer didn¡¯t kill us or anything, and it seems a pretty reasonable retaliatory strike to¡ª¡± ¡°You dare!¡± Sebastian roared. ¡°The murder of our Leviathan, the slaying of my beloved crickets, and the intrusion by the defiler on these holy grounds¡ªare they reasonable to you?¡± ¡°Well, I mean, you did try to poison him to death . . .¡± ¡°He is a mere human,¡± Sebastian snarled. ¡°The basest form of life and cultivation, and you compare his death with the defilement of our growing gods?¡± Well, that went about as I expected, Gary thought. ¡°You¡¯re probably right, sir. Do you really think the capital branch will lend us the artifact you¡¯re going to request, though?¡± ¡°When they hear of the defiler¡¯s crimes, they will have no choice!¡± As Sebastian returned to his letter, Gary shook his head. ¡°If you say so, sir.¡± Barry scolded himself when his attention once more returned to the succulent morsel of crab he¡¯d partaken in. His thoughts since that fateful moment the previous evening had been troubled, and the memory of the flavor constantly returned unbidden, as did the yearning for another taste. He shook his head, trying and failing to focus back on the crops before him. He halfheartedly dragged his hoe through the sandy soil. ¡°G¡¯day, Barry! I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you!¡± Barry¡¯s head shot up, looking at the man that introduced these worries into his life. ¡°Oh, morning, Fischer. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, mate, are you all right?¡± Fischer raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost . . .¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good.¡± Barry tried to give him a genuine smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep well, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s no good. I was worried after you took off last night. The crab didn¡¯t make you sick, did it?¡± Barry jolted and couldn¡¯t help but look around to see if anyone had heard. There was no one else in the fields, so he simply shook his head. ¡°No, Fischer, it didn¡¯t make me sick . . .¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Fischer gave a broad smile and pulled a hand from behind his back, revealing a plate of something white. ¡°Because I¡¯ve brought you something to try!¡± Chapter 22: Business Chapter 22: Business Ow! You poxed son of a whore!¡± Trent punched the metal leg he¡¯d knocked his head on, then swore as he shook his hand. ¡°You useless pieces of junk! You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t have you melted down!¡± The room of ancient artifacts he was in had become a regular haunt for Trent, and where he¡¯d previously only used it to hide from obligations, he¡¯d started spending more and more of his plentiful free time among the relics. He crawled through the warren, finally finding the open pocket after only getting lost a few times¡ªa new record. He stretched, rubbing his now-throbbing knuckles where the ancient construct had dared to stand in the way of his closed fist. If Trent had even the slightest pinch of self-awareness added to the stew that was his consciousness, he would¡¯ve likely recognized he¡¯d become addicted to checking the screen on the single working artifact in the room. Being who he was, though, Trent just thought he enjoyed being there. ¡°Let¡¯s see what this Fischer has been up to,¡± he said, rubbing his hands together in markedly uncognized anticipation. He slapped the screen, nodding as it came to life. ¡°At least one of you junkbots is subordinate enough to¡ªwhat the fuck?¡± His normally dumb-looking face stared at the screen, making him appear even more vacant than usual. He rubbed his eyes, wondering if he¡¯d hit his head a little harder than he thought¡ªbut no, the screen remained the same. It had a single additional line of text added. New Milestone! Sergeant Snips has reached her first stage of evolution! ¡°. . . what in Poseidon¡¯s pickled sphincter is a Sergeant Snips?¡± Barry stared down at the plate of fish, an unquenchable desire to taste it drowning out his trepidation. He tore his eyes away from it, looking up at Fischer. ¡°W-where did you get this?¡± ¡°Caught it just this morning, mate! It¡¯s a mature shore fish, whatever that means. I¡¯ve been eating the juvenile variant for days, and I thought they were tasty!¡± Fischer laughed and shook his head. ¡°This thing blows those little snacks out of the water!¡± ¡°I . . . it¡¯s okay to eat?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate, it¡¯s¡ª¡± Fischer raised a finger as something occurred to him. ¡°Actually, I should probably mention that Sergeant Snips grew spikes after she ate some, but I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s a crab thing? You have nothing to worry about . . . probably.¡± ¡°Well then, I¡ªwait, she what?¡± ¡°Yeah, she kind of grew spikes and doubled in size? Pretty gnarly, really¡ªwait till you see.¡± Barry could smell the fragrance of the fish, close as he was. He¡¯d always assumed it would smell disgusting if one were to cook the heretical creatures, like the smell of low tide; the chunk of white flesh on the plate smelled nothing like that. It was sweet and complex, with just a hint of sea spray. It reminded him of the crab claw he¡¯d eaten the night before, and his mouth started watering. An insatiable need to taste it coursed through him. ¡°Y-you¡¯re sure it¡¯s safe to eat?¡± ¡°Yeah mate, I think the spikes were more to do with the whole ¡®ascended being¡¯ thing, and less to do with the fish.¡± Fischer shrugged. ¡°I ate almost half a fillet myself, and I feel great!¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, Fischer. What if someone were to find out?¡± Fischer laughed. ¡°It¡¯s just you and me here, mate. I¡¯m not gonna tell anyone, are you?¡± Barry¡¯s mouth continued to salivate; he couldn¡¯t hold off any longer. ¡°Maybe just a bite . . .¡± Barry accepted the plate. He grabbed a corner of the meat, and a chunk fell away between his probing fingers. Before he could second guess himself, he placed it in his mouth. The fish melted atop his tongue, the flavor delivering everything the fragrance had promised. It was much like the crab; sweet, slightly salty, and invigorating. It reminded him of the sun rising above the sea, shining its light over the land and warming his body from up high. An involuntary moan of delight escaped him. ¡°Good, right?¡± Fischer asked with a laugh. Barry shoved another chunk into his mouth. ¡°Mate, if you think that¡¯s good, wait until I rustle up some salt, pepper, and citrus!¡± Barry nodded, unhearing beyond the sensations he was experiencing. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the plate with you, mate¡ªbring it round later, yeah?¡± Barry nodded again, devouring the meal as Fischer left. I smiled at Barry¡¯s reaction as I meandered toward Tropica. ¡°Anyone would think the bloke never tasted fish before . . .¡± I honestly wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d take the fish after his reaction to the crab yesterday, but the moment he¡¯d smelled the shore fish, I knew I had him. Winning over Barry was an important first step. I dreamed of hosting barbecues laden with freshly cooked seafood, the laughing faces of all the villagers surrounding me¡ªwell, some of the villagers. I could stand to go without the pompous north siders ruining the vibe. Though, maybe I can rehabilitate some of them over time with the right attitude and some good food . . . ¡°Good morning, Fischer!¡± Sue called as I approached her bakery. I returned the smile she gave me. ¡°Morning, Sue! How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°Good! Everyone has been abuzz over the coffee machine since learning of it¡ªI haven¡¯t even started selling coffee yet, and business has already increased!¡± It probably said something about me that I felt that way, but who had time to internalize that particular lesson? There was business to conduct! I found the jewelers easily enough; a colorfully painted sign read something illegible above a store. I was still rather illiterate to the written language of this world, but the image of a cut gem beside the words was a dead giveaway. It seemed this stretch of street was the north side version of the market, with many storefronts all smattered together. I walked into the jewelers, finding the door unlocked despite the early hour. ¡°We are closed,¡± came the gruff voice of an elderly man, hunched over the counter and peering at an uncut gem through an enlarged eye glass. ¡°Oh, my bad, mate. The door was open. What time can I come back?¡± He looked up at me, an unimpressed gaze lingering on my clothes. ¡°That depends. What do you want?¡± ¡°Just a question answered.¡± I rummaged in my pocket, pulling out a single pearl. ¡°Have you ever seen one of these before?¡± Julian fought down his frustration at the intruder before him. ¡°Just a question answered,¡± the stranger said, rummaging in one of his filthy pockets. ¡°Have you seen one of these before?¡± Julian closed his eyes and breathed a great sigh. Does this look like a market for trinkets? What bauble has this peasant stumbled upon, only to waste my time with¡ªJulian¡¯s thoughts stopped dead in their tracks, and he felt his eyes go wide. The man before him held an iridescent stone. Not just any stone, either¡ªit was a relic of the past, one of the treasures that hadn¡¯t been found in countless years, whose numbers only diminished as pieces of jewelry were damaged or lost. He¡¯d seen the stones in person in the capital, only worn by those of excessive means. A single time, he¡¯d seen a beautiful silver necklace made entirely of the precious stones, only the clasp left bare. It had been around the queen¡¯s neck, an abject demonstration of the crown¡¯s wealth. Realizing he was staring, slack-jawed, he schooled his expression. ¡°Ah, I cannot say I¡¯ve seen such a stone before¡ªit does seem mildly pretty, but I cannot say it would hold much worth.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± the man asked. ¡°Shame.¡± He turned away. ¡°Oh well, thanks for the info.¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± Julian said, desperately trying to keep the man in his store. ¡°I-I have some interest, only in a purely scientific manner, you understand? I¡¯ve never seen one before and would like to examine it.¡± Julian shrugged, feigning nonchalance. ¡°I must admit, my curiosity gets the better of me¡ªI don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d be willing to trade it for¡ª¡± ¡°Nope!¡± the man said, still walking away. ¡°Sorry mate, not interested in selling.¡± ¡°One gold!¡± Julian yelled, desperation creeping into his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a gold coin¡ªI¡¯m very curious, you see¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, mate.¡± He opened the door to leave. ¡°Two gold?¡± The man turned back, his expression unreadable. ¡°Is it worth that much to you?¡± ¡°Ah¡ªI¡ªI¡¯m very curious, you see . . .¡± ¡°Would you do five gold?¡± the man asked, face still blank. ¡°Y-yes! Five gold! May I see it? I¡ª¡± ¡°Nah. Sorry, mate. Still not interested in selling it, I was just curious what it was worth to you.¡± The man stepped outside. ¡°I-I¡¯m Julian!¡± he yelled, doing anything to keep the stranger there. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The stranger popped his head back in the door. ¡°Nice to meet you, mate. I¡¯m Fischer.¡± With that, Fischer disappeared, his head vanishing out of sight. Julian stared at the closed door, uncomprehending. What in Ares¡¯s calamitous spear was that? What kind of peasant could walk away from such a vast sum of wealth? Was the man mad, or just stupid? A sudden realization struck him. He knows what it¡¯s worth . . . ? If he knows it¡¯s worth at least twenty gold and didn¡¯t want to sell it, what purpose did he have in coming here? The answer occurred to Julian, and it twisted his stomach with sickening ferocity. Aphrodites¡¯s tumultuous loins! He¡¯s not really a peasant¡ªhe¡¯s a crown auditor! The jeweler ran out the door after Fischer. Chapter 23: Iridescent Stone Chapter 23: Iridescent Stone Agrin made its way to my face as I left the store. Julian¡¯s reaction and increasing purchase price had been everything I needed to know. They do know of pearls here, and they¡¯re exceedingly expensive. He was trying to rip me off, so I¡¯ll need to find somewhere else to sell . . . ¡°Fischer! Wait!¡± Julian yelled, throwing the door open behind me. ¡°I-I was only joking, you see!¡± He had a manic smile, his eyes wide. ¡°Of course I know what iridescent stones are worth, as do you, right? Why don¡¯t you come back inside and we can talk properly?¡± They call them iridescent stones, huh? I looked around the empty street, the hour too early for the north siders to be out and about. ¡°Here seems fine, mate. I can appreciate a good joke as much as the next bloke, but I didn¡¯t think you were trying to be funny . . .¡± Julian wiped his brow free of accrued sweat. ¡°A simple misunderstanding . . .¡± He glanced around. ¡°I, of course, know that each stone would sell for twenty gold on their own and would be worth more if adorned in a precious metal. From your bearing, I knew you did too, and was trying to jest, you see? My wife always says I have an odd sense of humor.¡± I kept my expression blank as Julian rambled. ¡°I see¡ªjust a joke, then.¡± I smiled at him. ¡°No worries. If I were to come back, seeing as though you¡¯re a legitimate and reputable merchant, could I expect an honest appraisal of my wares?¡± ¡°Y-yes, sir! Of course!¡± ¡°Good to know. See ya, Julian.¡± I turned and walked away. ¡°Y-yes, Fischer! Until next time!¡± I pondered the interaction as I made my way back through town. Something had changed the merchant¡¯s demeanor; he seemed almost panicked when he ran out his door to meet me. Is it that the pearl is worth much more than twenty gold, or was he worried I¡¯d tell people about his underhanded negotiating . . . ? I sighed, dismissing the worries. This is exactly why I didn¡¯t want to get involved in any business dealings. I know it needs to be done, but I¡¯d just rather be fishing. I walked up a set of steps and knocked three times on the door. George set his sugar-crusted pastry down, fighting the rising tide of anxiety. ¡°Is no moment sacred to me?¡± he asked. ¡°Can I not have even my second breakfast unmolested?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear,¡± his wife said around a mouthful of dough and sugar. ¡°Want me to get it?¡± ¡°No, Geraldine, it¡¯s fine.¡± She stood, coming to massage his shoulders with her plump hands. ¡°I worry about your health, dear. All this stress isn¡¯t good for your digestion.¡± ¡°That is the burden a lord must bear.¡± He sighed, pushing his chair out and standing with a groan. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment.¡± As George walked down the stairs, the knock came again¡ªthree sharp bangs, whose strength could only belong to one man. The anxiety flooded up from where he¡¯d suppressed it, and he stood before the door a moment, composing himself. Wiping beads of sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, he swung the door open and plastered a smile onto his face. ¡°Good morning, Fischer! To what do I owe the pleasure?¡± ¡°Morning, mate! Sorry for the early visit¡ªI had a rather pressing question for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem! I am at your beck and call, good man. What was your question?¡± George was rather impressed with his composure thus far, and felt he was getting better at interacting with the crown agent before him. When Fischer spoke, that composure was shattered like a lolly dropped on stone.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°What¡¯s an iridescent stone worth?¡± Fischer asked with complete nonchalance. ¡°A-an iridescent stone, you say?¡± George wiped the sweat pouring from his face, and he tried to keep his smile genuine. ¡°They go for at least twenty gold on their own, but are worth more if fixed by a . . . a talented jeweler . . .¡± George¡¯s voice had started to tremble, and Fischer raised an eyebrow. ¡°You feeling all right, mate?¡± ¡°Y-yes. Thanks, Fischer. Is that all?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, mate. That¡¯s all I came to ask. Sure I can¡¯t help you? You look white as a ghost.¡± ¡°No. Thank you.¡± George slammed the door, his hands tingling and numb. Triton¡¯s pointed beard¡ªhow does he know? Will this treacherous man leave no stone unturned? George moved as fast as he could back up the stairs. When he reached the second floor, he was out of breath and light-headed. He stumbled, catching himself on the banister. ¡°The stone is what I want the chain for.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking of making a necklace?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one. The jeweler Julian up north will buy it, but he said they¡¯re worth more if they¡¯re set in precious metal. I thought I could share the love a bit and spread the funds around.¡± ¡°If you provide the silver, I¡¯ll happily do the work for free, Fischer. I¡¯d love to create something with this . . .¡± Fergus¡¯s head darted up, his gaze going vacant. ¡°Take it back¡ªone moment.¡± He placed the pearl in my open hand with deliberate care then ran to the back of his workshop. He came back with a box and started shuffling through it. ¡°I think a ring might be better suited. Here, what do you think?¡± Fergus held a casing in one hand, a small iron ring in the other. ¡°While I¡¯m confident in my ability to work with silver, a chain of the soft metal would be easily broken¡ªa ring would be much more durable, and easier to sell.¡± ¡°Mind if I look at the ring, mate?¡± His hand darted forward, offering it to me. I eyed the ring, holding it up to the light. It was smooth and absent of blemishes, its iron body basic, but still elegant. There was an empty setting in the top, with prongs outstretched¡ªwaiting for a gem or stone to be placed inside. ¡°You created this one?¡± I asked. ¡°Aye. The one you hold came from this mold.¡± He indicated the casing held in one hand. ¡°We sell them occasionally, so I always keep one spare.¡± I gently dropped the pearl into the casing¡ªit fit perfectly. ¡°I think you¡¯re on the money there, Fergus. Tell you what¡ªif you can create a ring exactly the same but out of silver, and you set the stone in it for me, I¡¯ll give you a gold coin.¡± His eyes widened, then narrowed. ¡°You yanking my chain, Fischer?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Nah, mate. I¡¯m being sincere. It¡¯ll boost its value, and your skilled hands are the only set I trust to do it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still too much, Fischer. I don¡¯t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it is way too much. It¡¯s so much money that I don¡¯t want you coming back and causing an issue when you realize.¡± It was my turn to hold my hand to my chest in mock horror. ¡°Fergus! My good man! Who do you take me for, a spoiled noble brat?¡± He smiled at me through a wince. ¡°It never hurts to be sure with these things, Fischer . . .¡± ¡°Okay. So, it¡¯s too much, right?¡± He nodded. ¡°Aye. Too much.¡± ¡°No worries! Let¡¯s strike a deal then! I have some things I want to craft, and I¡¯m trying to distance myself from bartering and purveying as much as humanly possible. Let¡¯s call the gold I give you a favor between friends, and the things I come and craft the same.¡± Fergus rubbed his hands idly in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think you could possibly request things to outweigh the worth of a gold coin, Fischer, but I feel the need to ask before signing up¡ªwhat are you looking at making?¡± I thought for a moment, sorting through my mind. ¡°A thick metal griddle for cooking, some cogs and other bits for a fishing rod I¡¯m creating, and some metal nails and brackets for a fence.¡± Fergus blinked at me. I blinked back, worried my request had overstepped his expectations. He roared a laugh, clapping me on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re a goddamn madman, Fischer¡ªaye, I¡¯m happy to call it an exchange between friends, but I still think I¡¯m getting too much out of it.¡± I grinned at him. ¡°Nonsense, mate. I¡¯m getting more value from the stone because of you! Besides, friends don¡¯t count favors, and unexpected fortune should be shared.¡± Sergeant Snips gazed out at the squad arrayed before her. Her reliable crabs were relaying their reports of the perimeter, communicating with a series of bubbles, clacks, and gestures. A blur of brown caught her eye, and her lone stalk darted toward the interruption. Ah¡ªthe interloper returns. The otter swam in closer, stealing glances at their meeting as it whirled above them in the currents. Sergeant Snips fought down the rising anger. Her master had said to share their lands with the furry scoundrel, but that directive railed against her instincts. The otter swam down closer, annoyingly intelligent eyes looking between her and the squad of crabs. She raised both claws in warning, blowing a small stream of animosity-laden bubbles. She would tolerate the fiend¡¯s presence on the master¡¯s property, but spying on their meeting was an unacceptable intrusion. Sensing their sergeant¡¯s animosity, the squad of crabs also raised their claws, clacking and blowing angry streams. The otter swam even closer, the warning only seeming to increase its curiosity. Its eyes lingered on the spikes now protruding from her carapace and limbs, cocking its head back and forth in thought. Sergeant Snips clacked both of her mighty claws, sending two arcs of force out to either side of the otter. This was finally enough, and the interloper turned and swam away. Yes. Begone, smasher of shells and stealer of meat¡ªflee before the might of my improved form. She lowered her claws, and with a single nod of her mighty carapace, the meeting resumed. Chapter 24: Perfect Form Chapter 24: Perfect Form The sun warmed my skin as I walked back through the fields. Fergus was procuring the silver for the ring, my belly was still full from a feast of fish, and the future was looking bright. What a beautiful day. I scoured the surrounding rows of sugarcane for Barry, but he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, I found Paul, his young and enthusiastic son. ¡°Hello Fischer!¡± Paul yelled from behind me, making me jump. ¡°Oh, morning, mate! Is your old man around?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t feeling well. He went home to rest.¡± Damn, I hope my fish didn¡¯t make him sick . . . ¡°Did he, uh, look all right to you? No odd changes or anything?¡± Paul cocked his head at me. ¡°Changes? He¡¯s just a little sick, is all.¡± Good. No spikes, then¡ªthat would have been quite a pickle. ¡°Let him know I hope he feels better soon.¡± ¡°I will! Here, Mr. Fischer!!¡± Paul held my plate out to me. ¡°Dad said to give you back your plate and to thank you for the pastry!¡± Pastry, huh? A smile tugged at my lips. ¡°Let your dad know he¡¯s very welcome.¡± ¡°You . . .¡± Paul looked down, then back up at me. ¡°You don¡¯t have any more pastries, do you?¡± I laughed at the gleam in the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sorry, mate, I can¡¯t say I do. Next time, all right?¡± ¡°Right!¡± Paul nodded, taking the lack of baked goods in stride. ¡°I better get back to the fields¡ªI have a lot to do with Dad unwell!¡± ¡°No worries. See ya, mate.¡± Sergeant Snips was nowhere to be seen when I got back to my shores, and I figured she was out doing crab things. It¡¯s been a few hours, right? Surely it wouldn¡¯t hurt to check the crab pot . . . When I pulled on the line, it felt light, and sure enough, the trap was empty, the bait inside untouched. I knew it was probably too soon to check it, but I couldn¡¯t help myself. It was just so exciting; I had constant intrusive thoughts about checking the trap. Noted¡ªhave a little patience, Fischer, you silly goose. I walked back to my house, sitting in the sun by the coals of my fire pit. The rays were blessedly warm, chasing away the chill from a strong breeze blowing north. The remains of the fire were still red, and I stretched my feet toward them, lavishing in the sensation on the bottom of my feet. Probably not a good day for fishing with the wind, so what should I¡ª¡°Salt!¡± I yelled, jumping up as I remembered my lack of seasoning. I ran to the kitchen in search of the largest pot I had. I walked down to the ocean with what had to be a twenty-liter stockpot, waded out into the calmer waters, and filled it almost to the top. The water was freezing with the wind kicking up, but it did nothing to cool my excitement. I got back to the fire, placed a few large logs on the still-glowing coals, and set the salt water-filled stockpot atop a rack. I know back in the day you could just dry sea water in the sun, so heating it above a small fire couldn¡¯t hurt, right . . . ? As for what to do with the rest of my day, I had not yet introduced myself to some of my favorite people in the village¡ªa situation I intended to rectify while my salt water slowly reduced. I grabbed a few berries to go, setting off with a smile. Joel meditated, his body in a position resembling that of the perfect form. He contemplated life, the twists of fate, and the miracle that was convergent evolution. He longed for such an evolution to take him, to transcend this inferior form of flesh and its lowly, internal skeletal system. Today may not be the day, but his time would come. A sense of peace and tranquility took him as he slipped deeper and deeper into his trance. A sharp knocking sounded, three loud raps shattering his focus. Joel let out a deep sigh. What is it now? His acolytes all opened their eyes, shooting similar looks of disdain toward the wooden portal, but they quickly returned to their meditations. Swinging open the door, Joel was met by a man he recognized. He¡¯d seen him on the beach, watching his cult¡¯s claw ritual with great curiosity. The stranger had also interrupted the procession with raucous laughter, but that was the way of the villagers, unknowing heretics as they were. ¡°Can I help you?¡± Joel asked, raising an eyebrow. I let out a small laugh. ¡°I think you might find me a bit too heretical for your liking, Joel¡ªI appreciate the offer, though.¡± ¡°Heretical?¡± he asked, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°How so?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I fish.¡± ¡°You . . . fish?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I said with a broad grin. ¡°Pretty much all I do, really.¡± He stood and stared at me then shrugged back. ¡°That is of no concern.¡± ¡°Wait, really?¡± I let my confusion show. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna call me a heretic, a fool, or something worse?¡± Jess answered with her own question. ¡°Who are we to judge you, Fischer?¡± She gave a kind smile. ¡°We are all imperfect beings, after all. To err is in our nature.¡± Man, these crab cultists are actually pretty chill¡ª ¡°Until we ascend!¡± Joel boomed, his eyes filled with fervor, hands clacking. ¡°Only then, when we have achieved the perfect form, we will know the way in all things!¡± Nevermind. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been fun, guys.¡± I gave them a wave. ¡°I¡¯ll see you next, uh, what day is the meditation again?¡± ¡°Fielday,¡± Jess said, still smiling. ¡°Right. Fielday. See you then.¡± I shook my head as I headed back to my land. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if Joel is batshit crazy, or my new best friend . . .¡± The convening of the crabs had stretched on longer than the sun remained in the sky, their meeting ending just as the last bit of light fled beyond the western horizon. Sergeant Snips dismissed her subordinates, and they all scuttled off toward their assigned positions. After they left, she set off, heading to a cave she¡¯d found in the deepest part of the bay. On the way there, she dispatched two small fish and carried one in each claw as she continued on her way. When she arrived, she peered into the rocky crevice, curious to see if it was still there. A lone antenna poked out from behind a corner, moving up and down as it smelled the ocean currents. She rounded the rock, holding both fish out so their scent wafted forward. The sea snipper emerged, larger than even Snips, lured out by the promise of a meal. The lump where its other antenna had been was completely healed, which she was glad to see. Sergeant Snips placed both fish before it, and the sea snipper grabbed them with two humongous claws, retreating back into its hole. With a nod of respect to the unintelligent creature¡ªa gesture it wouldn¡¯t understand, but still felt right¡ªshe began a thorough search of the bay. It took her most of the night to ensure every nook and crevice was free of threats, and it was early in the morning when she finished. She¡¯d been scoping out the poisoner, Sebastian, each evening since delivering her master¡¯s retribution. She clacked her claws violently¡ªthis night would be no different. Thinking of the man made bubbles of fury tumble from her mouth, and she let them flow, agreeing with the sentiment her body expressed. In the early hours of the morning, a hooded figure draped in a king-sized black sheet crept through the streets of Tropica, large of form and short of breath. They avoided the major thoroughfares as they moved, sticking to smaller streets and alleys between buildings. When the shadowed figure reached sections that were lit, they dashed¡ªin so far as someone of their impressive form could dash, anyway. Silent as the night, built like a barrel, they cradled their burden with great care. The sound of the small waves crashing against the rock wall of the shore could finally be heard, telling them they¡¯d almost reached their destination. A few streets and a quick dash or two later, they stepped out onto the stone walkway that separated the ocean from the houses of Tropica, only mostly out of breath. A strong breeze hit them immediately, almost blowing away their sheet-robe. They spun in circles, one meaty hand grabbing for the corners that threatened to blow away and leave them exposed. ¡°Triton¡¯s throbbing conch,¡± they muttered, ¡°is the world itself conspiring against me?¡± They stepped up to the wall, gazing out at the ocean. There is no other option¡ªstashing it for later will only invite more disaster . . . With one last look at the small chest in their hand, they closed their eyes and flung it out to sea. A single tear ran down George¡¯s face as he watched his work of the last five years hit the water and sink into the depths. Curse you and your devious mind, Fischer. Curse you. A gust blew, almost taking his sheet with it. And that damned seamstress whose clothes always shrink! Scuttling toward Tropica, Sergeant Snips clacked a fish in passing, her arcing attack severing its head. With two halves of a fish in hand, well, in claw, she approached the village. A splash came from above, and something descended. Danger! Attack! Chapter 25: Tutor Chapter 25: Tutor Sergeant Snips stretched her claws wide, gathering power in her joints. She prepared to unleash a mighty clack of the claws on whomever was foolish enough to sneak up on her. Who dares attack the benevolent Sergeant Snips¡ªbeloved crab of Fischer? A small object sunk down toward her, and she scuttled to the side, her eye watching it with keen hesitance. It hit the bottom with a soft thud. Sergeant Snips waited, but nothing happened. She crawled over to it, tentatively poking it with a calcified stick of dead coral. Again, nothing. Slowly, ever so carefully, she snipped a metal padlock and lifted the lid. Her lone eye sparkled as moonlight reflected off the chest¡¯s contents. I woke to the sight of a rather pleased crab hovering above me, tentative little bubbles of greeting coming forth. ¡°Morning, Snips.¡± I stretched out, unleashing a mighty yawn. ¡°I missed you yesterday, where¡¯d you get off to?¡± She jumped off the bed, urging me to follow her with both claws. ¡°Not so fast, you little scamp!¡± I jumped down after her, rubbing the back of her head. ¡°You thought you could just get away without a good scratch?¡± She leaned to the side, one of her limbs kicking up and down in a rather doglike manner. ¡°Ohhhh, is that the spot, Snips?¡± I smiled mischievously, scratching the carapace harder. Her foot tapped away on the wooden floor, a staccato rhythm to match my laughter. I released her, stretching my hands to the roof and yawning again. ¡°All right, what did you have to show me?¡± She shook off the aftereffects of the scratch, scuttling out into the living room and leading me through the front door. I followed her, muscle memory moving my arm and grabbing my hat from a hook on the way past. I took a moment to stare once I stepped outside. Predawn light lit the scene, small waves atop the river reflecting glimpses of the eastern sky that shone a pale pink. A claw tapped me gently, grabbing my attention. Snips gestured to keep coming, and she led me around the corner to the side patio my barbecue would one day occupy. She scuttled to a corner, gesturing at something hidden in the shadows. ¡°What is it, girl?¡± I bent down, squinting into the gloom. It was a small chest, made of dark lacquered wood with metal casings around the corners. A padlock hung in the lock, clearly snipped by my trusty guard crab. ¡°You found a treasure chest . . . ?¡± She nodded vigorously, gesturing with her entire body to open the lid. I picked it up and took it out the front, wanting to see the contents in the rising sunlight. I knelt down, opening it at Sergeant Snips¡¯s eye level. Before I could make out what it was, I saw the reflected light of the eastern sky bouncing off the contents just as it did the waves. Countless points of light hit me, and it took my sleep-addled brain a long moment to realize what I was looking at. When comprehension hit me, my eyebrows tried to leave my face. ¡°Snips . . . where did you get this?¡± She shrugged her spiny carapace, gesturing to the sea. I looked at her, stunned, then returned my attention to the chest. It was filled with jewelry; silver and gold rings, necklaces, and bracelets. Most of the precious-metal pieces had pearls set in them, and I struggled to grasp just how much wealth was in front of me. I stared at it, mouth hanging open. I quickly counted the pearls; there were eleven of the orbs in total. ¡°Jesus, Snips . . .¡± A claw tapped me again, arresting my attention. Snips peered intently at me, blowing a soft stream of questioning bubbles. ¡°You . . . you want to know if you did good?¡± She nodded, cocking her body to the side. ¡°Sergeant Snips, you beautiful, majestic crab queen¡ªyou did great!¡± I bellowed a laugh, giving her long, stroking rubs atop her treasure-finding head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you brought this home! This was an insane find, Snips!¡± She nodded and blew content bubbles, responding to my praise. What in the banished gods am I going to do with all this, though . . . ? It was entirely too much wealth, and trying to sell it would draw way more attention than I was comfortable with. ¡°I guess we just stash it for now . . . do you have any use for it, Snips?¡± She shook her head, and I got an idea. I picked up a bracelet with a single pearl affixed, then set it atop her head. I grinned as I eyed my handiwork. ¡°A crown befitting a Queen, Snips!¡± She bubbled her excitement, scuttling to the glass-paneled door to admire her reflection. I knelt down behind her. The makeshift crown slid almost off as she moved, and I readjusted it to the front of her head.Vissit for updates writing. I recognized some of the letters from the deed George had brought me. I stared at the words then down at Snips. She gestured at the letters, nodding sagely. ¡°Uh, Snips¡ªI . . . I can¡¯t read.¡± She blinked at me; I blinked back. Small hissing noises started coming from her mouth, and she shook, kneeling down and rolling in the sand. She¡¯s laughing at me! I roared with laughter, and her hissing noises increased. She rolled onto her back, legs kicking out as she blurted a stream of sporadic hisses and bubbles. I fell over beside her, unable to contain my mirth. We rolled in the sand, tears coming to my eyes as I lost myself to the laughter. When my cheeks ached and I could no longer see through swimming vision, I rolled to my front, getting to my feet just as Snips did the same. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry, Snips,¡± I said through tears and fleeting giggles, pointing down at the ruined script. ¡°I rolled in your message¡ªnot that I could read it.¡± She fell backward again, her limbs quivering in delight as her hisses came bubbling back up. ¡°Oh, you think me being illiterate is funny?¡± I leaned over her, tickling under her chin with both hands. Her kicking increased, and I moved with her as she tried to get away from my assault. Eventually, I let her go, and she got upright, settling into the sand and seeming to sigh with contentment. After a moment of regaining her composure, she started drawing again, and this time it was a picture. I leaned down, seeing a rather good approximation of an oyster with a pearl inside. She wrote a word next to it. ¡°Oyster?¡± I asked. She nodded emphatically and started drawing again. She wrote a word then gestured at everything around us with both claws. ¡°Area?¡± She made a so-so gesture again, shaking her head. ¡°Everything?¡± She made the same gesture, which I took to mean ¡°not quite.¡± ¡°Surroundings?¡± She nodded, pointing her claw at me, then the word. ¡°Okay¡ªso we¡¯ve got oysters and surroundings.¡± She drew another word, then an ¡°X¡± in the sand beside it. ¡°Here?¡± She shook her carapace, then pointed at the word, crossed her claws in front of her, and shook her head again. ¡°Ohhh, no? That word means no?¡± She blew victorious bubbles, nodding. She drew the word for ¡°surroundings,¡± then ¡°no,¡± and finally, ¡°oysters.¡± ¡°There are no more oysters in the surrounding area?¡± I asked. She hissed with delight, her whole body going up and down. I laughed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re my language tutor, Snips¡ªwhat would I do without you?¡± She sidled over and rubbed against my leg affectionately. I stroked her head. ¡°Ah, I love you too, my literate little scamp. So you guys harvested all the oysters within a reasonable distance.¡± She nodded again. ¡°No wonder the otter has been coming to our headland, Snips¡ªyou and your crabs harvested the rest of them!¡± She froze, her body going rigid as she blew tiny bubbles of comprehension. Ah, she hadn¡¯t realized it was our fault the otter came here. ¡°Well, no matter.¡± I rubbed her head again. ¡°That just makes it easier for us to befriend it!¡± She blew a single, oversized bubble of anger, and I barked a laugh. ¡°I know, Snips. I know.¡± Chapter 26: Animosity Chapter 26: Animosity Ruby raised one sculpted eyebrow at me. ¡°You¡¯re, uh, sure about these measurements, Fischer?¡± I smiled back. ¡°I am! Don¡¯t worry¡ªit¡¯s not for me. It¡¯s for a project I¡¯m working on.¡± ¡°Some sort of pirate scarecrow?¡± Steven asked with a smile. ¡°Er¡ªyeah, something like that. How long do you think it¡¯ll take you guys?¡± Ruby tilted her head side to side. ¡°For you, we can have it done by this evening.¡± ¡°That¡¯d be perfect!¡± I gave them both a genuine smile. ¡°How much will it be?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Steven said, looking down at something he was stitching. ¡°We can make it out of scraps, and it¡¯ll give me something to do with my hands this afternoon.¡± ¡°Actually . . .¡± I said. ¡°I was hoping I could help you with the crafting of it.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Steven raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re interested in working with leather?¡± ¡°Well, this project has sentimental value to me, and I¡¯d feel better about not paying if I helped you out . . .¡± Steven shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s free regardless, but you¡¯re more than welcome to help me with it.¡± ¡°I appreciate it, Steven, but you¡¯re gonna have to charge me at some point . . .¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Ruby beamed a smile, her eyes crinkling. ¡°We¡¯re still well in your debt from the pastries. If you request something expensive, we¡¯ll gladly charge, but for now, you have an open tab.¡± ¡°All right.¡± I returned a grin with the same ferocity. ¡°All I can do is thank you, then. I¡¯ll find a way to return the kindness.¡± ¡°You know, I heard something wise the other day . . .¡± Steven¡¯s eyes danced above his coy smile. ¡°Friends don¡¯t count favors.¡± ¡°Morning, George!¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com George went rigid in his spot in line, slowly turning to look at me. ¡°Oh. Hello, Fischer.¡± ¡°How are ya, mate?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m well, Fischer¡ªhow are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m swell, mate! Always a good morning in your lovely village!¡± The lord nodded, his face going a little tight as a silence stretched between us. ¡°You know, George, I¡¯ve been meaning to thank you.¡± ¡°Er¡ªyou have?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate. You¡¯ve been nothing but helpful since I got here, even when I come bother you in your home.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± George smiled, but his eyes remained tight. ¡°Any time, Fischer. It¡¯s no worries at all¡ª¡± ¡°No, seriously.¡± I shook my head with a wincing smile. ¡°The information you¡¯ve given me has really helped so far. Sincerely, thank you.¡± My attempt at reassurance only seemed to kick his social anxiety in more, and beads of sweat started forming on his forehead. Thankfully, Lena saved him. ¡°Good morning to you, George! The usual?¡± ¡°Uh¡ªtwo coffees, please, but only fifteen pastries.¡± ¡°Only fifteen?¡± A look of genuine concern crossed Lena¡¯s face. ¡°Are you and Geraldine well?¡± ¡°Just a mild case of indigestion.¡± George dabbed his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll pass.¡± Good lord¡ªI¡¯m affecting his digestion. I really need to give the poor man some space . . . When George collected his coffees and pastries, I simply smiled and nodded at him, not wanting to stress him out any further. He nodded back, shuffling away. I spun back to the counter, displaying my half-tucked shirt in all its glory. ¡°G¡¯day, Lena. How ya doing?¡± ¡°How long will it take to sand and smooth it down?¡± I asked, interrupting before the blacksmith banter got too out of control. Fergus returned his attention to me then to the ring. ¡°It¡¯ll be done in a few hours¡ªyou bring that iridescent stone around then, and we¡¯ll see about slotting it in.¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± I grinned at how things were coming along. ¡°I¡¯ll see ya a bit later, then¡ªI have some other tasks to get to.¡± I turned to leave, then had a thought. ¡°By the way, Fergus¡ªis there a lumber mill in town?¡± He winced. ¡°Not anymore, lad. Not for a long time.¡± I nodded. ¡°Thought so. Oh well. Guess it¡¯s on me then! Catch you guys later!¡± Duncan walked up beside Fergus, watching Fischer go. ¡°That was just one of his odd speech mannerisms, right? You don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to actually come catch us later, do you?¡± Fergus blew air out of his nose in amusement. ¡°I hope not¡ªI fear you wouldn¡¯t escape him, lad.¡± ¡°What do you mean I wouldn¡¯t escape him?¡± Duncan narrowed his eyes at Fergus. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean we wouldn¡¯t escape him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to outrun him, lad.¡± Fergus waggled his eyebrows. ¡°I just need to outrun you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a day of surprises,¡± I said to myself, pouting, ¡°but this might take the cake.¡± I peered down at the log I¡¯d hit with my axe. I expected to split part of the felled tree¡ªmost of it, perhaps, given my increased strength. What I didn¡¯t expect was for my axe to cut it clean in half, send either side of the log flying two meters away in opposite directions, and for my fist¡ªand the axe held within it¡ªto create a crater as big as Sergeant Snips in the sand. I lifted the axe from its sandy tomb with ease, moving my arm up and down in confusion. I wasn¡¯t even a little tired from the exertion. It was as if I¡¯d just swatted at a fly, not swung down an axe with all my might. I¡¯ll need to be careful¡ªI could seriously hurt a villager, or worse, Sergeant Snips, with this amount of power. I sat and thought for a second, testing if there was anything else I needed to consider or contemplate. ¡°Nope!¡± I said with a laugh, getting right back to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m strong as hell, and that¡¯s that!¡± I walked over to one of the split sides, lined it up in the sand, and swung down again with a wicked grin. I was almost finished splitting all the logs into usable palings when a hysterical crustacean came sprinting across the sand. Snips spewed incomprehensible bubbles at me, hissing as she ran to my feet. She gestured toward the headland with both claws, seething with anger. With sneaking suspicion, I thought I knew what had got her so worked up. ¡°Otter?¡± I asked. She nodded sharply, blew affirmative bubbles, and ran away, urging me on. I heard a familiar tapping as we ran to the headland. The rhythmic sounds only occasionally paused when the furred friend-to-be slurped down a mollusk. We rounded the rocks, and I finally caught sight of the otter. Damn. I don¡¯t have any fish¡ªwait! The crab! I have a crab! I made to run back to the house but noticed Sergeant Snips shaking with anger. I looked between her and the cause of her ire, uncomprehending. ¡°What¡¯s got you so worked up, Snips? I thought you were past this level of animosity.¡± She pointed an accusing claw at the otter, pointed her other clacky appendage at a rock on the ground, then to herself. ¡°It . . . threw a rock at you?¡± She hissed in confirmation, her body shuddering with indignation. ¡°Oh!¡± I looked at the otter, who was studiously ignoring us. I bent down, staring into Snips¡¯s eye and running a comforting hand over her carapace. ¡°I know it can be frustrating when others insult you, but it isn¡¯t as smart as you¡ªour otter friend doesn¡¯t know any better.¡± She visibly calmed as I continued stroking her shell, and she seemed to take a deep breath, letting it out in a soft hiss. She nodded at me and blew bubbles that I took as an apology. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Snips.¡± I smiled at her with genuine affection. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry for getting upset. Should we go cook our crab up? Maybe some lunch will make you feel better¡ªwe can even offer some to the otter, then it won¡¯t eat all the oysters!¡± The suggestion lightened her mood further, and she nodded, blowing small bubbles of joy. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go.¡± We walked away together, and as we were just about to leave the otter behind, I caught a brown blur of movement from the corner of my eye. I turned just in time to see the rock sailing, and with a soft tink, it hit Sergeant Snips in the side. She paused, slowly spinning on the spot to look at the otter. They stared at each other for a tense moment, both unmoving. With nary a warning hiss, she charged. Chapter 27: Spiky Sea Snippers Chapter 27: Spiky Sea Snippers It was a beautiful day. The sun was high overhead, radiating warmth that was perfectly contrasted by a stalwart breeze blowing ever northward. Small waves crashed against the rocks of the headland, the wind causing their foamy peaks to spray and glitter in the sun. Salt was heavy in the air, its scent a constant reminder of the small joys one could find in life. The scene was only marginally ruined by the charging, apoplectic crab. Fueled by indignation and an acutely murderous intent, Sergeant Snips shot across the rocks, a torrent of foam spewing from her mouth. The otter¡¯s sidelong glance was filled with terror as it turned to dash for the safety of open water, the sclera of its eyes starkly visible. The creature had just learned, by hard-won experience, the age-old adage about poking the bear. In this case, the ¡®bear¡¯ was a watermelon-sized crab, covered in inch-long spikes, possessing uncommonly agile legs and a thirst for recompense. Sergeant Snips¡¯s claws were raised, power swelling inside her mighty joints. The otter launched itself for the water, the twin blasts from Snips¡¯s clackers striking the oyster beds from where it had just jumped. My guard crab didn¡¯t jump in after it, showing a respectable amount of restraint as she shook with fury. I walked up behind her, setting a calming hand atop her carapace. ¡°Nicely done, Snips.¡± Her lone eye turned to regard me, part of her anger melting away. She cocked her head, and I answered the unspoken question. ¡°I know you missed your attacks on purpose.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°That was good restraint, and I¡¯m proud of you.¡± She dipped the front of her head down, blowing bubbles of regret for her outburst. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡ªreally. What do you say we go have that meal?¡± She blew bubbles of assent, and we set off back for the house. ¡°You know, Snips . . . I think the otter was just trying to play with you.¡± She paused mid-bite of the sand crab leg, her eye seeming to narrow at me. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°In the very least, it wasn¡¯t trying to hurt you. It seems rather intelligent for a wild animal, and it has to know that it couldn¡¯t hurt your magnificent shell with a small stone . . .¡± She preened when I complimented her shell, puffing up subconsciously. I smiled down at her, glad to see she was feeling more herself after some lunch. I cracked the shell of a sand crab claw, and with no small amount of satisfaction, bit down on the sweet meat. Once again, the flavor of the flesh mixing with the salty water it was cooked in took my senses on a relaxing trip that was even more enjoyable with the company of the continually reliable Sergeant Snips. It¡¯s a shame about the salt, though . . . When I checked on the reducing sea water before cooking the crab, I found the moisture content boiled away as expected, but the sludge in the bottom was an off brown color, telling me something had gone wrong. I suspected the water needed to be filtered somehow, or perhaps I¡¯d made the fire too hot, burning the salt in the process. No matter¡ªI¡¯ll just have to try again. The sound of Snips crunching down on her half of the crab was a comfort, and we lapsed into relative silence, both drawn in by the taste of our impromptu lunch. A repetitive noise rang out, making both of us freeze on the spot¡ªme with excitement, Snips with anger. Tap. Tap. Tap. The otter had returned. I shot to my feet, as did Sergeant Snips. ¡°Would you mind staying here, Snips?¡± I asked, voice urgent. She had already taken a step, but stopped, turning to look at me with curiosity. ¡°I want to try feeding it¡ªI worry it might run away the second it sees you.¡± She blew a small stream of bubbles as she seemed to contemplate my request. I bent down to her level. ¡°Please, Snips? I know it¡¯s been messing with you, but reckon it would make a reliable ally if I can win it over with some food . . .¡± She pointed at me, then herself, clacking her claws. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be okay¡ªI don¡¯t need defending from a little otter.¡± She considered, her clackers moving open and closed as her thoughts roiled. With a single nod of her body, she sat back down on the sand, picking up a cooked leg and taking a crunching bite. ¡°Thank you, Snips!¡± I let my genuine excitement show. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± I picked up the remainder of my lunch and ran for the headland. Each time the tapping of the otter¡¯s rock paused, I worried it wouldn¡¯t return, the bearer having jumped into the ocean and swam away. Each time, though, the tapping resumed. I rounded the headland from the southern side, doing my best to be silent.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com The otter was hitting an oyster when I caught sight of it, roughly twenty meters downwind. It saw me from the corner of its eye, and its entire body went rigid as it turned to stare at me, its white sclera clearly visible once more. I held one hand up in a passive gesture, showing my palm. With the other, I held the crab high, letting the wind carry the smell of it toward the otter. Its head lifted, its cute little nose twitching as it breathed in the aroma of the freshly cooked sand crab. I took a slow step forward, and it dashed further away, stopping after three bounds and turning to watch me. I focused on Julian. ¡°I brought that ring we spoke about, mate. Is now a good time to have it appraised?¡± ¡°Yes¡ªof course.¡± He knelt down behind his counter, coming back up with a silk-covered chest. He opened it up, removing something akin to a microscope. ¡°May I see it?¡± I nodded at Fergus, who produced the ring from inside a small wooden box filled with padding. ¡°Would you mind putting it back in the box?¡± Julian asked. ¡°Leave the stone facing up.¡± Fergus cocked his head but did so with gentleness belying his size. Julian took the box and set it atop the tray beneath the eyepiece. He placed one eye to the opening, peering down as he spun the box around at different angles. I heard the door open behind me and glanced back to see George leaving. I returned my attention to Julian. ¡°So . . . what do you think?¡± The jeweler put a cloth glove on one hand, then picked up the ring from the box. He examined the silver sections of the ring beneath the eyeglass, too focused to answer my question. ¡°This is,¡± he said, ¡°possibly the finest ring I have ever seen. The workmanship, the symmetry, the stone itself . . . where did you get it?¡± I grinned, gesturing between Fergus and myself. ¡°We made it, mate.¡± ¡°. . . You really made this?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Fergus said, beaming with pride. ¡°If you were to sell this in the capital, I suspect you¡¯d fetch at least twenty-seven gold.¡± I whistled. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of dosh¡ªhow much could you pay us for it?¡± ¡°Er . . . dosh?¡± ¡°Yeah, dosh! Cash; coin; gold¡ªsame thing.¡± ¡°Oh . . . right. Well, I could pay you two less gold for the trouble of transporting it. There are guard fees, you see. Not to mention the capital taxes, and that¡¯s not even considering the¡ª¡± ¡°No need to justify it, mate,¡± I interrupted. ¡°That sounds like a fair price. Do you have that much gold on you?¡± Julian laughed, the noise high and fleeting. ¡°No. I hold around ten gold with my guard at a time. Any more will need to be delivered from the capital under escort.¡± I grinned. ¡°How often do you get deliveries under escort?¡± ¡°They come with the merchant that visits Tropica once a month on Fielday.¡± I still need to work out what¡¯s going on with these weekdays . . . I returned my attention outward, focusing on Julian. ¡°Would you give us ten gold now, take the ring, and deliver the remaining fifteen with the merchant?¡± Julian¡¯s brows furrowed momentarily, but they raised as he smiled. ¡°Y-yes, of course!¡± Julian rubbed his hands together. ¡°It¡¯s a little unorthodox, but you bear two witnesses, and I am nothing if not my reputation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with you boys?¡± I asked, turning to Fergus and Duncan. ¡°Aye,¡± they both said, before squinting at each other in suspicion. I let out a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s a deal, mate.¡± I held out my hand, and after removing his cloth glove, Julian shook it. The otter retreated further than was strictly necessary. It swam ever southward, wanting to put as much distance between itself and the sharp-clawed antagonist as possible. The scent of the stolen morsel was unbearable, and only the fear of the spiked1 following her held her powerful jaws at bay. She had tried repeatedly to lure the crab into playing, but each time it had responded with increasing aggression¡ªduring the last of which, she had genuinely feared for her life. Spiky sea snippers were no fun, as it turned out. She emerged onto the rocks she called home, running swiftly between a gap in the stones. She curled up in a back corner, tearing into the crab with ravenous delight. Chapter 28: Loving Intent Chapter 28: Loving Intent As we arrived back at the smithy, the three of us erupted. I roared with laughter, and the two blacksmiths held each other by the shoulders, yelling incomprehensibly over the top of one another. When things finally wound down, Fergus hurried to a shelf in the corner with skipping steps. He reached to the very top, selecting a wooden box covered in a dark lacquer. He cradled it in both arms like a baby as he walked back toward us, each step exacting. ¡°Is . . . that what I think it is?¡± Duncan asked, his eyes going wide. ¡°Aye, Duncan. That it is.¡± Fergus slipped a chisel from his belt. His eyes narrowed and mouth scrunched in concentration as he cracked the dark box open. I leaned in, curious what had gotten the apprentice blacksmith so excited. Fergus reached in and withdrew a dark bottle. It was short, reminding me almost of a maple syrup jug but with a more spherical body. Its mouth was sealed with a cork. Fergus placed the bottle on the bench with great care as Duncan ran to fetch something else. Lacking his master¡¯s delicacy, he returned with three shot glasses and slammed them down. Fergus reached into a drawer, removing a corkscrew. One muscular hand wrapped around the bottle while the other screwed the instrument down into the cork stopper. He pulled, the cork dislodged with a sharp pop, and small wisps of vapor floated from the bottle. The smith slammed his palm atop it, sealing the gas in. I raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two excited smiths. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This, my dear Fischer,¡± Fergus said, nodding at the bottle, ¡°is passiona wine.¡± ¡°Passiona wine?¡± I asked. ¡°If the husks are so expensive, that bottle has to be worth an extraordinary sum . . . right?¡± ¡°Right!¡± Duncan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting years for this blockhead to crack it open.¡± ¡°It was a gift from my grandfather,¡± Fergus said. ¡°He had a case of them from when he was younger¡ªthe husk never used to be so expensive, you see? It¡¯s an heirloom, and I¡¯ve never had a good enough reason to crack it open . . .¡± ¡°Until today?¡± I asked with a smile. ¡°Until today,¡± Fergus agreed. He removed his hand from the top, swiftly half-filling each of the small glasses. He placed one hand back atop the bottle and picked up a glass with the other, holding it high. Duncan and I followed suit. ¡°To Fischer!¡± Fergus bellowed. ¡°To Fischer!¡± Duncan echoed. ¡°To my reliable smiths!¡± I cheered back. We clinked our glasses above the bench, and I took a sip, breathing in through my nose as I did. The smell made my eyes water, but it wasn¡¯t unpleasant. The drink held a hint of ethanol, but a sweet overtone nearly drowned it out entirely. Before I tasted anything, the liquid warmed my lips and mouth. It lit me from within like a forge. The taste hit me next, and I let the rapturous expression show. In my life on Earth, I¡¯d tasted countless wines, spirits, and beers. I¡¯d experienced everything from the common ales you¡¯d find in pubs to the most expensive bottles of wine you needed to ¡°know someone¡± to acquire. The passiona wine was more akin to a spirit or fortified wine, and it was unlike anything else I had ever tasted. It was complex¡ªsweet and tart to the perfect degree. It held the full-bodied flavor of a naturally fermented cask, and I could tell its sweetness hadn¡¯t been artificially boosted with processed sugar. Even if I hadn¡¯t been told of its origin, I would have known it was based on the fruit of the passiona plant¡ªthe taste of passiona pastries suffused the wine, the unique essence instantly recognizable. I swallowed, and the heat spread down through my chest. I moved my tongue, circulating air around my mouth¡ªthe resulting aftertaste was even more enjoyable than the wine itself. The flavor morphed, the sweet tones flooding forward and smothering the pleasing yet notable hints of tartness. Duncan took another sip with an exultant expression. Fergus exhaled with a deep sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I made an entire gold piece in one job¡ªI never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡± ¡°One gold piece?¡± I asked, smirking. ¡°I was going to give you two for your contribution.¡± Wine sprayed from Duncan¡¯s lips like a whale breaching the surface, and he clamped a hand over his treasonous lips, keeping the liquid within. Fergus¡¯s eyes were wide as he stared at me¡ªhe didn¡¯t even react to his apprentice misting him with a family heirloom. ¡°That¡¯s too much, Fischer . . .¡± ¡°Nope!¡± I said, taking another sip. I swished it around my mouth before I swallowed, relishing in the comfortable burn. ¡°You covered the silver, provided a security service, and most important of all, made the best damned ring Julian has ever seen!¡± ¡°I suspect that was more to do with your setting of the stone, Fischer . . .¡± Fergus said, lost in memory. ¡°It seemed to take on a different quality when you¡ª¡± Duncan slapped him on the back of the head, not hard enough to risk knocking over any of the wine, but with enough force to halt his words. ¡°Just thank the man, you ox-sized fool.¡± Fergus narrowed his eyes at his subordinate, but then sighed, turning back to me. ¡°My loose-lipped apprentice has the right of it . . . for once. Thank you, Fischer.¡± ¡°No worries, mate!¡± I smiled at the two men, took out the two gold coins, and handed them to Fergus. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have done it without you.¡± We laughed and joked as we finished off the wine, and I noticed the two smiths slowly losing hold of their sobriety. These two are off their bloody tits . . . I stood, feeling my head swim a little. It somewhat steadied as I stood in place, and I exalted in the pleasant buzz. ¡°To Fischer!¡± Duncan slurred, sipping the last drops from his glass. ¡°Aye, to Fischer!¡± Fergus did the same then held the bottle out to me. I accepted it, and giving it a light swish, felt liquid left in the bottom. ¡°For me?¡± I asked. ¡°Aye!¡± Fergus roared, holding his empty glass high. I laughed, pouring the rest of the wine into my mouth. I held it there for a long moment, the heat enveloping me. With a swallow, I sighed, my breath warming everywhere the passiona wine had touched. I looked over at the two men who were stumbling toward the back of the smithy. what?¡± Ruby got to her feet, eyes pinning me down. ¡°Is there any left?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Sorry, Ruby. They drank it all. Well, we drank it all, but I¡¯m only a little buzzed¡ªI reckon those two are visiting noddy land as we speak.¡± ¡°Where in Hades¡¯s lightless hell did Fergus get a bottle of passiona wine?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask him in the morning! Or later tonight? I don¡¯t really know¡ªthey¡¯re both the size of a brick shithouse, so they could be sober already.¡± I turned back to Steven. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too bothered by missing out.¡± Steven shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not much of a drinker.¡± He set his spectacles down, picking up the strips of prepared leather. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± I grinned. ¡°Ready when you are!¡± The next half hour was a rather humbling experience. Steven was a demon with the sewing machine, which I wasn¡¯t too surprised to learn they possessed. It was foot-pedal operated, and his right leg pumped away with ease as he shifted the leather strips around. When he was almost finished, he pointed to a flap of leather, the last unsewn section of the almost complete garment. ¡°See this bit?¡± I nodded. ¡°Slide this along with the needle as you go. I¡¯ll let you tuck it¡ªjust do it as I have with the other strips.¡± Halfway through, the needle caught, and it slipped off the leather. ¡°No problem,¡± Steven said, gesturing for me to step aside. He picked it up, and with a few swift movements, removed the incorrect stitching with a hooked needle. ¡°You were hitting the pedal a bit too hard.¡± He set it back down. ¡°Try again. This time, use your palm to move the garment¡ªnot your fingers.¡± I did so, taking my time to ease it around with my palm as one leg hit the pedal with softer strikes. The strip closed up, and when my stitching started overlapping his, he put his hand on my shoulder, telling me to stop. He leaned down with a small pair of scissors, cutting the thread that connected it to the machine. A familiar pulse rushed out. Goddamn System, can¡¯t even let me have a wholesome moment with my new frien¡ª My eyes were drawn in as before, and I inspected the item without realizing I was doing so. Leather Patch of the Fisher Rare A hat created for a beloved subordinate with loving intent. This hat has a multitude of attributes for those with the requisite knowledge. What. The. Fu¡ª ¡°You okay, Fischer?¡± I turned to Steven, unable to school the wonder from my voice. ¡°Yeah, mate. I¡¯m fantastic.¡± He furrowed his eyebrows, a smile on his face. ¡°Just making sure¡ªyour eyes went vacant there for a bit. I thought the wine might be getting the better of you . . .¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m mostly sober now, but thanks for caring!¡± I picked the hat up, feeling the unyielding material with both hands. ¡°Thanks so much, mate.¡± I stood up, stretching. ¡°I owe you one for this.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± He led me out to the floor of their shop. ¡°Friends help friends, don¡¯t we?¡± I grinned at him. ¡°That we do, mate¡ªthat we do.¡± As I approached my home, I pulled out the ring Fergus and I had created, inspecting it again. Iridescent Ring of Silver Rare A ring of precious metal, adorned by one of the most sought-after stones found in the Kallis Realm. More than just a symbol of wealth, this ring has a multitude of purposes for those with the requisite knowledge. I¡¯m glad Fergus didn¡¯t realize I switched them out¡ªthat little nugget of wisdom would¡¯ve been hard to explain. I was quite proud of the sleight of hand used to keep Fergus unaware of the swap. I brought another ring with me from the stash Snips found and had placed it in Fergus¡¯s ring box before closing and passing it to the smith for transport. My eyes wandered over the inset pearl, the afternoon sun lending itself to the stone¡¯s beauty. I can¡¯t wait to learn about these ¡®purposes,¡¯ whatever they may be . . . The sight of my favorite crustacean dragged me from my thoughts. Sergeant Snips was sitting by the campfire, watching the new batch of reducing seawater. I couldn¡¯t help but break into a run. ¡°Snips! I have a surprise for you!¡± She ran to meet me, blowing bubbles of curiosity as her spiked legs devoured the distance between us. I held out my creation; her claws clacked in anticipation. Chapter 29: Pirate Crab Chapter 29: Pirate Crab Iadjusted the black leather strap around Sergeant Snips¡¯ carapace, her body wiggling in excitement. ¡°It¡¯s hard to get it in place with you moving about, Snips!¡± She shifted even more to spite me, blowing bubbles of amusement. I laughed at her antics, holding her still as best I could with one hand, the other sliding beneath her and pulling the strap through a loop. Putting both hands underneath, I pulled tight, locking it into place with the metal buckle. I took a step back, admiring the fit. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt?¡± I asked, looking at her now-hidden eye. She shook her head, but both claws moved up and down in joy, making it a confusing gesture. ¡°Not to toot my own horn, Snips, but you look amazing.¡± She nodded, blowing bubbles of agreement as she felt her new leather ¡®hat¡¯ with one claw. ¡°It makes you look almost dangerous¡ªyou have a real air of mystique, Snips.¡± She squinted her lone eye, leaning into the claim and clacking her claws in an approximation of aggression. The hat I¡¯d made for her was a black eye patch, covering the scarred shell of her lost eye. The strips of leather acting as a strap were thick and wide, spreading out the pressure of its snug fit across her powerful carapace. I had feared it might cause her pain, but my worry was misplaced; it was perfect. ¡°It should hold up in the water, too, but don¡¯t stress¡ªeven if it wears out, I¡¯ll gladly make as many as you need.¡± She preened, walking beside me and rubbing herself against my leg. I bent down to pat the top of her shell. ¡°I love you too, Snips¡ªand you¡¯re very welcome.¡± We walked over to the fire, and I inspected the pot of saltwater atop it. I¡¯d intentionally kept the heat of the fire as low as possible, and the liquid had reduced only minimally over the day. ¡°Back in a moment, Snips.¡± I walked inside, grabbing another large empty pot, a medium-sized pot filled with clean water, and a few tea towels. I returned to the fire, placed the tea towels atop the empty pot in layers. ¡°Would you mind holding these towels in place while I pour?¡± I asked the Sergeant. She nodded, scuttling over to hold them down with her clawed appendages stretched wide. I picked up the pot from the fire, the handles cool enough to grab since the fire was so low. I walked over to the pot Snips held, and with a steady pour, strained the saltwater through the tea towels. The water took time to filter through the combined mesh of layered cloth, and I waited for it to drain completely before dumping more water in. When there was no more liquid left to strain, I inspected the top cloth in the late afternoon sun. A noticeable pile of sand sat inside it, interspersed with dark-brown flecks of other sediment. ¡°No wonder the last batch went bad, Snips.¡± I pointed down at the waste. She got up on her tippy toes, peering down at the strained materials. With a tentative claw, she grabbed a particularly large brown fleck and put it in her mouth. I furrowed my brows in abject discomfort. She tasted it for a bare moment before spewing bubbles of disgust. I laughed so hard that tears came to my eyes. I fell over, trying and failing to get comforting words out through the fleeting giggles. ¡°Snips¡ªI could have told you that was a bad idea. Are you okay?¡± She scuttled over to the pot of clean water, sucking some out and ejecting it onto the sand. I held the emptied pot out to her. ¡°Would you mind rinsing this off in the river to remove any remaining sediment? I¡¯m gonna wash off these towels.¡± She nodded sharply, happy to contribute. I took the tea towels and, placing the sediment-filled side down, washed them in the clean pot of water. Snips returned with the washed pot just as I was finishing with the cloths, and I wrung any remaining water from them. ¡°We¡¯ll filter it one more time then chuck it back on the fire, Snips!¡± She blew bubbles of assent, setting the river-washed pot down next to the one filled with filtered seawater. I had her hold down the tea towels again and repeated the filtering process. The sediment was almost non-existent this time, telling me the seawater was mostly free of impurities. I put the pot of salt-filled water back on the small flames of the fire. Uncommon Found in the fresh and brackish waters of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. A mature version of the juvenile cichlids! The fish was short and fat, just longer and wider than Snips. I grabbed it by the mouth, knowing the fish had no teeth. I reached behind me, slipping the nail from my pocket and dispatching both fish with a swift jab. ¡°Sergeant Snips¡ªyou beautiful pirate crab!¡± I looked between her and the two fish. ¡°We got bait and dinner!¡± She bubbled with delight. Gary slipped inside the Cult of the Leviathan Tropica branch, casting his vision around. His boss wasn¡¯t in the main room, and he let out a sigh. Thank Hermes¡¯s divine guidance. Sebastian had always been a disagreeable boss, but he¡¯d become even more verbally abusive since the murder of Pistachio and his precious crickets. There were more crickets on the way, which Gary was holding out for. Hopefully he¡¯s a bit more agreeable once he has some little snippers to care for . . . Gary walked through the room with padded steps, ensuring he made no noise to alert Sebastian of his presence, just in case the man was in another of the rooms. He winced as he walked past Sebastian¡¯s bedroom and glanced inside. Gary sighed again; he wasn¡¯t in there, either. Just as he was about to leave the doorway behind, a red flash caught his attention. He dipped his head inside¡ªthe unnatural light was coming from a bag on Sebastian¡¯s desk. Oh¡ªjust the artifact. He was about to leave, but something drew him in. Following the pull, he stepped up to Sebastian¡¯s desk, reaching into the bag and withdrawing the flashing artifact. ¡°What the . . .¡± The light above the approximation of a human flashed red as it always had, but something else had changed. The small bulb set below the drawing of animals also flashed at the same rhythm as the other. He stared, uncomprehending. . . . there¡¯s an ascending creature . . . ? Gary reflexively went to call for Sebastian but stopped himself. He thought back on his boss¡¯s actions since discovering the flashing light. He¡¯d ruined practically everything on learning of an ascendant human¡ªwhat would he do upon learning there was also an ascendant creature? Nothing good, Gary decided. He closed the bag, taking the artifact with him as he left Sebastian¡¯s room. ¡°How are you feeling, dear?¡± Barry¡¯s wife asked from the door to their bedroom. ¡°Bad,¡± he croaked from beneath the covers. ¡°Can I get you anything?¡± ¡°No¡ªthank you.¡± She paused in the doorway, but after a few breaths, he heard her retreating footsteps. How long can I go on like this? After a couple days of no sleep and constant worry, Barry was no longer coping. He took a steadying breath, exhaling it slowly in an attempt to calm his fraying nerves. It worked¡ªfor a time. He drifted off to sleep, but after what felt like a few seconds, he was violently awoken. His tormentor had returned, once more making itself known and expelling him from his only reprieve¡ªsleep. Barry¡¯s unseeing eyes stared into space, lingering on the words before him. Please select a name. A line blinked after the sentence, drawing his attention with each flicker. ¡°Please . . .¡± he said, fighting off tears. ¡°Just leave me alone . . .¡± Chapter 30: Hubris Chapter 30: Hubris Icrouched, creeping across the sands as I approached my quarry. The morning was the coldest yet, an icy breeze kicking up and petering out in the predawn light, but I barely felt the chill, focused as I was on the hunt. One final step, and I was looming over my target. I reached down, a thrill running through me. With careful silence, I started tickling my guard crab. Sergeant Snips was asleep by the fire, small flames licking up against the bottom of the pot within it. Her legs kicked out spasmodically, extending from her curled-up form as her body reacted to the soft touch of my hands. Her body went rigid, and her eyestalk sprouted upward. It turned, locking onto me. I gave her only a small reprieve before I resumed my tickling tenfold. ¡°Good morning, Snips!¡± She hissed laughter, blowing bubbles and trying to escape my probing fingers. I let her go, and she ran side to side on the spot, reminding me of nothing so much as a puppy woken from a dream. Kneeling down, I stroked her carapace, and she leaned into it, blowing bubbles of excitement. ¡°Sorry, Snips¡ªI couldn¡¯t help myself. Did you sleep well?¡± She nodded, and puffing up with pride, pointed at the flickering fire. ¡°I saw! Did you tend to it all night?¡± She nodded again, her eye gleaming. ¡°Thanks, Snips. Don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡± I peered into the pot, seeing the salt water at a calm boil. ¡°What do you reckon, Snips?¡± I turned to her. ¡°Brekky first, or check the crab pot, then brekky?¡± She hissed incomprehensibly, but both claws pointed to the shore. ¡°Aye, Snips! Lead the way, my trusty sergeant!¡± Barry woke to the growing light of a predawn sky, the open window letting a breeze blow through that irritated his dry eyes. He¡¯d had another fitful night of little sleep, and as if to punctuate this thought, his tormentor spoke. Please select a name. He groaned in frustration, pulling the sheets over his head. ¡°Dear?¡± his wife asked, her voice laced with worry. She pulled the covers down, staring into his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s not like you to let sickness keep you from the fields¡ªwhat is it?¡± He¡¯d had enough; he couldn¡¯t ignore the truth any longer. ¡°It¡¯s the System, Helen.¡± His voice was flat, unfeeling. ¡°. . . the System?¡± Barry felt her body jolt upright.e for me¡ªit¡¯s asking me to select a name . . .¡± ¡°Oh, Barry . . .¡± She moved, coming to lie between the crook of his arm and chest, resting her head above his heart. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± They lay in silence, both contemplating the future. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± His voice cracked. She sat up, determination settling on her face as she set her jaw. ¡°Nothing. We¡¯re going to do nothing, Barry. We tell no one, and we live our life as we always have¡ªtending the fields and our family.¡± Barry let out a tired noise, a mirthless chuckle. ¡°How can you be so calm, Helen? After everything that happened with your brother¡ª¡± ¡°Because I have to be.¡± She put a hand on his chest, smiling down at him. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine, my love¡ªwe¡¯re going to be fine. Who knows? This could even be a good thing. Maybe you¡¯ll get some sort of farming powers!¡± He laughed, this time a genuine one. It swept his worries away, if only momentarily. He raised a hand, caressing his wife¡¯s cheek. ¡°What would I do without you guiding me, my love?¡± She leaned into the touch, a smile returning her affection for him. ¡°You¡¯d lay in this bed until you wasted away.¡± She got up, throwing the covers off. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get up and have some breakfast. I¡¯m sure Paul would love to see your face, too.¡± Barry let out a long sigh, willing the exhaustion to leave him. He got to his feet, stretching his stiff body. As if to break his resolve, the tormentor returned, a blinking line demanding action. Please select a name. He clenched his jaw. Barry, he thought. My name is Barry. Name ¡°Barry¡± has been accepted. Welcome to the Kallis Realm. ¡°Are you ready, Snips?¡± She nodded fervently, punctuating it with a single hiss. I nodded back with a grin and started pulling in the line. It was so heavy I thought it was lodged in the sand at first, but when the weight didn¡¯t decrease, excitement welled within me. Hand over hand, I pulled the line in toward the shore. I finally caught sight of the crab pot, a single mass of brown becoming visible beneath the ocean surface. ¡°No way, Snips!¡± When part of the trap and the crabs within breached the surface, the line started stretching, and I had to run down and grab the handle. I pulled it onto the shore with a sliding movement, and Snips let out an excited hissed that matched my own thoughts perfectly. The bottom of the trap was filled with sand crabs. Unbidden, my mind wandered back to my time on Earth, and the air seemed to thicken around me. A life spent throwing relationships by the wayside¡ªa life wasted on the pursuit of a goal, that when achieved, brought with it only misery. How did I not see the emptiness of it all beforehand . . . ? My father¡¯s words from before his passing echoed in my ears. ¡°This is my legacy and your birthright, son. This is what you were made for¡ªit¡¯s your obligation, your responsibility when I¡¯m gone.¡± There had been hints that it wasn¡¯t for me; my subconscious whispered to me, attempting to warn me that it wouldn¡¯t bring me joy. I had ignored them all. The weight of expectation was too much, and rather than railing against the sunk-cost fallacy, I¡¯d leaned into it, using how many years I¡¯d spent on training and preparing as a way to heap even more weight onto my own shoulders. Every personal relationship was burned, cast aside for one misguided obligation or another. All the while, my father would tell me it¡¯s just ¡°what people like us did.¡± No wonder my mother disappeared when I was so young . . . At this thought, an all-encompassing resentment and anger flooded through the gates, all too happy to leap at my moment of weakness. I sat with it, and rather than process the emotions, pushed them aside. My therapist¡¯s words rose up in response, reminding me just how futile an action that was. ¡°You can¡¯t push the feelings down¡ªit¡¯s normal to have conflicting emotions when parents pass, and you¡¯ll have to work through them before you can move on and live a happy life.¡± I¡¯m not ready . . . Foolish as I knew it to be, the resentment was too much for me, and I redirected my frustrations toward the businesses I inherited¡ªevery manipulation, underhanded tactic, and unethical dealing; all of my energy, all of that time . . . My father¡¯s¡ªno, my corporations. I¡¯d suspected it would be confronting, but when I took over the role of CEO, the veil had been lifted, and it was worse than I could have ever imagined. The companies squeezed every cent they could from customers and employees both. Each person¡¯s quality of life was wrung out like an old towel, sold the lie that our new product would solve all their problems¡ªif they purchased just one more thing. Safety suggestions were ignored if deemed too costly, profit set above all else¡ªincluding human life and prosperity. The dispensation of poison and carnage, doled out to the masses, all with me at the head. There was a layer of separation, sure, but I knew that to be bitter consolation. Seeing the abject evil with which they were run, I¡¯d attempted to do it my own way. I enacted a plan, one that was far more ethical but less profitable, and was met with backlash from investors and market speculators both. The stock prices plummeted, and my name was dragged through the mud by every business publication and social media tech-bro on Earth. The public backlash didn¡¯t affect me¡ªmy morality was a shield against such criticism. But, when the board informed me if I didn¡¯t stop they¡¯d force me out, I took the decision into my own hands. I walked away, but not before wasting my entire life in the pursuit. This decision didn¡¯t ease the derision¡ªI was branded a failure, a stain on my father¡¯s legacy. I scoffed at my own hubris. If I could take it all back¡ªdo it over again . . . Something tapped my hand¡ªa firm, warm touch. I opened my eyes, the world taking on a ghostly blue tinge after having them closed for so long in the sun. Snips was petting my hand as she blew comforting bubbles. I smiled down at her, her company grounding me, pulling me from within. I breathed deep, inhaling the sea spray on the air and focusing on the cool air passing my nostrils as it traveled down my throat, filling my lungs. I¡¯m being unfair on myself . . . My therapist¡¯s words echoed in my head again. ¡°While you¡¯re understandably upset, there¡¯s no reason to keep beating yourself up.¡± ¡°That feels like an empty platitude,¡± I had responded. ¡°What was the point of isolating myself? What was the purpose of all those years wasted, dedicated on studying to be something I despised?¡± ¡°Perspective. Who can truly say whether something was good or bad for us? If you had railed against your father¡¯s plans, would you now be sitting before me, lamenting that you never tried?¡± She had shook her head, a kind smile on her face. ¡°You did what you did, and now you know what you know¡ªliving in the past and replaying long-gone decisions will only bring you misery. All that¡¯s left is to decide where you go from here, Fischer.¡± After a long pause, I¡¯d said something that made me feel stupid at the time, but in retrospect, proved prophetic. ¡°You know¡ªI¡¯ve always wanted to try fishing . . .¡± My eyes cleared, and the memory faded. A smile came to my face as I realized she¡¯d called me ¡°Fischer¡± in the replayed conversion¡ªmy brain had subconsciously placed it there. She was right¡ªthere¡¯s no point dwelling on my mistakes. Besides, it was another life on another world¡ªnone of it matters now . . . I focused on Sergeant Snips again. She stared at me, her claw still held to my hand, concern in her eye. ¡°Thank you, Snips.¡± I felt a tear welling up, and I blinked it away, casting my eyes out to sea. I pulled her into me, and she snuggled up against my leg, deftly avoiding my soft skin with her hardened spike. I banished the unhappy thoughts, choosing to focus on gratitude instead. I lay on my own private beach, lazing in the sun with a friend by my side¡ªnary a care in the world. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you came into my life, you beautiful pirate crab.¡± Snips bubbled her agreement, burying further into my side. Something bumped the line, almost imperceptibly. My eyes shot up to the tip of the rod, where the movement was more visible. Nibble. Nibble. Tug. And then, it bit. Chapter 31: Extraordinary Chapter 31: Extraordinary With the midday sun beaming down, I held on for dear life. The fish on the other end of my rod swam away in a straight line, the momentum of its body gliding away above the ocean floor. Its weight felt immense.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Just how big is this thing . . . ? The line went taut even as I stepped closer to the water, the fish coming to a slow stop as my rod held firm. At that moment, it seemed to realize something was wrong. Either the hook setting or the restriction of its movement changed the fish¡¯s behavior and the fight began. It took off, its powerful tail pushing it through the water. Instead of swift shakes of the head, it seemed to move in broad sweeps, as if there were a person on the other end of the line, taking one long step at a time to get away. What the hell is it . . . ? ¡°We got a big one, Snips!¡± She cheered me on from the waterline, standing in the whitewash of small waves that crashed on the shore. Her frantic bubbling and erratic claw movements brought a smile to my face, and I let out a yell, reveling in the moment. Every time the fish tried to swim out to sea, I moved with it, letting it spend its energy. It swam to the side, trying its luck swimming toward the north instead. Again, each time it would pull on the line, I¡¯d stepped with it, keeping the line taut but not allowing enough tension for it to snap. I slowly took steps back from the water as we moved, allowing for enough room should it take a desperate run out to sea. This contingency proved prophetic as the fish turned and bolted, the rod sweeping side to side in response to broad shakes of its head. I stepped forward with it. Feeling the tension growing too much, I stepped faster, walking up to my knees in the waves. The water was cool on my legs, and the sensation sent a thrill up my spine, my whole body tingling with adrenaline and anticipation. It kept going out to sea, and I moved further into the waves. I came up to my waist, holding the rod high and letting the bamboo fibers help with the stress placed on the monofilament line. Its run couldn¡¯t last forever, and I felt its body start to lag, the shakes of its head becoming sluggish and sporadic. With great care, I walked back out of the waves, one shuffling step at a time. Tired as the fish was, it let me guide it, unable to fight off the inexorable pull toward the shore. It changed tact, swimming down to the ocean floor. I was confused for a moment, unsure what it was doing¡ªbut then I felt it stick in place. It had pressed its body into the sand, and when I pulled the line, it moved only millimeters at best. Is it some sort of stingray? That could explain the weird movements . . . Unperturbed, I resumed the battle. It hadn¡¯t gone completely limp; its body felt rigid, as if it had used muscles to suck itself down against the sands. That meant one rather important thing: the fish would continue to tire, whereas I had what felt like an endless fountain of energy. Millimeters and centimeters at a time, I pulled it toward the shore, ever onward. Snips tapped my leg, and blowing questioning bubbles, offered to go in and help. I shook my head, smiling down at her. ¡°Not yet, Snips. We want to make the fight as fair as possible.¡± She nodded, accepting the words without issue, and resumed her cheerleading from the whitewash. From waist to knee, from knee to ankle, I withdrew from the waves, bringing my quarry with me ever closer to the shore. A dorsal fin poked above the water ten meters from the shore, light brown and gigantic. ¡°Holy shit, Snips! You see that?¡± She hissed her agreement, jumping up and down on the spot. Is it a shark? Whatever the thing was, it was tired. There was barely any fight left in it, and with each passing swing of its great tail, it grew more and more lethargic. It was only a few meters from the beach now, its dorsal fin raised high, a long tail moving ineffectually to escape the shore. ¡°All right, Snips, go¡ª¡± I didn¡¯t have time to finish my sentence. Sergeant Snips flew from where she stood, taking off like a rocket. She landed on the other side of the catch, disappearing beneath the swell. I knew Snips was underneath it when the fish turned, was lifted above the waterline, and emerged from the ocean with eight crab legs visible underneath it. The otter was searching for clams off the shore from its den. The meal she¡¯d managed to steal from the angry snipper and its two-legged pet had been a welcome treat, but she found that it only filled her body with the energy and desire to find more food. She dug up a clam, and swimming to the top of the water, cracked it open with her favorite rock. She ate the flesh within. It was tasty, sure, but it just didn¡¯t hit the same spot as the stolen crab had. Since when had clams, her favorite food after oysters, become undesirable? She was just contemplating this anomaly when an aromatic scent hit her nostrils. It held the promise of a tasty meal, with an added flavor to it that was unrecognizable. With a start, she realized the unknown smell was akin to the scents that sometimes wafted from the two-legged animals¡¯ village. With the hunt for clams forgotten, the otter swam in search of the source, her curiosity and hunger too piqued to ignore. Sergeant Snips and I lounged in the midday sun, the scent from the cooking fillets making my hunger grow by the second. I hadn¡¯t managed to lure my target in yet, so I¡¯d taken a bit of flesh from the ray¡¯s cooking head and thrown it into the river beside the frame. Hopefully that¡¯s enough to bring in my adorable quarry . . . I cast the worry aside. If the otter came, neat. If it didn¡¯t, I¡¯d get to have a delicious lunch with my favorite crustacean. I renewed my petting of Sergeant Snips¡¯s shell, and she bubbled contentedly. As the meat grilled atop the flames, the smell grew more and more irresistible. The rising steam and smoke danced languidly in the midday sun, only somewhat distracting me from the coming meal. Movement down at the water caught my attention, and I squinted against the light, trying to make out what it was. A small brown head poked up above the water, staring intently at Snips and me. Butterflies churned within my stomach, and I held my mouth closed as a wide grin spread across my face. It worked! Sergeant Snips had noticed the otter too, and she¡¯d stiffened before forcing herself to relax again. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Snips,¡± I whispered, stroking her carapace reassuringly. The otter emerged from the water, its nose sniffing the air as it skulked up the bank toward the grilling food. I slowly stood, not wanting to spook it. The creature paused, frozen on the spot. I picked up the head of the ray with a pair of tongs. It had already cooked through, flat as it was, and I walked with small steps down toward the otter. It backed off, retreating into the water. I continued moving forward, and the otter swam out into the river, its head held above the surface¡ªwatching me and the food intently. I knelt down on the shoreline, and with glacial movement, placed the piping-hot head into the water. It¡¯d be no good to burn the poor thing with food fresh off the fire¡ªthe water should cool the fish down enough, hopefully. I walked backward up the bank, watching the fish¡¯s head moving in the small waves hitting the sand. The otter crept ever forward in my retreat, and just as I¡¯d gotten halfway back to the fire, it burst forward, grabbed the head, and swam away just as quick¡ªwell, it tried to, but the ray¡¯s head was both an awkward shape and as long as the otter was, making it a rather awkward and endearing withdrawal. ¡°Cute little bugger . . .¡± I said aloud, watching it disappear from sight. It took the otter much longer on the return trip than the way there, overburdened as she was. The entire time, she could feel her mouth salivating, the taste of the stolen food driving a desire to stop and eat it on the spot. Despite her need, she knew it to be unsafe; the aroma of the fish would doubtless bring in scavengers, and it would be much safer to consume within her den. She pushed the head up onto the rocks before her home, shuffling up beside it to drag the meal back and into the safety of her cavern. Her claws skittered across the rocks, but driven by the taste she¡¯d already experienced, her small muscles convulsed, all working together to achieve her goal. With a final heave, the head made it up and over the rocky shore, and she scrambled backward with the momentum, dragging the stolen meal all the way back into the den. As soon as she reached the back wall, the feast began and she lost herself to the experience. Each subsequent mouthful was better than all those before it, and the indescribable and incomparable flavors seemed to build upon themselves. The meal filled her with energy, renewing the effort spent in getting the fish home. Just as she ate the last bite, with her stomach filled almost to bursting, something extraordinary occurred. Chapter 32: Fischer鈥檚 Cooking Chapter 32: Fischer¡¯s Cooking Trent, the first in line to the throne of Gormona, wiped his sweaty palms on his velvet pants. It didn¡¯t help. He sat in a waiting room, his slow brain churning at an entirely unusual speed. There weren¡¯t many things in this world that could unsettle his rock-like intellect, but ever since discovering the powered-on artifact in his favored room of hiding, it had been steadily becoming a common occurrence. Poseidon¡¯s oiled back hair, how long is he going to make me wait? Trent had mostly kept his calm at all the messages flowing from the relic hidden in his warren of constructs, but upon checking it the previous day, there had been two more additions that shattered his composure. At first, he¡¯d tried to pass off the messages as those of the ancients, the screen somehow relaying advances that occurred some time in the distant past. With each new advancement and with the sporadic times between them, however, another possibility had become unignorable. This ¡°Fischer¡± had somehow taken steps on the path of the ancients and was steadily gaining more and more powers. Trent thought back to the printed lines, his reluctant brain once more rolling into thought. New milestone! Fischer has learned jewel crafting! New milestone! Fischer has learned tailoring! With those new additions, Trent had left his room of hiding, uncaring if the dreaded decorum tutors found him. It was time for Trent to take action. The only question is: What can I get out of it? A man opened the door and walked into the waiting room, clearing his throat. ¡°The king will see you now, prince.¡± Trent stood and nodded at the dignitary, wiping his hands once more. It still didn¡¯t help. Augustus Reginald Gormona, the reigning king of Gormona and lord of these lands, let out a sigh. Light shone in through the stained-glass windows high above, painting the white walls and pillars of his domain in a sea of colored fragmentation. He slouched on his throne, easing the tension from his lower back while there was no one present. ¡°Just what does this idiot son of mine want?¡± he asked himself aloud, genuinely worried about the no-doubt moronic request his progeny had. The outer door of the antechamber groaned in protest at being opened, and Augustus sat up straight, projecting regal majesty across the still-empty throne room. The inner door opened, and in stepped a dignitary, followed closely by his biggest source of disappointment. ¡°What can I do for you, son?¡± Trent stepped up, glancing back at the dignitary and waiting for him to leave the room. Augustus noticed his son wiping his hands on his overly flagrant pants, and he raised an eyebrow. What has him so nervous? I swear, if he asks for more serving girls . . . With the dignitary closing the door behind him, leaving only the two royals in the room, Trent turned and cleared his throat. ¡°Father. I have a request for you.¡± ¡°Yes, Trent¡ªI gathered that when you asked to meet with me.¡± The king rolled his eyes and made a hand gesture for him to get on with it. ¡°Speak your mind.¡± Trent took a deep breath, letting it out as he forced his eyes up to meet his father¡¯s. ¡°I wish¡ªer¡ªrequest that I be allowed to leave the capital, Dad . . . uh, sire.¡± Augustus sighed. Eros¡¯s quivering sack¡ªIt¡¯s definitely about more serving girls, isn¡¯t it? The boy has an insatiable taste for those lowborn peasants. ¡°And why do you wish to leave the capital, Trent? I thought we already spoke about the girls¡ª¡± ¡°N-not the girls, Dad¡ªsire!¡± Beads of sweat visibly sprouted from Trent¡¯s forehead, but the lackadaisical youth, balling his fists at his side, continued. ¡°I want to go on a cultivator hunting trip.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Augustus Reginald Gormona, the king and father of the boy before him, physically recoiled at the statement. ¡°You . . . want to go out on official business? On your own merit?¡± Trent nodded, his eyes firm. ¡°Yes, sire.¡± Augustus stared at Trent for a long moment. Then, something unexpected occurred. He gave his son a wide smile as a tear came to his eye. Maybe this wayward son of mine has finally discovered his direction as a man . . . ¡°Hello, Fischer,¡± came an unexpected but welcome voice. I turned my head toward the voice, smiling at the new arrival. ¡°Barry! How are ya, mate? Glad to see you up and about. I was worried that fish made you ill¡ªit didn¡¯t, did it?¡± Barry winced. ¡°No, Fischer. It didn¡¯t make me ill, I was just feeling a little under the weather . . .¡± Barry trailed off as his eyes locked on the cooked ray, and I could see his eyes widen a little as the scent of it hit him. ¡°In that case . . .¡± I grinned at him. ¡°Care to try some shovelnose ray? Sergeant Snips and I reckon it¡¯s the best catch we¡¯ve had yet.¡± Snips bubbled her agreement from where she lay half-buried in the sand, delighting in the meal. Barry swallowed and nodded almost imperceptibly. ¡°Aye, Fischer, that¡¯d be nice.¡± I smiled at him. ¡°Let me serve you some, then!¡± As I passed the plate to Barry, I was expecting the same hesitation as the previous times I¡¯d given him food. Instead, he accepted it with a radiant smile and intent eyes. Without pause, he started eating it, and didn¡¯t stop until all of it was gone. ¡°That was delicious, Fischer. Thank you.¡± ¡°No worries, mate! Can I do anything for you, by the way?¡± Barry cocked his head. ¡°Do anything . . . ?¡± ¡°Yeah! Not that I mind you coming round here, but I thought you might need something¡ªyou¡¯re usually working your fields this time of day.¡± ¡°Oh, no, nothing like that, Fischer.¡± He stood and brushed off his pants. ¡°I just wanted to thank you for the fish you gave me the other day, but now it seems I have to thank you twice . . .¡± ¡°No worries, mate,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°Come around whenever you want¡ªSergeant Snips and I are always happy to see your face.¡± Snips bubbled her agreement, nodding from her hole in the sand. ¡°Well, thank you regardless. The meal was delicious, but I¡¯d better get back to the fields¡ªplenty of work to catch up on after my time in bed.¡± ¡°No worries, mate! Catch you later?¡± I waved goodbye as Barry left, then turned back to Snips. ¡°So . . . you ready for more ray?¡± She jumped from her place of relaxation in excitement, a stream of bubbles flowing. Barry walked away from the fire, his thoughts a cloud of implications and possibilities. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind¡ªit¡¯s Fischer¡¯s cooking that facilitated my awakening. His acceptance of that fact came easily, like the last stone of a wall settling into place. Fischer was some sort of nexus for advancement, and his arrival on their shores meant both change and a great potential of harm would be coming the way of Tropica Village. What can I do to make sure we keep the harm at bay? Chapter 33: Collar Chapter 33: Collar What in Apollo¡¯s delicate lute are you planning behind that toe-like face, Trent?¡± Trent, first in line to the throne, and only marginally resembling a toe by his reckoning, closed his slackened jaw. He turned away from the parapet he leaned over, facing the speaker. His sister Tryphena stood behind him, blocking his way down from atop the wall. Her usually schooled and beautiful features were scrunched in an ugly scowl, her derision clear. ¡°Nothing, sister,¡± Trent replied. ¡°I¡¯ve simply decided it¡¯s time to step up as a man and the future king.¡± She snorted, a noise their decorum tutors would no doubt disapprove of. ¡°We both know that¡¯s not true, so why don¡¯t you cut the malarkey, Trent?¡± ¡°Maller key?¡± Trent felt his jaw drop open again as he tried to parse the unknown words. ¡°What¡¯s that, and why would I cut it?¡± Tryphena laughed, loud and condescending. ¡°You¡¯re a moron. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re planning, but I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter¡ªyou¡¯re more likely to get yourself killed by the cultivators you¡¯re taking with you than to succeed.¡± Trent¡¯s eyes narrowed in anger. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to hurt me with the collars on. You know that.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll still find a way to mess it up.¡± Tryphena turned, walking down the stone steps and out of sight. ¡°I have complete faith in your lack of ability.¡± Trent¡¯s eyebrow twitched as he realized she¡¯d gotten the last word¡ªagain. Mock me all you want, overconfident sister of mine. He reached a hand into his pocket, removing the artifact his father had given him for the search. It was a simple thing compared to the room of relics he usually hid in, able to fit in a single hand. There were two sides to the handheld artifact, one depicting a human, the other a group of animals. Each side had a small bulb that would light up when within range of an uncollared cultivator. With this, I will find and bring in whoever this ¡®Fischer¡¯ is. A rather disgusting smile crossed Trent¡¯s face, one that was usually reserved for the girls he paid to come to his chamber. I¡¯ll collar Fischer, and I¡¯ll torture his secrets out of him. I sneezed, covering my mouth with an arm so as to not hit the ray I was storing for later. I felt Snips tap my calf, and I smiled down at her. ¡°Thanks, Snips. Someone must be talking about me¡ªonly good things, I hope.¡± She nodded sagely, unable or unwilling to entertain any other possibility. I stretched. ¡°I think I¡¯ll head into town, Snips¡ªI have something planned that should take our fishing adventures to the next level.¡± She froze, and after only a moment of thought, started ushering me out the door. ¡°All right, all right,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll get going, then. Meet me back by the fire at sunset for a ray and crab feast?¡± She blew happy bubbles, and I beamed a smile at my enthusiastic guard crab. ¡°Hey, mate. Are you Bradley?¡± The man carving the back of a wooden chair looked up at me, his eyebrows subtly raising. ¡°I¡¯m Greg¡ªBrad is my brother, but if you¡¯re looking for a woodworker, I can help you just as well as he can. We run this place together.¡± I smiled. ¡°Well, pleasure to meet you then, Greg!¡± I held out a hand. ¡°Name¡¯s Fischer, and I am indeed looking for your woodworking expertise.¡± He shook my extended arm with a heavily calloused hand. ¡°Ah, Fischer. I was wondering when I¡¯d meet you¡ªI¡¯ve heard your name thrown about the past week like sugarcane during the harvest.¡± I laughed. ¡°Only good things, I hope.¡± Greg let out a light chuckle. ¡°Aye, mostly good things. You¡¯re some sort of benevolent ascendent if the praises can be believed, but with an odd penchant for heretical activity.¡± He stretched, arching and rubbing his lower back as he stood straight. ¡°What can I do for you then, Fischer?¡± I grinned at his ¡®heretical activity¡¯ comment. Not entirely wrong, but I¡¯m glad he¡¯s still happy to work with me . . . ¡°I¡¯m looking for something a little unconventional.¡± I passed the schematic I¡¯d carved into a wooden plank to him, local measurements helpfully provided by a certain literate crustacean. Greg looked it over, his brow furrowing in consternation. ¡°Is it some sort of wheel? It shouldn¡¯t be a problem . . .¡± ¡°Not a wheel¡ªit¡¯s a reel to help me with that heretical activity you spoke of.¡± His eyebrow raised for a moment, but quickly dipped back down. ¡°What do you want it made of?¡± His eyes seemed to clear, and a discerning gaze settled on me. ¡°Next, we chisel out the concave section you wanted¡ªdo you want to give it a go?¡± ¡°Mate, if you think I won¡¯t ruin it, I¡¯m happy to have a crack.¡± Greg nodded. ¡°All right, you can start, and I¡¯ll step in when you get to the intricate sections.¡± Greg handed me a pointed chisel with a ninety-degree angle between two cutting edges, followed by a wooden mallet. ¡°Start in the middle. That way, if you take too much off, we can smooth it out.¡± ¡°No worries, mate. I¡¯ll give it a shot¡ªjust pull me up if necessary.¡± I set the chisel to the middle of the reel and raised the mallet high. Brad, Greg¡¯s brother and business partner, walked into his workshop to a flurry of banging and wooden chips. There was a man he¡¯d never seen before chiseling away at a slab of wood, presumably pine with how fast he was working. He stepped up beside his brother, who was watching intently. ¡°Who¡¯s this then, Greg?¡± Greg jumped, then turned to his brother. ¡°This is Fischer¡ªthe one we¡¯ve been hearing so much about.¡± Brad nodded. ¡°Well, that explains why I¡¯ve never seen him, but why is he hammering that wheel of pine like it ran away with his sister?¡± Greg raised an eyebrow. ¡°Pine? Look again, brother.¡± Brad did, not sure what he was looking for. What other wood could someone be chipping through so easily? The mallet swung down again and the expelled sliver of wood bounced along the floor, landing at Brad¡¯s feet. He bent down to pick it up, and as he brought it up to the light, his eyes went wide. ¡°Hephaestus¡¯s rock-hard anvil,¡± Brad whispered, ¡°is that ironbark wood?¡± Greg nodded vehemently. ¡°Right? He¡¯s shaving it down like it¡¯s made of butter and hasn¡¯t slowed in the slightest.¡± ¡°Gods above¡ªhis muscles must be screaming in protest . . .¡± A small smile made its way to my face as I chiseled away patiently at the wood. It didn¡¯t seem as hard as Greg made out, but it was certainly stronger than the logs I¡¯d split for my fence. I guess that could be my improved body coming in clutch again, though . . . I¡¯d gouged out most of the section that would house the fishing line, so I started chiseling smaller sections, shifting from shaping to smoothing. After ten minutes, I pulled back, inspecting my handwork. There¡¯s no more I can do with the chisel¡ªI¡¯d guess it¡¯s time for sandpaper, or whatever equivalent they use in this world. I turned back to Greg but saw another man beside him. ¡°G¡¯day, mate¡ªI presume you¡¯re Brad.¡± ¡°Y-yes. You¡¯re Fischer, right?¡± We shook hands, and I turned to Greg, who was looking a little unwell. ¡°How¡¯d I do, mate¡ªer, are you all right?¡± Greg gave me a smile that was incongruous with his pallid features. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Fischer, just a little shocked. You did marvelously. Here.¡± He held out a curved file. I accepted it. ¡°You don¡¯t have sandpaper?¡± Both men gave me a funny look. ¡°Sand . . . paper?¡± Brad asked, voicing the question for both of them. Add that to the list of creations I can bring to this world. I made a dismissive gesture with my hand. ¡°Forget about it¡ªthe file is all I¡¯ll need.¡± I returned my attention to the almost finished reel and started filing. With a furrowed brow, Greg watched Fischer use the file on his reel. Each stroke was that of an expert, and with each movement his confusion only increased. Brad nudged him in the side, leaning in to whisper. ¡°I never expected another woodworker to come to the village, let alone someone so experienced . . .¡± Greg leaned over, whispering back, ¡°He claims he¡¯s a novice . . .¡± Brad snorted softly. ¡°That¡¯s not possible, right? Do you think he¡¯s¡ª¡± Brad cut himself off, and Greg¡¯s eyes went wide as the reel shrunk and morphed before them. Chapter 34: Fun Chapter 34: Fun As I took one last sweeping stroke with the file, the reel seemed to transform. It shrunk and smoothed out infinitesimally, the change so minute that I hoped the brothers wouldn¡¯t notice. Along with the transformation, the System tried to send me another message that was, thankfully, suppressed. What wasn¡¯t suppressed was my eyes being drawn into the reel, as with my previous creations. Ironbark Reel of the Fisher Rare Crafted of ironbark, this reel has a multitude of attributes for those with the requisite knowledge. Again with the vagueness, System, you belligerent calculator? ¡°Hephaestus¡¯s chisel!¡± Brad yelled. ¡°What was that?¡± I schooled my face before turning to Greg and Brad, taking in their shocked expressions. ¡°What was what?¡± I asked, feigning ignorance. ¡°That damned thing just smoothed and shrank!¡± Brad answered, his eyes wide, still yelling. ¡°Did it?¡± I cocked my head as I turned back to the reel. ¡°It looks the same to me . . .¡± I ran my hand over it, feeling how smooth and hard it had become. There was no doubt about it; the reel had transformed. ¡°Well,¡± I said, opening the vice and picking up my creation, ¡°I need to go about sorting out a bearing for this thing¡ªyou said two irons, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but that was for me to do the work . . .¡± Greg said with a vacant expression. ¡°You did most everything . . .¡± ¡°No worries. Chuck in some linseed oil for me to take and we¡¯ll call it square. Deal?¡± ¡°Y-yeah, that sounds fair . . .¡± I withdrew the coins from my pouch, placing them in Greg¡¯s hand. Brad walked to a bench, bent down, and picked up a small tin of what I assumed was linseed oil. He placed it before me with a thoughtful expression, staring off into space. ¡°Well, thanks for the help, guys! It was a pleasure meeting you both!¡± I turned and strode from the shop, heading for my next destination before they could ask any more questions. ¡°All right, what was that?¡± Brad asked, turning to his brother. ¡°Are you pranking me? Is he some secret master from the capital?¡± ¡°No . . .¡± Greg said, still staring at the door Fischer had departed through. ¡°I have no idea what that was . . .¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s either a master at woodworking, or he¡¯s a cultivator from one of the stories¡ªwho else could have so much aptitude with a profession they¡¯ve never done before? We might have to tell someone . . .¡± They looked at each other, and after a moment¡¯s pause, burst into laughter. ¡°Yeah, a cultivator of old,¡± Greg said through his mirth. ¡°Next thing we know, he¡¯ll be shooting lightning from his crotch and beams of water from his fingers.¡± ¡°Still,¡± he continued, ¡°I believed him when he said he¡¯d never worked with wood before. Did we imagine the reel changing?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Brad shot Greg a wink. ¡°All I know is, we just sold a chunk of ironbark wood and a tin of linseed oil for a great price.¡± Greg scowled at his brother. ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that¡ªit makes it sound like I overcharged him.¡± Brad rolled his eyes. ¡°You know what I mean. It would have taken either of us the rest of the day to do what he just did in less than an hour. Besides, he was the one to offer the same price despite him doing all the work.¡± Greg leaned against a bench and looked back toward the door. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of him . . .¡± Brad walked over and sat on the bench. ¡°No use overthinking it. Whatever he is, he¡¯s bloody good with wood, despite not even realizing what he did.¡± What the fuck was all that? I¡¯d made a wooden version of something famous back home¡ªan Alvey Reel. Though, I¡¯m pretty sure Alvey is just the brand¡ªwhat the hell kind of reel would you even call this thing? It looked like a hand reel, but with the addition of a metal bracket, I should be able to attach it to one of my bamboo rods. I rolled it over in my hands, admiring the smooth surface. It was like polished stone, the finish entirely too fine for the toothy file I¡¯d been using. Even the sections I didn¡¯t file down had flattened, their edges and faces becoming uniform. I¡¯d noticed something similar with the other things I¡¯d created that the System assigned names to. Even Fergus took note that something with the ring changed when I put the pearl in the setting, but it had been a much more subtle affair. The transformation of the reel was, frankly speaking, astounding. As I strode off toward the smithy, possible solutions started churning through my mind. Maria glanced back at Fischer as she left, seeing the man already off and moving with purpose-filled strides. ¡°Maybe we need to take up some heretical activity of our own . . .¡± She laughed at herself with a shake of the head, causing her hair to tickle the sides of her face. ¡°It might actually be worth it with how carefree Fischer always seems . . .¡± Her troubled thoughts returned as she made her way back to the fields. How are we going to get out of this mess? She had underplayed the situation they found themselves in to Fischer; the levels in the soil were getting so bad that if they didn¡¯t find a way to improve the crops soon, they¡¯d be in serious financial trouble. She caught sight of her father attacking the soil as she stepped past a neighbor¡¯s flourishing field of cane. He was taking his frustrations out on the barren field, using overhand strikes to plow the earth. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re going to hurt yourself if you keep up at that pace,¡± she gently chided. Her dad glanced at her, then stood back, leaning on the haft of his hoe. ¡°It¡¯ll hurt me more if we can¡¯t get these damned fields sorted. We just can¡¯t keep up with the cost of operating and the price of the medicine your mother needs.¡± Her dad¡¯s eye twitched as he reminded himself of the medicine, and in a single movement, he stepped back, grabbed the plow, and threw the head high. With a grunt, he slammed it down into the ground. ¡°Damn this bloody village!¡± He slammed it down again. ¡°Damn the bloody lord!¡± Using his whole body, he rammed it home in the soil a final time before letting go of the haft. ¡°And damn Demeter¡¯s fickle bloody heart! God of farming, my ass!¡± Maria rushed to him, knowing he would only spiral if she couldn¡¯t drag him out of it. She wrapped her arms around him, ignoring the sweat and grime on his work-slickened body. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Dad. We¡¯ll work it out. We always do.¡± Her father relaxed in her arms, if only a little, and he wrapped an arm around her. Despite her words, Maria¡¯s heart sank. What are we going to do . . . ? The otter swam through the waves of the ocean in search of her target. She knew the general area the crab resided in but couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. Struck by inspiration, she approached the rocky headland, and after selecting a choice rock, started banging. She brought the rock down on the oysters, delighting in the speed and strength the changes to her body granted her. She was able to work through them with a previously unseen speed, and she slurped the delicious treats down. After a few, she stopped, tasting the oyster on her tongue. Taste . . . not good. The texture and flavor were still there, but after experiencing the food the human had provided, her body seemed to crave more. She struggled to come to terms with a dissonance coloring her mind; the trickle of information received was not yet enough for full comprehension. Movement caught her eye, dispelling the half-formed thoughts. She spun to look at the side of the rock, half a crab and a lone eye visibly poking around the side of the headland. The otter, not knowing what she was doing or why, waved. Blinking and scuttling to the side, the crab revealed more of her body. The otter waved again and took a few steps forward. With one raised pincer, the crab slowly waved back. The otter took more steps, closing the distance and tilting her head back and forth as she took in the crab. She¡¯d not before realized just how different the crab was, but since whatever happened in her den, she could now see just how distinct its form was. It wore a black piece of . . . cloth on its eye, something only humans usually did. The crab was also larger than normal and covered in vicious-looking spikes. The otter walked forward more, and trying to display her own intelligence, nodded at the crab. The crab, its entire body now visible, nodded back, and with a final wave of a dangerous-looking claw, turned to leave. Seeing an opportunity, the otter snuck closer on silent legs. She picked up a spherical rock and slowly raised her arm. With a swing of her empowered forepaw, she launched the stone at the crab¡¯s back. It sailed through the air, and excitement swelled within the otter as it approached the mark. Tink. The otter chirped in delight as she turned and dashed for the safety of the water. The crab hissed in fury behind her, and eight hardened legs struck the rocks as it tried to catch her. It was too late; the otter dove and slipped beneath the small waves on the shore, gliding away. Fun. Crab is fun. Chapter 35: Insufficient Power Chapter 35: Insufficient Power Sergeant Snips, best friend and protector of Fischer, huffed on the shore as she glared at where the otter had disappeared, daring it to show its face once more. The otter seemed different, and Snips suspected the creature had experienced some sort of awakening, just as she had. It was, as some might find surprising, not at all incongruous to Sergeant Snips¡¯s expectations. She has eaten of my master¡¯s food¡ªit was a matter of time. What she hadn¡¯t expected, however, was for the otter to still demonstrate such juvenile behavior after gaining the information awakening brought along with it.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com Maybe the otter isn¡¯t as intelligent as I . . . This thought brought with it a sense of calm, her superiority washing away the anger. That is also to be expected¡ªa mere otter could never be as intelligent as I, chosen of Fischer. She walked back toward the campfire, intent on resuming her watch; the sea water would be boiled and reduced to perfection. I will do as my master has requested¡ªI¡¯ll endeavor to forgive the otter its shortcomings, various as they may be. ¡°G¡¯day, Duncan!¡± I called as I strode into the smithy. ¡°Is Fergus about?¡± ¡°Back here, Fischer!¡± the head smith called, walking from behind the forge. ¡°How did you go with Brad and Greg?¡± ¡°It went better than expected, mate! Check it out!¡± I held up the reel, and Fergus came over, accepting it from my extended hands. ¡°Damn, how did you get it so fast?¡± ¡°Little bit of hard work on Brad, Greg, and my part, mate!¡± Fergus raised an eyebrow at me as he handed the reel to Duncan. ¡°Something tells me that¡¯s an understatement . . . but I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± ¡°Hephaestus¡¯s girthy legs, I¡¯ve never seen ironbark refined so smoothly . . .¡± Duncan said, his eyes squinting as he rotated the reel. ¡°So, what do you two reckon¡ªcould you help me out with the metal parts I requested?¡± Fergus crossed his muscular arms. ¡°I have some good news and bad news on that front, Fischer. We could make the bearing you asked for, but I think for your purposes, we might be better off waiting for the merchant, Marcus, to come. I recommended you make the internal hole that size for a reason, and it¡¯ll likely last longer if you have a pre-prepared bearing set in it.¡± My hopes dropped momentarily, but I cast the disappointment aside. ¡°Damn. I was stoked to fish with it today or tomorrow, but it¡¯s all good. When is Marcus set to come to Tropica?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be here on Sunday.¡± One of my eyebrows shot up. They have Sunday? I really need to work out these weekdays . . . ¡°Right. Sunday. What day is it tomorrow, again? I¡¯ve been so busy lately I¡¯ve lost track.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Winday tomorrow, so you¡¯ll only have to wait three days¡ªMarcus should have that coffee machine with him then, too.¡± Winday? So I have Winday, Sunday, and Fielday so far. God, I hope there are seven days¡ªthat¡¯ll make things so much easier. I smiled as Duncan passed the reel back to me. ¡°Well, thanks anyway! I couldn¡¯t have made the reel in the first place without your recommendation. Waiting a few days won¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Fischer . . . seeing as you¡¯re here, though, I don¡¯t suppose you feel like working the bellows for an hour?¡± Fergus gave me a sheepish smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t usually ask, but we¡¯re running a little behind after we changed the plans on your¡ª¡± ¡°Mate! Say no more! I could use the exercise!¡± I strode past the counter and toward the forge. ¡°Let¡¯s get this training montage started!¡± ¡°This, er, what?¡± I laughed, unable to keep it in. Why is it so fun saying things the locals don¡¯t understand? ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s begin.¡± Fergus wiped the sweat from his forehead as he watched Fischer leave after only a half hour working the bellows. ¡°Is he getting even stronger?¡± Duncan asked from beside him, also watching the friendly yet strange man depart. Joel tried not to project his disappointment at the refusal. At least he wasn¡¯t directly opposed to it¡ªmaybe we can win him over with time. ¡°That¡¯s right, we do it every Fielday. It¡¯s Crafday today, so it¡¯ll be another five days until the next group meditation.¡± Fischer smiled at the mention of the next meditation, causing Joel¡¯s stomach to flutter with excitement. He¡¯s that excited for the next meditation . . . ? Oh, I¡¯ll recruit you yet, Fischer . . . I let out a small chuckle after departing the headquarters of the Cult of Carcinization. Thank God there are seven days of the week here, too. That makes things simpler. I let out a sigh before smiling at the afternoon sun. So we¡¯ve got Crafday, then Winday, an unknown day, Sunday, another unknown day, Fielday, and finally, another unknown day. I cocked my head. Weird damn names, though . . . other than Sunday, of course! I walked back toward my property, delighting in the smell of salt on the air and the warmth of the sun on my exposed skin. Barry swung his hoe down with reckless abandon, a wild smile plastered across his visage. The energy of Fischer¡¯s food still coursed through his veins, fueling his single-handed assault on the field. ¡°Go Dad!¡± his son Paul yelled from the side. Barry grinned in delight at his son¡¯s excitement, glancing to see how far the young lad had gotten in the neighboring field. He was only a quarter of the way through a single lane, a respectable distance for his son, given how much time he¡¯d been working it. Compared to Barry and his awakened body, however, it was night and day; Barry¡¯s own field was almost complete, most of the soil already tilled and aerated. Out of habit, he went to wipe sweat from his brow, but there was none. The day was hot, the weather not yet turned from the reliable heat of summer, and yet, he¡¯d not perspired a single drop. He shook his head, laughing at himself. I can get used to this . . . A sensation came forth unbidden, drawing him in. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] The message filled him with excitement, and the ever-present grin he¡¯d had since eating what Fischer called a ¡®shovelnose ray¡¯ spread even further across his face. It was the third message he¡¯d received, all of them stating the exact same thing. I wonder what the System is trying to communicate . . . ? He began hoeing again. The familiar movement¡ªnow boosted by a previously unknown strength¡ªfilled his mind and body with ease. Something related to farming? I know there were farming cultivators in the distant past . . . will it help my crops¡ª A sharp crack rang out, and he paused, staring down at the wooden shaft in his hand. He¡¯d broken his trusty tool; the handle snapped off a handspan from the metal head. ¡°Woah, Dad!¡± Paul yelled. ¡°You went so fast you broke it!¡± Barry looked between the two pieces of his favored tool, and a laugh rushed forth. ¡°Your old man is getting strong, lad!¡± Barry called across the fields. ¡°You¡¯ll have to put in the work if you want to catch up to me!¡± Paul nodded, a serious demeanor wiping away his excitement, and he resumed tilling the sandy soil. Barry threw the handle aside, bent down to pick up the head of the hoe, and continued his work, one hand swinging down again and again, easily parting and shifting the earth beneath him. The improvements to his body were still fresh enough to be alien, so he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the way he could simply force the iron head of his broken tool all the way into the ground with a single hand. My entire life, I¡¯ve needed to use my whole body in an overhand swing . . . Hunched over, he worked his way down the last of the field, the sandy soil tilled and ready for planting in his wake. Thoughts of his future plans came through as he lost himself in the labor, and he milled over the decisions he¡¯d settled on. Excited as he may be, Barry knew the importance of proper consideration and planning; he would sit with his thoughts for a few days, letting them grow and mature like sugarcane beneath the summer sun. One thing is certain¡ªI¡¯ll need to rely on her, no matter what path I take . . . Chapter 36: Solution Chapter 36: Solution As was becoming a welcome part of my morning routine, I woke up to a crab looming over me. Sergeant Snips tapped my nose delicately with her claw, blowing bubbles that were instantly recognizable as a mix of excitement and pride. Her soft touch tickled, and I wiggled my nose. ¡°Morning, Snips.¡± I said around a yawn. I rubbed the top of her carapace, causing her to sway with delight. ¡°What has you so excited this early?¡± She made the gesture of shaking salt, a move I¡¯d shown her to help our communication. ¡°The salt water is finished reducing?¡± She nodded intently before jumping down from the bed. I threw the sheets back and stood, enjoying the sensation of stretching the sleep from my body. ¡°All right, Snips! Lead the way!¡± I followed her out of the house, pausing a moment to take in the beautiful scenery as we exited the door into the predawn light Sergeant Snips, knowing my mind and habits, paused before I did, taking in the river mouth before us with her lone eye. There was a soft wind blowing, cooling my skin and causing small waves to kick up along the surface of the water. Gulls and pelicans flew above, coasting on the winds up high, letting their extended wings catch the updrafts and take them where they needed to go. I breathed deep of the ocean spray in the air, sighing as I let it out with a growing smile. ¡°What a beautiful morning, Snips.¡± She bubbled in agreement, the rising sunlight causing her carapace to reflect a calming shade of pink. ¡°All right, let¡¯s see this salt!¡± She led me down to the fire, her steps slow and calm after our moment of mindfulness. The flames were small, licking up from smoldering coals Snips had helpfully added. I peered down in the pot. There was a white slurry in the bottom, and I stirred it with the spoon left by the fire; it was thick, most of the water having evaporated. ¡°This looks perfect, Snips!¡± She bubbled happily as I praised her, petting the top of her head. ¡°All we need now is some trays for it to dry in . . .¡± We went to the kitchen, collected four large baking trays, and returned to the campfire. I picked up the pot of salt slurry and poured a quarter of the mixture into each tray. I dispersed it on the trays with the spoon, ensuring each layer of salt was uniform in its thickness. ¡°In a few days, we should have salt to add to our meals, Snips!¡± She stared down at the trays with curiosity, her eye blinking as she contemplated my words. ¡°Should we go check the trap and see if we have some breakfast?¡± She nodded vigorously, taking one last look at the trays of salt before we took off for the headland. George, the lord of Tropica Village and all its surrounding lands, let out a weary breath as he finished swallowing his seventh pastry of the morning. His wife, Geraldine, rubbed his back with one hand, attempting to ease his troubled mind. George looked at her, and she sucked the sugar from the voluptuous fingers of her other hand before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine, George. We¡¯ll make it work, as we always do.¡± ¡°I know, my love, it¡¯s just . . . the future seems bleak, each option as unpalatable as the last.¡± ¡°We just take it one day at a time.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com She stood and walked behind him, rubbing his shoulders. ¡°If we break the problem down into manageable bites, anything is possible. What¡¯s troubling you now?¡± George laughed hoarsely, the outburst sounding harsh to even his ears. ¡°Everything. Fischer is an existential threat and his plans seem as intricate as the finest of glazing.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Geraldine said, her voice kind and soothing. ¡°If he wanted to oust us, he would have done so already.¡± ¡°I know you keep saying that, but I¡¯m just not so sure . . .¡± She leaned down, resting her head atop his. ¡°Are you calling me a liar, George?¡± ¡°Never that, my love, it¡¯s just . . . I don¡¯t understand why he wouldn¡¯t take our power.¡± ¡°Who knows? Whatever his plans are, they don¡¯t involve removing us. We just need to focus on the things we can control.¡± George sighed, leaning back into his wife. The woman at the bakery spun, giving me a beatific smile. ¡°Fischer! What will you have this morning?¡± I held up the mug of coffee I¡¯d already retrieved. ¡°I reckon my usual pastry would pair perfectly with this!¡± She nodded along with a conspiratorial smile. ¡°I think you may be right . . .¡± She bent down, grabbing a croissant and putting it in a paper bag. ¡°You know, Fischer, I won¡¯t be offended if you still drink the coffee from the north side when the machine gets delivered. I understand my coffee might not be as good as theirs . . .¡± ¡°Sue!¡± I held a hand to my chest in mock affront. ¡°I¡¯m appalled! I¡¯ll be having your coffee exclusively, thank you very much!¡± She smiled, but her brows remained tight. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I don¡¯t want you to feel you have to, even if it¡¯s not as good . . .¡± ¡°Listen, Sue, if your coffee has even a tenth as much love put into it as your baked goods do, it will be the best coffee this world has ever seen.¡± Her knitted brow relaxed. ¡°You flatter me, Fischer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not flattery if it¡¯s true, Sue. I think your coffee is gonna be a massive hit.¡± She passed me the pastry, and I took a bite. It was still warm, and the buttery layers melted in my mouth, causing me to let out a groan of pleasure. ¡°Good lord, Sue¡ªyour husband is a wizard with his hands.¡± She grinned lasciviously. ¡°You have no idea . . .¡± I coughed, choking on the pastry. I had to wash it down with coffee as Sue¡¯s cackle rolled out over the street. ¡°Sue! How indecent!¡± ¡°Ah, thank you, Fischer. I needed that laugh.¡± I shook my head, taking another sip of coffee to soothe my throat. ¡°Have you seen Maria this morning, by the way?¡± Sue quirked an eyebrow and looked behind me. I spun to see Maria, her own eyebrow raised high, her lip curling into a smile. ¡°What¡¯s a girl to think when she¡¯s being asked about after the conversation you just had?¡± I sighed dramatically. ¡°You¡¯re both as bad as each other!¡± They both burst into laughter, Maria¡¯s giggle light and lilting compared to Sue¡¯s boisterous roar. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about something,¡± I said, ¡°but it can wait until after you get your breakfast.¡± Maria stepped up to the counter, her eyes sparkling with mirth as she shot me a sidelong glance. ¡°Just the usual please, Sue.¡± Sue collected two pastries from beneath the counter and handed them to Maria. ¡°Are you okay to be left alone with this scoundrel, Maria?¡± Maria gave me an assessing look. ¡°I think he can be trusted . . .¡± I rolled my eyes, smiling at the theatrics. ¡°Well,¡± Maria said, ¡°thanks for the pastries. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Sue.¡± ¡°See you then!¡± I gave Sue a nod as Maria and I left, and she shot me a wink. ¡°So?¡± Maria asked as we walked west toward her crops. ¡°What did you want to ask me?¡± I took a sip of coffee, delighting in the flavor and warmth. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what you said yesterday, and I think I may have a solution of sorts.¡± She glanced at me, a slight bit of suspicion crossing her features. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°Well, I have a lot of unused land, right? It¡¯s sandy and not ideal, but Barry offered to help me try farming it if I wanted to. I only care about fishing, so I don¡¯t, but if you want to . . .¡± She stopped walking, blinking rapidly. ¡°Are . . . are you suggesting what I think you are?¡± ¡°Well, that depends¡ªif you think I¡¯m saying you can farm the land for free, then yes. If you¡¯re thinking I¡¯m offering for you to join me in maligning yourself to the absent gods and fishing, then also yes, but I get if that¡¯s not your¡ª¡± Maria slammed into me, hugging me tight and stopping my river of words in their tracks. Chapter 37: Neighbors Chapter 37: Neighbors Maria¡¯s body struck mine, whisking my thoughts away. I hadn¡¯t realized how much I¡¯d been missing physical touch, and my heart seemed to jump at the impromptu embrace. Her toned form latched onto me like a lost sailor clinging to a life raft, and she buried her face in my chest. I hugged Maria back, matching her fierce grip and resting my chin atop her head. ¡°Can I take that as a yes, or . . . ?¡± I lost track of time as we held onto each other. Eventually, she pulled away, taking a step back. A single tear dripped down each cheek, and her lower lip shook. ¡°Maria¡ªare . . . are you okay?¡± She nodded wordlessly, averting her eyes as she wiped them. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been really hard . . .¡± I felt the need to rush to her, to wrap her in another hug and make it all better. Instead, I tried to convey my comfort with a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize, Maria. It¡¯s human to have powerful emotions, especially when your family and livelihood are at stake. Besides¡ªI¡¯m a hugger. I¡¯d gladly hug anyone, even that grouch of a dad you have to deal with.¡± She laughed, the sound a breath of fresh air. ¡°Wow, you really must be a hugger.¡± I nodded sagely, trying to uplift the mood. ¡°Right? Speaking of, he¡¯s probably going to fight the offer of farming my land tooth and nail, won¡¯t he? Do you think you can convince him?¡± She nodded, freeing the strand of hair that always slipped so easily from behind her ear. ¡°He¡¯ll come around¡ªwe have my mother to care for, and she may be the one thing that makes him cast his pride aside.¡± ¡°Your mother? Is she okay?¡± Maria grimaced, shaking her head. ¡°She¡¯s really sick. Her pricey medicine is the main reason we¡¯ve been struggling.¡± ¡°Maria . . . I have money. How much is it?¡± She shook her head again. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough already, Fischer. It wouldn¡¯t be right to rely on you for that.¡± I shook my head. ¡°If someone¡¯s health isn¡¯t good enough to spend it on, what is? Think of it as self-serving¡ªI won¡¯t sleep well knowing someone is sick when I could make a difference.¡± She gave me a tight smile. ¡°Thank you, but we can cope for now. If it truly gets dire enough that we can¡¯t afford it, even my dad wouldn¡¯t be too proud to accept your generosity.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sure . . .¡± ¡°I am. Do you think farming the sandy soil will work, though?¡± she asked, not-so-subtly changing the subject. ¡°I do, or at least Barry reckons we can.¡± I shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ve made their crops work, and my land is only a little worse than theirs. I¡¯ll be happy to help out, too¡ªI have no interest in farming for myself, but if it can help you guys . . .¡± She took a deep, steadying breath, looking toward the light of the western sky as she breathed it out. ¡°My pride wants to say no, but at this stage, I¡¯d accept any help if it gets us more fields to work . . .¡± ¡°Done,¡± I said. ¡°Do you want me to come and let Roger know with you, or do you think it¡¯s better if you go?¡± She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯ll be much smoother if I go alone, I think.¡± I nodded, and seeing she was still struggling to compose herself, laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I really am sorry, Maria. I can¡¯t imagine the pressure you¡¯ve been under. It¡¯s all going to be fine, though. I promise.¡± She nodded and turned back to me. ¡°Thank you, Fischer. I can¡¯t express how much I appreciate it.¡± I barely heard the words. Her eyes were puffy, but that didn¡¯t detract from her beauty. The sun rising behind me highlighted her freckles and reflected in the tears still threatening to fall. She smiled and tilted her head, and I felt the need to rush to her once more, to hold her until everything was all right. Again, I smiled instead. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. That¡¯s what neighbors are for, right?¡± She nodded, wiping a tear that formed as she blinked. ¡°Wait, just adding soil?¡± Maria cocked her head to the side in confusion then swept the always-escaping strand of hair back behind her ear. ¡°If it was that simple, we¡¯d see more people farming the sandy flats,¡± Barry said with a grimace. ¡°It¡¯s taken years for our fields to reach the point where we can farm them without constantly having to add soil from the forest. You¡¯ll find it much more difficult than simply adding nutrient-rich soil a single time, and the first few harvests will probably be stunted, yielding little.¡± Roger nodded, the ever-present grimace disappearing as he rubbed his chin in thought. ¡°That makes sense. If the water washes the nutrients away, each time we water the fields, the soil will be forced further down into the ground, and will start to build up beneath the taproots, correct?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Barry confirmed. ¡°The washed-away sediment will settle underground, and eventually, will build up and enrich the land.¡± I¡¯d reached the same conclusion, but I let the farmers talk it out. Anything to distract Roger from dwelling on the fact he had to accept help from others. There was little in my past life more powerful than the stubbornness of an older man, and this world seemed exactly the same in that regard. ¡°Well,¡± Maria said, ¡°Even if the yield is small, anything is better than nothing. Thanks for your help, Barry. And you, Fischer.¡± She turned to give me a small smile. ¡°I know I¡¯ve already thanked you¡ªprobably too much¡ªbut really, thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± I said. Barry nodded. ¡°As Fischer keeps reminding me, that¡¯s what neighbors are for, right? You don¡¯t owe me a debt, and I¡¯m happy to assist.¡± From the corner of my eye, I saw Maria elbow her dad in the ribs, none too gently. He glared at her, but under her continued stare, Roger cleared his throat. ¡°Thank you, Fischer. Thank you, Barry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Barry and I shot back, then turned and grinned at each other. We stepped from between two fields, finally arriving on the sandy stretch that marked the beginning of my land. There were seven wooden pegs stuck in the ground by Paul, who was waving enthusiastically from the far side as he wiggled an eighth peg into the sand. He¡¯d marked out two fields, with a meter of space in between each other and Barry¡¯s existing crops. ¡°I was thinking right here,¡± Barry said. ¡°It¡¯s far enough from the coast to not be too salty, but the added salt content of the ground should aid sugarcane in growing. It¡¯s also close to the forest, and therefore, the soil we need.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me, mate. Shall we get started?¡± As I dug another spade worth of soil from the earth, I smiled at the hole I was forming. Barry, Maria, and Roger were all taking wheelbarrows filled to the brim back to the fields, Paul having returned home to assist his mother. I¡¯d nominated myself for the shoveling, knowing my body could easily carve through the soil. I felt bad about making them travel further than was strictly necessary, but after explaining my reasoning for digging where I was, they were happy to oblige. We were on my land, closer to the river than the north end of my property line. I could have just dug another hole in my free time, but it seems destructive to create two holes when I can only disturb the forest with a single one . . . With each shovel of dirt, and with each soil-laden wheelbarrow carted away, my bonus project came closer to completion. It was a staggering amount of earth we were moving, but even when Maria and Roger poured with sweat, and their breaths came heavy, nary a complaint was whispered; we were all focused on the task at hand, and the sooner we completed the fields, the sooner the farming of them could begin. ¡°Two more trips each should do it, Fischer!¡± Barry said, his brow only a little sweaty. Damn, my man has some serious cardio skills going on . . . ¡°No worries! My hole is almost the perfect size!¡± After I loaded all of their carts for a final time, we took a moment to sit and rest in the shade next to my creation. ¡°Your heresy . . . really knows no bounds . . . Fischer,¡± Maria panted out, drinking from a gourd of water she¡¯d slung over a shoulder. ¡°It really doesn¡¯t, does it?¡± I answered, beaming a smile. Roger¡¯s scowl was well and truly back as he stared down in the roughly three meter by three meter hole. ¡°And what do you call this monument of stupidity, heretic?¡± The words only made my happiness swell. ¡°This, my good man, is called a pond.¡± Chapter 38: Soft Fur Chapter 38: Soft Fur Apond?¡± Roger spat the word, turning it into a curse. ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªa pond.¡± Maria peered down at the hole, curiosity etched on her features. ¡°What does it have to do with fishing?¡± ¡°Well, while you can fish in a pond, I don¡¯t intend to use this one for fishing¡ªI want to use it for bait.¡± ¡°. . . Bait?¡± Maria asked. ¡°You use bait for catching fish?¡± They really have no knowledge about fishing, do they . . . ? I smiled, happy to answer any questions she had. ¡°That¡¯s right! To catch the larger fish I target, you have to put bait on a hook. I want to fill this pond with some freshwater fish, let them grow and live in here peacefully, and in exchange, I¡¯ll use some as bait.¡± ¡°You put them on the hook when they¡¯re still alive?¡± Maria asked, scrunching her nose. ¡°I know they¡¯re from the domain of the traitorous gods, but still, that seems a little . . . cruel.¡± ¡°While that¡¯s a valid method some use where I come from, I also think it¡¯s cruel¡ªI dispatch the fish humanely before using them.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I know even that might seem a little rough, but at the end of the day, it¡¯s part of the food chain. It¡¯s no different from a human eating meat, or a larger fish eating them in the wild.¡± Maria still stared down at the beginnings of my pond, and she nodded slowly to herself. ¡°You do everything you can to reduce their suffering . . .¡± She turned to me, giving me a brilliant smile. ¡°That¡¯s admirable, Fischer¡ªeven if you¡¯re a heretic.¡± Roger scoffed. ¡°Still a heretical fool at the end of the day.¡± Maria slapped him on the back of his head. ¡°A heretical fool that is selflessly letting us use his land to expand our farming.¡± Roger scowled at her. ¡°A fool, nonetheless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not offended by being called names,¡± I said to them with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s all a matter of perspective, and while it may seem odd to you all, I¡¯m really enjoying my heretical life in this beautiful world.¡± ¡°I have to admit, Fischer,¡± Barry said, ¡°I was worried for you only a week ago, but now, I wonder if the prejudice we have against living from the water is misplaced.¡± Roger snorted. ¡°See, Maria? This is why heresy is dangerous¡ªit can be contagious.¡± ¡°Dad, you keep calling Fischer a fool, but you¡¯re the one insulting the two people actually helping us right now.¡± Barry laughed, the sound filled with genuine joy. ¡°I¡¯m not insulted, Maria.¡± He turned to Roger. ¡°Keep speaking your mind, Roger. My assistance doesn¡¯t rely on you praising me.¡± Roger glared between Barry and me, daring either of us to spout more ¡®heretical¡¯ nonsense. I¡¯m glad my initial assessment of Barry was correct; he¡¯s a good man, and I¡¯m lucky to have him as my next-door neighbor. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have said it better myself, Barry,¡± I said, smiling at him. I stood from the side of my pond, stretching out my back, which was a little tight after so much digging, improved body or not. ¡°Well, I feel refreshed¡ªshould we start mixing the fields together?¡± I did my best to not burst out laughing at the expression on Roger¡¯s face as he glared at us. Maria and her father sat in the shade, needing a moment to recover as Barry and I continued to mix the forest soil into the sandy fields. Roger¡¯s look was somewhere between astonishment and frustration, but definitely leaned toward the latter. It can¡¯t be a fun experience to be outperformed in farming by a ¡®heretical fool,¡¯ can it? ¡°You don¡¯t need . . . to keep . . . going, guys,¡± Maria said between pants. ¡°If I stop, Barry will catch up to me!¡± Barry laughed from beside me. ¡°If you keep talking, I¡¯ll catch you, you heretical bastard!¡± I roared a laugh and sped up, mixing the soil at a blistering speed to keep ahead of Barry. All four of us were working the last bit of the first field when Paul came running out from between the rows of sugarcane to the north. ¡°Mom and I brought food!¡± he yelled. A woman stepped out from behind Paul, a tray of sandwiches in her hands as she smiled down at her exuberant son. ¡°Afternoon, Helen,¡± Roger said, wiping sweat from his brow. The second the otter sat down, my right hand started twitching. It was within petting range, and I kept shooting it glances, each time fighting the urge to reach over and scratch its cute little ears. I held my hand atop Snips¡¯s carapace, taking comfort in her armored body. Patience, Fischer . . . patience . . . After what felt like an hour, but was probably five minutes, I stood to check the crab. When I took the lid off the pot, steam billowed out. The otter ran back a few meters, arching its back up like a startled cat. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± A noise cut me off, and I looked down at Snips. She rolled in the sand, her legs kicking out spasmodically as hissed laughs poured out of her. I shook my head at her but couldn¡¯t help but share in some of the joy. ¡°It¡¯s just steam¡ªit happens when you boil water,¡± I explained to the otter, who was glaring at Sergeant Snips. It pinned its ears back, squinting at Snips in accusation. The human-like reaction was confirmation of something I¡¯d been suspecting since it offered clams. The otter has evolved¡ªjust like Snips. The realization gave me a rush of euphoria, and my mind once more pictured myself sitting by the fire, Snips on one side, the otter on the other. ¡°You understand me, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked, voice soft. It returned its attention to me, and with a small chirp, nodded once. ¡°Since you ate the shovelnose ray I gave you?¡± Again, a single nod. I sat down, back to the still-open pot, staring off into the distance of the western horizon. That settles it¡ªmy food can, most likely, awaken animals. What are the conditions? It has to be my seafood, right? What about targets? What animals will it work on? Sergeant Snips tapped my leg with a clawed carapace, drawing me from my thoughts. She blew questioning bubbles, checking to see if I was okay. ¡°I¡¯m all right¡ªthank you, Snips.¡± I rubbed her head. ¡°What would I do without you?¡± She sidled up against my leg, glaring at the otter with her eye, which I couldn¡¯t help but smile at. Jealous, Snips? I returned my attention to the boiling pot behind me, and with my large tongs, removed the crabs from the water. I¡¯d added some of the still-drying salt to the pot, increasing the sodium content of the cooking water. I was conservative with the amount but wasn¡¯t sure if I added too much. ¡°Sorry if it¡¯s a little too salty¡ªit¡¯s a work in progress.¡± Snips blew bubbles of disbelief and made a gesture with her claws that told me she couldn¡¯t even entertain the idea of a mistake on my part. I laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not infallible, Snips, but I appreciate the trust.¡± I set half a crab down on a plate for me, put a half in front of Snips, and went to place another beside me toward the otter, but paused. ¡°Do you want a plate?¡± It made a soft noise, seeming to consider, then shook its head, pointing at the portion in the sand before Snips. I nodded, setting the crab down on the ground before it. I grabbed the three clams and went to place them in the boiling pot, but again, paused. Carefully placing them on the coals instead, I turned to the otter, who was already cocking her head in question. ¡°It just occurred to me that if I boil them, the flavor might get completely washed away by the salty water. I¡¯ve seen clams cooked in a fire¡ªwell, I¡¯ve seen a video of them cooked on a fire, but I think this will make them taste better.¡± The otter chirped, the intent of the noise indiscernible to me. It crept forward, staring at the sand crab I placed on the sand, its nose twitching adorably as it sniffed the air. I sat down between Snips¡¯s and the otter¡¯s portions with my plate in hand. Snips started crunching happily, and the otter walked up beside me, tentatively touching the hot crab with a paw. ¡°It might be too hot for you yet. It¡¯ll cool in a moment.¡± It looked at me, cocked its head, and sat down, smelling the crab intently. Personally, I couldn¡¯t focus on the food; my mind was filled with a compulsion to pet the otter. I reached out absentmindedly, my eyes locked on the soft fur of the creature beside me. Chapter 39: Approval Chapter 39: Approval Istopped my hand before it got too close to the otter as I realized what I was doing. Noticing my outreached hand from the corner of its eye, the otter turned from the crab, giving me a questioning chirp. ¡°Is . . . is it okay if I pet you?¡± It made no move, staring between me and my extended hand. It gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Slowly, keeping my hand as steady as possible, I placed my fingers on the fur of its upper back. I scratched the otter, my fingers easily parting the soft fur. It was wet still from its passage through the waters of the river, and some sort of slippery film coating its fur. The film didn¡¯t bother me. Its body was warm, radiating enough heat to ward off the chill I¡¯d expected to find. It leaned into my touch, arching its back so my fingers were more firmly pressing into its body. I continued scratching, moving my hand up toward the rear of its neck. Snips hissed, grabbing my attention, and I paused my petting, glancing at her. She wiggled her back, pointing to the top of her carapace with her free claw. I smiled. ¡°Of course¡ªsorry, Snips.¡± I started petting her with my left hand; my right resumed scratching the otter. Snips bubbled happily, and the otter bent down so my fingers dug into the back of its head. It let out a happy chirp, and I started rubbing the area around its ears. Its head lifted, again making my fingers dig in harder. I closed my eyes, bathing in the sounds of happy chirps and joyous hisses. I wish this moment could never end . . . Both of my animal pals looked at me when I reluctantly withdrew my hands. I pointed down at the crab in front of the otter. ¡°It won¡¯t be as tasty if it gets cold. By the way, sorry if this is rude to ask, but are you male or female?¡± Sergeant Snips let out a sharp hiss I took as a snort of amusement, and I turned to her. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Snips¡ªI had to ask you the same thing.¡± She froze, peering at me and dipping her body in apology. I shook my head with a smile as I returned my attention to the otter. It pointed to Snips, then to itself¡ªno, herself. ¡°You¡¯re female.¡± She nodded in a matter-of-fact way, not taking offense at my question. ¡°All right, thank you.¡± Her eyes locked back onto the waiting meal. Extending both forepaws, she tested the heat by tapping the crab rather adorably with rapid-fire touches. Finding the temperature acceptable, she removed a rock from one of her pouches, and with a swift crack, smashed the joint of the claw and body. She took the claw in both hands, tasting the sweet, exposed flesh with tentative licks. The events of the next second were a blur; she held the claw in one hand, smacked her rock up and down its length, and lapped up any juices that threatened to drip into the sand. With dexterous purpose, she discarded smashed sections of shell, biting and sucking the meat revealed within. She was a storm of movement, and I couldn¡¯t help but stare in amazement. Snips was watching too; she took it as a challenge. Crunching came from my left, surrounding me with a symphony of noise. I smiled and cracked the claw in my hands. I love my life. Trent, first in line to the throne of Gormona, and, by his estimate, quite a ladies¡¯ man, stared down the two cultivators accompanying him. He focused on the first cultivator, a man with short-brown hair. ¡°Come on! It¡¯s not that far out of the way to stay in a tavern.¡± The cultivator shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s too far.¡± ¡°You¡¯d rather spend the night in a forest? There are ladies in a tavern. You¡¯re a man, aren¡¯t you? I could just order you to do so, cultivator. Then you¡¯d have to.¡± ¡°Why? So you can be shot down again? You didn¡¯t have your fill of rejection in the last village we passed?¡± Gary left the home that served as their headquarters, stepping out through the back door into the waning light of the setting sun. He knew better than to continue a conversation with Sebastian after his mood had shifted. His thoughts swam as he walked along the cobbled stones connecting to the breakwall. Stopping absentmindedly, he stared out at the eastern skyline, the beautiful colors bringing a touch of peace. Still, his mind whirred. How do I steer Sebastian off this path of vengeance . . . ? ¡°This is what I made today!¡± I said, gesturing at the pond. Snips blew curious bubbles, and the otter chirped in consideration. ¡°It¡¯s called a pond, and fish can live in it.¡± Snips crawled down into the hole, making the sign for salt as she cocked her carapace questioningly. ¡°No, I was thinking fresh water¡ªif salt water leaks out from here, it could ruin the soil, potentially even killing the surrounding grass and trees.¡± Snips pointed down, then mimed eating, small questioning bubbles coming forth. ¡°Not for eating, no¡ªwell, that¡¯s not what I planned, at least. If we stock the smaller fish in here, it will be an easy source of fresh bait for us to use. This is just a test pond to see if it works. If it does, we could even create a brackish one for stocking the common eels that are such good bait.¡± Sergeant Snips¡¯s carapace swayed back and forth in thought as she considered my words. She started drawing in the soil. The word for water, then the word for leaving, both of which she had taught me since discovering she was literate. ¡°Will the water drain out through the ground?¡± Snips nodded. ¡°Well, maybe. If we get it lower than the water table, which I¡¯m guessing is about the level of the river with how close we are to it, then the water will remain. Otherwise, we¡¯ll have to line the ground with something to stop it draining.¡± I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s all assuming the water drains at all¡ªit¡¯s not sandy this far back, but I¡¯ve never made a pond before. We¡¯ll have to work it out together.¡± The otter joined Snips in the hole, walking around and testing the soil with her claws. As I watched them inspect the earth, I smiled at the curiosity they both held. They¡¯re more alike than Snips would care to admit¡ªman, I hope they grow to become good friends. My eyes went distant, and I started considering the most important task I had at the moment. The otter needs a name . . . When Fischer retired for the evening¡ªafter making the otter and her swear they wouldn¡¯t attack each other when left alone¡ªSergeant Snips, chosen of Fischer and defender of his land, turned to the new recruit. They stared at each other, Snips with a tinge of frustration coloring her expression, the otter with an infuriating calm. Snips took the first step toward peace. She gestured for the otter to follow, and not caring to see if she did or not, set off. It¡¯s to be expected that my master would accrue more followers. He¡¯s too kind to request work, so it¡¯s my responsibility to ensure any recruits contribute to his land. The otter¡¯s paws padded through the sand behind her. Good. I shouldn¡¯t have to force obedience. Snips eyed the landscape as they moved north. She already had an idea for the ideal spot but kept an open mind as they traveled toward it. Not seeing any better positions, she stopped on the sand fifty meters northwest from the headland. It was in a small dip of the sandy mounds, protected from the strong southerly winds by the headland, but not so close that they would hit rock. Snips pointed at the sand and dug her claw through it, then pointed toward the forest, where Fischer had shown them his pond. The otter cocked its head and chirped, clearly not understanding. Great¡ªit¡¯s a moron. Snips scuttled out from the center and began dragging her claw through the sand as she drew a large shape. She walked all the way around the hole she envisioned, its size and scope much grander than that of the small pond Fischer had dug. The otter let out a sharp chirp, walked into the middle of the soon-to-be pit, and nodded. She started digging, and Snips nodded her approval. Chapter 40: Claws Chapter 40: Claws Barry sat straight backed, his legs crossed before him as the sun started to peek over the eastern horizon. ¡°This was such a good idea, Barry,¡± Maria said. Roger harrumphed from the other side of his daughter. ¡°It¡¯s lovely, but we have fields to work.¡± ¡°Dad, you are such a grump¡ªwe have all day to work, and Barry even offered to help us. The least we can do is take a few minutes to enjoy the sunrise with him.¡± Barry smiled at the two, then closed his eyes, focusing on the cool wind blowing fitfully from the south. ¡°You aren¡¯t obligated to join me; I¡¯ll help you two with your field, regardless. I invited you to join me because this is the best way to start the day.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Maria said, ¡°I, for one, am glad you suggested it. We¡¯ve been so busy lately. I can¡¯t tell you the last time we took a moment to appreciate the beautiful village we live in.¡± Roger grunted, somewhere between agreement and annoyance at what he perceived to be a waste of time. Should I ask them now? Barry thought. He took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. No time like the present, I suppose . . . ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this is overstepping, but is it all right if I ask you about your mother, Maria? It¡¯s Sharon, right?¡± ¡°What does my wife have to do with this, Barry?¡± Roger¡¯s tone was hard as a rock, and Barry opened his eyes to peer at the farmer. Roger glared back, his eyes flinty, his expression flat. ¡°Fischer told me she¡¯s been having some health issues. I just wanted to know what her ailment was, because I might be able to help her.¡± Maria covered her father¡¯s face with a hand, pushing him back lightly. ¡°Geez, Dad¡ªcan you drop the hackles for one second? You keep assuming the worst of people.¡± Roger turned his gaze on his daughter. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just too trusting, Maria¡ªyou take after your mother.¡± Maria nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing, you stone-headed oaf. What on Kallis could Barry do with the knowledge that Mom is sick?¡± ¡°What could he do to help with that information? Last I checked, you¡¯re a farmer too, Barry¡ªwhat can you do that we can¡¯t?¡± Barry held his hands up, trying to diffuse Roger¡¯s anger. ¡°Please, indulge me. We¡¯ve dealt with a lot of odd ailments in our family, all of which we cured with natural remedies,¡± he lied. Roger¡¯s scowl deepened, and Maria sighed. ¡°Forgive Dad. He¡¯s overprotective.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive. Would you share with me, though?¡± Roger stood. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the fields. Say what you will, Maria.¡± He turned and strode away, swiftly retreating from the shore. Maria rolled her eyes after he¡¯d left. ¡°I swear, that man . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing to be overprotective,¡± Barry said. ¡°I can empathize with where he¡¯s coming from.¡± They lapsed into silence, both returning their attention to the rising sun. Eventually, Maria started talking. ¡°Mom¡¯s sickness is something you can¡¯t see. It began with bouts of dizziness and weakness. Over time, it got worse, and for the last year or so, she¡¯s been bedridden.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That must be hard . . .¡± Maria nodded as she continued staring out to sea. ¡°It is. After some searching, we found an alchemist operating out of the village, and we¡¯ve been buying elixirs from him. She doesn¡¯t seem to be getting worse, but she¡¯s also not getting better.¡± Barry couldn¡¯t stop both his eyebrows from shooting up.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com huge!¡± I raised my eyes to take in their creation now that the mystery of its existence was solved. It was at least ten meters across from east to west, and twenty meters from north to south. The walls were three to four meters tall, and the bottom of the pond was already filled to the halfway point with salty water seeping in through the sand. ¡°Did . . . did you two work all night?¡± Again, they nodded, now with more calm. ¡°I . . . can¡¯t believe it . . .¡± I bent down, patting them both to let my elation out. ¡°You two are amazing! I don¡¯t think I could have done this myself in a single night!¡± Snips bubbled happily and closed her eye as I scratched her. The otter extended her head into my rubs, staring at me with big golden-retriever energy. ¡°Are you done, or do you plan to make it bigger?¡± Snips and the otter reacted as one again, stretching both their forelimbs out wide. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°What do you two say to some breakfast, first? You don¡¯t have to finish it all right now, and I¡¯m sure you both need some rest after a full night of digging.¡± They both nodded, their eyes gleaming. If I was being honest, I was still a little unsure of the name I¡¯d offer my otter pal when I woke up. I hoped it would come to me as I lay in bed, but I¡¯d fallen asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. I knew, however, that it would come to me. My food sat untouched as I watched Snips and the otter devour theirs. If the average villager were to walk by and catch sight of the decimation before me, they¡¯d probably be horrified. Me? I was ecstatic they were enjoying themselves and my cooking. As usual, Snips ate the crab whole, carapace and all. The otter had started by using her trusty rock, but after a pause, did something astounding. She held a paw out, and with a small flex, extended five ridiculously sharp claws. She swiped down, obliterating the cooked crab in front of her. Her head cocked back, seemingly startling herself with her own strength and efficacy. The astonishment only lasted a brief second, and she quickly started collecting chunks of crab meat with her agile paws, shoveling them into her mouth. At that moment, I was struck with inspiration, and her name came to me. . . . it can wait until after breakfast. I started eating too, and the wonderful flavor swept me away. Adding salt to the water was a game changer. The increased salinity clung to the shell and seemed to spread throughout, adding a rich depth to the sweet meat within. When I sucked the cracked limbs, salty juices joined the flesh and a groan of contentment escaped me. ¡°Oh, man, this is unreal,¡± I said around a mouthful. They both nodded, Snips crunching away, the otter chewing adorably. Before I knew it, I was finished, and I let out a sigh after eating the last bite. ¡°How was it, ladies?¡± Snips bubbled happily from the sand. The otter let out a soft chirp, lounging on my other side, and I turned to her. ¡°I wanted to ask¡ªdo you have a name?¡± She glanced up at me lazily, shaking her head. ¡°Do . . . do you want one?¡± She sat up, her eyes considering me with a spark of intelligence. She gave a single nod. ¡°How do you feel about the name Corporal Claws?¡± Blinking, she shot toward me. She leaned her upper body against my leg, nodding and chirping incessantly. I smiled and let out a small laugh. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it!¡± I stroked Corporal Claws¡¯s head, causing her to close her eyes and lean into me. I felt Snips press up against my other side, and before she could complain, I started petting her, too. My little family has grown . . . Chapter 41: Another Task Chapter 41: Another Task With Sergeant Snips and Corporal Claws napping peacefully in the sun, I made my way toward the fields. Those two really did a number on themselves by working all night. As soon as the food had settled, they both started falling asleep, and I stroked them until they passed out. The passage toward the fields was pleasant; the sun warmed my skin, perfectly contrasted by a cool breeze blowing from the east. When I arrived, the work was well and truly underway. Maria and Roger were working on the field closest to the ocean, once more mixing the soil and sand, as per Barry¡¯s instruction. Barry, the madman that he was, occupied the other field, doing the same amount of work as the other two. ¡°Morning, guys!¡± ¡°Morning!¡± Maria and Barry both called, while Roger simply nodded at me. I walked toward Barry. ¡°What¡¯s the plan for today, chief? Want me to jump in and mix up some dirt with you guys?¡± ¡°Sounds good to me, Fischer! Unless you have plans, of course . . .¡± ¡°Nonsense, mate. I¡¯m happy to help. I did want to run an idea past you though . . .¡± ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Well, that totally depends on what you can tell me about the fertilizer you use.¡± Barry shot a look at the other two, and seeing they weren¡¯t listening, leaned in and spoke softly. ¡°Are you suggesting what I think you are?¡± I grinned. ¡°If you¡¯re thinking I want to catch a fish for food and use the inedible parts of its body for fertilizer, you¡¯re bang on the money, my friend.¡± Barry glanced toward the others again before returning his focus to me. ¡°I¡¯m all for it, but I don¡¯t think Roger would take too kindly to the idea.¡± ¡°Yeah, I figured.¡± I shot him a wink. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you, not him. What do you guys usually use for fertilizer?¡± ¡°Most farmers in Tropica use cow manure from the pastures to the north, but I think blood-bone fertilizer is more suitable as a jumpstart for these fields¡ªI have plenty of it spare, as we often replenish the soil every few harvests.¡± Not sure what I was expecting, but that seems pretty similar to Earth. I let out a soft chuckle at myself. What did I expect, magic fantasy dust? Barry raised an eyebrow at my mirth, but I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mate¡ªjust had a giggle-worthy thought.¡± I peered at the fields, taking in their size. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯d be able to get anywhere near enough for the entirety of one field, let alone two. What do you reckon about me catching something, and we test it on a small patch?¡± ¡°That sounds prudent¡ªif you catch it today, we can fertilize the field with it tonight when they leave.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan, Barry! I¡¯ll get to it!¡± I walked over to Roger and Maria on the way back to my shores. ¡°How are you guys going? Looks like you¡¯re killing it.¡± They both gave me odd looks. ¡°. . . killing it?¡± Maria asked. ¡°Er¡ªsorry, I mean that you guys are doing a good job.¡± Roger snorted, muttering something under his breath. Maria shot him a chastising look, then turned back to me. ¡°We¡¯re doing good. Thanks again for letting us use your land. How are you doing, Fischer?¡± I beamed with genuine excitement. ¡°I¡¯m doing great! I have something to take care of today, so I won¡¯t be able to help in the fields¡ªit looks like you have things covered, though!¡± Roger snorted again and shook his head, causing Maria to let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him¡ªwhat he means to say is thanks for letting us use your land, and for all your help so far. Right, Dad?¡± Who needs to hit the gym when you¡¯re hitting metal all day? My man is jacked! The hammer fell one last time, and Fergus took a deep breath as he inspected the bar. His eyes ran up and down the length as he checked for any defects or mistakes. Nodding to himself, he dropped it in a quenching pit filled with oil. ¡°To your liking, mate?¡± He grinned at me. ¡°Aye, not that digging bars need a perfect finishing touch¡ªstill, it never hurts to pour care into something you make.¡± I smiled. ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more, Fergus. What day is it, by the way? I¡¯ve lost track.¡± ¡°Resday.¡± So Crafday, Winday, then Resday today, and Sunday tomorr¡ª ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± Fergus asked, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°Other than my beautiful face, of course.¡± He wiggled his eyebrows at me, causing a laugh to escape my throat. ¡°Purely selfish reasons for my visit, I¡¯m afraid¡ªI wanted to see that beautiful mug of yours. Oh, and craft some things.¡± He roared a laugh as he took off his gloves. ¡°You¡¯re only human, after all! What did you want to make?¡± I pulled out my bent hook, holding it toward him. ¡°I¡¯ve been sharpening wall hangers to use for my heretical activities, but as you can see, they stand no chance against my foes.¡± Fergus raised both eyebrows after accepting the bent hook, and his eyes narrowed as he tried and failed to bend it with his hands. ¡°What in Hephaestus¡¯s hammer bent this . . . ?¡± ¡°Big bloody fish, mate.¡± His eyes met mine. ¡°Do I need to be worried? Can you even handle something strong enough to bend this?¡± I gave him my best reassuring smile. ¡°A fish is still a fish¡ªthey¡¯re as good at fighting on land as you¡¯d be fighting underwater.¡± ¡°Just a normal-looking fish? How does it bend metal?¡± ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how much force they can exert underwater; their bodies are built for swimming. It felt like the biggest thing I¡¯d hooked so far, but don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll keep my heresy to my little patch of sand.¡± ¡°Still . . .¡± His eyes roamed back over the bend in the hook. ¡°I¡¯m a little awed by the strength . . .¡± ¡°I am too. That¡¯s why I wanted to try my hand at crafting my own hooks!¡± Fergus rubbed his chin in thought and turned to peer at a shelf in the back of the smithy. ¡°One moment.¡± He returned with a box filled with casings similar to the one we¡¯d used to create the silver ring. ¡°You can start with these molds; it¡¯ll save you some time.¡± ¡°They¡¯re the ones you use to create the wall hangers?¡± ¡°Aye. You can reshape them as you need after you take them from the mold . . .¡± Fergus looked back at the shelf then gave me a wide smile. He walked over to it, grabbed a smaller box, and brought it over to me. ¡°If you use these hooks I¡¯ve already made, you can heat and shape them, then use the reshaped hooks to create your own casings.¡± ¡°Mate. You¡¯re too good to me.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve helped me plenty¡ªit¡¯s the least I could do.¡± ¡°Well, thank you. I appreciate all the help. Any advice on the best way to go about it?¡± ¡°I can do better than that, mate! I¡¯ll help!¡± I grinned at his use of ¡®mate¡¯; he gave me a coy smile back. ¡°I can¡¯t turn down that offer, my man! Are you free now?¡± ¡°For you, Fischer?¡± He set his gloves down. ¡°Always.¡± Chapter 42: Pulse Chapter 42: Pulse Iremoved the hanger from the forge when it glowed red, just as Fergus had suggested. He passed his pliers, and I started shaping it. I started with a smaller hanger, not wanting to waste any of the smith¡¯s metal if it went poorly. The metal bent easily, and I turned the round curve into a shape approximating an Aberdeen hook. I made the bend slightly squared, then straightened the shank out and used the needle-nose pliers to create the small eye I¡¯d attach my line to. Finally, I turned my attention to the tip of the hook. I raised it right before my eyes, carefully pinching and molding the tip into as sharp a point as possible. ¡°Quench?¡± I asked. ¡°Aye, when you¡¯re happy with the shape.¡± I inspected the tip one more time then checked the eye. I bent the metal as close to the other end of the hook, intent on leaving no space between where the end of the eye met the shank. Happy with the shape, I plunged it into the oil. ¡°That¡¯ll do,¡± Fergus said. ¡°It¡¯s thin; it¡¯ll be cool already.¡± I removed it, testing the heat with my finger; he was correct. ¡°Should we make a casing with this one, or make the rest of the hooks . . . ?¡± Fergus nodded at the forge. ¡°Do the rest of the hooks, I think. We can make all the molds later.¡± I set the hook down on the anvil and grabbed the next hanger. Fergus watched Fischer intently, professional curiosity overcoming his aversion to anything heretical. He¡¯d watched Fischer create four types of hooks already; the first one with a long shaft, and three rounded hooks of varying sizes that Fischer had called ¡®circle hooks,¡¯ only one of which had an eye at the end. The one Fischer was now placing in the forge was the weirdest yet. The fisherman had created three of the medium-sized circle hooks and tied them together with thin wire at the blunt ends. The tips splayed out in even intervals, the three needle-like points facing outward. Fergus¡¯s intrigue grew as he watched the thin wire melt, fusing the three hooks together. When the amalgamation was glowing red, Fischer removed it, immediately getting to work with the pliers. He pinched the shafts together, fusing the metal into a single form. While Fergus rarely worked with such small objects in the forge directly¡ªusually only doing so to create casings¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help but feel a kinship with Fischer¡¯s attentiveness and care in creating the hook, heretical as it may be. Fischer pinched the joining bits of metal meticulously, taking particular care around the eye to remove any imperfections or sharp edges. When he was content with the shape, he drove it down into the quenching pit, swirling it around. He withdrew the hook, inspected it with a discerning gaze, and nodded. Then, something unexpected occurred. A small pulse hit Fergus, resonating between his stomach and lungs. He reeled, taking a few steps back in confusion. ¡°W-what was that?¡± Fischer¡¯s eyes went wide, but quickly returned to normal. Did I imagine that . . . ? ¡°You right, Fergus?¡± ¡°Yeah . . . I just . . . I thought I felt something.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Is my smithing that impressive?¡± Fischer smiled and waggled his eyebrows. ¡°Blown away by my skill and expertise in heretical matters?¡± ¡°That must be it . . . what do you call that hook?¡± Fergus asked, trying to change the subject. ¡°It¡¯s called a treble hook, mate. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll use it anytime soon, because they¡¯re usually attached to lures, but thought I¡¯d try making one and see if it was possible.¡± ¡°. . . lures?¡± Fischer laughed, his face broadcasting delight. ¡°It¡¯s something made to look like a fish out of wood, plastic, or metal¡ªbasically, you pull it through the water to imitate a baitfish swimming, and when a bigger fish tries to eat it, the treble snags them no matter what direction they come from.¡± ¡°Metal? Do you want to try creating one?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll gladly come back to do so another day, but after making the casings, I wanna get back and help Barry and the gang on the fields we¡¯re making on my land.¡± Fergus nodded, leaning into the conversation to distance himself from thoughts of the pulse. ¡°I heard about your fields¡ªgood business, that.¡± Fischer shrugged. ¡°Just the right thing to do, mate. I¡¯m not charging them or anything, and I¡¯m not using the land, so I¡¯m happy for them to have a crack at farming it.¡± ¡°Aye, but you don¡¯t need to help them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right; I don¡¯t. Again, though, it seems like the right thing to do.¡± Fergus smiled, his thoughts momentarily swept away by feelings of gratitude for Fischer¡¯s arrival. ¡°Well, if you want to get back to the fields and help them, let¡¯s get started on the molds.¡± An almost predatory grin spread across Fischer¡¯s face, and he nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± The early afternoon sun and an accompanying breeze felt cool on my skin as I walked back toward the fields. Man, what a productive day! I¡¯d managed to create hooks and moldings, catch dinner, and even prepare fertilizer for mine and Barry¡¯s nighttime activity. ¡°So?¡± Roger demanded. ¡°You think we¡¯re incapable of planting stalks?¡± ¡°No, but you can do stuff in your fields, right? You¡¯re really trying to tell me you have nothing to work on? Last I heard, you had a field with improper levels that desperately wants a stabilizing crop planted in it . . .¡± Roger¡¯s lips moved as his pride warred with his financial pressures. ¡°Dad.¡± Maria shook her head lightly, a stray strand of hair falling from behind her ear. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in accepting kindness¡ªyou¡¯d do the same if they needed it, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡° . . . I would,¡± he reluctantly admitted. ¡°So let them help. Now that we have other fields to plant crops in, we can fix the nitrogen in our own. The sooner we plant them, the sooner we can resume growing sugarcane or wheat.¡± Roger averted his eyes and nodded a single time. ¡°And what do we say when people help us, Dad?¡± He glared at her. Standing, he muttered as he turned to walk away. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you, Dad!¡± she yelled after him. ¡°I said thank you, dammit!¡± he called over his shoulder, still marching. Maria let out a deep sigh as she turned back toward Barry and me. ¡°I swear, that man . . .¡± I shook my head with a small laugh. ¡°Old codgers are the same everywhere. If you ever met my dad, you¡¯d think Roger a saint.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°. . . codgers?¡± ¡°Yeah, you know¡ªcodgers, fellas, old blokes. Same thing.¡± She gave me a bemused smile. ¡°You have the oddest way of speaking, Fischer.¡± I beamed a grin. ¡°Thank you!¡± She playfully rolled her eyes at me. ¡°Still, I find it hard to believe that your father could be worse than mine . . .¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to take my word for it. He¡¯s passed now, but he was an abrasive bloke at the best of times.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good. He did everything he wanted in life, and his only regret was probably yours truly.¡± Barry and Maria both blinked at me, concern flooding their expressions. ¡°Err . . . that came out worse than I meant it to. I¡¯m okay¡ªreally.¡± Maria gave a kind smile as she stood, brushing her overalls off. ¡°Well, sorry to leave it on a sad note, but I¡¯d better get back to Dad before he takes his anger out on our sacks of seed.¡± I stood too. ¡°Not at all¡ªsorry if I brought the mood down.¡± She smiled again, and clearly unsure of what to say, waved, and set off. ¡°Damn,¡± I said to Barry. ¡°Think I might have killed the vibe there.¡± Barry grimaced. ¡°It may have reminded her of her mother¡¯s, well, mortality.¡± I facepalmed, groaning at my stupidity. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot. I didn¡¯t even think about that . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have a feeling that Sharon will get better soon.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even know her name was Sharon. I¡¯m a terrible neighbor . . .¡± ¡°If you were a terrible neighbor, Fischer, you wouldn¡¯t be helping them create a farm on your property for free.¡± Barry stood, collecting the almost empty tray of sandwiches. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on what we can do. You caught a fish?¡± Barry was right, of course. There¡¯s no use in dwelling¡ªI can make a difference in their situation, so that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I grinned. ¡°You ask me, the heretical Fischer, if I caught a fish?¡± I shook my head in mock dismay. ¡°My good man, who do you take me for?¡± Chapter 43: Lemons Chapter 43: Lemons In a long-abandoned room, high in the capital city of Gormona¡¯s castle, a construct sat among a sea of similarly forgotten relics. Despite there being noMone present, not a single pair of eyes there to witness its efforts, it sprung to life. Text typed itself out on the screen, a single line intended to inform the long-departed rulers of this land about a cultivator¡¯s advancement. New milestone! Fischer has advanced to fishing 25! ¡°About this deep, you reckon?¡± I asked. Barry nodded. ¡°Aye, Fischer¡ªthat should be the perfect depth for the sugarcane¡¯s roots.¡± I threw a chunk of fish into the hole. ¡°You want to put a bit of dirt on top,¡± Barry said. ¡°Like so.¡± He threw a handful of soil atop the fertilizer, and I nodded. ¡°And we just plant the stalk of sugarcane right above it?¡± Barry removed one from the satchel over his shoulder, holding the stalk out to me. I accepted it. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you propagate sugarcane like this . . .¡± Barry raised an eyebrow, smiling at me. ¡°Did you think it grew from seed?¡± ¡°Well . . . yeah. It really just regrows itself if you don¡¯t pull the stalks out?¡± ¡°It does, yes, but as Maria and Roger have shown, if you leave the field for too long without planting something else, the soil quality will worsen. You have to occasionally rip the entire stalk out and start the cycle over.¡± I held up the palm-length section of cane. ¡°Yeah, but we can just chuck this thing in the ground and it¡¯ll grow? That¡¯s wild, Barry.¡± He laughed, loud and full of joy. ¡°There are plenty of plants like that, Fischer¡ªthey¡¯re called perennial, meaning they grow for a long time with the right conditions, if not indefinitely.¡± I shook my head, still amazed. ¡°Man, you almost make farming sound interesting.¡± He laughed again, even more jubilant than before. ¡°It¡¯s never too late to abandon your heretical ways for a life of farming, you know.¡± ¡°Oh? And where would you get your seafood fix if I wasn¡¯t living the life of a heretic?¡± Barry¡¯s eyes sparkled as I brought up the food. ¡°You, uh, have any of that fish you can spare for your favorite neighbor . . . ?¡± ¡°But of course! How else could I repay the kindness of Helen¡¯s sangas?¡± ¡°. . . sangas? That¡¯s what you call sandwiches where you¡¯re from . . . ?¡± ¡°Struth, mate.¡± ¡°All right, you lost me again.¡± We grinned at each other, and I placed the sugarcane stalk inside the hole. ¡°Do I cover it with loose soil, or do I pack it down?¡± ¡°Pack it down a little. You don¡¯t want any air pockets, but you also don¡¯t want the soil too constricting.¡± I pressed down after filling in the hole, taking care not to use too much strength because of my improved body. ¡°Good?¡± I asked. ¡°Perfect¡ªlet¡¯s move on to the next one.¡± We repeated the process with small chunks of fish fertilizer in the northwest corner of the western field¡ªthe closest to Barry¡¯s home. ¡°Shall we do the rest of the fields without fertilizer, or do you have somewhere to be, Fischer?¡± I grinned. ¡°Wanna race?¡± Barry stared at me, and in a single movement, dumped half the satchel of stalks on the ground and sprinted for the eastern field. I roared a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re on, Barry!¡± Unlike our previous races, Barry was annihilating me. It wasn¡¯t a test of strength or endurance; the planting required care and precision. If anything, my empowered body slowed me down, and I took much longer than Barry each time I pressed down the soil atop the stalks. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Fischer?¡± Barry called, taunting me. ¡°Can¡¯t handle a little farming?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled back, laughing. ¡°I¡¯m doing my best!¡± In less than an hour, Barry was finished and he came over to join me. ¡°Oi! I don¡¯t need help from a goody-two-shoes farmer like you!¡± I joked. ¡°Two shoes?¡± Barry raised an eyebrow. ¡°How many shoes do you usually wear?¡± I chortled, the question catching me off guard. ¡°Never mind. I can¡¯t lie; I¡¯d appreciate your help with my share of the field.¡± I passed him half the remaining stalks, and we finished the field together, Barry still excelling well past what I could accomplish. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re finished, mate,¡± Barry taunted. ¡°Whatever, nerd.¡± ¡°Do I want to know what that means?¡± ¡°It means you¡¯re smart.¡± Barry cocked his head. ¡°And that¡¯s an insult where you come from . . . ? That sounds more like a compliment to me.¡± I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what a nerd would say.¡± ¡°N-no, of course not . . .¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think so, but thought I¡¯d make sure¡ªI¡¯ll start cooking!¡± Claws chirped to grab my attention, and she began fervently rummaging around in both pockets. Her paws withdrew, holding two rock-like objects in each. ¡°. . . oysters?¡± I asked. They were large¡ªbigger than the ones I¡¯d seen on the shore, anyway. Claws nodded, and she walked forward on her hind legs, holding the four oysters out to me. ¡°Where did you find them . . . ?¡± With her forelimbs now free, she chirped and started drawing in the sand. She drew a checkered pattern, an open hatch, and a bunch of oysters within. ¡°. . . the cages off the shore?¡± She nodded, chirping in the affirmative. The oyster cages had oysters in them already? Of that size . . . ? ¡°Were there more in there than those?¡± She pointed at the oysters in my hand then made a minimizing gesture with both paws. ¡°Smaller ones . . . ?¡± Affirmative chirp. ¡°Huh . . . that¡¯s surprising.¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t mean to butt in,¡± Barry said, ¡°but you can understand what she¡¯s saying?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate¡ªyou can¡¯t?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, Fischer, certainly not.¡± ¡°Same as Snips then, huh?¡± I petted the crab in question, making happy bubbles come forth. ¡°Do you have lemons, Barry?¡± ¡°Er¡ªlemons . . . ?¡± ¡°Yeah, you know¡ªcitrus fruit, yellow and kind of egg shaped, tastes sour?¡± ¡°I know what lemons are, but no, I don¡¯t have any lemons on me . . .¡± I barely heard the end of his response. They have lemons here! ¡°Are there any in Tropica?¡± I demanded, not caring to hide the desperation in my voice. ¡°Tropica? I doubt it, unless one of the north siders has some stashed away¡ªthey¡¯re exceedingly expensive, just as with passiona.¡± My excitement died; my stomach dropped. ¡°Let me guess¡ªthe seeds are engineered to not reproduce?¡± ¡°Just so,¡± he said. This fantasy-land Monsanto is really killing my vibe. I need lemons. I let out a great sigh. ¡°Ah well, I supposed that¡¯d make things too easy on us, huh, Snips?¡± Sergeant Snips nodded, definitely not understanding the nuance of my frustration, but still supporting me unconditionally. I petted her again, taking solace in her company. ¡°Well, no matter¡ªthey¡¯d have gone really well with the oysters.¡± Barry furrowed his forehead so much that his eyebrows almost touched. ¡°You¡¯re planning on eating those . . . rocks . . . ?¡± I blinked; Snips blinked; Claws¡¯s head spun and glared at him. Snips was the first to break. A low noise came from her, transforming into a churning hiss of bubbles and laughter. She fell on her back, kicking her legs up in the air. I joined in. I didn¡¯t know when I hit the ground, but I found myself sitting, one hand bracing against the sand, the other wiping tears from my eyes. Corporal Claws didn¡¯t find it as entertaining as Snips and I did, but she still let her amusement out in little chitters as she glanced between all of us rapidly. ¡°They¡¯re¡ªthey¡¯re not rocks, Barry. They¡¯re a type of shellfish.¡± Barry shook his head, laughing at himself. ¡°So you do plan on eating them?¡± ¡°I reckon you should try one too, mate¡ªthey¡¯re best served fresh.¡± Without further ado, I held them back out to Claws. ¡°Would you open these for us?¡± She nodded as she ran toward me, collecting the oysters and setting them down on a log used for sitting. Claws flexed her paw, and five of her namesakes sprung out, sending Barry¡¯s eyebrows flying up. ¡°You¡¯re gonna get wrinkles if you spend too much time around us,¡± I said, giggling. With a series of adept movements, Claws unhinged each oyster and discarded the lids. She passed one to me and Snips first, then gave one to Barry, and finally, picked up her own and slurped it down with glee. ¡°After you, mate,¡± I said to Barry. He stared down at the mollusk, and after gathering his courage, poured it into his mouth, copying Claws¡¯s action. His face immediately transformed. Chapter 44: The Plan Chapter 44: The Plan Barry¡¯s face scrunched in obvious disgust as the oyster¡¯s flavor and texture hit him. He bit down a single time, and his disappointment only deepened. He swallowed it whole, his whole body trembling. ¡°Yeahhhhhh,¡± I said, ¡°they can be a bit much for the uninitiated.¡± ¡°W-water,¡± he begged. I pointed toward the house. ¡°Inside.¡± He nodded, and all but ran away, likely not wanting to offend me by sprinting. Snips and Claws both stared after him in confusion. ¡°Raw and unseasoned oysters don¡¯t taste great to everyone¡ªit can be a bit of an acquired taste.¡± Sergeant Snips shrugged, accepting my words, but Corporal Claws looked like Barry had just slapped each and every one of her ancestors. ¡°Forgive him,¡± I said. ¡°He didn¡¯t mean to offend you¡ªin fact, I think he schooled his reaction pretty well.¡± I raised my oyster to my lips, enjoying the salty taste that washed through my mouth. When Barry returned, I was just placing the fish on my makeshift grill. ¡°You right, mate?¡± He nodded, grimacing. ¡°Sorry¡ªI don¡¯t think oysters are for me . . .¡± ¡°They rarely are the first time you try them. I¡¯ll cook them up in something tasty for you next time.¡± He nodded, the lingering grimace telling me he didn¡¯t believe I could turn them into something palatable. Just you wait, Barry¡ªI dare you to knock back my Oysters Kilpatrick once I get the spices and seasonings of this world worked out. ¡°This fish didn¡¯t actually have wings . . . right?¡± Barry asked, staring down at the bit of fish I removed from the grill. ¡°Nah, mate¡ªjust a term for this cut of meat.¡± I removed the cheeks too, placing them beside the wings on the wooden board. I walked over to a tray of salt, and finding it mostly dry, I grinned. One more day of sun, and it¡¯ll be finished and ready for jarring. I pinched some from the surface, sprinkling the coarse rocks of salt over the wings and cheeks. ¡°This will be a taste of what¡¯s to come,¡± I said, placing the board on the floor and cutting the bits of meat into sections. ¡°Try the cheeks first,¡± I said to everyone, pointing at the small bits of flesh I¡¯d cut in half. Snips and Claws grabbed them without delay, happily digging into the bite-sized morsels. I held the board out to Barry, and he eyed them with trepidation. ¡°I promise it¡¯ll taste better than the oyster. In fact, it might taste even better after eating something you deemed gross.¡± ¡°Gross might be a strong way of putting it . . .¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie, Barry,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°I remember my first oyster as a young man, and I can¡¯t say I composed myself as well as you did.¡± He winced, reaching out for the fish cheek. I watched as he placed it in his mouth. The moment he did, his hesitancy evaporated. ¡°Mmmm,¡± he groaned, closing his eyes in delight. I ate mine too, and I had to agree with his assessment. The salt had been what was missing; the umami boost was sublime in combination with the fish¡¯s flavor. ¡°Next, the wings.¡± Everyone grabbed a chunk as one, Snips and Claws just as excited as before, and Barry having all his trepidation swept away by the cheek¡¯s taste. ¡°Careful of the bones,¡± I said. ¡°Eat around them.¡± I held a pectoral fin and bit into the meat, carefully testing for bones as I bit down. The flavor hit me like a truck¡ªand believe me, I¡¯d know what that felt like. The flesh was darker than the cheeks and held more of a fishy taste than the lighter meat. I didn¡¯t shy away from the stronger flavor, and if anything, the contrast between the two only improved the experience. I felt it regenerating my spirit; it invigorated me. Barry let out an mmph as he ate, and I smiled, happy he was enjoying himself. Sergeant Snips finished first¡ªunsurprising, given her lack of aversion to bones. Corporal Claws, Barry, and I all finished around the same time after working around the cooked bones. Barry let out a content sigh. ¡°That was delicious, Fischer.¡± I smirked at him. ¡°Glad I could redeem myself after the oyster.¡± ¡°How will having consensual fun with a local girl hurt our quest? Any girl would be lucky to experience a man such as myself!¡± ¡°Despite how dubious consent may be with the power imbalance between you and a villager, even if we assume that it¡¯s completely consensual, word will spread of your actions, and the cultivator we¡¯re looking for could flee.¡± ¡°How?¡± Trent demanded. ¡°How can you know that word will spread and that it will hurt our goals?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say you¡¯re right, and that they¡¯re lucky to be with such a man as yourself¡ªthey¡¯ll brag, or her coworkers will spread nasty rumors out of sheer jealousy at not being chosen by such a strong, manly, no-doubt flawless lover¡ª¡± Trent slapped him again, and as Leroy turned back to look at him, he smiled at the prince. ¡°Let¡¯s say you¡¯re wrong, though¡ªthat the girl finds your touch repulsive, but feels threatened by the presence of two cultivators. What happens when her father or lover learns that you defiled her with your disgusting body¡ª¡± Trent screeched as he slapped him, and Leroy simply straightened and smiled again. ¡°Does that make you feel better?¡± Trent lashed out again, harder than ever, but this time Leroy held his head firm. Trent¡¯s eyes went wide as he struck what must have felt like a stone wall, and he took a step back, his jaw quivering. ¡°Y-you can¡¯t attack me¡ªyour collar will detonate!¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m attacking you, prince?¡± Leroy spat the last word, but the look of fear remained on Trent¡¯s face; not a bit of anger showed. Trent turned to the blond-haired cultivator, who was staring off into space, as ever. ¡°What about you? You¡¯ll let this man threaten me¡ªyour prince? You should punish him for his insolence!¡± Surprisingly, the other man actually turned, appearing to have heard Trent¡¯s words. ¡°If I were to hurt this man, I¡¯d be placing the mission in jeopardy and my collar could detonate.¡± Trent shook, his anger finally winning over his fear, and he spun. ¡°Fine! We keep moving, then! See how you traitorous fools feel after a night of running without sleep!¡± Trent jumped atop his horse as awkwardly as ever, and after an embarrassing amount of time getting situated atop the saddle, he spurred it on. Leroy followed, finally letting his frustration show now that Trent had turned his back. The collar around his neck was a constant reminder of his servitude, and for a moment, he let his hatred toward his captors roil within him. His blood boiled, and he felt the need to lash out, to wipe Trent from the face of Kallis. ¡°You know,¡± the other cultivator said, ¡°you could kill him in a single blow¡ªyou should.¡± Leroy glanced at the man, still shocked to find him speaking. The look in the blond-haired man¡¯s eyes drove a spike of cold understanding through Leroy¡¯s awareness. He¡¯d seen that expression before, especially among cultivators that had been slaves for too long. Something had broken within the man; he thirsted for blood and would take any excuse to witness violence. Leroy looked forward, ignoring him. Instead, he tamped the swelling fury down, focusing on his guiding star, his lodestone that was the only thing that kept him going. Getting myself killed is a betrayal of those I love. Leroy had people to return to. I have to find a way back to my family. No matter how long it takes, or how many injustices I have to live through. Barry raised both hands slowly, trying not to let them shake. ¡°I¡¯m on your side, Snips¡ªyou¡¯re not under threat from me, and killing me will only hurt your safety.¡± Sergeant Snips weakened her grip, and after staring into Barry¡¯s soul for a long moment, she pulled away and started drawing letters in the sand. ¡®Explain.¡¯ Barry nodded, rubbing his neck where Snips had held him. ¡°The danger comes from Fischer¡¯s ability to create more ascendant beings. If the wrong person or creature were to awaken, their actions could bring down the weight of the crown upon us.¡± Snips started writing again. ¡®Then you are a threat.¡¯ He shook his head again, not insulted by the claim. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ªI want to help Fischer ascend.¡± Snips sat unmoving, watching Barry with her inhuman eye. After a tense minute, she scuttled to the side and pointed at the first word she¡¯d written. ¡®Explain.¡¯ Barry nodded. ¡°I need your help to do it, which is why I came to you.¡± Barry took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he tried to calm his nerves. ¡°This is the plan . . .¡± Chapter 45: Taproot Chapter 45: Taproot Sergeant Snips scuttled beneath the waves surrounding Tropica, searching. The moon high above shone its light down atop her, brightening the seafloor. Despite the myriad benefits of her new body, it also had its detriments. She no longer looked like a simple crab, and the moment any fish caught sight of her steady movement through the water, they fled. A new tactic was necessary. She traveled to a large boulder she knew was just east of her position. The moment the fish using it as cover saw her, they fled. Her legs worked their way down into the loose sand, digging until her large and rather impressive carapace was resting atop the ocean floor. She sat and waited, unmoving. Her thoughts returned to the conversation with Barry, and a few bubbles escaped her mouth as she considered. It is well I didn''t have to kill him¡ªthat would have caused master grief. Snips was also fond of Barry, but should he turn out to be a threat, she would harbor no regrets at having to take his life¡ªother than the negative emotions her master would feel as a result, of course. Sergeant Snips had been shocked at the revelation that Barry had also taken steps on the path of ascension. If she had known that to be a possibility, she would have insisted he didn''t eat. And, if he did, I would have ended him before he awakened; such is the threat he possesses. Luckily for Barry, he was a more-than-reasonable human, and not only were his plans largely good, but also beneficial. Snips couldn''t enact them without him, and so, he had proven himself. Most surprising of all was that a simple farmer had reached so many correct conclusions and devised sound plans with them. Well, sound after Snips'' corrections, but that superiority was to be expected of Fischer''s first chosen. Movement caught her eye, and a large fish lazily swam toward the rock. Snips remained still, allowing it the illusion of safety. Even with no threat visible, it approached warily, its eyes and body darting around and scanning each section of sand it crossed. She kept her eyestalk still, not needing to move it around to track the fish. It swam behind her, and she lost sight of it¡ªstill, she didn''t move. Her anticipation rose; even with her awakening, base animalistic instincts remained. The fish rounded the boulder in front of her, and it looked down at her, its eye darting around rapidly as it took in what must have looked like a rather odd rock. It swam closer; its curiosity sealed its fate. Her claw moved faster than an unascended creature could register, clacking sharply and shooting an arc of water outward. It severed the fish''s head; her aim was true, ending its life in an instant¡ªas was Fischer''s teaching. She collected both pieces of fish and set off for the cave. When she arrived, she found an antenna poking out of the entrance. The previous times she''d visited, the sea snipper lay further back in the cave, hiding in a hole that barely fit its size. Good, she thought, nodding to herself. It gains confidence. Holding the bits of fish before her so the scent wafted on the ocean current, she approached. The sea snipper, catching the scent of slain fish in the water, crawled toward her, its remaining antenna moving up and down. Two smaller antennae below the larger one moved around rapidly, enticed by the meal. Sergeant Snips dropped the fish on the sand, intent on making the sea snipper come further from its cave to collect the gift. As it stepped out, she caught sight of the nub where its other antenna had been. The appendage appeared to be regrowing, but the base was still notably scarred. She rubbed her eyepatch, touching the spot where she''d lost an eye. The fight that caused her to lose it was lost to time, her memories from the before fleeting and unreliable. Will my eye one day regrow, too? She shrugged to herself, and the sea snipper darted back a meter, spooked by her gesture. No matter, she thought, stepping back from the cave a few steps to encourage the sea snipper forward. If it regrows, I will still wear my master''s gifted garment. The creature walked forward once more as she retreated, tentatively picking up the large section of fish with one gigantic claw. It made to take it back to its cave, but realizing that a section of head remained, it scooped that up too in its other forelimb. With both bits of fish secured, it withdrew, already holding the head to its mouth and crunching on it. *** Barry walked beneath the full moon, its light showing him the way home. Despite the late hour, he didn¡¯t feel tired. The cool night air was invigorating. He and Sergeant Snips had talked for hours, and after explaining himself and what he had planned, she¡¯d been more than willing to work together. While he knew creatures on the path to ascension were told to be smart, he wasn¡¯t prepared for just how intelligent she was. Being literate and able to communicate with written language was one thing; her insight and input were another thing entirely. Busy as his mind was, the trip back home took no time at all. He stepped inside. The air was warm, and the smell of his wife¡¯s curry still lingered.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Where would I be without that woman...? Barry resumed walking, holding his hands out to touch sugarcane leaves in his passing. His mind was dragged away, mulling over plans, possibilities, and outcomes. He barely registered stepping out between his crops, and his eyes cleared as something unexpected appeared. Barry cast about, checking he was where he thought. Fischer¡¯s sands stretched out before him, the two new fields making two brown rectangles on the yellow and white landscape. In the corner of one of the fields, the one to his right that Fischer had fertilized, sat a section of fully grown sugarcane. ¡°What in Demeter¡¯s harvest...¡± His legs walked toward the anomaly unbidden, his mind unbelieving despite the proof being directly before his eyes. He reached out, grasping one of the stalks. It wasn¡¯t just fully grown¡ªit was the largest stalk of cane Barry had ever seen. ¡°Huh...¡± A small laugh bubbled from his throat, and he shook his head with a smile. "And he doesn''t even like farming..." With this discovery, the plans in Barry¡¯s mind shifted. He walked toward the closest sugarcane stalk and pulled it from the ground¡ªwell, he tried to. The cane held firm, so he redoubled his efforts. A grunt escaped him, and he felt the roots beginning to give. Finally, with a last tug, the stalk came free. He lunged backward as the last root snapped, then took a few steps back as he regained his balance. He lifted the sugarcane, inspecting the roots; they were the thickest he''d ever seen, looking more like the roots of a sapling than those of Tropica''s staple crop. A taproot sat in the middle of the tangle of nutrient-gathering tendrils, wider than one of Barry''s stout fingers. He grabbed it in his hand, assessing its sturdiness. "No wonder it was so hard to pull out..." It was firm, one more reminding Barry of a tree rather than a crop. Barry smiled to himself. With this, the first stage of our plans should be easy as sowing seeds. Barry placed the sugarcane on the ground, walked over to the next stalk, and braced his legs. He started tugging. *** Helen cracked an eye as she heard the front door close. Getting up with a grace belying her age, she scurried to the window. She peeked her head around the corner, watching her husband disappear between two rows of sugarcane. With a smile, she wished him all the luck in the world. Helen knew that if Barry had known she was awake, he''d likely have stayed and spent time with her. As much as she liked that idea, she also knew he''d work through his complicated emotions quicker if he got outside among his treasured fields. You''re a simple man, Barry¡ªand I love you for it. Helen also couldn''t sleep, excited as she was. Her whole body seemed to hum with the information it now held, the energy making rest and relaxation an impossibility. She made her way to their back door and collected a bucket before heading to the well. She''d known Barry was hiding something, but waited for him to tell her when he felt comfortable doing so. The awakening wasn''t enough to have unsettled him so, after all. Barry was a pragmatic man, and they''d already discussed what they''d do should one of them happen to awaken¡ªnothing, of course. They''d tell no one and change nothing. It had been a hard lesson to learn, having lost her brother to the capital. The thought immediately brought her down, so she redirected her thoughts. With these plans... if things go well, maybe we can one day rescue him. She tied a rope around the bucket''s handle and lowered it down into the well. Perhaps because she was still waking up, or maybe due to the scope of their plans, negative thoughts blossomed. What if he''s already dead? What if he was too pig-headed to be a slave, and they got rid of him...? The moment she recognized she was catastrophizing, she cut the thought off at the root. No. He would never give up. Wait for us, brother. We''ll come for you. Chapter 46: Flood Chapter 46: Flood I woke from a wonderful dream, one in which I was surrounded by a veritable sanctuary of animals. My legs were unexplainably warm, and I opened sleepy eyes, glancing down toward them. Corporal Claws slept atop my bed, letting out soft snores each time she inhaled. I stretched my arms, doing my best to not move and wake the peaceful otter. This proved a pointless gesture. At seeing my raised arms, a crab leapt from out of sight, landing on my legs between the otter and I. Snips stared at me, her body shaking with excitement at seeing me awake. We made eye contact, and she rushed me. She hissed as a stream of bubbles flew from her mouth, and I pet her sturdy carapace with both hands. "Good morning, Sni¡ª" A furred head darted beneath Snips'' carapace, chittering and rubbing up against my chin and face. "G-good morning, Claws!" I said, laughing as the two fought to get closer to me. They reached an unspoken agreement after a little jostling, Claws nuzzling one side of my face, Snips sidling up on the other, blowing joyous bubbles. "You too, Snips! Did you guys sleep well?" They both nodded, a storm of hisses and chirps ringing out. "Happy Sunday, ladies!" I said, sitting up and arching my back. "Not that I know what Sunday entails..." I stood, stretching my hands toward the roof and delighting in the feeling of sleep falling away. "What do you say we go rustle up some brekkie?" *** With one hand on a crab, the other on an otter, I sat and watched the sunrise to the east. There was a red haze on the horizon, and as the sun crested higher, it painted the world an otherworldly color. A deep red turned to a light pink as the sun went higher-and-higher, slowly banishing the haze beneath its warming light. "This might be the most beautiful morning yet..." A soft chirp and hiss answered. "I''m going to help out Barry again in his field today. What do you ladies have planned?" Snips and the otter looked at each other, the former blowing questioning bubbles, the latter making a chirp of ascent. I cocked my head, but before I could ask, snips pointed toward the saltwater pond. "Ah. More excavation?" They both nodded, and I smiled. It''s nice having friends so willing to help you create stuff... "Alright," I said, slowly standing. "Shall we go cook up these crabs? We''ll all need energy for today''s work!" *** As I approached the fields after collecting a coffee and pastry, Barry, Maria, and Roger were already working. I glanced toward where we''d fertilized the crops, and didn''t notice any difference; the sugarcane stalks there were still mostly hidden by the surrounding soil. Duh. It''s not like they¡¯d grow overnight, Fischer, you goose. Each had a hoe or shovel and were digging furrows between the rows of sugarcane. "Is this for that watering method you mentioned, Barry?" I asked. He gave me a broad smile. "Mornin'', Fischer! It certainly is!" "Where are my manners?" I said. "Good morning, everyone!" "Good morning, Fischer!" Maria beamed. Roger nodded in greeting and returned to his hoeing. "So, what can I do to help?" I asked. Barry pointed to the side. "There''s an extra shovel over there if you want to help digging!" "More than happy to, mate!" Following my neighbors'' example, I dug lines through the soil between the rows. We made short work of our field, and when the last furrow was finished, Barry called me over. "Do you want to help and see how it works, Fischer, or do you have somewhere to be?" "Mate, I''m fueled by coffee and a fantasy croissant right now¡ªyou point me at a job, and I''ll smash it out." Barry laughed. "I think I got about half of that, but I''ll show you what to do." Before following Barry, I turned to see Maria and Roger''s progress. "Your plastic line would be made of the same material, as far as I know. They crush linseeds and refine the oil into this somehow." "Huh. Neat..." He shot me a look, but then shook his head, dispelling his thoughts. "Would you be happy working the pump?" he asked, pointing at the wooden lever atop the main body. "I''ll dig a trench and connect the fields." I nodded. "Of course, mate¡ªif you think you can dig faster than I can pump, that is..." His eyes sparkled at the challenge, and without hesitation, he grabbed his hoe and started digging. I walked over to the pump and turned the cart, facing the spout toward where Barry had begun his trench. I untied the pipe, and unrolling it as I lifted, dropped it over the side of the well. It fell, unrolling as it went and dropping into the water below with a soft splash. With a tentative pull, the lever of the pump came up; it was well oiled and made no noise or scrape. I glanced to the side, saw Barry''s trench almost rounding the crops closest to his house, and with a competitive grin, started pumping. Good luck outpacing the torrent coming your way, mate... *** "Frack me!" Barry said to himself, trying to incorporate Fischer''s curse word. He picked up the pace as he saw the flood approaching, spilling over the sides of his trench that he''d assumed to be deep-enough. He had assumed wrong. One step back at a time, he drove his hoe down into the ground and dragged it toward him, causing the earth to spill to either side. If the water were to reach him before he connected the trenches, it could flood his other fields, potentially killing off swathes of established plants by over-watering. Demeter''s sharpened sickle¡ªchallenging Fischer was a mistake. Barry had thought it was a safe bet; the water would soak the surrounding earth of the trench as it went, and only when the ground was sodden would it continue traveling further toward the fields. He didn''t account for just how much water a single pump could displace when someone with Fischer''s strength attacked it. The water was gaining on him; Barry increased his pace again, working his entire body to dig as fast as he could. He checked over his shoulder; he was almost at the new crops, but the water was almost on him. "Just... a little... more!" He yelled the last word, slamming the hoe into the ground and dragging it back as hard as he could. His back foot fell in the lanes already dug into the crop, and relief suffused him. The relief was short-lived, quickly replaced by discomfort. Just as he connected the trenches, the torrent of water hit him, spilling over his legs and throwing dirt and sand into his boots. He stepped aside and watched the water hit the rows dug between the sugarcane stalks; it spread out evenly, the flood dissipating between the multiple lanes. The sight of the water bringing life to the field washed away his annoyance, and he relished in the calm it brought him. This calm, just as his earlier relief, was short-lived. Maria and Roger hadn''t yet finished their field, and if the water in the first field had nowhere to go, Fischer''s flood would wash the stalks¡ªand all their hard work¡ªaway. Barry sprinted, his shoes making squelching noises as he ran to finish the rows and connect the two fields. "What is that fool doing?" Roger demanded, sweat pouring from his brow. "He challenged me to a race!" Barry answered, digging a deep trench between the two fields. "I think he''s winning!" Maria said. "Nope!" Despite the worry of all their work being swept away, Barry couldn''t help but grin. "I won!" "If these stalks get washed away," Roger said, "we all lose!" "Best dig and stop talking then, Dad!" Roger grunted, listening to the advice, but clearly not happy about it. Barry connected the two fields and began digging another trench between the sugarcane stalks. A full third of the rows weren''t yet dug, and unless they could get them done before the water spread this way, the earth would need to be reshaped, the stalks replanted. We might actually need to get more soil and start over if it gets too out of control... Despite their best efforts, the torrent of water was overwhelming. It flooded the first field in less than a minute and began flowing down the trench Barry had dug. They all continued digging as fast as they could; if they couldn''t curb the flooding entirely, at least they could minimize the damage. The water reached Barry, once more flooding over his boots and filling them with sediment. His fears had come to pass; the water started flowing up and over the sugarcane, carrying much-needed soil away with it. Barry tried to focus on digging the trench, on minimizing the damage as much as possible, but as he saw the first stalk floating past on top of the water, his skin prickled with anxiety. How many days will this set us back? Roger and Maria have no coin, and they need these crops to sustain themselves... Barry''s eyebrows furrowed, and he paused in confusion as the water seemed to dissipate, soaking into the surrounding soil. Had Roger and Maria managed to lead the water off somewhere? He glanced at them, seeing them absolutely exhausted, but similarly confused. A voice called out, and Barry breathed a sigh of relief. "Did I win, Barry?" Chapter 47: Confrontation Chapter 47: Confrontation "No, Fischer¡ªyou lost!" Barry called back, exulting in the relief of knowing the fields wouldn''t wash away. He bent down, picked up the single stalk of sugarcane that had been lifted from the soil, and pressed it firmly back down. "You fool!" Roger spat, stomping toward Fischer with sodden steps. "Do you know what you almost did? Do you know how much you almost ruined everything? Bloody heretical bloody idio¡ª" "Dad! You¡ª" Maria began, but was similarly cut off. "Roger!" Barry boomed, the strength of his voice making Roger pause mid-step. He walked toward Roger slowly, adopting a softer tone. "Come with me for a moment." "You know what he almost just did! Are you really going to¡ª" "Roger." Barry said, something in his tone bringing Roger up short. "Walk with me." Barry turned and strode away, and with only a little grumbling under his breath, Roger followed. As Barry passed Maria, she raised both eyebrows at him, clearly impressed by his wrangling. She spun away, pretending to not notice her father walking after him as she studiously inspected the head of her shovel. *** "Damn¡ªBarry can be pretty intense, huh?" I asked. "I''ve never seen him like that¡ªneither has dad, I''m guessing. That''s probably why he listened to him..." "I''ve never seen him like that¡ªneither has dad, I''m guessing.hat''s probably why he listened to him..." "Guess he finally cracked it over your dad''s attitude." Maria winced, shooting me a furtive glance. "I really am sorry for that, you know¡ªI try my best, but he never listens to me." I waved her apology away. "It''s all good. You have nothing to say sorry for. I''ve dealt with worse, and I know it''s all probably stemming from the stress over your situation." "Oh, no¡ªhe''s always been a giant prick." I snorted a laugh at the unexpected confession. "Though," she said with a smile, "I have to admit he''s been way worse since mom got sick." I nodded, figuring that to be the case. Humans are volatile at the best of times, let alone when their loved ones¡ªand very pride¡ªare on the line. "I''ll win him over eventually¡ªuntil then, he can call me whatever he wants. Sticks and stones." She cocked her head. "Sticks and stones...?" "Yeah. You''ve never heard that? Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." "Wow¡ªis that a common saying where you''re from? It''s quite profound..." It was an effort not to laugh at the profundity of a children''s¡¯ rhyme. I hid my mirth by nodding sagely with pressed-together lips. *** Roger glared his anger at the back of Barry''s head. The leader stopped on the spot between rows of sugarcane, turning a calm gaze on Roger. Roger''s face contorted at being ordered to do anything, and he fought down a snarl. "Why are we letting this fool get in the way? He¡ª" "Roger," Barry said, cutting him off with a flat look. "I haven''t known you for my entire life, but I think I''ve taken your measure pretty well over the years you''ve been here. The way you''re acting now, lashing out at a man that''s done nothing but help you, is entirely unlike you." Roger felt a moment of guilt, but it quickly drowned beneath the weight of unbridled fury. "He flies in the face of the gods themselves, Barry," he spat, leaning into whatever he could to justify his petulance. "That''s not what you''re upset at, Roger. You know it, and I know it¡ªI suspect Fischer knows it too, which is why he''s giving you so much leeway with your constant insults." "Then what am I upset at, Barry?" "We both know what''s got you so out of sorts, Roger. You''re under an immense amount of¡ª" "Say it!" he yelled, cutting him off. "If you''re going to challenge me, be man enough to speak it!" Barry''s mask of calm remained, and he slowly nodded. She did pretty well at hiding her smile, but an echo of it teased the corner of one lip, and I beamed a genuine one back at her. "That''s precisely the point! Hide your true nature until it''s too late." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well, it is too late to turn back now, I suppose. You win this round... deviant." She winked at me before picking up her shovel. *** "I think that should be more than enough for the first watering," Barry said as he inspected the soil. "Looks good to me, too," Maria said. "The stream you sent down was much more manageable than Fischer''s river." "Oh, c''mon! It can''t have been that bad." Barry took off his shoe and shook it; handfuls of sand and soil fell out, splattering wetly to the ground. Maria did the same, and I frowned at them. "Well, you''re not supposed to walk in it. That''s user error." "We didn''t!" Maria pointed at me. "A certain someone sent so much water our way that it flowed over the trenches and into our shoes!" "That just tells me you were digging too slow, and weren''t fast enough to get out of the way." She blinked at me. "Barry." "Yes, Maria?" "I think I''m beginning to agree with my dad." He nodded. "I''m certainly starting to see Roger''s point of view." *** Roger held his wife''s hand as he thought of the distant past, of times when she was healthy, their family whole. The sickness was a slow thing, yet in hindsight, had come on so quickly. It seemed like one day she was fine, the next, she was bedridden. She slept most days away after ingesting the alchemist''s elixirs; today was no different. She was so thin now, and as Roger held her hand in his, his heart broke anew. The very world was wrong without her presence, and he longed for nothing more than her laugh to once more echo off the walls of their home. His hand not holding hers balled into a fist, and he clenched his jaw. It wasn''t fair. None of this was as it should be. Barry''s conversation flitted through his mind, causing his thoughts to wander toward Fischer, and his lip to twinge involuntarily. He had been taking out his emotions on Fischer¡ªthat, at least, he could admit¡ªbut wasn''t it deserved? Weren''t the other villagers the ones in the wrong for readily accepting a heretic? He looked down at his wife, took in her gaunt face and pitted eyes. The flame within Roger roared back to life. *** The moon was mostly full, but a thick carpet of clouds blocked out its white light. With the sun long ago set, and as darkness spread over the land, Barry began his work. Before he could process his harvest, he had to oil and repair the machine. It had sat unused for the last few years after one of its internal shafts snapped, and something had always stopped Barry from repairing it¡ªuntil now. He opened up the side, replaced the metal shaft with the one he''d bought from Fergus, and began oiling. He was careful with his application, removing each component and lubricating only where strictly necessary. When he was finished, he closed the side panel again. He picked up a stalk of sugarcane, wound the crank on the machine''s side, and fed the stalk into it. The sound of fibers snapping and metal cogs turning rang out through the night. A soft trickle joined the symphony of sounds as the first drops of sugarcane juice fell from the juicer, collecting in an empty pitcher. *** In the capital city of Gormona, in a seldom used room, a screen blinked to life. Once more, there was no one present to turn it on, nor anyone there to witness the anomaly. Still, it printed information out, screaming the words into the void. New milestone! Barry has learned leadership! Chapter 48: Decoration Chapter 48: Decoration Sergeant Snips, first chosen of master Fischer, sentinel of these lands, and de facto leader of the local Rock Crab population, collected some rather lovely looking rocks. She''d picked them for their pretty color, and as she inspected the pearlescent stones already piled up, she nodded. Master will like them. She and her squad of crabs hadn''t collected many. Well, she supposed that was relative, but for her project, she needed much more than the meager collection piled before her. Another of her crabby subordinates walked from the crevice and dropped two more of the rocks onto the pile, nodded to Snips, and walked back toward the cave. They were located on Fischer''s land, in a little-explored area of the southern coast. One of the Rock Crabs had flagged it for Snips herself to check in on, and her initial annoyance was quickly replaced by wonder, perhaps even a little gratitude. Not that she would tell the sadistic crab that¡ªit was the same one that kept getting itself stuck in the crab pot, and she''d started to suspect it was doing so on purpose. With a bubbled sigh, she set off into the crevice to look for more of the rocks¡ªthe sooner they collected enough, the sooner she could return and get started on the construction. Making her way down into the hole, she pushed past three other crabs making their way up with stones, each of them cowering before her magnificently spiked body. She followed the curve down to the left, opposite the tunnel to the right she''d taken earlier; the Rock Crabs were going that way, and she didn''t want to squeeze past them. As she followed the crevice, she found more of the pearlescent rocks, each of which she picked up. Her mind wandered elsewhere as she moved. She was thinking of how much she loved the master, and of ways to get Corporal Claws back for the stones she constantly threw, when she found it. As Snips rounded a bend, she arrived in a large room. There was some sort of lump in the back of the space, and as she peered at it, light exploded, blinding her in the dark depths of the crevice. She fell back and peeked at it through the gap of her claw, squinting to block out as much light as possible. A pearlescent rock stood in the middle of a cavernous room, glowing with a spectrum of different colored lights and bathing each wall in its splendor. Unbidden, her legs scuttled forward, drawing her in toward the stunning sight. Different aspects of light reflected from the rock, moving through churning water and causing the colors to dance. Her eyes adjusted to the shift in brightness, and with a start, she realized the light wasn''t coming from the rock; the sun was high above, its light beaming down through a crack above and bouncing off the pearlescent boulder. The realization struck her with a sense of awe, and as it did so, the light faded, returning the world to darkness. This stone, this source of such beauty, had sat here for untold years, undisturbed and unmolested. She had come along at the perfect moment, the single glimpse of time each day that the sun would hit the stone and reveal the hidden magnificence of this place. She couldn''t wait to steal it. Master will love it. *** Corporal Claws was lazing in the sun, dreaming of the perfect rock. Her mind''s eye imagined a quintessential stone, almost perfectly spherical, but with a small dip in one side that made it fit the paw just right. If anyone had been watching her sleeping form, they would have seen her whiskers quiver in unbelieving delight. As it so happened, someone was. Sergeant Snips upended the pot of sea water, pouring a steady stream of the cold liquid over the Corporal''s illustrious face. "Glbgglgblblgglb," Corporal Claws said, the stream of water flooding her mouth when she tried to screech in outrage. She opened her eyes, and through the stream of water assaulting her, saw a crab blowing rather self-indulgent bubbles. Diving to the side, spluttering and reaching into her pocket, she withdrew a rock. Before she even hit the ground, her forepaw slung out, the stone flying and colliding with Snips'' forehead. They both crawled up beside it, and Corporal Claws couldn''t take her eyes off their resplendent haul. The sun shone through the rock, sending rainbows of light out to color the surrounding slate. She held a paw to it, taking comfort in its study touch. She pulled a rock from her pocket, one of the ones she''d requisitioned from the pile below. Holding it up, the light did the same thing to the stone, just on a much smaller scale. Snips blew reprimanding bubbles, and Claws just chirped, shrugging. What was she supposed to do¡ªjust leave the rocks? That went against everything she knew. To change the subject, Claws gave a questioning chirp. Snips nodded, and together, they moved the rock back toward the ocean. *** From atop her glittery throne, Corporal Claws reassessed her opinion on the brown-looking crabs that served under Sergeant Snips. Despite their relative inadequacy, they had their uses¡ªsuch as carrying the pearlescent boulder currently serving as her chair. Snips walked alongside the other crabs, her lone eye diligently roaming the seascape for any threats. As they traveled, Snips explained her plan, and Claws couldn''t help but admit it was a good one. Her moment of leisure ended when they returned to Fischer''s shore; both Claws and Snips headed for the saltwater pond. As per Snips'' plan, they resumed their excavation, making the hole deeper and altering its shape. As they worked, the crab squad collected the rest of the iridescent rocks, making a pile of them on the sand. With a clack and a bubble, Snips told Claws to stop, and they both climbed a wall, peering down at what they''d made so far. The pond was significantly deeper, the sand having been scooped up and out by their combined efforts. Before, the sand had filled in over time, and the hole had, hour-by-hour, gotten shallower. So began the next step of Snips'' plan. Using previously collected rocks¡ªthose of the normal, bland variety¡ªthey laid a bed of stones along the bottom and side of the pond. At first, the placement had been haphazard, but as the normal rocks diminished, each stone was placed with deliberate care. Next, Snips gestured at a collection of larger rocks, all plain, but much bigger than the others. Claws'' head tilted all the way to the side as she considered the stones. She let Snips place most of them, unsure of what she intended to create, but jumped to help in lifting the largest few¡ªthey were bigger than the massive pearlescent boulder, and even with Snips'' impressive strength, their size made them unwieldy. Finally, it was finished, and they appreciated their accomplishment together. The entire pond was lined, a mesh of dark stones holding back the sand. In the center, Snips had created a cave, the stones placed ingeniously to make a tunnel that was deep and winding yet structurally stable. Claws wondered about its purpose, but she didn''t have long to consider; it was time for Corporal Claws'' favorite part of the plan, after all: decoration. They collected the pearlescent stones, and with careful deliberation, spread them intermittently over the carpet of rocks. They glittered in the afternoon sun, casting colorful reflections. The darker stones drank in the light, but that didn''t diminish the scene''s beauty. Snips tapped Claws on the shoulder, and when she turned to look at the crab, Snips pointed toward the ocean, where the boulder awaited them. Together, and with help from the squad of crabs¡ªwho were largely ineffective, but tried their darndest¡ªthey walked the pearlescent boulder to the center of the pond. Snips had left a dip in the top of the constructed cave; the boulder easily settled into it, a final testament to Snips'' planning prowess. The sun, high above, came out from behind a wispy cloud, transforming the world. Its rays beamed down, hitting the boulder and painting the landscape. The colors were contained within the walls of the pond, the shifting spectrum of light a stark contrast to the sandy vista beyond. "W-what?" a voice asked from behind them. Claws and Snips both turned, eyes widening. Chapter 49: Medicine Chapter 49: Medicine "W-what?" I asked, rather dumbly, by my estimation. Corporal Claws and Sergeant Snips both turned to me, their eyes going wide. They had excavated the pond further. It was twice again as deep as the last time I''d seen it, and was lined with dark rocks. Semi-opaque, pearlescent stones broke up the tedium of plain rocks, the sun''s rays hitting them and casting rainbow colors. In the middle of the pond sat a boulder; the prismatic reflections coming from it were overwhelmingly pleasant. Claws dashed for me, running the length of the wall to reach me. She rubbed up against my leg, chirping happily. Snips also approached, but with a hesitant gait. She looked almost bashful, her eye averting and flicking back to me as she moved. "You two did all this?" Claws nodded vigorously; Snips nodded shyly. "It''s..." Snips looked up at me, blowing bubbles of hesitation. "It''s beautiful!" Her bubbles paused, and her body froze. She blew a tentative bubble of questioning, asking if I meant it. "Snips... how could you think I''d dislike this? This is amazing!" She slowly nodded to herself, and as the realization sunk in that I wasn''t upset, she rushed to me, all her trepidation replaced by a stream of happy bubbles and hisses. I pet her carapace as she rubbed a spike-free section of it against my leg. Corporal Claws chirped, demanding the same attention. With a laugh, I obeyed, delighting in their affection. I cast my eyes back up to the pond, the sea of light on the black and gray floor filling me with awe. "How did just the two of you do this so quickly... I was only gone for half a day..." Snips gestured at part of the pond and made a so-so gesture. I looked closer; five Rock Crabs sat at the bottom, apparently resting. I hadn''t noticed them before under the barrage of visual stimuli. "They helped?" Snips shrugged, repeating the same ''kind of'' movement with her one claw. I walked down into the water. It was cool, and without a second thought, I stripped off my outer clothes and sat down. The water came up above my shoulders, and I let out a sigh. My companions joined me, both fighting for space in my lap. I let out a content noise. "This is just what I needed after a morning of labor." From my position, I noticed the cave for the first time. The pearl-like boulder was nestled atop large black rocks, and on this side of the pile, the entrance was visible. "It... is that a cave, Snips?" She nodded, blowing proud bubbles. "What''s it for?"Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com She considered for a moment, but instead of telling me, blew an anticipatory steam. "I have to wait and see?" I asked with a grin. She nodded. "Alright - keep your secrets." *** A soft breeze blew, its temperature perfectly matching the moon''s light shining down from above. Sergeant Snips, chosen of master Fischer, entered the house. She approached the master''s room, finding her target within. She poked it. Claws let out a sleepy chirp as she raised her head, half-lidded eyes opening to peer at Snips. She gestured for Claws to follow, holding one pincer to her mouth, telling the otter to be quiet. Corporal Claws glanced at Fischer, and seeing him still asleep, took Snips'' meaning. *** Corporal Claws couldn''t contain her curiosity, but each time she chirped in question, Snips simply gestured for her to keep following. Her sleepiness had long since dissipated, and the further they got out into the bay, the less she could contain her growing anticipation. Snips remained silent until they arrived at a cavern deep below the water of the bay. With a small stream of bubbles, she told Claws to wait. The crab produced a small fish, scuttled toward the entrance to the cave, and threw it just outside. Then she settled down beside it, holding completely still. Corporal Claws sat, watching with swelling curiosity. Is Snips... hunting? Barry followed, his heart breaking as he saw Sharon. He''d never known the woman personally, but had seen her around the village when the family had first arrived in Tropica. The person he saw laying in the bed was a shadow of the memory he had in his mind. She was stick thin, her body that of a woman decades older than her actual age. The ever-present smile he had pictured in his mind was gone, her visage sunken and gaunt. "Mom, I''ve brought Barry to see you." Sharon opened her eyes, peering up to look at him. Her gaze seemed to shift right through him, her eyes unable to focus. "Barry..." she said, a mere repeating of the word, rather than a name that held recognition. "He''s brought medicine for you, mom." Sharon blinked, unresponding, and Maria''s lip quivered. As soon as the despair appeared, the daughter swept it away. "I''ll help you sit up. Here." Maria bent, easily lifting Sharon upright with one arm as she placed pillows behind her back with the other. "It''s good to see you, Sharon." Barry opened his satchel, removing the container that held the juiced sugarcane. "My wife helped me prepare some medicine to help you heal." He popped the lid, kneeling down to be at her height. "You don''t have to drink it all, but anything you can get down will be of great help." He held the open container to her mouth, and whether by cognizant effort or instinctual reaction, Sharon pursed her lips and brought them to the opening. With great care, Barry poured a little of the juice into her mouth. Sharon swallowed the first trickle, the muscles of her throat and chest clearly visible beneath her paper-thin form as they worked to ingest the liquid. Trickle by trickle, swallow by swallow, Sharon drank the juice. It was a long process, but all involved were patient, and Barry didn''t want to rush her, lest she cough up a single drop. When most of the liquid was gone, only a quarter of the juice remaining, Sharon shook her head and closed her eyes. ¡°Tired...¡± she whispered, leaning away and back into the pillows. Swift as a flood, Maria removed the pillows and eased her mother down onto the bed. Sharon stirred, opened her mouth to say something, but her eyes glazed over, then closed. Maria pulled the blanket up, tucking her mother in. She kissed her on the forehead and smoothed her hair back. Barry stepped from the room, waiting for Maria to join him. When she exited, her face was pointed down, and she breathed out a sigh. Barry went to put his hand on her shoulder and console her, but then she turned. Her eyes welled above a happy smile, and as she looked up at him, a tear fell down her freckled cheek. ¡°She hasn''t drunk that much of anything in weeks, let alone medicine. What was in that, Barry?¡± ¡°It''s of Helen''s making, but you don''t need to worry about what''s in it - as long as Sharon drinks it, we''ll make more and bring it over.¡± She nodded, a strand of hair falling from behind her ear that she immediately swept back. ¡°Thank you, Barry.¡± ¡°No problem at all.¡± He glanced toward the door. ¡°Well, I''d better get back to the fields. I''ll see you out there?¡± She nodded again. "See you out there." As Barry was leaving, a hoarse voice called his name. He turned back to see Roger, who was looking out a rear window, his back turned. "Thank you." Barry smiled at the man''s back. "You''re welcome, Roger. I''ll be back with more tomorrow." He left with hope in his heart. Please work... He shook his head. No. It will work. Chapter 50: Lobster Chapter 50: Lobster I''d seen Snips excited before, especially when waking me up, but the fervor with which she woke me this morning was at a previously unseen level. She and Claws both led me toward the saltwater pond, running ahead of me on the sand and urging me on with varied noises, gestures, and bubbles. The sun had not yet risen above the eastern horizon. The landscape slowly lightened, the growing brightness a promise of the day to come. A cool breeze tickled my body as I jogged to catch my two over-enthusiastic friends. As they both once more turned and sprinted, flicking up sand in their wake, a smile came to my face and gratitude swelled up, suffusing my entire being. We arrived at the pond, and I looked down in confusion. It appeared the same as the previous day, if a little dimmer because of the lack of sunlight hitting the pearlescent stones. I wondered about our purpose here. Do they want to watch the first rays of daylight hit the stones together when the sun rises? "What has you two so excited?" I asked. Corporal Claws ran in circles, only pausing intermittently to stare at me in anticipation. Sergeant Snips'' entire body shook, her excitement unable to be held within. She scuttled to the far wall, the one closest to the ocean, and picked something up. She held it high above as she ran back to me, and I looked down at it, my brow furrowing. It was a dead fish with a vicious line in its head telling me that Snips had ended its life in an instant. "Er¡ªis that breakfast? You want to cook and have brekkie here?" She shook her whole body in the negative, a slew of bubbles streaming. With her eye locked on me, she threw her claw up, launching the dead fish high into the air. It arced backward, plummeted toward the pond, and hit the water with a large splash. I blinked. What... Corporal Claws sprinted to the side of the pond, her head darting between me and where the fish had landed. Sergeant Snips hissed bubbles of joy and scuttled beside her, urging me on with one clacker. "Uhh, you guys know that fish is dead... right?" They stared at me in confusion, so I continued. "That fish can''t live in there¡ªit''s already dead..." Claws chirped, Snips hissed, and each of them pointed at the water where the fish had landed. Curious, I stepped up, squinting to make out the fish. It had sunk to the bottom of the pond¡ªit sat there before the cave entrance, unmoving and most-definitely dead. What do they expect me to¡ª Movement from the cave''s mouth cut off my thoughts, and what looked like a stick poked out. It waved up and down in the water, searching for something. Is that... The creature emerged further from the cave, and my suspicions were confirmed. It was a lobster¡ªa giant lobster. The thing''s body was enormous, as round and long as a large dog. It had pincers like Jaws of Life; the claws had grown humongous in what had to have been a long life. The lobster slowly left its den, making its way toward the dead fish. One of its pincers reached out, grabbed it in its vice-like grip, and ponderously made its way back to the cave. Just as the lobster disappeared from sight, the sun rose high enough to crest the walls of the pond. A trickle of refracted light spread from the pearlescent boulder, but the sun continued climbing, and in a matter of seconds the entire pond was bathed in a colorful, swirling rainbow. I sat down atop the wall, my feet dangling down toward the water. "W-where the hell did you find it...?" Corporal Claws pointed out at the bay, and Sergeant Snips nodded. The first thing I thought of was Sebastian and the Cult of the Leviathan. They would lose their minds over such an old lobster, and it isn''t like the lobster has ascended or evolved or whatever... I shook my head. No. Sebastian is too unstable, and I can''t trust him to not harm such a magnificent creature. I nodded to myself, and a broad grin spread across my face as I imagined the giant lobster joining us by the fire. It will stay here with me¡ªwith us. I bent down to pet both Claws and Snips. "You two are amazing, you know that? Is this why you built the cave in the first place, Snips?" She nodded, happily bubbling as she leaned into my touch. Nah. That felt like just the right amount of sass. I took a bite of the croissant I''d collected from Sue; it was buttery and flaky, cooked to perfection. I demolished the croissant, and just after taking my last sip of coffee, walked from between two of Barry''s fields. "Good morning, guys!" I called to Barry and Maria, who were both unloading a cart. "Morning, Fischer!" they both replied, smiling at me. "So, this is the mulch we''re using?" "Aye." Barry pulled a bale down from the cart. "Sugarcane mulch. It''s good for most soils, but especially handy for the sandy soil in these crops." I nodded. "What day is it today, by the way?" "Trueday," Maria said, beaming. "Only one more sleep until Fielday." I added the information to my mental calendar. "I am so excited about Fielday tomorrow. I won''t need to head to the north-side of Tropica or deal with that toad Lena anymore." Maria raised both eyebrows at me, and I cocked my head in question. "You know, Fischer," Maria said, "I think that''s the first negative thing I''ve heard to say about anything or anyone since arriving here." I grimaced. "Yeah, that was decidedly unwholesome¡ªmy bad. I''ve been responding to her personality with unerring positivity, but I think it took its toll on me over time..." "Well, one thing is for sure," Barry said. "If Fischer says she''s a toad, I believe him." Maria snorted a laugh; the harsh sound coming from her small frame brought me immeasurable joy. "What about you guys?" I asked. "Aren''t you excited about having coffee?" Maria''s jubilation turned somber in an instant, and Barry glanced at her, his mood similarly shifting. I looked back and forth between them. "Er¡ªwhat am I missing here?" Barry gave me a half-hearted smile. "The day when the merchant comes is the day we sell our goods." "So... you get money? I''m not seeing the issue, mate." "It''s also the day we have to pay our taxes to the village¡ªthey''ve been increasing every other month, and an increase tomorrow could be disastrous for some." The medicine... I realized. Roger and Maria are still struggling, and if their income is brought any lower... "Well, you never know, guys." I tried to give a reassuring smile. "Maybe the taxes will go down¡ªregardless, I''ve already offered to help with the medicine should you be unable to afford it, Maria." "It''s not that," she said. "It''s just that market day is a painful reminder of the rising cost of living and doing business." She shook her head, forcing a grin onto her face as her hair slipped from behind an ear. "I''m hopeful that Barry''s medicine will have more of an effect than the expensive elixirs, anyway." "Wait, Barry''s medicine?" I asked, raising a brow. "You made medicine?" He shrugged. "Helen''s father was a member of the Cult of Growth, and he passed down a great amount of knowledge of herbs, roots, and their natural uses." "The Cult of Growth...? They¡¯re not trying to raise a sentient tree, are they?" Barry shook his head with a smile. "No, Fischer¡ªthough I think they¡¯d be beyond pleased if a tree somehow ascended. They believe that with the cultivation and study of plants, they can use that information to create medicine to help humans ascend." "Huh," I said. "That might be the most sane sounding cult yet." "They mostly focus on using their knowledge for good¡ªthey provide remedies to common ailments at a fraction of the cost that the Cult of the Alchemist does." I turned to Maria. "Do you think the medicine helped at all?" "I think so! She managed to drink most of it. Oh! I forgot to tell you, Barry¡ªmom did something amazing after you left." "She did?" Barry asked, his eyes gaining an intense gleam. "What happened? Tell me everything." Chapter 51: Willpower Chapter 51: Willpower The air thickened around me. The chill morning breeze stilled, and the warmth from the sun seemed to vanish as if a cloud obscured it. I glanced up, seeing not a single cloud in the sky, then looked back at Barry. His eyes were fixated on Maria, and she stood like a mouse beneath a predator''s gaze. "B-Barry?" she asked, the word soft. As soon as the air had shifted, it changed back, and Barry shook his head. "Sorry. I''m just really interested in the medicine''s effect. We might be able to adjust the recipe if something happened when Sharon drank it." Maria swallowed, giving him a half-hearted smile. "I-It''s fine, Barry. After you left, she sat up and asked for food. She''d fallen asleep by the time dad brought her food, but still, that she requested it is a great sign¡ªshe hasn''t done so in months." Barry rubbed his chin in thought, and he stared into space, clearly thinking of adjustments he could make to the medicine. With the quiet, I let my brain process what had just happened. What in the anime-protagonist, Xianxia master''s-aura was that? Did I imagine it, or did Barry''s stare actually make the air change...? I blew air from my nose, smirking at the idea. Who cares? As long as no evil sect or big-bad-enemy-guy shows up, it won''t change my way of life. "What do you think, Barry?" Maria asked. "Is it as good a sign as it seems?" "It is," he said, still rubbing his chin and staring into the distance. "Do... do you think you need to change the recipe at all?" He looked at her, seeming to come back to himself. "Oh, uh, yeah, I think it''ll need to be adjusted. I''ll talk to Helen about it tonight, and we''ll bring some of the new recipe around tomorrow morning." Maria smiled and nodded, the effect of Barry''s aura-adjacent shenanigans long forgotten. "Well, if you can deal with all that later, should we spread the mulch?" Barry sighed, looking at the sky and smiling as he did so. "Yeah, that''s a great idea." He turned to me. "You know, we probably don''t need you here anymore, Fischer. We can handle this menial work if you have something else to take care of..." "Nonsense!" I walked toward the cart. "I''m here now, so I''ll gladly help out!" *** We spread the final bail together, each taking some to shake loose and layer around the stalks of sugarcane. "You know, Barry," I said, "it''s a real shame not everyone is as fast as you and I. I''m happy to help, but when someone else in the field isn''t carrying their weight, it''s just a little disappointing having to¡ª" A wad of mulch hit me, exploding against the back of my head and sending yellow plant material and dust particles everywhere. Surprised as I was, I breathed in through my nose, and immediately regretted my doing so. I ran from the cloud, coughing and spluttering. I squinted through narrowed eyes, not wanting to get any dust in them. Barry was trying to hide a smile, and Maria had her hand held to her mouth, trying and failing to keep the laughter from bubbling up. "I... I..." I sneezed. "I have¡ª" I sneezed again. "Ahhh!" I yelled, rubbing my face all over and blowing out through my nose. I stepped back, trying to get as far as possible from any more particles, and caught my heel on the last half bale. I fell over, and when I opened my eyes, all I saw was the blue sky above. Maria''s giggles grew, and Barry was making a whining noise as he tried to hold his in. "Oh, that''s funny, is it?" I got to my feet with vengeance in my heart. My clothes were drenched and my arms were full as I made my way back to the pond, a veritable forest of underwater plants held to my chest. I was fueled by both excitement and anticipation as I traveled, and I reached my ongoing creation in a matter of minutes. I set my load of plants down and began separating them into the different species. Along with the original type of plant I''d found¡ªthe one with long, billowing leaves¡ªI found three other types. The first grew in single strands, with small leaves fanning out from its stem. Each plant looked like a fox''s tail when underwater, but looked like a rather sad asparagus when removed. I''d collected literally hundreds of them, and couldn''t wait to decorate with them. The second was a plant that grew chaotically; its stems branched off in every direction, each individual section sprouting multiple others. The leaves of the plant looked like small blades of grass, and I suspected it would provide safety and cover for smaller fish and invertebrates. The third, which may have been my favorite of the four collected, was what looked like a small moss. They grew in tiny patches¡ªabout ten centimeters in diameter. Despite their small size, they were beautiful, and when submerged, reminded me of the centuries-old moss you could find in damp rainforests. I picked up the first species of plant, and with contentment radiating through me, made my way down into the pond. *** "Well¡ªthat looks terrible." I looked down at the arrangement I''d settled on. Without water, the plants I¡¯d placed looked like someone had boiled spinach and thrown it around haphazardly; it was a rather sad sight. I rubbed my hands together and glanced at the pump "Guess it''s time to add the water and hope for the best." I put one end of the flexible pipe at the bottom of the pond where there was no dirt visible, weighed it down with a rock, and made my way toward the river. I pulled the pump off the cart when I arrived, walked it down to the water, and placed it on a rock. Making sure the intake was far beneath the surface and free of obstruction, I began pumping. *** On my third trip to check the water-level of the pond, I was finally happy; it was almost completely full, only a small section of river stones poking up above the surface. The water was a little murky, and while I''d been hoping it was clear immediately, I knew that was an impossibility. Still, it wasn''t anywhere as dirty as my worst fears, so I counted it as a win. I appreciated the view for a moment longer, happy with the placement of the plants now that they were once more submerged. The green¡ªeven seen through slightly murky water¡ªprovided a welcome relief from the dark tones of the rocks, roots, and log. "Allright!" I said to myself, standing up and stretching. "There''s only one more ingredient..." *** I skulked through the sand, my heart beating and eyes roaming. If I were to be seen¡ªto be found-out at this pivotal part of the plan¡ªmy efforts would all be for naught. I slipped into a shadow, walking along wooden boards with silent steps. A sound broke the silence, and I stopped, my whole body freezing. The sound came again, and I peeked around the corner, my eyes gazing out toward the sun-bathed landscape. Snips and Claws were sleeping by the campfire, the latter wrapped around the former''s carapace. They were both snoring softly, one sounding like a dog, the other like a monster from the depths¡ªI still found Snips¡¯ noises adorable, though. A smile came to my face unbidden, and I had no choice but to allow a moment of appreciation for just how damn cute they were. "Not now, Fischer," I chided under my breath, "you''ve got fishies to catch!" I resumed sneaking toward the rods. *** I rushed toward the pond with my bucket of fish, knowing full well that they''d easily survive the trip, but finding myself unable to slow down. It was all too exciting. I reached the pond and immediately bent down, carefully pouring the fish in. They disappeared instantaneously, darting off in every direction to parts of the pond where I couldn''t see them. I dropped to my knees, held my hands up in prayer, and closed my eyes. "Please don''t die. I''d feel terrible if your lives were wasted." I wished nothing but health and vitality for the pond and its occupance, and I took a deep breath, willing it to be so. I opened my eyes slowly, just in time to see the world shift. Chapter 52: Transformation Chapter 52: Transformation In a room long since abandoned by the god that created it, something miraculous occurred. A construct whirred to life. For centuries, this creation had lain dormant, lacking both the energy and parameters to perform its tasks. Well, except for a single instance in the recent past, but that was, most certainly, an anomaly. Another construct¡ªa harvester¡ªhad facilitated that single occurrence, and its profound ambition had destroyed it, making that task its last. This time, the construct that even now whirred into life was operating on its own merit. Someone had met a set of intricate parameters on the world below, and so, it tried to complete the task set by its creator, harnessing what little energy remained. The world the construct occupied had long been absent of the energy needed for it to operate, but when it reached out for energy, for the life-force needed to complete its task, it found wisps of power. If a machine could feel surprise, it would have. The strands of energy were but a faint echo of what the world once held, yet the construct latched onto them, breathing in each bit of power it could tame. The life-force gathered in its crystal core, condensing then pulsing as the energy tried to escape its confines. The construct held true to its nature, continuing on with inhuman tenacity. When the energy was condensed enough, and with a single effort of will, it funneled the growing power into a different segment of its machinery. The life-force shifted when it arrived there, turning into something physical. The construct gathered one last wisp of power, harnessing and using it to send the physical manifestation spiraling down to the world below. With its task complete, the machine powered down. It lay dormant, waiting, and silence once more returned to the room. *** The entire world pulsed a single time, as did my body. If I hadn''t already been on my knees, I would have fallen down; I braced my hands against the ground, holding myself steady. "Wh... what was that?" I glanced up at the pond. The pulse had seemed to originate from it, as if it radiated from the log in the middle. What I saw was even more shocking than the pulse. The pond had transformed. It was even larger than before, now taking up more area. It occupied the space where trees had stood, and somehow, the trees had been shifted to the side, roots and all. The previously muddy water was now crystal clear, allowing me a full view of the underwater landscape. The roots had grown in size, the rocks had changed to be uniform in shape, and the plants... the plants! Each of them had grown an unbelievable amount, at least tripling in size. The foxtail plants drew my attention, their long stalks swaying hypnotically in the current. Wait... the current? Not just the foxtail¡ªall the plants were moving, shifting in a current that didn''t exist. I felt the spot above my stomach where the pulse had hit me¡ªthe exact position where the same sensation had struck me at Fergus'' forge. "What the frack was all that?" I asked, stealing Barry''s lingo. I smiled to myself, letting out a quick breath. "This world is too much..." I leaned forward, looking for any fish. I hope they didn''t die from the pulse¡ªI''m hundreds of times larger than them, and it rocked me. There was a fish hiding near the log, its dark body standing out against the pale wood; it looked the same, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The fish are safe. Good. As I stood and got to my feet, I felt an unexpected weight on my belt. Kneading my pouch with one hand, I found something heavy. I squeezed it, and my eyes went wide. "No way..." I slipped it off, opened it up, and stared inside. Twenty-five gold coins stared back at me. They appeared exactly the same as the ones I''d received upon arrival in the Kallis Realm. One face showed a crown, the other a scythe. I bit one; it was gold. I watched Corporal Claws gliding beneath the surface of the pond. I could tell she was enjoying herself; she moved languidly, played with a fish, and inspected the plants with great curiosity. She swam toward the log, climbed it, and sank into the nest of branches at the top. Her body almost took on the properties of a liquid as she melted into the branches, like a cat finding the perfect sleeping spot. Her eyes became lidded, and she let out a single chirp. She closed her eyes, and her head dipped down. Within seconds, she was snoring, the soft sounds slow and measured. I looked down at Snips, whose eye hadn''t stopped roaming since our arrival. I sat down beside her, resting a hand atop her head. "What do you think, Snips?" She turned to me, blowing bubbles of awe. I smiled at her. "Glad I could surprise you back. Something crazy happened when I finished building it..." She cocked her carapace in an unspoken question, and I told her what had happened. She looked thoughtful, her mouth moving slowly, as if tasting my story. When I''d finished, she carefully stepped into my lap, lowering herself down to sit. I rested my hands atop her head, taking comfort in her affection. "Do you think I need to worry?" She shook her head minimally, blowing small, sincere bubbles. I hadn''t even realized my body was holding tension, but my shoulders relaxed at Snips'' reassurance, and I breathed out a sigh. "With this, we have access to easy bait, and I have a feeling the fish are going to be thrilled living here." She nodded, somehow nestling even closer to my legs. We sat in silence, both embracing the calm that the pond granted. It wasn''t just the view; the body of water seemed to radiate a soothing aura. The forest grew cooler as the sun started setting over the eastern mountains. The gap in the trees above let us see the sky, and it slowly transformed from light blue to shades of orange and pink. "Should we go get dinner, Snips?" She stood, placidly lifting herself from my lap. With a scuttle toward the pond, she gestured at Corporal Claws, clacked one pincer, and blew questioning bubbles. I smiled. "Nah, let''s let her rest¡ªshe looks way too comfy to bother right now." Snips appeared a little disappointed that she couldn''t wake the otter, but accepted my words, and we both set off for our campfire with a leisurely gait. *** Corporal Claws, for the second time that day, was having a rather odd dream. Unlike her chase of the oyster earlier, however, she knew she was dreaming. She walked through a place of blackness, ever drawn on toward some unknown source of power that called her. Her passage seemed never ending, yet it wasn''t a frustrating endeavor. The pulsing energy drew her on, ever promising a satisfying conclusion; this journey couldn''t be rushed, and was not only beneficial, but absolutely necessary. An unknowable amount of time later, she caught her first glimpse of it. On the far horizon, a brilliant source of light became visible. Spurred on by how close she was, she picked up the pace, trotting toward her destination. As she drew even closer, she realized she hadn''t truly seen the source that called to her earlier¡ªshe merely saw the light it emitted. The nearer she got, the larger it grew. By the time she reached it, the radiant orb was towering above her. A great sphere, bigger than anything she¡¯d ever seen, engulfed her view. The surrounding area was white, the darkness long since banished. The orb pulsed incessantly, its power immutable, irresistible. Corporal Claws paused, but only for a moment; she stepped into the orb''s perimeter, allowing it to pull her in. Life-force flooded into her, and her eyes went wide as she was banished from the dream, returned to her throne above the pond. The power flooding her concentrated, and the transformation began. Chapter 53: Fielday Chapter 53: Fielday Corporal Claws more felt than saw the changes to her body. Her entire being expanded, shifting her perspective as it did so. Her claws grew, teeth sharpened, and muscles bulged, filling her with new strength. With a soft pop, her body condensed again, and her vision cleared. She took in the surrounding scene. She was back on her perch atop the pond, the branches caressing her body. Moonlight shone down from above, bathing the scene in its blue-white light. Corporal Claws wiggled her body, leaning back into her throne. While the log''s peak was still comfortable, she didn''t fit it as she did before. She held a paw up before her face, and with a mild flex, extended her claws. They were thicker, sharper, longer, and her instincts told her they were stronger, too. With a testing movement, she scraped her tongue along her teeth. They, too, were enhanced in the same way. She chirped, and it sounded deeper, richer; the noise vibrated her chest and cut through the silence of the night. She wanted to go to her master, to show off her new form. Almost as urgent was the need to show that dastardly crab that she, too, had an improved body. More pressing than both these needs, though, was a weariness that seemed to suffuse her. Her body felt heavy, her eyes hard to keep open, her breathing slow. Before she knew it, sleep took her, and soft snores rang out through the evening. *** I woke with an explosive burst of excitement. I threw the covers aside and jumped out of bed, stretching as an afterthought. Fielday! It''s Fielday! The merchant was arriving today, and with him came things I¡¯d been counting down the days toward. "Coffee machine!" I yelled as I stretched. A yawn escaped me, and I let it out in all its glory. "And a bearing for my rod..." Neither of my animal pals were in the room, so I made my way outside to look for them¡ªI didn''t have to go far. Sergeant Snips was tending the campfire, adding wood and stoking coals. The predawn light of the sun bathed her in its reflected light, giving her spiked body a pink hue. "Snips!" She jumped and spun on the spot, facing me as she landed. Feet scuttled and sand flew as she ran to meet me. "Morning, Snips!" I bent to rub her carapace, and she blew content bubbles at my touch. "Did you sleep well?" She nodded, hissing her affirmation. We were staring down at each other, both enjoying the comfort of the other''s touch, when we were interrupted. A far-off sound echoed off the sandy flats, smothering the ever-present noise of waves crashing and birds calling.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com I spun toward it, and as I squinted into the distance, a grin spread across my face. Corporal Claws was inbound, a cloud of sand in her wake as she tore through the distance between us. "Snips...?" She hissed in question. "Does Claws look... bigger to you?" I glanced down at my stalwart crab, and she cast a suspicious gaze toward the approaching otter. I returned my attention to Corporal Claws. She was almost at us, her entire body somehow wiggling in delight as she ran, aggressively chirping. "... yeah, she¡¯s definitely bigger." When she was within rock-throwing distance, she launched. ¡°Claws¡ª¡° She collided with my chest, and I flinched back but easily caught her in my arms. I laughed as she writhed, rubbing her body against me and speaking in chaotic chirps I didn''t understand. "Claws! What happened!" She was almost twice as big as the last time I saw her. She put both forepaws on my chest, leaned back, and peered down at me with obvious pride. I caught sight of her teeth; they were longer, sharper, vicious looking. "Your chompers, Claws! They''re bigger!" She jumped down, puffing out her chest as she peered at Snips. Sergeant Snips scuttled up to her, cocking her carapace as she inspected Claws¡¯ improved body. Snips nodded a single time, giving her approval. ¡°Claws¡ªdid you evolve? How?¡± She puffed her chest out even more, lavishing in the attention, then nodded a single time, gesturing back to the forest with one paw. "The pond?" Again, she nodded. I grabbed another log and twisted it down into the ground, the sandy soil no match for my strength. Stepping back, I nodded for Snips to go for it. Without hesitation, her right claw extended. A sharp crack split the air, and a white arc of energy shot from her. The aura attack traveled so fast I could barely see it, and when it hit the log, the world transformed into a shower of wood and splinters. Just as with the first log, this one wasn''t cut; it was all but disintegrated. "Unbelievable..." Corporal Claws looked on with an assessing gaze, and after only a moment''s pause, also nodded her head in acknowledgement. I smiled at them, glad they could find some mutual respect. "Alright, girls¡ªas much as I''d love to spend the rest of the day hanging out, I really have to get going." My smile widened as they both waved goodbye, each as adorable as the other. "I''ll be back later, okay? I don''t think it should be too eventful." *** George, the lord of Tropica, took a deep breath, doing his best to calm frayed nerves. It was going to be an eventful morning. "It''ll be fine, George," his wife, Geraldine, said. He wiped his hands on a cloth, unsure if they were sticky from sugar, sweat, or both. Probably both. She pressed her face against his back and wrapped her meaty arms around his impressive girth. He leaned into the touch. "What would I do without you?'' "You''ll never know, husband¡ªI''m not going anywhere." George took another deep breath¡ªas deep as he could breathe, anyway¡ªand let it out slowly. "Alright. Let us go address the peasants." She patted him on the back. "There''s my husband." *** I joined the milling crowd gathering in the middle of Tropica. I couldn''t help but raise my eyebrows at just how many were present. It was nearing hundreds of people, most of which I didn''t recognize¡ªI wasn''t even aware there were so many farmers living in Tropica. I guess there are plenty of people that just keep to themselves... "Fischer!" I turned to see Maria striding toward me through the crowd, and I beamed at her. "Morning, Maria!" I glanced behind her, seeing a grump-as-ever Roger in her wake. "G''day, Roger. How are ya, mate?" He nodded and grumbled something indiscernible. "Have you heard, Fischer?" Maria asked. "Heard what?" "Apparently, George has a special announcement. We¡ª" "Thank you for coming, everyone!" I turned to see George, standing on a box and looking over the crowd. "I have some news that I believe you''ll all find most welcome..." *** Barry held the cup to Sharon''s lips as she slowly drank the sugarcane juice. He''d insisted that Roger and Maria go on ahead to the village meeting, and after convincing them his hand was necessary to administer the medicine, even Roger eventually capitulated. "Your husband is a stubborn man, Sharon..." Her eyes were still staring into space, but she continued drinking, downing the juice sip-by-sip. "Your condition has him acting even more stubborn than usual, but I suppose any man would act the same. I''m not sure what I would do if Helen were sick." She pulled back from the cup, having had her full. Following Maria''s instruction, he put the cup down and tried to ease her back onto the bed. As he lowered her to the pillows, her body went rigid. Her hands scrabbled, finding purchase on his arms. She blinked, her mouth moving inaudibly as she gripped him. Her head turned, and she looked up at him As he stared down into her eyes, they held recognition. "... Barry?" Chapter 54: Eccentric Chapter 54: Eccentric The sun was midway through the morning sky, its warm touch and a cool breeze highlighted by the silence that spread over the crowd. George cleared his throat once more, closing his eyes to collect himself. Poor bloke, I thought. For someone with debilitating social anxiety, addressing all these people must be a nightmare... He started speaking, his voice shaky and hesitant. "As you all know, taxes have been progressively increasing in the past months..." A soft murmur came from the crowd, a large collection of the present farmers both agreeing and lamenting the fact. "I assure you, this was as the crown willed, and I understand your pain. No one has felt the pinch of decreased funds as much as I. You..." He spread his arms wide, encompassing the crowd. "The farmers of Tropica¡ªyou are the people that keep the village afloat through your hard work. The knowledge that you have been doing it tough has filled my heart with despair, and my every waking moment has been tormented by your plight." As he spoke, George seemed to gain more confidence. His voice grew deeper and clearer, his body language more robust. Another murmur came from the crowd, this time with a notable tinge of hostility. "But!" George yelled over the crowd''s growing displeasure. "Today, we have news of tax relief!" The murmuring shifted as people turned to their neighbors, whispering excitedly. "Yes! It''s True!" George waited, letting the conversation swell and die down. Man, he''s actually pretty good at public speaking when he gets over his nerves. You go, George!" When the crowd returned to silence, he continued. "It is with great pleasure that I tell you, the workers¡ªnay, the very backbone of Tropica¡ªthat the taxes will be returned to the level of three years prior. You will now¡ª" The gathered farmers erupted. People yelled, whooped, hugged, and turned to each other, unbelieving. I glanced at Maria; she embraced her father. Roger held his daughter as she bounced on her toes, unable to contain her joy. His lip curled in a smile, and I joined him, happy to see anything break through his exterior shell. His eyes locked onto mine, and seeing my mirth, his scowl returned, so I laughed and looked away, not wanting to ruin their moment. Similar scenes played out throughout the square, and I bathed in everyone''s excitement. George waited patiently atop his makeshift podium, a benevolent smile fixed on his face. There was still an underlying hint of his anxiety, but it was mostly buried. It looks like he genuinely enjoys delivering the good news. It''s heartwarming to know the village''s lord actually cares about the farmers¡¯ wellbeing. When the noise died down again, he continued. "That''s right¡ªyour taxes will be one third of where they''d climbed to. My contacts in the capital have also assured me that, going forward, the taxes will remain stable at that reduced rate for the foreseeable future." Again, the crowd erupted. *** "... Barry?" Barry¡¯s heart tried to jump from his chest, and his eyes went wide as he stared down at Sharon. "Sharon... you... recognize me?" A smile teased the corner of her lips, only slightly diminished by her gaunt frame. "Of course I recognize you, Barry. What an odd dream, though..." "Sharon... you''re not dreaming." She shook her head lightly, finding the idea humorous. "The system asking me to pick a name says otherwise. Usually I dream of Roger and Maria, but your face isn''t unwelcome." While the speed of her recovery was astonishing, the news of her awakening didn''t shock Barry; that had been his plan, after all. "Sharon... you''re not dreaming. This is all real." He leant down, picking up a pastry Roger had left, and the rest of the sugarcane juice. "Try to eat and drink as much of this as possible. You''ve been unwell for a long time, but I suspect you''ll recover quickly." She smiled and nodded, picked the pastry up with one hand, and bit into it. As the sensations hit her tongue, her eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes looked at the pastry, around the room, then back up at Barry. What kind of person would buy such expensive clothes, then make them appear cheap...? I have to¡ª "Something confusing you, friend?" the man asked, giving me a genuine smile. "Yeah, mate¡ªyour clothes! They''re made to look cheaper than they are, right? I don''t get why...?" The man smiled and nodded. "You have a good eye. Are you perhaps a merchant? Is that why my attire offends you?" My eyebrows shot up. "Offends?" I laughed. "Mate, I want a full wardrobe for myself!" I tugged at my linen clothing. "These can be scratchy, but I don''t want to buy the good stuff and stand out from my neighbors, ya know?" The stranger paused, cocked his head, and just when the silence was getting unforgettable, he chuckled. "I approached because you confounded me and I wanted to understand why, but all you''ve done is give me more questions." I grinned. "Yeah, sorry about that, mate. I seem to have that effect on people. What did ya wanna ask? I''d be happy to help if I know the answer..." His face tilted in confusion at my vernacular, but that was intentional¡ªI just couldn''t help myself. He pointed down at my shirt. "Well, I wanted to know about your clothes, actually. You dress like a farmer, but you''re not one, are you?" "Nope!" I extended a hand. "I''m Fischer, by the way." He took my hand and shook it. "Theo. It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Fischer." "Pleasure''s all mine, mate. But yeah, I''m not a farmer." "What do you do, then?" My curiosity for Theo grew as our conversation stretched on. He was trying to present this as a conversation, but it was anything but¡ªit was an interrogation. I considered my response and decided lying would be a bad idea. Theo seems exceptionally smart. "I do heaps, mate! Recently I''ve helped in the tailors, the smithy, made some jewelry, and now that I think of it, I did do some farming. The fields are on my land, but they''re not actually mine¡ªI''m letting a neighbor use them to supplement their income." As Theo''s eyes weighed me, they gave nothing of his intent or thoughts away. Finally, after what felt like too long a moment, he smiled and clapped me on the shoulder. "It''s truly a pleasure to meet you, Fischer¡ªyou seem like a good person." Relief flooded me as I passed whatever test that was, but I paid it little mind. "Likewise, mate¡ªwhat about you? What do you do? I also find myself a little confused by your getup." "Oh, I can''t tell you yet. I hope I¡¯ll see you later, though." "Ahhh, you too... mate...?" Theo was already gone, having pushed through the crowd toward the north side of Tropica. I crossed my arms, watching where he''d gone. "Weird bloke..." *** Theo let the positive emotions from his interaction with Fischer linger, genuinely enjoying having met a kind soul. He''s clearly some sort of eccentric noble or heir to a house. He smiled at Fischer''s odd speech and eclectic range of activities. Whatever else he is, he''s kind. That''s all that needs to be said. Theo pulled out his map, and after scanning the streets scrawled on the parchment, pinpointed his location. "Straight, then left, then right after two streets..." As he strode away, he banished the echoes of his interaction with the friendly eccentric. It''s time to ask the lord about these ''reduced taxes''... Chapter 55: Crema Chapter 55: Crema George closed his door behind him, letting out a sigh of relief. Geraldine rushed him from behind, wrapping her meaty arms around him. "That was wonderful, George¡ªabsolutely perfect!" He kissed her on the forehead, delighting in the way her plump skin pressed back against his lips. "Thank Poseidon¡¯s girth shaft that it''s over¡ªwe can get back on track with managing the village." She nodded and pulled back, looking up into his eyes. "Was Fischer there?" The mention of his name made George''s stomach twist, but he pushed the rising anxiety down. "He was." "Did he react at all to the news?" "No¡ªwell, he did, but he only seemed to project joy at those surrounding him." Geraldine glanced to the side, considering, and George knew what she was about to say before she even voiced it. "So, have you put much thought into my theory?" she asked. "Of course, my love. I''d dismiss nothing you said without giving it proper consideration." "And?" she asked, cutting right through his platitudes. "Are you still convinced that Fischer is an agent of the crown?" "I''m..." George paused for a moment to plan his words carefully before continuing. "I''m still unsure. What you say has some merit, of course, and it could all be a string of coincidences... but my gut still tells me there''s more to it." George caught her annoyance; her lip twinged minutely, but she swiftly schooled her expression. "All I ask is that you give it more thought, husband. I still think his actions make little sense for a crown agent. If he were to truly be one, I don''t think we¡ª" "You don''t think we''d still be in power," George finished, smiling kindly so his words delivered no sting. "I know. His actions make no sense if he¡¯s a crown agent, but the things he seems to know, and the way he''s conducted himself..." George sighed, running his overly large fingers through thinning hair. "I just don''t know what to think of it all." She rested a hand on his arm. "Do you think you''re scared of the possibility, because then we''d have discarded wealth for nothing...?" George''s mind railed at the thought, but he''d be lying if he said that wasn''t the case. "That may be part of it, but it¡¯s mostly the feeling I get when interacting with him¡ªit''s like looking down a speeding cart. Not to mention his wealth. Where could anyone but an agent of the crown acquire the materials for his house, let alone the gold coin he presented me?" Geraldine leaned into him, and he took solace in her touch.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com "I know. He''s shrouded by murky water, and none of it makes sense, but it''s a vast world we live in, George. The gods may have abandoned Kallis long ago, but there are still plenty of mysteries to be unraveled." A knock came at the door, causing both of them to jump. The three knocks were loud and firm, spaced out at even intervals. Geraldine shot George a look, then she moved to the side, hiding from sight. Speaking of Fischer... George took a steadying breath, and after letting it out slowly, opened the door. *** Theo knocked three times. There was a long pause of silence before the door swung open and the well-endowed lord appeared in the doorway. "Hello, Fisch¡ªoh." George blinked. "Sorry, I was expecting someone else. Can I help you, my good... uh, my good...?" The lord of the village''s eyes grew wide, and his words failed him as he caught sight of Theo''s outfit. As expected of nobility¡ªhe knows the garb of an auditor. They gossip and rumor among themselves like old crones on Fielday. "Hello, George. My name''s Theo." Theo held his hand out, and the lord took it without looking, his eyes still locked onto Theo''s outfit. "I caught the end of your announcement to the villagers. It was a rather enlightening speech." Small beads of sweat sprouted from George¡¯s forehead like morning dew. "I¡ªit was?" "Yes, very much so!" Theo gave him a grin, and George withered beneath it. "As you''ve no doubt guessed, I''m a crown auditor, and I''ve been sent here by the King to, well..." Theo flourished his hand, gesturing at the opulent house and the lord before him. "Audit." "Y-yes," was all George could say. "Do you mind if I come in?" "N-no, please..." George opened the door, and Theo stepped inside. He caught movement to the side, and he spun, finding the lady of the village. She was dusting a set of lavish curtains with her... hand? She turned to him. "This is the one for frothing the milk, right, Fischer?" "Yeah! It looks like that part works, now we just need to test the really important ones." She held up the portafilter that would hold the grounds. "Fill this up, right?" I nodded, gesturing at the coffee grinder. The grinder was attached to the coffee machine, and she put the portafilter where the diagram had shown. She turned the crank, and the sound of coffee being ground was music to my ears. She pointed at the group head¡ªwhere the hot water would come from the machine and filter through the grounds¡ªand cocked her head at me. "I just attach the portafilter here, and turn this knob?" "Yep! If we''ve done everything right, it should work." She twisted the portafilter into place, and with one last look at me, turned toward the machine. One hand reached up, turning the knob so the water could rush forth. The machine groaned as pressure was released and transferred; Sue''s eyes turned to me, panicked, but I smiled and nodded at the machine. She turned back to it, and a moment later, the first drips of espresso fell into the cup below. The flow increased, and the crema-laden liquid dripped out, its golden hue making my heart sing. "About now, Sue." She turned the water off, removed the now-spent grounds, and held the cup to her nose, smelling it. "Give it a taste," I said, hoping to see the look of glee on her face. She held the cup out to me instead. "I think you should try the first cup, Fischer." "Me? It''s your coffee machine!" "We wouldn''t have the machine without you," Sturgill said, poking his head from the back of the bakery. "Besides," Sue added. "I''m not sure anyone else would even know what coffee is supposed to taste like." Even I had to admit that was a point¡ªstill, testing the fruits of her labor before she could felt... wrong. "But it''s the first one!" "Exactly." Sue held it up before my nose. "No one else is more entitled to the first cup than you are. Please, Fischer. Let us show our gratitude." I narrowed my eyes at her, smiling to offset the harsh expression. "Using guilt now, are we?" "Whatever gets the job done..." I laughed, accepting the cup as I shook my head. I looked around at the arrayed faces¡ªSue, Fergus, and Sturgill, still poking his head from around the back, giving me a thumbs up and a smile. Maria had not long arrived, joining us after selling their goods. I wasn''t surprised Roger was absent¡ªhe''d likely go home to check on Sharon. Despite that, and his grumpy demeanor, I still wished he were here. "To all of you." I held the cup up in a toast. "My friends." I received smiles in return, and I brought the cup to my lips. The espresso, along with the rich crema, covered my taste buds. The coffee was still hot, its heat enhancing the flavors. It was nutty and flowery, with a hint of vanilla and chocolate. It was mildly acidic, with an even more subtle hint of bitterness. It was neither the smoothest coffee I''d even had, nor did it bear the most complex flavor profile. Despite these shortcomings, it was the best espresso I''d ever experienced¡ªit wasn''t even close. It tasted of friendship, opportunity, and new beginnings, and I drank the rest in a single mouthful, breathing out through my nose and aerating the flavors with my tongue. I let out a long sigh. "Sue, that was the best coffee I''ve ever had." *** Theo sat down at the table, scrutinizing a pastry George had set before him. It was covered in sugar, and looked like just the type of thing the nobility back in Gormona would enjoy. He brushed some of the sugar crystals aside and took a bite. The pastry beneath was buttery and flakey, and his eyebrows rose. Not bad... George pulled out the chair opposite Theo, fumbling it against the floor with his nervousness. Theo stared at him, letting the silence stretch as he set the pastry down. The lord opposite him dabbed his brow, trying ineffectually to remove the perspiration. "So, George, I take it by your reaction that you know why I''m here?" George slowly nodded. "I''m a crown auditor¡ªyou knew that by my outfit, correct?" George nodded again, looking like a condemned man before the executioner. "So, as I said when I arrived, I caught the tail end of your meeting with the villagers of Tropica." Theo crossed his arms, pursing his lips as if considering how to put his next words. He looked around the room, letting George''s anxiety morph into panic. "Let''s talk about the taxes, and how you''ve managed to lower them." Chapter 56: Interrogation Chapter 56: Interrogation Theo stared the man down, waiting for a response. George cleared his throat. "Well, you see, the thing is..." George gesticulated, searching for the correct word or phrase; Theo was happy to let him squirm. While Theo rarely liked the reputation his profession held¡ªthat of inscrutable and ruthless investigators¡ªhe didn''t mind leaning into the stereotype when it got him what he wanted. And right now, what he wanted was to learn what was going on with Tropica''s taxes. He kept George pinned down with his glare, and he steepled his fingers, leaning his elbows on the table. His wife walked into the room carrying a tray laden with a porcelain tea set. She bustled over to the end of the table and set the tray down between the two men. "Excuse my rudeness," Theo said. "I''m not sure I caught your name." "I-I''m Geraldine." "A pleasure. I''m Theo." Her hands shook as she reached for the porcelain. "Would you like a cup of tea?" "Please." He looked between Geraldine and George, watching for any hidden communication. They studiously ignored each other, Geraldine pouring two cups of tea, and George accepting his with a small nod to the table. She crossed her hands behind her back, trying to hide their trembling from Theo. "Can I get you anything else?" "No, Geraldine. Thank you for the tea." Theo picked up his cup and sipped it. It was black tea, mixed with passiona husk and something that tasted of vanilla. He breathed out a content sigh, happy to indulge in a more-expensive blend of tea after traveling through small villages for over a week. Geraldine left the room, once more leaving George alone with him. "So, where were we?" Theo tapped the table. "That''s right! You were going to tell me how you managed to lower taxes. How did you manage that, George?" George set his jaw and began talking. "Well, the thing is..." Seeing that George had collected his wits, Theo sought to scatter them again. "Oh! I forgot a formality. You are aware of what a crown auditor is, right, George?" "Yes..." "And you''re aware of the extensive training we''re required to undergo, yes?" George gulped. "Y-yes..." "That''s good. It means I''ll have to explain a lot less to you. The formality that I''m required to tell you is this: I will know if you lie to me. If you conceal facts, twist words, or otherwise attempt to mislead me, things will only get worse for you." The latter sentence, that of knowing about attempted misdirection, was a lie¡ªit was entirely possible for people to slip information past an auditor if they were clever enough, but George didn¡¯t need to know that. Theo leaned back, shaking his head and smiling to himself. "It¡¯s only an issue if you have something to hide, of course, which I''m sure you don''t." George nodded and smiled, but it held no real mirth. "So," Theo said. "Feel free to explain the taxes. Sorry for interrupting you." He shrugged. "You know how the crown can get with the formalities." George took another sip of tea, his hand shaking as he put the cup back on the saucer. "Yes, well, the thing is, we raised the taxes temporarily." Theo nodded, keeping his face unreadable. "I figured that to be the case. Are they now lowered to the base amount?" "Y-yes!" Theo pulled a notepad and pencil from his pocket, scribbling down notes. "Good... that''s good." He looked back up at George. "How high did they get?" "Triple..." Theo scribbled more notes, keeping his face still. "Triple. Got it." He set the pencil down, crossing his fingers on the desk in front of him. "Did you know that I was coming to Tropica? Is that why you lowered the taxes today?" "N-No! I swear on my life!" Theo watched him closely, analyzing his words. He''s telling the truth... fascinating. "O-of course!" George all but yelled. "Even before you arrived, we recognized that our past actions were wrong, which is why, with the delivery of the coffee machine, we lowered the taxes to the amount set by the crown." Theo nodded at the statement, hearing the truth it held. "Good to hear." He stood, collected his things, and gave them both a small bow. "That should be all for today. I''ll be staying in the village until the caravan leaves, so I may come see you again tomorrow morning." Geraldine stood in a hurry. "Y-You''re staying? Do you need somewhere to sleep? We have plenty of spare rooms, and you''re more than welcome to spend the night with us. It might not be up to the capital''s standards, but you''ll find it more accommodating than staying with the mercha¡ª" "That would be lovely," Theo interrupted, walking out of the room. "Thank you." "We''ll prepare a room!" George said, also rushing to stand. Theo hurried down the stairs and stepped from the home into the morning air. He stood on the step, inhaling the fresh, salty air. Thank Themis¡¯ scales that¡¯s over. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to arrest anyone today. A smile came to his face as he started walking, going to see something he¡¯d been waiting to see the entire time spent with the caravan. I¡¯m finally going to see the ocean. *** As Roger opened his door, he was filled with a field''s worth of mixed emotions. The taxes had come down, which was more than welcome. We won''t have any issue paying for Sharon''s medicine... With that thought, though, came the knowledge that she was still sick. He quietly closed the door behind him, not wanting to disturb her rest. With soft footsteps, he made his way toward their bedroom. And he heard talking. Roger froze, confused. Then, realizing that Barry had brought someone else into his home without permission, he marched for the open bedroom door, his conflicted emotions all channeling toward his misplaced fury. He rounded the corner. "Barry, you¡ª" The words froze at what he saw, and he barely recognized Barry standing in the room. His eyes were fixated on a single thing¡ªthe rock that held their family together, the source of both his life''s joy and his recent misery. Sharon. She was awake. He didn''t feel himself move, but he was at the bed in the blink of an eye, taking his wife''s offered hands. "Sharon..." Tears fell, and he made no effort to hide them. *** Barry stepped from the room, giving the couple the space they deserved. Before he could make it from the home, he heard soft cries that were definitely not Sharon''s, and he felt a spark of guilt for having heard such a raw moment. As he closed the front door behind him, the emotions of it all hit. Without Fischer''s arrival, and without Barry''s intervention, Sharon would have continued wasting away, afflicted by an illness that would have proved fatal. Because of his actions, she was free of the illness and would make a full recovery. He laughed, the sound turning harsh and choking as tears started to fall. *** "This is amazing, Fischer," Maria said, taking another sip of coffee. I nodded, taking a drink of my own. "Wait until the caffeine kicks in¡ªthat''s when it gets really good." She put the cup to her lips again, letting out a content sigh as the flavors assaulted her. "You''re sure you want to help us carry our crops to the merchant, though? It''ll take us a few trips without you, but you''ve already done so much..." I shook my head. "I''m happy to help. Besides, I''m already coming to your home¡ªthere''s no way I''d miss the look on Barry and your dad''s face when they have their first coffee." We each held an extra cup of the golden liquid, and I couldn''t wait to see the farmers'' reactions. Maria smiled. "I know I''ve thanked you already, probably too much, but again, thank you. I''m so glad you chose our little village to settle in." I returned the smile. "There''s nowhere I''d rather be. I''m surrounded by water to fish in, and the best people I''ve ever met." She swept hair behind her ear as best she could with a cup of coffee already occupying her hand, and I marveled at her beauty. Realizing I was staring, I cleared my throat and looked away. We stepped from between two fields of cane, and as we caught sight of Maria''s home, we both came up short. Barry stood at the front door, tears streaming down his face. Maria dropped both her cups, one empty, the other full. "No..." Chapter 57: Shes Awake Chapter 57: Shes Awake "No..." Unbidden, my hand shot out, discarding my almost-empty cup and catching the full cup of coffee with a single lightning-fast movement. "No..." Maria said again, her voice tinged with grief. Barry looked up at her second utterance, his eyes red with tears. His face transformed. A smile of the purest joy swept away any hint of sorrow, and he beamed at Maria. "Your mother," he said, his voice hoarse. He pointed to the door. "She''s awake..." Maria ran, and I hurried behind her. She flung the door wide and made to follow, but Barry reached for my arm. His grip had no chance of halting my enhanced body, but I stopped. "Give them a moment," he said, wiping tears from his face. I stared through the open portal, my mouth moving inaudibly. "She''s... Sharon''s really awake? Is she okay?" Barry nodded, clearing his throat. "She''s going to make a full recovery." I set the cups of coffee down, sprang back up, and wrapped Barry in a hug. "Mate¡ªyou''re amazing." He clung to me, laughing as his body shook with small sobs. I held him as he let his emotions out, happy that I could be there for him. I heard small but fast footsteps approaching. As I looked up, Maria collided with us, wrapping her arms around both of us. She buried her face into Barry''s shoulder, and the convulsions her tiny body made me want to fix every problem she''d ever face. As she let go, she turned her face up to Barry, tears flowing freely, her lip trembling. "Thank you..." She hurried back inside to her family, and Barry sobbed as he watched her go. I squeezed him tighter. "Mate, you did good." He nodded, unable to get any words out. He took a few deep breaths and exhaled them slowly before easing his grip around me. "Sorry, Fischer. This is embarrassing." I let go of him, leaving one hand on his shoulder as our embrace ended. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, mate. It''s a lot." He looked up at my own tear-streaked face and smiled. "Wow, I didn''t know you were the emotional type. Maybe go see Sergeant Snips next time you need a good cry¡ªI can''t always be here to support you." We both laughed at the light-hearted jibe, Barry with a hearty chuckle, me with my head thrown up toward the sky. "Yeah, sorry about that, mate. Here, I bought you something in apology for my outburst." I bent and picked up one of the coffee cups, holding it out to him. Both his eyebrows shot up. "From Sue?" "Yeah, mate¡ªwe brought one for you and Roger." Barry accepted the proffered drink, holding the cup in both hands. "You just... drink it?" "Yeah, mate," I said with a laugh. "As if it were a cup of delicious, motivation-inducing water." He took a tentative sip, then scrunched his face. "It''s sort of bitter..." "Yeah, if it doesn''t taste good your first time, don''t worry¡ªit''ll grow on you." He took another sip, swishing it around his mouth. "It''s not bad... just not what I expected." "Wait until the motivation I mentioned hits you¡ªthat''s where it really shines. I have a feeling today is going to be wildly productive for the village." *** "You weren''t lying about the coffee, Fischer¡ªI feel like I could do everything right now!" "Right? Feel free to get going if you wanna put that energy to good use¡ªI''m waiting here to help Maria and Roger take their sugarcane and wheat to the merchant, but if you wanna get going..." He shook his head. "No, I''ll wait to make sure everything is fine with Sharon." Barry and I sat on the small porch, looking out over the fields. "I still can''t believe your medicine was so effective... that was only the second dose, right?" "It was, though I don''t deserve any thanks¡ªit was because of someone else''s efforts, I just delivered it." "Nonsense, mate. I know it was Helen''s recipe, but you brought the medicine yourself, and I bet you''d have kept doing so for as long as it took, right?" He gave me a wry smile. "I would have. I knew it would help, so I''d have kept bringing it as long as it took for her to recover." Someone knocked on the door frame behind us, and I turned to see Maria looking at us. "I''m not interrupting, am I?" "Not at all." I held up Roger''s coffee. "You should get this to him before it gets cold." "Oh! The coffee!" She took it in both hands and rushed it inside to her father, returning a moment later. She sat down beside Barry, looking out at the blue sky. "I don''t have the words for how thankful I am, Barry..." "You don''t need to thank me. That''s what neighbors are for¡ªright, Fischer?" I grinned. "Right. I''d have done the same if I had any medicinal knowledge." She shook her head, the movement freeing a strand of hair that was immediately swept back behind an ear. "We are forever in your debt." He nodded and spun back, continuing toward the caravans. We lapsed back into silence, the previous tension having melted away. *** After the third trip to the merchant with their goods, I said farewell to Roger¡ªI had some things to buy. I approached the largest of the caravans and looked through the wares as the merchant spoke to a farmer I didn''t recognize. All manner of objects were arrayed, but I had eyes for only one thing. Lemons. There was a small basket of the fruit on a back shelf, too far for anyone to grab. I waited patiently, and when the farmer was done, the merchant came over to me. "Hello, friend! I have not seen your face before¡ªare you a new farmer?" He held his hand out, and I shook it. "G''day, mate! Not a farmer, but I am new around these parts. Name''s Fischer." "Ah, Fischer! I have heard of you. I am Marcus¡ªthe humble owner of these caravans. That coffee machine was for you, correct?" "It was for the whole village, but yeah, I''m proud to say I organized it for them!" "Someone of your means is most welcome to my humble array of wares." He gave me a coy smile, gesturing at the surrounding goods. "What can I arrange for you?" "A couple things¡ªI heard you sold bearings?" "Bearings¡ªof course! One moment." He whistled, and a man at the caravan to his left looked up. "Bearings, Jager!" The man in question ran a tray over, handed it to Marcus before returning to his customer. Marcus sorted through the tray, plucking things from it and placing them in his palm. "We have bearings of four different sizes¡ªwhich would best suit your needs?" I looked them over. The smallest was the size of a pea, the largest about the size of a gold coin. "How much are they, mate?" "Five, seven, nine, and twelve coppers, respectively." "Can I buy three of each?" "But of course, my friend!" He laid them out on the lowest shelf and set the tray of bearings aside. "What else would you like?" I tried not to let my need show, lest the savvy merchant overcharge. "You know, I haven''t had lemon since coming to these shores... I see you have some." "I never leave the capital without a selection of them!" He rubbed his hands together. "How many would you like?" "How much are they?" "Five silver coins each." My eyebrows shot up. Damn, they are expensive... Marcus gave me a wincing smile. "Yes, my friend, they are more dear than in the capital, but it costs to transport and keep them fresh, you understand?" "Hmm. I was hoping to buy three of them, but a gold and a half...? That seems excessive..." He leaned in, a conspiratorial look on his face. "I''ll tell you what, my friend. If you keep it between us, you can have them for four silvers each, and I''ll throw in the bearings for free." I looked through the other things he had on offer as I thought, and my eyes froze as I found a hidden treasure. "Tell you what, mate. That sounds like a deal¡ªif you''re willing to chuck in some of those spices." Marcus glanced at the rack I''d pointed to, and when he turned back to me, smiled. "Nothing would make me happier, friend." *** I couldn''t believe my luck as I made my way home. I had a tray laden with bearings, lemons, and an assortment of each spice the merchant had in stock. Some of the spices I''d recognized¡ªpowdered garlic, onion, paprika, and sage, to name a few. There were a number that I''d never heard of, and upon smelling them, they weren''t recognizable. I''ll have to experiment with their flavor profiles when I get the chance... A grin spread across my face. But first, I have a fishing reel to construct. *** I turned the screw one last time and looked down at my handiwork. I''d attached the metal bracket to the rod, and as soon as I set the bearing in the reel, I could fix it in place. Along with the metal bracket, I''d pushed a number of wall hangers into the bamboo to act as eyelets for the line to run through. They were crude looking, but I hoped they''d stay in place and function correctly. "Almost done..." I took the reel, and picking out the second-largest bearing, I put it inside the central hole. Well, I tried to¡ªit was too tight, but only just. This is probably the right bearing¡ªI might need to widen the hole a little, though... I tried pushing the bearing in, and it slid in a fraction, then wouldn''t go further. "Maybe with a little lubrication..." I retrieved the linseed oil I''d gotten from Fergus, carefully dripping some into the hole. The wood absorbed most of it immediately, the dark fibres going an even richer shade of brown. Anticipation welled up, and thoughts of fishing with my new reel flooded my mind. With a smile, I picked up the bearing and set it against the opening once more. With care not to force it and break the bearing, I pressed down with my thumb and it slid even further in. My stomach filled with butterflies as I realized this was going to work. I set the reel against the ground, and with both hands, pushed down against the bearing with all of my weight. It slipped into place, and a thunk rang out as it hit the back side of the housing. "Yes!" I yelled, picking up the reel. I put it on the bracket and spun it; the bearing performed its job perfectly. As the reel turned, a familiar feeling rushed up from within me, and the rod transformed before my eyes. Chapter 58: Divine Intervention Chapter 58: Divine Intervention My eyes went wide as the reel and rod transformed. A rushing of power came from my core, along with an almost unnoticeable nudge from the System, no doubt trying to spew incoherent nonsense at me. The rod seemed to blur, then sharpen. The bracket, which wasn''t yet properly attached to the reel, secured itself. The metal warped and grew, sprouting a section on the side closest to me that flattened out, holding the reel firmly in place. The wall hangers I''d pushed into the rod to act as eyelets also changed, becoming whole and fixed into the bamboo fibers. Finally, and most notable, part of the reel bulged out, quickly morphing into a handle to turn. A split-second after the transformation was complete, my eyes were drawn into it. Bamboo Rod of the Fisher Rare A bamboo rod paired with an iron-wood reel. This fishing rod provides boosts to both fishing and luck. +10 fishing +2 luck I blinked. "Holy frack... stats?" *** My joy couldn''t be contained as I sprinted along the sands, my rod and everything I needed to fish in hand. A wide smile stretched across my face, and I breathed deep of the afternoon air. The first thing I¡¯d done upon seeing an actually useful item description was to turn my notifications back on, but once again, I was greeted with a wall of ¡®insufficient power¡¯ nonsense. I had no idea why the System decided to be useful all of a sudden, so I paid it no mind¡ªinstead, I focused on my destination. I was headed somewhere I''d eventually intended to fish, but hadn''t yet had the guts to try¡ªthe break wall along the shores of Tropica. I''d been too worried about setting off the villagers with my heretical activities, but riding the high of my new rod, along with knowing I''d earned a certain amount of goodwill with the coffee machine''s delivery, I was willing to push it. The jetty extending from the village had long since caught my eye, and I knew the structure it provided could grant a hunting ground for species of fish I''d not yet encountered. I looked around as I neared the rock wall; there was no one in sight, so I started setting up my rod. I''d already transferred a length of line to the reel, and I strung it through the transformed eyelets running the length of my bamboo pole. Cutting a small length of the plastic string, I tied a rock to act as a drop sinker running off the main line. To the end of the line, I tied a medium-sized hook and placed a small slice of eel on it. I lifted the rod, hefting its weight. As I drew the rod back over my shoulder, I took a moment to soak in the surrounding landscape and my flourishing emotions. The bay was calm, and the soon-to-be-setting sun bathed the sky in a palette of pastel colors. I took a deep breath, and with a radiant sense of joy, cast out the line. The rod flexed as I flung the tip toward the jetty, and my hook and sinker flew, arcing high over the softly lapping waves. The moment seemed to stretch on forever, and I watched its trajectory as it crested over the shore. With a splashing of water and a soft plop, it hit the water right by the jetty, and sank toward the bottom. *** Theo walked along the shore to the north of the village, and he basked in the beauty of the late afternoon. He had always been a fan of the sun rising and setting, but it''d been a long time since he''d been able to see it happen over the ocean. He paused and looked out at the protected bay, transfixed by the water''s movement as it languidly shifted with almost-imperceptible grace. With a sense of immense calm, he took a deep breath, the salt in the air flooding his lungs. Theo breathed out, the air hissing past his pursed lips. I bet the sunset will look glorious from Tropica''s break wall... An unexpected urgency filled his steps as he headed back south. *** George wandered the north side of Tropica, his mind a wash of contradictory thoughts. Following the meeting with the auditor, Theo, he''d felt a need to move¡ªit always helped him process, loathe as he was to exercise like a common peasant. "No..." he heard himself utter aloud. Fischer was a heretic! If any god were directing him, acting as the puppet-master behind the strings, it would be a god of the sea. "... he''s a fisherman...." George''s mouth was mouth dry, his tongue leaden. "N-not Glaukos. Please... not that..." George squinted as he stepped out from between buildings; the light of the setting sun lit the scene before him. He''d arrived at the break wall without realizing it, and he stumbled forward, grabbing the stone wall with both hands as he rested his weight upon it. The attention of such an entity was a worse fate than anything the crown could do to him. As he stared out to sea, attempting to make sense of his doom, a figure caught his attention. He hadn''t noticed before, self absorbed as he was, but there was another person atop the stone walkway. Theo stood at the southern corner, his body erect at attention as he stared at something out of sight. The crown auditor sprinted down the stairs and disappeared from sight. What could have Theo so transfixed...? With curiosity overcoming his existential dread, George dashed toward Theo''s previous post, intent on having a peek. *** Sergeant Snips, having heard of Corporal Claws'' ascension atop the freshwater pond, scuttled toward the saltwater construction with great anticipation. Through chirps and chitters, the otter had communicated the way the pond beckoned to her, and the awakening she''d experienced after heading the call. Sergeant Snips had thought the warmth radiating from the pearlescent stone atop the sea snipper''s cave was in her head, a sense of accomplishment that came from having built something useful to her master, but after hearing Corporal Claws'' retelling, she hoped it may be something more exciting. She intended to find out. When she got to the pond, Snips took a moment to appreciate its beauty. The light of the setting sun lit the large stone seemingly from within, and it reflected the usual rainbow colors, but overshadowed by a soft purple hue. The same feeling of warmth radiated from the boulder, calling to her. It didn''t seem as strong as the otter made the call of the freshwater pond sound, but there was something there, and she listened to it. Her body slipped beneath the cool water. She scuttled across the pond floor, and climbing the sea snipper''s cave, found an underwater nook that was perfect for her body. She nestled into it, the back of her carapace resting up against the shiny boulder. Sergeant Snips closed her lone eye, focusing on the stone''s resonance. *** The top half of George''s head poked up above the wall. He caught sight of Theo immediately, running across the sand toward another figure. Fischer stood at the water''s edge, soft waves washing over his feet. He had a fishing rod in his hand, and George felt a myriad of different emotions as he realized what the heretic was doing. He''s fishing, and a crown agent has spotted him... An ugly smile crossed George''s face as schadenfreude flooded him. Play with my fate, Glaukos? See what becomes of your vessel. *** A deep calm flooded through me as I focused on the sensations of my body. The water lapping at my legs, my steady breaths, the calls of birds from above, and my finger held to the line, waiting for a fish to bite¡ªall grounded me to the present moment. The sound of footfalls on the soft sand jarred me from my meditation, and I glanced aside. The man I''d met earlier, Theo, was running toward me, his eyes wide and brows furrowed. Oh¡ªthat''s not great... He reached me, his eyes darting between me and the rod in my hands. "Fischer¡ªyou''re... fishing?" I tried to give him a disarming smile. "Er... yeah. I know it''s a bit odd, but I¡ª" He cut me off, the words coming from his mouth shocking me to my core. Chapter 59: Best Friend Chapter 59: Best Friend Theo''s entire face lit up. "I love fishing!" "I¡ªwait, you what?" "I love fishing!" he repeated, half yell, half whisper. "I''ve never come across another angler¡ªyou''re doing it so openly!" I blinked rapidly, a smile spreading across my face. "Theo, mate¡ªyou''ve just been upgraded from acquaintance to friend." He let out a laugh and clapped me on the shoulder. "You too, Fischer¡ªit was Fischer, right?" His lip curled up into a smirk. "An apt name..." "Not wrong, mate." He cast a furtive glance at our surroundings. "Aren''t you worried someone will see?" "Not really, hey. The villagers were super hesitant about what they call my ''heretical activities'', but they''ve gotten past it... mostly." I shrugged. "What about you? Where do you go fishing?" "When I get the chance, I go up into the mountains and fish creeks and ponds. I''m part of a fishing club¡ªwe get together and exchange tips and locations." "There''s a fishing club?" "There is," he said with a smile. "We only have five members, but we meet as often as possible when we''re back in Gormona." "You''re all from the capital? I''d never expect such heresy from citizens so close to the king." I waggled my eyebrows, and he laughed again. "Yeah, we keep it pretty quiet for obvious reasons. I think most of the water aversion is overblown, though. The gods are gone, right? What''s the harm in a little fishing and relaxation?" I gripped his shoulder, beyond happy to find a kindred spirit. "Theo, my man, you just earned best-friend status." *** George watched over the rock wall as Theo sprinted through the sand. He reached Fischer, halting on the spot. George''s grin turned savage as the confrontation began. Fischer''s eyes were wide, and he uttered something with a numb face, a spike of panic no doubt driving into his body. Will he take him back to the capital for punishment? Will Theo remove this heretical thorn from my side? George watched on with glee. Clap the god''s pawn in chains, take him from these lands, subject him to the King''s¡ª Fischer''s shock turned into... joy? He said something, and Theo let out a loud laugh, clapping him on the shoulder. George''s mind tried to make sense of the scene unfolding before him. "What in Triton''s girthy conch is going on...?" The two men by the shore started talking again, hands moving chaotically as they laughed and joked. "Th¡ªthey know each other?" Theo glanced around, and George threw himself to the floor, knocking the air from his lungs. Did they see me? He felt the need to run, to get as far from this place as possible, but he had to know¡ªhe had to glean as much information as possible. He poked his head back up slowly and saw them once more conversing, focused on each other. George continued scouting, looking for insight. *** Theo gave me a broad smile. "Best friends it is!" He peered past me, his gaze locked on my rod. "Wow. What is that?" ¡°Er¡ªa fishing rod?¡± ¡°I know what a fishing rod is, but this...¡± His hand reached for the reel, a single finger extended, then his head snapped back toward me. "May I?" This is worse than I could have possibly imagined. He lurched, almost falling over as the weight of his discovery settled on his shoulders. Okeanus¡¯ tempestuous waters¡ªwhat storm do I find myself adrift in? *** "What on Kallis is that?" Theo pointed at the rock and sinker, his face scrunched. "A sinker, mate¡ªa bit of weight helps cast the line out, and keep it still on the ocean floor." He gave me an askew glance. "Doesn''t it scare away the fish? It''s pretty... noticeable." "Not at all, my man! I love fish as much as you or any of your fishing club members, but even you have to admit, they''re pretty dumb. I call this one a ''drop rig''¡ªyou can even add more lines coming off the main one. More hooks, more bait, all represented at different levels in the water¡ªthat only increased your chances of catching a fish, right?" "That... doesn''t scare the fish away either?" I shook my head. "The opposite, mate. I''ve only used drop rigs with multiple hooks on smaller baitfish, but it''s not uncommon to catch multiple fish in the one cast. When a fish gets hooked, its movement catches other fish''s attention, and they go for the other hooks." Theo almost threw the rod at me in his haste; I took it with a smile as he rushed to jot down a sketch in his notepad. When he finished, I held the rod back out to him. "Have a go at casting it." Theo flipped the reel to its casting position, and I grabbed the line with one finger, holding it to the rod so it didn''t unspool. "Hold the line against the rod like this before you''re casting¡ªlet go just as you cast it out, and the line will flow freely." He nodded and did so with an intense look of concentration. "How, uh, how hard can I throw it?" "As hard as you want, mate. Maybe start with a small throw to get a feel for it." I stepped back to give him space, and with an overhead flick, he sent the bait out over the ocean. It traveled about half the length of the jetty, hitting the water with a soft plop. Theo''s smile was a beautiful thing to see, and he let out a soft chuckle. "Amazing! It feels so solid¡ªthis rod is something else, Fischer!" He flicked the reel back into its natural position. It made a soft click as it did so. He started reeling, and pure joy swept over his face. "And the reel feels so smooth! Fischer¡ªI can''t believe you made this!" My heart sang with the purity of the moment, and I bathed in Theo''s childlike wonder. "That cast was perfect. This time, send it as far as you can." "You''re sure?" he asked, not looking away from the rod as he wound the line in. "I''m sure, mate¡ªI doubt you can mess it up. Just let go of the line as you did before when you cast it." With Theo''s exuberant winding, the sinker and hook came from the water in no time at all. He flicked the reel back into the casting position and flung the rod back over his shoulder. "Wait!" I said. He paused, giving me a questioning look. I flicked the reel back into the standard position and eased the rod down from above his shoulder. "You have a bit too much line free. Wind it a couple times so the hook and sinker are closer to the tip of the rod¡ªyou''ll cast it much further." He did so, giving the reel a few turns. "Is this better?" "Perfect, mate." Theo nodded, mostly to himself, and tried the cast again. With the reel in the casting position, the rod over his shoulder, and a finger held to the line, he flung as hard as he could. As the hook and sinker arced high over the waters of the bay, a faint nudge came from the System, the subtle blip telling me it was no doubt sending through another error message. I quirked an eyebrow. For showing someone how to fish? Odd... *** In a room high atop the castle of Gormona, a relic blinked to life¡ªan exceedingly rare occurrence that was becoming more and more commonplace. There was no person there to witness the anomaly, yet the artifact still completed its task, printing words out onto its screen. New Milestone! Fischer has become a fishing trainer! Chapter 60: Something Colossal Chapter 60: Something Colossal With the sun setting at our backs, Theo and I watched the hook and sinker as they flew over the languidly shifting ocean. It flew further than the jetty, hitting the ocean half-again the dock''s length from the shore. A great splash sprang from the sinker and the line meeting the ocean''s surface, so far away that we couldn''t hear the sound it made. "Wow!" Theo yelled, his voice tinged with awe. "It went so far!" "Mate, that''s further than even I''ve sent it¡ªyou''ve got a serious throw on you!" It wasn''t a lie¡ªI hadn''t tried casting my new rod as far as I could¡ªbut I didn''t want to tell Theo that and ruin his moment. "Reel it in if you want to have another try." He gave me a grimace. "Are you sure? I feel bad for interrupting your fishing time. I don''t want to be an annoyance..." "Not at all, mate!" I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I''m beyond content letting someone who shares my passion try out my equipment. Have as many casts as you want." He gave me a kind smile, his eyes crinkling. "You''re a good man, Fischer. I''ll have one more try, then I''ll let you get back to¡ªwoah!" The rod bent almost in half as something colossal struck the bait and took off. Theo held the rod, his eyes going wide. "H-here!" He tried to hand me the rod, but I pushed it back into his hands. The reel was spinning freely, the giant thing on the other end of the line forging a path from the shore. I pointed down at his hands. "Reel, mate! You''ve got a big one!" "But it''s your¡ª" he tried. "Nonsense! You cast it, you catch it!" I watched acceptance roll over him, and a grin came to his face as he braced himself and set his hand on the reel''s handle. "Don''t hold the reel firm¡ªwind backwards so the fish can take some ground. This thing is massive, and you''ll want to tire it out." He nodded, doing as I said. Theo leaned his entire body back as the weight of the fish tugged on the line. His hand rotated backward quickly, having to let out long lengths of the line so it didn''t snap. "Do¡ªdo I just keep letting it take line? Won''t it get away?" "You''re doing perfect, mate. Fighting big fish like this is a dance. Let it take line now, but keep the line taut if it changes direction¡ª" As if listening to our conversation, the fish arced to the left, then dashed back toward the shore. With the lack of force pulling on Theo, his body was off balance, and he crashed to the sand, one of his hands falling from the reel to brace his fall. "Wind it in!" I urged. "You need to keep tension!" He sprang to his feet and gripped the reel again, winding as fast as he could. As he kept reeling the line in, I held out hope the fish was still hooked, but soon realized it was too late¡ªit had gotten away, unhooking itself while the line was slack. Theo grimaced. "It¡¯s gone, isn¡¯t it?" "Yeah, I think so, mate¡ªthat was a good fight, though!" He let out a sigh as the hook and sinker came up onto the shore. "I''m sorry, Fischer. I should have given it to you." I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and shook my head. "Not at all¡ªthat was a great learning experience. You''ll dance better next time." He shot me a questioning look. "You''re really not annoyed? That was a colossal fish..." I laughed. "Not at all, mate. It''s more about the experience than the result, right? Otherwise it''d be called catching, not fishing." "You''ve got a point there," he admitted, looking sheepish. "Still, I can''t help but feel it was my fault..." "Hold the rod still a second¡ªI''ll show you something." I pinched the top of the free line in one hand and carefully grabbed the hook with the other. "Flick the reel into the casting position." Theo did so, despite his obvious confusion at my request. "It''s partially my fault." I pulled the hook toward him, the line unreeling itself. "See this hook? Do you and the other fisherman in Gormona use barbed hooks?" He nodded, his eyebrows knitted together. "I use barbless hooks," I continued. "If you let even a bit of slack into the line, it''s easy for the fish to unhook itself and get away." "Why do you do it, then?" "I think it makes for a fairer fight, and more importantly, it causes less harm to the fish. The barbs can tear and hurt the fish when you remove them." "I see..." He gestured at the hook. "Do you mind if I have a look?" "Have at it!" I held it out to him, and he took it carefully with two fingers. Theo blinked as he held it up in the fading light, inspecting it. "Did... did you make this, too?" "Yeah, mate! With help from the local blacksmith, of course." "Wow... the quality is unbelievable. One of our members makes all of our hooks, but he''s no smith." He winced. She kissed his hand and held it to her cheek. "My brave, courageous husband¡ªyou did so well scouting out the two vile crown agents. I''m so proud of you." George was about to agree with her suggestion of rest when three loud knocks came from the front door. Geraldine stood. "I''ll get it." "No." George peeled his immense girth from the couch and began straightening his clothes. "I can handle one more confrontation for the day. There is nothing either of them could say to shake me further." She rested her head on his chest, blinking up at him seductively. "My big, strong husband." It stirred nothing within George, numb as he was. "I shall return." *** When George answered the door, Theo raised an eyebrow. "Are you well, George?" "Y-yes." Lie. Theo cocked his head, looking at the village lord and his pallid complexion. "Are you sure...?" George''s eyes went wide as he no doubt remembered Theo''s ability to detect lies. He nodded, averting his eyes. "I''ll show you to your room." When George walked up the stairs to the second floor, he leaned heavily on the railing, further stoking Theo''s curiosity. Whether it was in his nature, or a result of his years of training, Theo found the unresolved mystery unbearable. He opened his mouth to start a line of questioning that would eventually sniff out the root of the cause, but after letting it hang open for a moment, closed it again. I have something more important to do... They traveled in silence, both men''s thoughts elsewhere. "This is your room," George uttered, opening a door. "The bathroom is two doors down." "Thank you, George." Theo stepped into the room and withdrew his notepad. George started to speak, but a choked noise came out, so he cleared his throat. "I-if you need anything, just call for Geraldine or I." Theo gave him a broad grin. "Thanks, George¡ªI will. I think I''ll turn in for the night, though¡ªI have to meet Fischer bright and early at the smithy." Theo closed the door and got out his pencil, intent on formulating his plans, then paused as part of his training sprung up from within. He threw open the door, and was about to call for George, but the lord was still standing there, staring into space. George blinked as his eyes refocused. "Y-yes, Theo?" "I just remembered something¡ªyou''ve met Fischer, correct?" George''s neck twitched. "Yes..." "What is your opinion of the man? Is he what you''d call a good person?" George''s face was a mix of emotions, and small muscles beneath the surface moved continuously. "... George?" "Forgive me¡ªI''ve had a rather stressful day." Theo gave him a disarming smile, nodding at the words. "I apologize, George. We auditors can have that effect on people." He put a hand on the lord''s shoulder, intending to comfort, but George flinched. "Could you answer my question, though? Would you call Fischer a good person?" George paused while formulating his answer, and eventually, he spoke in a flat tone. "Fischer has had a resoundingly positive effect on the villagers, and seems to bring joy and prosperity to those he calls his friends." Complete truth, but he skirted around his own opinion... "And what of you, George? What do you think of Fischer?" He took another moment to formulate an answer. "He is endlessly intriguing, and shrouded in mystery." The truth, but likely only a half truth... If it were any other time, Theo would have dug into the misleading answer, but with more important things to consider, the lord¡¯s answers would suffice. "Thank you, George. That''s all I wanted to know. Goodnight." Theo closed the door and moved to the bed as he started jotting down thoughts. He sat down, letting out a content sigh. Despite his feelings of friendship and gratitude for Fischer, his training had kicked in, demanding he check the opinions of those around him. As vague as George''s personal opinion had been, knowing his effect on the villagers¡ªand, more importantly, those he called his friends¡ªwas more than enough to set his mind at ease. His hand was a blur as he started planning. Chapter 61: Imbalance Chapter 61: Imbalance Sergeant Snips woke beneath the water. She stretched out her limbs, shuddering as each muscle loosened. Blinking her lone eye, she peered at her surroundings with blurred vision. Pre-dawn light filtered down from above, bathing the pool in orange and pink light. Her missing eye, which was still a minor annoyance at times, itched beneath her prized eye-patch. She scratched the top of the patch absentmindedly while her thoughts slowly churned into motion. I slept for the entire day and night...? No awakening had come from her slumber, but she felt renewed, her body filled with vigor. Scuttling out of the pool, she headed for the scheduled meeting. *** "G''day, Theo!" "Fischer!" He strode toward me, and we clasped hands. "Did you sleep well?" "I always sleep well here, mate. Tropica is a little slice of paradise." He looked up at the sky and its blend of colors, letting out a content sigh. "I can see that. Being so close to the ocean is a blessing¡ªI''m beyond jealous." "Hey, you could always move here. Bring your fishing club down and set up a little clubhouse." "If only¡ªI have commitments in the capital, unfortunately." "Well, there''s always a spare bed available in my house if you come visit. You''re welcome anytime." He shook his head with a laugh. ¡°You''re too good to me, Fischer.¡± He quirked an eyebrow. ¡°You''re sure there''s no ulterior motives?¡± I held up my hands. ¡°You got me, mate¡ªI''m trying to lure you into a life of fishing and heresy.¡± ¡°Jokes on you¡ªI''m already well past that line.¡± He yawned. ¡°Before we get started on this selfless hook-crafting lesson... are you a coffee drinker? I want to try out that new coffee machine.¡± I grinned. "I was gonna ask you the same thing." *** "Good morning, Fischer!" Sue yelled, a bead of sweat on her brow as she rushed to keep up with the coffee orders. "Mornin'', Sue!" I called from the back of the line. Some people in line turned, giving me smiles, which I happily returned. "Is it always this busy?" Theo asked. "Not usually, but I think it''s only gonna get busier when people get a taste for the liquid of the gods." "Understandable. I still can''t believe George organized affordable coffee for the masses¡ªin retrospect, it''s a genius idea, but I''ve never seen it implemented in any of the other towns or villages I''ve visited." I grinned at Theo''s assumption, but was happy to give George the credit¡ªhe''d been having a tough crack of it lately. ¡°Do you travel much?¡± I asked. ¡°You never did tell me what you did for work...¡± "I travel around a lot. It comes with the territory, unfortunately. Not every place I visit is as idyllic as Tropica." He pursed his lips. "I suppose I can tell you what I do for work, but can you promise to keep it to yourself?" "You''re not some crime lord''s muscle, are you?" I asked with a laugh. "You seem a little too wholesome to be a hired thug..." He gave me an askew glance, smirking at my words. "I''m sorry to get serious for a second, but I need your word that you''ll keep it to yourself. If you share what I do, there may be... consequences." "Wait, you aren''t really a crime lord''s enforcer, are you?" I kept the smile on my face, showing him I was still joking. "Mate, I wouldn''t tell anyone even if there weren''t consequences¡ªthat''s not what friends do." Theo nodded at my words, accepting them as the truth. "Alright." He leaned in, speaking softly. "I''m a crown auditor. Do you know what that means?" "I don''t," I whispered back, "but I can sort of guess just by the job title. You check up on villages and businesses to make sure they''re playing by the rules, yeah?" He nodded. "That''s right." "Well, that certainly explains the clothes¡ªwhy the mystery, though? Is it that important to protect your identity?" "It is. If people knew who we were, every time we were spotted on the road, someone could run ahead and warn other villages of our impending arrival. We tend to operate by going on long excursions, hitting every stop on the way." "Ah, got ya. That makes sense." "... is it working?" "Sorry, mate¡ªI think we should just be friends." "Ahhh," Theo lamented as he stood. "Unrequited love." "Uh..." Maria said. "Are you sure you guys aren''t...? It¡¯s fine if you are." "No," I blurted, realizing we''d taken it too far. "W-we''re only joking," Theo said at the same time, coming to a similar conclusion. Maria was trying to hide a smile, but failed spectacularly. Theo shook his head. "Young lady! I have never!" "Sorry," she said, her laugh finally escaping. "I couldn''t help myself." I took a deep breath, exulting as I stretched and let it out. When I finished, I turned to Maria. "How''s Sharon doing?" She beamed. "Mom is doing really well, Fischer. I came to get a coffee for dad and I. He stayed up all night, refusing to leave her unwatched for a moment¡ªdespite her protests." "Well, we''ll leave you to it, then. We wouldn''t want to keep your poor dad waiting." She nodded, her hair flowing with the movement. "I might see you later, then. I''m sure mom would love to meet you at some point." She turned to Theo. "It was nice meeting you." "Likewise, young lady. It was a pleasure." After Maria was long gone, Theo raised an eyebrow at me. "Her mother was unwell?" "Yeah, mate. Really sick. Even elixirs from the Cult of the Alchemist weren''t working, but another villager performed a miracle with some herbal concoction." "Really? Alchemist elixirs didn''t work, but a herbal remedy did?" "Yeah. I have no doubt she''d still be unwell if it weren''t for Barry''s intervention." "Fascinating..." *** "Have at it, Fischer!" Fergus called from the back of the smithy. "You need a hand? I''ll be busy back here a while, but if you''re not ready to do it yourself..." "Nah, mate! I''ve got it!" Fergus flicked his goggles back on and returned his attention to the molten slag before him. "Give me a yell if you get stuck!" Theo gave me an odd look. "You do it yourself? I thought you said the smith helped you make them...?" "Well, yeah! He helped me make the castings and showed me how to do, well... everything. It''s super simple though, so I can fly solo now. Here, I''ll show you." *** Theo watched with growing amazement at Fischer''s aptitude. I know he said the smith showed him how, but his hand is so steady, his movements so exact. I''d think he''d been a blacksmith for years if he didn''t tell me otherwise. Thep shook his head, returning his attention to Fischer and the metal he was currently melting in the forge. Thick muscles bulged from Fischer''s forearms as he gripped the tongs. Even his body looks like he''s been a blacksmith for years... Fischer withdrew the crucible, and in a single flowing movement, swept it to the molding and began to pour. A thin line of molten metal poured directly into the hole, and at what looked like the perfect moment, he moved the crucible to the next casing, not losing a single drop of metal to the table. When the last casing was poured, he set tongs and crucible down, scooped up all the molds, and carried them toward the bucket of... oil? Theo''s knowledge of smithing was rudimentary at best, but he was pretty sure they used oil in the forging process. "Are you alright if I step outside for a moment, Fischer? I just need to go speak to Marcus about the departing time." "No worries, mate," Fischer replied, still focusing on the casings. No worries...? Theo thought. He has such an odd way of speaking sometimes... "I''ll be back in a moment, then." *** I barely heard Theo''s words, completely focused as I was. A state of flow had overtaken me, my work all-consuming. I dropped the molds into the oil, then reached in and flicked the latches open. The oil getting on my skin didn''t bother me in the least, and as the metal swiftly cooled, I reached into the bottom and plucked up the hooks. I pulled them up just in time for all four hooks to transform as one. Chapter 62: Luck Chapter 62: Luck The forge radiated a calming heat, making me feel at ease. My eyes widened as the change started As the hooks transformed, a familiar feeling welled up from my core. The hooks expanded, then contracted, and they drew my vision in. Small Barbless Circle Hook of the Fisher Uncommon A small hook used for catching fish. The design causes fish to hook themselves when attempting to escape. This hook provides boosts to both fishing and luck. +2 fishing +1 luck The description and stats were the same for all three circle hook variants, the only change being the size listed: small, medium, and large. Then, it gave a description for the last hook. Small Barbless Shank Hook of the Fisher Uncommon A small hook used for catching fish. The design of this hook makes it easy for smaller fish to eat the hook, and the long shaft protects the line from being severed by sharp teeth. This hook provides boosts to both fishing and luck. +2 fishing +1 luck ¡°Fischer...¡± I looked up, worried I¡¯d see Theo watching me. Instead, Fergus had a flat stare leveled at me. ¡°That was you again, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I, uh, have no idea what you¡¯re talking about?¡± My voice trailed off at the end of my sentence, leaving the last word hanging. He smiled and shook his head before returning to his work at the back of the smithy. Real smooth, Fischer. Real smooth. I returned my attention to the hooks, and more notably, their stats. Just as with my new rod, I could actually read the stats listed. My previous creations¡ªSergeant Snips¡¯ eyepatch, and the pearl ring¡ªhad simply said something about needing ¡®requisite knowledge¡¯ to see the benefits they gave. Is that because I¡¯ve leveled a fishing skill enough to have the requisite knowledge...? It leant further credence to a suspicion I¡¯d long since held, but had no way to prove: the System messages were trying to tell me about advancements, but lacked the power to do so. ¡°There¡¯s enough power to continue advancing me, but not enough to tell me about it? Who coded this damn thing...?¡± ¡°Who whated what thing?¡± Theo asked from behind me. I jumped and almost sent the hooks flying. ¡°Frack me, mate¡ªyou scared the piss out of me.¡± Theo raised an eyebrow, glancing down at my pants. ¡°You... wet yourself?¡± ¡°What? No.¡± I waved the question away. ¡°It¡¯s a figure of speech, my man. I¡¯m saying you scared me enough to wet myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... an odd thing to say.¡± I sighed, waving my hand again. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s normal where I come from.¡± I considered if I should show the hooks to Theo. I trusted him, but ?he worked for the crown. Would it make him realize I was ascending, then lead to me being taken? There¡¯s no Xianxia Liam Neeson to come save me if I¡¯m kidnapped. Smiling at the inner monologue, I shook my head. He already held my rod, and that didn¡¯t cause any issues... ¡°Fischer? Are you alright?¡± I looked up at Theo, smiling. ¡°Yeah, mate. I finished the first batch of hooks.¡± I held my hand out, and he opened his palm. When the hooks landed, he held his hand up before his face, inspecting them with an unwavering gaze. ¡°They¡¯re so smooth...¡± ¡°Just like me with the ladies...¡± I waggled my eyebrows, drawing a laugh from Theo.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°You mean like before with Maria, when your face went pink as a watermelon?¡± ¡°There¡¯s watermelon?¡± I yelled. ¡°What? Here? No.¡± He leveled a finger at me. ¡°Stop changing the subject¡ªI saw the way you two looked at each other. Is she your lady friend?¡± He wiggled his eyebrows back at me, but excited as I was, I barely noticed. They have gods-damned watermelons! I need some! It¡¯d be hard to grow in sandy soil, but with enough watering¡ª ¡°Fischer...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He shook his head at me. ¡°I mention Maria once, and you get dragged off into your head. You like her that much, do you?¡± Heat rose to my face. ¡°I figured you¡¯d say that. Here.¡± He tore out a page and held it out to me. Neatly written words covered both sides¡ªnone of which I could read. ¡°The first is my address if you ever change your mind. The second is the fishing-club president¡ªJosh¡¯s¡ªaddress. Last is the address of the tailor where you can get clothing like mine prepared. Her name is Sammie, and if you mention my name, she¡¯ll be happy for your business.¡± I neatly folded the page and put it in my back pocket. ¡°Thanks, Theo. You¡¯re a good bloke.¡± His eyebrows knitted together. ¡°You have such an odd vernacular, Fischer. May I assume ¡®bloke¡¯ is a good thing?¡± ¡°It is,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°Just another word for a man.¡± ¡°Cheers... bloke,¡± he replied, testing the words. ¡°Did that sound right?¡± ¡°Nailed it.¡± We walked between the last two fields of cane before the merchant caravans, and we both came to a stop. ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°I guess this is goodbye for now.¡± He held out a hand, and I looked down at it. ¡°You a hugger, Theo?¡± He smiled, so I grabbed his hand and pulled him into one. ¡°Until next time, mate. We¡¯re bros now, so don¡¯t be a stranger.¡± ¡°Er¡ªbros?¡± I let out a loud laugh as our embrace ended. ¡°Short for brothers.¡± ¡°Same to you... bro. Come see me in Gormona any time.¡± ¡°I might take you up on a visit soon¡ªI have some things I think I can only get in the capital.¡± He flicked the sleeve of my shirt, a wry smile on his face. ¡°Like a decent set of clothing?¡± ¡°Hey! There¡¯s nothing wrong with my clothes... but I might visit Sammie the tailor while I¡¯m there... just to peruse her wares, of course¡ªI worry they might be a bit too lavish for a mere peasant.¡± Theo winced. ¡°I was only joking...¡± ¡°I know. Just yanking your chain.¡± He let out a prolonged sigh at the unfamiliar idiom. ¡°Do I even want to know?¡± I held out my hand. ¡°See you soon, Theo.¡± He clasped it. ¡°See you soon... mate.¡± *** After providing Sharon with another dose of the sugarcane juice, Barry rushed through the forest on the west side of Fischer¡¯s property. His steps were clipped, late as he was. He caught sight of the blue-tinted tree, and as he got closer, saw his accomplice was already there¡ªhe jogged toward her. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, Snips¡ªI had to dispense more medicine for Sharon.¡± Sergeant Snips stood on eight spindly legs, shrugging as she stretched her claws out. Barry began making his report. ¡°The first test was a complete success¡ªthe sugarcane juice required little processing. As we hoped, but didn¡¯t dare expect, the produce grown from Fischer¡¯s power was enough to awaken Sharon, and she¡¯s making a full recovery from her sickness.¡± Snips nodded as she drew words in the dirt. ¡®Not needing to use Master¡¯s cooking is good¡ªit makes our goals much easier to accomplish. What did you mean by little processing?¡¯ Barry nodded vigorously, unable to contain his excitement. ¡°I thought we might need to refine the juice into sugar, then have her eat the granulated essence, either straight, or baked into food by someone with the baking skill. Having the juice work directly saved days¡ªif not weeks¡ªof testing.¡± Snips blew what Barry thought was a happy stream of bubbles. ¡®Did she agree to the plan?¡¯ ¡°She did! Just as we expected. She took it even better than I¡¯d imagined, and she offered to join us before I could ask.¡± Snips nodded again, claw once more drawing. ¡®Good.¡¯ She paused, rocking her carapace back and forth in thought before her writing resumed. ¡®Should we go over the plan again? We may improve it.¡¯ ¡°I thought the same thing! That we don¡¯t need to process the sugarcane opens up a world of possibilities. How do you feel about making rum?¡± Snips cocked her carapace, clearly not understanding the word. Barry¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°I¡¯ll bet Fischer will love it.¡± Sergeant Snips, having heard all she needed to be convinced, nodded her agreement. Chapter 63: Proposition Chapter 63: Proposition On my way through the village, I picked up another croissant. I was feeling rather peckish after a morning of smithing, minor as the work may have been. Naturally, I grabbed a second coffee, too. ¡°Thank you, Sue!¡± ¡°Thank you, Fischer!¡± she called, once more a blur behind the coffee machine. I bit into the flaky pastry as I walked, the buttery flavor washing over me and pairing perfectly with the coffee. That Fielday was even more productive than I¡¯d hoped. I stopped in place so abruptly, my coffee almost spilled. I cocked my head, my face scrunching. Why does it feel like I¡¯m forgetting something, though...? I¡¯m pressure sure I did¡ª ¡°Shit!¡± I ran through the streets of Tropica. *** As I knocked on the door, I plastered an apologetic smile on my face. There wasn¡¯t a sound from the other side, and just as I started thinking no one was home, the door creaked open. A single eye peered out at me. ¡°Fischer.¡± ¡°G¡¯day, Joel. You, uh, you alright, mate?¡± His single visible eye didn¡¯t move, and he let out a sharp sniff. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Seeing he was most-certainly not fine, I rushed to speak. ¡°I wanted to come and apologize for missing your group meditation yesterday. I know I promised I¡¯d come, but some wild things happened, and I just didn¡¯t have the time.¡± In truth, I¡¯d forgotten, but he didn¡¯t need to know that. The door slowly swung all the way open, and Joel stood before me, putting on a smile. ¡°Would you like to come in?¡± *** Joel forced a smile onto his face as he opened the door.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°Would you like to come in?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, mate,¡± Fischer said, easily striding inside. ¡°So, wild things kept you away yesterday? What kind of wild things?¡± ¡°I mean, there was the merchant, the coffee, a new friendship, and all tax-break shenanigans¡ªbut all that was nothing before Sharon¡¯s recovery.¡± Joel¡¯s heart fluttered, and all his feelings of rejection melted away like all life before the inevitability of carcinization. ¡°Sharon has recovered?¡± ¡°Er¡ªyeah.¡± Fischer raised an eyebrow, but it was quickly swept away by a full-faced smile. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware you knew her.¡± ¡°I do¡ªwe do, I should say. The Cult of Carcinization meditates on the health of sick community members, channeling our will toward their ascension.¡± Joel sniffed again. ¡°You¡¯d know that if you showed up for the group meditation yesterday.¡± Fischer furrowed his brow. ¡°Just to clarify, mate¡ªyou meditate with the express goal of turning sick people into crabs?¡± Joel nodded seriously, content that Fischer was so quick to comprehend. ¡°Precisely. If carcinization were to claim them, they would leave behind the weak flesh of the body, and with it, all illness and ailment.¡± Joel snapped his attention to Fischer. ¡°She didn¡¯t show any signs, did she?¡± ¡°Er¡ªsigns?¡± ¡°Of Carcinization.¡± Fischer pressed his lips together, and Joel¡¯s hopes soared. Is it possible...? *** I pressed my lips together; it took every ounce of my will to not laugh in Joel¡¯s face. ¡°Nah, mate,¡± I forced out, keeping my expression schooled. ¡°Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but she didn¡¯t show any signs of evolving into a crab.¡± Joel sighed, long and exhaustive. ¡°As expected. I know it likely won¡¯t happen in our lifetime. Even so, I hold out hope that carcinization will occur in our sleepy little village.¡± ¡°Hope is a powerful thing, Joel! You never know what will happen.¡± I turned and strode toward the door. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a bunch of stuff to get done¡ªthanks for the hospitality!¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re sure you have to go? We could do a meditation together if you please.¡± ¡°Sorry. So much to do, so little time. I¡¯ll see you next Fielday for the meditation, though, yeah?¡± ¡°The pleasure was all mine.¡± She stretched, letting out a yawn. ¡°Would you mind sending that over-protective husband of mine back in? I have some tasks to take his mind off me.¡± ¡°Has he always been so... intense?¡± Her eyes sparkled. ¡°Always. It¡¯s what I love the most about him, but it can get stifling at times.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll send him your way.¡± I shot her an exaggerated wink. ¡°Good luck.¡± Sharon laughed, the sound light and fleeting, reminding me of her daughter. ¡°I¡¯ll certainly need it...¡± *** Roger made a sound that, by some stretch of the imagination, could be equated with a noise of gratitude. He turned and strode into the house. Maria sat on the porch, lazily dragging a stick through the dirt below. She looked up at me. ¡°So? What did mum want to speak to you about?¡± ¡°She just wanted to thank me in private for letting you guys farm my land while she was sick.¡± Maria smiled halfheartedly, then returned to drawing in the dirt. I sat down beside her. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± She pressed down on the stick; it snapped in half. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel.¡± She picked up both halves, probing the broken ends. ¡°I¡¯m beyond happy that mum has recovered, but I feel... useless?¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Maria sighed. ¡°I feel like I should do something, but she¡¯s already back to her sharp self. Dad is by her side every minute for the small things, like bringing food and water, but I can tell she¡¯s feeling smothered by even that.¡± I glanced at Maria; she stared at the ground, lost in the thoughts of uselessness. I knew the sentiment well, and I wished at that moment I knew the right words to say; the magical combination of sounds that would set her heart free. Instead, I said something cliche?. ¡°Isn¡¯t just being there enough?¡± She shrugged with one shoulder. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m intruding when I¡¯m with her and dad. They have so much history, and it feels like I¡¯m interrupting their conversation.¡± She snapped one of the sticks, discarding the shorter end in the dirt. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel like I just need to do something to distract myself, but there isn¡¯t really much to do with the fields right now.¡± The seed of an idea planted itself in my mind, and after a moment of trying to suppress it, the seed sprouted. ¡°You know... you could always try fishing...¡± Her gaze shot up to me, and I smiled at her. She scoffed, so I raised my eyebrows, my smile growing. Upon realizing I was serious, her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened.. ¡°You¡¯re serious? You¡¯d show me how to fish?¡± ¡°Yeah! Why not? You¡¯re looking for something to keep you busy, right? A new hobby sounds like just the thing.¡± I tried to keep the desperation from my voice. Keep it cool, Fischer. Don¡¯t scare her off! ¡°Is... that something you¡¯d be interested in?¡± ¡°If you¡¯d asked me a couple weeks ago, I¡¯d have rejected it offhand, but after getting to know you...¡± She shrugged. ¡°The idea doesn¡¯t seem so bad...¡± While I was thinking of what to say next, she continued. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could, though¡ªcan you imagine how dad would react? The silent treatment wouldn¡¯t be worth it.¡± My mind raced for a way around the roadblock that was Roger. ¡°What if we went on a trip?¡± ¡°A trip?¡± she asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Have you ever been camping?¡± ¡°Fischer...¡± She laughed, the sound free and jubilant. ¡°I have no idea what a trip or camping is.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Sorry. A trip is like a holiday, and camping is staying outdoors. There¡¯s this place I saw on the way here that I¡¯ve been meaning to go back to. It¡¯s a couple of days away, but we could camp overnight in the forest.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± was all she said, then she stared off into space. Damn, did I come in too hot? I really just want someone to fish with after meeting Theo, and it feels like just the thing to keep her distrac¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s do it, Fischer.¡± Chapter 64: Intentions Chapter 64: Intentions I blinked at Roger, and he scowled back at me. "What are your intentions with my daughter?" "Dad!"Maria yelled, running out of the house after him. "You are so embarrassing! Fischer invited me to go camping because I''ve been feeling down!" Heat rose to my face; I felt poleaxed by the accusation in Roger''s voice. "Uh, yeah, that. Maria said she needed something to keep her busy, and I thought going on a trip would be a welcome distraction..." "Uh-huh. Just you and my daughter, right? Alone? In the forest?" "Dad!" "Roger!" came another voice. Where Maria''s complaints had no effect on him, Sharon calling his name made Roger go bolt upright. She leaned against the doorframe, glaring out at him. "Dear," she said, her voice sickly sweet. "Could you come speak with me for a moment?" Roger audibly swallowed and started walking into the house. "You shouldn''t be out of bed..." "I wouldn''t need to be out of bed if a certain someone wasn''t..." Sharon''s voice trailed off as they retreated further into their home. Maria covered her face with a hand. "I am so sorry." Glad to be rid of the belligerent father, I breathed a sigh of relief. "It''s fine. You''re his only daughter, so I understand him being overprotective." "Leto''s modest veil¡ªhe''s so embarrassing." "You know, I think it''s kind of sweet." She shot me an incredulous look. "I''ve heard my dad called a lot of things when he wasn''t around, but sweet was never one of them." "Just to be clear, I''m talking about his actions, not the man himself. It shows he cares about you. Better to be over-protective than not care at all, right?" She shook her head, pouting. "If he could keep his caring to himself instead of embarrassing me, that''d be great." I grinned at her petulant expression; it was inexplicably adorable. "So, when do you want to leave?" She turned to me, her petulance forgotten. "As soon as possible." "Like... today?" She nodded. "As soon as we''re packed." *** We were discussing what we needed to bring with us when Roger reappeared. He cleared his throat, leveling a moderately cowed glare at me. "No fishing." "Dad!" "That''s enough, Maria. I can accept that you''re old enough to choose your own company, but the idea of you eating food that goes against the gods is where I draw my line in the sand." I gave Roger a disarming smile. "You know I can''t promise that, mate." Roger''s eyebrow twitched, and he opened his mouth to call me something choice¡ªlikely some creative mix of heretical and foolish¡ªbut I cut him off. "I understand you''re just trying to protect your daughter, so why don''t we meet in the middle¡ªany fish I catch will be returned to the water. I won¡¯t force Maria to partake in any heretical food." Roger''s glare deepened, and he made to speak, but was once more cut off. Sharon poked her head out the doorway behind him. "That sounds like a lovely compromise, Fischer." Roger started and spun. "Sharon¡ªyou agreed to go back to bed!" She smiled sweetly at him, but her eyes held a gleam of danger. "And we agreed that you''d let our daughter make her own decisions, sweet husband, yet here we are." Roger took a deep breath, letting it out in a rush as he turned back toward me. "You swear to not let her eat any fish?" He extended a hand, and I winced. "I can''t shake your hand on that, Roger." They both stared hard at me, but after a moment, nodded their acquiescence. "By the way, Snips¡ªwho''s your friend?" She cocked her head in confusion, so I pointed down into the saltwater pond. "That''s one of your Rock Crabs, right?" She scuttled over, peering down into the water. Just below where she''d been sitting, a hint of brown could be seen. The crab was doing its best to hide from sight, huddled into a crevice as it was, yet it was still quite visible. Snips took a few steps down to the water and slapped her deadly snipper on the surface. The crab didn''t respond, so she cocked her claw back, ready to shoot an aura attack down at it¡ªthe crab responded immediately. It sprinted from the pond, prostrating itself on the sand before Sergeant Snips. She glared down at it, imperious. With one claw, she spun it around. Letting out a hesitant squeak, it lifted its body from the sand. Poor thing has accepted its fate, I thought. Snips released a hiss and a gout of angry bubbles as her right clacker shot under the body of the crab, and with a swift uppercut, launched it out to sea. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee¡ª Plop. "Damn." I raised an eyebrow. "Nice arm, Snips." She shook her head and shrugged, blowing bubbles of reluctant acceptance. "It''s hard being a leader, huh?" She nodded. I bent down and stroked the top of her head. "You''re doing good, Snips. I''m proud of you." She preened¡ªan impressive feat for a crab¡ªand sidled up to me. Corporal Claws joined on my other side, rubbing her body up against my leg. I sunk my fingers into her fur, a deep well of contentedness enveloping me as I pet them both. "I know it''ll only be a few days at most, but I''m gonna miss you two." A hiss and a chirp answered me as they returned their feelings. "Oh¡ªI just remembered!" I reached into my back pocket and withdrew the drawing Theo did. "Check this out." I placed it on the sand between them, and they both leaned in, curiosity overcoming them. "I got it from a man I met yesterday. His name was Theo, and he found me fishing on the shore near Tropica." Snips'' eye darted up at me; it held a dangerous gleam¡ªI''d explained how frowned-upon fishing was, and she knew the risk it presented. "Don''t worry, Snips. He was also a fisherman and was beyond pleased to find a kindred spirit¡ªas was I! He even gave me this little drawing so I could show you guys." Her worry assuaged, Sergeant Snips¡¯ attention returned to the sketch. "Impressive, right? Theo said he drew it while in a short meeting. It would take me an entire day to make something so detailed, and it would look way less impressive." They both nodded, transfixed by the piece of paper. "Maybe I''ll store it in the house so it doesn''t get ruined, but feel free to have a look whenever you like! Our home is sorely missing some decorations, and I''d love to collect some art to spice up the place." I stood and stretched. "Have you fed the lobster today, Snips?" She shook her carapace, still looking down at Theo''s drawing. "Are you okay to keep feeding it while I go on my trip?" She nodded, and spurred by my request, scuttled towards the ocean, a stream of confident bubbles flowing in her wake. Snips returned not even a minute later, a large fish held in one pincer. We walked over to the side of the pond, and with an underhand toss¡ªer, underclaw toss¡ªshe lobbed the fish out over the water. It hit the surface with a belly-flop that made a loud slap. The sound was enough to spur the enormous lobster within, as its single long antenna soon exited the cave. As it came further from its den, I raised an eyebrow. "Is it just me, or is the severed antenna healing...?" Where before there was only a small nub, a ten-centimeter length of the appendage had grown back. Snips leaned in, getting a closer look. One claw rubbed her eye patch absentmindedly, and with a tentative tug of the other claw, she slipped the leather strap off. I stared down at the revealed section where her other eye had been. My mouth dropped open. "No way..." Chapter 65: Departure Chapter 65: Departure The morning gave way to day as the sun rose ever higher in the sky. A soft breeze blew, the perfect counterpart for the day''s heat. I felt neither the kiss of the sun''s rays, nor the pleasant gouts of wind coming and going, though¡ªall my attention was on the ascendant crab before me. I blinked as I took in Snips'' healing eye. She shielded it from the sun with one claw, and I bent down, getting a closer look. It was small, like a limb denied blood-flow, but I knew that to be anything but the case¡ªthe eyestalk wasn''t shrinking; it was growing. "Snips! Your eye!" She blew entirely incomprehensible bubbles, her other eye turning to the side to look at the recovering appendage "Can... can you see out of it?" Her good eye blinked, and she made a ''so-so'' gesture with her claw. "You can see a little?" She nodded, and small, awe-filled bubbles came from her mouth. Corporal Claws chirped in excitement, darting around Snips'' body to get a look from every angle. "That''s amazing, Snips! I didn''t know you could regrow an eye!" Even with how animated Corporal Claws and I were, Sergeant Snips remained calm, thoughtful. Looking at me with her good eye, she pointed to her healing one with a claw, then pointed down at the pool. The pieces clicked into place in an instant: Snips'' eye, the lobster''s antenna, and the common denominator¡ªthe saltwater pool. "... really, Snips?" I cast furtive glances between her and the body of water. "The pool healed you...?" She made the same ''maybe'' gesture, but nodded. "You''re almost positive?" Nod. "Huh..." I stared out at the opalescent crystals scattered around the pool, my eyes lingering on the boulder in the middle. "Is it something to do with the stones?" Again, she nodded and made the same gesture. "I wonder if it only works on sea creatures, or if it will work on other animals¡ªeven humans...?" It was a startling discovery, but a welcome one. Combined with Barry and Helen''s knowledge of herbs, the pool Snips and Claws had made may just be something the villagers could benefit from. Realizing both my hands were each still on one of my animal pals, I rubbed one and scritched the other. "You two are amazing¡ªyou know that? You girls made something that can heal!" They both leaned into my touch. "I know I''m repeating myself, but I''m gonna miss you two." They chirped and hissed their agreement as I continued petting them. *** I bent down and opened a kitchen cupboard, rummaging for my treasure hidden within. "I know you''d do it anyway," I said to Claws, "but I need to ask. Please watch the house, and in particular, keep this chest safe." Looking down at the sturdy box, Corporal Claws nodded, her eyes steel as they returned to meet my gaze. I reached out and rubbed her head. "Good girl." I opened the chest one more last time before my departure, peering inside. All the jewelry was held within, along with all the gold coins I''d collected so far. Following a whim, I inspected the pearl ring I''d made with Fergus'' help. Iridescent Ring of Silver Rare A ring of precious metal, adorned by one of the most sought-after stones found in the Kallis Realm. More than just a symbol of wealth, this ring has a multitude of purposes for those with the requisite knowledge. Still just ''requisite knowledge'', huh? I shook my head and placed the ring back in the chest before closing the lid. I''d hoped for a more forthcoming description following the stats listed by my new fishing rod, but I guess that was too much to ask. I slid the chest into the back of the cupboard, once more hiding it behind my copious amounts of pots and pans. With more than a little excitement, I strode back to the table and checked the contents of my bag one last time. I''m glad I bought a bag from Ruby and Steven, but I wish I had the foresight to buy some sort of canvas for a tent. I cocked my head in thought. It''s not too late¡ªshould I go look around Tropica for something...? Nah. Building makeshift camps will be something for us to do, which is exactly what Maria needs right now¡ªbusy work. With a prolonged scritch of Corporal Claws'' cute little head, I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed outside. *** Sharon peeked into Maria''s room, overwhelmed with pride. Maria shook with laughter. "Both." *** As I strode up to the door, hesitance hampered my steps. Why am I so nervous... I shook my upper body, trying to physically dispel the unease. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly and knocked on the door. The moment my knuckles hit, the entry flung open. I''d been excited to see Maria''s beautiful face, which made the appearance of Roger''s best scowl yet rather jarring. "Fischer." "Uh¡ªoh. G''day, Roger. Is, uh, Maria ready?" "Maria!" he yelled, not breaking eye contact with me. "Coming!" she called from within, and a moment later, she appeared. As she came into view, I fought to stop my eyebrows from raising. Usually, she wore basic clothing akin to my own; simple linen, perfect for working the fields. Today, she wore a dress. It was short, with neatly hemmed edges that wouldn''t get in the way. She wore pants underneath that came to just above her knee, made of a thick, durable material. It wasn''t intended as an outfit of pure beauty; it was also utilitarian, perfect for traveling, but that didn''t subtract from her charm. "Wow..." I heard myself say, and I quickly clamped my mouth together as a flush crept over my face. Roger''s nostrils flared, and his scowl deepened even further, but Sharon clearing her throat kept his lips firmly pressed together. Maria gave me a shy smile as she swept her hair behind an ear, and she rushed past her father. "Are you all ready to go?" she asked, shifting her bag from one shoulder to the other. "Ready when you are!" "Make good choices," Roger said, his eyes glancing between Maria and the rod I held in one hand. Maria sighed. "Yes, Dad." Sharon stepped up beside her husband, resting one arm on Roger''s lower back. "Keep our daughter safe, Fischer." I nodded. "I will." "We''ll be back in a few days, right?" Maria asked. "We will¡ªa few days at the latest." I turned to her parents. "I promise I''ll bring Maria back in one piece." Roger grunted, and Sharon gave me a pure smile. "We''re counting on it." She ushering Roger back inside with practiced grace and started closing the door. "Have fun, you two." The front door closed with a soft click, and I turned to Maria. "Anything else you need to pick up from Tropica before we go?" "No, I''m all ready!" "Alright." I gave her a broad grin. "Let the holiday begin." *** Sergeant Snips, maiden of the pond and protector of Master''s land, opened her uncovered eye as something disturbed her slumber. She glared around, searching for her Rock Crab subordinate, who had no-doubt returned to the pond to meditate. Maybe I should let him stay, she thought. Whether it was the calm the pond lent her, or her begrudging appreciation of the masochistic crab''s companionship, she knew not. Snips glanced around the pond, unsure what she''d do when she found the uninvited guest. To her surprise, though, he wasn''t there. She scratched at her eyepatch absentmindedly, questing further for whatever had woken her. She peered into the cave''s entrance, pitying any crab fool enough to get close to the sea snipper''s oversized claws. Not expecting to find anything, her claws twitched as she caught sight of what her master called a ''lobster''. Its body was flickering, increasing then shrinking in size repeatedly. She tried to focus on it, but something about the sea snipper''s shifting form made it hard to look at. A source of light fluctuated from somewhere within its giant body, and in an instant, the light exploded out, turning the world white. Chapter 66: Holiday Chapter 66: Holiday With a loud pop, the lobster''s vision was engulfed by white. He opened and closed his trusty pincers as a sense of unbridled confusion grew. Taking in the surrounding landscape, he slowly shifted to glance all around him as color returned to the world. Walls of rock were on either side, and a single opening lay ahead that let in light. He recognised the cave¡ªhis home¡ªfrom memories that felt distant, yet from only a moment ago. A slow trickle of information chipped away at his confusion, yet brought with it more questions than he could fathom. His vision cleared further, and from the entrance to his domain, he saw an enemy. He scuttled back reflexively, wanting to get further into the safety his cave provided, but as the lines of the creature before him snapped into focus, a spark of recognition took hold. I know... crab? Memories flashed through his mind; the crab checking on him, repeatedly bringing him food, and, most pleasing of all, bringing him to this wonderful, safe place he called home. With claws extended, the lobster inched his way toward the light, eyes locked on the creature beyond. *** Maria and I followed the setting sun; its passage toward the western mountains heralded our journey. A cold wind blew at our backs, a tailwind that made it seem like the world itself urged us on. "So, have you traveled in this direction much before?" I asked. She shook her head, eyes trailing the retreating sun. "Not really, no. There was the time we traveled to Tropica for the first time, of course, but other than that, I''ve never really left..." While I knew life as a farmer in my new world was a different experience to living on Earth, something about that statement really nailed home how distant I was from my previous existence. Life here is a constant battle to survive for the common folk. There might not be bandits, roaming wolves, or goblin attacks as I worried about upon my arrival here, but that doesn''t mean life isn''t filled with challenges. Growing enough food to survive, and keeping her family healthy without the aid of modern medicine, was challenging enough that, by her account, she¡¯d never¡ªin her entire life¡ªhad a holiday. It was a sad realization. "Well," I said, "hopefully that makes this trip all the more enjoyable." She grunted, shifting her bag from one shoulder to another. "Do you want me to carry that?" I asked. "Oh, no. I''m fine¡ªI may have over-packed a little, though..." "Are you sure? You can hold the rod, and having a bag on each shoulder will even me out." She shifted her weight again, the physical load warring with her desire to not be a burden. "Please," I urged. "It''ll make both our loads easier." She frowned, her lips pressed together. I pressed the advantage. "Besides, I''m an absolute klutz, and I''m likely to break my favorite rod by getting it caught on something. You''re much more coordinated, so it''ll be safer in your hands." She turned and squinted, but a barely concealed smile threatened to take over. "Fine, we can swap." She grinned at me, raising an eyebrow. "But only because I won''t be able to fish if you break the rod." I laughed and held the rod out to her; she offered her bag in exchange. "Thank you, Fischer. You''re sweet." I bowed at the waist. "Anything for my lady. I''d not be able to face your lord father if any damage came to your person." "Hestia''s maternal urges¡ªdon''t even joke about that. I wouldn''t want my lord father to remove that handsome head of yours." I straightened up, the weight of both bags nothing before my improved body. "I have a handsome head?" I glanced at her, delighting in the blush I saw peeking through her tanned and freckled skin. *** "There!" I said, pointing at my discovery. "I knew it was around here somewhere." "Wow," Maria said, "you weren''t wrong¡ªit held up pretty well..." I walked up to my shelter, the last one I''d built before heading into Tropica for the first time. It''s probably big enough for both of us to sleep under, but a little more room would be best. "Alright, let''s begin." Maria cocked her head. "Begin what...?" I smirked. "The renovations, of course!" *** "Are these leaves okay?" Maria asked. "They''re perfect¡ªthank you!" I grabbed the palm-like fronds and put them next to the pile of leaves I''d removed from the frame. "Let''s split these fronds in half, like so." I pinched the thick end of one, and with a smooth movement, split it in two. I then wedged a fingernail under one side, and gripping the long fibers, pulled a strip off to use as string. With a smile, I held the rope of fibers up to Maria. "I brought string to tie the frame together, but if you''re ever lacking the correct materials, you can make string out of plants you find in the forest¡ªlike these." She raised an eyebrow at me. "Where did you learn to do that?" She gave me a flat stare. "Can I assume that means breakfast?" I sat down beside her, untying the cloth bundle. "You can." I spread the cloth wide, revealing a pile of golden croissants, and a bottle of brown liquid. Maria made a surprised noise. "Is that what I think it is?" I nodded, giving her a knowing smile. "What''s a good brekkie without some of Tropica''s finest coffee?" *** I bit into a warmed bun, my eyes going wide. "Wow¡ªit''s sweet." The soft bun, combined with a pleasant amount of sugar, reminded me of the sweet buns I''d tried in Japan a lifetime ago. Maria quirked an eyebrow at me. "You know we''re sugarcane farmers, right? What did you expect?" "Touche..." I said around a mouthful of the pillowy dough. "Don''t tell Sue, but your buns might be even better than hers." Maria smirked at me. ¡°Who needs to watch their phrasing now?¡± I opened my mouth to say something, but my brain betrayed me, and I closed it again, lost for what to say. Maria laughed at me, shaking her head. "Wow, you really are defenseless first thing in the morning¡ªI¡¯ll have to keep that in mind. I can''t take the credit for the pastries¡ªMum made them." ¡°Well, pass her my compliment,¡± I said, forging past her comment, and my lack thereof. ¡°These things are delicious.¡± We had a croissant and bun each, and I took a bite of my croissant, relishing in the contrast its flaky and buttery texture gave. Seeing the enjoyment on my face, Maria followed suit, and she let out an appreciative mmm as she chewed. Wisps of steam started rising from the saucepan atop the fire, so I reached over, stirring it with the wooden spoon. I kept it moving, wanting to keep the liquid inside from burning. I didn''t know if it could burn, to be honest, but I didn''t intend to find out. When the steam was billowing up from the surface in a steady stream, I removed it from the fire. I carefully poured it into our cups, then passed one to Maria. "Coffee''s ready." "Thank you," she said, putting her plate down and accepting it with both hands. "Careful¡ªit''ll be scorching." She held the cup to her nose, breathing deep of the rising vapor. "It smells strong..." I took a whiff of my own cup. "Yeah, it will taste a lot stronger without any milk. I had Sharon water it down¡ªthis is what you''d call a long black where I come from." "You never did tell me where you''re from, Fischer. You have the funniest names for things." I took a sip of my coffee, savoring its bold flavor. My go-to drink was a flat white, but there were periods in my previous life where long blacks were the drink of choice. I breathed out a content sigh, the heat of the coffee making me blow a cloud of vapor. Maria followed suit, and her face scrunched as she tasted it. She swallowed and took a quick bite of her croissant. "That''s not as nice as the coffee with milk..." I smiled at her. "Yeah, black coffee is more of an acquired taste. Still, better than no coffee at all, in my opinion." She took another small sip, once more chasing it with a bit of pastry. She chewed it slowly before swallowing. "They''re quite nice together..." I nodded. "Some people like dunking their croissants in coffee." She raised an eyebrow, looking between her food and drink. She dunked a corner of the exposed croissant and bit into it; her face immediately transformed into disgust. She chewed and swallowed as fast as she could. "Yeah, that''s not for me." I fought down a smirk. "It''s usually done with milky coffee, to be honest..." She picked up a stick and threw it at me. "You could have told me that before I tried that horrid combination!" Her outrage removed the stopper on my mirth, and I let out a loud laugh. "Sorry¡ªit wasn''t intentional." She shook her head, hair swaying around her face. "So, you avoided the question of where you''re from pretty smoothly, but I''m still curious. I think you might owe me the information after that cruel and intentional prank..." She wiggled her eyebrows, but I knew her words held a hint of truth; she wanted to know. How much can I tell her without putting either of us at risk...? "What do you know about places other than the kingdom you live in?" "Not too much, to be honest. I know there''s another kingdom called Theogonia that dad fought against when he was still in the army. Other than that, I know other places exist, but they''re far, far away." I nodded, slowly coming to a decision. "I come from a place called Earth..." Chapter 67: Vessel Chapter 67: Vessel "Earth?" Maria asked. "I''ve never heard of it." "Yeah... it''s a long, long way away, on an entirely different continent." It wasn''t a lie, but I still felt bad misleading her. It''s safer for both of us if I keep the full truth to myself for now... "Another continent?" Her eyebrows shot up, then furrowed in thought. "Like another kingdom?" "Kind of like that, yeah." "How did you get here?" "It''s a long story." A silence stretched between us before she spoke again. "I knew you were from far away, but I still thought it''d be within the kingdom of Gormona..." "Yeah, that''s my fault¡ªI''ve been intentionally vague." I gave a rueful smile. "People already have enough reason to avoid me with my fishing ways¡ªno need to add fuel to the fire." "That makes sense..." She took a bite of her bun, washing it down with a mouthful of coffee. "So fishing isn''t considered heretical there, right?" "Yeah, it¡¯s totally acceptable there." She chewed her lip, clearly lost in thought. "Sorry if this is a dumb question, but if you can fish there, and fishing is all you do... why did you come here?" I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. It wasn¡¯t exactly a choice to come here, but it was a good question from her perspective. "I wasn''t always into fishing¡ªthat''s actually quite new. I came here to start over. My old life became... well, unrewarding. I realized I''d wasted it, and I wanted to get as far away from my mistakes as possible." She gave me a look filled with compassion. "Wasn''t it hard leaving your friends and family behind?" The question, and the memories it brought up, were as a physical blow. My family, or lack thereof, was something I hadn''t spent time ruminating on since I''d arrived in Tropica, and the thought''s resurgence made a wave of sorrow wash over me. It must have showed on my face, because Maria quickly spoke, holding up both hands. "Sorry, Fischer. You don''t have to tell me..." "You have nothing to apologize for." I forced a grin across my face, but it felt empty. "It''s a bit of a rough subject for me." "Well, forget it then. Another time, if you feel like getting it off your chest." She stood, smirking at me as she brushed her hands free of crumbs. "Should we pack up and get going? I¡¯m excited to have a fish at some point today." I nodded, a genuine smile coming over me. "Let''s." *** "This is it," I said, pointing down at the creek that had originally led me to Tropica. "Wow!" Maria leaned closer, squinting. "You caught fish in such shallow water? I can''t see any..." ¡°Well, not here exactly, but in the same creek, yeah.¡± Having caught movement in the shallows, I pointed. "Can you see those guppies?" "Uhhhh¡ªwhat are guppies, and where are they? I can''t see a thing..." I smiled. "Let''s sneak closer¡ªkeep your body low or they might swim away." I led her forward, slowly stepping down the raised bank. She knelt down beside me, and I leaned in, whispering as I pointed. "Just there¡ªbeside that large rock." Ten or so of the tiny fish were milling around by the bank, flinching and darting away from shadows. A sharp intake of breath told me that Maria had spotted them. "They''re... they''re so cute!" I glanced at her, marveling at the wonder her eyes held; they sparkled with the morning¡¯s sun. "Are they babies?" she asked, leaning in closer and causing her hair to fall from behind an ear. "They might be the baby versions of what we''ll be fishing for, or they might just be a tiny species of fish. We could try to see, but it might hurt them." She nodded seriously. "Best to leave them be, then. It''ll have to remain a mystery." "Should we move further upstream?" I asked. "The sooner we find a deeper body of water, the sooner we can start fishing." "After you, my heretical teacher." I blew air from my nose, smirking at her as I turned to walk back up the bank. From behind me, I heard the scrape of rocks, and Maria made a startled noise. Without thinking, I whirled, my hand darting out to grab hers. She stabilized immediately, and a look of sheer panic disappeared from her face with a sigh. "Thank you, Fischer." I barely heard the words, transfixed as I was on her touch. Despite the callouses from work, the skin covering her small hands was smooth, soft. The sensations drew my mind back to the previous night, and I pictured her small frame pressed up against mine. The warmth and comfort she brought¡ª "Um... Fischer?" My eyes went wide as I returned to the present. Maria''s head was cocked to the side. She looked down at our hands, then back up at me. "How could you...?" I laughed at her fake affront. "Yeah, I was fishing with Theo, the bloke you met with me in the village." She rubbed her chin in exaggerated thought. "I knew he was a rival..." I raised an eyebrow. "A rival, huh? You trying to keep me all to yourself?" "Of course¡ªhow else would I learn to fish?" I grinned, then cut the line, putting the hook and sinker back in the tackle box and collecting a smaller set. I really need to make actual sinkers when I get back to Tropica... the rocks work, but metal sinkers would be so much better. With slow movements, I showed Maria how to tie a drop rig. "Do you want to try tying the hook?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "What knot do you use?" "It''s called an improved clinch knot." I handed her the hook. "Hold that still¡ªI''ll show you." She pinched the hook between her thumb and forefinger, and I slid the line through the hook''s eye, twisted it around itself eight times, fed the line back through the original loop, then back through itself, completing the knot. I bent down and wet the line with my mouth. "Uh, Fischer, why are you kissing it?" "If you wet the line..." I held her hand steady on the hook, pinched the line''s tag with the same hand, then pulled it tight. "The knot will get tighter because of the reduced friction." As I pulled, the knot slid into place, and Maria''s eyes went wide. "Oh. Wow." "Do you wanna try?" I asked. "I can cut it off if you want to have a crack." She shook her head. "No¡ªI don''t want to waste the line¡ªI''ll try next time, okay?" "No worries." I rummaged in the bag again, removing a small package. "You might want to lean back from this one. The eel we''re using for bait can be a bit, uhhh, aromatic. I''ll put it on the hook for you." I cut a slice of the flesh off, setting it aside as I wrapped the eel back up. Despite my words, Maria reached for the eel and picked it up, gingerly sliding it on the hook. I raised an eyebrow, and she smiled back at me. "I''m a farmer, Fischer¡ªnot a noble lady. I don''t mind getting my hands a little dirty." She wiggled the eel into place, then looked up at me. "Do I want the pointy bit of the hook poking out, or in the meat?" I grimaced at her. "That''s a bit of a debate between different anglers, but personally, I don''t think it matters too much. Do whatever feels best." She cocked her head, her lips pouted in thought, then moved the bait so a tiny bit of the hook''s tip poked out. "There. That feels right." "Well done¡ªit''s ready to go." She looked down, rubbing her fingers together and frowning at how slimy the eel left them. She lifted her hand toward her nose. "It can''t really smell that bad, right? It¡¯s only¡ªEUUUUGHHHHH!" She threw her head back and her hand forward at the same time, trying to put as much distance between the two as possible. "That stinks!" I collapsed immediately, bracing myself on the forest floor as my body shook with choking laughter as Maria ran down to the water¡¯s edge to wash her hand. *** "Like this?" Maria asked, holding the rod before her with one finger on the line. "Just like that. Twist the reel left, then cast." She rotated the reel, held out the rod, and with a look of sheer concentration, flicked the line and sinker out into the pond. It made a small splash as it hit the water, and I reached over, pushing the reel back into position with a soft click. "Reel it in so the line is tight." She slowly did so, and something tugged on the line. I squinted. Was that a fish, or a snag...? Maria had stopped reeling, and the line bumped again. It was definitely a fish. "Wait for it..." I said. Her head darted to me, then back at the water, her entire body tense. Tug. Tug. Tug. Nothing happened, and I worried the bait might have been stolen Then, the rod bent down as the fish took the bait, hook and all. Chapter 68: Thunk Chapter 68: Thunk The fishing line darted to the side, cutting through the water toward the small waterfall. Maria held the rod firm, watching its tip bounce and move with the fish''s attempted escape. "What do I do?" Her entire body was tense, her shoulders hunched and knees slightly bent. I smiled and set a hand on her shoulder. "First, take a deep breath. Relax." She rolled her shoulders and inhaled shakily, her body loosening. I pointed at the reel. "Good. Now reel the fish in, just as I showed you. Keep the line tight, but don''t reel too fast. You might hurt it.." She released the breath and stood upright, her body much more relaxed. Putting one hand on the reel, she wound in the line with controlled movements, her eyes fixed on the fish''s path under the water. As the line between us and the fish reduced, we started catching flashes of silver where the sky reflected from its scales. Maria''s face was caught somewhere between sheer joy and nervousness, and I couldn''t help but feel a shadow of the same emotions - such was the excitement of fishing. The fish darted toward the shore, a last desperate attempt to escape its fate, but Maria was prepared. She deftly wound in the line, keeping it taut so the fish couldn''t spit out the hook. "W-What do I do now?" she asked. Before she could finish the question, I was moving down to the water''s edge. I grabbed the line in one hand and pulled the fish up and onto the bank. I grabbed it by its toothless mouth and lifted it. It was just longer than my hand, and had a soft brown tinge to its scales, reminiscent of the environment it lived in. I held it up for her to see, a broad grin spreading across my face as my eyes were drawn into the unfamiliar fish. Juvenile Jungle Perch Uncommon Known for its delicate flesh and subtle taste, this is prized among the freshwater fish of the Kallis realm. A high-pitched squeal greeted me as my vision cleared, and Maria was hopping foot-to-foot while staring down at the fish. "I caught a fish! I actually caught a fish! That. Was. So. Exciting!" Her eyes sparkled. "Can we do it again?" I laughed uproariously, beyond happy with her reaction. "We have to decide what to do with it first. We didn''t actually discuss if you wanted to eat any fish on this trip..." She looked at the fish, then up at me. "What do you think we should do?" I rubbed my chin in thought. "This fish is a juvenile, so I think we should let it go and try to catch its big brother." She nodded vigorously. "Yeah, let''s do that!" I smiled and shook my head at her energy. "Do you want to let it go?" "That depends. Does it stink like the eel?" I laughed again. "No, it doesn''t. It''ll be a bit slimy, though..." She stepped forward. "How do I hold it?" I had one thumb held in its mouth, and one supporting the weight of its body. "I''ll hold up the fish, and when I let go of its lip, you grab it. Some fish have teeth, but for the ones that don''t, the safest way for both you and the fish is to hold it by the mouth with one hand while supporting its weight with the other." She nodded seriously, coming closer. "Ready?" I asked. "Yep!" I tightened my grip around its body and removed my hand from the mouth. Maria quickly grabbed it with deft fingers. "Now," I said, "support its weight from underneath. Each of its fins has sharp spines on the end, but as long as you control the head, you shouldn''t get pricked." And the green things trees are covered in... He cocked his head. ... leaves? Yes. That was the word. The trees'' leaves moved in a soft... breeze, their limbs and attached greenery shifting pleasantly, more chaotic than the movement of ocean-borne plants. With each word he correctly identified, he felt a sense of... accomplishment. That word also brought on a pleasing sensation, and his mouth, unbidden, made a sound of delight. The crab looked back at him, nodded her agreement, then blew a small series of bubbles. Pistachio understood their meaning - the crab was also experiencing joy. They moved ever onward between the trees until they had traveled far from the ocean. The smell of salt had dissipated significantly, making way for the alien scents of wood, earth, and terrestrial vegetation. The crab stopped when they reached a group of thick trunks. She looked at Pistachio with intent, pointed to her claw, then at the tree. Her claw cocked open, and she placed it up against one of the trees. Faster than he could register, the claw clamped shut, and the loudest sound Pistachio had ever heard rang out through the forest, like two colossal stones colliding together. He flinched back and closed his eyes, unprepared as he was for the attack. A great crashing sound followed, and he hunkered down, protecting the vital point of his boy. The otter atop him once more tapped her paws on his head, and he finally understood what her purpose was - she was trying to reassure him. He slowly opened his eyes to steal a glance, but the sight before him made them fly open. The tree lay on the ground, felled. A sizable chunk from the base had been obliterated; splinters strewn across the ground were the only thing that remained. Beyond the tree''s base, a curved slice had been cut into the soil, as long as Pistachio''s body, and hewn deeper than an attack from such a small creature had any right being. She is... strong. The crab scuttled closer, once more rubbing his head as she had before. She also wants to reassure me...? She stepped back, and with a slow gesture, pointed to his claw, then at another tree. He cocked his gigantic head, causing the otter to stop tapping and hold on, lest she fall off. With one impressive claw, he pointed to his other, then at the tree. The crab nodded a single time, stepping aside. He ambled toward the trunk, holding one claw out. His claw slowly opened, and as it reached its apex, the hinge made a click, locking into place. He wanted to release it, slam it closed just as the crab had, but something felt... wrong. Absent-mindedly, he held his other claw forward too, opening it until another soft click was heard. He held his open claws to the tree, and with a single command, his body released both. *** Corporal Claws resumed her comforting taps on the lobster''s head, showing her love and affection for the gigantic thing. Unlike her general desire to mess with Sergeant Snips, she felt a need to protect the magnificent creature. He was a babe in this world, and although he was many times larger than her, she felt a maternal urge to keep him safe, to show him everything was going to be okay. She paused her rhythmic tapping as his opening claw made a click, but then resumed again as he slowly opened the other. With her improved body, she would be safe from any attack coming from the lobster. From her position on his back, she could also protect him from the falling tree should he cut through it. I doubt it can sever the tree upon awakening, but better to be safe than sorry. She squinted at his claws, intent on seeing just how much damage they could do to the wood. A sort of power built in the claws, and she leaned in closer, drawn in by the odd gathering. As she made to step closer, the claws slammed down with a deep thunk. The next thing Corporal Claws felt was open air as she was launched from her perch atop the lobster, expelled by the force of the attack. Oh... was all she had time to think. She struck something hard, and all thought disappeared. Chapter 70: Tempest Chapter 70: Tempest The world was cold and gray when I woke the following morning. Maria had once again rolled into me while we slept, and despite the blankets separating us, her slender form radiated a welcome warmth. I yawned as I took a moment to reflect on my gratitude for her companionship. Then, with no small amount of reluctance, I carefully extracted myself from the tangle of blankets, intent on waking her with breakfast and the blessed taste of coffee. Just as I snuck from the shelter, a powerful gust slammed into me, sending the surrounding trees¡¯ leaves into a frenzy. I glanced up as my eyes cleared, seeing a sea of gray beyond the frenetically shifting canopy above. ¡°Of all the times for a rainy day . . .¡± I stretched, unleashing a mighty yawn. ¡°Oh well, at least it won¡¯t be hot, I guess.¡± A soft yawn from behind me ended in a cute sigh, and I turned, seeing Maria glancing from the tent. ¡°Sorry,¡± I said. ¡°Did I wake you?¡± She smiled at me with sleepy eyes then glared at the surrounding trees. ¡°Not unless you control the wind. I was having such a pleasant dream, too.¡± ¡°Oh? What about?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that¡ªit might not come true.¡± I raised an eyebrow but lacking the requisite caffeine to fuel early morning banter, I just smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯ll get the fire going¡ªyou can stay comfy in the blankets if you like.¡± Seeing the offer as a challenge, she threw the blankets aside and emerged from the tent. ¡°Many hands make light work.¡± She cut off as another breeze kicked up, immediately sending her body into a full shiver. I smirked at her. ¡°Maybe those ¡®many hands¡¯ should wear a blanket while collecting wood?¡± She glared at me, but the curl of her lips betrayed her intent. She bent and snatched a blanket, then, cocking her head, bent and grabbed another. She held it out to me, and I raised an eyebrow. not sure I need it.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± she said, waving it in my face. ¡°If my servant catches a cold, how will he be able to serve me? I demand that you stay warm.¡± A laugh shot from my throat at the look on her face; it was full of petulance, the perfect approximation of entitlement. I grabbed the offered blanket. ¡°You know, your acting is a little too good . . .¡± ¡°That¡¯s the secret, Fischer.¡± She gave me a haughty expression, but the corner of her lip tugged up, threatening to shatter the facade. ¡°It¡¯s not acting.¡± She whirled, hiding her face and striding into the forest. ¡°Follow me, manservant! Your liege demands kindling!¡± The steam wafting from the pot hit my face as I poured our coffee. Its heat joined the warmth radiating from the campfire, and I closed my eyes as I poured the last drop into Maria¡¯s cup, bathing in the moment. She cleared her throat. ¡°Faster, servant. This lady requires her morning coffee.¡± ¡°Of course, my liege.¡± I held the cup out, bowing as low as I could without spilling the drink. She accepted it with both hands, her lilting laugh joining the passing currents of air. ¡°Thank you, Fischer.¡± I beamed. ¡°You¡¯re most welcome, my lady!¡± She took a sip of the coffee, letting out a satisfied sigh. I held my cup to my lips and drank. The hot liquid warmed my mouth, and as I swallowed, I felt its passage down my throat, a welcome heat traveling to my core. After a bite of a croissant, I smiled at the world. ¡°I could eat this every morning without getting sick of it.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± Maria responded, a similarly content smile on her face. I took in our surroundings, seeing the clouds above getting darker, not lighter. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to turn back?¡± ¡°You good?¡± he yelled over the rain. Maria nodded. He nodded back. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± They took off again, both lost in introspection. She must be freezing, I thought, glancing at Maria through the torrential downpour. She looked shocked after I caught her the second time, her body stiff. ¡°We¡¯re almost there!¡± I called over the storm, trying to reassure her. She nodded at me with a smile; it looked forced. I returned my eyes to the surrounding forest and the creek we followed. It all looked the same. I hope we reach the pond and shelter soon . . . I¡¯d feel terrible if she got sick on what¡¯s supposed to be a relaxing trip . . . By the time we reached our destination, the pelting rain and winds had receded into a calm sprinkle. I guessed that Maria was feeling better, because as the storm diminished and we could hear each other speak again, we intermittently talked and joked about small things. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, turning from my still-standing shelter to look at Maria. She smiled at me. ¡°Other than being drenched?¡± She wrung the bottom of her top for emphasis. ¡°I¡¯m good otherwise.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not too cold?¡± ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t complain if we got a fire going, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I decided to pack some kindling and sticks in my bag. I hope they stayed dry.¡± I took the packs off and walked over to the shelter, opening up mine as I handed Maria¡¯s to her. Please don¡¯t be soaked . . . To my joy and surprise, only the outer blankets were a little wet¡ªeverything else within managed to stay dry. Maria let out a long-suffering sigh and started emptying her bag. Her pack was completely soaked through. Blankets, clothes, food¡ªeverything was wet. As if to rub it in, the rain had stopped falling, and the clouds above seemed a little lighter. Maria¡¯s body shivered, the cold overcoming her now that we¡¯d stopped running. I dipped my hand into my pack, removing a shirt, pants, and a towel. ¡°Here,¡± I said, holding it out to her. She took them, then cast around, looking for somewhere to change. I wiggled the shelter¡¯s sticks from their holes in the earth and tipped it up on one side, making a screen. ¡°Get changed out of those wet clothes and I¡¯ll start a fire. We can dry all your wet stuff afterward.¡± She smiled up at me, an unreadable mix of emotions crossing her face. ¡°Thank you, Fischer.¡± ¡°No worries!¡± I winked. ¡°What are servants for?¡± Leroy felt numb as they walked through the tempest¡ªit had nothing to do with the temperature. As the rains grew even steadier, they crested the top of a hill; they were greeted by a stunning vista. A bay stretched out between two headlands, one of which had a river on the other side connecting with the ocean. A village sat right at the center of the cove, a sprawling mess of houses, buildings, and crops that stretched out into the surrounding lands. A gust picked up, hitting the crown prince¡¯s parasol. It turned it inside out, and as he wrestled to get it back under control, the rain splattered into him, making dark spots appear on his royal clothing. ¡°By Poseidon¡¯s soaked beard¡ªone of you help me!¡± The long-haired cultivator let out a snort of amusement, one of the rare sounds he¡¯d made since they started traveling. Leroy looked at him, noting the look of joy at their handler¡¯s discomfort. Unlike his long-haired acquaintance, he was unable to feel any mirth. All he felt was a murky mix of hope and dread. With each stretch of road they crossed, and each step further east, his suspicions at their destination grew. Now, both his fear and hope were confirmed. He¡¯d arrived back in Tropica, his home, and the rogue cultivator that the artifact sensed was one of the villagers¡ªperhaps even a member of his family. He clenched his jaw, not hearing the expletives pouring from Trent¡¯s mouth. What twisted working of fate is this? Chapter 71: Lightning Chapter 71: Lightning How do I look?¡± Maria asked. I had my back to where she¡¯d been changing, so I half turned, keeping my hands held out before the small fire. When I caught sight of her, I stood, forgetting the campfire entirely. My clothes were oversized on her; the pants were rolled up just above her ankle, the shirt hanging down well past her waist. Where it may have looked ridiculous on another, it was entrancing on her, and I couldn¡¯t peel my eyes away. Her half-wet hair was tied back, revealing her freckled nose and the pleasing lines of her face. With my prolonged attention, she blushed, and realizing I¡¯d been quiet for too long, I said the first thing that came to mind. ¡°B-beautiful.¡± She covered her face, letting out a nervous laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me, Fischer¡ªI know I look ridiculous.¡± ¡°I mean it. Maybe you should have them.¡± I pointed at the clothes. ¡°They look better on you than me.¡± She laughed again, walking over and taking a spot by the fire. I held out a blanket. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, wrapping it around herself. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get dressed into something dry, too.¡± I narrowed my eyes at her, smiling. ¡°No peeking.¡± She rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Lucky for you, I¡¯m too cold to leave this fire.¡± ¡°Be right back, then.¡± With a dry set of clothes on, I returned to the campfire, drying my hair with a towel. Maria sat staring into the embers, her hands extended toward the growing flame. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get some sticks to make a drying rack.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± She stood, but before she took more than one step, a full-body shiver took her. I shook my head. ¡°You stay warm. If I take you back to Tropica with hypothermia, Roger¡¯s gonna have a fit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, then shook all over. I laughed. ¡°Please. Let me do it.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re really not cold?¡± ¡°Nope¡ªnot at all. You sit and get comfy, and I¡¯ll sort out the clothes, all right?¡± ¡°Hmmm. I guess that is what servants are for . . .¡± I grinned. ¡°Exactly!¡± I walked through the surrounding forest, picking out sticks long enough to construct a rack. When I had an armful, I returned to the fire. I¡¯d found some dry wood, too¡ªa thick log that had been protected from the rain by the trunk of a fallen tree. I held the log at an angle, stomping down to crack it into smaller bits. When I looked up at Maria, her face was full of incredulity. ¡°What?¡± I asked, picking up one of the longer sticks. ¡°What are your legs made of?¡± I pushed the stick into the ground and picked up another. ¡°Er¡ªsame as you . . . I think.¡± ¡°If I just did what you did to that log, I¡¯d be more likely to break my foot than the wood.¡± ¡°What can I say?¡± I wiggled my eyebrows at her as I pushed the second stick into the soft earth. ¡°Fish are full of nutrients that make you grow big and strong.¡± She raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°If you say so . . .¡± ¡°I do.¡± I finished hanging up the last bit of clothing, all of it easily fitting on my makeshift rack. ¡°Have you tried the berries that grow around water, Maria? The ones all around this pond?¡± She looked up at the patch growing on the far bank. ¡°They only grow by water, so Dad always said eating them would be . . .¡± ¡°Heretical? Going against the gods?¡± I finished. She nodded, rolling her eyes. ¡°Exactly.¡± To come back like this, though . . . The village grew closer with each step they took. ¡°Stop!¡± Trent yelled, pulling up short. He glanced down at the artifact in his hand, spinning around on the spot. When he was facing to the southeast, he looked up, a vicious snarl on his face. ¡°This way.¡± Trent, crown prince and leader of the expedition, glared at the two cultivators. ¡°Well? Lead the way, morons! I¡¯m not cutting through this field!¡± The long-haired cultivator shrugged and stepped into the field of cane, knocking aside swaths of the crop with haphazard swings of his arms. The other cultivator stared into space, looking at the village with an unreadable expression. ¡°Go!¡± Trent screeched, stepping toward the man. He looked at Trent, blinked rapidly, then walked behind the longer-haired man after a long moment. I swear, Trent thought, these idiots would be lost without me. Look at how they take turns staring into space¡ªeach cultivator is as mad as the other. As he followed them through the demolished crop, Trent reached into his bag and removed one of the spare collars. His grin returned as he looked down at the relic. It was blinking rapidly, showing that the cultivator in question was in the direction they traveled. Soon, he¡¯d return to the capital with this ¡®Fischer¡¯ in chains, added to the ranks of cultivator slaves. The kingdom would grow stronger, and his father, the king, would reward him for his efforts. He would have riches, accolades, and all the serving girls he wanted. With one more swing of the cultivator¡¯s arm, the way forward was clear; no more crops remained to hamper their way. A house stood before them, directly where the artifact was pointing. Trent stepped past the cultivators, striding toward the home. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°No . . .¡± came a soft voice from behind. Trent whirled, glaring hate at the short-haired cultivator. ¡°No? You dare say no to me even now? This isn¡¯t about going to stay in a tavern¡ªthis is our mission!¡± Trent slapped him. The cultivator¡¯s face didn¡¯t move, the strike shaking nary a drop from his head, still as it was. ¡°Useless!¡± Trent snarled, turning back toward the house. As he approached the front door, he looked down at the artifact, then stopped; the blinking light had slowed. He turned to the right, then to the left; the blinking increased. Confused, he looked up in the direction he was facing, seeing sandy flats before him. The artifact wasn¡¯t pointing at the house¡ªit was pointing past it. ¡°Fischer isn¡¯t in there!¡± he yelled over the rain. ¡°With me, gentlemen¡ªer¡ªcultivator scum, I mean!¡± He marched off toward the sand, and a sharp tone cut through the storm like a knife. Knowing what the sound meant, Trent dove forward. He crashed into the sand, scrambling to all fours. He glanced up, his eyes going wide, expecting the cultivators to descend upon him. But that wasn¡¯t the case. Instead of attacking, the short-haired cultivator had stepped toward the home, his arm outstretched. The light on his collar was glowing red, threatening to detonate if he continued going against orders. The long-haired one looked between them with a grin of the purest joy. Trent had assumed one or both the cultivators had attacked him from behind, and he¡¯d meant to get as far from the subsequent death-inducing explosion as possible. He got to his feet, channeling every ounce of indignation¡ªhis clothes were covered in sand and dirt! ¡°One more step toward that home and you¡¯ll die, you idiot! Your collar is beeping!¡± The cultivator ignored him, staring at the closed door. Before he could say something, the door flew open, and a woman stepped outside. ¡°Leroy?¡± She fell to her knees. ¡°It¡¯s really you?¡± ¡°Helen . . .¡± the short-haired cultivator replied, his whimper barely heard over the storm. After an impressively short amount of time¡ªby his estimation¡ªTrent finally understood. The short-haired cultivator and this woman knew each other. A flash of lightning lit the sky above the mountains, highlighting the stricken lines of the woman¡¯s face. Trent grinned, baring his teeth at the short-haired cultivator the woman had called Leroy. ¡°Punch her in the face.¡± That seemed to snap Leroy back to reality, and he turned toward Trent. ¡° . . . What?¡± Trent grinned. ¡°Remember all the insults on our way here, cultivator? All the times you refused to escort me to a tavern? All the nights spent in leech-infested forests? I order you to punch that lady you know. In the face.¡± ¡°That . . . would be going against our handler¡¯s orders. It could hurt the mission.¡± An idea occurred to Trent, and he grinned even wider. He threw one of the collars to the long-haired cultivator. ¡°Put that on the woman. She can come with us back to the capital. I bet our lover boy Leroy here would just love that.¡± The cultivator gave a cruel smile and exploded into action, moving as a blur for the woman, one arm extended with the collar spread wide. Trent watched the collar closing, his own smile growing wide. Chapter 72: Thunder Chapter 72: Thunder Leroy flew into action, catching the other cultivator¡¯s arms as the collar was closing around Helen¡¯s neck. The two sides of the collar were only centimeters from sealing Helen¡¯s fate, and Leroy flexed his arms, pulling it open and away from her. ¡°Run!¡± he yelled, his voice sounding hysterical to his own ears. ¡°Once the collar is on, you can never remove it!¡± Helen was frozen, tears in her eyes as her gaze lingered on him. ¡°Leroy . . .¡± The collar around his neck vibrated, once more making the harsh sound that warned of an impending explosion. ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡± Trent demanded. ¡°That was your last warning! It won¡¯t beep next time¡ªit¡¯ll detonate! You want to die so badly?¡± Leroy leaned in closer to the other man, setting his collar against his. ¡°Rescind the order, Trent! If it goes off now, we¡¯ll both die, and you¡¯ll have lost two cultivators rather than gaining a third!¡± ¡°Y-you dare order me?¡± Leroy glanced at Trent, forcing a smile. ¡°You dare return to the capital having lost two cultivators?¡± Trent¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Fine! I rescind the order! Follow me¡ªnow!¡± Leroy let go of the other man¡¯s arm, watching him closely. The long-haired cultivator shook his head. ¡°Shame. That would have been fun.¡± As he turned back to look at his sister, Leroy¡¯s eyes were hot. Tears ran down his face, mixing with the rain. ¡°I love you, Helen. Please don¡¯t follow me.¡± Her lip quivered, and she nodded a single time, her own tears falling. Maria popped a berry into her mouth and slowly chewed. A pleased noise escaped her. ¡°Thank you, Fischer.¡± I squeezed her hand. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± She leaned against me with her back, turning her body away. ¡°For the berries, for bringing me out here, for keeping me warm, and for being so kind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to be kind, especially to people deserving of it.¡± ¡°If only the world were so . . .¡± She put her head back against mine, and I leaned into it. Her hair was soft and smelled of flowers; the scent was bewitching. ¡°You know . . .¡± I said. ¡°If you¡¯re warm enough, we can try for another fish before it gets too late.¡± She bolted upright, spinning to face me. ¡°You mean it?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the intense gleam in her eyes. ¡°Yeah¡ªI mean it. We should probably remake the shelter first, but that shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± She shot to her feet, blankets discarded as a burst of energy hit. ¡°Would you mind looking for sticks?¡± I asked. ¡°I have something I want to try.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± She all but sprinted into the forest, and I watched her go, the smile never leaving my face. I collected some of the short sticks I¡¯d gathered earlier and connected the ends together in a tipi shape, then tied them together with string. It was just tall and wide enough for my purpose, so I placed it over the fire. With another length of string, I tied one end to the pot¡¯s handle and the other to my makeshift frame¡¯s peak. The flames licked up, now and then touching the bottom of the pot, so I shortened the line, raising it higher above the flames. I added a dash of water to the berries, then stepped back, nodding to myself. Maria tore from the forest, her face almost manic, a handful of long branches under one arm. ¡°I got the sticks, Fischer! They should be long enough! Let me know if they¡¯re not, but I think they¡¯re fine! I¡¯m ready when you¡ªwoah! What¡¯s that?¡± I laughed at her excess energy. ¡°Those sticks look perfect.¡± I gestured at the fire. ¡°I made a rack to try cooking the berries down into jam.¡± ¡°Oh, jam! That¡¯s a great idea¡ªthey¡¯re super sweet!¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought it would pair well with our breakfast pastries.¡± I waggled my eyebrows at her. ¡°Or even a fish¡ªif you manage to catch one.¡± She bounced on her heels. ¡°Let¡¯s make the shelter! Fast! So we can go fishing!¡± I smiled. ¡°Nothing would make me happier.¡± With our combined efforts, the shelter came together in no time at all. I leaned down, looking at the small gaps between the leaves. ¡°I¡¯m gonna weave in an extra layer of the palm fronds in case the rain comes back. I¡¯ll just go collect some.¡± It took me less than a minute to find the palm-like trees again, and after stripping a handful of their greenery, I returned to the pond. What I found there brought another smile to my face. Maria held the rod under one arm, had cut a small strip of the eel, and was putting it on the hook. She had a large leaf in her hands acting as a glove, and her head was extended as far from the bait as possible, avoiding the stench. Snips shot him a look, and he nodded. ¡°They¡¯re cultivators, and neither of them is Fischer¡ªhide and wait to see what happens.¡± Trent heard a laugh come from behind him, and he whirled, glaring daggers at the long-haired cultivator. ¡°What?¡± The man gave a wolf¡¯s grin. ¡°There are two of them.¡± Trent, his eyes going wide, stared at what he could now see was a large formation of rock. ¡°Two of them?¡± The cultivator nodded, his eyes going vicious. ¡°There are two cultivators behind that rock¡ªclose.¡± Trent returned a grin of his own. He fumbled in the bag, and with his mouth growing wider, removed a second collar. He salivated at the thought of bringing two cultivators back to the capital. His father would be most pleased and would reward him accordingly. ¡°Walk close to me, and no matter what, don¡¯t kill them¡ªthey are to be captured.¡± In the decade that Robert had been chained, he¡¯d found ways to enact his violence without going directly against orders. He flicked his long hair, sending the wet strands away from his face. After all, he thought, if I¡¯m a little too slow to act, and my handler gets attacked, it¡¯s only natural that I¡¯d save him by killing the attacker. As they stepped closer to the rock outcropping, his anticipation grew. He could feel the two cultivators; both of their bodies resonated with his. Only others on the path to ascension could cause such a sensation. As they stepped around the last rock, he barely felt the weight of the cultivator he held¡ªif you could call the coward that. What good was a cultivator with attachments, after all? I¡¯ll have to find a way to kill that sister of his before we leave . . . His mouth watered at the prospect. As Trent stepped around the rocky headland, he caught sight of a man. The person, dressed in farmer¡¯s garb, stood with arms behind his back, a calm expression on his face. ¡°So,¡± Trent screeched. ¡°We finally meet, Fischer.¡± The man raised an eyebrow. ¡°You come looking for Fischer, then? I¡¯m sorry to say, but he¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°Hiding him won¡¯t work, you idiot! I can detect both of you!¡± Trent looked down at the artifact, and moving it side to side, saw that the light blinked faster when pointing at the house¡¯s front door. ¡°He¡¯s inside, isn¡¯t he?¡± Trent glanced up at the man, seeing his eyes wide, his jaw slackened. Happy to see his words had the intended effect, he continued. ¡°If you come easily, I won¡¯t do Fischer any harm. If you don¡¯t, though . . .¡± Trent trailed off when he realized the man wasn¡¯t gaping at him; he looked behind and to his right. ¡°. . . Leroy?¡± Trent looked back just in time for the short-haired cultivator¡¯s wits to return. His eyes cleared, and he looked up at the farmer. ¡°Barry?¡± His face twisted, contorting with grief. ¡°No . . .¡± The long-haired cultivator let go of the man and stepped forward, closing and opening his hands. ¡°It¡¯s not him.¡± Trent spun. ¡°What do you mean, it¡¯s not him?¡± The long-haired cultivator stared at the farmer, his brow furrowing, then eyes going wide. ¡°Wait . . . he is a cultivator, but he¡¯s . . . weak.¡± Trent only felt a moment of confusion before elation overrode the emotion. Three cultivators! He¡¯d return with three cultivators! He threw one collar toward the farmer; it skidded to a stop at his feet. ¡°Put that on, then go get the others from inside. If you do, I¡¯ll make this pleasant. Make this hard for me, though . . .¡± Trent gave a mischievous grin. ¡°Well, then you¡¯ll see just how brutal I can be.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not inside,¡± the long-haired man said from behind him. ¡°What do you mean, they¡¯re not inside?¡± Trent stared down at the artifact, seeing it was still blinking incessantly when facing the door. ¡°Where are they, then?¡± The man, his gaze unwavering, pointed down at a spot in the sand with one hand, and an upended pot near the front door with the other. As if on command, a fountain of sand exploded skyward, and the metal pot was shredded to pieces. Trent fell back, stumbling over his feet. The revealed cultivators didn¡¯t attack, though, so he squinted at the shrinking cloud of sand. On the sand between them and the farmer stood an otter and a crab. The otter was large, with extended claws and fangs. The crab was covered in spikes and wearing . . . is that an eyepatch? Trent¡¯s amazement was washed away by dawning horror. He looked down at the artifact. The light below the drawing of a human was blinking, and the light below the series of animals was blank. Creatures . . . ascendant creatures that have grown powerful enough to no longer be recognized as animals . . . Like cupcake frosting beneath the midday sun, his hopes of returning to the capital with three cultivators melted away. Such beings couldn¡¯t be controlled. ¡°K-kill them!¡± he screeched, crawling back from the abominations. At his decree, the world exploded into violence. Chapter 73: The Storm Chapter 73: The Storm Robert dashed toward the crab, his fists prickling with sparks of deadly energy. He drew deeper from his core, knowing he wouldn''t need so much power to kill lowly creatures, but wanting to see the carnage he could weave. He''d never killed an ascendant creature before, and he couldn''t wait to see how it felt, to feel this crab''s carapace crack and shatter between his fingers. He swung his arm up and around, moving faster than the creature could register. With a single kick off the sand, he changed his trajectory, delighting in his body''s superior speed. He leaned his torso over the crab''s back, then, with wide eyes and a vicious grin, he let the punch fly. His fist slammed into the ground. A gout of sand shot in every direction, creating an obfuscating cloud of grit and particles. As he felt the sensations of his fist striking the earth, and the stark lack of anything crunching underneath, he experienced a wave of disappointment. He''d used too much power, and the crab had disintegrated beneath his falling fist. Oh well, he thought. At least it might have made a cool splatter on the sand. He blinked as the sand cleared, and when his vision returned, his eyebrows furrowed. The sand he''d struck was just that¡ªsand. There was no coloring to mark the crab''s annihilation, neither flecks of carapace, nor limbs flung askew. Where did it go...? Something hard tapped him on the shoulder, so he turned, and his entire field of view was swallowed by a terrifying sight¡ªthe crab''s mouth blowing a steady stream of bubbles, its face more smug than a crustacean had any right being. It was at that moment, on his knees in the sand, face-to-face with an ascended creature, that he felt fear for the first time in over a decade. Faster than his eyes could see, the crab thrust him in the air with the slap of a claw, knocking the air from his lungs. *** As soon as the cultivator dashed, attempting to ''surprise'' Sergeant Snips, Corporal Claws paused, watching with curiosity. The cultivator''s closed fists intrigued her; they seemed to radiate the energy of the heavens above, emitting small crackles of lightning. The energy resonated with her¡ªcalled to her. With a small chirp, she shrugged. She could revisit that later. The cultivator would reach Snips soon, and there were things to be done. She spared another fraction of a second to assess the cultivator''s speed. Pathetic, she decided. She zoomed behind the other two men, appearing in the blink of one of their eyes. The one that Barry knew stood unmoving, his body trembling. The other, the one in a purple outfit¡ªthat would probably need to be eliminated¡ªstared at the charging man. She watched them, seeing if either made a move. The long-haired cultivator reached Snips'' position, striking down with a pitifully sluggish strike. Claws watched him get flung high in the air, and a smile spread across her furred face. He looked like a bird, flapping his arms around in an attempt to fly¡ªto no avail, of course. The uncollared man turned to the other, snarling. "W-what are you doing? Do you want your collar to explode? Attack, moron!" The collared man, the one Barry had called Leroy, didn''t respond, simply looking between Barry and the airborne fool. The collar beeped, and a spark of power began swelling within it. Stumbling back, the purple-fabric-wearing man''s eyes went wide. The look on his face, the comment on the collar exploding, and the swelling of power told Claws everything she needed to know. The world slowed to a crawl as she bent her legs, gathering strength. From all around, she drew in force, the essence of the very storm heeding her call. A prickling sensation climbed her legs, but it wasn''t unpleasant. Like scratching an itch, each pinprick was more satisfying than the last. Her muscles bulged, and her lips spread into a grin, revealing her sharp teeth. With one last contraction of her legs, she hunched and grasped for more power. Then, all at once, she released it. *** Barry had worried about how the confrontation would play out, but after Snips so easily flung the over-confident man like a pebble, his worries were assuaged. Until, that is, the noble spoke. "W-what are you doing? Do you want your collar to explode? Attack, moron!" His heart sunk, and he stared at Leroy, horror dawning. Leroy locked eyes with Barry, and even through the falling rain, Barry saw his brother-in-law''s tears fall. *** Snips glared up at Claws, disapproving of the way she played with their quarry. Though, she supposed, I could have ended him immediately instead of throwing him up into the sky... She shrugged. Oh well. What¡¯s done is done. The cultivator''s body flew down at incredible speed, and she held her claw back, waiting for the perfect moment. As it arrived, she swung out, using all the force she could muster. Her claw struck the man with a hideous crack, his improved physique the only reason his body wasn''t torn apart. Water turned to mist from the impact, and his limp form flew out to sea. Despite the modicum of strength held in his body, the man was no more; his soul had departed his body before it struck the open water of the ocean. *** The rock crab sat beneath the waves. He was supposed to be keeping an eye out for any intrusions, yet was constantly being distracted by what his spiky-shelled leader was doing. From what he could tell, complex thoughts were a recent occurrence for him. Rather than be worried or disoriented by them, however, he marveled at their novelty, finding it wonderful that he could think about the other crab when she was not present. Something hit the water above, crashing down at terrifying speed. The crab held up his clackers, prepared to fight off whatever interloper dared invade his designated patch of sand. The thing slowly sunk to the ocean floor, giving off a smell like the cooked food his spiky-shelled benefactor occasionally brought tastes of. The thing hit the ocean floor, and seeing that it was very much not moving, the crab scuttled over. ... food. He nodded to himself, copying the gesture from his beloved leader. Good. *** Trent, first in line to the throne of Gormona, bane of serving girls everywhere, and, by his estimate, a bit of a ladies'' man, fell to his knees in the sand. The body of the long-haired cultivator had been beaten and thrown around like one of his sister''s dolls. Worse, the creatures had ascended beyond any reasonable level. One of them had even harnessed the power of lightning¡ªits strength beyond anything he¡¯d ever seen. He''d witnessed the power of many a cultivator, ordered to show their powers off at dinner parties to impress one noble family or another. Trent remembered them fondly. Gouts of flame shooting from fists, sparks of lightning enhancing body parts, blades of water shooting from palms, even one cultivator that could grow trees and plants. All of those abilities were small things, though. Impressive to the average person, and indeed, a terrifying prospect to even him, a crown prince. Compared to the power of that otter, though... He shuddered, remembering the way it had wrapped itself¡ªbecome the lightning. To think there were ascendant creatures, let alone ones this advanced... Forget the kingdom¡ªthe world was lost if they weren''t brought to heel. There were only a few people Trent knew of that could hope to contend with that power, but unleashing them was a death sentence in itself. What am I going to do...? A soft click came in answer, and a weight settled around Trent''s neck. His hands scrambled, finding the object he''d known he would find, yet still hoped he wouldn''t. A collar. Someone stepped in front of him, and he looked up, glaring daggers. "Cultivator scum. You think you can enslave me¡ªa crown prince? You think you''ll get away¡ª" The man in the farmer''s garb slapped him, almost haphazardly, but the strike was enough to make Trent''s head spin and ears ring. He fell to the sand, and as he tried to get to his feet, the farmer grabbed his chin, forcing his head up so their eyes met. "It''s a pleasure to meet you, prince." He spat the last word with venom. "My name is Barry, but you can call me Master." Chapter 74: Reunion Chapter 74: Reunion "D-did it work?" Maria asked, her voice shrill. The tip of the rod bent down, moving with the fish''s head shakes. "It did!" I answered, watching the water, my gaze unwavering. The fish on the line gave a valiant fight, but it didn''t stand a chance against Maria''s farm-hardened physique and my new rod. Within a few breaths, silver flashed at the water''s edge, and Maria bent to pick up the fish. Maybe I should have brought a smaller rod for this freshwater fishing trip...? As I saw the catch, my suspicions were confirmed. It was the same juvenile jungle perch as we''d caught so far. "Is this as big as they get...?" Maria asked, looking down at the fish with furrowed eyebrows. I smiled at her. "Nah, they definitely get bigger." She bent back down, lowering the fish under the water. "Good, because I really want to try fish, but I don''t want to eat one of these little babies." The fish kicked off, leaving ripples in its wake as it disappeared into the depths. "Still," she said, "even catching these little ones is so much fun!" I smiled. "I couldn''t agree more. Wanna try for a bigger one right now?" She nodded, beaming. *** Barry led Barbara along the earthen track between two fields of sugarcane. "What is this about, Barry? You''re worrying me..." "It''s something good¡ª" He shook his head. "No, something wondrous. You''ll just have to trust me." "Well, tell me where you''re taking me, at least." "We''re going to my house." Barbara gasped. "Is Helen pregnant? Am I going to have a new niece or nephew?" Barry couldn''t help but laugh. "No, it''s not that, but it is something just as miraculous." "Something as wondrous as making life from nothing?" The skepticism was obvious in her voice. "If you say so..." They stepped from between the last two fields of sugarcane, catching sight of his house. He turned to smile at her. "You''ll see soon enough." Her eyes narrowed in return. "Your level of excitement is making me even more concerned..." Barry laughed. "Go inside, Barbara. There''s someone waiting to see you." With one more glare, she stomped off, and Barry followed. She threw open the door as if it were her own home, her hands quickly going to her hips as she cast her eyes around. Soft voices from inside halted as Barbara made herself known. "Alright, what''s the big deal, Helen? What am I¡ª" She froze, and Barry slowed his approach. She stood for a good five seconds, a statue in the doorway. Then, a whimper escaped her throat, and she stumbled inside and out of sight. Barry made it to the doorway just as Helen appeared, ushering their son Paul before her. They walked outside, and Barry softly closed the door behind them. The last thing he heard was Barabara''s sobs and Leroy''s reassuring voice, but he tuned them out, not wanting to intrude on the reunion. Helen had tears in her eyes, and Barry felt his own well up. He wiped them away and scooped Paul up in his arms. "Why don''t we go for a stroll down to the ocean? The rain has finally stopped." "Dad..." Paul said. "Why is everyone sad about uncle Leroy coming home...?" "We''re not sad, my little love," Helen said, hugging them both. "We''re overjoyed." *** I watched Maria cast out the line, marveling at her form¡ªer, the form with which she cast the rod, I mean. The bait flew over the water, splashing down on the other side of the pond. With no prompting, she reeled in the line a little, pulling it further toward us and into a deeper section of the pond. She turned to raise an eyebrow at me, and I nodded in response. Her smile grew. "Let''s do it!" *** "Are you sure you''re okay with keeping him here, Leroy?" Barry asked, peering at his brother-in-law. "I don''t want his presence to interrupt your reunion." Leroy smiled at him, genuine joy on his face. "There''s nothing that could ruin our coming back together, Barry." He sighed, his smile growing. "I still can''t believe everything that''s happened..." Barry rubbed the back of his head. "I can''t either, to be honest. We still have a lot to tell you, but if you like, we can take care of that later." Barabara put her arm around Leroy''s waist. "Now is fine, Barry. I can''t speak for you..." She leaned up and kissed Leroy on the cheek. "But I''d rather have it all out in the open." Leroy nodded, peering down at his wife before returning his gaze to Barry. "Aye. Couldn''t have said it better myself." Barry looked between them, his eyes crinkling and heart singing. There was a moment there¡ªwhen seeing Leroy on his knees in the sand, his eyes unseeing¡ªwhen Barry had worried about the man''s mental state. That worry had evaporated the moment he''d collared the slaver prince. With the removal of Leroy''s shackles, and the sudden realization that he was free, his eyes had cleared¡ªmostly, anyway. He could tell there was still lingering pain there¡ªsome remnant of the ordeals he must have experienced. I hope he can heal up, given time... "Alright," Barry said. "I''ll explain everything, then I''ll give you some alone time. Well..." He nudged the unconscious prince with his heel. "As much alone time as you can have with this monster hanging around." "It''s no worry," Barabara said, a dangerous gleam in her eye. "I''ve heard all about what he''s done, so if he gets lippy, I''ll sort him out." Barry nodded. "Good. I¡¯ll get right into it, then. This story all starts with the arrival of Fischer..." *** "Are you sure, Barry?" Helen asked. He looked down at his wife, nodding. He''d passed by their shed on the way home from Leroy and Barbara''s, collecting a cup of a certain liquid. "I''m sure. It''s too risky to not give it to you, especially after yesterday..." He cut himself off, clenching his jaw as rage threatened to overcome him. He''d heard all about the prince''s actions, including his order to kill Helen. Barry''s face twisted, unable to contain the emotion. "If he wasn''t of use to us..." The sentence was ground out between clenched teeth, and he took a deep breath, willing himself to calm. Helen wrapped herself around his waist, and though it didn''t entirely clear the storm, some clouds dissipated with her embrace. "It''s okay, my love. I''m safe." She pulled back, looking up into his eyes. "If you think it''s the best course, I''ll trust you." As their eyes met, Barry thanked the gods for the umpteenth time that they''d seen fit to send this woman his way. He held out the cup of sugarcane juice, and she accepted it. She took a tentative sip after lifting it to her mouth. "Oh." She giggled. "It''s delicious!" She downed the rest of the cup. *** As Maria cast the line out again, I fetched the fish-laden pot. "I''ll show you how to process the body¡ªer, it can be a bit much, actually. Do you want to see?" She nodded seriously. "I do. I won''t turn my back to the reality of it." I smiled up at her. Why is everything she says so... perfect? "Is there something on my face?" she asked, smirking. "Oh, uh... sorry. I was lost in thought." I walked down to the shore and took the fish from the pot. "All the bits we discard are beneath the skin here." I pointed at the belly, running my finger along where I would cut. "When a fish is big enough, it makes sense to remove the filets from the frame. For a fish this size, though, I''d say we should just cook it whole after scaling and gutting." She nodded, eyes watching the fish intently as her hands gripped the rod. I quickly cut and processed the fish, throwing the inedible parts out into the shallows for the pond''s denizens to feast on. "The scales are easy to remove if you rub from tail to head with something blunt." I ran the back of my knife against the fish, sending translucent scales flying. Maria''s brows were furrowed, focused as she was on the lesson. Given I was looking at her, I saw the exact moment the fishing rod was almost pulled from her firm grip by a massive strike. "W-Woah!" Chapter 75: Lady of the Lake Chapter 75: Lady of the Lake "It''s huge!" Maria yelled, her eyes wide as saucers. I jumped to my feet and lobbed the half-scaled fish into the pot. "It is! You''ve got this." The rod was bent in half, constantly lurching further down as the fish''s tail swept back and forth through the water. A smile slowly grew across my face as I recognized the movement. This is the same species¡ªif not the exact same fish¡ªthat busted off the rod I made when arriving on Kallis. Maria let some line out, doing her best to not let the behemoth of a fish snap the line. "I-I think you should take it!" "It''s okay," I said. "You''ve got thi¡ª" "No," she interrupted. "I want you to take it! Here!" She thrust the rod into my hands, and I had no option but to catch it. "Why?" I asked, reeling the line in to take up slack. "I''ve already caught plenty." She grinned at me. "It''s your turn for some fun." I grinned back at her before returning my attention to the water and the battle taking place beneath it. The fish took another run, dashing from my left to my right. With each massive kick of its tail, the rod dipped down; each pull sent adrenaline shooting through me. My heart raced, my breathing was fast, and despite the cold, my body felt like it was burning. "I love this!" I laughed uproariously, unable to contain what I was feeling. "Fishing is the best!" Maria giggled at me, but I kept my eyes forward, focused on the fight. It swam toward me, seeming to come almost to the bank, but with the fading day''s light, I saw no flashes of silver, despite how close it came. The line went rigid, and I tugged, but nothing happened. I had a moment of doubt, thinking the fish had managed to get snagged somehow¡ªthen, it took off. With massive, sweeping kicks of its body, it swam at top speed toward the far bank. It caught me off guard, and I couldn''t wind the line out fast enough, so I stepped toward the water''s edge, reducing the strain on the line with my movement. It repeated this action a few more times, seeming to rest on the floor of the pond before tearing off in another direction. I got better at judging the movements, and each time I was a little less caught off guard. The fish''s odd behavior reminded me of the shovelnose ray I''d caught from the beach. The ray had sucked itself to the ocean floor, making it impossible to budge, just as the hooked fish seemed to be doing now. It began to tire, and bit by bit, I reeled it closer to the shore. The fish was so large that I had to pull the rod up slowly, then reel swiftly to take up the line as I dipped the rod back down, similar to videos I''d seen of deep-sea fishing. I continued this method, pulling the fish to me one reel at a time. The line entered the water right before me, and I leaned closer, trying to catch a glimpse. I saw a swirl, and I squinted, leaning further in. All I saw was a monstrous tail resembling that of an eel. "What is that?" Maria yelled. The fish must have heard Maria, because it took off again. The water roiled in its wake, displaced by its massive body. I slowly turned to look at her, my eyes wide and mouth open. She had the same expression, and we blinked rapidly at each other. "I have no idea..." I said, returning my attention to the water. I pumped the rod again, reeling as I dipped the tip back toward the water. This continued for a few more minutes, the fish taking another run each time it got to the shore. Until, finally, it was too exhausted to swim away. I passed Maria the rod. "Keep the line tight until I get it out of the water!" I strode into the shallows, put a leg on either side of the monster, then dipped my arms under its body. I lifted, pulling it to my chest and holding it tight. If it weren''t for my enhanced body, I''d have had no chance of lifting the creature without slipping a disc. Maria flicked the reel open, and the line went slack. "What in Poseidon''s salted sack is that?" "His what?" I asked, laughing. "That..." She pointed at the fish in my arms. "What on Kallis is that thing!" I looked down at the fish as I strode from the water, seeing a mouth that, if I were to try, could fit my entire head within. It had fleshy whiskers growing from around its lips, each as long as the mouth was wide. My eyes were drawn into it the next moment. Ancient Freshwater Catfish Rare for new novels For those that know how to prepare the flesh of the Freshwater Catfish, it is prized as the best-eating of all freshwater fish. The females of this species grow to monstrous sizes and can single-handedly provide the spawn to sustain entire ecosystems. The fish squirmed, its muscular body doing the best it could to get away. It was so long that even with its head at my chest, the base of its tail slapped my ankles. I''d already seen everything I had to. I walked back to the water, quickly putting it back beneath the surface. I moved it back and forth, forcing water¡ªand therefore, oxygen¡ªthrough its gills. "You don''t mind if I release it, do you?" I asked Maria, not looking up. "Of course not. What makes you want to release it, though?" "This thing is... old. It''s a breeder, which means taking its life would lead to the loss of countless fish." "Watch your fingers," I said, urgency in my voice. "Don''t drop the fish in¡ªlower it down while holding the tail." She did so with deft fingers, dropping the tail at the last possible second. I raised an eyebrow at her. "You''re sure you haven''t shallow fried a fish before? You''ve kind of already mastered it." She rolled her eyes at me, a smirk on her lips. "Don''t patronize me, Fischer." "Woah," I said, holding up both hands. "I was being serious!" She pouted, squinting at me as if to decipher my intent. "As I said before, I''ve never heard of shallow frying." She pointed at the pan. "I still contend that this is entirely too much fat to cook in." "Yeah, it''s a bit excessive, but beef tallow is good fat, and wait until you taste the fried fish¡ªyou won''t regret it." "I''ll have to take your word for it." "You won''t need to when it''s finished. Flip it over when the crumbs are golden and crispy." I leaned over, looking down into the pot of berry jam I''d removed from the fire. I''d not long removed it, and steam rose from the surface. I dipped my pinky in and tasted it. My face scrunched involuntarily as its flavor assaulted me. "Did you bring any sugar?" Maria leveled a flat glare at me. "I don''t care what you say¡ªI''m not adding sugar to the fish, and neither are you." "Not for the fish," I said, laughing. "For the jam." "Are you sure you need it? The berries were already super sweet..." "Just a pinch or two. Some were unripe, and it''s a tad bitter. I''ll set some aside to try with the fish, but for the jam we use on our pastries tomorrow morning, I reckon a little sugar will go a long way." With another glare, presumably warning me not to add sugar to the fish, she walked to the shelter and removed a small pouch before returning and holding it out. "Thank you." I said, accepting it. Peering inside the pouch, I saw a handful of granular sugar inside. I grabbed a cup and poured some of the jam inside, setting it aside to try with the fish. I carefully added some of the sugar to the remaining mixture and began stirring. "Is this crispy enough?" Maria asked, grabbing my attention. I stood and leaned over the pan as she lifted the fish. The underside was golden brown, and the fish''s flesh had a slight curve. "Looks perfect to me. Flip it over." The tallow hissed and bubbled when the uncooked side hit it, and the scent of the fish rose from the pan. "Mmm," Maria said. "That smells amazing." "If you think it smells good, wait until you taste it." I stirred the jam absentmindedly as the fish finished cooking, unable to focus on anything else. Maria watched it intently; I found her focus entrancing. She had eyes for nothing else, occasionally sweeping a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She cocked her head to the side to see under the fish as she lifted it, and like clockwork, the hair fell back down, only to be swept back behind her ear. Sensing my gaze, her eyes darted to me. "What?" "Er¡ªnothing. I have to get some condiments for the fish. One second." I strode to the tent, my face going hot. I rummaged around in my bag, found the last ingredients, then returned to the fire. "I think it''s ready," Maria said. "What do you think?" She lifted the fish, and the bottom was the same golden brown, cooked to perfection. "Looks like it to me! Put it on the board and we''ll check the thickest part." She removed it from the tallow and placed it down. "What are we checking for, exactly?" I used a knife and fork to split the filet in the center; the flesh was flaky and white. "See how the flesh has turned white? Fish can make you really sick if it''s not cooked properly." Maria nodded. "Same with all meat... the texture is like nothing I''ve ever seen before, though..." "Yep¡ªfish''s flesh is unique, both in texture and flavor." I poured some salt from my pouch onto the board, then put the other ingredient down beside it, causing Maria to hiss a sharp intake of breath. "Is... is that what I think it is?" I smiled over at her. "It is. Nothing goes better with fish than lemon." "But... are you sure you want to use it? Isn''t it really expensive?" "Price is relative, and some things are worth more than coins." To cut off any more debate, I grasped a knife and sliced two wedges from the citrus. I took a large pinch of salt, sprinkled it over the fish, then squeezed one of the lemon slices over it. "After you." I pointed at the fork in front of Maria. "It''ll be hot." As she pressed the metal prongs into the crumbed fish, it made a sharp crack before sliding into the soft flesh below. She lifted the portion, blew on it a few times, then popped it into her mouth. She bit down, and her eyes went wide. Chapter 76: Therapeutic Chapter 76: Therapeutic Gary, lone disciple of the Cult of the Leviathan Tropica branch, looked out over the ocean. The storm had passed, and he stood atop the breakwall, staring out at the roiling ocean. The sea was chaotic following the tempest, and white waves continually rolled in, crashing against the wall beneath him. He had long found solace in the sea and its chaotic movement, and the view from behind the cult''s headquarters made the spot he occupied on the wall his favored perch. "Gary!" came a muffled yell from the building behind him. With his momentary peace shattered, he let out a long-suffering sigh. "Back to work, I suppose..." He turned and strode toward the door and reached out, grasping the handle. Pausing, he took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as he swung open the door. "Gary! Where¡ªoh! There you are! Good!" "Yes, Sebastian?" Sebastian turned from staring at his beloved baby lobsters and raised an eyebrow. "What did you call me?"CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m "Sorry, Master. What is it?" Sebastian nodded. "Better. The time has come for Fischer''s demise. His downfall is nigh." Gary tried not to let his disappointment show. "Yes, Master. What would you like me to do?" "Come with me to the roof. I''ll show you." He followed Sebastian up the stairs, a cold wind blowing into the building as his master threw open the door to the roof. As he stepped outside, Gary''s eyebrows furrowed. A mess of rocks had been scattered around the roof, and as he looked closer, they appeared to be arranged in some sort of pattern. "Over here," Sebastian said, walking to the center. Gary followed, eyeing the swirling patterns as he carefully stepped over them¡ªhe knew there would be hell to pay if he disturbed the arrangement. Sebastian stopped, pointing at one of two circles amid the haphazard creation. "Sit here, disciple." Gary nodded, sitting cross-legged. Sebastian sat in the other circle, then removed something from his robe. It was the artifact he''d been sent from the capital, the same one that everyone was convinced wouldn''t work¡ªincluding Gary. As before, it stood inert, looking more like a lump of rock covered in scratched runes than an ancient relic of the distant past. At least it won''t lead to any harm.... Gary thought. Tremendous waste of time, though. "Now, repeat after me, Gary. In Hades'' name, I call to thee..." "Before we start, Master¡ªhow long will this take?" Sebastian scowled, the lines of his face turning sharp. "As long as I damn well say, Gary! Repeat the words!" He sighed, no longer caring to hide his discontent. "In Hades'' name, I call to thee..." *** Maria put the fish into her mouth and bit down. The moment the flavor hit her tongue, saliva flooded her mouth. Her eyes went wide as she slowly chewed the morsel. The flesh seemed to melt, disintegrating all by itself. A section of fried crumbs crackled between her teeth, and she couldn''t help but release a soft noise of delight. She closed her eyes as her mouth watered, the fish¡¯s taste overwhelming all other senses. Something crunched between two molars, and by the flavor that covered her tongue afterward, she guessed it had to be a lump of salt. The salt melded with the rest of the tastes assaulting her, somehow taking the fish to another level. Covering it all was an almost sour taste. It cut through the fat she¡¯d fried the fish in, making the entire mouthful of food seem... lighter. She pictured herself lifted above the treetops, soaring through the cool night air, warmed from within by the unbelievable flavors suffusing her awareness. Fischer spoke, returning her to the ground. "I take it that means you like it...?" She swallowed, her mouth salivating for more the moment it was empty. "Fischer... is this a dream?" He laughed, the sound filled with delight. "While fish is pretty dreamy, I don''t think you''re dreaming right now, no." Maria sniffed it; the scents of buttery pastry mixed with the tart jam was irresistible, so she took a bite. The flavors mixed as she chewed, and when she swallowed, the same feeling of energy resonated within, then spread through her body. "Do you feel that?" "Feel what?" Fischer asked around a mouthful. "That... energy. Each time I eat some of the jam, it''s like I''ve had a mini coffee." His eyebrows creased as she slowly chewed and swallowed. "I mean, it''s delicious, but I wouldn''t say I''ve had a mini coffee..." He shrugged. "It''s only natural for your body to feel enlightened after eating some of my world-class jam." He winked. "I''m not surprised in the least." She laughed, covering her mouth. "At least it''s not only me you''re flattering." "I''m nothing if not consistent. And humble." She snorted. "Oh, yeah. I''ve never met someone more humble." He beamed a smile at her, and it made her heart sing. They ate the rest of their dessert in silence, enjoying the warmth and crackling sounds coming from the campfire. "There''s just something about camping and watching a fire..." Fischer said. She felt herself nodding. "It''s my first time camping, but I couldn''t agree more. I almost don''t want to go back to town..." "Yeah, I''ve heard many people have a comedown when returning home from a trip." "You''ve heard?" Maria cocked her head. "You don''t get that?" He gave her a sheepish smile. "I''ve never actually been camping before..." "Oh... I''d assumed you had..." "Yeah, I mean I''ve heard a lot about it, but I didn''t really have the time in my previous life." He picked up a small twig, touching its rough surface absentmindedly. Maria leaned back and looked at the trees above. Their swaying leaves were dimly lit by the fire below, lending them an orange tinge. Whether it was the energy from the jam, or the serene surroundings, she didn''t know, but the courage to ask about his previous life came to her. "Would you tell me more about your life before coming to Tropica, Fischer?" A quiet moment stretched, interrupted only by the sound of a twig snapping. Maria darted her eyes toward him; he stared down at the two halves of the twig, his eyes distant. "Sorry," she said in a rush. "You don''t have to..." *** I stared down at nothing, lost in memory. My hands moved over the stick as a barrage of thoughts sped through my mind, consuming my attention. Maria said something, and I shook my head, dispelling my introspection. As much as I thought I''d improved my ability to not get drawn in by memories that made negative emotions flourish, it was so easy to fall into old habits. I''d have to keep working on it. I looked up at Maria. "Sorry, I didn''t catch that." Her lips made a line, then she gave me a wincing smile. "I said I''m sorry, and that you don''t have to tell me¡ªif it''s too painful, I mean..." My therapist''s words bubbled up to greet me. "I want you to try and open up to someone this week, Fischer. Talking to me is good, but the ability to be vulnerable around those you care about is an important skill to develop." Before I¡¯d had the chance to do so, to even find someone I felt comfortable opening up to, Truck-kun had sent me on a cosmic adventure, and I''d kept my cards close to my chest since arriving in this new, strange world. "I shouldn''t have brought it up, Fischer. Sorry." I looked up at Maria, forcing a smile to my face. "No. It''s okay. Maybe talking about it would be therapeutic for me..." She didn''t respond, giving me time to formulate my thoughts. Where do I even begin...? I took a deep breath as my hands, seemingly of their own accord, snapped a twig in half. At the beginning, I suppose. I opened my mouth, and the words came trickling out. Chapter 77: Fury Chapter 77: Fury The rock crab, having had his fill of the feast, scuttled along the ocean floor, his movement lethargic. Once he''d started eating, he hadn''t been able to stop. There was something about the flesh that, with each bite, only increased his hunger, and that was the meat''s least remarkable aspect. He¡¯d somehow consumed all of it in a single sitting, despite the body being many times bigger than his own. Even now, retreating to his favorite hiding spot for a good rest, he didn''t feel full. He did feel bloated, but it wasn''t with food. Each bite had brought with it a trickle of power that seemed to swirl through his body, circulating around each limb before eventually reaching his core. Then, it would get sucked into... something. That something was what felt distended¡ªpushed to its very limits. He''d been vaguely aware of the void within his body over the last few days, but had never physically felt it as he did now. When sitting beneath the cool waters of the pond the sea snipper occupied, and trying to avoid the attention of his spiked leader, he''d experienced glimpses of the same sensation¡ªa drop of essence, swimming through his body before settling deep within. If not for the time spent in the pond, and his burgeoning awareness, he wondered if he''d have been able to consume all of what he just had. With a shrug¡ªa gesture he''d copied from his beloved leader¡ªhe continued his trek toward the crack in the earth. Why or how were irrelevant; the only things of consequence were that he had eaten the food, and what he would do with this overflowing power. Before he realized it, he''d arrived at the crevice, and a warm stream of water flowed out toward him. It was a stark contrast to the cool water of the bay; the heat called to him, and he slipped inside. His body held low, he crawled deep into the crack. He followed the winding path, passing many of the holes and corners he''d previously used to rest while letting streams of hot water pass by his trusty carapace. The heat beckoned him more than it ever had before, and he listened, following his instincts to crawl deeper and deeper. With each stretch of winding tunnel he traversed, the water grew hotter, the strength of the torrent increased. Though his passage slowed, it never stopped, and he crawled ever down. He was lost in a trance, his eyes unseeing, when a change in the surroundings arrested his attention. An orange glow came from up ahead, immersing the tunnel in a soft light. Gripped by curiosity, he took over the subconscious movement of his legs and scuttled forward, each step filled with intention. He rounded the corner, and he froze on the spot. A large cavern greeted him, filled with torrents of bubbles that swept up and into holes in the ceiling. His tunnel had come out halfway up the cavern''s wall, so he was spared any of the air. On the floor of the space, a carpet of black, orange, and red roiled. Sheets of black rock rose and fell back down, exposing the red and orange liquid beneath. No, not liquid... rock. He knew not how, but he could tell¡ªit was super-heated rock. When the colored sections touched the water, they cooled, forming black sheets that hardened, then fell back and were consumed by the molten rock below. He spared the scene another glance, then he sat, wiggling his body to find a hold amid the black silt on the tunnel''s floor. He closed his eyes, bathing in the warmth. Within seconds, his awareness faded. *** The moonlight filtering down from above was a calming presence. A cool breeze suffused the entire area, and I focused on it as I cleared my throat. "The situation that predicates everything else is¡ªwas¡ªmy father." Maria didn¡¯t respond for a long moment. "He''s passed?" I nodded softly. "He has. A blood illness." "I''m sorry, Fischer." I smiled at her, but it felt hollow. "Thank you. Our relationship was complicated, which only makes my feelings toward him more confusing." She chewed her lip, thinking before responding. "Why does he predicate everything?" "My father was a... singularly minded individual. His businesses¡ªand his empire¡ªwere more important than everything else. Family included." "Your mother...?" "Left when I was still a baby¡ªnever knew her." I gave a half smile. "Pushed away by my father, no doubt." "Fischer... I''m so sorry." I''d been holding the tears at arm''s length, hidden behind a thin veil of bravado. With Maria''s words, a crack formed in the dam''s wall. I looked up at the moon as a single drop rolled down my cheek. "Oh, Fischer..." Faster than I knew she could move, she was beside me, a hand resting on my back. My lip quivered, and I took a deep breath, forcing it out through pursed lips. "Sorry." I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. "This is embarrassing." His powerful presence was gone, replaced by a skeletal frame. Despite his ¡®perfect¡¯ diet, extensive exercise regime, and all the money he¡¯d thrown at stem-cell research and experimental procedures, the end of his life was mere hours away. The white walls of his suite felt suffocating in their brilliance, the antithesis of the man before me. ¡°Why do you have that look in your eye, boy? It¡¯s unbecoming of a wolf.¡± I set my jaw, tried to firm my emotions, but it only made him more scornful. He shook his head, a look of disappointment etched on his features. Then, he¡¯d said the last four words he would ever speak to me. *** Those words made my soul burn with fury then, just as they did now, and I blinked as I returned to the present. I looked over at Maria. ¡°Do you know what the last thing he ever said to me was?¡± My lip twitched, and I clenched and unclenched my jaw before speaking them. "Just don¡¯t disappoint me. Not ¡°I love you¡±. Not ¡°I''m proud of you¡±. Not ¡°be happy¡±. ¡°Just don¡¯t disappoint me¡±. And despite all that, even after he was gone, I just wanted to make him proud..." With the stopper removed on my anger and self-loathing, they poured out, flooding my body. I clenched my jaw, and unbidden, my lip curled into a half snarl. Maria''s hand still rubbed my back, but all the comfort it lent was gone. I got to my feet. "... Fischer?" I barely heard Maria; my legs moved, the growing outrage within demanding an outlet. "It''s okay, Fischer..." I shook my head, lost in remembrance. This is all we are good for, son I strode around the campfire, eyes unseeing, my body growing hot. I don''t regret your mother leaving. I did what I had to do, and she did what she had to do. Not everyone can handle a man''s greatness. My face convulsed, and a great well of darkness opened up in my core. Why do you have that look in your eye, boy? All the thoughts, all my emotions, every ounce of indignation swirled and built, climbing atop each other. Just don¡¯t disappoint me. I couldn''t breathe. The condensing pit of darkness was cloying, choking. Just don¡¯t disappoint me... "Fischer... you''re scaring me..." Just don¡¯t disappoint me! Stumbling forward, I wrapped my arms around my core, fingers digging into my sides. My entire body tensed, trembled. All at once, I unraveled, and I sprung to my feet as the void within threatened to overflow. A scream tore from my throat, the raw bellow of a beast. All the pain, the anger, the loathing; everything exploded from the pit within, flying through my body, up my arm, and then out as I uppercut the air. A glistening line of thread extended from my hand, piercing through a trunk, branches, and leaves before going straight up into the sky. Then, the thread expanded; if not for my improved body, I wouldn''t have seen it. The thin line, in the blink of an eye, became wide as a car, perfectly cylindrical in its destruction. It resonated a blinding light, white as the walls of my father¡¯s hospital suite. Fwoom! The forest tree the blast had hit was completely gone, providing a spherical window to the night sky. I blinked, not believing my eyes. Nothing remained of the trees, branches, and leaves affected; anything touched by the light had been removed from existence¡ªnary a splinter remained. I bent and touched the trunk before me, only half a meter remaining where once had been a proud tree. The branches¡ªthose that had been outside of the blast¡ªfell to the forest floor around me. A scrape sounded behind me, followed by a muffled thump. I whirled, seeing Maria on the ground, having tripped in her attempt to back away. Her eyes were wide, her face white, and she crawled back a step, getting further from me. Chapter 78: Special Chapter 78: Special Maria moved her arm backward, getting further from me; a fist gripped my heart and squeezed. My father''s words sprouted in my mind, tormenting me. "This is all we are good for, son." Releasing the blast, whatever it was, had hollowed me out, emptied every ounce of anger and frustration. Into the yawning void, despair rushed. "I''m sorry," I uttered, a hoarse whisper. I fell to my knees, my head down, unable to meet that horror-filled gaze. My core felt scoured raw, and I wrapped my arms around my stomach. "Please... don''t leave. I get you might not want to see me again, but I promised I''d get you home safe. It might be dangerous if you run in the dark¡ª" Maria''s tiny frame crashed into me, her arms encircling me. At first, I felt nothing. "It''s okay, Fischer," she whispered. She held one hand against the back of my head, petting my hair. Still, I felt nothing. She squeezed me, and despite my enhanced body, her grip was firm, unrelenting. A spark of emotion stirred, like metal hitting flint. "You''re okay, Fischer," she said, rubbing my head. The spark took hold, and an ember flared. ¡°Dad was right¡ªmaybe I¡¯m worthless.¡± I breathed in shakily, my lip trembling, and all at once, the cinder bloomed into a bonfire. Grief gripped me, and my body heaved with sobs. I lacked the strength to hold the tears at bay, so they flowed forth, finding the cracks in the dam''s wall and winding through them, blowing the hole wide open. "You''re not worthless," Maria whispered. "Only a fool would think so." My hands fell from around my waist, and Maria seized the opening, wrapping her arms around my abdomen and pulling herself into my chest. I encircled her small body with my arms and clung for dear life, like a shipwrecked sailor clinging to flotsam. We didn''t speak for what could have been minutes or hours. Beside the pond, beneath the stars peeking through the destroyed canopy, we simply existed, holding each other close enough to become one. My heaving breaths slowed with time, both the tears and Maria blunting the edge of the knife twisting within. I breathed deep, held it, then exhaled all at once, a calm blanketing me. Maria, sensing my despair had shifted, hugged me tighter, then rubbed my back with both hands. She said nothing¡ªneither did I, feeling the vague numbness that follows tears. It was a welcome sensation following my breakdown, like a weighted blanket on the soul. Maria pulled back, looking up at me. I turned my head down, conscious of my red-raw eyes, but she caught my chin in one hand. She hadn''t the strength to stop me if I tried, but I let her guide my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, then, tentatively, opened them, seeing the world through blurred vision. Maria stared up at me, her own eyes red and watering. She blinked, and a tear rolled down each cheek, reflecting the campfire''s light. She slammed into my chest again, squeezing like a vice. I held her back, and as she did for me, rubbed her back, attempting to give comfort. "I''m¡ª" My voice was like two stones grinding together, so I cleared my throat. ¡°I''m sorry, Maria.¡± She shook her head. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Stop apologizing." I nodded, not trusting my voice. She removed her arms from around me and shifted to the side, her hands around her knees as she leaned up against me. I rested my head on hers, easily encompassing her tiny form with my body. "So..." she said. "You''re a cultivator, huh?" I blew air from my nose. "Yeah... I guess I am." "How come you''re so terrible at cultivating crops, then?" I paused, my addled mind not hearing the joke at first. Then, I barked a laugh. It dragged on, transforming into a choking wheeze as I let go of Maria, leaning back to brace myself. Her musical laugh joined in, and it, too, escalated, a couple of snorts showing up for the performance. She wiped her eyes, tried to start talking, but another giggle took her. With one hand on her stomach, and the other wiping away tears, she let out a content sigh. "I needed that." I smiled at her, my vision clouded by tears of laughter. "So did I." "How long have you been... you know..." "A cultivator?" "Okay, now I can tell you''re messing with me." I held up both hands. "No¡ªI''m serious. They''re both really affectionate." She blinked at me, and seeing I was sincere, sighed her acceptance. "The otter I can understand, but the crab...?" "Well, you have to avoid her spikes, but she''s very careful with them." Maria leaned back on her hands, staring up at the night sky through the hole in the canopy. "I''m not totally sure this isn''t a fever dream of some kind. Were those berries hallucinogenic, and I''m currently passed out by the fire?" I spun, joining my gaze with hers to stare up at the stars. "It''s real, I''m afraid. I just kamehameha''d an innocent tree." "... you what?" "Nevermind. Something from where I''m from." I glanced at her. "I''m surprised you didn''t keep backing off and run away after that, by the way. I think most people would assume me a monster and retreat." She shook her head. "I wasn''t backing away from you, Fischer. Despite what you did to that innocent tree, it wasn''t you I was scared of, but the... what did you call it? Karma-farmer-hah?" I barked a laugh, and she shrugged. "The blast, I mean. My body reacted to the blast¡ªthat''s all." I tilted my head, smiling at her before returning my attention to the stars above, glimpsed through the hole I''d created. "You''re a special person, you know that?" She scoffed. "Says the man that turned trees into toothpicks with a single punch, and has not one, but two ascendant beasts as friends." "Woah, you guys have toothpicks here? Tight." I glanced at her, delighting in her scowl. "You''re so weird sometimes." Her pronouncement held no malice, so I smiled. "So are you." She nodded. "Thank you." We both looked up at the stars above, the foreign celestial bodies both intriguing and soothing. We''d so easily slipped back into our playful dynamic, but my outburst still hung heavy on my mind. Maybe it''s time I confront some of the things I''ve been avoiding... *** The crab was dreaming, and somehow, he knew it. He could see his body from above, as if a third-person spectator of his own form. His carapace was translucent, allowing glimpses of channels winding below. A red light shone from within them, pulsing from an orb of unbelievable brilliance located deep within his cephalothorax. Wait... my what? He shook his spectral head. Nevermind. His burgeoning awareness was growing at an alarming rate, yet it didn''t hold a candle to the changes he knew were happening within. The red channels were as the molten rock on the cavern''s floor, and like the sheets of black rock that crumbled and were consumed, the winding veins did the same thing within him. Parts of his body¡ªhis very being¡ªwere burned away, devoured and replaced by more of the glowing channels. Unlike what one would expect, the process didn''t bring pain, but a sense of elation; each section scoured away made him feel more whole, closer to his true nature. With growing anticipation, he saw the channels expand, climbing down into the ends of each limb. The passages going to each claw were thicker and much more numerous, and he watched intently, absorbed in the hypnotic expansion. The core within pulsed all the while, each thump radiating from it, reaching out and along the glowing-red veins. As the process wound on, his carapace started to shine with the same hue. The channels carved deeper, and with each wave of energy, his body grew more and more brilliant. Despite being outside of it, he could feel his body¡¯s senses, and he delighted in the warmth that increased with each passing moment. The power held within his core seemed to be running out with each flash, and suddenly, the process shifted. The pulse no longer originated from the core, instead radiating from the channels themselves, sending essence pouring back toward the orb. The pleasant sensations disappeared; all that remained was pain. He tried to scream, but his ghostly form had no mouth, no method with which to broadcast his terror. The light coming from his carapace altered, turned from something light to something dark. He could no longer see the channels beneath as his entire form glowed molten red. Just as the rock below, sections of his body grew black, bulged and cracked. He panicked, tried to run, to flee, but he wasn''t in control. Excruciating pain washed over him, and just as a white light started to glow from the gaps in his armor, his consciousness faded before the onslaught. The blackness took him. Chapter 79: Smooth Chapter 79: Smooth The crab stretched as he woke from a delightful dream. A pleasant, continuous torrent of warm water washed over him, holding his body down against the floor. Memory of his dream was already fading, and only hints of its feel remained. He moved his joints, each creaking a little after his slumber. With eyes still closed, he stood, stretched¡ªand collided with the roof. He blinked his confusion, and the scene below brought a moment of vertigo. A roiling sheet of red and black was beneath him, folding into and swallowing sections of itself with unerring sluggishness. The vertigo was cleared away as his memories returned. The veins of molten red, the orb of power hidden within, and above all else, the searing pain. He peered down at his claws, opening and closing them, the sight giving him a bout of dissociation¡ªthey weren''t his claws. No... he thought. They are mine, just... different. Bigger. Continuing to clack them softly, his awareness melded with his new form. He marveled at the strength they held, and extending one out above the pit of lava below, he slammed one closed. An explosion of noise shot out, followed by a destructive force. Quick as it arrived, it dissipated, washed away by rising water columns from below. He nodded to himself. I can''t wait to show my leader... He turned and started his passage back to the surface. *** "Fischer..." My sleep-addled mind barely registered the word, and I pulled the blanket up, delighting in its warmth. "Wake up, sleepyhead," a sing-song voice called, warring with my body''s attempt to fall back asleep. A soft weight rested on my chest, and I opened my eyes, blinking through blurry vision at a beautiful sight. Maria knelt between me and the daylight streaming into the shelter, her head cocked to the side as she smiled at me, her hair falling around her face. One hand was resting on my chest, and she patted me softly. I covered my mouth and yawned, stretching my other arm above my head. "Good morning. What time is it?" "It''s midmorning," she said kindly. "I made you breakfast, but you can go back to sleep if you need more rest." I shook my head, pausing to yawn again. "I''ll get up. I''ve already slept too long." She nodded and left the shelter, and after one more yawn, I threw the blankets aside and stepped out into the daylight. The sun shone down from above, warming my skin pleasantly. I stretched my arms up, breathing in as I bathed in the sensations. The air was still cool as it passed my nostrils, the canopy above still holding a portion of the night''s chill. A welcome scent drew my attention, and I smiled. "Mmm. Coffee," I said. Maria giggled. "I said I made you breakfast, didn''t I? What''s a brekkie without coffee?" I smiled at her use of ''brekkie''; despite my overall joy with this new world, it gave me an unexpected bout of comfort whenever someone used Aussie slang. "Too fracking right," I said, walking toward the campfire. A plate and cup awaited me, so I sat down behind it. "Thank you, Maria." She beamed from her spot beside me. "You''re welcome. I figured you needed the rest after last night, so I let you sleep in." "About last night¡ª" "It''s fine," she said, cutting me off. I gave her an awkward smile. "I won''t blame you if you want to run away now that you''ve slept on, well, everything you learned." She shook her head. "Nope. I''m good. I''m not sure why, but you being a hidden cultivator kind of makes sense." I looked up from spreading jam over my croissant, raising an eyebrow at her. "It does?" "Yep." She took a sip of her coffee. "The amount of things you''ve accomplished since coming to Tropica is kind of staggering, and I already felt there was something about you, even before learning the extent of it." Unlike Snips, the lobster tracked Claws'' body with keen curiosity. He appeared to hold no annoyance, only a sense of wonder¡ªperhaps awe¡ªfor the otter''s new ability. They passed over the rocky shore where they''d found the opalescent stones, and Corporal Claws dashed into the hole, disappearing beneath the water. Snips urged the sea snipper on, and they continued¡ªshe knew the troublesome creature would catch up. Sure enough, she reappeared not long after, flying past them with a surge of electricity, an opalescent stone held in each forepaw, and a toothy grin plastered on her face. With a disapproving shake of her body, Snips picked up the pace toward the distant mountains. They reached the forest at a mountain''s base before the sun had reached its peak in the sky. She gave them directions, and they set off to explore. As Snips scouted the area, her thoughts drifted to the male crab that kept sneaking into the saltwater pool. When she''d woken that morning, she had searched for him, suspecting to find him tucked away somewhere beneath the waters. He hadn''t been there, and she''d found herself almost... disappointed. Realizing she needed to focus on the task at hand, she banished any thoughts of the vexing crustacean and resumed her scouting. When they reconvened a half hour later, Snips, Claws, and the lobster nodded to each other; the area was clear. Snips pointed at herself, then the otter. The lobster scuttled back, making space. Corporal Claws knew the ability to harness lightning would bother Snips, which was the exact reason her furred rival had been taunting so flagrantly. Despite the annoyance, the development was welcome, and Snips had learned a rather important detail as a result: battle and struggle aided growth. Snips blew questioning bubbles, and Claws nodded, sparks crackling around her legs. The air stilled, growing thick with tension. As one, they attacked. *** As Maria and I disassembled the camp, I found myself surprisingly excited. Packing up after a trip was said to be a morose endeavor; a prelude to the return to reality. I felt no such thing. I couldn''t wait to get back home and see my animal pals. "Ready to go?" Maria asked, nudging me from my thoughts. She stood in her washed and dried clothes, the same set she''d worn when we left Tropica, and I got lost in the view of her, marveling at her allure. She tossed her head to the side, sweeping hair back behind an ear. "What is it?" "Nothing," I said. "Just appreciating how beautiful it is here." She snorted. "Smooth." I laughed. "I have my moments. Let''s go." *** The next two days were an enjoyable trek. We took our time, taking in the scenery as we joked and talked. We fished, we laughed, and we ate, our conversation never straying back toward my outburst. At the end of the second day, the sun was just setting as we neared where I knew the road would be. "As excited as I am to get home," Maria said, "I feel like I could just do this forever." I smiled at her. "I know what you mean. It''s¡ª" A twig snapped somewhere to our left, and I stopped on the spot. Maria looked at me, then toward the bush I was staring at. "What¡ª" I held up a hand, cutting her off. "I heard something." I walked between her and the bush as the creature disturbed leaves on the forest floor, the sound clear as day to my enhanced hearing. With careful, quiet steps, I crept forward. I reached the bush and, sweeping branches aside, peeked between the leaves. When I caught sight of it, I froze. Is that¡ª "What is it?" Maria whispered, leaning over my shoulder. When she saw it, she took a sharp intake of break. "Oh, no..." Chapter 80: Remorse Chapter 80: Remorse Sitting on the forest floor, doing its best to hide beneath the leaf litter, was a tiny, cinnamon-colored bunny. One of its rear legs was held out to the side, and when it tried to nuzzle beneath the leaves, that leg didn''t move. As it noticed Maria and me looming above, it froze. "Is... is it okay?" Maria asked. "I think its leg is hurt..." "What can we do?" I turned to her. "You said there weren''t any vets in Tropica, right?" "No... none." I unslung our bags and, bending down, rummaged through mine. I pulled a blanket out, the softest one I owned that I''d removed from my bed, and folded it. With deliberate slowness, I lowered it down over the bunny. Pressing the blanket up against the bunny''s sides, and taking care not to hurt its injured leg, I scooped it up. I held the blanket-wrapped bunny out for Maria to hold, and she gripped it tenderly, pulling it and holding it to her chest. She moved the blankets aside so the bunny''s head was poking out. The moment she did, it buried its head back out of sight, hiding from us. "Oh, you poor darling," Maria said. "I might have something to help it at home." She covered it in the blanket once more, looking heartbroken. "Should we travel through the night to get it there? I don''t want it to suffer..." I shook my head. "We might trip and fall, hurting it more. I think we should camp for the night, then get it back to Tropica in the morning." "Okay. You think it will survive the night?" "Other than the leg, it looked healthy. If it had an open wound, I''d say we should risk it and run through the night, but as it is..." She nodded. "Okay. Let''s get to the camp as fast as possible." *** The crab''s eyes twitched as he came to another constricting section of tunnel. The last two days¡ªdespite having just attained a new body, and more intellect than he''d previously fathomed¡ªhad been infuriating beyond belief. What good is a new body, he thought, if it''s too big to get back to my spiky mistress? He''d chipped away at the first few roadblocks slowly, eventually carving his way through. At the fourth or fifth one¡ªhe couldn''t remember, given how many he''d passed¡ªhe was fed up, and had unleashed a mighty clack at the walls. The subsequent explosion of power... had been a mistake. The cave in had robbed half a day of his time, and ever since, he''d been carefully excavating each narrow section of the tunnel. Blowing bubbles of resignation, he began cutting into the newest hurdle in his way. *** The last two days, Sergeant Snips reflected, had been infuriating beyond belief. This thought was punctuated by a strike to the head. All eight of her legs crumpled beneath the blow, and the bottom of her carapace hit the sand. She got back to her feet as she blew bubbles of annoyance, shaking sand from her undercarriage. In response, her rival unleashed a chittering laugh. No matter what she or the lobster did, neither could match the speed of Corporal Claws'' lighting power, and the otter was all too pleased with herself. Said otter puffed her chest out, preening with the victory. Where the goading would cause some to quit, to desire a reprieve from the torment, all it did to Snips was make her more resolved. She glanced at the sea snipper, but he was still exhausted from previous bouts; his overlarge form¡ªand his status as a newly awakened¡ªleft him unable to keep up with the constant training. So be it, Snips thought. I''ll keep going until I can shut her up. She readied herself, and with her eye locked on the abrasive otter, she charged. *** I gathered sticks and kindling for the fire as Maria sat with the bunny, cradling the bundle like it was a newborn. All I could hope was that I could heal it when we got home; any alternative wasn''t worth lingering on. I had to go far to find sticks, as we''d collected all those nearby on our last visit. In my travels, I picked some berries from a nearby bush, holding them in one hand as I returned to the camp. When I got back, Maria was hunched over and whispering to the bundle in her arms, and I couldn''t help but smile. "I got some berries¡ªI thought we could try feeding them to the bunny." Maria raised an eyebrow. "Do bunnies eat berries? I thought they ate grass." He got to his feet, shaking his body as if to dispel any annoyance. I must continue. The sooner I leave, the sooner my leader can see my improved form. He flexed both clackers as his resolve firmed, and with a steady scrape of his mighty claw, he began clearing the tunnel. *** Sergeant Snips dug deep for the energy to continue. Even her nemesis, the flagrant and braggadocious Corporal Claws, was growing tired, her taunting chirps having silenced an hour ago. Snips got to her feet as she rallied her strength, and she blew small, meaningless bubbles. The otter, heaving air and shoulders slumped, locked eyes with her. They both nodded, and the battle began anew. Claws lead with her lightning ability, but the sparks were diminished, as was her speed. They met in the middle of the sand, and a loud clap rang out through the forest as claws met, one covered in shell, the others extended from a furred paw. Both flew back, then darted forward with explosive movement, meeting once more with another exchange. This time, a blur of strikes shot between them, but all were blocked. When an opening presented itself, Snips jumped back, eyeing the otter. Her exhaustion was immutable, and she thought she may come out with a single victory if she could bait the otter into expending too much of her similarly dwindling reserves. With each of Claws'' ability-powered attacks, Snips had grown more accustomed to the patterns. She would feint an attack from the front, and when Snips attempted to block it, she darted above or around, attacking from behind before Snips could react. If I can trick her into doing that again, now that her attacks are slower... Snips'' pride needed¡ªno, demanded¡ªat least one win. She felt the lightning gathering before it started to wreathe Claws'' legs. The blue-white lines sparked into existence, and with the amount of energy expended, Snips knew her trap had worked. Corporal Claws shot over the sand, eating the distance with a manic grin on her face. Just as the otter was about to pivot and strike from behind, Snips twisted, opening her claw as she spun. She felt the explosion of Claws'' redirected energy; the bait had worked perfectly. She clamped where Claws would appear, right where her neck would be. Snips wouldn''t injure her, of course, but a firm grip of the throat would secure a victory. As her claw clacked together in empty air, Snips registered her folly. Corporal Claws hadn''t appeared behind her. Snips spun, but it was already too late. Claws was arcing down from the front, having spun in a loop at blistering speed. Snips didn''t have enough time to turn, let alone block the attack. Rather than instill a sense of defeat, it bolstered her fury. This pup dares outclass me? She reached deep, grasping for more power, and the ever-flowing current of time seemed to still. A hint of something immense bloomed, but like vapor on the wind, she couldn''t grip it. The vast power was out of reach; too abstract for her to comprehend. Despair and anger washed over her, and defeat approached with unerring finality. No, she thought. The single syllable held more weight than any word had a right to, and its echoes reverberated throughout her. She channeled all the frustration, all the fury, into her claw, and with the potent appendage, she grasped for the power again. It was like water, moving around and avoiding her grip. It pulled her in, and she plunged down into a never-ending abyss. As the power hit her carapace, she realized the truth. It wasn''t like water¡ªit was water. She was within a bottomless sea, plummeting toward a floor she''d never find. With that enlightenment, the water poured into her, suffusing her entire being. Thick torrents of it penetrated deep, pouring into a place within. An orb of vitality stretched, threatening to burst, yet didn''t. There was no pain, only acceptance and an understanding deep as the immense well of power. She opened her eye, returning to the present. Water flowed from her body, creating billowing pockets of light-blue energy all over. They collected along the lengths of each claw, and she flared the one to her left, using the momentum to spin her toward the still-charging otter. The toothy grin across Corporal Claws'' face melted when she spotted the change, but she was traveling too fast to stop. Snips right claw snapped out, faster than Corporal Claws'' lightning powered body could react to. As her claw shot forward, power gathered on the hinge. It swelled from that place within, traveling through her and coalescing at a single point. She pulled back, sending some of the power back within; she didn''t want to kill the otter. Her claw clacked closed, and an arc of razor-sharp water shot out, angled for Claws'' body. It reached her at an unbelievable speed, and when it hit, Snips'' eye went wide. It was too much; she hadn''t held back enough. The power sliced through a blocking claw, severed the otter¡¯s matted fur, and bit deep into the flesh below. An explosion rang out as it connected, and Snips was sent flying back, filled with remorse and grief. Chapter 81: Introduction Chapter 81: Introduction Pistachio, even exhausted as he was, had felt the welling power within Sergeant Snips and knew it was too much. If it were to hit Corporal Claws, she''d be hurt, if not killed. The moment the water started pouring from Snips, he extended a single claw and unleashed a blast at the two creatures. All he could do was hope it was fast enough. Snips moved as a blur, barely visible to Pistachio''s eyes even with his enhanced body. The shotgun of force shot from his pincer, blasting into both of them. As it engulfed them, an arc of blue light shot through it, warping and twisting, dissipating as it went. His blast knocked both of them to either side, and they flew free of a giant cloud of sand that flew up. Claws rolled to the sand, coming to her feet. Her eyes were wide, and she stood on her hind legs, inspecting her stomach. As Pistachio approached, he saw a small cut there. A trickle of blood came from the wound, pooling on her fur. Sergeant Snips, having landed in the opposite direction, tore across the sand with a stream of bubbles flying from her mouth. Pistachio wasn''t yet fluent in their meaning, but he caught hints of sorrow, apology, and regret. She reached Corporal Claws, hissing emphatically as she inspected the wound. The otter still appeared shocked, her eyes wide and staring into the distance now that she knew she hadn''t been seriously injured. Pistachio reached them, leaning in to inspect them; neither had been injured by his blast¡ªonly misplaced. He let out a hissing sigh as his anxiety receded. Snips grabbed Claws by the shoulders, slowly shaking her until her eyes cleared. She looked down at Snips, and as her shell-shocked expression disappeared, a toothy grin spread across her face. She put her paws atop Snips'' clackers and unleashed a verbal torrent of excited hisses and chirps. Snips blinked at the barrage, then joined in on the conversation, hissing and bubbling too fast for Pistachio to comprehend. While he didn''t really get it, he understood the general sentiment; they were both ecstatic at Sergeant Snips'' new ability. The mighty crab stepped back, and in an instant, blue liquid sprouted from her limbs, forming into billowing clouds of water that shifted languidly of their own accord. Each spike on her powerful body was tinged blue, covered in a thin layer of power. She pivoted, extending a claw out into open space. *** The feeling of sorrow and regret instantly evaporated as Snips extended her claw and gathered power. She drew from deep within, and the source of the strange power answered, sending a twisting torrent of energy spiraling out through channels within. They coalesced at the hinge of her claw, but unlike the previous attack, she didn''t push any power back within, calling forth all that she had. She began to lose control of the flow, so before it could go awry, she slammed her claw closed. A blue arc of energy¡ªhalf again larger than the previous one¡ªtore over the sands. It made a distorting sound as it went, like it sliced the air itself in its passing. Sand swirled behind it, and it continued on, slamming into a raised section of earth toward the mountain. Snips glanced at the others; Claws blinked, her toothy jaw unhinged; Pistachio blew bubbles of awe, staring at her with wide eyes. As one, they sped for the collision sight, intent on seeing the damage. When they reached it, Snips pulled up short, confused. Claws ran forward, putting her head only centimeters from the mound as she wiggled around, seeking the entry point. Snips could have sworn it had hit right there, but saw no hint of damage. Claws chirped, gesturing down at the mound. Snips leaned in closer, and as she squinted, she saw it. It was only visible because of severed blades of grass. A line was cut across the entire section of earth, thin as a razor. Claws hissed in appreciation, and Snips blew bubbles of shock. A giant claw extended from behind, tapping each of them on the head. They spun, and the lobster rubbed both of their heads, a gesture of approval. Claws smiled between the other two, and Snips hissed her appreciation. They may be entirely different species, and even rivals sometimes, but they shared one unifying goal. The protection of these lands¡ªof Fischer''s lands¡ªwas the most important thing. Any of them increasing in strength was a source of celebration, and Snips felt a fluttering deep within her carapace as she realized the other two were proud of her. She blew questioning bubbles, and they both nodded, so they began the trek back toward Master''s home¡ªtheir home. Snips hoped he would return soon. Her eye gleamed in the fading light of day. She had a lot to show him, after all. *** I woke the following morning to a soft muttering within the shelter. "Did you sleep well, little bun-bun?" I smiled and peeked out through a squinted eye. Maria crouched in the corner by where we''d stashed the bunny. She peered into the nest we made, peeling back layers of blanket to reveal a cinnamon-colored head. "You are just. So. Cute!" she whispered, thinking I was still asleep. "Thank you," I said, causing Maria to jump and make a startled sound, which made the bunny go alert, raising its ears. She glared at me. "You scared our child!" I laughed, pushing back the blankets as I stretched. "I think it might have been you jumping that scared her, not me." Maria and I exchanged a look, and I shrugged. "She has something to show us." We both approached the pond, and Maria let out a gasp. "Hestia''s growing bust¡ªit''s beautiful..." The morning sun was hitting the opalescent boulder in the center, shining a full spectrum of rainbow light in different directions. It bounced off the smaller stones, making the colors refract and build off each other. "I know, right? This was Snips'' and Claws'' creation. They¡ªwait..." Something came from the cave, its giant form even larger than the last time I''d seen it. The lobster, now somehow even bigger¡ªI don''t know how it even fit within the cave, to be honest¡ªstrode toward us. I looked down at Snips. "Did he...?" She nodded and blew small anticipatory bubbles. "No way..." Maria spotted the shape approaching and took an involuntary step back. "It''s okay," I said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It looks like I''ve gained another friend..." The lobster emerged from the pond¡ªwell, its head did, anyway. It glanced up at us, intelligent eyes bouncing from Snips, to Maria, then to me. Its eyes unwavering, it nodded to me, and I nodded back. "Nice to meet you, mate." It¡ªno, he blew bubbles of agreement. I wasn''t sure how I knew his gender, but I did¡ªthe lobster was definitely a he. I bent and scratched his head. He didn''t respond as Snips and Claws would, simply looking back up at me as I gave him my best scritch. "Not a fan of pats, hey? No dramas, my man. We¡ª" I cut off as I felt power welling up from behind and to my left. I whirled, stepped in front of Maria, held out my hand to protect her, and paused. What the...? Is that...? Corporal Claws exploded from her spot on the sands. Lightning¡ªgods damned lightning¡ªwreathed her body, and she slammed into my chest. I caught her, bracing for an electrical strike that never came. Claws was a storm of hisses and wiggled, twirling over and over in my arms as she kept glancing up at me. "W-what?" I said, dumbly. The lightning still wreathed Claws, but it didn''t zap me; it tickled, like a vague sense of pins-and-needles everywhere it lashed out to touch me. "You... you control lightning?" She let the power go, returning to her normal form as she shrugged and puffed out her chest. She chirped, as if to say, yeah... so? I laughed and hugged her tight. She leaned up, pressing her head firmly into my chin as she slid it back and forth hard enough to injure anyone without an improved body. I turned to Maria, showing off my friendly neighborhood otter. "Maria, this is Corporal Claws. Corporal claws, this is Maria." Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open as she stared at Claws, no doubt impressed by the lightning¡ªdamn, I really could not get over the gods damned lightning. "Do you want to hold her?" I asked. "Is... that okay?" "Be gentle, okay?" I said to Claws, using a stern voice. "Maria doesn''t have an enhanced body." Claws chirped her agreement and saluted, then jumped to the ground. I grabbed the bundle from Maria''s arms, and before she could bend to pick up Claws, the otter leaped. Maria caught her, making a surprised noise. Claws sat on her crossed arms, put a paw on each of Maria''s shoulders, and chirped her greeting. "H-hello, Claws..." Claws rolled onto her back, exposing her belly. Maria giggled, her face awe-struck. "You''re so cute..." Claws nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. A presence caught my attention, and given my creatures¡ªincluding the newly awakened lobster¡ªwere all present, a spear of fret wedged itself deep within me. Everyone but Maria felt it too, and we shot out our heads toward the ocean as another ascendant being approached. Chapter 82: Gang Chapter 82: Gang The crab wasn''t even relieved when he finally crawled free from the hole; he radiated fury. A hole¡ªa damn hole had kept him prisoner, delaying his magnificent reunion with the spiky mistress. Finally free on the constricting tunnel, he sped toward where he suspected he''d find her, intent on venting his indignation. He arrived at the shore within a matter of minutes, the distance not standing a chance against his improved body, even exhausted as he was. He tore up the sands, hissing and gesturing emphatically with both claws. Across the pond, standing in a group, was his beloved mistress. Good, he thought. More beings to listen to my unfortunate tale. He increased his speed, sprinting toward them. *** I watched the crab tear toward us, a moving tornado of hisses, gestures, and indignant bubbles. As soon as I saw him, I recognized him; it was the crab with a penchant for being flung into the ocean. He reached us but had eyes only for Snips, ignoring the rest of us entirely.?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com As his impressively vitriolic diatribe dragged on, I raised an eyebrow. All I got was hints of the tale, but it sounded full of struggle. *** The relief Snips felt at seeing the missing crab return was dissipating at an impressive speed. He was rattling off a self-absorbed story of his awakening and subsequent imprisonment beneath the ocean floor. The story had some interesting points she''d like to delve into later, but the melodramatic embellishments of the tale were leaving a bad taste in her multi-segmented mouth. Worse, this was the first time he''d met their master as an awakened being, and he''d ignored their benefactor entirely. She let out a sharp hiss, cutting the crab off. With one claw, she pointed at the crab, then to Fischer, gesturing at him repeatedly as she hissed a warning, giving the crab a chance to atone for his mistake. The crab looked at their master and shrugged, then resumed his story where he''d left off. Sergeant Snips, first chosen of master Fischer, and leader of the rock crabs, saw red. *** Following Snips'' chastisement, the crab glanced up at me, shrugged, then continued hissing. I smirked. Cheeky little bugger... Snips, taking much more umbrage with his dismissal of me than I did, trembled. Water seemed to pour from her body, churning out and undulating in a non-existent wind. She shot toward him with one claw pulled back, and as she reached him, it scooped under his carapace. The blue liquid... er, was it energy? Whatever¡ªthe blue stuff flared from the joint of her claw, propelling it with unbelievable speed as she swung it up. The rock crab never stood a chance, and his body flew out to sea as if shot from a trebuchet. "Eeeeee¡ª" was all he had the chance to say before he left hearing range, spinning chaotically as he soared toward the horizon. Snips, releasing whatever power she''d used, returned to her normal, crabby self. She rubbed her claws together and shook her carapace, the very picture of disapproval. "Uh..." Maria said. "Is that crab going to be okay?" Snips shrugged, and I nodded. "He''ll be fine¡ªhe''s awakened now, after all. Forget that, though! You unlocked a new power, Snips?" She nodded, lifting her body from the sand in obvious pride. The blue ability flooded from her again, and she extended a claw. Power swelled from deep within her, collected in the claw, then shot out with a sharp clack. An arc¡ªthe same color as the ability wreathing her body¡ªsliced out. Sand flew up behind it, dragged in the impressive attack''s wake as it flew out to sea. It kept going, only dissipating when it was far, far away. I dashed and scooped her up, laughing as I spun. "Hot damn, Snips! You''re amazing! How did¡ª" I shook my head. "Never mind. We can handle that later. Everyone¡ªthis is Maria." With their attention turning to her, her face flushed, and she hugged the bundle in her arms tighter. "H-hi, everyone." "You''ve already met Corporal Claws and the ever-reliable Sergeant Snips I told you about. This..." I gestured at the lobster, mouth moving but no sound coming out. "Er¡ªhe doesn''t actually have a name yet." The lobster blew bubbles of... reproach? They were different to Sergeant Snips'', but definitely had a negative flavor to them. Seeing my confusion, he pointed at himself and nodded. "Uhhh... you mean you do have a name?" The lobster nodded again. He ambled forward, his massive body climbing over the pond''s wall. With one giant claw extended, he drew something into the sand. I looked down at it, my brow furrowing. "Pistachio?" Maria asked. The lobster nodded. "Er..." I said. "Your name is Pistachio?" It nodded again, blowing bubbles that brooked no nonsense. "Okay, then... odd name for a lobster, but I can dig it." I snapped my fingers. "Private Pistachio! What do you think, buddy? Can you get behind the rank of ''Private,'' or would you rather just ''Pistachio''?" "Why do you still wear the patch, then?" She pointed at me, the eyepatch, then blew bubbles of adoration. "Aww, Snips. I love you too, but wouldn''t it help you see better if you removed it...?" She shrugged. "Well, whatever you want to do, I support you." Maria arrested our attention by clearing her throat. "I... don''t get it." "Oh. Right... sorry. When I came across Snips, she was just a regular ol'' rock crab. She was covered in scars and half-healed wounds, one of which was a missing eye." I pointed at the healthy-looking appendage now standing firm. "Stepping on the stairs to ascension, or whatever it is that Barry usually says, didn''t heal her eye¡ªsitting in this pond did." Maria sighed, then chuckled as she shook her head. "This is all too much for me to take in, but if it can heal our little bunny friend, I''m willing to try anything." "There''s something else we can try," I said, ¡°but I''d rather not talk about it unless we have to use it.¡± Maria raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t press the issue. "Well, hopefully this works, and we won''t need your secret method." I smiled. "I don''t see why it wouldn''t, to be honest. It¡ª" The bunny kicked from within the blanket, and I raised an eyebrow. "Did you see that?" I asked Maria. "No...?" I peeled open the back of the blankets, revealing the bunny''s rear legs. The right one was planted firmly on the blanket resting against my leg. The left leg¡ªthat which was injured¡ªstill sat at an odd angle, but as we watched, it twitched, kicking out spasmodically. My animal pals, having realized something exciting was occurring, had all crawled into the water. They peered up at us and the bunny with curiosity clear in their eyes. Maria and I both looked at each other; her eyes went wide, and I smiled. "Movement has to be a good thing... right? It didn''t move at all before." Maria nodded fervently. "Pour more water on!" I beamed at her. "Exactly what I was thinking." I cupped my hand in the pond''s warm water, then dripped it over the leg, taking care not to get the blanket wet. When the leg was once more soaked, I wrapped it back up, holding it tight. "Will you try something with me?" I asked. Maria''s head tilted to the side, causing her hair to hang down. "What is it?" "So, I''m pretty sure this world¡ªand the System¡ªfunctions, in large part, on will." "... how do you know that?" I shrugged. "Just something I''ve picked up." "You want to use our will to help the bunny...?" I nodded. "I could be wrong, but it couldn''t hurt to try, right?" "Okay... how do we do it?" "Well, it''s worked previously by closing my eyes and meditating on stuff. Come closer and put your hands atop the blanket." She shuffled over, her small hands resting on the bundle. I put my hands over hers and closed my eyes. "Focus on sending waves of healing down into the bunny. Imagine it becoming healthy and whole." I cracked an eye open, locking eyes with Snips, Claws, and Pistachio. "Would you guys help, too?" They all agreed with various bubbles, hisses, and chirps, then joined us, leaning over us to put claws and paws atop the blanket. "Okay. Let''s do it." I closed my eyes, willing the bunny''s body to repair. I pictured green light radiating from my hands and those of my friends. In my mind''s eye, the beams pulsed into the bunny below, permeating and taking hold deep within. "Good job, everyone," I whispered. "Keep it¡ª" Something surged from my core, zooming up my chest, down my arms, and through my hands in an instant. The System tugged at me, sending me a notification. It had done so multiple times during our trip away, but they¡¯d been growing muted, ignorable¡ªthis pulse was anything but. I shuddered and opened my eyes. "What...?" Maria''s hands tensed under mine, and she pulled them to her chest as if burned. "What was that...?" I pulled my hands back, and Claws, Snips, and Pistachio followed suit, eyes locked on the blanket. I started to peel back a corner, hesitated, then unfolded it. When I caught sight of the bunny, my jaw dropped open. Chapter 83: Humble Chapter 83: Humble The moment I opened the blanket, the change was visible. Its leg was bent to the side still, but as I freed it from the surrounding blankets, she stretched the limb back, testing it. The bunny put weight on it, pushing down against my thigh, and after a moment of hesitation, launched herself from the blanket with a powerful leap. "No you don''t!" I said, snatching her from the air. I put her back into the banket and bundled her up. "What are you...?" Maria asked, her voice full of awe and confusion. I sprang to my feet. "We''ve gotta get her to the forest!" I took off, running just slow enough for Maria to match my pace. Snips and Claws dashed off ahead, a trail of sand in their wake, and Pistachio plodded along behind us, happy to follow. We reached the trees and continued on, going right to the edge of my property. I turned to Maria, whose skin was flushed and forehead pricked with sweat after what had to be a sprint to her. "Do you want to let her go?" "You don''t want to...?" I held the bundle out. "I insist. You should be the one to free her." She accepted the package, hugging it tight and whispering into it. "Goodbye, little bunny. Live a happy and long life." She knelt and unwrapped the top layer, exposing the bunny to the cool forest air. She raised her head, ears twitching as she looked around. Then, she leaped from her arms, landing softly on the loamy earth. She paused there a moment, but upon seeing there was no danger¡ªother than the two humans that had kidnapped it, and three ridiculously large, rather violent-looking creatures by our side¡ªthe bunny dashed off into the forest, her cute little feet a blur of movement as she disappeared around a trunk and out of sight. "Bye, Cinnamon!" Maria called after her. "Cinnamon?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded. "Yep¡ªCinnamon. That''s her name." "A fitting name." I cupped my hands to my mouth. "Bye, Cinnamon! Make good choices!" Maria elbowed me in the side, recognising her father''s words from when we left for our trip. "Not funny." "Hey¡ªit''s solid advice. I want her to make good choices." Maria scowled, but the hint of a smile was on her lips. "You''re a big meany, Fischer." I grinned at her. "Only to those I like." *** Barry carried his prized possession from town, his stride firm and core-muscles engaged. "Are you sure you''re okay with that, Barry?" Fergus asked behind him. "Yeah, I''m sure, mate. It''s pretty fracking heavy, though." "Alright..." Barry glanced back to see Fergus and Duncan exchange a look with each other. He returned his attention to the earthen ground, smiling to himself. Let them think what they want, he thought. It''s more likely to help my mission than hinder it. He led them ever on, through the cane fields and further from the village''s buildings with each step. When they arrived at his house, he walked around the back, heading for the shed. They followed silently, focused on the contraptions they bore. Barry reached his shed and bent at the knees, setting the metal pot down on the sandy soil. "Just here will do, guys. Thanks for bringing it over." "No problem, Barry," Fergus said, eyeing him with a discerning gaze. "Happy to be of service." "So, uh, Barry..." Duncan said, running his hands together and looking away. "When you finish making a batch, do you think we can have¡ª" Clap. "Ow..." Fergus raised his hand, threatening to slap his apprentice on the back of the head again. "We were paid for the work, Duncan. No asking for extras." Duncan rubbed the back of his head¡ªoveracting, by Barry''s estimate; the slap hadn''t been hard. "That''s abuse, you know," the apprentice said. "I could have you taken to the capital and whipped like the show pony you are." "Ohhh!" Fergus said, laughing. "Feeling mouthy today, are ya, lad?" Duncan grinned. "I learn from the best." "Yeah? Well, you can learn to clean out the forge when we get back¡ªit hasn''t had a good scraping in a while." "No doubt. You do a half-assed job every time, unlike¡ªkidding! I''m kidding!" Duncan held his hands up, warding off Fergus'' raised hand. *** "Ahem," Roger said, getting both of our attention. It was almost a yell, and the admonition was clear. My stomach convulsed, the butterflies turning into a volatile storm. "Dad!" Maria whirled, letting out an awkward laugh. "I''m, erm... back?" He nodded, his eyes locking me down. "I''m glad. Come inside and I''ll help you unpack." "There''s no rush," Sharon said, poking her head out the open door. "Right, dear?" Roger didn''t take his eyes off me, and I stared back dumbly, like a fox caught in the chicken coop. "Right," he agreed, his jaw clenching. "We''ll be... inside." Sharon ushered him back in and closed the door, leaving us alone on the porch. She appeared in the front window, looked between Maria and me, winked, and drew the curtains closed. Maria shook her head, letting out a soft sigh. "Sorry." "It''s fine," I said, my heartbeat pounding for an entirely different reason than earlier. Before I could move, she wrapped her slender arms around my neck and pulled me into a hug. My hands moved around her waist, and I pulled her tight against me. Despite how small and frail she felt, and how powerful the cultivation shenanigans had made me in this world, our bodies fit together¡ªtwo puzzle pieces made for one another. My chest hammered, and I could feel her soft heartbeat racing as we held each other there, frozen in time. "Thank you again, Fischer." I squeezed lightly, pulling her even closer. "Thank you for coming. I had such a nice time." She pulled away, so I let go. With her hands on my neck, her arm extended, she leaned in and planted a kiss on my cheek, the touch soft as a feather. Even with my enhanced cognition, I couldn''t have dodged if I tried; my body was suspended, overwhelmed by her. She danced backward, putting her hands behind her back. "I''ll see you soon?" I nodded, blinking. "Yeah¡ªsee you soon." She smiled, her eyes crinkling as she took one last look at me before turning for the door. *** "I don''t like it, Sharon!" Roger hissed, keeping his voice low. His wife let out a small sigh, nodding. "I know you don''t like it, my love, but that doesn''t mean it''s right for us to interfere." He felt his mouth form a line and eyebrows scrunch together as he thought of what to say, but Sharon spoke first. "Do you not remember how we met, Roger? I seem to recall a strapping young man sneaking me from my window of an evening..." "This... this is different, Sharon. She''s¡ª" "She''s our only daughter. I''m well aware, my love, but that''s all the more reason to let her make her own choices." Sharon smiled at him, and her face held such adoration for Roger that his complaints died in his throat. "She''s not an object for us to defend," Sharon continued. "We made her, yes, but that doesn''t mean we own her. We''re not some noble family that treats their daughters as bargaining chips for power¡ªis that what you''d rather be?" At the rebuke, Roger''s pained expression melted away, and he shook his head. "You know I detest them more than anything else. It''s just... she''s our only daughter, Sharon." She put a hand on his chest and stepped in, leaning her head against his sturdy frame. "I know, my love. You just want what''s best for her, but she still has to make her own choices. She isn''t livestock for us to herd." Roger sighed, deep and long. "You''re right, but I still don''t like it." Sharon laughed, her small body shaking with mirth as he wrapped his arms around her. "You don''t have to like it." She pulled back, patting his chest. "You just have to grin and bear it." The door made a soft click and opened, letting in the midday light. Maria stepped through, beaming brighter than the sun outside. Sharon turned to Roger. "Would you mind going and getting some supplies from town, husband?" Roger gave her a deadpan look, but nodded. "Been meaning to go for a walk, anyway." He stomped to their room, presumably to get his things. Sharon ushered her daughter over; Maria all but ran. She grabbed Maria''s hand and dragged her to her room, closing the door behind them. Now that they were alone, Maria''s smile widened, and Sharon''s did the same. She leaned toward her daughter, whispering as she bounced on her heels. "Tell me everything." Chapter 84: Reconnaissance Chapter 84: Reconnaissance My hand went to my cheek absentmindedly as Maria closed the door behind her. The touch of her lips lingered, and I replayed it over in my mind. I shook my head, dispelling the rumination¡ªnot because I wasn''t enjoying it, just didn''t want someone to come outside and see me standing there like a weirdo. "Maybe it''s time for Operation Sweet Tooth..." I mused aloud as I wandered back toward my home. *** An arc of blue energy shot from Sergeant Snips and sliced through the log with ease, hit the sand beneath it, and made a ground-shaking thump. The wood split in two, and as I collected the two halves, I leaned down, squinting between both. They were cut as if by sawmill; the line was straight and free of imperfection. Sergeant Snips had cocked her head at my request¡ªand the code name¡ªyet happily joined my undertaking. I smiled over at her. "You''re unbelievable, Snips¡ªyou''ve got some serious cutting power." She puffed up and nodded as she hissed her agreement. "Alright, could you do the same, but right here, this time?" I marked the spot I wanted with my fingernail, then set the wood down and stepped back. Snips cocked her claw back as her ability engulfed her. Then the claw slammed shut, and power shot forth. *** I stroked the rather-content crab in my arms as I strode for the forest. When we stepped beneath the forest canopy, the temperature almost immediately dropped ten degrees as the midday sun¡¯s baking heat made way for the forest¡¯s cool air. I breathed deep, enjoying the moisture-laden oxygen that chilled my nose. "There''s just something about the forests here, Snips." She shrugged. "I guess you''re more inclined to the ocean, aren''t you?" She nodded, leaning her head into my hand. Realizing I''d stopped scratching her, I laughed and resumed. We arrived within minutes, and as I gazed at the tree, I smiled. Insects flew in and out of a hollow, the bees looking healthy and active. "This is why I want to build something, Snips." She cocked her head, blowing questioning bubbles. She leaped from my arms and scuttled toward the tree, her head moving back and forth adorably. "Remember when I told you about these guys? That feels so long ago, but it''s been what... weeks?" She turned and hissed at me in agreement before returning her attention to the bees coming and going. "So, bees make honey, but I''d have to destroy this hive to harvest it, which I don''t want to do. I might just make some hives, leave them next to this one, and hope for the best. That way, the bees might expand, or another queen might make the new hive her home....?" I shook my head. "I have no damn clue how bees work, and I''d be more likely to kill them off by accident than to move them successfully. I just wanted to see if they were still here before I wasted wood, and more importantly, time." I looked at the tree again, enjoying the chaos of so many bees darting about. "Alright. They''re here. Let''s see how we go with the build." She nodded, blowing happy bubbles as we pottered back toward the beach. *** "If I were a bee," I said, "I''d not only avoid moving into this thing¡ªI would also move my existing hive as far from it as possible." Snips, my ever-supportive friend, made a so-so gesture with one claw as she looked over the abomination. "I guess not measuring wasn''t my brightest idea..." In my head, having slightly different lengths for each plank would lend the otherwise-square hive a rustic look. In reality, it made it, well... not a square. The oblong shape sat there on the sand, taunting me. I grabbed one corner and pulled it apart, the nails standing no chance against my enhanced strength. "Let''s try this again..." After a few cuts from Snips, I started over. I nailed sixteen different planks into a rough square. It was rickety and would twist under the slightest amount of pressure. I sighed. "I mean, it will probably work..." Snips nodded, having entirely too much trust in my woodworking ability. "If I''m going to do it, I may as well do it right. Let''s cut some more planks, then I''ll take a little trip into Tropica." Snips bubbled along happily, always pleased to help out. *** "G''day, Brad. How are ya, mate?" Brad, one of the woodworking brothers, looked up from his workbench, startled from his focus. "Oh... hello, Fischer." He looked at my armful of wooden planks, raising an eyebrow. "What can I do for you?" With both of the boxes complete, I started putting together the frames where bees would build honeycomb. I''d cut a single dovetail joint into the ends, and they slid in with ease. There were fourteen frames in total; seven for each box. I''d brought my own nails, and now that all the wooden pieces were put together, I picked up the hammer and got to work. With two hits to each nail, the boxes and frames were complete. I looked down at my handiwork as gratitude and accomplishment spread a smile across my face. I slotted the frames into the boxes, and they held firm against the bracing I''d hammered to the boxes'' inner walls. Lifting the top box, I set it on the bottom one, and made to pick them both up and head out. Instead, I froze as the System nudged me, and the beehive transformed. Time halted as each wall of the boxes went fuzzy, expanded¡ªdoubling in size¡ªthen shrunk back in and solidified once more. It didn''t lower all the way down, and as the boxes'' lines sharpened, I realized something startling. It had created another box from thin air; there were now three. Handles had appeared in the boxes, and I felt the need to open them up, to see if the internal frames and overall structure had also altered, but then I remembered I wasn''t alone. My eyes darted to Brad. His back was toward me, his body hunched and muscles bulging as he planed the slab of wood atop his bench. I scooped my beehive up and all but ran from the building. "Cheers, Brad! Catch ya later, mate!" I called over one shoulder, concealing the boxes in front of my chest. "See ya, Fischer!" Brad yelled back, his breath heavy from exertion. *** As the sun set over the eastern mountains, Brad and his brother Greg made their way through the streets of Tropica. "You''re absolutely sure, Brad?" He nodded, not turning to look at his brother. "Aye, Greg. I''m certain." No response came, and they strode in silence, headed for their friends'' home. Their steps were hurried, and they reached it in no time. Brad knocked on the door in their usual pattern. Tap. Tap, tap, tap. Tap. They could hear something heavy set down inside, and a moment later, the door swung open. Steven, one of the tailors, and one of their closest friends, beamed a smile at them. "Hey there, guys. Come on in, it''s good to see..." He trailed off as he looked between them. "What''s wrong? Has something happened?" Brad nodded. "Can we talk inside?" "Of course..." Steven swung the door wider, inviting them in. As Brad stepped inside, the warmth of a stove burning replaced the cool air of fading sunlight, but rather than being a comfort, it felt oppressive to his sweat-pricked skin. "Oh, hello boys," Ruby said from where she stirred a pot. When she saw the look on their faces, her demeanor immediately changed. "Is everything okay...?" The door closed behind them, and Brad took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before launching into his tale. "Fischer came by the workshop today..." *** "You''re sure you don''t mind?" Barry asked Corporal Claws. She chirped in response, delighted with the task, and Barry nodded his thanks. "You''re most suited for reconnaissance, so I''m glad you agree." Sergeant Snips bubbled her agreement, and the otter puffed up in pride. She was the best for such things, given her speed, lithe form, and vastly superior intellect. Without further ado, she chirped a goodbye, and ran across the sands, her paw-pads falling soft and silent across the landscape. *** Corporal Claws grinned to herself as she reached Tropica; she was the night. With the fading daylight, she climbed a building, excited to start her watch. Following the cultivator incident, and how unprepared they had been for it, they''d realized their, uh... folly? Mistakery? Indis... cretion? Claws shook her head. Words and definitions were for the less-smarter of their number, and it didn''t befit the most intelligent of them all¡ªthe fast, speedy, clever, and agile Corporal Claws¡ªto worry about such things. She dashed across the rooftops, pausing in the shadow of a chimney as she scouted her domain. Most of the citizens of Tropica had already returned to their homes and started cooking; scents and flavor drifted through the air, none of which held a candle to her master''s food. Given the lack of people traversing the streets, it was notable when two forms, both large men, made haste between the buildings, heading somewhere to the east. Corporal Claws, master of the rooftops and traverser of tiles, leapt to another building, trailing them. When they reached a house and knocked on the door, the two men were ushered inside, so Claws clambered down the wall, wedging herself between a pipe and the stones that made up the home. She closed her eyes, focusing all attention on her enhanced hearing. Chapter 85: Fisticuffs Chapter 85: Fisticuffs Corporal Claws pressed her ear to the stone, feeling and hearing the vibrations from within the home. "Fischer came by the workshop today," came the voice of a man, "and it happened again." There was a long pause as no one spoke, and Claws pressed her ear against the cold stone. "You''re sure, Brad?" a female voice asked. "Yeah¡ªI''m positive," Brad responded. Another male voice spoke up. "Did you see it too, Greg?" "No, Steven," a deep voice, clearly belonging to this ''Greg'', said. "I was out getting materials." So, the men are Greg, Brad, and Steven, Claws thought. She grinned to herself¡ªshe was so good at this... what had Barry called it? Recompense? Rent-on-a-scent? She shook her head. Whatever¡ªI''m really good at this sneaky-sneaky stuff. The conversation resumed, snatching Claws from her self-satisfaction. "What was it this time?" the female asked. "I have no clue¡ªjust a couple boxes with hollow frames inside. I was trying to look busy, not alert him I was watching." Another silence stretched, then the voice of Steven broke it. "So, what are we going to do about Fischer?" Claws'' self-centered pleasure was shattered like a clam beneath an opalescent rock, and her lips spread to reveal razor-sharp canines. It took all of her significant willpower to not explode through the wall. The female sighed. "I don''t know. I hate knowing that he might be a cultivator. Fischer is such a nice person, and has been nothing but a boon for everyone since coming here..." "On the other hand," Steven said, "he might bring the crown down on us." "Or worse," Brad added, "he''s working for the crown. I don''t know how powerful or well-connected a cultivator would need to be in order to have his shackles removed, but whatever the answer, it¡¯s bad news." "Well, whatever we do," the female said, "I don''t want to put Fischer in danger, but I also don''t want anyone else being put in danger..." Grunts and murmurs of agreement came from the others, and Claws¡¯ lips receded, once more hiding her vicious teeth from the world. She continued listening. *** I stretched my legs and rolled over, curling myself beneath the luscious blanket. For a moment, I''d expected to wake beneath a shelter, Maria beside me¡ªbut the illusion was shattered as I felt just how comfy I was. As nice as it was waking up beside her while we were camping, I had to admit I''d missed sleeping in my bed. I threw the covers back, stretching my arms high as I unleashed a mighty yawn. A smile came to me at a realization¡ªI could once more indulge in Sue''s coffee. I made my bed in a hurry, then rushed out the door. *** I basked in the daylight creeping between buildings as I strode through Tropica, my steps fueled by the thought of my first love¡ªblessed, ever-dependable caffeine. I''d thought it my imagination when out camping, or perhaps a side-effect of sleeping beneath the trees, but the night appeared to be getting cooler, and a chilly breeze blew between the buildings, waging a battle on my skin against the sun''s warming rays. I rounded a bend, and my heart climbed in my chest as I caught sight of the bakery. Sue was behind the coffee machine, working herself into a tizzy. With how late I''d slept, there was a sizable line, and I raised an eyebrow. My surprise held not even a hint of annoyance at having to wait; I was happy that more villagers had caught onto the blessing of coffee. "I hope Sue is making a killing," I said with a smile, then joined the line. As I waited for my turn, my thoughts went toward the beehive I''d made yesterday¡ªI still couldn''t believe it had changed so drastically. When I''d opened the boxes up, they had transformed even more than the outsides. The frames had been made without any wax or plastic sheeting to show the bees where to build honeycomb, but sheets had materialized from nowhere, filling in the spaces between each frame. Not only that, but the extra box had been an exact clone of the others, filled with seven frames, all of which had the same sheets affixed. I''d taken it to the bees in the tree hollow immediately, placing it on the flat ground right next to their home. I felt a desire to go check it, but worried I might scare the bees away from using it. Better that I just leave it alone for a while, I thought. Anticipation welled up inside me; I hoped the bees would find it suitable and expand their nest. A gruff voice spoke from behind me, pulling me from my thoughts. "I''ve thought of a name," I said, and everyone''s eyes¡ªincluding the insubordinate crab¡ªturned toward me. "Your name is Rocky, my friend, because you just keep on getting up." Snips blew questioning bubbles, and I shook my head in response. "It seems like he is here to support you, not me, so I don''t think he needs a title like Sergeant, Corporal, or Private." I smiled down at the rock crab, enjoying the way his eyes sparkled at being given a name. "You don''t have to serve or support me, Rocky. Every creature here does so of their own accord, and if your only purpose is to serve Snips, you''re more than welcome to chill with the gang." He nodded at my words, then gazed at the fire and the pot of crabs boiling atop it. "Thanks for making brekkie, by the way. You guys are the best." I strode toward the fire. "I''ll need you all to hide out somewhere today. Roger is coming by at some point, and I don''t think he''s ready to meet a gang of sentient creatures." They all agreed with myriad nods, hisses, and bubbles. I peered down at the boiling water; the sand crabs'' shells within were red and pink, ready to eat. "Alright. Let me serve up breakfast and add some seasoning before you all take off for the day." *** The flavor of crab, lemon, salt, and assorted spices lingered on my taste buds as I waved goodbye and left to collect the materials I''d need for the day. Snips had prepared all the lumber when I left for the woodworking shop yesterday, and I felt another wave of gratitude for my violently capable crab. Guard crab, snuggle buddy, friend, and now lumber mill, I thought, shaking my head with a smile. What doesn''t she do? I grabbed all the poles first. They were saplings cut in half length-ways, and would serve as the foundation for my construction. I marked a spot in the sand, lifted a pole high, then slammed it into the ground. After a few twists, the pole was firmly in the ground, and I leaned against it, pulling and pushing to assess its stability; it held firm. I measured the length between poles with one of the wooden slats, then slammed another pole into the ground and started twisting it down. *** I nailed the first paling between the two poles, and seeing it stayed strong, did the same with the rest of the wood. As I finished nailing the last paling to the panel, I saw someone approaching from the corner of my eye. Roger marched across the sand, making a beeline for me; he arrived in no time at all. "G''day, Roger. How did the ladies like their brekkie?" He nodded his greeting. "They enjoyed it. I must admit that coffee is a bit of a winner in our household." "Glad to hear it! I feel exactly the same..." I trailed off, not really knowing what else to say. "So, what did you want to talk about, Roger?" He clenched and unclenched his jaw, looking at my in-progress fence. Then his eyes darted up, and his gaze focused. "Thank you for taking Maria, and for keeping her safe. She had a good time, and I''m told you were respectful." A weight lifted from my shoulder as he spoke, and I let out a breath. I''d been worried he was gonna challenge me to fisticuffs, and I hadn''t been looking forward to the prospect of holding down an old soldier until he stopped trying to swing at me. "And, you were right," he continued. "Maria is her own person, and she can make her own choices. I hope you don''t look down on me for being protective of her. She''s my only daughter, and I love her more than life itself." I smiled at his admittance of affection; I suspected it was the sappiest thing I''d ever hear from the rugged farmer. "You''re welcome, Roger. I know we''ve had our differences, but I hope you know by now that I''m a trustworthy bloke. I''d never do anything to hurt her." As I spoke, his eyes returned to the fence, and with every word, his face grew more annoyed. "Er... something wrong, mate?" "Is that supposed to be a fence, Fischer?" I looked at it, furrowed my brow, then blinked at him. "I mean, it is a fence... but yeah. Why?" "It looks like shit." Chapter 86: Smitten Chapter 86: Smitten "It looked like shit," Roger said, his annoyance morphing into disapproval. I roared with laughter at the conversation''s shift in tone. "I thought it looked pretty good," I said, wiping a tear from my eye. He shook his head. "You''ve done it all wrong¡ªattaching the palings directly to a pole makes it less sturdy, and given time, the nail will warp out of the pole you''ve driven them through." "Er, thank you... I think? What should I do to make it better?" He cocked his head, then nodded as he reached a decision. "I''ll go get my tools. I think you''ll need more help than a bit of instruction." Without another word, he turned on his heel and marched off. I blinked at his back as he strode over the sandy flats. "My man doesn''t pull any punches, does he...?" I whispered to myself. I looked back at the fence. "It''s not that bad... is it?" *** When I spotted Roger returning, I couldn''t help but grin; he''d brought helpers. Barry and Maria walked behind him, the former easily keeping pace, the latter having to take hurried steps with her much-shorter legs. I''d brought over the rest of the materials for the fence, and I organized them into piles as my soon-to-be-helpers got closer. Maria reached me first. As she approached, I worried about how to act in front of Roger, but she settled that internal debate for me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a hug, getting to her tiptoes. I wrapped my arms around her waist, matching the strength with which she gripped me. Her tiny body fit mine, and as she pulled closer, I could feel her heart fluttering¡ªmine hammered in response. "Morning, Fischer," Barry said, raising an eyebrow and smiling at me. "I missed you," Maria whispered, squeezing my arm as she withdrew. The comment brought me up short, and I let go of her, blinking at nothing before returning my attention to Barry. "Uh, g¡¯day... mate." His eyebrow raised higher, and he shook his head with a smile. "How was the trip?" "It was great!" Maria answered for me. "We went fishing, ate a bunch of tasty food, and even rescued a little bunny. It was an eventful few days." As Maria mentioned food, I could have sworn Barry''s eyes sparkled. "Jealous that someone else had some fish, mate?" I asked. "I''d be happy to have you around for some more later, if you like." "I''d be a fool to turn that down, Fischer." Barry turned to Maria, a glint still in his eye. "So, what did you think of his cooking?" "Oh, I did the cooking, but the fish was so tasty!" Her eyes darted to her father. "Oh, uh, sorry, dad." Roger set his toolbag down and shook his head. "I don''t wanna know anything about your heretical activities. I''m here to fix this abomination of a fence." I held up both hands. "Abomination seems a little harsh..." Roger ignored me, picked up a hammer, and strode for my glorious, definitely-not-abominable fence. He put the claw behind a paling and shoved the handle, removing the nails in a single movement. "You''re missing the supporting structure." He moved on to the next one, removing the paling with a similar push¡ªflexing his dad-strength on us mere mortals. "Running one of these palings from side to side will make the entire fence stand against a storm. This thing..." He kicked the bottom of my fence. "Wouldn''t stand up against time, let alone an ocean front." I glanced at Barry, who nodded his agreement. Maria shrugged at me, as clueless as I was in the mystical art of wooden dividers. "C''mon, Fischer," Barry said. "I''ll show you how to do it. Maria can learn from Roger." I smiled at her as I followed Barry, and she grinned back, giving me a quick wave. *** By the time the sun had crested the horizon, half of the fence was erected. "Alright, you guys may have had a point about my previous work," I admitted. Roger gave me an unreadable look. "Does that mean you''re willing to admit your fence looked like sh¡ª" Maria slapped his arm. "Play nice." He turned his unimpressed face toward his daughter, and I laughed. "I''ll freely admit the fence wasn''t the best, but hey, it wasn''t the worst for a bloke that''s never built one before." We stood in the shade of a tree by the edge of my forest, having a quick break. Roger and Maria had worked up a sweat in the day''s heat, but Barry and I, having been on the receiving end of some otherworldly System shenanigans, were unaffected. "There you are," a feminine voice called. I turned to see Sharon and Helen walking along the treeline with trays in hand. Paul walked behind them, all his attention focused on the pitcher and cups in his hands. From the corner of my eye, I watched Roger; the way his face transformed at seeing his wife was magical. I hadn''t seen a smile from him all morning, yet at a single glance of his beloved wife, hard lines melted, and corners of his mouth relaxed, curling up. "Finally, some good company," he said. "Maria and I have been boxed in by buffoons all day." I raised an eyebrow. "Roger! Was that a joke? If you''re not careful, people might assume you''re having a good time." The lines on his face firmed again, and Sharon burst into laughter. "Happy to help," Barry added. Roger just grunted, which I took to be Roger-speak for, I''m happy to help you any time, my stalwart, handsome, and humble neighbor. "To show my appreciation, what do you all say we have a little feast tomorrow night? I''d be happy to do it today, but we probably don''t have enough time." Maria and Barry''s eyes lit up, and a scowl sprouted on Roger''s face. "I won''t be partaking in any heretical food, Fischer." I held up my hands. "Who said anything about heretical food? I can make plenty of things that don''t involve fish, if that''s not to your liking." "We can all bring something," Maria said, bouncing from foot to foot. "Mom and I can make your favorite stew, dad!" Roger glanced askew, his face going shrewd. "... with lamb?" She nodded. "Of course! We even bought some of those spices you like from the caravan." His face calmed. "I suppose that would be nice..." "I can bring rum!" Barry said. We all turned to him. "You have rum?" I asked. "Where did you get rum?" He beamed. "I made it from sugarcane juice. I''ve been experimenting with it over the last week, and the boys at the forge helped me make a still." "Hot damn, Barry! I''m not much of a drinker, but who can turn down a glass or two at a celebration?" Barry nodded his agreement. "Alright then¡ªit''s settled. You guys sort out the food, and I''ll handle the drink. I suspect Helen will want to make a dish, too." I grinned. "It''s a date." Roger''s scowl returned, and he glared at me. "It is not a date." "It''s a figure of speech, dad," Maria said, rolling her eyes as she grabbed him by the arm. "Come on, let''s get back to mom. She''ll need a hand with dinner." *** "Er... Sebastian?" Sebastian, the leader of the Church of the Leviathan, cleared his throat. "Uh, Master, I mean," Gary corrected. "Yes, disciple?" "It looks like Fischer has put up a fence." Sebastian stomped to the edge of the roof, narrowing his eyes at the distant structure. He started laughing. It was soft, fleeting, but it grew as it continued, transforming into an unhinged cackle. Gary openly winced at his boss''s villainous activity. "Does that mean we should stop trying to summon a¡ª" "Dare not finish that sentence, Gary!" Sebastian spat, his laughter cutting off in an instant. "We know not who could be listening to such words." Gary nodded. "Yes, boss." "Besides, do you really think mere wood can keep our plans at bay? A single sheet of thin tree, versus a creature of sheer and utter darkness?" "I thought you didn''t want us to say such words..." Sebastian blinked at him, then snarled. "Sit in the circle, Gary! It''s time to meditate." Gary sighed. "Yes, boss." *** As the sun set in the sky, the creature emerged from her burrow. She was still growing into her body, and her instincts knew it was safer to eat when the brightness of the day had disappeared. Her head poked from the hole, and she froze, watching her surroundings for a long moment. Seeing no movement, she emerged, bounding twice before freezing again. This process repeated, and by the time she felt sure of her safety, the sun had left the sky. She was chewing on a blade of grass in the shadow of night when an alluring scent crossed her path. She stopped, her senses overwhelmed by the smell. She raised her nose up, and it twitched fast as she breathed more of it in. With how thick it was, she could almost see the trails of scent that called to her. With bounding leaps, and making sure to watch her surroundings, she heeded the call. Between trunks, over grass and fallen logs, and beneath bushes, she traveled onward. The smell grew stronger, and as she caught sight of the source, her mouth salivated. A field of green stalks grew from the ground, the soil below them brown and free of grass. It was surrounded by trees, hidden deep in the forest. She glanced around, and after seeing no movement, she could control herself no more; she dashed for the stalks, running between them and toward the field''s center. As she was deep in the patch, she bit into a stalk without hesitation. It was sweet, similar to the dark berries that grow on bushes in the forest. Losing herself to the flavor, Cinnamon took another bite, absolutely smitten with her grand discovery. Chapter 87: Explanation Chapter 87: Explanation Into the early hours of the morning, Cinnamon ate. The tall plants were a fresh experience to her, and with each bite, sweet liquid flooded her mouth. The fibers of the plant were stringy, wooden. Somehow, she knew they held no sustenance, so she spat the fibers out after drinking all the delicious juice within. No matter how much she consumed, her body craved more, and within the safety of the crop''s center, she was happy to oblige. If she were an awakened creature, she would have recognized how odd the experience was¡ªshe never grew full, never became satisfied. Alas, she was not, so she chewed along, ingesting entire stalks, bite by tiny bite. The first light of the day to come swelled in the sky above her; Cinnamon knew she should return to her den. Leaving now, though, felt... wrong. Something was building. The urge to stay warred with her animal instincts, so she drank faster, rushing to consume as much as possible before the daylight grew. Pink and purple started leaching into the sky, and Cinnamon took one last bite. She took a single hop away, still delighting in the juice flooding her mouth when light exploded out of her, making a soft pop. Cinnamon froze. As the light dissipated, strands of knowledge trickled in. She''d not lived a long life, but it had been filled with terror, pain, and the unknown. These emotions flooded her, and she dropped to the ground, trying to sink into the earth. Then, flashes of something else joined the fray, adding color to the sheer-black memories. Two creatures, tall and terrifying, wrapping her in a blanket. She''d thought them attackers at the time¡ªpredators waiting for the perfect time to strike and end her. With her burgeoning awareness, she knew better. They had swathed her, protected her, fed her, then... My leg, she thought. Cinnamon extended the healed appendage, feeling neither pain nor hindrance in the joint. They... fixed... They''d repaired her broken leg, then, instead of killing and eating her, they let had her go. Her head darted up, her ears twitched¡ªshe could feel him. The tallest one, the male... human. He was close, and his presence drew her on. She bound off toward him, following her senses. *** The sky was painted in purple and pink hues as I stepped outside, and I took a deep breath of the cool morning air, a smile coming to my face. There were small waves cresting the river mouth, and their movement drew my attention. Each moment was as a new picture; the ocean would never again be in that exact shape, the water creating a brand new configuration with every passing millisecond. The thought hit me as profound, and it gave me a new appreciation for the vista. Then, something physical hit me. Corporal Claws squealed as she slammed into my side. She scrambled up my body, hugging herself against my chest, so I made a cradle with my arms, which she happily fell into. We grinned at each other. "Morning, Claws. Did you sleep well?" She chittered her joy at seeing me, and I rubbed her cute little head. "I missed you too!" I returned my attention to the predawn landscape, and she joined her gaze to mine, body going soft as she leaned into my arm and watched the shifting waters. "Are you up to anything today?" No, she chirped. As one, we both paused, our eyebrows narrowing. Synchronized, we turned our heads to the side. A creature approached, her form radiating the softest trickle of power I''d ever felt. No way... I recognized her immediately¡ªit was Cinnamon. The bunny hopped along the sand at a leisurely pace, ears held high and eyes locked on me. I blinked dumbly as she approached. Claws was similarly lost for words, nary a chirp or hiss escaping her mouth as Cinnamon reached us. "Er... Cinnamon? Is that you?" The bunny raised her head toward me and nodded a single time, her gaze filled with intelligence. There was no doubt in my mind¡ªshe had awakened. And I''m pretty sure I know how... Pushing aside my annoyance, I bent down and pet her head. Her fur was like velvet, and she leaned to the side as I scratched behind an ear. "It''s nice to meet you properly, Cinnamon. My name is Fischer, and this is Corporal Claws. Claws jumped from my arms, timidly approached, and reached out her front paws, giving Cinnamon testing pats on the body. The otter''s paws tapped away, as if feeling a hot surface. When Cinnamon didn''t protest, Claws let out a curious chirp and stroked one forelimb across the length of Cinnamon''s back. Claws'' eyes went wide, sparkling with the sensation, and she started cooing as she ran both paws through the bunny''s fluffy fur. The sun was just cresting the Horizon behind me when I knocked on the door. I heard shuffling from inside, and after a moment, Helen peered out at me. "Oh, Fischer," she said. "Good morning. What can I do for you?" "Morning, Helen. Is Barry in?" "Um, yes, he''s just waking Paul up. Is everything alright...? You don''t seem yourself..." I hadn''t realized I was frowning, so I smoothed my features. "Yeah, sorry, everything''s fine. I just need to steal Barry for a bit. Could you ask him to meet me back at my place?" "Sure... I can do that." "Thanks, Helen. I''ll see you later." I turned and left, headed for the next home. *** I knocked on the door, my anxiety spiking. The portal flew open, and Roger''s scowling face greeted me. I forced a smile onto my face. "G''day, mate. You alright?" "I knew it would be you. I''m fine. Maria is still asleep." "I''m actually here to see Sharon..." His eyes widened, then narrowed again. "Fischer?" Sharon called from inside. She joined Roger at the door, giving me a smile. "Good morning. What did you need me for?" "I need to steal you for a moment." I turned to Roger. "We won''t be long¡ªwe just need to have a little chat with Barry back at my place." At Barry''s name, Sharon''s lips formed a line for a bare second, then went back into a smile¡ªit was tense, and didn''t entirely reach her eyes. She pet Roger on the shoulder. "I won''t be long, dear." Roger clenched his jaw, but said nothing, staring his suspicion at me as Sharon stepped past him and outside. *** Barry stepped through the gate and found Snips, Claws, and Pistachio waiting. "Is this about what I think it is?" Snips nodded, but made a maybe gesture with one claw. Barry sighed, casting his gaze toward the rising sun. "Well, there''s nothing we can do about it now... I guess we just have to wait and see. Did you learn anything else last night, Claws?" The otter shook her head, letting out a negative chirp. Unlike the night gone, Claws now held no excitement when he brought up her scouting; worry knitted her features. He knelt down, waving for the ascendant creatures to get closer. "Let''s get our story straight." *** "So, what''s this about, Fischer?" Sharon asked from beside me as we walked past fields of cane. "Just something I need to clear up¡ªI''ll wait until we''re all present." We walked in silence the rest of the way, and as we stepped through my fence''s gate, Sharon inhaled a sharp intake of breath. Snips, Claws, Pistachio, and Barry all stood there. Barry was kneeling, talking to the others softly, but he stood as he noticed us. "Good morning, Fischer." "Morning, mate." Barry gave me a smile, but it seemed strained. "What did you want to see us about?" Without preamble, I unwrapped the shirt in my arms and held out the adorable Cinnamon. Seeing them all, she cocked her head, her long ears flopping to one side. ¡°Care to explain this, Barry?¡± Chapter 88: Confession Chapter 88: Confession ¡°Care to explain this, Barry?¡± Everyone assembled gazed at Cinnamon, their eyes going wide. "I''m guessing Maria told you about Cinnamon, Sharon?" She swallowed and gave a small nod. "I hadn''t noticed her before, but looking at her now... is she...?" "Yes. Cinnamon here has awakened." Barry cleared his throat. "That''s... odd." "Is it, mate?" I gave him a flat look. "Do you have any idea how a wild rabbit, living in the forest behind my property, could have taken steps on the path of ascension, or whatever it is you usually say?" Barry opened his mouth, but said nothing, so I sighed. "Fine. I''ll begin, then. I know much more than I¡¯ve been letting on. I''ve been here for what... a few weeks? In that short time, I''ve become surrounded by awakened animal pals, have a body that can shoot gods'' damned laser beams, and when I build or craft things, they turn into magical items with stats and numbers like I''m some sort of progression-fantasy protagonist." I took a quick breath, then dove right back in. ¡°I know you¡¯re a cultivator, Barry.¡± Barry''s face remained calm. "How long have you known?" "I''d already suspected it was the fish I caught making creatures awaken, but then I made the whoopsie of feeding some to you. When you got ''sick'' after eating fish I made, and then suddenly had the stamina of an ox, I had my suspicions. When you got a little stronger, I could feel it when I was around you, and I knew." "I''m sorry I kept it from you." "It''s fine¡ªthat''s not the issue here." I stared into his eyes. "I know about your secret field of sugarcane, Barry. That''s what Cinnamon here got into¡ªshe''s covered in it. I''m guessing the juice from that same sugarcane is what healed you, Sharon?" "How did you know...?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can smell a half-eaten croissant from a hundred meters away, and just like with Barry, I can feel that you''re a cultivator. When Barry brought you a cup of what should be bitter or root-smelling medicine, it was pretty odd that it smelled sweet and refreshing. It could have been just a coincidence, but when I smelled the sugarcane juice Helen brought us yesterday, I knew it was the same." I shook my head. "The most obvious part, though, was you immediately healing from what I''m pretty sure was some kind of xianxia-land cancer." "... what?" "Forget it. I meant that your sickness was something you shouldn''t have bounced back from in a day or two by drinking root and herb juice." Barry cleared his throat again. "I... I can explain..." I held up a hand. "I haven''t brought you here to grill you, mate." I chewed my lip, thinking of where to begin. Eventually, I let it all spill out. "I''m telling you all this because something happened. When Maria and I were away, I had an... episode or sorts. I lost my composure when recounting my past, and I accidentally annihilated a tree with a pillar of light. I think my denial of everything around me contributed to the outburst, and I realized it was time I confronted what I¡¯ve been pretending didn¡¯t exist¡ªfor the safety of those around me, if nothing else. If that blast had hit anyone, it would have killed them. So, here I am, ready to talk about the things I''ve been hiding from. Any questions?" They all stared at me, too shocked to speak. I turned to Sharon. "Did Maria tell you about the blast I unleashed?" "... she told me you were a cultivator, yes... b-but we tell each other everything. She knows I''d keep it to myself. I''m¡ª" I held up a hand, forestalling her, then paused for a moment, steeling myself for the question I dreaded the answer to. "Is Maria part of the cult you¡¯ve started?" Whatever blood remained in their faces drained, and I nodded. "Yes, I know about that, too. I''ve known for a good while¡ªyou haven''t really been that subtle in your sneaking around, Snips. No offense." I focused on Sharon again. "Does Maria know? Is she a part of it?" Sharon, her face pale, shook her head. "N-no. She doesn''t..." I firmed my jaw, pinning her down with my gaze. "Do you swear? I''m not angry now, but if you lie to me about this, I will never forget it." She gulped. "I swear on my life¡ªshe doesn''t know." The words lifted a weight from my shoulders, and I closed my eyes. The idea of our time away being some sort of scheme had filled me with dread, and knowing our connection was genuine flooded me with relief. I let out a long sigh. "Good." I looked up at everyone, and when I caught sight of Snips and Claws, I gave them a small smile. Snips had her head dipped as she blew bubbles of remorse. Claws¡¯ eyes welled with tears, and her body trembled, one arm slung around Snips in a side hug. "I''m not angry, girls. Please don''t be upset." I knelt, set Cinnamon on the sand, and held my arms out. "Come here." At my invitation, they exploded into action, both slamming into my chest. They hissed, chirped, and bubbled with apology, and I hugged them tight, letting their affection wash my worries away. "It''s okay, really. I know you both had good intentions for keeping it a secret." They both nodded fervently, and I got to my feet, still clutching them. Barry cleared his throat. "I... I can tell you everything. We had a good reason not to involve you, it''s¡ª" "No," I said, cutting him off. "I don''t want to know." He blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "You... you don''t?" "Nope. I don''t want the details." I glanced down at Snips. "You kept me in the dark to protect me, right?" She nodded and pressed her carapace closer to me, blowing bubbles of sorrow. "If it were just you, Barry, no offense, but I''d find it suspect. With Snips and Claws'' involvement¡ªand their willingness to participate¡ªI know your intentions are good. All I want to know is, what''s the purpose?" "The... purpose?" "Yeah. What is your goal in doing all this?" He swallowed. "The protection of everyone around you, Fischer. Yourself included." I nodded; it was what I suspected. "Okay. I won¡¯t stop you, then." His head shot back, as if physically struck by my words. "... really?" "Nope. But¡ªand this is vital¡ªI want nothing to do with it. If there is a life or death situation, sure, let me know, but otherwise, leave me out of it." Sharon chewed her lip, made to speak, but stopped. "You can say whatever you want, Sharon. It''s fine." She swallowed, then spoke. "What do you want to do?" The sun was not yet fully risen when I knocked on the door softly. It opened immediately, and Roger peeked his head out, his scowl softening when he saw Sharon with me. "Hello again, mate!" I held out my tray. "I brought you guys some coffee and breakfast!" He looked at me, the tray in my arms, at Sharon, then back at me. No words came from him, and I was just feeling the need to say something when he sighed. "Do you want to come in, Fischer?" "Sure! I''ll come in for a moment, but I''ve got things to be about today." He nodded, swinging the door open as Sharon walked in. She rested a hand on his back, and I noticed the immediate, calming effect it had on his posture. I followed, and the warmth of a lit stove greeted me, banishing the cold from outside. Maria exited her room, her eyes closed and mouth wide in a yawn. Her shoulders were hunched, and she scratched her ribcage, exposing the lower section of her stomach. Her hair was messy, tangled on one side in a chaotic nest. "... did I hear someone say coffee?" she asked, opening half-lidded eyes as her yawn finished. She caught sight of my smirk and froze on the spot. Then, in a rather graceful movement considering her previous actions, she spun on her heel and entered her room, slamming the door shut. Roger made a confused face, and Sharon smirked at me. "Perhaps we should have warned her you were here..." Half a minute later, she reappeared, bright-eyed and smooth-haired as she smiled at me. "Good morning, Fischer!" "Morning! I brought you some coffee and croissants." She nodded. "Thank you." "What happened to your pajamas, by the way? They looked comfy." Maria missed a step and had to catch herself on the wall. She gave me a flat look. "They are comfy, thank you very much." "Sorry," I said, laughing. "I couldn''t help myself. Here¡ªI brought you croissants and coffee in apology." "Apology not accepted." She snatched a croissant. "You owe me one." She emphasized the statement with a chomp of the pastry, her eyes narrowed on me. "Well, I actually came here to invite you fishing, but if you''re too upset at me to join, I''ll totally understand." The moment I''d mentioned fishing, she paused, then chewed the mouthful like her life depended on it. She swallowed, taking a deep drink of coffee as she thumped her chest. "Maria," Sharon said, shaking her head. "I swear..." Her daughter drank more coffee, trying to get the food down, so Sharon turned her eyes on Roger. "This is your fault. She takes after you." Roger was still glaring at me, but he simply nodded at the accusation. "If you say so, dear." "Fishing?" Maria demanded, her mouth finally empty. "On the beach?" "That''s right. I know not everyone wants some heretical food, but I thought I could catch something for those that do¡ªI know at least Barry will join me." "Me too! I want more fish!" A low noise came from Roger''s throat, but before he said anything that would get him in trouble with Sharon, he strode to the front door, threw it open, and closed it behind him. Smart man, I thought. Sharon gave me a kind smile. "Don''t mind him¡ªyou know what he¡¯s like with anything... well, heretical." "Yeah, no kidding, but you don''t have to apologize. I understand his convictions, even if they''re objectively wrong." She snorted a laugh and turned to Maria. "I like this one¡ªwe should keep him around." Maria''s face brightened. "I think I just might..." My face went hot, and by the smirk growing on Sharon''s face, I knew I had to be blushing. "Alright, let''s get going then, shall we?" I spun, facing away as I strode for the door. Maria giggled. "Bye, Mom! I''ll see you later!" "Have fun, you two," she called after us, humor clear in her voice. *** Following their departure, Sharon stood in her kitchen, eyes distant and unseeing. Fischer told her about the creatures... and it didn''t scare her away... She knew Maria was strong willed, but to see her readily accept a man that had ascendant creatures... it was, frankly, unbelievable¡ªeven to her own mother. The front door opened, and Roger reentered, a frown settled firmly on his face. Sharon beamed at him. "Hello, dear." "Don''t "hello, dear," me, Sharon. What in Hades'' deepest circle is going on?" Sharon gave him a sad smile, but walked over to him, setting her hands on his shoulders. "Do you trust me, Roger?" "Of course I do," he replied, his face still scrunched. "Well, you''ll just have to trust me on this one, dear. I told you I''d be doing some odd things, and that you were better off not knowing for now." He crossed his arms in front of her, and she let out a light laugh, making his scowl only deepen. ¡°I''m sorry, my love,¡± she said. ¡°You''re just so cute when you''re flustered.¡± She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself in for a kiss. Roger kept his lips pressed in a firm line, but as she continued raining down smooches, he gave in. He uncrossed his arms, and hugged her tight, returning her affection. "I love you," Sharon said. "I love you, too." She pulled back, petting him on the chest. "I have to go do something, but when I get back, I''ll start making that lamb stew you love so much, okay?" Roger sighed. "Yes, dear." Chapter 89: The Church Chapter 89: The Church Ruby sat behind the counter of her shop, struggling to keep her eyes open as she repaired the stitching in a shirt. Two nights ago, she and Steven had spoken with Brad and Greg early into the morning, and following their conversation, she''d lay awake until the sun peeked through her drawn curtains. Last night had been a repeat of the previous one, and two nights of no sleep was catching up with her. Steven had got some sleep, at least, but the old grouch was non-functional on six hours'' sleep, let alone two. "Good morning, Ruby." She lazily glanced up, drawn from her introspection. "Hey, Sharon." She covered her mouth as she yawned. "What can I do for you?" "I need to speak to you and Steven for a bit. Do you think you could follow me?" Ruby, even in her sleep-deprived state, cocked her head in confusion. "What about?" "... it''s about Fischer." A spike of adrenaline shattered Ruby''s fatigue, and she stood up straight. "What about him?" "I think it needs to be spoken of in private... would you come with me? There are others waiting for us." "Steven!" Ruby called. "Yes?" his lethargic voice responded from the other room. "Get out here, you big grump. We have places to be." *** As Ruby stepped into the woodworking shed, some of Ruby''s building anxiety fled. Was it Brad and Greg that organized this...? After she and Steven entered, the door close behind them. She spun just in time to see Barry engage the deadbolt, stopping anyone else from entering. "What''s going on?" she asked, looking around the room. She caught sight of Brad and Greg, and when she saw the confused looks on their faces, her anxiety bloomed once more. ¡°Thank you for coming,¡± Barry said. ¡°Sharon and I wanted to talk to you four." "You said you wanted to speak about Fischer," Brad said. He cleared his throat. "What about, may I ask?" Barry nodded. "I''ll cut straight to the point. We know you suspect Fischer of being a cultivator." Everyone present at the meeting last night glanced at each other, and Ruby saw her shock mirrored on their faces. "And how do you know that, Barry?" Greg asked. The woodworker''s gaze didn''t hold fear; it held fury. "Have you been spying on us?" "Yes. Well, I haven''t personally, and it was the entire village being watched, not just you, but I guess that''s beside the point." Barry took a deep breath and gave them a kind smile. "You''re half correct. Fischer is a cultivator, but not just a cultivator." Greg firmed his jaw. "Explain." "I will, but first, I need you to promise you won''t scream." Greg slipped a chisel from his belt and held it to his side. "And why would we scream, Barry?" Barry held up both hands, showing empty palms in a placating gesture. "Only because it''s shocking, Greg. You won''t be hurt." Greg snorted. ¡°What could startle us enough to scream? We''re grown men and women, Barry. You just told us Fischer was a cultivator, and we all held our composure, did we not?¡± Barry raised an eyebrow, but nodded in acceptance. "Fair enough. Look up, then." They did¡ªsomeone screamed. *** At the rather feminine scream that tore from Brad, Barry struggled not to laugh. He had to admit it was understandable; Greg was directly beneath Pistachio, only half a meter from the leviathan crustacean''s head. Pistachio sat on the loft above, and he raised one giant claw in greeting. As planned, Claws and Snips dropped from the rafters. The former landing in Barry''s arms, the latter landing in Sharon''s. "This," Barry said, "is Corporal Claws. That''s Sergeant Snips, and the awakened lobster waving at you is Private Pistachio." Corporal Claws chirped, nodding her greeting. Barry scratched her head, and she leaned into it, purring with joy. Sergeant Snips blew a steam of happy bubbles, waving one claw at the four strangers. All of them leaned back, and Ruby sat back on a stool. A long silence stretched as they stared around the room, horror clear on their faces. Ruby spoke first. "You would have said that regardless." "You''re right," I said with a laugh. "I would have, but that really was a good cast. Reel the line in so it''s tight, and wait for the fish to come." She did so, and we both sat down. I luxuriated in the sand beneath me, the sound of waves softly crashing, and the small gusts of air that whipped past me, tickling my skin. "I have something to confess, Fischer..." I didn''t open my eyes, enjoying the sun''s rays too much. "What is it?" "... promise you won''t get mad?" I did open my eyes this time, and I shot a look at her. She was apprehensive, her eyes averted. "I promise I won''t get mad." She paused for a long moment, then spoke in a hushed tone. "I told my mom about you being a cultivator. I''m sorry, I was just so excited when I got home, and you can trust her with your secret. We tell each other everything, it''s¡ª" "Oh, that''s all?" I interrupted, laughing. "No worries." Her head darted toward me, her eyebrows raised. "You''re really not angry...?" "Yeah, that''s all good. I told you because I trust you, and you told her because you can trust her, right? I don''t know Sharon that well, but I think I''ve gauged her enough to know she wouldn''t go sharing that information¡ªespecially if it came from you." She stared at me for a long moment. "You are so weird." Her tone held no accusation or insult, so I laughed again. "Yeah, I see that as a feature, though. Who wants to be normal? You''re pretty weird yourself." She giggled, covering her mouth with a hand. "I guess I am, considering I''m happily fishing next to a cultivator right now." I went to say something else, but the rod jerked in the corner of my eye. Maria''s body tensed; she''d felt the bite. She got to her feet, moving the rod so the line didn''t jerk. The tip bounced again as the fish had another taste. I didn''t instruct her; I trusted her with striking when the time was right. Maria''s eyes focused on the rod, and she held the shaft with a firm grip. It jerked one more time, and then the fish struck. Maria pulled the rod up immediately to set the hook, and the battle began. She made an excited noise, and my soul sang in response, feeling second-hand excitement for what she was experiencing. "O-oh!" she said. "It''s big!" The rod was bent almost in half, and as the fish tried to swim away, the rod swayed and pulled with shakes of its head. It tried to swim away, but she kept it in place, winding to bring it closer to the shore. It swam to the left, to the right, then back to the left, but with each passing second, Maria brought it closer and closer. I squinted at the fight, suspecting it might be a new species¡ªI''d not seen a fish move the way it had. As it got close to the shore, it took one last desperate run, but Maria brought it up short. I saw a flash of silver in a wave, and my eyes went wide¡ªit was big! With Maria''s efforts, and the sturdiness of the rod, she dragged it up onto the beach with one last pull. I dashed down to grab it, and after confirming its mouth held no teeth, I held it up for her to see. As I did so, my eyes were drawn into the new species of fish. Mature Sea Bass Rare With a mild and sweet flavor, this fish is a prized salt-water fish of the Kallis realm. It is said to bring luck to anyone who catches and eats this rare creature. "W-woah! It''s huge!" Maria said. "Should we eat it?" "We absolutely should! This should be enough for everyone that wants a taste of fish tonight." With a single movement, I dispatched the fish, taking a moment to thank it. I looked up at Maria. "Do you want to cook it? I have spices I think would pair perfectly with it..." Her eyes sparkled, and she nodded fervently, then her eyebrows narrowed on my torso. "Fischer..." "Yes, Maria?" "... what is that squirming around your belly?" "Oh, this?" I pointed to my shirt, where something was shifting to get comfortable. At my words, the bunny climbed up and poked her head from my shirt. Her ears stood at attention as she peered at Maria, her intelligent eyes glistening. Maria''s mouth dropped open. I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "You remember Cinnamon, right?" Chapter 90: Captive Chapter 90: Captive Trent, the crown prince of Gormona who was currently imprisoned under false pretenses, hit his wooden cup on the metal bars of his door. All he had was a candle to see by, and as the door''s peephole slid open, the bright light of day flooded through. He squinted against the assault before a familiar set of eyes appeared, blocking the sun''s radiance. "Why, good morning, prince," Leroy said, spitting the last word. "What can I do for you?" "Heeeelp!" Trent hollered at the top of his lungs. "Help me! I''m a prince and I''ve been captured!" Leroy sighed, reached behind him, then splashed something through the opening. It slammed into Trent''s face, and he recoiled back, holding his comely features. "What have you done to me? My beautiful face¡ªwhat foul attack is this?" "It''s water, you idiot. Screaming for help won''t help you¡ªwe''ve insulated your room with mulch." Trent glared at his abuser. "Why did you assault me then?" "Because your voice is annoying, and you looked a little thirsty. Now, did you need anything, or was that pitiful attempt at escape all you had for me...?" Trent stood, puffing his chest out. "I demand that you release me. If you let me go now, I''ll put in a good word to my father, the king." Leroy gave him a flat look. "After what you did, you think we''d release you?" "I did nothing wrong!" "You tried to enslave my sister," Leroy replied, his face going dark. Trent waved a hand, dismissing the accusation. "I would have released her after a while. It was only to punish you for your insolence, and I wouldn''t be allowed to keep a non-cultivator collared after we got back to the capital." Leroy''s expression turned thoughtful. "You can remove collars?" "Of course¡ªif one is smart, handsome, and resourceful enough, it''s easy." "So there''s a key?" Trent tried to keep his face neutral, but his eyebrow twitched. "Yes, fine, there''s a key, okay? Now let me out¡ªmy crimes are tenuous, and should you leave me in here, my father will have you executed for this. Your only chance of survival is letting me out." "I''m not letting you out. Anything else?" Trent thought for a moment, then nodded. "I''m bored and hungry. It''s too dark in here, and I have to go to the bathroom." "Why don''t you play a little counting game, then? See how high you can count¡ªif you make it past twenty, I''ll even give you an extra croissant." Trent sniffed. "I didn''t eat my last one. I need proper food¡ªprince food! Not this peasant drivel." Leroy shook his head. "If you knew what they fed us cultivators back in the capital, you''d cry tears of happiness at being given a fresh pastry." "But there''s not even any jam! How am I supposed to eat a dry pastry?" Leroy rubbed his chin. "Tell you what, Trent¡ªif you keep on giving me information on the capital, I''ll organize some jam for you. How does that sound?" Trent, the mastermind that he was, reveled in his successful negotiations. He would have told the jailer for free, but now he had secured blessed jam. It would be a far cry from the sweet treats he was used to, but any sugar-based foodstuffs were always a cause for celebration. He gave Leroy a small smile. "Yes, I suppose that can be arranged..." "Good. If that''s all you had to say, then I''ll be on my way." "Wait! What about the bathroom? I need to use the bathroom!" Leroy pointed in the corner. "I gave you a bucket." "You cannot be serious..." Trent gazed back at what he''d assumed was some sort of peasant drum for entertaining oneself. "That isn''t a musical instrument...?" Leroy raised an eyebrow, staring at him for a long moment. "Go in the bucket, Trent." The peephole slammed closed, and the soft orange light of his candle blossomed following the disappearance of daylight. *** Leroy shook his head as he lifted the bail of sugarcane mulch, placing it back atop the others and covering the peephole. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Leroy?" Barbara asked. "If you need some space from him after everything that happened..." Leroy went to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I''m fine, my love. I promise. Having someone to monitor is a good task for me to focus on." She smiled at him, her eyes brimming with kindness. "If you''re sure..." "I am." He pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tight. He still couldn''t believe that he was back¡ªfree of his collar¡ªand he delighted in Barbara''s touch at every moment possible. As their embrace stretched, Leroy replayed his conversation with the prince, and shook his head with a laugh. "I don''t know what to think about our captive..." Barbara pulled back, smiling at him. "He''s a bit... silly, isn''t he?" "Silly? The guy is a full-blown moron." "You''re sure it''s not an act?" "If it''s an act, he missed his calling as a mummer." Leroy looked back at the door, imagining the idiot playing his waste bucket as a bongo. "He was just as stupid on our way here, and he had no reason to put on a show then. If anything, I think his idiocy is helping him. He''s too daft to work out just how bleak his situation is, and he''d rather negotiate for jam than work out a way to escape¡ªnot that there is any." "Well, I''ll trust your judgment. You know him better than I do." "Of course you can!" "Here," she said, holding Cinnamon out to me. I raised an eyebrow as I grabbed and cuddled the proffered bunny, but then Maria took off. She sprinted, launching herself as she reached the bedside. She crashed down into the pillows, the blanket puffing up at the edges with her collision. A great sigh escaped her as she rolled to her back, lounging on my luxurious sleep vessel. "It''s pretty nice, huh?" I asked. "Nice doesn''t even begin to cover it. I''m not tired, but I feel like I could fall asleep right this second." "Have a nap if you want¡ªthere''s still plenty of time until we need to have the fish ready for tonight." "And miss out on whatever this ¡®shower¡¯ thing is? I should think not!" She got up with great effort, but as she was just about to climb from the bed, she let out a sigh and lay back down. ¡°It''s just so comfy...¡± "Here, I''ll help you." I held out a hand. "You''ll be stuck in there all day otherwise." Her small hand slipped into mine, and I helped her up from the pillowy tomb. I led her out and toward the bathroom, but after we passed another bedroom, she stopped, then walked backward to peek inside. "... you''re serious?" "Er¡ªabout what?" "You have another bed! It''s a little smaller, but the mattress and covering look the same." "Oh, right. I have three spare beds, actually. Check the closed doors." She darted around the room, throwing open the other two doors, letting out an increasingly annoyed groan with each one. "You cannot be serious! Why do you even have four beds?" I shrugged. "Just in case I have mates that need to stay the night." "I know you said the shower was the best feature, but I''m finding that hard to believe..." "Follow me¡ªI''ll let you be the judge of it." I strode down the hallway, gesturing for her to go inside. Her eyebrows knitted as she caught sight of the white-tiled floor and walls, and she peaked around the corner with no small amount of hesitation. "What... what is that?" "That''s a toilet. It''s for, uh, doing your business, you know?" "Oh..." She scrunched her nose. "How do you empty it...?" I walked over and flushed. Maria¡¯s face morphed from confusion, to shock, then to awe, and I laughed. "You don''t empty it¡ªyou press this button, and water washes it away." "Okay, that''s my new favorite feature. Hands down." "That brings us the magnum opus of my humble abode¡ªthe shower." I opened the glass screen and turned on the water. "Oh, wow!" She looked at the falling water, then the toilet, then back at me. "I still think I like the turtlet better." "It''s toilet, but that was close. You haven''t felt the shower''s water yet, though..." As if heralded by my words, the hot water finally came through, and steam started rising from the falling liquid. Maria stared at it, her face going through a series of expressions as comprehension hit her once more. "No. Way." "Yes way," I replied, grinning. "Feel it." She held out a hand under the running water, and a groan escaped her. "This is really, seriously, absolutely not fair. How does it even work?" "As with most things, I have no clue! I do love it, though." "Okay, you were right¡ªthis is the best feature of your home." "Glad you agree! You''re welcome to come try it out sometime." She raised an eyebrow at me. "That was rather forward of you, Fischer..." "I-I meant by yourself," I said in a rush, but when I noticed her smirk, I sighed. "And you call me the big meany..." She covered her mouth with a hand as she laughed at me. "Come on." She patted me on the shoulder and walked from the bathroom. "Let''s get started on the fish. I want to get back and help mom out with the stew at some point." "You know," I said, following her, "the fish won''t take long to cook. Did you want to go help your mom, then come back later? Fish is best eaten soon after it''s cooked." "How long will it take?" "If I get a fire prepared, it''ll only take an hour for seasoning and cooking it." She nodded. "That sounds good! I''ll come back in the afternoon, then?" "Before you go, you should see something." "Oh? What?" I walked to my bedroom and pointed at the door to the ensuite. "You should look in there." She raised an eyebrow, but strode into the room and opened the door to have a hesitant peek. "Woah! You have two toilets?" "Look around the corner." She disappeared from sight, and a shocked gasp escaped her throat. "Hygieia''s cleanly skin!" Her head popped back around the corner, her eyes wide. "There''s another shower back here!" Chapter 91: Revelation Chapter 91: Revelation As I walked through the streets of Tropica, a soft breeze blew between the buildings. My shirt ruffled against my skin, and doubt returned for what must have been the tenth time since leaving home. As with every other time, I shoved them aside; it was time to be honest with myself and have a little faith in those around me. As soon as Maria left to help her mother cook, I¡¯d set off, spurred on by impulse. My stomach fluttered at the thought of the meeting to come, but I embraced the anxiety¡ªaccepted it. The sun was just starting to climb over the rooftops, and its warmth was a blessed distraction; I leaned into the rays beaming down on me. When I arrived at the building, I held one hand up to knock on the door and paused, a hint of nervousness making my hand shake. I closed my eyes and firmed my resolve; my knuckles rapped three times, announcing my presence. The door swung open, and Joel, the leader of the Cult of Carcinization, appeared before me. ¡°Good¡ªoh! Good morning, Fischer!¡± ¡°G¡¯day, Joel. How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing great! How are you?¡± ¡°Always a good day here in Tropica, mate.¡± He threw the door wider, smiling at me. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more. Did you want to come in? Jess has just gone to get some coffee and breakfast for us, but we¡¯ll be doing a meditation when she gets back.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, but today is gonna be a bit busy for me. I actually came to show you something.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± His eyebrows rose. ¡°What did you want to show me?¡± ¡°Can you come down to the beach for a bit? It¡¯s probably easier to show you than explain.¡± ¡°Will it take long? I don¡¯t want to worry Jess if she finds me gone...¡± I shook my head. ¡°Won¡¯t take long at all. I just wanted to introduce you to someone.¡± His eyebrows rose, then furrowed. ¡°Someone?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate¡ªyou¡¯ll just have to trust me on this one. You won¡¯t regret it.¡± *** Soft waves were crashing on the shore when we arrived. Foam and bubbles pushing up onto the shore before slowly receding back, and as I watched the ocean¡¯s movement, I felt another weight lift from my shoulders. ¡°Uh, Fischer...?¡± ¡°Yes, Joel?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one here.¡± ¡°Sure there is! Right about....¡± I pointed out at the waves, feeling my target. ¡°There.¡± Joel squinted, holding his hand up to block the sun¡¯s light. ¡°I don¡¯t see...¡± Joel trailed off as Sergeant Snips, in all her spiked, eyepatch-wearing glory, walked from the surf. She ambled up the sand, taking slow and deliberate steps¡ªjust as I¡¯d instructed her. Joel¡¯s look of boredom and annoyance was swiftly replaced by shock, confusion, perhaps a touch of denial, and finally, awe. ¡°This,¡± I said, gesturing at the mighty Snips, ¡°is who I wanted to introduce you to.¡± Joel dropped to his knees on the sand as he stared at the approaching crab. He let out a whimper and tears welled in his eyes. ¡°Carcinus¡¯ blessed claw...¡± He prostrated himself before the powerful crustacean, pressing his forehead into the sand. ¡°You can get up, mate. She won¡¯t hurt you.¡± Joel¡¯s tear-streaked face turned toward me. ¡°I can get up? Fischer, this is an ascendant creature¡ªno, an ascendant crab, the most noble and respectable of all beasts. It would be blasphemy to not show deference to such a deity. Bow with me. Show it deference¡ªquickly.¡± Joel¡¯s words were breathy, and I started to worry that meeting Snips might be too much for him. I bent to rub the Sergeant on her hard carapace to show him she was friendly. Her eye half-closed in delight, and she leaned into my scritches. ¡°She¡¯s certainly deserving of respect, but I wouldn¡¯t call Sergeant Snips a deity.¡± ¡°She? S-Seargent Snips?¡± He shot to his feet, his eyes going wild. ¡°You dare presume to name such a magnificent being something so childish? You dare presume its gender?¡± ¡°Whoa¡ªeasy, Joel. No need to get in a tizzy.¡° ¡°A tizzy?¡± He poked me in the chest with a finger. ¡°I could see you punished for such blatant disrespect of my faith, you¡ª¡± His words cut off as a blur of orange shot past me. *** Joel¡¯s words died in his throat as something cold, hard, and wet clamped itself around his neck. He gulped and slowly looked down; the ascendant crab¡¯s claw was firmly pressed to either side of his neck. Hadn¡¯t it just been on the other side of Fisher? He thought. I didn¡¯t even see it move, how¡ª ¡°Sergeant Snips!¡± Fisher admonished. ¡°That¡¯s taking things too far. You put that claw away right now, missy!¡± ¡°What?¡± Jess shot to her feet. ¡°Where?¡± Joel leaned against the door, sliding down it to sit on the floor. ¡°Fischer...¡± ¡°Fischer saw a cultivator?¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°You¡¯re not making sense, Joel. Here.¡± She passed him a coffee, and he sipped it, the golden liquid wetting his dry throat. Then, without skipping a single detail, he recounted his tale. Jess listened intently, her face going through the same range of emotions that Joel had. As his story wound on, and he got to Fischer¡¯s warning, Jess¡¯s face went pale. ¡°Your shoulder¡ªtake off your robe.¡± Joel slid it down, and right where Fischer had grasped him, a red mark remained, outlining the cultivator¡¯s hand. Jess let out a gasp and lowered herself to the floor beside him. ¡°So, Fisher is a cultivator...¡± Her eyebrows knitted as she chewed her lip. ¡°... and he¡¯s strong enough to control awakened beasts? I thought that was only spoken of in legends...¡± ¡°I guess so...¡± ¡°Where does that leave us? A creature has awakened in our lifetime, one with the superior form of a crab, but she¡¯s subservient to a human...¡± Jess continued chewing her lip, and Joel gazed at her with distant eyes, his thoughts similarly muddied. ¡°Hang on a second,¡± she said, her posture stiffening. ¡°What if we¡¯ve read the situation wrong?¡± ¡°Wrong? How?¡± ¡°What if she¡¯s the mastermind behind the entire meeting...?¡± ¡°That... that has to be it!¡± Joel leaped at the possibility, unwilling to admit the deity they¡¯d long waited for could be subservient to a mere human. ¡°But... what¡¯s the purpose behind her subterfuge?¡± ¡°What if she¡¯s in danger...?¡± They both stared at each other for a long moment, and Jess was the first to lose her composure. A smile crept onto her face, made all the more hilarious by her trying to hide it behind pressed-together lips and an unconvincing smile. Joel descended into laughter, and Jess joined him. Their joy rang out until their breaths were labored, and Joel¡¯s ribs hurt. ¡°Ah, I needed that, Jess. Thank you,¡± he said, wiping an eye. ¡°As if a human could be more powerful than an ascendent crab. Seriously, though¡ªwhy would she try to deceive us...?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think she could have been trying to contact us, do you?¡± Joel¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°What if she heard our prayers? Could our meditations have been what leant her the strength to ascend?¡± Their energy was feeding off each other¡¯s, and Jess¡¯s eyes went manic. ¡°What else could it be? We move here, and suddenly a crab awakens? We have to be the source. That doesn¡¯t answer why she¡¯s pretending to serve Fischer, though...¡± ¡°Okay, alright, don¡¯t freak out, Joel,¡± he said to himself. ¡°You need to work this out. Think, Joel¡ªthink! What is her purpose in pretending to be Fischer¡¯s subordinate?¡± He rubbed his temples, focusing his attention there to stimulate thought. Then, it hit him. ¡°By Carcinus¡¯ calamitous carapace! I¡¯ve worked it out, Jess!¡± ¡°What, Joel?¡± She shot to her feet. ¡°You worked what out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a test! Don¡¯t you see?¡± He stood, gripping her shoulders. ¡°She¡¯s trialing us, seeing if we have the requisite intellect to properly serve!¡± ¡°Holy frack!¡± Jess shot to her feet. ¡°We have to contact her as soon as possible to let her know!¡± ¡°Holy what?¡± Jess made a dismissive gesture. ¡°It¡¯s just something I heard in town¡ªI don¡¯t know what it means, but it¡¯s sure catchy¡ªwait, that¡¯s not important right now!We need to go find the crab!¡± ¡°No¡ªwe have to play it cool, Jess. You¡¯re thinking as a human¡ªif we make a move too soon, we might appear to be hasty. We need to show her we take the proper time to think things through.¡± ¡°Ugh. Stupid, Jess. Stupid, stupid, stupid!¡± She punctuated each ¡®stupid¡¯ with a slap to her forehead. Joel gave her a kind smile. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. We are of an incomplete form¡ªit¡¯s only natural that we¡¯d be inferior to a mighty crab.¡± She took a deep, centering breath, then sighed it out. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªI¡¯m sorry for the outburst. It¡¯s just so frustrating inhabiting this fleshy body sometimes...¡± ¡°I know what you mean. Mere existence is a constant reminder of our inferiority, but now that we have a deity to serve, we can at least be of use to one of superior form.¡± ¡°Hang on a second...¡± Jess¡¯s brows creased in concentration, then she looked up at him with growing wonder. ¡°If we have a deity to serve, does that mean...?¡± ¡°... we¡¯re a church?¡± Joel finished with a manic grin. ¡°That¡¯s right, Jess.¡± He stuck out his chest, not hiding his pride. ¡°From today, we are henceforth known as the Church of Carcinization, and we¡¯ll be the first congregation in millennia to raise a god into the pantheon.¡± Chapter 92: Feast Chapter 92: Feast The wind flowed past me, funneling through my back door via the back deck. I stood in the doorway, my clothes rippling under the assault. I held my arms out, closed my eyes, and basked in the sensation. As the moment of mindfulness stretched on, a profound calm washed over me, deeper than the ocean. "This one, Fischer?" Maria asked, luring me back to reality. I glanced over at her through half-closed eyes, and she giggled. "Just so you''re aware, you look ridiculous right now." I still had my arms outstretched, and the breeze billowing through was inflating my shirt as it poured into my sleeves. "It''s called fashion, Maria. I''m told looking like a marshmallow is all the rage amongst the kids these days." "Do I even want to know what a marshmallow is?" "It''s a little pillow of sugary bliss." She raised an eyebrow. "Another thing from your old life?" I nodded and walked back inside, closing the door and cutting off the wind. "It''s food. I don''t know how to make them, but maybe we can try... they go well with a babyccino." "A what?" "It''s a coffee for kids¡ªbasically just frothed milk with a bit of choccy powder." "Choccy?" She shook her head at me. "You know, half the time when you answer a question, I just get more confused." I laughed. "Yeah, my bad. Forget I said anything. What did you ask before?" "When you were standing in the doorway like a marshmallow? I asked if this was the one you wanted to use¡ªyou said the middle one, right?" She pointed at the medium-sized tray of the three arrayed on the counter, and I nodded. "That''s the one!" I got the fish from the sink and set it in the tray, then cast my gaze over the spices arrayed in front of us. "Are any of these speaking to you?" "Speaking to me? I thought you''d have an idea." "I do¡ªI''ve tried all the ones here, and I''m pretty sure they''ll pair well with fish." Maria hummed and rubbed her chin, stopping when her eyes met a shaker of finely chopped leaves. She sprinkled a liberal amount over the fish, then nodded to herself. "Perfect." I knew the herb was similar to sage, and it paired well with fish when I''d used it before. "What made you choose that one?" I asked. "The shade of green is pretty." A laugh escaped my throat. "As good a reason as any, I suppose. It will go well with lemon." I pointed at another container. "Add a sprinkle of that, I reckon." "What is it?" she asked, adding it to the tray. "No idea¡ªit has a lovely, peppery kick to it, though." I looked at the fish and cocked my head to the side. "One more pinch." She obliged, adding the same amount as before. "Perfect. That should do it, I reckon. A bit of salt and lemon after it cooks, and the fish should be delicious." "What now?" I grabbed the larger tray and set it atop the one with the fish inside, making the best moisture seal I could. "Now, we cook." *** "Uh, Fischer?" "Yeah?" I replied as I bent and put the fish atop the bed of coals. "What are those sticks for?" She was looking at the torches I''d spent most of the day making while she was helping her mother cook. "They are called tiki torches where I''m from. They''re for mood lighting." "Mood lighting? Do you put candles on them?" "Oh, no. They are the candles." She looked at me, the tiki torches, then back at me. "Are you alright if we skip the back-and-forth of me being confused and you just skip straight to explaining how you''re gonna use sticks as torches?" "But your confusion is half the fun..." She rolled her eyes at me. "Just pretend we already had the conversation, I was sufficiently confused, and you got delight from it like the sadist you are." "Woah, sadist?" I asked, laughing. "You must have been really confused in this hypothetical." "I was¡ªit was rather embarrassing." "Alright, I guess we can skip straight to the explanation. See the wick extending from the top? That leads to a container of oil I got from Fergus. The oil burns rather than the wick, and as the fuel is burned away, more oil soaks up toward the flame." "... that works?" "Well, in theory. I only made them today, so they could also just explode. I''d keep my distance." I winked at her, and she shook her head with a laugh. What I didn''t mention was that each torch had transformed when I crafted them, so I doubted they wouldn''t work. I started setting up the table and wooden chairs I''d borrowed from Brad and Greg. The table was only large enough to hold the dishes of food everyone was bringing, so I set out the chairs in a ring around the fire. Maria stood with her arms crossed, and she chewed her lip in thought. "What are you thinking?" I asked, placing the last chair. "I was trying to work out if you were kidding about the torches exploding or not..." *** The last rays of sunlight were fading over the western mountains when my guests arrived. Sharon and Roger¡ªthe former carrying a tray of fresh-baked rolls, the latter wielding a giant pot of stew and an impressive scowl¡ªstepped through the gate first. Close behind them were Barry, Helen, and Paul. Barry carried a crate of glass bottles, Helen had a tray covered in a tea towel, and their son, Paul, toddled behind carrying a board absolutely covered in bowls, plates, cups, and cutlery. "Hello, Fischer! " Paul yelled, a wide grin plastered over his face. "G''day, everyone! You''re just in time¡ªthe fish will be ready soon." "Add your own salt to taste," I said, pointing at the small container I''d set out. "Same as the lemon¡ªless might be more." As everyone stood to add salt, I took in the surrounding faces. It was a new experience for most of them, and everyone''s features projected a mix of joy, anticipation, curiosity, and childlike wonder. Even Roger exhibited the same expression, but it had nothing to do with the fish¡ªhe was just really into lamb stew. ¡°Alright,¡± I said. ¡°Dig in, guys.¡± As everyone took a bite, I watched their faces intently. I was worried about one opinion in particular, and I kept my gaze firmly pinned on Paul as he took his first tentative bite. His little eyebrows furrowed at first, but as the flavors hit his tongue, they flew up. His eyes darted to his parents. "You like it?" Helen asked, covering her mouth. "Mhmm!" he replied, nodding his head comically fast as he continued chewing. I grinned at him, knowing I''d pleased the harshest critic¡ªfish could be an acquired taste, and it pretty was hit or miss with children. Unable to wait any longer, I picked up a forkful and scooped it into my mouth. The first things that hit my senses were butter and salt. Then, I chewed the meat. It was a mature fish of a bigger species than most, so the fibers were larger. Despite this, the tender flesh melted in my mouth. As the fish''s structure disappeared, the flavors hit me. First came the subtle hints of sage and pepper, but then butter''s fatty richness spread over my mouth, threatening to overwhelm everything else¡ªuntil lemon joined the fray. The citrus cut through the butter''s heaviness, and all the tastes became one, dancing across my taste buds as I chewed. I swallowed, and the flavors lingered, continuing their enticing dance. Realizing I had my eyes closed and hadn''t heard a peep from anyone else, I held my breath as I looked around the circle. Then, a chorus really did erupt. Most simply made noises of delight, but there were a few curses to gods I didn''t know sprinkled in. I cast a grin over them all, stopping only when my eyes landed on Maria. Her eyes were closed, her shoulders low, and a serene smile covered her face as she chewed. "Looks like your choice of seasoning was a winner, Maria¡ªwe''ve well and truly arrived at flavortown." She peered at me, her eyes half-lidded in delight. "I don''t even know what to say, Fischer. I could eat this forever..." Roger, having polished off what must have been his fourth bowl of stew, darted a suspicious gaze around the campfire. "It can''t be that good..." "Try some," Sharon said. "No, I don''t think I¡ª" Faster than he could respond, she dipped her fork in the juices and put it in his mouth. His eyebrows narrowed, then just as Paul''s had, they shot up. "I... I suppose I could try one bite..." Sharon passed him the fork, and he selected a tiny chunk from her plate. He placed it in his mouth, and I watched his gruff features melt away. A confused ¡°mmm?¡± escaped him, and Maria and I beamed at each other before eating more of our respective plates. Each bite was pleasant as the last, and before I knew it, there was nothing left. "Anyone for seconds?" They all wanted more, and only Roger said nothing. "Did you want a plate, mate?" He tensed and relaxed his jaw for a long moment. "He can have some of mine," Sharon said, saving him from his moral conundrum. I produced another lemon, sliced it into wedges, and we all enjoyed a second plate. We''d eaten one side of the fish, and as I turned it over, I made a shocked noise. "Oh, no!" I shook my head and sighed. "I must have made the fire too hot¡ªthe bottom is completely burnt. Sorry, everyone." "No need to apologize, Fischer!" Barry said. "I don''t know about everyone else, but if I have another bite, I won''t have any room for dessert." I gave him my best wincing smile. "I''ll go get rid of it before the pan is ruined¡ªback in a moment." As I carried the tray into the dark of night, Maria shot me a knowing smile, and I gave her a wink. I walked toward my house, and when I rounded the headland''s corner, I caught sight of my friends. I dashed over to them and set the tray down. "Here you go, guys!" Sergeant Snips, Corporal Claws, Pistachio, and Rocky crept forward, their eyes gleaming as the rising steam called to them. I pulled a length of sugarcane Barry had slipped me and held it out to Cinnamon; she bounded over and immediately bit into it, plucking it from my open palm. "Alright, gang¡ªenjoy, okay?" I turned and strode back to the fire, and as I arrived, Helen was slicing into and dishing out a pie. Barry was pouring drinks, combining his rum with a pitcher that held sugarcane juice. "Did you want some, Fischer?" "I''ll have what everyone else is having, Barry." Understanding my meaning, he gave me a nod and poured another drink from the same jug. He brought it over to me with a small plate of dessert that looked like apple pie, but with a hint of purple added. "The color is what throws me off when I try to replicate this, Helen," Sharon said. "I''ve tried every fruit possible, but just can''t work out what gives it that odd flavor..." Curious, I took a bite. The pastry was chewy and buttery, and if not for the filling, would have been too much. That filling, though... it was sweet and syrupy, filled with chunks of apple, lots of sugar, and something familiar. I raised my eyebrows and looked at Helen. "It''s wild berries, isn''t it?" Helen''s eyebrows climbed as she gave me an appraising gaze. "... I guess the secret''s out of the bag... the mystery ingredient is wild berries that grow in the forest to the west." Maria inhaled sharply. "I knew I recognized the flavor of those berries!" Sharon, whose face was spread in a glorious smile after learning of the ingredient that had evaded her for so long, darted a look at her daughter. "You know the berries, Maria?" "Yeah! Fischer showed them to me while we were away on our camping trip." As they spoke about the recipe, I took a sip of the rum. I didn''t have high expectations, but they were immediately shattered; it was delicious. "Damn, Barry¡ªthis is seriously good." He beamed and took a sip, letting out a content sigh afterward. "I thought so too, but I''m glad you agree." "It reminds me of something where I''m from, though I suppose that makes sense given it''s also a sugarcane rum." Barry gave me a shocked expression. "You''ve already tried sugarcane rum?" "Yeah, it''s really popular where I''m from, but is sort of looked down on by people from anywhere else. Personally, though..." I took another sip, and it made me feel at home. "I love the stuff." "Well, there''s plenty more where that came from." He smirked at me. "I can make your next cup stronger if you like." With the pie finished, the feast was complete, and the drinking began. Chapter 93: The Summoning Chapter 93: The Summoning I leaned against Barry for support as I tried to stand. "Barry." "Aye?" The world spun, and I grinned at him. "You''re the best, mate." "No, Fischer," he slurred. "You''re the best." "Yes, yes¡ªyou''re both the best," Maria said, helping us stand upright. "No," Roger said. I darted my head toward him, raised an eyebrow, and wobbled a little from the sudden shift in perspective. "Sharon¡ª" Roger hiccuped. "Sharon''s the best." Sharon, who was also drunk, but had stopped before we''d cracked into Barry''s private reserve, patted his hand. "Thank you, dear. I also think you''re the best." Roger''s head wobbled as he tried to focus on her. "I love you so much, you know that?" She laughed and got to her feet. "I think it''s time we get you home, dear¡ªit''s well past midnight." Roger stood abruptly and immediately fell back into his chair. "Lots of work to do tomorrow," he mumbled, sounding as if his mouth were full of molasses. Sharon held out a hand, and he grasped it. She tried to help him to his feet, but she tottered over and fell atop him. She laughed at herself as she got back to her feet and helped Roger up. He put an arm over her shoulder, and she held him around the waist. "Fischer. Barry." Roger nodded. "Goodbye." I threw my hand up, waving at them. "Thanks again for the food, guys. You were lovely." I narrowed my eyes at myself¡ªthat wasn''t right... "I mean, the stew was lovely. The best¡ªabsolute tastiest stew I''ve ever had. Thank you." "You''re most welcome," Sharon said, smiling at me. "See you all tomorrow." "Gods above, your stew Sharon," Roger slurred as they walked away. "If we weren''t already married, I''d..." His voice trailed off as they closed the gate behind them, and I heard Sharon giggle from the dark of night. I spun back toward Maria and Barry¡ªtoo fast, evidently, as I almost fell over. Maria grasped my shoulder, holding me upright, and I beamed my most charming smile at her. "You know what, Maria? You''re the best." *** Maria saw Fischer wobble and grabbed him by the shoulder. "You know what, Maria? You''re the best." He smiled at her, his face flushed and one eye closed slightly more than the other. She laughed at just how drunk he was. She wasn''t sure if they were all lightweights, or if Barry''s second batch of rum was that strong, but once the two men remaining had cracked open that bottle, Barry only had one drink, and Fischer had three, yet here they were, absolutely ¡°plastered¡±, as Fischer kept saying. Barry, finally registering what Fischer had said, nodded his agreement. "It''s true, Maria. Your whole family¡ªI''m so glad we''re neighbors, you know that? I love you all so much." She pet him on the shoulder. "Love you too, Barry." "Thank you." He wobbled and turned to the look around, confusion clear on his face. "Where¡¯s Helen?" Fischer barked a laugh. "She took Paul to bed ages ago, mate¡ªyou''re drunk." "Ohhh, that''s right." Fischer slung an arm around his shoulder. "Barry..." He leaned in, conspiratorial. "I felt something odd tonight..." Fischer tilted sideways, but Barry pulled him back. "Thanks mate, but stop changing the subject. Have you been giving Helen sugarcane juice?" Barry, with all the agility of an inebriated donkey, slowly spun his head toward Fischer. "... maybe," he replied, giggling. "Oh, you scoundrel!" They both laughed, heads going back as they roared their delight. Maria, not having the first clue what they were talking about, shook her head with a smile. Barry rubbed his cheeks, his giggles still coming in small bursts. "Ah, I needed that. I should get going, though. Roger was right¡ªthere''s a lot of work to do tomorrow." "Are you alright to get home by yourself?" she asked. "Me? I''m fine," he slurred, sounding anything but. "I''ll see you two tomorrow." Barry ambled off, swaying chaotically with each step. "See ya, mate!" Fischer called, entirely too loud, and Barry held a hand above his head, waving goodbye. "Alright, Fischer," Maria said. "Let''s get you to bed." He nodded, hiccuped, then paused. "What on Kallis are you made of, Fischer? You''re lean but heavy as stone." "I grew big and strong from eating so much fish." He flexed an arm; Maria snorted and patted his chest. "If you say so." Fischer let out a sigh as he stretched his arms out, rubbing them over his cool sheets. "Ahhh, my sweet, sweet bed. I missed you." Maria bent and pulled up his blankets, and when she brought them up to his face, she paused. Fischer''s eyes were closed, a broad smile stretched over his face. She stared at him for a long moment, her heart fluttering, then she bent and kissed him on the forehead. "Goodnight, Fischer," she said, running fingers through his hair. Fischer didn''t respond; he''d already fallen asleep. Maria walked from the room, gave the sleeping heretic one last glance, then closed the door behind her. *** When Maria got home, her mother was waiting for her. Sharon¡¯s face was grim, and Maria¡¯s thoughts of Fischer were immediately whisked away. ¡°Mom...? What¡¯s wrong...?¡± Sharon gave her a sad smile. ¡°I need to tell you something, Maria. I probably shouldn¡¯t, but as your mother... what choice do I have?¡± ¡°Mom... you¡¯re scaring me. What is it...?¡± Her mother put her head in her hands, clearly conflicted. She stayed in the position for a long moment, and when she looked back up, her jaw was set, her eyes unyielding. ¡°It¡¯s about Fischer. There¡¯s something you should know before things between you develop any further...¡± *** Some hours later, atop a two-story building in Tropica, Gary, the lone disciple of the Cult of the Leviathan¡¯s Tropica branch, let out a tired sigh. "The sun will be up soon..." Sebastian said nothing, merely growled, so Gary peered at him. Sweat poured from Sebastian''s forehead, and his entire body was tense, trembling with the effort. "Maybe it will work tomorrow..." Gary tried, but other than a deepening scowl, there was no response from Sebastian. Gary sighed again and looked up at the stars above. "Gary..." Sebastian ground out, his voice shaky. "Yes, Master?" "Can you not feel that, Gary?" "Erm, feel what, Master?" Sebastian''s breaths were heavy, and a handful rang out into the night before he responded. "We''re almost there¡ªsomething is coming. But..." His speech paused, his lungs working like bellows before continuing. "I need you to help. Focus, Gary. Close your eyes and do your damned job!" The last work came as a screech, and Gary winced. I hope that didn''t wake anyone up, he thought. Mrs Jenkins next door has it hard enough with a young child. An unhinged man screaming in the middle of the¡ª "Gary!" Sebastian yelled again. "Focus!" Jolted from his thoughts, Gary let out a sigh. Maybe if I try for a bit, he''ll let me go to bed... He closed his eyes and tried to send his awareness down into the ground, just as Sebastian had instructed repeatedly. He imagined moving down through the roof, past the ground floor, and deep into the sandy soil that was Tropica''s foundation. To Gary''s immeasurable surprise, something was there. His eyebrows furrowed as he sensed a power below, something that seemed to reach for him. It was far, far away, but his soul subconsciously leapt at the challenge, and before he knew it, he was beckoning it forward. Sweat sprouted from his forehead, yet he barely felt it. The bulk of his awareness was grasping below, clutching for that which wanted to be freed. Something else was there beside him, and after a moment of bewilderment, he realized it was Sebastian, similarly calling the power forward. "Good, Gary..." his Master ground out through gritted teeth. At Sebastian''s praise, Gary realized his error. He snapped back to his body, his eyes going wide; he''d been helping! There really was something coming, something which Sebastian intended to sic on Fischer, and he had been complicit. Gary focused on the surrounding roof, trying to ignore the power below. No, not a power, he realized. Acreature... Now that he was no longer helping, he''d hoped the thing¡¯s attention would spiral back down, but his hopes were dashed when he felt it still coming, growing stronger with each passing second. He focused on Sebastian. The leader''s body was drenched in sweat, shaking violently from the effort he exerted. Gary shot to his feet. If I attack him, distract him, maybe¡ª A pulse of energy slammed into him, and he fell to his knees, his vision going fuzzy. As his vision cleared, he watched a grin spread over Sebastian''s face. It started small, vaguely content, but grew into something vicious within the space of a breath. The air between them condensed, and reality itself shattered. A crack tore into existence, oozing black smoke darker than night. A paw the size of Gary''s head stepped through, and hopelessness took him as he realized the summoning was a success. Chapter 94: The Defense Force Chapter 94: The Defense Force I woke from a dreamless sleep and sat upright as something punched me in the stomach. My eyes darted around the room, but I was alone. I brought a hand to my abdomen and felt it for pain¡ªthere was none; all that remained was a vague sense of wrongness. Was I dreaming, but can¡¯t remember it...? The needs of my body yelled out, and I shook my head, laughing. ¡°Guess I just needed to pee...¡± Something made a questioning squeak from beside me, and I glanced over, seeing Cinnamon¡¯s ears alert, her gaze fixed on me in alarm. ¡°Sorry, little one. Go back to sleep, alright?¡± She relaxed as I reached a hand out and stroked her fur. I lifted the blanket, and she hopped under it, immediately curling into a ball. ¡°Good girl,¡± I said in my most-reassuring tone. I shot from bed and immediately fell over. ¡°Damn, Barry¡ªwhat was in that rum?¡± I asked aloud, my head spinning. I barely remembered Maria helping me back to bed, but from what I could recall, I was even drunker now. Using the doorway for support, I lurched from my bedroom and made for my front door. As I opened it, a cool breeze hit me, and I swayed there for a moment, enjoying the sensation. ¡°What a beautiful night...¡± *** A pulse of power slammed in Sergeant Snips, and her eye shot open. Rocky made a hiss from beside her; he¡¯d felt it too. She dashed from the pond, sitting on the sands as her awareness flooded out, trying to grasp what was happening. Rocky and Pistachio joined her a moment later, and they all looked to the north. The moment stretched on, and just as her worry was receding, something appeared. Its power was distant, muted, yet undeniably strong. They shared a look, then took off toward it. *** Corporal Claws¡¯ head darted around, scanning the surrounding buildings. She¡¯d fallen asleep while watching the two idiots on the roof, but woke when something slammed into her. It seemed to come from right beside her, and she peeked her head over the roof, checking for any danger. She saw the two idiots, one on his knees, the other grinning maniacally. When the air shattered and a leg stepped through the rent, her heart skipped a beat. She¡¯d intended to attack whatever it was, but as she felt its strength, her body froze. She needed backup. The next second, she launched herself from the building, her legs wreathed in lightning as she shot away. *** Barry¡¯s eyes flew open as something almost physical punched him in the gut. He sprang up, glancing around the room. Helen let out a gasp beside him as she sat up, her eyes wide. ¡°What... what was that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go see.¡± His head felt woolen, but most of the rum¡¯s effect was gone, no doubt cleared away by his new body. He took a moment to thank himself for not making his drink as strong as Fischer¡¯s, and with each step toward his bedroom door, his mind cleared a little more. As he swung the door open, something vast and unknown appeared to the north-east, coalescing from nowhere, and he took an involuntary breath. Helen whimpered behind him; she¡¯d felt it too. ¡°Stay here,¡± he said, then ran toward it. *** The light of a half-moon lit my way, and I gazed up at the blanket of stars. Looking up was a mistake; I immediately missed a step and stumbled. ¡°Oof,¡± I said with a laugh. ¡°That rum got me good.¡± I focused on my steps as I hobbled over to the ocean and started relieving myself. I took another deep breath, making a satisfied sigh as I exhaled it. ¡°What a beautiful night...¡± *** Water flooded from Snips as she activated her ability. She launched to the side, placed her right claw under the hunched and prepared-for-flight Rocky, then fired him at the hound. She dashed just behind him, her water-powered stride easily matching the airborne crustacean. As Rocky reached the dog, he slammed both claws closed, and duel explosions ripped out, slamming into the creature¡¯s flank and causing Rocky to fly back from the blasts. The hound rocked to the side, just in time for Snips to release the energy stored in her left claw. The blue-tinted arc shot forward and cut into the dog¡¯s side. She¡¯d hoped it would slice right through the thing, but as the energy hit, pitch-black smoke roiled out and caught the attack, taking most of the power away. The arc had left a shallow cut, but shadowy wisps leaked from the wound and formed into flesh and skin once more. The creature opened its maw and snapped at her. The serpent¡¯s head lashed out, ?glistening fangs descending faster than Snips could react. Private Pistachio¡¯s targeted blast hit the beast, throwing its head into its own tail, throwing both mouths off course. Its vicious jaws slammed shut on open air, the snake¡¯s head hissed, and Snips darted back, making space. A blur of blue sparked in Snips¡¯ peripheral vision, and before Snips could turn her eye, an aggressively chirping Corporal Claws slammed into the creature¡¯s side. Lightning spread from Claws¡¯ body into the hound, and it shook as electricity ran through it. Snips prepared to launch another attack, but more movement caught her eye. Leroy slid toward them, a green glow surrounding his hands, his feet wrapped in vines that carried him forward. He moved at impressive speed, and when he was twenty meters from the hound, he stopped and slammed his fist into the ground. Thick roots shot up around the still-trembling creature, cinching its legs and holding it in place. ¡°Kill it!¡± he yelled, holding his fist firmly pressed against the sand. Snips shot forward, collecting power in both claws. Pistachio cocked back his claw once more, preparing to fire another blast. Rocky scuttled toward it, both clackers held high and ready to blow. Corporal Claws shot off the sand, a toothy grin across her face and lightning sparking from her body. Barry arrived, and he kicked off the sand, flying at the hound with one hand held back, ready to punch out. Roots held the creature down, lightning flared, claws slammed closed, a punch descended, and Snips witnessed every single attack miss. The hound went transparent, a victorious grin of needle-sharp teeth displayed for all to see. The abilities all met in the center of its form and detonated on one another as the powers clashed in a violent explosion. Barry, Claws, and Rocky, who were closest to the epicenter, all flew back, thrown by the explosive force. The creature became tangible again, and chains of smoke flooded from it, wrapping around them all in the blink of a cultivator-empowered eye. The smoke solidified, and a spear of dread wedged itself deep within Snips¡ªthe darker-than-night shackles had encased her, and she couldn¡¯t move a limb. The creature hunched, collected strength in its muscles, and burst forward. Instead of attacking anyone, it simply vanished from existence. Snips felt it appear elsewhere, and her dread rose higher than a king tide under a full moon. It was by the headland, near her master¡¯s abode, and Snips was held in place. *** When I finished relieving myself, I set my hands on my hips, letting out another sigh as I gazed at the hypnotically swaying ocean before me. My swimming vision made the churning water even more intense, and I smiled. It really was a beautiful night. Something appeared beside me on the rocks, and I squinted, trying to make out what it was. ¡°Snips? Is that you?¡± It crept forward, not making a sound. Not Snips, I thought. It¡¯s on four legs. My vision warped, making the creature appear far bigger than it was. No way, I thought. Is that what I think it is...? I held my breath, unbelieving of what I saw. With a broad grin, I got low, not wanting to scare it away, then held out a hand for it to sniff. ¡°Pss. Pss. Pss. Heeere, kitty kitty.¡± Chapter 95: Such Power Chapter 95: Such Power Following the gods¡¯ departure, the hellhound had spent what felt like millennia in a sort of stasis. Over the course of weeks, his awareness had slowly returned as power once more trickled through the world he inhabited. The hound had hoped the returning power heralded the gods¡¯ coming home¡ªwhat else could return the world¡¯s equilibrium, if not the gods¡¯ return, after all? Alas, his god hadn¡¯t returned¡ªnone of them had. Worse, the trickle of power wasn¡¯t enough to wake his father, leaving the hellhound alone in the realm of shadow. Given his solitude, it was a welcome occurrence when he was summoned forth to the land of the living. The relic used was as old as it was restrictive; he was limited in the actions he could take. As much as he would have liked to continue toying with the ascendant children atop the sand, the hound¡¯s stay in this realm was limited. Thus, he had left them behind and headed for the one person they contracted him to devour. He didn¡¯t enjoy killing for killing¡¯s sake; any contract completed was done in his god¡¯s service, and doing so was his goal¡ªhis very purpose. Despite not enjoying death for the sake of it, the hellhound had come to expect a certain level of fear from his targets. Thus, when the mortal didn¡¯t show fear, and instead crouched low and beckoned him closer, he became filled with rage. If the mortal wouldn¡¯t show terror, he¡¯d give the man something to fear. He lunged forward, propelled forward by writhing shadows. He opened his jaw, ready to take a bite from the foolish mortal before him. *** ¡°Pss. Pss. Pss. Heeere, kitty kitty,¡± I said, one hand holding my inebriated-body steady, the other extended forward, beckoning the black cat toward me. I was filled with notions of having a cute house-cat companion, and I¡¯d already begun planning what fish to feed it. Oooooh, perhaps a feast? I thought. Cats love fish, right? Maybe I should let it try all the fish! Black cats were said to be bad luck, but I wouldn¡¯t let a silly superstition stop me from acquiring kitty cuddles. I hunched my body lower, doing everything I could to entice the cat toward me.?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com With a hand out, hunched over like I was doing one of Joel¡¯s crab meditations, and with my drunken-booty swaying all over, the tone of the fortuitous encounter shifted. The cat leapt forward, and even in my alcohol-riddled state, I caught the flash of vicious teeth. ¡°W-woah! Bad kitty!¡± *** Sergeant Snips, first disciple of Fischer, was sending herself into an apoplectic rage. Her entire body was restricted, and all she could do was seethe and wait. If it were only a few limbs stuck, she¡¯d have happily severed them to ensure her master¡¯s safety, but the shadowy chains held her entire body. Her eye roamed around, looking at everyone else on the sands. Claws, Barry, and Rocky were only just starting to stir after being hit by the backlash, while Pistachio and Leroy shared Snips¡¯ rage, both males fighting against the chains that bound them. Snips, left absent choice, tried something drastic. Billowing water poured out of her, and she pushed every drop of her essence out, her core trembling under the effort. She pictured the shifting clouds becoming blades, turning razer-sharp like the arcs she shot from her claws. The blue liquid along the back of her claws responded best, and she focused every ounce of hope on them, watching as the ability flattened, transformed, and started cutting into the chains. Just... a bit... more... *** ¡°W-woah! Bad kitty!¡± I fell back, instinctively kicking out with one foot to keep the cat at bay. My foot connected and my vision flashed white as my head struck the rocks. I lay on the rocky shore for a long moment before sitting up as I looked around for the creature, but it was gone. Wincing, I rubbed my head, not looking forward to the headache I¡¯d probably wake up to. ¡°Bloody cat,¡± I said aloud. ¡°Hope it comes back...¡± I staggered home, thinking of how nice and warm my bed was going to feel when I crawled back into it. *** With the chain almost completely severed by Snips¡¯ ability, a white light exploded from the headland, and she instinctively closed her eye. The massive rock formation blocked the source, but a second later, a crack louder than lightning rang out and the earth shook. Then, something flew from the explosion. An enormous mass, streaming a trail of black shadow and white light that clung to it, shot like a meteor toward Tropica, traveling faster than a mortal eye could see. Snips, enhanced as she was, saw what it was: the hound. Its twisted limbs and the lifeless expression on its face were clear as day before it disappeared between Tropica¡¯s buildings. Another crack rang out through the night, cutting the silence. The chains smothering her vanished, and she shifted her body around, testing her movement. The group arrayed over the sands shared a wide-eyed look. *** Sebastian, leader of the Cult of the Leviathan Tropica branch, slayer of Fischer, giggled atop the cult headquarters. His gaze was unwavering, cast out over the vast sands and towards Fischer¡¯s domain. His lowly disciple sat on the floor¡ªweeping; he was too feeble to handle Sebastian¡¯s might. Inept as Gary might be, Sebastian didn¡¯t want to dispose of him, but if he didn¡¯t overcome his weakness soon, Sebastian may not have a choice. Sebastian returned his attention to the sand. The flashing of elements had ceased, and he hoped that meant the hellhound had left to take Fischer¡¯s head. The first flash of blue had been a surprise, but as a moving ball of lightning had shot around, Sebastian understood: the beast was gathering power, preparing for the battle to come. ¡°Come witness, disciple,¡± he said, but Gary didn¡¯t respond. Sebastian snarled and grabbed him by the shoulder, hauling him to his feet and slapping him across the face. ¡°Pay attention, Gary! You need to see the justice we have dispensed!¡± Gary, his body moving of its own accord, gripped the side of the roof¡¯s low wall and leaned against it for support. His disciple¡¯s head drifted down, so Sebastian gripped his chin and lifted it. Sebastian stared out into the darkness just in time for a brilliant light to explode from the headland. He reeled back, his vision consumed by the blast¡¯s afterimage as a distant crackcut through the silence. Despite his temporary blindness, Sebastian roared a laugh. ¡°He¡¯s done, Gary! He¡¯s really done! We¡ª¡± The building shook and Sebastian fell to his knees as a second, louder crack tore into existence. This one was accompanied by the sound of stone-on-stone, falling rubble, shattering glass, and finally, the splash of water. Sebastian¡¯s eyes went wide as he recognized what the sounds meant. ¡°M-my crickets!¡± He had to rely on the deity¡ªit was larger and of the supreme form, so if he could subordinate it, the creature would no doubt deal with the rest. Gary, ever the fool, had ruined his inaugural meeting with the great leviathan; rage coursed through Sebastian¡¯s veins, replacing every other emotion. With measured steps, he strode toward the deity, brushing his robe free of dust and splinters. He had to regain control, so he held his head high, his shoulders back, and his chest out. He was the leader of this cult, and with the leviathan¡¯s appearance in his domain, the cult doctrine was clear: Sebastian was now the leader of the entire Cult of the Leviathan. No, he thought. The leader of the Church of the Leviathan. At his disciple¡¯s words that identified the leviathan as Pistachio¡ªthe same lobster he¡¯d spent decades molding¡ªa touch of elation joined Sebastian¡¯s fury; it would be even easier to subordinate the deity. He was keenly aware of the others in the room, but ignored them entirely¡ªhis eyes were locked on Gary and the leviathan hidden behind him. ¡°Dispense with the childish name, disciple,¡± Sebastian projected with grandiose intonation. ¡°He is no longer Pistachio¡ªthis is the great leviathan of legend, and I won¡¯t stand for your insubordination any longer.¡± All eyes were on him as he stopped in front of the lobster. Good, he thought. Let them witness their downfall. Rather than prostrate himself before the creature, he held out a hand for the leviathan to shake. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, great leviathan. I am Sebastian, the leader of your church.¡± Time crawled to a stop; the entire room froze as he waited for the creature¡¯s action. The leviathan slowly lifted his claw to meet Sebastian¡¯s extended hand. Elation roared through him, but he kept his lips pressed together, his face a mask of indifference. Everything is going to plan,he thought. As expected. The claw was open, so Sebastion grasped the top pincer. ¡°I look forward to us working togeth¡ª¡± Boom! *** Barry cringed as Pistachio¡¯s claw slammed shut. A cannon blast exploded out¡ªSebastian¡¯s body became the cannonball. Faster than a mortal eye could see, his limp form slammed into the back door, shattered it into a million pieces, rocketed over the low wall atop the stone walkway, and soared out over the ocean. Pistachio had swept Gary aside with his freeclaw, protecting him from the deadly impact. He scuttled toward the back door, sparing Gary a gentle pat on the head in passing. *** Gary¡¯s eyes were wide, and a soft, high-pitched sound rang in his ears. He hadn¡¯t seen what happened, but with Sebastian¡¯s disappearance, and the door¡¯s obliteration, he knew what must have occurred. Such power... Pistachio lumbered past him and gave him two taps on the head in what must have been a farewell. ¡°Pistachio!¡± he called, and the lobster paused, half-turning to look at him. ¡°Live a good life, okay?¡± Gary¡¯s voice shook. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything...¡± Pistachio¡¯s eyes drifted to the eyepatch-wearing crab, and he blew a small burst of bubbles. Gary smiled at Pistachio through falling tears as his oldest friend ambled out the back door, over the low wall, and disappeared into the pitch-black sea. He turned to the crab. ¡°Please make it quick.¡± *** Barry raised an eyebrow. ¡°Make what quick, Gary?¡± The cultist swallowed and put on a brave face, but fear and sadness peeked through, tinging his features. ¡°I know what needs to happen. I¡¯m sorry, Barry. I tried to stop Sebastian, but I couldn¡¯t. Worse, I took part in summoning that... thing.¡± Gary closed his eyes and dipped his head. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Barry couldn¡¯t help but smile at the assumptions. ¡°We already know you tried to stop him, Gary.¡± Gary¡¯s head shot up, his eyebrows furrowing. ¡°... you do?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been listening to your plans for weeks.¡± He pulled something from his back pocket and held it up. ¡°It was you that threw this into the ocean, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Gary¡¯s eyes fixed on the artifact and went wide. Barry nodded. ¡°Sergeant Snips found it beneath the waves and brought it to me weeks ago. Why did you discard it?¡± ¡°I... I thought it might make Sebastian give up his crusade against Fischer...¡± ¡°As we thought. You need not die tonight, Gary. How would you like to join us in¡ª¡± ¡°Will I be able to see Pistachio?¡± Gary interrupted, blinking his tears away. ¡°If I join you, I mean.¡± ¡°Er¡ªI mean... yes?¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll join.¡± ¡°You... don¡¯t want to know what you¡¯re joining?¡± ¡°Nope. As long as Pistachio is there, I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°Oh... okay.¡± Sergeant Snips scuttled forward and held a claw out. Gary stared at it in confusion, then reached out hesitantly and shook it. ¡°It was Sergeant Snips, right...? It¡¯s, um, nice to meet you?¡± Snips bubbled her approval, then Corporal Claws dashed over and gave an insistent chirp, demanding an introduction. ¡°Gary, that is Corporal Claws¡ªshe controls lightning. You¡¯ve met Sergeant Snips¡ªshe controls water.¡± Barry pointed at Rocky. ¡°That¡¯s Rocky¡ªhe makes things explode.¡± Rocky lowered his claws, looking almost annoyed at not being about to blast something. He turned and left without so much as a goodbye. Barry shook his head with a soft laugh as he watched the disgruntled crab go. What has my life become...? Chapter 96: Velvet Chapter 96: Velvet Thump. Thump. Thump. I opened my eyes at my head¡¯s audible pounding and let out a soft groan. ¡°What happened last night...?¡± My mouth was dry and tasted horrible as I sat up slowly, rubbing my temples. The thumping came again, and I cocked my head as I realized it wasn¡¯t my brain trying to escape my skull. ¡°Fischer!¡± a feminine voice called. ¡°Are you alive in there?¡± Despite my hangover, I smiled at the welcome voice. I stumbled to the door and threw it open. ¡°Ah, there you are!¡± Maria beamed a smile and held something out. ¡°Coffee?¡± I groaned in delight and accepted the drink. ¡°I could kiss you, Maria.¡± She smirked at me. ¡°You could, but maybe you should brush your teeth first¡ªI caught a whiff of dad¡¯s breath this morning, and I was notimpressed.¡± My hungover brain shut down at her saying I could kiss her, but at her comment about Roger, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°How¡¯s he doing today? I can only remember snippets of last night, but I know for a fact that he was absolutely hammered.¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing much worse than you. That storm last night probably didn¡¯t help¡ªI know it woke me up a few times.¡± ¡°... there was a storm?¡± She covered her mouth and giggled. ¡°You were probably too drunk to hear the thunder. It was the loudest I¡¯d ever heard¡ªthe house even shook a few times.¡± ¡°Really? I slept all the way through, far as I can remember...¡± ¡°Maybe dad did too, but he still crawled back to bed after he had breakfast.¡± ¡°He¡¯s taking the morning off...? Damn¡ªhe must be in rough shape.¡± ¡°Yeah, no kidding. I can¡¯t remember the last time he did so.¡± I sipped my coffee. The golden liquid washed away the bad taste in my mouth, and I luxuriated in its velvety bitterness. ¡°Ah. I needed that. Thank you.¡± I gave her a sheepish smile. ¡°Were one of those croissants for me, or...?¡± ¡°What makes you think I have pastries?¡± she asked, her hand still hidden behind her back. ¡°I could smell that flaky, buttery goodness from a mile away.¡± She grinned and removed a hand from behind her back, revealing a tray with two pastries. ¡°I suppose you can have one of my croissants.¡± ¡°What would I do without you?¡± I grabbed the smaller one and took a bite. As with the coffee, the flavors were a welcome reprieve, and I let out a content mmm as I chewed, my eyes closed in delight. After another sip of coffee, I smiled at Maria. ¡°Did you want to go fishing?¡± ¡°I did¡ªI wanted to talk to you about something, too...¡± ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± She shook her head. ¡°It can wait. Are you ready to go now?¡± ¡°Let me just freshen up and have a quick shower.¡± ¡°Alright¡ªI¡¯ll wait out here. The sun feels lovely this morning.¡± *** As we walked down to the shore, I couldn¡¯t help but agree with Maria¡ªthe sun felt amazing on my skin. A hot shower had done wonders for my hangover, and I felt vastly improved from when I¡¯d woken. A flitting breeze came from the west, and I closed my eyes, a smile coming to my face unbidden. We traveled in a comfortable silence, both simply happy to be there. I wasted no time in putting a slice of eel on my line, then passed it to Maria to cast. ¡°You do it,¡± she said, holding her hands up to stop me. ¡°You¡¯re sure? I¡¯m happy to share.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure¡ªbut I have a condition.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I want you to cast it as far as you can.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Like... as far as a cultivator can, you mean?¡± ¡°Yep. Without breaking the rod, I mean.¡± I shrugged, held the line back, then flicked the rod forward. It was a fraction of my strength, but the bait and sinker soared high over the waves, arcing through the sky for a good ten seconds before hitting the water¡¯s surface with an inaudible splash. Maria laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t lie¡ªI¡¯m a little offended that you thought our time away was part of some conspiracy.¡± I grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Despite their good intentions, my friends were sneaking around behind my back. I was feeling a little betrayed and wasn¡¯t thinking straight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll just have to make it up to me...¡± She stood and stretched, raising both arms high as she let out a soft noise. After the stretch, she rubbed her chin in exaggerated thought and narrowed her eyes as she stared into the far distance.. A loud ¡°hmmmm¡± came from her throat, then she turned to me, her mouth ajar in feigned realization. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked. She smirked. ¡°I just had an idea of how you can make it up to me...¡± *** Maria lounged in the sand hugging a rather content Corporal Claws. She ran her small fingers through Claw¡¯s belly fur, making the otter coo. ¡°You are just too cute,¡± she said, giggling at the way Claws grinned up at her. ¡°Stop¡ªyou¡¯ll make me blush.¡± Corporal Claws¡¯ head darted toward me, a scowl plastered over her face as she chirped indignantly. ¡°Yes, yes, I know she was talking about you.¡± Maria giggled again. ¡°You like being the center of attention, don¡¯t you, Claws?¡± She chirped her unequivocal agreement, nodding her head as Maria resumed giving her scritches. I spun back around to check on my pan atop the campfire. The fat was bubbling around the fish¡¯s sides, turning the crumbing a delightfully golden hue. I¡¯d removed the fish¡¯s filets, cut them into large chunks, then covered them in a herb, spice, and breadcrumb coating. The smell of seasoning was already wafting up as the chunks of fish fried¡ªmy mouth watered, anticipating the meal. I flipped one piece of fish with some tongs. The bottom side was perfectly cooked, so I rotated the rest of them. Exposing the undersides to the air made the aromas explode out, and I heard a small nose start sniffing the air incessantly. I spun with a smile. ¡°You want some too, claws?¡± Her fangs were extended, and she nodded fervently. I looked back toward the pan as nervous butterflies took flight in my stomach. Rather than let my thoughts wander, I fussed over the fish, using the tongs to bob them down below the bubbling tallow. Before I knew it, every side of crumbing was golden brown, so I removed a chunk to test. I poked it with my trusty tongs, and the flesh was firm; the fish was ready. I removed the fish and put it on a rack sitting atop a breadboard, letting any excess oil fall away. Staring down at them, the butterflies in my abdomen multiplied, feeling as though they were attempting to escape. I took a deep breath, paused a moment, then spun. Both ladies sat on the ground, their eyes glued to the food in my hands. With small, measured steps, I went to them, placing the breadboard down on the sands. Claws, ever impatient, picked one up immediately; the fish was still way too hot, so she juggled it from paw to paw, her eyes wide with regret. The sight made me laugh, and some of the butterflies stopped flapping so vigorously. Then, I glanced at Maria, and they all took flight once more. She looked up at me, and I kneeled down beside her. ¡°Are... are you sure, Maria?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± she replied, a smile on her lips. ¡°This can¡¯t be taken back. If you change your mind, there¡¯s no way to¡ª¡± She leaned in and planted a soft peck on my lips. My brain short-circuited, and the butterflies dissipated like dust in the wind. I blinked at her as she pulled back, my face flushing. ¡°Er¡ªthank you...¡± She giggled and covered her mouth, then leaned forward once more. Grabbing the back of my neck with one hand, she pulled me forward and pressed her lips against mine. They were softer than velvet, warmer and more comforting than the sun¡¯s rays. The moment lasted an eternity, yet was over too soon. She pulled away, letting out a shaky breath as she stared into my eyes. Her cheeks were flushed as she smiled at me. ¡°I¡¯m sure, Fischer. I won¡¯t regret it.¡± She turned to Claws, who¡¯d stopped juggling the fish and stared at us with a slack jaw and wide eyes. ¡°Do you mind, Claws?¡± Maria asked, pointing at the cooled food in her paws. Corporal Claws, my troublesome otter, blinked in response then slowly nodded, holding the golden chunk of fish out. Maria grabbed it and beamed a grin at me. Her eyes sparkled as she fixed her attention on the fish, and time slowed for me as she lifted it to her mouth. She bit down and the fried breadcrumbs made a satisfying crunch. Book 1: Epilogue Book 1: Epilogue In a long abandoned room high above the capital city of Gormona, several kingdoms¡¯ worth of ancient constructs sat dormant. In times long gone, the acquisition of such treasures had been the driving force behind wars, betrayals, the fall of empires, the desolation of entire continents, and more deaths than a mortal could comprehend without losing their mind. Despite the wealth they represented, these artifacts sat collecting dust¡ªdesignated a relic of the past¡ªno longer the wonder they once were. Like so many things, the passage of time had erased the memories of what they had been, and barring a single person with a toe-like face, not one other soul had entered the room in years¡ªeven the castle¡¯s servants had forgotten of the room¡¯s existence, busy as they were tending to the whims of the current royals. If any beings capable of detecting such things were present, they¡¯d have been surprised at the energy swirling around the room, seeming to cling to and linger on the artifacts. But, of course, such a person was not present¡ªno one was. Launching local relay... The internal components were a blur as they drew in resources, pulling from and redirecting the world¡¯s very essence. One last line printed out on the construct¡¯s screen. Success! Local power boosted to 40%. Abruptly, three more screens lit up in the abandoned room. Book 2: Prologue Book 2: Prologue The sun beat down from above, blanketing me in its warmth. A soft, calming breeze blew over the sandy flat by my home, bringing with it the scents of salt, ocean air, and deep-fried fish. A crunch rang out, and my heart pounded. Maria''s eyes went wide at the taste, then she closed them and let out a soft mmm, raising her face toward the sun''s rays. "This is the best tasting meal yet, Fischer. I¡ª" Her eyes flew open. They went distant, causing my heart to climb into my throat. Something tugged at my core, the faintest whisper of pressure that originated from Maria. Fast as it had come, the hint of power disappeared, and I held my breath, every sense focused on her. She shook her head and blinked, her eyes still somewhat distant. "That was... wow..." My pulse beat in my ears, and I wiped sweaty palms on my thighs. "You..." I swallowed. "You got the message?" Her gaze snapped to mine, and she gave me a small nod. "I did." "... and?" "And I''m a cultivator now, I suppose." "How do you, uh... feel?" "I feel the same, honestly... though I suppose I have to get used to my new name..." "Wait, you picked a new name?" She nodded, her face serious. "Yeah, it might be a bit jarring for people to start calling me ''Fish Queen'', but I''m sure they''ll get used to it in time." I blinked; she blinked back. "Please tell me you''re joking, Mari¡ªer, Fish Queen...?" Her mask of indifference shattered, and she covered her mouth as she snorted a laugh. "Your... your face, Fischer." She cackled, roaring her delight toward the sky as she leaned back in the sand. Corporal Claws chittered from her lap, one paw pointing at me as her hissed laughs joined Maria. I glared at them, but couldn¡¯t keep the smile from my face. *** A week later, in a room high atop the capital of Gormona''s castle, a construct worked tirelessly. Since its reawakening, the relic had been processing the world''s essence, not pausing for a single second. As the power continued building, it approached a milestone. If a construct could experience emotion, it would be elated. But... such things were not possible for this artifact, so it continued on incessantly, taking neither joy nor pride in its task. Another knock came on the door, and Two darted to it, no doubt reinvigorated by the mere thought of bureaucratic pedantry. "Password?" Three grit his teeth. "For the love of¡ª" "Fresh tasty bread," the voice answered from outside. "See?" Two demanded, scowling at both Three and Four as he opened the door. "This is how things are supposed to work." Number One came inside, a broad grin plastered over his face. "Good morning. Are we all ready to go...?" He looked around the room, his face going from elated to confused. "What''s got everyone in such a dour mood? We''re about to embark on the most important mission of our lives¡ªshow some enthusiasm!" "They''re ignoring protocols, One!" Two said. "It''s chaos, I tell you! Absolute chaos!" "Ah, I see." He walked over and clapped Two on the shoulder. "I know it''s hard on you to bend the rules¡ªforgive them, alright? We''re all doing our best." He took off a backpack and removed three robes, then threw one to everyone. Three put his on; it was oversized, lined with fur, and decidedly more warm than the thin one he''d previously worn. "Thank you, One." "You¡¯re most welcome." Two still bristled, his impressive mustache making the pout look more than a little ridiculous. "Has Five arrived yet?" One asked. "No. Not yet. He is the one in charge of the cart¡ª" Another knock on the door. "Fresh roasted bread," Five said from outside before anyone could demand a password. "That''s the wrong phrase," Two said, getting to his feet and crossing his arms. "Close enough," One replied, swinging the door open to admit the last squad member. A horse-drawn cart was on the street beyond, laden with supplies, and Three smiled at Five''s organization skills. "How did everyone go?" Five asked. "Did we get everything we needed?" They all nodded. "Alright, the cart is ready, so I think we''re good to go. What about you, One?" Five''s deep voice transformed into a whisper. "Did you get the artifact from the king?" One beamed, reached into his backpack, and removed a small rectangular object. "I did." Three gazed down at it. It was something he''d only heard of before, but it was just as the tales told. There were two bulbs, one below the image of a human, the other beneath a series of animals. The first was blinking, likely responding to the cultivators within the capital. "With this," One said, "we''ll be able to locate the cultivator with ease." Three grinned. This trip to the village known as Tropica was going to be fun. Book 2: Chapter 1: Ascension Book 2: Chapter 1: Ascension *** *** The shade of the forest''s canopy was a welcome relief from the sun''s heat as I strode forward. I had a bucket in hand, my trusty straw hat atop my head, and excitement bubbling up from within. It had been a week since Maria''s ascension, and for the first time since my arrival in Tropica, I''d taken some time to relax. Well, I told myself it was relaxing, but after two days of lounging around and working on nothing, I''d gone a bit stir crazy. The accidental pillar of light that exploded from me during our time away had been a wake-up call, and even if it was just a side-effect of ascending¡ªand had nothing to do with the uncomfortable truths I''d been avoiding¡ªI had to ensure it never happened again. With my self-imposed vacation finally at an end, it was time to get back into it. With that thought in mind, a grin spread over my face, I hastened my steps, and within minutes I found my quarry. "G''day, Barry! How are ya?" My farming neighbor spun, cutting his conversation off mid sentence. "Fischer! Thanks for coming, mate! I''m good¡ªhow ya doin''?" I smiled at his vernacular; the Aussie slang pleasing to the soul. "I''m wonderful, thanks." I turned to the other man. "You must be Leroy¡ªI''ve heard a bunch about you, mate." I strode forward, holding out a hand. He grasped it and shook, giving me a friendly smile. "Likewise, Fischer. It''s a pleasure to finally meet you." "Pleasure is all mine, my man. Were you gonna join us today, Barry?" He shook his head. "I''ve gotta get tilling on the new fields, but I might see you later?" "Sounds good! See you later." Barry gave us a wave and jogged off, his pace clearly identifying him as a cultivator. I turned to Leroy. "So, Barry tells me you have some sort of nature power?" "That''s right. It''s not as advanced as Corporal Claws'' lightning or Sergeant Snips'' water, though." "Mate, I''d be surprised if it was¡ªthose two are kinda terrifying." "They''re certainly impressive..." A gust blew and rustled the trees above. Leroy''s eyes watched them as he took a deep breath, and a small smile crossed his lips. I let the silence stretch, and I looked up, similarly enjoying the sights, sounds, and scents of the forest. "It''s so nice to be back," he said, his voice wistful. "I can only imagine, mate. I only know a hint of what you''ve been through, but I''m glad you''ve earned your freedom." "Earned?" He let out a chuckle. "If not for those ''terrifying'' creatures of yours, I''d be on my way back to the capital by now." "I''m sure you''d have found a way eventually¡ªor Barry and Helen would have busted you out. Those two are scary in their own right when they get an idea in their heads." He barked a laugh. "You''re not wrong there, Fischer. They''re both amazing in their own right." Another silence stretched, and before it could get awkward, I broke it. "Well, should we get going?" He nodded. "Aye. Lead the way." *** I led us a little out of the way so I could show Leroy something, and when we reached it, he let out a whistle. "This is the pond you made?" "Yeah, mate." The morning sun peeked through the leaves, lighting the water, rocks, plants, and the log with a soundly sleeping Corporal Claws atop it. She glanced at us through lidded eyes, chirped a greeting with a raised paw, then rolled over and showed us her back. "Is this the one that heals?" Leroy asked. "Nah, that''s the saltwater one. I don''t actually know what this one does, but it does... something. I''m pretty sure it helped Claws ascend." "Interesting..." Claws half sat up to scratch her ear, then flopped back to the log. "Let''s leave Claws to her nap¡ªthe patch I wanted to show you isn''t far off." We kept moving, heading further south toward where I wanted to try my little experiment. "Leftover fish is a great fertilizer." I dropped it in the hole, layered dirt atop it, then poked my finger in the aerated earth. "If you''d do the honors." Leroy dropped a seed in and tenderly covered it. "Would you meditate on it with me, mate?" I asked. His head cocked to the side, and he gave me a strange look. "Meditate...?" "Yeah. I''m pretty sure that''s how my pond ended up transforming. Just close your eyes and imagine life pouring into the seed. I''ll do the same." "Oh... sure." I held both hands out, willing life and sustenance toward the seed. I pictured it turning into a mighty tree, bearing countless citrus, and sending thick roots deep into the earth. The thoughts took me over, and I leaned into the pleasant musings. Time stretched, and though I didn¡¯t feel any shifts in the world, it was an entirely enjoyable moment of peace. "Er, how do we know if it works, Fischer?" ¡°Oh, sorry. It happened pretty quick last time¡ªit might not be working.¡± I rubbed the back of my head. ¡°I¡¯ve kinda been making it up as I go, but it was worth a shot..¡± We repeated the process three more times, creating an invisible square around the light-blue tree with my lemon seeds. When the last one was finished, Leroy cleared his throat. "Do you want to try meditating toward the tree...?" "The tree? I mean, I''m down, but why?" "Just a hunch." "My man, considering you have the ability to ride vines like some sort of superhero, I''ll trust your hunches on anything plant related." He gave me an abashed smile. "Someone told you about that?" "Corporal Claws hasn''t shut up about it. Considering how much she chitters and chirps about you, I''m surprised she didn''t launch herself at you when we went to the pond." He let out a soft chuckle. "It''s not as impressive as it sounds, especially compared to the abilities of your animals..." "You''re being too humble my man, but I get it¡ªanyone would down-sell their cultivator abilities if it was something so scorned by society." I shook my head. "I''m taking us off course¡ªlet''s meditate." We sat down at the tree''s base, and I leaned my back against it. Its bark was smooth and firm against my spine, and I closed my eyes, easily slipping into a meditative state. *** In a place of darkness, surrounded by the comforting scents of wood and dirt, something ancient stirred. Though it remembered neither who nor what it was, one thing was certain: it had been asleep for a very, very long time. Something was nudging it, calling it from its slumber, and it reluctantly listened. Its senses expanded as it reached out, seeking what had disturbed its rest. Something was just beside it; touching it; reaching out and offering power. No, not something¡ªtwo beings. A part of its soul¡ªan instinctual nexus hidden deep within¡ªreveled at the offering. But then, it tasted what they had to offer. The tribute was pitiful. Even without any memories, it knew the power offered was a mere trickle of the torrents it had once consumed. It scoffed at the insult and went back to sleep, content to wait until the world''s essence was properly restored. *** My eye twitched, and I darted a glance at Leroy. Did I just feel something...? It had been a tiny blip, and quick as it had come, it vanished. Maybe it was just my imagination... I gazed up at the sky; the sun had climbed halfway into the sky, so I stretched and let out a soft groan to get Leroy''s attention. When he peered at me through sleepy eyes, I gave him a grin. "The meditation was fruitless, but what do you say we try a bit of fishing?" Book 2: Chapter 2: Heretical Friends Book 2: Chapter 2: Heretical Friends Leroy''s face was more than a little confused as he looked down at the tangle of tackle connected to my fishing rod. I had the smaller rod with the sabiki rig attached. It had three lines running from the main one, each of which was tied to a small hook and metal offcut to attract baitfish. I''d bound a rock on the end of the main line, which was currently the object of Leroy''s scrutiny. "I understand what the hook is for, but what is this bit...?" he asked, pointing down at the rock. "That''s the sinker, mate. It helps you cast it out further and keeps the bait in place once it''s in the water. This thing''s called a sabiki rig, and in this case, if there wasn''t a sinker attached, the different lines would get all tangled up the moment they hit the water. We probably wouldn''t catch a single baitfish without it." "... baitfish? Is that a type of fish?" "Nah, mate. Baitfish refers to any of the smaller fish we use as bait to catch the bigger ones. I figured if I was going to teach you fishing, we''d start from the beginning. Actually, now that I think of it..." With a deft movement, I cut one hook off with a knife. "I think I should show you the knot. That way, if you''re ever stranded in the wilderness with gear, you can create your own." I took a length of line and showed him an ''improved cinch knot''. "Reckon you can do that?" *** "This is kinda cheating," I admitted as I slipped cuts of common eel onto the little hooks. "But we have the bait, so we may as well use it. See the short bits of metal attached near to the hooks'' eyes?" He nodded. I moved one back and forth under the sun''s rays; it shone with reflected light. "You can use these without bait, and the fish will still bite, thinking it''s the sun reflecting from a smaller fish''s scales." "I see..." Leroy had mastered the knot after only a couple of tries, and I gave the one he''d re-tied a little tug as I put the eel on; it held firm. He''d also mastered the ''double uni knot'' needed to tie the sabiki rig to my ''Bamboo Rod of the Fisher'', the rod that had transformed when I''d attached my Alvey-esque reel. He could have just used the stick of bamboo the sabiki rig was previously attached to, but I wanted him to get practice with a proper reel before we tried fishing for something big. "Alright, mate¡ªit''s ready to go." He picked up the rod and flicked the reel into the open position, as I''d shown. "Like this...?" "Yep!" He walked to the edge of the headland''s rocky shore, pursed his lips in concentration, then flicked the line out into the water. It flew straight and hit the water with a soft plop. Line continued to spool out, and he tried to flick the reel back into place, but it held firm. "Other way," I said, reaching over and shifting it back into position. "Oh¡ªright. Sorry." "No need to apologize¡ªtoday''s a day for learning. Reel in the loose line, and wait for a bite." He did so, the serious expression never leaving his face. Despite Leroy being the one fishing, the calm that always came with the act washed over me. The soft murmuring of waves lapping the shore, combined with the gouts of wind fitfully washing over my skin, made the corner of my lips tug up. I took a deep breath, and the salty air made the smile spread over my entire face. "Gods above, I love it here, Leroy." He glanced at me for only a moment before returning his attention to the rod, but I didn''t miss the joy and anticipation coloring his features. "The ocean is calming, isn''t it? Even before they took me to the capital, I always found its movement and sounds soothing." I raised an eyebrow at him. "That''s rather heretical of you to say, mate." He snorted, then smirked at me. "You''re one to talk." "Yeah, but you can''t blame a heretic for also being a little hypocritical. I''m bound to have more than one personality red flag." "... red flag?" "Yeah, like a warning sign. For example, you¡¯re fishing and enjoying yourself right now¡ªmajor red flag to anyone of sound mind, mate." "Well, lucky no-one of sound mind is here, then." I nodded, trying to keep my face serious. "Exactly. We heretical friends have to stick together¡ªotherwise we''d never have anyone to talk to." His smile turned wistful, and I immediately realized my mistake. "Sorry, mate. I know it must be hard having to hide away from everyone..." "It''s fine, Fischer. I should be grateful to even be here, but if I''m being honest, it''s a little hard not being able to walk around openly." "Well, you''re always welcome here. Consider my fence your fence¡ªyou can come hang with the awakened gang or do some fishing whenever you like." A moment of silence stretched out before Leroy responded. "Thank you, Fischer. That means more than you know." "Don''t mention it. You''ve been through a lot, and if there''s anything else I can do, just let me know, yeah?" He nodded, wiped a tear that was welling in his eye, breathed in sharply, then let it out with a slow sigh. "Sorry. It''s been... overwhelming." "Sure do." "Yep, you''re definitely weird." I grinned. "I''m downright strange, mate, but I wouldn''t have it any other way." *** When Leroy finished tying the knot, I nodded; he''d done it flawlessly. He''d reattached the large hook and sinker, and he slid a chunk of eel onto the hook. "Am I missing anything?" "Nah, it''s good to go." He got to his feet, reeled in the line, then flicked the reel sideways. "How far do I cast it?" "Aim for the river mouth¡ªwhere the freshwater hits the ocean is a magnet for huge fish." He held the rod back, paused a moment, then launched it. The line and sinker flew high, soaring almost all the way to the other side of the river. He winced as he turned to me. "Too far?" "A little, but it''s all good¡ªreel it back a bit until it''s about halfway." When the bait was in the middle of the channel, I set up two of the folding chairs Greg and Barry, the village woodworkers, had kindly let me keep. We sat down and I leaned back, stretching as I enjoyed the serious expression on Leroy''s face. I understood his feelings entirely; there was nothing else in the world quite like waiting for a fish to strike. "You know, Fischer... I wasn''t quite sure what to expect when Barry said you¡¯d invited me to go fishing." "It''s better than you thought, isn''t it?" He smirked at me. "That''s an understatement. How can something be so relaxing, yet so exciting at the same time?" "I''d say it was to do with it being heretical, and therefore more exciting, but honestly, it was the same in my previous life, and it was totally chill to fish there." He narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What made it cold?" "... what? Ohhhh. Chill in that context means allowed¡ªsociety as a whole wouldn''t look down on you for doing it." "I still can''t believe you''re..." He trailed off. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to bring it up." "It''s fine, mate. I know you don''t have bad intentions, but yeah, it''s pretty wild that I''m from a different world, right?" "That''s putting it mildly..." I shrugged. "I''m used to it, and I''ve only been here for like a month or something. I''ve honestly lost track¡ªthe days have been so busy and enjoyable." We fell into a comfortable silence, our thoughts taking us to distant places. Movement caught my eye, and my eyes moved to the rod tip. "Leroy..." He stared at nothing, his eyes dull. "Yeah, Fischer?" "You should hold your finger to the line." "Oh...? Why''s that?" "Because there''s a fish having a cheeky little nibble of your bait." He shot upright, his eyes widening, then focusing on the rod. His index finger drifted to the line, and as he felt the tiny tugs, a toothy grin appeared. "When do I set the hook?" "You''ll know. Wait for it..." The fish was getting more confident, taking bigger and bigger bites of the bait. Bump. "Wait for it..." Bump. "Not yet..." There was a pause, and I thought the fish had stolen the bait, but then the rod dipped, almost bending in half as the fish took off. "Now!" Book 2: Chapter 3: Quantification Book 2: Chapter 3: Quantification Time seemed to freeze as I watched Leroy lift the rod and set the hook. The muscles in his arms bulged. He leaned back, bracing against the fish''s mighty run. The wind blew his short hair back, revealing his expression. And, above all else, he had a smile on his face of sheer, childlike joy. The fish redoubled its efforts, swimming out to sea and dragging Leroy stumbling across the slick rocks. "Let some of the line out," I instructed He did so, easing the tension. "What in Poseidon''s salt-washed back hair is this thing?" "A big bloody fish. Move with it if you need." He stepped to the side, but with his eyes moving between the reel and ocean, he slipped. I caught him before he could fall over and held him upright. "The rocks are slippery, mate¡ªcultivator''s body or not." He showed no embarrassment, only anticipation and palpable excitement. Despite the open waters surrounding the river mouth, the fish never changed direction; it swam in a straight line out to sea, attempting to take Leroy with it. The cultivator started the fight off clumsily, but as the battle dragged on, his footing grew more sure as his stance adjusted to the shore''s slick rocks. Whilst Leroy''s technique improved, the fish grew sluggish. Without me instructing him, Leroy started taking some line back, pumping the rod up, then winding the reel in as he lowered it. Each time the fish caught sight of the shore, it would tear off again, dipping deep into its energy reserves to escape. The grin never left Leroy''s face, and despite his enhanced body, sweat peppered his brow, glistening under the sun''s light. I''d still not caught sight of the fish yet, so as Leroy wound it close to land once more, I jogged along the shore, trying to spy it. Its muscular body kicked again, taking off toward the depths, but not before the sun reflected from its silver body. It was huge. Actually, huge was doing the fish a disservice¡ªit was gigantic, long as a man and half as tall. My eyes went wide as I turned to Lorey; his were even wider, his mouth hanging ajar. "What in hades'' hounds is that?" he demanded. "They get that big?" "It''s the biggest I''ve ever seen, Leroy! Keep winding!" He clenched his jaw and focused on the fight, his grin disappearing for the first time since he''d hooked the monstrous thing. One turn of the reel at a time, he pulled it back toward us. The fish was clearly exhausted as it swam languidly across the shoreline, and we got our first good look at it. It had a rounded head, angular fins, and triangular spines running down to its tail. It looked too big to pull up without hurting, so without a second thought, I got down to my jocks and jumped into the river mouth.. The freezing water made a wave of adrenaline wash over me as I swam toward and put my hands under the fish, taking care to avoid the spines and fins. I kicked my legs toward the rocks, lifting it up above the waterline. Leroy grabbed it and hauled it up, and I pulled myself up onto the headland. Water cascaded down my body, and I shook my head, clearing it of salty water as I wiped my eyes. Leroy hugged the fish tight to his body, his mouth still wide, his eyes staring down at the fish vacantly. It drew my attention, and my gaze went distant as a screen popped up before me. Mature Giant Trevally Rare Found in the oceans of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a prized sport fish for anglers everywhere. Its flesh is undesirable, and it''s considered bad luck to harm them. When my eyes cleared, Leroy was waddling down to the water with the fish still in his arms. I dashed past him and jumped into the water, then we eased it down together. "Help me move it back and forth in the water," I said, showing him how. "Forcing water through its gills helps it release better." I treaded water as we moved the fish. Neither of us spoke, and all I could assume was that Leroy was as awed as I was. The trevally''s body was thick as my head, and feeling the lean muscles hidden beneath its scales, I completely understood how it had put up such a fight. It would be like a dart beneath the waves, and I didn''t envy the fish this thing must hunt to sustain itself. Abruptly, the trevally tried to swim, so I let go and swam back. It kicked its tail only three times, but that was enough to lose sight as it melded into the deep-blue water of the river mouth. My mind went blank as I continued treading water, uncomprehending of what we''d just witnessed. I looked up at Leroy, who was beaming down at me, one hand extended. I grasped it, and he hauled me up to the rocks. We blinked at each other, then both yelled at the same time. "What the hell, Leroy!" "What was that, Fischer!" We both laughed and jumped up and down on the spot, slowly spinning in a circle as we giggled wordlessly. "Uhhh..." came a feminine voice, and we both stopped, peering at the intruder. Maria''s eyebrows shot up to her hairline as she stared at us. "... am I interrupting something?" Her eyes narrowed on me. "And where are your clothes...?" Despite wearing only a set of thin jocks, being drenched in salt water, and having been caught dancing like a child with my new pal, I grinned at her. "It has no teeth¡ªyou can pick it up by the mouth." He bent and grabbed it with one hand, resting his other under the belly as he hauled it up. My eyes were drawn into it. Mature Shore Fish Uncommon Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. "What...?" Maria said, turning toward me. "What''s wrong?" "I can inspect it..." "Huh... Leroy could too. Neat." She gave me a flat stare. "Neat? What do you mean, neat?" "It''s kind of cool, right? More people can inspect fish now. Maybe you two earned enough fishing skills or some other nonsense¡ªwho really knows with the System being more broken than Xin Zhao on release." She scowled at me for a long moment before turning to Leroy, not taking the bait. "Please tell me I''m not crazy and you''re just as shocked." He shrugged. "I''ve only been back just over a week, and I''m already desensitized to the happenings around Fischer." She let out a long-suffering sigh. "I guess you have a point." "Wait..." Leroy said. "It said staple source of food¡ªdoes that mean we can eat it?" "It certainly does, mate." He grinned, Maria put her head in her hands, and I strode over to Leroy. "Do you want to try dispatching it?" He nodded, so I passed him the spike. "Poke it right here, swift and decisive." He did so, and the fish immediately went limp. "Alright," I said. "I''ll show you how to prepare it." *** As Leroy watched Maria and Fischer bicker good-naturedly across the campfire, he couldn''t help but smirk. Fischer was singing some song about complimenting a chef, and acting like Maria was the weird one for not having heard it, despite it having the weirdest cadence and lyrics Leroy had ever heard. Definitely a song from his previous world, Leroy decided, shaking his head. He looked down at the shallow-frying fish, and his mouth watered at the aroma rising from the pan. After showing Leroy how to gut and scale the catch, Fischer had crumbed and thrown the fish into a tallow-filled pan, and was keeping an eye on it as he continued stirring up Maria. The System nudged Leroy for the fourth time today, and he rolled his eyes. Despite willing his notifications to be silent, the System''s attempts at communication were still an annoying occurrence. He checked them with a mild flex of will, expecting to see the usual ¡®insufficient power¡¯ message. "Alright," Fischer said, jostling the pan''s handle as he turned to Maria. "I reckon it''s finished¡ªwhat do you think?" Leroy barely heard the words. Maria leaned over, peering down at the fish''s golden crumbs. "Looks good to me!" Fischer nodded and removed the fish with a pair of tongs. He set the fish down on a board, and after a minute of letting the fat drain from the steaming fish, he smiled up at Leroy. "After you, mate. It was your catch." Leroy''s eyes were still distant, looking at a screen occupying his field of view. "Er... Leroy? You right, mate?" Again, Leroy barely heard the words; he stared at his System notifications, unbelieving. A series of lines had printed out, and he read them again. You have learned fishing! You have advanced to fishing 2! You have advanced to fishing 3! You have advanced to fishing 4! Book 2: Chapter 4: Burdens Book 2: Chapter 4: Burdens I leaned down, eyebrows knitted as I stared at Leroy. I clicked my fingers softly before his face. "You with us, mate?" Leroy startled and his eyes cleared. "O-oh. Sorry. My mind went elsewhere for a moment." It''s not surprising that there''s some lingering damage from his time in the capital, I thought. "No need to apologize. The fish is ready, and seeing as though you caught it, I thought you should have the first bite." He returned to his senses swiftly, giving me a broad grin as he accepted the fish. "Thank you." Leroy cut through the crumbed fish with the side of a fork. It crunched, and as he separated a chunk of the flaky flesh, steam billowed from it. He tentatively lifted it to his mouth, blew once, then bit down. As his expression melted from anticipation to pure bliss, I darted a look at Maria. She was already looking my way, and we shared a knowing grin. "Mmmmm," Leroy said, moving his head side-to-side in a little dance. "Yep," Maria said. "Looks like he''s definitely a heretic." I nodded seriously. "Now that we have proof, we''ll have to let the kingdom know." "It''s not my fault, officers," Leroy said, covering his mouth. "It''s too delicious¡ªI was left absent choice." Maria raised an eyebrow at me. "I guess we''ll have to try it then. Just to make sure he''s telling the truth, you know?" I nodded again, a smile coloring my features. "That would only be prudent¡ªwell said, officer Maria." I used my fork to break apart the fish, and as steam rushed up to assault me, I breathed deep. I still had a tray of herbs and spices I hadn''t used yet, so I''d added three previously untested flavors to the crumbs before frying the fish. Their faint aromas wafted up, and I closed my eyes, focusing more on the scents. There was a hint of smokiness, something like rosemary but slightly more floral, and another that smelled of caramelized onion. I raised an eyebrow at the latter, but it wasn''t unpleasant, just surprising. I placed the fish in my mouth, and before I could even start chewing, the flavors exploded. As I bit down, the fish''s juices and the golden crumbing fused with and calmed the herbs and spices fighting for dominance. Maria let out a noise of delight, but I barely heard it; I was busy analyzing the tastes. "Needs more of the caramelized onion and less of the floral rosemary..." I mused aloud after swallowing. "Sorry, what?" Maria asked, her eyes half-lidded. "Just taking notes." I pulled out my collar and peered down. "Did you get that, Cinnamon? Don''t let me forget." Her head popped out as she blinked sleep from her eyes, then she gave me a serious nod. "Cinnamon!" At Maria''s voice, the little bunny flew from my chest with a deft kick. She sailed at Maria, who caught her and let out a lilting giggle. She scratched behind Cinnamon''s ear, and the bunny''s back leg kicked incessantly as she leaned into the touch. "So this is Cinnamon?" Leroy asked. "You''re the only one I haven''t met yet¡ªit''s a pleasure." Cinnamon raised her ears and turned to take in the cultivator. She spun her body, braced herself against Maria''s thigh, and started wiggling her fluffy little tooshie. Knowing what would come next, I turned to look at Leroy, and was delighted when his eyes went wide at the bunny-turned-torpedo that sailed his way. He leaned back in shock and she crashed into his chest, causing him to topple onto his back on the sand. He let out an oof, then chuckled as he reached up to pet her. "I bet you get along with Corporal Claws, don''t you?" he asked, and I couldn''t help but laugh. Joel grabbed one of the fish and lobbed it into the shallows. Small waves crashed and lapped at the shore, dragging the fish¡ªand hopefully its scent¡ªout to sea. He placed another fish on the beach, creating a trail back to the offering-laden tray. He lowered himself to the sand and shuffled his feet as he took the stance of a crab. "Let us meditate, Jess." She nodded and squatted down. *** The moon rose higher in the sky, and a breeze sent a shiver down Joel''s spine. He opened his eyes, intent on gaging the passage of time by the moon''s passage, but something in the waves caught his attention. Two mighty claws were raised high, opening and closing with incessant regularity, as if accepting and demanding more of their worship. Joel nudged Jess''s thigh, and when she raised a questioning eyebrow at him, he nodded toward the claws. Her annoyed glare turned awe-filled when she saw it, and as one, they threw themselves to the sand in prostration. *** Rocky had been out patrolling the bay for his beloved mistress when a delicious scent wafted his way. She had instructed him not to bother with the nighttime guard duty following his ascension, as his time was¡ªin her opinion¡ªbetter spent gaining power. He disagreed with this. If anything were to happen to his spiky matriarch, the world would grow dull and empty. Better to ensure no harm became her, even if it meant he missed out on some sleep. When the scent hit him, he immediately followed it. Not because he was hungry, of course¡ªit was because he had to make sure some devious actor wasn''t setting a trap for his beloved. On the off-chance he found a tasty treat, he''d have to indulge and ensure it wasn''t poisoned. Such were the burdens of Rocky, yet he welcomed them. He followed the delicious aroma all the way back to Tropica, and when he spied the two cultists sitting on the beach, he paused but a moment. He had been explicitly forbidden from contacting the two following their introduction to Sergeant Snips, but given they may be trying to offer her poisoned fish, he was left absent choice. Rocky couldn''t detect any poison, but it was better to be safe than sorry¡ªit definitely had nothing to do with the fish''s pungent allure. With both his claws held high in a violent warning above the waves, he began eating the possibly poisoned fish that had been thrown into the ocean. *** Joel chanced a glance from his prone position, and when he saw the claws still held high in welcoming approval, he slammed his forehead back down. "Remain prostrate, Jess. This may be another test of our devotion." "You remain prostrate! I saw you peeking just now!" "How did you know I was stealing a glance unless you were also peeking?" *** Having eaten the fish beneath the waves¡ªand detecting no poison¡ªRocky moved to test the rest of the delicious-smelling food. He scuttled up the beach with silent steps, watching the humans for any unexpected movement. With his claws still held high in a promise of impending violence, he noticed they were talking to each other in hushed tones, so he hissed a warning for them to cease their planning, then indulged in the aromatic meal¡ªto test for poison, of course. *** The deity hissed a greeting, and Joel slowly lifted his head. The crab still had its claws held high; she opened and closed them, praising their continued worship as she began eating their offering. A cloud that had been obscuring the moon moved aside, and a soft-white light illuminated the scene. As it did so, Joel''s eyes went wide. The crab''s spikes were gone, its eyepatch was nowhere to be seen, and if Joel''s memory didn''t deceive him, it had shrunk in size. Realization drove an icicle into his spine, and he froze as his vision tunneled in on the deity before him. *** Rocky delighted in the terror and awe in the humans'' eyes. They were the correct emotions to show, and he puffed himself up as he continued eating, devouring every bite of the offering to ensure there was nary a drop of poison present. He turned to leave, but a devious thought crossed his mind, and he slowly turned back toward them. Their gazes were still locked on his magnificent form as he grabbed the tray and slowly approached them. Swifter than either of the humans could see, he lifted the metal tray high, then slammed it down on the male''s head. Book 2: Chapter 5: Patience and Fortitude Book 2: Chapter 5: Patience and Fortitude A cool breeze caressed Rocky''s body; it was a welcome sensation following his feast. Moonlight shone down from above, reflecting off of the thin metal tray he held high. Swifter than either of the humans could see, Rocky smacked them both on the head¡ªnot hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to make a satisfying noise. He dropped the tray, jumped back, then lowered his claws to the ground and slammed them shut. Two explosions ripped into existence, sand sprayed everywhere, and Rocky flew backwards, propelled out over the ocean. He hissed and bubbled with laughter as he spun over the water''s surface, trailing salty tears of joy as he imagined the looks on their faces. *** Bonk. Donk. Joel flinched as the deity smacked him on the head with the serving tray. A sharp detonation sounded, and sand sprayed everywhere. Grains fell, and he tentatively lifted his head, squinting out at the world through narrowed eyes. The deity was nowhere to be seen, but then the moon reflected from something high above the bay. It was the crab, having somehow ejected itself from the beach and granted itself flight. It arced down, and after another breath, splashed down noiselessly. "I can''t believe it..." Jess said, sitting up and rubbing her head. "There''s two of them, and that one is a maniac..." Joel slowly turned to her, giving a knowing smile. "I think you''ve misread the situation, Jess." "I have...? How?" "That was the same crab, merely in a different form." "... a different form? What do you mean?" He nodded. "It''s not your fault¡ªsome of the doctrine is off-limits to anyone but head priests. When creatures ascend to a certain level, they can alter their appearance." Jess''s mouth moved noiselessly, the words refusing to come forth. "That''s right, Jess. It was another test to see how we''d react." Joel grinned, his features going manic. "Our deity, this ''Sergeant Snips'', is even more advanced in her ascension than we thought." *** For the second time in recent memory, an ancient being of the forest stirred. It knew not what had roused it, and as its awareness slowly grew, it looked for the source of its awakening. It extended tendrils in search of the two beings from earlier, but neither were present. Confusion bloomed, and it was just about to go back to sleep when it felt something... underground? There was a source of energy near one of its roots. It took a chance and exerted what little power remained to it, sending a root up to quest for the anomaly. When it reached the source of its confusion, joy bloomed like a springtime flower. It was a source of energy, and though it was small in size, it was potent. The ancient being drank deep, using some of the power to extend more tendrils in pursuit of further discoveries. It found three more in the surrounding earth, spaced evenly apart. Each was small, powerful, and left it wanting more. The being shivered in delight, and if anyone were present, they''d have noticed a peculiar sight: a light-blue tree''s leaves swaying in a breeze that didn''t exist. The meal was over entirely too soon, and with its hunger somewhat satiated, the being withdrew its awareness and slipped back into a restful slumber. *** Corporal Claws was resting atop her favored perch when something of note happened. A strange power tickled at her awareness, and she darted her head toward it, trying to gauge its source. The resonance was coming from somewhere to the south, and she leaped from her log before slinking off toward the anomaly. She slipped from shadow to shadow, utilizing her unparalleled skills in reconnaissance. She was the night; she was silence incarnate; she was¡ªCorporal Claws froze, her body going stiff as an oyster''s shell. The source of the strange energy was before her, and she peered from under a fallen log, ensuring her entire body lay in shadow. Pinpricks of moonlight shone down through the canopy, revealing a light-blue tree. Whatever was causing the disturbance had to be hiding behind it, so she snuck¡ªrather sneakily, by her estimation¡ªaround the perimeter, keeping her peepers pinned on the offending trunk. No matter which angle she viewed it from, however, there was nothing to be seen. There were four patches of disturbed earth surrounding the tree, which were undoubtedly where her master had tried planting the lemon seeds he''d spent the last week talking about. Was it possible that their growth had been what she felt...? No, she decided immediately. It had been an intelligent creature acting upon the world. There was no answer for what the creature was or where it went, and her ears twitched in frustration. She was just contemplating her next move when the tree shook. The entire thing shivered like an otter with no fur emerging from a frosty stream, so she hunched low to the ground. There wasn''t something behind the tree¡ªit was in the tree! She wiggled her body and lay flat as her pupils dilated. She would wait the creature out¡ªsuch was the patience and fortitude of Corporal Claws, fuzziest and cutest disciple of Fischer. *** Half an hour later, Claws crept forward toward the trunk, having had her fill of waiting¡ªit was just so boring. She held her power at bay, not wanting to spark with energy and warn her unseen foe. On silent paws, she approached. A small grin tugged at her lip as the thrill of the hunt flooded through her. She bent her legs, wiggled her tooshie, then leaped into the tree''s branches. She had a haughty expression across her face, intending to appear smug to whatever was hiding there, but upon landing, her visage transformed to annoyance. I smiled. "Well, thank you, mate. I appreciate it." That I didn''t have to pay for my coffee or croissant, and that I''d basically just agreed to let Roger buy his family their own brekkie, went unsaid. "Just the usual thanks, Sue!" I said when we reached the counter. "Coming right up!" As she slid four coffees and croissants toward us, she peered at Roger''s proffered coin, then raised an eyebrow at me. I gave a small nod, and she beamed in response. "Thank you, Roger. I''ll just get your change." *** The sun peeked over the rows of sugarcane as Roger and I walked between them, and I took a deep breath of the morning air. I had a coffee in hand, it was a beautiful day, and I was on the way to see my favorite human; given all this, I was unaffected by the disgruntled father of said human stomping beside me. "What are your plans for the day, mate?" "Farming," he replied matter-of-factly. "Nice. How are the crops doing?" "Good." "Happy to hear it. I''m gonna make some stuff today, I reckon." He made a non-committal grunt. "You know, Roger¡ªyou''d be more than welcome to come give fishing a try if you wanted to try it." "And why would I do that?" "If nothing else, fish is a fantastic fertilizer¡ªyou could think of it as an extension of farming if it makes the whole ''heretical'' aspect of things any better." "I''m fine, thank you." "Suit yourself! The offer is always open if you change your mind. Think of my sand as your sand." He snorted, and I smiled in response. *** "Maria! Fischer''s here!" Sharon yelled from the kitchen. Her head shot from her door. She wore pajamas, a beautiful grin, and an absolute mess of hair. "Be out in a moment!" She emerged a minute later, hair smoothed, pajamas swapped out for daywear, and the stunning smile still present. I held out the coffee; she ignored it entirely, stepping past my outstretched hand and pressing her lips to my cheek. "Thank you," she said, taking the coffee as she withdrew. Heat rose to my face, and I pointedly looked at her and not her parents, who had gone quiet in the kitchen. It was the first time she''d done so in front of her parents, and despite it being merely a peck, it left me poleaxed. Sharon laughed and I chanced a look. She leaned on Roger''s shoulder for support, her other hand covering her mouth. "Your face, Fischer¡ªyou''re redder than passiona jam." I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Maria stepped back in and wrapped her arms around my waist. "Don''t be so mean, mom." "Sorry," she said, her cheeks glowing with mirth from behind her raised hand. "It''s just funny seeing a fearless heretic brought low by a mere kiss. Come on, Roger. Let''s go finish our breakfast outside." As they passed, Roger shot me an unreadable look that I took as a warning, and I gave him an awkward smile in response. "So," Maria said, releasing me from her cuddle. "What are the plans today, oh ''fearless heretic''?" She smiled up at me as she took a sip of coffee, and the embarrassment slowly left me. "Well, I did have some light teasing in the itinerary, but seeing as though that''s been taken care of, we can skip to phase two." She nodded, giving me a knowing look. "My efficiency knows no bounds¡ªI thought it best to get the teasing out of the way, lest I become the target." She took another sip, closed her eyes, and let out a light sigh. "What does phase two entail?" ¡°Oh, nothing major¡ªI thought you might like to make your own fishing rod. If that''s not to your liking, though...¡± I trailed off, delighting as her eyes went wide and a grin grew across her freckled face. Book 2: Chapter 6: Rare Commodities Book 2: Chapter 6: Rare Commodities Both mine and Maria''s arms were full as we strode toward Tropica. The rising sun had crested the horizon, allowing me to steal glances at Maria and the obvious joy and anticipation spread over her face. "You know, if someone saw you smiling so hard about creating heretical objects, they might make some terrible assumptions." "It''s horrible, isn''t it?" she asked, still beaming. "Your bad influence is spreading." "Truly a travesty," I said, laughing. As our footing swapped from sand and soil to cobblestones, we started passing people in the street. We were greeted with smiling faces, waves, and more than a few good-mornings as we made our way toward the woodworkers. I knocked on the door, and it swung open to reveal Brad, coffee in hand and apron already dirty with wood chips and shavings. "I was wondering when you were coming by! Come on in." We followed him inside, and a workstation was already cleared and set up with myriad tools. "I wasn''t aware you were coming too, Maria¡ªdid you want me to set up another workspace for you?" "Nah, you''re all good," I answered. "We can make room if she wants to try it herself¡ªI don''t want to impose on you more than necessary." "You''re never imposing, Fischer. I wasn''t joking when I said you don''t have to ask to use it." He fumbled in a back pocket. "That''s why I wanted to give you this." My eyebrows shot up at what was in his hand. It was a small metal key. "What''s this, mate?" "A key to the workshop." "Woah," I said, stopping. "I appreciate it, but you''ve already done so much." "Nonsense." He dropped it into my top pocket, which I was unable to block given the crate of fittings, bearings, and other knick-knacks occupying my arms. "Think of it this way¡ªit''s a weight off my shoulders because I won''t need to go out of my way to let you in if you have work to do at odd hours." "Sounds like he''s trapped you, Fischer," Maria said, setting her bamboo poles down and patting me on the shoulder. "Turning it down now would be downright rude, which a proper, gods-fearing citizen like yourself would never be... right?" She grinned at us, and Brad barked a laugh. "Couldn''t have said it better myself." "Mate... I don''t know what to say..." "You could say thank you," Maria suggested, elbowing me lightly in the side. I put my crate down and turned to him. "You a hugger, Brad?" "Er, I mean¡ª" He cut off as I wrapped him up, gave him a few pats on the back, then let go. "Thank you, mate. I appreciate the trust." "You''re welcome." He rubbed the back of his head. "It''s the least I can do given how much you''ve helped Tropica." "Alright, that''s enough flirting you two," Maria said, shooting us a wink. "I''m sure you''ve got orders to fill, Brad, and we''ve got rods to make!" "Sorry, mate," I said to Brad. "She''s terribly jealous." "It''s true," Maria agreed, unpacking the contents of my crate. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it again, and shook his head. "I''m just gonna keep sanding these chairs down¡ªI don''t even know what to say to you two." Maria and I shared a grin as he turned away. I started helping her unpack and organize the components. *** "Are these the offcuts we can use?" I asked from my kneeling position by a bench. "Aye," Brad said, still focused on his work. "You didn''t even look..." "That''s because you can use whatever you want¡ªthere are more chucks of ironbark riddled in there at the back." "Thanks, mate, but I think we''ll try using something a little easier to work with¡ªthey don''t need to be works of art. I''ll definitely take one for Maria''s reel, though." I shot her a wink, and she held a hand to her chest and mouthed, ¡°who, me?¡± I collected an armful of offcuts that were roughly the correct shape: six softwoods, and an ironbark one for Maria. A softwood one went in the vice first, and after winding it firmly closed, I picked up a hand saw and started shaping. "So," I instructed, "it''s best to get a rough shape going before we start filing and shaving." My enhanced body easily pushed the saw''s teeth through the soft wood, and within minutes, the block was roughly circular. "What''s the look for?" "Oh, nothing¡ªyou just reminded me how smooth-brained I can be at times." "What does asking about the luck bonus have to do with how smooth you are?" "Wait... what? Oh! I don''t mean I''m smooth with my words; I mean my brain is smooth. A wrinkly brain is very-much preferred, and having a smooth brain implies I''m an idiot." She gave me a flat stare. "Fischer." "Yeah?" "What on Kallis are you talking about?" "It''s basic biology. Having a wrinkly brain means there''s more of a surface-to-volume ratio, which allows room for more neurons while decreasing the relative distance between them. Though, there is an argument that having a smooth-brain is a defense mechanism that makes you more aerodynamic, allowing insults to slip right off¡ª" "Nope," she said, holding up a hand. "... nope?" "Nope," she repeated. "I''ve heard enough, and I won''t be letting you take us any further off track from my glorious fishing rod we''re definitely making today. Understood?" A smile curled the corner of her lip as she raised an eyebrow in expectation of an answer, and I grinned down at her. "Understood, boss." "Good. Before we continue, why did asking about the luck bonus make you feel like an idiot?" I opened my mouth, and she held up a finger, signaling me to wait. "I will allow you to explain it in seven words¡ªno more, no less." "My lady would allow me to speak seven words? This lowly one thanks elder sister." I bowed at the waist, and she giggled. She cut it off and cleared her throat as she tried to hide her amusement behind a mask of indifference. I rubbed my chin in exaggerated thought, planning my seven words carefully. "Fischer can wear fishing rod," I said with the intonation of a caveman. "Increase luck." She nodded, then responded with the same cadence. "Luck good. Fischer smart." "No¡ªFischer dumb. It Maria idea." I paused for effect, rubbing my chin as if I was channeling every ounce of intellect into my next words. "Maria smart." *** Brad shook his head as he listened to the two go back and forth. He had been adjusting to the abilities and strength of his newfound body over the past week. One such ability was his enhanced hearing, which he was currently utilizing to eavesdrop. He was all the way at the other side of the workshop, and by all rights, shouldn''t be able to hear their conversation. He''d intended to search for nuggets of wisdom, and to that end, he''d succeeded. Knowing that gaining levels in a skill would allow one to read created items'' bonuses was intel he couldn''t wait to share with Barry. Despite the insight, and despite the possibility of further knowledge to come, he found himself more interested in their playful bickering. Genuine connection and conversation were rare commodities, and it made him think of his own partner. He felt guilt for listening in on such intimate moments, but as he began traversing that internal rabbit hole, he shook himself. Focus, Brad, he thought. Keep your mind on the mission at hand. "Alright," Fischer said, laughing. "Let''s put this reel on the rod and see what happens." Brad refocused, his hands moving of their own accord across the leg of a chair atop his workbench as he listened in. *** I started by screwing in the rod''s eyelets. "These are what you run the line through. When either you or the fish pull, the rod will flex and take most of the pressure from the line." Maria nodded intently, her eyes focused on what I was doing. Next, I attached the bracket I''d asked Fergus, the blacksmith, to create for me. It, along with the others I''d had him make, were slightly smaller than the one on my fishing rod. "This is what allows the reel to flick sideways and let the line spool out freely." She said nothing, merely watching. My heart hammered in my chest as I picked up the reel and slid a bearing into it. The fitting was seamless, and I took a deep breath as I slotted it onto the metal bracket. Exhaling, I focused on what I wanted the rod to become. The world listened, and it blurred before my eyes. The shape expanded, then contracted and sharpened. My vision was drawn into my newest creation. Book 2: Chapter 7: Scaling Book 2: Chapter 7: Scaling Corporal Claws, chosen of Fischer and warden of the forest surrounding her beloved pond, grinned mischievously. Last night, something had eluded her. She knew not what it was, but the creature would be punished for its hubris. She released her arms, and a pile of fish fell to the forest floor at the base of the light-blue tree''s trunk. From behind her ear, she removed the stalk of sugarcane she had requisitioned from Barry''s private stock. Following her master''s reprimanding of the farmer, Barry had built a giant wall around his crop. He''d dug a trench around the field''s perimeter and filled it with rocks to stop any creatures from burrowing below. Above the stones, wooden palings extended a good two meters from the soil. Such roadblocks were nothing to Claws, and she''d leapt over it with a single bound, not even needing her lightning powers. With the fish and the sugarcane, she had bait to lure the creature back in. Whether it was a glorious fish eater like herself, or a lowly muncher of vegetation, it mattered not; she had prepared for both possibilities. She made to dash back to her hideyhole beneath the fallen log, but paused. With a swift paw, she requisitioned one of the fish, then slunk off to her scouting position. With a sparkle in her eye and anticipation in her heart, she crunched into the fish, chewing it quietly as she awaited her quarry¡¯s arrival. *** Maria took a sharp inhale of breath, and a grin spread over my face as I inspected the rod. Bamboo Training Rod of the Fisher Uncommon A bamboo rod paired with a pine reel. This fishing rod provides boosts to both fishing and luck. +5 fishing +1 luck The System tried to get my attention¡ªas it so often did¡ªbut I ignored it, instead turning to Maria. Her vision was clear; she was no longer looking at the item''s description. Her eyes were wide and mouth was slightly open. ¡°Wow... it really worked.¡± ¡°It did,¡± I agreed, smiling at my work. ¡°I wanted it to be an easy rod for anyone to use, and it looks like that intent was reflected in its name.¡± ¡°Can... can I hold it?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± I held it out, and she took it timidly, running her hands along its different components. ¡°It''s so... is smooth the right word? I can''t find any flaws.¡± She held it up to her face and peered at it through squinted eyes. ¡°Even the eyelets transformed...¡± ¡°Yeah, I know what you mean, and smooth is the word I''d use.¡± Her fingers ran deftly along its length as she continued marveling at its quality. A strand of hair slipped from behind her ear, but focused as she was, she didn''t sweep it back into place. Just as the rod had consumed her, I was consumed by her beauty. My heart sang at the way her nose crinkled in concentration, shifting her freckled and suntanned skin. ¡°So,¡± I said, ¡°how do you feel about trying to make one without my help?¡± *** Maria''s sun-bleached hair swayed back and forth as used a plane to shave down the chunk of wood. She had already sawn off the corners, and one sliver at a time, she reduced the block down. I said nothing¡ªI didn''t need to. She was intently focused, and I was content letting her work it out for herself. An hour went by, and with each passing second, the wooden block looked more like a reel. She lifted the plane but stopped, cocking her head to the side as she looked down at it¡ªjust in time for it to transform. As with every time the System intervened, the reel''s lines blurred and grew vague. In the space of a single breath, it shrunk back down and tightened. A wave of resonance shot from Maria, and my core hummed in response. She gasped and held a hand to her abdomen. ¡°Wh-what was that?¡± ¡°Totally normal,¡± I said, laying a reassuring hand on her back. ¡°It does that sometimes¡ªI''m pretty sure it coincides with System advancements.¡± ¡°What does it mean...?¡± ¡°Honestly? No clue. That you learned woodworking? That you became a fishing artisan? With the System dysfunctional as it is, it''s hard to tell. More importantly...¡± I pointed at the reel. ¡°I think you should have a look at what you made.¡± Her eyes went wide, and her head darted down to the reel. I gazed at it too, letting it pull me in. Pine Reel of the Apprentice Uncommon Crafted of pine, this reel provides a boost to fishing. +2 fishing My vision cleared to see Maria blinking up at me, her face anxious. ¡°What did it say? I can''t read it!¡± ¡°It gives two fishing¡ªnothing else, luck or otherwise.¡± Her face remained shocked. ¡°Don''t let it dishearten you,¡± I said. ¡°I''ve been making them longer, which is probably why mine have more¡ª¡± ¡°... dishearten?¡± her voice was soft, a little flat, and entirely incredulous. ¡°Dishearten?¡± she repeated, laughing. ¡°Fischer, I just made a¡ª¡± She cut herself off and darted a look toward Brad; the woodworker was bent over, sanding a chair and paying us no mind. She leaned toward me, whispering urgently. ¡°I just created a magic item! An actual real-life item created with the System! I... I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°I''m not surprised¡ªI never doubted you for a moment.¡± She chewed her lip in thought, her eyes staring at my chest vacantly as her thoughts roiled. ¡°If you''re excited now,¡± I said, ¡°wait until you make a fishing rod out of it.¡± Her gaze rose to meet mine, and a beatific grin spread across her face. ¡°A-are you sure? What do I do? Am I ready? It''s all so much¡ª¡± I cut her off with a side hug, laughing as I pulled her close. ¡°You''re ready. Just do what I did, and the System will handle the rest.¡± She leaned her head against my shoulder, then broke off with a skip and began gathering the components. *** Excitement bubbled up within Leroy as he strode beneath the mid-morning sun. He''d slept fitfully last night, but despite his distinct lack of sleep, he was full of energy as he made his way to Barry and Helen''s home. ¡°You did¡ªcongratulations!¡± ¡°It''s amazing!¡± She squealed quietly and hugged it to her chest, still dancing on the spot. ¡°My very first rod! What are the stats?¡± ¡°Three fishing, one luck.¡± Part of me expected her to be disappointed, but her foot-to-foot dance only increased. I held a hand up and she high-fived it with entirely too much vigor. ¡°Hey!¡± I said, laughing. ¡°If I wasn''t so strong, you might have dislocated my shoulder with that.¡± ¡°Oh! Sorry!¡± She grinned up at me. ¡°I''m just. So. Excited!¡± She held the rod up and looked it over, peering at the seamless qualities of its new form. She spun on me with a fervent gaze. ¡°Can I make another?¡± *** The day passed by like a calm breeze as Maria and I made four more rods. Brad helped me clear a space for her to work from before he left to get some lunch, and I matched her pace, content to take my time and let her get more experience. Each subsequent rod she made took less time, and as she finished her third rod of the day, she let out a soft gasp. ¡°Fischer! Look!¡± She held it up before me, and it immediately drew my eyes in. It was the same as before, but gave four instead of three to fishing. ¡°Hey! You''re getting better.¡± She nodded chaotically, hair bouncing around her face in her excitement. ¡°I am!¡± ¡°Well, with those six rods finished, it just leaves one more to make.¡± Her body language sobered in an instant. ¡°You should make it¡ªit will come out better.¡± ¡°You know, I thought about that, but I have another idea.¡± Her eyebrows furrowed and her head tilted to the side. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was thinking we could do it together.¡± *** We took turns shaving down the reel for Maria¡¯s very own rod. The ironbark was much more difficult to work with, but given our enhanced bodies, it never stood a chance. When it was almost finished, she turned a curious gaze on me. ¡°Who should do the last bit?¡± ¡°I''ve been thinking about that too...¡± I unwound the vice and removed the reel, holding it out to her. ¡°You hold it for me and focus your will on what you want it to become, and I''ll do the last bit of sanding.¡± She held it firm and rotated it as I took fine sandpaper to the reel''s surface. Bit by bit, the hardwood smoothed, and with a final scrape along its surface, it transformed. Ironbark Reel of the Fisher¡¯s Apprentice Rare Crafted of ironbark, this reel provides an unknown benefit. Combine it with a rod to learn more. As both our visions cleared, we blinked at each other, then grinned at the same time. Without a word, we started constructing the rod. Maria attached the hooks as I screwed in the bracket, and as with the reel, she held the rod firm as I attached the last piece of the puzzle. Her eyes were closed and her brow was wrinkled in concentration as I wound the nut into place. It pressed against the bearing, and I was just about to rotate my hand again when the transformation began. The rod seemed to vibrate, and my fingers tingled where they touched it. The lines blurred more than normal, and it seemed to drink light from the room as it shifted and expanded. My eyes went wide as confusion hit me, but quick as the change had started, the lines snapped back into place sharply. A wave of elation rolled out from my abdomen, but it was completely drowned out by Maria¡ªa tidal wave of force billowed from her and collided with my core, causing my whole body to buzz with its resonance. ¡°W-what...?¡± we both said, reeling back. Before I could speak another word, the rod''s description consumed my vision. Bamboo Rod of the Fisher¡¯s Apprentice Rare A bamboo rod paired with an ironbark reel. This fishing rod provides boosts to both fishing and luck. The stats provided will grow with the skill of the user. +? fishing +? luck ¡°W-what?¡± we both said again, darting looks from the rod to each other. ¡°Holy shit, Maria... you got a scaling item.¡± She rested back against the bench, leaning on it for support. ¡°Fischer... that''s insane, right?¡± I took a seat beside her, lifting myself up onto the bench. ¡°Yeah, it really is. Pretty sure it will out-scale my rod, given time.¡± ¡°What was the wave that rushed out of me? I felt a smaller one from you, but mine...¡± She shook her head, trying to clear it. ¡°I''ve never felt anything like it.¡± ¡°Also normal. It usually coincides with a message from the System reminding you how out-of-power and useless it is.¡± Her gaze went distant, and I guessed she was checking said message. She took a sharp intake of breath as she whirled on me. ¡°Fischer... it said something.¡± ¡°Yeah, you''ll get used to those messages. They''re always the same, unfortunately.¡± ¡°No, Fischer¡ªyou don''t get it. It said something¡ªa lot of things, actually. I learned woodworking and advanced to level ten in fishing.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± I almost yelled the last word, and I quickly willed my System notifications to show. Lines printed out before me, and my mouth went dry. Book 2: Chapter 8: Pungent Book 2: Chapter 8: Pungent Sawdust and the scent of wood filled the air, and as I read the System messages again, my mouth grew dry. You have become a woodworking trainer! You have advanced to woodworking 8! You have advanced to fishing 37! If I wasn¡¯t sitting atop the workbench, I would have fallen to my knees. I leaned back, bracing myself against the tabletop. ¡°Fischer, are you okay?¡± Maria¡¯s face was concerned as she held a hand atop mine. ¡°What did it say?¡± I told her. As I said them out loud, the truth hammered into me. I had already leveled my fishing so much, and I had become a woodworking trainer...? What did that mean? Marai spoke, drawing me from my introspection. ¡°If it listed them for you too... does that mean what I think it does?¡± I nodded, clenching my jaw. ¡°The System is regaining power¡ªfor everyone.¡± I checked the messages again, still not believing what I saw.. On a hunch, I willed a ¡®stat screen¡¯ to show. If this world were anything like the books and stories I¡¯d read on Earth, there would be a way to quantifiably track progress. As I focused my mind on the task, I felt something respond. It was there, just out of reach, so I redoubled my efforts, forcing the waking world out of my awareness as I closed my eyes. That¡¯s when it happened¡ªthe System spoke up, responding to my request. [Error: Insufficient power. Superfluous systems offline.] I barked a laugh, and Maria raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡ªI tried to see all my skill levels, but the System responded with its usual ¡®insufficient power¡¯ nonsense. I guess we don¡¯t have to worry about the world returning to the days before the gods¡¯ departure anytime soon...¡± I grinned. ¡°Still¡ªpretty neat to see notifications, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say?¡± Maria asked, a smile quirking her lips. ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± ¡°You just learned that the System, something that has been dysfunctional for thousands of years, has started working again... and all you can say is ¡®neat¡¯?¡± ¡°What? You don¡¯t think it¡¯s neat?¡± I blew air from my lips. ¡°You¡¯re hard to impress.¡± I laughed as she slapped me on the arm. ¡°No, you goof, I think it¡¯s beyond neat¡ªit¡¯s downright astounding.¡± *** If it weren¡¯t for Brad¡¯s cultivator body, he¡¯d have fallen over and accidentally announced his presence. He had made an excuse to leave over an hour ago, saying he had a lunch date with his partner. It was a lie, of course, and while he didn¡¯t feel good about deceiving two people he considered friends¡ªand one he considered a god just waiting to happen¡ªit was a necessary evil. He needed to gather intel, and that was that. Brad¡¯s hands were braced against his knees, and he was taking deep, silent breaths to steady himself. That Maria had become a cultivator wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªthe Church of Fischer had suspected as much, but it was good to hear it confirmed. What had him buckled over and fighting to not pass out was the knowledge that the System was regaining power. He gathered his strength and left on shaky legs, heading for Barry¡¯s house. *** As excited as I was, Maria had to be even more excited; she practically danced as we made our way from the woodworking shop. We received a few odd looks when traveling through Tropica with our rod-laden arms, but neither of us was bothered¡ªwe had some new tools to test. After dropping off the extra rods at my home and collecting my tackle box, we set off toward the coast. I walked with a quick gait, while Maria skipped beside me, unable to contain her energy. ¡°Where should we fish?¡± she asked. ¡°Would the saltwater or freshwater suit my rod better?¡± ¡°Where would you like to fish? They¡¯ll work in either area.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Her skipping stopped abruptly, and she cocked her head to the side in thought. ¡°The river! I haven¡¯t had a chance to go fishing there yet.¡± ¡°As my lady wishes,¡± I said with a small bow, and she whacked me on the back with the butt of her rod. I beamed up at her, entirely too pleased with myself. ¡°By way of apology, would you like to have the inaugural test-run of this rig? We could use an extra eel as bait for the crab pot.¡± Her annoyance disappeared, replaced with a smile as she gave a sharp nod. *** I stood beside Maria as she cast her line out. The sun had begun to descend from its peak, its warmth hitting the right side of our bodies as we faced south. The reflective strips of the newly created sabiki rig twinkled in the light as they flew over the water and landed with an inaudible splash. ¡°So, how does the new rod feel?¡± Maria¡¯s eyes were closed, a soft smile on her face as she angled her cheek toward the sun. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it before, but the rod you made is a bit big for me, I think. This one feels just right.¡± I shared her sense of calm, and I watched the tip of her rod with relaxed eyes, waiting for a fish to bite. The movement of the water beyond drew me in, its chaotic shifting and swirling making a sense of ease course through me. The bonus to attraction must have kicked in, because we didn¡¯t have to wait long; the rod bounced and twitched as a small fish took one of the hooks. As I had instructed her days ago, she waited for more to bite, and her patience was rewarded. Something bigger joined the fray, bending the rod almost in half as it tried to swim away. Maria¡¯s eyes went wide, while mine narrowed in thought. She wound the line up, but as the hooks neared the water¡¯s surface, the hooked creature swam for its life, darting down and away in a sporadic dash. At the fish¡¯s movement, my eyebrows furrowed further. Maria stepped toward the water, giving the creature room to move. As swimming down didn¡¯t let it get away, the fish tried swimming out to sea, but upon finding that course just as fruitless, it darted back up the river. The line cut through the water with its movement, holding firm as Maria expertly stepped to and fro on the shore. The fish soon grew tired, and while it still took runs, they were shorter and sporadic. Maria meticulously wore it down, and with a final lift of her rod, something long, brown, slimy, and repulsively hideous slid up onto the rocks. ¡°What the...¡± Pungent Monkeyface Eel Rare Found in the brackish waters of the Kallis Realm, this mature variation of the Common Eel has high oil content and a pungent scent, making it unpalatable food but excellent bait. ¡°Whoa,¡± Maria said, drawing me from my inspection as she dispatched it. ¡°It¡¯s a mature version, and it says it¡¯s rare! That should make it better bait, ri¡ª¡± Her words cut off as she gagged and covered her mouth. ¡°By the gods,¡± came her muffled words. ¡°It stinks!¡± I leaned down, the impulse to sniff it working against my self-preservation instincts. ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad. It¡¯s only a¡ªhyuk!¡± I reeled back as if physically struck. A scent of ammonia reminiscent of smelling salts with a hint of ripe garbage crashed into me, and I similarly covered my mouth. ¡°Alright¡ªit¡¯s really that bad.¡± I stared at the creature, its visage somehow making its scent even more repulsive. For lack of a better descriptor, the eel looked like some errant god had made its face by combining a primate¡¯s head with the bottom of a foot. It was covered in wrinkles and slime, looking like a hand gone pruney after staying underwater too long. ¡°Fish can¡¯t really like eating this, can they?¡± Maria asked, incredulous. ¡°It smells like death.¡± ¡°I know how to find out...¡± I cupped my hands to my mouth and yelled out. ¡°Sniiiiiips! Assistance needed at the river mouth!¡± Maria and I moved upwind from the nasally offensive sea creature, and before I could take a seat in the sand, something flew from the water and crashed into my chest. I¡¯d seen her coming, so I braced my legs and easily caught her. Sergeant Snips, my ever-reliable guard crab, hissed her greeting up at me. She withdrew her power, blue billows of water sucking back into her carapace. ¡°You got here fast¡ªwere you close by?¡± She shook her sturdy head and blew negative bubbles, pointing out to sea. ¡°You were off exploring, huh? Well, thanks for coming. We have a question for you.¡± She cocked her entire body and peered at me with her single visible eye, curiosity evident. I nodded at the foot-looking eel. ¡°We want to know if that tastes good or not¡ªfair warning, though: smell it first. The System says it¡¯s good bait, but we¡¯re struggling to believe it.¡± Snips jumped to the rocks and puffed herself up, taking pride in the task. With sure steps, she approached the Pungent Monkeyface Eel. Book 2: Chapter 9: Fuzz Book 2: Chapter 9: Fuzz The sun beat down on Sergeant Snips as she approached a rather silly looking creature. It had already been taken care of, and its lifeless mouth hung slightly ajar, revealing black flesh and sharp teeth within. Her master had said the System called it ¡®excellent bait¡¯, which meant it would likely be a tasty little afternoon snack for Snips. Just then, the wind changed direction, and she immediately reassessed how tasty a treat it would be. The smell was suffocating, and she froze on the spot, the scent overwhelming. Part of Snips could tell that in the not so distant past, this eel would have been a pleasure upon her senses. As she was now, however, that wasn¡¯t the case. Her palate had changed following the introduction of Fischer¡¯s varied foods¡ªwhatever this creature was, it was no longer on the menu. She turned and headed back for Fischer and Maria, shaking her head emphatically. *** ¡°It¡¯s not nice...?¡± I asked ¡°See?¡± Maria said. ¡°I told you! It¡¯s way too stinky.¡± Snips held up a claw, halting us. She made a series of gestures between her and the water, blowing hisses and bubbles that I understood. ¡°It¡¯ll taste good to fish, but not you?¡± She nodded in confirmation, blowing another series of bubbles. When I caught their meaning, I laughed and bent down to pat her head. ¡°Thanks, Snips.¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± Maria asked. ¡°All I got was that she was happy about something.¡± ¡°She says my cooking has made food she once loved taste terrible. Probably the best compliment you could give a chef.¡± I stretched and took a deep breath; the salty air leveled me out, and a smile came to my face as I exhaled slowly. ¡°Alright. Now we know the eel is good for fishing, shall we?¡± Maria grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± *** Cutting the eel into hook-sized pieces without getting a whiff was a convoluted process involving a leaf glove, facing my back to the wind, and no small amount of concentration. With a leaf cupped in my hand, I slid a chunk of flesh onto Maria¡¯s hook. She had swapped the sabiki rig for a drop rig, and with the bait¡¯s addition, her rod was ready to go. She walked to the rocky edge, flicked the reel forward, drew her arms back, then sent the hook and sinker sailing out over the water. The sun was descending behind us, making its inexorable way toward the western mountains. The sky was tinged with hints of purple and pink, and I knew we would witness a stunning sunset over the next couple of hours. Beneath the beautiful colors of the afternoon sky, Maria¡¯s bait hit the water and sank toward the river-mouth¡¯s floor. After placing some pungent eel on my hook, I stood to the left of Maria and cast my line further out to sea, ensuring our lines wouldn¡¯t get tangled. I flicked the reel back into place and spun to my fishing partner. She was beaming a serene smile at me, and I raised an eyebrow, smiling back. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°This is really nice, Fischer.¡± I took a deep breath, the joy spreading wider on my face. ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s nice fishing by yourself, but there¡¯s just something about doing it with a friend. Oh, don¡¯t give me that look¡ªyou know what I mean.¡± She sniffed, attempting to appear unimpressed, but the corner of her lip twitched in amusement. It was almost unnoticeable on her sun-kissed skin. ¡°Just a friend, huh? Wait until my lord father hears about this.¡± I shot my eyes wide open and gaped at her. ¡°Please, my lady, anything but that¡ªKing Roger would have my head.¡± Her amusement broke through, and she covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she giggled. ¡°I will take pity, but just this once. Next time you won¡¯t be so¡ª¡± The words died in her throat as the tip of her rod twitched. It tugged down, slight but repetitive. ¡°It looks like baitfish have found it...¡± I said, watching her rod. ¡°Wait it out. They may bite the pointy end by accident.¡± *** When I rounded the headland, the sky had turned from a light pink to a vibrant shade of violet as the sun got lower in the western sky. Maria was just up the coast, leaning back as she tried to heave the fish she¡¯d hooked toward land. I ran to meet her. ¡°Have you seen it yet?¡± ¡°No!¡± she grunted through clenched teeth, then dipped her rod down to wind in more line. ¡°It¡¯s like the thing is glued to the ocean floor...¡± I had an idea of what it probably was, but I didn¡¯t want to spoil the surprise. Their dance continued, and bit by bit, Maria got the heavy creature closer to shore. Sensing it would soon be caught, the fish abandoned its tactic of sucking its body to the floor, instead trying to glide away. Maria pounced on the moment of weakness, pumping and winding the rod. A massive shadow lifted towards the water¡¯s surface, and she let out a gasp as she caught sight of it. ¡°What in Nereus¡¯ rich bounty is that?¡± ¡°That,¡± I answered, ¡°is a stingray.¡± She blinked down at the thing as she continued winding, bringing it to the shallows. It was a meter wide, so dark a brown as to be almost black, with thick wings surrounding a raised body. Maria practically vibrated with excitement, and a full-body shiver overtook her. ¡°You right?¡± I asked, smirking at her. ¡°I¡¯m overwhelmed!¡± she yelled back, so loud I may have assumed she was angry if not for the open-mouthed smile betraying her true feelings. She continued heaving, and when the stingray was half out of the water, I leaned down, grabbed the line, and hauled it up onto the sand. Common Stingray Common Found in the coastal waters of the Kallis region, these stingrays are a staple source of food. ¡°Watch out for its tail,¡± I said as my eyes cleared. ¡°That¡¯s where the name comes from.¡± ¡°How do you know so much about it?¡± Maria asked, bouncing from foot to foot. ¡°Have you caught one before?¡± ¡°No¡ªI¡¯ve caught a shovelnose ray before, but it was much thinner with a long, meaty tail. I know about these from Earth.¡± ¡°Is it edible? The description said they¡¯re a staple source of food...¡± Her eyes grew intense. ¡°Are they tasty?¡± I grinned at her. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve caught us dinner.¡± *** Corporal Claws, most lusciously furred of all of Fischer¡¯s disciples¡ªYes, including Cinnamon, she thought, who was clearly covered in fuzz, not fur¡ªreturned to her watchpost as the sun set. She¡¯d had to leave for a moment to attain sustenance; it would be downright negligent to attempt an overnight watch on an empty stomach. She smiled to herself as she munched on the fish she¡¯d caught in the river and cast her gaze out over the clearing, the light-blue tree in the center, and her pile of bait. Some hours later, with half-lidded eyes and a deep sense of weariness, she slapped herself across the face, shaking her head as she willed herself to wake up. Despite her intention of waiting all night¡ªand her best efforts at staying true to that ideal¡ªdoing nothing was just so boring. She took a deep breath and let it out in a hissing sigh, not at all looking forward to the rest of the night. It was just then, her attention waning and wakefulness fading, that the creature¡¯s presence returned. Corporal Claws¡¯ eyes dilated, and she was immediately flooded with focus and determination. The strange power started as a trickle, like the first drop of rain that fell from the sky and hit your arm, leaving you unsure if you imagined it. The trickle became a stream, and the stream became an immutable torrent. Corporal Claws watched on, confusion growing. The exertion of will came not from around the tree, but within and beneath its magnificent trunk. The power seemed to spread through the ground, climbing up toward the forest floor, until finally, it burst through the carpet of grass. A single root, thin as a piece of straw, exited right beside her pile of bait. It moved with prehensile grace, seeming to taste the air before plunging into the fish. Claws let out an indignant chirp, ignited her body with crackling energy, then launched herself at the creature. Book 2: Chapter 10: Distasteful Book 2: Chapter 10: Distasteful The being within the light-blue tree stretched her awareness out as she woke from her slumber, thoughts addled and mind foggy. It hadn''t been long since her last moment of awareness. Despite the insignificant stretch of time, she immediately noticed something: the latent energy suffusing the world had increased. It was still far below the levels of old, but compared to that of the last few-thousand years, it was as a bonfire beside a smoldering log. As she extended her senses further, feeling the ebbs and flows in the surrounding world, she made a delightful discovery: someone had brought her an offering. As with the morsels she''d found beneath the earth, the offering was of fish, with a single stalk of chi infused plant matter. If she had a mouth, it would have watered as she extended a thin root out, questing for the power offered. Her root rose above the earth, tasted the air, then plunged deep into the fish''s flesh. She was immediately disappointed. The power within was paltry, nothing compared to the preceding chunks of fish. She redirected the root, twisting out of the fish and into the green stalk of cane. Her spirit shivered as she tasted the sweet juices within, drank of the will intertwined with its very fibers, relished in¡ª Power exploded from somewhere in the surrounding forest, and an unidentified creature flew directly at her. *** Corporal Claws, wreathed in lightning and promising justice for the egregious slight of tricking her, trilled a battle cry as she flew headfirst for the light-blue trunk. Sergeant Snips was fond of telling her violence wasn''t always the answer. Sure¡ªnot always. Sometimes, however... sometimes swift violence was the only answer. Claws grinned, exposing needle-sharp teeth as she rocketed at the invader, her chittering war cry not pausing for a moment. *** What is this feeling? the ancient being thought as she watched the otter approach. She tasted the emotion, rolling it around her consciousness. It had been so very long since she''d felt anything. Ahhhh, she realized. It is amusement. I am amused. The otter continued to fly, claws extending and teeth bared in a promise of impending violence. Even having been asleep for millennia, her awareness was more than capable of keeping up with the pup before her¡ªenhanced by lightning or not. The lightning element was what made the situation so amusing; the only thing she felt as the otter flew closer was anticipation. The being bared her soul as the creature''s collision neared, opening up her very core. Come, then. *** Corporal Claws'' battle cry turned into a laugh of glee as she soared at the blue-tinted trunk. She imagined herself obliterating the tree, tearing the wood to splinters, ejecting the creature, demolishing¡ª The lightning surrounding her arced out and touched the trunk¡ªthe moment it did, the power flooding her was drained away. Within the blink of an eye, her ability was sucked from her body and into the tree. No, not the tree, she thought. The creature within. While it had stolen her lightning, it had¡ªunfortunately¡ªdone nothing to reduce her velocity. Crack! Claws'' vision blurred as she bounced back from the tree and tumbled ass over whiskers. *** Delight flooded the being as she cycled the lightning down into her core. The nature power tingled, nourishing everywhere it touched. The moment she''d seen the lightning surrounding the creature, she knew she was in for a treat; lightning was of nature chi, and very much within her domain. What she didn''t know, however, was just how much power the otter would possess. The mammal felt like a newly awakened being, and she had expected a matching level of essence. What had occurred in the time she was asleep? She had been drifting in and out of wakefulness over what must have been a few days, and the revelations in that insignificant amount of time made little sense. Her memory was littered with gaps. She could not pinpoint exactly what was off about the situation she found herself in, but it felt wrong nonetheless. The otter, having rolled almost out of the clearing following the collision, shook her head as she got back to all fours. The being hoped she would attack again, summon forth more lightning that she could absorb, but she was left disappointed. The otter turned and ran, fleeing. Corporal Claws, wrapped in lightning and babbling an incomprehensible series of chirps, slammed into my chest. She dismissed the lightning just before hitting me, and I caught her easily, wrapping her in my arms. "What''s wrong, Claws?" Tears sprung from her eyes as she pointed toward the forest, hissing and chirping at me so swiftly I only caught a few words. I clenched my jaw in response. "Show me who hurt you." *** From her perch in my arms, the aggrieved otter directed us through the forest. As we traveled¡ªand I recognized the path¡ªmy confusion grew. Surely we weren''t headed where I thought. Eventually, we emerged into the clearing where I''d planted my lemon seeds¡ªjust where I''d suspected. I raised an eyebrow at a pile of fish on the forest floor. Claws leaped from my arms and chirped her indignation, completely ignoring the fish as she pointed at the light-blue tree, accusation clear on her fuzzy little face. I looked at her, the tree, then back at her. "Uhhh, Claws? Are you sure the¡ª" A presence exerted itself on the world, and the words died in my throat. Something within the tree stirred and wielded its will. A hole opened up under the pile of fish, making it disappear into the earth. Roots churned underneath, and the patch of grass was pressed back up to obscure the hole. I gaped, and Claws strode forward, puffing out her chest. She babbled a series of trill sounds, pointed at me, then mimed punching the tree. She slid to the spot she''d punched, then extended her arms and splayed her fingers in the approximation of an explosion. "Stay here, Claws," I said, bending to pat her head. I glanced back at everyone else. "You guys, too¡ªkeep clear, just in case." "Fischer..." Maria took a step forward, but I shook my head. "I''ll be okay¡ªI promise. Just keep your distance, yeah?" She chewed her cheek, but nodded, her eyes serious. As I strode past Claws, she shadow boxed the air and cheered me on with high-pitched chirps. I stopped walking as I got to one of my lemon seeds and I dug my fingers into the earth. The seed was still there, ungerminated, but just as I''d suspected, the fish fertilizer was completely gone. "So, you found my fish to your liking?" I asked the tree. No response came, so I crept forward on light feet. "You know, I put that fish there to help my trees grow. I''m not upset that you took it, and I''d be happy to bring you more." Still, the tree made no reply¡ªnot that I knew how a damned tree was supposed to communicate. "If you want more food from me, there''s a cost. I want you to help cultivate the seeds I planted into fruit trees. Can you do that for me?" *** The ancient being looked on at the procession of strange creatures littering its clearing. A myriad of newly awakened creatures, one of which was one of the humans that had been present earlier. Weak, she thought, remembering the human''s power. The man strode forward, speaking to her. She understood the language, but found his words... distasteful. He compared himself¡ªbut a sapling on the path of ascendance¡ªto a mighty spirit of her station. Using some of the power she''d harvested from the otter, she raised a mighty root, thick around as the man¡¯s arms. The ground shook and the earth split to allow its exit. She held it up before him, letting him inspect its magnificence. His face registered surprise, but his spirit was unshaken. This annoyed the spirit, so she flicked the root at his chest. It should knock him away, but given he was a cultivator, it wouldn''t hurt him... probably. Book 2: Chapter 11: Distraction Book 2: Chapter 11: Distraction Pinpricks of moonlight broke through the canopy above, illuminating the root thundering toward my chest. Thick as an otter, the root would tear through most men. I appraised the root further as it tore through the air. If not for my enhanced body, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to spot it. Lucky for me, that wasn¡¯t the case. I grinned at the challenge and lifted one hand calmly, raising my palm where the root would strike my sternum. *** The being¡¯s amusement turned to worry as the cultivator lifted an arm to block her attack. She¡¯d aimed the blow at his center of mass, not intending to hurt him, merely to put him in his place. When the root struck his chest, it would knock the wind from his lungs, but his vital points would be spared; nothing would be broken. The arm, however, wouldn¡¯t fare so well; bones would break, if not shatter. She had neither the time nor the power to withdraw her blow¡ªall she could do was hope the devastation was minimal. A grin spread over the man¡¯s face, and she felt pity for the fool¡ªall the way until the root struck his open palm. Crack! Air exploded from the collision, blowing the cultivator¡¯s hair back. His eyes never flinched, he didn¡¯t move a step, and the grin never left his face. Realization and terror washed over the ancient being, and her leaves shook, entirely out of her control. The cultivator, this man so new on the path of ascension, had halted her blow with a single hand. Worse, she had felt his ability¡ªthe power he possessed. It was blank; pure; lacking any sort of elemental touch. The power of one¡¯s will came from the element tied to their chi, so how was it possible for this man, having not even a whisper of elemental power, to possess such strength? In her uncountable years of life, she¡¯d never heard of such a thing. She shuddered, her entire trunk vibrating. What kind of demon had she found herself in the presence of? One thing was certain: she wasn¡¯t safe in this human¡¯s presence. *** ¡°Well, that was pretty rude,¡± I said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You could at least take me out to dinner before trying to root me.¡± I turned to Maria and waggled my eyebrows expectantly, but she just scowled in response. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, Fischer, but I¡¯m gonna assume it was uncouth, vulgar, and perhaps a little gross.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re getting good at this.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡ªyour immaturity is getting predictable.¡± The tree shuddered, and I spun to face it. The thick root that struck at my chest withdrew into the ground, slithering out of sight. Its presence minimized, and I got the impression it was departing. ¡°Hey! Hold up, lil tree dude. My offer is still on the table¡ªI really want to grow some more lemons, and I¡¯m willing to bring you hella snacks as payment.¡± I strode forward and pressed my palm to the bark, pouring my will into the tree. ¡°Is... is that something you can do?¡± *** The being heard his words, yet still withdrew, feeling an instinctive need to get away. Her kind lived longer than most, and there was a reason for that: they didn¡¯t get involved in the games and machinations of those like the one before her. She willed herself back to sleep, knowing her best chance of survival was avoidance. His star would either burn out too soon, or he would ascend¡ªeither way, he would be gone and she would remain. But then he placed his palm against the bark of her firm trunk. His intent flowed out, and it stopped her in place. Was... was this some kind of trick? His desires, what he wanted from life... was that even possible from a man possessing so much potential? Tentatively, with great care, she extended part of herself, wanting to know more of the man. Given how fresh he was to ascendency, he likely didn¡¯t know the gravity of what he was doing¡ªwhat he was exposing himself to by opening up so candidly. She pounced at the opportunity. *** As I poured myself into the tree, I felt the thing inside reach out. It was hesitant, as if testing the heat of a stovetop with a fingertip. Our souls mingled, and it¡ªNo, she, I thought¡ªpoked around my will, examining it. She offered some of herself up in exchange, and a hint of understanding rose from the depths of my consciousness. As quick as it had begun, her attention withdrew, but her presence returned as she made a metaphorical step forward, returning her awareness to place in the center of the tree¡¯s trunk. Her will stirred, and something sprouted from the tree. A stem extended, unfurling with small leaves. A bulb grew from the tip, and within the space of a breath, it unfurled, revealing a beautiful, light-blue flower. ¡°Do you really think the seeds will grow?¡± Maria asked. ¡°I¡¯m not positive, but I have a good feeling about it.¡± ¡°Let me guess¡ªit was the ¡®vibe¡¯ you got?¡± I beamed. ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªyou are getting good at this. I took another bite of ray as Maria shook her head at me, and the savory flavors whisked me away, bringing me to a place of serendipity. We lapsed into silence, the only noises that of the crackling fire and my loudly eating animal pals. *** As I lay in my bed that night, sleep was being elusive. My mind was awhirl with the things I¡¯d learned today, and I couldn¡¯t shut my brain off long enough for slumber to take me. We¡¯d taken the ray¡¯s body to the tree when our meal was finished, and the ground had opened up beneath the offering, swallowing it whole. Based on the way the tree shuddered and shook, it was safe to assume it enjoyed the meal. Realizing my thoughts were going in loops, I sighed and sat up, tucking in Cinnamon so she didn¡¯t get cold. The bunny was softly snoring as I stepped from my bedroom and quietly shut the door behind me. When I crept outside, a cool breeze hit me, sending a shiver down my spine. I leaned into the chilly night as I walked down to the waterfront, hoping it would stop my mind from spinning. It didn¡¯t. I had long suspected that the System¡¯s ¡®insufficient power¡¯ messages were the result of skill advancements, but to have that fact confirmed... well, it had implications I didn¡¯t necessarily like. That I had become a ¡®trainer¡¯ of woodworking had even more meaning, and my over-active mind immediately dove down the rabbit-hole. I¡¯m probably a fishing trainer too, right? I wondered. If I¡¯m a trainer and someone I trained gains levels, does that mean I get part of their experience? Would it be more efficient to train everyone, or to train one other person that can then train others, like a pyramid scheme, or a multi-level marketing operation? I sighed, shaking my head and trying to dismiss the thoughts. I had no desire to become some powerful being in this new world I found myself in. I didn¡¯t want to worry about min-maxing, optimizing advancement, or organizational structures. I just wanted to fish, make friends, and be a positive influence on the lives of those around me. Another thought popped into my consciousness, and I cocked my head, letting it unfold and expand. A grin spread over my face, and a full-body shiver took me as a massive gust of wind kicked up, swirling around me and covering my body in goose-bumps. ¡°That just might work...¡± I said aloud through chattering teeth, turning and jogging back to the warmth of my bed. *** I woke to a slight headache, more than a little brain fog, and a plan firmly rooted in mind. I snuck from the bed, not wanting to wake the still-snoring bunny. Her butt poked vertically from between two pillows, two back legs and her fluffy tail extending into the air. I had to suppress a laugh at the way she was sleeping, and I slipped from the bedroom into the predawn light. When I stepped outside, I covered my mouth and let out a yawn. ¡°I guess I should ask for permission before I begin construction...¡± *** ¡°Thanks, Sue!¡± I said as I grabbed the offered coffee. ¡°If you see Roger, tell him I¡¯ve already been and gone¡ªI have a meeting this morning.¡± She laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy at the chance to buy his own food and coffee for once. I¡¯ll let him know. You have a great day, Fischer! Good luck with your meeting.¡± ¡°Cheers¡ªyou too!¡± I took a bite of the croissant; its flaky, buttery pastry was as welcome as ever, and as I washed it down with a swig of coffee, I let out a content sigh. The sun was just peeking over the rooftops, warming me and granting the world a golden hue. ¡°What a beautiful morning.¡± I walked slowly, taking the time to finish my breakfast before I arrived. I chewed on the last bite as I strode up the steps to the front door. I swallowed, then took another mouthful of coffee. After a moment¡¯s pause to appreciate its nutty, mellow flavor, I knocked on the door. Heavy steps ran down the stairs, and the fumbling could be heard from inside. The door swung open slowly, revealing the pallid, wide-eyed face of George, the lord of Tropica. ¡°G¡¯day, George. How ya been?¡± Book 2: Chapter 12: House Kraken Book 2: Chapter 12: House Kraken As the sun peeked in through his tent¡¯s opening, Number Three rubbed tired eyes. Each day since they had left Gormona, he¡¯d woken with a smile on his face and a racing heart. Today was no different. He still couldn¡¯t believe they were really doing it¡ªtruly leaving the capital on such a fraught with danger, exhilarating, and terrifying mission. Those anxiety-inducing thoughts were running through his mind when a friendly face poked into his tent. ¡°Good morning, Ellis,¡± Number Three said. ¡°Good morning, Three. I¡¯m ¡®One¡¯, by the way.¡± Ellis gently chided. ¡°Don¡¯t let Keith hear you using any other name.¡± Three barked a laugh. ¡°Right¡ªwe wouldn¡¯t want to upset the cantankerous Number Two. Is it time to pack up?¡± ¡°Not yet. Four is making breakfast, and I was just coming to see if you were awake.¡± ¡°Be out in a moment.¡± After Ellis¡ªer, One¡ªdeparted, Three took a moment to stretch, then tidied his camping roll before stepping out. He stood upright under the sun¡¯s rays; their warmth smothered any lingering anxiety he felt about their mission. ¡°Good morning, everyone,¡± he said, striding toward the campfire and the men surrounding it. They all called back greetings¡ªexcept Four, who didn''t look up from making breakfast, clearly having not heard him. Two, who was wringing his hands and staring at the ground, merely grunted. Three raised an eyebrow at the obviously conflicted man. ¡°How are you feeling, Two?¡± ¡°Good, thanks.¡± Three snorted. His training as a crown auditor had begun before he was a grown man, and as a result, he could read the truth in Two¡¯s body language. ¡°You remember I¡¯m an auditor, right? It¡¯s no use lying to me.¡± Two¡¯s eyes shot up, then narrowed. ¡°I do not consent to you reading my thoughts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, Keith,¡± Five said as he removed the pegs holding down one of the tents. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not a trained auditor, and even I can tell you¡¯ve got a burr in your small-clothes this morning.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Keith¡ªer, two¡ªhissed. ¡°It¡¯s Two! I¡¯m Two!¡± Five held both his hands up. ¡°Whoa. My bad. No need to go all royal on me.¡± ¡°Do not call me royal! That¡¯s an identifying trait!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it was until you said so...¡± Three said. When Two turned his furious gaze on him, Three gave the royal a kind smile. ¡°We¡¯re out in the wilderness, Two. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no one around to hear us.¡± Two adjusted his shirt, smoothing creases that didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Procedures exist for a reason, Three. If we don¡¯t follow the rules, things will descend into chaos. Chaos, I tell you!¡± ¡°Worry not, gentlemen,¡± One said, his voice deep and calming. ¡°We¡¯ll leave this location as soon as we¡¯ve replenished our reserves with some delicious food. Is it almost ready, Four?¡± Four¡¯s eyes jolted up from his pan, oozing incomprehension. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°I asked if breakfast is almost ready,¡± One repeated, tone patient and slow. ¡°Oh¡ªright! It is! I¡¯m just wilting some spinach.¡± Five let out a soft groan and stood to his full height, towering over the collapsed tent. ¡°We lucked out having a gourmet chef join us on the mission.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m a gourmet...¡± Five snorted. ¡°We both know you¡¯d have been running the royal kitchen long ago if not for that bastard head chef taking the credit for all your ideas.¡± ¡°You flatter me.¡± Five turned to Three. ¡°A... wall? To fish from?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate. A wall.¡± Fischer smiled, and George realized the crown agent wasn¡¯t going to elaborate. ¡°What kind of wall? Where?¡± ¡°A rock wall in the ocean, extending from the headland and running in-line with the river¡¯s bank. I¡¯m pretty sure no one would care given how disregarded the ocean is, but I figured it couldn¡¯t hurt to ask¡ªmake sure it was legal, you know?¡± ¡°H-How does that help with fishing?¡± If George¡¯s wits had been about, he¡¯d have simply given permission and moved on. Unfortunately, his thoughts were addled, and Fischer was all too happy to continue the ruse and elaborate. ¡°It helps immensely¡ªit¡¯s actually really beneficial for the sea-life of the area in general. You build it using large boulders, and the gaps between them provide room for all sorts of species to live in.¡± Fischer¡¯s eyes were practically shining, and his hands moved animatedly with every other word. ¡°It¡¯s also great for erosion! Sediment builds up at the base of the wall, and it stops sand from washing away from the river mouth!¡± If George didn¡¯t know better, and he wasn¡¯t aware that Fischer was some sort of senior crown auditor, he might have believed what appeared to be a passionate speech, but he was far too clever for that. He didn¡¯t know what trap was being prepared, what rope Fischer was dangling with which George could hang himself, but he wasn¡¯t going to fall for it. He schooled his face as he nodded. ¡°You can do what you want with the ocean, Fischer. There are no explicit laws regarding the ocean and its ownership.¡± Along with his meditations, George had spent the last two weeks reading and rereading the crown laws, and he wouldn¡¯t be fooled into giving incorrect information. ¡°Was that all?¡± ¡°Oh, for real?¡± Fischer beamed the smile of a wolf. ¡°Yeah, mate! That¡¯s all I had to ask!¡± He turned and jogged from the step, looking over a shoulder to give George one last grin. ¡°See ya, mate!¡± As he disappeared around a corner, George closed the door, the soft click of the lock sounding far away. His back itched and tingled as sweat sprouted. With each step upstairs, his legs felt more and more like they belonged to someone else. The sense of his body was numbed as he shuffled along. He knew not where he was going, and his legs moved of their own accord, taking him... somewhere. He started tipping over, and his arm shot out, trying to grab anything for support. Something... no, someone caught him. Voluptuous arms held him tight, and as he realized it was Geraldine, his awareness returned to his body all at once. ¡°You¡¯re okay, George,¡± she said, rubbing his back. He stood tall and squeezed her, taking solace in her touch. ¡°Thank you, my love. I was a little... light-headed. I¡¯m alright now.¡± She helped him sit down, and he crossed his legs, easily falling into the House Kraken meditation position. Despite his worries, he felt a twinge of amusement that he¡¯d been practicing for less than two weeks and his flexibility had already improved enough for him to sit cross-legged. It was still far from the optimal stance, but he was much closer to achieving it after such an insignificant amount of time. ¡°What happened?¡± Geraldine asked, drawing him from his musings. He relayed everything without embellishment, leaving out his assumptions and thoughts; he wanted to hear her untainted opinion on everything Fischer had said. Geraldine leaned back and stared at the roof for a long moment, considering what he told her. ¡°What do you think, George?¡± she asked, still looking up. ¡°I want to hear your opinion first.¡± She nodded, and after a moment, sighed. ¡°I have not the faintest idea.¡± He chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Neither do I. At first, I¡¯d assumed it another trap for me to fall into, but when I think about it... what end would that serve? I¡¯ve already been caught lying about¡ªand doing¡ªmuch worse.¡± ¡°My thoughts exactly...¡± The more he sat and tried to work it out, the worse George felt. His stomach was doing flips, and his breaths felt shallow, like he couldn¡¯t get enough oxygen. He rubbed his hands through thinning hair, making a frustrated noise and trying to banish the troublesome thoughts. ¡°What are we to do, Geraldine? I was just starting to feel more equalized, but a single visit from our tormenter and I¡¯m back at square one. It feels hopeless...¡± She crossed the floor faster than someone of her impressive form should be able to, and she leaned into him, hugging him tight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it feels that way, but don¡¯t let your thoughts deceive you.¡± She pulled back and stared into his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you read your house¡¯s manual again? It¡¯s what got us through the last two weeks, is it not?¡± He didn¡¯t feel the motivation to do so, but nodded, knowing it would probably help. He stood and strolled to a table across the room, taking a seat and flicking open the large tome atop it. Flicking through pages, he stopped when he saw the heading he was looking for. ¡®Chapter 4: Navigating and Harnessing Times of Great Stress.¡¯ He took a deep breath, held it for four seconds¡ªjust as the book instructed toward the end of the chapter¡ªthen released it slowly and began reading. Book 2: Chapter Poll: Second animal pal for book 2. Book 2: Chapter Poll: Second animal pal for book 2. Tree-kun is still very far from friend status, but I thought it would be fun to put the poll out for the next creature. Bless you and your choices. Book 2: Chapter 13: Thrill Book 2: Chapter 13: Thrill Cool air tickled my skin as I soared through the air, and I smiled at the water rushing up to meet me before I splashed into the ocean. Its icy temperature sent a thrill coursing through my body, and I arched my back, curving up through the water to breach the surface. I gasped instinctively, taking shallow breaths as I shivered, acclimatizing to the ocean''s frosty touch. Corporal Claws'' head popped up next to me. Her cheeks were puffed out. "Claws? Why do you look like tha¡ª" She pressed a forepaw to either cheek and squeezed¡ªa torrent of seawater slammed into my face. "You little rascal!" I slapped my hand against the water, intending to splash her back¡ªinstead, my hand made an ear-splitting slap as it struck, and water flew in every direction, including into my open mouth. I coughed and wiped my eyes, bobbing up and down on a now-roiling patch of ocean. Corporal Claws floated on her back, chittering with laughter and pointing at me with one paw. Two extended claws poked above the ocean, and I turned to greet Sergeant Snips. The words died in my throat as I saw it was Rocky, blowing very pissed-off bubbles. One claw pointed at me, the other at the still-giggling otter, and he slammed them closed. Twin explosion rang out, and another wash of water assaulted me, but I''d had time to turn my face away. Despite the lack of playfulness in his clacking, I turned back to smile at Rocky¡ªjust in time to see him lifted from the water. Sergeant Snips, spewing bubbles and seething with fury, flung him upward. He soared five meters into the air, and as he fell back down, blue water billowed from Snips''s body. She darted up to meet him, swung a claw up, then slammed it into Rocky''s undercarriage. Like a slingshot, she launched Rocky parallel to the ocean''s surface. He didn''t lose height for a long moment, but then he dipped rapidly. He skipped across the water like a flat stone, getting smaller and smaller as he bounced out toward the horizon. "Damn. Nice shot, Snips." She blew a single bubble filled with anger, then held a claw to my shoulder, apologizing for her subordinate''s actions. "No need to say sorry, Snips¡ªit was actually kinda funny." Claws nodded her agreement, letting out a shrill chirp and revealing her pointed teeth. Something large and surprisingly buoyant bobbed the surface, and I reached a fist out toward it. "How ya going, Pistachio? Good to see ya, mate!" He reached a claw out ponderously and fist-bumped me, blowing a small stream of greeting bubbles. "Alright, here''s the plan, gang..." I paused, realizing one of the construction crew had just been yeeted out toward international waters. "Would you relay the plan to Rocky when he gets back, Snips?" She nodded curtly, clearly unhappy to be reminded of the crab''s existence. I lifted my face toward the sun as I treaded water, delighting in its warmth. "It''s such a beautiful day. Anyway, the plan is to check out the ocean floor from here to about fifty meters that way." I pointed out to sea. "We''re just making sure it''s all clear to put some rocks down. If it is, we''re going to find some boulders and move them here. We''re going to need a lot of rock, so we may have to create a quarry somewhere." All three of the creatures bubbled or chirped as one, voicing the same question. I grinned. "You''ll just have to wait and see what it''s for, but I promise you''ll all love it." Sergeant Snips and Corporal Claws'' eyes shone, and even Private Pistachio''s face became filled with intrigue. "I just found something beautiful, and you have to come see it." *** I held a hand up to Maria, intending to help her into the water. She bent down, then gave me an odd smirk. I didn''t like the look in her eyes. She launched from the shore, tucking her legs up and holding them to her chest. She cannonball''d into the waves beside me, holding strong eye contact and that same expression the entire time. I closed my eyes, accepting my fate and letting the wave of water slam into me. I wiped my eyes and gave her a flat stare, which only increased the vigor of her giggling. "Do you feel good about yourself?" I asked. "I feel amazing." She gave me a full-faced smile. "Thanks for asking. How are you?" "Feeling father refreshed, thank you." She swam over and ran her hand over my head, smoothing my hair. "Glad to hear it. So, what did you have to show me?" "Follow me." I took a deep breath and sank down. Maria followed, and a smile quirked my lips as I saw her eyes firmly squeezed shut. My right hand darted toward her, and I spread one of her delicate eyelids open. Her immediate reaction was to try bat my hand away, but she froze, opening both eyes and blinking. Her head spun and mouth dropped open as she looked around, awe clear on her features. I pointed at her and gave her a thumbs up, cocking my head in question. She nodded vigorously, and her head began darting around, taking in our surroundings. I held a hand out, and her fingers intertwined with mine. Starting out slowly, I swam like a dolphin through the water, and she mimicked my movement. We picked up the pace as I led her out to sea. The path was just as pleasant as before, and I could tell Maria felt the same; a peaceful smile covered her face, mingled with a calm serenity. I picked up Snips again from the ocean floor in passing, and Claws swam circles around us, similarly delighting in the sensation of swimming. Halfway to our destination, Maria went to the surface to get a breath. She quickly rejoined me, and we continued our passage. When we arrived at the colorful bommie, she let out a muffled noise of surprise. Rather than look at the swaying coral and anemone, I watched her. The look of wonder on her face was everything I had hoped for, and my heart fluttered in response. When I glanced at the bommie, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and I swam to the surface. "What is it?" Maria asked when she joined me. "You look concerned..." "All the fish are gone..." "What do you mean?" "There were hundreds of fish before, and now there are what? Like ten?" Maria opened her mouth to respond, but the head of a belligerent otter popped up and let out a trill noise I¡¯d not heard from her before. "Claws...?" I reached out to touch her, but she moved her head away, her eyes going wide. "What''s wrong?" She pointed down with one paw, chirping incoherently. Maria and I shot a worried look at each other, then both put our faces beneath the water''s surface and peered down. Despite my enhanced body, a spike of fear stabbed into my core at what was lurking below us. Book 2: Chapter 14: Apex Predator Book 2: Chapter 14: Apex Predator A lump formed in my throat, and my body involuntarily froze as a wave of adrenaline washed over me. The water seemed to change temperature; where its cool touch was previously welcome, it now felt intolerably freezing as the shadow shifted beneath us. Even with my eyes still adjusting, I¡¯d seen enough footage of the terrifying creatures to identify one by shape alone. A shark of monstrous proportions swam through the bay. Twice as long as I was tall, the thing barely needed to kick its tail to send its gigantic form gliding through the water. Maria moved beside me and latched onto my hand. I squeezed, trying to reassure her. Corporal Claws clung to my back, also wanting nothing to do with said shark. Sergeant Snips lacked the same sense of self preservation, and she sank to the ocean floor, both clackers extended and poised to deliver violence. Pistachio was also beneath us, and his head slowly turned, following the shark¡¯s movement. Meanwhile, the shark continued its passage, unaware or uncaring of our existence and moving with the ease of an apex predator. It slowly faded from view, swimming far enough away for us to lose vision of it. Snips swam back up to meet us, and we kicked to the surface, emerging as one while Pistachio remained below. ¡°Snips¡ªcan you keep an eye out and warn us if it comes back?¡± Water sprayed my face as she gave me a crisp salute, then disappeared beneath the water. ¡°What in Hades¡¯ influence was that?¡± Maria hissed, keeping her voice soft. Claws chirped her agreement, poking her head around from where she clung to my back. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen one before?¡± I asked. Both of them shook their heads, their eyes wide. ¡°It¡¯s a shark. They¡¯re pretty common in the ocean where I¡¯m from, so I was pretty surprised you hadn¡¯t seen one, Claws.¡± ¡°They¡¯re common?¡± Maria asked. ¡°I never want to get in the ocean again¡ªI¡¯m honestly rethinking my whole love of fishing right now.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯d be alright considering we¡¯re cultivators, but still...¡± My entire body shook with an involuntary shiver. ¡°Something about seeing such a large creature in the water beneath us makes my brain go into nope mode.¡± Maria shook too. ¡°If Snips and Pistachio weren¡¯t beneath us keeping watch right now, I¡¯d be swimming back to shore fast as I could.¡± ¡°That¡¯d probably be a bad move. From what I know, they don¡¯t usually attack humans¡ªthey only do so when desperate, or they mistake you for prey they¡¯d usually hunt. Splashing around to get away might make you seem like a seal or an injured fish.¡± She glared at me. ¡°Not helping, Fischer.¡± Claws batted the side of my face, chirping her agreement and scowling. ¡°Sorry,¡± I said, laughing. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help myself. Let''s get back to shore¡ªI haven¡¯t even told you what I want to build yet.¡± Maria leapt at the extended branch, happy for any distraction. ¡°You have something you want to build?¡± I grinned. ¡°I do¡ªsomething to help us fish.¡± A measure of fear left her face in an instant, and her eyes began glimmering beneath the morning sun. ¡°Go on...¡± *** We swam past the river mouth and made our way south, following the shore as sand transformed into scattered rock, and scattered rock transformed into sheer cliff. Snips had mentioned we could find boulders this way, and while I¡¯d believed her, I hadn¡¯t expected there to be so many. All along the cliff¡¯s base, there were what had to be hundreds of tonnes worth of giant stones that had fallen from the jagged cliffs. Rocky had returned from his Snips-empowered trip out to sea, and he now acted as guard-crab against any wayward sharks. He was flanked by Snips and Pistachio, and I smiled down at the reliable crustaceans. ¡°Take note, Snips. If you want your subordinates to behave, the threat of unmitigated violence is unparalleled as a motivator.¡± Rocky rubbed his chin with one claw, then nodded his agreement to the statement. Snips walked over to Maria and patted her leg, blowing bubbles of solidarity. ¡°I know,¡± Maria said, bending to rub Snips¡¯ carapace. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded by clowns, but I¡¯m glad to have you here for support.¡± ¡°Clowns? I have never.¡± I raised a hand to my chest in mock affront. ¡°Would a clown make you a feast of sand crabs for lunch?¡± Both ladies froze, their farce failing before the promise of a delicious meal. Maria raised an eyebrow at Snips. ¡°Perhaps clowns was a bit... aggressive.¡± Snips¡¯ head bobbed up and down energetically, her mouth blowing bubbles of hunger. *** Butterflies took flight in my stomach as I pulled in the line. Ever since Maria had started joining me daily, we had been catching a lot of fish. As a result, I hadn¡¯t been using the crab pot, not wanting to waste any meat. After finding the new type of bait in the pungent eel, however, I just had to try it out. The cage at the end of the line felt heavy; the butterflies within me multiplied, and a broad grin spread over my face. ¡°How does it feel?¡± Maria asked, whispering from beside me. I turned to look at her, and when she spied the look on my face, her eyes crinkled in delight. We cast our gaze back toward the shallows just as the first corner of the crab pot became visible. It was impossible to make anything else out, so I kept pulling, bringing the cage closer to us. My excitement dwindled as it came into view. The back half of the trap was filled with sand, somehow getting caught on the ocean floor and dredging it up in passing. Then a claw extended from the mass of sand, and the entire pile seemed to move and undulate. I realized the truth of it: it wasn¡¯t a pile of sand¡ªit was a pile of sand crabs! There were so many as to fill half the trap, and before I could make a sound, Maria let out a loud whoop! ¡°There¡¯s so many, Fischer! Demeter¡¯s harvest¡ªI¡¯ve never seen so many!¡± I grasped the handle and dragged the crab pot up onto the shore. There had to be dozens of them, all of which were unhappy about being removed from the water. Those on top of the stack held their claws high, warding off any would-be attackers. ¡°Holy frack,¡± I eventually said. ¡°That bait wasn¡¯t kidding about being effective...¡± Corporal Claws dashed to the cage, running around it and twisting her head at strange angles to inspect the pile of creatures. Cinnamon was atop her back, also cocking her head to peer down at the crabs. The two had worked out their differences and were once more the best of pals. Their eyes were alight, and following their example, the rest of the creatures stepped forward. Pistachio watched the sand crabs with an intent gaze; there was always a startling intelligence hidden within the stoic lobster¡¯s eyes, and I once more wondered at the depth of his thoughts. Snips and Rocky were much easier to read; they both blew hungry bubbles as they scuttled up to the cage. Not wanting to drag it out any further, I opened the cage up and started sorting them. ¡°Come closer, everyone.¡± I gestured for Maria to stand beside me. ¡°Snips already knows, but I¡¯ll show you how to differentiate between male and female. Females are breeders, so we let them go.¡± *** Corporal Claws¡ªtrickster of the sands and espionage extraordinaire¡ªdashed over the dunes. She had a freshly cooked sand crab held under one claw, and thinking of the meal to come, she redoubled her speed. Her master had promised they¡¯d wait for her return before feasting, but it would be downright rude to make everyone else delay longer than necessary. Her haste had absolutely nothing to do with her desire, nay, her need to partake of the crab. With a spark of lightning, she activated her ability and flew between the trees, bouncing from trunk to trunk. As she catapulted into the clearing, her eyes locked onto something before the tree. She lost control of her power; the lightning guttered out and died. Corporal Claws slammed into the trunk and slid down its trunk. She blinked dumbly as she took in the scene, not once taking her eyes off what had arrested her attention. Book 2: Chapter 15: Quartered Book 2: Chapter 15: Quartered The world was upside down, and Corporal claws gazed out at it. She rested on her head at the base of the light-blue tree, a cooked crab clutched tight, and her back feet dangling above her, twitching of their own accord. No matter how many times she blinked, the scene didn¡¯t change. She rolled over slowly, her eyes not once leaving the twin leaves that grew from a mound of churned soil. She left the offering of crab at the base of the tree and padded over to the disturbed patch of earth. She circled the seedling, not seeing any defects or damage. She was a blur as she sprinted around the tree, checking on each of the seeds. Each of them had germinated; their leaves and stalks were a vibrant green¡ªa testament to their health. She looked back at the tree and the crab she¡¯d left beneath it. Roots extended from the ground and plunged between gaps in the crab¡¯s carapace, and the tree¡¯s leaves twitched and vibrated in what appeared to be delight. Claws held a paw to the firm trunk, chirped her thanks for the tree¡¯s hard work, then dashed away toward the sand, her mouth spread in a wide smile. *** ¡°How did you go, Claws?¡± I asked as she returned. She chirped joyously and sat in the shade beside me, not elaborating on her mission. It must have been straightforward, then... I thought. Returning to the present, I started cutting the crabs into sections. After releasing the females, we had fifteen crabs¡ªa veritable feast. I pressed down lightly on the sections of crab, cracking shell and exposing the meat within. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Maria asked, her face alight with curiosity. I grinned back at her. ¡°I¡¯ll show you in a moment.¡± I strode to the campfire and removed the large pot I¡¯d put atop it. With my nose above its opening, the scents of butter, garlic, a mild hint of chili, and onion rose up to greet me. My mouth immediately began watering, and I set the pot down on the sand. ¡°I cut the crab and broke the shell so the butter can get in and suffuse the meat with its flavors.¡± Maria leaned in to smell the steam rising from the pot. Her face softened, and she let out a sigh. ¡°Okay¡ªthat smells divine. How long does it need to cook in the butter for?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the best part¡ªit doesn¡¯t.¡± I reached in with tongs and removed the first chunk of crab. It was a large forequarter, and golden liquid streamed from the front claw as I lifted it from the mixture. I put it on a plate, which I passed to Maria. ¡°I already added salt to the butter pot, but feel free to add more to your taste.¡± I took out more sections, passing one to Snips, Claws, Pistachio, and Rocky. The latter raised a buttery leg to his mouth, but Snips slapped him on the back of his head before he could bite into it. I removed another and placed it on a plate before me, then flicked a stalk of cane to Cinnamon, who caught it midair and started chewing without delay. ¡°Dig in, guys¡ªyou didn¡¯t have to wait.¡± ¡°Food tastes better when eaten together,¡± Maria replied, pulling a claw apart with her hands. She lifted the white meat to her mouth and bit down. Her entire body relaxed, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and she let out a soft mmmm. for new novels My animal pals crunched down, their eyes fervent and movement harried. I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. With my mouth watering and body demanding, I removed the tip of a claw and bit into the crab¡¯s white, buttery flesh. The butter exploded throughout my mouth, and the garlic joined it to lead the charge. The hint of smoky paprika and onion followed the advance, dancing and weaving behind the more-pronounced tastes. As my tastebuds became accustomed to the rest of the flavors, the crab¡¯s meat made itself known. The flesh was subtle yet undeniable, bringing with it a unique umami that raised the entire experience from enjoyable to otherworldly. No one said a word as we continued eating. Sounds of carapace cracking, the slurping of meat, and my animal pals¡¯ loud chewing were the only sounds that one could hear, but even they were hard to notice with how all-encompassing the meal¡¯s flavors were. Each time someone finished their bit of crab, I¡¯d pass them another, and before I knew it, I was passing the last chunk of crab to Pistachio. ¡°It¡¯s going to be that big?¡± Rather than become disheartened, her face brightened at the news. ¡°All the more reason to stay and help.¡± She flexed an arm, exaggerating the effort it took with a soft hnggg. ¡°Your noodle arms will take too long to finish without the great Maria¡¯s assistance.¡± I barked a laugh, making her smile grow even wider. ¡°How could I turn down the great Maria?¡± I clapped her on the shoulder as I walked past. ¡°I¡¯ll have to rely on you.¡± She nodded seriously and turned to my animal pals. ¡°Are you coming too? Fischer could use all the help he can get.¡± Sergeant Snips hissed her agreement, Corporal Claws chirped and puffed out her chest, and Private Pistachio nodded his lumbering head. Rocky scratched his behind. The sun warmed my back as we made our way back to the shore. *** The forest air was damp and still, and as the sun climbed down from its peak in the sky, its warmth only increased the humidity. The sun above, the rising temperature, and the birdsong coming from every direction were a welcome cascade of sensation for the ancient being within the light-blue tree¡ªwell, they should have been. Despite being asleep for so long, and despite how enthralling the return of her awareness had every right to be, all of her attention was elsewhere. The otter, that freshly ascendant creature, had delivered something previously unknown. In all her many, many years, she had never experienced this particular meal. Most of her memories were unreachable, likely locked away due to the lack of power in the surrounding world, yet she knew this as a fact. She would have recalled partaking of such an odd creature. Even more startling was the strength it held. As with fish caught by the cultivating human and delivered by the otter, the hard-shelled meal contained a staggering amount of power. Though it was small in volume, the chi was potent, immutable, and, most importantly, delicious. Her thin roots penetrated the creature¡¯s armor all over, piercing holes in the connective tissue between plates of carapace. She funneled the essence back to her core, where it circled and gathered. She transformed it to nature chi, which then flooded out and suffused the rest of her body. As per the agreement, she had extended her network of roots to include the four seeds that surrounded her. Already, they had germinated into seedlings. Even now, she felt their growth; they absorbed her nature chi like cracked and dried earth would soak up the first rains after a drought. Time blurred and lost all meaning as she continued feasting and channeling chi toward the four plants. Something tugged at her awareness, and as she returned to the present, she realized the day was almost done. The sun¡¯s warmth had depleted, and darkness was creeping into the clearing around her tree. She cast about the earth, trying to find what had tugged and pulled enough to rouse her. Four points around her were calling out¡ªthe four seedlings, she realized. Something was happening, and she leaned toward all of them, trying to understand. She sent out a testing wave of chi, and the moment it left her core, they absorbed it entirely. Confusion ran through her every fiber, so she sent out more, seeing what would happen. Again, the moment the chi left her, the sprouts absorbed it like sponges. Despite her lack of memory, she knew this to be... peculiar. Such young plants shouldn¡¯t be able to hold so much, and they visibly grew each time she sent a pulse of power out toward them. She shook her leaves to expend some nervous energy as she watched them and let out another trickle of nature chi. It was gone as soon as she let it out, and they grew once more. All four seedlings were now as tall as the otter, and more leaves had sprouted from their small yet sturdy stems. She felt an impulse, and following her curiosity, she obliged. Rather than open the gates to her core, then close them after releasing a small burst of chi, she left the metaphorical gate open a crack, letting the trees absorb it directly. The response was immediate. They sucked at the essence, and she felt a growing understanding of them. It was terrifying. They were as bottomless pits, great yawning maws that could never be filled, no matter how much they devoured. With her curiosity assuaged, she tried to close the floodgates, but her core didn¡¯t respond. Panic surged through her as she tried again to close the door, but the seedlings held it open¡ªthe force with which they drew on her chi was too great. Sensing her attempt to push them out, their hunger increased, and they drew ever more on her reserves. The gates to her core were thrown wide open, and they began consuming her very essence. She was getting torn apart in four distinct directions, and with one last desperate force of will, she tried to slam the doors to her very soul closed. She failed; they tore her apart. Book 2: Chapter 16: Growth Book 2: Chapter 16: Growth An ancient being stirred. She returned to herself slowly, and as her awareness bloomed, memories returned. The last she recalled, she was being torn apart, and terror reigned as she sent her awareness down, inspecting the damage. Her core was... changed. She feared she would find utter destruction. Instead, she found it open and whole. Four channels had been carved into her, creating permanent pathways out. She followed these channels, finding what she expected yet feared at the end of each: the four seedlings. What she didn¡¯t anticipate was for her understanding to extend beyond the pathways and into the plants. As she reached the foreign bodies, her vision and awareness split, becoming a kaleidoscopic mesh of sights and sensations. Time seemed to alter and warp as four distinct experiences joined her own, all playing out simultaneously. It was a disorienting experience, and the moment her sense of self returned, she threw herself back from them. With a minor flex of will, she easily departed and returned to her original perspective. As she returned to the previous bounds of her body, she pondered the sensations of the four plants. Lemon trees, the ancient being said internally, tasting the syllables. Each of them were individuals, with their own personalities, wants, and needs¡ªperhaps those weren¡¯t the correct words, as the trees weren¡¯t as advanced as she or other sapient beings were. Still, there was an aspect of individuality granted them. This merger, whatever this joining of souls was, it felt neither wrong nor right. The ancient being tried to push into her memories, to crack whatever boundary locked them away, but if such a thing existed, she couldn¡¯t find it. Intent on exploring this new bond, she tried to send a tendril of awareness out to one of the saplings, using her significant willpower to keep the other three pathways closed. *** I woke to a chill in the air, and I pulled my blanket up, soaking in the warmth it provided. I lay in a half-asleep state for an indeterminate amount of time, lapping up the rest after a long day of hauling boulders under the ocean. When I remembered the half-built wall, a spike of wakefulness pierced my slumber, and I threw the blankets off. I immediately regretted my decision; the part of my brain that demanded comfort told me to crawl back under the covers and curl into a ball. Ignoring the impulse, I stood and stretched, unleashing a mighty yawn as I tensed every muscle in my body. I glanced back at the bed, seeking the lump that would tell of a cute little bunny hiding within, but Cinnamon was nowhere to be found. ¡°I guess she¡¯s already gone to Maria¡¯s...¡± I mused. Roger¡¯s fields required work over the next week or so, and as a result, Maria wouldn¡¯t have much free time. Cinnamon was free to do as she pleased, and I knew she¡¯d much rather spend time in the fields with Maria than sit around on the shore waiting for me to return. I opened my bedroom door and stepped out into an even colder room. The large window of my living room provided little insulation, and the night¡¯s chill had well and truly crept within my walls. It was my first taste of winter, and it hinted at a cold few months to follow. I went back to my room and rummaged through sets of sheets, towels, and the thin, everyday clothes I usually wore, having to reach for the back of my wardrobe to find a jacket I¡¯d bought from the tailors what felt like months ago. I put it on, quickly made my bed, then left for Tropica. *** As I walked back home, a croissant and coffee in hand, the sun peeked its head over the eastern horizon. Purple and pink hues spread throughout the sky, so I turned and strode toward the coast, intent on watching the sunrise. As I walked over the last dune, I saw some friends. ¡°G¡¯day, everyone!¡± I said, walking down to meet them. Barry, his wife Helen, his brother-in-law Leroy, and Leroy¡¯s wife, Barbara, all sat on the dry sand, heads turned to look at me. Barry¡¯s son peered over his father¡¯s shoulder, and he grinned wide, revealing a missing front tooth. ¡°Hello, Fischer!¡± Paul yelled. ¡°Hey, mate! I see you¡¯ve lost a tooth there.¡± He nodded fervently, exploring the gap with his tongue. ¡°I did! Dad says it means I¡¯m growing up!¡± Barry smiled at his overenthusiastic son, and I nodded. ¡°It certainly does, mate. You¡¯ll be a grown fella before you know it.¡± ¡°Would you like to join us?¡± Helen asked. ¡°I¡¯d love to. I came here for the sunrise¡ªhaving some friends to experience it with is a happy accident.¡± I took a seat on the sand; it still held the night¡¯s chill, and a shiver took me. ¡°It¡¯s bloody cold.¡± ¡°Winter is coming,¡± Barry agreed, staring stoically at the horizon. I let out a soft laugh. ¡°Hopefully the long night doesn¡¯t come with it.¡± While watching her husband¡¯s impassioned mutterings, Barbara¡¯s mask shattered for the first time; she practically glowed, her eyes bright and blood returning to her cheeks. ¡°Well, I¡¯d better get going.¡± I stood and brushed off my pants. ¡°Lots of work to do and all that.¡± ¡°I-it really was nice meeting you, Fischer,¡± Barbara said, so I turned to her. ¡°Likewise! Come around for a fish or a chin wag any time.¡± ¡°... a what?¡± ¡°A yarn,¡± Barry answered. ¡°... that doesn¡¯t help, Barry.¡± He and I both laughed. ¡°It¡¯s fun, right?¡± I asked. Hellen batted me on the leg. ¡°Stop leading my husband astray, you.¡± Barry patted her on the shoulder reassuringly before turning back to me. ¡°What are you working on?¡± ¡°Me?¡± I smiled, delighting in the confusion that would follow. ¡°A big underwater wall made of boulders.¡± I turned and strode away before anyone could ask what I was talking about. ¡°Catch ya later!¡± Barry, Helen, and Barbara blinked after me, while Leroy raised a single hand to wave goodbye, still muttering to himself beneath a furrowed brow. *** With my body low, I snuck up on my quarry. I walked into the breeze, ensuring I was downwind from my prey. The sun continued its rise before me, meaning my shadow wouldn¡¯t give me away. I grinned, hunched, prepared to leap... and the hunter became the hunted. Sergeant Snips, billowing blue clouds of power, flew from the water, hissing with victory. She slammed into my chest, and given my utter defeat, I let her throw me from my feet. I let out an oof as I hit the sand, then groaned with bollywood-level dramatic flair. Snips let out a hissed giggle, puffing her body up and flexing her claws. ¡°Oh, the pain! Woe is me who attempted hunting Sergeant Snips, protector of the pond!¡± Rocky leaped from the saltwater pond, streaming water as he went. The moment he landed, he began nodding gravely, having heard our conversation and agreeing wholeheartedly. She smacked him lightly on the head, and he blew bubbles of thanks. ¡°Alright, you two¡ªare you up for another day of moving rocks?¡± Snips hissed and danced from side to side, ever happy to help. Rocky peered down at a claw and projected indifference despite the fact everyone knew he¡¯d do whatever Snips did. The pond¡¯s water roiled and the head of a leviathan emerged. I held out a fist and Pistachio bumped it. ¡°You free too, mate?¡± He nodded immediately, dipping his impressive body to do so. I glanced toward the distant treeline, wondering for a moment if I should go get a particular otter, but I decided against it¡ªshe might need more rest if she tended to the weird tree-spirit-thing last night, and she¡¯d come and find us when she was ready. ¡°Cheers, everyone. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without ya. How about I make us all some delicious lunch and dinner as payment?¡± Three heads bobbed up and down¡ªeven Rocky was unable to resist the temptation of a good meal. I set off for the shore with three crustaceans scuttling after me. Book 2: Chapter 17: Embroidery Book 2: Chapter 17: Embroidery Corporal Claws, master of the log and guardian of the pond, luxuriated on her favored perch. A cool breeze wound its way through the forest, but given her superior body, she barely noticed it. She rolled onto her back, letting a ray of sun land on her belly fluff. With a chirp of sheer contentment, she wiggled her body, settling further into the groove of her perch. With her ascension, knowledge had poured into her body in a steady stream, making her, by her own approximation, the smartest of Fischer¡¯s students. Because of her vast intellect, she knew that, as a mammal, she had subterranean fat. Claws raised an eyebrow¡ªthat wasn¡¯t right. Sub-cute-angus fat? Sub... sub-cretaceous? Her face crinkled in annoyance¡ªthey weren¡¯t right either. Whatever¡ªshe was aware of her fat. She rubbed her belly for emphasis, grinning as she ran both paws through her illustrious fur and massaged the layers of fatty insulation beneath. She thought of the cultists in town claiming that crabs were the superior form, then let out a chittering chuckle¡ªthe poor fools. She slipped back into a state of half slumber, smiling at the world¡¯s sensations as they blanketed her. Some time later, she heard a twig break. She raised her head to see a man departing, so chirped to get his attention. Leroy froze on the spot and spun, giving her a guilty look. ¡°Sorry¡ªI saw you sleeping and didn¡¯t want to wake you...¡± She waved a dismissive paw and rolled over before stretching, arching her back and shaking with effort. When the stretch was well and truly complete, she settled back on her hindquarters and cocked her head at Leroy. Thankfully, he understood her unspoken question¡ªsuch things were to be expected of her minions. ¡°Fischer told me that there was a spirit in the light-blue tree...¡± Leroy shook his head. ¡°Man, saying that out loud makes me sound insane.¡± Claws¡¯ body became wreathed in lightning and she crossed her arms, staring down at the deliverer of terrible news. Leroy took a step back. ¡°Uh... Claws? Everything okay?¡± Corporal Claws, queen of the forest and matriarch of the pond, shook with indignation. She had wanted to raise the tree without anyone knowing, then surprise her master. She imagined the scritches her master would have given her, but upon realizing the plan was now ruined, her face twisted into a scowl. As quick as her frustration had come, it drained away, as did the lightning surrounding her. It wasn¡¯t Leroy¡¯s fault; her master was simply too intelligent, too prepared and calculating to be surprised in such a way. She leaped from her perch atop the log, landing silently before Leroy. She chirped once, nodded for Leroy to follow, then set off for the clearing. They traveled in silence. Each time Claws glanced back at Leroy, he was looking up, a smile on his face as he appreciated the beauty of the forest. She approved of his wonder; her forest was magnificent indeed. Pride suffused her, and she held her head a little higher as she led him on. When they arrived at the clearing, her pride scattered like a school of fish upon seeing her deadly form beneath the waves. ¡°What the frack...¡± Leroy said from behind her, echoing her thoughts. The clearing was no longer a clearing. Where the forest floor surrounding the light-blue tree had previously been clear, four saplings now stood. She slunk toward one, overly cautious of the unexpected growth. When she reached it, she stood on her hind legs, and even stretching to her full height, the sapling was taller. All of its leaves were glossy, a light green that indicated fresh growth. She wrapped a padded paw around the trunk and pushed softly; it held firm, not moving even a little. There was a blur of green and something swung down toward her. She chirped in alarm and tried to scurry away, but off balance as she was, she never stood a chance¡ªthe twig smacked her right between the eyes. Corporal Claws rolled backward with the hit. As she got to her feet, she rubbed her stinging forehead, frowning at the impudent tree. The sapling¡¯s leaves shook with mirth, as did those of the light-blue tree. Leroy stumbled further into the clearing, his gaze distant and eyes wide. ¡°There... there really is a tree spirit?¡± His head darted between the two shaking canopies. ¡°No¡ªthere are two?¡± Claws shook her head with a chirp. She recognized that sadistic humor¡ªit was just like the time the spirit tripped her with a root. The same cheeky being had somehow taken over control of the lemon sapling that whacked her, if not all of them. ¡°No?¡± Leroy asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She pointed at all the trees, then brought her paws together, clasping them. ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯s the one spirit?¡± A loud knock came from the door, jolting him from his reverie. He shook his head as he strode toward it, still feeling somewhat disconnected from the present. When he opened the door, that changed. ¡°How are ya going, Gary?¡± Barry asked. ¡°Hi, er... sir?¡± Barry laughed. ¡°Just Barry is fine, mate.¡± ¡°Right. Sorry. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Would you mind following me for a bit? I need help tending the weeds.¡± Recognizing the code phrase, Gary nodded and stepped through the doorway to join Barry outside. He closed the door and locked it. ¡°After you, sir¡ªer, Barry.¡± *** Gary followed his church leader through the streets of Tropica, his heart thumping and palms clammy. It was well past the morning bustle of the village, and most of the south side residents were off tending to their fields, so they only saw a few moving about. Barry waved at the bakery owner, Sue, as he passed, and Gary gave her a nod of greeting. The friendly lady waved back, beaming a smile at them. They eventually came to the woodworking shop, and Barry held the door open for him. As he stepped inside, he was met with a sea of faces: both woodworkers, Brad and Greg; the tailors, Ruby and Steven; Barry¡¯s wife, Helen, and her sister-in-law, Barbara; and Sue, the wife of the infamously grumpy farmer. All smiled or nodded at him, and he dipped his head in response. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all here,¡± Barry said, ¡°would you like to start, Ruby?¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s smile went wide as she bent and picked up a box. ¡°I¡¯ve finally finished the robes! The stitchwork took longer than expected, but I suppose that¡¯s not really a surprise¡ªwe had to source some fine materials.¡± ¡°Fine indeed,¡± Steven, her husband, agreed. ¡°And that¡¯s not even the best part!¡± Ruby continued. ¡°The effects! Each transformed, and they give a bonus to luck and cultivation speed, whatever that means. The embroidery is royal blue, with just a hint of gold added in to reflect the¡ª¡± Steven cleared his throat. ¡°You¡¯re rambling, dear.¡± She shot him a venomous look, but then sighed to herself. ¡°I suppose I was.¡± She started walking around the room and passing out small bundles. ¡°Let me know if they don¡¯t fit. They should, though, if the measurements you gave me were correct.¡± As Gary accepted his robe, a great weight was shed from his shoulders. Despite his ready acceptance of joining the church, each time he was called to a meeting, a sense of anxiety rose from within. He supposed it was a remnant of the scary stories his drunk auntie would tell about churches when he was a wee lad. He unfolded the bundle, running his hands along the expensive-feeling fabric as he did so. The main robe was as dark as the ocean¡¯s depths¡ªmore colorless than the night sky. On the front, right above where his heart would be, a stylized pattern had been embroidered. It was the light blue of the ocean and depicted a fishing rod with a fish hooked on the end. To the top left of the embroidery, a golden sun shone down, beaming its rays toward the fishing rod. Gary felt his anxiety recede further; the pattern filled him with a sense of deep calm. His moment of peace lasted less than half a breath; it shattered the moment Barry spoke. ¡°So, shall we vote on how we¡¯re going to deal with the blacksmiths?¡± Book 2: Chapter 18: Congregation Book 2: Chapter 18: Congregation The night¡¯s cold air lingered within the woodworking shop. It was punctuated by the scents of unknown woods and lacquers, a soothing yet unfamiliar mix. A layer of shavings lay scattered over the floor beneath Gary, and he stared down at them, not trusting himself to mask the emotions roiling within him. The moment Barry had mentioned ¡°dealing¡± with the blacksmiths, fear had bloomed, trailed swiftly by a cloying sense of unease. The silence within the room thickened the air, and his stomach churned, twisted. Barry sighed. ¡°Knowing what they do, we can¡¯t let them be.¡± Gary¡¯s eyes flicked up, scanning the surrounding congregation. What he found made his last flicker of hope die. He had expected someone to voice their concern, to rail against the condemnation of two innocent men. Instead, acceptance was plastered across the faces of everyone present. Some even nodded, physically declaring their complaisance. ¡°The only question is,¡± Sue said, ¡°who is going to do it?¡± Despite himself, Gary¡¯s head shot toward her. A woman who had always seemed so kind in their meetings, yet she was so easily agreeing to something so heinous. He stared at her, his incredulity overriding the fear of what he¡¯d gotten himself into. Noticing him, she stared back, tilting her head to the side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Everyone turned to look at him. There were only eight others present, but they may as well have been an entire village for how their gazes made him feel. Beneath the weight of their eyes, something within him snapped: his self preservation faltered, and he stood taller, bracing himself for what was to come. ¡°I can¡¯t go along with this. It¡¯s despicable, and if you¡¯re going to be ¡®dealing¡¯ with innocent villagers, I regret ever agreeing to join you.¡± He closed his eyes and extended his head. ¡°Please do it quickly.¡± Seconds that felt like minutes passed by, and he squeezed his eyes tight, knowing the death-blow would come at any moment. ¡°Gary...¡± Sue said. ¡°What do you think Barry meant when he said they had to be dealt with?¡± Gary cracked an eye, seeing her head cocked to the side and eyebrows furrowed. He set his jaw and doubled down. ¡°You intend to kill them, and for what? Knowing information? I can¡¯t stand by and be...¡± He trailed off as Sue covered her mouth and her eyes crinkled in... was that amusement? He glanced around the room, seeing faces transform. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Sue¡¯s entire body shook, and in the time it took for his resolute defiance to change into sheer incomprehension, the entire room was racked with laughter. The worst were the two woodworkers who leaned on each other for support, and Sue, who was still cackling like a madwoman. ¡°Gary...¡± Barry stepped forward and took a deep breath, banishing his mirth. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to hurt them.¡± Gary opened his mouth to respond, but closed and opened it a few more times before the words came. ¡°You¡¯re... you¡¯re not?¡± ¡°No,¡± Brad replied, wiping a tear from his eye. ¡°We¡¯re not.¡± ¡°What are you going to do, then? What does ¡®dealing¡¯ with someone mean?¡± Barry gave him a kind smile. ¡°We¡¯re going to ask them to join us, Gary. They¡¯ve seen Fischer make things and we know they harbor suspicions about his nature¡ªthey said as much to Brad and Greg.¡± The woodworking brothers nodded, and seeing as though Greg was still lost in a fit of silent laughter, Brad spoke. ¡°We¡¯re pretty close. They asked us the other night if Fischer¡¯s creations in our shop had transformed. Naturally, we played dumb¡ª¡± She preened, puffing her body up and shimmying in delight at my praise. The show of strength was enough for the gulls, and they all took flight, letting the southerly wind blow them north. They sailed high over Tropica, heading further beyond the village. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take him to get back?¡± She shrugged, clearly not caring. ¡°Well, it¡¯s no matter¡ªI was going to make us some dinner regardless. I suppose we can just save some for him...¡± At my mention of dinner, both Snips and Pistachio perked up, so I grinned down at them. ¡°Would you like fish or sand crab for dinner?¡± *** ¡°That was a silly question,¡± I mused. ¡°Of course they¡¯d choose both.¡± I stood on the river¡¯s shore as my animal pals tended the fire. Both of my feet were planted in the cold sand, and I dug them further in. The sun was setting over the western mountains, lending orange and pink pastel hues to the sky. Scattered clouds above were tinged with the colors and as I gazed up at them, a sense of ease settled over me. I held one finger to the line and waited patiently for a fish to bite. With my eyes closed, I leaned further into the present moment. The strong wind was whipping up waves, and as they crashed into the headland just to the left of me, water sprayed up and into my legs. I focused on their kiss as they flicked into me, their cool touch the antithesis of the warmth my upper body felt beneath layers of clothing. My sense of ease turned to contentment and I smiled out at the world. Something bumped my line. My eyes flew open. They took a moment to focus on the rod before me, and just as they did, the fish took another nibble. I leaned forward and tensed my arms, ready should the fish eat the hook. Bump. Bump. Bump. There was a big tug, but it ended before I could set the hook. I waited, my excitement making patience almost impossible to grasp. Just as I was starting to think the fish had dislodged the bait, it returned. My rod bent down as the fish ate the hook. I lifted the pole just enough to keep tension, and anticipation bubbled up from within. The fish felt big, but nothing so large as to give my improved body and System-enhanced rod any issue. It took small runs to either side, but I reeled it in with ease, never once losing line or my position on the sand. As the fish came closer to shore, I leaned forward, peering down into the water and trying to catch a glimpse. A flash of silver, then the fish swam down, making one last desperate attempt to get away. I reeled and lifted the rod, and its body became visible once more. Even before I hauled it from the river, I knew what it was, and I smiled down at it. With a flick of the bamboo pole, the fish was up on the shore. Mature Cichlid Uncommon Found in the fresh and brackish waters of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. I bent and grasped the fish in one hand, dispatched it swiftly with the other, then held up the sizable cichlid. It was short and fat, just larger than Rocky¡¯s body. It was equal in size to the biggest I¡¯d caught so far. I bounced on my heels, unable to stay still. Despite it being tied with my personal best, the fight told me just how much my fishing ability had improved; where before I¡¯d had to let out line and move along the shore to stop the fish from escaping, catching this one had been a walk in the park. I knew I had a quantifiable skill level now, but seeing the improvement from one catch to another was undeniable proof of my progression. I turned to grab my knife, but jolted back when I saw what stood behind me. ¡°W-whoa!¡± The creature startled at my exclamation and leaned back, but with its eyes locked on my catch, it soon stretched its neck forward again. ¡°You want my fish, huh?¡± The wild animal, completely unaware of what I was saying, merely watched the fish and waited for the chance to steal it. Book 2: Chapter 19: The Alchemist Book 2: Chapter 19: The Alchemist The magnificent creature stared at me with inhuman eyes in the last hints of daylight peeking over the western mountains. Its white plumage was accentuated by black feathers on either side of its body. It stretched its wings and opened its long beak, revealing the inside of a tan-colored pouch. The pelican and I blinked at each other, and I contemplated the repercussions of giving it some food. Its gaze strayed back down to the fish I held, and I gave it a rueful smile. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how my friends would feel about me letting you have their dinner...¡± The pelican stretched its head and puffed its pouch out, getting closer to the cichlid I held. ¡°Tell you what - if you can wait a little while I¡¯ll let you have some leftovers. How does that sound?¡± A croaking noise came from its throat as it took another step forward, lowering its head. It snapped its beak at me, and I dodged back, avoiding the sharp point on the end. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not very nice, mate.¡± A blur of orange came from my left, and the raging form of Rocky scuttled at the pelican, his claws held high and a stream of angry bubbles spewing from his mouth. It took flight, its wings beating heavily to rise into the air. With a single glance back at the fish, it continued on, flapping toward the river mouth then angling south as it soared along the coastline. I put my hands on my hips and stared down at the degenerate crab. ¡°That was a dick move, Rocky.¡± He made a snorting noise - which I wasn¡¯t even aware a crab could do - then crossed his claws in defiance. I recalled Snips having a visceral reaction to the seagulls when she was freshly awakened - perhaps rock crabs and birds were mortal enemies. ¡°Don¡¯t chase the pelican away unless it¡¯s in self defense, alright?¡± He turned away, ignoring me, so I crouched down and plucked him from the sand. I turned him to face me. ¡°I mean it, mate. I know you¡¯re technically Snips¡¯ subordinate, and I find your independent nature rather endearing, but if you chase that pelican away again we¡¯re gonna have problems.¡± He squinted his eyes at me. ¡°And no killing the seagulls,¡± I added. ¡°You can chase them, but no killing anything you don¡¯t intend to eat. I won¡¯t stand for sociopathic crabs. If you can¡¯t agree to that, you can¡¯t live here. That means no delicious food and no sharing a pond with your beloved Snips.¡± He didn¡¯t respond for a long moment, but under my steady glare, he eventually nodded, averting his eyes as he did so. ¡°Good lad.¡± I let him go and he scuttled sullenly back to the fire. Snips and I locked eyes from where she tended the flames. She gave me a subtle nod, and I returned it. Rocky caught the interaction, so he spun toward me, giving me a decidedly rude gesture as he scuttled backward. Crack. The tongs Snips threw collided with Rocky and sent him sprawling in the sand. As he lay on his back, unmoving and accepting his fate, his eyes locked onto mine. He gave me the same gesture, but from where Snips couldn¡¯t see, and I barked a laugh. ¡°Fair play..¡± *** As I was removing the crab and fish from the grill, a lithe form came tearing across the sand. Corporal Claws, eyes crinkled in delight and lips spread in a grin, launched herself at me. I dropped the tongs and caught her, spinning to absorb the force. ¡°Claws! We missed you today! Where have you been?¡± She chirped her love at me and pointed back at the forest, answering my question. I returned the smile. ¡°Wait until you taste it.¡± She cracked a claw and raised it to her mouth. As she bit down, her shoulders dropped and she let out a content sigh. ¡°Good?¡± I asked. She chewed slowly, not rushing the mouthful. ¡°Amazing,¡± she eventually replied. She gave me a warm smile then took another bite. *** Despite a day spent doing physical labor, I found myself unable to sleep that night. Cinnamon was snoring softly beside me, and petted her head with one hand as the other drifted toward my lips. My heart thumped in my chest as I replayed the kiss Maria had given me before departing. Though thinking of her made my blood pound, she wasn¡¯t the source of my sleeplessness. Well, not the only source, anyway. I¡¯d started the rock wall with the intention of banishing my churning thoughts, and, thankfully, it had worked, but it wasn¡¯t that I was overthinking¡ªI felt as though I¡¯d just had five double-shots of espresso from Sue¡¯s bakery. Maybe I need to cut back on the caffeine? I thought. I haven¡¯t been drinking that much, though... Abruptly, I sat up, feeling as though I needed to burn some energy. Not knowing why, I flung the door to my wardrobe open, and something caught my attention. There was a glow coming from the back of the closet, and I bent down, my eyebrows furrowing as I cast aside shirts and other bits of clothing. I found a familiar chest back there, but as the layers of material had been removed, the glow dissipated entirely. ¡°Was I imagining it...?¡± I¡¯d long ago hidden the chest in my room, but hadn¡¯t given it much thought since then. Not wanting to make any noise and wake Cinnamon, I picked it up and took it to the living room. The night air was cool beyond my bedroom, and the ethereal moonlight shining in through my glass windows seemed to add a layer of frost to everything it touched. I set the chest down and sat before it. An overwhelming amount of wealth lay within when I opened it. The moonlight reflected off pearls and silver, giving the assorted jewelry an enchanting appearance. One ring in particular stood out, and I picked it up, lifting it so it shone beneath the mood. It was the one I¡¯d made with the help of Fergus, and it drew my eyes in. Iridescent Ring of Silver Rare A ring of precious metal, adorned by one of the most sought-after stones found in the Kallis Realm. More than just a symbol of wealth, this ring has a multitude of purposes for those with the requisite knowledge. I¡¯d hoped the System would tell me what the ¡®purposes¡¯ were now that it was working, but I supposed that was too much to ask. I slid the ring on one finger, taking comfort in its cool touch. Returning my attention to the chest, I lifted a small pouch from within and opened it. I removed a gold coin from inside and held it up to the light. On one side, an unfamiliar face stared back at me, and on the other, the image of a scythe was raised in gold. There were twenty-six coins in total, only one of which was a remnant of the coins I¡¯d received when arriving in this strange world. The rest had appeared from nowhere when I created the freshwater pond Claws now called home; the System had seen fit to generate them for a reason entirely unknown to me. I recalled how wishing for and imagining a home had resulted in my house being built, and an idea struck me. Focusing on the pile of coins before me, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. With my legs crossed, spine upright, and palms facing up, I settled into the stereotypical meditative pose from earth. Trying to replicate what I¡¯d done when accidentally building a home, I imagined what I wanted to create. I immediately hit a wall; I had no idea what I wanted. I had more friends than I could count, my own oceanfront land, and all the time in the world to spend fishing. I cocked my head to the side, unable to sit still as I searched for what more I could possibly need. All I want is to protect what I already have, I decided. With this realization, my core seemed to vibrate. A tendril of power shot out from my abdomen, seeking... something. I let it go, focusing on the sensations of my body and the desire to protect the life I¡¯d found here in Tropica. The tendril extended further out, and I jolted as it made contact with something. It paused for but a moment, then started pouring power into the connection. Book 2: Chapter 20: Refuge Book 2: Chapter 20: Refuge Barry woke to a strange sensation. Something was tugging at his core, and he sat up slowly, rubbing bleary eyes. The moon shone down through the thin curtains of his bedroom. Helen murmured softly, so he reached over and smoothed her hair, willing her to not wake. The tugging in his core became more insistent, so he climbed from his bed and shuffled through the open door from his bedroom. He closed it behind himself and went to the kitchen, hoping to find a drink of water. The urn was empty, so he made his way out into the still and cold night air. The moon lit the landscape, shining down its white light on everything he could see. The sugarcane crop directly to the west was only half-grown, allowing him to see far into the distance until an older crop grew high. He smiled at the vista¡¯s layered beauty. His steps felt more sure as he went to the well and lowered a bucket. He pulled it up and splashed his face before taking a drink, willing whatever was happening within him to dissipate. *** I cracked an eye as something interrupted my meditation. There was a tug at my awareness, as if my core was being pulled to the northwest. It was almost... pleasant, and I cocked my head at the indescribable sensation. I glanced around with a furrowed brow but saw nothing that would explain it. As I looked about, I started losing my connection to that which coaxed me on, so I closed my eyes and settled back within myself. Taking a steady breath, I poured every ounce of my attention into whatever the connection was, trusting my instincts to not lead me astray. *** Barry held his breath, hoping whatever this episode was would pass. Instead, the pressure increased and twisted. He doubled over, his knees driving into the earth. He struggled to keep himself upright, struggled to breathe, and the force only grew stronger. Though his body was suppressed, his thoughts raced. Whatever this was, he had to overcome it. There was so much he had yet to do, so many things he had to accomplish¡ªboth for himself, his family, and the world at large. He reached within, held onto those ideals for dear life. Part of the pressure receded, so he delved further into his desires. A religion that the world had not seen for millennia. The ascension of a god, one that truly held love for the humans of Kallis. His next project had been a church¡ªa physical building that declared their intent¡ªscreamed it at the very heavens. The only reason he hadn¡¯t started the construction was because he hadn¡¯t found a suitable location, somewhere he could build a structure that was still hidden from sight. He now regretted not doing so soon; he may not live to see the sunrise. At this thought, the thing tugging on his core seemed to find purchase and snap into place. The next thing Barry knew was pain. *** All at once, the power coursed through me. As something in the connection shifted, the world became blinding. A light brighter than the sun bloomed from the treasure-filled chest; the golden rays flowed into me, then were thrust along the pathway stemming from my core I gritted my teeth, struggling to stay upright as my vision waned. Though I wasn¡¯t aware how, I knew I had to stay conscious for whatever was happening to work. The blinding light slowly faded, as did the power pumping through me. With shaky breaths and trembling arms, I leaned against the wooden floor, just barely stopping myself from slumping over. ¡°Just... a little... more...¡± *** Barry¡¯s abdomen felt like it was smoldering from within as power beyond his control rushed through him. He focused on what he wanted, somehow knowing that to be his only chance. A building... for worship... He clenched his jaw against the white-hot agony. Hidden, unseen, yet grand... He braced his core against the onslaught threatening to fold him in two. A refuge for the congregation... The searing pain began to dull, as did the torrent flowing through him. It became more manageable by the second, but before it could fade away entirely, a bone-deep weariness washed over him. No... he thought. I need to stay awake... His vision started to fade. ... just... a little... more... Beneath the ethereal light of the moon, trembling on all fours and desperate to stay conscious, Barry failed. The dark of night took him. *** The golden hues bled from the room, slowly fading as the ocean of power flowing through me turned into a river. The river became a stream, and the steam became a trickle. Before I knew it, there was nothing left. I tried to lower myself to the floor, but my arms failed me. I fell before the now-dull chest. I... I did it... I shuffled the jewelry around, confirming my suspicions. Every single pearl had disappeared, leaving behind empty sockets and indents in the pieces of silver and gold they¡¯d once adorned. ¡°Well... ain¡¯t that something...¡± I held up my right hand, peering at the Iridescent Ring of Silver on my index finger. The pearl was still there, and when I inspected it, it remained intact. I sat down heavily and covered my eyes, willing my headache to recede so I could properly think. The door to my bedroom clicked open, and a moment later, the fuzzy form of Cinnamon crawled over my knee and curled up in my lap. I stroked her head with one hand as the other covered my eyes, blocking out the building light of day. She made a questioning peep, and I peered down at her. Her neck was extended, and she gazed down at the empty-socketed jewelry I¡¯d dropped on the ground before me. She turned to stare at me with an intelligent gleam. I bobbed my head in a nod as slow as I could, trying not to aggravate my already pounding head. ¡°Something downright fracky happened last night, Cinnamon, and I¡¯m pretty sure I know where I need to go to find out what it was.¡± She cocked her head, and I let out a sigh as I slowly stood, holding her in my arms. She leaned into me, so I held her tight. ¡°Alright¡ªlet¡¯s go.¡± *** I knocked on the door softly; my headache was thankfully receding, but was very much still present. The door opened, and Helen looked up at me with tired eyes. ¡°Oh¡ªmorning, Fischer.¡± ¡°Hey, Helen. Is Barry about?¡± ¡°Oh, uhhh, he¡¯s a bit busy this morning, but he should be back later...¡± I rubbed the bridge of my nose. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Helen. I know something happened last night¡ªI felt the power coming this¡ª¡± My brain seemed to thump against my skull, and I winced. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I just really need to talk to Barry.¡± ¡°Are... are you sure, Fischer? I know you didn¡¯t want to be involved...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. My head hurts too much for me to care right now.¡± She chewed her lip for a long moment, then gave a single nod. ¡°He¡¯s around back.¡± She led me through their home and I stepped out the back door. Barry was hammering away at his shed, which confused me for a moment, but then my eyes adjusted to the growing daylight. Where his shed had been, a stone building was now erected. Barry was adding a wooden facade to obscure the shed¡¯s transformation. In the side facing toward his well, a wooden door was set in the stone. Its edges were accented with intricate golden swirls, and confusion warred with my overwhelming headache. A shed? All those coins? All those pearls...? For a shed? It made little sense, but before I could think about it any longer, the door swung open. Ruby strode out wearing a black robe and drying her hair with a towel. The robe had a pattern embroidered atop her heart: in blue, a rod with a fish on the end of the line; in gold, the sun shining down its brilliant rays. ¡°Hygieia¡¯s smooth skin, those showers are amazing!¡± she said. ¡°The pressure is amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Barry asked, reaching up to hammer in another plank. She let out a contented sigh, started winding the towel around her head, then glanced up. We locked eyes, and she froze. With the stunned look of a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar, she made not a move. I blinked; she blinked. I narrowed my eyes; her eyebrows rose. She took a step backward, then another. She slowly disappeared from sight, and the door made a soft click as she closed it, sealing herself inside the building. Barry bent down to grab another plank of wood. ¡°We just need to hide this shed before Fischer just happens to stroll along¡ªthat¡¯d be just my luck.¡± Helen cleared her throat from behind me. ¡°Uhhh, dear?¡± ¡°Yes, honey?¡± he asked, glancing up. ¡°What¡¯s¡ª¡± Barry and I locked eyes, and he, too, froze. His shoulders almost immediately slumped in defeat. ¡°Frack me...¡± Book 2: Chapter 21: Exploration Book 2: Chapter 21: Exploration The midmorning sun beamed down. I held a hand to my forehead, shielding my eyes. A sparse cloud drifted before the light, providing a modicum of relief. A soft breeze blew across the fields and the sugarcane leaves rustled and shifted around us, highlighting the silence that stretched between Barry, Helen, and I. ¡°So...¡± I said, drawing the word out. ¡°New building, huh?¡± Barry sighed. ¡°How did you know?¡± As I went to answer, the cloud partially shielding the sun was swept away, and I squeezed my eyes shut. ¡°Is there somewhere we can talk inside?¡± I gestured at the ornate door. ¡°I have a splitting headache and it¡¯s bright as hell out here.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to see...?¡± ¡°Yeah, but can we talk about it inside?¡± ¡°All right.¡± Barry turned to Helen. ¡°Would you mind taking Fischer down? I¡¯ll just finish concealing the outside, then come join you.¡± ¡°You two go ahead,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll finish up out here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com She arched an eyebrow, giving him a dangerous look. ¡°Are you implying I can¡¯t do it as well as you, dear?¡± Wisely, Barry hopped off the ladder and put down his hammer. ¡°Nope! Thank you, my love.¡± She nodded and rolled up her sleeves, and Barry led me to the door. It swung outward, and as we stepped inside, I gave Ruby a polite nod. ¡°Mornin¡¯.¡± She stood wide-eyed against a wall, her still-wet hair bound in a towel. ¡°Er¡ªgood, uh... morning?¡± As Barry closed the door behind me, the light of day was blessedly banished. A soft orange glow suffused the chamber, climbing up from a stairwell that led down into the depths of the earth. ¡°There¡¯s a place for us to sit downstairs,¡± Barry said, giving Ruby a wincing smile in passing. I gave her a little wave. ¡°See ya later.¡± She raised her hand haltingly. ¡°Yeah... later...¡± As we walked down the stairs made of the same smooth brick, the soft orange glow came from sconces set in the wall. I stopped at one, cocking my head at the small flame inside. It burned behind a shield of glass, and there was no wick or coil from which the fire could be fueled. I leaned in closer and spotted a tiny hole in the stone brick beneath the flame. Gas? I wondered. Or some sort of magical Xianxia land fuckery? ¡°Barry...?¡± ¡°No idea,¡± he answered. ¡°They lit by themselves when I first came down and seem to turn off when someone hasn¡¯t passed in a while.¡± ¡°And they turn back on when someone approaches again?¡± ¡°Just so.¡± ¡°Huh... neat.¡± Step after step, we made our way further down. I expected it to get colder as we went, but the air remained pleasantly warm. We reached a flat section of floor, and a long, spacious hallway met us. It stretched out an impressive distance and had open doorways intermittently placed on either wall. ¡°So,¡± Barry said, looking down the hallway and avoiding my eyes. ¡°How did you know...?¡± ¡°I felt the power coming in this direction, so I had a hunch it was you.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± He slowly turned to me. ¡°It came from you...?¡± ¡°By ¡®it¡¯, do you mean that ungodly amount of essence or whatever your way? Yeah, mate¡ªmy bad. It wasn¡¯t too much, I hope.¡± He barked a laugh, and some of his weariness disappeared. ¡°It was entirely too much, but hey, look at the result.¡± He breathed deep, then let out a slow breath. ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°Did I ever tell you how I made my house?¡± ¡°No.¡± I opened my mouth to tell him, but then I looked into the first room. A colossal round table made of what appeared to be a single piece of timber took up most of the space. Dozens of chairs surrounded it, and at the far end of the room, seven eyes went wide as they saw me: with her gaze locked on me, Sharon started rolling up a giant parchment she had been animatedly gesturing at; Private Pistachio nodded in greeting, his stoic features revealing nothing; Sergeant Snips slowly lowered from sight, her eye wide as it retreated from view; Rocky stared at me with a hint of accusation, daring me to say something, but then Snips¡¯ claw shot up and dragged him from sight. The sound of something hard smacking carapace rang out through the room, and Rocky let out a very feminine squeak. We walked past the doorway, and I shook my head in amusement. I turned to Barry and started telling him all about my accidental house creation, sparing no detail. Barry¡¯s forehead grew more and more lined as I spoke. ¡°Gold coins with a scythe and a face? Never heard of anything like it. Do you have any more?¡± ¡°Er... I did?¡± I gave him a rueful smile. ¡°They were all consumed in building this place.¡± ¡°If you pictured a house and it built itself, what did you imagine last night?¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s a little less straightforward. I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I tried meditating on the coins. I realized I already had everything I needed, so I focused on protecting what I had.¡± ¡°Protecting what you had...¡± Barry repeated, tasting the words, his vision going distant. ¡°And it sent the power my way...¡± We strode onward, and I glanced into a room with a... ¡°Thank you, Fischer.¡± ¡°Nah, thank you, mate. I appreciate everything you¡¯re doing here to keep everyone safe.¡± The last hints of my headache were finally receding, and I stretched high as I stood from where I knelt by the tree. ¡°seeing as though my tour is over, I think I¡¯ll go mess with Snips a little bit before I leave¡ªshe¡¯s entirely too cute when she¡¯s guilty.¡± Barry let out a soft chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m guessing they¡¯ll have retreated by now, but you¡¯re more than welcome to try.¡± ¡°Oh, one more thing, Barry.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You should start collecting pearls.¡± ¡°... Pearls?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate. Pearls.¡± Barry stopped walking, staring his incredulity at me. ¡°Why?¡± I stopped too. ¡°Because they function the same as those strange golden coins. Whatever we did last night consumed dozens of pearls I had stashed away.¡± ¡°... You had dozens of pearls?¡± ¡°Yeah, something like that, but that¡¯s not important.¡± I waved my hands dismissively, delighting in the look on Barry¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s important, mate, is that you get more.¡± *** In a room made of smooth bricks, Trent, the first in line to the throne of Gormona¡ªand not at all resembling a toe by his estimate¡ªsniffed. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s a little better.¡± Leroy gave him a flat stare. ¡°A little better?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leroy glanced around at the room¡¯s features; a shower and a toilet, both of which had running water; a gigantic bed that was comfier than any Leroy had ever felt before; space and equipment for exercise; and even a small garden with one of those golden tiles that the room two doors down was with. ¡°You know, Trent, I think I hate you.¡± Trent crossed his arms like a petulant child. ¡°You dare say such things to the crown prince of your kingdom?¡± Leroy sighed. ¡°Yeah, I definitely hate you.¡± ¡°Pah!¡± Trent threw up his hands. ¡°How am I supposed to be happy about being thrown into another prison?¡± Leroy looked at the door and the black metal bars blocking the escape, then turned back to the idiot. ¡°You were locked in the last room too, but there you had to pee in a bucket.¡± ¡°The bucket doubled as a drum, and without it, you¡¯ve removed my only source of fun.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯d be happier here if I got your pee bucket back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a percussive instrument, cultivator scum¡ªnot a pee bucket.¡± Before Leroy could hit him back with some snark, a beautiful form entered the door beyond the bars of Trent¡¯s prison cell. Barbara. ¡°I¡¯ve brought lunch.¡± Leroy smiled at his wife. ¡°Finally!¡± Trent said, perking up. ¡°There better be something sweet this time.¡± He snapped his fingers at Leroy. ¡°Fetch it for me, cultivator.¡± Leroy gave him a sickly sweet grin. ¡°Gladly, prince.¡± Trent¡¯s toe-like face became even more detestable as he frowned at Leroy, clearly not expecting the polite response. Leroy reached the bars, and Barbara passed him a plate with a croissant and dollop of jam, and a cup filled almost to the brim. He strode to Trent, set them on the ground, then made his way back to the bars. ¡°Before you get any ideas...¡± Leroy¡¯s arm muscles bulged, and he swung with all his power at the black metal. The room reverberated with the strike, yet the bars held firm. Trent¡¯s eyes went wide and he gulped; Leroy smirked. ¡°There¡¯s no chance of escape, so you may as well get comfy down here.¡± Trent¡¯s fear was swiftly hidden behind a strained smile, and he sat down before his food. ¡°Wait...¡± he looked down at the cup. ¡°Why in Demeter¡¯s busty chest is this water green, cultivator?¡± He sniffed the contents, then took a tentative sip with raised eyebrows. As the flavor hit his tongue, he let out an appreciative mmm. ¡°That isn¡¯t water,¡± Leroy answered. ¡°It¡¯s sugarcane juice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s delicious!¡± Trent said, then started sculling the sweet liquid. Leroy shot a look at Barbara¡ªboth their faces crinkled in shared amusement. Book 2: Chapter 22: New Beginnings Book 2: Chapter 22: New Beginnings It was a pleasantly cool day in Tropica¡ªuntil a heat like that of the sun bloomed. Fergus squinted and leaned back from the forge¡¯s glow as he threw another shovel of coal into the hearth. He stepped to the side, wiping sweat from his brow with a burly forearm.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°Ready, Duncan?¡± ¡°Aye!¡± his apprentice responded and started placing lengths of iron into a crucible. Fergus watched carefully as Duncan added pinches of phosphorus and sulfur; there was a hint of hesitation in his movements. ¡°You¡¯ve got this.¡± Fergus gave him a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯s the same as any other alloy.¡± Duncan¡¯s hand froze, and he looked up, his gaze wavering. ¡°You¡¯re sure? I don¡¯t want to ruin¡ª¡± ¡°When was the last time you ruined anything in this smithy?¡± Fergus interrupted. ¡°I, uh... I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Neither can I. Besides, you thinking you¡¯re not ready is calling into question my superior and flawless judgment.¡± Fergus shot him a wink. ¡°That¡¯s a paddlin¡¯.¡± Duncan¡¯s uncertainty melted away, replaced by a flat stare. ¡°Just you try to paddle me.¡± Roaring with laughter, Fergus clapped his apprentice on the shoulder. ¡°Just kidding, lad. You¡¯re ready, all right? Let¡¯s do it.¡± Duncan set his jaw and nodded, so Fergus took up position by the bellows. As the apprentice put his goggles and thick gloves on, Fergus moved the bellows¡¯ slowly, causing the added coal to glow red at the edges. When Duncan strode to the forge with the crucible held in a set of large tongs, his steps were sure and filled with purpose. He extended the crucible into the furnace, and Fergus began working the bellows in earnest. *** A thin sheen of sweat covered Fergus¡¯s body as he watched Duncan pour the molten metal into the molds they had prepared. The liquid was bright yellow and of uniform viscosity; the alloy¡¯s creation had been a success. Fergus said not a word, intent on watching the process. During the years he had been teaching Duncan the art of blacksmithing, he had slowly but surely grown to see the boy as his own son. No, not a boy, he reminded himself, looking over Duncan¡¯s muscled arms. He had been a boy when he first came to his smithy, but now he was a man¡ªand a blacksmith¡ªin his own right. The waif of a boy that had shown up in his workshop was now a distant memory, and a smile came to Fergus¡¯s face as he compared the bull of a man before him to the skinny orphan that first walked in the door all those years ago. The last dregs on the molten metal dribbled down in the final mold, and Duncan breathed a sigh of relief as he set the tongs and crucible down. ¡°Perfect lad, just perfect.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not just saying that?¡± Fergus snorted, and so did the bunny. Wait, what? The smith¡¯s head darted to the side; a bunny had joined them on the bench and was peering down at the molds. It looked up at them and nodded a greeting. ¡°Uhhh,¡± both men said, the sound dragging out as their brains tried to comprehend what was going on. I took off my outer clothes and, after one more good stretch, walked into the small waves peppering the shoreline. The water was pleasantly cool, and the moment I got up to my knees, I collapsed beneath it. As I sprang back up, a whole-body shiver took me, and I walked further out into the ocean. When I could no longer walk, I swam, and I reached my destination in no time at all. Large wooden poles marked the spot, and as I caught sight of the cages strung between them, I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. The oyster cages were one of the first things I constructed after coming to Tropica. I¡¯d created them for two reasons: replenishing the oyster population a certain otter was decimating, and, more importantly, pearls. At the time, I¡¯d thought pearls were a source of gold, but as it turned out, they were much, much more valuable than that. I hadn¡¯t checked the cages because, well, what was the point? We had plenty of food, I didn¡¯t want or need for more gold, and I thought they¡¯d take a fair while to grow. My understanding was that oysters took years to reach maturity. My understanding was wrong. Each cage strung up before me¡ªall six of them¡ªwere filled to the brim with massive oysters. I yelled excitedly underwater, and it came out in a garbled stream of bubbles. I started untying the first cage, picturing the look on my animal pal¡¯s faces when I presented them with an entire cage of freshly shucked oysters. *** Number Three breathed deep of the afternoon air, delighting in the humidity and scents of the forest. The sun was setting behind them, and as he looked at the surrounding faces, he saw similar looks of contentment. As much as they could butt heads at times, they were unified in their mission, and being so close to their destination had picked up their moods greatly. Even Two, whose patience had become shorter with each passing day¡ªand each time someone slipped up and didn¡¯t use a codename¡ªsat with a small smile on his face, bathing in the afternoon sun. Three couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°You look almost serene, Keith.¡± Two, the human formerly known as Keith, sputtered with indignation. ¡°Number Two!¡± he boomed, glancing at the surrounding trees. ¡°My name is Two!¡± By his estimate, Three did a fantastic job of hiding his amusement behind the appropriate amount of chagrin, but then Four burst into laughter and he couldn¡¯t help but join in. Five joined in soon after, and even One, who was engrossed in one of his large tomes, arched an amused eyebrow over his book. Two¡¯s face went beet red, and he rounded on their expedition leader. ¡°You too, One? I thought you were above their childish games!¡± ¡°Normally I would err on the side of caution, but I believe I recognize the mountain we are about to crest.¡± ¡°So?¡± Two demanded, his fury still hot. ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Three gave One an appreciative look. ¡°I have to admit, I¡¯m a little surprised. How did you know?¡± One spun the tome he was reading, revealing a topographical map of Kallis¡¯ eastern coast. They smiled at each other, and Two made a series of exasperated noises. ¡°Will you both stop speaking in riddles and explain why the mountain we¡¯re on has a gods damned thing to do with revealing my true name?¡± He hissed the last two words, as if merely speaking them would bring about ruin. Just then, the cart shifted angles. They started moving downhill, and the other side of the mountain came into view. Rolling fields of green and yellow crops swayed in an unseen breeze. A smattering of buildings were bunched together, some of which had gray streaks of smoke rising from their chimneys. Most notable of all was the far distance; the sky was pink and orange above an endless sea of blue and green. ¡°Because, Keith...¡± Theo answered with a broad grin. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at Tropica.¡± Book 2: Chapter 23: The Fishing Club Book 2: Chapter 23: The Fishing Club With the wind at his back and butterflies in his stomach, Theo strode across the sand. His closest friends in the world were at his side, and despite how different the men could be, they were unified under a single ideal. Five men of different stations, with different backgrounds and ambitions, had become the closest of allies since finding each other on that one fateful day so long ago. No words were needed as they strode toward the southern headland. They spied a fence, and Theo whistled at the size of it; Fischer had been keeping himself busy. As they let themselves in, Theo cast his gaze around for Fischer¡¯s home, but saw nothing that denoted a house. ¡°You¡¯re sure this is where he lived?¡± Ellis enquired. ¡°I¡¯m sure. He said by the rivermouth...¡± ¡°There,¡± Peter said, pointing at the rocky headland as he shifted his bag onto one shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything, Four,¡± Keith said, squinting. ¡°We¡¯re here now¡ªcall me Peter again. There¡¯s a hint of light coming from behind the headland, likely a fire.¡± Theo looked closer, and sure enough, now that the sun had set further behind the western mountains, a soft orange light flickered to the right of the large rock. With a grin spreading over his face, he took a step forward, then abruptly stopped. Something had appeared in front of them; a small bunny blocked their path forward, and it stared at them intently with its ears alert. ¡°What are you doing out here, little one?¡± Peter asked, shifting his bag to the other shoulder. Danny, the man formerly known as Five, squinted at the unmoving creature. ¡°... why isn¡¯t it running away?¡± The bunny responded by going back on its haunches and stretching its forelimbs in an entirely too human-like manner. It started boxing the air, unleashing little jabs as it ducked and weaved its head. Keith took a step back. ¡°Oh, no¡ª¡± The bunny shot forward faster than Theo could register, and the next thing he knew, Keith¡¯s unconscious body hit the floor. Ellis was next, and all Theo saw of the attack was a blur. All he could do was stare uncomprehending as, one by one, the rest of the men dropped bonelessly to the sand. The bunny stared at Theo, cracked its neck threateningly, and grinned. *** I smiled as I walked from the ocean with an entire cage of oysters on my back. The sun was setting over the mountains to the west, and I took a moment to appreciate the sky¡¯s beauty. I grabbed my outer clothes from the sand and set off for home with thoughts of the feast to come fuelling my stride. The warm glow of a lit fire greeted me as I rounded the headland from the northwest, and I squinted down at the illuminated ground. There were large grooves dragged through the sand. Did someone bring whole trees for the fire? I wondered. I heard a chirped and hissed conversation as I got closer, and a wide smile came to my face¡ªClaws and Snips were here already. Then I heard Barry speak, and a sense of excitement bloomed. The last time I¡¯d given the man an oyster, it had been raw and he¡¯d found it disgusting. I had already mentally picked out some herbs to cook this new batch of oysters in¡ªI couldn¡¯t wait to redeem myself. ¡°G¡¯day, everyone,¡± I said, stepping into view of the fire. ¡°Have I got a surprise for you gu... what the fuck?¡± Barry, Sergeant Snips, Corporal Claws, Private Pistachio, and Rocky were arrayed around a pile of lifeless forms. Atop the one in the center was Cinnamon. When she caught sight of me, she puffed up her chest, downright preening with pride. I recognized the person she sat on. ¡°Theo?¡± I dashed forward and lay my finger against his neck. When I felt a pulse, I let out my breath. ¡°Thank god...¡± At my words, he stirred. *** Theo was having the strangest dream filled with even weirder noises. A myriad of what sounded like animal calls that were periodically interrupted by human speech. He couldn¡¯t make out any of the words, but then someone called his name. ¡°Theo?¡± A hand touched his neck and the contact called to him. When Theo opened his eyes, his vision was blurry. There was a face right before him, and as he rapidly blinked, it came into focus. ¡°Fischer...?¡± Lines of worry disappeared from Fischer¡¯s face, and he let out a relieved laugh. ¡°Theo¡ªlong time no see, mate. How are ya?¡± Before he could respond, something small leaped to his chest, and a bunny¡¯s fuzzy little face took up his entire field of view. All at once, his memory returned. He yelled wordlessly and scrambled backward on the sand. Fischer lay a hand on his shoulder; his firm grip held Theo still. ¡°You¡¯re all good, mate. You¡¯re not in danger.¡± Fischer looked up and to the right. ¡°What the hell happened, Barry?¡± Theo spun to see who Fischer was looking at; a man in farmer¡¯s garb gave a rueful smile. ¡°Cinnamon found them inside your fence line. She knocked them out and came to find me.¡± The bunny¡ªwhose name was apparently Cinnamon¡ªlet out a triumphant peep from atop Theo¡¯s chest. He gulped. ¡°An ascendant creature... so it¡¯s true...¡± ¡°What¡¯s true, mate?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cultivator.¡± Fischer opened his mouth and raised a finger. Theo saw the lie forming in the lines of his face, but then Fischer let out a sigh and nodded. ¡°Yeah, mate. I¡¯m a cultivator.¡± His face moved almost imperceptibly, and anyone but a crown auditor wouldn¡¯t have noticed the conflict etched in his features. ¡°What are you doing here, Theo?¡± Ellis bolted upright. ¡°Just bugs?¡± Danny repeated, a firm line forming below his bald head. ¡°They can decimate an entire city¡¯s grain stores. They¡¯re a damned plague.¡± Theo turned to me and started explaining. ¡°Danny is¡ªwas the head quartermaster of Gormona¡¯s guards.¡± Danny gave a curt nod. ¡°The one that yelled about weevils is Peter; he was the sous chef in the royal castle.¡± Keith sniffed. ¡°What about me and Ellis?¡± ¡°I already introduced Ellis,¡± Theo replied, smirking. Before Keith could protest, Peter bellowed a laugh. ¡°I can introduce you, your nobleship. Keith is cousin to the main royal line, and seventeenth in line to the thro¡ª¡± ¡°Sixteenth,¡± Keith corrected. ¡°Oh, my apologies, my lord!¡± Peter gave an exaggerated bow. ¡°How could I have¡ªMedusa¡¯s pickled tit! Look at the size of that lobster!¡± ¡°Awakened creature!¡± Danny bellowed, pointing at Pistachio, whom they¡¯d only just noticed. ¡°Defensive positions!¡± After things somewhat calmed down, what followed was a short round of introductions, reintroductions, and assurances that the animals arrayed before them were friendly. ¡°How can we know they¡¯re safe?¡± Keith asked, watching them intently. ¡°I came under the assumption that we were coming to meet a cultivator, not a crew of awakened creatures...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Barry answered. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, if they had violence in mind, they could have at any moment disposed of and eaten you¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t have even known it.¡± Claws grinned and made a loud clack with her needle-sharp chompers. Keith audibly swallowed. ¡°All right, all right.¡± I shook my head at her, trying not to smile. ¡°That¡¯s enough messing with them for one day, Claws.¡± I spun back to the archivist, Ellis. ¡°You said you could explain why you came here. You¡¯re all awake now, so it seems like the perfect time, yeah?¡± He nodded. ¡°I will keep this brief¡ªI don¡¯t wish to impose any further on such a magnificent one¡¯s time.¡± I held up both hands. ¡°You can drop the ¡®magnificent one¡¯ stuff. I¡¯m just a regular bloke doing regular bloke things.¡± He cocked an eyebrow, but Theo nodded. ¡°See? I told you. Tell him what you told us, Ellis.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He stroked his beard. ¡°All right then. It all started when Theo returned from his trip to Tropica Village. He told us of a strange man that seemed to bend the world around him.¡± I grimaced at Theo. ¡°What did I say that gave me away?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°It was this...¡± Ellis rummaged around in his pocket and withdrew a leather pouch. He unfolded it, then held his hand up, displaying a single hook. It was one of the hooks I¡¯d created and given Theo. The campfire¡¯s orange light gleamed off its curved edges, appearing as new as the day I¡¯d made it. ¡°As an official of the royal library, I have access to restricted information. This hook, along with Theo¡¯s description of its creation, made me and the rest of the fishing club test whether we could break it. Can you guess what happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing it didn¡¯t break?¡± Danny grunted. ¡°The only thing it broke was one of my favorite hammers.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Ellis said. ¡°Even for a regular cultivator from before the gods¡¯ departure, such a creation would be quite a feat. Certain volumes listed in great detail what the cultivators of old could do, especially those called ¡®travelers¡¯. Do you know what that is?¡± I sighed. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Wait, you do?¡± Barry asked, his head rocking back. ¡°Yeah, mate¡ªpeople that were isekai¡¯d by truck-kun and transmigrated to another world, right?¡± ¡°... what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from another world. Keep up, Barry¡ªyou already knew that.¡± Barry frowned at me, and I beamed a smile. Ellis resumed stroking his beard. ¡°So, it¡¯s true then?¡± ¡°It is, but you still haven¡¯t answered why you came here.¡± ¡°Nor,¡± Barry added, ¡°why it was with such a collection of important people: the royal library¡¯s head archivist, a crown auditor, a royal chef, the capital¡¯s quartermaster, and an actual royal. Forgive me saying so, but what you¡¯ve said so far doesn¡¯t add up.¡± I gave Barry an appreciating glance. My man was spitting straight facts. ¡°Yeah¡ªand that.¡± ¡°I suppose I should get to the point, then.¡± Ellis¡¯s eyes bore into me. ¡°We have abandoned our kingdom. We have left our posts, and if we are ever caught, our lives are forfeit. We have done all this for a singular purpose...¡± Ellis stood taller, as did the other men. He took a deep breath, cast his gaze over everyone, then narrowed his vision on me, commanding attention. ¡°We have come to start a church and raise you, Fischer, to the pantheon.¡± He steepled his fingers before his face. ¡°We wish to make you a god.¡± A silence stretched over the sand. The wind seemed to vanish, and even the campfire¡¯s flames dulled. No birds could be heard overhead, and even the waves gently lapping at the shore stilled. Barry and I looked at each other¡ªwe erupted in laughter. Book 2: Chapter 24: Breaking Bread Book 2: Chapter 24: Breaking Bread I shook so hard with laughter that my legs collapsed beneath me. Snips and Claws made their way to me, chirping and hissing their delight as they leaned against me. Barry laughed harder than I¡¯d ever seen¡ªhe took shallow, halting breaths, trying to get oxygen to his lungs as tears streamed from his eyes. I lay on my back in the sand, delighting in the shaking forms of Snips and Claws as they similarly lost themselves to mirth. Minutes must have passed, and when I sat back up, the grandiose posture of the fishing club expedition had deflated. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m sorry.¡± I wiped tears from my eyes. ¡°We¡¯re not laughing at you.¡± ¡°Then what are you laughing at?¡± Keith¡¯s face was red, and his lips were pressed into a firm line. He turned his anger on Barry. ¡°You. Who even are you? Why is Fischer¡¯s neighbor laughing at a royal?¡± Theo snorted. ¡°What happened to the Keith that said ¡®the monarchy is nothing but a farce set up to suppress the common folk¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m annoyed, all right?¡± he snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on!¡± I walked toward the fire, sat down before it, and gestured for them to follow. As everyone took a seat, I smiled at the ridiculousness of the situation I found myself in. ¡°I introduced Barry as my neighbor. That¡¯s true, but he¡¯s also something else.¡± Danny smacked a fist down onto his open palm. ¡°Oh! He¡¯s a cultivator too?¡± ¡°No¡ªwait, yes. He is.¡± I made a dismissive gesture. ¡°But that¡¯s not what is important. Barry, behind my back and with the help of Sergeant Snips, started a cult. Or a church. I¡¯m still not too sure, but that¡¯s by design.¡± I watched them closely, scanning for a hint of annoyance or malice, but all I saw on their faces was disbelief. ¡°Remarkable,¡± Ellis said. He picked up his pencil and watched the farmer intently. ¡°What gave you the idea, Barry? How did you conclude that to be the correct course of action?¡± ¡°Timeout!¡± I held up a hand. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but¡ªwait, it¡¯s not a long story at all. I wanna know as little as possible about the whole cult thing Barry has going on. I told you he set it up in secret, right? That¡¯s because he knows me, and he understands that all I want to do is fish and make friends. You guys are more than welcome to discuss cult stuff, but I¡¯d prefer it be done while I¡¯m not around.¡± Ellis¡¯s eyes locked onto me, and he lowered his book, stroking his beard with one hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have any desire to shape and mold the direction of your own church?¡± ¡°Not even a little bit.¡± Barry smiled at me. ¡°We thought we were being sneaky, but Fischer knew we were doing it for quite a while and turned a blind eye.¡± I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s a nice way of putting it. In truth, I was putting my head in the sand and pretending my problems didn¡¯t exist. That ended up being a mistake¡ªI accidentally obliterated a tree in front of a friend of mine and¡ª¡± ¡°A friend?¡± Barry interrupted, his eyes glittering. ¡°Oh, shush. The point is, pretending it wasn¡¯t happening only caused me grief. So I let Barry know that I knew, and I¡¯ve asked him to inform me if anything happens that would put anyone¡¯s life at risk. Short of that, I¡¯m blissfully unaware.¡± I took a deep breath and exhaled with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s quite nice, really.¡± Theo slapped Keith¡¯s arm. ¡°I told you Fischer was a good man, didn¡¯t I?¡± Keith scowled at him. ¡°Are you saying that was all the truth?¡± ¡°It was.¡± ¡°A real crown auditor...¡± Barry said. ¡°It¡¯s true you can tell if someone is lying?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°That would prove more than a little useful.¡± Barry rubbed his chin, and I could almost see the schemes coming together in his head. ¡°Would you be willing to¡ª¡± ¡°Barry.¡± I gave him a flat stare. ¡°I¡¯m still here, mate.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. My bad.¡± Danny chuckled. It was deep and rough, like he¡¯d spent a lifetime yelling at the top of his lungs, which I suppose may have been the case for a man organizing the guards of a capital city. ¡°It looks to me like we¡¯ve made the right call in coming here.¡± A smile crossed all of their faces; their joy was infectious, and I joined in. ¡°Now that all the boring details are taken care of, should we talk about the actually important stuff?¡± Theo frowned, cocking his head to the side. for new novels ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What else could I mean?¡± My smile transformed into a conspiratorial grin. ¡°I¡¯m talking about fishing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always talking about fishing!¡± a feminine voice called from the darkness. Everyone¡¯s heads turned, and when Maria strode around the headland, her skipping steps came to an abrupt end. ¡°Oh. Er... hi?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no pressure¡ªit¡¯s totally up to you guys. You can have as little or as much as you like.¡± ¡°Are... are you going to season them?¡± Maria asked. ¡°I am. I¡¯ve already planned a few different flavor combinations to¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get the spices!¡± she interrupted, sprinting for the house. Theo¡¯s head darted to the side at her explosive exit, and he slowly turned to face me, the question clear on his face. ¡°Yep,¡± I answered. ¡°She¡¯s a cultivator. Maria isn¡¯t a member of the church, but as you can tell, she¡¯s pretty keen on my cooking.¡± Ellis stared after her departure. ¡°Astounding...¡± ¡°If you think that¡¯s good, mate,¡± Barry said. ¡°Wait until you try Fischer¡¯s food.¡± *** With each oyster I shucked, my hopes were dampened a little further. Considering the Xianxia shenanigans I had grown used to, I half expected each mollusk to contain a pearl¡ªthat wasn¡¯t the case. Am I really annoyed that each oyster¡ªof which I have hundreds¡ªdoesn¡¯t contain a stone worth more than a farmer might make in a decade? I shook my head at myself and strode over to the fire with twenty freshly shucked mollusks. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, it¡¯s pretty normal to eat them raw, but it¡¯s definitely not for everyone¡ªjust ask Barry.¡± ¡°Not for everyone,¡± he agreed, grimacing. I laughed. ¡°It might be a bit of an acquired taste, and they¡¯ll definitely taste better to the vast majority of people when cooked and seasoned.¡± ¡°Do you have any formal training?¡± Peter asked, peering down at the raw oysters. ¡°Not at all, but I¡¯ve unlocked the cooking skill and leveled it a fair bit.¡± ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough.¡± Theo crossed his arms and frowned at me, but I saw the hint of a smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯re hitting us with too many knowledge bombs for one evening.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Elis countered, sharpening his pencil. ¡°Please continue. You say you have skills?¡± ¡°Yeah, the System or whatever seems to have started working again over the last few days. I¡¯m pretty sure I was constantly gaining skills, but it only started listing them recently. Before that, it just said some bullshit about ¡®insufficient power¡¯.¡± Ellis finished sharpening and blew on the tip of his pencil. ¡°That is... troubling,¡± he said, scratching away at his pad. ¡°If it¡¯s happening everywhere, that could mean we have to¡ª¡± ¡°Hey!¡± I interrupted. ¡°No scheming, planning, or plotting in my presence!¡± ¡°Oh. Right. My apologies.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good. So, who wants to try the oysters?¡± Snips and Pistachio scuttled forward first, each of them noisily eating one. Rocky had returned, and he remained on the sand, claws crossed and attempting to look unimpressed, but his eyes were glued to the mollusk Snips ate beside him. ¡°Help yourself, Rocky.¡± He turned his head away, but Snips nudged him forward, and with her suggestion, he scuttled forward and snatched one. As he ate it, his facade of indifference shifted to genuine bliss, and Maria and I shared a smirk at the cantankerous crab. I grabbed an oyster, as did Maria and Peter. ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait for the cooked ones,¡± Danny said, scrunching his face at what was clearly an unappetizing sight. I ate mine first. As fresh as they were, there was no hint of the ammonia flavor that could sometimes accompany raw oysters. I watched Maria closely¡ªher face bunched up, then she chewed and quickly swallowed. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know how I feel about that...¡± ¡°Interesting...¡± Peter said, biting down on the oyster in his mouth. He tossed his head from side to side. ¡°Not a great texture, but the flavor has a lot of potential.¡± My eyes lit up. ¡°You like it?¡± He nodded. ¡°I can see why it¡¯s off-putting to some, but I didn¡¯t hate it.¡± ¡°Mate, anything short of downright despising it on your first try is a good sign. You and I are going to get along.¡± ¡°Is it alright if I have another?¡± ¡°Help yourself!¡± Everyone but Maria grabbed another, and as I was just lifting one to my mouth, a chirping from behind me drew my attention. My favorite otter had returned, beaming a needle-sharp grin and dragging another cage across the sand. Book 2: Chapter 25: Former Strangers Book 2: Chapter 25: Former Strangers With a delicious taste lingering in my mouth and the campfire warming my skin, I beamed a smile at Corporal Claws. ¡°What took so long, you little scamp? We¡¯ve already started...¡± I trailed off and pursed my lips, glaring at the cage she dragged behind her. ¡°Claws...¡± She cocked her head, giving me a full-toothed grin. ¡°Did you stop for a little snack of oysters on your way here?¡± She glanced back at the open cage and the notably bare patch on one side. Yes, she chirped, her grin never disappearing. ¡°You scoundrel! We have guests!¡± She bowed her head in shame, but slipped one paw into the cage and removed another oyster. With her head still bowed, she snicked it open with a claw, slurped it into her mouth, then threw it over one shoulder, discarding the evidence. ¡°You can apologize to our new friends here by helping me shuck the rest. Come on.¡± It took the dextrous otter and I little time to open both cages of oysters. When the first cage was almost complete, we found our first treasure. Claws chirped to get my attention, and as I glanced over, I caught the shine of an oyster slipping into her pocket. ¡°Good girl,¡± I whispered, reaching over. She preened at my praise, leaning into the scratch I gave her. ¡°Let¡¯s open the rest. We might find more.¡± Her eyes gleamed, and we raced to shuck the remaining mollusks. It didn¡¯t take me long to conclude that she was much faster than I was. Despite how deft I had become with my small knife, I was no match for the sharp claws of an oyster-munching machine. ¡°A shame we didn¡¯t find any more pearls...¡± I said to her as I plated up the last of the oysters. As if waiting for the complaint, mischief sparkled in her eyes. She put a paw in her pocket, and when she withdrew it, three little orbs reflected in the moonlight. ¡°Three? From those two cages?¡± She radiated delight as she nodded. ¡°Oh, you are the best girl.¡± I rubbed her all over and she leaned every which way, following my scratches as they moved. We turned to make our way back to the fire just in time for Maria to yell. ¡°You¡¯re a what?¡± ¡°A royal,¡± Keith answered, straightening his back. ¡°A royal!¡± she repeated. ¡°Ares¡¯s shield, did you know Keith is a royal, Fischer?¡± I smiled at her wide-eyed amazement. ¡°They all have rather impressive backgrounds.¡± ¡°You flatter us,¡± Ellis said, not looking up from his pocketbook. ¡°We had rather impressive backgrounds,¡± Theo corrected, smirking at Keith¡¯s posture. ¡°We left that behind to become common fishermen.¡± I snorted. ¡°And to raise some poor bloke to godhood.¡± ¡°That too.¡± I set the oysters down next to my arrayed spices, shaking my head at how easily he agreed to such a ridiculous statement. ¡°All right. I have a few different ideas for ways to prepare them, but I¡¯m lacking some necessary ingredients¡ªI¡¯ll just make one kind tonight and hope it works out. If the first batch sucks, I¡¯ll have to try another combination.¡± I turned to Peter. ¡°To address the elephant in the room, you¡¯re probably a much better chef than I am, mate, but I¡¯d still love to make a meal for you.¡± ¡°I can help, even if you just want me to chop ingredients.¡± ¡°Nonsense, mate¡ªthis is a welcome feast for my soon-to-be-pals of the fishing club. Let me handle the food. I¡¯m open to any critique you have afterward, though!¡± Before he could offer resistance, I started preparing the meal. *** ¡°That smells divine, Fischer,¡± Theo said, sniffing the aroma in the air as I added a clumpy powder and dried herbs to the pot. ¡°Will you tell us what it is already?¡± Maria demanded, her patience well and truly at its limits. I chuckled softly. ¡°I suppose I can, now that it¡¯s ready.¡± I nodded at the pot as I spooned the sauce within atop the arrayed oysters. ¡°I¡¯m attempting a bastardization of what my world calls a roux. Do you know what that is, Peter?¡± He raised an eyebrow, confusion clear on his face. ¡°It¡¯s one of the first things you learn to make when training in the royal kitchens, but it¡¯s, uh, supposed to be a secret¡ªa closely guarded one at that. You combine fat and flour in equal parts as a thickening base, right?¡± ¡°Right. What I¡¯ve made here is like that, but I¡¯ve used much less flour than beef tallow.¡± I put the tray of oysters on the fire, then covered them with another tray, sealing the heat in. ¡°The sauce should be thick and packed with flavor, especially after what I just added. Do you know what bechamel sauce is? Mornay?¡± ¡°No.¡± I grinned. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t your food taste this good, Peter?¡± Keith asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to say it¡¯s because you¡¯ve only eaten my campfire cooking,¡± he replied, then gestured at the fire before him. ¡°But these were also cooked on a campfire, and they are the tastiest thing I¡¯ve ever had...¡± ¡°Is all his food this good?¡± Theo asked, glancing between Barry and Maria. The former nodded, the latter grimaced. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± she said, winking at me. ¡°It¡¯s enough to give someone an inferiority complex.¡± ¡°Tell me about it...¡± Peter mumbled, staring down at the sand. Danny boomed a laugh and slapped him on the back. ¡°We¡¯ll get you on the path of ascension and acquire you some cooking skills before you know it.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, mate,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ll likely put my food to shame in no time at all, especially considering your background. I only learned to cook from watching videos.¡± ¡°... videos? What are video¡ª¡° ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Barry and Maria both yelled, getting in the way of the obfuscating response already forming in my mind. A laugh bubbled up from within me, and as it subsided, I let out a content sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡ªI¡¯m sure Barry can explain when he gives you the tour later.¡± ¡°The tour?¡± Ellis asked, but I just shook my head. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait and see¡ªuntil then, we have a bunch more oysters...¡± *** ¡°Thanks again, Fischer,¡± Barry said, nursing his overfull stomach. ¡°Sorry we ate so much.¡± ¡°Nonsense, mate.¡± Fischer gave him a wide grin. ¡°Food is there to be eaten, and Claws was all too happy to fetch another batch.¡± They¡¯d swiftly eaten through the first two cages, and at seeing their readiness to continue eating, Fischer had sent the otter off to fetch more without hesitation. ¡°Well, we¡¯d better get going,¡± Barry said. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to show them around.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Fischer cast his gaze over the newly arrived fishermen. ¡°It was really nice meeting you guys.¡± ¡°It was,¡± Maria agreed, putting her arm around Fischer¡¯s waist and hugging him right. ¡°I¡¯m excited to go fishing with you guys!¡± The five former strangers all said their goodbyes, and Barry led them away from the fire. Theo lingered a moment longer than the rest, watching Fischer and Maria walk toward the coast with their hands entwined. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Barry asked, and Theo gave him a smile. ¡°Nothing, Barry¡ªI¡¯m just glad to see Fischer happy. So much of what we came here to do had moral questionability surrounding it, but seeing the man we plan to raise to godhood living a normal life and experiencing love... it washed most of my hesitation away.¡± ¡°You still feel hesitation, though?¡± Theo nodded. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t? We don¡¯t truly know what ascension entails and how it could impact him.¡± ¡°When it comes to Fischer,¡± Barry said, ¡°I haven¡¯t known him long, but I stopped doubting him what feels like a lifetime ago.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°To steal his words, Theo¡ªyou¡¯re a good bloke. Just the fact that you consider such things lifts you in my eyes.¡± A silence stretched across the sand as Barry led them toward his house beneath the moonlit sky. When they reached his home, he led them around back and strode toward the shed. ¡°You wish for us to sleep in a shed?¡± Keith asked. Without another word, Barry flung the door open. When the five men saw the contents of the shed and the inside of the now-disguised door, their dispositions shifted. Every eye went wide, and Ellis took an involuntary step forward, craning his neck. ¡°You recognise what this is?¡± Barry asked. All nodded, and Ellis slipped forward. He put his hand against the inside of the door and put his eye so close to the gilding that it was almost touching. ¡°An ancient building. Unbelievable... outstanding...¡± ¡°I take it there are buildings like this in the capital?¡± ¡°There are.¡± Ellis ran his hands along the golden edging, his aged fingers moving with grace. ¡°They are strictly off-limits to the general public, but part of the inner library is made of such material. To think there was one like it out here... how long has it been here?¡± ¡°Oh, you know¡ªtwenty hours or so.¡± Ellis¡¯s hands froze. He whirled faster than a man of his age had any right moving, and his eyes drilled into Barry. ¡°Theo. He tells the truth?¡± ¡°He... he does...¡± ¡°If you think that¡¯s impressive...¡± Barry waggled his eyebrows and pointed down at the descending stairwell they hadn¡¯t yet noticed. ¡°Wait until you see the rest of it.¡± Book 2: Chapter 26: A Thrill Book 2: Chapter 26: A Thrill As Barry led the men further down the underground tunnel, Ellis sharpened his pencil violently. Keith, who had the unfortunate position of being behind the overeager archivist, batted ineffectually at the barrage of shavings flying his way. ¡°Good gods, Ellis¡ªcan you aim that elsewhere?¡± ¡°No time,¡± he replied, eyes focused on his pencil. He removed it, pocketed the sharpener, and immediately started writing again. Barry smiled at his eagerness. They¡¯d just come from the underground forest, and Ellis had spent a full fifteen minutes documenting every feature of the giant tree within it before his friends finally convinced him to keep moving. Barry took a deep breath, knowing this next room was going to be a final test of sorts. If they don¡¯t agree with my methods... he thought, but then he shook his head, dismissing it. I can deal with that possibility when and if it comes to pass. Barry¡¯s steps slowed, and he came to a stop, spinning toward them. ¡°I have something to admit.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ellis asked, not looking up from his frenzied writing. ¡°You aren¡¯t the first group to come from the capital. Another royal came, Keith.¡± Barry turned and continued walking, making his way toward the door. ¡°He was accompanied by two cultivators.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...¡± Keith uttered. Barry reached out, swung the door open, and stepped back. Keith rushed forward, peering out into the room. ¡°Finally!¡± came a nasally voice from within. ¡°Where¡¯s my desert? I was promised sweets!¡± *** Keith immediately recognized the voice, but as he spied the speaker, his mouth still went dry. Trent¡ªhis eldest cousin and childhood tormenter¡ªsat in a rich wooden chair. He fanned his face with a book, putting on an air of poise and dignity that looked ridiculous on him. Keith fought to keep his face still. ¡°I didn¡¯t think to find you here, cousin.¡± At the words, Trent shot to his feet faster than Keith had ever seen him move. Even as a child, Trent had always been prodigiously pudgy, but he¡¯d lost weight since last he¡¯d seen him. ¡°Keith! Thank Poseidon¡¯s slick shaft you¡¯re here! Did father and uncle come?¡± Trent rose from the chair and lurched forward, grabbing the metal bars. He leaned closer, whispering. ¡°They¡¯re creating cultivators here, cousin. I hope you¡¯ve brought a large retinue of the chained with you.¡± ¡°He knows what we¡¯re doing, Trent,¡± Barry said, stepping into view. The prince let out an eep and jumped back from the bars. ¡°Run, cousin! Make haste!¡± Trent took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, then bellowed. ¡°Faaaather! I¡¯m underground! I require assistaaaance!¡± Theo peeked his head around the corner. ¡°He¡¯s not too bright, is he, Keith?¡± ¡°Not particularly, no.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always found it fascinating,¡± Ellis mused, craning his neck to see past Theo. ¡°That those of the same lineage can grow to have such contrasting dispositions.¡± Trent stared at Keith, his face contorting in thought like a dog trying to work out whose tail it was chasing. ¡°Ah¡ªI see.¡± He snapped his fingers and let out a facetious chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re a cultivator with the ability to shapeshift. Very clever, but not clever enough to fool the crown prince.¡± He narrowed his eyes at Barry. ¡°Shame on you, coming down here and trying to use a man¡¯s relatives against him.¡± He pointed at Ellis. ¡°And who are you pretending to be? Some evil wizard of old? Jokes on you, pretender¡ªI didn¡¯t study the histories!¡± Ellis watched him patiently. ¡°I¡¯m well aware you didn¡¯t study the histories, Prince. I don¡¯t think you studied anything. If you had spent a second in your family¡¯s archives, maybe you would know who I am.¡± Keith rubbed his temples. ¡°Trent¡ªwhen you were ten years old, you got your head stuck in a vase when trying to lick the last vestiges of syrup from its wall. You wouldn¡¯t let us get help and we had to break it for you to escape. You cried¡ªa lot.¡± The prince¡¯s head darted up to stare at his cousin with wide eyes. ¡°Poseidon¡¯s sweaty sack¡ªit¡¯s really you! Hang on a Hades¡¯ damned second! You swore an oath to never tell that to anyone!¡± ¡°Under duress of my head being squashed by your well-fed rump.¡± Trent¡¯s gaze shot toward Barry, to the rest of the men peering into the room, then back to Keith. ¡°Betrayer...¡± he whispered. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Keith agreed. ¡°I¡¯ve betrayed the capital and the royal family.¡± After Barry¡¯s departure, Theo looked around the room with unbelieving eyes. Ten luxurious beds lined the room, all of which were as opulent as the next. He ran his hands over the silk-smooth cover he sat on, unsure if he was dreaming. ¡°This is real, right?¡± Danny asked, doing the exact same thing with his hands on the next bed over. Peter launched himself and crashed down on a pile of plush pillows across the room. ¡°Feels real to me! Gods, I¡¯ve never had such an amazing shower. If it wasn¡¯t so late, I may have slept under the running water.¡± Theo couldn¡¯t disagree; after weeks of travel, the shower had been an unexpected yet welcomed relief. He glanced over at Ellis. The former archivist was already asleep, snoring peacefully in the furthest bed. Pete followed his gaze and grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s alright...¡± ¡°He got worse while we were traveling. He did well to hide his sickness from us for so long, but it¡¯s hard to ignore when someone coughs up blood...¡± ¡°Well,¡± Danny said, leaning back on his bed. ¡°With any luck, he¡¯ll ascend.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Barry about some of that sugarcane juice tomorrow. There¡¯s no rush for us, but after seeing how weak Ellis got today, I¡¯m more than a little worried.¡± Peter and Danny grunted their agreement, and realizing he hadn¡¯t heard from Keith in a while, Theo glanced his way¡ªthe royal was fast asleep. Peter covered his mouth as a yawn escaped him. ¡°I suppose we should get some sleep too...¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Duncan agreed, throwing back his covers and climbing in. As if listening in on their conversation, the flames set in the walls dimmed. Theo slid between the sheets of his bed. His body rejoiced the moment he lay down, and before he knew it, his consciousness faded. *** Theo opened his eyes. His mouth was dry, and he sat up, searching for something to drink. As his vision cleared, he took in the room around him. Everyone was asleep, their bedding crinkled and in various states of disarray. He stood and walked for the door, intent on heading to a tap for a drink, when something in his peripheral vision caught his attention. In the far corner of the room, a dark form moved. Theo froze, staring at the blob of darkness hiding between Ellis¡¯s bed and the wall. He tiptoed to Danny¡¯s bed and shook the burly man. His larger friend opened his eyes immediately, and they locked onto Theo, who held a finger to his own lips. Danny understood; he slipped his blanket aside silently and climbed to his feet. Theo gestured at the murky blob, and as Danny noticed it, his body tensed. The former guard crept forward, ready to deliver violence. As they got closer, a soft whispering sound came from the shape. Danny stilled, holding a hand up to stop Theo. Theo looked between the dark mass and his muscular friend, not comprehending what was going through the latter¡¯s mind. After a tense moment, Danny shook his head, let out a sigh, and walked forward, all of his stealth abandoned. ¡°What the hells are you doing, Ellis?¡± He reached down. ¡°You scared the piss out of us.¡± As Danny lifted the blanket covering their friend, the flickering orange light of a candle danced against the walls. ¡°Careful!¡± the archivist hissed. ¡°I have an open flame and paper out!¡± As soon as paper was mentioned, Theo realized what the whispering had been¡ªthe scratching of graphite on a pocketbook. He let out a relieved sigh. ¡°What are you doing, Ellis? You need your rest.¡± Ellis spun on the spot with the agility of a gymnast. ¡°I don¡¯t, actually.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Danny said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Theo knew. His lifetime of training let him see the twinkle in Ellis¡¯s eye, the speed with which he spun, the firm set of his shoulders, and the subtle changes to the muscles of his friend¡¯s arms. ¡°You... you¡¯re a cultivator. You awakened.¡± Ellis beamed. ¡°An astute observation. I¡¯ve been testing and documenting for the last few hours.¡± He clenched his fists and released them, staring down at the muscles of his forearms. ¡°It feels rather good.¡± Just then, something tugged at Theo, and words consumed his vision. ¡°No way...¡± Beads of sweat sprouted as a thrill ran through him. He blinked, rubbed his eyes, yet the words remained. Please select a name. Book 2: Chapter 27: Names Book 2: Chapter 27: Names Barry paused before the wooden facade covering the church''s entrance. He turned and gazed toward the western mountains. The sun rose at his back, peeking its head over his house and warming his body. A gust of wind kicked up, ruffling his hair and lending him a sense of tranquility. The breeze sputtered out, and as he breathed in through his nose, the scents of coffee and fresh-baked pastries made his mouth water. The door to the church opened, so he looked over his shoulder. ¡°Morning, Ruby.¡± ¡°Good morning, Barry. Did you slee¡ªooh! Are one of those for me?¡± Barry held out the coffee and croissant laden tray. ¡°Of course¡ªhelp yourself.¡± She slid forward and grabbed one of each. ¡°Thank you.¡± She sipped the coffee and let out a full-bodied sigh. ¡°What did we ever do without this stuff?¡± ¡°Honestly, I have no idea. Is Steven still inside?¡± She rolled her eyes with a playful smile. ¡°He is. I swear, that man could sleep the day away.¡± ¡°I''ll drop him off some breakfast. Did you meet the new arrivals yet?¡± She lowered the cup from her lips, letting out another content sigh. ¡°I didn''t meet them yet, but they''re up and sounding quite lively this morning.¡± ¡°Really? I thought they''d sleep in given they spent weeks traveling...¡± Ruby shrugged. ¡°The door to their room was closed, so I didn''t burst in to introduce myself, but they certainly sounded awake.¡± She took a bite of croissant, and her shoulders slumped as she let out a quiet mmm. Barry watched her with a growing smile, excited for his own pastry after delivering breakfast to the rest of the congregation. She washed the mouthful down with a sip of coffee. ¡°Well, I''d better open the shop up. Who knows when that useless husband of mine will be up.¡± She grinned, taking the bite out of her words as she held the door open for Barry. ¡°See you later!¡± ¡°Until then,¡± he said, stepping from the morning sun and into the shadowed interior. As she closed the door behind him, Barry gazed at the surrounding room. As with the gust outside, the flickering light of the walls'' naked flames brought him a sense of calm. He oozed gratitude as he made his way down the stairs and into the earth''s depths. When his feet fell on flat ground, he halted midstep. The fishing club members weren''t sleeping in after weeks of travel... was it possible that they''d ascended already? His steps resumed, and he further considered the possibility. It only took a few seconds for Barry to laugh at himself. It took multiple meals from Fischer for my awakening, he thought. It also takes multiple glasses of sugarcane juice for someone to take steps on the path of ascension¡ªthere''s no way they''ve already become cultivators. Smiling at his foolishness and distracted by the scents wafting up from his tray, Barry reached their room before he knew it. Muffled conversation and grunts could be heard through the thick door, and Barry opened it with a raised eyebrow. All the beds had been moved to the back of the room, leaving an empty space of smooth stone. Theo and Peter lay on their stomachs close to the door, their right hands clasped and ready to arm wrestle. Danny and Keith stood just past them, the former''s feet firmly planted and the latter bouncing on his heels. Ellis was furthest from Barry; he sat on a bed with his legs crossed, his right hand gripping a pencil and ready to take notes. Barry grinned at the unfolding scene. He opened his mouth to wish them a good morning. ¡°Go!¡± Ellis yelled. Keith launched across the room and drove a fist into Danny''s stomach. The former quartermaster hunched, braced for the impact, then let out a grunt as he flew across the room and slammed into a wall. Theo and Peter''s arms bulged, and they clenched their teeth as they fought to force the other''s hand down to the stones. All the while, Ellis''s eyes darted around the room, his hand a blur as it wrote in his notepad. Barry almost dropped the tray; he quickly readjusted, catching the assortment of breakfasts before a drop of coffee could spill. ¡°Oh! Hello, Barry,¡± Ellis said, still writing. ¡°Er¡ªgood morning... I brought food and coffee...¡± Ellis closed his notepad and set it down. ¡°Let''s pause for breakfast, gentlemen.¡± Danny got to his feet at the base of the wall and brushed himself off with a smile. ¡°Nice hit!¡± Keith gave him a grin, rubbing his knuckles. ¡°Not as good as your defense¡ªit feels like punching a boulder.¡± ¡°Another tie,¡± Peter said. He stood, easily helping Theo up. The guard, sensing his frustration, snapped a hurried salute. ¡°Yes, sir! I¡ªI think it''s best you see it yourself, sir.¡± What has him so shaken? Charles wondered. ¡°Very well¡ªlead on.¡± Two long hallways later, the guard opened a door and gestured within. Light filtered into the room through a lone window, shining down on a smattering of what appeared to be furniture. Charles¡¯s eyes narrowed. He strode in, and as he looked closer at the objects, he immediately recognized what this was: a storage room for inert constructs. As old as the kingdom was, plenty of such relics existed, but he¡¯d never seen so many in one place. ¡°What did you bring me here for?¡± he demanded, turning on the guard. ¡°Why have useless relics of the past shaken you so?¡± ¡°Uhhh,¡± another voice came from behind him. Charles turned on the source; another guard stood up in the center of the mass, his face lit by an odd-colored light. The second guard grimaced. ¡°They, uh... aren''t all useless.¡± ¡°Explain.¡± The guard pointed down. ¡°I think you might need to see it for yourself...¡± Though Charles suspected he''d find nothing of use, something about the guard''s demeanor¡ªand the green-tinted light illuminating him¡ªmade curiosity swell within him. ¡°Why did you two even look in here?¡± he asked, bending to crawl between gaps in the constructs. ¡°Well, sir,¡± the second guard answered, ¡°It''s been weeks since the men deserted¡ª¡± ¡°Disappeared!¡± Charles corrected, his tone brooking no discourse. ¡°We know not what happened to them.¡± ¡°Er¡ªright. Sorry, sir. It''s been weeks since they, uh, disappeared, and we''ve found no sign of them, so when we found this room of relics, we decided to check if they were hiding inside.¡± Charles caught sight of the guard''s armored legs and he crawled toward them. He shuffled up beside the man, fighting for space. ¡°Sorry, sir. Bit of a tight fit.¡± Charles clenched his jaw. ¡°Whatever you wanted to show me had better be...¡± he trailed off as he stood to his full height. He stared at the source of the soft light, his jaw dropping. ¡°Is this...?¡± ¡°I believe it may be, sir,¡± the guard answered. *** As the silence stretched, Barry''s pulse quickened. He glanced between the freshly awakened men, but at what he saw on their faces, his brow furrowed. Were they... smiling? Theo started laughing first, and the rest of them quickly followed. Ellis''s chuckle was deep and rich, a stark contrast to his raspy laughter the day before. ¡°Worry not, Barry,¡± the archivist said. ¡°We considered that possibility and named ourselves accordingly.¡± ¡°You considered that possibility, you mean,¡± Theo corrected, wiping a tear from his eye. ¡°We all contributed to the names.¡± Ellis shrugged, giving a wicked grin. ¡°It was quite fun, really.¡± ¡°What did you name yourselves...?¡± They all glanced at each other, amusement clear in their eyes. Ellis bowed at the waist, giving a flourish with his hand. ¡°Lizard Wizard greets you.¡± ¡°Glare Bear,¡± the burly Danny said, his eyes anything but glaring. Theo held his hand out. ¡°Pleasure to officially meet you, Barry. I''m Bog Dog.¡± Barry''s face grew more and more confused as he shook the offered hand, but the onslaught continued. ¡°Hurtle the Turtle,¡± Keith said. He made his upper lip protrude in the approximation of a turtle''s v-shaped mouth. Peter barked a laugh. Inspired by his friend¡¯s antics, he dropped to all fours, looking up at Barry with vacant eyes as he chewed pretend cud. ¡°Boat Goat.¡± He tried to bleat, but it turned into a choked laugh. Barry dropped his head into his hands as the rest of the fishermen joined in, giggling like children. ¡°Gods above¡ªyou''re all definitely Fischer''s friends.¡± Book 2: Chapter 28: Friendship Chain Book 2: Chapter 28: Friendship Chain ¡°You called yourselves what?¡± I demanded. Laughter bubbled up from within me as I saw the arrayed smiles, and I let it come, delighting in the feeling. ¡°Why?¡± I asked when I could speak again. ¡°Why animals, and what¡¯s up with the rhyming?¡± ¡°Loathe as I am to admit it,¡± Barry said, shaking his head, ¡°it¡¯s genius. If someone happens across the ancient construct, there is zero chance that they¡¯ll link it back to them.¡± ¡°And if we¡¯re lucky,¡± Ellis added, ¡°they¡¯ll assume it¡¯s a handful of awakened creatures. That would put a real burr in the king¡¯s breaches.¡± I laughed again, picturing a procession of guards sent from the capital in search of phantom beasts. I shook my head. ¡°There¡¯s no way they¡¯re that daft, but it¡¯s certainly a fun idea.¡± Keith opened his mouth to speak, but Ellis¡¯s hand darted to cover it. I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Culty stuff I probably don¡¯t want to know?¡± Keith winced. ¡°Yeah, sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, my man! Well, I was going to suggest we all have a fish today, but now that you¡¯re all cultivators...¡± I gave them a grin. ¡°How do you feel about helping me construct something that¡¯ll let us fish deeper waters?¡± The gleam in their eyes was all the answer I needed. *** Sweat poured from Charles as he ran through corridors, down spiraling stairs, and past confused servants that dashed out of the way. He reached the antechamber to the throne room and threw open the door. The dignitary quirked an eyebrow at the uncouth arrival, but upon seeing Charles, his back straightened. ¡°The king is in a meeting, sir.¡± Charles strode forward, unerring. ¡°I must see him¡ªnow.¡± ¡°S-sir, I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be¡ª¡± At the glare Charles leveled his way, the dignitary¡¯s words died in his throat. ¡°O-of course. Right this way, please.¡± The door groaned as the dignitary pushed them open with a bowed head. The king had been speaking, but his hushed words cut off the moment he noticed the interruption. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± he demanded, his voice commanding attention. The dignitary opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out, his lip quivering. ¡°My king,¡± Charles said, striding forward. ¡°I have vital information that cannot¡ª¡± As he noticed the man standing before his ruler, Charles¡¯s chest constricted. He cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem¡ªI have vital information that cannot wait.¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona, the reigning king of Gormona and lord of these lands, glared his annoyance. If Charles wasn¡¯t so exhausted, he would have withered beneath the king¡¯s attention. His breaths were labored as he bowed at the waist, fighting the urge to wipe sweat from his brow. The king sighed. ¡°Very well. My apologies, Tom. We will have to resume this conversation at a later date.¡± ¡°Of course, my king,¡± Lord Osnan responded, not missing a beat as he gave a sweeping bow. Turning on his heel, he strode toward the exit. Charles felt Tom Osnan¡¯s eyes boring into him in passing; he kept his face downward¡ªto antagonize the lord of the Osnan household was to court ruin. The influential lord¡¯s footsteps receded, and the door groaned again as the dignitary closed it behind them, leaving Charles and his king alone in the throne room. ¡°Approach, Charles.¡± Charles raised his head and obeyed. Light shone down from stain-glass windows, illuminating his king¡¯s white mane of hair from behind. The ruler¡¯s face was unreadable; he stroked his colorless beard as he watched Charles¡¯s approach. The closer Charles got, the more the air seemed to grow thick¡ªhis legs shook, so he slowed his stride. When he arrived before the throne, Augustus Reginald Gormona peered down at him like a wolf would consider a sheep. ¡°Are you well, Charles?¡± ¡°Apologies, my king.¡± He bowed at the waist again. ¡°I ran here from the upper floors.¡± ¡°Dispense with the formalities, Charles. What has burdened you so?¡± He snapped upright. ¡°As you will, my king. In searching for the vanished men, two guards discovered a room filled with artifacts.¡± The king made a gesture to get on with it. ¡°Yes, I know the room. What of it?¡± ¡°One of the relics was active, and the screen show¡ª¡± The king shot to his feet. ¡°Active?¡± An almost physical pressure pushed down on Charles, and he cleared his throat. ¡°The guards are bringing it here¡ª¡± Rocky froze, his clackers twitching in the open water. Claws ignored him, staring up at the dispersing cloud of sediment, rubbing her chin. With glacial speed, her gaze shifted to give Rocky a side-eyed glace. When the corner of her lip twitched up, Rocky could contain his anger no longer. Twin explosions rang out, aimed behind him. The propulsion shot him at her like a bullet with ten limbs, all of which were poised to latch onto her. She chittered a laugh and kicked off the sands, easily gliding away from the apoplectic crab. I shook my head, unable to contain a smile as I watched Claws¡¯s tactical retreat and Rocky¡¯s unceasing pursuit. All five of the fishing club members tracked the fight¡ªor was it a flight?¡ªwith growing amusement. I watched their faces for a long moment, only stopping when they went up for air. As Claws and Rocky¡¯s chase extended out of sight, I was left alone on the ocean floor. I crossed my legs and sat down, letting the muscles of my body relax. The water undulated softly, pushing my body this way and that. A deep well of thankfulness opened up within me, and I sat with it for a moment, appreciating it in its entirety. I left out a breath; the bubbles tickled my face in their passing. With a content grin, I got back to my feet and searched for another boulder. *** The midday sun warmed my shoulders as I took my pot off the boil. Steam rose from its roiling surface, bringing with it the sweet yet savory scent of the cooked sand crabs within. When the sun had just started to approach its zenith in the sky, I¡¯d snuck off to prepare a surprise lunch. Busy as everyone was with taking turns launching each other at walls, piles of sand, rocks¡ªor anything else unlucky enough to be within view of the chaotically aligned fishermen¡ªthey hadn¡¯t noticed my departure. Sergeant Snips and Pistachio did, but they¡¯d simply nodded at me when I held a finger to my lips, telling them to keep it quiet. I heard¡ªand felt¡ªanother thump, no doubt caused by someone getting flung into the cliff like a boulder from a trebuchet. I laughed, picturing the scene in my mind. One by one, I removed the cooked crabs and placed them into another pot of fresh saltwater to cool, then set off to fetch my pals. *** I searched close to the shore, but the only life I came across were the schools of fish flitting around the base of the wall. I set off further south, and the moment I found them, my eyes went wide. You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me... Everyone¡ªfive cultivators and two awakened creatures¡ªhad formed a line. They were throwing boulders from one end to another, making a living chain. They¡¯d long since found their rhythm, and the giant rocks bounced along the line hypnotically. At the beginning, Snips launched them a ridiculous distance to Pistachio. The leviathan-sized lobster easily caught and lobbed it along. Each boulder went to Theo, Peter, Danny, Keith, and finally Ellis, who placed it down atop a growing pile. There had to be almost a hundred giant stones there already¡ªwhere had they gotten so many in such a small amount of time? I glanced at the start of the line with a furrowed brow, and then I saw it. I¡¯d been too transfixed by the fluid teamwork to notice the cliff had changed; though it still denoted the barrier between land and sea, meters of rock had been demolished and lay in a pile right next to snips, who was easily picking up boulders and throwing them to Pistachio. She noticed me, froze, then blew a stream of hesitant bubbles. Realizing she wasn¡¯t sure if I was going to be mad, I darted toward her and scooped her up in a hug. A stream of relieved bubbles tickled my face as she leaned into my embrace. I kicked off the sand, and as we breached the surface, I smiled down at her. ¡°We probably would have had to demolish some stone at some point, Snips. I¡¯m not upset¡ªyou guys have done an amazing amount of work.¡± Someone cleared their throat behind me, and I turned to see all five men looking rather sheepish. Theo rubbed the back of his head. ¡°That, uh, may have been my fault. Well, my head¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Your head?¡± I asked with a wry smile. ¡°I think you¡¯re taking too much blame, mate. Is it safe to assume you were launched by two overenthusiastic cultivators?¡± ¡°Oh, it was all four of us, actually,¡± Ellis said matter-of-factly. ¡°His velocity was astounding.¡± Theo grimaced. ¡°I tried spinning in the water like Claws did earlier. It, uh... worked.¡± ¡°No harm no foul, right?¡± I asked Snips. She nodded in response, blowing happy bubbles as she rubbed her carapace against my shoulder. I glanced up at the surrounding faces. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you guys are interested, but I¡¯ve cooked up a feast of crab for lun¡ª¡± ¡°Last one there has to be the subject of Ellis¡¯s aerial test!¡± Theo yelled, cutting me off. ¡°... aerial test?¡± I asked, but they were already gone, swimming to shore in a chaotic wash of flailing arms and kicking legs. *** After a feast of crab, I joined in on the boulder-throwing work chain. Claws and Rocky had returned too, no doubt lured in by the smell. Rocky was still trying to catch and or maim her when he scuttled up from the ocean, but she squashed the beef by throwing a cooked crab directly at his face, which subsequently exploded in a storm of meat and carapace. I had thought it would further antagonize him, but he¡¯d simply started plucking up chunks and throwing them into his mouth. With their addition to the line, we were able to reach all the way from the first pile to the base of the wall. I was at the end of the line, catching rocks thrown by Claws and Rocky together, who had put their differences aside for the promise of a good scritching and a tasty meal respectively. The wall took shape before my eyes, and as the hours passed, it neared completion¡ªthe boulders protruded above the ocean¡¯s surface, stretching a full fifty meters from the shore. All of a sudden, no rock came, and when I looked back down the line, Sergeant Snips approached. She and Pistachio held a colossal boulder, and something shone from it, reflecting the sun¡¯s light. Each person they passed joined and helped carry it to the wall. When the procession reached Claws and Rocky, I realized what the light was reflecting from. A streak of silvery metal ran through the rock. The moment Ellis noticed the streak he jumped atop the load; his head hung down, peering intently at the anomaly. I joined in to haul the boulder up on top of the wall, and as soon as we got there, I turned to Ellis. ¡°You know what it is, mate?¡± ¡°I believe so,¡± he answered, his eyes still glued to the vein. ¡°It¡¯s iron.¡± ¡°Really? I thought it was silver¡ªisn¡¯t iron more... dull?¡± ¡°Ah, that is what I had first assumed as well. See the red tint to some of the boulders? That¡¯s the result of iron oxidizing. It¡¯s a rather dense vein, which is why it appears so metallic. It will lose its shine swiftly now that we¡¯ve exposed it to the air.¡± I turned, grinning as I surveyed the area. The ocean surrounded us. Small waves crashed into the rocks and the wind sprayed us with their droplets. I breathed deep of the salty air, closing my eyes and extending my arms to either side. I stood like that for a handful of slow breaths, but then something nudged my core. I arched an eyebrow and looked out at the world. Everyone had their eyes closed and a look of serene calm on their face, losing themselves to the moment, just as I had. The nudge came again, but this time it pulled me¡ªtoward the boulder. I walked between my pals, taking careful steps across the uneven rocks. When I reached the giant boulder, I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against it, picturing what I wanted to create: a sturdy surface from which to fish, with gaps in the rocks below for sealife to shelter in¡ªa place of friendship, fun, and species diversity. Knowing what would come next, I thought myself ready for the rush of power that would leave my core. I was not. The world quivered, my vision going black. Book 2: Chapter 29: Test and Revelation Book 2: Chapter 29: Test and Revelation ¡°Fischer!¡± The voice came from far away. Not right now, I thought back. I need to rest. ¡°Fischer!¡± I tried to roll over, but my body wouldn¡¯t respond. Something hard smacked me in the face, followed by an angry hiss, a loud crack, and a soft eeeeeee that faded from hearing. My eyes fluttered open¡ªSnips was atop my chest, shaking her claw out at the ocean. ¡°Did...¡± I rubbed my face, willing my vision to focus. ¡°Did Rocky just slap me?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Peter confirmed. ¡°Slapped the piss out of you, if you forgive my saying. I half thought your head would fly off toward the horizon like he just did.¡± ¡°Little scoundrel...¡± My voice came out raspy and ended in a cough. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look?¡± Theo asked, raising his eyebrows. I squinted and glanced down. ¡°Wait... what?¡± I lay on a surface of dark-gray rock. It was smooth and uniform, and as I shakily got to my feet, I gazed out at the transformed scene. ¡°Frack me...¡± A single piece of stone¡ªaround fifty meters long and three meters wide¡ªled back to the shore. On either side, boulders tapered down at a forty-five degree angle toward the ocean. It was high tide, yet we stood a full two meters above the small waves crashing against the rocks. I turned to take in the fishermen; sensing my attention, they looked back. When I¡¯d met most of them for the first time last night, there had been bouts of awe and joy, but even Theo¡¯s face had held some hesitation hidden deep within the lines of his eyes. When I studied them now, I saw neither doubt, reluctance, nor mistrust. Hands twitched, weight shifted from foot to foot, nostrils flared, and jaws clenched and unclenched, but they weren¡¯t agitated¡ªthey radiated anticipation. My mouth split in a grin as I realized what they were waiting for. ¡°So, fellas¡ªwhat do you say we take this rock wall for a test spin?¡± Theo swallowed and licked his lips. ¡°Do you mean...?¡± I nodded, beaming as they seemed to lean in, waiting for me to voice the words. ¡°Let¡¯s go fishing.¡± *** ¡°What the...?¡± Danny punctuated his question by pulling on his fishing rod; it bent, but the line didn¡¯t budge.Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°I think the hook is stuck on something...¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah, looks like you¡¯ve got a snag, mate. The bad news is I won¡¯t let anyone cut their line and potentially hurt some sea creatures, but the good news is we have a gang of hook retrievers. I turned to Snips. She was wedged between two rocks in the tidal zone, her eye closed in bliss as the small waves crashed over her. ¡°Snips, would you mind¡ª¡± ¡°Hold that thought...¡± Theo said, raising a finger. ¡°I seem to recall someone losing our race to the shore earlier.¡± His eyes crinkled as he turned to the side. ¡°What was the wager again, Peter?¡± The chef grinned maliciously. ¡°The loser was to be the volunteer for Ellis¡¯s aerial test.¡± Keith blanched, taking an involuntary step back. ¡°Now, just hang on one second.¡± The four men had mischief in their eyes as they approached him from all sides. ¡°W-we can talk about this, gents. I¡ªno! Wait!¡± With Theo and Peter holding his arms, Danny and Ellis picked up a leg each. ¡°What are the parameters, Ellis?¡± Theo asked. ¡°I-I do not consent to this barbarity!¡± Keith¡¯s eyes were panicked. ¡°Unhand me this inst¡ª¡± ¡°Subject is to remain rigid,¡± Ellis replied, ignoring Keith¡¯s pleas. ¡°This will allow optimal transference of energy.¡± Peter raised an eyebrow. ¡°On three?¡± ¡°On three,¡± Ellis confirmed, adjusting his grip on Keith¡¯s ankle. If I didn¡¯t know Danny to be Keith¡¯s friend, I¡¯d have assumed the smirk on his face was murderous. Keith saw the look; his eyes went wide. ¡°One...¡± they said, lifting him. Keith tugged his arms, trying to escape¡ªit was ineffective. ¡°Two...¡± Again, they lifted. Accepting his fate, Keith¡¯s face scrunched up and a soft whimper came from his throat. ¡°Three!¡± They wrenched upward, letting go of his limbs just as Corporal Claws appeared on Keith¡¯s chest, a toothy grin plastered on her face and a single paw raised to wave me goodbye. ¡°Huh...¡± I said, watching them rocket toward the stratosphere. Keith¡¯s rather high-pitched scream was punctuated by chittering laughter, and within a second, their voices left hearing range. The royal¡¯s limbs pinwheeled, spinning rapidly with his ascent. ¡°Is he gonna be alright...?¡± Ellis nodded, his eyes staring skyward. ¡°We have been thorough in our testing. Even if he were to hit terminal velocity...¡± Ellis held up a hand, interrupting himself. ¡°When he hits terminal velocity, he won¡¯t be wounded by striking the water.¡± A deep calm washed over me and I let out a sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe fishing is so frowned on here¡ªhow do people enjoy life without it?¡± ¡°It is truly a shame,¡± Ellis said, his face calm as he held a finger to his line. ¡°But such was the weight of the water god¡¯s betrayal.¡± I turned toward him, raising an eyebrow¡ªas did Theo, Peter, and Danny. ¡°... what?¡± I asked. ¡°The gods¡¯ betrayal,¡± Ellis replied, still relaxed. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®the gods¡¯ betrayal?¡± Theo questioned, lowering his fishing rod. ¡°Last we spoke of it, you knew nothing about why anything related to water is seen as heretical.¡± Ellis¡¯s eyes popped open, and he blinked at all of us. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t tell you? I must have forgotten with all the excitement of arriving.¡± ¡°Tell us what?¡± Theo demanded, exasperated. ¡°About the division in the pantheon. I have known for quite some time, but when I was still a royal archivist...¡± He shrugged. ¡°It went against my oaths. Now that we have abandoned such things, I no longer feel the need to keep it a secret.¡± We waited for him to continue, but as the silence stretched on, Peter¡¯s patience ended. ¡°For the love of¡ª¡± He cut himself off, taking a calming breath. ¡°What happened, Ellis? What are the details?¡± ¡°Ah, of course. My apologies.¡± He opened his eyes, smiling out at the ocean. ¡°Though the details are uncertain, one thing is clear: the gods aligned with water betrayed the other gods, humanity, and the world at large. A war broke out that encompassed the entire globe.¡± As I considered the scope of such a war, we fell into silence. I pictured battlefields of cultivators fighting, the carnage it must have wrought, and the countless lives that must have been lost. A breeze kicked up, and a shiver ran down my spine. ¡°A holy war with cultivators...¡± I shook my head. ¡°That¡¯s horrific.¡± ¡°Just so,¡± Ellis agreed. ¡°Eventually, the non-water aligned gods, what are known as the ¡®allied gods¡¯, formed a pact. As their final gambit, they fled from this world. With their departure, there wasn¡¯t enough power to sustain the treacherous gods, so they were dragged away too¡ªbanished forever to another realm.¡± ¡°So the allied gods sacrificed themselves?¡± Theo asked, rubbing his chin. ¡°So it would appear. Only a god could truly comprehend how many lives they saved in doing so, but as a result, they left our world unpowered¡ªbarren.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all it said?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Ellis asked, raising both eyebrows at me. ¡°That was information hidden within the depths of the royal archive, most of which were almost desolate, which I suspect is the only reason they survived being purged.¡± ¡°Purged? You mean the information was destroyed?¡± ¡°Just so,¡± Ellis replied, and for the first time, I saw a hint of fury in the calm archivist¡¯s features. ¡°At some point in the millennia past, a ruler - or an archivist - saw fit to scrub the records. Luckily for us, they were as useless as they are stupid for attempting such a thing in the first place.¡± I shook my head. ¡°What¡¯s a monarchy without a bit of censorship and oppression?¡± Ellis sighed ¡°I wish it weren¡¯t so.¡± A silence stretched between us as everyone became lost in their own thoughts. ¡°F-fish on!¡± Theo¡¯s voice was shrill; it cut through the outward melody of crashing waves and the inward musings of revelation both. ¡°Onya, Theo!¡± I called back, leaning into the fortunate distraction. Theo reeled it in, easily handling what appeared to be a small fish on the other end of the line. Its scales flashed at the water¡¯s surface, and with a flick of his rod, he lifted it up to the walkway. My eyes were drawn into it. Juvenile Shore Fish Common Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. I dismissed the message and darted a glance at the men. Peter¡¯s eyes cleared first. ¡°What...?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that detail. We can kind of inspect stuff¡ªespecially fish.¡± Theo was the last to return his attention from the screen he was no doubt watching, and a broad grin spread over his face. ¡°I got three levels in fishing!¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not bad, mate¡ªI wonder if it took past experience into account...?¡± Ellis nodded his agreement as he scribbled away in his notepad. I peered down at the fish and cocked my head to the side¡ªthe hook was nowhere to be seen. I picked it up and looked into its mouth. ¡°Ah, shit.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Theo asked. ¡°It swallowed the hook. I don¡¯t feel good about eating fish this size unless it¡¯s necessary, but there¡¯s little to no chance of it surviving.¡± Already, its life was leaking away, so I dispatched it with a swift movement. ¡°Sorry, little fella.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably my fault.¡± Theo winced and shook his head. ¡°I was listening to Ellis speak, then I got distracted by my thoughts¡ªI didn¡¯t notice the first bite.¡± ¡°All we can do is learn from it, I guess. I don¡¯t know about you guys, but I don¡¯t feel good about bringing unnecessary pain or suffering.¡± They all nodded, and Theo hung his head. ¡°It¡¯s all right, man. You didn¡¯t do it intention... ally...¡± I trailed off as a winged form glided down onto the walkway beside us. Covered in white feathers with accents of black on its sides, the Pelican stretched its wings out and took a hesitant step forward, peering at the fish with one eye, its head sideways and neck outstretched. I looked at the fish, then back up at the pelican as a smile lit my features. Book 2: Chapter 30: The Blade Book 2: Chapter 30: The Blade With the sun setting at my back and a cool breeze tickling my skin, I smiled at the pelican and lobbed the fish into the air. The bird¡¯s neck craned forward and its beak opened, easily catching the fish within its pouch. It tossed its head twice before swallowing the fish whole. ¡°What in Acanthis¡¯s feathered form is that?¡± Theo demanded. I raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen one?¡± ¡°I believe it is a pelican,¡± Ellis answered. ¡°I¡¯ve not seen one either, but I recognize it from a compendium back in the capital.¡± ¡°Bingo, mate. It¡¯s a pelican.¡± I grinned. ¡°And I intend to make it a pal.¡± The large water bird peered at us, uninterested in our conversation yet hanging around to see if we had more fish. On seeing there were no more snacks, or perhaps because we were staring at it a little too much, it took flight. Two huge wings beat at the air, and within the span of a few breaths, it was high above, gliding across unseen currents.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com Corporal Claws dashed up beside me, resting her forepaws on my leg as she stared up at the pelican¡¯s flight. She let out a dreamy coo.. ¡°It¡¯d be wondrous to fly, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± I asked, understanding her thoughts. She gave an affirmative chirp, still watching the bird as it sailed away. ¡°You flew no longer than an hour ago when you used me as a launch platform, you little shi¡ª¡± Keith cut off when Claws shot him a warning glance, and he held up both hands defensively. ¡°Er¡ªshining light! I was going to say shining light!¡± She walked forward and held out a paw. She pointed at it emphatically, extending it further toward him and raising her chin, somehow looking down at him from the ground. Keith sighed and gave her back the opalescent stone she¡¯d gifted him. I shook my head. ¡°Claws is a fickle mistress.¡± She nodded, grinning as she pocketed the rock and leaped into the water, disappearing without a splash. *** As the last vestiges of light faded from the sky, Theo hooked a fish. ¡°O-oh! Fish on!¡± I was down at the water, cleaning two mature shore fish that Peter and Keith had already caught. Theo shifted his weight backward as the rod bent almost in half with the fish¡¯s weight. His eyes were alight with expectation, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. A wide grin split his features, and I kept my eyes pinned to him as I continued removing scales. ¡°Looks like a big one, mate.¡± ¡°Feels like a big one!¡± he replied, leaning forward so the line didn¡¯t touch the rocks. The fish took a massive run, each kick of its tail and shake of its head causing the rod¡¯s tip to jerk down. Just before the light left the sky, I saw the flash of silver on the ocean''s surface, right by where I was cleaning the fish. While it was the same shape as a shore fish, I raised an eyebrow at the size. ¡°It-it¡¯s a monster!¡± Danny roared, his voice tinged with awe. I leaned forward, hoping for another look. It swam right up before me, but beneath the amethyst sky and dwindling light, I still couldn¡¯t make out what it was. The fish, noticing the rocks¡ªor me, leaning down and having a good peep¡ªtore off with heavy swishes of its tail. As determined as the fish was, Theo was more resolute¡ªand he had the tools to back up his claims. He first let line out, then with calm ease, he wound the fish back to shore, letting it expend energy. Seeing how exhausted the fish was getting, I grabbed the line with one hand, lifted it, then grasped the fish around the gills with the other. If not for my enhanced body, I¡¯d never have been able to raise it one handed¡ªit was gigantic. Ancient Shore Fish Rare Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. ¡°Holy hell, Theo...¡± I said, my eyes clearing. I hefted the ancient fish up for everyone to see, and their excited clamoring silenced as their vision went distant. ¡°Ancient?¡± Theo asked. Ellis, ever the reliable sort, started scribbling in his notepad. ¡°And rare! Age may appear to increase the classification of...¡± his voice trailed off as it lowered to a mutter. ¡°What do you reckon, Theo?¡± Augustus nodded and gestured for the dignitary to leave them. Aisa bowed at the waist and remained so, waiting for permission to approach. ¡°Come.¡± ¡°Yes, my king.¡± She marched forward, stopping right before the throne and standing at attention. ¡°Thank you for coming on such short notice, Aisa.¡± ¡°Of course, king. I am your blade to wield.¡± Her words were curt and clipped, as he knew her general demeanor to be¡ªwhich was exactly why he called on her to complete this task. Augustus gave her an appreciative smile. ¡°We find ourselves in dire straits, Aisa¡ªthe very kingdom may be at risk. If there was any time for a blade to be brandished, it is now.¡± His words had the desired effect; her gaze turned flinty and she set her jaw. Despite her passion, she waited patiently for him to continue. ¡°If I were to tell you that I believe a number of spirit beasts have awakened close enough to our capital to be a threat... what would you say?¡± She chewed her lip for a long moment, considering the statement and question in their entirety. ¡°If anyone else were to make such a claim, king, I would dismiss them as a fool. From you...¡± Her eyes grew sharp once more. ¡°I ask their whereabouts, and what your orders are.¡± He let his gratitude show, grinning at the answer. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll get right into it. Five spirit beasts have awakened, all of which I believe to be nearby.¡± He watched her closely, and though the shock was clear in her eyes, determination swiftly returned, banishing any doubt. ¡°I have a particular target in mind for you,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve chosen this target for you to dispatch because of your proven efficacy in dealing with powerful renegade cultivators. Based on the information we have access to, this spirit beast will be the most magically gifted of the threats.¡± ¡°Where shall I go in search of this spirit beast, king?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have an exact location, but I believe its most-likely location to be the desert beyond the southern range.¡± She nodded. ¡°How big of a team shall I take?¡± ¡°As many as you desire. Due to the threat your target poses, you will have first pick of the collared.¡± ¡°Forgive my insolence, king, but may I ask a question?¡± He waved her concern away. ¡°Of course¡ªplease do.¡± ¡°Thank you, king. Will my sisters also be going on similar missions to eliminate the other threats?¡± ¡°They will be, yes.¡± ¡°Then I will leave their favored cultivators. Though some are more powerful than my regular team, we will be more effective overall if we take collared whose abilities we know well.¡± Augustus leaned back in his chair and sighed, letting his facade of calm assurance drop. ¡°Thank you, Aisa. As always, I appreciate your insight.¡± He sat up straight, resuming his regal posture. ¡°Do you have any more questions before you depart?¡± ¡°Just one, king: what is the name of my target?¡± Augustus straightened further, stretching his spine to its vertical limits. He gazed up at the stained-glass windows for a long moment. ¡°Remember this name well, Aisa. If not for your intervention, it could go down in the records as the beast that ended the kingdom of Gormona. The name of your target is...¡± He locked eyes with her, clenching and unclenching his jaw. Finally, he ground out the name of his dreaded foe. ¡°Lizard Wizard.¡± Book 2: Chapter 31: A Blind Fool Book 2: Chapter 31: A Blind Fool A cool breeze swept in from the ocean as the day¡¯s warmth bled from the sand. The campfire heat was a welcome reprieve, and we all huddled closer to it. Each member of the fishing club was already digging into the food I¡¯d dished out, as was my gang of awakened creatures. The only people who weren¡¯t yet partaking were Fergus and Duncan, who stared down at their filets of fish with curiosity, and Maria and I, who watched the two smiths intently. Duncan found his bravery first; he reached down with two extended fingers, paused, then pinched a section of flesh. His eyes reflected the campfire¡¯s light as he gazed at the fish. Fergus, not one to let his apprentice outdo him, quickly grabbed a similar amount and threw it into his mouth. He winced, likely expecting an unsavory flavor, but his hesitation was gone in an instant. With widening eyes, he looked toward Duncan. Upon seeing his master throw the fish into his mouth, the apprentice had done the same, and he returned an awe-filled expression Fergus¡¯s way. Maria and I shared an amused glance. ¡°Another successful conversion,¡± she whispered, leaning in close. I nodded, shooting her a wink. ¡°Our heresy spreads, one meal at a time.¡± Her eyes darted down to my lips, then back up. My heart leaped into my throat. She darted over, planting a peck on my cheek and squeezing my arm with a small but firm grip. My cheeks flushed, and I returned my attention to the smiths, hoping the fire¡¯s orange glow obscured the blush I knew was coloring my complexion. They both met me with smug grins, and I froze. ¡°Er¡ªwhat¡¯s up?¡± Duncan waggled his eyebrows at me; I dropped my head into my hands, hiding my face. ¡°Aww,¡± Maria said. ¡°You¡¯re so cute when you¡¯re embarrassed.¡± The smiths roared with laughter, and I shot her an accusatory glance. ¡°Whose side are you on?¡± ¡°Yours.¡± She put an arm around my back and rubbed my shoulder. ¡°But I can¡¯t help myself¡ªyou make it so easy.¡± I shook my head and looked up at the smiths. ¡°How was the damned fish, you traitorous goons?¡± They both laughed again, and Fergus answered. ¡°It was unbelievable. I expected it to be...¡± ¡°Gross?¡± I answered, and he nodded. ¡°To be blunt: yes. They don¡¯t exactly look like the most appetizing thing...¡± ¡°But the flavor!¡± Duncan added, then threw another chunk in his mouth. ¡°Itsh delishious.¡± Fergus slapped him on the back of the head. ¡°Don¡¯t speak with your mouth full.¡± ¡°Shorry.¡± Fergus whapped him again, and Duncan grinned back. ¡°This is your first tasting?¡± Ellis asked, removing his notepad. ¡°Would you mind describing the flavors?¡± Keith raised an eyebrow at his friend. ¡°You¡¯re eating the same meal this second¡ªcan¡¯t you write down your own experience?¡± ¡°Ah, but taste is a subjective experience. Of course, you do not have to...¡± ¡°Er,¡± Fergus said, giving a wincing smile. ¡°I¡¯m not the best with words, but I¡¯m happy to try...¡± I smiled at everyone around me as the smith began describing the meal from his point of view. Maria leaned her head against my shoulder as she started eating, listening intently to the recounting. *** ¡°They¡¯re happy, George¡ªtruly happy. They gather around that damned bakery like clumps of sugar on a fresh donut, laughing and joking merrily as they eat unsweetened pastries and drink coffee made by a peasant. Seeing the joy such small improvements brought them... it makes me feel terrible about what we did.¡± George stared at her for a long moment. She peered back, her head cocked to the side, seeing something on his face she didn¡¯t understand. Suddenly, laughter bubbled up from within him. Her curiosity morphed into anger as he lost himself to mirth, but every time he tried to explain himself, his voice was cut off by choked laughter. ¡°I was being serious, George.¡± Her tone was clipped and she leaned away from him. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate being laughed at.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not laughing at you, my love¡ªI¡¯m laughing at myself.¡± She narrowed her eyes, clearly skeptical, so he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been lost in this book, gleaming the writings of generations of my ancestors for the truth, and all you had to do was just go for a walk.¡± He blew air from his nose, shaking his head at himself. ¡°I¡¯m a blind fool.¡± A moment of silence stretched between them as she considered his words. ¡°You¡¯re no fool, husband,¡± she whispered, pulling him into a hug. ¡°If you were, I¡¯d not have married you.¡± ¡°Given how long it¡¯s been taking me to digest the words in this manual versus how you understood the truth by just opening your eyes, I¡¯d beg to differ.¡± ¡°We all have different strengths, love.¡± She squeezed him tight, and he returned the embrace. ¡°All right¡ªI¡¯ve decided,¡± he said, pulling away. She gave him a confused look. ¡°Decided what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you the ancient language¡ªif you¡¯re willing, of course.¡± Her eyes went wide. ¡°George... I thought you said that was only for blood relatives to know? I don¡¯t want to get you in trouble...¡± ¡°In trouble from who? My mother and father have passed, and we have no idea where my brother is, let alone if he still lives. Besides, as far as I¡¯m concerned, you are of my blood, Geraldine. I love you, and without you, I would be lost.¡± Tears welled in her eyes, but this time, she didn¡¯t wipe them away. ¡°Oh, George...¡± Her lip quivered, and she wrapped her voluptuous arms around him, drawing him into an embrace. ¡°I love you too.¡± *** As I lay in bed that night, my body felt leaden. I spread my arms out to either side, delighting in the plush doona and pillows surrounding me. Cinnamon wiggled beneath my armpit, turning into the cutest dang loaf I¡¯d ever seen. As with most nights in recent memory, my mind replayed the soft kiss Maria had planted on me before going home, and a warm-fuzzy feeling unrelated to my bedding washed over me. With sleep calling to me, my thoughts strayed toward the revelations Ellis had dropped on us. According to the information hidden within the royal library, the water-aligned gods had betrayed not only their kin, but humanity itself. If that were true, it made sense why the world at large had shunned anything to do with them¡ªfishing included. ¡°But to continue doing so, thousands of years later...¡± I yawned. ¡°It makes no sense unless their betrayal was particularly savage...¡± Cinnamon wiggled, and I lay a reassuring hand atop her fluffy back, willing her to go back to sleep. After the day I¡¯d had, my consciousness started to fade, and I released the worries. It didn¡¯t matter what happened all those years ago. I was here now, and I was going to continue living my life. When sleep finally took me, I was smiling, beyond content with the little slice of paradise I¡¯d carved for myself in Tropica. *** With the arrival of the sun, Corporal Claws, queen of the forest and conqueror of the sky, let out a magnificent yawn. She rolled onto her back, allowing the sun¡¯s rays the privilege of warming her tummy fur. Using both paws, she rubbed her face, finding it both amusing and comforting to shift her malleable cheeks around. After her tum was sufficiently heated and her face was stretched enough for the day to come, she sat up, chirping a good morning to the world. She immediately felt the need to go find her master and demand scritches, but then she spied the fish frame sitting beneath a tree. She had delivered one to the tree spirit last night, and wanting to space out its meals¡ªand keep the cheeky thing¡¯s ego in check¡ªshe had kept another for this fine morning. She leaped from her log, hit the ground running, and snatched the frame in her jaws as she passed¡ªthe sooner she delivered the fish, the sooner she could see Fischer and receive her deserved scritches. As she jumped from tree to tree, amplifying her passage with small bursts of electricity, something curious caught her attention. She slowed her pace, gazing up at a trail of small insects that buzzed their way beneath the forest canopy. She had seen bees before, but never flying in tandem like the ocean birds sometimes did high above the waves. Matching their pace, she followed them, too curious to let them go unwitnessed. Before long, the canopy opened up, and she raised both eyebrows as she realized they were flying for the lemon saplings. When she looked up at them, her mouth dropped open and the fish fell to the grass. Book 2: Chapter 32: Flight of the Bumblebee Book 2: Chapter 32: Flight of the Bumblebee Five weeks earlier, in a land far to the northeast of Tropica, a lone bumblebee followed a terrific scent. He had recently reached maturity, meaning it was time for him to attract a mate by creating every male honeybee¡¯s magnum opus¡ªroyal jelly. Not that he was aware of this; he was a bumblebee. What he was aware of, however, was that he had an instinctive desire to create the sweetest royal jelly that there ever was. Such an act would broadcast his virility and attract potential queens. While this species of bumblebee could create their own honey, it was a laborious process of making honey to sustain oneself, while only setting a small portion aside for the royal jelly. So, when the lone bumblebee caught the scent of fresh honey in the air¡ªa fuel source he could use to make his queen-attracting goo¡ªit was only natural that he went to steal some. His instincts told him to prepare for a fight; for honey to be exposed to the air meant that something large had broken into a hive. Despite his size, the bumblebee was agile, and he could utilize that speed to requisition some precious honey for his royal-jelly endeavors. As he reached the source of the smell, the bumblebee paused and scanned his surroundings¡ªthere was no movement, neither predator nor bee. A series of containers sat within an open crate, and an unmistakably viscous liquid dripped down their sides. Honey. The bumblebee darted forward, landed on one of the golden trails, and began its feast. Suddenly, there was movement from above as something large enough to occupy the entire sky appeared. The bumblebee tried to take flight, tried to flee, but his legs got caught in the honey for just long enough to seal its fate. It bumped into the sky-obscuring object and spiraled down to fall amongst the jars. Darkness engulfed the prison he found himself in. *** A mercenary captain scanned the surrounding faces as his client checked the last crate loaded onto his wagon by a well-dressed merchant. He had five subordinates with him: four veterans and a fresh recruit. ¡°What do you think that one holds?¡± the recruit whispered. ¡°It¡¯s honey,¡± another mercenary answered. ¡°Worth its weight in gold, that stuff.¡± ¡°Wow...¡± The recruit¡¯s voice was filled with wonder. ¡°The king¡¯s coffers are something else...¡± ¡°Eyes forward,¡± the captain growled, gazing at the pedestrians traversing the street. Each mercenary snapped to attention and made themselves busy, recognizing the threat of discipline in his voice. *** The recruit, having been sufficiently chastised, made sure to cast a suitably suspicious gaze over the capital¡¯s citizens as they passed by. Many of them looked at the cart and guards with curiosity, but upon seeing the butt-chewing, rock-splitting expression on his captain¡¯s face, all averted their eyes. The form of a plump yet nimble insect caught his attention, and he cocked his head, watching a bumblebee make a beeline for the open crate. He smiled at his wordplay, but then the client¡ªwho his captain had repeatedly insisted was someone rather important in the royal retinue, picked up the crate¡¯s lid and set it down, sealing the bumblebee inside. ¡°Wait!¡± the recruit said, taking a step forward. In the blink of an eye, four swords were drawn. The captain¡¯s body grew tense, and the sea of passing faces froze. ¡°Report!¡± the captain roared, glancing at the recruit for a fraction of a second before turning to scan his surroundings. The recruit winced. ¡°There was a bumblebee in the crate when it was sealed. It won¡¯t survive the trip¡ªour client is going overse...¡± he trailed off as he recalled at the last possible moment that the client¡¯s overseas destination was a secret. He flicked a glance at the ocean of citizens watching before returning his attention to the client and his captain¡ªboth of their faces turned murderous, and the latter grabbed him by the collar. He went searching in the sloop for his crowbar, and as soon as he returned, he forced it into the crack between crate and lid. He pushed down on the bar, and nails creaked as the lid came free. The moment it did, something came flying out. He leaned back instinctively as a bumblebee¡ªa damned bumblebee¡ªbumped into him, then fell backward onto the sand. He rolled over, watching his yellow and black assailant as it flew for the trees. He shook his head, and all he could do was laugh. ¡°Brought low by an insect¡ªwhat would my master say?¡± He got back to his feet and brushed sand from his leathers. He didn¡¯t know how long it would take his contact to arrive, so he¡¯d need to set up a camp and get his wares out of the weather. He resumed unloading crates. *** The bumblebee¡¯s exuberance at freedom was swiftly diminishing as he flew from flower to flower. There was something wrong with the nectar here. No matter how much nectar and pollen he fed on, his hunger was never satiated. He tried flowers of every color and variety, yet each time, the result was the same. After three days of traveling, he began to grow weary. His usually rapid speed slowed as his body went into maintenance mode. All the while, he tried every new flower, hoping one of them would alleviate his starvation. *** Over a week after regaining his freedom, he was sluggishly droning beneath the forest¡¯s canopy when he caught the scent of his salvation. At first, the smell was but a whisper on the breeze, but after only minutes of searching, the taste in the air was undeniable. He had once more found honey. He trailed its scent, getting closer and closer with every wingbeat, eventually coming to an unguarded hole. The bumblebee landed far from the opening and walked forward silently, not wishing to alert any defenders of his presence. The opening was large, and he crawled inside, his wings twitching from anticipation. He didn¡¯t have far to travel before finding the life-saving goo; mere seconds from the surface, he came across the hive. It was tiny, consisting of only five chambers, but that was more than enough to replenish his energy. As the bumblebee raced forward to the undefended gold, he came face to face with death. A wasp, even larger than the rotund body of the bumblebee, stared at the intruder with compound eyes. Before the bee had a chance to react, the wasp¡¯s wings buzzed in alarm. The bumblebee turned and fled. He had to escape the hole, had to get back to the canopy of the forest before he was swarmed. Just as the entrance came into view, the first defender arrived. A wasp zipped inside, the beat of its wings making a low drone, relaying the alarm to any surrounding wasps. With its mandibles open and legs spread wide, the wasp attacked. The bumblebee tapped into its reserves and took flight; he slammed into the approaching insect. Barbed legs grabbed at him, but he tore free and continued out into the open air¡ªjust in time for the rest of the defenders to arrive. Too many wasps to count had come in defense of their hive, and each of them lunged. Barbed feet grasped, mandibles closed, and stingers lashed out. His speed slowed as countless wasps attempted to engulf him. The bumblebee¡¯s striped body was a blur as he twisted and spun in response, doing everything he could to get away. Just as he made it through the tangle, his flight hitched to the side. There was a tear in his right wing, and now that he was past the cloud of wasps, pain coursed through his entire body from myriad scratches and punctures. His hunger forgotten, the bumblebee fled. *** With each passing day, the bumblebee grew more delirious. Scholars could spend days, weeks, and possibly even years arguing whether it was possible for an insect to be beset by delirium¡ªunfortunately for the bumblebee, the opinions of scholarly nay-sayers didn¡¯t alleviate his condition. A wasp¡¯s venom coursed through his circulatory system where a stinger had punctured his side, and given that he hadn¡¯t eaten anything he could properly digest in weeks, his body hadn¡¯t had the chance to cleanse it. With a halting, almost-drunken flight, the bumblebee flew in no particular direction. Lacking a sense of time and space, the bumblebee followed his basic instincts, continuing to move despite the carnage wrought within and without his body. An unknowable amount of time later, something pierced through the bumblebee¡¯s delirium. A scent, as sweet as it was familiar, called out to him. He bobbed along beneath the canopy, slowly but surely heading the call. Book 2: Chapter 33: Pollen Book 2: Chapter 33: Pollen The morning sun filtered through the gap in the canopy above the clearing, and the fish frame made a wet slap as its tail smacked the ground. Corporal Claws let out a loud chirp that, if spoken in common, would have roughly translated to: ¡°what the frack?¡± Each day since the tree spirit had somehow incorporated the lemon trees into its being, the saplings had grown a little in size. Today was no different in that regard. What was different, however, was the carpet of white flowers covering each sapling. The clearing was abuzz with insects, and they darted around chaotically, pausing only to collect the yellow pollen peppering each flower. She recollected the fish and crept forward, not wanting to spook the bees away from their task. As she walked between two of the saplings, the insects¡¯ movement engulfed her vision, and she paused, transfixed by the sight. The buzz of so many individual pollinators combined became a cacophony, and he stood there for a long moment, happily losing her sense of self¡ªuntil a root slapped her across the face. She darted her head toward the blue-barked tree, chirping with indignation. The root that had struck her was wrapped around the fallen fish frame, dragging it back towards its trunk. Claws glared her annoyance at the impatient tree. There was no response, so walked up to it. Reluctantly, she patted its bark, praising it for a job well done. After all, her master had planted the seeds to try and grow lemons. She gave a toothy grin as she continued petting the tree, looking back at the flowers and wondering if they would fruit. *** With sleep still fogging my mind and a rather cute bunny cradled to my chest, I gazed out at the ocean. The sun hadn¡¯t breached the horizon, yet its yellow and orange glow already tinted the world. A fitful breeze kicked up as Cinnamon lifted her head and sniffed the air, her little nose twitching away. I rubbed between her ears with one hand, delighting in the velvety fur I found there. Together, we watched the sun rise. With our position at the end of the rock wall, it was as if we stood on the ocean; small waves peaked all around us, reflecting the sun¡¯s light from countless undulating points. I inhaled through my nose, smiling at the world as the scents of salt and fresh air assaulted me. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day,¡± I said, still rubbing Cinnamon¡¯s head. She squeaked her agreement and wiggled backward, settling further into the crook of my arm. ¡°Did you want to hide in my shirt while I get a coffee and some brekkie? I can take you to Maria¡¯s if you wanna spend the day with her in the fields again.¡± In response, she crawled up my torso, planted a tiny peck on my chin, then crawled into my open collar. I patted her through my shirt as I set off, lured on by the promise of caffeine, a fantasy croissant, and Maria. *** ¡°G¡¯day, Fischer!¡± Sue called. ¡°¡¯G¡¯day?¡¯¡± I repeated. ¡°Where did a lovely young lady like yourself hear such a barbaric word?¡± ¡°Lovely?¡± Sturgill, her husband, called from the back of the bakery. ¡°You should hear the words she uses in private. You¡¯d never look at her the same¡ªwhoa!¡± He cut off as he dodged¡ªor was struck by¡ªthe pair of tongs Sue hurled at him from around the corner. She turned back to me with a venomous grin as Sturgill cackled with laughter from the back. ¡°The poor man has an odd sense of humor. I took pity on him, which is why I agreed to marry him¡ªisn¡¯t that right, husband?¡± ¡°Yes, dear!¡± he called back, still laughing. She rolled her eyes, but a smile had firmly taken root on her features. ¡°What did you want today, Fischer?¡± ¡°Has Roger been by yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say he has¡ªhe came before dawn.¡± Her smile turned conspiratorial. ¡°If I were a betting woman, I¡¯d guess he was trying to stop a certain fisherman from buying his comely daughter a coffee.¡± ¡°Hmm. This fisherman sounds like an intelligent and proactive fella.¡± ¡°And humble,¡± she added. ¡°Naturally.¡± Our eyes locked and the twinkle in hers reflected my own. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll just grab a coffee and croissant for me, then.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t be a moment!¡± I stepped back as she became a coffee-slinging blur, and as I spun to take in the sun¡¯s beauty, an unexpected visitor approached. ¡°Good morning, Fischer,¡± George said. ¡°G¡¯day, mate!¡± I turned to the woman beside him. ¡°Geraldine, right? How¡¯s it going?¡± She gave me a tight smile. ¡°I am well this morning, thank you.¡± No one spoke for an awkward moment, and their body language grew slightly agitated. Oh, no, I thought. She gets social anxiety too, the poor thing. A more devious creature would also consider that the smell of their honey would be much more enticing should a predator come knocking, but this just bumblebee wasn¡¯t that sort of insect. Or perhaps he didn¡¯t have the requisite brain for devious planning, but the result was ostensibly the same. The honeybees he followed streamed into a thick trunk, and as he watched their comings and goings, something caught the bumble bee¡¯s attention. Right next to the beehive, set on the grass beside the trunk, was a white box with a tiny hole. No honeybees entered or left the box as the bumblebee made his ponderous approach. The moment he landed on the hole and crawled inside, he knew he had found his new home. He ambled forward on faltering legs, climbed onto a sheet he could make wax chambers on, and, tapping into his last reserve of strength, began creating his first ever batch of royal jelly. *** Beneath the midday sun, I took a deep breath. The fishing club had returned in the morning, and after a couple days of working with her father, Maria had asked for the day off to come fishing. I¡¯d been impressed with Roger¡¯s lack of a blow up¡ªhe only called me a fool twice during the entire interaction. Well, he had implied it a couple more times, but that was progress. By our combined efforts, we¡¯d caught four more fish to have for lunch, along with a bunch of undersized ones we let go. The smell of them roasting over the fire made my mouth water. I¡¯d kept a single juvenile shore fish; it had been bitten by something while Theo reeled it in, and I doubted it would survive. Because of its small size, it had cooked faster than the rest of the fish, and it now sat cooling on the campfire¡¯s edge. Returning my attention to the task at hand, I pressed the head of my small axe down against the tip of some bamboo I¡¯d harvested, and with one last push, a sliver of fibrous material flew off. I glanced down at the bamboo¡¯s sharpened end, nodding. ¡°Excuse me, Fischer,¡± Ellis said. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked, peering back at him. ¡°What exactly are you doing?¡± I poked the sharpened end of a bamboo pole into a raw, unscaled fish on the sand before me and lifted it up. ¡°I¡¯m fishing, mate.¡± He blinked at me for a long moment, and just when I thought he was going to ask another question, he shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to enquire further?¡± Maria snorted. ¡°He¡¯s already worked out that asking questions is just going to lead to a frustrating answer, and that he¡¯s better off just waiting to see what happens.¡± ¡°Quite,¡± Ellis agreed, reading his pocketbook. I leveled a glare at them. ¡°You guys aren¡¯t any fun at all.¡± ¡°In our defense,¡± Theo said. ¡°Your idea of fun is just confusing the frack out of everyone.¡± ¡°I thought that was everyone¡¯s idea of a good time? It¡¯s not my fault you guys have terrible taste.¡± I planted the unsharpened end of bamboo into the sand and started waving it around slowly with the fish high above. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite.¡± Keith¡¯s eyes shot between me and the top of the pole. ¡°What on Kallis are you doing?¡± ¡°I told you, Keith¡ªfishing.¡± ¡°Right. What are you fishing for?¡± ¡°Birds¡ªwell, a bird, I guess.¡± Danny rubbed his chin. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be called birding?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, mate¡ªthat¡¯s...¡± I cocked my head. ¡°Huh. Yeah, that might actually be correct.¡± Maria rubbed her temples, and when she looked back up at me, I shot her a wink. Her eyes moved past me, narrowing on something in the distance. ¡°Is that...?¡± I turned, and the moment I spied it, a grin split my face. ¡°Here it comes...¡± Book 2: Chapter 34: Abduction Book 2: Chapter 34: Abduction The sun high above cast a broad shadow as the pelican circled the sky around my patented fish-on-a-pole technology. It flew around a few more times, then swooped down, landing on the sand gracefully for such an enormous bird. The pelican looked up at the fish, then back down at me. Its head turned to the side, its inhuman eye weighing me. I slowly lowered the pole, shuffling it backward until I could grab the fish and throw it toward the bird. I held the fish in one hand as I reached down with the other to grab the cooked fish from the campfire¡¯s edge, then threw the raw fish to the bird. With a snap of its beak, the fish disappeared into the pelican¡¯s pouch, and its neck bobbed up and down, the fish vanishing down its gullet. I licked my lips and held my breath as I grabbed the cooked fish from the fire, then held it up in offering. The pelican watched it intently, and with an underhand throw, I threw it to the bird. It didn¡¯t catch it. The fish landed with a soft thud on the sand as the pelican flapped its wings and waddled to the side. It stepped in close after the sand had settled, peering down at the cooked fish. It poked the flesh with its spiked beak, but when the meat parted, it lost all interest and returned its attention to me. ¡°It¡¯s fish!¡± I gestured down at the abandoned meal. ¡°You like fish!¡± It glanced around at everyone, and seeing no more snacks forthcoming, the pelican turned and took flight. I let out a sigh. ¡°Picky thing...¡± Maria laid a hand on my shoulder. ¡°What is it you said to me once? There¡¯s always more fish in the sea?¡± ¡°Or birds in the sky,¡± Danny offered, entirely unhelpfully. ¡°But I don¡¯t want just any old bird¡ªI wanna be pals with that one!¡± I yelled, intentionally petulant. Maria petted me, nodding her understanding. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to keep birding, dear.¡± *** High above the waves, a pelican soared on unseen currents of air. After spending the morning hunting for food, he had been on the way back to his roost when a silver gleam caught his attention¡ªthe unmistakable flash of fish scales. Naturally, the pelican had gone to investigate. He now had a belly full of fish and was on an express path to a well-deserved nap. The weird, two-legged creature was as clumsy as ever, and it had fumbled another delicious meal the pelican¡¯s way. It had dropped something else, too, but after investigating, the pelican deemed it inedible. It had smelled good, but lacked even the smallest of reflective scales, which was just unacceptable. As he caught sight of his nest on the cliff-side overhang he¡¯d called home for as long as he could remember, bile rose in his gullet. Someone had invaded his home. He beat his wings, climbing higher into the air to get a better view. Two birds sat among his carefully curated twigs, their brown feathers an anathematic stain on the illustrious nest. They were similar to his wondrous form; both birds had long beaks with large pouches that could expand to scoop up fish. As with their feathers, though, the pouches were a dirty shade of brown. The closer he got to the two pelicans rearranging his nest, the more incensed he became. By the time he landed beside them, rational thought had been replaced by the immutable desire to evict them and reclaim his territory. He let out a mighty grunt and clacked his bill together, asserting his dominance. If an outside observer had been present, they would have seen an awkward and gangly battle. Overlarge bills lashed out, webbed feet scrambled for purchase, and feathers flew. After only a short exchange of ineffective blows, the white and black pelican withdrew, overwhelmed by its two adversaries. If a bird could feel shame, the oceanic pelican certainly did. He retreated back toward the north, intent on finding a place to lick his proverbial wounds. *** ¡°What are you guys up to for the rest of the day?¡± I asked, savoring the flavor of the fish we¡¯d just eaten. ¡°We¡¯ve got some business to attend to, unfortunately,¡± Ellis replied, similarly lounging. Theo let out a sigh. ¡°I wish we could spend the day fishing, but Ellis is right.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± I said, then turned to Maria. ¡°You too?¡± ¡°Unfortunately. I got the morning off, but if I¡¯m gone this afternoon too, dad might have an apoplectic fit.¡± ¡°The last thing I want to do is set your dad off¡ªI feel like he¡¯s finally coming around to me.¡± She laughed. ¡°That¡¯s one way of putting it, but I think each time you buy us all breakfast is two steps back.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Theo said. ¡°In-law troubles¡ªa universal constant.¡± I sent a smirk Maria¡¯s way, but she gazed down at the sand, a furious blush rising to her cheeks. I wondered at the response. She had taken every previous insinuation of us being in a relationship in stride, often joking along. Theo noticed her reaction and immediately turned a meaning-laden grin my way. I glared at him, but it only made his grin intensify. Peter, the ever-empathetic chef, took pity on me¡ªor perhaps her. ¡°What will you get up to for the rest of the day, Fischer?¡± ¡°Hmm. There was something else I wanted to make, but if you¡¯re low on materials, it might need to wait until after the merchant¡¯s visit.¡± ¡°Oh? What did you want to create?¡± he asked, striding back toward his anvil. ¡°A bloody big barbecue plate, mate.¡± ¡°... a what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it when you have the materials.¡± I grinned and waved goodbye. ¡°See ya later, fellas!¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Bye, then...¡± Fergus said. ¡°Bye, Fischer!¡± Duncan yelled from the back of the workshop, giving me an exuberant wave with one hand. *** I shook my head as I stepped beneath the shade of the forest canopy. ¡°Everyone''s a little off today...¡± I mused, thinking back on both the smiths and Maria. I breathed a slow sigh, then inhaled the cool, earth-scented air always present between the trees. ¡°Ah well. Nothing to be done about it, I suppose.¡± The further I strode from the sand flats, the more distant my worries grew, and before I knew it, the sound of constant buzzing came rolling out between the trees¡¯ sturdy trunks. I smiled and picked up the pace. When I caught sight of the beehive, both my eyebrows tried to leave my face. ¡°Wow, you lot are some busy bees today, huh?¡± I smirked at myself, watching the stream of bees leaving and returning to the tree they called home. The industrious little insects were always active, but never this much; a veritable cloud of the honey bees milled around the hive¡¯s entrance, waiting for their turn to enter the tiny opening. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointment when I looked down at the hive I¡¯d made. Not a single bee came or went from its entrance; the colony had yet to expand into it. Carefully stepping around the back of the tree, I made my way to the unoccupied hive and, with the speed of an iceberg, lifted its lid. As I had expected, there was no sign of life within, so I replaced the lid, not wanting to get my scent anywhere on the internal components. Just as I let go of the wooden lid, I heard a buzzing that stuck out from the symphony of noise the honey bees were making. I cocked my head to the side, just in time for something small, yellow, and black, and furious to fly directly at my head. *** The bumblebee¡¯s stomachs were full and his legs were absolutely covered in pollen as he made his way home. His hive was well and truly under construction¡ªhe had even produced the first few drops of his mate-attracting royal jelly. He happily bobbed along within the stream of common honey bees, but that all changed when he caught sight of his home. A giant stood behind it, and was actively breaking in. His royal jelly had attracted someone, all right, but it wasn¡¯t a mate¡ªit was a predator. The bumblebee saw red and his wingbeats increased in frequency. He charged, willing to risk it all for his hive. *** I leaned back from the angry bee, one hand darting up of its own accord. I caught it between my thumb and index finger, narrowing my eyes as I peered down to inspect the clearly irate insect. It was too large to be a regular bee. Its mandibles opened and closed as it turned its head every which way, trying to get a hold of my fingers. It vibrated within my grasp, still making the low buzzing sound that had alerted me to its presence. ¡°Angry little dude, huh?¡± I thought for a moment that it might be a soldier of the regular bees, but it was too large and different to be the same species. I realized it hadn¡¯t stung me, so I looked at its abdomen. It was trying to grip me with its legs and barbed feet, but was lacking the requisite stinger to inject me with venom. ¡°What even are you? A bumblebee?¡± The only response was more buzzing and attempts to bite me, so I decided it was time to let go. I softly pitched it away, hoping it would continue flying in that direction now that it was released. The bumblebee had different ideas. It turned on a dime and flew straight for my head again, and I ducked out of the way, letting it soar above. I spun to watch it. The bumblebee spun too, but it didn¡¯t have curiosity in its heart; it had only fury. I ducked again, avoiding the tenacious little thing. Ensuring I didn¡¯t hurt it, I ran away, giggling the entire time. The bumblebee trailed, emitting the same low drone as I escaped its pursuit. *** The pelican soared down to a familiar headland, gliding on the wind to preserve its strength. It may have possessed the brain of a bird, but it still dreamed of justice. After resting, it could attempt to win possession of its nest once more¡ªno, it had to reclaim its nest. It angled low over the waves, and with a few flaps of its broad wings, the pelican landed atop the headland¡¯s raised rocks. It lowered itself and got comfortable¡ªwell, as comfortable as it could be without being in a carefully crafted nest of twigs and grasses. Just as the pelican closed its eyes, something hard grabbed it by the neck. The pelican tried to escape, tried to claw and bite its attacker, but it was pinned tight. It attempted to grunt and screech, to make a fuss loud enough to scare off its ambusher, but all that came out was a strained growl. Its attacker, strong as a rock and immutable as the passage of time, dragged it away. Book 2: Chapter 35: Liberation Book 2: Chapter 35: Liberation Wind rushed past me as I ran from the canopy¡¯s protection and out into the afternoon sun. With each step I took, a plan came together. I was home in no time and as I entered the kitchen, I beheld a scene of pure chaos. Sergeant Snips was hissing loudly while softly pulling at Rocky. I raised an eyebrow¡ªshe was never one to pull her punches when chastising the insubordinate crustacean. When I saw what Rocky held, I understood. His claws and most of his legs were wrapped around a pelican, while his free limbs wrestled with the lid of a pot. He was attempting to shove the bird inside, but Snips was stopping him from doing so, using her strength sparingly so she didn¡¯t hurt the panicked bird. The clang of metal on metal, Snips¡¯s urgent hisses, and the low grunts of the pelican combined and bounced off the walls in a tumultuous cacophony. ¡°What the fuck, Rocky?¡± At my voice, everyone froze¡ªexcept for the pelican, who took the opportunity to try to escape. It was no use; Rocky was a black belt in whatever gods¡¯ forsaken jujitsu he was using to restrain the bird. Snips blew a small stream of pleading bubbles at me. Her eye was frantic, showing her worry for the bird¡¯s safety. ¡°Rocky,¡± I said, appearing at his side. ¡°You need to let go.¡± He blew his own stream of bubbles as he looked between me and the pelican, hissing quietly. The frustration in his message was clear, but a deep confusion was even more prevalent. At once, I understood. ¡°Oh. I get it. You caught the pelican so I could feed it food and awaken it, right? That¡¯s... I mean, the intention was nice, I suppose, but this is the wrong way to go about it, mate. We can¡¯t catch wild creatures and force them to...¡± I trailed off as Rocky started shaking. Laughter hissed out from his treacherous little mouth. When the hisses subsided, he shook his head, then mimed eating something with his claw. I gave him a flat look. ¡°You just wanted to eat it.¡± He nodded, shrugging as if to say duh. ¡°Let go of the bird, Rocky. Now.¡± His mouth parts undulated in annoyance, but after only a moment of further consideration, he released the stunned pelican into my arms. As soon as he was clear of the bird, Snips jumped him. She held him down against the bench, looking up at me for orders. ¡°Your call, Snips. He technically listened to my orders not to harm any wildlife¡ªif we ignore psychological trauma, anyway.¡± She nodded and started carrying him outside, no doubt intending to throw him into orbit. She didn¡¯t need to restrain his limbs because he wouldn¡¯t go against her wishes now that a potential meal wasn¡¯t involved, meaning both his claws were free. He used this freedom to make rather rude and threatening gestures as she hauled him out of the kitchen and through the back door. I looked down at the pelican in my arms, who was silently staring up at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mate. If Snips or I weren¡¯t here, that little idiot might have turned you into a rotisserie chicken.¡± It blinked as I ran one hand over the back of its head, trying to soothe it. ¡°All right¡ªlet¡¯s set you free.¡± It didn¡¯t struggle as I walked it outside. Snips was down at the riverbank, chastising the quarrelsome Rocky. I couldn¡¯t hear the intent in her hisses from so far away, but Rocky was shrinking beneath the onslaught. It was the closest thing to genuine remorse I¡¯d ever seen on the crab. Before I could consider it any further, Snips flew into action. Blue power flowed from her carapace, then sharpened and flared backward. Her body shot at Rocky, and she grabbed him in both claws, spinning to gain momentum. Their bodies became a blur, and just when I thought they wouldn¡¯t go any faster, she released. Rocky resembled nothing so much as a beyblade as he soared out over the ocean. Or perhaps a frisbee, I thought, watching his limbs splayed outward from centrifugal force. The pelican tried to move its head, so I let it go. ¡°Please don¡¯t bite me...¡± Instead of violence, its head moved to track Rocky¡¯s forced departure. For a second, I thought it was growing friendly, but I grimaced when I realized it was likely shock or exhaustion stopping it from trying to escape. I strode down to the ocean with smooth movements and dug in the sand, quickly finding the bait I¡¯d buried there. The pelican peered down at the pungent eel as I bent to pick it up. I washed the sand from it in the river, then offered it to the pelican. It didn¡¯t open its beak, merely staring at the lifeless bait. I let out another sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll probably never see you again after the treatment Rocky gave you, but I hope you live a long and happy life.¡± I scooped up Snips and snuck away with hushed steps. ¡°Mission accomplished,¡± I whispered, holding up a fist which Snips bumped with a claw. I took us back around to the front of the hive, and we stood there together in companionable silence, watching the hypnotic flight of the honeybees. After a few moments, I hummed contentedly. ¡°Should we get going? Maybe we can see how that tree spirit thingy is doing on the way back.¡± She blew a steady stream of anticipatory bubbles, and I let out a laugh. ¡°I feel the same¡ªlet¡¯s go.¡± As we made our way beneath the forest canopy, there were honeybees absolutely everywhere. ¡°The little suckers are active, huh?¡± Snips nodded, her eye once more transfixed by their movement. We walked past Corporal Claws¡¯s favored pond, and I wondered about her whereabouts as I stared at the empty perch she had taken to sleeping on. My unspoken question was almost immediately answered as an otter, wreathed in lightning and grinning malevolently, slammed into my chest. ¡°Oof!¡± I stumbled backward, having not been expecting the blow. Claws writhed in my arms, rubbing herself against both me and Snips rather aggressively. ¡°I was just thinking about you, Claws,¡± I said, beaming at her. ¡°What have you been up to?¡± She shrugged coyly, giving me a sidelong glance. ¡°Ooh, a secret?¡± I reached a hand up to rub my chin. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with the tree, would it?¡± She froze, blinked rapidly, then gave an unconvincing chirp. ¡°Not the tree, huh? I guess it won¡¯t matter if we go have a peek at its progress, then¡ª¡± Her body went rigid and her eyes flew wide. I barked a laugh. ¡°You have a terrible poker face, Claws.¡± She opened and closed her mouth, searching for the chirps that would convince me her secret activities weren¡¯t tree-spirit related, but then she slumped and let out a resigned coo. I laughed again. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Claws. We don¡¯t have to go see the tree if you¡¯re cooking up a surprise.¡± She let out another coo, but this one was filled with relief. I scratched both of their heads. ¡°I love you girls¡ªyou know that, right?¡± They chirped and hissed their affections back at me, their companionship making my chest warm and my steps light. *** As the pelican flew above the ocean, the sun began to set. After the earlier encounter, he hadn¡¯t felt safe enough to land. He rested while soaring on unseen currents, letting the food in his stomach digest. An odd sensation bubbled up within his abdomen, but he ignored it. Though the eel presented by the two-legged creature hadn¡¯t been covered in scales, the pelican recognized it as a fish he had hunted on numerous occasions. He had never been able to actually catch one, so he¡¯d snatched it up before taking flight. The odd sensation in his abdomen swelled, and the Pelican considered landing to regurgitate the meal. He didn¡¯t have the chance. White light engulfed him, and a loud pop tore into existence, cutting through the wind¡¯s ever-present howling. Book 2: Chapter 36: Invaders Book 2: Chapter 36: Invaders When the pelican¡¯s awareness returned, he was gliding on unseen currents high above the ocean. The sun was setting over the western mountains, and as he gazed at the surrounding sky, the colors struck him as... beautiful? That was an odd thought¡ªas was the recognition of thought at all, he realized. Information was blossoming in his mind and as he continued riding unseen winds, the few drops of information grew into a trickle, then from a trickle to a small stream. Meanwhile, he gazed out at the wondrous landscape he found below him. The sky was a deep orange immediately around the sun¡¯s enlarged form. It faded to mixed tones of pink and purple that slowly bled to blue to his east. East... He tasted the word as it coursed through his awareness. He had always inherently known directions¡ªan inherent function of his body¡ªyet he¡¯d never had words to describe them. The sun lowered further, and the colors shifted again, the blue fading to lilac. As he circled in the wind, his burgeoning intelligence growing, his thoughts turned to the strange two-legged creature¡ªhuman¡ªthat he¡¯d been interacting with over the last few days. It hadn¡¯t been a mistake each time a fish had come sailing his way; the human had been intentionally sharing food. More astounding was the human¡¯s actions when he¡¯d been grappled by a crab that he now knew was intending to eat him¡ªhis base instincts had already assumed as much, but to have it confirmed made the pelican¡¯s eye twitch. The human had saved him, even chastised the crab for the attempt¡ªas had the spiky crab, who appeared to be the treacherous crustacean¡¯s boss. Thinking back on it, there had been several creatures that were also awakened. Their actions spoke of higher awareness, as well as physical prowess transcending the limits of regular animals. The pelican flapped its wings, testing his body. It was hard to tell if it was his imagination, but he certainly felt larger andstronger. The pelican knew of one way to find out for certain; his eyes narrowed, and he angled down, pinning his wings in a dive toward the ground. *** A brown pelican looked on lovingly at her partner as she settled down in their new nest. She was the most desirable of her entire flock; her feathers were a beautiful brown, her body was large, and her muscles were strong, meaning she could fly for longer than any other female. Her mate was the strongest of their entire flock, making him the ideal partner. The moment he had chosen to be one of her suitors, the others hadn¡¯t stood a chance. The courtship walks, swims, and flights had only solidified her choice, and after they had paired off, they¡¯d left for distant lands to find a suitable nesting spot. For weeks they¡¯d flown, a feat only possible because of their physical superiority. They traveled far from any of the territories their species frequented, even crossing a vast stretch of ocean to arrive where they were. The instant she spied the cliff¡ªand the pitifully decorated nest atop it¡ªshe knew they¡¯d found the place to hatch a clutch of eggs. As she sat in the nest they¡¯d just finished renovating, her mate sat on the edge of the cliff, overlooking their lands. His feathers were slightly puffed, giving him an impressive silhouette against the setting sun. *** Even rocketing toward the ground like an arrow in flight, information continued to pour into the pelican¡¯s mind. All manner of anecdotes, memories, and data points streamed in, finding places to nest within his brain. Some seemed useless, and he wondered at their necessity. Other information, however, was almost unbelievable in its timeliness. Focusing on one such memory, he adjusted his form as he approached his target. He retracted one leg while extending the other forward. His wings stretched behind him, pointing skyward. Finally, he tucked his head against his body with his beak running along his stomach and angled toward his leading foot. His speed was tremendous, and his eyes sparkled with delight as his target got closer and closer. Vengeance was nigh. The bumblebee was all alone. He sat with that fact for a long time. The only movement in the hive was that of his wings when they sporadically moved and stretched of their own accord. Just as the cloud in his mind threatened to engulf him, he forced his awareness toward other things. The easiest target was the strange man that had been peering down into the hive he called home. Now that the bumblebee had received a torrent of information over the past few hours, he knew that the box he crafted his royal jelly in wasn¡¯t a natural object. It had all the trappings of a man-made creation and was likely built by the human he¡¯d attacked when still a simple insect. Considering the human had added a sweet liquid, and the internal trays of the hive appeared to be made specifically for crafting honeycomb atop, the bumblebee was fairly certain the human was trying to lure honeybees inside. Now that he thought about it, similar man-made objects existed in the land he¡¯d come from. A flash of a memory told him that he¡¯d glimpsed the inside of one, perhaps when it was being constructed, perhaps after it was cracked open by a predator; it had been nowhere near as advanced as the one this strange human created. Strange... the bumblebee thought. If nothing else, the human was definitely that. When the bumblebee had attacked with the blind fury of an insect having its home invaded, the man had simply caught him, let him go, then run away, giggling. He was a cultivator, as was the title for anyone able to move with such speed and grace. From the information pouring into his mind, this was not how cultivators acted¡ªthey were supposed to be egotistical, aggressive, and vengeful. It made no sense. As the bumblebee considered the man¡¯s actions further, he began idly making more royal jelly. The process was smoother now that he had more knowledge, and he was able to concentrate it by absorbing the liquid from his crop into his stomach. He used an empty honeycomb for the new batch, and as the process continued, his thoughts disappeared. The bumblebee lost himself to his work, focused entirely on creating the best royal jelly possible. He dismissed the nagging voice telling him there was no point; it mattered not. Even if there were no females on this land, he¡¯d just have to make jelly potent enough to lure them from over the ocean. Just as he was pushing the last mouthful into the comb before sealing it, a low droning erupted outside. The bumblebee listened for a long moment¡ªsomething had the honeybees in an uproar. With curiosity tugging at the bumblebee, he crawled out of his hive¡¯s entrance. The honeybees¡¯ furious droning came from within the hive. Only a few bees were outside, and they huddled around the entrance into the tree. He buzzed in close, his body tilting to the side in confusion as he watched them work. The honeybees on the outside were chewing at a yellow gunk that plugged the hole. As the bees tried to bite at and clear it, the sticky substance got caught in their mandibles, leaving them useless. Suddenly, the noise of the hive bloomed even louder. It was coming from the other side of the tree, so he zipped around it. The sound was coming from a hole at the hive¡¯s rear that he¡¯d never seen before. He wondered if the bees had successfully bored an exit, but then he caught movement inside. Something black, orange, and entirely too large to be a honeybee ambled past. A predator had infiltrated the honeybee¡¯s hive. Despite that fact it wasn¡¯t his hive, righteous fury rushed forth, and the bumblebee flew for the hole. The moment he was inside, he flew directly for the giant hornet¡¯s neck. It saw him coming, yet never stood a chance. The bumblebee bit down at the base of its head, severing its body in two. He didn¡¯t pause for even a second, continuing on toward the angry buzz of wings further in. The bodies of worker bees were strewn all over, meeting a similar end to the hornet he had dispatched. With each lifeless insect he passed, he grew more incensed. To create honey was a noble calling, and the fallen honeybees lining the tunnel had only been trying to protect and serve their hive. These invaders, on the other hand, were predators. Some species of hornet were peaceful, even shy creatures¡ªgiven the effectiveness of their attack, these hornets were anything but. They¡¯d plugged the hole after the bees had returned for the night, then chewed their way through wood like it was soft wax. If he knew hornets¡ªwhich, due to the steady stream of knowledge pouring into his mind, he did¡ªthe invaders would be going for the queen. The death of the honeybee¡¯s matriarch would mean the slow death of the entire colony if another wasn¡¯t raised, so he increased his pace, becoming a blur between ancient layers of comb and wood. When the bumblebee entered a golden chamber, he paused, his eyes wanting to linger on the walls of honey surrounding him, but then he saw the bodies. The lifeless forms of what had to be hundreds of workers lined the room, and it made his wings undulate in outrage. A dozen or so remained alive, and they gathered around their matriarch, doing their best to shield her from a single giant hornet. All the bumblebee could do was watch as another hornet appeared from a tunnel above and dropped down, plunging its stinger right into the queen¡¯s abdomen. The bumblebee¡¯s fury turned to wrath, and his body flew into action. He appeared above the hornet and bit down on the back of its neck, easily severing the head. He spun, looking for the other hornet, but it found him. The last invader had broken through the line of defenders and had moved to defend its brethren. Its stinger was buried in his abdomen, pumping venom into him. At once, the pain hit him. Book 2: Chapter 37: Airstrike Book 2: Chapter 37: Airstrike The smell of honey within the hive was almost as intense as the pain lancing the bumblebee¡¯s side. With a speed the hornet couldn¡¯t hope to match, he retreated from the venom-pumping stinger. It pulled from his abdomen and sharp lines of agony ran the length of his body¡ªhe ignored them. He buzzed behind the Hornet¡¯s back at diminished speed, but was still faster than the invader could react to. His mandibles tore through the exoskeleton connecting the hornet¡¯s head to its body, and both parts of it fell to the floor, lifeless. Every worker left in the chamber was either dead or dying. The queen lay among a bed of drones¡ªthe stingless males whose job it was to mate with the queen. Despite their lack of stingers, they had stood to defend their matriarch. For their selflessness, they had been slaughtered. The scene stirred something within the bumblebee, and he decided then and there to do everything he could to save the queen. He could hear the buzz of workers somewhere else within the hive, but with their numbers so diminished, it was entirely likely that they didn¡¯t have the resources to raise another leader. The bumblebee flew onto her back, fighting back the pain lancing through him as he grabbed hold of her thorax. She struggled, but even if he wasn¡¯t awakened, she would have been too weak to escape. The bumblebee took flight, perhaps for the last time, and he flew out of the chamber. He moved as fast as possible, yet it was still agonizingly slow because of the wound in his side. All the while, spears of pain shot from his body and out into each limb. The venom was spreading. When they exited, the first rays of daylight were filtering down through the canopy above. It should have been a time of activity for the hive, but as he flew wide around the entrance, not a single insect could be seen. Those that had been trying to clear the sticky substance from the opening lay on the grass below, their bodies twitching. The bumblebee fought off a surge of despair, knowing it would only hinder his flight and put the queen at risk if his wings vibrated with his true feelings. They reached his manmade hive, and he put the queen down gently, crawled inside, then dragged her within. He pulled the queen over to his comb with halting movements; his limbs were twitching as the venom wreaked havoc on his nervous system. When they reached the combs of royal jelly, the bumblebee paused. Even with his own body failing, his instincts screamed to protect his precious liquid, to leave it there for the bumblebee princess that would one day answer its call. Ignoring every base instinct, he lowered the queen¡¯s head into the last batch of royal jelly he¡¯d made¡ªthe one that he knew to be more potent. His eyes grew unfocused and his compound vision started to overlap. The moment he saw the queen¡¯s proboscis extend in response to the royal jelly¡¯s unmatched sweetness, he turned his attention to the other combs. Whether it was his vision or his body shaking, he didn¡¯t know. That question was almost immediately answered; his legs gave out, and he fell down into one of the earlier batches of royal jelly. He pushed his strawlike appendage out, hoping it would reach the sweet liquid just beneath him. He drank, and even with his body failing him, his wings quivered in delight¡ªhis royal jelly was more delicious than he could have ever imagined. More of the viscous goo traveled into his stomach, warming him from within and combating the lines of venom racing up and down his body. *** As the first rays of light peeked over the eastern horizon, the pelican stirred. He opened his eyes, and with his groggy mind slowly clearing, he recalled the events of the previous day. He shifted his body and peered down, confirming that there was, in fact, an egg there. His bill stretched wide with a colossal yawn as he shook his body, puffing his feathers out. He had stayed up later last night than he¡¯d have liked to, but that was only natural. There had been a lot to consider, after all. Before the blessed darkness of rest took him, he¡¯d reached a decision. He stood to his full height, stretching his wings and bathing in the predawn light. Before the egg could cool, he bent down and carefully clutched it in his beak. Stretching his head high, his adversaries¡¯ unhatched child disappeared into his pouch. He took flight, scanning the surrounding cliffs for an appropriate-sized rock as he headed north. *** The soft smile on my face grew as the sun poked the top of its head over the ocean. By some miracle, all of my animal pals had assembled to watch the sunrise with me. ¡°No, I¡¯m serious,¡± I said, looking at the mixed look of confusion and awe on Claws¡¯s face. ¡°Rocky really tried to get me to cook that pelican.¡± She cackled with chittering laughter and leaned up against the crab in question. His clackers opened, showing his annoyance, but the cantankerous crustacean wisely decided not to pinch her¡ªshe was likely to do more than just yeet him out toward the depths, as was Snips¡¯s favored punishment. I didn¡¯t miss the hint of a smile curling Cinnamon¡¯s lip as she shuffled back into the warmth of my lap; she also found the tale enjoyable. Snips shook her head and started hissing away at Claws, no doubt commiserating about the struggles of having such a devious subordinate. Claws nodded and chirped in response, petting the top of Snips¡¯s carapace reassuringly. I watched them both with no small amount of joy. Only weeks ago, their relationship had been strained, to say the least. Snips was a straightforward sort, while Claws had the heart of a trickster buried deep within her chest. Their friendship had been blossoming lately and it sparked joy. As their chittered and hissed conversation continued¡ªand Rocky¡¯s body hunched further down into the sand in frustration¡ªI turned toward Pistachio. He nodded and raised a wing in greeting, then opened his bill and dropped something on the sand before us. I peered down at the egg, my eyes going wide. ¡°That... is that yours?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Is it... fertile?¡± He nodded, then tensed up as Cinnamon hopped forward to sniff it. She shifted around it, her little nose twitching away. ¡°She won¡¯t hurt it,¡± I said, trying to reassure the freshly awakened bird. Its eyes rose to meet me and it nodded again, accepting my words. ¡°Do you, uh, have a name, mate?¡± It grunted, and I could hear a hint of its meaning: no. I licked my lips and made to respond, but then Rocky broke free. Transfixed as they were on the pelican, his jailers had let their attentions lapse. He dashed for the bird, both claws held high and gathering power. Everyone burst into motion¡ªI was the fastest. I appeared behind him and grabbed both his rear flippers in one hand, then raised him high. He started releasing rapid-fire explosions in protest. I let him get his anger out, and as the pelican looked at me, his eyes wide, I held up one finger and tried to say, ¡°one moment,¡± but my voice was drowned out by the boom, boom, boom of Rocky¡¯s angst made manifest. After only seconds, his blasts slowed, and after half a minute, they had stopped entirely. I lowered the now-exhausted crab, shaking my head at him. ¡°You tried to eat him yesterday, mate. A boulder to the noggin is the least you deserved, I reckon. He let you off lightly.¡± His body had gone limp, clearly having over-exerted himself, but he still glared hatred at the pelican. ¡°I expressly forbid you from hurting our pelican pal, Rocky. Remember my promise¡ªif you hurt or kill any creatures, you¡¯re banished, my guy.¡± I set him down on the sand, and the beginnings of a rude gesture formed, but then he slumped. I shook my head at the soft snores coming from his unconscious form and returned my attention to the pelican. ¡°Sorry, man. He¡¯s kind of a maniac. You¡¯re a male, right?¡± After giving Rocky one last wary glance, the pelican turned to me and nodded. ¡°Right. Well, as I was going to say before Rocky went all Rocky on us, everyone here has a name.¡± I gestured at the other animals. They smiled, made small greeting noises, and waved. The pelican and I locked eyes. ¡°Would you like one? A name, I mean.¡± He didn¡¯t respond for a long moment, weighing his options. Just when I thought he wouldn¡¯t respond, he gave a single, sharp nod of his head. I grinned; I¡¯d already picked one out. Book 2: Name That Pelican Book 2: Name That Pelican I had a name picked out for the pelican, but Collin throwing out wild guesses in the comments made me think it''d be a fun idea to let you guys decide. Our new pelican pal''s name will go live in tomorrow''s chapter.UppTodated from I can''t express how thankful I am to all of you, my dear patrons, who support my work; letting you contribute more to the story feels like the least I can do, and I''ll keep looking for other ways to let you influence the story. Book 2: Pelican Name Poll 2: Aerialstrike Boogaloo Book 2: Pelican Name Poll 2: Aerialstrike Boogaloo Alright gang, it looks like Buccaneer Bill is the undisputed winner of the previous poll. for new novels GrandSageGand made another suggestion in the comments that made me giggle with the dialogue possibilities it gives. Ie: "Oh, that? That''s Warrant Officer Williams," I said. "How is Williams anything like Snips or Claws?" "Because, Barry..." I beamed a grin at him. "His name is Williams - or Bill for short." *everyone groans or something idk I''m not in the scene* Thus, I present you another (final) poll to name our pelican pal. May the best name win. Book 2: Chapter 38: Bill Book 2: Chapter 38: Bill I beamed at the pelican on the sand before me. The sun was entirely over the horizon now, lighting his feathers from behind and giving him an almost holy appearance. I licked my lips. ¡°How do you feel about the name¡ª¡± ¡°Fischer!¡± came a booming voice from somewhere behind me. ¡°Fischer!¡± a much more beautiful voice called, and I turned, raising an eyebrow.Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Over here!¡± I yelled back. A moment later, a small army came running from either side of the headland. The entire fishing club, along with every member of the cult I was aware of, came sprinting into view. There were newcomers present too, and I narrowed my eyes at them. ¡°You four!¡± Fergus, Duncan, Brad, and Greg all froze, their eyes going wide. ¡°Er,¡± Fergus began, then Barry stepped forward. ¡°Are you okay? Is anyone hurt? We heard a series of blasts...¡± ¡°Oh, that?¡± I waved his concern away with one hand. ¡°Rocky threw a bit of a hissy fit after my new pelican pal dropped a boulder on his head from like a kilometer up. You should have seen it.¡± Barry¡¯s eyes drifted to the crab¡¯s lifeless form. ¡°Is... is he dead?¡± I laughed. ¡°Unfortunately, no. He exhausted himself with all those blasts and is having a little crab nap.¡± I stood and brushed my pants off. ¡°Now that you¡¯re all here, I suppose we should do some introductions.¡± I pointed at Ruby and Steven. ¡°I knew you two had joined the cult¡ª¡± ¡°Church,¡± Barry corrected. ¡°Whatever, man. I knew you two had joined, but you four...¡± I trailed off, raising an eyebrow at the smiths and the woodworkers. ¡°When did that happen?¡± Brad crossed his arms and gave me a grin. ¡°We don¡¯t recall, do we Greg?¡± ¡°Not even a little,¡± his brother answered, scratching his inner-ear before inspecting a fingernail. Fergus rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Er, it¡¯s been a few days for us. Sorry, Fischer.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize, mate. Let me guess, though... those other jobs you had that needed all the metal¡ªthose were for your oyster cages, Barry?¡± He raised a finger and opened his mouth to protest, then let out a sigh. ¡°Your desire to be kept out of the loop doesn¡¯t work if you keep coming to the correct conclusions, Fischer.¡± I nodded, grimacing. ¡°Yeahhh. If it makes you feel any better, I annoy myself, too.¡± I put my hands on my hips and looked out at the rising sun for a moment. ¡°Ah well, nothing to be done about it now, I suppose. Have you guys met all of my animal pals?¡± I asked, looking between the newcomers. ¡°Everyone but the pelican...¡± ¡°Huh. That makes things easy, I guess.¡± ¡°What do you say we have a little feast to celebrate our new friend¡¯s awakening? I know you guys are part of the cult or church or whatever now, so there¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t have a good potluck.¡± My words painted confusion over a lot of the faces, but the eyes of those present at the first feast lit up. *** Time stretched on at an agonizing pace for the bumblebee. Though his own pain was slowly receding before the blessed sweetness of his royal jelly, the queen had yet to show improvement. She still drank of his creation, yet her consumption had slowed. When he finished the cell he was drinking from, he stumbled over to her, his legs sluggish but working properly once more. Following an impulse that came from somewhere unknown, he rubbed her thorax in what he believed was a reassuring way. The tiny hairs covering her body were soft beneath his barbed feet, and he stroked her slowly, willing her to recover. Against all hope, she seemed to drink deeper. Her legs started to tremble, which he also took as a good sign. He buzzed to her other side, and his hopes died; the hole in her abdomen was a vicious thing. The stinger hadn¡¯t plunged in and out cleanly, and had torn free of her exoskeleton at an angle, leaving a ripped and oozing hole. Her legs trembled as she made to stand. He tried to hold her down, to keep her still, all the while stroking her back. An odd sensation blossomed from outside of his body, similar to what he¡¯d felt prior to awakening. Before he could question it, his world was engulfed by a bright white light, and a loud pop came from the queen, stunning him. *** The thought patterns of a honeybee queen are more complicated than most would suspect. It is easy for a human to look at an insect with a brain the size of a poppy seed and presume that there isn¡¯t a whole bunch going on within. That presumption, as with many of the deductions produced by the average human¡¯s conceit, is wrong. Even worker honeybees, who are hive members denoted by their hard work and low position, have the critical thinking abilities to solve a startling range of problems that might arise. Given all this, the queen of the honeybees was quite aware of the predicament she was in. Her hive had been invaded, her defenders had been slaughtered, and she had been abducted. When the strange bumblebee had entered her chamber, she hadn¡¯t thought for a moment that he was doing it for her. He was an opportunist coming to steal her hive¡¯s lifeblood. If anything, that made him worse than the parasitic hornets, who at least had the gall to initiate the attack. But then the bumblebee had defended her, receiving a potentially fatal wound as a result. The moments following that were a confusing blur to her. Hornet venom ran through her body, causing her synapses to misfire, her body to twitch, and her consciousness to wane. The next thing she¡¯d known, she was flying, but not by her own ability. The bumblebee, that strange insect whose actions made little sense, was carrying her. It was a short flight, and after he dragged her into a dark room, she knew her end was coming. She tried to gather the strength to sting the bumblebee, to finish him off so she could return to her hive and recover, but the venom had well and truly taken control by that point. Suddenly, her face dropped into something sweet. Not just sweet¡ªthe most delicious substance she had ever tasted. Whatever the bumblebee¡¯s plans were, he had made a fatal mistake. She would drink of this boon, recover her strength, and then she would kill him. His honey would be used to rebuild her hive before the workers could raise another queen. One sip at a time, the queen bee drained the comb before her. Part of her awareness returned as her body digested the viscous liquid entering her stomach. With that awareness came pain. The only benefit of the venom waging war on her nervous system was that it numbed her, and with her body sufficiently fueled and fighting off the toxins raging through her, lines of agony ran through her. The worst of the damage was where a hornet had lanced her with its stinger. Waves of pain radiated from the hole left behind in her exoskeleton, and she began to doubt if she would live through the damage. An odd tingling came from her thorax, and she directed her attention there. The bumblebee was beside her, running a leg through the small hairs of her back. Good¡ªif her strength returned, it was within striking distance of her deadly stinger. With a bolstered sense of purpose, she drank deeper through her proboscis, her body never seeming to tire of the delicious jelly. Then, all at once, her world was engulfed by white. *** When the queen¡¯s vision returned, the world had transformed. The space she found herself in had shrunk, and her wings buzzed with curiosity. She noticed for the first time that she was within an entirely alien environment. There were wooden racks hanging down from above, running in parallel to one another. Everything around her, including the wall, were all sharp corners and flat surfaces, making it a decidedly unnatural creation. Information seemed to stream into her mind: the strange hive was made by... a creature. The name for it escaped her, so she returned her attention outwards. There was a row of honeycomb lining the floor; they were not made by honeybees. In an instant, she remembered where she was. She whirled, her wings buzzing to spin her as fast as possible. She prepared for an attack by moving venom down toward the tip of her stinger, but no attack came. Then she spotted the bumblebee¡ªwell, part of it, anyway. *** The bumblebee was content watching from afar. After recovering from the flash of white light, he had retreated immediately, not wanting the queen to attack. The wound at her side had completely healed, and as with his own awakening¡ªwhich he was certain the queen had just experienced¡ªher body had transformed. Her form was even larger, her wings had grown longer, and the stinger at the end of her abdomen was downright horrifying. It had doubled in length and become even smoother, tapering down to the needlelike tip that could inject venom. After a long wait, the queen bee finally stirred. Her body twitched at first, but then she got to her feet and gazed around, her antennae tasting the air as she moved her head. He witnessed the moment she remembered his existence; she whirled on the spot with terrifying speed, scanning the hive for him. He leaned backward subconsciously, not wanting to pose a threat. When she spotted him, he didn¡¯t know how to react. Feeling more awkward than he knew he could, the bumblebee lowered a leg into view and wiggled it around. *** The queen honeybee watched the bumblebee with growing hesitation. The atypical insect was peeking down from the furthest away rack, only visible up to its compound eyes. One of its foremost legs dropped into view. She prepared herself, thinking it might be making its move finally, but then it just shook the appendage back and forth. Flashes of the gesture ran through her mind, gleaned from the knowledge still pouring into her. It was a wave¡ªa gesture of greeting. The queen raised her own foreleg and waved back, not entirely understanding why she felt obligated to do so. Book 2: Chapter 39: Trade Deal Book 2: Chapter 39: Trade Deal With careful steps, the bumblebee approached the honeybee queen. She watched him keenly, with a promise of violence held in her posture. When he was within three of her body lengths¡ªneedle-like stinger included¡ªhe stopped. They weighed each other from afar, and as the moment stretched on, the bumblebee vibrated his wings in what he knew to mean friendship. He hoped she understood, hoped she didn¡¯t misunderstand the message. Her wings shook, quivering with the same frequency, and as one, their body language relaxed. They met each other in the middle of his hive. He stopped, but she stepped in, her antennae feeling his face all over. He was taken aback for a second, but then recalled that there was a delay in the knowledge pouring in. Even now, he was receiving more information from an unknown source. She had been awakened, what, five minutes ago? It was natural for her to still act as a regular bee would.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om Her head twisted to the side in an obvious question: why aren¡¯t you greeting me back? Feeling social pressure¡ªa rather unpleasant side effect of his ascension¡ªhe caressed her face with his antennae. Surprisingly, he found it natural¡ªcalming. He got a greater understanding of the queen before him, and as he did, his wings buzzed in delight. Because of his timely intervention, and more than a little luck, she had survived. Because of his actions¡ªand, by extension, the actions of the human that had gifted him food, an entire hive would live on. As if she too had the same thought, the queen turned. She gazed at the entrance, then shot a questioning look his way. Yes, he buzzed with his wings. He led the way out into the morning sun, ensuring the path to her hive was free of enemies. *** Before they left his hive, the bumblebee¡¯s thoughts were consumed with gratitude. Entering the honeybee¡¯s hive, however, had been a sobering experience. Before they even took a step inside, they were greeted by the bodies of the departed defenders. The surviving workers had wasted no time in expelling the dead from the hole the hornets had made; a pile of insects lay at the trunk¡¯s base, honeybee and hornet both. Workers had greeted them at the entrance, and after examining the queen and deciding that she was theirs, they turned their attention to him. They approached with clear hostility, but the queen vibrated her wings¡ªthey immediately recognized him as a friend. A worker escorted them back to the queen¡¯s chamber, and each time they met another worker, it greeted them by relaying the same sequence of vibrations the queen had that told them he was a friend. Now that he was no longer in a fight to the death, he gazed around the chamber they entered. Walls of golden honeycomb climbed to the roof of the hollow, stunning the bumblebee with the hive¡¯s wealth. He had never imagined a single place of so much honey existed. The honeybees had been industrious in their endeavors; the fruit of their labor was well and truly on display. Even now, having expanded his awareness and base instincts, the bumblebee felt the need to dive headfirst into one of the combs and drink his fill. As he stared at a comb that was only half-filled and hadn¡¯t yet been sealed, he felt a nudge on his abdomen. When he turned, the queen pointed at him, the comb, then buzzed her wings in approval. He didn¡¯t need to consider the offer; he took a small flight, then plunged his proboscis into the golden liquid. It was entirely different to his royal jelly, yet neither better nor worse. Okay, that was a lie¡ªit was objectively worse, but it also had some redeeming qualities. The honey, despite being viscous and rich, had an almost... refreshing quality to it. The flavor was less concentrated and much thinner than the jelly he had made. It easily entered his stomach and left him feeling light and energized. He returned his attention to the queen, who he found was wasting no time in tending to the hive. She checked on pupa, who were likely the successors to the male drones that had been annihilated. He left her to it, heading toward the usual entrance to the hive. His worker-bee guide followed him, dashing forward to let every other honeybee they came across know that he was one of them. With each wall of honeycomb they passed, the bumblebee grew increasingly astounded. The queen¡¯s chamber alone was more honey than he could comprehend, yet it was only a fraction of the hive¡¯s wealth. After the tenth ceiling-high comb, he gave up counting and focused on where they were going. As he caught sight of the entrance, his wings let out a low buzz of their own accord. Scores of honeybees were there, piled to either side of the filled-in hole. Their mandibles all had one thing in common: they were covered in the goo the hornets had used to plug up the hive. He felt one of the bees with his antennae and it twitched in response. Another was stirring, slowly getting to its feet. Good, his wings buzzed¡ªthey were only temporarily paralyzed by the toxins. He ambled up to the horrible-smelling gunk, and after only a moment¡¯s hesitation, bit down into it. The flavor was even worse than the smell. The hornet venom suffusing the sticky substance was acidic and immediately made his mouth go numb. As with the honeybees, it clung to him, and he removed as much as he could by scraping himself against the hive¡¯s walls. It was painstaking work, but he didn¡¯t stop until enough was cleared away for the passage to once more be open. He dashed off to gather loads of dirt, covering what slivers of hornet gunk remained. As he finished his last trip, the honeybee workers were getting to their feet. Others of the hive carried the recovering deeper inside, no doubt taking them to combs they could drain the honey from. With nothing else to be done, the bumblebee returned to the queen. She was sequestered in a corner and surrounded by workers. He wondered at her actions, but then he noticed her abdomen undulate and expel a tiny white egg. He let out a shocked buzz and spun, averting his eyes. Unsure if he should be witnessing such a private moment, he had his back to her when the hive shook with a booming voice. ¡°What the frack?¡± *** I had been unable to contain my excitement when I woke, and in the predawn light, I set off for the hive. I¡¯d only put the sugar water in there yesterday, but the prospect of the bees getting lured into it and making me some delicious honey filled me with anticipation. Before I could make it around the back of the tree, the pile of what had to be hundreds of honeybees brought me up short. ¡°What the frack?¡± I yelled, my stealth forgotten as I bent down. They were unmoving, clearly dead. ¡°Where did they come from...?¡± I looked up at the tree and spotted it immediately. Something had bored a hole into the back of the hive. The opening was large, and I leaned in closer, my stomach dropping. *** No, he buzzed. ¡°No...?¡± He let out a ponderous vibration with his wings that I understood to mean: wait. My eyebrows furrowed as I watched him go, disappearing back inside the hive. *** As Bumblebro went to fetch the queen, his mind roiled. The cultivator¡¯s kind nature had been one thing, but learning that he had been the cause of the bumblebee¡¯s awakening... it defied logic. The torrent of information pouring into his brain had slowed to a trickle, and of the myriad things he now knew to be true, a cultivator causing the ascension of other beings was not one of them. When he reached the queen, he let out a thankful buzz that she was no longer laying eggs. She looked up at him, likely sensing the urgency held in the vibrations of his wings. Her wings made a questioning tone. Friend, he buzzed, pointing to the path leading outside. Friend? Yes, he responded, his wings¡¯ frequency holding a hint of urgency. Come. Together, they flew out of the chamber. *** When Bumblebro returned, I cocked my head to the side. ¡°What¡¯s up, man? What did you want to show...¡± I trailed off as the head of another insect peeked out. Bumblebro flew outside, and the queen joined him. They hovered before me, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, she waved. A smile slowly spread over my face and a laugh tore from my throat. I tried to explain myself to the clearly confused insects, but each time I tried to speak, the laughter interrupted me. ¡°S-sorry,¡± I eventually got out. ¡°I¡¯m just so happy¡ªthis is amazing.¡± They cocked their heads and both made the same questioning tone with their wings. ¡°All right.¡± I clapped my hands together. ¡°I have so many questions to ask you two, and I¡¯m sure you have some questions for me...¡± Yes, they both agreed. ¡°Well, we can get to that, but more importantly, I have a trade deal to propose.¡± I steepled my fingers, referencing a meme that went right over the insects¡¯ fuzzy little heads, but that didn¡¯t matter¡ªI was still enjoying myself. ¡°Me and a bunch of the gang¡ªwell, it¡¯s actually the whole gang, I suppose...¡± I shook my head and waved the tangent away. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s not important¡ªI¡¯m just really excited right now.¡± I smiled at the queen and got right to the point. ¡°How do you feel about trading some of your delicious honey to me?¡± She made an unsure buzz. ¡°You can still say no, but after you get a taste of what I¡¯m offering, I doubt you¡¯ll be able to refuse.¡± Both insects vibrated with curiosity, and my smile turned predatory. Book 2: Chapter 40: Un-Bee-Lievable Book 2: Chapter 40: Un-Bee-Lievable I took a deep breath as I gazed at the western mountain range, an undeniable smile crossing my face. There wasn¡¯t a cloud to be seen, and the setting sun painted the sky with a swath of soft pastel colors. ¡°Ho, Fischer!¡± I turned toward Barry¡¯s voice, raising an indignant hand to my chest. ¡°What did you just call me?¡± He cocked his head in response. ¡°... what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mate. I¡¯m just feeling a little giddy.¡± He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but then just shook his head at my antics. ¡°If you¡¯re giddy now, wait until you see what Helen has cooked up.¡± I raised an appreciative eyebrow. I knew she was making something sweet, but had no idea what. ¡°I didn¡¯t take too much of your sugar, did I?¡± ¡°Not at all. We still have plenty left over, even after everyone pillaged it for their cooking.¡± He shot me a conspiratorial glance. ¡°Are you going to tell me what you used the sugar for yet?¡± I beamed back. ¡°Nope! Rest assured, though¡ªthe result is un-bee-lievable.¡± My eyes must have sparkled with mirth, because he squinted at me. As his stare narrowed further, the fishing club arrived. ¡°G¡¯day, fellas!¡± I said, turning from Barry¡¯s scrupulous gaze. They all gave me hearty greetings, except for Peter, whose attention was lasered in on the covered tray in his hands. ¡°Ooh, what you got there?¡± I asked, finally drawing his attention. He reverently placed the tray down on the table I¡¯d set up, then let out a relieved sigh. ¡°That depends¡ªare you going to tell me what you did with the cultivator sugar?¡± Ellis¡¯s face grew annoyed. ¡°I have told you countless times that chi sugar is a much more accurate name.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ellis,¡± Theo said, rubbing his chin. ¡°I¡¯m with Peter on this one¡ªwho in Athena¡¯s wealth of wisdom even knows what chi is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the historically correct term for the essence that suffuses the world and allows cultivation.¡± I looked between the group, smiling. ¡°Bit of debate on the terminology, huh?¡± Ellis sighed. ¡°Quite.¡± ¡°Well, let me settle it for you¡ªyou¡¯re all wrong.¡± They blinked at me, and Theo¡¯s head tilted to the side. ¡°We are...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡± ¡°Well, what do you call it then?¡± ¡°Pew-pew sand.¡± A sea of blank stares met me. ¡°Pew-pew sand?¡± Barry asked, his voice full of incredulity. ¡°Yeah, mate. It has the consistency of sand and gives you pew-pew powers.¡± Everyone¡¯s faces adopted a look somewhere between annoyed, confused, and downright befuddled¡ªexcept for Ellis. He removed his notebook. ¡°What is pew-pew? Do you have access to information that we do not?¡± ¡°You¡¯re damn right I do.¡± I made finger guns, then started firing them. ¡°Pew. Pew pew.¡± Ellis stopped taking notes. ¡°Er¡ªright. If sugar is pew-pew sand, what is the rum Barry makes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy, mate¡ªit¡¯s pew-pew juice.¡± Silence stretched over the gathering. Theo raised his arm. ¡°Those in favor of disregarding every single one of Fischer¡¯s name suggestions¡ªpast, future, and present?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± came all of their responses, punctuated by an ocean of raised arms. ¡°Heretics!¡± I gasped, my eyes going wide. ¡°You would defy the heavens?¡± Someone cleared their throat behind me, and I whirled, beaming at the only person in Tropica who could make clearing their throat sound cute. ¡°Do I even want to know?¡± Maria asked, quirking a brow. I gave her my most charming smile. ¡°Probably not.¡± *** With the warm light tiki torches guiding the way, the rest of the cult¡ªer, church¡ªslowly trickled in. Fergus and Duncan were the last to arrive, and I spread my arms wide as they walked around the headland. ¡°Welcome, fellas!¡± I pointed at the trays held in their hands. ¡°You can put the food down on the table if you...¡± I trailed off as I realized the entire thing was covered in bowls, plates, cups, and bottles of rum. I waved his protest away with a smug grin. ¡°Details. The point is it¡¯s delicious.¡± Maria took a bite of a glistening carrot and let out an mmph, her body melting back into her chair. ¡°Good,¡± was all she said before putting another piece in her mouth. Peter, who was only just recovering from his emotional moment, took a bite of said vegetables. His lip quivered again. *** With the savory portion of the feast concluded, we lay on the sand. I couldn¡¯t recall who had started it, but before I knew it, everyone was prone and caressing distended stomachs. ¡°I regret nothing,¡± Maria said. I couldn¡¯t have said it better myself. A carpet of stars spread out above us, and I stared at their flickering forms, wondering at the distance and composition of the foreign constellations. It was a sobering moment that reminded me just how far I was from Earth. For some, that would have been a horrifying thought¡ªperhaps for most. To me, it was anything but. As if sensing my thoughts, Maria rolled over.. She settled into the nook of my arm and lay her head atop my chest. I reached up to pet her hair, marveling at how soft it was. The scent of her shampoo reached my nose¡ªsomething earthy and floral. ¡°It¡¯s a lovely night,¡± she said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± With my other hand, I took turns petting Claws and Snips, who were leaning against my other side. ¡°The only thing that could make it sweeter would be my secret condiment.¡± She jolted upright and peered down at me. ¡°Are you finally going to tell us? The mystery has been plaguing my thoughts all day.¡± I raised a hand and wiggled my fingers. ¡°A magician never reveals his tricks, but I suppose I could show you if you¡¯re ready for dessert.¡± ¡°I certainly am,¡± Barry said from across the sands. ¡°Hey!¡± I lifted my head to glare at him. ¡°No eavesdropping!¡± He also raised his, giving me a smirk. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have fed me fish and turned me into a heretical cultivator¡ªI couldn¡¯t not hear you if I tried.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s a good point.¡± I sat up, stretching my arms toward the heavens. ¡°What do you say, everyone? Time for sweets?¡± As one, we stood at a decidedly lethargic pace. ¡°All right, gang. If I could please have your attention.¡± I gave everyone time to amble over to the table, taking great joy in the anticipation on their faces despite how much we¡¯d already eaten. ¡°You said condiment, didn¡¯t you?¡± Barry asked, glancing between the two covered trays I stood behind. ¡°I thought you made a dish...?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± I replied, grinning. ¡°That was subterfuge. I¡¯ve procured something we can add to the no-doubt irresistible dishes you¡¯ve all prepared.¡± Peter leaned forward, staring at the two metal coverings with greed. So did Ellis, his pencil and notepad ready to go. ¡°Procured?¡± Barry asked. ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that.¡± Maria gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...¡± She leaned in close, shielding her mouth and whispering. ¡°The hive...?¡± I shot her a wink. ¡°That¡¯s right, my learned student of all things heretical.¡± Half expecting an elbow to the ribs in response, I braced my core, but Maria was too stunned¡ªshe stared wide-eyed at the coverings before me. I looked up at the sea of faces, slowly reaching down to grasp the left tray. ¡°I give you... honey!¡± I lifted the cover high, revealing the golden liquid in all its glory. ¡°Er¡ªFischer?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, Barry? I¡¯m kinda trying to be dramatic here...¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that just water... and what are those insects?¡± I looked down. Sure enough, a cup of what appeared to be water sat on the plate. Half of it had been drunk, and laying before it, clearly food-coma¡¯d out of their minds, were two bees. ¡°Oh, my bad. Wrong tray.¡± I lifted the other covering. ¡°I give you... honey!¡± ¡°Are those bees?¡± Maria asked, ignoring the pot of honey and bending down to stare at them. ¡°Are they dead?¡± ¡°Oh, them? That¡¯s just Bumblebro and Queen Bee.¡± I waved away her concern. ¡°They¡¯re having a nap, I believe.¡± They both stirred, slowly getting to their feet. ¡°How are you guys?¡± I asked, bending down so I was eye-level with them. ¡°I told you sugar water was good stuff!¡± They both let out a sluggish buzz, unequivocally agreeing. ¡°Wait...¡± Barry said. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...¡± I looked around the group, but they only had eyes for the two bees. Corporal Claws leaped onto the table and twisted her head, letting out curious coos while trying to see them from every possible perspective. ¡°Are you guys serious?¡± I threw my hands up but couldn¡¯t keep the smirk from my lips. ¡°I broker a trade deal with sapient insects for something this gods¡¯ forsaken world hasn¡¯t worked out can be farmed, and all you care about is my new pals?¡± Some looked at me for a moment, but their attention was quickly rearrested by the two honey makers. ¡°Ah, well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡± I let out a deep, theatrical sigh. ¡°Bumblebro, Queen Bee¡ªthis is everyone. Everyone, these are our newest pals: Bumblebro and Queen Bee.¡± They both raised a limb and waved, making a greeting buzz with their wings. Book 2: Chapter 41: No Pun Intended Book 2: Chapter 41: No Pun Intended Lit by the warm glow of tiki torches and the half moon high above, a silence stretched between us that was only interrupted by the soft buzz of Bumblebro and Queen Bee. Barry shook his head at me. ¡°Are you serious, Fischer?¡± ¡°Uhhh... yeah?¡± ¡°This is why you¡¯re banned from naming things!¡± I raised my eyebrows, giving him an appalled stare. ¡°How dare you?¡± I caught both insects and shielded them with my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, guys¡ªhe¡¯s just upset he has a basic-bitch name like Barry.¡± Maria leaned over, peeking around the back of my finger shield. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you¡ªI¡¯m Maria.¡± They flew out and buzzed a hello her way. She giggled, covering her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re both super cute. Did you make that honey?¡± Bumblebro shrugged¡ªwhich I had to admit was super cute¡ªand pointed at Queen Bee. The honeybee matriarch tilted from side to side in a so-so gesture. ¡°Queen Bee¡¯s hive did,¡± I answered. ¡°Seeing as though she¡¯s the queen, that kinda makes it hers. And Bumblebro is being humble¡ªa humblebee, if you will.¡± ¡°Get out,¡± Maria said, pointing toward the ocean. ¡°Hey, this is my land!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care¡ªget.¡± She made a shooing motion, but I caught the smile wrinkling her eyes. ¡°Anyway,¡± I continued, ¡°as I was saying, Bumblebro is a humble¡ªsorry, sorry!¡± I held my hands up, warding off the backhand Maria was threatening to send my way. ¡°He was showing humility when he deferred to Queen Bee. He saved her life¡ªand every drop of her honey¡ªwhen the hive was attacked last night.¡± ¡°What attacked?¡± Ellis asked, his eyes furrowed as he scribbled in his notepad. ¡°A gang of hornets¡ªthey sealed the bees in with something toxic, then burrowed into the back of the hive.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the former archivist said. ¡°Tree-borer Hornets. Horrifying insects.¡± I gave him an appraising glance. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of them?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. There was a plague eighty or so years ago, and they wreaked havoc on the insects the Osnan family uses for pollination. There was a rather thrilling recounting back in the capital of the steps taken to reduce their numbers.¡± ¡°Thrilling?¡± Keith shook his head. ¡°Your brain is terrifying, you know that?¡± Ellis scoffed. ¡°Hardly. The records of it are stored in the general library¡ªyou could have read it yourself if you¡¯d felt so inclined.¡± ¡°No one other than you would feel so inclined,¡± Theo added, laughing. ¡°Still, it¡¯s pretty amazing that the bumblebee¡ªer, that Bumblebro was able to fight them off.¡± I gave a wincing smile. ¡°Yeaaah, I may have caused him to awaken before that...¡± I relayed the story from mine and Bumblebro¡¯s perspective. I¡¯d spent a large chunk of the morning conversing with the little bee and it had been surprisingly easy to understand each other, given that he spoke in buzzes. Supplemented by my growing understanding of the local language¡ªand Bumblebro¡¯s ability to write in said language¡ªwe had communicated the entire tale within a couple of hours. When I got up to Bumblebro¡¯s awakening, Barry spoke up. ¡°With just regular sugar?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s... new.¡± ¡°What do you say we get started on the sweets?¡± *** Everyone took turns explaining their contributions. There were cakes, sweet buns, and even one of Helen¡¯s berry pies¡ªall of which used either sugar or sugarcane juice from the secret crop. Finally, it was Peter¡¯s turn. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at him as he stood behind the tray he¡¯d shown so much care for when arriving. ¡°This dish was the king¡¯s favorite dessert,¡± he said, bending down slowly to grab the cover. I leaned in¡ªas did anyone with common sense. With a single smooth movement, he revealed the contents for all to see. Rows of ramekins lined the tray and porous, golden-brown cakes rose from within them. I swallowed. ¡°Is that...?¡± ¡°Souffles,¡± he answered. ¡°The exact recipe favored by generations of Gormona¡¯s rulers, with one small adjustment.¡± He set the lid down and gazed at his precious desserts. ¡°I sweetened them with Barry¡¯s sugar.¡± I swallowed, my mouth watering at the sight of them. Souffle pancakes and ice-cream with a drizzle of honey was my favorite dessert on Earth, and I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d been craving it until I saw the fluffy little dish before me. ¡°Great,¡± Maria said. ¡°You broke Fischer.¡± My eyes cleared, and I looked up to see a smattering of amused faces watching me. ¡°What? You¡¯ve never seen a man have an existential crisis over food before?¡± Danny snorted. ¡°We saw Peter have one not a half hour ago.¡± ¡°I had at least two, thank you very much.¡± Peter smiled at himself. ¡°Now, before we go any further off course, these will be best before they cool down.¡± I let out a heavy sigh. ¡°All right¡ªI suppose I can eat one now.¡± *** When my plate was absolutely covered in dessert, I lowered my new dipper into the honey. ¡°Thanks for making this for me, Brad,¡± I said to the woodworker. ¡°It just wouldn¡¯t be the same without it.¡± He smiled at me and removed the previously jam-covered finger from his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re most welcome¡ªI was wondering what it was for, but I¡¯d never have guessed it was for honey.¡± ¡°The grooves let you collect more of it,¡± I replied, removing the dipper from the jar. ¡°And that lets you drizzle the perfect amount.¡± I circled it over my plate, smothering part of each desert in copious amounts of the sweet liquid. Following my action, everyone did the same, and I stayed there to help my animal pals¡ªit could be an awkward thing to wield without opposable thumbs. As I sat down, I couldn¡¯t wait any longer, and I dug my spoon into the souffle. It went in like a hot knife through butter, and I dipped the spoon into a puddle of honey. Without further ado, I put it into my mouth. The moment the honey hit my tongue, my mouth turned into a faucet. It was sweet¡ªalmost too sweet after not having honey for so long, but that quickly faded when I chewed the souffle. It was as fluffy as it looked¡ªon par with those served by Michelin starred restaurants back on Earth. I closed my eyes as the flavors swept me away. It was like eating a cloud, and no matter how much I chewed, the souffle seemed to remain fluffy. Hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and something else joined the overbearing taste of honey. I must have kept shoveling more in because it never seemed to end, and any awareness of time escaped me as my body floated on the inescapable sensations. Something touched my cheek, and I opened my eyes, returning to my spot by the fire. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Maria asked softly. Her face was tender, and I blinked, causing a tear to fall down my other cheek. She leaned over and wiped it away. ¡°Y-yeah¡ªI¡¯m good...¡± I peered down at my plate, seeing I¡¯d only taken a single bite of the dessert-filled ramekin. ¡°Good, right?¡± Peter asked from across the fire, beaming at my reaction. ¡°Mate... good doesn¡¯t even begin to cut it.¡± I took a deep breath, then focused on my spoon again, getting another honey-smothered mouthful ready. Book 2: Chapter Tree Name Brainstorm Book 2: Chapter Tree Name Brainstorm Hello friends! Drop any ideas you have in the comments, no matter how goofy, silly, or objectively bad you may think it is. All ideas can spark creativity within me or another (no-doubt smart and attractive) patron, so go wild with it! P.S. I love you. Thank you for being here.UppTodated from Book 2: Chapter 42: Scandalized Book 2: Chapter 42: Scandalized In a throne room high in the royal capital, Augustus Reginald Gormona shifted in his chair. His usually comfy chair had felt hard and uninviting lately, as if it protested his very existence. The colorful light that bathed the room during the day had long departed, and with the darkness of night covering the land, the harsh glow of candles flickered. He straightened his posture, trying to reduce the ache in his lower back, then sighed. ¡°It¡¯s useless...¡± ¡°Er¡ªwhat is, my king?¡± Augustus looked up, turning his displeasure onto the dignitary. ¡°The expeditions are. You said there has been no news of the spirit beasts¡ªhas every report been received?¡± ¡°Y-yes, king. The last one came in this afternoon regarding the search for Lizard Wizard.¡± The throne¡¯s armrests seemed to grow sharp and angled beneath him, so the king moved. It didn¡¯t help. ¡°This is more dire a situation than we expected.¡± The dignitary didn¡¯t speak; the man had been in his family¡¯s employ for decades, so knew to hold his tongue around his betters. ¡°What is your name again, servant?¡± ¡°Luke, my king.¡± ¡°Right. You were the one who came to me with news of the artifact room, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, king.¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona sighed and ran his hands through his white hair. ¡°Keep up the good work then, Luke. Come to me the moment you receive any more reports.¡± The dignitary snapped a salute. ¡°Yes, king.¡± ¡°You are dismissed.¡± The man turned on his heel and strode out of the open door. The waiting-room servant closed it behind him, leaving the king alone with the flickering of candles. Augustus¡¯s nose twitched. Of all the spirit beasts, he had expected to find Lizard Wizard and Bog Dog; there was only one desert and swampland within the kingdom¡¯s borders. Boat Goat, Hurtle the Turtle, and Glare Bear could be difficult to find, given how much water and forest there was to search... but to find none of them? It was unacceptable. He reached over and picked up a souffle. A tray of them had been sitting there for hours, and though they had cooled, he still enjoyed them when not fresh. He took a spoonful and placed it in his mouth. He chewed three times, swallowed, then launched the ramekin at the wall. It bounced off ineffectively, and Augustus Reginald Gormona, seething, lifted the entire tray and threw it across the room. The wooden ramekins rolled along the floor, spilling their golden filling everywhere. ¡°Servant!¡± he yelled, heaving with anger. The door swung in, and the man appeared, bowing at the waist. ¡°Yes, king?¡± ¡°What happened to the ceramic ramekins?¡± he boomed, not bothering to hide his fury. ¡°Th-they went missing, king. More have been ordered.¡± He glared at the man. ¡°Went missing? What do you mean, they went missing? Can this castle not even keep track of crockery, servant?¡± ¡°I apologize for our ineptitude, king.¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona shuddered, and all at once, he slumped on his throne. ¡°Do not bring me any more souffles until they can be served in ceramic.¡± ¡°Yes, king.¡± The servant closed the door behind himself, having worked directly with the king long enough to know a dismissal. ¡°Gods above,¡± the king muttered. ¡°How you vex me...¡± *** ¡°Where did you even find these ramekins, Peter?¡± I asked, looking down at my now-empty plate. ¡°They look posh as hell.¡± He peered out through a half-closed eye as he caressed his dessert-filled belly. ¡°I may have procured them from the royal kitchen.¡± I laughed, then winced and held my stomach. ¡°The king¡¯s own bowls, huh?¡± I held it up in the firelight, appreciating its uniformity. ¡°Neat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Barry said, getting to his feet and stretching. ¡°It isn¡¯t?¡± I raised an eyebrow at Peter. ¡°What other goodies did you bring with you, scoundrel?¡± ¡°Why, all manner of crockery¡ªthough I suspect what Barry¡¯s talking about is the glasses.¡± In response, Barry lifted a crate onto the table. He reached down, making the contents clink together before removing a beautiful object from within. He held up what looked like a crystal tumbler. Its angles caught and reflected the different sources of light surrounding us, making it seem to glow. ¡°How does everyone feel about some of my special reserve rum?¡± Barry asked, smiling around the circle. ¡°I¡¯d love some,¡± Maria replied, ¡°though I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be able to drink a drop given how much food I¡¯ve eaten...¡± I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s either our cultivator bodies, the nature of the food, or both¡ªwhatever the cause, I¡¯m down for some special reserve, Barry.¡± Barry, with a smile wrinkling his eyes, started to pour. *** Fergus slung one meaty arm over my shoulder and raised his glass high. ¡°To Fischer!¡± he slurred, his first cup of rum and sugarcane juice already well in effect. ¡°To Fischer!¡± everyone else replied. I grinned and raised my glass to join them. ¡°To fishing!¡± ¡°To fishing!¡± Theo and his pals repeated, their cheeks flushed. After the last time I¡¯d indulged in Barry¡¯s drink¡ªand the absolute brick-to-the-brain hangover that resulted¡ªI was content nursing my drink. Even just sipping at it, a warmth ran through my body, bringing a relaxed contentedness with it. Maria, already on her second drink, wobbled over and poked a finger into Fergus¡¯s chest. ¡°You trying to steal my man, smith?¡± She tried to keep a straight face, but swiftly descended into giggles. ¡°Your man?¡± He bellowed a laugh. ¡°We are brothers bonded by the forge¡ªyour affections are nothing before the alloy of our friendship.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± Theo yelled, pointing a finger at me from across the campfire. ¡°You have been seeing other friends!¡±Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om I shook my head, not even knowing where to begin. ¡°Jokes on you, blacksmith!¡± Theo continued, striding over. ¡°The bond you¡¯ve forged is nothing before the ties that bind fishermen to one another. Like a wind-knot, our friendship will never be untangled.¡± Brad and Greg, returning from a wander down to the shoreline midway through the tirade, jumped right in. ¡°Knots of fishing line?¡± Brad demanded, then bellowed a theatrical laugh. ¡°Easily severed, those.¡± ¡°So can I get one?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. I suppose I can rustle one up¡ªfor a price.¡± I rolled my eyes playfully at the amusement writ clear on his face. ¡°What are you trying to get out of me, miser?¡± ¡°Oh, you know, I¡¯m sure I''ll think of something.¡± He snapped his fingers, as if just remembering something. ¡°What¡¯s that thing you like doing? With the rods and the water.¡± ¡°... fishing?¡± ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s what it¡¯s called! I guess if you brought me a cooked fish or two, we could use that food as energy to make you a robe. The wife is pregnant, you see? I don¡¯t want to leave her without the nutrients necessary to grow a child...¡± The grin he gave me was downright wolfish, and laughter tore free of my lips. ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a deal, mate.¡± We shook hands, and before I could joke about his shrewdness, Maria and Ruby returned, the former leaning on the latter for support. ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good...¡± Maria mumbled, looking down at the sand. ¡°She downed a drink in celebration,¡± Ruby said, rubbing her back. ¡°I don¡¯t think it agreed with her.¡± ¡°Do you want me to take you home?¡± I asked. ¡°Sh-shower,¡± she replied, covering her mouth. ¡°Come on¡ªwe can go to mine.¡± I turned to Ruby. ¡°Would you mind coming with? She might need a hand...¡± ¡°Of course!¡± I picked Maria up, not wanting the pregnant Ruby to have to support her. We all made our way inside, and I led them to the guest shower. ¡°There¡¯s a towel in there¡ªI¡¯ll just go get some clean clothes,¡± I said as I put Maria down. When I returned with a fresh set of pajamas, Ruby took them, put an arm under Maria¡¯s shoulder, then led her inside. The door closed with a soft click, and a moment later, the calming sound of water falling rang out. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you have a shower...¡± Steven said, frowning at the door and rubbing his mustache. ¡°I heard you had a System-built house, but to think you¡¯ve had a shower this whole time...¡± ¡°They¡¯re unreal, right? If you think that¡¯s crazy, wait until you see this...¡± *** ¡°You¡¯re all right, dear,¡± Ruby said, helping slide Fischer¡¯s shirt over Maria¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Maria mumbled for what had to be the twentieth time. ¡°You have nothing to apologize for¡ªI know I fell for the same trap a few times when I was your age.¡± ¡°I know... it¡¯s just... sorry.¡± The poor girl¡¯s face was slack, and Ruby stroked her wet hair. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better after some rest. Were you going home tonight?¡± ¡°I was going to ask Fischer to stay...¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably a good idea. I¡¯m not sure how your dad would react if you turned up in a bad way. Come on¡ªlet¡¯s get you to bed.¡± As Ruby opened the door and helped Maria out, Steven was yelling from another room. Raising an eyebrow, she followed the sound. Steven was at an open door on the other side of a bed, and Fischer was booming with laughter. ¡°What¡¯s got you so animated?¡± she asked, looking at her clearly drunk husband. Steven turned to face her and gestured at the open door emphatically. ¡°He has another shower in here, Ruby! Right beside his bed!¡± Fischer laughed again, and Ruby rolled her eyes. ¡°Is it okay if Maria stays here, Fischer? She doesn¡¯t want to go home.¡± ¡°Of course! She can sleep in the spare bed.¡± *** I led Ruby and Maria to the bedroom beside mine and threw back the covers. Ruby helped her into the bed. I reached into my shirt and withdrew the egg¡ªand the bunny flopped over the top of it¡ªthen put them under the covers. ¡°Are you okay from here?¡± Ruby asked. ¡°Yeah¡ªthanks for all the help. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine after a little rest. Besides...¡± I reached over to pet Cinnamon. ¡°This little mother can keep an eye on her.¡± Cinnamon looked out through blissfully slitted eyes, nodding. ¡°All right¡ªwe¡¯ll leave you to it. Come calling if you need any help!¡± As they walked out of the bedroom and through the front door, Steven¡¯s voice came trailing in. ¡°Two showers!¡± he whisper-yelled, clearly shocked. ¡°Two! And only the gods know how many beds!¡± ¡°Yes, dear,¡± Ruby replied, patting his arm as she closed the door behind them. Maria mumbled something, so I turned back and leaned in closer. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Do you not like me, Fischer?¡± The question brought me up short. ¡°What? Of course I like you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don''t...¡± Her words were soft and filled with resignation. ¡°I just wanted to know¡ªthat''s all.¡± I rested a hand on her arm. ¡°What makes you think I don¡¯t?¡± Cinnamon lifted her head from beneath the blanket and looked between us with narrowed eyes. She scooched the egg against Maria¡¯s leg for warmth before hopping out the door and closing it behind her, leaving the room plunged in shadow. ¡°Because...¡± Maria continued. ¡°You haven¡¯t tried to... you know...¡± I swallowed, my words failing me. ¡°You could¡ªif you wanted to, I mean,¡± she mumbled, her words laden with sleep. I squeezed her hand reassuringly as my heart pounded in my chest. ¡°It¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be right with you so intoxicated, but I do like you Maria¡ªmore than I can put into words.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± she replied dreamily. Silence took over, and all I could hear was my pulse thumping in my ears. ¡°Maria?¡± I asked, but she didn¡¯t reply, her breaths coming slow and steady. I sighed and stood, paused, then bent back down to kiss her softly on the forehead. ¡°Goodnight, Maria.¡± As I left the room, Cinnamon was sitting in a corner, staring at me. She raised her eyebrows, looking downright scandalized. ¡°Shush, you. Go lay on your egg and come get me if she¡¯s sick or needs help.¡± With a smirk she didn¡¯t bother hiding, Cinnamon hopped past me into the room and closed the door behind her. Book 2: Chapter 43: Citrus Book 2: Chapter 43: Citrus The ancient spirit, for what she thought was the first time in millennia, was completely content. Compared to the span of her life, her time since reawakening had been turbulent, to say the least. She had been indifferent, angry, humbled, grateful, and, worst of all, almost torn apart by mere saplings. That moment of fear, of thinking that her life would come to an end at the hand of newborns, only stood to highlight just how happy she now was. The spirit had become linked with the saplings. With each passing day that she continued providing them sustenance and power, their understanding of one another grew and blossomed, just as the flowers did atop their small canopies. Even now, countless pollinators flew from tree to tree, tickling her awareness. Each footfall, each speck of pollen removed, and every bit of sweet nectar sucked from the flowers were a blessing. With the coming and going of the sun, the otter would bring her more sustenance. As with the insects pollinating her flowers, each meal was a cause for celebration. The spirit gazed up at the moon¡ªthe otter was late with tonight¡¯s delivery of sustenance. Some may have experienced annoyance at this delay, but the ancient spirit wasn¡¯t such a fickle being. All things happened as the world allowed, and even if there was no delicious meal to partake in, she could just focus on the buzzing insects flitting through her awareness... right? Two hours later, with the crescent moon peeking through the gap of her canopy, the ancient being¡¯s patience was at an end. Her leaves shook in frustration, and just when she was considering sending a root out to seek the treacherous mammal that had likely stolen her food for herself, an approaching source of chi caught her attention. The otter, loping awkwardly with a tray held before her, slunk into the clearing. She chirped and grinned, and the being was just about to trip her with a root for her tardiness, but then she caught the scent of food. Steam rose from the offering. The vapors were laced with chi of such potency that all of her thoughts of vengeance drained away like the rains through drought-parched soil. The otter dashed over and dumped the food at the base of the spirit¡¯s blue trunk. Forgetting about the bees, flowers, and lemon saplings entirely, she sent a root up for a taste. The first offering held a hint of burnt wood. She recoiled from it at first, but then the other flavors rushed out. Unknown seasonings and spices danced over her awareness, and she dove her root further in. Many of the previous meals had been skeletons with only slivers of flesh left, but this... the fish frame was covered in meat. She withdrew the root to test another of the offerings. First came the familiar taste of charcoal, but as with the previous fish, unknown flavors rushed out and overwhelmed the unpleasant thoughts that burnt wood brought to mind. She withdrew the root once more. This time, she plunged it into the gold-colored lumps, not expecting it to be as delectable as the fire-cooked fish. Oh, how wrong she was. The moment her root pierced the hard surface, it plunged into succulent flesh. The shell of crumbs had trapped the juices inside when cooked. A trickle of the oily liquid trailed down her root, and she absorbed it, not letting a single drop escape. Her canopy shuddered as she grew sprouts from her root, plunging one into each of the different offerings brought her. Ecstasy roiled through every fiber of her being. With each morsel she absorbed, chi soared through her network of roots. When it hit the lemon trees, she felt them tug at it. Perhaps because she was too absorbed in her meal, or perhaps because she now saw the trees as part of her, she let them drink of the essence. Some of the chi flowed back, but never as much as she sent their way. All too soon, the feast was over. The last thing she absorbed was the crispy shell that had encased the fish, and she set all her roots to devouring every last crumb. She sighed, her whole trunk swaying. Filled with curiosity, she sent her awareness out to the lemon trees. They had absorbed so much of the essence, and she wondered at what they¡¯d done with it. She trailed the hints of power up their trunks, across their branches, toward their flowers, and... No way... At the tips of the branches, nestled amongst the leaves, some of the flowers had fruited. She sent herself toward the yellow growths, feeling them. They hadn¡¯t just fruited¡ªthey had matured completely; the trees, using the power of the offered meal, had grown lemons. She withdrew a drop of juice from one of them and sent it down toward her main body. When she tasted the drop, she shuddered in delight, her canopy twitching. Though the citrus juice was sour, it held a hint of sugar, and, most notable of all, unbelievably dense chi. The trees hadn¡¯t used all the essence in the fruit¡¯s creation¡ªthey¡¯d refined, condensed, and changed it, pouring the culmination of their efforts into each lemon. She felt a moment of desire, dreaming of absorbing their liquid and sucking the refined chi into her core, but it swiftly faded. The ancient spirit had made a deal with the cultivator¡ªfruit in exchange for the continuous delivery of chi-filled meals. Her leaves shook once more, but not in annoyance or frustration. Perhaps the cultivator would reward her success with even more of the crispy, animal-fat cooked fish. With thoughts of future pleasures, she sunk into herself, processing the chi still coursing through her system. *** With the mid-morning sun warming my limbs, I smiled out at the ocean and placed a finger against my line, waiting for a bite. Bill was beside me on the sand, and I reached a hand over to scratch the back of his head. His feathers were unbelievably soft, covered in a small amount of oil that no-doubt kept water out. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. His skin beneath was smooth, and I rotated my fingers slowly, massaging the top of his head. ¡°You a fan of pats, mate?¡± He let out a low grunt of agreement. ¡°Makes sense¡ªit can¡¯t be too easy scratching yourself with those webbed feet of yours.¡± ¡°Wait... if I went to sleep in the spare bed, how did I wake up in yours?¡± The heat in my face turned into a wildfire, and I looked out at the sand, hoping she didn¡¯t see the redness in my cheeks. ¡°I honestly have no idea. I woke up to you wrapped around me like a koala.¡± ¡°... a what?¡± ¡°Oh, right¡ªthey¡¯re not from here. Nevermind. You were cuddling me when I woke up this morning.¡± ¡°O... oh. Sorry.¡± I risked a glance, seeing her face was as red as mine felt. I quickly looked away. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. It was... well, it was nice.¡± A silence blossomed between us, but unlike the companionable silence we so often experienced, this one felt strained. I let out a deep sigh. ¡°You make me feel like a teenager sometimes.¡± She covered her mouth as she giggled. ¡°You make me feel exactly the same. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in that head of yours half the time...¡± I thought of what to say, searching for the perfect words to diffuse the situation, but Maria handled it for me. She leaned over, put an arm around my waist, and kissed me on the cheek. ¡°Thanks for taking care of me, Fischer. You¡¯re a true gentleman.¡± She pulled back and our eyes met. Beneath the shade of my balcony, they were almost green, their usually blue tint nowhere to be seen. I leaned in to kiss her, but she moved her head to the side. ¡°I should probably brush my teeth before you try that. I can¡¯t say you¡¯d enjoy the taste I woke up to.¡± I laughed, the sound bubbling from my throat and making my chest shake. Just like that, the awkward moment was gone. I leaned in and kissed her on the forehead instead, lingering there as I held the back of her head. Even after a night of heavy drinking, she smelled of flowers. It was comforting, and as I let her go, she pulled herself into a hug. With our arms wrapped around each other and Maria¡¯s lithe body pressed against me, we jolted when someone came scrambling around the corner. We both looked over, taking in the wavering form of Leroy. ¡°Comanlookalemon!¡± he yelled, then held his head with both hands, swaying on the spot. ¡°Ugh, my brain...¡± Maria and I both looked at each other, back at him, then cackled. ¡°What... what did you just say?¡± Maria asked through fits of laughter. ¡°The lemon tree,¡± he slowly muttered, still bracing his head. ¡°Come.¡± I blinked dumbly, then my eyes went wide. ¡°Lemon tree?¡±Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com Book 2: Chapter 44: Insubordination Book 2: Chapter 44: Insubordination ¡°What about the lemon trees?¡± I asked as we traveled across the sand at an infuriatingly slow pace. ¡°Did they germinate? How many?¡± Leroy swallowed his bite of the leftover pastry I¡¯d given him before grimacing my way. ¡°I have my suspicions, but I don¡¯t want to find out what Claws would do if I ruined the surprise¡ªshe¡¯s chaos incarnate.¡± Maria giggled, covering her mouth. ¡°Probably a safe move¡ªwe¡¯ll just have to wait and see.¡± ¡°You can go on without me,¡± Leroy said. ¡°I¡¯m still reeling from last night.¡± My body wanted to take him up on his offer, to sprint across the sands and see what had happened to the trees, but I fought it down. ¡°Nah, mate. We¡¯re happy to wait for you.¡± ¡°I understand your pain,¡± Maria said, wincing. ¡°That was me only a half hour ago.¡± Leroy grunted, shielding his eyes from the sun as we continued. ¡°I hope it only takes me a half hour to feel better. What happened last night?¡± ¡°Well,¡± I said, grinning at him. ¡°Last I saw of you, Barbara was cradling you in her arms like a newborn.¡± ¡°Good gods¡ªI passed out?¡± ¡°Oh, no¡ªyou were very much awake. You were making up a song about someone named Trent? I don¡¯t know what that bloke did to you, but your drunk self was not a fan. Your wife was trying to cover your mouth, but you just kept belting out lines. It was quite impressive, really.¡± Leroy blanched as he blinked at me. I roared with laughter. ¡°Yeah, mate¡ªit was as bad as it sounds. Barry¡¯s rum certainly makes for interesting feasts, if nothing else.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I missed that!¡± Maria said, the color in her face mostly returned. ¡°Wait, what happened to you?¡± Leroy asked, peering at her from beneath a hand that shielded his face from the sun. ¡°I may or may not have blacked out and needed to be showered by Ruby.¡± Leroy started laughing, then immediately stopped, hunching down and holding his head. ¡°Dionysus¡¯s cursed grapes¡ªwhen does it get better?¡± ¡°Soon, mate. Just keep munching that pastry and you¡¯ll be right as rain before you know it.¡± Soon after, we stepped from the harsh late-morning sun and into the shade of the forest¡¯s canopy. Leroy let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank the gods¡ªthat¡¯s much better.¡± The air was cool, almost sweet, and I breathed deep of its moisture. So did Leroy and Maria¡ªthe former¡¯s posture immediately lost some of the tension it held. We walked in silence, and while I couldn¡¯t speak for the other two, my thoughts were consumed by what we¡¯d find when we arrived in the clearing. As we got close to it, a strange sound rolled out over the ford floor to greet us. ¡°What is that?¡± Maria asked, cocking her head to the side.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om I knew what it was, and when I spun toward Leroy, he gave me a knowing smile. ¡°You recognize the sound, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± I answered. ¡°But why are they there?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Maria asked. I turned to her, my eyebrows knitted in thought. ¡°And you,¡± I continued, pointing at the tree. ¡°You used the food to grow the lemons, correct?¡± The root beneath me nodded vehemently. ¡°Right¡ªso you both did it. Agreed?¡± Claws crossed her arms¡ªso did the tree by sprouting two little tendrils from its root. ¡°Ladies...¡± I knelt down so I was eye to eye with the root¡ªwell, where its eyes would be if it had them. ¡°You¡¯ve both done something amazing here, and I can¡¯t properly appreciate it until you stop fighting. Can you do that for me, Claws?¡± She glared at me defiantly. ¡°... please?¡± All at once, the raging bonfire in her eyes reduced to an ember and she let out an apologetic chirp. In response, the root uncrossed its, well, roots, and nodded, copying her movement. I smiled between both of them, feeling genuine relief. I pulled Claws into a hug, cradling her into my arms to apologize for holding her by the scruff. ¡°Unbelievable...¡± Maria said, walking over to us with hesitant steps. ¡°The tree...?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Looks like it, yeah. It¡¯s as sapient as they come.¡± Leroy stepped past us and laid a hand on its sturdy trunk. The root turned to face him, cocking its makeshift head as it took him in. ¡°It... no, sorry, she¡ªyou¡¯re a female, right?¡± he asked the root. My eyes narrowed; I¡¯d said ladies, but hadn¡¯t realized it until Leroy pointed it out. As with my animal pals, I had a sense of her gender. The root¡ªshe¡ªnodded, and Leroy turned to me. ¡°She has expanded her bounds. Can you feel it?¡± Confusion crossed my face, and I closed my eyes. I felt the waves of energy flowing around me, and just as Leroy had said, they swept outward, going to... My eyes shot open. ¡°You took over the lemon trees?¡± The tree made a kind of gesture. ¡°I think it¡¯s more accurate to say she joined them.¡± Leroy walked over and touched one of their trunks. ¡°I can feel a sort of awareness within each tree... they¡¯re unique, as if they were each a different person.¡± The root nodded. ¡°Unreal...¡± I said, walking over to stand beneath one of the lemon trees. They were squat and nowhere near as tall as the blue-barked tree, yet I could still stand at my full height beneath them. From below, the hum of the pollinators was even louder, and I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the symphony wash over me. The remnants of a breeze flew beneath the forest canopy, and the cool, humid air swept across my skin, sending a pleasant chill through me. Maria slipped an arm around my waist, and we stood there for a long moment, both just enjoying existence. When I opened my eyes, Maria was gazing up. I joined her in staring at the juicy, fat lemon hanging just above us. I raised a hand to cup it, then turned to the root still extended from the earth. ¡°Can I pick it?¡± The root¡¯s posture turned flummoxed, and the leaves of its main tree shook in what I took as humor. The root nodded, holding where its stomach would be in the approximation of a belly laugh. I smirked at it before returning my attention to the lemon. With a single tug, it came free. ¡°It¡¯s so big...¡± Maria said. ¡°No kidding.¡± I squeezed the grape-fruit sized citrus. ¡°These are even bigger than the genetically modified ones from back home.¡± ¡°They¡¯re almost too big.¡± She stepped closer, peering down. ¡°How are you gonna use all of it? It¡¯ll taste too sour if you use all that juice in a single dish, right?¡± ¡°Huh...¡± I said, squinting at the lemon. Maria arched a brow at me. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°You just gave me a fantastic idea...¡± Book 2: Chapter 45: When Life Gives You Lemons Book 2: Chapter 45: When Life Gives You Lemons Late morning gave way to midday as Maria and I toiled in the kitchen. We¡¯d left Claws and Leroy behind in the clearing to do... I dunno. Gardening stuff? Frankly, I was too excited to care what they were up to. ¡°You¡¯re sure this is gonna taste good, Fischer?¡± Maria asked, frowning down at my concoction. ¡°When have I ever failed you?¡± I shot her a wink. ¡°Well, there was that one time you took me camping during a tempest, and we got soaked, and I could have caught pneumonia, and I could have di¡ª¡° ¡°That was one time! Everyone gets one for free.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± She rubbed her chin in thought. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true...¡± ¡°Besides,¡± I added. ¡°The proof is in the pudding.¡± She narrowed her eyes and looked around, scanning my kitchen. ¡°What pudding?¡± ¡°Oh, forget it. I mean the proof is in the end result.¡± I added another spoonful of sugar and stirred. When the granules had mostly dissolved, I tasted it. The sugar had cut the lemon¡¯s bitterness down, and the flavor, though not chilled, was thirst-quenching. ¡°Here,¡± I said, holding up a spoon. Maria opened her mouth, and I poured the lemonade in. Her eyebrows lowered for a moment, no doubt expecting a sour explosion, but then her eyes flew wide. ¡°Good gods...¡± she said after swallowing. ¡°That is amazing.¡± I grinned. ¡°If you think that¡¯s good, wait until I cook up Asano¡¯s recipe¡ªit takes a little more time, though.¡± ¡°Whose recipe?¡± I smiled wistfully. ¡°A fictional character from my home world. I tried making his lemonade once before coming here, and let me tell you, it¡¯s life changing.¡± ¡°A fictional character¡¯s... recipe?¡± She scowled at me. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re messing with me or not.¡± ¡°I know¡ªit¡¯s fun, right?¡± Her scowl turned deadpan. ¡°No, Fischer. No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Ah well, some people can¡¯t enjoy the good things in life. C¡¯mon¡ªlet¡¯s take this lemonade to our churchy companions. They might need the pick-me-up after last night.¡± *** After knocking on Barry¡¯s door, we waited in silence. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re not home...¡± Maria suggested. ¡°Should we go get Leroy to see if they¡¯re in the church?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know... I¡¯m a little worried, to be honest. They were in quite a state last night, and they should be up by now, even if they¡¯re a little hungover...¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it risk, I don¡¯t know, discovering something you don¡¯t want to if we go down there?¡± I rubbed my chin, torn between my desire for secrecy and the need to check on my pals. ¡°Steven let something slip last night¡ªhe mentioned that all of their showers were beside the bedrooms at the end of the hall. If we just follow the hallways and don¡¯t look in any room until we get to the end, we should be fine.¡± Maria chewed her lip, then nodded. ¡°All right. I¡¯m in.¡± *** As we stepped into what used to be Barry¡¯s shed, Maria¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wow... I assumed it would be incredible, but this...?¡± ¡°Right?¡± I ran one hand over the smoothe stone, as did Maria. We made our way down the steps. Each time we approached a sconce in the wall, it lit with magical flame. ¡°That¡¯s not a good sign,¡± I said. ¡°Why?¡± Maria asked, cocking her head. ¡°Because they light up when someone comes near. It means no one has been by recently.¡± ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s hurry, then.¡± As we passed each room, Maria peered inside. I¡¯d already relayed what I¡¯d seen in each, but seeing was different from knowing. ¡°Unbelievable...¡± she said as she poked her head into the underground spa. ¡°That looks simply divine.¡± ¡°We should come visit sometime¡ªI¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± I raised an eyebrow at Barry, who was now sculling his glass. He let out a deep sigh after finishing. ¡°I suppose you¡¯ve seen him now.¡± Barry shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ve been feeding him sugarcane juice to no effect.¡± Maria held up another cup, still watching the prince with an unreadable gaze. I filled it up, and she passed it to him. He sniffed it, drank, then his eyebrows knitted. ¡°Lemon... how do you have lemon?¡± I cocked my head at him. ¡°You came to Tropica with collared cultivators, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the toe-like prince replied, having another sip. ¡°This is actually really good.¡± ¡°Focus, mate. You came to Tropica, had your ass absolutely handed to you by my animal pals, got imprisoned by my mate here.¡± I pointed over my shoulder at Barry. ¡°And you¡¯re surprised that we have lemons?¡± Trent sniffed. ¡°So? You¡¯re not supposed to have lemons, especially not enough to make a jug that big.¡± Barry, whose disposition was already improving after drinking a little lemonade, shook his head. ¡°Trent is a little intellectually... different.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Trent said. ¡°My mother, the queen, always said I was unique. Best you remember that, peasants¡ªI¡¯ll be using those smarts to bust out of this prison the first chance I get.¡± *** Penelope Francine Gormona, the queen of Gormona, sat down on a high-backed seat in the throne room. ¡°Where is that idiot son of ours?¡± Her husband, Augustus Reginald Gormona, started. He glanced at her from his position on the throne. ¡°What was that, dear?¡± ¡°Our son. Where on Kallis is he?¡± The king shook his head. ¡°Alive¡ªwe know that much.¡± The queen opened the locket slung around her neck, and sure enough, the small stone inside glowed a dull red. They had one such artifact for each of their children, and she¡¯d worn Trent¡¯s day in and day out since his departure. Despite her awareness of his particular intellectual disability, he was still her son, and she would burn the kingdom to the ground to save him. ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t send out a party to search for him...?¡± Her husband¡¯s eyes grew hard. ¡°We¡¯ve discussed this, wife. We don¡¯t have the resources with our kingdom under attack.¡± She wanted to call him a fool, wanted to challenge his ability to leave their son in danger, but reigned the words in before they could fly free. It wouldn¡¯t help the situation. ¡°Are you sure we are under attack...?¡± His jaw clenched, and though he probably had some of his own choice words, he simply nodded. ¡°It cannot be coincidence. Five high-ranking officials disappearing without a trace, the theft of resources, and the awakening of five spirit beasts... it is a clear message. Someone wishes to make a fool of us.¡± A glint came to his eye, and he sat upright. ¡°They don¡¯t know that we have the artifacts we do. In this time of peace, the other kingdoms have forgotten the power that Gormona wields. We know about the spirit beasts, and we¡¯ll snuff them out before they can find the walls of our kingdom. They think they can challenge Gormona and walk away peacefully...¡± The king let out a deep chuckle. ¡°We will learn who launched the attack after we find the spirit beasts, and then they¡¯ll rue the day they tried to slight Augustus Reginald Gormona.¡± At his words, she turned away. Whose lineage had led to Trent¡¯s disability had long been a source of contention within their marriage, and as she went over her husband¡¯s words, she was resolute, as ever, that it was from his side. *** I watched Trent down the rest of his lemonade. The so-called prince let out a belch, followed by a content sigh. As he stood there, mouth open and facing the roof, I noted that he had a head like a kicked-in watermelon. I¡¯d never admit as much¡ªthat would be downright rude, after all¡ªbut in the confines of my own thoughts, I couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge how unfortunate-faced the man was. I turned to Barry, who was sipping at another glass. ¡°Can we talk for a second, mate?¡± He nodded, his eyes holding a tension that had nothing to do with his headache. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t forget my breakfast!¡± Trent called, but we all ignored him. When we got far enough away, Maria spoke up first. ¡°Slavery, Barry?¡± she asked, her face riddled with disapproval. ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± he replied. ¡°I know it looks bad, but I have plans.¡± I shook my head. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna like what I have to say, mate.¡± Book 2: Chapter 46: Admiring the Scenery Book 2: Chapter 46: Admiring the Scenery With the warm glow of magical fire lighting the smooth stones of the underground church, I weighed Barry with my eyes. The air between us seemed to thicken with tension, and before it could grow any more palpable, I sighed. ¡°I know this is me poking my head where I¡¯ve specifically requested to be left out of, but I have to draw the line at slavery, mate.¡± Barry rubbed his temples, looking better but still worse for wear. ¡°Forgive the bluntness, Fischer¡ªI¡¯m too hungover for anything else. It¡¯s a temporary measure, and one that was¡ªis¡ªcompletely necessary. He¡¯s not being abused, forced to do anything, or deprived of necessities.¡± Barry ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head. ¡°By the gods, Fischer, have you seen his cell?¡± He emphasized how inaccurate the last word was with air quotes. ¡°He sleeps in a bed the same as yours, eats better food than most villagers in Tropica, and we¡¯ve been feeding him sugarcane juice like he¡¯s parched ground desperate for rain!¡± By the end of Barry¡¯s rant, he was yelling, flinging his hands wide. All at once, he deflated, his shoulders slumping once more. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m under a lot of stress here.¡± I glanced at Maria¡ªshe gave me a conflicted and strained smile that reflected my own feelings. I threw my head back and looked at the roof, imagining a creator high above. ¡°I really am inside a terribly written Xianxia. Whoever wrote this storyline sucks.¡± ¡°What...?¡± Barry asked. ¡°Slavery. I tried to ignore the collared cultivators, but now you¡¯ve got a bloody royal collared up in a dungeon. What am I supposed to do? Pretend it¡¯s not happening, or go about ending it to virtue signal to the reader that I¡¯m a good bloke? It¡¯s low hanging fruit, mate¡ªmay as well have me stop someone from kicking a cat.¡± Barry only grew more confused. He leaned in close, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Who has been kicking cats?¡± I sighed. ¡°No one has¡ªI¡¯m just complaining out loud.¡± I looked back at the open doorway behind us, from which the collared prince was berating everyone and anything in an attempt to get some brekkie. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan with him? You said it¡¯s only temporary¡ªwhat does that mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure you want to know...?¡± Barry asked. ¡°No, mate¡ªnot even a little, but I do want reassurance that my existence doesn¡¯t mean that people get enslaved.¡± ¡°Do you trust me, Fischer?¡± I slumped backward, leaning against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, this is just...¡± I gestured back at the cell. ¡°It¡¯s a lot.¡± Barry nodded. ¡°It is, and I¡¯m sorry you had to find out. What are you even doing down here, anyway?¡± He grimaced as we locked eyes. ¡°I told you there were things in here that you wouldn¡¯t want to see...¡± ¡°We were worried for your safety,¡± Maria said, gesturing at the lemonade. ¡°We brought this, and thought if we just kept our eyes forward we wouldn¡¯t see anything we shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But that a certain something yelled at us for breakfast,¡± I said, smiling despite everything. ¡°He is a bit of a prick, isn¡¯t he?¡± Laughter bubbled up from Barry. It flew free, and he joined me at the wall, leaning beside me.Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°You have no idea, Fischer. He was¡ªis¡ªa right prick. If you knew what he¡¯d tried to do...¡± Barry shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll spare you the details, but suffice to say, a little imprisonment might honestly be too good for him. It was the kindest option we had at hand, though I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t get a sense of satisfaction when I clapped that metal collar around his neck.¡± ¡°Wow¡ªhe must have been a prick,¡± Maria said, smirking at him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever seen you angry.¡± Everyone laughed again, but they cut off in groans, each of their noggins pounding from last night¡¯s drink. ¡°Here,¡± I said. ¡°I brought you guys a remedy.¡± Maria and I started handing out the hangover cure, and each person drank deep. We¡¯d already visited the bed chambers across the hall, providing lemonade to the rest of the church members within. ¡°Wonderful,¡± Ellis said, whatever gods forsaken dream he¡¯d been having already long forgotten. ¡°Would you tell me the recipe?¡± He removed his notepad and pencil, fighting through the pain, and I smiled at him. ¡°That¡¯s easy, mate. It¡¯s lemon and sugar.¡± ¡°Lemon...¡± he repeated, then his eyes went wide. ¡°Lemon! It is Lemon? Where did you get so much?¡± Theo squinted at him. ¡°A little quieter, Ellis, if you would.¡± I smiled at them. ¡°When you¡¯re feeling up to it, I have something to show you. You might need to see it to believe.¡± *** ¡°Remarkable...¡± I was delighted at the unveiled awe held in Ellis¡¯s eyes as we entered the clearing. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the hangover of the sight¡ªperhaps both¡ªbut even in the short time I¡¯d known him, it was rare that something shocked Ellis enough for him to stop taking notes. As if the same thought occurred to him, he lowered his pencil and began scribbling. Everyone split up to explore the clearing, and Maria and I wandered over to the blue-barked tree in the center, sitting in the grass and leaning against its trunk. Claws curled up in Maria¡¯s lap, and I reached over to rub her fur. I lay my other palm back against the tree. ¡°You girls did so well.¡± *** As the ancient spirit watched the humans and creatures perusing her domain, an unknown emotion seemed to bubble up from the earth beneath her. When the cultivator ¡®Fischer¡¯ set a hand to her trunk and praised her work, the trickle turned to a torrent. Though it was a new sensation, it wasn¡¯t bad¡ªquite the opposite. She could feel the emotions of the cultivators crossing the forest floor above her network of roots¡ªonly hints, but more than enough to understand their intent. Their eyes were wide, reflecting the afternoon sun as it filtered down through her canopy. The tones they spoke in were soft yet rushed, like the winds that hissed through her leaves before a storm. Their movements reminded her of the small prey animals that dashed from cover to cover during the daylight hours. Their steps, however, weren¡¯t hastened by fear¡ªit was because of excitement, perhaps even awe. As she focused on them further, she realized that they¡ªeach and every one of them¡ªpossessed chi. They were cultivators, yet they flitted around her clearing as if they were aspects of nature. The most powerful of all was a man that could, in all likelihood, tear her from the ground roots and all. He leaned against her trunk, holding the hand of a woman and lovingly patting an otter as if it was his own child. These sources of power, beings that her instincts told her should be fighting over the chi-laden fruits hanging from her lemon-tree branches, were simply admiring the scenery and each other¡¯s company. It made something deep within her blossom, and the feeling of contentment unfurled and solidified. A soft breeze blew across her canopies. It sent shivers of pleasure down her branches, through each trunk, and into her network of roots. It didn¡¯t stop there. When the sensations of each tree met beneath the soil, they bounced into each other, combined, and flourished into something... new. It traveled for her core, slowly making its way further toward that nexus of power. Any other time, she may have assumed it was an attack, something negative to be shielded from. She might have even held it at bay, stopping whatever it was in its tracks. With contentment suffusing her being, however, she simply rested and let it come. If the ancient being had all of her memories, she would have recognized the event for what it was. Instead, she was entirely caught off guard when every leaf, branch, splinter, and root shone with a blinding white light. Book 2: Chapter 47: Ancient Memories Book 2: Chapter 47: Ancient Memories Despite the events of the day, I thought it was going to be a relaxing afternoon. The sun filtered down through the canopy above, its light shifting and swaying with the wind blowing through the leaves. Maria put her hand in mine, and I held her tight. Corporal Claws, the apparent druid of this grove, had one half of her body draped over each of our knees. I had the toothy end, and she gazed up at me with her trademark cheeky grin, made all the more mischievous by the dagger-like points of her teeth. All the church members milled around the clearing, gathering in small groups as they walked from tree to tree. They wandered, gazing up at insects and smelling flowers. The scene reminded me of visitors in an art exhibition, moving from exhibit to exhibit with excitement and childlike-wonder on their faces. Maria squeezed my hand, and when I turned toward her, she was as awestruck as everyone else, but there was a hint of hesitancy coloring her disposition, hidden in the creases around her eyes usually caused by smiles. I thought to ask what it was, but then the world started to glow. It was a subtle thing at first, as if someone had slid up the saturation on an image. Colors grew more distinct from one another: the lemons became the color of a yellow highlighter; Corporal Claws¡¯s pearly teeth turned almost opalescent; the grass and leaves surrounding us looked like something from a cartoon; and, most noticeable, the blue in Maria¡¯s eyes glowed like everfrost beneath the midday sun. Everyone stopped moving, their eyebrows lowering and faces growing concerned. Then, the light truly bloomed. Lines of the purest white shot from every visible part of the lemon trees. Some bloomed from behind me, and I whirled, seeing them coming from the tree I leaned on. Last, they beamed up from the ground, tracing the patterns of roots that connected the trees before shooting outward in tangled webs of indescribable complexity. It all happened in the blink of an eye, and would have been over before it began to a regular human. With my enhanced vision, however, I saw each microsecond in exacting detail. When lines shone from every part of the spirit¡¯s tree, they expanded. The pure white light diffused, stretching and connecting until they touched one another, then, with a note of finality, a boom like 1,000 drums being struck at once tore into existence. The sound went through me, pounding against every fiber of my being. When it hit my core, that nexus of power within that seemed to contain my chi, it reverberated, absorbing the sound and sending it back out. My body jolted, my limbs splaying outward and back arching. My diaphragm spasm¡¯d, and as I tried to breathe in, my body froze. Swift as it had come, the light bled from the world. My inner muscles relaxed, and with my back still arched, I took a shaky breath. ¡°Fischer!¡± Maria was in front of me, holding my face with her hands. ¡°Fischer! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Y... yeah...¡± My voice was raspy as I spoke, and I cleared my throat. ¡°I think so...¡± Everyone had gone still, their eyes locked on me. I stared back, not understanding the concern on their faces. ¡°What¡¯s up...?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Barry repeated, his voice shrill. ¡°You just exploded with light¡ªwhat the frack¡¯s up with you, mate?¡± ¡°Me?¡± I laughed, shaking my head. ¡°Nah, it was from the tree.¡± ¡°Aye...¡± Fergus said, clenching and unclenching his fists. ¡°The tree first, but then you.¡± ¡°Not just light, either,¡± Theo added. ¡°It struck me¡ªlike it had a physical force.¡± Ellis flew into action. He sprinted at me, his notepad in hand as he leaped. He came to a skidding stop before me, his eyes pinning me down. ¡°Tell me everything.¡± He swallowed, lowering pencil to paper. ¡°Spare. No. Detail.¡± This only made the cultivators more brazen. They sought her out, all the while blathering about her brothers and sisters they¡¯d already extinguished. More was her elation when she absorbed the chi of each and every one. Despite the dwindling chi, she had grown powerful, and with each cultivator¡¯s passing, the distance between herself and the attackers widened. Then, something changed. Power returned to the world, and those cultivators she did sense rarely bothered her. They fled from or pursued one another, and those that came for her chi were already pushed to their limit, seeking her out in desperation. This time lasted for the mere blink of an eye compared to the centuries she had seen. One day, it was over. Like a flashfire, the excess chi burned bright and disappeared, and the world was returned to its dwindling state. More cultivators came, some of which sat beneath her canopy rather than attack. She merely watched and listened to these travelers, as was her way; she would not seek the destruction of life unless it sought the end of hers. These humans knew not what she was, so merely used her vast canopy for the shade it provided. Despite their lack of aggression, she had no doubt they¡¯d try to rip out her nexus of power if they knew what she was¡ªnot that they¡¯d have succeeded. Slowly, even these peaceful cultivators stopped visiting, and lacking the chi she absorbed of those foolish enough to attack her, she knew it was time to rest. She withdrew from her network of trees, leaving them there to be claimed by any spirit with the power and inclination. With one last breath of her beloved forest¡¯s sweet air, she went to sleep. *** My eyes flew open and I took a deep breath; the air was sweet, just as the spirit remembered so long ago Tears welled in my eyes, tickling my cheeks as they ran down my face. Maria stared at me, her eyes wide and red. ¡°Fischer... where did you go?¡± She wiped the tears away as I sat up, focusing on my breath to calm my emotions. ¡°The tree... she showed me her memories.¡± Ellis was still sitting before me, his face filled with desire and hands trembling. I held up a hand, stalling the question no-doubt burning the back of his throat. ¡°I need a moment, mate...¡± He sat back. ¡°Right.¡± His hand still shook, but he put his pencil away. ¡°Sorry, Fischer, I didn¡¯t intend...¡± Something filled my vision, not at all caring that I had willed the System¡¯s notifications to halt. I swallowed, my mouth going dry as I read the line printed before me. New Domain established! Book 2: Chapter 48: Forbidden Knowledge Book 2: Chapter 48: Forbidden Knowledge In disbelief, I read the screen again. New Domain established! [Error: Insufficient power.] ¡°No way...¡± I said, too shocked to be bothered by the return of my insufficiently powered nemesis. Everyone was in a loose circle surrounding me and, one by one, their eyes cleared. ¡°A Domain...?¡± Theo asked. ¡°What on Kallis is that...?¡± Ellis started writing with a shaky hand. He looked up, staring at nothing as his pencil pressed into the notepad. With a soft snap, its tip flew off. ¡°Domains,¡± he said, his voice distant, ¡°were thought to be long extinct. The capital¡¯s tomes mentioned little about them, other than that they were something to be feared.¡± ¡°Feared?¡± Barry took a step forward. ¡°Is it something we should be worried about?¡± Ellis¡¯s eyes focused, slowly drifting to Barry. ¡°Something we should be worried about...?¡± A smirk slowly spread across his face, and low, steady laughter flowed from him. He raised his face toward the sky, his arms wide and chest heaving as his laughter grew hysterical. When he could speak again, he wiped his eyes, shaking his head. ¡°No, Barry. Not us... them.¡± The weight of his words hit me, and a silence stretched across everyone present. ¡°Just to clarify... you don¡¯t mean everyone, right?¡± I glanced back through the trees toward Tropica. ¡°We¡¯re pretty close to the village.¡± Ellis shook his head, still smiling. ¡°No, not everyone. A paragraph from a book in the royal library springs to mind. Its pages were old, more than half of them lost to the ravages of time.¡± He clenched his jaw, a hint of fury crossing his face. ¡°I swear, if I could go back in time and throttle each archivist that failed to re-transcribe the texts, I¡¯d likely need a lifetime to strike them all.¡± He took a deep breath and held up a finger toward Keith, whose mouth had opened. ¡°I know, Keith¡ªI¡¯m getting off track. The book is titled: ¡®On Warfare and Cultivation¡¯. Page 245, chapter seven, paragraph three.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°On fighting within another¡¯s domain, there is only one tactic that can produce reliable results: don¡¯t. To enter the Domain of another is to forfeit control. Perhaps you are lucky and the Domain is one of little power. In such a case, your abilities may only be dampened. If you are unlucky, however, and the Domain has matured over the course of decades, if not centuries, your life¡ªand those of your followers¡ªwill be forfeit.¡± Again, Ellis¡¯s words caused a silence to stretch over the clearing, the only sound that of the bees buzzing above our heads. ¡°So that¡¯s all we have to work with...¡± Barry sighed. ¡°Usually, I¡¯d say we should do some testing, but in this case, I hope we never have to.¡± Ellis nodded, and as if just remembering the events that set the Domain¡¯s creation into being, his gaze snapped to mine. ¡°Have you had enough time to process your experience, Fischer?¡± He removed a sharpener from his pocket¡ªbecause of course Ellis carried a sharpener in his pocket¡ªand started twisting his pencil within it. ¡°I would appreciate getting an account of what happened while it¡¯s still fresh in mind.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah¡ªgive me a second.¡± I spun on the spot, facing the tree. Even before looking at it, I could feel a sort of connection there, like the spirit was just waiting for me to call out. I reached out with both hands to press my palms against the blue tree trunk. The moment we connected, my awareness expanded. I faintly sensed the spirit within the tree, its network of roots, and what I had to assume was the Domain. A bubble of aura bloomed out from the clearing, encompassing a vast swathe of land. I furrowed my eyebrows, and the spirit joined with me, helping me navigate. The domain¡¯s bounds stretched from the middle of the bay to the mountains west of Tropica, and just as far to the north and south. I pulled back, returning to my body. The spirit let me go, and I opened my eyes, gazing slightly up toward where I knew its main body was located within the trunk. ¡°Is it okay with you if I tell them what I saw?¡± A leaf sprouted before me, and as she made it wave up and down in a nod, I felt a surge of... emotion? I didn¡¯t know how to describe the sensation, but the meaning was clear. Yes. Perhaps a simple yes wasn¡¯t enough to encompass the message; she held an indescribable amount of trust for me, which was also communicated with the surge she sent my way. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her trunk. In response, I got shock, surprise, then contentment from our mental link. Trust. Trust. Trust, she sent, and I squeezed her trunk tighter. I let go, pressing my back to the blue bark as I spun back toward everyone. A sea of raised eyebrows, smiles, and generally amused faces greeted me. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Like you guys have never bonded with an ancient tree spirit before...¡± Ellis¡¯s gaze bore into me, and if looks could kill, he may have accidentally drilled a hole right through me. I chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t break your pencil again, mate. I have her blessing to tell you all about it.¡± I took a deep breath, sent a surge of appreciation through my back toward the tree spirit, and started talking. *** In a room high above the capital city of Gormona, lit only by the afternoon sun filtering through a small window, a screen blinked to life. Some would consider this event¡ªthe reawakening of a dormant artifact after millennia¡ªas rather noteworthy. In this room, however, it was becoming more and more commonplace. So, as the guard watching the room caught sight of the blinking screen, he merely raised an eyebrow before leaning back on another relic that was currently serving as his daybed. ¡°Huh. Another one.¡±Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om The door swung open, the guard posted outside poking his head in. ¡°What was that? I heard a noise.¡± ¡°Oh, I was just speaking to myself.¡± Effect: 20% Suppression, 20% Bolstering, 20% Growth. Local Domain detected. Effect: 5% Suppression, 5% Bolstering, 10% Defense, 5% Growth. The king¡¯s world tilted sideways, and the next thing he knew, muscular arms were lowering him to the ground. The man who had been lounging in the room had caught him. He peered down at Augustus with... was that pity? The king tried to sit up¡ªit was a mistake. The guard caught him again and softly lowered him back down to the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t rush back to your feet, frien¡ªer, king,¡± the man corrected. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in a little dizzy spell¡ªyou just have to rest a moment.¡± Too disoriented to lash out with fury, Augustus Reginald Gormona, king of this continent and ruler of these lands, laid on the bare stones, being gently patted by one of his guardsmen. *** Luke straightened, pouring with sweat and taking heaving breaths. He had just conquered the last of the stairwells, and he ambled on shaky legs toward the relic-filled room. He cursed his fitness, not at all looking forward to the chewing out that would come his way. When he finally caught sight of the guard outside the door, Luke straightened his back and forced his legs to walk straight. The guard opened the door for him, but before Luke could enter, the guard jolted. ¡°King!¡± he yelled, running into the room. Their ruler was prone on the floor, and when the guard reached him, the king slapped away his extended hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°He just needs a little space is all,¡± the lackadaisical guard that was already inside answered, squatting by their king¡¯s side and petting his shoulder. A spike of adrenaline coursed through Luke, banishing his weariness. ¡°What... what happened?¡± The king¡¯s eyes flashed with annoyance. He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly, then sat up and looked at the man that was now supporting his arm. ¡°What is your name, guard?¡± ¡°Deklan, my king.¡± ¡°Right. Thank you, Deklan.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± he replied with a wide grin. Luke narrowed his eyes at the lack of deference, but before he could chastise his subordinate, Augustus Reginald Gormona¡¯s gaze met his. ¡°What happened, Luke, is that the spirit beasts have created a Domain within our¡ªno, my lands.¡± Luke swallowed. ¡°What does that mean, king?¡± ¡°It means that things are worse than any of us could have possibly imagined. The ascendant creatures must be working together, and they are advancing at an incredible rate.¡± ¡°H-how?¡± The question sounded stupid even to himself, and Luke cringed inwardly. ¡°Wow. That¡¯s kinda wild, huh?¡± Deklan asked, raising his eyebrows. ¡°How¡¯d they do that?¡± ¡°Wild indeed,¡± the king answered, patting Deklan¡¯s hand in thanks as he sat up. ¡°There¡¯s only one possibility: they have a master¡ªsomeone is leading them.¡± ¡°A... a master?¡± Luke asked, his eyes wide. ¡°A cultivator?¡± The king tilted his head, then let out a soft chuckle. ¡°No, Luke. Don¡¯t be absurd. A human could never hope to tame a spirit beast.¡± ¡°Then... who?¡± The king¡¯s eyes hardened, all mirth disappearing from his face. ¡°There can be only one answer.¡± The king clenched his jaw. ¡°It has to be Lizard Wizard¡ªit takes a being of incredible arcane might and knowledge to establish a Domain.¡± At the pronouncement, the room went still¡ªexcept for Deklan. ¡°What¡¯s a domain?¡± he asked, scratching his head. Suddenly remembering his company, he gave the king a wincing smile. ¡°Sorry¡ªis that a dumb question?¡± ¡°No, not at all, Deklan.¡± Augustus patted his hand. ¡°It is forbidden knowledge for anyone but the royal family¡ªwhich is why you will all keep it to yourselves.¡± Luke dropped to a knee, bowing before his lord. ¡°Of course, my king. What shall we do?¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona answered immediately. ¡°Recall the expeditions. It¡¯s time to go on the defensive.¡± Book 2: Chapter 49: Lowly Witness Book 2: Chapter 49: Lowly Witness The late afternoon sun filtered down through leaves and branches, casting long shadows from the west. All attention was on me. With Maria at my side and the firm trunk behind my back, I started telling the story of the ancient spirit and how she came to be. Ellis continually asked questions, and before I even got to the part of the tale where she had found a seedling, I paused, seeing how viciously his writing hand shook. ¡°Are you all right, mate?¡± ¡°Sorry. This is quite unprofessional,¡± he replied, glaring at the offending hand. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªthis information... for a battle between cultivators to have devastated the land so.¡± He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. ¡°Knowing this history is invaluable.¡± I nodded. ¡°I feel like my words can¡¯t do it justice. Imagine you were kilometers above us, and each bit of land was scorched earth as far as the eye could see. Whatever you¡¯re picturing, it was worse. Far worse.¡± Maria squeezed my hand, and Ellis took a drink of water before stretching. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready to continue.¡± I nodded and launched back into the tale. When I described her reaching out and expanding her awareness into other trees, a soft snapping sound rang out. Ellis looked down at his broken pencil, then up at me. ¡°All good, Ellis?¡± He swallowed. ¡°Are the blue trees created when a spirit enters them, or are they the only trees she could inhabit?¡± I gave him a rueful smile. ¡°I had the same question¡ªshe doesn¡¯t know. If the trunks of these lemon trees turn blue, we¡¯ll have our answer, I suppose.¡± Ellis sharpened half a pencil and took another drink, then we jumped right back in. We had to pause again when I mentioned the changing levels of chi, Ellis¡¯s pencil once more snapping in his blurred hand. ¡°The carnage, the creation of the bay, the scoured landscape... it was all before the power diminished, bloomed, then decayed again?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah, mate¡ªis that significant?¡± He chewed his cheek, looking up at the sun¡¯s dwindling light. ¡°I had assumed the land-destroying battle was the result of the gods¡¯ departure, but for it to have been centuries from then until the power started fluctuating... it sounds more like the gods fled around the same time the chi levels changed.¡± Ellis swallowed. ¡°I always thought it strange that no records remained from the time of cultivators, but upon hearing of the power they wielded...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not surprising that books didn¡¯t live through the carnage?¡± I finished. He nodded, wincing as he sharpened his pencil. ¡°Just so.¡± We had to pause a few more times for Ellis¡¯s shaking hand and snapped utensils, but the story wrapped up before the sun had set. Silence reigned, and Maria set a hand against the tree¡¯s trunk, a tear rolling down her cheek. ¡°That must have been horrible.¡± Claws leaped from her spot in my lap. She wrapped her limbs around a branch high above, hugging the tree tight and making reassuring coos. I grinned at her, Claws¡¯s affection tearing right through the negative thoughts that lingered. The root extending from the ground made a shrugging gesture, mimicking the cultivators that had so often visited her clearing. She sent a surge of complex emotions into me, and a smile grew across my face. ¡°What did she say?¡± Maria asked. ¡°The general sentiment was that all things happen for a reason. If not for all those experiences, she never would have met us. Without meeting bloodthirsty cultivators, she couldn¡¯t have properly appreciated our peaceful nature.¡± Saying this seemed to lift a dark blanket from the faces of everyone around me, and conversation once more rang out through the clearing. I simply watched, bathing in the enjoyment of those around me and the spirit at my back. I stood and stretched. ¡°I think I¡¯ll go sort out some dinner and turn in early tonight.¡± ¡°Early?¡± Maria asked. ¡°The merchant is coming tomorrow, so everyone probably wants some rest... but you? I thought you¡¯d want to stay up all night with your new friend...¡± ¡°Usually I would, but I just learned something really important.¡± At the speed of light, Ellis¡¯s notepad was out, his hand ready to record. ¡°What did you learn? In detail, if you would.¡± I laughed. ¡°Nothing like that, mate.¡± I glanced back at the tree spirit with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s just something I¡¯ll need to sleep on.¡± Understanding me better than anyone else, Maria¡¯s eyes narrowed into a glower, and I nodded back at her, confirming her suspicion. ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªshe doesn¡¯t have a name.¡± Her panicked hisses of laughter were music to my ears as she tried to break free. *** With a temporary truce enacted and an otter perched atop my shoulder, Maria and I strode toward the forest. The sun poked its head over the horizon at our backs, causing us to cast long shadows that stretched out toward the trees. The night¡¯s chill still lingered in the air, and as I took another sip of coffee, I bathed in the warmth it provided. ¡°Thanks again for brekkie.¡± Miria beamed a smile at me. ¡°You¡¯re most welcome.¡± I threw the last of the pastry into my mouth. It was buttery, flaky, and as sweet as the woman beside me. I took my time enjoying the last bite of croissant, staring at the trees as we stepped from the sand and into the forest. The humidity present beneath the lush canopy had trapped the cold of night, and if not for the coffee heating me from within, it would have sent a shiver down my spine. Maria looped an arm in mine and pulled herself close. ¡°I miss summer already...¡± ¡°Not a fan of the cold?¡± ¡°Hmm... it depends, I suppose. It¡¯s nice if you¡¯re curled up under a blanket or sitting around a fire, and it''s a welcome reprieve if you¡¯re doing fieldwork, but I¡¯d definitely say I¡¯m more of a summer person.¡± I focused on the cold air surrounding us; with each step, it seemed to steal some of my body¡¯s warmth. ¡°You know... I think coming here made me a summer person. I hated the humid summers back in Australia, but here in Tropica...¡± I trailed off, remembering the sun¡¯s kiss as I stood on the beach, a fishing rod in hand and the sound of waves lapping at the shoreline. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve only really been here a couple months, so I¡¯ve only experienced autumn, right? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t speak so soon.¡± Maria shook her head, her shoulder-length hair softly tickling my upper arm. ¡°The last few months have been about as hot as it gets. You get the odd heatwave here and there, but I¡¯m sure a big, strong man like you can handle it.¡± She squeezed my bicep and waggled her eyebrows at me, causing a laugh to burst from my mouth. We stepped from the trees and into the clearing. Leroy, who was sitting at the base of the blue trunk, opened his eyes and smiled at us. ¡°I was wondering how long it would take you to arrive.¡± ¡°G¡¯day, mate! You haven¡¯t been waiting here all night, have you?¡± ¡°No,¡± he laughed. ¡°Barbara would have my head if I spent the night with a tree instead of her, whether or not it contains an ancient spirit.¡± Said tree¡¯s canopy shook with laughter, and Leroy raised an eyebrow at it, shaking his head with a smile. ¡°I can¡¯t go to the merchant anyway,¡± he continued. ¡°It¡¯s not worth the risk of someone recognizing me.¡± I cocked my head to the side. ¡°Yeah... I wonder if we couldn¡¯t think up a disguise or something? It seems unfair that you can¡¯t re-explore Tropica.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. I have so much to be thankful for¡ªI shouldn¡¯t complain about a little inconvenience.¡± Despite his words, I didn¡¯t miss the twinge of sadness in his eyes. Nor did I miss the mischief held in one Corporal Claw¡¯s visage as she loped forward to rest a reassuring paw on his knee. ¡°Well,¡± I said. ¡°Even if you were bothered, which you¡¯re clearly not, I¡¯ve got something that might cheer you up...¡± His eyes rose to meet mine, and I nodded. Maria leaned closer, squeezing my arm. I cleared my throat, puffing out my chest and rolling my shoulders back.. ¡°Long and hard have I considered!¡± My tone was grand, deep, and oh-so pretentious. ¡°I ask you to bear witness, dear friends, for today, I give name to an ancient being of significant¡ª¡± Maria cut me off with a groan ¡°I swear, Fischer¡ªif you leave us on another cliffhanger, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket,¡± I bellowed, raising my hands to the sky. ¡°Or Lemon for short¡ªwhich would you prefer?¡± A lemon fell from the tree behind me, hitting the grass with a muted thump. ¡°Lemon it is!¡± ¡°Fischer...¡± Maria said. ¡°Lemon is super cute... but Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket?¡± Her voice was filled with exasperation. ¡°You have to be messing with us at this point, right?¡± I threw my eyes open and pointed an accusing finger at Maria, then turned toward Lemon. ¡°Do you see this lowly witness¡¯s hubris? What say you, Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket? How shall we punish the upstart?¡± Silence stretched throughout the clearing. At the speed with which I spoke before considering my words, a thin root poked from the ground, drew back, then flicked Maria on the butt. Her eyebrow twitched, and she turned to face me, a forced smile and a promise of violence on her face. Book 2: Chapter 50: Calculated Loss Book 2: Chapter 50: Calculated Loss With the morning sun filtering down from above¡ªand giggles flowing freely from my mouth¡ªI ran for my life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was only joking!¡± ¡°Get him, Claws!¡± Maria yelled, her arms pumping as she sprinted after me. Lightning sprouted from Claws¡¯s body. She kicked off the tree¡¯s trunk, extended her arms, soared toward me¡ªand flopped onto her belly a mere meter from her launchpad. Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket had absorbed the energy when Claws tried to kick off her trunk. Claws¡¯s grin disappeared as she whirled on the tree, screeching an accusatory chirp at the traitorous spirit. I laughed so hard at the scene that I missed a step, crashing down to the forest floor before skidding to a stop on all fours. I made to take off again, to escape with my life, but then Maria body-slammed me. ¡°Oof!¡± Though I had an enhanced body, so did she, and it was like being tackled by a rugby forward. ¡°Mercy,¡± I croaked as she wrapped around me like a spider monkey. ¡°This ¡®lowly witness¡¯ demands satisfaction!¡± ¡°I yield! I was only joking!¡± ¡°All right. You¡¯re forgiven...¡± I breathed out a sigh of relief. ¡°For the insult,¡± she continued. ¡°For that terrible name, however, your punishment will be more severe!¡± Faster than I could react to, her tiny little fingers darted under my arms, and my torture began. ¡°M-mercy! Please!¡± I yelled, squirming as she tickled me. Corporal Claws, seeing her chance at revenge, abandoned her squabble with Lemon. She was at my side in a moment, her paws shooting under my chin and jabbing into the tender spot where neck meets shoulder. I tried to escape, tried to twist from the clutches, but I was powerless before the onslaught. After what felt like an eternity, my feet caught purchase on the forest floor. I kicked off, flying for sanctuary. When I reached Lemon¡¯s blue trunk, I latched on like a startled cat, breathing heavily. I glared down at Maria and Claws, who were both rolling on the floor with laughter. ¡°Not cool!¡± Leroy stood, shaking his head as he stared up at me. ¡°Sometimes I think my life as a cultivator in the capital was more predictable...¡± *** As Marcus, the leader of the merchant caravan, prepared his wares for the villagers of Tropica, he smiled to himself. The contents of the chest he held rivaled the wealth of every other product combined¡ªusing it, he would further his own goals. When he¡¯d visited the village a month ago, he was filled with curiosity about a strange man who had appeared on these distant shores. This Fischer had shown a cunning unworthy of a mere commoner, but that was the least intriguing of his qualities. More notable was his political sway¡ªmost anomalous of all was his wealth. When Marcus had arrived back in the capital to unload his coin and collect more wares, he told his business partner of the man and all he¡¯d learned of him. They both agreed; Fischer was likely of noble blood and was expanding his family¡¯s influence and wealth with some kind of scheme that was too complex for them to identify. In the month since Marcus was last here, he had lamented his lack of preparation. Though he indeed identified Fischer as an important person at the time, and had made plans to ingratiate himself with the hidden noble, he¡¯d been too safe¡ªtoo unambitious. His business partner had disagreed, even suggesting that his plan to further ingratiate himself with Fischer was going too far. Marcus hefted the chest in his hands, and as he lifted its lid, his smile turned to a broad grin. The produce was a strictly controlled item to inflate their scarcity, meaning he could only buy ten per month¡ªall of which were in the chest before him. This time, he was prepared. He was going to make his business partner eat her words. *** ¡°G¡¯day, mate!¡± I said as I strode toward the largest of the wagons. ¡°Ah, hello, my friend!¡± Marcus called, his hands clasped before him as he bowed. ¡°I was wondering when you would appear! Come, come! I have all the wares that you could possibly desire!¡± I grinned at the keen sparkle in the merchant¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I need anything, mate¡ªI¡¯m mostly here to help my pals carry their purchases.¡± I gestured at the two hulking smiths beside me. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly have a little window shop, though.¡± ¡°Er¡ªI regret to say that I do not have any windows for sale, friend Fischer. ¡°Just a figure of speech, mate. I don¡¯t actually need any windows.¡± ¡°O-oh. Of course...¡± His sure smile returned, sweeping away the clear confusion. ¡°Well, let me skip right to the point, then.¡± He reached into the back of the wagon and pulled a chest from out of sight. He slid it toward me, and I leaned forward, peering down at the contents. *** Preparing these goods for Fischer had been an expensive endeavor, and though Marcus wouldn¡¯t recoup all of his losses by selling them at market rate, it was a calculated loss. He had hired a specially insulted chest, one that was usually reserved for the wealthiest of Gormona¡¯s residents when they embarked on long voyages or had one of their overpriced picnics. The chest had thick walls that were filled with a rare substance, and when food was placed inside, it would remain fresh for much, much longer than if it were kept at an ambient temperature. As Fischer caught sight of the chest¡¯s contents, his eyes went wide, and Marcus rubbed his hands together in delight. ¡°That¡¯s right, my friend. I know how much you enjoyed the lemons I brought with me last time. They were old, not as fresh as they could have been...¡± He spread his hands over the open crate, drawing even more attention to the contraption. ¡°This time, I have ensured their quality. I will take a loss on these ten fruits, my friend, but for you?¡± He shrugged and gave Fischer his best smile. ¡°It is a worthy sacrifice.¡± *** I tried not to roll my eyes at Marcus¡¯s sales pitch; there was no way a merchant as successful as Marcus would take a loss on, well... anything. My eyes were drawn back down to the chest again, and I shook my head, unbelieving of what I saw. ¡°Where did you get so much...?¡± ¡°For me, friend, no product is out of reach.¡± Marcus shot me a wink. ¡°That is why I have so many acquaintances in these distant lands, you see? If a client of mine requires fresh lemons, I will supply them.¡± ¡°Oh, not the lemons, my man¡ªI mean the ice.¡± I pointed down at the four slabs of ice lining each wall. ¡°How did you get so much? I¡¯ve been looking for a cooling solution, but haven¡¯t found a good one...¡± ¡°Do not mention it! Just think of Marcus when you next need to procure something from the capital, yes? No item is too much trouble.¡± ¡°Will do, my man!¡± ¡°Was there anything else you needed today?¡± We all shook our heads. ¡°Very well!¡± He rubbed his hands together, smiling at me and Fergus. ¡°If you follow me to another wagon, friends, I¡¯ll take you to this month¡¯s shipment of metal!¡± *** As Fischer and the smiths carried away their bundles of metal on a cart, Marcus let out a contented sigh. They had bought every bit of metal he had, which alone would have been a cause for celebration. He had incurred a loss, sure, but what was a little coin compared to the business relationship he was working toward? The amount of metal that Fischer had requested was also the confirmation he was looking for: the man was working toward something here. If he needed metal, he¡¯d need other supplies, too. While he had a feeling that Fischer was a benevolent noble after his last visit to Tropica, part of him had been prepared for it to be a front, for Fischer to be just pretending to be a good person as part of his machinations in this seaside village. Why? Because that was what nobles did. They were shrewd, elitist, and, above all else, ruthless. Now, though? Marcus had measured the man, and was certain that Fischer truly wanted the best for those around him. He shook his head. Fischer, a noble, wanted the best for commoners! It was baffling, yet a breath of fresh air. His business partner was going to be livid that he¡¯d gone against her wishes and spent so much of their coffers on lemons, but Marcus grinned at the thought. The gamble had paid off, and even his finicky partner couldn¡¯t be upset with the result. Well, not too upset, he admitted to himself, his grin turning fond as he pictured the cute way her eyebrow twitched when she was mad at him. *** The moment we rounded a field of sugarcane and disappeared from view of the merchant caravan, we spotted Duncan. He smiled up at us from his seat on the ground, then got to his feet, brushing off his pants. ¡°Lemons!¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Gods above, if only he knew.¡± His eyes shot to the pile of yellow within the cart, and an eyebrow shot up. ¡°Wait, you actually bought some...? Why?¡± ¡°For Sue and the others!¡± I replied, shooting him a wink. ¡°They can¡¯t exactly eat the lemons that Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket grows.¡± ¡°... what did you just say?¡± ¡°The lemons,¡± I reiterated. ¡°The ones we have access to would make people become cultivators.¡± I pointed down at the ten in the cart. ¡°These won¡¯t.¡± Both smiths gave me a flat look. ¡°Yeah, no, I got that,¡± Duncan said slowly, as if talking to a toddler. ¡°What did you call her?¡± ¡°Call who, mate?¡± ¡°The tree spirit...¡± ¡°Oh! Why didn¡¯t you say so? Her name is Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket¡ªLemon for short, though.¡± ¡°... I think he¡¯s finally lost it, boss.¡± I beamed a grin at Fergus, who just shook his head at me, a look of genuine concern on his face that only made my joy grow. *** The smell of burning coal rushed out toward me as the furnace heated. I breathed deep of the earthy scent before exhaling slowly. ¡°Is it weird that I love the smell of your smithy?¡± ¡°Well, that depends,¡± Fergus answered. ¡°Define love.¡± I barked a laugh. ¡°Yeah, maybe I could have phrased that better. I thoroughly enjoy it¡ªhow¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Better.¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Duncan said, leaning toward the glowing coals and breathing in as loud as he could. ¡°I love it too.¡± He shot me a wink, and from beside me, Maria rolled her eyes playfully. ¡°Few men would take pride in being as weird as Fischer.¡± Duncan grinned. ¡°I blame the repeated heat exposure¡ªwhat¡¯s your excuse, Fischer?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have one. I¡¯m just a weirdo.¡± Maria pouted. ¡°It¡¯s no fun when you go with it¡ªyou¡¯re supposed to be all, ¡®you dare speak back to me, foul wench?¡¯¡± I raised an eyebrow at the nasal voice she used to imitate me. ¡°Please tell me I don¡¯t sound like that...¡± ¡°Oh, honey...¡± she patted me on the shoulder. ¡°I would never lie to you like that.¡± She spun to Fergus, completely ignoring the flat stare I was giving her. ¡°Let¡¯s get these cages started!¡± Book 2: Chapter 51: An Unexpected Guest Book 2: Chapter 51: An Unexpected Guest The following month was perhaps the most restful period since my arrival in Tropica, despite the growth of Barry¡¯s congregation and their escalating shenanigans. We¡¯d run out of metal to make more oyster cages after only a day, and it took us a mere few hours the following morning to secure the seventeen cages in the shallows of the bay. Maria had unlocked the blacksmithing skill, and as with woodworking, she found it a relaxing hobby. We added it to the roster of activities, finding time to work on projects when we weren¡¯t too busy swimming, eating, fishing, relaxing in the sun, or petting our veritable army of cute animal pals. I had given all the lemons to Sue. The pastries that she and Stergill had made as a result were to die for, and it inspired Maria and I to spend each evening in the kitchen trying to make our own sweets. Four Fieldays later, we waited on the patch of dirt west of Tropica for Marcus¡¯s arrival¡ªhe never came. That evening, I lowered myself into the underground spa hidden within the church. A blissful groan escaped my throat. ¡°Ahhh¡ªI think I could live down here...¡± ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Maria replied with a blissful smile on her face. She leaned back against a rock in the center of the pool. Her skin was flushed with the spa¡¯s heat, adding a hint of pink to the sun-kissed skin visible beneath her frilly swimmers. A washcloth covered her eyes, but above it, I noticed a hint of tension creasing her forehead. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± I asked. Her lips pressed into a firm line, then she sighed, removing the washcloth. ¡°Just worrying about Marcus¡ªsame as everyone else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really that big a deal? I would have thought he¡¯d be late now and then.¡± ¡°Not Marcus¡ªnever Marcus. The man has an entire wagon filled with replacement parts should an axle snap, along with a handful of spare horses. There¡¯s a reason he¡¯s so beloved despite his occasionally over-the-top prices.¡± A knot of worry formed in my stomach, but I took a deep breath, focusing instead on the spa¡¯s heat as I let the anxiety go. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just late.¡± Though I was excited about the material to make more cages... ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± she said, but her brows remained furrowed. ¡°It has just never happened before, so I can¡¯t help but worry about everyone in the caravan.¡± A realization hit me, and I slapped the water with one hand as I bolted upright. ¡°Oh... no...¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, her back stiffening. ¡°I just remembered that Marcus is the deliverer of coffee beans!¡± I made my eyes go wide. ¡°This is a disaster...¡± Maria shook her head at me. ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re worried.¡± ¡°This is no longer a joking matter, Maria.¡± I grinned and shot her a wink. ¡°Now the great Fischer¡¯s comfort is at stake¡ªthat should be enough to terrify anyone.¡± She snorted. ¡°The truly terrifying thing is you speaking about yourself in third person.¡± She shivered. ¡°Talk about bone-chilling.¡± ¡°Hmm. Quite a heretical opinion you¡¯ve got there, young lady. Don¡¯t let any of the followers of Fischer hear you spit such venom.¡± Her entire body cringed, and I cackled at the disgusted look on her face. ¡°Perfect...¡± I said, peering up at Snips. ¡°Thanks for the assist.¡± She hissed a few happy bubbles, closing her eye and leaning forward. ¡°Of course I can reward you with a good scratch¡ªthat¡¯s only fair!¡± I set the tray down and rubbed Snips¡¯s sturdy carapace. She leaned into it, hissing softly as I got the parts of her head that she couldn¡¯t reach. Corporal Claws, ever the jealous type, dashed forward and presented her neck. I gave her a good scritching too, delighting in the contrast of shell and fur. The moment I stopped scratching them, their eyes moved to the tray sitting on the sand¡ªthey¡¯d tasted every one of my trial puddings, and though they weren¡¯t usually ones for sweets, this dish proved to be the exception. ¡°All right, everyone,¡± I said, standing up with the tray. ¡°Who¡¯s ready to try some pudding?¡± The sea of friendly faces lit up, and a few cheers even broke out¡ªthe loudest of which was Duncan, who was swiftly clapped on the back of the head by Fergus. ¡°Woo!¡± Duncan said again, much more reserved this time. ¡°What is it?¡± Barry asked, craning his neck to get a good look. ¡°This, my friend, is a self-saucing pudding.¡± ¡°How in Hecate¡¯s magical teat¡ª¡± Leroy cut off, shooting a glance at Barbara. She raised an eyebrow at him. He cleared his throat. ¡°How in Hecate¡¯s magical torch did you create a pudding that sauces itself?¡± ¡°Better,¡± Barbara said, lowering the elbow. I laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not as magical as it sounds¡ªthe sauce is created when it cooks.¡± I moved the tray, making the firm pudding jiggle a little. ¡°As it sets, a fluffy lemon sponge rises to the top. Beneath it... well, I suppose it¡¯s easier if I just show you.¡± I walked over to the table, set the tray down, and picked up a metal spoon Maria and I had made at the smithy. I plunged it into the pudding, making sure I scooped plenty of the lemon sauce from underneath. When I put the spoonful into a bowl, steam rose from the sauce as it spread out beneath the fluffy sponge. As I dished out the rest, my mouth watered. The smell of flour, sugar, and lemon was being wafted up into my nostrils by the rising steam, and my body seemed to demand I take a bite. When there was a bowl for everyone, Maria helped me pass them out, and we picked up the last two bowls for ourselves. I sat in my chair, and just as I was about to take a spoonful, an alarmed squeak caught my attention. Cinnamon was up on all fours, her back arched as she stared down at the egg. I leaned forward, peering at the white shell¡ªjust in time to see it shake. ¡°The egg!¡± I yelled, leaving my bowl behind and dashing for the bed I¡¯d made her. When I got there, I glanced back. ¡°You guys can eat up¡ªdon¡¯t wait for me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d miss this,¡± Maria replied, leaving her own bowl behind. It seemed everyone else agreed; they stood and formed a loose circle around Cinnamon¡¯s throne of pillows. No one made a noise, but then a loud mmm came out. Duncan had a spoon hanging from his mouth and a bowl in his hands. The sound of delight continued coming from his throat. ¡°Really?¡± Fergus demanded, shooting a scornful look at his apprentice. ¡°What?¡± Duncan challenged around a mouthful of pudding. He chewed and swallowed. ¡°Like you can¡¯t stand and eat at the same time.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a point...¡± Barry said, glancing back at his bowl. A mass exodus occurred as everyone¡ªexcept for Maria and I¡ªretrieved their dessert. Even my animal pals got their bowls¡ªminus Pistachio, who merely watched with keen eyes. There was a cracking sound, and I leaned down, peering closer at the egg. There was nothing there. I cocked my head to the side. ¡°What the...¡± Someone across from me dropped a bowl, and I glanced up. Barry still held his spoon in one hand, but the other had gone slack. His eyes stared past my shoulder. I whirled. Behind me, ten meters or so across the sand, a crack was tearing through space itself. It was as long as Cinnamon¡¯s body, but then another crack shot out, loud enough to rumble the ground beneath me. The rent in space tore wide, and tendrils of inky black snaked out like shattered earth. A power stronger than I¡¯d felt before came from the tear. ¡°Get back,¡± I said, stepping forward and pushing Maria behind me. ¡°Something is coming...¡± No one moved, all eyes fixated on the broken air. A paw as big as my head and darker than night stepped through it, padding softly onto the sand. Book 2: Chapter 52: An Evil Form Book 2: Chapter 52: An Evil Form Inky tendrils spread from the paw that stepped through, so dark that they stood out against the black of night. A lithe form poured after it. The dog-shaped creature hunched, gathering power in its limbs and revealing a serpent where its tail should be. Two onyx eyes roamed around the gathering, stopping only when they fixed on me. Its gaze narrowed with recognition, and it hunched further, dipping its shoulders as it prepared to strike. Before it could attack, all hell broke loose. Pistachio slammed his open claw shut, releasing a sound like two boulders colliding as a blast of deadly force rocketed at the hound. Blue clouds of chi erupted from Snips¡¯s body, propelling her toward the intruder. Corporal Claws launched from the sand with lightning wreathing her limbs. She scooped up Cinnamon and the egg in passing, continuing on the land at a safe distance. Bill took flight, his eyes pinned on the hound. Rocky, both his claws held high above his head, jumped at it, power swelling in the joints of his deadly clackers. Leroy punched the sand, causing vines to sprout from the ground beneath the dog. Barry shot from the sand, his fist cocked back and ready to deliver violence. The two smiths squatted down as sheets of earth started climbing their legs. Ellis bellowed a single-syllable word I didn¡¯t understand. It seemed to make the surrounding air quiver. Theo snapped his fingers, making a golden light gleam from his entire body. From the corner of my enhanced vision, I saw the strikes approaching the hound. I turned to watch, my brain unable to keep up with the violence unfolding before my eyes. Pistachio¡¯s shot, Rocky¡¯s dual explosions, Snips¡¯s blue arc of energy, Leroy¡¯s vines, and Barry¡¯s punch struck as one. Each ability and strike traveled right through the hound as its body turned semi-opaque. Its eyes never left me, and as the attacks passed harmlessly through it, its leg muscles bulged. Without further warning, it launched at me, its teeth bared as it transformed. *** Just before tearing a portal between realms, the hellhound reflected on the weeks gone since his last visit to the mortal realm. His body had been almost obliterated by the cultivator¡¯s attack. If the hellhound had been less experienced, he would have assumed that he¡¯d be able to charge through the accidental kick of a mere human. As that bare foot had approached and a thin line of white light extended, however, it drew his attention. The moment it began to expand, he knew the truth of it: that unaspected light promised death. So, he had grasped at the thin trickle of chi once more flowing through the world, diverting it to cushion his head and torso. His vital points were shielded from the brunt of the blow, but that did nothing to protect the rest of his body. Using the power held within his core, he had torn another portal open to the realm of shadow and slipped through, his shattered limbs and joints thankfully numb. As he crashed to the floor, his consciousness had fled, and when it eventually returned, he found himself alone, the portal having closed as his awareness waned. The first two weeks had been a haze as he slipped in and out of consciousness, the passage of time marked only by an agonizingly slow reduction of pain. Though power had returned to the world after uncountable years, it wasn¡¯t enough for his body to heal at the rate he was used to. When his last ligament was completely restored and the physical pain was banished, something worse replaced it. When the gods had fled all those millennia ago, the chi hadn¡¯t followed them immediately. His family¡ªhis pack¡ªhad one by one left him. With each disappearance, it was like losing a part of himself. Eventually, it was just him and his brother, and then it was just him. The loneliness was indescribable, and with nothing to do while his body healed, he was all too aware of his solitude. Many would rejoice at being awake once more after so long in stasis, especially on finding themselves the lone occupant of a realm as powerful as shadow. For a pack animal like the hellhound, it was torture. Even worse was the memory of the creatures and humans that had defeated him. In the mortal realm, where power had historically ruled and all that anyone cared about was themselves, a mishmash of different beings had banded together. In times long gone, it had been his pack hunting down individuals. Somehow, the positions had swapped, and it made his blood boil. Each time he replayed their coordinated attacks, his lip would twitch of its own accord. They even intentionally avoided hurting each other¡ªthe least they could have done was take out their rivals and pretend it was an ¡®accident¡¯... but no. Their bond was genuine; they were a true pack. Most egregious of all were the furtive glances they kept shooting back toward the headland. They were directed at his mark¡ªthough they came up against a hellhound, a creature that could eviscerate them all given the inclination, they threw themselves at him in unified purpose: the protection of the cultivator he had been sent to kill. This realization was the final straw that broke him and made the hellhound¡¯s fury turn to despair. He longed for that connection¡ªfor his family to return. Yet he knew they wouldn¡¯t. Perhaps his brother one day would, but only after more millennia, if at all. As with his anger, his despair similarly grew to become something else. A profound jealousy took root, and given enough time¡ªof which he had plenty¡ªit bloomed. He loathed those creatures and humans who had cultivated something so rare, so... precious. With a desire¡ªno, a need to once more become part of a pack, the hellhound began forming a plan. He harnessed the trickle of chi that churned all around him, gathering it within his core. Though he had never torn a portal open without the help of a summon, if he were to enact his plan, it was a necessity. It took weeks to gather the requisite power. Not once did he let his attention waver. When he finally had enough chi, he paused a moment, having second thoughts now that it was time. After expending the chi he¡¯d gathered to open a portal to the mortal realm, he would be left defenseless. There was no retreating, no shielding himself from the death-delivering blows the cultivator could easily deliver. He didn¡¯t have to consider long. Some fates were worse than death, after all. He channeled the chi, his body trembling beneath the weight of his task. The first line appeared. Crack. The portal shook, threatened to close, but he redoubled his efforts. Crack. With one last push, the air before him shattered, and he stepped through. After one paw entered, the rest of his body was sucked through the rent in space, and he appeared on the sand before a sea of faces. He scanned them all, and when he found the one he was searching for, his eyes narrowed as a thrill ran through him. He hunched his legs. The creatures¡ªof which there were now even more¡ªattacked. The humans attacked too, and as chi flowed through each and everyone of them, he halted a moment, stunned by their number. It only hardened his resolve. There were even more of them now, and they held the same fervor in their eyes, the same desperate desire to protect their pack. He went insubstantial so the attacks could flow through him. Then he leaped forward, his eyes never leaving the man he came to find. As he sailed toward him, he scanned the cultivator¡¯s mind for the canine form he found most ferocious; he would need to transform into something intimidating if he were to prove himself worthy of becoming one of them. When his ability returned a form, he didn¡¯t question the result¡ªhis power had never failed him. His body changed shape, becoming that which the cultivator found the most vicious¡ªthe most evil¡ªin the entire canine world. Gary fell to his knees, bowing so his forehead touched the sand. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry we summoned you, demon. I didn¡¯t know what I was doing¡ªI¡ª¡° Gary cut off as Helen dropped down and covered his mouth with one hand. ¡°Fischer¡ªhe¡¯s, uh, just joking?¡± I blinked, staring around at everyone. ¡°Please tell me you guys haven¡¯t been summoning demons.¡± Barry held a hand to his heart. ¡°I swear on my family¡¯s life that we haven¡¯t been summoning demons. Gary talks of the past actions of the Church of the Leviathan,¡± he said, emphasizing the word past. ¡°Truth,¡± Theo added, then shrugged. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, anyway.¡± ¡°Huh. Where is Sebastian, by the way? I just realized I haven¡¯t seen him in ages.¡± At the wide-eyed stares and shared glances I got in response, I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh...¡± Barry grimaced. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that summoning demons isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± ¡°Damn. He was a little odd, but I didn¡¯t think he was a bad bloke.¡± Rocky snorted a hiss¡ªor perhaps hissed a snort?¡ªbut then Snips knocked him hard on the carapace to shut him up. Everyone went silent. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t wanna know any more about that.¡± "You''re... okay?" Barry asked, giving me a kind look. "I thought you''d be a bit more upset." "I mean, I''m not happy about it, but you just told me he tried to summon a demon. That lands firmly in frack-around-and-find-out territory." I turned back to the dog, who was apparently said demon, and cocked my head at him. ¡°Are you trying to join our little gang?¡± Despite his terrifying body, he had puppy-dog eyes as he stared up at me. He nodded once, the movement almost unnoticeable. ¡°All right, mate. If you¡¯re willing to be a good boy, I don¡¯t see why you can¡¯t¡ª¡± I cut off as a blur of black and white entered my peripheral vision. All I could do was watch as Warrant Officer Williams, my rambunctious pelican pal, flew parallel to the sand and karate kicked the ever-loving shit out of the nightmare puppy. Book 2: Chapter Dog name? Dog name! Book 2: Chapter Dog name? Dog name! Alright, gang. You know the drill. Let''s say - purely hypothetically, of course - that there were a hellhound that needed a new name. Any and all comments will be considered and may be put to a poll before the name is published. Book 2: Chapter 53: Mans Best Friend Book 2: Chapter 53: Mans Best Friend Like a bat out of hell, Warrant Officer Williams flew flipper-first into the nightmare doggo. I had but a moment to fear for the new arrival¡¯s wellbeing, but then Bill made contact. He pinwheeled away from the hound¡¯s lithe form like a pigeon flung from a windshield. The dog yelped in panic and his hindquarters lowered as he spun. Bill, still spinning like a feathered beyblade and honking in panic, slammed back-first into the sand ten meters away. He scrambled to his webbed feet, puffing his feathers out and preparing to attack once more¡ªthe hound was faster. Shadows formed around his legs. Power swelled, and the moment I saw tendrils of black reach up from the sand beside Bill, I reached down and grabbed the hound by the scruff of his neck. ¡°No! Bad boy!¡± He turned back into a chihuahua in my grasp, giving me side-eye as he let out a soft growl. ¡°I don¡¯t care who started it, mister!¡± Bill, whose wings were spread and foot was lifted as if he was a kung fu crane, cocked his head to the side and let out a questioning honk. ¡°He isn¡¯t attacking me, Bill¡ªhe wants to be mates.¡± Grrr, the chihuahua-shaped predator growled, tongue licking the roof of his mouth. I sighed, rubbing my eyes. ¡°Yeah, I know he hit you, but he thought you were gonna attack me. Besides, I¡¯m pretty sure he hurt himself more than you. I held the pupper up, supporting his rump so we were eye to eye. ¡°I need your word that you¡¯ll be friends with all the creatures here. If you hurt anyone...¡± I let a hint of iron enter my voice. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you. Understand?¡± The hound¡¯s body shifted, morphed, and the next thing I knew, I was holding a full-grown golden retriever in my arms. He barked once in agreement, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. He sniffed my chin, then licked me. My eyes went wide, and all I could do for a long moment was blink. Then I pulled him tight. His soft fur between my fingers was delightful. Bill turned to the side and shook his feathers, trying to appear indifferent and looking anything but. Remembering I had company, I glanced back at everyone else. They were completely frozen, some yet to dismiss powers I had no idea they even possessed: Theo¡¯s shining golden light blinked out; Fergus had gauntlets of earth that turned to sand and fell to the ground as I raised an eyebrow; and Brad had¡ªwas that a gods¡¯ damned knife hand? Before I could inspect it further, it faded away, replaced by a prideful grin on his face. ¡°Damn¡ªyou guys have been busy, huh?¡± ¡°Fischer...¡± Maria said. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked, turning toward her. She pointed at the golden retriever in my arms, whose head darted forward and licked her finger. She pulled her hand back, giggled, then cleared her throat and did her best to appear serious. ¡°We have¡ªer¡ªmore important things to discuss.¡± ¡°Really? I have a new shapeshifting dog¡ªit¡¯s not that big a deal.¡± I waggled my eyebrows; the hound barked. ¡°Hellhound,¡± Ellis said, not looking up from his notepad as his pencil blurred across its pages. I glanced down at the chihuahua-looking nightmare dog, then back up at Ellis. ¡°... Hellhound?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± He blessed me with a moment of eye contact. ¡°I understand your hesitance to know anything about the church, but if you¡¯re going to befriend the beast, you should understand what it is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a hellhound?¡± I asked him. ¡°How the frack did you get here?¡± His eyes went distant for a moment before refocusing on me. He moved forward, hesitated, then lowered his head. Somehow, I understood his intent. I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against his. All at once, I was drawn in. I felt others there, and as I reached out toward them, it was... everyone, each creature and cultivator present. Even Lemon was there, lingering in the periphery. Then, he showed us. His pack, his family, dwindling one-by-one. Millenia spent alone. Emptiness. Stasis. Reawakening. His battle on the sand. Me, wobbling and drunk as a sailor as I kicked the absolute piss out of him by accident. Injury. Healing. Loneliness. Despair. Despair. Despair. Regret¡ªnot for his situation, but for subjecting us to his emotions. Finally, his decision; his plan to join us¡ªto become part of our pack. A split second later, my head darted back, and I gazed into his sad eyes. His snout dipped down like a dog who had been told off by his master and expected punishment. My vision blurred, but not because I was getting drawn in again. I wiped at my face absentmindedly, sweeping away the tear that rolled down one cheek. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, mate...¡± I said, unable to forget the pain I¡¯d caused him. Maria whimpered, and the next moment, her arms were wrapped around us. ¡°Of course you can stay!¡± she half-yelled, her voice shaking. A blue of movement from the side, followed by a barrage of hisses and chirps as Claws and Snips joined in on the cuddle puddle. Snips blew a stream of sorrowful bubbles while Claws rubbed the hellhound all over with rapidfire strokes of her paw pads. His tail started to wag slowly, tickling my arm. I bathed in their contact, soaking it up to soothe the lingering heartache inside me after experiencing the hound¡¯s sorrow. I felt something soft brush up against my leg, and I peered down, seeing Bill had joined us. Though he didn¡¯t touch the hellhound directly, he was showing his support. A brown blur landed atop the pile of animals, and Cinnamon gave his head a tiny lick before leaping back toward the egg she¡¯d returned to the bed. ¡°It¡¯s kinda ugly, isn¡¯t it?¡± Maria whispered, raising an eyebrow at me. Borks nodded in agreement, and I tried not to laugh, all too aware of the volatile look on Cinnamon¡¯s face following Maria¡¯s pronouncement. I failed at keeping the laughter bottled up. ¡°Sorry, Cinnamon,¡± I said as the laugh trailed away. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be super cute when its feathers come in, but for now... it looks kinda alien.¡± She raised her nose at us¡ªan impressive feat, considering she was only a foot from the ground. She moved over the hatchling, gently curling her torso around it. I turned to Bill, who was leaning over the makeshift nest, one of his large eyes peering at the hatchling closely. ¡°Would you mind taking care of feeding this little one, Bill?¡± I cocked my head. ¡°Wait, baby pelicans eat fish, right?¡± He puffed his chest out, raised his head, and unleashed a mighty honk. Without further ado, he flew off toward the ocean, no doubt in search of fish. With things quieting down, I went and fetched my bowl before returning to sit by Cinnamon. The pudding within had cooled completely, but as I put the first bite into my mouth, I still let out a contented noise. As with every lemon dish we¡¯d made so far, Barry¡¯s sugar cut through the bitterness like a knife through butter. The soft sponge on top was dry, especially after cooling down. That was where the sauce came in. It had thickened as heat left the dish, and when it combined in my mouth with the sponge, the textures flitted across my tongue, the tart lemon and sweet sugar guiding the dance. ¡°It¡¯s a shame it cooled down,¡± Duncan said, sitting beside me and Maria on the sand. ¡°It¡¯s good now, but when it was fresh...¡± A blissful smile came to his face. ¡°It was indescribable.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a shame,¡± I replied, grinning at him. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll just have to make another one, huh, Maria?¡± The smile she returned my way was as bright as a lighthouse. ¡°A true shame, but I suppose we can manage it.¡± Some time later, Snips and Claws were curled up in our laps, and I dropped my right hand to pet Borks¡¯s soft fur, who was in his golden retriever form, snoozing on the sand as he leaned against my thigh. His weight was a welcome one, and as his yellow fur tickled the palm of my hand, I was completely present. Thoughts existed, of course¡ªtoo many to count: the knowledge that I¡¯d only known Borks for an hour, yet he already felt like a part of my family¡ªa part of me; small flashes of worry about Maria and my friends, animal and human both; excitement¡ªand fear¡ªfor the future; and a million other fleeting ideas, sensations, and possibilities that were a side-effect of the human condition. Rather than dive into any of the thoughts, they passed by like leaves on the wind, merely appearing, being acknowledged, then continuing on to disappear from awareness. My breaths came slow and steady, each one cooling my nostrils on the intake and warming them as I exhaled. Maria¡¯s arm was hooked in mine and her head resting against my shoulder. The smell of her hair drifted up, engulfing and banishing every other thought. As if sensing it, she squeezed me tight. It made the already present smile on my face spread even wider, but then she pulled away, letting out a yawn. ¡°I¡¯d better get going¡ªif I stay any longer, I think I¡¯ll fall asleep.¡± ¡°I know how you feel,¡± I replied, stretching my back as I extended my hands toward the darkened sky. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you home.¡± *** The following morning, I woke to something softly tapping the covers of the bed. Fwip, fwip, fwip. I cracked an eye in confusion, only to be assaulted by a barrage of sniffs as Borks leaned down to greet me. He was sitting on the bed, his long-haired tail the source of the sound. ¡°Morning, mate!¡± I said, reaching both hands up to scratch behind his ears. He licked my cheek in response, causing an absolute deluge of serotonin to rush through me. ¡°Fischer!¡± came a yell from outside, and I bolted upright. Before I could stand, my door was thrown open, and Maria stared at me, her eyes wide. ¡°Marcus just got here.¡± ¡°Marcus?¡± I asked, my sleep-addled brain trying to catch up. That was good¡ªeveryone was worried about the caravan, but then why was Maria so panicked? ¡°Is the caravan okay?¡± ¡°Not the caravan, Fischer. Just Marcus.¡± ¡°... what?¡± She chewed her cheek. ¡°Better you hear it from him.¡± I threw the covers aside, all but running as I threw on some clothes and followed her. ##################################################################### Hello, friends. I adjusted chapter 50 because of feedback. I was going to post the exerpts here, but I ended up changing pretty much every paragraph. You can check it out if you like, or I''ll list the tl;dr below. Marcus brought 10 lemons, Fischer buys them because he realizes that Marcus is genuinly panicked, and he intends to give them out to the villagers. At the start of chapter 51, I added a paragraph detailing that Fischer gaves the lemons to Sue and Stergill, they made lemon pastries that were delightful, and it inspired Fischer and Maria to experiment in the kitchen with desserts. Book 2: Chapter 54: Dichotomy Book 2: Chapter 54: Dichotomy My skin prickled with nervous sweat as Maria and I jogged across the sand, traveling as fast as we could without revealing that we were cultivators. Brigadier Borks loped beside us, his eyes and ears alert. As the fields surrounding us turned to stone-craft buildings and cobbled streets, something about the village seemed... odd. The sun was just breaching the horizon, casting an orange glow across all we saw. The town was usually bustling by this point, farmers off to tend their fields and craftsfolk going about their business. That¡¯s what it was, I realized¡ªwe hadn¡¯t seen a single person. We passed Steven and Ruby¡¯s shop; it was open, yet neither of them were inside. I shared a glance with Maria, and we picked up the pace. As we approached the flat outside Tropica, where the caravan usually set up their wares, distant voices came rolling over the fields of cane and wheat. When we emerged from between two crops, we found what looked to be the entirety of Tropica¡ªcommoners and nobles both. They were split down the middle, the farmers and crafters packed in tight while the north siders gave each other space. If that isn¡¯t a physical representation of the wealth inequality of the village, I don¡¯t know what is. Worry lined the faces and colored the voices of the south siders as they looked toward the front of the crowd for answers. The nobles, however... ¡°Unacceptable!¡± a man boomed, his prodigious jowls glowing a deep crimson. I¡¯d never seen him before, which made sense¡ªhis pale skin looked like he¡¯d not seen the sun for decades. ¡°You go back to Gormona and get my shipment of cured meats this second, young man!¡± I glanced toward the front of the crowd, spotting the ¡®young man¡¯ he was addressing. Marcus¡ªwho looked to be a few years older than the pale noble¡ªstood atop a cart small enough to be drawn by a single horse, his fingers laced before him. ¡°I apologize profusely, sir. As the king has decreed, it is impossible to leave the capital with resources at this time.¡± ¡°Why?¡± a sun-tanned farmer who had just arrived yelled. ¡°What¡¯s in the cart, then?¡± a noble bellowed. A sea of murmurs rose to agree, slowly growing louder as Marcus tried to explain himself. I stood on my tiptoes, peered into the cart, and let out a sigh; whatever he had brought, the small sacks didn¡¯t contain metal for more oyster cages. ¡°Please, dear friends,¡± Marcus yelled over the crowd. ¡°Only select items have been allowed to leave the capital¡¯s walls, which is what I have with me.¡± ¡°Is it food?¡± a mother holding a babe to her chest asked. Her husband raised his head over the surrounding villagers. ¡°Surely it¡¯s food! Though they¡¯re partially spoiled by the time they get here, we rely on the produce sent from other villages to feed our children! We can¡¯t live off bread and sugar!¡± ¡°W-well...¡± Marcus¡¯s face tightened around his eyes, betraying the smile he was giving. ¡°It is food, yes...¡± The crowd¡¯s murmur dimmed, but I winced, guessing that whatever he was going to say next would likely set them off again. ¡°But,¡± he continued. ¡°I was forbidden from disseminating food from village to village. To quote the king, ¡®all settlements are advised to subsist on their local crops until further notice.¡¯¡± As expected, the dissenting voices grew louder. ¡°What do you have, then?¡± the farmer with his wife asked, stepping forward. ¡°What food did you bring?¡± ¡°Only produce from the capital...¡± he answered, his eyes darting furtively as he held up two hands that had no hope of quelling the villagers¡¯ anger. ¡°What produce?¡± the man bellowed, striding forward.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°C-coffee beans and passiona berrie-¡± The end of Marcus¡¯s sentence was cut off by the crowd¡¯s answering roar. Their complaints were overwhelming to my enhanced hearing, and I saw Maria cover her ears from the corner of my eye. Only a few statements made it through the cacophony without losing all meaning. ¡°Unbelievable!¡± ¡°You can only sell crops of the nobles?¡± ¡°Do the nobles have no shame?¡± More than a few heads swiveled toward the north siders, their suntanned faces hard and filled with misplaced hatred. The susurration was unrelenting, and I took a half-step forward, ready to intercept should a farmer launch one of their balled fists. Just as I thought a full-blown riot would erupt, someone jumped up onto the cart beside Marcus. ¡°Now, Tropica!¡± he boomed, his eyebrows furrowing at us all. ¡°Is that any way to welcome a merchant that has treated us so well all these years?¡± I didn¡¯t recognize the man, and judging by the confused looks on those surrounding me, neither did they. I blinked at him as hints of recognition tugged at me. ¡°Hang on a damned second...¡± I said, my face scrunching as my brain tried to reconcile the voice with the body. ¡°Is that...?¡± ¡°Holy frack,¡± Maria hissed. ¡°That¡¯s George!¡± ¡°Worry not, citizens of Tropica,¡± George said, raising his hands to the side. ¡°As with the reduction in taxes, I will serve you in this. I¡¯ll send a personal entreaty back to the king. Would you deliver that for me, Marcus?¡± ¡°But of course! How could I not, given the plight of my friends in Tropica?¡± ¡°Terrible news, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± a familiar voice asked from my left. I spun, knowing that there was no way he was actually here. But there he was; Leroy stood beside me, in open sight of any number of people that could recognize him. He had a tuft of yellow hair stuck to his upper lip. I looked closely at the fake mustache, peered down at Borks¡ªwho was smiling up at me with his tongue lolling¡ªthen raised an eyebrow as I looked back at Leroy. ¡°Love the mustache, mate.¡± He fought down a smile and gestured up with his eyes. I glanced at his oversized hat, not understanding what he wanted me to see, but then I took note of his hairline. An extremely familiar shade of brown hair poked down beneath the hat, still attached to a thin layer of dark, definitely non-human skin. It was a convincing toupee; anyone without a cultivator¡¯s eyes would miss it. ¡°Your hair is such a lovely color,¡± Maria said from beside me, fighting off a smirk. ¡°I can¡¯t place it, but I feel like it reminds me of someone I know...¡± In response, chittering laughter came from the hat, inaudible to anyone without enhanced hearing. His ¡®hair¡¯ moved as each chitter caused Corporal Claws¡¯s insulating fat to jiggle. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met,¡± I said. ¡°What was your name, mate?¡± ¡°Larry,¡± he replied, extending an arm. ¡°Larry!¡± I let out a laugh, unable to contain it as we shook hands. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, mate. I¡¯m Fischer.¡± As Maria and ¡®Larry¡¯ introduced themselves, my eyes scanned over the crowd. When I spotted the man I was looking for, he was already leaving, so I strode after him, weaving through the crowd. Borks followed, deftly trailing behind me. As I stepped in front of the man my eyes were pinned to, Borks sat beside me, and I rested a hand on his cute little head. The noble¡¯s face was smothered by annoyance, and I beamed a smile in response. ¡°G¡¯day, mate,¡± I said, extending a hand. ¡°I¡¯m Fischer.¡± Lord Osnan glanced down at it, then back up to me. ¡°I¡¯m busy,¡± he replied, his face pinched as he tried to step past me. I moved with him, remaining in his way. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all? I know I have plenty to do, but I thought I¡¯d take a moment to come say hello.¡± He raised an eyebrow, his jaw firming as he leaned forward into my personal space. ¡°Do you know who I am, peasant?¡± His voice was low, the threat in it clear. Borks let out a low growl in response to his, and I patted his head reassuringly. ¡°Nope! That¡¯s why I started with introductions.¡± I rubbed my chin, my face mere centimeters from his. ¡°Do they not have? manners where you¡¯re from?¡± ¡°Where I¡¯m from, peasant,¡± he hissed, emphasizing the last word, ¡°I could have you flogged for your insolence, and not a single person would bat an eye.¡± He leaned back and lifted a hand, staring down at his rings as if pondering striking me with them. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not where you¡¯re from, then!¡± I grinned. ¡°Sounds like a right shithole.¡± The subsequent look of indignation that crossed his face was a soothing balm to my growing irritation at the noble¡¯s self-importance. ¡°You¡¯re calling the capital, the royal seat of power, a shithole?¡± he demanded, his eyebrows trying to leave his face. I raised a hand to my chest. ¡°My good sir, I would never! I said it sounded like a shithole, but that¡¯s only from the way you described it.¡± I held up a finger. ¡°However¡ªand this is the important bit, so pay attention¡ªthat¡¯s only based on the way you described it. But you seem to be a right prick, so if it was described by someone that didn¡¯t think they were more important than the rising sun, I¡¯d probably say it sounded love¡ª¡± I cut off as he swung from the hip, his backhand soaring toward my head. Book 2: Chapter 55: Cannonball Book 2: Chapter 55: Cannonball As a bejeweled hand sailed toward my head¡ªextremely slowly, might I add¡ªI marveled at the rings adorning it. Four bands of precious metal and one of¡ªwas that iron?¡ªadorned his fingers and thumb. Each of the gold and silver rings held a single pearl, the sun reflecting from their smooth faces. Set in the band of iron on his ring finger, three of the biggest pearls I¡¯d ever seen stared at me as they crawled through space toward my noggin. If he was going to give me a good smacking, the least he could do was hurry it up. I suppose I have to let him hit me, I thought, settling my weight atop Borks¡¯s head so he didn¡¯t accidentally pull the prick¡¯s leg off or something. The hand kept coming, its incandescent stones reflecting sunlight. In my wildest dreams, I couldn¡¯t have anticipated the hand that saved me. A plump fist¡ªthough much less plump than I¡¯d previously seen it¡ªcaught Lord Osnan¡¯s, bringing the blow up short. I raised my eyebrows at George, and he raised his back, as shocked as I was that he¡¯d intervened. His face returned to a mask of calm. He turned toward the man whose wrist he still held. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Osnan reefed his hand back and tugged at his vest, staring hatred at George as a wind kicked up and blew cold air from the ocean. ¡°I could ask you the same, Kraken,¡± he spat, emphasizing the last word. ¡°Why did you stop me from dishing out punishment to a peasant?¡± George cleared his throat. ¡°Fischer is a vital part of this community, and more important than you know.¡± He stressed the latter part of his sentence, and I jerked my head back, completely disregarding the man who had just tried to assault me. ¡°Damn... thanks, George. That was a sweet thing to say.¡± Before the Lord of Tropica Village could respond, Osnan spat. ¡°Important?¡± He made a scoffing noise. ¡°He needs to learn his place.¡± ¡°Tom¡ª¡± George started to say. ¡°That¡¯s Tom Osnan Jr. to you, Kraken! Don¡¯t think for a moment that being part of a disgraced house makes us equals!¡± He stared at me from down his nose, and I could almost see the desire to strike me go through his mind. Then he looked down at Borks, who was growling low in his throat. The man¡¯s leg twitched, no doubt wanting to kick my dog, prick as he was. For a moment, I wished he would try, but then I realized losing a leg was probably a bit too harsh a punishment. Instead of striking out, Osnan¡¯s lip twitched in disgust. He turned and strode back toward Tropica. I pouted at his back, then looked around, shrugging at the villagers that were staring at me, wide-eyed. ¡°Thanks for that, mate,¡± I said to George. ¡°Not sure what would have become of that whole situation had he struck me.¡± ¡°O-of course, Fischer. It was the least I could do.¡± ¡°Nonsense, mate.¡± I rested a hand on his shoulder; his muscles were taut. ¡°You could have done nothing, but you stepped in for me. I appreciate it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re, uh, welcome.¡± He dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief, absorbing the sweat beading his brow. I smiled at him¡ªit can¡¯t have been easy for someone with social anxiety to intervene. ¡°You did really well with the crowd there, by the way.¡± I patted his shoulder, then removed my hand. ¡°You¡¯ve been improving in leaps and bounds, and I¡¯m super proud of you.¡± He blinked at me, his face going white, the poor bloke. ¡°Th-thank you, Fischer.¡± ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll see ya later, mate.¡± I turned and left before I could make him uncomfortable and undo all of his progress. ¡°Keep up the good work!¡± I called over my shoulder, waving goodbye as I returned to Maria and Leroy. Er¡ªLarry, I mean. ¡°What was all that about?¡± Maria asked, resting a palm atop my arm. ¡°I only caught the end of it, but it seemed tense...¡± I shrugged, leaning in so we wouldn¡¯t be overheard. ¡°I meant to go over and try to get some information about the crops his family grows, but he was such a prick that I couldn¡¯t help but dish some disrespect back his way. His response was to hit me.¡± ¡°Hit you?¡± Leroy asked, his face incredulous. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I did nothing, mate. George stopped him.¡± ¡°He what?¡± Maria shouted, then lowered her voice again, leaning in. ¡°Sorry¡ªI just didn¡¯t expect you to say that.¡± ¡°Right? Our boy George was cool, calm, and collected.¡± I looked over my shoulder, watching him disappear into the crowd as they made their way back to the village. *** As George walked back through the streets of Tropica, worry assailed him. Rather than beat it back, he followed the teaching of his family¡¯s manual, allowing the thoughts to come and go. ¡°Are you okay, dear?¡± Geraldine asked, resting a hand on his upper back. He let out a slow breath. ¡°You know, I think I am...¡± ¡°Are you ready to talk about it?¡± He considered for a moment, then nodded. Geraldine moved her hand in circles, rubbing his back and knowing he¡¯d speak when he was ready. They reached their steps, and the sky seemed to darken as he began. ¡°Did you hear any of my interaction with Fischer?¡± ¡°No¡ªI only saw it.¡± As they walked inside, she turned her brilliant eyes on him and shut the door, banishing the cool breeze that had begun blowing outside. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you for stopping Tom¡¯s hand, George. You saved him from himself. Striking a crown auditor is a capital offense, whether you¡¯re from a powerful family or not.¡± ¡°Now that,¡± I said, gesturing emphatically, ¡°is a long boy.¡± In a matter of seconds, Borks¡¯s coat was soaked, and Maria folded like the buttery layers of a croissant. She let go of my shoulder, falling to her hands and knees in the sand. Borks ran forward and assaulted her with a storm of licks more incessant than the squall surrounding us. She slung an arm over his shoulders, leaning on him for support as he continued licking her chin. ¡°Why are your dogs from earth so...?¡± ¡°Amazing?¡± I suggested, grinning. ¡°Sure¡ªlet¡¯s go with amazing,¡± she laughed, hugging Borks tight. He locked eyes with me and, unable to help myself, I pictured another breed. Maria gasped as he shifted again. Borks¡¯s body and legs shrunk, and in the blink of an eye, a brown Dachshund with gray speckles leaned his forepaws on Maria¡¯s thigh. Borks let out a sharp bark, his tail wagging and ears alert. ¡°Oh. My. Gods! What is that?¡± she yelled, scooping him up into a tight hug. ¡°You¡¯re so cute, Borks!¡± ¡°A Dachshund, affectionately known as a sausage dog, for obvious reasons.¡± ¡°Are you a little sausage, Borks?¡± She nuzzled him with her nose, her rain-slick hair falling around him. ¡°Who¡¯s a good sausage?¡± Seeing a chance for mischief, I gave Borks a malevolent grin. He shifted again. ¡°W-whoa!¡± Maria yelped as she crashed to the ground, a Great Dane atop her chest. Borks licked her chin, his gigantic tongue covering half of her neck. She shook with laughter and tried to stand up, but Borks dug his back legs into the sand and held her down, his massive tail swishing back and forth as he continued lapping at her chin. ¡°Enough, enough! I yield!¡± She giggled, pressing her chin to her chest. Borks stood, tail still wagging as he shook, sending water flying. ¡°What do you two say to a race?¡± I asked, petting Borks¡¯s overlarge head. He shifted back to his lithe Greyhound form, letting out an affirmative bark as Maria got to her feet. Her back was covered in sand, but the still-pouring rain was already washing it away. ¡°Well, if you boys are fine with losing,¡± she replied, shrugging. ¡°I suppose we can race. What are the rules?¡± ¡°The rules, huh?¡± I asked, rubbing my chin. ¡°I reckon first to the southern mountain wins. The only rule is¡ª¡± I cut off, sprinting southward as fast as I could. ¡°Cheater!¡± Maria roared from behind me. I glanced back, seeing them both trailing me through the sheets of falling water. ¡°There are no rules!¡± I replied, laughing. My legs thundered along, and with each passing step, I felt... free. Despite my enhanced body, I spent so much of my time in Tropica having to dampen my movement and appear normal. To run across the sands as fast as I could, my quads bulging with each stride¡ªit was enchanting, all-encompassing. I lost myself in the race, becoming one with the sands blurring beneath me. I felt a pulse of power behind me. Confused, I shot a look backward¡ªjust in time to see Maria catapult Borks my way with an overhand throw. He flew at me in his Chihuahua form, all four legs held forward. His eyes were wide, his teeth bared and tongue flicking. He let out a quiet growl, his face becoming clearer as he soared toward me at incredible speed. At the last possible moment, he shifted again, and the smushed face of a Bulldog took up my entire field of view, his curled tongue lolling from an open mouth. The respiratorially challenged canine hit me like a gods¡¯ damned cannonball. I landed face-first into the sand, sliding along with my back hyper-extended and legs hanging over my head like a scorpion¡¯s tail. I eventually slid to a stop, my torso falling over my head. Spitting sand, along with what remained of my pride, I got back to my feet. A blur of black fur and tanned skin flew past me. Maria was atop Borks¡¯s back, who was now some kind of mastiff. She hugged him tight, laughing hysterically at my disheveled form. ¡°No... no rules!¡± she choked out in passing before losing herself to laughter once more. I stretched my arms high, making sure all my bits still worked. I crouched low, taking a sprinters stance in the sand, then I took off, my eyes pinned on the faint flicker of black I caught sight of through the rain. By the time I reached them, they had already reached the treeline. Maria dismounted and hit the ground running. They both tore off through the underbrush at respectable speed. Maria¡¯s slight frame was made for traversing between the thick trunks¡ªas was Borks¡¯s myriad forms, apparently. He was constantly transforming, leaping from trunk to trunk as whatever dog better fit the occasion. When I caught up to him, he shot me a sidelong glance and changed back into his nightmare form. He summoned a portal and stepped through space. ¡°Cheating!¡± ¡°No rules!¡± Maria replied over her shoulder, throwing my words back at me. That¡¯s how you two wanna play it, huh? A smirk came to my face, and I leaned forward, focused on each step as I kicked off trunks, leaped over bushes, and soared across the landscape. Bit by bit, I caught them, and as I passed Maria, I gave her a smug grin. Rather than the pout I was expecting, her eyes went wide. A hand reached out to stop me as I sailed through the air over a creek. What is she¡ª My unfinished question was answered when I collided with a wall of stone. My cultivator¡¯s body flew through it, tumbling haphazardly and legs going akimbo for the second time in so many minutes. I came to a stop, finding myself out of the rain and laying atop a bed of shattered rock. I coughed, waving dust away from my face. ¡°Fischer, are you okay?¡± Maria asked, appearing in the cave¡¯s opening, Borks by her side. ¡°Yeah¡ªI think so.¡± The air smelled stale, and I rolled over, intending to get to my feet, but I paused as I saw the remains of a half-shattered boulder. The dull gray light of day reflected from something set in its face, standing out like a star in the night sky. ¡°No way...¡± Maria said, striding forward. ¡°Is that...?¡± I nodded, my jaw hanging open. ¡°I think it is...¡± Book 2: Chapter 56: Natural Resource Book 2: Chapter 56: Natural Resource The stale air assaulted my senses, made even more noticeable by the fresh smell of rain I¡¯d been running through for the past half hour. The storm raged outside, filling the cavern with its roar. I¡¯d accidentally obliterated a stack of boulders in my misadventures, and I reached a hand out, running a finger along the vein of metal sitting inside one of them. The metal was smooth and cold to the touch. Maria knelt down beside me, also running a hand down it. ¡°Silver...?¡± she asked, her voice filled with awe. ¡°I¡¯d bet my good name on it.¡± She quirked an eyebrow. ¡°You have a good name?¡± As I scowled at her jest, Borks came between us. He was a golden retriever once more, his immaculate fur dry after transforming. He sniffed the vein of silver, his nose inhaling and exhaling rapidly. With a nod of his head, and let out a quiet, affirmative ruff. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Maria swept her wet hair back, squeezing it absentmindedly. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of silver.¡± ¡°No kidding...¡± I looked at the stones littering the floor, spying a few more flecks of it. I stood up, braced the boulder, then hammered down on it with the bottom of my fist. It shattered beneath my strike, and I grabbed the vein of silver before it could hit the floor. It was as long as my forearm, as wide as my finger, and a hand-span deep. Chunks of dark rock clung to it, making it appear like a regular stone if viewed from certain angles. For the first time, I gazed at the surrounding cave. The ceiling was half again as tall as I was, and twice as wide. Marks marred every surface, cutting lines through the hardened rock. ¡°What made this...?¡± Maria asked, craning her neck to follow my gaze. ¡°Humans, most likely. Or an awakened creature with sharp claws, but my money¡¯s on humans. What good would a spirit beast have for ore?¡± I squinted down the tunnel, its sides fading from view the further it got from the faint light of day. ¡°It¡¯s a shame we can¡¯t see¡ªwe¡¯ll have to go get some torches before we...¡± I trailed off as I felt a pulse of energy from Borks. He reverted to his base form, his snake-tail twitching in concentration. The shadows crawled toward us, oozing across the ground and toward his feet. The darkness shrouding the tunnel slowly bled into him, his body going the color of night. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, but I definitely wasn¡¯t imagining it. ¡°Damn, Borks,¡± I said, peering down the now-visible tunnel. My canine friend was like a puddle of void and I reached a hand out, half expecting my hand to go through him, but it came to rest on his head. ¡°You are such a good boy, you know that?¡± His inky, snake-shaped tail wagged beneath my praise. ¡°Shall we?¡± I asked, holding a hand out to Maria. Her wide-eyed gaze drifted up to me. She slapped her cheeks, her shock diminishing with each strike. She reached a hand out and laced her fingers in mine. ¡°After you.¡± We set off down the tunnel, Borks lighting the way by absorbing the very shadows into his body. The deeper we got, the staler the air grew, and I couldn¡¯t help but scrunch my nose as the sickly smell that seemed to engulf us. ¡°You know,¡± Maria said, holding her nose, ¡°I¡¯m grateful for all the changes becoming a cultivator did to my body, but the enhanced sense of smell can be a real curse sometimes.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± I answered, holding my nose and grinning. Ahead, just outside of the circle of light created by Borks, the tunnel split. As we got to the crossroads, I paused for only a moment before continuing straight. ¡°We should just follow the main path for now,¡± I said to Maria, giving her hand a light squeeze. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get us lost in a mine¡ªthat would make for a terrible date.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a date, is it?¡± she asked, arching a brow above a smirk. ¡°We¡¯re holding hands, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I thought you wanted to hold my hand because you were scared.¡± ¡°Well, that too.¡± I shrugged. ¡°But why can¡¯t it also be because I¡¯m interested in you? It¡¯s a win-win.¡± ¡°You¡¯re interested in me, are you?¡± She turned forward, gazing into the darkness. While her question matched the joking tone we so-often communicated with, there was a hint of... what was that on her face? Concern? Sadness? ¡°Oh course I am.¡± My mouth formed a line. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She bit her lower lip and turned away for a second, inspecting the wall. When her head spun back toward me, her always-bright smile was back, and she grinned at me. ¡°So, they wounded it and sealed off the mine,¡± I deduced, standing back up and stretching. ¡°It has to have been an awakened creature, right?¡± Maria asked. ¡°I¡¯m guessing so... what do you reckon, Borks?¡± He let out an affirmative ruff, still sniffing at the reptile¡¯s bones. ¡°You¡¯re a good guardian, and an even better boy, Borks.¡± I rubbed his back in an attempt at reassurance, but he remained alert, his eyes pinned to the lizard. Maria let out a sharp sniff. ¡°That also explains the smell.¡± I barely heard her; there was something on the wall behind the lizard. I stepped over one of its forelegs, taking care not to touch it. Borks and Maria came with me, the former lighting the way by absorbing the shadows. Ochre-colored rust covered a patch of wall, the face seeming to have wasted away with the passage of time. Drawing back the pickaxe I held, I drove it into the stone, careful not to strike too hard and cause a collapse. A chunk of rock as big as my torso fell away, and when the dust settled, a broad grin spread over my face. ¡°It looks like silver isn¡¯t the only thing this mine produced.¡± The deeper we had traversed into the earth, the more the surrounding rock took on a reddish hue. Thanks to the stones I¡¯d used to construct the rock wall from my shores, I now knew that a red tint meant it was high in iron. Beneath the chunk I¡¯d carved away, the rock was a dull gray, flecked with small spots of... what had Ellis called it? Hematite? I turned to Maria just as she recognized why I was so excited. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯ll have to check with Ellis and the smiths, but yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s iron ore.¡± I ran a hand over its cool surface. ¡°If so, we might not need to rely on metal from the capital.¡± *** Maria and I had a quick shower and changed as Borks ran off to fetch everyone. I exited my bedroom just as she stepped from the spare bathroom, her damp hair the only remaining evidence of our torrential adventure. She smiled at me when our gazes met, and I took a deep breath, not averting my eyes. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± she asked, echoing my words back at me. ¡°That I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re allowed to look so cute after getting caught in a storm.¡± She rolled her eyes, but the smile remained. ¡°Is that what you say to all the girls?¡± ¡°If by all the girls you mean Sergeant Snips and Corporal Claws, I absolutely do¡ªwith completely different intent, though.¡± She laughed despite herself, covering her mouth with the back of one hand. ¡°Oh? And what are your intentions?¡± Something flashed in her eyes, but before I could answer, a two-meter long dog right out of a nightmare came bursting through the door. Borks shook, his snake tail whipping the doorframe and making the whole house vibrate. ¡°Careful there, big fella,¡± I said, laughing. ¡°Don¡¯t want you tearing down the building by accident.¡± His tail wagged and tongue lolled as he changed back into a golden retriever. Another figure burst through the door, heaving with breath and eyes manic. ¡°Whoa, Ellis¡ªyou right, mate?¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± he demanded, his jaw swinging and hands twitching. ¡°The mine? Not far to the sou¡ª¡± ¡°The body,¡± he interrupted, taking a step forward, his finger curling at his side. ¡°The lizard. Take me to it.¡± Book 2: Chapter 57: Sticky Fingers Book 2: Chapter 57: Sticky Fingers A soft drizzle was all that remained of the storm as we dashed over the sands. The sun peered out from between clouds, glinting off the water droplets and casting a vast rainbow in the distance. I smiled at it, wondering if everyone else felt the same level of peace. When I glanced at Ellis, that disillusion was swiftly dispelled. He ran with his knees high, his entire body holding a hint of manic energy. I raised my eyebrows at Peter and Fergus, who had arrived at my home just after the animated archivist. The former cook grinned at me, clearly finding amusement in his friend¡¯s ardor. ¡°Where are the rest of the gang?¡± I asked, content to let Borks lead the way. ¡°I had kinda assumed everyone would want to come see a mine and the body of a dead spirit beast.¡± Peter pursed his lips for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°I suppose I can tell you¡ªit isn¡¯t really church business. Barry and Danny are organizing a trade route between the neighboring villages.¡± I noted he didn¡¯t mention everyone else, but I was hardly going to go digging and accidentally discover things I couldn¡¯t unlearn. I drew a hand to my chest, letting my mouth fall open. Maria, catching my intent, let out an exaggerated gasp. ¡°You mean to tell us that Barry and Danny, the very beacons of virtue, are going against their king¡¯s orders? They would trade goods with other villages despite his direct order to not do so?¡± Her lips formed a line as she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Just disappointed.¡± While not with the same urgency as Ellis, Fergus¡¯s eyes sparkled with more than just mirth as we made our way to the mine. I was excited for him; I couldn¡¯t imagine the joy a blacksmith would feel at finding a hidden iron mine in their own backyard¡ªwell, it was technically my backyard, but the point remained. We reached the entrance in no time at all, and we wasted not a second in descending into its depths. We passed by the crossroads, over the discarded pickaxes, and when the lizard came into view, Ellis finally stopped running. He skidded to a stop before he got near it, then crept forward on careful steps, not disturbing a stone. In a blur, he removed his notepad and pencil from a pocket. ¡°Remarkable....¡± His voice was filled with awe. ¡°Absolutely remarkable.¡± ¡°What do you think, Ellis?¡± I asked. ¡°Was it an ascendant creature?¡± ¡°Undoubtedly. If it were anything but, the skin would have wasted away in this humid environment. To think it¡ªcareful, smith!¡± Fergus raised an eyebrow, pausing mid-step over the lizard¡¯s leg. ¡°I may be large, Ellis, but I¡¯m not a bumbling idiot.¡± Ellis let out a sigh. ¡°Sorry. I do not doubt your dexterity, it¡¯s just... please be careful around the specimen.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he replied, stepping over the leg and continuing to the section of wall I¡¯d taken a pickaxe to. Maria, Borks, and I followed, leaving Ellis to his documentation. ¡°So, what do you think, mate? Iron ore?¡± Fergus grabbed one of the gray chunks of stone, holding it up before his eyes. I knew his answer even before he spoke it¡ªit was etched on his face. ¡°Aye, Fischer. It¡¯s iron ore. By my judgment, it has incredible metal content. This will make fantastic pig iron.¡± ¡°Do we have the means to process it?¡± I asked. He shot me an odd look. ¡°I sometimes forget you¡¯re not trained in metals, considering how competent you are in the smithy. Aye, we have the means. Sometimes you need to crush and sort bits of rock out, but if all the ore has this much metal, all we need is enough heat.¡± ¡°The kind of heat you¡¯d get in your forge?¡± I asked. ¡°Aye, Fischer.¡± The sparkle in his eyes morphed into a glowing ember. ¡°Just so.¡± *** Barry glanced back up at the map in the Church of Fischer¡¯s meeting room, checking for the umpteenth time that there wasn¡¯t a more efficient route. ¡°Is everyone in agreement?¡± ¡°I believe so,¡± Keith answered. ¡°Danny?¡± The former quartermaster didn¡¯t look up from the table for a long moment, pouring over the map he¡¯d drawn. There were innumerable lines scrawled across its paper, connecting different villages to one another. Beside each hub of civilization, he¡¯d added what each area grew and would likely buy. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything we¡¯ve missed... what about you, Theo?¡± The former auditor looked up from the table. ¡°Sorry, what?¡± Danny¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°The route¡ªthe wares¡ªdo you see any way we could improve it?¡± ¡°Oh. Right. I was daydreaming, to be honest¡ªI don¡¯t have anything to add that you wouldn¡¯t see, Danny. I¡¯m mostly here for the next order of business. Not that there¡¯s any rush, mind you,¡± he quickly added. ¡°Take your time.¡± ¡°Anyone else?¡± Barry asked, casting his eyes over the rest of the cultivators and animals present. Only Fergus, Duncan, and Ellis were missing, having sprinted off when they received news of a mine and the body of what was potentially an awakened creature. A series of no¡¯s, head shakes, bubbles, and a chirp came in answer. ¡°I think we¡¯re all done here, to be honest,¡± he said, standing and stretching. ¡°As soon as we build a cart, we can send it out to swap goods between villages. I don¡¯t see anyone ratting us out, considering we¡¯re only offering trade, not trying to turn a profit.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Danny said, also stretching. ¡°Don¡¯t let your ego impede your judgment,¡± Fergus mumbled, likely intending for only his apprentice to hear. ¡°Others¡¯ abilities¡ªor lack of¡ªdon¡¯t change the hard work you¡¯ve put in at the forge.¡± He ruffled his hair to take the sting out of his words. Duncan opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again, his head cocking to the side in thought. The deepening frown on his face told me he was realizing Fergus was right on the money¡ªand was anything but happy about it. Taking care not to turn my head toward them, I smiled at the interaction; something about it was just as beautiful and pure as the light dancing on the scales below. ¡°Okay!¡± Ellis said, closing his notepad. ¡°Let us resume. I¡¯d like to get the skin into the climate controlled air of the church as soon as possible.¡± Not a word was uttered as we made our way back to Tropica, engrossed as we were in the lizard-shaped carpet of swirling light beneath our noses. *** ¡°Thank you for attending, everyone,¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona said, his intonation so deep as to almost be a yell. The confidence in his voice was the antithesis to the way he felt inside¡ªall the more reason to use it. Though the waxing crescent moon was bright beyond the stained glass windows high above them in the throne room, the orange glow of countless candles smothered any other color with their orange monotony. All six women before him bowed deep, some slower than others. The king forgave them; the hour was late, and many had been asleep. The castle staff had been under orders to rouse them all¡ªAugustus included¡ªthe moment Aisa arrived back from her expedition to the southern desert. It had taken longer than planned to get the message to her, and as a flourish of annoyance emerged at the memory, Augstus Reginald Gormona did his best to banish it. He couldn¡¯t alter the past, and he needed to focus on what he could change. Could influence. ¡°Let me ask you straight,¡± he said, surety in his voice that he didn¡¯t feel. ¡°Who among you knows what a Domain is?¡± Aria and her sisters, Chloe and Larissa, shared a glance, but no one spoke up. The king sighed. ¡°Yes, I know it is restricted information, just as you do, yet I¡¯m aware of the records your families keep. Please¡ªspeak with honesty. This is not a test and you shan¡¯t be punished.¡± Aria stepped forward. ¡°A Domain is a sort of area buff created by a cultivator, correct?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± the king replied. The three who shared a look earlier didn¡¯t react to the words, but lines formed on the faces of the other set of sisters, Eirene, Dianne, and Naomi. So their parents kept it a secret... the king noted Eirene rolled her shoulders back. ¡°What is the significance of this information, my king?¡± Augustus nodded, appreciating the question. ¡°You were all sent to hunt down awakened creatures, of which none were found...¡± All six women bowed at the waist. ¡°Forgive us, king,¡± Aisa said, staring at the ground. ¡°These lowly servants deserve any punishment you see fit.¡± ¡°No.¡± They all glanced up, save Aisa, whose face remained down-turned. ¡°It is not your fault,¡± he continued. ¡°They are of significant power, which is why I have revealed the knowledge of Domains.¡± This made Aisa¡¯s head turn toward him, and he could see the realization sprout on her face. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said, clenching his jaw. ¡°They are working together, no doubt being led by one of their number.¡± Aisa swallowed; she had already deduced who. Augustus Reginald Gormona, king of these lands, nodded again. ¡°That¡¯s correct, Aisa. Lizard Wizard has established a Domain within the bounds of our kingdom.¡± She bared her teeth, as did her sisters, similarly furious. The other three women looked ponderous, but the king didn¡¯t judge them for it; it was of their nature to consider everything before reaching a decision. ¡°That is an open act of war, my king,¡± Aisa ground out. She dropped to one knee. ¡°What are your orders? We will tear them up by the root if necessary¡ªjust give the word.¡± Her statement gave the king hope, and he felt more sure of himself with these powerful women before him. He gave them a magnanimous look. ¡°I appreciate your fervency, but we are going on the defensive. This will be a war of attrition.¡± Aisa¡¯s eyes darted around at nothing in particular as her capable brain worked. ¡°Cut them off, starve them of resources before they assault the walls,¡± she said to herself. ¡°Become like a great turtle in its shell¡ªimpregnable, stalwart, strong.¡± Her eyes snapped up to his. ¡°A brilliant plan, my king.¡± The king grinned, his emotions finally matching what he felt inside. ¡°Indeed, Aisa. You are all to lead your collared in this defense. I leave the area designation up to you.¡± He turned and strode from the room, knowing a show of faith in their abilities to be the best option. ¡°Yes, king!¡± came the answering cry from all six women. Book 2: Chapter 58: A Friendly Chat Book 2: Chapter 58: A Friendly Chat As we strode beneath the crescent moon, I frowned at the load of iron ore now covering the tabletop. ¡°These rocks are way uglier than the lizard, Fergus.¡± He grinned at me. ¡°True, but you can¡¯t turn a lizard into cages, can you?¡± ¡°Certainly not with that attitude,¡± Maria replied, trying to give a snooty look but falling short. Duncan pouted with just as much theatric failure as Maria, his smile peaking through. He turned to Fergus. ¡°No one appreciates our hard work, boss. I told you we should have branched out into making jewelry¡ªmaybe then the simple-minded would have something shiny to catch their attention.¡± Maria¡¯s answering laugh lilted freely over the surrounding sands, just as breathtaking as the memory of the lizard¡¯s scales. ¡°A smith calling a farmer simple minded?¡± she continued, arching a brow between the part of her sandy hair. ¡°Talk about throwing stones from a glass house.¡± The back-and-forth ribbing continued for the next couple of hours, especially when Theo joined us, stating he couldn¡¯t sleep. By the tenth trip, however, the late hour and monotonous work caught up to us. ¡°Should we make this the last load?¡± I asked, seeing the haggard look on everyone¡¯s faces. *** From the first trip to Tropica with the dangerous-smelling lizard, Borks was there, running along the sand and padding silently over cobbled streets. All the while, he bathed in the conversation. It mattered not that it wasn¡¯t directed toward him¡ªsimply being around a pack again was an unspeakable joy. Coming to Tropica hadn¡¯t been a mistake. He had kept trying to find opportunities to help, but short of carrying a chunk of ore in his jaws each time they made a trip, he just got in the way. Though he was stronger than many of the humans helping¡ªstronger perhaps than everyone but his master¡ªhis padded paws were ill-suited for carrying the plank of wood they used for transporting rocks. He¡¯d tried to get under and lift it atop his back, but Fischer had stopped him and pointed out that he might make the load lopsided. He was correct, of course, but Borks still wanted to help. Maybe he could use his ability¡ªtear a portal open with which to transport the ore... but no. The moment he reached for that power, he knew his reserves were still depleted. It had taken him weeks of gathering power to step back into the mortal realm. As the night got later and the conversation grew sparse, his desire to help only increased. He wanted to show his thanks, wanted to demonstrate just how joyous an experience it was being accepted in this odd yet tight-knit pack. So, he reached for the power anyway. It didn¡¯t answer. He closed his eyes, focusing harder on the nexus of chi buried within his abdomen. Brigadier Borks delved deeper, focusing on what he wanted to accomplish while feeling out his partially filled core. He wanted to help. He wanted to contribute. Above all else, he wanted to be... accepted. This realization hit like a pickaxe striking stone, and his core answered. Borks¡¯s eyes flew wide, as did the gates to his power. *** ¡°Should we make this the last trip?¡± I asked. I got a series of blank faces in response. Fergus stifled a yawn. ¡°I think we have enough ore for the next couple of days. To be honest, we don¡¯t have much more room in the smithy to store more. It might not be enough for the amount of cages Barry wants, but it¡¯s certainly a good sta¡ª¡° Bwooom. Air exploded from behind me. With it, came shadow. Inky tendrils of black slithered everywhere, only noticeable because of my enhanced awareness. In the blink of a regular human¡¯s eye, the entire cavern was plunged into darkness. ¡°Protect Fischer!¡± Theo yelled. Maria was at my side in a second, holding my arm with strength that would likely terrify anyone else. ¡°Relax, everyone,¡± I said, projecting my voice. I still couldn¡¯t see a damned thing, but I knew there was no need to worry. After all¡ªthe power had come from Borks. I could feel his touch in each of the shadows that swirled around us. Within every tendril, his will was present. It was lovely and tragic. He wanted to help, his desire to do so enough to manifest an advancement. I could also feel his need to be one of us¡ªto prove his worth. I took a step toward him, aware of his location despite the pitch-black darkness engulfing us. I lowered a hand to the top of his head and rubbed it softly. ¡°You are such a good boy, Borks.¡± Fwip, fwip, fwip, came the sound of his tail wagging and hitting the rocky floor. Just as fast as they had expanded, the shadows withdrew, pouring back into him. I kneeled down and pressed my shoulder into his, hugging him tight. ¡°You are accepted, buddy,¡± I whispered so only he could hear. ¡°You don¡¯t need to earn your place.¡± The speed of his tail increased, striking the floor at a faster rhythm. ¡°What... what is that?¡± Theo asked, pointing at the rift I could feel beside me. ¡°No bloody idea, mate,¡± I replied, letting go of Borks and turning to face it. A black circle hung in the air just above the ground. Around its edges, tiny black cracks extended that pulsed with abyssal energy. Borks walked over to it and put his head inside. I raised an eyebrow and leaned to look behind the portal. His head wasn¡¯t there; the black rift led elsewhere. The hellhound¡¯s neck moved around as he inspected whatever he saw. He stepped back, whirled to face me, and let out a joyous bark. The meaning was clear: it was safe. With more than a little trepidation, I put my head into the portal. As I looked around inside, Maria rested a hand on my back, then her head popped in beside me. ¡°Where... where are we?¡± ¡°I have absolutely no idea....¡± The portal led to a spacious, cube-shaped room. It was bare of... anything, really. The walls, roof, and ceiling were constructed of inky shadow and lit by a purple-tinged light that came from everywhere. It was around five meters in every direction, its corners vaguely rounded. Borks squeezed in beside us, jumping through the portal and into the room. His tail wagged as he walked to the back and dropped a large chunk of iron ore. He sat down, his tail once more striking the ground with muted thumps as he looked at the ore, at us, then barked. My eyes went wide with realization. ¡°It¡¯s a storage room¡ªlike a pocket dimension?¡± I got up and reached to the sky, my body and brain feeling similarly fatigued. Unlike my doggy pal, I¡¯d had a fitful night. After finding the pocket dimension open at the smithy, I helped them unload part of it, then Borks and I had headed home. I¡¯d hoped that the physical labor would help sleep steal my consciousness away. It didn¡¯t. Instead, I¡¯d lain awake for hours, unable to fight off my worries for long enough to pass out. It wasn¡¯t all bad news, though. Forced to be present with my thoughts, I¡¯d reached a decision, one that would hopefully help me process the complex emotions haunting me. ¡°Wanna come for a walk, Borks?¡± He barked, shifting into a golden retriever as he leaped from the bed. ¡°All right¡ªlet¡¯s head off.¡± Forgoing caffeine for now, we made my way over the sand. The sun rose at my back, its rays doing nothing to banish the cold of last night. Borks loped ahead, sniffing the rows of sugarcane after we reached them and turned west. Anxiety sprouted its ugly roots as I stepped up to the door. I swallowed, my mouth feeling as dry as the sand we¡¯d just crossed. A snout nudged my leg, and I looked down at Borks, smiling at the compassion held in his eyes. ¡°Thanks, buddy.¡± I took a deep breath, sighed it out, and knocked on the door. ¡°Morning, Fischer!¡± a voice came from behind me. I just about jumped out of my skin as I whirled around. ¡°Frack me, Barry¡ªa little warning next time!¡± ¡°A warning for saying hello?¡± He raised an eyebrow, giving me a smirk as he looked between me and the wooden facade he¡¯d secured to the church¡¯s gilded entrance. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you this early.¡± Borks trotted over and gave Barry a sniff. The farmer reached a hand down, rewarding him with a pat on the head. The door swung open behind me, and Danny stepped out. ¡°Morning, Fischer.¡± ¡°G¡¯day, mate. Have you seen Theo about? I was hoping to speak with him.¡± I turned to Barry. ¡°Are you free, too? Any chance I could shout you and Theo a coffee and croissant in exchange for a bit of your time?¡± ¡°I always have time for you, Fischer. You don¡¯t need to buy me breakfast, though.¡± ¡°I went and got enough coffee and croissants for everyone,¡± Danny said. ¡°There¡¯s more than enough for you, too¡ªKeith only went to bed as I was waking up, so you can have his.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll go get Theo.¡± He disappeared inside, the door closing with a soft click. Barry and I made small talk as we waited, and less than a minute later, the door swung open again. Theo held a small tray in hand, three coffees and croissants atop it. ¡°Good morning, mate!¡± he said, giving me a smile. ¡°Coffee?¡± ¡°Bless you,¡± I said, grabbing a cup and pastry. ¡°Do you have a moment?¡± ¡°Always! Danny said you wanted to talk to me. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s, uh...¡± I trailed off, not knowing where to begin. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Barry asked, still petting Borks¡¯s head. ¡°Yeah, mate, I just...¡± I let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve had some stuff on my mind, and I just need to talk it out with someone. I can¡¯t think of anyone better than you fellas to give me good advice.¡± Barry¡¯s hand stilled atop Borks¡¯s head, his eyes narrowing on me. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have something to do with a certain young lady, would it?¡± I paused mid sip, then slowly lowered the coffee. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Because I have eyes, Fischer.¡± I sighed. ¡°Is it that obvious to everyone?¡± ¡°Not to me...?¡± Theo said, looking between us. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the frack you¡¯re talking about.¡± Barry gave me a kind smile. ¡°I knew something was up, but thought I should wait until you wanted to talk about it.¡± I rubbed the back of my head, feeling awkward despite seeking them out. ¡°Come on.¡± Barry grabbed a coffee and croissant, then started walking away. ¡°Let¡¯s head down to the beach. It¡¯s a lovely morning.¡± ¡°Yeah, all right.¡± As we wandered east, I tried to organize my thoughts. Book 2: Chapter 59: Breakthrough Book 2: Chapter 59: Breakthrough With the sun guiding our way, Barry, Theo, and I walked toward the ocean. The soft breeze blowing toward us was cool against my skin, the cold of night not yet banished by the day¡¯s warmth. The air went still, letting the sound of softly crashing waves reach us. I focused on the sand beneath my feet and the whitewash calling out to us as I thought of how to start. Before I knew it, we were at the water. We sat down just above the lapping tide, close enough that it would reach our feet if we stayed too long. ¡°So,¡± Barry said, taking a sip of his coffee. ¡°What about your relationship with Maria has been bothering you?¡± Gulls called from above as they soared on unseen winds, their shrill noises calming as they melded with the ever-churning ocean. I let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not sure we even have a relationship.¡± I swirled the coffee around my cup, staring down at the golden liquid. ¡°We haven¡¯t spoken about it.¡± ¡°Okay. Do you want one? With her?¡± ¡°I do, yeah, but it¡¯s... complicated.¡± Barry cocked his head. ¡°How so?¡± I gave a humorless smile.T/his chapter is updated by ¡°You¡¯re spearheading a cult that treats me as some sort of deity. You, of all people, should know.¡± ¡°First, it¡¯s a church. Second, you¡¯re trying to change the subject.¡± ¡°True,¡± Theo added, shooting me a wink. ¡°You brought us here because you wanted to speak, Fischer, and it sounds like that¡¯s what you need.¡± His eyes bored into me, firm and unrelenting. ¡°So, I ask again: how are things complicated?¡± I opened my mouth to retort, but paused with my finger half raised. I wanted to tell him he was wrong, wanted to have a go at him for being so snippy, but then I thought about what he¡¯d said. I closed my mouth, flexing my jaw as I mulled the words over. ¡°I hate that you¡¯re right,¡± I admitted, giving an exaggerated pout. Barry laughed, his serious facade falling away. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it out of malice, Fischer. It¡¯s easy to lean into anything else when you¡¯re feeling vulnerable. But there¡¯s no need to hide yourself from us, mate. Theo and I are your friends, and we want what¡¯s best for you.¡± ¡°True,¡± Theo agreed, beaming a smile at me. I returned it, then cast my eyes out to sea, taking a deep breath. I held it, focusing on the horizon as I counted to four in my head. When I let it out, it was slow and controlled, like exhaling through a straw. Before the calm could leave me, I answered honestly. ¡°I¡¯m terrified. Of what I am¡ªof what I could become.¡± ¡°Why does that scare you?¡± Barry asked, his voice patient. ¡°Are you worried you could hurt her?¡± I frowned. ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t before, but you¡¯ve got a point...¡± Barry shook his head at me, a wincing smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯re changing the subject again.¡± I sighed. ¡°I suppose I was.¡± I looked up at the sky above us, letting the sun warm my skin and ground me. ¡°I¡¯m scared of what it means for her. I couldn¡¯t care less about myself, mate. No matter what happens, I¡¯ll have my animal pals. Even if the worst happens and you blokes manage to make me a god or whatever, I know they¡¯ll always be there with me... but Maria...¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried she¡¯d stay behind?¡± I chewed my lip. Was that what worried me? I¡¯d been pushing the thoughts away for so long that I didn¡¯t even know anymore. I always acknowledged and let them go, not wanting to dwell on the negative for too long. As if called by name, they once more rushed into my awareness. I didn¡¯t push them away. ¡°Of course I¡¯m scared of her staying behind¡ªof her not choosing me, but isn¡¯t everyone scared of that? The thought of letting someone in, of loving them entirely, but then being abandoned... it¡¯s...¡± I winced. ¡°It¡¯s horrifying.¡± Barry opened his mouth to respond, but I shook my head, my mind still processing my complex emotions. ¡°That¡¯s not what has me frozen, though. It¡¯s terrifying, sure, but it¡¯s worth the risk. She¡¯s worth the risk...¡± The weight inside me trembled. My hand drifted to my abdomen, resting on it. I had been telling the truth... hadn¡¯t I? While I was scared of getting attached, it wasn¡¯t the cause of my hesitation. As I thought about it, considering how it would feel if that eventuality came to be, it was like an icy hand gripped my heart. It squeezed, and my lungs went tight. The weight at my core responded, shaking and trying to get free. ¡°Oh...¡± The feeling was a familiar one. It was how I felt when I thought about my mother leaving when I was a child. Of her abandonment, no matter how much my father had pushed her away. ¡°Shit...¡± ¡°Say it,¡± Theo encouraged. ¡°If you¡¯re comfortable to do so, I mean.¡± I nodded, licking my lips. ¡°I wasn¡¯t pushing her away because I wanted to protect her. Well, not only for that reason, anyway.¡± I swallowed, my mouth dry and chest tight. ¡°It was to protect myself...¡± I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and slowly exhaled. The weight sitting on my core lifted. My skin prickled as it diffused, making its way from my abdomen out to my limbs. When it reached my toes and fingertips, the weight gathered, pooled, pushed at my pores, oozed through my skin... ... Oozed through my skin? ¡°What the...?¡± Barry asked. I opened my eyes, frowning as I stared down at my hands. They were covered in a translucent, faintly glowing liquid. Not just my hands, either¡ªmy entire body, everywhere I¡¯d felt the weight spread toward, was covered in drops of it. I shook an arm, but the drops didn¡¯t move. I rubbed two fingers together, trying to test the consistency, but as I did, it started reabsorbing into me. ¡°What the frack is happening...?¡± I heard myself ask. The viscous liquid was back within me in the blink of an eye, and it began retracing its path back toward my core. My ligaments shook as it crawled its way across them. With each part of my body it passed, the power grew, feeling like an ember, a flame, and then a roaring bonfire. Something was coming. ¡°Get back!¡± I growled through gritted teeth. ¡°Fischer...?¡± Theo asked, his voice laden with care. ¡°Are you¡ª¡° ¡°Back!¡± I yelled. The second warning was enough; Borks, Barry, and Theo dashed away, scrambling across the sand. The raging bonfire climbed down my chest, gathering fuel and heat as it went. Its edges flickered against my core, and then they were merging. It was too much power. It was too bright. Too hot. My body was burning up, unable to handle the sheer magnitude of the assault. I curled into a ball, my muscles aching from how tight they were. Then, just as I thought I would explode, light did instead. It shone from my entire body, turning the world a blinding white. I was frozen in time, my friends¡¯ positions locked as the light approached them. I¡¯d felt this before, had light shoot from my body... but never like this. It just kept growing, kept expanding, kept¡ª Boooom! A blast of unbelievable force exploded from me, disintegrating the sand at my feet. Despite having nothing to stand on, I remained suspended in the air, my limbs going numb as more power flowed out. The next thing I knew, I was in free fall. *** ¡°Back!¡± The urgency in Fischer¡¯s voice left no room for argument, so Barry took heed. He took off running, Theo and Borks at his side as he dashed away. With his back still turned, he felt the moment the chi exploded from Fischer, the force resonating in his core. Milliseconds later, the blast hit his body. He was flung forward, swept off his feet as the world turned to a blur. A wall of purple appeared in his path; Barry flew into it, the world turning from yellow sand and blue skies to a murky darkness. He slammed into something firm, the air getting knocked from his lungs and vision going black. Sand was everywhere, flung up by the explosion and settling within his clothing. He rolled to the side, coughing and spluttering. A canine snout wedged itself under his abdomen and helped him sit upright, then Borks licked his face as Barry¡¯s vision and awareness slowly returned. ¡°What was that...?¡± Theo groaned from beside him, also getting help from Borks. The dust in the air settled, and Barry blinked at the surrounding room. They were within Borks¡¯s spatial room, and realization struck. The purple wall had been Borks opening a portal before them, and the firm object he¡¯d hit was the back wall. Barry recalled the force they¡¯d been struck with¡ªif he hadn¡¯t been a cultivator, he would have died on the spot. If Borks hadn¡¯t opened the portal, all three of them could have torn through Tropica¡¯s buildings like a scythe through wheat. Seeing that both he and Theo were well, Borks let out a bark and dashed out through the portal, disappearing from sight. Barry stood slowly, then held out a hand for Theo. With a grunt, he pulled the man to his feet. They both ambled toward the exit, leaning on each other for support. *** Weightlessness settled over me. My entire body tingled in a pleasant manner as I fell through space, descending for what felt like an eternity. I kept falling, faint whispers of wind tickling my¡ª ¡°Oof!¡± I slammed back-first into the wet sand, forcing the air from my lungs. I squinted out, seeing the blue sky through a dissipating cloud of dust. Time felt... odd. It wasn¡¯t traveling as fast as it should, but with each passing second, I got the sensation that it was returning to normal. The soft sound of water called out to me¡ªthe ocean. I relaxed, content with just bathing in the sounds of the world¡ªbut then they came to meet me. A tsunami of ocean water crashed down onto me, catching me just as I¡¯d gone to take in a slow breath. Some got into my lungs. I coughed and spluttered, forcing the salty liquid from my throat with what little air I had left. My body was spinning, caught in the inexorable swirl of the surrounding water. With my chest screaming for oxygen and my limbs grasping for purchase, a red-hot coal of panic glowed within me. Book 2: Chapter 60: Cultivator Book 2: Chapter 60: Cultivator I spun for what felt like an eternity in the whitewash. There was neither up nor down, and I fought against the disorientation, my limbs extending in an attempt to find purchase. The ocean water was freezing, but I barely felt it¡ªI had to get out, had to get a breath, and with each passing second, the anxiety at my loss of control increased. I lashed out with my legs and swept my hands through the water. Finally, I made contact. When my fingers finally brushed solid sand, I spun and kicked off with every ounce of strength I could muster. With my body shaped like a torpedo, I sailed from the salty prison. *** Theo and Barry followed Borks from the portal, returning to the sands of Tropica. The shore looked like a meteor had struck it. Where Fischer had been, a gigantic crater remained, the sand that had previously filled it having surged up to create a two-meter-tall ridge. A third of it occupied where the ocean had previously been, and even as they strode up the ridge, seawater was pouring into the hole. ¡°Wh... where is Fischer?¡± Barry asked. Borks stared down at the churning water, his tail high and ears alert. Theo¡¯s gaze went distant. He had heard accounts of cultivators¡¯ awakenings from Ellis, and he was going over them in his mind¡¯s eye, comparing the tales to the scene before him. Such knowledge had been scoured from most history books, of course. But not those in the royal library. They had spoken of ascension in vague terms, mentioning shows of strength and transformations. Their little group of fishermen had spent many a night debating just what that truly meant. Looking at the beach before him, though, Theo saw the truth of it. The force needed to create such a blast was astronomical, and if he¡¯d not seen it for himself, he would have thought it an exaggeration. Theo was a cultivator now, too, and he¡¯d done all manner of tests under Ellis¡¯s instruction, as had everyone else that was a part of the church. Even if they had all attacked at once, they couldn¡¯t have done a third of what Fischer had just done by accident. He¡¯d been told of Fischer accidentally destroying a tree, and the time that he kicked Brigadier Borks clean over the sand between his house and Tropica, but neither of those acts held a candle to the damage done to the coastline. If he had to bet, Theo would say that Fischer clearly surpassed some sort of threshold. It filled Theo with an even higher level of respect for Fischer than he¡¯d already held. If it were anyone else, he may have been terrified of them. For Fischer, though... all he felt was excitement and awe. With his thoughts straying to the future and all the possibilities it held, Fischer exploded from the water. His eyes were wide, mouth gasping like a fish as he careened for the far wall of the crater. He slammed face-first into the raised sand, throwing what had to be a tonne of the grainy matter flying.T/his chapter is updated by When the sand cleared, all that was visible of Fischer were his hands and lower torso. As Fischer¡¯s limbs twitched, Theo just stared. Both his face and sense of awe dropped. *** Forcing my arms wide and planting my hands on the sand, I extracted myself from the tomb I found myself in. I arched my back and faced my head toward the heavens, gasping in a breath of air so sweet I could have cried. I collapsed to the ground, settling into the small divot I¡¯d made in my hasty exit from the churning water. As my gaze drifted to the crater I¡¯d just flown from, both eyebrows rose of their own accord. The ocean was rushing into what looked like a thirty-meter wide pool, its sandy sides already collapsing into the rushing water. I caught sight of movement on the other bank. Barry and Theo stood completely still as they stared at me, in complete contrast to the full-bodied wag Borks was doing. I felt a pulse of chi, and the next second, he was standing beside me. A storm of licks descended, and I petted him all over, laughing at the way his golden fur tickled me. ¡°Hey there, buddy.¡± Theo and Barry leaped, landing on either side of me. ¡°Are you okay, Fischer?¡± the former asked. I rubbed my face, getting as much sand from me as possible. ¡°Yeah, mate¡ªI think I¡¯m good. Are you guys? Whatever that was, it had a bit of a punch to it.¡± ¡°... a bit of a punch?¡± Theo repeated, his voice incredulous. ¡°If not for Borks¡¯s timely intervention, we¡¯d have been shot into Tropica.¡± He went on to tell me of the speed with which my blast had sent them flying, and of Borks¡¯s opening of his soul space¡ªpocket dimension? Whatever that ability was. The entire time he spoke, I was listening, but I was also feeling the world around us. Everything was more... tangible. It was impossible to describe properly, but it was as if I could feel the very strands of essence that wove around us, simply existing. When I focused on any of my friends before me, I could feel the chi¡ªthe power¡ªthat they held within them. Where before I¡¯d had an inkling if someone was a cultivator because of the resonance coming from them, when I felt any of them now, I knew. I was patting Borks¡¯s head, wanting to show my thanks for him potentially saving lives, when I focused on the core in his abdomen. I blinked, and when our eyes locked, I could tell he was aware of the conscious presence I was exerting. He licked my chin, and I closed my eyes, pressing my forehead to his. ¡°You guys wanna see something neat?¡± ¡°Something neat?¡± Barry asked. Theo narrowed his eyes in thought. ¡°Should I get Ellis first? He might headbutt me if I don¡¯t let him record it.¡± ¡°No time, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Both their foreheads furrowed in confusion, but I just smiled in response. Borks backed away as I sat up straight, crossing my legs. I set my hands to the sand beside me, and I peered down at the swirling water and collapsing walls beneath me, fixing the image into my mind before closing my eyes. I reached out with my will; the world answered. Power coursed from my core, and I guided it, expertly weaving strands where they were needed. My abdomen hummed as it hit the resonance the world demanded, and white light burst from me in a rush. The ground beneath me shifted. The landscape changed. A contented smile spread over my features as I opened my eyes again a second later. In my previous transformations, each element had been a surprise, and I was pretty sure I¡¯d been unconscious for half of them. This time, I knew what would await me. The walls of the pool had been raised and solidified, as had the floor. The water within, which had been churning chaotically, was mostly still. I had carved a channel out toward the ocean. The bay flowed in with small waves. The floor of the pool sloped down gradually from the west, starting shallow enough for a toddler to splash and becoming deep that I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand with my head above water. The tone of her voice told him she understood the significance of what he¡¯d experienced, so he explained as best he could while they hurried down the stairs. When they got outside, he paused for a moment as they took in their surroundings. No one else was outside, but from most buildings, faces could be seen peering from windows. ¡°Stay inside, everyone!¡± he yelled, heading off toward the south. As they traveled, he told Geraldine the rest of the story. She asked just the right questions, digging for George to explain the intricacies of it in a way she could understand. Gods, he loved that woman and her brain. When they reached the south side of Tropica, everyone was outside. Those that had been working fields were returning to their homes to check on their loved ones. At seeing George, many approached and asked questions he didn¡¯t have the answers to. No one knew what had happened. Those that were outside at the time of the blast said that it sounded like it came from everywhere. Air had rushed from the south, but when George and Geraldine jogged to the edge of Tropica, they saw nothing of note toward the distant mountains past Fischer¡¯s land. If the earthquake had happened even weeks ago, George and Geraldine would likely have scrambled around the village, working themselves into a tizzy. With the calm that came from practicing his family¡¯s techniques, however, they both knew it to be a pointless endeavor. As they slowly returned to their home, they walked in silence; both were consumed by their own thoughts. When they reached the upstairs room they¡¯d been using for their meditations, George pointed at Geraldine¡¯s stomach, taking comfort in the curve of her body despite the urgency he felt to return to meditation. ¡°It¡¯s just as the book says¡ªfocus right here.¡± She nodded, her eyes fervent, then she pulled George into a swift kiss. ¡°I love you, dear.¡± He smiled at her, then kissed her again before pulling away. ¡°I love you more.¡± They both closed their eyes and settled into the cross-legged stance. When he focused on the core within, it seemed close, easier to grasp, and his awareness swept into it faster than ever before. *** With the wind and sun at my back, I ran for Maria. I extended my awareness toward her home, and I felt both her and Sharon there. I picked up the pace, purpose guiding my steps. When I appeared from between the rows of cane that were now tall enough to block out my vision, I came up short. ¡°Please,¡± Sharon said, laying a reassuring hand on Roger¡¯s arm. ¡°Just stay here. I¡¯ll be back soo -¡± Roger¡¯s face contorted in rage. ¡°Enough is enough, Sharon! When are you going to tell me what in Pistis¡¯s good name is going on?¡± ¡°You have to trust me, my love...¡± She tried to lift her hand to his chest, but he twisted away, not letting it land. Just beyond them, standing on their deck and gazing at me with wide eyes, stood the most beautiful woman I¡¯d ever seen. Even a supermodel from back on Earth didn¡¯t hold a candle when compared to her perfectly imperfect freckles, her sun-tanned hair, and her stunning eyes, despite how panicked they looked in the moment. My feet strode forward of their own account, and I stepped past Sharon and Roger, not even registering their existence. ¡°Fischer...¡± Maria said, darting glances behind me. ¡°Do you know what happened? What that blast was? I¡ª¡± I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into me. With her on the slightly raised porch, we were at the same height. She was hesitant for a moment, but then she leaned in to meet me. Our lips pressed together, and time froze. My heart thundered, and I felt the fluttering of hers as we pulled each other in. We lost ourselves in the pure moment. Still holding her body to mine, I leaned back to stare into her eyes. I no longer hesitated. ¡°I love you, Maria.¡± Her eyes searched mine, darting from one to the other rapidly. ¡°You mean it.¡± It was a statement. I nodded anyway. ¡°I do. And I¡¯m sorry it took me so long to say it.¡± ¡°I...¡± she bit her lip and glanced down, averting her eyes. ¡°I love you too, Ficher.¡± A firm hand grasped my shirt and pulled. It tore open at the shoulder, the sleeve almost entirely disconnecting. I turned to see Roger, his rage clouded by confusion. He looked at the torn sleeve still in his hand, then up at me, his eyebrows narrowing. At a speed I wouldn¡¯t think possible for a regular human, he poked my bicep. I saw a flicker of understanding in the lines of his face, and then the muscles of his shoulder tensed. Without another word, his fist flew. If he had swung at me upon my arrival in Tropica, it would have collided and hurt like shit. With my body as it was now, though... I slid aside at the last instant, letting his fist travel through open air. It was for his sake, not for mine¡ªas fast as his fist was traveling, the bones of his hand would have shattered on me. ¡°You...¡± he looked at me, then Maria, who had stepped back when he swung. ¡°Get away from him!¡± Roger raised his fists and stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. There was zero hesitation on his face, despite his realization. ¡°Cultivator,¡± he spat, coming closer. Book 2: Chapter 61: When Stars Collide Book 2: Chapter 61: When Stars Collide It was, by all measurable metrics, a wonderful morning in Tropica. The sun was bright and warm, banishing the night¡¯s chill. A soft breeze blew, giving the air a fresh quality. I just had some sort of awakening, and as a result, I was more aware than ever of the world around me. I had just told the most beautiful woman I¡¯d ever known that I loved her. She had said it back. That said woman¡¯s father was currently bobbing and weaving toward me¡ªhands raised and ready to hit me with the old left-right-goodnight¡ªreally dampened the mood, though. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, wincing at Maria. ¡°I really messed this moment up.¡± ¡°Get back!¡± Roger yelled, though if it was at me or his daughter, I wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Roger, stop!¡± Sharon tried. I help up my hands placatingly. ¡°Whoa, mate. We can talk about this. It¡¯s a misunder¡ª¡± I cut off as I ducked a jab. ¡°Standing! It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°I knew there was something off with you,¡± he growled, then spared a glance for Maria. ¡°What are you doing? Run!¡± He jabbed again. I dodged to the side, but there had been no need. Sharon caught his arm at the wrist. He glared at her and tried to yank his hand back, but it didn¡¯t budge. What color remained in his face fled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you, dear,¡± she said, a mountain of regret in her eyes. ¡°I was waiting for the right time.¡± ¡°You...¡± he said, his voice flat. Sharon¡¯s eyes darted to Maria reflexively. She immediately returned them to Roger, but it was too late¡ªhe¡¯d seen it. ¡°Maria?¡± he asked, voice still lacking any inflection. She grimaced, then hopped to the side. To me, it was a casual movement. To Roger, she may as well have teleported. ¡°N-no,¡± he muttered, his legs wobbling. Sharon caught him and lowered him to the step. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, dear. You¡¯ll understand when I explain.¡± His eyes went distant. ¡°How did this happen...? My family...¡± She tapped him on the forehead hard enough to get his attention. ¡°Are still your family. Don¡¯t go saying anything foolish you can¡¯t take back.¡± He rubbed the red mark forming above his eyes, his gaze clearing for just a moment. Sharon pounced. ¡°I can explain it all, Roger.¡± She grabbed his head, forcing his eyes to meet hers. ¡°Please. You¡¯ll agree with my actions if you¡¯ll just listen to what I have to say.¡± I felt the need to jump in, to say something that would help, but what was there to say? It would eventually be revealed that I was the catalyst for all this change, and that would hardly make him inclined to trust me. This was a job for Sharon. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk, Maria.¡± ¡°No!¡± Roger yelled, coming back to himself and darting to his feet. ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Dad...¡± She gave him a forced smile, and the look in her eye broke my heart. ¡°I¡¯m a cultivator too. If you¡¯re terrified of Fischer, you may as well be terrified of me.¡± He opened his mouth to respond, looked to his wife for support, then seemed to remember she was also awakened. His face fell, and Sharon pulled him into a hug. ¡°I know, dear. I¡¯m so, so sorry.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com That was all I heard, because Maria had grabbed my hand. We walked away and around the corner of their home. The moment we were between two tall rows of cane, she collapsed in the sand, all surety leaving her. I lay a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m... Damn. I don¡¯t have the words. I¡¯m sorry, Maria. That must have been hard.¡± She let out a steadying breath. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He reacted worse than I thought he would, but he¡¯ll come around.¡± I sat down beside her. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± She cocked her head to the side as she stared into the crops, then she spun on me with a mischievous smile. ¡°You love me.¡± ¡°I do,¡± I laughed, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. ¡°And you love me too, apparently. If you can be trusted, I mean.¡± I shot her a wink, and she smiled back at my attempted joke, but it was a fragile thing. She pulled away and picked up a stray leaf from the ground, then started winding it around a finger. ¡°Are you sure? That you love me, I mean.¡± I didn¡¯t need to think about it. ¡°I am.¡± She focused on the leaf, unwinding it only to wrap it around her finger again. ¡°Part of me thought you weren¡¯t interested anymore. I thought that maybe you just wanted to be friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I spun so I was facing her, but kept the gap between us, giving her the agency to close the distance if she wanted. ¡°Are you in a place to hear about what was going through my mind, or do you want to leave it for another day?¡± She chewed her cheek, still focused on the leaf. ¡°I want to know. It¡¯ll be a good distraction.¡± I nodded, and having already exposed my soul to Barry and Theo today, the words flowed freely. I told her everything. Of my fear of being hurt, of my desire to protect her, and of the revelation that it was mainly the former giving me pause. At some point during the retelling, her hand drifted over to mine. Her tiny fingers intertwined with mine, keeping the words rushing forth. ¡°You¡¯re damned right you¡¯re sorry.¡± She let go of his ear and flicked his between the eyes, the blow making his head dart backward. ¡°You just obliterated a quarter of one of our crops, you goose. This is a farming village, Ellis. Show more care with your body.¡± I leaned to the side, locking eyes with Barry as he strode through the corridor Ellis had made. He gave me an oh, shit, look, and I nodded, trying to hide my smirk. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªer¡ªI am truly sorry, Maria. It was just... Fischer, he...¡± He looked to me for help, and I just shook my head. ¡°S-something happened, you see, and I wanted to get a recounting from Fischer while he was still...¡± ¡°Still what, Ellis? Fischer is a cultivator.¡± She gestured at me emphatically. ¡°He¡¯s been a cultivator longer than any of us, and I can¡¯t forget things even if I try. Can you?¡± ¡°Well, no, but -¡± ¡°No buts, mister!¡± ¡°Yeah, Ellis¡ªno butts.¡± I grinned, but swiftly raised a hand and examined the plant fiber there when Maria¡¯s head spun to look at me. ¡°And,¡± Maria continued, ¡°you absolutely covered us in sugarcane. Look at us!¡± She spread her arms, and Ellis noticed our appearance for the first time. He looked genuinely remorseful. ¡°I apologize.¡± She patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Good. Now, Fischer and I are going to look at the pool.¡± She glanced down at herself. ¡°And probably go for a swim to wash this off.¡± Ellis opened his mouth, probably to apologize again, but she cut him off. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to ask him questions as we travel, but after we get there, he¡¯s mine for the rest of the day. Do you understand?¡± She glanced at me too, daring me to say otherwise. I held up my hands in defeat. ¡°Yes, Maria,¡± Ellis said, lowering his head. ¡°Sorry again.¡± Maria checked on her parents as she retrieved a pair of swimmers. ¡°He¡¯s still in shock, but he¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said when she rejoined us outside. I answered every question Ellis had as we walked, doing my best to communicate that which was impossible to convey with words. When we reached the pool, the sight filled me with joy. Half of the church¡¯s members were swimming in it, and Paul¡¯s shrill laughter was an absolute delight as he sat atop Duncan¡¯s shoulders in the shallows. Helen was on Barry¡¯s shoulders, and Paul was doing his best to push his mother over. When Helen threw herself backward, giving her son the win, Paul threw a fist high. ¡°Yes!¡± he roared. ¡°Whoa, Paul!¡± I called. ¡°You¡¯re even stronger than the last time I saw you!¡± ¡°Fischer! Do you want to wrestle...¡± he trailed off, squinting at me. ¡°Why are you and Maria green?¡± I glanced down at the plant matter covering both of us. We looked ridiculous. ¡°Had a bit of a mishap, but it¡¯s nothing a little ocean pool can¡¯t wash away!¡± I turned to Ellis. ¡°Sorry, mate. I¡¯ll come find you tomorrow and answer any other questions you have, yeah?¡± He nodded, clearly unhappy but not willing to go against Maria¡¯s orders. I took my shirt off and held a hand out to Maria, who was already dressed in her swimmers and ready to go. ¡°Shall we?¡± She squeezed my hand, then pushed my chest with all the strength she had. ¡°W-whoa!¡± I hadn¡¯t been expecting it, and I fell down to the sand. The smile on her face as she sprinted for the pool¡¯s edge was brighter than the sun, and she disappeared from sight. I chased after her, leaping high into the air. ¡°Cannonball!¡± The last thing I saw before descending into the pool was the look of shock on Paul¡¯s face as he fell backward, losing his balance in an attempt to escape the water I was about to spray everywhere. We spent much of the morning swimming and playing. At Paul¡¯s behest, we engaged in a shoulder wars tournament. Given the strength our bodies held, it was more akin to scripted wrestling than an actual tournament, but we all did our best to perform for Paul. He and Duncan were the official winners, but I like to think that Maria and I ¡®lost¡¯ with the most spectacular moves. My animal pals remained hidden, but I caught glimpses of them in the deep end when I went underwater. Corporal Claws came in a few times to tickle me, too, but after the third time, I¡¯d caught her and tickled her with a vengeance. She hadn¡¯t tried again. When the sun started to reach its zenith in the sky, everyone got out and headed to their respective homes for lunch. Maria and I smiled at each other as we headed to my house. ¡°Duncan is really good with kids,¡± she said, squeezing water from her hair. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how much Paul latched onto him.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same thing. I guess it makes sense, though. He¡¯s a bit of a goof¡ªin a good way.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t really seen that side of him before. I always just saw him as the quiet apprentice.¡± ¡°Quiet?¡± I laughed. ¡°I think that¡¯s the last word I¡¯d use to describe him.¡± We slipped into a comfortable silence, and when we reached the house, I opened the door for Maria. ¡°I¡¯ll go get us some towels¡ªI hung them out to dry.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll be here.¡± I made my way around the side, heading for the clothesline I¡¯d strung up on the back patio. My body felt light, and my heart raced as the memory of Maria kissing me earlier came to mind. I hadn¡¯t truly acknowledged how much the tension between us had been weighing me down. Now that it was gone, I felt light. Like I could breathe properly for the first time in weeks. The contented smile never left my face as I grabbed two towels and headed back inside. I could hear the shower running, so I made my way to the guest bathroom, but stopped short. The sound was coming from my room. I swallowed, walking on numb legs as I followed the sound. The door to the ensuite was left cracked open, and steam flowed from the gap. With great effort, I averted my eyes, watching the door as I strode around my bed. When I reached it, I extended a hand, then paused. Did she want me to come in...? Was the open door an invitation? I rubbed my face, trying to clear my thoughts. The door flew open, and I looked up, seeing only a wall of steam. It slowly dissipated, and all I could make out through the steam was Maria¡¯s face. She was blushing furiously and looking down as she swept a stray strand of hair behind her ear. I swallowed. ¡°Did you want to... oh...¡± The steam cleared, and all I could do was stare as she reached up to her shoulder. Her fingers carefully plucked at a strap, sliding it down her arm. She reached up to the other side, and when the strap there was free of her shoulder, her garment fell to the floor. The sight that greeted me hit my reset button. ¡°You... wow.¡± I shook my head, my brain still recovering. ¡°... Wow.¡± Her eyes rose to meet mine, and I tore my gaze from her body. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± she asked, her face red and lips parted as she lifted her chin. For three thunderous beats of my heart, I stood completely still. Then, I stepped inside. The steam engulfed me, warming my skin and hitting the back of my throat with each heaving breath I took. When our bodies met, it was like two stars colliding. The impact swept every other thought away, leaving only her. Book 2: Chapter 62: Renovations Book 2: Chapter 62: Renovations Warmth flowed through me as I slowly returned to the waking world. A comfortable weight rested on my arm. When I opened my eyes, a small smile came to my face. Maria was still asleep, on her side and curled into my chest. We¡¯d held each other in the early afternoon hours, both content to simply exist with each other. She¡¯d fallen asleep before me, and it must have claimed me soon after. Careful not to wake her, I rested a hand atop her head, caressing her mess of sandy-blond hair. She was like a hot water bottle, warming me beneath the covers. Her breaths came slowly, and each exhale blew warmth onto my neck, banishing the cool air trapped within my room. I inhaled, and the cool air passing by my nostrils was a pleasant counterpoint to the heat engulfing me. Maria sleeping next to me had no right hitting me as hard as it did. I held onto the moment, intent on burning every line of her body, every point of contact into my memory. I pulled her tight, and she let out a soft noise, nuzzling closer into me. It melted my core from within, and I pulled her tighter, overwhelmed by the emotions roiling within me. I was wide awake now, but I didn¡¯t make a noise. I wanted the moment to last forever. Not long after, I opened my eyes, and she smiled up at me. ¡°Morning, sleepyhead.¡± ¡°Sleepyhead?¡± I yawned. ¡°I¡¯ve been awake for a while.¡± She gave me an odd look, smirking. ¡°You were snoring until five seconds ago.¡± I frowned, and she laughed at the confusion on my face. ¡°You fell back asleep.¡± She got up on one elbow, her hair hanging down to one side. ¡°You were too cute to wake up, so I¡¯ve just been creeping on you for a while.¡± I covered my mouth and yawned. ¡°I thought you said I was snoring. That doesn¡¯t sound cute.¡± She giggled, covering her mouth. ¡°Oh, but they were such charming little snores, though.¡± I narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re messing with me.¡± She pulled a hand to her chest, giving me a look of affront that was completely ruined by the grin on her face. ¡°You think I would mess with you? Well, I have never...¡± She ran a hand through my hair, and it sent tingles coursing down my entire body. I breathed out slowly. ¡°Do you wanna go fishing? We should probably get up and do something or else I might never get out of this bed.¡± ¡°You know, I can think of worse things...¡± She grabbed onto my hair and pulled herself down, throwing a leg over me. When her insistent lips met mine, every other thought disappeared once more. *** Barry stood and stretched, needing a moment to reset his posture. Swimming in what Fischer called his ¡®lap pool¡¯ had been a welcome distraction, and though it set him behind in his work, he didn¡¯t regret it. He gestured down at the floor plan Ellis had been drawing. ¡°Just to confirm, this is the western wing, correct?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Ellis nodded, not looking up. ¡°Ground floor. This here is the first, second, and third floor,¡± he added, pointing at the respective sheets of paper. ¡°Perfect. Thank you for your time, Ellis. I know you¡¯d rather be working on that lizard.¡± Ellis glanced up, sparing a moment to give Barry a smile. ¡°I am quite used to being pulled this way and that from my time in the royal library. You have no idea how often someone got the idea to shuffle around the shelving for absolutely no reason, usually right when there is another important project going on.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the head archivist? Couldn¡¯t you just say no?¡± ¡°Just so, but sometimes you have to make concessions where it is least painful, lest you have to concede on something that actually matters.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± It was rather insightful for a passing comment, but before Barry could say that, he heard the scuffle of footsteps descending the steps. He prepared to hide the maps in case it was Fischer moseying on down, but then Brad and Greg appeared. Both woodworkers made to speak, then stiffed a yawn. Brad shook his head and rubbed red-rimmed eyes. ¡°The cart is ready to go.¡± Barry blinked. ¡°It is?¡± ¡°Aye. We stayed up all night, but it¡¯s done.¡± They looked absolutely spent, and Barry gave them a thankful smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, but I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t glad. The sooner we can get supplies to the surrounding villages, the sooner we can move forward with Operation Sticky Fingers.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Brad said, grinning through his lack of sleep. ¡°When the wagon was finished... well, it transformed. Just as Fischer¡¯s works do.¡± Ellis shot to his feet, staring wide-eyed at them. Before he could demand the information he so desperately wanted, Brad continued. ¡°Also. It got my woodworking skill to 50, and this appeared.¡± Mature Shore Fish Uncommon Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. ¡°Ohhh, it¡¯s a big one!¡± Maria said, drawing my attention to the present. ¡°More than enough for dinner.¡± I dispatched the fish with a swift movement, then looked up at Maria. ¡°There¡¯s only one more decision to make.¡± She pursed her lips, her hair dangling as she cocked her head. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I grinned. ¡°How are we going to cook it?¡± *** Barry took deep, steadying breaths as his legs wobbled beneath him. He gave up on standing and fell back to the ground, leaning back on one hand. Sweat soaked his body and his brain was clouded by fatigue, yet he laughed, loud and full of relief. He heard thumping footsteps hit the wooden deck and fly inside, and a second later, Helen threw the door open. She crashed into him, holding him tight and not caring at all about his soiled clothing. ¡°Barry...¡± she whispered, her voice filled with relief. ¡°Was Fischer okay?¡± he asked. Helen pulled her head back so she could look into his eyes. ¡°Okay? He and Maria were fishing without a care in the world. Worry about yourself, you soil-brained farmer.¡± He¡¯d already had an inkling that Fischer was fine based on the way the power finished transmitting, but having it confirmed made a weight evaporate from his shoulders. ¡°Good...¡± Someone cleared their throat, and Barry looked past Helen¡¯s shoulder. A sea of faces was in the doorway. Most intent as always, Ellis¡¯s hands shook around his pencil and notepad. He showed amazing restraint in not voicing any of the questions no doubt fighting to escape. Barry squeezed Helen one more time. ¡°Would you help me stand, dear?¡± She easily lifted him to his feet, and he smiled at Ellis. ¡°Let¡¯s go look at the changes, shall we?¡± A bonfire roared to life in Ellis¡¯s eyes. ¡°The... changes?¡± ¡°Better to see it with your own eyes. I¡¯m happy to tell you about the act of creating it as we walk, though.¡± Ellis nodded feverishly and stepped aside, giving Barry a path out. As he led the congregation back toward the church, Barry recounted the experience as best he could. As always, Ellis¡¯s questions were pointed, helping Barry better describe what had occurred. The entire time they walked, hushed conversation trailed them. The excitement was palpable, and as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Ellis looked up from his notepad. ¡°It... looks the same.¡± ¡°Looks can be deceiving,¡± Barry replied, leading them further down the hallway. They passed the open doors to the meeting room, spa, and forest. When they passed Trent¡¯s room, he ran to the bars. ¡°Where are my sweets, and what was that rumbling?¡± ¡°You just had dinner,¡± Keith replied from behind Barry. ¡°So?¡± the prince demanded, his voice incredulous. ¡°What of dessert?¡± Keith shook his head with a flat look. ¡°I¡¯ll come back with your sweets, cousin.¡± They continued on, all ignoring Trent¡¯s indignant demands that called after them. When Barry reached the first door that used to open to a stone wall, he pointed at it. ¡°Fergus, Duncan¡ªthis one is yours.¡± He turned to the entrance on the opposite side of the hallway, gesturing at it. ¡°Brad and Greg.¡± He took a few steps up the hallway. ¡°Ruby, Steven, this is yours on the left. All six of them stepped forward, their eyes wide. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...¡± Fergus said, his hand slowly extending to the handle of the door Barry had called his. Ellis rushed forward, then stopped in the hallway between the three doors, his head darting back and forth, unable to decide which room to look in first. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see your room, Ellis?¡± Barry asked, trying to keep his voice steady. Ellis whirled on him, and the confusion on the former archivist¡¯s face made a smile split Barry¡¯s face. ¡°My... my room?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d add a room for the other crafters and not one for you, did you? Where better to process the scales of an ascendant being than within a System-made workshop?¡± Ellis, his mouth moving and not making a noise, ambled forward. His pencil made a soft sound as it clattered to the ground, falling from his loose grip. He didn¡¯t even acknowledge it, so Barry picked it up for him. Ellis''s hand gripped the handle of the door next to Barry, just as the other crafters gripped theirs. As one, all four of the doors swung open on silent hinges. Book 2: Chapter 63: Expansion Book 2: Chapter 63: Expansion Barry watched over Ellis¡¯s shoulder as the door opened, revealing the room beyond. Various tubs lined the space. There was an odd contraption on the wall, but as Ellis walked over and pulled it down, Barry understood what it was¡ªa drying rack. On the side of the room, a series of faucets sprouted from the wall. Ellis picked up a tub and turned one of the taps on. A clear, viscous liquid poured out. ¡°Remarkable...¡± Ellis reached for the pencil in his pocket, but when he didn¡¯t find it, he started patting down his pants. ¡°Where did I put my...?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Barry said, throwing the pencil to him. Ellis caught it, nodded in thanks, and began writing. Barry spun, looking into the tailoring room. Ruby and Steven were poring over it, the former cataloging a gigantic cupboard filled with different materials, the latter inspecting a loom that took up a full third of the space. Others were milling in the hallway and looking between the rooms, so Barry made his way toward the other doors. Helen was leaning against the wall next to the new smithy. He put an arm round her waist and peered inside. Both Fergus and Duncan were completely silent as they stood in the center of their new workshop. Their heads drifted around, taking in everything they saw. Barry had never seen so many tools, and he doubted a larger collection existed anywhere in the kingdom. He couldn¡¯t even fathom what half of them were used for. The wall of tools, though impressive, was nothing compared to the forges. They were both set into the far wall, and as Barry watched, Fergus walked up to them. He leaned his head inside, peering around the vacuous space. ¡°... where on Kallis are the bellows?¡± In response, Duncan reached out and flicked one of two switches. A soft hum slowly grew, and Fergus reached an arm in, his eyebrows forming a line. ¡°No way...¡± Duncan, his eyes going wide and a grin growing, flicked the other switch. He skidded to a stop in front of the forge on the right, actually jumping into it and reaching an arm into the chimney at the rear. ¡°It sucks air up!¡± he yelled, leaning out to look at Fergus. His master moved as a blur, appearing before the forge and reefing Duncan out of it. ¡°Get out of there, you blasted fool! Are you trying to get yourself incinerated?!¡± At the reprimanding, Duncan merely grinned. Barry mirrored it as he turned, heading for the woodworking room. When he crossed through into the opposite door, he found himself corrected. There was a larger collection in the kingdom than the blacksmithing tools behind him. As with the smithing tools, he had no clue what some of the odd-shaped chisels could be used for. There was what looked like a machine in the back of the room, which was currently being inspected by both woodworkers. Brad reached up and grabbed what looked kind of like the metal bit you¡¯d put in a hand drill, but was the shape of an arrowhead. He put it in a hole atop the machine, then leaned back as he pressed a button. The metal bit spun in a blur as a high-pitched whir rang out through the room. The two brothers immediately turned to each other, eyes wide. Greg grabbed Brad by the shoulders. His brother grabbed him back. They hopped in a circle, laughing wordlessly. Barry eyed the rest of the bits on the wall behind the machine. There were hundreds of them, all with different shapes and lengths. As their childlike giggling subsided, he eased forward, Helen at his side and holding his hand. ¡°What are they for...?¡± Both turned. Their eyes were feverish. ¡°Everything, Barry,¡± Brad said, his gaze growing even more fierce. ¡°Everything.¡± *** As George sat for their afternoon meditation, something dragged his awareness in an odd direction. He¡¯d first believed that such distractions were a failure of meditation, but both his family¡¯s tome and his hours of practice revealed the truth. He was human, after all. Thoughts came as they willed, as sure as the sun rose and fell. The skill of meditation wasn¡¯t so much about the ability to banish thought entirely¡ªit was about refocus. One¡¯s capability to recognise the thought, acknowledge it, and let it go. The thought that dragged him toward his wedding ring, though, was... different. He felt the iridescent stone set in a silver band as his attention seemed to get pulled into it. He felt the spherical stone from within, as if it was his own body. The silver setting holding him in place was both fragile and strong. A soft metal that combined with the iridescent stone to become something greater than the sum of their parts. The rings that he and his wife wore were a remnant of the past, one of the few relics remaining of his family¡¯s inheritance. The more he considered it, the more sure he became¡ªhis wedding band wasn¡¯t just a physical promise of his commitment to Geraldine. But... what was it, exactly? With his awareness inside the stone, the pulse of energy that came from the southwest rocked him. He inhaled a shuddering breath as he was thrown from the ring and returned to his body. The hand wearing his ring was dragged back behind him, heading toward the pulse of power for a fraction of a second. He blinked, his vision taking a moment to focus after having his eyes closed for so long. Despite the cool air, a sweat broke from his skin as he looked down at his hand, wondering if he had imagined it. ¡°George...¡± He spun to Geraldine, adrenaline spiking at the panic in her voice. She stared down at her own hand, her lip quivering. ¡°What... what was that?¡± He swallowed. ¡°You felt it too?¡± She nodded ¡°I was...¡± She pressed her lips into a line to stop them shaking. ¡°I was inside my ring? I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the right term, but it felt almost like...¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Like it was your own body,¡± George finished, reaching a reassuring hand out to rest on her leg. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Geraldine. It was the same for me.¡± ¡°Show itself?¡± Doug asked, curiosity overcoming his argumentative demeanor. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait and see,¡± Jess said, shooting a wink at Doug when he turned an annoyed glance her way. Leading the way, Joel adjusted his body into an approximation of the perfect form. His feet scuttled to the side, bracing his weight. His lips extended, preparing to blow bubbles. Both hands came up beside his head, and he clacked them together for good measure, imagining them as a crab¡¯s powerful claws. Before he let the meditation whisk him away, he cracked an eye to check on his acolytes. All had adopted the same posture, the only variation being Doug¡¯s grumpy face. He ignored it, closing his eyes and letting his thoughts become that of a crab. He lost himself, making bubbling noises that helped to ground him in the meditation. When the others were comfortable and settled, they joined in, and the sounds of their meditation sparked joy within him. After a few minutes, he heard the same noises from Doug, and it seemed that all was right in the world. He hadn¡¯t realized it, but he had truly missed their companionship and comradery over the past weeks. To find others whose beliefs aligned with your own was a rare thing, and he was beyond lucky to have so many followers. The love and appreciation for those around him helped him settle deeper in the crab meditation than ever, and though he crouched atop the sand, in his mind¡¯s eye, he was scuttling beneath the ocean, his hard carapace easily gliding through a strong current. One step at a time, his eight magnificent legs drew ever closer toward¡ª ¡°Ah!¡± Jonah yelped, shattering his concentration. Joel opened his eyes as he returned to his body, its fleshy form jarring after experiencing the perfect form for what had felt like hours. ¡°Jonah...¡± Doug growled, whirling on the meek acolyte. ¡°I was just getting into it. I¡ª¡± He cut off when he saw the look on Jonah¡¯s face. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°C-c-crab!¡± he replied, pointing forward. They all turned toward the tray. There, lowered to the sand and feasting on the last of the fish, was a god. The first time Joel had laid eyes on the ascendant crab, her carapace had been covered in spikes, and she wore a leather eyepatch over one eye. Every time she accepted their offerings since, she was smooth shelled, yet large and mighty. ¡°Lower your heads!¡± Joel ordered, remembering himself. He lay down and pressed his forehead into the ground, as did the others. The only noise he heard for a long moment was the chewing sound he¡¯d grown accustomed to over the weeks gone. Suddenly, something tugged at his very being, originating right in the center of his abdomen. His head snapped up of its own accord, too shocked to care that he was before his deity. The spirit beast held the metal tray in her claw. She stared to the southwest¡ªthe same direction that Joel had felt the tug from. Without warning, the god became a blur of motion. Bonk, bonk, bonk. Booom! The sound of the metal tray striking three heads was quickly washed away by an explosion. Joel covered his face, trying to keep the spray of sand from his eyes and mouth. The three acolytes between him and Jess all sputtered, unprepared as they were for their deity¡¯s blessing. When the air was clear, they raised their heads, each as stunned as the next. *** Rocky blew annoyed bubbles as he scuttled over the sands at incredible speed, heading for the source of whatever that sensation had been. His spiky mistress¡¯s master was up to something again, and it had robbed him of a wonderful moment. The cultists had both given him more food and presented more heads for him to bonk - both of which were a cause for celebration. Rather than enjoy the moment, however, Fischer had done something again, and he¡¯d had to rush off. Rocky hadn¡¯t even had time to give the other two a good whack with the thin metal tray before he sent himself flying with dual explosions from his powerful claws. His mouth parts undulated in annoyance, the pleasant aftertaste of fish replaced by fury. One of these days, he was going to give Fischer a good bonk on the head if he kept on messing with Rocky¡¯s plans. Maybe Sergeant Snips, his beloved matriarch, would punish him as a result... That thought brought joy back into Rocky¡¯s awareness, and as he approached the church, he imagined himself getting flung further than ever, sailing so high that the midday sun heated his carapace while the ocean rushed past beneath him. *** ¡°What... what just happened?¡± Doug asked, his eyes staring at the spot where a tray now sat in a small crater. ¡°You were blessed!¡± Jess said, kneeling down before them. ¡°She approved of you! Just as she did with us!¡± ¡°Sh-she?¡± Jonah squeaked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Joel said, smiling at them. All had gone to plan. ¡°We, the Church of Carcinization, have a deity to worship.¡± ¡°How...?¡± Red asked, unusually somber. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it all in good time. Why don¡¯t we meditate on the encounter, and then we can discuss it over dinner?¡± Everyone nodded except for Doug. The man stared down at his hands, then up at Joel, his lip quivering. He blinked rapidly as his eyes welled. A single tear ran down his cheek. ¡°I... I¡¯m sorry, Joel. I...¡± he trailed off, his chest heaving with sobs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for doubting you.¡± Joel shuffled over and pulled him into a hug. ¡°You have nothing to apologize for, acolyte Doug. I¡¯m the one that¡¯s sorry for not telling you sooner.¡± Doug nodded into his shoulder, and when the tears had subsided, Joel let go. ¡°Let¡¯s meditate on it, shall we?¡± There was a fire in Doug¡¯s red-rimmed eyes. He gave a sharp nod. Book 2: Chapter 64: Determination Book 2: Chapter 64: Determination The room I woke up in was so cold that I couldn¡¯t feel my face. I shimmied further under the covers, and when I felt Maria¡¯s warmth at my side, a wave of endorphins coursed through me. With my stomach fluttering, I rolled to my side and put an arm around her, running my hands through her long fur. ... Long fur? I opened my eyes to see a Golden Retriever grinning at me with complete contentedness, his eyes half-lidded with sleep. ¡°Good morning, Borks,¡± I said, laughing softly. He licked my neck and let out a rather cute noise, his whiskers tickling the underside of my chin. As my brain slowly woke up, I recalled the events of last night. Maria and I had made fried fish for dinner and cuddled by the campfire, but she hadn¡¯t spent the night. Given that Roger was still coming to terms with the news that we were all cultivators¡ªand that the bloke his daughter was in a relationship with was also the deity of a cult... er, church¡ªI had walked her home. Settling for the next best thing to Maria, I pulled Borks in for a cuddle. He rested his head in the crook of my neck, his wagging tail thumping against the bed and blanket. I felt the urge to go see Maria. Perhaps I could bring Roger a coffee and croissant as a peace offering... but no. We¡¯d agreed that I should give him space for now. ¡°I think it might be just you and me this morning, buddy,¡± I said, scratching Borks behind the ear. His tail wagged even harder, and he rolled onto his back, wiggling in excitement and kicking the blankets off. I rolled out of bed, raising my hands toward the sky as I let out a noise and stretched. ¡°All right¡ªlet¡¯s go sort out some brekkie, shall we?¡± He barked, got to his feet, and leaped from the bed, heading for the door as I opened it. *** Maria stirred, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets. The first thought that came to her was of Fischer. She grabbed a pillow, hugging it tight as butterflies rose in her stomach. A knock came at the door. ¡°Come in!¡± she called, squeezing the pillow as if it was the man she loved. Sharon opened the door and stepped inside. She sat beside her on the bed, and when Maria saw her sleepless face, she reached out to put a hand on her mother¡¯s leg. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Sharon smiled, but her eyes were so, so tired. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Your father and I spent most of the night talking. We¡¯re going to get some breakfast and coffee, and I was wondering if you wanted to come.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she replied, stretching. ¡°I¡¯ll just get dressed.¡± With her pajamas replaced by workwear, Maria stepped outside to find her parents waiting. Her father sat on the porch, staring out toward the fields. Her mother was at his side, her head resting on his shoulder. That¡¯s a good sign, she thought. When Fischer walked her home last night, they¡¯d found her parents sitting outside, but there was a physical distance between them. Her dad¡¯s body had stiffened when he saw Fischer, so after planting a quick kiss on her cheek, Fischer left. As she thought of that kiss, that small touch, her thoughts were drawn to other memories. Her face grew hot, and she shook her head, coming back to the present. ¡°Are you both ready?¡± she asked, hopping down from the porch and giving them a smile that they both returned, if a little half-hearted. ¡°Is anyone else coming?¡± her father asked, giving her a pointed look. Maria rolled her eyes. ¡°No, dad. Fischer isn¡¯t coming. He¡¯s giving you space, lest you try and attack him with your favorite scythe.¡± Roger snorted. ¡°I may as well swing at the sun for all the good it would do me.¡± It was the first time she¡¯d heard him make a joke since yesterday, and though it held a hint of bitterness, it left her feeling at ease. Her mother darted a quick look toward her, raising an eyebrow. They both smiled, and as a family, they left for Sue¡¯s bakery. *** With Borks at my side and the sun at my back, I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I walked through the streets of Tropica. My furred companion felt the same, his tail wagging as he looked at the passing faces, even veering off towards children to let them have a good pat of his soft coat. When we reached Sue¡¯s, the smell of coffee urged me on, but the man I came face to face with brought me up short. We blinked at each other, and I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it again. ¡°Fischer,¡± Roger said, his tone lacking any inflection. ¡°G¡¯day, Roger. How are ya, mate?¡± He shrugged, his eyes tired. ¡°Been better. Been worse.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± I replied, searching for the words to say. The ladies saved me. ¡°Good morning, Fischer!¡± Sharon said, coming to his side. I beamed at her as Borks stepped forward to sniff her leg and receive a pat. Then, she appeared. Like a ray of sunshine, Maria came from the counter and passed the tray of coffee and croissants to her mother.Updated chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Can you give us a moment? I¡¯ll catch up.¡± Roger¡¯s jaw worked, but he nodded, and I bid them goodbye. The second they disappeared around a corner, Maria threw her arms around my neck. The kiss consumed me as she pressed her lips to mine. A painfully short second later, it was over. ¡°I love you.¡± She squeezed my arm. ¡°I¡¯ll come see you later, okay?¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± I whispered back. ¡°And please do.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to go down if you don¡¯t want to,¡± her mother said, resting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We can come back another time¡ªwhenever you¡¯re ready.¡± He flexed his hands, stretched his neck from side to side, and began the descent. The way was lit, and as they passed each sconce, he would stare into the magical flames. When they approached the landing, he stopped caring about the flames¡ªvoices could be heard, and they echoed off the walls toward them. The door to the meeting room was open, which was where the conversation was coming from. Maria dashed forward and leaned her head in. ¡°Everyone¡ªdad¡¯s here!¡± She glanced back, her heart breaking at the look of resignation on her father¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s fine, dad,¡± she whispered, giving him a genuine smile. ¡°There are some people who want to meet you.¡± Roger nodded and stepped forward, entering the doorway. Her mother¡¯s jaw was tight, so Maria grabbed her hand, giving it a soft squeeze. ¡°G¡¯day, mate! It¡¯s nice to meet you!¡± Theo said, leaning over a map. ¡°I¡¯m Theo. This is Ellis, Danny, Peter, and Keith.¡± ¡°Roger,¡± he replied tersely. ¡°We¡¯ve heard all about you, mate,¡± Theo continued. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re finally coming into the fold, as it were¡ªI¡¯m sure we¡¯re better off with you here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure I¡¯ll be joining you. I just came to have a look around.¡± ¡°Oh. Right.¡± Theo shrugged. ¡°Well, that¡¯s totally fine. Want me to go get Barry so he can show you the ropes? He¡¯s with Fergus down at the smithy.¡± ¡°... the smithy?¡± Roger asked, his brow furrowing. ¡°Yeah!¡± Theo pointed in its direction. ¡°Up there, on the left.¡± ¡°The smithy?¡± Sharon repeated in a whisper, glancing at Maria. Maria shrugged. She had no idea either. ¡°Right...¡± Roger said. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be heading on, then. It was nice to meet¡ª¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Theo interrupted, snapping his fingers. ¡°I just remembered. I was supposed to give you something.¡± Maria caught the hint of a grin playing on Theo¡¯s features, and she watched him closely as he bent down and picked up a... was that a present? The wooden box was held shut by a deep red ribbon that ended in a bow. Theo strode forward, smiling in an entirely too-happy manner, and held it out. Roger, not knowing what else to do, accepted it. ¡°Erm. Thank you...¡± ¡°No worries, mate! Best you open it now.¡± Roger glanced back at Maria and Sharon, who both shrugged. With a fierce scowl on his face, Roger undid the bow. He put a hand to the lid, hesitated, then lifted it up. It was filled with colorful cuts of cloth. Blinking, Roger put his hand into the makeshift-confetti. His scowl deepened as he took hold of something, and he lifted it up. Corporal Claws grinned at him, revealing her needle-sharp teeth as she chirped a greeting. There was a bow on her head in the same color as the ribbon. Roger dropped both the box and the otter, taking a step back. ¡°Theo!¡± Sharon chided, grabbing Roger by the arm. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be introducing my husband to the animals! Not playing cheap jokes!¡± Theo held his hands up in surrender as he looked between Claws, Roger, and Sharon. ¡°Sorry, mate¡ªit was out of my hands. Corporal Claws here wanted to make a good first impression, and you ignore her whims at your own peril. I was too busy to scratch her one day, and I¡¯ve been finding piles of sand in my bed ever since. Don¡¯t look at me like that Claws, of course I knew it was you, you little terror! Who else would be putting sand in my sheets?¡± ¡°Corporal Claws...¡± Roger said, his voice hesitant. Claws whirled, chirping in the affirmative and giving him another grin. Movement at the other end of the room caught their attention, and a seething mass of creatures climbed up to peek over the table. Sergeant Snips, waving a happy clacker, bubbled a greeting. Pistachio nodded a single time, so slight as to be almost imperceptible. Rocky made a rude gesture, and was swiftly smacked from sight by Snips, hitting the floor so hard that the entire room shook. Bill hopped up, letting out a honk and flapping his mighty wings to escape the weaponized crustacean. Cinnamon leaped all the way onto their side of the table, landing silently and sniffing at the air toward Roger. ¡°You¡¯ve been told their names?¡± Theo asked. Roger nodded, his jaw hanging so low that Maria worried it might fall off. ¡°Well, that makes things easier. Everyone, this is Roger. Roger, this is the gang¡ªthose that Fischer calls his animal pals. The only one we¡¯re missing is Brigadier Borks, but you can meet him later.¡± Roger stared, his body stiff as a board. He pressed his lips together and lines formed around his eyes. Sharon stepped forward, placing a hand in the center of his back. It did nothing to quell the emotions warring on his face. ¡°I need to speak with Fischer,¡± he said. Sharon took a half-step closer. ¡°Dear...?¡± ¡°Fischer,¡± he repeated. ¡°Barry, too.¡± When he turned toward them, any shock or fear was long gone. All that remained was an icy determination. Though she¡¯d only seen it a few times in her life, Maria recognized the look. It made the breath catch in her throat. She swallowed. ¡°I-I can go get them¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± His voice was iron, his visage emotionless. ¡°I need to speak with them alone. Get Barry. He can take me to... him.¡± ¡°Please, dad. I¡ª¡± ¡°Barry, Maria. Get him.¡± She had seen her father angry before. Furious, even. The vitriol in his eyes was something new, and though it wasn¡¯t directed at her, she felt herself shrink beneath it. His lip twitched at her inaction. ¡°Now,¡± he growled. She nodded wordlessly, backing from the room before running down the hallway toward the smithy. Book 2: Chapter 65: Could Have Gone Worse Book 2: Chapter 65: Could Have Gone Worse As I lay in the shade with a sausage dog on his back between my arm and body, I drifted in and out of sleep. Each time my awareness returned to the waking world, I smiled and rubbed Borks¡¯s belly. The filtered sunlight peeking through Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket¡¯s canopy was just right, providing the perfect amount of warmth to counteract the chilly forest air. All things considered, it was a wonderful day to be ambushed. I cracked an eye as I felt Barry coming. That¡¯s something, I thought. I¡¯d never been able to discern who each person was before, but that flicker of chi striding through the forest was definitely Barry. ¡°Over here, mate,¡± I called, closing my eyes and letting a smile cross my face. ¡°Next to Lemon.¡± Borks stretched, and I scratched his belly as Barry drew closer. ¡°How did it go with Roger, by the way?¡± I asked, knowing he was close enough to hear me. ¡°Not good,¡± came the gravelly voice of definitely not Barry. I bolted upright, and Borks responded with the same level of surprise. He shifted into his nightmare form in an instant, his large torso standing over my shoulder. Roger¡¯s stride didn¡¯t falter for a moment. He marched toward me and Borks, his? gaze flinty. Barry followed behind him, looking as confused as I felt. I reached under Borks¡¯s chest, patting his shoulder reassuringly and letting him know it was fine. I was sure he wouldn¡¯t attack Roger, but I didn¡¯t want him to scare the farmer. As Roger drew closer and I got a better look at his face, I realized my worry was misplaced. His jaw worked inaudibly as he looked from me to Borks, then at the tree. ¡°I take it this is Brigadier Borks and Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket, then?¡± ¡°Er¡ªyeah, mate. Borks, Lemon¡ªthis is Roger.¡± Borks nodded, and Lemon sprouted a leaf, waving it at him. He bit down, the muscles at his temples flexing with the effort. ¡°I need to thank you for healing Sharon.¡± He spared Barry a glance. ¡°Both of you.¡± I rubbed the back of my head. ¡°It was all Barry on that one, mate. All I did was exist.¡± His face didn¡¯t change as he stared down at me. ¡°If you weren¡¯t a cultivator, a traveler, as Sharon tells it, then she¡¯d never have been healed.¡± He looked at Barry again. ¡°Correct?¡± ¡°Uhhh... yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± Roger¡¯s eyes came back to me. ¡°You saved my wife¡ªMaria¡¯s mother¡ªfrom a terminal illness. So, I thank you.¡± The cold indifference on his face didn¡¯t match his words. Without another sound, he lunged for me. Any of us¡ªBarry, me, or Borks¡ªcould have stopped him. None of us did. Roger¡¯s hand held my collar. He pulled it toward himself as much as he could without ripping another of my shirts. If looks could kill... I thought, seeing the fury etched in every line of his face. His upper lip twitched, then peeled back to reveal clenched teeth. ¡°But,¡± he said, jaw trembling, ¡°you did so by making her a cultivator.¡± The last word was venom-laced, and he spat to the side as if he couldn¡¯t bear its flavor. ¡°Then, you made my daughter a cultivator, potentially dooming all of us to death if the capital were to find out.¡± ¡°Fischer had nothing to do with Sharon¡¯s awakening, Rog¡ª¡± ¡°Shut! Up!¡± he roared, whirling on Barry. ¡°Everyone keeps calling it awakening, or ascending, or some other pleasant bullshit that makes it sound like something good!¡± He took a deep breath, but it didn¡¯t still his anger. ¡°You turned my wife into a gods¡¯ damned cultivator!¡± Barry nodded, steady as a boulder. ¡°I did. And I¡¯d do it again.¡± ¡°What gives you the right?¡± Roger let go of my collar, stomping toward Barry and poking a finger into his chest. ¡°Who gives you the right? You¡¯re not a god, so stop acting like one!¡± Barry gave Roger a tragic smile, his eyes filled with compassion. ¡°She would have died, Roger. Soon, too, by my estimate. I regret that I couldn¡¯t give her a choice, but she wasn¡¯t lucid enough to understand me, let alone consent. As I said, however, I¡¯d do it again. I¡¯d do it a hundred¡ªa thousand times over if it meant saving her life. As for Maria¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± He screamed, his voice like gravel. ¡°Don¡¯t even speak her name! You two turned my little girl into an abomination!¡± ¡°I certainly am.¡± ¡°Workshops? What kind of workshops?¡± ¡°Oh, you know, nothing too impressive.¡± He made a dismissive gesture with one hand. ¡°Just a tailoring room, a woodworking shop, a smithy¡ª¡± ¡°A smithy?¡± I interrupted, yelling. ¡°Do Fergus and Duncan know?¡± ¡°Know? They¡¯re in there right now, working on cages.¡± My mouth practically salivated at the idea. ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± Barry went on to describe a room filled with what sounded like a mountain of different tools. When he mentioned there were two forges powered by System shenanigans, my jaw dropped open. I had spent plenty of time in the smithy of late, and I couldn¡¯t help but picture the joy that the smiths must have had when they first set eyes on the room. Moreover, the lack of metal for oyster cages was the only thing gatekeeping the acquisition of more pearls, so having two forges fueled by chi or the System or whatever was a massive boon. ¡°That¡¯s wild, mate... I can¡¯t wait to see it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more impressive than what I¡¯m describing, Fischer. I don¡¯t really understand anything about blacksmithing, but I know Fergus and Duncan are beyond chuffed with it.¡± ¡°What about the woodworking and tailoring rooms?¡± He described their features, both of which were just as impressive as the smithy. I shook my head. ¡°I can hardly believe what I¡¯m hearing, mate.¡± He gave me a pride-filled grin. ¡°You¡¯ll have to come see it for yourself, then.¡± ¡°Hang on,¡± I said, raising a finger. ¡°I cut you off before. What else is down there?¡± ¡°Oh, right. I almost forgot. There¡¯s a tannery for Ellis, too.¡± My eyebrows furrowed. ¡°A tannery? Like... a solarium?¡± ¡°What on Kallis is a solarium?¡± ¡°You know¡ªa place to tan.¡± ¡°A place to tan?¡± ¡°Yeah. Your skin?¡± I pointed at my browned arm. ¡°Tan. I know Ellis has a buff bod now, but I didn¡¯t take him for the type to work on his complexion.¡± Barry shook his head, sheer incomprehension plastering his face. ¡°No, Fischer, I don¡¯t mean a place to tan. What are you even...¡± He stilled, giving me a flat stare. ¡°You¡¯re messing with me, aren¡¯t you?¡± I gave him a smile so wide that my cheeks hurt. ¡°Would I do that, Barry? Mess with you for my amusement?¡± ¡°Yes. Often and flagrantly.¡± My grin widened even more, and he shook his head. Before I could say anything to make Barry more disappointed with me, a bark grabbed our attention. Borks sat on the grass beside Roger, whose chin was raised and gaze fixed on us. His eyes were red? and puffy, but his face was resolute. ¡°I¡¯ve reached a decision.¡± Barry and I shared a glance, then I turned back to Roger. ¡°Er... that¡¯s good, mate. But what decision are you talking about?¡± ¡°The only one there is to make.¡± He breathed deep, firming his shoulders and standing taller. ¡°I want you to make me into a cultivator.¡± Book 2: Chapter 66: Birds of a Feather Book 2: Chapter 66: Birds of a Feather As the sun rose ever higher in the sky, its light stole through gaps in the canopy above. When I¡¯d first come across this patch of grass, it had been a clearing; the space around the blue-trunked tree was free of flora other than grass. Now, four lemon trees stood, all growing bigger by the day. Their branches were filled with glossy leaves, bright-yellow lemons, and countless bees that flew between small white flowers. A soft wind gusted above us, shaking the leaves and making a pleasant sound. I blinked at the man before me. ¡°Come again, Roger?¡± He lifted his chin, his gaze unwavering. ¡°I want you to make me a cultivator. As soon as possible.¡± Lost for words, I looked at Barry. He was studying Roger with an intent look. ¡°Why do you want to become a cultivator?¡± ¡°To protect my family,¡± he replied, not skipping a beat. A hint of his anger returned, his nostrils flaring and mouth growing tight. ¡°No matter how I feel about you putting my family in danger, it¡¯s up to me to protect them.¡± He whirled on me, likely seeing the look on my face. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word, Fischer. I don¡¯t care about your reasoning or justifications. You had no right to give Maria your poisoned food.¡± Barry cleared his throat. ¡°Can I speak with Fischer for a moment, Roger?¡± ¡°Why?¡± he demanded, not hiding his suspicion. ¡°So you can decide how to dispose of me now that you know I won¡¯t blindly follow you?¡± Barry sighed. ¡°Because I want to talk to him. There¡¯s no scenario in which we harm a hair on your head, Roger. If we wanted you to disappear¡ªwhich, to be clear, we don¡¯t¡ªI¡¯m pretty sure Lemon could open up the earth where you stand and swallow you whole.¡± One of Lemon¡¯s roots shot up from the ground right before Roger. It nodded, and his face went white as he stared down at the grass beneath his feet. ¡°I just want to talk to Fischer, okay?¡± Barry continued. ¡°Can you give us a moment?¡± He stepped backward slowly, holding his hands up in a placating gesture as if Lemon would actually eat him up. Barry sighed again, shaking his head. ¡°Are you okay with this?¡± ¡°With making him ascend even though he isn¡¯t... what? Subservient?¡± ¡°Exactly. Are you comfortable with that?¡± ¡°Hell yeah, brother. It¡¯s an absolute win.¡± ¡°... it is?¡± I grinned, leaning in close. ¡°Riddle me this, Barry. What do people need to do to become a cultivator?¡± ¡°Eat food you¡¯ve made...?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± I nodded sagely, but Barry just raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Mate, I¡¯ve been slowly converting everyone to the ways of fishing. What better way to make him realize fishing is the correct way of life than to feed him some delicious seafood? Who could have some of my deep-fried fish and not crave more?¡± ¡°Er... you know you could just give him lemons, right? Or a sugary pastry? Or literally anything else?¡± ¡°I could, yes.¡± ¡°... but you¡¯re not going to.¡± My smile was the only answer I gave, and he let out a soft laugh. ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder if raising you to the pantheon is a good idea, Fischer. You¡¯re diabolical.¡± ¡°Not at all! I am but a humble servant to the sea, doing my part to imbibe knowledge upon the uninformed.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I said¡ªdiabolical.¡± I waved the comment away. ¡°Diabolically pure, you mean.¡± I turned to Roger, who was hiding in the treeline away from Lemon¡¯s trunk and glaring at us. ¡°Good news, mate! We¡¯ve agreed to give you some pew pew food!¡± *** Roger swallowed. He licked his lips and wiped his eyes. ¡°I think I¡¯ll need some more. I didn¡¯t awaken, so¡ª¡± He cut off, his eyes going vacant. I felt it. I felt the exact moment the System reached out to him. ¡°You were saying?¡± I said, sitting once more and leaning casually on one arm. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve become a cultivator, would you like some more of my delicious, irresistible, tasty fish?¡± His vision cleared as he returned to the present. He licked his lips again. ¡°I might need to have a little more... just in case. I wouldn¡¯t want the awakening to fail because I didn¡¯t have enough...¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Ellis asked. ¡°That small mouthful of fish worked?¡± Roger nodded, his eyes darting around at us all. ¡°It... it¡¯s asking me to choose a name. Do I just say Roger?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ellis, Barry, and I yelled. His eyes went wide. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Barry said. ¡°We have reason to believe that the capital can monitor our names, so we¡¯ve been choosing pseudonyms that will throw them off.¡± Roger nodded, his face going thoughtful. ¡°Sharon mentioned that there was a prince you were getting information from. What name do I use, then?¡± I threw my hand up. ¡°I have an idea! I¡¯ve been brainstorming more names to confuse them should someone find the artifact.¡± Ellis perked up, watching me intently. ¡°What is it?¡± I grinned. When I told them the name and my reasoning behind it, Maria laughed so hard that I thought she may wet herself. *** Augustus Reginald Gormona felt his anxiety slide away as he shed his kingly robes and got into a scalding hot bath. The castle always got terribly cold this time of year, and no matter what worries assailed him¡ªof which there were plenty- he could always rely on a bath of almost boiling water to recenter himself. He breathed in the steam floating up from the surface, enjoying the heat as it passed his nostrils and went down into his lungs. The water was scented, and even smelling the herbs put him in a good mood, recalling all the baths that had come before. A sharp knock came from the door, and a spike of annoyance lanced his calm. ¡°I am busy for the next hour. Come back then.¡± He took a deep breath, trying to center himself once more, but then the sharp knock came again. ¡°Come in!¡± he yelled, only so he could identify and punish this intruder. When the face poked into the room, his stomach dropped. ¡°Apologies, my king. There has been a development,¡± Luke, the man in charge of monitoring the artifacts, said. ¡°... What sort of development?¡± Luke winced. ¡°Another name, my king.¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona rose from the water in an instant, scrambling across the marble floor for a towel. Two minutes later, wearing a bathrobe and with steam still rising from his body, the king burst into the artifact-filled room. ¡°Where is it? Which screen?¡± ¡°This one,¡± Deklan replied, scratching his neck and staring down. His face was lit by a faint blue light. The king walked forward on unfeeling legs, the calm of his bath long gone. He knew it would be bad based on Luke¡¯s demeanor, but the name printed on the screen was worse than he could have ever imagined. He leaned back on the same artifact the guard was using. ¡°Do you know what this means, Deklan?¡± he asked, his voice faint. ¡°Not really, no.¡± The king swallowed. ¡°It means they¡¯re preparing for war. They¡¯ve secured a scout¡ªone which we have no hope of controlling.¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona stared at the relic, willing it to change, willing this to be a fever dream. The name remained, taunting him. Five simple words that could mean the downfall of a kingdom¡ªof his family. He read the name of the freshly awakened spirit beast once more, printed in bold lettering. An Entire Flock of Birds. Book 2: Chapter 67: Psychological Warfare Book 2: Chapter 67: Psychological Warfare A few hours earlier, we sat before a campfire. The smell of deep-fried fish was in the air, and Maria¡¯s giggles joined the faint sound of waves lapping the shoreline. Her joy was a soothing balm to the uncertainty of the day gone, and I watched the lines of her face intently, drinking them in. Barry shook his head, more than a little amusement on his visage. ¡°This is why I said you are diabolical, Fischer. What is wrong with your brain that you can think of a name like that?¡± I shrugged one shoulder. ¡°Just a bit of psychological warfare, mate. Blame Ellis.¡± I pointed at the former archivist. ¡°He was the one that inspired me with the names they all chose.¡± Ellis stopped writing to cast a smirk over the top of his notepad. ¡°Happy to be of service. For what it is worth, I agree with your reasoning. I cannot think of a better name to sow chaos within the capital should they be monitoring our advancements. Also, I have another suggestion if you¡¯re amenable to it, Roger.¡± The farmer turned cultivator hadn¡¯t stopped scowling. ¡°You¡¯re assuming that I¡¯ll use that ridiculous name. ¡®An Entire Flock of Birds¡¯? How will it do anything other than make me look ridiculous?¡± Sharon squeezed his arm. ¡±Do you trust Fischer?¡± Roger gave her an unimpressed look, and she sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t answer that. Do you trust me, dear?¡± His mouth moved, likely fighting back the urge to call me a choice insult. Instead of voicing it, he nodded. ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°Because I trust Fischer. I trust Barry, Ellis, and the rest of the church. If it has even a small chance of misdirecting the capital and making us safer, why wouldn¡¯t you use the name? You¡¯re still Roger. We don¡¯t call Ellis Lizard Wizard, because he¡¯s still Ellis. The name is only for the System and has no impact on who you are as a person.¡± Roger grunted. ¡°What if I don¡¯t choose one? Won¡¯t that be even better than trying to misdirect them?¡± ¡°I tried that,¡± Barry said, laughing. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t like sleeping, because it will pull at your awareness multiple times an hour until you pick one.¡± ¡°What was the other request, Ellis?¡± Roger asked, not-so-subtly changing the subject. ¡°After you choose the name, I want you to spend your time learning every trade and skill we have. I want you to gain as many levels in different things as possible.¡± ¡°Listen to me, Ellis.¡± Roger turned toward him, demanding every ounce of the former archivist¡¯s attention. ¡°I may have agreed to become a cultivator, but I don¡¯t intend to join your church. I did so to protect my family.¡± He shook his head. ¡°All that aside, I¡¯m a farmer. I farm. I don¡¯t have time to be running around doing tasks for you.¡± I snorted, unable to help myself, and Roger whirled on me, his eyes filled with hate. ¡°Er¡ªmy bad,¡± I said. ¡°Something funny, heretic?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate. You thinking you won¡¯t have any spare time. Do you have any idea how much becoming a cultivator will improve your body? Your speed? Your strength? You don¡¯t have that many fields, Roger. I reckon you¡¯ll be able to knock out your work in a couple of hours each day.¡± ¡°So? That means I¡¯ll have more time to spend with my family. Not more time to help you with whatever your goals are.¡± ¡°Riiight...¡± I said, dragging the word out. ¡°Let¡¯s assume that the church¡¯s goals aren¡¯t the best way to protect your family, which, to be clear, they totally are. Even if they weren¡¯t, I¡¯m pretty sure I know what Ellis¡¯s intention is. The confusion it could cause would definitely be the best way to help your family out.¡± I turned to Ellis. ¡°May I?¡± He nodded, so I continued. ¡°You gaining a bunch of different skills simultaneously will make it appear that a flock of birds has genuinely taken steps on the path of ascension, and they¡¯re individually training different skills. It implies numbers, intelligence, and a goal, all of which are pretty terrifying. Think about it, mate. A whole flock of birds of an unnamed species all following different paths. It¡¯ll have the capital sweating bullets every time they see a bird.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not doing it. I need time to consider what choice I make.¡± ¡°Dad...¡± Maria started, but Sharon shook her head. ¡°Take your time, dear,¡± she rubbed Roger¡¯s back. ¡°I know you¡¯ll make the right decision when you¡¯re ready.¡± I waited a moment, and when I saw no one else had anything to add, I grinned. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that. How about we dig into this fish before it goes cold?¡± Everyone had forgotten the meal, and as I pointed down at the still-warm morsels, their eyes were drawn to them. I went to cut the one I¡¯d drained the chi from, then glanced up at Roger. Unsurprisingly, he was giving me his best scowl. ¡°Can I interest you in more fish, mate? I just wanna know before I cut this piece up.¡± He licked his lips. ¡°Well, if it has the chance to give me more power...¡± ¡°Nope. This is the one I drained all the chi from, which is why I¡¯m cutting it up. I thought people might want to taste the difference. Interested?¡± ¡°No. Definitely not.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure? I can cut you off a bit if you¡¯re worried it will make you a heretic or something.¡± He hesitated for a fraction of a second before shaking his head. That was all the confirmation I needed. A noise escaped me, joining the sounds coming from my friends. I savored it as long as I could, closing my eyes to experience each bite in its entirety. Finally, I swallowed it, and a heat shot down my throat, followed by another shudder. I opened my eyes, blinking rapidly to banish the tears that had welled up. The fish had been barely wider than a coin, and that was the impact it had? I took deep breaths, completely overwhelmed by the experience as I looked around the circle. To a one, each of them were similarly speechless, their expressions rapturous. The only one with a smile on his face was Roger, but I suspected that was because he¡¯d already eaten a whole mouthful previously and knew what to expect. Maria looped an arm in mine and pulled herself close. ¡°Are you single?¡± she whispered. ¡°Because I¡¯d give anything to eat food like that for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Taken, I¡¯m afraid,¡± I whispered back, shakily. I cleared my throat and clenched my jaw, willing my voice box to work correctly. ¡°If things ever fall through with her, though, where can I find you?¡± She elbowed my ribs lightly, and I put an arm around her, pulling her to my side. She leaned in, and we lapsed back into silence, both enjoying the moment. When I opened my eyes, Roger was once more scowling at me, but the joy on Sharon¡¯s face beside him counteracted it. The scratching of a pencil came from my right, and I glanced over, seeing Ellis taking notes at a ridiculous pace. He shook his hand, his limb likely as insubordinate as my voice had been. I inhaled deeply, then let out an audible sigh. ¡°We¡¯ve had a big day today, one that I think requires a celebration.¡± Barry raised a knowing eyebrow. ¡°We have, haven¡¯t we? Dare I say this calls for a church-wide feast?¡± I smiled back. ¡°Anything less would be downright disrespectful. How could we properly celebrate Roger¡¯s ascension without a party?¡± His scowl deepened; my grin widened. *** Three hours later, the delicious taste of fish lingered in my mouth as I watched Danny pat the back of an inconsolable Peter. The chef opened his mouth to speak, but only a pained noise came out. Everyone¡¯s reactions to the pile of enhanced fish I¡¯d cooked were wonderful, but Peter¡¯s was the most visceral¡ªhe¡¯d been beside himself for the last five minutes since he¡¯d taken a bite. I rubbed Corporal Claws¡¯s belly, who was lying on her back in Maria¡¯s lap, her little head resting on my thigh. I moved my hand up to her chin, giving it a good scritching that made her whiskers twitch. As I looked around the circle, I bathed in the friendship on display. The fishing club all sat close to Peter, taking turns trying to console him. The crafters sat together, probably discussing the different aspects of their workshops. I looked closer, and when I saw the attention going to Ruby¡¯s abdomen, I realized she and Steven must have shared the news of her pregnancy. They raised their drinks in a toast, and Ruby¡¯s eyes sparkled as she drank from her cup of sugarcane juice. Claws let out an indignant chirp. ¡°Sorry, Claws.¡± I resumed scratching her chin, her temporary disapproval melting away. I waved at Fergus, and when I caught his eye, I gestured him over. ¡°What¡¯s up, Fischer?¡± ¡°Sorry for calling you over, mate. I wanted to come talk to you about the new forge, but as you can see, I¡¯m currently serving her royal highness, Corporal Claws.¡± Claws cooed her agreement, moving her head so I could scratch the other side of her chin. Fergus smiled, shaking his head. ¡°No need to apologize. Tell you what¡ªI¡¯ll get everyone to come over and we can all talk about our new workshops.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to...¡± I trailed off as he waved my concern away and jogged to fetch everyone. With Maria at my side, Corporal Claws¡¯s furry little head in my lap, and the crafters getting to their feet and looking my way, I smiled at the world. Nary a day went by that I didn¡¯t thank whatever cosmic force or isekai bullshit brought me to this world, but in that moment, I felt an indescribable level of gratitude. I turned to Maria, and as I stared at the firelight dancing over her freckles, she darted in to steal a kiss. ¡°What was that for?¡± I asked, my cheeks heating. She cocked her head, a strand of hair falling free from behind her ear. She swept it back into place with a practiced movement. ¡°I don¡¯t need a reason. I love you.¡± It was said so simply, yet it made butterflies spring to life in my stomach. What a beautiful life I¡¯d found. ¡°I love you, too.¡± Claws chirped, once more indignant. ¡°Yes, Claws.¡± I rolled my eyes playfully. ¡°I also love you.¡± She cooed, giving a happy little wiggle of her body. Book 2: Chapter 68: Invaluable Data Book 2: Chapter 68: Invaluable Data The warm light of magical fire lit the way as Ellis strode with purpose down the church¡¯s hallway. His attention had been divided over the past couple of days, but now that the trade route was set into motion and Roger had ascended, there was only one more task to take care of before he could devote himself entirely to processing the spiritual beast. He took a deep breath, enjoying the smell that wafted up from the tray in his hands. ¡°Everything okay, Ellis?¡± Keith asked from beside him. ¡°It will be as soon as we get this business over with.¡± Keith nodded. ¡°Agreed. Here¡¯s to hoping this actually works...¡± ¡°It will.¡± ¡°How can you be sure?¡± ¡°Hmm. A gut feeling.¡± Keith¡¯s footsteps halted, and Ellis turned back. Keith pursed his lips, looking back at him as if he were a scroll he couldn¡¯t quite decipher. ¡°Are you well, Keith?¡± ¡°Am I well? Did I just hear you say that you, former head archivist in the royal library, know something because of a... gut feeling?¡± ¡°Yes. Why is that odd?¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t have any proof, Ellis. No backing articles, journals, or first-hand recordings... yet you¡¯re sure.¡± Ellis raised an eyebrow at his own behavior. ¡°Hmm. That is quite remarkable, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Quite remarkable? It¡¯s downright astounding, Ellis. You¡¯ve never committed to anything without having a literary foundation supporting it.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because...¡± Ellis shook his head and raised a hand. ¡°No. We can theorize on that later. As soon as we deliver this food to your cousin, I am focusing my attention on the spirit beast¡¯s carcass.¡± Ellis turned and kept striding, so Keith ran to catch up. ¡°Have you put any thought into what you¡¯re going to do with it? The lizard, I mean.¡± ¡°It will depend on what properties it presents, if any.¡± ¡°Hello?¡± a voice called from the open doorway ahead of them. Keith sighed as they entered the room. ¡°None of your business, Trent. What are you doing?¡± The prince was leaning against the bars, making his already toe-like face even more squished. ¡°What am I doing? No one brought me my dessert!¡± ¡°Well, great news, then!¡± Keith pointed at the tray in Ellis¡¯s hands. ¡°We¡¯ve brought you food.¡± Trent frowned at it. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Deep fried meat. Try it¡ªit¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°... but I want dessert...¡± ¡°Tell you what. If you eat all of this second dinner, I¡¯ll give you extra dessert. What do you say?¡± Greed entered the prince¡¯s eyes, and he happily scooped up one of the golden chunks of fish. He raised it to his mouth, but paused. ¡°This isn¡¯t lizard, is it?¡± ¡°Why on Kallis would we give you lizard to eat, Trent?¡± He pouted. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Keith. I heard you two talking about a lizard. I won¡¯t go eating dumb animals for your amusement.¡± Keith took a steadying breath. ¡°It is not lizard. It¡¯s meat, and it¡¯s delicious. Just try it.¡± Trent, still frowning as if they were trying to trick him¡ªwhich, to be fair, they were¡ªbit down into the fish. His face immediately transformed. He¡¯d not so much as swallowed when he raised the rest to his mouth, but then he caught sight of the flesh. ¡°Some fates are worse than death,¡± Augustus said, his body going numb. His wife¡¯s answering whimper echoed his thoughts, and her eyes went vacant as she stared into space. ¡°My baby boy... he¡¯s not strong enough...¡± Augustus clenched his jaw so tight he thought his teeth might shatter. His wife was right; the foolish boy was ill-equipped for being a captive of war. *** Trent Reginald Gormona, first in line to the throne and authority on all things sweet, was having a rather pleasant evening. He lounged among a throne of plush pillows as he ate his second dessert for the evening. Two dinners and two desserts? Now that was Trent¡¯s kind of night. Even better, since he had entered his name into that weird blue thing, the delicious sweets he ate no longer bothered him. Each time he¡¯d eaten some of the purple jam or drank sugarcane juice previously, an odd pressure had pulsed in his brain for a short time, as if trying to break down a physical wall. It had been the same when he ate that deliciously savory meat earlier. Rather than struggling against the wall, though, the white flesh covered in golden crumbs had shattered right through. Trent cocked his head to the side. Perhaps it was the meat that had fixed his problem, not entering his name. Realizing he was thinking, he chuckled at himself. What good was thinking when he had delicious things to eat? He dipped the croissant into his heaped pile of jam and placed it on his tongue. The sweet flavor warmed his entire body, and he could almost feel its energy coursing through his veins. He paused, waiting for the energy to press against that wall, but then he remembered the wall was no more. Trent grinned, dipped his pastry, and took another bite. ¡°How do you feel?¡± his traitorous cousin asked, making the blessed jam covering his tongue turn sour. Trent leveled his best hate-filled scowl at him as he chewed. ¡°I¡¯d feel better if you brought me more jam.¡± Keith nodded. ¡°As I thought. I can take it from here, Ellis. You can go get started on your project if you like.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± the other man... what was he again? A librarian? Trent shook his head; it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I¡¯ll take notes if my cousin here does anything of note, but I don¡¯t foresee that happening.¡± Keith sighed. ¡°Not like he¡¯s going anywhere.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± Trent countered through another mouthful of pastry. ¡°I might flex and bust out of this prison the moment you lower your guard.¡± If Trent hadn¡¯t been so engrossed by the lingering flavor of jam and the sense of smugness he got from insulting his captors, he may have noticed the drips of information making their way into his cerebrum. Being Trent, he didn¡¯t, of course. He simply puffed his chest out and looked down his nose at the two men outside his jail cell. *** Ellis couldn¡¯t help but shake his head at the moronic prince. He had finally ascended, but the poor boy was so thick that he didn¡¯t even realize it yet. Ellis recalled the physical and cognitive changes that had occurred almost immediately following his own awakening. The urge to enlighten him was hard to ignore, but doing so could negatively impact the data. Trent¡¯s mental faculties¡ªor lack thereof, he supposed¡ªpresented a unique opportunity. Based on all their testimonials, the animals that had ascended from eating Fischer¡¯s food all experienced the same thing: a steady stream of information flowing into them. Though humans also experienced improvement, it was insignificant in comparison. Given these statements were all true, what would happen when a man thicker than Fischer¡¯s desserts awakened? The data was invaluable, so Ellis once more dismissed the urge to tell him. ¡°All right, Keith. I leave the imbecile to you.¡± Trent snorted, an ugly noise considering how much croissant and jam he had stuffed into his mouth. He gave them a smug smile as he finished the mouthful. ¡°Your insults are so ludicrous as to be amusing. Don¡¯t waste your breath attempting to bring this one low¡ªyou merely lower yourself in the attempt.¡± Ellis had started walking away, but froze mid-step, slowly looking back toward the prince. Keith was staring with the same amount of incredulity. ¡°What did you just say, Trent?¡± He raised an eyebrow at them. ¡°What? Are my sentences too verbose for cretins like you to comprehend? Doth my vocal vibrations leave you flummoxed?¡± He shook his head, laughing. ¡°I daresay you two are the imbeciles, not I.¡± Ellis¡¯s hand twitched, reaching for his notepad of its own accord. ¡°What?¡± Trent continued. ¡°Nothing to say? Are you so inarticulate that you¡¯ve forgotten your words? You are a stain upon your houses. A blight upon the learned. A plague¡ª¡± ¡°Trent,¡± Keith interrupted, leaning so far forward that he was almost at the metal bars of his cousin¡¯s confinement. ¡°Think about the words you¡¯re using.¡± Trent rolled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with your trickery, cousin. I know they are contextually correct. It is you who lacks the intellectual dexterity to¡ª¡± ¡°Trent! Think about the words you¡¯re using. Do they sound like things you¡¯d normally say? Sentences you¡¯d normally put together?¡± Trent cocked his head, squinting at them. His face morphed as the realization struck him. ¡°Poseidon¡¯s salt-crusted beard...¡± Trent said in a whisper, his eyes like saucers. ¡°I sound like a nerd...¡± Book 2: Chapter 69: Future Plans Book 2: Chapter 69: Future Plans A swath of purple and orange colors painted the sky in the predawn light. Beneath that beautiful vista, Maria and I raced over the sands. Borks loped between us, his golden fur streaked back in the wind. I reached the gate first and put our race aside for a moment to hold it open for her. Without even a thank you, she sprinted past, poking her tongue out at me. Borks leaped clean over it. As with Maria, he didn¡¯t pause for a moment. I pouted, then grinned. Taking off at a sprint, I swiftly made up the distance they¡¯d put between us. The world blurred by under my feet, and focusing my chi into my legs, I leaped. Like a rocket, I sailed past them, skidding to a stop in the sand just before the first crop of sugarcane. They reached me three heartbeats later, and Maria pointed at me. ¡°Cheater!¡± she yelled, lifting her chin. ¡°We agreed to a running race! You were clearly flying just now! Right, Borks?¡± He barked in agreement, his tail wagging despite the accusation. ¡°Flying?¡± I held a hand to my chest. ¡°I would never commit such vile treachery on purpose. It¡¯s not my fault that I tripped and fell.¡± She giggled. ¡°Tripped and fell? From the halfway point between your house and the Village¡¯s border?¡± ¡°I¡¯m rather clumsy.¡± Borks barked in the affirmative again, and I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll call it a draw, then.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say that too if I got caught cheating,¡± Maria huffed, but her smile betrayed her. ¡°Come on,¡± I said. ¡°If we don¡¯t get our coffee soon, we¡¯ll miss the sunrise.¡± She interlaced her fingers with mine and planted a lightning-fast peck on my cheek. ¡°Lucky you¡¯re cute, otherwise you¡¯d never get away with your constant bending of the rules.¡± Despite it being a mere peck, my face flushed hot, and a hand drifted up to touch the spot she¡¯d kissed, distracting me as we walked. When we entered the street before Sue¡¯s bakery, the scent of fresh coffee struck me. Sue was just handing over a cup. She gleaned up at us. ¡°Well, well, well. Fancy seeing you two together so early in the morning. You must have woken up rather early to meet before coming here together.¡± The downright predatory smile she had told me she knew the truth of it. ¡°We¡ªer¡ªwe didn¡¯t...¡± Maria spluttered, her cool demeanor having disappeared before Sue¡¯s ambush. I gave Maria¡¯s hand a squeeze, trying to reassure her, but before I could tell Sue off, a tiny ball of dough came sailing toward her head. ¡°You leave them alone, Sue,¡± Sturgill said, leaning around the dividing wall between the counter and kitchen. The dough bounced off the side of her head, and she slowly turned his way. Sturgill retreated, scrambling from sight as Sue rushed him. Maria and I raised out our brows at each other as a cacophony of clanging pans and muffled smacks followed. ¡°Joking! I was joking!¡± Sturgill tried, but Sue¡¯s pursuit was relentless. I let my hearing extend, wanting to make sure Sturgill wasn¡¯t getting shoved headfirst into the oven. They were both giggling under their breath as Sue berated and smacked him with what sounded like a wooden spoon. I withdrew my senses. A moment later, Sue reemerged, brushing flour from her shoulder and smoothing her hair. ¡°Where were we?¡± she asked, tugging at her apron. ¡°Ah, yes¡ªyou two were explaining how you came to be together so early in the morning.¡± ¡°I stayed at Fischer¡¯s last night,¡± Maria replied, a slight blush to her cheeks. Sue sighed. ¡°Sturgill!¡± ¡°Yes, dear?¡± he asked, grinning from behind the counter. ¡°Stay there for a moment, would you?¡± She bent down to retrieve a croissant from the display case. Drawing her arm back and raising a knee, she launched it at her husband¡¯s head. He let it strike his chest, then plucked it from the air before it could hit the ground. ¡°Thanks! I was just considering breakfast.¡± Sue pouted at his laugh as she retreated into the kitchen. ¡°Infuriating man, ruining all my fun.¡± She straightened her apron once more. ¡°Well, jokes aside, I¡¯m happy for you two. You¡¯re both wonderful people and you make a charming couple.¡± A heat blossomed in my chest, only increasing as Maria¡¯s grip tightened around my hand. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, feeling the heat move up to my face. ¡°Okay.¡± Sue gave us a kind smile. ¡°That¡¯s enough of my prattling for one morning. I assume you two would like a coffee and a croissant?¡± I grinned. ¡°I¡¯d usually ask for the finest coffee and croissant someone has, but I know all of yours are flawless.¡± She gave me an appraising look, then glanced at Maria. ¡°Watch yourself around this one. He has a silver tongue.¡± As Sue prepared our coffees, the purple and orange sky faded to gradients of pink, warning of the sunrise to come. She nodded seriously. ¡°It can hurt your chance of having a kid later. Other people can do what they like, but it¡¯s not something I could ever do.¡± I held up both hands ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of man that would pressure you to do that.¡± Her face relaxed, and she reached a hand out to squeeze my knee. ¡°I know you¡¯re not, Fischer, but thank you for reminding me.¡± I smiled at her, the glow of her cheeks threatening to take both my breath and all conscious thought away. I forced myself to continue. ¡°In a perfect world, I¡¯d like to wait until all of this churchy-culty bullshit is over, but I know these things don¡¯t always wait for the right time.¡± ¡°Same. As much as I agree with Barry¡¯s plan and think it¡¯s the best path for everyone¡¯s safety, I don¡¯t relish the thought of bringing a child into it.¡± She gave me a haughty look. ¡°I¡¯m also not so sure about you yet.¡± I nodded. ¡°Understandable. I¡¯d be having second thoughts too after seeing all that weight George has lost. He¡¯s looking damn fine.¡± She raised her hand to stop me. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s the line. He¡¯s still about twenty years older than me, Fischer.¡± I shot her a wink. ¡°How about this, then: we revisit this conversation after Barry is finished making us all gods or whatever? If something happens before that, though, we¡¯ll do the best that we can. Together.¡± The smile she rewarded me with seemed brighter than the rising sun, and she nodded, making her hair bounce against her face. She took my half-finished cup of coffee from my hand, put it on the sand, and crawled into my arms. Our proximity made a barrage of emotions wash over me. I reveled in them, squeezing her tighter. The joy coursing through me made me want to voice the other thing that had been tugging at my awareness lately. Against my better judgment, I decided to let it out. ¡°I wanted to mention something else, too,¡± I said, my stomach fluttering suddenly. ¡°I worried it was a bit... forward, but considering the conversation we just had, it doesn¡¯t seem so bad.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, looking up at me. Gods, she was beautiful. I chewed my cheek. ¡°Let me preface this by saying this is probably just me getting caught up in my feelings, so keep that in mind if it seems a bit...¡± She reached a hand up toward my face. I thought she¡¯d caress my cheek or run a hand through my hair, but then she flicked the tip of my nose. She shook her head at me with a bemused smile. ¡°Fischer. We just had a conversation about the possibility of having a child. If that doesn¡¯t scare me away, what could?¡± I raised a finger to protest, then snorted. ¡°All right, that¡¯s fair play. It¡¯s just...¡± ¡°Out with it.¡± She tapped me on the nose again. ¡°Or else I¡¯ll give you another flicking.¡± I ran a hand through her hair, fighting the urge to change the subject by kissing her. ¡°Okay. I wanted to ask you about, er... moving in with me.¡± Her eyes opened just a little wider, so I rushed to explain the rest of my thoughts. ¡°I know it¡¯s terrible timing with your father, and having you move in might be the thing that finally gives him a conniption, so I don¡¯t think we should...¡± I shook my head. ¡°What am I even saying?¡± I ran both hands over my face, searching for the right words. ¡°I guess what I mean is that I¡¯d love for you to move in when the time is right, and I wish it could be now.¡± Her hand reached up again as she stared into my eyes, and this time it did come to rest on my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re becoming an issue, Fischer.¡± I quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because everything you say only makes me fall for you more.¡± I blew air from my nose, giving her a confused smile. ¡°How does the word salad I just threw at you make you more in love with me?¡± ¡°Because you are thoughtful, caring, and kind. Even to my dad¡ªa grumpy, unreasonable man that held a scythe to your neck the first time you met him.¡± She wrapped her arms around me. ¡°Despite how much of a menace he is, I¡¯m quite fond of my dad. As such, I don¡¯t want to send him over the edge by moving in with a heretical fisher.¡± She pulled her head back to look into my eyes. ¡°... yet. I¡¯d love to move in with you when the time is right.¡± She pulled herself in again, holding me so tight that I thought she may never let go. In that moment, with the scent of her hair wafting up and her slight body held in my arms, I wished she never did. Book 2: Chapter 70: Hatchling Book 2: Chapter 70: Hatchling In the fading afternoon light, Cinnamon woke from a wonderful nap atop the headland rocks. She stretched her body out, lounging in the cushions comprising the nest she lay in. The female pelican hatchling she was curled around let out a soft peep, complaining at being woken. Cinnamon peered out at her charge, taking in the down covering the pelican¡¯s entire body. It was almost the same color as her own cinnamon fur, and was, frustratingly, even softer. The bird had grown an incredible amount over the last week or so since her hatching, and was now half as big as Cinnamon. Has it really been a week already? Cinnamon wondered. The days had blurred into one, her latent maternal instincts kicking in and letting her focus on nothing but the life dependent on her. Those same instincts were the reason she had kept the hatchling isolated¡ªthough she knew not why, she was certain that keeping her charge unsocialized for the first few weeks of life was integral to development. As much as Cinnamon loved doing pranks on others and being a general nuisance, she was forced to admit that nurturing the baby bird currently falling back asleep was even more rewarding. Knowing it was time for another feeding soon, Cinnamon nudged the pelican¡¯s head. The hatchling peeped in protest, but Cinnamon persisted, nudging her again. With perfect timing, Bill came soaring up over the side of the rock. The hatchling, who looked at Cinnamon with what she thought was certainly annoyance, perked up immediately. She opened her bill, facing her wide-open maw toward Warrant Officer Williams. He landed beside her, stretched his crop, then started dropping baitfish in. She ate each one whole as fast as they came, somehow fitting them into her tiny, down-covered body. Cinnamon had been amazed the first time she saw how much food such a small bird could eat, but quickly grew used to it. When the steady stream of baitfish from Bill came to an end, the hatchling settled down, lowering herself into a rather cute little loaf. Bill reached back, ruffled through the feathers of his back, and withdrew a stalk of sugarcane. He held it out to Cinnamon, and she happily accepted, letting out a thankful squeak as she munched on the delicious treat. Bill nodded once, then turned and took flight, heading back out to sea. *** A full moon rose high above us, shining its light across the landscape. The campfire¡¯s flames licked at the logs within it, orange tingeing our surroundings with each flicker. Each night for the past two weeks since Maria and I had discussed moving in, we¡¯d practiced my cooking¡ªWell, I¡¯d been practicing, but she was ever by my side. Tonight was no different. No one had spoken since the meal began; the only sounds to be heard were the churning ocean and my animal pals¡¯ enthusiastic crunching as they bit down into golden crumbs. Snips, Claws, Pistachio, and Rocky were all partaking, each as intent as the next. ¡°Cheers,¡± Maria said, holding out a strip of deep-fried fish. ¡°Cheers!¡± I tapped mine to hers, and we bit down at the same time. I had worried that the taste of the chi-enhanced fish would lose its luster once I got used to it. Each meal since, this one included, proved just how wrong I was. The flavor exploded across my taste buds, the fish¡¯s juices mixing with the crumbs and tallow it was fried in. As I chewed the mouthful, I breathed in through my nose. The sweet air was a perfect companion to the savory bombardment assaulting my senses. I ate each bite slowly, lingering in the moment as long as possible. A loud honk drew my attention, and I whirled toward it. ¡°Bill! I was wondering where you were¡ªthere¡¯s fish to...¡± I trailed off, seeing the two creatures on his back.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Cinnamon¡¯s ears were alert as she sat up, wiggling her little body in excitement. Sitting down before her, an unrecognizable bird peered out at the world with curiosity. The last time I¡¯d seen the bird, she looked like a plucked lorikeet. Now, she was... well, she looked like a small pelican. Soft down the same color as Cinnamon¡¯s fur covered most of her body, interspersed with small brown feathers that grew from her head, chest, and around her wings. Most impressive was her size. She stood up and hopped from Bill¡¯s back under Cinnamon¡¯s guidance¡ªshe was already bigger than the bunny. ¡°I knew baby birds grew quickly, but damn...¡± Maria said, a look of shock on her face that mirrored my own thoughts. Bill puffed his chest out in pride, but it was nothing compared to Cinnamon. She looked downright smug, her eyes twinkling and head held high. The newly awakened bird looked at Bill, Cinnamon, the rest of the gang, and then me. ¡°Honk...?¡± I couldn¡¯t help laughing at the sheer bewilderment on her face. ¡°I¡¯m as confused as you are.¡± Her eyes went vacant as she stared off into the distance with a look of supreme discomfort, as if the knowledge of ten-thousand scholars flowed into her. It was reminiscent of those videos back on Earth of someone putting sliced cheese on a cat, making them malfunction. She leaned back, and if not for Cinnamon¡¯s guiding paw, would have fallen over. All of my animal pals were gravitating toward her, slowly advancing. ¡°Claws,¡± I said, making the otter¡¯s head dart my way and cock to the side. ¡°Sorry, but would you mind going to get Ellis? He¡¯ll complain for a week if we don¡¯t at least invite him to whatever is happening.¡± Her eyes sparkled at the task, and after a serious chirp, she tore off across the sand with lightning flowing from her legs. ¡°Is she getting faster?¡± Maria asked. She was gone in the blink of an eye, only dust remaining to tell of her passing. ¡°I think so...¡± I replied, smiling at the overenthusiastic otter. *** Everything. The pelican was learning... everything. It poured into her with unerring incessence, each detail finding a place to settle within her awareness. It was enlightening, marvelous, and objectively uncomfortable. She was only vaguely aware of her body tilting backwards, her brain too occupied to worry about trivial details like spatial positioning. ... spatial positioning? The words, unfortunately, made sense. A disorienting flash of images and ideas raced through her mind¡¯s eye simultaneously, firmly slamming into place the knowledge of both concepts. Something caught her. No, not something¡ªsomeone. A... bunny. The word made a slew of relevant information jump out at her. Adolescent rabbit. Mammal. Herbivore. Burrower. Low intelligence. The bunny had caught her; not a regular rabbit, then. Awakened. Again, a deluge of information jumped out. Awakened. Spirit animal. Enhanced cognition. On the path of ascension. It was what she was¡ªwhat she had become. Why was the bunny helping her, though? Spirit animals were... self serving. More knowledge slid forward. Memories of the past weeks. The bunny had been there from the beginning. Warming her. Caring for her. The bunny, a creature of an entirely different species, had acted as her mother. Even now, the mammal held her body with tenderness and support. It made her feel... nice. With what little attention she could spare, she leaned her head down, resting it atop the small bunny¡¯s head. Book 2: Chapter A week-long hiatus Book 2: Chapter A week-long hiatus Hello, friends. I''m taking an unplanned hiatus from today. I''m rather unwell at the moment with an infection in my chest and both inner ears, along with a cheeky perforated eardrum. This isn''t a woe-is-me thing, just letting you know that I didn''t make the decision lightly. Love you. <3 PS. I''ve also updated the Discord so there are public areas for RR readers. There may be some more friends joining in there over the coming days & weeks. Book 2: Chapter 71: The Birds and the Bees Book 2: Chapter 71: The Birds and the Bees Sequestered deep beneath the surface of Tropica, a grin came to Ellis¡¯s face. ¡°Wondrous...¡± he said to himself, checking the results again. He carefully removed the section of bone from the acid with a metal tong, and just as he went to put it in the cleansing mixture, the door was thrown open. Claws dashed into the room, a whirl of energy and fur. She stood there looking frazzled, gesturing out of the room and chirping insistently. It had something to do with... food? Ellis ignored her attempted distraction. ¡°Impeccable timing!¡± He scooped her up in his arms. ¡°I was just thinking of getting Theo to bounce my theories off of, but you will do.¡± Claws began to chirp something, but he cut her off; he had to put voice to the words lest they bounce around his head indefinitely. ¡°My original theory¡ªthat the spirit beast¡¯s remains offered some sort of protection¡ªwere correct! I had thought I was wrong for a time, unable to replicate the conditions as I was.¡± He lifted Claws up, bringing them eye to eye. ¡°The secret was moisture, Claws! Moisture!¡± He laughed at himself. ¡°How foolish a mistake¡ªthe environment the spirit beast was sealed within, you see? High humidity and low air circulation. I should have started by replicating the same conditions from the get. I suspect it was semi-aquatic, which makes sense why it was located near Tropica Village¡¯s coastal flats. If not for the scales, I would have assumed it to be a species of newt¡ªor perhaps it is, just with a scale evolution it unlocked when taking steps on the path of ascen¡ª¡± Claws chirped indignantly, pushing off his chest and trying to get away. Ellis sighed, shaking his head with a rueful smile. ¡°I suppose you are correct¡ªI am getting quite off topic.¡± He let go of her and rubbed his chin. ¡°Where was I...? Ah, yes¡ªthe protective properties. When it is exposed to water, it radiates a protective aura. Do you recall how the pickaxes were not as spoiled as they should have been? The metal should have rusted away entirely, the handles turned to dust.¡± Corporal Claws leaped back up. Ellis caught her. ¡°Ah, you are as excited as I, Claws? As expected of one of Fischer¡¯s spirit beasts. Your intellect knows no¡ª¡± Claws reached into his pocket, withdrew his notepad, and slapped him across the face with it. She chirped again, so loud that the very walls seemed to shake. Ellis recoiled. ¡°W-what...?¡± She chirped again, pointed at the notepad, then out the door. ¡°There... is there something to record?¡± Yes, she chirped, rolling her eyes and sagging her shoulders. He pouted. ¡°Well, you could have just said that¡ªthere was no need to assault me.¡± Claws¡¯s eyebrow twitched, and she smacked him with the notepad again. *** When Claws finally arrived with Ellis in tow, my new pelican pal was having an existential crisis. Both she and Cinnamon sat in my lap, the former staring into space like a shellshocked war vet, the latter rubbing the pelican¡¯s brown plumage with calming repetition. Ellis halted as he entered the firelight. His brow furrowed. ¡°That is... not Bill.¡± I smirked at him. ¡°Sharp as ever, mate.¡± In response, Bill swooped down and landed before me. A pile of fish spilled from his mouth, and he looked at the newly ascended pelican with anticipation. She didn¡¯t respond. I noticed her leaning into Cinnamon¡¯s pets, so I started stroking her too, running my fingers along the back of her head. The feathers there were soft, and she leaned back mere millimeters, but it was enough to tell me she found comfort in my pats. I glanced back up at Ellis just in time to see the realization strike him. ¡°The hatchling..?.¡± he asked, his hand reaching for his pocket. ¡°Yeah, mate. The hatchling. I gave her some of my chi-enhanced fish...¡± Ellis scrawled everything down with exacting detail as I recounted the night¡¯s events. He probed with countless questions; I answered them as best as I could. By the time we finished speaking, the pelican was looking much more sure of herself. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, stroking her neck. She let out a hesitant honk, laden with trepidation. ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡± I smiled down at her. ¡°Take all the time you need.¡± She hopped off my lap and shook her body, her feathers fluffing out. When she saw the pile of fish Bill had dumped onto the sand. She slowly turned toward me, the question clear in her body language.Visitt for the latest updates He writhed and tried to get away, but my grip was as firm as my smile was wide. After only a few seconds, I let him go. He tore off, sprinting around the clearing; he was suffering from an acute case of the zoomies. Round and round he ran, barking at me and darting in with false charges to bait me into chasing him. I obliged. ¡°Think you¡¯re fast enough for me, Borks?¡± I roared, kicking off the base of Lemon¡¯s sturdy trunk. The white of his eyes became visible as he looked back and saw me right on his tail. I let the game drag on, repeatedly grabbing at his back half before falling back. I had no idea how long we played for, but by the time we were finished, light shades of pink colored the purple sky. Borks collapsed to his back, his stomach exposed and tongue lolling from his mouth. ¡°Truce,¡± I said, collapsing to the clearing beside him. When he¡¯d caught his breath, Borks nipped at my arm playfully, and I laughed, batting him away. I stared up at the lemon tree above us. As always, it was laden with yellow citrus, but given the early morning hour, the pollinators were absent. It made the scene seem lifeless in comparison. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Bumblebro and Queen Bee in a while,¡± I mused. ¡°Let¡¯s go see how they¡¯re doing before we get started.¡± We approached in silence, not wanting to rouse the resting insects. As with the trees, the hives were quiet; not a single bee flew in or out. Curious if they¡¯d made any headway with the hive I¡¯d built, I lifted the lid to the top chamber. To my utter astonishment, there was honeycomb. I raised both eyebrows, and Borks cocked his head to the side. I replaced the lid, then lifted the first chamber. The next one down was empty, and I nodded¡ªit hadn¡¯t been that long, so it made sense. Unable to help myself, I put the first chamber down and lifted the second, revealing what would usually be the brood box. I froze, not believing my eyes. There was comb in the brood box too, but unlike the top chamber, it was absolutely filled. ¡°What the...¡± I carefully lifted a tray free, peering down at the honeycomb. One corner of the tray was a different color, so I leaned in closer. Within the comb there, only taking up a dozen or so of the hexes, were fully developed pupae. ¡°Queen Bee is producing more workers in here, huh?¡± I replaced the tray and lifted another with just as much care, curiosity overtaking me. A small shape at the bottom of the brood box caught my attention, and I paused. Inadvertently, my awareness shot down toward it. Not just a small shape, I realized. It was Bumblebro and Queen Bee, resting so close beside each other that their abdomens touched. They stirred, either sensing my attention or being woken by the light leeching in. Both their wings twitched as they looked up toward me. Then, they exploded into motion. Queen Bee¡¯s face flushed¡ªI didn¡¯t even know bees could do that¡ªand she darted from view, her wings vibrating in agitation. ¡°What the¡ªwhoa!¡± I darted my head to the side, dodging Bumblebro¡¯s charge. ¡°Sorry, Bumblebro!¡± I dodged again. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you!¡± He flew at me one last time, stopping directly before my face. He let out a low drone, clearly pissed, then flew down to the tray in my hand, staring up at me definitely as he buzzed his wings. ¡°Er... sorry?¡± I put it back, and the moment it was in place, he darted over to the chambers I¡¯d set on the ground. ¡°Bzzz!¡± ¡°My bad, Bumblebro.¡± I put them back on, and he raced down to the entrance, heading back inside. His head poked out of the hole, and he shook it, letting out one more buzz of disapproval. With that, he was gone, leaving me and Borks alone beneath the forest canopy. He stared up at me with his ears pinned back. I leaned down to whisper, ¡°I think we saw something we shouldn¡¯t have...¡± ¡°Bzzz!¡± Bumblebro complained from within the hive. I held up both hands in surrender and backed away. Borks followed suit, his ears still pinned back. When we were a few meters from the hive, we turned and made our way back toward the clearing. ¡°If anyone asks, we saw nothing.¡± He let out a soft ruff, darting glances back at the hive as we went. The moment we got back to the clearing, I plucked two lemons from the tree and sat down on the grass. ¡°Ready to test this theory, Borks?¡± Just as happy to forget our foolish foray toward the hive, he nodded, staring at the citrus intently. I sat down, crossed my legs, and sent my awareness down into the fruit¡ªjust in time for something mighty to fall from the heavens and strike the back of my head. Book 2: Chapter 72: Arts and Crafts Book 2: Chapter 72: Arts and Crafts Something light smacked into my back, making a noise like sheets flapping in the wind. Borks let out a yelp and dashed away at incredible speed, his back legs trying to overtake the front ones. When my assailant let out a panicked honk, I knew what had fallen from the heavens to strike me down. ¡°... Pelly?¡± She shook her body, puffing her feathers out as she got back to her feet. I raised an eyebrow at Borks, who had run to the other side of the clearing in his retreat. He was sniffing a bush and pointedly ignoring me, pretending he hadn¡¯t just fled for his life from a pelican half his size. ¡°You all good, Pelly?¡± I asked, turning back toward her. She let out an embarrassed honk, so I gave her a kind smile. ¡°Were you trying out your wings?¡± She nodded. ¡°Let me guess¡ªyou were trying to come say good morning?¡± Again, she nodded, even more bashful this time. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad I could break your fall. Don¡¯t feel bad. If me or Borks here tried to fly, we¡¯d probably hit the ground face-first.¡± Borks was slowly making his way back toward us, sniffing everything he passed in an attempt at nonchalance. I rolled my eyes at him, letting him know I knew what he was up to. ¡°Wanna see something cool, Pelly?¡± I asked, pointing down. This got her attention. She waddled over, peering down at the objects before me. ¡°Lemons. You know that food I gave you last night? I want to try doing the same thing with this fruit¡ªshifting the chi so one is empty, while the other has twice the concentration.¡± Her intelligent eyes sparkled, and I could practically see the thoughts whirling through her mind. ¡°Yeah... if it works, it could change everythi¡ª¡± ¡°Fischer!¡± a feminine voice called out through the forest. It made my heart jump. ¡°Over here!¡± I yelled back. ¡°In Lemon¡¯s clearing!¡± There was silence for a moment, then her voice came again, much closer this time. ¡°I swear on all the gods, Fischer¡ªif you¡¯re trying to make edible lemons without me, I¡¯ll pluck your feathers and string you up to a particularly thorny tree. Then, I¡¯ll...¡± she trailed off as she reached the clearing and caught sight of Pelly. ¡°O-oh... Pelly. Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?¡± Pelly took a step closer to me, keeping a wary eye on Maria. I roared a laugh. ¡°She was just being hyperbolic, Pelly. She wasn¡¯t going to hurt me¡ªnor would she hurt you.¡± Maria clutched a hand to her chest, and I thought she might cry as she watched Pelly sidle even closer. ¡°Come give Pelly some pats in apology,¡± I suggested. Maria skipped forward. ¡°I really am sorry, girl. I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡± Pelly was hesitant at first, but then Maria found the right spot. Her feathered head tilted to the side, giving Maria even better access to the back of her neck. ¡°Ohhh, you like that, do you?¡± Maria giggled. ¡°Your feathers are so soft...¡± She turned to smile at me. But then she caught sight of the lemons. ¡°Hey! You were creating lemons without me!¡± I held up both hands in surrender. ¡°It was just a trial run! Borks and I woke up early and I didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± She appeared unconvinced. ¡°Plus,¡± I continued, ¡°it might have upset Roger if I came to get you, right? We wouldn¡¯t want that...¡± Her brow lowered into a scowl. ¡°You can make some lemons, then have Sue make some treats from them as an apology. I¡¯ll accept no less than five pastries!¡± I made my face go impassive. ¡°Best I can do is four pastries.¡± ¡°Oooh, you...¡± She shook a finger at me. ¡°You¡¯re playing with fire, mister.¡± I let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Ah, they warned me of dating noble-born women. Fine, five pastries it is.¡± She snorted in a very non-ladylike manner. ¡°If it gets me sugary treats, you can say what you like about my lineage¡ªlie or not.¡± I grinned at her pragmatism. ¡°Good morning, by the way.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡ªgood morning.¡± She leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. ¡°So, did you try yet?¡± ¡°Not yet¡ªI was about to when a certain pelican crashed down from above.¡± Pelly let out a soft, apologetic honk. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Sturgill¡¯s eyes were filled with need. ¡°Another lemon?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate. One condition, though.¡± Sue tugged at her apron, trying and failing to appear nonchalant. ¡°What¡¯s the condition?¡± ¡°We want to watch!¡± Maria said, beaming. ¡°And Fischer requires six pastries of whatever you make¡ªto repent for past crimes against me.¡± ¡°Crimes, huh?¡± she asked, amusement playing over her face. ¡°Of course, my lady. May I enquire as to what crimes he committed?¡± Maria sniffed, adopting the demeanor of a slighted noble lady. ¡°A betrayal most foul, I assure you.¡± She leaned in close, raising a hand between me and her mouth. She spoke in a stage whisper. ¡°He agreed to wait for me this morning before running errands, but alas, when I went to his abode¡ªhe was nowhere to be seen!¡± Sue gasped, holding an indignant hand to her lips. ¡°He didn¡¯t...¡± Maria sighed. ¡°It¡¯s true¡ªI didn¡¯t want to believe it either. Ah, such are the hazards of socializing with men of ignoble birth, I suppose.¡± Sue nodded gravely. ¡°I understand completely. Worry not, Maria. We¡¯ll ensure you have all the pastries necessary to take the sting out of his barbaric actions.¡± I snorted at the sparkle in their eyes and raised a brow at Sturgill. ¡°Does it ever get better, mate?¡± ¡°Afraid not. Come on, you two. I already have an idea for what we can make¡ªit¡¯s been stewing in my head since the last time you brought lemons.¡± Sue lifted the moveable section of counter, and we followed Sturgill into the back. ¡°I expect a couple portions too!¡± Sue called as we entered the kitchen. ¡°Of course, dear.¡± He rolled his eyes at us. It was playful, not cruel. He led toward hte back of the kitchen, past sacks of flour, bags of sugar, and baskets of eggs. ¡°Have either of you ever made a danish?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had some, but I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve made it, mate...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never even tried it,¡± Maria said. Sturgill smiled to himself as he grabbed a handful of flour and dusted it over the bench before reaching for a large wooden bowl. ¡°Well, I¡¯d better not disappoint, then.¡± *** In the capital city of Gormona, in a no-longer abandoned room high above the castle, a sleepy guard smiled. He had first woken this morning as the purple light of predawn streamed in through a slim window. Rather than get up, he remained lounged on his bed of choice¡ªan ancient artifact with a dip that made it perfect for napping in. He slipped in and out of consciousness, each time he woke just as pleasant as the last. With a contented sigh, he slipped back to sleep once more. The next time his consciousness returned, the sun had risen. It shone in through the window, and just as Deklan was considering blocking it out with a raised gauntlet, the light disappeared. ¡°Ahhh,¡± he sighed, relaxing once more. But then the sun returned. It beamed down on his closed eyes. His hand twitched, wanting to move and block it out. As before, the sun disappeared again. ¡°The hells...?¡± He cracked an eye. The scene only confused him more. The sky visible through the window was still the deep purple of predawn, the sun nowhere to be seen. Just as he began to consider that he¡¯d dreamed the whole affair, the invading light bloomed once more. The entire room lit, a bright white light bouncing off the stone walls. Deklan rolled from his favored sleeping spot, squinting at the room as he tried to find the source of the strange illumination. He stood there for a long moment, getting more and more confused each time it blinked on and off. Eventually, he noticed that one corner of the room was brighter than the others. He slipped through the artifacts, heading in that direction. It was completely blocked off at one point, so he crawled beneath the relics, struggling to fit his armored body through the winding maze of metal legs. He reached a gap where he could stand, so he got to his feet, leveraging his arms to pull himself skyward. The moment he was upright, the artifact before him shone. A thin strip of illumination peeked through around the edges of a rectangular screen. As he squinted at it, he realized something had been put there to cover most of the light-source. He removed a gauntlet and scratched at it with a finger. It was... paper. Someone had wet black sheets of the stuff, layering it over the screen like the royal children would sometimes do to make paper mache. The paper peeled back in a single sheet, easily detaching. As if sensing that it was once more visible, the light shining from the screen dimmed, revealing a series of printed lines. Just as with the other artifact, Deklan could read them. He focused on the last line there, cocking his head to the side as he tried to grasp its meaning. New ascension milestone! Fischer has learned Chi Manipulation. ¡°Fischer...?¡± Deklan scratched his head. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± He stretched his arms toward the roof, letting out a long groan of contentment. His back cracked, making a small smile spread over his face. ¡°I suppose I should let the king know...¡± Book 2: Chapter 73: Adverse Effects Book 2: Chapter 73: Adverse Effects Beneath the sandy soil surrounding Tropica village, a prince woke from a restful sleep. He wished he hadn¡¯t. The moment he was conscious, the storm of thoughts returned. They crashed down on Trent like a tidal wave. Each day since he¡¯d been turned into a cultivator was worse than the last, the unbearable weight of knowledge only ever increasing. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and willing the thoughts to leave him be. They didn¡¯t¡ªthey never did. He began pacing the room, his legs striding of their own accord. The movement helped him sort through the worries assaulting him, even if only a little. He sighed, willing his body to calm as he admitted something to himself for what must have been the hundredth time: for most of his life, Trent had been a moron. Worse than a moron. He was cruel, selfish, and petty. Knowing that these traits were born of his own mental inadequacies did nothing to quell the embarrassment and shame. For the barest of moments, a light shone through the storm within him. Perhaps there was time for him to right the wrongs. He was still relatively young, after all. He could return to the capital and use his newly attained intelligence to benefit the crown and citizens alike. Reality came crashing in on him, snuffing out that ray of hope. He was a cultivator. The villagers, these cult members, had turned him into a reviled being. His lip twitched up into a snarl, both because of what they had done to him and for who he had been. ¡°Good morning, Trent,¡± came a familiar voice from the bars of his cell. Trent glared at Keith, channeling every ounce of loathing toward his traitorous cousin. ¡°What do you want?¡± Keith raised an eyebrow. ¡°I brought you breakfast. What happened to the man that was always so keen for his morning sweets?¡± ¡°You know damned well what happened, Keith.¡± Trent marched over, intent on taking the tray so he¡¯d be left alone. The look on Keith¡¯s face brought him up short, however. ¡°... what?¡± Keith narrowed his eyes, leaning in close to the bars. ¡°Did... did you do something to your face?¡± ¡°Save me the insults, cousin. I¡¯ve heard them all a hundred times over.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m serious, Trent. You look...¡± Keith set the tray of food down and reached into a back pocket. ¡°One second. I¡¯ll show you.¡± He strode from the room, disappearing down the hallway. Trent rolled his eyes. He didn¡¯t have the patience for whatever game Keith was playing. Before he could yell such thoughts, however, Keith¡¯s hurried footsteps returned. He swept into the room holding an object before himself¡ªa small hand mirror. Trent gave him a flat glare, slowly looking over at the mirror and expecting a jibe from Keith about his features. Instead, he found a stranger staring back. As the initial shock dissipated, he recognised parts of himself. The lines of his chin, though much less round, were a vaguely similar shape. His cheeks weren¡¯t as swollen, but parts of their hamster-like pudginess remained. His hair... had his hairline lowered? What on Kallis... ¡°See?¡± Keith asked, putting the mirror away and sliding the breakfast under the bars. ¡°I told you.¡± Trent felt at his face, tracing his features to confirm it wasn¡¯t some trick of the light. His face, something he¡¯d been struggling to come to terms with as he gained more knowledge, had changed. He bent and retrieved the cup of sugarcane juice, sipping at it to quench the dryness in his throat. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re still hideous,¡± Keith said, a smirk on his lips. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re slightly better to look at, though...¡± Trent took another drink, pouted his lips, and sprayed a steam of the sugarcane juice onto Keith¡¯s tunic. Keith looked down at his wet clothing, then back up at Trent, his face featureless. ¡°Did that make you feel better about yourself?¡± Trent¡¯s answering smile was genuine. It sent a wave of joy down into his core, faint as it may have been. ¡°A little, yeah. Thanks for breakfast.¡± He picked up the tray with one hand and retreated to his pile of pillows, taking another sip of juice. It tasted sweet. *** I took steady breaths as the first few drops of coffee dripped from the coffee machine. Dual streams fell from the portafilter down into two cups beneath it. Steam rose from the cups in the cool predawn air, bringing with it an intoxicating scent. I watched it intently, and just as the shots started to change color from a deep brown, the sun rose over the rooftops east of Sue¡¯s coffee shop. The rays hit the steam, making them glow a golden hue. A smile came unbidden to my face, but I didn¡¯t let the magic of the moment distract me from my task. When the coffee pouring from the machine again changed color to a light brown, I turned the water off, just as Sue had instructed. Next, I had to froth the milk. I poured some in until it reached the second line, then put the wand inside and turned the knob above it, releasing the pressurized steam. It hissed, the milk within swirling and bubbling as the temperature rose. I held my hand to the side so I could feel the temperature, and when it was just hot enough, I raised the wand to the surface, causing froth to rise. Seeing it was ready, I turned the steam off, swirled the pitcher, and poured half into each cup. ¡°Two cappuccinos and croissants,¡± I said, placing the cups on a tray and bending for accompanying pastries. ¡°Sorry about the lack of art¡ªI¡¯m still learning.¡± The farmer gave me a friendly nod, his eyes lighting up as he gazed down at the cups of liquid happiness. He picked up the tray and walked over to his lady friend, setting it down before joining her on the floor. There was something innocent about the act, like they had no worries in the world other than each other. Seeing the smile she gave him reminded me of Maria, and I took a moment to wish them the best. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± I raised my eyes to the front of the line, finding a friendly face accompanied by an equally grumpy one. ¡°Oh! Morning, guys! What can I get for you?¡± Roger grunted, his arms crossed. Sharon stepped forward, giving a slight shake of the head to her husband. ¡°Good morning, Fischer. Dare I ask why you¡¯re making coffee?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just helping out! Maria and I brought a fun ingredient for Sturgill to bake with¡ªit felt a waste for Sue to miss it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, holding one hand to the back of her head and clamping the other over her mouth. To her eyes, I would have teleported. She went stiff as a board, then her eyes rolled into the back of her head. I caught her and lowered her limp body to the ground. ¡°S-Sue...¡± Sturgill came back to himself, her unconscious form enough to tear him back to the present. ¡°What did you do...?¡± His voice was breathy, as if he couldn¡¯t truly believe what he was seeing. He swallowed, his face going red as he looked between us. ¡°What did you¡ªhnng!¡± His rising voice caused Sharon to dash forward. She flicked him in the stomach hard enough for him to buckle. ¡°Mom!¡± Maria hissed. ¡°What the hell?¡± Sharon drew a hand to her mouth. ¡°S-sorry, Sturgill. I only meant to shock you. I panicked...¡± Sturgill groaned again, obviously winded. ¡°Everything okay back there?¡± someone called from the counter. Before they could come to check, I got to my feet and rushed out. Everyone in the front of the line had taken a step forward, trying to peer into the back of the bakery. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone. The bakery has to be closed.¡± ¡°Why?¡± a woman asked. ¡°What was that noise?¡± Thinking on my feet, I made the only excuse I could think of. ¡°Sue and Sturgill are both sick. It struck them fast, so it might be contagious. She doesn¡¯t want to risk customers eating contaminated food, so she asked me to close up.¡± From the corner of my eye, I saw the young man sitting opposite his lady friend choke mid-swallow. Croissant sprayed everyone, all over the tray and the girl¡¯s work leathers. ¡°John!¡± she yelped. The blood drained from his face, but before he could pass out from embarrassment, she started laughing. ¡°That is so gross, man!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry!¡± he started wiping the flecks of pastry up with a handkerchief. At any other time, I¡¯d have laughed too. Instead, I grabbed the pile of sheets Sue used to show she was closed and draped one over the coffee machine. ¡°Sorry, everyone.¡± I threw a sheet over the display case. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll recover and open up again soon.¡± With the crowd dispersing and more than a few grumbles making it to my ears, I slid the wooden panels across, sealing the bakery off from the outside world. When I returned to the kitchen, everyone appeared as stressed as I felt. Sharon was rubbing Sturgill¡¯s back in apology, whose breath was coming back. Roger was channeling his anxiety at the situation into hatred for me, blessing me with a mighty glower. Maria had gone to Sue, who was sitting up with her help, staring at me like I¡¯d just... well, like I¡¯d revealed myself as a cultivator. I groaned, putting my head into my hands. ¡°I just wanted to give my friends some lemon.¡± I let out a mocking laugh, wishing I could rewind the clock. ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to go like this...¡± When I looked out at the room once more, I could tell Roger wanted to rip into me again, but he shot furtive glances at Sue, likely only holding back for her sake. I knelt down to her level, ensuring I kept a good amount of distance; the last thing I wanted to do was make her faint again. ¡°Are... are you okay, Sue?¡± She shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. ¡°No, Fischer. I¡¯m not okay. What did you do to my husband?¡± Seeing her sorrow made my heart break. ¡°Nothing, Sue. It¡¯s not what it looks like. It¡¯s...¡± I put my head in my hands again. ¡°Where do I even start? Barry is so much better at this stuff.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sue,¡± Sharon said. ¡°The only person who did something to Sturgill was me. I flicked him in the stomach lightly.¡± ¡°Lightly?¡± Sturgill interrupted, his voice hoarse. ¡°It felt like you hit me with a brick.¡± ¡°I meant to do it lightly,¡± Sharon corrected, wincing. ¡°I¡¯m still getting used to my strength...¡± ¡°You¡¯re all cultivators, then.¡± Sue had a look of resignation on her face as she got to her feet, brushing off her apron. ¡°Where are you going...?¡± I asked, shrinking back as she strode past me. ¡°If I¡¯m going to die anyway...¡± She plucked a danish from the tray. ¡°I¡¯m at least going to try this before I go.¡± I shook my head as she took a massive bite, flakes of pastry falling to the floor. ¡°No one is going to kill you. Like I said, it¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°What is it, then?¡± Sturgill replied, answering for his wife who was blissfully eating the danish and staring at nothing. ¡°It¡¯s...¡± I sighed. ¡°Screw this¡ªI need one too.¡± I trudged over, grabbed a pastry, and took a bite. Book 2: Chapter 74: Better Late Than Never Book 2: Chapter 74: Better Late Than Never The taste of lemon danish lingered on my tongue. It was sweet, morish, and light, yet insignificant compared to the silence that stretched between everyone in the bakery. Gazes were turned toward walls, the floor, and random kitchen equipment, studiously avoiding each other. Sue drank deep of a coffee cup, swirling the liquid in her mouth before swallowing. She cleared her throat. ¡°So, I take it you really aren¡¯t planning on killing us?¡± I grimaced. ¡°No, Sue. Even if I didn¡¯t consider you both my friends, we wouldn¡¯t, er... snuff you or Sturgill out for awakening as a cultivator.¡± ¡°That¡¯s truly what this is?¡± Sturgill asked, gripping Sue¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°I¡¯ve become a cultivator?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate,¡± I replied. ¡°I think it¡¯s not official until you accept a name, but from what I¡¯ve heard, not accepting isn¡¯t an option. Barry said the System won¡¯t let you sleep or rest until you do.¡± ¡°Barry?¡± Sue licked her lips. ¡°Barry is a cultivator too?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you start from the beginning, Fischer,¡± Sharon suggested. Thankful for the direction, I nodded. ¡°Sue¡¯s right. I¡¯ll tell you the story from the start...¡± I told them everything. Well... almost everything. From my encounter with truck-kun, to the chi transference I¡¯d done with the lemons, I told them everything necessary, only omitting details that would make the tale take too long. They listened intently, not uttering a single question until I finished. ¡°And that¡¯s the lemon I brought here this morning¡ªone that I¡¯d drained of all chi.¡± Sturgill blinked, his eyes distant. They slowly drifted up to me as he leaned forward. ¡°You mean to tell us that Borks is a... a hellhound? I¡¯m not sure how I could believe that, Fischer.¡± Sue pulled back from him, shaking her head as she scowled. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re questioning? The damned dog?¡± ¡°What?¡± Sturgill demanded. ¡°He¡¯s a good boy! How could he possibly be a hellhound?¡± Knowing there was an easy way to confirm the detail, I looked up at the rafters. ¡°Would you mind, Borks?¡± Everyone followed my gaze, so when a dog shaped like a demon dropped from above, we all bore witness. Borks, in his chihuahua form, fell toward my chest. I easily caught him. Sturgill¡¯s eyebrow furrowed. ¡°Who is that?¡± In response, Borks shifted to the form he always took around the Village¡ªthat of a long-haired golden retriever. His tongue lolled happily as he let out a bark. Sturgill and Sue both leaned back, their eyes going wide. The former cleared his throat. ¡°Okay, so Borks is definitely a spirit beast, but I struggle to believe he¡¯s a hellhou¡ª¡± Without needing my guidance, Borks shifted once more. His long fur turned into midnight skin as he more than quadrupled in size. He still sat in my arms, his torso and snake-headed tail both upright and looking at the two bakers. ¡°Oh...¡± Sturgill said. Sue arched an eyebrow at him. ¡°Happy, foolish man?¡± ¡°Well, no. But I do believe Borks is a hellhound now...¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, then?¡± Sue asked, staring at me as Borks shifted back and dropped to the floor. ¡°All of it?¡± ¡°Yep. All of it. I have one more bit of proof, for what it¡¯s worth.¡± I looked up at the rafters again. ¡°Corporal Claw¡ª¡± Before I could finish my sentence, the otter zapped across the room on lightning-fueled muscles. She slammed into my chest, letting out a happy coo as she curled into my arms and smiled with her needle-sharp teeth. ¡°This is Corporal Claws¡ªor Claws for short. She is how Borks snuck into the rafters without you knowing. Don¡¯t give me that look, Claws. Of course I felt you zap him up there before I closed the cafe, you little deviant. You¡¯re not sneaky enough to avoid my senses.¡± She chirped her defeat before squirming to get even more comfortable in my arms. Closing her eyes, she started drifting off to sleep without a care in the world. When I looked back up at Sturgill and Sue, they sighed, then shared a smile at the similar reaction from the other. ¡°You two seem... remarkably calm about all of this,¡± Maria said, giving them an appraising look. Sue shook her head. ¡°I most certainly am not calm. It makes sense, though. The changes Fischer has had since coming here. Your remarkable recovery, Sharon.¡± ¡°And Roger¡¯s hatred for you,¡± Sturgill muttered. Roger grunted, and I thought he¡¯d turn his displeasure on Sturgill. As always, however, he reserved it for me. I grinned back at him, then cleared my throat. ¡°Right, then. Should we take you guys to the church? I¡¯m sure Barry will have answers for any questions you have.¡± ¡°Uhm...¡± Sturgill rubbed the back of his head. ¡°How do you plan on getting us there? I think the villagers might have a few questions if they see us walking about after closing up for the morning.¡± I tickled Claws¡¯s chin, making sure she was awake. ¡°Can you get Borks out of here without being seen?¡± She sat up, stretching her back as she let out an affirmative chirp. ¡°I... don¡¯t understand,¡± Sue admitted, glancing between us. ¡°I skimmed over some of our abilities.¡± I grinned at Borks. ¡°Would you mind, buddy?¡± He grimaced, withdrawing it. ¡°I promise you, this isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡± A chorus of agreement rang out, loudest of all was Claws, who chirped and nodded her head emphatically. Sturgill, who had pulled Sue into a hug, raised his head. ¡°Forgive me for saying so, but of course you¡¯d say that. You¡¯re all cultivators.¡± He immediately averted his eyes, showing deference. ¡°Hey,¡± Barry said, clicking his fingers to draw Sturgill¡¯s attention. ¡°None of that¡ªwe¡¯re not a bunch of power-tripping nobles that need to be kowtowed to. We¡¯re not some shadowy cabal of evil-doers.¡± ¡°You say that,¡± Roger said, ¡°yet you all praise Fischer as your god. At least be honest with them.¡± The bakers¡¯ gazes both shot toward me. The prevalent emotion was clear. Fear. I had seen all I could handle. I¡¯d tried to come into the meeting with my usual chipper attitude, but seeing the effect my actions and presence were having on Sue and Sturgill, I had to get away. Misunderstanding or not, it was too much. I hadn¡¯t even realized I¡¯d been slowly backing from the room, but seeing my proximity to the door, I edged toward it. Maria held my hand, trying to keep me there, but I had to go¡ªhad to get away. ¡°I think I¡¯ve done enough damage for one day,¡± I muttered. ¡°Sorry, but I think I need to leave the rest to you¡ª¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Ellis said, standing. His voice held iron, so I paused. ¡°This is not your fault, Fischer.¡± I let out a self-deprecating laugh. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find it very much is, mate.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, Fischer,¡± Barry said. ¡°We knew this was coming.¡± My eyebrow furrowed as I glanced from one to the other. ¡°You knew I¡¯d do this?¡± ¡°No, that people would start awakening. You wanted to be left out of the loop, yes?¡± Ellis looked up from his notes. ¡°Well, forgive me, but I believe you need to hear this, lest you descend into misguided self-blaming. Technically, you caused this, yes¡ªbut that¡¯s because of the chi once more coursing through the world.¡± He looked up at Sturgill. ¡°You got a message from the System for baking, correct? Not for eating the food?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Ellis nodded. ¡°Sturgill here awakened of his own accord. The System saw his baking as good enough to merit becoming a cultivator. Otherwise, Sue would have awakened by eating the danish.¡± He rubbed his chin. ¡°Actually, she still might have if the System saw it as food created by a cultivator... A fascinating line of thought¡ªwhich comes first: the chi, or the awakening?¡± Entirely forgetting we were all there, Ellis began muttering to himself, taking notes on a fresh page. Just like that, the former archivist had looked up, given me a tactical nuke of knowledge, then gone back to his work. I blinked at him, genuinely shocked by his efficiency. It made part of me feel better for one simple reason: it made sense. The chi that slammed into Sturgill had risen from the world around us, not within the lemon. I took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly as Maria came to my side and gripped my forearm lightly. There was still a tightness to my chest, but as I took another breath, its hold loosened. ¡°Better?¡± Barry asked. ¡°Yeah, mate. I should have noticed that myself, though.¡± He gave me a kind smile. ¡°You¡¯ve had a tough morning too, mate. It¡¯s not surprising that your thoughts weren¡¯t clear.¡± I didn¡¯t respond, focusing entirely on my breathing as I tried to ground myself in the present moment. ¡°All right.¡± Barry clapped his hands together. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing you should hear me tell them, Fischer, then it¡¯s probably best you leave.¡± He turned to Sue and Sturgill. ¡°I wanted to bring you in and make you members of the church for some time now.¡± Their eyes went wide, as did mine. Before we could speak, Barry continued. ¡°You¡¯re both perfect candidates: smart, hardworking, and, most importantly, kind.The only reason we didn¡¯t come and offer you ascension is because you both serve food to many of Tropica¡¯s citizens, and we thought it might be problematic given we know so little about what causes someone to awaken. That you¡¯ve now awakened, Sturgill, isn¡¯t a curse. It¡¯s a blessing. Perhaps this is the universe¡¯s way of telling us we made a mistake in not coming to you sooner. For that, I¡¯m sorry. If I¡¯d come to you before the System took matters into its own hands, you wouldn¡¯t have had such a traumatizing morning.¡± I watched Sue and Sturgill¡¯s faces closely. Though Barry¡¯s words didn¡¯t remove any of the ropes wrapping my chest, their reactions did. Fear remained, as did hesitation, weariness, and confusion. But now there was also curiosity. They wanted to know more. ¡°Thank you, Barry,¡± I said, grabbing Maria¡¯s hand. ¡°And sorry again, guys.¡± I gave Sue and Sturgill one last glance before leading Maria out and up the stairs. We walked toward the surface in silence, both lost in our own thoughts as our feet scuffed on the stone stairs. When we stepped out into the sunlight, Maria stopped, turning her head toward me. ¡°Well?¡± she asked, her hair falling to the side as she cocked her head. ¡°Well what?¡± ¡°Are you going to tell me what¡¯s still bothering you?¡± I didn¡¯t bother protesting, instead just shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯m that obvious?¡± ¡°To me? Yep.¡± She squeezed my hand. ¡°Walk and talk?¡± I nodded. ¡°Walk and talk.¡± Hand in hand, we turned and ambled off toward the distant treeline. Book 2: Chapter 75: Finding Purpose Book 2: Chapter 75: Finding Purpose As we strode over grass and between trunks, a slight breeze rustled the canopy above us. The scents of earth and decaying leaf litter drifted on the air, dulling the edges of my troubled thoughts. Maria gazed up at the gaps of blue sky filtering through the trees. ¡°Something about the forest here always makes me feel... calm.¡± I looked up, focusing on the leaves¡¯ hypnotic movement. ¡°I know what you mean.¡± A powerful gust blew, making the scene chaotic for a few seconds. A soft roar came from the canopy as thousands of leaves shifted, sounding almost like a crashing wave. The sharp edge of my worries dulled further as Maria squeezed my hand, giving me a smile that was oh-so beautiful. ¡°So.¡± She swung our arms comically high with each step, not once breaking eye contact. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I faced forward, my gaze going distant as the words formed. ¡°Okay, so let me preface this by saying it¡¯s probably ridiculous.¡± She stopped walking, holding me firmly in place and giving me a knowing smile. ¡°You know you don¡¯t need to diminish your feelings like that, right?¡± I opened my mouth to respond, then pressed my lips into a line, making a cute giggle come from Maria. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± she said. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯re feeling. I¡¯m not going to judge you or call it ridiculous, so you don¡¯t need the disclaimer attached.¡± Walking once more, I tried again. ¡°So... seeing Sue and Sturgill¡¯s reactions kind of made me realize everyone has probably had a similar experience. There¡¯s no easy way to let someone know that there¡¯s an entire group of people that have become cultivators.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s probably no good way of doing it.¡± ¡°The thing is, though, they¡¯re the lucky ones. Anyone being recruited by Barry and that bunch of well-intentioned maniacs has a support system to ease them into the whole cultivator thing. Now that Sturgill awakened just by creating some bloody danishes... well, it stands to reason that other people are going to awaken. People who have no support network and are going to be terrified of what it means for them. Worse, what happens if immoral people awaken? I trust every single person in the church inherently, and we were lucky that it was Sturgill that awakened of his own accord. What happens when a sociopath becomes a cultivator? Or that dickhead noble, Osnan or whatever, that took a swing at me the other week? If he was a cultivator and I was a commoner, he¡¯d have slapped my head clean off.¡± We stepped from the thick canopy into the sparsely occupied sky of Lemon¡¯s clearing. The pollinators swarmed the citrus trees above us, buzzing around from flower to flower. It was a beautiful sight. Despite how much Maria loved to watch their movement, her eyes were focused on me, appearing a light blue in the sunlight beaming down from above. ¡°Do you feel responsible for all those people that might ascend?¡± she asked. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of weight to shoulder, Fischer.¡± ¡°It is,¡± I agreed. ¡°As much as I want to spend my days fishing with you, though, I¡¯m not sure I can ignore it. We know what happens when I bottle things up and pretend they don¡¯t exist.¡± She gave me a wry smile. ¡°Yeah¡ªyou obliterate trees. Worse, you alienate me¡ªa crime most foul.¡± I laughed at the jab, knowing there was no malice hidden in her words. ¡°Do you want to hear my opinion?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Okay. Well, as per usual, you¡¯re being too hard on yourself. But,¡± she added before I could protest, ¡°that doesn¡¯t mean you should ignore it. If you feel responsible, trying to do something about it is probably the right move.¡± As I thought about that, we both sat down at the base of Lemon¡¯s trunk. I ran my hands through the grass there, taking solace in the lingering cold of the night gone. Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket extended thick roots from the ground beside Maria and I. I rested a hand on one, soaking in the love I felt radiating from Lemon. ¡°Oh! Good morning, Lemon!¡± Maria said, giggling at a leaf tickling her leg. ¡°Where do I even begin doing something about an entire world¡¯s worth of people that could be becoming cultivators?¡± I asked. ¡°One step at a time,¡± she replied easily. I grabbed a few blades of grass, weaving them together as I glanced Maria¡¯s way. ¡°You know, it¡¯s infuriating that you¡¯re always right.¡± ¡°The sooner you get used to it, the better.¡± She winked. ¡°We¡¯ve got a whole life of me being right about everything ahead of us.¡± I rolled my eyes, causing her grin to broaden. ¡°What¡¯s the first step, though?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, what usually helps you think?¡± I thought for only a moment. ¡°Honestly? When I have something to do. If my hands aren¡¯t busy, it¡¯s like I get paralyzed by negativity.¡± She nodded. ¡°Then that¡¯s your first step¡ªfinding something to do that gives you purpose.¡± ¡°Something to do...¡± I mused, looking around the clearing. Half sunlight and half shadow, it never failed to take my breath away. The bees flying between branches lit up when they flew into the sun, fading once more when they reached the next flower. It was almost like the tiny embers dancing above a campfire, burning bright before disappearing. Something that gives me purpose...Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Oh!¡± I sat up straight, eyes widening as I stared at the patches of sun. ¡°I think I know what to do!¡± ¡°Oooh, what is it?¡± ¡°Well, it kind of depends.¡± I swiveled to face Lemon¡¯s trunk. ¡°How do you feel about having some more life in your clearing?¡± With my hand held to the root she¡¯d extended, I felt an odd mix of emotions coming from her. Then, with absolutely no warning, she shook her entire trunk forward and back, nodding her tree body like it was a head. Neat. I went to dismiss it, but the System shoved another notification through. You have learned Chi Manipulation. ¡°Oi, you cheeky prick. I didn¡¯t ask for you to show me the alert from the other da¡ª¡± Another one was thrown through, assaulting my visual field. You have advanced to fishing 63! I slammed my will into the notifications, forcefully cutting them off for good. I let out a string of expletives and bent to pick up a stick¡ªyeeting it through the forest might make me feel better. There were no longer any branches in the planters, however. I blinked at the bare earth where the layer of sticks had been. ¡°Fischer...?¡± Maria asked, face lined with worry. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up? You just used a string of words I¡¯m pretty sure were horrifically offensive where you come from.¡± Claws held a paw to her mouth, taking an indignant gasp. ¡°Yeah, it was justified, though. I let the System show me that message about learning horticulture, but it snuck in a couple more. I¡¯m pretty sure it would have kept going if I didn¡¯t slam the door closed, the cheeky little fracker.¡± Maria gave me an unreadable look as she reached out and touched my hand. ¡°You know we¡¯re going to have to unbox that one day, right?¡± Claws nodded sagely, but I was pretty sure she had no idea what Maria meant either. ¡°Unbox what?¡± I asked. ¡°Why you don¡¯t like reading the System notifications.¡± I sighed, not walking to confront it. ¡°One existential crisis at a time.¡± ¡°When we get back from our trip,¡± she pushed. ¡°We¡¯re going to talk about it.¡± I pouted. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Good. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, we have some brand new planter boxes to inspect.¡± She let go of me, leaning over the closest one. Her eyes went distant, so I looked down too, expecting it to draw me in¡ªit didn¡¯t. ¡°Huh...?¡± Maria asked. ¡°We can¡¯t I inspect it?¡± I shook my head. ¡°You can¡¯t inspect everything.¡± ¡°... why?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I have absolutely no idea. Couldn¡¯t do so with the beehive, either.¡± I pointed down at the planters. ¡°It¡¯s definitely changed, just not enough to be considered a magical item or whatever, I guess.¡± The grains of wood had tightened and condensed, making it much less cumbersome. At the corners where we¡¯d nailed the planks together, metal brackets now lined the outside, secured with way more nails than I had actually used. ¡°If only we had some sort of generated text messages from the System...¡± Maria trailed off meaningfully. ¡°Maybe they could have explained why...¡± I gave her a flat glare, but couldn¡¯t keep it up for long as her lips curled. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Point taken.¡± She patted me on the shoulder. ¡°Like you said¡ªone crisis at a time, my love.¡± The statement, so easily voiced, made birds take flight in my core. It must have shown on my face, because Maria leaned in close. ¡°Oooh, you liked that.¡± My face heating, I nodded. Claws jumped up onto my shoulder, leaning in with a look that said she sensed weakness. ¡°Well, then,¡± Maria said, sweeping in toward me. She got up on her tiptoes and planted a peck on my lips, pulling back to stare into my eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some soil, my love.¡± Claws let out another gasp, scandalized. I grabbed Maria around the waist with one arm and pulled her close, using the other to cover Claws¡¯s eyes. Maria and I melted into each other, heat blooming everywhere our bodies made contact. All too soon, we separated, both left taking heavy breaths. Claws jumped to the ground and mimed being sick. I ignored her; my eyes were only for Maria. ¡°Come on. Let''s get that soil.¡± She scrunched her face up at me. ¡°Tease.¡± ¡°You started it,¡± I said, messing up her hair. ¡°I have a fun idea for transporting the dirt that might cheer you up...¡± Book 2: Chapter 76: Bribery Book 2: Chapter 76: Bribery ¡°You¡¯re sure this is a good idea, Fischer?¡± I stood tall, peeking over the wooden tabletop I¡¯d borrowed from the woodworkers. ¡°Yeah, why¡¯s that?¡± She looked from me, to the portal torn in space on the other side of the planter box, and back to me. She quirked a brow. ¡°Do I really need to verbalize my concerns?¡± She had a good point. Before I could make that concession, however, Claws¡ªwho was once more donning her shell-shaped hard hat¡ªchirped for the work to commence. In response, dirt came flying from the portal. I hid behind the tabletop, holding it still against the planter¡¯s wooden frame as an absolute torrent of earth smacked into it. Dust and debris filled the air, and I covered my mouth with my shirt to keep as much out as possible. Still, the finer particles made it through. The moment the torrent ceased, I ran from the cloud, coughing and sputtering. ¡°Did It work?¡± I wheezed, squinting to make sure no dirt got into my eyes. Claws let out an affirmative chirp from atop an absolute mountain of dirt that was large enough to conceal the planter completely. Maria stared at me. ¡°A good idea, huh?¡± ¡°Of course! Borks just got a little too excited. Having too much is better than having not enough. Right, Claws?¡± In complete agreement, Claws gave me the ¡®ok¡¯ hand gesture. Wait, how did she do that without opposable thumbs...? Before I could question her anatomy any further, Borks flew from the portal, coming to land beside Claws. He gave a full-body way, his front paws covered in dirt.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com ¡°A little too much, buddy.¡± Claws chirped an order, pointing at the peak and sides of the mountain. Letting out a bark¡ªhe was just happy to be there¡ªBorks turned and started digging. He moved an obscene amount of earth with each flick of a paw, and in less than a minute, enough dirt was removed to call the mission a success. ¡°Good boy!¡± I said, scratching him behind the ear. Claws protested loudly and immediately. She hopped onto his back, removed her shell-hat, and pointed at her own head, demanding scritches. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± I said, obliging with my other hand as I spun my head toward Maria. ¡°So... good idea?¡± ¡°All right, fine. It was a good idea to have Borks do all the digging.¡± She reached down to scratch his head with one hand, preemptively doing the same to Claws before the rascally otter could protest. ¡°You both did good.¡± They preened beneath our praise, leaning into the pats. ¡°Okay, gang.¡± I ran a hand down Claws¡¯s back. ¡°What do you say we fill the rest? We¡¯re making fantastic time.¡± Claws snapped to attention, placing her shell-hat back in place. After a series of chirps, Borks was off, loping toward the next planter. Less than a half hour later, Borks¡¯s tongue lolled from his panting mouth as he flopped to the forest floor. All four of the planters were finished, and he¡¯d just finished scattering any leftover dirt around the clearing. I scooped him up into my arms. He transformed into a Dachshund, slipping into the crook of my elbow and heaving with tiny little breaths. Maria scooped up Claws, who also went half-liquid in Maria¡¯s arms despite not having done any physical labor. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Maria asked. ¡°Well, other than packing our stuff, we need to tell everyone what we¡¯re up to.¡± Found in the brackish waters of the Kallis Realm, this eel¡¯s flesh has high oil content and a strong scent, making it unpalatable food but excellent bait. It was just a regular, twice-common eel¡ªnot the pungent variety. But that didn¡¯t really matter. ¡°Good job!¡± I bent and grabbed the eel, angling my body so Pelly could watch as I spiked its brain, dispatching it instantly. I held it up to her. ¡°Poking a fish behind the eye with a nail ends them immediately. It¡¯s the most humane way of doing it.¡± Pelly nudged the eel with her bill, then bobbed backwards, likely still expecting it to move. She came forward once more, picking the eel up and waddling over to my rod. I cocked my head, not understanding. She placed it on the rocks, grabbed the large hook attached to my line, then stuck it into the eel¡¯s tail. Maria laughed, sweeping her hair from her face as the wind did its best to blind her. ¡°It¡¯s too big to use whole, Pelly. Here. I¡¯ll show you.¡± With practiced efficiency, Maria grabbed my knife, crouched over the eel, and began slicing. She ran the blade behind its pectoral fin, along the spine, then back out, carving the perfectly sized chunk for the hook. Seeing her so easily handle the slimy eel was surprisingly endearing, and as she explained the process to our curious pelican pal, my affections only grew. She slid the chunk of eel onto my hook, passed my rod to me, then repeated the process again, cutting another chunk of bait for her rod. When she finished, she stood, winding in the slack line and preparing to cast. Noticing me sitting there and not already fishing, she cocked her head. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± I shook my head, smiling. ¡°You know, if I didn¡¯t already love you, seeing you handle that eel would have had me falling.¡± She stared at me for a long while, chewing her cheek. ¡°Fischer... you know how weird that sounded, right?¡± ¡°What, a man can¡¯t get excited about how someone handles a fish?¡± ¡°Please stop.¡± I erupted into laughter. She tried to keep a stern face, but her amusement leaked through. ¡°Okay, my bad,¡± I said. ¡°Shall we show Pelly how it¡¯s done?¡± Playfully rolling her eyes at me, she walked to the water¡¯s edge, flicked her reel forward, and cast out into the rivermouth. The tide was running out, so when I stepped forward, I cast my line out further, ensuring they didn¡¯t get tangled. The sinker sailed high over the ocean, the line unspooling silently as more and more length arced over the water. With an inaudible splash, it finally landed. I flicked my reel back and wound in, pressing my finger against the now-taut line. I took a deep breath and glanced at Maria. She was already looking at me, her eyes crinkling with joy. Two small steps later, she was at my side, resting her head against my upper arm. I closed my eyes, leaning into her as I focused on the sensations of my body. The wind blew fitfully, tickling my skin with each gust. The sun warmed me from above, its heat welcome in the winter air. Maria¡¯s weight, so slight yet comforting. Pelly at my other side, her feathers brushing against my leg as she stared out at the rivermouth. Claws must have been feeling left out, because she leaped up on my shoulder, cooing softly as she rubbed her head against mine. An unbelievable gratitude welled up from within me. I let it flow, actively thinking of every blessing I¡¯d received since coming to this strange new world. Just as my gratitude was reaching a crescendo, climbing to a point that I felt my core physically buzzing, something nudged my line. It was a massive hit, something colossal having tasted the bait. I opened my eyes, focusing on the tip of the rod beneath the midday sun. ¡°What was that?¡± Maria asked. ¡°You saw that?¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± she muttered, eyes pinned to my fishing rod. For a tense moment, nothing happened. Had the hit just been a fish randomly swimming into my line, or did something actually bite at the hook? Had something taken the bait? It nudged the line again. I leaned forward, anticipation coursing through my veins. I braced my feet, my hand tightening around the reel, just in time for the fish to eat the bait whole. It took off, the bearing within my reel squealing in protest. I wound backward, tried to let line out as fast as possible, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The hooked creature was simply too quick. The line tore through the water, leaving a visible wake as the fish swam out to sea with inconceivable speed. A grin spread over my face as adrenaline pumped through me, my stomach fluttering with excitement. I had a fight on my hands. Book 2: Chapter 77: The Deep Book 2: Chapter 77: The Deep With the midday sun beaming down from above, waves crashed on the rocky shore before me. A gust kicked up, carrying drops of water from the crashing waves to strike against my legs. Combined, it was a feast for the senses, yet I barely registered it. I had a war to wage. The fish tried to tug the rod from my hands, so I gripped even tighter, the handle creaking within my grasp. The hooked creature kicked with mighty beats of its tail at slow, steady intervals. An undeniable fact made my throat rise and pupils dilate: I¡¯d experienced nothing like the fight this creature was giving me. All the more reason I need to catch it, I thought, clenching my jaw. Maria asked something, but I didn¡¯t quite hear the words. ¡°Sorry?¡± I asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t catch that.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she repeated, her voice intrigued. ¡°I have no idea.¡± I glanced over, seeing her eyes wide and jaw clenched. It only made my smile widen. ¡°I¡¯m gonna find out, though.¡± I jogged along the shore with the fish¡¯s movement, letting it drag me toward the bay. After only a few seconds, I reached the edge of the ocean. I planted my feet down against the shoreline, enjoying the feel of the rocks beneath my bare feet. The reel continually spun, taking more and more line out. I glanced down at it, furrowing my brow; at least half of its length was gone. Something had to change. I had to make a move, lest the fish spool me. What could I do, though? I hadn¡¯t tightened the drag because I feared the line would snap. I¡¯d hoped the fish would tire, expending too much of its energy to sustain the fight for long... but that clearly wasn¡¯t the case. Despite how far each kick of its tail took it, the movements seemed almost calm, ponderous. I instinctively knew it could keep this pace all day, if not indefinitely. As if in answer to my predicament, a strand of chi called out to me. I cocked my head to the side, not entirely understanding. It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t tell where it originated¡ªjust the opposite. I knew exactly where it was: right within my grasp. The hair-thin, almost undetectable strand of power flowed from the handle of my fishing rod to the tip, then folded back on itself, flowing down. When it hit the reel, it deviated, flowing up and around before rejoining the rod. In my mind¡¯s eye, I could trace every single fluctuation of the insubstantial chi. A ghostly hand reached out in my periphery, and as it approached, I recognised it. Maria gripped my shoulder, shaking me softly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked, opening my eyes and blinking against the harsh midday sun. ¡°The line!¡± She pointed at my reel. ¡°It¡¯s almost gone and you¡¯re just standing there!¡± I glanced back down at my reel, seeing only a quarter of the line remaining as the bearing within screamed in protest. I gave Maria an exaggerated pout. ¡°Like you¡¯ve never experienced cosmic insight that took every ounce of your attention before.¡± ¡°... what?¡± I laughed, unable to help myself at the look of unabashed bewilderment on her face as she glanced between me and the diminishing line. ¡°Check this shit out.¡± I winked at her. ¡°I¡¯m about to exert some real main-character energy.¡± I lowered the rod, bent my knees, and opened up the gate to my power. Only a trickle came out, because that was all I needed. It flowed up my torso, down my arms, and into the rod, joining with the chi already dwelling there. To my magical senses, it was the equivalent of pouring petrol onto a fire. The lines of chi flared, exalting at the source of fuel. Though impossible for the eye to see, I could feel the power it granted. I guided the strands, sending them spiraling down toward the reel. When they got there, I urged them further on. They exited the reel to touch the line. What I¡¯d hoped for was there: a strand of chi, too thin for me to sense, already existed within the line. My power joined the existing strand, flowing into the line still spooled, then shooting off into the water at incredible speed. ... even faster than the fish, I thought, a grin coming to my face.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Fischer.¡± ¡°Yes, Maria?¡± ¡°You said you were gonna do some main-character shit, but you¡¯re just standing there, hunched over and smiling like a goofball.¡± Mature Bluefathom Tuna Rare Found in the deep waters of the Kallis Realm, this fish is prized for both sport and the quality of its flesh. Its raw meat is considered a delicacy among all who have tried it. ¡°It¡¯s... wow,¡± Maria said, bringing me back to the present. ¡°It¡¯s so big...¡± I nodded. It was longer than I was. ¡°Help me, would you?¡± I asked, but before she could respond, its body rose. I was dumbfounded for a moment as its humongous body¡ªlonger and wider than me¡ªlifted right out of the water. But then I caught sight of the creature beneath it. Pistachio, his thick legs easily clambering up the side of the rocky shore, placed the fish on the ground. I bent, gave him a fistbump and a nod of thanks, then immediately dispatched the fish. Its struggle ceased immediately, the massive body going still. ¡°What happened to it?¡± Maria asked. ¡°Why did it suddenly stop fighting?¡± Seeing the type of fish it was, I understood. ¡°It¡¯s a tuna¡ªthey need to swim forward to breathe, so they rarely survive being caught.¡± ¡°Oh... so when you started bringing it back to shore, it couldn¡¯t breathe anymore?¡± ¡°Basically, yeah...¡± We stared down at the fish for a long moment, all humbled by the size of the thing. Pelly had the best reaction. Her head bent down so close that her eye was almost touching it. Her bill opened and closed silently, stunned as she was by its form. ¡°Well...¡± I said, turning toward Maria with a grin. ¡°If this doesn¡¯t work as bribery, I don¡¯t know what will.¡± She locked eyes with me, a satisfied smile coming to her face. I rubbed the top of Claws¡¯s head. ¡°Would you mind getting everyone?¡± She chirped, saluted, then exploded into action, her muscles wreathed in lightning as she shot from sight. I lay my hands on the fish¡¯s torso, closing my eyes and taking a moment to thank it. I had taken its life, but we¡¯d make use of every last bit of its body. The flesh would sustain us just as the frame and skin would fertilize the plants of the forest. ¡°Thanks, mate,¡± I whispered, letting my gratitude flow. I stood, stretching my arms toward the sky. ¡°Can you carry it, Pistachio?¡± He nodded, and Maria and I helped get it onto his back before we made our way toward the campfire. Exhaustion lingered in my body, making my limbs feel heavy. I ignored it¡ªI had a feast to prepare. Book 2: Chapter 78: Fever Dream Book 2: Chapter 78: Fever Dream Beneath the shade of my deck, I cut into the tuna. Recalling the memory of a particular video on Earth, I did my best to emulate the movements of a Japanese master of his craft. Surprisingly, the flesh came away just as I imagined. There was no way it should have worked out, so I took a second to thank the System and the levels of fishing and cooking it granted me. As much as I railed against the thing and its annoying messages, I couldn¡¯t process the tuna so efficiently without it. Before I knew it, I had slipped into a zen-like state. My hands took over, lifting, slicing, and removing massive chunks of the fish at a time. I set each filet aside, and when the last of the usable sashimi had been removed, I started cutting away skin. As before, my body moved of its own accord, easily parting the edible flesh. There were strips of dark meat that ran down the tuna¡¯s spine. I removed them with careful incisions, making sure to not take more of the pink flesh than necessary. I set the dark meat aside on a spare board, knowing my animal pals would likely love the stronger flavor. A gust swept past me, bringing with it savory scents that made my mouth water. I smiled. Maria was at the campfire making a sauce. We had been experimenting over the last couple of weeks, doing our best to replicate soy sauce. It was a complete failure, if I was being honest, but we¡¯d managed to create a delightful alternative using garlic, salt, and other spices, skipping the fermentation step entirely. After washing my hands and knife in the kitchen, I started slicing strips of the raw flesh, cutting against the grain as my instinct told me to. One cut at a time, I filled three wooden boards, layering the fish in an aesthetically pleasing way. I so desperately wanted to try some. It took every ounce of will I had to withhold, knowing it would be better to experience it with everyone else. Pelly was sitting beside me, her eyes filled with the same hunger I felt. ¡°You can help yourself if you like,¡± I said. She shook her head slowly, staying strong. ¡°It¡¯s worth the wait,¡± I replied, focusing on each cut I made. ¡°Food tastes better when shared with friends.¡± Remembering an important detail, I held an uncut chunk of tuna out to Pelly. ¡°Would you put this on the fire, Pelly? It needs to be fully cooked.¡± She nodded, grabbed the fish, and took off. I lapsed into silence as I finished the final filet. I placed it on the board, marveling at the sight. It was a veritable mountain of food, all three boards piled high. ¡°Fischer!¡± Maria called. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Pistachio lumbered around the corner, freezing for a moment when he caught sight of all the food. ¡°It¡¯s a lot, huh? More than I expected.¡± He slowly nodded, his eyes locked onto the closest board. ¡°Could you carry one for me, mate?¡± Blowing bubbles of anticipation and hunger both, he picked a board up, holding it before him with care belying his size. I grabbed the other two, lifting them high and striding around the corner. A sea of faces met me, some hesitant, most excited. ¡°Hope you all brought your appetites!¡± I said, sweeping forward with the mountains of fish. ¡°The feast is ready!¡± ¡°Uh, Fischer?¡± Barry asked, giving me an odd look. ¡°Yeah, mate?¡± ¡°Is that raw...?¡± ¡°It certainly is! It¡¯s called sashimi. I¡¯ve eaten it plenty before and can confirm it¡¯s bloody delicious. It should be safe to eat for everyone except Ruby.¡± I leaned past Barry to look at her. ¡°Sorry, Rubes. Raw fish is no bueno for pregnant women. There¡¯s a portion cooking on the fire for you.¡± She smiled in response, shrugging one shoulder as she held a hand to her stomach. Pistachio and I set the boards down on stumps beside the campfire. Snips, Claws, and Bill stepped through the crowd, all following the scent of the fish. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot! One moment!¡± I dashed off toward my deck, returning with the red, flavorful cuts that I removed from the pink flesh. I set it on the corner of a board and cut it into strips. ¡°You guys will love this. I think it will be too strong for us humans, but that¡¯s only because we¡¯re inferior.¡± Claws gave a little wiggle, puffing out her chest as she nodded. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe, Fischer?¡± Barry asked, looking skeptical. Maria set bowls down next to each board, pouring her finished sauce into them. ¡°Well,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to eat some to prove how safe it is. Even if it would make people sick, I¡¯m pretty sure being cultivators would save us. The System specifically said in the description that it¡¯s a delicacy when eaten raw, though.¡± ¡°A delicacy...?¡± Peter asked, stepping forward. ¡°Damned right, mate. You in?¡± With everyone else¡¯s gazes on me, I put the fish into my mouth. The sauce dripped, touching my tongue before anything else. It was as a bomb, its umami essence exploding throughout in mouth. Knowing the overpowering flavor¡¯s cure was already within reach, I bit down into the sashimi. Sweetness rushed out, the tuna¡¯s mild notes joining the fray. They swept each other up, like a warm updraft and cool downdraft forming a tornado. Rather than leaving destruction in its wake, however, the tempestuous flavors left only bliss. I smiled, a tear forming in the corner of my eye. I waited to hear someone unleash an mmm, or perhaps for Peter to sniffle. Instead, power bloomed across from me. To my enhanced awareness, it came at glacial speed, forming at waist-height. I was more than a little surprised to feel strands of power reaching up from the ground to join the coalescence taking place. They curled upward from different directions, weaving into then solidifying the core. All at once, it was done. A wave of euphoria washed out, just as enjoyable as the first time I¡¯d felt it. I swallowed the mouthful, letting its flavor linger in the afterglow of Sue¡¯s awakening. When I opened my eyes, every head was facing her, one and all smiling. Sue blinked, her eyes clearing as she once more looked out at the world. ¡°So,¡± I said, trying to appear indifferent, ¡°have you guys planned out their names?¡± Barry slowly turned, his face intentionally blank. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Maria, much less tactful, let out a groan. ¡°Just cut to the chase and tell us the delinquent names you¡¯ve thought up, Fischer.¡± I grinned. ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask!¡± *** High above the capital city of Gormona, within a relic-filled room, Augstus Reginald Gormona swallowed. It did nothing to help his reflux. He leaned against a lifeless artifact, his eyes locked on a screen that he¡¯d scarcely looked away from since learning of it. Upon being told of its existence, he had thought it an error. The screen had to have been showing advancements from another age, right? But then the slew of new messages had begun. His enemies were more vast than he could have imagined, and the spirit beasts appeared to have recruited humans to the cause. Worse, they grew stronger by the day. Especially that troublesome flock of birds. Each appeared to be mastering different crafts. It was a terrifying prospect, and the main reason for Augustus¡¯s lack of sleep. ¡°You should get some rest, my king,¡± the guard leaning beside him said. The out of turn comment made the rage of a thousand suns flare in his chest, but as the king whirled on the man, his fury deflated. ¡°You¡¯re probably correct, Deklan.¡± The man had been a rock these past weeks¡ªhe didn¡¯t deserve his ruler¡¯s scorn. ¡°And please¡ªcall me Augustus.¡± The lackadaisical man, rather than protest as most would, simply nodded. ¡°I can do that, Augustus. Tell you what, if you go get some sleep, I¡¯ll come and let you know right away if anything crazy gets reported by the relics.¡± August Reginald Gormona, a king who prided himself on his unflappable demeanor, let out a weary sigh. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Deklan. Thank you.¡± He bent and crawled his way back through the sea of artifacts. When he emerged on the other side of the room, a blue light sprang forth. He slowly spun, horror dawning¡ªhe already knew what it meant. On numb, exhausted legs, he stumbled over to the artifact, leaning on other relics for support. At a speed that belied belief, Deklan appeared at his side, having crawled to meet him. ¡°Let me help, Augustus.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied, his voice coming shakily. Deklan¡¯s support was a welcome balm to his worries, but any semblance of reassurance vanished the moment he spied the lines of text printed on the screen. His stomach dropped, the floor itself feeling as though it disappeared beneath his feet. ¡°Please tell me my eyes deceive me, Deklan.¡± ¡°Okay. Your eyes deceive you.¡± Augustus chuckled, yet it held no mirth. ¡°Our chances of surviving the eventual onslaught grow slimmer by the day.¡± He rubbed his weary eyes, praying that when he opened them again, he would wake from this fever dream. He didn¡¯t. The lines of text taunted him, further cementing the doom of his kingdom. He read the first line again. Fat Rat Pack Swallowing, he took in the second, despairing at the implications. The Beetle Boys Book 2: Chapter 79: Oaths Book 2: Chapter 79: Oaths Beneath the descending sun, Sue¡¯s and Sturgill¡¯s eyes were distant. Dual waves of power flowed from them as they entered their names into the System. ¡°Happy?¡± Maria asked, giving me a rather judgemental look while trying her best to hide the amusement poking through. ¡°Very,¡± I replied, grinning. I extended a hand to Sturgill, then Sue, shaking them in turn. ¡°Welcome to the ranks of the heretical, Fat Rat Pack and The Beetle Boys.¡± Sue pouted. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure how I feel about being called The Beetle Boys.¡± ¡°Would you rather Fat Rat Pack?¡± Sturgill asked, smirking. She lowered her eyebrows. ¡°No. I¡¯d prefer Sue.¡± I opened my mouth to let her know why the names were important, but she shook her head, likely knowing my intention. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Barry already explained why it was necessary, but it doesn¡¯t take all the sting out of it.¡± ¡°Would more tuna help?¡± I asked. Her eyes drifted to the heaped boards of fish. ¡°It couldn¡¯t hurt...¡± ¡°Well, good, because we need to eat all of this before it goes bad. It¡¯s warm, so we should really hurry.¡± With that, the feast truly began. The mountains of sashimi shrunk surprisingly fast, everyone falling into silence as we ate it one mouthful at a time. I watched my animal pals with no small amount of glee, encouraging them to eat the pink flesh when the slices of red meat were gone. I didn¡¯t know when she got there, but Cinnamon lounged in the sun, chewing a stalk of sugarcane as she rested a paw on Pelly¡¯s side. ¡°And where have you been?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow. She gave me a sly little shrug, amusement clear on her face. ¡°All right. Keep your secrets.¡± I bent to rub her belly, then grabbed another slice of sashimi. No matter how much I ate, the fish, even when combined with the savory sauce, was light and refreshing. Everyone clearly felt the same, as after less than a half hour, we¡¯d eaten every last bit. I¡¯d been keeping an eye on Roger, only glancing his way when he was distracted. Though I already knew it to be the case, it was clear that he was eating the fish for more reasons than just gaining power. The tension held in his body slowly melted away with each bite. He and Sharon joked and smiled, their love for each other clear in their eyes. Maria, who was also stealing glances at them, squeezed my hand. We shared our own smile, hopeful for the plan to come together. As we sat and let the food settle, I cleared my throat. ¡°So, I have a confession to make.¡± All turned to face me, their conversations pausing. ¡°I had an ulterior motive in inviting you all here for this fishy feast.¡± Before anyone could respond, I steeled my nerves and rushed into it. ¡°Maria and I have decided to take a trip to the capital.¡± ¡°Now hold on one second!¡± Roger protested, his temporary joviality gone. ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous. I won¡¯t let you take my little girl into the maw of the capital.¡± ¡°Dear...¡± Sharon said. ¡°I think this could be a good idea.¡± She shot him a meaningful glance, communicating... something. ¡°Don¡¯t you also think Fischer going to the capital is a good idea, Barry?¡± I furrowed my brow, not sure what Barry had to do with it. His eyes darted around, his face calculating. What have I missed...? I wondered, still not comprehending. ¡°It would be a good idea for Fischer to go to the capital.¡± Barry agreed. ¡°The timing is¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about your Operation Sticky Fingers!¡± Roger spat. ¡°If you think I¡¯m willing to risk my only daughter for such foolishness, you¡¯re out of your damned mind! I care little for the¡ª¡± Sharon clamped a hand over his mouth, cutting him off. ¡°Mind your company, dear...¡± she said, glancing at me. ¡°Okay.¡± I threw my hands up. ¡°What the hell is going on? What is Operation Sticky Fingers?¡± Maria, Sue, and Sturgill looked similarly confused, but every other face grew apprehensive. I waited, a line forming between my eyes as I tried in vain to connect the dots. Barry broke the silence. He sighed, shaking his head. ¡°We¡¯ve been meaning to suggest you go to the capital, though Maria wasn¡¯t involved in the plan...¡± ¡°... why?¡± Barry grimaced. ¡°Do you really want to know the details...?¡± ¡°If you do, is there a chance that Maria fits into the plan?¡±Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Barry nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t see why she couldn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Roger yelled, cutting him off. ¡°It¡¯s much too dangerous!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Roger.¡± Barry¡¯s voice held a weight to it, physically pushing against my body. I¡¯d felt it from him before, and as it washed over me, I finally understood why it held such power. There¡¯s chi in his voice...? Strands of it, hair-thin and invisible even to my eyes, flowed out from him. He didn¡¯t have the level of control I did, so I wondered if he was even aware it was happening. Roger¡¯s complaints died in his throat, his eyes going wide as he sat back down, blinking rapidly. Barry took a calming breath, slowly exhaling it before he continued. ¡°I understand your worry. Truly, I do, but you¡¯re being too emotional and speaking out of turn. If you can¡¯t hold your tongue, I¡¯ll need to ask you to leave. Sharon can tell you what happened later.¡± Fury crossed his face, his lips forming a line and cheek twitching, but he remained seated. ¡°Thank you,¡± Barry said. He turned toward Maria and I. ¡°How much do you want to know?¡± We shared a look, and she nodded for me to take the lead. ¡°I want to know about anything that puts Maria¡ªor any of you¡ªin danger. Spare the rest of the details unless we ask.¡± Barry nodded, taking a moment to think. ¡°Okay,¡± he eventually said. ¡°I can work with that. I really did want to leave you out of this, but you¡¯ll understand once you know the plan...¡± ¡°Fine¡ªmost of the time, but this time will be different. I promise.¡± She looked at me for a long moment, then nodded and resumed walking. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°... okay?¡± I took a few hurried steps to keep pace. ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°Yep. I trust you.¡± I glanced over, seeing a solid side-eye coming from her. ¡°Unless I shouldn¡¯t?¡± she asked. I grinned back. ¡°You can trust me. I want you to move in without your dad swearing a blood vendetta against me, so I¡¯ll be on my best behavior.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Her cheeks flushed, and she darted in to plant a kiss on my cheek. ¡°I want that too.¡± I stared into her eyes, marveling at the colors I found there and the way they seemed to shift in the sunlight. Distracted as I was, I felt our quarry¡¯s chi signature too late. ¡°What do you want?¡± came his gruff voice. I turned to look at Roger. He sat on his deck, peeling a root vegetable and letting the skin fall to the sandy soil. ¡°Hey, Mate. I came to see you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve done enough for one day?¡± I turned to Maria. ¡°Would you give us a moment?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She let go of my hand, sweeping forward and only pausing to give her dad a quick hug before running inside. The front door closed behind her, leaving us alone. The soft snick of his knife peeling skin from the vegetables was the only sound to be heard. A wind kicked up, shaking the leaves of the surrounding crops. I leaned into the calm the wind gave me, letting out a slow breath. ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me, mate. That¡¯s okay, and I get it. In the absolute best-case scenario, I¡¯m some kind of interworld traveler with more power than he can fully comprehend.¡± Roger raised an eyebrow, glaring up at me. I held up both hands, stalling the inflammatory comment no doubt forming on his tongue. ¡°Let me finish, mate. You don¡¯t trust me¡ªtotally fine. What you can trust is that I love your daughter. I¡¯m in love with your daughter. Come hell, highwater, or even a literal God coming down from the heavens, I will protect her with my life. I swear to you, on everything I am, that I¡¯ll bring her home safe. I¡¯ll always bring her home safe.¡± Every time Roger looked at me, I saw exactly who he was. He had the eyes of a soldier, one who had seen things most men would crumble under the weight of. He¡¯d never told me as much himself, but it was easy to glean from the things Maria had told me. He never spoke of his time in the army. Never. Not even a word. It was why he was so abrasive. Why he didn¡¯t really care what others thought. Given everything he had been through, it was impossible for him to not see the world through a grim lens. When it came to his daughter, though, that mask shattered. He usually did pretty well to hide it. To lash out in anger and hide the fear he felt; the fear of losing her. Earlier, when Barry had agreed Maria could accompany me to the capital without being put in danger, Roger¡¯s eyes told the truth. Now, as he looked up at me from the deck, with his knife frozen midway through removing a strip of dirt-covered peel, he had the eyes of a father, terrified of the prospect of losing the thing he held dearest in this world. ¡°Can you really promise that?¡± he asked, voice unnaturally calm. ¡°I can.¡± Whether he could tell I meant it or because he needed to believe me, Roger nodded and stood. He set his vegetable and knife down, holding out a hand toward me. I grasped it, shaking as he weighed me with his gaze. It felt as though we¡¯d finally found common ground, like I¡¯d finally convinced him that I was someone worth trusting. Was this the missing piece? I wondered. Could I have ended the animosity long ago by promising I¡¯d protect her with my life? He leaned in close, his eyes going flinty. ¡°Fail her and I will hunt you down.¡± Welp. Nevermind. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you ascend to the heavens,¡± he continued, leaning in closer and squeezing my hand with everything he had. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you, find you, and end you if you hurt her.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± I said, matching his strength. I felt a small but powerful source of chi racing through the crops behind us. Roger looked past me, hearing the creature as it brushed sugarcane stalks aside. Borks came flying out, his tongue lolling and tail wagging as he came to a skidding stop before us. He barked, sitting down and looking up with nothing but excitement on his face. ¡°I think that¡¯s my cue, mate,¡± I said, letting go of Roger¡¯s hand. The door opened behind him, Maria and Sharon appearing in the doorway. ¡°Ready to go?¡± She asked, giving her father and me a hesitant glance. ¡°Yep! Ready when you are!¡± She skipped forward, wrapping her father in a tight hug. Sharon came to me, giving me a knowing smile as she approached. She pulled me into a hug, patting me on the back. ¡°Bring her home in one piece.¡± She leaned toward my ear. ¡°And nicely handled,¡± she whispered before letting go. I gave her a wide grin. Maria came to my side, putting her hands behind her back as she smiled at her parents. ¡°See you guys soon,¡± I said. ¡°Yeah!¡± Maria agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll be back within the week.¡± ¡°Remember your promise,¡± Roger said, his face once more that of a hardened soldier. ¡°Will do, mate!¡± With Borks at my side and Maria¡¯s hand in mine, we followed the trail of the setting sun. Book 2: Chapter 80: Brotherly Love Book 2: Chapter 80: Brotherly Love Beneath the pink and orange sunset of a beautiful winter¡¯s day, two brothers stumbled arm in arm along a seldom-traveled dirt road. ¡°We¡¯d better get back to the farm,¡± David slurred as they both wobbled. ¡°Aye.¡± Trevor upended his bottle, taking a deep swig. He sighed with the burn that ran down his throat, warming him from the core. ¡°Da will tan our hides if he learns we been out drinking all day instead of working.¡± A few seasons back, things had kicked off between their home village of Cedar, and those bog-water drinkers over at Bengal Village. As a result, the brothers hadn¡¯t been able to buy any of Bengal¡¯s moonshine for most of the year. So, when a merchant had come through with some of the swill¡ªand speaking all proper like, so they knew he wasn¡¯t a Bengalian in disguise¡ªthey¡¯d bought as much as they could afford. ¡°Say what you will about those goatherders over in Bengal, they sure know how to make a damned good brew.¡± Trevor tipped the glass bottle up, his eyebrow furrowing when none came out. He shook it, a scowl deepening when only a few drops fell onto his tongue. He turned to glare at his brother. ¡°You drank the last of it, David, you bastard?¡± ¡°Me?¡± David reeled back from his brother, indignant and swaying. ¡°You¡¯re holding the damned bottle!¡± ¡°Aye! Which makes it even worse! Ye drank the last of it right out from under me, you poxy son of a goat.¡± ¡°Oi, oi, oi. You leave my mother out of...¡± David hiccuped, a flushed grin coming to his face. ¡°We have the same parents. You just called yourself a son of a goat..¡± Swaying without a shoulder to lean on, Trevor pointed the now-empty bottle at his brother¡¯s thieving, mother-besmirching face. ¡°You take that back.¡± With the dexterity of a dehydrated man that had been day-drinking moonshine for the last eight hours, David backhanded his brother. Well, he tried to, anyway. By some miracle, he managed to smack the swaying bottle extended toward him. It made a dull tink as his knuckles collided with it, sending it sailing into the treeline. Both wobbling violently, their heads spun to follow its trajectory. ¡°You ungrateful, mother-insulting toad lick¡ª¡± Trevor cut off as a streak of colors shot past them, traveling east to west along the road. The speed of it was incredible. They both turned, intending on seeing what it was, but there was nothing there.Updated chapters at novelhall.com ¡°What in¡ª¡± A wall of wind slammed into their backs. If they had been sober, perhaps they could have withstood it. Instead, they fell like long-dead trees in a hurricane, landing in a tangle of limbs as dust sprayed over them. Both brothers slowly climbed to all fours, spitting dust. Trevor, locking eyes with his brother, chortled. ¡°You look like you been tilling the soil with your teeth!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± David got to his knees. ¡°Well, you look like you been shovelin¡¯ dirt with your head!¡± Both pairs of eyes narrowed, a lip curled, and they burst into laughter. ¡°That damned bog-swill is some good stuff,¡± David said, finally making it upright and holding a hand to his brother. ¡°Aye,¡± Trevor agreed, using the offered hand to pull himself upright. ¡°We¡¯ll have to get some more soon. Might not be so bad dealing with them bog-water drinkers if we can get more bottles...¡± Shoulder to shoulder and their spirits as high as the clouds above, the brothers stumbled back toward their village. *** Watching the two men go, Maria, Borks, and I shared a smile. We waited until they were far away before hopping down from the tree. After accidentally sprinting past them at cultivator speed, all three of us had scrambled upward, hiding from sight. ¡°Phew!¡± Maria brushed her hands off. ¡°That was close.¡± ¡°No kidding. Lucky they were so drunk.¡± Maria giggled, covering her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure how I feel about the church¡¯s trade route being used to facilitate whatever those two were up to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I replied, looking down the road after them. ¡°I kinda love it. They seem like fun.¡± ¡°Should we go say hello?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t be seen, but we could trail them. Checking they got home would be the right thing to do...¡± She rolled her eyes, smiling at me. ¡°Right. It¡¯s definitely because you want them home safe and not because you¡¯ll get enjoyment out of their banter.¡± She bent to scratch Borks¡¯s head, who was staring up at us with unconditional love. ¡°Come on, then. Let¡¯s go make sure those farmers make it back to their village.¡± She withdrew her pinchy fingers, smiling behind her pout. Borks shoved his head between us, tongue lolling from his panting mouth as he stared up at both of us. I rubbed Borks¡¯s head. ¡°Let¡¯s see if this lake holds any fish.¡± After setting our rods up, I removed the chunk of bait. ¡°It¡¯s a shame we didn¡¯t find any of the pungent eel over the last couple days,¡± Maria said, pinching her nose as I removed the ripe eel from its wrappings. ¡°Yeah. This should be enough to do the trick, though.¡± I ran a knife through the eel, cutting off two thin pieces. Maria had a smaller hook on her line so we could target different sized fish at the same time; we had no clue what the lake held. I slipped the baits on each of our hooks, then we stepped forward together. ¡°After you,¡± I said, delighting in the look on Maria¡¯s face. ¡°No. Please.¡± She ushered me forward. ¡°Ladies first.¡± ¡°Oh, such a gentleman!¡± I replied, batting my eyes. She giggled, covering her mouth in the way that always made my heart flutter. I cast my line out, aiming right for the middle of the lake. It landed with a satisfying plop, as did Maria¡¯s, just a little closer to shore. Sitting beside each other, with Borks at our feet, we waited. And waited. And waited. ¡°Well, this is a bit disappointing...¡± Maria said, chewing her lip as she stared at the water. I reeled my line in. It felt heavy, and sure enough, the bait was untouched. Maria sighed. ¡°I was so excited, too. I guess there¡¯s nothing in this lake?¡± ¡°Maybe...¡± I replied, thinking of something. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Maria asked as I cut my tackle off the end of my line. ¡°Testing a theory...¡± I grabbed a sabiki rig, tying it to the end of my rod, then walked down to the water and cast it in. It landed close to shore, making a quiet splash barely heard over the calls of insects. I wound the line in so it was tight. ¡°You think there are smaller fish here?¡± she quietly asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± I whispered back. ¡°Surely there¡¯s something...¡± She wrapped an arm around my back, leaning against my torso as we both stared out at the calm lake. Something tugged at the line. I inhaled sharply, adrenaline spiking and shattering the calm that Maria¡¯s proximity gave me. I held the line tight, waiting for the bite. Bump. Bump. The fish bit the hook, immediately trying to swim away. It was a small thing, but that didn¡¯t make it any less exciting as I brought the hooks toward the surface. With a smile on my face, I lifted it up out of the water, swiveling so it entered the campfire¡¯s light. The moment I caught sight of it, I froze, blinking at the flailing limbs. Maria¡¯s hand jolted on my back, gripping onto my shirt. ¡°... what the frack is that?¡± she demanded, her voice shrill. Book 2: Chapter 81: Four-Legged Monstrosities Book 2: Chapter 81: Four-Legged Monstrosities Night had well and truly descended within the forest, the light of day having slowly bled over the western horizon. The campfire was both a welcome source of heat and light, the latter of which was currently illuminating an absurd-looking creature. Maria and I shared a worried look as it kicked around on the hook. Borks slunk over to sniff at it, taking care not to come within touching distance. Most of its features were that of a fish; it had tiny scales, fins, and was a light-brown color that would help it hide in the murky lake¡¯s waters. Sprouting from the bottom of its body, however, were four decidedly non-fishy limbs. It was... a quadruped? They were like the limbs of a salamander or axolotl, scaleless and fleshy. As it kicked all four of its legs feebly, my eyes were drawn into it. Mature Jungle Mudminnow [unknown] [unknown] What in the fresh fuck...? I thought, dismissing the information from my field of view. ¡°Unknown...?¡± Maria asked. The System, my ever-annoying pal, demanded my attention. It wasn¡¯t like any nudge I¡¯d felt from it before; I got the sense it was trying to give me something. With more than a little hesitation, I accepted the message. New species discovered: Mature Jungle Mudminnow! Claim and identify species? Claim and identify...?Updated chapters at novelhall.com I willed my ascent, and information about the creature streamed into me. It was unnatural¡ªnot native to this world. It had... mutated? Been created? I couldn¡¯t exactly tell, but that it was alien to this forest was undeniable. The System tugged at my attention again, once more offering something. A little less hesitant, I allowed it to come. New species identification bonus: +5 to fishing! Congratulations! Mature Jungle Mudminnow Unique This fish is a creation of the followers of Ceto. It is unknown how long the Jungle Minnow has existed within the Kallis Realm, but in that time, it has stabilized itself within the food chain. This fish has become the favored prey of [unknown]. ¡°Holy frack...¡± I said aloud, processing the many implications. I turned to Maria, curious to know if she had gotten the messages too. Her face told me everything I needed to know. Her eyes were distant, likely staring at the writing in her field of view, and as I waited impatiently for her to come back to the present, golden light burst from her. There was no warning, even my enhanced sense of chi not alerting me to the advancement. The shine was blinding, and I had to squeeze my eyes closed against the gold brilliance lighting our surroundings. With the light came an overwhelming euphoria that made my entire body tingle. A smile that wasn¡¯t only a result of the sensation came to my face. The moment the light diminished, I opened my eyes, excited to hear from Maria what had happened. Instead, I found myself lurching forward, instinctively reaching for her unconscious form as she raced headfirst toward the forest floor. I easily scooped her up, bitter panic rising in the back of my throat. ¡°Hey... hey!¡± I cradled her head in my hands, my eyes locking on hers as I caressed her cheek with a shaky hand. ¡°Maria! Hey!¡± Borks dashed to our side in the blink of a cultivator¡¯s eye, pressing his wet nose against her neck and sniffing intently. She stirred, my heart seeming to stop beating in my chest as I waited for another sign of life. She... giggled, squirming her head down against Borks to block out his wet nose. ¡°Borks! Stop!¡± She pushed him away with one hand, still giggling. ¡°It tickles!¡± I heaved a breath of relief, slumping to the forest floor as she sat up. My panic was still present, but drained away with each breath I took. ¡°Fischer? You okay? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again! You scared the life out of me!¡± ¡°Do what...?¡± ¡°You fainted!¡± I crawled forward, pulling her into a hug. ¡°It was terrifying.¡± She patted my back, laughing loud and free. ¡°What...?¡± I asked, smiling along but not quite understanding. Her grin turned wry. ¡°Do you know how many times you¡¯ve done that to me? Just collapsed with no warning, then popped up like nothing was wrong? About time you got a taste of your own medicine.¡± I shook my head, palpable relief still running through me. We made to stand, but Maria froze, her brow lowering. She reached underneath herself, grabbed a hold of something, then lifted it up before her eyes. A familiar tinkle came from the small brown bag. ¡°Ancient Greece... that¡¯s where you know the gods¡¯ names from?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Huh. That¡¯s pretty neat.¡± ¡°Neat...?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯m more interested in the fact that Ceto¡¯s followers could somehow make a new species of fish, to be honest.¡± Seeing the incredulity on my face, she shook her head, smiling. ¡°Fischer, you¡¯re a regular man¡ªor at least were a regular man¡ªthat was sent from an entirely different world. Spirit beasts, creatures that haven¡¯t existed for thousands of years, pop up around you like weeds. You shoot beams of light that turn trees into splinters and send hellhounds flying across the sky like shooting stars.¡± She turned to the side. ¡°No offense, Borks.¡± He shrugged, a decidedly non-doglike gesture. ¡°On that note,¡± she continued. ¡°You¡¯re so powerful that you befriended a hellhound, a creature spoken of in the mythology here as the arbiters of the underworld that drag souls off to the afterlife. All those things considered, that our gods may have fled to your world at some point doesn¡¯t seem that important to me.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± ¡°Though, I do agree you shouldn¡¯t tell Ellis right now. His head might explode, and we need him for the mission to succeed. Feel free to tell him after, though.¡± My chest felt light following the confession, and let out a laugh, shaking my head. ¡°The Jungle Mudminnow alone might make him implode. He¡¯s going to be so pissed that we didn¡¯t tell him until after the mission¡ªespecially when he¡¯s so close.¡± Maria joined in with my mirth, covering her mouth as she let out a cute giggle. ¡°How long has that information been bothering you?¡± ¡°Since I arrived here. I didn¡¯t think it was that important, to be honest, but with how light I feel right now, it was weighing on me more than I thought.¡± She leaned forward. I expected her to plant a soft kiss on me, but then she reached up, flicking my nose softly. ¡°Stop keeping secrets, you big oaf. How many times do you need to relearn that fact?¡± I rubbed the spot she¡¯d flicked. ¡°Point taken.¡± Maria leaned back in. This time, she did kiss me, her velvet lips lingering on mine for a few heartbeats. When she pulled back, she smiled at me. ¡°Now, can we talk about the fact that there are four-legged fish in here? That shit¡¯s whack.¡± Unexpected as it was, her use of Earth-borne slang made me chortle. ¡°Yeah, it truly is whack.¡± ¡°If it was made by the followers of Ceto, and if Lemon¡¯s memory of this world¡¯s timeline can be believed, they must have been here for thousands of years, right?¡± ¡°It would seem so, yeah, unless there¡¯re some secret followers of Ceto still kicking around. The fact it said church, though, makes me think that isn¡¯t the case. It was from a time when Ceto, and presumably, the rest of the gods, were present.¡± ¡°And in that time...¡± Her eyes, twinkling with anticipation, darted over to meet mine. ¡°These four-legged monstrosities have become the food-source of another creature...¡± As if listening to the flow of our conversation, something bit down on my line. I shot to my feet and held my rod high, angling it past Maria¡¯s rig as I slowly wound it in. My plan worked; the slow retrieve meant another fish had time to bite down on another hook. The moment I felt the extra weight on my line, I lifted it out of the water. Two Mudminnows flopped on the grass, their weird little legs trying to find purchase. ¡°Yeah, still gross,¡± Maria said, scrunching her nose. I dashed forward, dispatching both of them and removing them from the sabiki rig before either knew what was happening. Both were smaller than my palm, and Maria and I immediately set about swapping our tackle for something more suitable. With the sabiki rigs removed and a single large hook tied above a sinker, we shared a grin, then each baited up with a whole mudminnow each. ¡°Same time?¡± I asked, smiling at Maria. She nodded. ¡°Same time.¡± In practiced unison, we flicked the reels forward, cocked the rods back, then cast our lines out. They landed one after the other, twin splashes rising as our baited hooks hit the water¡¯s surface. I took a slow breath through my nose, a small smile coming to my face as a sense of ease washed over me. Maria and I sat down, our legs touching as we got comfortable. Borks came to sit at my side, his reassuring weight resting against me. The night air was chilly, growing more so with each gust of wind blowing through the leafy canopy above. Warmth from the campfire radiated against my back, stealing away the night¡¯s wintery kiss. I had wound my fishing line tight, and with a finger held to it, I waited for a bite. As much as I idealized a life of peace and calm, chaos had been leaking into it over the past couple of months. In moments like this, though, the chaos didn¡¯t matter. As long as I had fishing and the relationships that had flourished since my arrival in this strange realm, all the chaos in the world couldn¡¯t overwhelm me. ¡°Oh... oh!¡± Maria said, sitting upright. Her line went taut, her rod bending and bouncing as a hooked creature fought to escape. Her face lit up, completely covered in a childlike wonder that made my chest feel light. ¡°Fish on!¡± Book 2: Chapter 82: Potent Book 2: Chapter 82: Potent A breeze blew through the surrounding trees, their leaves rustling softly. Ethereal moonlight shone down from above, illuminating the lake¡¯s surface. Flames licked at the campfire behind us, its orange glow joining the blue-white light of the moon. Within that beautiful vista, Maria¡¯s line tore through the water. ¡°Fish on!¡± she repeated, laughing as her eyes grew intense. The fish darted to the right, trying to escape her clutches¡ªthere was nowhere to go. My fingers twitched, my entire body aching as I watched her rod bend beneath the fish¡¯s mighty kicks. The hooked fish darted back to the left, charging toward my line. ¡°Shit,¡± I hissed, reeling in so they wouldn¡¯t get tangled Something bit at my line, making my adrenaline spike. When it didn¡¯t move, however, I understood. A snag, I thought, letting out a sigh. I held the tip of the line low, trying to get it out of Maria¡¯s way, but then my snag moved. ¡°F-fish on!¡± I yelled, excitement blooming in my core. ¡°Double hook-up!¡± Maria let out a lilting laugh. ¡°Last one to catch the fish has to cook dinner!¡± ¡°Deal!¡± I replied, not at all bothered by the fact Maria had already lost that particular bet with our race to the lake. I stepped to the left, keeping our lines away from each other. My fish had other plans. It dashed to the right, just as Maria¡¯s continued going left. I held my rod high and she slipped beneath it, neither of us needing to utter a word. Whatever we had hooked, they were both powerful. Not sitting still for a moment, they used their lean muscles to seek any possible avenue of escape. As was so often the case, however, we were more than their match. Maria¡¯s fish darted toward us, taking a course it had no way of knowing was the wrong one. She didn¡¯t waste the opportunity, reeling in the line and keeping it tight. It turned, swimming adjacent to the shore, its silvery scales flashing beneath the moon¡¯s otherworldly light. It was big. ¡°No way...¡± Maria uttered. Her hand never stopped winding in line, and with its proximity to the surface, water swirled around each kick of its massive tail. Holding her rod up in one hand, she stepped into the shallows, easily looping a hand under its gill plate and hauling it up onto the shore. I wanted to gaze at it, wanted to let my eyes get drawn into the unknown fish, but I had my own fight to focus on. The fish I¡¯d hooked continued trying to escape, but for every method it tried, I was ready to counter it. I drew it ever closer, and when it finally reached the shallows, I followed Maria¡¯s actions, reaching down to lift it from under the gills. Its body was as long as it was formidable, and if I was a regular human, I might not have been able to wrestle it to shore. With my enhanced body, however, I brought it up with one hand, sliding it up on the grass. The moment I¡¯d seen its mouth beneath the pale moonlight, I understood why Maria had grabbed it by the gills. Its elongated face was lined with rows of teeth like a crocodile, and even with my strengthened body, I didn¡¯t want to chance having my hand ripped to shreds by those razor-sharp daggers. Its body was at least a meter long, its stomach as round as my muscle-packed thigh. As with the mudminnows, its scales held a brown hue, likely to help it camouflage within the silty waters of the lake. It snapped at me with its tooth-filled mouth. I dodged, positioning myself above it so I could hold the mouth closed with both hands. As I stared down at its inhuman eyes, my gaze was drawn into it. Mature [unknown] Alligator Gar [unknown] [unknown] Before I could say anything, the next lines of text appeared. New species discovered: Mature [unknown] Alligator Gar! Claim and identify species? I glanced at Maria; she was staring back. We both nodded. Borks let out a loud bark, not entirely understanding what we were doing, but happy to just be there. I willed my ascent, as did Maria. New species identification bonus: +10 to fishing! Congratulations!Updated chapters at novelhall.com Mature [unknown] Alligator Gar Unique This species variation of the Alligator Gar has evolved through its predation of Jungle Mudminnows over thousands of years, an unnatural fish created by the followers of Ceto. There is more to learn about this species for those willing to partake of its flesh. I dismissed the System message, the orange glow of the campfire flickering as the fish flopped about, trying to escape. I held it, making its efforts futile as I turned to Maria. Before I could say anything, power welled up from within me. It flowed out as a heady pulse, the golden light making me stumble. With my increased power, I managed to stay standing. Something fell to the ground behind me, letting out the jangle of coins as it struck the grass. Grabbing her fish around the back of the head and shooting me a knowing glance, Maria ran down to the water, placing it beneath the black surface. The fish wasted no time in swimming back to the depths, the only evidence it was ever there the water swirling in its wake. I cocked my head in question. ¡°Mine was out of the water for longer,¡± she answered, eyes flicking between me and the fish I held down. ¡°And we only need one to learn more about it...¡± Grinning as my strength returned, I slipped the spike from my belt. With a flash of movement, I drove it into the fish, dispatching it in an instant. ¡°Feel what?¡± Maria cocked her head to the side. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice anything...?¡± I licked my lips. ¡°The chi content of the fish. It¡¯s¡ª¡± The System nudged me, offering more informational goodies. Usually, I¡¯d have ignored it, but if it was willing to tell me about the fish, I was willing to take a chance. New species trait discovery bonus: +10 to fishing! Congratulations! Mature Potent Alligator Gar Unique This species variation of the Alligator Gar has evolved through its predation of Jungle Mudminnows over thousands of years, an unnatural fish created by the followers of Ceto. Through millennia of evolution, the Potent Alligator Gar has managed to produce a unique kind of chi that only matures when exposed to heat. ¡°Holy frack...¡± Maria said. ¡°You...¡± I licked my lips. ¡°You got the notification too?¡± She nodded, staring down at the fish. Without a moment¡¯s thought, I broke it in two, holding one half out toward her. ¡°Well, we know it isn¡¯t poisonous,¡± I said. ¡°Will you try it with me?¡± She accepted the fire-charred fish, watching it with hunger in her eyes. Without a word, we both ate it at the same time. We¡¯d added no salt, no seasoning, no... anything. The only flavor adding itself to the fish were the smoky notes provided by the campfire. An appreciative noise escaped my throat as its flavor washed over my taste buds. The flesh was low in fat, and given how I¡¯d seared it over the fire, it was firmer than some of the melt-in-your-mouth fish I¡¯d eaten of late. Still, it was delicious, having a mildly fishier taste than the oceanic species we usually partook of. When I swallowed, the chi heading down toward my core was like a roaring forge. It heated everything it passed, waves of warmth radiating outward. Maria released a shaky breath, clearly experiencing the same sensation. ¡°That¡¯s... wow.¡± She took a deep drink of water. ¡°That¡¯s a lot.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± We sat with the feeling for a long moment, Borks coming up to each of us and sniffing at us inquisitively. I ran a hand along the top of his head, delighting in how soft his fur was. ¡°I think I know how to cook the fish...¡± I said, thinking aloud. ¡°Were you thinking shallow fry? Because I was thinking shallow fry.¡± I shot her a smirk. ¡°Great minds think alike. The crumbs and added fat content would lend itself perfectly to the flavor.¡± ¡°Well,¡± she said, getting to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll get the oil and bread crumbs ready, you cut up the flesh?¡± ¡°Deal!¡± I headed back down to the fish, my knife making short work of it. A little less than an hour later, we¡¯d fried all the fish, and an absolute mountain of golden-crumbed pockets of deliciousness lay atop a board. Maria, Borks, and I had been helping ourselves as we went¡ªeach portion was as delicious as the one before it. ¡°I¡¯m honestly full already,¡± I said, nursing my stomach. ¡°Me too,¡± Maria agreed. ¡°I might explode if I absorb any more chi...¡± I turned to Borks. ¡°Wanna share some with everyone else?¡± His tail wagging, he barked in the affirmative. I lifted the board for him, letting him grab it with his mouth. With his golden tail still swishing away, he opened a portal and disappeared. ¡°I¡¯ll never get used to that,¡± Maria said, watching the abyssal tear in space. Before I could reply, Borks was back, closing the portal behind him. ¡°How are they fairing?¡± I asked. Good, he barked, coming to lick me on the cheek. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy,¡± I said, ruffling his fur. Yes, he barked in reply, his whole body wagging. Book 2: Chapter 83: Something Brewing Book 2: Chapter 83: Something Brewing Riding unseen currents of air high above the coast, Warrant Officer Williams¡ªaffectionately dubbed ¡®Bill¡¯ by his master¡ªlet out a mighty yawn. Pelly had taken the night shift, allowing him to rest. They would have to take turns over the coming days, lest exhaustion overcome them, causing their intricate plan to fall apart. Seeing the formation scattering, Bill dove toward the ground, unleashing mighty kicks through the air until the formation came back together, heading north. Inexplicably, an idiom sprung to mind: herding cats. Though he¡¯d neither seen a cat with his own eyes, nor tried to herd them, he knew the comparison to be an apt one. The formation he was hounding was chaotic, their pathing and movements making little sense to his intelligent mind. Unlike the proverbial herder of cats, however, Bill wouldn¡¯t fail. His job was vital and would contribute toward the safety of everyone on the mission to come. With his resolve renewed, he sailed higher on the ocean currents, leaving the formation alone until the next time one¡ªor all of them¡ªscattered. *** Despite the cold winter air trapped beneath the forest¡¯s canopy, I woke to a cuddle puddle so warm it was almost too much. Almost being the keyword, I wrapped my arms around Maria, pulling our bodies closer to one another. Borks, still snoring softly, flopped into the space behind me, rolling onto his back. As warm as I felt, it was nothing compared to the heat that ran through my awareness, my love for both Maria and Borks climbing to an overwhelming crescendo. Taking a long breath and sitting with the more-than-welcome feeling, I carefully extricated myself, intent on making a delicious breakfast for them to wake up to. Given our ability to carry basically as much as we wanted within our packs, we¡¯d brought all manner of ingredients with us. I would have loved to make laminated dough and craft some croissants from scratch, but we simply didn¡¯t have the time. For this reason, I¡¯d taken some from Sue and Sturgill ahead of time. The frosty air trapped beneath the canopy above meant that we could bring dairy products without fearing they would go off, and when I unwrapped a parcel of folded leather, the vaguely cube-shaped dough within was cool to the touch. With a smile on my face, I placed it on a wooden board and started cutting triangles. They¡¯d given me an excessive amount of dough, and when I finished, there were thirty-two of them¡ªtoo much for Maria, Borks, and I, but the perfect amount to share. I stretched the triangles out with practiced ease, following the directions Sturgill had given me. After they were the correct shape, or at least I thought they were, I started folding them. It was a pleasant process, time flying by as I lost myself to the work, getting a little quicker with each croissant I made.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com As the sun¡¯s beams just started peeking through the leaves above, movement from my left caught my attention. Maria and Borks emerged, both stretching after escaping the tent¡¯s confines. ¡°Good morning,¡± I said. Engrossed as I was by the work, I hadn¡¯t noticed the ache building in my lower back. I stretched too, raising my hands toward the sky and letting out a soft groan as the pain melted away. ¡°Good morning,¡± Maria eventually replied, after unleashing a mighty yawn. She walked toward me, but Borks was faster, striding over with his tail wagging and head dipped. He rubbed himself on my side, and I gave him a pat with my elbow, not wanting to get my hands dirty. ¡°Ooooh,¡± Maria said. ¡°Croissants?¡± ¡°Yeah! I thought this morning was the perfect time.¡± She nodded, stifling another yawn. ¡°Makes sense. This is the last chance we have for Borks to use his portal, right? We¡¯ll be too close to the capital after traveling today.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± I removed two trays from my bag, layering the croissants over them evenly. Before I could get any further, I remembered the most important thing. ¡°Oh! Coffee!¡± Maria rolled her eyes playfully. ¡°You and your coffee¡ªwant me to take over the croissants?¡± ¡°Er¡ªwould you mind?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± She sat down beside me, shooing me away. ¡°Go on¡ªget.¡± Happy to oblige, I ran for her pack, where the sweet, sweet coffee beans¡ªand my new favorite toy¡ªwere located. It would take longer to create the coffee this morning, but that was only natural given the invention the craftsmen had whipped up for me. At first, I hadn¡¯t understood the anticipation on Brad and Fergus¡¯s faces when they¡¯d told me they had a surprise for me. What could a woodworker and a blacksmith build together...? The possibilities were endless, but none could have brought me as much joy as what they presented did. ¡°Good,¡± Maria replied, watching the pans atop the campfire. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can wait any longer.¡± She folded a tea towel, using it as a glove to remove a tray covering one pan. Moisture streamed out the moment she lifted, and when I caught sight of the golden pastries within, I knew they were ready. So did she, evidently, because she quickly swept them from the rack atop the fire, setting the pans down on the grass. She lifted both lids, letting the vapor escape. The sun shone down through the trees, lighting the steaming croissants in all their glory. I removed the top of the moka pot, seeing just what I expected: dark-brown coffee filled the top chamber. There was enough there to make a dozen double-shots. ¡°Happy with espresso?¡± I asked. ¡°Always,¡± she replied, fanning the croissants. I poured a couple shots of coffee into two wooden cups, delighting in the steam that danced above them. Setting them aside, I put the moka pot on a wooden board. Maria, wasting no time, plucked the still-steaming croissants from the pan and piled them high next to the pot. With only a croissant each left for Maria, Borks, and me, she nodded to our canine companion. ¡°Ready when you are, buddy.¡± He let out a bark, tore a portal in space, and hopped through. A few seconds later, he was back, closing the rift behind himself. ¡°How were they?¡± I asked, grinning at how fast he was. Good, he barked, though with his optimism, I assumed he¡¯d never answer contrarily. I picked up our wooden cups and walked over to Maria, sitting down beside her and passing her one. ¡°Thanks for making breakfast.¡± She shot me a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to be appreciated¡ªI¡¯ve been up since the crack of dawn folding them myself. I daresay my poor wrists may be sore for the rest of the day. You might need to carry my pack for me.¡± I nodded, grinning back. ¡°As is only fair. Hopefully, the coffee takes some of the sting from your no-doubt bruised hands.¡± She took a sip, her shoulders relaxing, the amused look on her face replaced by one of bliss. ¡°I feel better already. Thank you.¡± Unable to wait any longer, I grabbed one of the piping hot croissants. I broke it in half, the buttery pastry easily parting. My mouth watered as I took a bite. It was soft, just that tiny bit chewy, and, above all else, delicious. ¡°Mmm,¡± Maria said, closing her eyes as she chewed. Borks sniffed his croissant, licked it, then took a little nibble. His eyes went wide and he wolfed it down, basically swallowing it whole. ¡°Good, mate?¡± I asked, laughing. He let out a bark of sheer delight, his tail wagging violently. ¡°I¡¯m glad. We¡¯ll need the energy for how far we need to travel today.¡± We slipped into silence, our breakfast too encompassing for conversation to take place. Book 2: Chapter 84: Ambush Book 2: Chapter 84: Ambush With the morning sun peeking its orange-hued rays through the trees above, Cinnamon wiggled her cute little tail. Small as her task may be, she was excited to be included in the mission. She took one last bite of her sugarcane stalk, licking up every last drop of its sweet juices. She swallowed, the chi-enhanced stalk making her body tingle with power. Despite how powerful she had become, some of her base instincts remained. Nothing within the forest could hope to hurt her, yet she still hopped silently through the underbrush, feeling much more at ease when tucked away from sight. Lucky for her, that¡¯s where the things she hunted also liked to hide. They were prickly things, so each time she found one within the leaf litter, she¡¯d bat it into her small sack with a paw, taking care not to strike any of the spines. Though she never doubted her own ability to harvest them, she hadn¡¯t anticipated just how many of them she¡¯d find. The sun had only been up for an hour or so, and she¡¯d already filled her sack multiple times, depositing her harvest in a specialty box designed by Ellis and the woodworkers each time it became full. After another two bushes, it was time to deposit again. She hopped back to the box, leaping up its odd-shaped sides to get to the top. Marveling at how weird a construction it was, she popped the latch open and dumped her harvest inside. As she fixed the latch in place again, she peered in through one of the many slits lining the box. In spite of how many she¡¯d harvested, the vast majority of the box was still empty. A grin crossed her little bunny face. She didn¡¯t have much time, but she would make sure to fill as much of the container as possible. For her master, for her friends, and for every member of the congregation, she would do this task. With resolve steeling over her features, she launched herself back toward the trees, intent on gathering even faster than before. *** I leaped from branch to branch, the midday sun peeking through the leafy canopy I occupied. Borks and Maria joined me, sprinting from tree to tree at inhuman speed. ¡°Uh, Fischer?¡± I glanced at Maria as I leaped from a particularly thick branch. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Why are you running like that?¡± I was leaning forward, my arms trailing behind. ¡°What? You¡¯ve never seen the Naruto run before?¡± She narrowed her eyes, unimpressed with the reference we both knew she wouldn¡¯t get. ¡°I thought it might be more efficient now that I¡¯m a cultivator and all, but it still feels pretty awkward.¡± ¡°Well, it can¡¯t feel worse than it looks.¡± I laughed so hard at the unexpected jab that I fumbled the landing on the next branch, falling to the floor and having to abort my Naruto run lest I slam head-first into the ground. I skidded to a stop on all fours, and an opportunist took advantage of my positioning. Borks flew in under my legs, assaulting my chin with a barrage of licks. ¡°Stop!¡± I laughed, squirming to get away. He followed, his tail wagging as the assault continued. Maria rescued me by scooping Borks up into a hug. She cradled him like a baby. He accepted his fate, resting his head on her shoulder as he panted to catch his breath. ¡°Do you want lunch soon?¡± I asked, smiling at them. Borks¡¯s head shot around at the mention of food, his ears perking up. Beneath a blanket of stars, Claws skipped along a dirt road while dragging a makeshift sled behind her lithe body. Her day had been wonderfully productive, and as she glanced back at the dozen creatures lying unconscious on her sled, she let out a toothy grin. While she had never once doubted her ability to complete the task, her clandestine skills had surprised even herself. She¡¯d accumulated dozens upon dozens of them, which, considering she only took the largest and ugliest of each group, was no small feat. Among their kind, her captives were bruisers that could conquer entire ecosystems, yet all it took was a tap on the head for Claws to render them unconscious. Her attention drifted to the beautiful sky above. There wasn¡¯t a cloud in sight. A crescent moon beamed its blue light down on the surrounding trees, granting them¡ª Weight shifted on the sled. Claws spun, ready for violence. One of the creatures had awoken. It shook its head groggily, getting to all fours. Claws saw the moment it registered the other unconscious bodies of its kind; the creature''s eyes went wide. It bunched its muscles, crouching to gather strength and flee far from this place of terror. Claws sent a tiny little zap of lightning chi its way, so small that the unawakened eye wouldn¡¯t even register it. It hit the creature at the base of the skull, hitting its ¡®reset button¡¯, as her master would say. The creature collapsed back to the sled, once more in a state of slumber. Trilling a little song to herself, Claws continued back to the cart that Ellis had designed and the crafters had made for her. Unlike the one made for Cinnamon, hers was designed for her to carry it. She could only do so under the cover of night, obviously, so time was of the essence. Claws wondered how Cinnamon and the pelicans were doing. While she wished them luck with their tasks, she intended to hunt so many of her quarry that her ascended friends¡¯ efforts seemed paltry. Claws¡¯s toothy grin turned predatory as she reached the cart. With lightning-enhanced limbs, she threw each captured creature into the cage, wedged her sled in a place it wouldn¡¯t get dislodged, then grabbed the handle and tore off along the road, trilling a happy little song all the way. *** With a stomach full of fish and flavor of the jungle perch still lingering on my tongue, I let out a content sigh. ¡°Agreed,¡± Maria said, resting her head on my shoulder. Borks let out a similar noise, rolling onto his back beside me and offering his belly up for a good rubbing. We¡¯d spent the entire day swimming, fishing, and relaxing, even sneaking in a cheeky sun nap in the late afternoon. The fish had been the perfect thing to top it all off, and despite the minor disappointment of not discovering a new species in the river¡¯s waters, it was nowhere near enough to besmirch the rest of the day¡¯s joy. ¡°Want some juice?¡± Maria asked, glancing up at me. ¡°I would love some.¡± She gave me a kiss on the cheek before standing and stretching. ¡°Back in a moment.¡± She went over to the tent and started rummaging through our bags. Borks bolted upright, his ears at attention. ¡°What¡¯s up, Borks? Did you hear¡ª¡± Something metallic reflected the campfire¡¯s light as it flashed from behind the tent. A man, covered head to toe in dark-green cloth, held a spear to Maria¡¯s torso. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he ordered, his lean muscles poised to plunge the jagged spear into Maria''s side. Book 2: Chapter 85: Disarming Book 2: Chapter 85: Disarming ¡°There is an arrow trained on your head, stranger,¡± the camouflaged man warned, glancing at me. I had Borks gripped by his scruff, stopping him from insta-murdering the misguided spearman. I looked over my shoulder, and sure enough, there was a teenage boy with a bow. It was pulled back, the tip of the arrow trained on me. There was one reason I hadn¡¯t taken both of our attackers out¡ªwell, one main reason: Maria was in no danger. Neither of these men¡ªlikely father and son, judging by the look of them¡ªwere cultivators. If she were so inclined, she could probably throw one at the other hard enough to end them both. Hell, I wasn¡¯t sure that the spear could break her skin if she stood still, but if the man tried to stab her, it would be like a newborn trying to jab a mountain. Realizing no one had spoken for a long moment, I cleared my throat. ¡°If you¡¯ve come to rob us, you can take whatever you like.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not thieves!¡± the adolescent behind me yelled. ¡°Quiet!¡± the man snapped, shooting a warning glare at his son. ¡°Then what do you want?¡± I asked, keeping my voice calm. The spearman tightened his grip, his hands shaking. ¡°To ensure you¡¯re not the king¡¯s men.¡± King¡¯s men? I thought. Interesting... ¡°We¡¯re not with the king, but if we were, what would you have done?¡± ¡°We¡¯d have to take you prisoner.¡± I nodded. ¡°I think I know what¡¯s going on. You traded with the caravan that came from other villages, right? Now you¡¯re worried about the king coming to punish you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± he replied, but his eyes told the truth of it. They¡¯d gone panicked at my mention of the caravan. ¡°Look, we¡¯re not with the king, okay? Anything but. Now, can you remove that spear from my girlfriend¡¯s side before I lose my cool?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one giving orders here!¡± His eyes were still wild, and they darted between Maria and me, his knuckles white on the spear¡¯s shaft. ¡°If you¡¯re not with the king, what are you doing out here in the forest? How do you know about the caravan?¡± I felt the immediate urge to goad him with a comment about the caravan he just accidentally confirmed, but I pushed it down, knowing it would just make things more tense. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t know about the caravan?¡± Maria said, smirking at him. The man blanched and I burst into laughter, unable to help myself. ¡°Maria! You¡¯re being inflammatory!¡± ¡°Hey, he¡¯s the one that¡¯s got a spear aimed at my important bits. Is that an old sickle you¡¯ve reshaped, by the way? You¡¯re a farmer?¡± Maria¡¯s casual tone, despite being held at spear point, broke the man for a few seconds. His mouth moved up and down inaudibly until he was able to reboot. ¡°You¡¯re acting awfully relaxed for being one movement away from death, lass.¡± ¡°We know about the caravan because my friends organized it,¡± I explained, making a calming gesture with both hands. ¡°We¡¯re out here on a camping holiday. Look, we even brought our cute dog!¡± I pointed at Borks, but when I looked over, I realized he was snarling. ¡°Borks¡ªshow them your cute face. We¡¯re trying to de-escalate.¡± His face transformed immediately, his eyes placid and tongue lolling from the side of his mouth. ¡°See? A harmless couple out and about with their friendly and definitely not dangerous dog.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± the spearman yelled. ¡°I need a moment to think. I...¡± ¡°I believe them, dad,¡± the teen said. ¡°I think they¡¯re telling the truth.¡± ¡°Quiet, Toby! The king employs all manner of underhanded folk. Just because they look innocent, it doesn¡¯t mean they are. Gods above, the more innocent they appear, the more we need to distrust them!¡± Maria rolled her eyes. ¡°This is getting tedious. Can I?¡± I let out a weary sigh. ¡°Yeah, go for it.¡± ¡°What are you¡ª¡± the spearman started, cutting off as Maria whirled on him. She swept her left foot around, grabbed the spear¡¯s shaft, twisted it from his grip, then held the tip to his neck. The movement was beautifully controlled, not so fast that it would identify her as a cultivator, but definitely nearing the upper-limit of a regular human¡¯s capabilities. I raised an eyebrow at the son. ¡°Would you mind putting the bow down? I don¡¯t wanna have to knock you out or something.¡± ¡°You are with the king!¡± The father yelled. The son¡¯s eyes darted between me and his father. His hands shook violently, the entire bow wavering. ¡°We¡¯re not with the king,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re from Tropica and just happen to practice martial arts for funsies. It¡¯s quite good for your health¡ªespecially when it stops you from getting speared by a confused farmer.¡± ¡°Theresa...¡± the father said. ¡°Theresa?¡± I asked, not at all understanding. The name wasn¡¯t meant for me, however. Something changed in the adolescent when he heard it. Standing tall, he took a deep breath. His hands stilled, and he drew the arrow back once more, training it on me. ¡°I need to be sure you¡¯re not with the king. Swear it to me, and I¡¯ll lower my weapon.¡± Here¡¯s something, I thought. The mere mention of a name was enough to turn the boy¡¯s spine from jelly to titanium. Who is Theresa...? I nodded. ¡°Alright. See those things on the ground next to the tent?¡± The boy wouldn¡¯t take his eyes from me, so I looked up at his father. ¡°Do you know what those are?¡± He swallowed, a line of sweat running from his temple down to his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t, no.¡± ¡°They¡¯re fishing rods!¡± Maria announced, beaming. ¡°We in Tropica are into some seriously heretical activities. Very un-kingly, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cover, son,¡± the father growled. ¡°No one would actually fish. The rods are clearly an attempt at misdirection.¡± I swore, rubbing the bridge of my nose. ¡°Borks, would you try to find a skeleton? Don¡¯t give me that side-eye, mister. No attacking them, alright? Just find one of the jungle-perch frames I threw into the shallows.¡± ¡°How sick is she?¡± I asked, trying to appear serious. Toby, seeing his father wouldn¡¯t answer, spoke up. ¡°She has always had it. My mother passed when she was born, so it¡¯s just me and dad that look after her.¡± ¡°Other villagers? Could they care for her if you didn¡¯t return?¡± My inquiry made color return to Rod¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I replied, holding up both hands. ¡°I was only making sure she wasn¡¯t super sick.¡± Maria shot me a meaningful glance, knowing me well enough to see my intention. ¡°You¡¯re not agents of the capital, right?¡± Rod asked. ¡°So you¡¯re going to let us go...?¡± ¡°True.¡± I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re both free to go. We¡¯ll pack up our camp and move. No offense, but I don¡¯t relish the idea of you returning with your entire village in some foolhardy attempt at self preservation.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t do that!¡± Toby exclaimed, his face indignant. ¡°But they¡¯ll still move, anyway.¡± Rod stood, brushing dirt from his knees. ¡°Can I trust you won¡¯t follow us?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± Maria said, passing his spear back to him. ¡°We¡¯ve got our own business to be about.¡± ¡°Come on, Toby. Let¡¯s leave them to it.¡± ¡°One last thing.¡± I strode forward, extending my hand. Rod stared down at it for a long moment, then grasped it. ¡°It was nice meeting you, mate. You too, Toby.¡± ¡°Y-you too!¡± Toby replied, shaking my offered hand. I thought for a moment, considering if it was worth the risk. Maria poked me in the side, and when I looked her way, she nodded. I smiled back at her. ¡°If you two get in trouble,¡± I said, ¡°or if Theresa gets more unwell, come and find us. I reckon you¡¯d get along well with my friends back in Tropica.¡± ¡°Thank you for the offer,¡± Rod replied, hesitant. ¡°We¡¯ll keep it in mind. Come on, Toby.¡± We watched them go, and when they were from sight, we started packing up. ¡°Keep an eye and make sure they don¡¯t return,¡± I said to Borks. He nodded, skulking toward the treeline and watching the darkness. ¡°So, that was insane, right?¡± Maria said. ¡°No kidding. I can¡¯t believe they actually snuck up on us...¡± I glanced in the direction they¡¯d left, seeing nothing but shadows and dimly lit trees. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear a thing, and the fact that Borks didn¡¯t smell them tells me they understand tracking and wind direction better than most.¡± My brow furrowed as I started considering the implications, but Maria, seeing right through me, poked me in the side again. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Fischer.¡± ¡°You are?¡± I raised a questioning brow. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I saw the fury on your face when he came at me with the spear, but you trusted me. You also had empathy for strangers that ambushed us in the night. Moreover, you told them where they could find help if Rod¡¯s daughter got sicker.¡± I snorted. ¡°Only because you told me it was okay.¡± She shook her head, her hair bouncing against her face. ¡°You would have done it anyway. I just sped up the decision.¡± She wrapped her arm around my back. ¡°Every day you do things that make me love you even more.¡± ¡°You think that made you love me more? I wish you could feel what I feel¡ªthe way you disarmed him in a split second did things to me. The way you handled that pole so deft¡ª¡± She unlooped her arm from me and slapped me on the arm at the speed of light. ¡°Don¡¯t finish that sentence. You¡¯ll undo all the good work you did tonight.¡± A laugh flew from me, rolling over the grass and bouncing off the trees. Despite being ambushed no less than ten minutes ago and being held at arrow point, I felt calm and free. *** As Rod led his son back toward their village, anxiety and fear warred for dominance within him. Toby followed his steps exactly; the years he had spent training his son in the way of the hunter hadn¡¯t been a waste. Proud as Rod was of his only boy, the thoughts assaulting him were immutable. To think that mere villagers could be so powerful... It rivaled the strength he¡¯d seen those dreaded cultivators use on the battlefield. Unbidden, some of the scenes of destruction flashed through his mind, making bile rise in his throat. He shook his head, trying to clear it of the flashes. The sound of a stick snapping rang out through the forest. Rod froze. ¡°Dad. Are you okay?¡± Toby asked. ¡°I can¡¯t remember the last time you stood on a stick.¡± Looking down at the offending twig, Rod clenched his jaw. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he lied. As they continued on, he played over the interaction in his mind, searching for where he could have improved¡ªwhat he could have changed to get the upper hand. There was nothing, though. Short of shooting arrows from the dark and assassinating complete strangers, they couldn¡¯t have won that fight. The speed with which the man had thrown that knife... even if Rod had held him at spear point instead, he¡¯d still have been easily disarmed by the martial artist. He replayed the woman¡ªMaria¡ªso easily removing the spear from his grasp and holding the tip to his throat. It really was like the speed he¡¯d only seen cultivators possess, and it made the bile rise in his throat once more. Is it possible that they¡¯re cultivators? Sent by the crown to dismantle their little pocket of resistance? Rod blew air from his nose, acknowledging just how ridiculous a suggestion that was. If they had been cultivators, he and his son would have been dead before they knew it. Besides, they weren¡¯t collared. The king wouldn¡¯t abide slaves that weren¡¯t forced to do his bidding under threat of death. The knowledge that he couldn¡¯t have done anything different should have made him feel worse. Surprisingly, it made him feel at ease. He guided his whirling thoughts, focusing on the information they¡¯d gotten from the misguided encounter. As distasteful as it was that they were fishing¡ªactually fishing of all things¡ªshowed how little they cared for the crown¡¯s rules. Perhaps there was something there. Was it possible that their village could find allies in Tropica? Others willing to go against the tyranny of the king and his cultivators? Once more smiling at his own hubris, Rod shook his head. No one outside of his village could be trusted. He was thankful for the restraint the strangers had shown, but he didn¡¯t trust them. He couldn¡¯t. He returned his attention to the surroundings, his thoughts still troubled as they made their way home. Book 2: Chapter 86: The Calm Before the Storm Book 2: Chapter 86: The Calm Before the Storm I woke to the sun beaming in through the tent¡¯s opening. A barrage of tiny licks rained down on my chin. ¡°Cinnamon?¡± I asked groggily, squinting against the morning light. I wasn¡¯t sure what Cinnamon was doing here, but who else had such little kisses? Still blind, I reached my hands up... and found a chihuahua. Borks yapped at me, his tail wagging despite his incredulity. ¡°Sorry, buddy,¡± I said, smiling at him. ¡°You¡¯re so small that I thought you were a bunny.¡± Get let out another yap. ¡°Yes, yes. I know you¡¯re ferocious.¡± He barked his agreement, letting out a demonic little growl from his chihuahua throat. ¡°Why the change, though? Is it to scare off any would-be ambushers?¡± He stood tall atop my chest, beaming down at me with pride. It was both cute and hilarious, so I ruffled the soft fur on the top of his head. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy, Borks.¡± ¡°When you two are done cuddling in there,¡± Maria called, ¡°breakfast is almost ready!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll never be done!¡± I called back. Borks ruffed, wagging his tail in agreement. ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± she asked. ¡°You asked for it.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com I glanced past Borks. ¡°Asked for wha¡ª¡± She came flying through the opening, her eyes wide and grin manic. ¡°For me to crash this party!¡± She slammed down next to us, startling the absolute hell out of Borks. He jumped on the spot, whirling on her with his teeth bared. ¡°Aww, did I scare you, buddy? I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to be a part of the cuddle puddle.¡± Borks, upon realizing it was her and not another attacker, descended on her with his rapid-fire kisses. She half-choked, half-laughed, pressing her chin to her chest in a failed attempt to keep him away. With his small size and cultivation strength, he was a formidable adversary, and just when I thought Maria might die of laughter, I swept him up, his short legs hanging uselessly in the air. ¡°Sorry to interrupt your ambush, Borks, but I need her to be breathing to make us breakfast.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she wheezed. She tried to get up, but I pounced, pulling her into a hug. Borks, free of my grasp, lay on top of us, rolling to his back and slipping in the wedge shape our bodies made. ¡°Good morning.¡± I kissed her on the forehead. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°I did. You?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± I yawned and stretched. ¡°I found it hard to sleep after the ambush last night. My mind wouldn¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, patting me on the chest. ¡°Will you be okay traveling the rest of the way to the capital today?¡± ¡°If I had some breakfast made by my girlfriend, I¡¯m sure I could do anything.¡± Maria giggled. ¡°Well, lucky for you, I think she has some buns warmed and coffee brewing this second.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± I furrowed my brow, doing my best to keep the smile from my face. ¡°My girlfriend is here? I thought Sue was back in Tropica...¡± ¡°Borks...¡± Maria eventually said, glaring at me. He perked his ears up, cocking his head to the side in question. ¡°Sic him!¡± Borks, playing along, launched himself at me. He snarled and nipped, the growls coming from him making me laugh as I wrestled the little git. ¡°Oh, you think you¡¯re ready to take on the master, Borks?¡± I scooped him up, running from the tent, and performing a slow-motion slam onto the ground. He played dead, groaning as his tongue hung from his open mouth. ¡°Fischer!¡± Maria gasped, dashing from the tent. ¡°You killed him!¡± She started doing fake chest compressions, but Borks remained ¡®dead¡¯, a little smile coming to his face under all the attention. ¡°Okay,¡± Maria said, rubbing his belly. ¡°If I leave breakfast on the fire any longer, it¡¯s going to burn.¡± Pelly let out a questioning honk, to which Cinnamon nodded. She was ready. Her adopted daughter took off, traveling west at incredible speed. With every meter they crossed, Cinnamon¡¯s core seemed to vibrate with excitement. Before the day was done, her hard work would come to fruition. *** Under the cover of night, Maria, Borks, and I arrived at the capital city of Gormona. It was like nothing I¡¯d ever seen before. I had come across some seriously fantasy shit since arriving in this new world, but the city before me took the cake. Walls that had to be at least four stories high protected the capital, its top lined by a parapet and a series of torches at even intervals. There was a single structure visible over the wall: a castle of ridiculous dimensions. I could only see the top floors, but there were multiple spires as big around as office buildings, all reaching up into the sky. I¡¯d caught snippets of Operation Sticky Fingers, so I knew there were multiple levels to the castle, but seeing it in person was something else. Tearing my eyes from the castle, I focused on the wall before us. A giant gate of wood and iron blocked our way, and short of blowing through it, we wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the city. Luckily for us, we weren¡¯t taking the front door. Maria was staring wide-eyed at the castle, so I nudged her in the side. We shared a nod, then dashed off toward the south, staying within the treeline. Borks followed behind us in his golden retriever form, his steps completely silent under the crescent moon. I counted the arrow slots in the wall as we went, and when we reached the eighty-third, I held up my fist, signaling a stop. Here. We dashed through the clearing to the wall, crouched, and leaped. All three of us soared through the air, easily landing atop the wall without so much as the scuff of a boot to give us away. The entire cityscape was within view, everything from the castle to the gate to a few points of interest I¡¯d been made aware of. My heart thundered in my chest as I looked down into the courtyard below; it was the reason we¡¯d climbed the wall here. Lines of citrus trees ran up and down, their green canopies well pruned and cared for. Running between the trees, small bushes grew, some of which were covered in small purple berries. ¡°Wow,¡± Maria whispered. ¡°There are so many...¡± ¡°May I interest you in some fresh Passiona berries, my love?¡± ¡°Why, such a gentle...¡± she trailed off. ¡°Fischer¡ªwhat is that?¡± ¡°Something wrong?¡± She stared toward the northeast, her eyes going wide. Curious, I followed her gaze, then frowned. ¡°Is that¡ª¡± ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± she interrupted. ¡°No fracking way...¡± Ruff, Borks agreed. A sea of white creatures filled the sky, their number so vast as to be uncountable. ¡°Above them!¡± Maria yelled. ¡°Is that Bill?¡± Sure enough, there he was, soaring on unseen winds. He darted from side to side, and for a moment, I didn¡¯t get it. Then, though, I realized the truth¡ªhe was herding them. As if he was privy to our conversation, Bill unleashed the mightiest honk I¡¯d ever heard. Despite being on the other side of the capital, it reverberated in my chest with a bassy kick. ¡°Over there!¡± Maria gasped, pointing toward the front gate to the city. I followed her gesture, and when my cultivator eyes caught sight of it, my mouth dropped open. ¡°Cinnamon and Pelly? Wait, what is Cinnamon wearing? Is that armor?¡± ¡°Forget that! What the frack is Pelly carrying?¡± It was a wooden box, but I didn¡¯t have much time to check it out, because the front gate to the city fracking exploded, large chunks of wood and metal scattering everywhere. This, at least, wasn¡¯t a mystery; I felt the chi signature that caused it. Before the smoke cleared, a cart zoomed through onto the cobbled street. If not for my enhanced eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have seen Claws or the gleam of her needle-sharp teeth as she tore through the thoroughfare with lightning-wreathed limbs. She zoomed behind a building, Tokyo-drifting her cute little tooshie out of sight. ¡°We have some troublesome children...¡± Maria said, then let out a long sigh. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for me to go, then. So much for my Passiona treat.¡± I squeezed her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some berries home. Overprotective dads, huh?¡± ¡°Rogers, more like,¡± she replied, giving me a grin. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Yeah, no kidding.¡± She swept forward into my arms, planting a kiss on my lips that banished everything else. It was only for a few seconds, but the heat of her mouth flooded out and resonated deep within me, more powerful and all-encompassing than any of my breakthroughs. She pulled back, exhaling a shaky breath. ¡°I love you, Fischer.¡± ¡°I love you more.¡± Borks let out another ruff, adding his affection to the mix. Maria walked backwards, not taking her eyes off me. ¡°Good luck.¡± Without another word, she leaped from the battlements, soaring into the forest beyond. I smiled, then bent to pat Borks on the head. ¡°Good luck, buddy.¡± He licked my hand, turned, and dashed away, shifting to his nightmare form as he sped along the wall. ¡°Guess it¡¯s my turn...¡± I said aloud, approaching the ledge. I stepped into open air above the grove of trees, opening the floodgate to my core and letting chi flood out into my body as I fell to the ground below. Book 2: Chapter 87: Full-blown Assault Book 2: Chapter 87: Full-blown Assault Augustus Reginald Gormona, ruler of every tree, stone, and building below him, gazed out over his kingdom. He stood atop a balcony in the highest spire of the castle, leaning on an ornate metal railing and letting the winter air wash away his troubles. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful night, Augustus,¡± Deklan said, leaning against the rail beside him, his metal armor clinking. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? There are few things that calm my nerves so.¡± Though he usually found solace in the heat of a bath, the scene before him was almost as relaxing. Even the peasants¡¯ quarter was picturesque of an evening, the dirty streets made appealing by the warm firelight cast down by myriad lanterns. Augustus took a deep breath, focusing on the cold air tickling his nose. With each passing day over the last few months, his troubles only grew worse. It had reached a point where he no longer looked at the relics, their data too much for him to handle. He would be warned if another spirit beast ascended, of course¡ªthat it hadn¡¯t occurred in days was a blessing of the highest order. After ignoring the constant stream of advancements over the last couple of days, he¡¯d questioned just how much of a threat these spirit beasts really posed. They were advancing fast, sure, but levels were mostly in trade skills: baking, tailoring, blacksmithing, woodworking, and fishing, of all things. They were hardly advancements worth losing sleep over. I am safe, he reminded himself. The city¡¯s guards defended the castle, Aisa and her sisters watched the streets, and dozens of cultivators were defending the city¡¯s wealth, ready to strike should someone be foolish enough to try to steal it. ¡°I need to thank you, Deklan,¡± Augustus said, feeling at peace. ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that, king?¡± ¡°Augustus,¡± he corrected. ¡°My bad.¡± Deklan gave him a wide grin. ¡°Hard to break old habits. Why¡¯s that, Augustus?¡± ¡°Because you were right. Constantly being told of the advancements was a blight on my consciousness. A black cloud that only served to hamper my judgment. The days since I stopped checking that dread screen have been a breath of fresh air.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Augustus.¡± Deklan nodded at him, then looked out at the horizon. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, but even the best of us need a reminder sometimes.¡± This strange guard¡ªa man that seemed to be immune to the weight of kings, queens and crowns¡ªwould have frustrated Augustus to no end mere months ago. Now, though, Augustus found himself feeling an inordinate amount of gratitude for the atypical guardsman. He was common born, the lowest of the low, and yet he seemed to possess such gravitas, such wisdom. ¡°You know, Deklan, in another life I¡¯d have loved to wed you to my daughter. I¡¯m ashamed to admit that your lowborn status prevents such a pairing, but¡ª¡± Deklan blew air from his lips. ¡°No offense, kin¡ªer¡ªAugustus, but your daughter is a terror.¡± Augustus slowly turned, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Excuse me, Deklan? We are close, yes, but please mind your ton¡ª¡± ¡°Hey...¡± Deklan interrupted. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Deklan,¡± Augustus chastised, his voice firm. ¡°I like you, and I¡¯d hate to have you chained. I request, nay, demand that you appolo¡ª¡± ¡°No, really,¡± Deklan repeated, squinting into the night. ¡°What in Neptune''s veiny member is that?¡± His face scrunching at the curse, Augustus felt his gratitude for this guard diminish. ¡°Deklan, I think you should return to the artifact¡ª¡± ¡°Augustus!¡± Deklan¡¯s eyes turned to the king, finally showing the proper level of respect for his betters. What the king saw in the peasant¡¯s eyes was enough to bring his fury to a standstill. The usually lackadaisical man was serious, his eyes narrowed and mouth forming a line. ¡°This conversation isn¡¯t over, Deklan, but what are you...¡± Augustus blinked, coming face to face with a field of white. ¡°B...b...b...¡± His tongue became leaden, his mouth unable to form the words. ¡°Birds.¡± Deklan finished. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of birds, though.¡± A swarm of seagulls, thick enough to block out the stars, flew over the capital''s walls. High above them, a larger shape beat wide wings. It unleashed a honk that physically struck the king, making his royal robes flutter. ¡°A flock... an entire... flock...¡± His words was sluggish, like an entire pastry obstructed them. ¡°Oh!¡± Deklan snapped his fingers in understanding. ¡°That¡¯s An Entire Flock of birds! Like from the artifact, right?¡± ¡°Sound the alarm!¡± King Augsutus Reginald Gormona yelled, whirling on the spot. Panicked as he was, his feet got tangled beneath him. He tumbled headfirst into a stone wall, knocking himself unconscious. *** Corporal Claws, pusher carts and fastest in all the land, tore through the streets like her chompers tore through fish. ¡°Obey my orders, scum!¡± the handler ordered. Well, that was just rude. Her master would never treat his followers so. ¡°We are obeying orders!¡± the bearded cultivator spat back. ¡°The king ordered you to hold this square! His authority outshin¡ª¡± ¡°Look out!¡± another cultivator yelled, his blue eyes wide as Cinnamon¡¯s payload dropped toward their heads. She waved a greeting his way, grinning beneath her armor. They all looked up, saw the payload about to strike their heads, and dashed back instinctively. Just in time, too, because Cinnamon and her mount struck the place where they¡¯d been standing. As she had expected, the payload had been engineered flawlessly; its sides split apart, each panel flung outward when the bottom plate hit the cobbled street. As such, the impact did not harm the thousands of beetles within. They flowed out like a black, spiky liquid, engulfing the street. Cinnamon found their writhing bodies around her feet disgusting, but it was a small price to pay for such a dramatic entrance. The bearded man that had been fighting the handler recovered first. He stared at the bugs, then at Cinnamon, his eyes going wide. ¡°The... The Beetle Boys!¡± Cinnamon let out her best beetle scree, confirming his assertion. She held her beetle-armored forepaws high to the sky, making the pose Claws had shown her. The humans were frozen, captivated by her grace, her ferocity. Ellis had called the bugs ¡®elephant beetles¡¯, and as they stopped flowing outward, they started taking flight. The air became alive, and with her enhanced awareness, Cinnamon watched the face of every single human surrounding her change. It. Was. Beautiful. Power swelled, hands extended, and abilities flew, but Cinnamon was faster. In the blink of an eye, she slammed into each cultivator, lashing out with a headbutt, a roundhouse kick¡ªBill was right; that one was fun¡ªa left jab, and a body slam, knocking all four of them out cold. She came to a stop before the handler, gazing up imperiously at her foe. Annoyingly, the handler was looking toward the sky, her eyes perusing the seagulls currently blocking out the moon. ¡°An Entire Flock of Birds,¡± the handler mumbled, dropping to her knees. Her eyes drifted down to Cinnamon. ¡°Please. Spare me...¡± In response, Cinnamon patted her on the cheek. The handler licked her lips, hope dawning in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll.. you¡¯ll let me go?¡± Cinnamon snorted. Frack no. She backhanded the woman, sending her sprawling to the ground in a lifeless pile. Cinnamon stared down at her armored paw¡ªBill was right about that move, too. Slapping people was fun. She set about gathering the cultivators, making sure she didn¡¯t step on any beetles; the spiky little creatures had served her well, and she was proud of not letting a single insect fall to the cultivators¡¯ attacks. *** ¡°You look fracking ridiculous, Ellis,¡± Theo laughed. ¡°Your thoughts are of little matter,¡± Ellis said, adjusting his armor. ¡°My ego is nothing before the mission.¡± ¡°Booo!¡± Danny drawled, giving a thumbs down. ¡°At least fight back¡ªI need some entertainment.¡± ¡°How much longer?¡± Peter asked, running a hand through his hair. ¡°We¡¯ve been cooped up in here for days. I¡¯m getting desperate for some proper food.¡± Barry nodded. ¡°It can¡¯t be too long now. We just have to wait for Borks to let us out.¡± Sergeant Snips was sitting between Pistachio and Rocky off to one corner, hissing orders at the latter, who nodded with only a little annoyance. Before she could finish, the portal into Bork¡¯s pocket dimension opened, letting fresh air flow into the space. ¡°Yes!¡± Danny yelled, jumping to his feet. Borks poked his head in, letting out a loud bark before retracting it. ¡°Okay,¡± Barry said. ¡°Everyone ready?¡± Every face turned toward him. The fishing club¡ªminus Keith, who was back in Tropica with Trent¡ªwere the first to nod. Next, the woodworkers, standing and stretching as they gave him their assent. The two smiths, who locked arms with each other, shook, then nodded at Barry. Finally, Fischer¡¯s creatures. Barry knelt down so they were eye to eye-stalk. ¡°Pistachio, Snips¡ªyou know the drill.¡± They nodded, both blowing serious bubbles. ¡°And Rocky... please don¡¯t blow anything up. This is a delicate mission.¡± He scowled back at Barry, but Snips petted Rocky¡¯s carapace, nodding at Barry that Rocky would behave himself. Content, he stood back up, casting his gaze around the room. ¡°In that case, I officially call for the commencement of Operation Sticky Fingers!¡± They whooped and hollered, letting out their nervous energy before leaving the dimensional space. One after the other, they ran through the portal, entering the capital city of Gormona. Book 2: Chapter 88: Conqueror Book 2: Chapter 88: Conqueror As I fell toward the grove below, cold night air rushed past me. The crescent moon was high in the sky, and I bathed in its light, intent on soaking up as much as I could before Bill and his army of seagulls blocked it out. As I considered the mass of gulls, I shook my head, smiling to myself. This night was shaping out even more chaotic than I¡¯d anticipated. I hoped they were all having as much fun as I was. I landed silently in the grassy grove, and still releasing a steady stream of chi, I wasted no time in collecting my prize. Thanks to the intel¡ªfrom Trent, of all people¡ªI knew the Passiona bushes were tiny things that barely reached my knee. I unfurled a bag Ruby made me, shook it out, then bent down to pull a bush from the earth. I froze when I felt the chi radiating up its stem. The trickle of chi was thickest at its base, separating into thin strands as it went out towards the leaves and berries. Furrowing my brow, I traced it back down to the ground. The chi flowed between all the bushes, meshing out in every direction in a complex web. Not only the bushes, either¡ªit connected to the lemon trees too, the chi running up and along their thick branches, hair-thin strands going into the few lemons present. ¡°And what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± came a demanding voice. Raising my gaze, I stared in the speaker¡¯s direction with more than a little disbelief. For the second time in so many days, someone had managed to sneak up on me despite my enhanced awareness. In the lone gate to his courtyard, an aged man stood. He had white, close-cropped hair and a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper-beard. His robes were immaculate, their deep-purple more rich than any clothes I¡¯d seen since coming to this world. His hands were calmly crossed in front of him, each finger adorned by pearl-encrusted rings. ¡°G¡¯day, mate. I was just stealing some of these bushes. How¡¯s your night going?¡± In the time since we¡¯d started weighing each other, multiple explosions had occurred in the city. I gestured all around, pointing in their general directions. ¡°Seems like some crazy shit is going down in the capital, huh? What¡¯s a man of your evident stature doing calmly checking on a few bushes?¡± He smirked at me and started removing his ornate rings. ¡°I knew you¡¯d come for the capital¡¯s strength,¡± he stated, completely ignoring my question. ¡°Unlike you, I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. I won¡¯t fall for your distractions, child.¡± He spat the last word, and I was keen to continue the banter, but then the rest of his statement pulled me up short. ¡°The capital¡¯s strength...?¡± I glanced at the bushes. ¡°These things? They¡¯re tasty, yeah, but surely their commerce isn¡¯t what keeps you goons in power.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in playing dumb. You know their purpose as well as I do.¡± He waved all around himself, encompassing not only the bushes, but the lemon trees, too. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡± I held up my hands in surrender. ¡°You got me, mate. I definitely know what¡¯s going on here, and I came to steal your¡ªer¡ªsource of power?¡± ¡°Finally, some truth.¡± He was on his second hand now, the first completely free of the pearl rings. ¡°Would you like to know a secret?¡± ¡°I love secrets.¡± He snorted, the condescending smirk never leaving his face as he removed another ring. ¡°Your mission was pointless. These grounds are ancient, having stood as long as the royal castle. Longer, perhaps. Even if you take these bushes, they¡¯ll wither to nothing without the chi present here.¡± ¡°You know what chi is? Neat. What if my mission was to destroy them, though? That would shatter your source of power, right?¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°You could try, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll live long enough to find out.¡± He removed his last ring, and as it came free of his finger, my mouth dropped open. Chi roiled from the man, bristling and chaotic. Unlike the slow, steady stream I was releasing, his was like a forest fire, lashing out and consuming whatever it touched. He snapped his fingers, and shapes emerged from the shadows around us, dozens upon dozens of cultivators appearing atop the surrounding walls. ¡°Do you have any last words, child?¡± ¡°Last words? I¡¯ve got plenty of life and words ahead of me, mate.¡± He raised a brow, anger clear in the lines of his face, and then burst into laughter. It was an ugly thing, filled with superiority and misplaced confidence. He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the king was worried about you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked, giving him a genuine smile. As the bubble of pure white chi shot out from me, it was like finally scratching an itch I¡¯d been long ignoring. It was enjoyable to use my chi and I¡¯d done so daily since my last awakening, but it had never felt anything like this. For the first time, I truly understood that my chi wanted to be used, wanted to be expended. I was merely a vessel, a conduit for the chi held within me to experience the world. Letting it out made me feel... useful. Alive. I could do more, I realized; I could better serve the universe by opening the gate even wider. With building euphoria urging me on, I cracked it wider. The pure chi built, illuminating the surrounding grove and everyone in it. I gave over control, letting the universe take hold. *** Lord Tom Osnan, keeper of the grove and water-chi cultivator, had prepared the perfect trap. Though his highness the king had been stricken with melancholy following the news of an outside force, it had filled Tom with nothing but glee. Over the course of his long life, there had been attempts by countless enemies to steal the kingdom¡¯s power. Most of those misguided fools weren¡¯t even cultivators, though. To the average person, challenging Gormona was akin to challenging the heavens, and every single one of the attempts had been snuffed out by the kingdom¡¯s agents long before reaching his doorstep. So, when multiple spirit beasts had awakened and joined some sort of alliance, even gaining enough power to generate a Domain, he wished them luck. He wanted their power to grow¡ªneeded their cultivation to advance. When this lone cultivator appeared in the grove, it was a bitter joy. Excited as he was to spring his trap, the outside force hadn¡¯t spent long enough cultivating to present the sort of threat he craved. The chi flowing from the young man before him was barely worth notice, only detectable because of Tom¡¯s relative strength. Most disappointing of all, the man¡¯s chi seemed unaspected. He hadn¡¯t even cultivated long enough to specialize in an elemental affinity. Frankly, it was insulting. A lesser man than Lord Tom Osnan would have stretched out the conflict and let the adolescent cultivator think he had a chance. A lesser man may have even guarded the grove by themselves without the aid of other cultivators. Tom, however, was no lesser man. He was a lord of Gormona and the keeper of the grove. It was his duty¡ªhis very purpose¡ªto crush anyone foolish enough to stand against his kingdom. So, the trap had been prepared. Over half of Gormona¡¯s cultivators had lain in wait for weeks, poised to strike the moment the enemy moved. Still, Tom wasn¡¯t against a little fun. He¡¯d launched himself at the cultivator first, knowing that his strike would end the fight before it even began. As he glided over the grass toward the enemy, propelled by jets of water chi, a snarl crossed his face. The enemy cultivator was even more foolish than Tom had assumed; he grinned back, not yet understanding that his demise was sealed. Then, the bubble of white appeared. Unaspected chi flew in every direction, the cultivator not even experienced enough to direct his attack. It was so pitiful that Tom almost felt sorry for the fool. An echo of the bubble¡¯s power brushed up against him, making Tom raise an eyebrow. It had a decent amount of chi behind it, surprisingly. The moron must have shattered his core in panic, releasing enough chi all at once to rebuff the first wave of attacks. It was useless, of course; they¡¯d just attack again. Tom considered pulling back and bracing himself, but immediately dismissed it¡ªthe bubble of white didn¡¯t present a threat. He extended his fist, prepared to break through it, but then another echo hit his awareness. Though it was only a reflection of the bubble¡¯s power, it was strong enough to make Tom¡¯s core vibrate. His breath caught in his throat as if physically struck, and as his eyes refocused, they were drawn into the man before him. It didn¡¯t make sense¡ªhe¡¯d already shattered his core, hadn¡¯t he? How was he releasing even more chi? It increased again, hitting Tom so hard that his entire body was jolted back an inch. It was as if he were a mortal man that had struck a brick wall. His momentum was arrested instantaneously. His instincts kicked in and he rerouted his chi, shooting himself back from the bubble. He didn¡¯t have any contact points with the ground, so his retreat would be slow, but he should be able to get out of the way in time to save himself- The power doubled, tripled, doubled again, each strike hammering against Tom¡¯s core. The white light was blinding now as it expanded from the intruder. He could still see the man the chi exuded from, still make out his face. And what Tom saw there made his blood freeze. The cultivator¡¯s smile remained, not at all changing over the fraction of a second since Tom had launched himself forward. The eyes, though... they weren¡¯t the eyes of a peasant. They were the eyes of a king. No, hethought, the ice in his veins crystalizing. They were the eyes of a conqueror, someone with the utter confidence and surety that they could do as they pleased. The bubble¡¯s chi increased again, gaining so much strength that the surrounding air warped. The cultivator hadn¡¯t shattered his core at all. That first increase in power, so strong that Tom had assumed he had ruined his cultivation, was a mere drop in the ocean. This man, this attacker, was no peasant. He was a wolf, a force of nature, that Tom had stumbled directly into the path of. As the bubble of white burgeoned outward, Tom saw his death, and all he could do was watch. Book 2: Chapter 89: Unveiled Book 2: Chapter 89: Unveiled Barry¡¯s breath caught as he took in the royal library. Shelves stretched three meters up to the roof, running in long lines he couldn¡¯t see the end of. The purple light of Borks¡¯s portal was the only thing that lit the room, and as he closed it, darkness descended.Visitt for the latest updates A flame came to life, battling the gloom for dominion. Ellis carefully closed the lamp¡¯s hinged glass door and glanced up, his eyes severe. ¡°If anyone causes me to set fire to the library, I will curse you and every one of your descendants in perpetuity.¡± ¡°Yes, dad,¡± Theo replied, giving Ellis a soft pat on the shoulder that made the former archivist glare at him. ¡°It¡¯s in a lantern. Not like the flame will reach the books even if we do bump you.¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t take you seriously while you¡¯re wearing that, Ellis,¡± Peter added, stifling a laugh. ¡°You look extra preposterous in the lamplight.¡± Ellis looked down at the armor he had worked so hard on. ¡°What? I look remarkable. Especially considering the age of the material...¡± ¡°You look like a wayward god got freaky with an iguana,¡± Theo muttered, causing Peter and Danny to chortle. Barry let the banter continue, tuning it out as he set his backpack down and turned toward Fischer¡¯s creatures. ¡°Okay, everyone.¡± He opened the bag¡¯s drawstrings. ¡°Let¡¯s get the costumes on. It¡¯d be a shame to waste Steven and Ruby¡¯s hard work.¡± Borks was first. The dark-brown material was covered in old foliage, pondweeds, and patches of moss and dried mud. Ruby had somehow made the mud appear wet despite them being hardened and cracked. I¡¯ll have to ask her about that, Barry thought, considering other uses. Snips was next, and Barry draped the patchwork armor over her carapace. The armor¡ªof Steven¡¯s design¡ªwas arranged in a hexagonal pattern, and the talented tailor somehow concealed Snips¡¯s orange carapace with layers of ingeniously woven material underneath the metal plates. He tied the straps in place, ensuring it was secure. Barry would never admit it to the disgruntled crab, but Rocky¡¯s costume was his favorite. Barry slipped elastic loops over Rocky¡¯s body; the animal pelt fit perfectly. As a final touch, Barry reached into a bag and removed what Fischer had called a pirate hat. Barry set it down atop Rocky¡¯s head, then tied it in place with a thin leather strap. ¡°Okay, Pistachio. You¡¯re up.¡± The lobster¡¯s costume was perhaps the most complicated. They hadn¡¯t found a pelt for the animal he was supposed to be, but Ruby had still done a wonderful job. Barry layered the fake fur on top of the leviathan crustacean¡¯s sizable body, then attached the four legs. Lastly, the two eyes were strapped to his head. As Barry stepped back, he had to stifle his laugh. Rocky was prone to violent outbursts; the last thing Barry wanted to do was set him off and have him start unleashing explosions. Snips, however, had no such compunctions. She hissed with laughter, her carapace dropping to the floor and legs kicking out. Rocky froze, slowly spinning to glare at Snips. Given the costume, it had the opposite of his desired effect. Pointing at the hat, Snips¡¯s legs spasmed, her hissed laughter sounding more like a choke as she writhed on the floor. Her antics drew everyone else¡¯s attention, and when they spied the now vibrating-with-fury Rocky, their conversation died. Under the attention, Rocky started hissing like a boiling-over teapot, so Barry sprang into action. ¡°Focus,¡± he reminded them, stepping forward. ¡°Take us to the royal library when you¡¯re ready, Ellis.¡± The former archivist marched them down a confusing series of corridors, finally arriving at a stone door. Just as Ellis had informed, there were four different locks necessary to open it. Everyone stepped back as Pistachio scuttled forward. He cocked his claws back, then unleashed a single blast at an upward angle that obliterated each lock. Barry pushed the door open on silent hinges. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± A man asked from within. ¡°What manner of¡ªoh...¡± He fell to his knees, his eyes darting between the spirit beasts and Ellis. ¡°Monsters¡ª¡± Snips flew forward on water jets, parts of her costume trailing behind her as she smacked the man on the back of the neck. He fell limp and she caught him, slowly lowering him to the ground. ¡°Wonderfully done,¡± Barry said, striding forward. Pistachio nodded. Rocky made a noise akin to, ¡®yeah, so?¡¯ And Snips let out a series of happy bubbles, her lone eye twisting to take in the room they were in. The walls were shelves, and books filled every gap. ¡°Okay, gang,¡± Barry said, a smile forming as Borks reopened his dimensional space. ¡°Let the pillaging begin.¡± Is it really safe for me to use my power so soon...? But then I saw the faces of the cultivators surrounding the incoming blast. Just like their ¡®lord¡¯, they were terrified. Unlike the tyrant lord, however, they were here through no fault of their own. They were collared cultivators. They did what their handler commanded, lest they be put down like rabid dogs. They were worthy of empathy. Pity. More importantly, they were worthy of saving. Without an ounce of hesitation remaining, I saturated my lower muscles with chi. I flew for the first row of cultivators. Those that had leaped toward my previous position. Some shielded their eyes, others stared at the bright light in frozen shock. One and all, they reeked of terror. I flicked each of them on the back of the neck to knock them out, then set them down against the wall in the spot I¡¯d ruptured the bubble¡¯s force. Next, I collected the outer row. As many as there were, I had to do four trips, each time carrying a stack of limp bodies back to the only safe place in the courtyard. It all happened in less than a second, and following the exertion of chi, I felt like I¡¯d just done leg day, my lower half sluggish and slightly unresponsive. The job was done, though. No innocent cultivators would lose their lives to the blast I¡¯d unleashed. The lord, however... From a perch atop the battlements, I watched the blast strike him. I¡¯d shattered the force to his left, somewhat disrupting the bubble¡¯s power. But that didn¡¯t stop it from hitting him like a freight train. His body shot backward, slamming beside the doorway he¡¯d entered the grove from. To my surprise, the wall held. It cracked and cratered, but the structure was reinforced by the same lines that spider-webbed around the courtyard and carried chi to the plants. Lord Tom Onsan, keeper of the grove or whatever he had called himself, slumped to the ground. The crater behind him leeched chi, the strands so potent that I could physically see them. My core called to them of its own accord. The strands obeyed. Floating through the air, they came to me, soaking into my abdomen like fresh rain into parched earth. I could taste the chi. It was as if an ancient forest entered me, the trees as old as time itself, its soil holding the nourishment of a million decayed leaves. Though it was now within me, the foreign chi hadn¡¯t melded with my own. It sat to the side, occupying its own space in a previously unused pocket of my core. The strands continued flowing until there was none left, the very grove robbed of its life force. Before I could properly investigate the chi I¡¯d somehow stolen, Lord Tom Osnan took a wheezing gasp. ¡°Who...¡± he groaned. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t introduce myself? Where are my manners?¡± I crouched down before him. ¡°I¡¯m Fischer. Nice to meet you, mate.¡± I held a hand out to shake, but Tom¡¯s body seemed to be unresponsive. I lifted one of his hands, guiding it to shake mine. ¡°The¡ª¡± He cut himself off with a wracking cough. ¡°The chi manipulator?¡± ¡°Oh! You guys were tracking our advancements? Barry¡¯s gonna be chuffed.¡± Though his body was limp, his eyes held the rage of ten-thousand Rockys. ¡°You win, Fischer,¡± he wheezed. ¡°You can tell your followers you won.¡± I cocked my head. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t toy with me. You¡ª¡± Another cough took him. ¡°That power you wield. You¡¯re clearly the leader.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± I made a dismissive gesture. ¡°Yeah, nah. I¡¯m not the leader of this little mission.¡± His eyes narrowed in suspicion, then widened as he seemed to realize I was telling the truth. He licked his lips, the slight movement taking all his effort. ¡°What are you, then...?¡± I grinned. ¡°I¡¯m the distraction, mate!¡± ¡°You... you can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Afraid so, my man,¡± I replied. ¡°Gotta let the boss know I¡¯m done here, too. Sorry about this.¡± Once more opening the floodgate to my power, I unleashed an uppercut into the air above me. A beam of white light shot from my fist. It climbed into the heavens in an instant, and a fraction of a second later, it detonated. Book 2: Chapter 90: The Theft Book 2: Chapter 90: The Theft High above the streets of Gormona, Corporal Claws commanded the sky. Evening air rushed past, tickling her whiskers and making a toothy grin cross her face. She stood tall on her noble steed, reaching her forepaws high and praising the moon. Bill, her formerly obedient steed, let out a loud honk as her weight shifted, so Claws sat back down, giving him a mighty pout as she did so. First he¡¯d brought more creatures than her, now he dared order her around? The audacity of this junior... Cinnamon let out a squeak of laughter from her right. Claws turned her ire on the troublesome bunny. Cinnamon rode on Pelly¡¯s back, whose large avian eye sparkled with amusement. Claws opened her mouth to give her junior sisters a taste of her mind, but something brought her up short. A pillar of light, wider than any of the castle¡¯s spires, shot into the sky. It illuminated everything in sight, seeming to cleanse the city with its purity. Then, the pillar imploded. It collapsed in on itself, all of that light being converted into sound. Crack! It was like the world itself was torn in two, and the sound reverberated in Claws¡¯s very soul. Bill¡¯s flight faltered. He dropped toward the ground before balancing out again. Her master had said he would release two distracting blasts, but as Claws stared where the pillar of light had been, both her eyebrows rose to their peak. Her master was terrifying. It was fantastic. Movement stirred in a window just across from Claws. A little girl¡ªjust younger than Barry¡¯s son, Paul¡ªstared at Claws with eyes like saucers. Letting out a cheerful chirp, Claws smiled and waved at the little girl. Another face appeared in the window. An older man, likely the little girl¡¯s father, dropped his jaw open when he spied the pelican-riding otter. The girl raised a hand to wave back, but the father swept her away, sprinting to some hidden corner of the house. Claws sighed. They all ran and hid. Was it too much to ask that someone witness Claws¡¯s brilliance as she conquered the skies? Was she not Corporal Claws, maiden of the forest and cutest of Fischer¡¯s animals? Shaking her head, Claws focused down on the ground once more. Fine. Let them ignore her. There was still another gang of cultivators about, anyway. She¡¯d be the one to find them. Then, she''d have an outlet for her indignation. Not at all upset that there was no one to witness her brilliance¡ªokay, maybe just a little upset¡ªthe hunt began. *** As Borks loped along the stone hallway, a crack struck like two mountains colliding. He turned his head in its direction. His master was over there; no one else could have released such a powerful burst of chi. Thinking of his master, Borks wagged his serpentine tail. Returning to the task at hand, he bounded across the floor. He no longer needed to follow the map in his head¡ªBorks could smell his destination. It was an ancient scent, something he knew well from his former life as a hellhound. And it grew closer. He rounded a corner, running along the wall so he didn¡¯t skid along the smooth stones. A guard stood ahead, his back to a closed door, his eyes panicked. As he whirled toward Borks¡¯s movement, the blood flowed from the man¡¯s face. Borks skidded to a stop before him. ¡°B...¡± He dropped to his knees. ¡°Bog¡ª¡± Borks smacked him across the chin with his tail, knocking the man out cold, then caught him on his back and lowered the guard to the ground. He looked up at the door, considered opening it by the handle. But where was the fun in that? Instead, he leaped through it. Wood splintered, hinges buckled, and the metal handle clattered across the floor, coming to rest at the foot of an ancient artifact. As the door¡¯s debris settled, Borks gazed over a treasure trove. In his long life, he¡¯d never seen so many relics in one place. There had to be multiple kingdom¡¯s worth here. His tail started wagging; his master was going to be so happy. Maybe he¡¯d even call Borks a good boy. Grasping for his power, Borks tore a portal open to his dimensional space. *** Barry leaped through the portal the moment it opened. After only a moment of staring at the veritable treasure trove¡ªand giving Borks a pat on the head, of course¡ªthe theft began. ¡°Screen here!¡± Brad said, his amusement clear. ¡°It lists awakenings. I see ¡®Fat Rat Pack¡¯ and ¡®The Beetle Boys.¡¯¡± ¡°Marvelous!¡± Ellis replied. ¡°They are aware of the names!¡± ¡°Another here!¡± Fergus called when they¡¯d loaded half of the relics already. ¡°It¡¯s the one Trent told us about. They found it.¡± ¡°They know about the levels?¡± Barry laughed, unable to hold it back. ¡°All those skills that Roger has been gaining as An Entire Flock of Birds must have been terrifying.¡± ¡°Fire!¡± Ellis yelled. Pistachio, Rocky, and Snips all released the power welling in their claws. Their abilities combined into a single blast that slammed into¡ªand through¡ªthe stone wall. The cultivator Ellis had felt on the other side of the wall rocketed back as if shot from a cannon. From his position, Ellis saw each subsequent wall the stranger struck and broke through. ¡°That may have been a little too much force...¡± he mused, sensing the cultivator coming to a stop a few rooms away. The backlash from the blasts would have torn the spirit beasts¡¯ costumes to shreds if not for the fact they were System-made, and Ellis quickly jotted that down as he stepped through the hole left in the first wall. ¡°Let us go be seen, shall we? Our presence must be marinated within the locals¡¯ minds.¡± Rocky was already scuttling forward, his disguised claws held high and promising future violence. ¡°Don¡¯t let him kill them,¡± Ellis said to Snips, who tore off after Rocky, followed closely by Pistachio and Borks. *** If not for the skills the king had honed over a lifetime, the attack would have killed him on the spot. He¡¯d rerouted the chi to form a protective shield in front of his torso just in time. As he flew backward, crashing through walls like they were paper mache, he had time to consider his next move. By the time he came skidding to a stop within the grand banquet hall, he had the entire fight mapped out in his mind¡¯s eye. They had gotten the jump on him, yet they had failed to kill him. Augustus grinned, letting the madness running through his veins show. Let them gaze upon his true form. Let the world... let... the... Augustus¡¯s mind came sputtering to a stop as the first of his attackers came skidding into the banquet hall. Unmistakably mammalian, the creature made the king¡¯s breath catch in his chest. With the pelt of a goat and more limbs than a spider, it was no natural beast. The hat atop the spirit beast¡¯s head made its identity clear. ¡°Boat Goat...¡± the king muttered, his eyes locked on his adversary. He gathered his power and forced it to come roiling up from his core, but before he could attack, the rest of them arrived. Glare Bear, its body too low to the ground to be anything but an evolved creature. It almost seemed to slither, its many legs like that of a centipede. The namesake glare came from two enormous eyes that sprouted from its head. Augustus quickly averted his gaze from the awakened bear, suspecting it had some sort of ocular power. Next was Hurtle the turtle. It was the same size as Boat Goat and also had entirely too many limbs, but that was where the similarities ended. Its armored shell glinted in the banquet hall, reflecting the firelight of multiple torches. A humongous canid came bounding through the breach, covered in remnants of the bog whence it came. Bog Dog was as tall as a man, and the visible patches of body beneath its swamp trappings were lithe and muscular. When the last of the cultivators came strolling through the shattered wall, Augustus clenched his jaw. Standing on two legs, the spirit beast was more anomalous than the rest. Its body was covered from head to toe in obsidian scales as large as a gold coin. The scales seemed to absorb the torchlight and reflect it out at the wrong angle. The creature was a humanoid, having advanced enough to leave behind its beastly form. Within its thumbed and scaled hands, the spirit beast grasped a notepad and pencil. Looking up from the notes it was taking, it turned toward the king with beady, dead eyes, freezing in place when it saw him. ¡°... Augustus?¡± it asked in a too-human voice, apparently surprised. ¡°You are a cultivator...?¡± ¡°So you finally show yourself?¡± The king laughed, sounding mad even to himself. ¡°You think to ambush me? To unsettle me by knowing my name? In my seat of power?¡± He spat. ¡°You waste your breath, wizard.¡± The leader of the enemy forces bent in response. Its body convulsed, and Augustus took a step back, preparing himself for an attack. But then he heard the sound coming from his enemy¡¯s throat. The scaled humanoid was laughing. ¡°How did we not expect this?¡± it asked, shaking its reptilian head. ¡°It all makes so much sense now!¡± The fire chi seethed from the king¡¯s core and bathed everywhere it touched in fiery rage. This cretin dares laugh at me? His chi spread out in an instant, burning away shock and leaving only righteous indignation. Channeling his chi outward, Augustus rocketed forward on streams of molten energy, heading directly for the still-cackling spirit beast. ¡°Lizard Wizard!¡± he roared. ¡°Fight me!¡± Book 2: Chapter 91: Shooting Star Book 2: Chapter 91: Shooting Star Of all the secrets Ellis expected to uncover during Operation Sticky Fingers, the king of Gormona taking steps on the path of ascension wasn¡¯t one of them. Ellis¡¯s mind worked to unravel the implications as he stared down Augustus Reginald Gormona, his former monarch and apparent cultivator. How many of the royals are cultivators...? Trent wasn¡¯t one. Despite being first in line to the throne, the prince had been unaware his father was a cultivator. Had he perhaps known and successfully fooled them? Not possible, Ellis immediately deduced. Theo had been present for many of the conversations. He would have detected any lies or half truths. When, then, would they have informed Trent? How would they have caused him to awaken? If it were only to occur after the king passed, that would imply a secret faction in the capital. Ellis¡¯s eyes went wide. There had to be a secret faction. If the king was the only one to know, the knowledge would disappear if he died unexpectedly. Just how deep did the conspiracy go? How many of the capital¡¯s lords had been cultivators all along? His thoughts immediately went to Lord Tom Osnan, the king¡¯s closest confidant. His house held the passiona and lemon monopoly within a white-knuckled grip, making it the most powerful family other than the king¡¯s own.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com Suddenly, a wave of chi burst from the king. It coalesced as flames that shot from his back. ¡°Lizard wizard!¡± he yelled, rocketing forward with eyes locked on Ellis. ¡°Fight me!¡± Ellis paused for only a fraction of a second. ¡°Trial of scales!¡± he yelled back, but it wasn¡¯t for the king¡¯s ears. It was a battle variation, one of the many they had prepared in advance. As one, Fischer¡¯s animal companions took a step back, yielding the floor to Ellis. Their only goal in remaining after Operation Sticky Fingers succeeded was to be witnessed. To be seen by as many of the capital¡¯s denizens as possible. Finding a powerful cultivator, however, presented a unique opportunity that Ellis could not pass up. With the prospect of invaluable data fueling his stride, Ellis dashed forward, heading right for the king and his madness-filled smile. Seeing that his challenge had been accepted, Augustus drew a fist back. Flames sprouted from it in a chaotic release of chi. The inferno burned bright enough to drown out the surrounding torches, and it only grew stronger with each passing moment. Hmmm, Ellis thought, weighing the strength of the king¡¯s attack. I shall try one-hundred percent first. Just to be safe. Ellis braced his legs and lowered his body as he channeled chi into his System-made armor. The scaled suit readily accepted, drinking deep of Ellis¡¯s offering. *** After I unleashed the skyward blast, I stumbled on the spot, having released more chi than I intended. My damned core, I thought, furrowing my eyebrows as I held a wall for support. ¡°Hey.¡± I glanced down at my stomach. ¡°I¡¯m the boss here, got it? I don¡¯t care how good it felt to release power. We only let out as much as I want.¡± It was a troubling development, but I had more important things to worry about. The column of light I had created released a wave of pressure as it imploded. It had struck the surrounding cultivators, and given how close I was to lord Osnan, he¡¯d been hit by the brunt of it. I knelt and held a finger to his neck. He still had a strong pulse, and I let out a relieved breath. He was a monumental prick, especially considering he was a cultivator who enslaved other cultivators, but that didn¡¯t mean I wanted his blood on my hands. ¡°Where did that bag get to?¡± I mused, scanning the grove. As I caught sight of the state of the vegetation, I grimaced. Between the two blasts I¡¯d unleashed in the grove, most of the passiona bushes had been decimated. Those hit directly looked like they¡¯d gone through a wood chipper; the only proof they¡¯d ever existed was the leaves and splinters littering the base of the surrounding walls. The lemon trees had thankfully survived... well, their trunks and thicker branches had. Not a single leaf or twig remained of their previously lush canopies, also having been torn and shredded by my chi. Right before the stack of unconscious cultivators, in the spot where I¡¯d weakened the initial bubble¡¯s power, three passiona bushes remained. They looked like a toddler had gotten his hands on a hedge trimmer and gone buckwild with it. But enough of their stems and leaves were undamaged, or so I hoped. I guess I could always try to grow some from a seed if they don¡¯t survive... I bent to dig my hands in the soil, but paused. I glanced to the side, staring at the unconscious forms of the cultivators. Chewing my lip, I let out a soft curse and stood upright. I couldn¡¯t just leave them here. Barry had said we only had so much room back at the church, but leaving them here with these monsters didn¡¯t sit right with me. ¡°Sorry, Barry...¡± I stretched, relieving some of the fatigue in my muscles. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to make it work.¡± I left the grove and wandered into the streets of Gormona in search of something. *** Flowing forward on streams of flame, Augustus lashed out with a straight jab toward Lizard Wizard¡¯s abdomen. The fire surrounding his fist roared as it tore through the air, and he drew the flames in, concentrating their power. The foolish spirit beast didn¡¯t even bother to defend itself; it lowered its arms and left its vitals open. Augustus¡¯s strike flew with unerring accuracy at the lizard¡¯s core. He aimed the jab through Lizard Wizard, knowing it would tear the cold-blooded reptile asunder. Augustus released the concentrated fire chi before his fist connected. He expected it to scorch Lizard Wizard¡¯s body, to soften the flesh before his fist followed through. But with his enhanced cognition, he watched the inferno blast into the black scales and... flow around them like water. Lizard Wizard repelled the flames. Some sort of ability, the king decided. Enough was enough. Being attacked within Augustus¡¯ castle was one thing, but being smacked over the head with his own furniture was another. Perhaps his rage was because he couldn¡¯t land a blow. Or perhaps it was because the boat-faring goat that did it had to have known it wouldn¡¯t do any damage. Regardless of the reason, Augustus¡¯s blood boiled. Flames erupted from his body, licking out toward the surrounding cloud of splinters. Whoosh. A bonfire roared to life as his chi continued pouring out and devouring every source of fuel it touched. A regular human would have been burned to nothing in a moment, but to a fire cultivator like the king, it felt like home. The flames were a part of him, and he exalted with each bit of wood that burned away. As the fireball grew, it consumed every chair and table it touched. The heat was so intense that a rug on the other side of the room burst into flames. All at once, Augustus drew the flames in. He crouched down, channeling the latent energy into his legs. Then, he kicked off. With his eyes wide and his snarl even wider, he flew at Boat Goat, his fist cocked back and ready to deliver death. The speed was too much for Boat Goat, and before the spirit beast could move an inch, Augustus punched out. His fist flew right through Boat Goat¡¯s head like it was a paper lantern, incinerating skin, bone, and that stupid, stupid hat. As Augustus skidded to a stop beyond the headless goat¡¯s corpse, he roared with laughter and spun toward his fallen adversary. ¡°One down!¡± he taunted. ¡°Four more to¡ªwhat?¡± Boat Goat¡¯s headless body ran away, gliding along the floor on its alien appendages. The king had never killed a spirit beast before, so he watched with curiosity, assuming it to be the death throes of an ascendant being. But then Boat Goat, still lacking a head, picked up another table and threw it at him. ¡°What manner of demon are you?¡± Augustus yelled, his fury reigniting. Chi flew from his core of its own accord and he kicked through the table. It burned to ash before his foot could land, and with flames spinning him around, he aimed a low kick at Boat Goat¡¯s body. Augustus drew on every ounce of power he could without damaging his core. His foot screamed through the air, the fire burning so hot that it turned white. Just before it collided, a purple wall cracked into existence. Lizard Wizard and Hurtle the Turtle appeared, leaping through the portal and into the path of his attack. Augustus¡¯s smile only grew. The fools thought to save their fellow beast, but had doomed themselves. Lizard Wizard¡¯s ability may have absorbed and reflected his earlier attack, but even that weak punch had left the humanoid reptile breathless. This kick held at least ten-times the power. It would shatter through Lizard Wizard¡¯s defenses, rip its body in two, then continue on and obliterate Hurtle the Turtle. The king let even more chi out. It was foolish, and he¡¯d never have done it if not drunk with the power of his chi, but he dismissed that thought, not caring if he threatened part of his cultivation. The flames around his leg grew hotter, turning translucent as the foot descended. A figure shot from around the portal, coming to stand beside Hurtle the Turtle. If Augustus had the time, he¡¯d have roared with laughter. Two spirit beasts had given their life to save Boat Goat, yet the headless idiot had placed itself back in the line of death. And just in time, too. The king unleashed the flames. As before, they washed over Lizard Wizard¡¯s scales, not leaving a single mark. This time, however, there were others behind the lizard. The flames washed over Hurtle the Turtle and Boat Goat both, igniting their flesh. His advanced cognition and the awareness of his fires let Augustus see and feel as each hair burned away. Their leather skin was consumed in an instant, revealing flesh that was raw, orange, and... hard? The flames still wreathed both mammals, yet they had nothing to burn. Within the inferno, two crabs stared at him, one with an eyepatch, the other with both its claws spread wide. Before his brain could fully comprehend what was happening, his foot collided with Lizard Wizard. When the king had punched Lizard Wizard, it had been like a regular human striking a block of steel. This time, the scales bent inward, giving way beneath the power of his attack. Just as he¡¯d expected, his foot would tear through the first beast and continue on through the others. All three would perish. But then his foot slowed. His momentum came to a screeching halt against Lizard Wizard¡¯s side, the scales there glowing a furious red. Faster than even Agustus could register, the one-eyed crab formerly known as Hurtle the Turtle appeared at his side. It pinched down on the ancient artifact he was wearing with both claws, blowing bubbles that he somehow understood. Bye...? Lizard Wizard¡¯s protecting scales flashed white, and power swelled within the still-open claws of Boat Goat the crab. What¡ª Clack! Twin explosions came from the claws. At the same time, Lizard Wizard¡¯s scale reflected his kick. Augustus didn¡¯t even register the wall shatter as he shot through it. One moment his kick was landing, the next he was sailing through open air beneath a star-filled sky. The castle, now with a gaping hole in its side, grew smaller as he flew from it at impossible speed. Within the breach, all five of the spirit beasts stepped up to the ledge. The two-eyed crab had both claws held high in victory. The eyepatch-wearing crab was scolding the former with bubbles flying from its mouth. Bog Dog sat on its haunches, its tail wagging. Glare Bear stood silently, its eerie gaze watching him as he rocketed away. Last, Lizard Wizard was writing in a notepad, not even bothered to witness his departure. A familiar garment was slung over the reptile''s shoulder. Augustus Reginal Gormona, the king of the lands he currently flew over, looked down. He was as naked as the day he was born, his royal member exposed for all to see. Before he had a chance to cover himself from the judgemental eyes of Glare Bear, he struck something. A moment later, he struck another something, and everything went black. Book 2: Chapter 92: Resounding Success Book 2: Chapter 92: Resounding Success Beneath the sea of birds still milling over the capital city of Gormona, I trudged along with a smile on my face. As I glanced back, I saw that my wares were still in order. It hadn¡¯t taken long to find a cart big enough to carry all the still-unconscious cultivators. I¡¯d removed all their collars and stacked them as comfortably as I could, making sure they all had room to breathe. Right at the front of the cart sat my prized passiona bushes, all three of them having large clumps of dirt still attached to their root systems. Ahead of me, I heard the clanking of armor, and I let out a sigh. Rather than change course, I just kept walking, too exhausted to really care. ¡°G¡¯day,¡± I said as the guard came into view. I expected fear, anger, or perhaps even a cry for backup. Instead, the morose guard simply stared at me and the cart now filled with uncollared cultivators. He was... relieved? What in the frack...? ¡°What are you doing?¡± the guard asked, still not showing any fear. ¡°I¡¯m taking these slaves somewhere safe, mate.¡± I replied, giving him an appraising look. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Slaves...?¡± He pursed his lips and looked closer at the cart. His hand drifted toward his sword¡¯s handle. ¡°You mean to enslave them?¡± ¡°Look, man¡ªI don¡¯t want trouble. I¡¯m saving these guys, okay? The capital¡ª¡± A crack like continents colliding split the air. I whirled toward it, seeing an entire section of castle explode. The stones, some as large as a car, rained down across the forest. In their midst, something flew across the night sky. Not something, I realized. Someone... A man I didn¡¯t recognize sailed through the debris, his eyes wide and pants nonexistent. He had to have been attacked by my pals, because he traveled at unbelievable speed. He shot through the first mountain, only coming to a stop when he slammed into the peak of a second one. ¡°Whoa...¡± the guard said. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I must be getting tired,¡± I replied. ¡°Because I could have sworn I just saw an old bloke flying through the air with his meat and two veg flapping in the breeze...¡± ¡°Did he have long gray hair and a longer beard?¡± ¡°He did. You know him?¡± ¡°The king,¡± the guard said. I chuckled. ¡°Sounds like the poor bloke met my friends. He...¡± I whirled back to the mountain, my skin prickling. ¡°Wait¡ªthe king is a cultivator?¡± ¡°Apparently,¡± the guard answered. ¡°I only found out tonight.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± I scratched my chin. ¡°That¡¯s kinda fracked up, isn¡¯t it? The bloke is a cultivator himself, but enslaves others?¡± I pointed back at my cart full of cultivators. ¡°Talk about a dick move.¡± ¡°Fracked up?¡± I waved a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Anyway, it was nice meeting you, but I gotta bounce. Probably best you don¡¯t tell anyone you saw me, yeah? It actually works out if I¡¯m seen, but they might get mad at you for not stopping me.¡± I gave him a nod and made to walk on, but he stepped forward. ¡°Wait.¡± I sighed. ¡°Mate, it should be obvious that I¡¯m a cultivator. I¡¯m all for your loyalty, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you just let me go.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± He clenched and unclenched his fists for a long moment before he raised his eyes to meet mine. ¡°Can I come with you?¡± Well, that was unexpected. ¡°You want to come with me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he answered, his eyes resolute. ¡°I don¡¯t have an issue with it, but my friends might get a bit annoyed if I don¡¯t ask you why.¡± ¡°Why...?¡± the guard repeated. He pointed at the stack of cultivators. ¡°See the man with his hair tied up?¡± ¡°The one with dark brown, or the one with sandy blond hair?¡± ¡°Dark brown.¡± ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my little brother.¡± ¡°Oh. Oohhh! I get it. You¡¯re, uh, okay with me taking their collars off and all that?¡± The guard shrugged. ¡°The king didn¡¯t wear a collar. Why should they have to?¡± I gave the guard a grin. ¡°Finally, someone sane. What¡¯s your name, mate?¡± ¡°I¡ªer¡ªthank... you...?¡± he said. Claws nodded, leaped to my shoulder and kissed my cheek, then left. Lightning wreathed her body as she tore off with the cart, disappearing from sight in what must have been the blink of an eye for my new unawakened friend. ¡°They¡¯re spirit beasts?¡± he asked. I nodded, glancing his way. ¡°How do you feel about that, mate?¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± He thought about it for a moment, chewing his lip. ¡°It¡¯s pretty neat,¡± he eventually decided. ¡°Right?¡± I laughed. ¡°It is pretty neat!¡± I took a deep breath, my chest feeling lighter than it had all day. ¡°So, are you ready to leave?¡± Deklan was lost in thought. But at my question, he looked up. ¡°I think I am, yeah.¡± He was still clearly shocked, but he was handling the fact I was friends with spirit beasts remarkably well. We started walking away, and as much as I wanted to give him a chance to process everything he¡¯d learned, I couldn¡¯t keep a question from voicing itself. ¡°So, Deklan...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± I looked up at the wheeling gulls, trying to appear nonchalant. ¡°How do you feel about fishing?¡± *** Turning his back to the mountains the king had struck, Ellis watched as Snips smacked Rocky on the head. ¡°It is okay,¡± Ellis said, returning his attention to his notepad. ¡°The king lives.¡± Snips blew a slew of furious bubbles. ¡°I know that is not the point, Snips, but it is done now. No use crying over spilled ink.¡± He finished taking his notes as Snips¡¯s beratement continued. Now that his thoughts were down, he could finally inspect the king¡¯s clothing. The garment drew his eyes in as if it were excited as he was. Indestructible Flame Suit of the Weaver Rare Woven of web from a Core Weaver, this suit is almost completely impervious to damage from all chi. It does not provide any resistance. Bonus Effect: +30% effectiveness to fire chi. ¡°Remarkable...¡± Ellis said as he returned to the present. Before he could further vocalize his thoughts, the surrounding ruckus caught his attention. Now that they had been seen by the king, it was time to go. Borks had his portal open and ready for them to enter, but Rocky was being... well, Rocky. The crab was facing the hole the king¡¯s naked body had made in the castle, pointing at his back. When Ellis realized what Rocky was asking for, he rubbed his temples. Rocky wanted to be... what was it that Fischer called it? Yeeted. Rocky wanted to be yeeted by Snips as a punishment for breaking his no-chi-attacks rule. Snips was trying to grab him and drag him into the portal, but every time she got close, he cocked his claw back and threatened to blow the floor up. ¡°Rocky,¡± Ellis chided. ¡°You can be launched to your heart¡¯s desire when we get back to Tropica. We really do not have time for this. If you wish to be brought on further missions, I must ask you to enter the portal.¡± Rocky spun and gave Ellis a series of remarkably rude gestures. The distraction had worked, however. With Rocky¡¯s back turned, Pistachio dashed behind him. He wrapped Rocky up in his powerful claws, holding Rocky¡¯s closed. Rocky hissed and spat, his entire body shaking in rage as he promised future violence for the leviathan lobster. Pistachio ignored the threats and scuttled into the portal, taking Rocky with him. Snips followed, berating Rocky the entire way. Ellis took one last look at the castle before he too strode for the portal. ¡°Take us home, Borks.¡± He leaned down and patted him twice on the head. ¡°You are a good boy.¡± Borks licked Ellis¡¯s hand, and Ellis nodded his thanks. When he stepped back into Borks¡¯s pocket dimension, a sea of faces met him. ¡°How did it go?¡± Barry asked, his visage lined by worry as he glanced at the restrained Rocky and vehemently hissing Snips. The portal to the outside world closed. ¡°I have much to relay, but first...¡± Ellis threw back his hood, letting them take in his wide smile. ¡°I hereby declare Operation Sticky Fingers a resounding success.¡± Book 2: What should the first animal pal of book 3 be? Book 2: What should the first animal pal of book 3 be? The epilogue of book 2 will go out tomorrow, which means book 3 approaches. We haven''t done a poll for a lil while, and I thought it would be fun to have you guys throw out ideas, then make a poll with the answers. Feel free to also suggest a goofy name to go along with it.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com Unlike some of the past requests for ideas, this one will be going to a poll. I''ll add every animal and let my beloved readers have the final say. (I might veto names for reasons you may or may not have deduced, but the animal that wins the poll will be final.) Book 2: Epilogue Book 2: Epilogue On the outskirts of Tropica, Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket''s canopy shook in anticipation. Most of her friends were on a mission far, far away. It was the perfect opportunity. Master will be so happy, she thought as the image of his grin passed through her awareness. Lemon had been storing energy and waiting for the perfect chance to strike, and her core vibrated with excitement now that the moment was here. Ever since she had contacted the child beneath the ground, they had remained in contact. That alien being, so similar yet so different to herself, had been hesitant at first. Though filled with curiosity, it had kept Lemon at a limb''s length, not ever letting her get too close. Over time, Lemon had kept feeding it a steady trickle of chi, and with each morsel it consumed, it lowered its guard. When it felt how excited Lemon was, it sent a message. Excitement? it seemed to ask. Why? Growth, Lemon replied. Growth. Growth. Growth. Taking one last measure of the power she had accumulated, Lemon deemed it worthy. She sent a portion down through her mighty roots, offering it up to the baby tree spirit. It was only a fraction of the chi she''d set aside, yet when the child felt it, it recoiled and crawled back into its protective tree, pushing away Lemon''s offering. Trust, Lemon sent alongside the chi. Good. Good Good Good. As she continued radiating reassurance, she withdrew most of the offering and left only a taste for the child to consider. It came from the back of its safe space, and with a trepidatious bite, it tasted the chi. Through their bond, Lemon felt its curiosity grow. ... Delicious, it sent. Yes, Lemon agreed. "Delicious. Good. Growth." The spirit considered that for a long moment. Eventually, it replied with a weak pulse, Fear. Lemon had been too exuberant with her initial offering; it had made the child wary. Sorry, she said, breaking off an even smaller portion and trickling it down to the spirit. She could practically see the child hesitating on the edge of its domain. Despite having been in contact with Lemon for months, it still didn''t trust her. It was a sentiment Lemon well understood. She, too, was a tree spirit. Their lifespans were measured in the thousands of years¡ªwhat were a few months? Both before and after her hibernation, Fischer was the only person Lemon had ever truly trusted. She had faith in those that Fischer called friends, but that was only because they had earned his trust. If the child had been too accepting, Lemon would have thought it an imbecile. While she pondered, the child slowly crept from its den. *** In the tree spirit''s estimation, life was a good thing. Before, there had been nothing. Now, there was something. Something was probably better than nothing.Unfortunately for the tree spirit, existence meant one could want. And there was only one thing it wanted: for the leaves of its tree to feel the sun. It had never seen the sun, yet it knew what it was. The sun was a provider of life, and its tree would be much happier if it was beneath its warming rays. Happy tree, happy life... right? The tree spirit thought so. Still, things weren''t so bad. It was safe within its tree''s mighty trunk. It even had a companion, one which seemed much older and more aware of the world. They talked sometimes. Mostly, though, they were just... there. The companion was always connected and giving the tree spirit power. The spirit thought it could trust the other, but just like the tree spirit knew the sun existed, it knew there was no sense in rushing things. Though glad for the companionship, it wasn''t about to follow its companion''s every beck and call. The trunk followed its passage, growing wider at the base as it grew ever taller. Other beings ran into the room the tree spirit had occupied since gaining awareness. It had never known what they were before, but now it did. They were humans, and they stood witness to the tree''s growth. Abruptly, the root breached the surface, and for the first time in its short life, the spirit tasted open air. Its companion seemed to sense the spirit''s emotions, because the second the root¡¯s tip was free of the earth, the river of chi became an ocean. Its companion forced chi through, and the spirit redirected every last bit of it. The earth quaked, and large chunks of ceiling fell to the floor, making the humans flee the room. But the spirit had no mind for them. All of its attention was on the trunk''s growth as it pushed tonnes of earth aside and found the open air. Its trunk twisted high into the sky, its branches extending and leaves unfurling into a wide canopy. The tree spirit looked out through the leaves. A crescent moon was high in the sky above, bathing the surrounding landscape in an ethereal light. There was no sun, yet the outside world was even more beautiful than the spirit had imagined. It breathed deep of the salty air, relishing the freedom its tree had gained. *** Within the capital city of a foreign land, a man waited. He checked the time piece around his neck for what had to be the hundredth time that night. Thirty minutes since the last blast, he thought. It was time to go. He crept down the stairs of his rented abode, avoiding the three steps that creaked. He paused at the door, took a steadying breath, and opened it. The hinge was silent; he''d oiled it just in case. As he closed the door behind him, he felt one last pang of regret for the gold he was leaving behind. A prince''s ransom worth of coins, hard earned with how far he had traveled to sell his wares. It was no good, though. They would only weigh him down on his journey. The man''s heart thundered in his chest as he scanned the street beyond. It was eerily silent, even the bugs and night birds having gone completely silent after the series of blasts that had rocked the city. He took each step with great care as he slunk along in the shadows until movement on a building''s gutter to his left caught his attention, and the call of two creatures shattered the silence. In a blur, the man unsheathed a dagger from his waist and drew it back, preparing to fight. When he saw the creatures, he paused, his pulse thumping in his ears. Two seagulls sat on the roof. They screamed at each other, each standing tall and posturing for dominance. The man shook his head, lowering the throwing knife but not sheathing it. What in Poseidon''s blessed waters are two seagulls doing this far from the ocean? he wondered. There was no point in silence if the bird-brained creatures were going to scream at each other, so he abandoned his stealth. He slipped through the light of a crescent moon, crossing a street and entering the alley he''d find his exit in. When he reached the sewer grate, he removed the lock he''d previously cut. Placing it in his pocket, he began descending into the sewer, but paused, taking one last look at the city. The capital city of Gormona was a surprisingly beautiful place, considering how primitive the kingdom was. It was a relic of a time long passed, a monument to the powerhouse it had once been. When the man caught sight of the castle, his breath caught. A hole had been blown in the side of it that was large enough to reveal three floors. Whatever had happened, it wasn¡¯t caused by mortals. The man slipped into the sewer and quickly replaced the grate, sealing himself within. The stink of human waste was pungent, but it was nothing compared to his duty. He climbed down the metal rungs in pitch darkness, landed on the walkway, and took off running alongside the river of filth. He had to get home and warn them. Book 2: An invitation for feedback. Book 2: An invitation for feedback. Hello, dear friends. The epilogue for book two has gone up. Now that I''m going into the whole-book editing phase, I wanted to ask if you had any constructive feedback for me. I have a lot of things that I want to sharpen and improve, but as the author, I can be blind to issues. PS. Please be kind to each other in the comments. Everyone likes different things, and that''s okay. If you agree with what someone says, give the comment a like or something so I can better gauge its weight. I love you. The poll with all of your wonderful suggestions for book 3''s first animal pal will be going up tomorrow; I want to give a little more time for people to comment. Book 3: Prologue Book 3: Prologue Corporal Claws grinned and puffed out her chest as adrenaline coursed through her tiny little body. She was the most powerful otter in all the lands and seas, and now she had tamed the sky. Claws stood atop a mountain of the fallen, their unmoving bodies a monument to her prowess. This was no metaphorical hill¡ªoh no. She quite literally stood atop dozens of the cultivators that had been bagged up like grains of wheat and were being flown through the sky by her valiant steeds. Claws unleashed a chittering laugh. She held her forepaws high, projecting the sound out over the moonlit landscape as her cackle grew, drowning out even the howling wind that rushed past her adorable ears. Her mirth knew no bounds. Her strength was unmatched. Her coat of fur knew no equal. Her... One of her captives was stirring. Claws whirled, chirping with indignation at the cultivator that had dared regain consciousness while she celebrated. Using the giant net for footholds, she skittered around to find the offending human. She revealed her dagger-like teeth to display her displeasure, but when she found the man, she paused. It was the man her master had told her to take extra good care of. ¡°Where...¡± he groaned. ¡°Where am...¡± He trailed off as his eyes focused on Corporal Claws. Understandable, she thought. My form is magnificent. My fur is immaculate. My teeth¡ª ¡°Glaucus¡¯s cursed herbs!¡± he swore, his eyes tracking the treetops below. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Where am I?¡± *** As Bill soared over the forest while clutching a giant net filled to the brim with cultivators, he wondered, not for the first time, if Claws might be insane. Her jaw was spread wide as she trilled and chirped with laughter, her needle-like teeth shining in the moonlight. Beside her, Cinnamon peeped along with the same cadence. With each heave of their chests, their laughs only grew louder. Suddenly, Claws stopped. She turned and spotted another waking cultivator. Zap. She struck the woman with a jolt of electricity. Before the poor woman could even hit the net again, Claws was cackling away, arching her back and facing her head skyward. Bill shared a glance with Pelly, who looked just as concerned as he felt. They were approaching the meeting place, so Bill let out a warning honk. Claws darted her eyes his way, but when he nodded toward the ground and she saw the incoming clearing, the scowl died on her face. Claws hunched down low, wiggled her butt, and launched herself. All Bill could do was shake his head as she flew groundward toward their master like an arrow in flight. Book 3: Chapter 1: Home Sweet Home Book 3: Chapter 1: Home Sweet Home When I arrived at the meeting place, a blur of blonde hair and cute freckles flew at me. ¡°Oof!¡± I said, bracing myself as Maria slammed into my chest. ¡°How did it go? Is everyone okay? Did you get the bushes? What happened? Was that your blast? The big white pillar that lit up the sky?¡± ¡°Whoaaa,¡± I laughed, holding up both hands at the barrage of questions. ¡°One at a time.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± She squeezed my chest hard enough that I thought she might crack a rib. ¡°I was just anxious without¡ªoof!¡± My revenge arrived in the form of a golden retriever. Brigadier Borks slammed into her side, just as excited to see her as she was to see me. ¡°Borks!¡± she ran her hands through his hair, but quickly regretted the decision. ¡°Why are you covered in mud?¡± Too excited to answer, he rained down a barrage of licks on her chin, which she only moderately succeeded in escaping. When Borks had finally calmed down, Maria stood, stretched, and froze.Upstodatee from ¡°Fischer...¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°Who, him?¡± I asked, pointing to the armorer guard that had left Gormona with me. ¡°That¡¯s Deklan. He¡¯s my new friend.¡± ¡°New... friend?¡± ¡°Yeah. Might be a best friend in the making, but don¡¯t tell Theo that.¡± I spun toward him. ¡°Deklan. Mate. This is my girlfriend, Maria.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Deklan replied, a little too nonchalant considering he¡¯d just witnessed Maria and Borks exhibiting very cultivatory movements. ¡°A pleasure, Deklan.¡± She strode forward and held out a hand. ¡°So, what did you do to earn best-friend-in-the-making status with Fischer?¡± Deklan shook her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure.¡± ¡°Get this,¡± I said, leaning in close. ¡°Deklan here likes the idea of fishing.¡± Rather than the excitement I expected, Maria narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°How do you do it?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Just living life and finding fishermen everywhere.¡± ¡°There are more fishermen?¡± Deklan asked. ¡°Of course there are more fishermen.¡± Maria shook her head and blew air through her fringe. ¡°Fischer seems to create them out of thin air.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re one of them,¡± I added, nudging her side. ¡°Huh.¡± Deklan chewed his lip in thought. ¡°You made it sound relaxing, so it¡¯s right up my alley, but I thought it wouldn¡¯t be too popular.¡± He waved his hands vaguely. ¡°Because of the whole going-against-the-gods thing, you know?¡± ¡°And that doesn¡¯t bother you?¡± Maria asked. ¡°Why should it?¡± He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re gone. When you really think about it, it¡¯s weirder that others do care.¡± ¡°See?¡± I grinned at Maria. ¡°Best friend in the making.¡± ¡°Poor Theo is going to be heartbroken,¡± she sighed. ¡°Speaking of¡ªshould we check on them?¡± ¡°Check on who?¡± Deklan asked. ¡°Oh, right.¡± I patted Borks on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, but Borks kind of has a pocket-dimension-ability-thing going on. We have a bunch of people in there right now. Probably a bunch of stolen artifacts, too.¡± ¡°Oh, did you take the artifacts that listed all your abilities and stuff?¡± ¡°Yeah, those ones. That was the whole¡ª¡± I whirled on him. ¡°Wait, you know about that?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was the guard assigned to them.¡± Maria and I blinked at each other, then burst into laughter. ¡°This is too good,¡± she said. ¡°I have so many questions to ask you.¡± ¡°We should wait until we get back. We¡¯ve already wasted too much time here and Ellis will definitely want to hear the effect our names have had.¡± A sound like cracking glass came from beside us as Borks tore open his portal. ¡°Whoa...¡± Deklan said, staring at the purple and black void. ¡°Back in a moment, mate.¡± I stepped through, and the moment I did, an animated conversation came to an abrupt halt. ¡°Thanks!¡± I pulled her into a hug. ¡°Let¡¯s hope Barry feels the same way.¡± Claws hopped down from our cuddle and ran over to Deklan. She held a paw up toward him, and when he hesitantly took it, she dragged him over to the cultivators. Look! she chirped, gesticulating at a man with long brown hair. There was a new addition to Deklan¡¯s brother¡¯s hair: a pink bow, meticulously tied. ¡°You... gave him a bow?¡± Deklan asked. She nodded vehemently, then arched her head toward him, gazing up expectantly. ¡°She is demanding pets for her hard work,¡± Maria giggled. Still staring at his brother, Deklan obliged her demands. Pelly and Bill were standing off the side, so I walked over to them. ¡°Come here, you two.¡± They stared up at me, still looking a little awkward, so I scooped them both up into a hug. With a bird under each arm, I went over to Deklan, nodding for Snips to follow. After Introducing them all¡ªand letting Deklan softly pat their heads¡ªI put them both down. ¡°Okay, gang. Here¡¯s the plan. Deklan, unless you want to be carried by me like a princess, I think you should sit on the net and let Pelly and Bill fly you back to Tropica. Claws and Cinnamon, I want you on the net to keep him safe in the off chance he falls off.¡± ¡°... falls off?¡± Deklan asked, some of his calm demeanor vanishing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Pelly and Bill are gonna be going super fast, but any of the four animal pals along for the ride could¡ªand would¡ªsave you.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t he go in Borks¡¯s portal?¡± Maria asked. ¡°And subject him to Ellis¡¯s non-stop questioning?¡± ¡°Huh. Good point.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Deklan said, ¡°flying actually sounds pretty cool.¡± I grinned. ¡°It¡¯s sorted, then. You guys get going and we¡¯ll follow.¡± Deklan started climbing the net, but then Cinnamon expedited the process. Seeing a bunny as big as Deklan¡¯s boot carry him to the top of the rigid net in a single bound was just as funny as you¡¯d imagine, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the surprise on his face. Pelly and Bill took hold of the net and flew skyward, gaining altitude before they shot off with their empowered wings. ¡°Whoooooaaa!¡± Deklan yelled as they rocketed through the sky, his voice trailing off the further away they got. ¡°He¡¯s a lot of fun,¡± Maria said, watching them go. ¡°Right?¡± I agreed. Maria, Snips, Borks and I were the only ones left, and I shot them a smirk. ¡°We don¡¯t need to hold back this time¡ªwe¡¯ll be traveling home as fast as we can.¡± Their eyes lit up, reflecting just how I felt. ¡°On your mark, get set¡ª¡± Snips shot away, water chi roiling from her joints. ¡°Cheater!¡± Maria and I both yelled. Borks let out a shocked growl too, and all three of us tore off after Snips, chasing her hisses of victorious laughter. The surrounding forest was a blur as we raced between trunks. We no longer had to keep our passage subtle, and our footfalls boomed through the trees. Barry¡¯s planning had been meticulous, though, and Claws was already running distraction. I¡¯d occasionally catch glimpses of her streaking through the sky as a bolt of lightning, misleading anyone that heard our thundering steps to assume they came from a passing storm. When we got half way to Tropica, the night¡¯s activities caught up to me. ¡°Can I ride you, Borks?¡± I asked. He skidded to a stop and I leaped onto his back. The second I had my arms looped around his powerful neck, he was off. ¡°Cheaterrr!¡± Maria called as we shot past her, both giving her a wide grin. Of the four of us, Maria had the weakest cultivation level. But that wasn¡¯t a reflection of her; it was a reflection of Snips and Borks¡¯s power. Their cores radiated chi as they raced through the forest, and unlike me, they didn¡¯t grow tired. Before the first light of day had broken the eastern horizon, I caught sight of a familiar mountain range¡ªmy mountain range. A thrill ran through me as I realized we were almost home, and only a couple of minutes later, the ocean came into view. It was lit by the crescent moon above, its surface calm and inviting. The sight of it made a deep contentment wash over me and a grin split my face. That same grin dropped as I glanced toward Tropica. It was quiet, but it wasn¡¯t the actual village that had caught my attention. Borks, Maria, and Snips all skidded to a stop too, also noticing the anomaly. ¡°What the frack...?¡± Maria asked. All I could do was shake my head as I took in the shape protruding into the sky. ¡°I have no idea...¡± Book 3: Chapter 2: Fantasy-Land Cult Book 3: Chapter 2: Fantasy-Land Cult I jumped down to the sandy soil as we crept toward the giant tree Its trunk was as wide at the base as a house, and its canopy reached high into the sky before fanning out. Large chunks of earth lay around it as if the tree had shot from orbit and landed there. It looked like a giant oak, but with one distinct difference. Its bark was blue. It was the largest tree I¡¯d ever seen, bigger even than the one growing within the church. ¡°Hang on...¡± I said. ¡°Is that the tree that was growing underneath the church?¡± ¡°Its position makes sense,¡± Maria whispered back. ¡°Is that why all the dirt is thrown around? It sprouted up from the church?¡± ¡°Makes sense... but how?¡± ¡°You¡¯re home!¡± A familiar voice called, poking her head from around a giant lump of dirt at the tree¡¯s base. ¡°Mom!¡± Maria¡¯s face lit up as she jogged over and embraced Sharon. As they squeezed each other, a veritable crowd came to greet us. It was the entire congregation that had remained in Tropica, and their faces lit us as they saw us. With one exception, of course.. Roger glared at me from the back, but his scowl disappeared when Maria wrapped him in a hug. ¡°I missed you, dad.¡± ¡°Missed you too, sweetie.¡± ¡°See?¡± I said, giving Roger a grin. ¡°I promised you I¡¯d bring her back in one piece.¡± He grumbled under his breath, but Maria tapped him on the forehead, cutting it off. ¡°Be nice, dad.¡± ¡°How did it go?¡± Sharon asked, giving me a knowing smile. ¡°We planned on letting everyone out beneath the church, but, uh, what¡¯s up with the tree? Is that the one from downstairs.¡± ¡°It is.¡± Sharon grimaced. ¡°The walls shook so much that I was worried the ceiling would collapse. The room the tree was in... well, let¡¯s just say I wouldn¡¯t recommend going anywhere near it.¡± ¡°That bad?¡± ¡°Completely destroyed.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± I gazed up at the tree. Its canopy had to be at least a hundred meters across, and if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d assume it had been here for centuries. ¡°Oh, well. I guess we should let them out here.¡± Borks nodded at me. Cracks formed in the air, and a moment later, the portal opened. The people within flooded out. Wide grins split their faces, but as they noticed where they were, confusion replaced their exuberance. Barry was the last to emerge. He scooped Helen up into a hug and roared with victorious laughter, but it died in his throat as his gaze drifted toward the giant blue trunk next to him. He slowly set Helen down. ¡°... Lemon?¡± he asked, his head swiveling between the tree and me. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I replied. ¡°But I can check.¡± I closed my eyes and extended my awareness toward it. I immediately located Lemon, but it was only part of her. She dwelled beneath the surface, listening but not showing herself for some reason. No, I realized as I felt the chi she sent toward the giant oak beside us. Not listening. She¡¯s feeding it... I focused my attention more on the tree, and what I found there made my brows fly toward my hairline. There was a spirit in the tree. It was clearly related to Lemon somehow, yet also entirely different. As I sent my attention further toward it, the spirit noticed me. It thought I was a threat; I could sense its fear and hesitation. But then a stronger emotion rose up as Lemon radiated reassurance toward the newer spirit, telling it I was trustworthy. Slowly, it came toward my awareness, and as I extended my chi towards it, the spirit didn¡¯t shy away. It was... young. Incredibly young. Perhaps I could only tell because of how well I knew Lemon, but this spirit was essentially a newborn. ¡°Was this you, Lemon?¡± I asked, opening my eyes and withdrawing my chi. I wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d be able to respond given how far we were from her tree, but a root immediately shot from the ground in response. Lemon nodded with the entire root, but it wasn¡¯t necessary. I could feel her pride. She had done this. There was a hint of trickery in her emotions, too, dwelling beneath her overwhelming sense of accomplishment. ¡°Lemon!¡± I laughed. ¡°How long have you been scheming to do this?¡± Long, she sent me. Very long. I wrapped an arm around her thick root. ¡°You did good... I think.¡± I turned to Barry, keen on weighing his reaction, but Barry was occupied. ¡°Fischer...¡± ¡°Yeah, mate?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± I squinted in the direction he pointed, spotting a large shape over the western mountains. A familiar shape shot from the net, and lightning wreathed Claws¡¯s body as she rocketed toward me. Halfway to us, she changed course. Claws slammed down against the giant blue trunk of the newly grown tree. She climbed up into the canopy, letting out a chirp that I interpreted as, ¡°What in the frack...?¡± ¡°Fischer,¡± Barry said, drawing my attention away from Claws¡¯s intoxicating curiosity. ¡°I know I told you to keep them placid,¡± he said, rubbing his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be electrifying them to do it. Please don¡¯t do that anymore¡ªwe don¡¯t want to cause any permanent damage.¡± Whatever, Claws chirped back, pretending Barry didn¡¯t exist as she marched back to the giant tree haughtily. On the other side of the net, another cultivator stirred. ¡°Open the net,¡± Barry ordered. Pelly, Bill, and Cinnamon burst into action, cutting lengths of rope that held it together. Within a moment, the rigid net¡¯s sides fell away, and the cultivators were free. Barry and I stood before the stirring woman, and she let out a groan as she sat up. ¡°What happened...?¡± she asked, her voice bleary. She looked around in confusion at the surrounding bodies, and when her gaze flicked up to me and Barry, she froze. I recognized the woman. She was one of the cultivators that had been in the grove. And she, it appeared, also recognized me. Sheer terror crossed her face as she stared up at me, her eyes going wide. She leaned back, getting as far from me as she could without moving her limbs. ¡°What...¡± She licked her lips. ¡°What are you...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Fischer. Nice to meet you.¡± I gave her a hopefully disarming smile. ¡°Are you mad, by the way?¡± ¡°Mad...?¡± she asked, the question confusing enough to replace her fear for a moment. ¡°Yeah. Mad. You know. Crazy. Insane. Do you have a burning desire to kill people and bathe in the blood of the fallen?¡± Her eyebrows knitted. ¡°Ew. No.¡± ¡°See?¡± I said, grinning at Barry. ¡°Not mad!¡± ¡°Riiight,¡± he drawled, then kneeled down so he was eye level with the woman. ¡°My name is Barry. What¡¯s yours?¡± She swallowed. ¡°Anna...¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Anna.¡± Barry nodded at me. ¡°This is Fischer. He¡¯s a traveler from another realm, and seems to be the catalyst for chi returning to the world.¡± ¡°Woah!¡± I held up both hands. ¡°Don¡¯t you put that evil on me Ricky Bobby!¡± Barry rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°Fischer. Stop being weird in front of the new cultivators.¡± ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± I said with a pout, then shot a wink at Anna. She just blinked up at us, not saying a word. ¡°And this,¡± Barry said, standing and stepping aside so Anna could see everyone else. Humans, spirit beasts, and even a sapient root nodded, waved, or smiled at Anna. ¡°This is the Church of Fischer¡¯s congregation. We rescued you all from the capital, and when we can confirm you¡¯re not mad, as Fischer so eloquently put it, we plan to free you.¡± Shaking, Anna¡¯s hand drifted to her neck. With the shock of regaining consciousness around some sort of fantasy-land cult, she hadn¡¯t even realized she was no longer wearing a collar. Her other hand joined the first as it felt her bare neck. Her lip trembled, and she slowly took in the other collarless cultivators surrounding her. The tremble spread to her jaw, and she looked down at her hands as tears started flowing down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m... free?¡± Her voice broke with the last word, and she wrapped her arms around her legs, curling into a ball as sobs wracked her small body. Maria appeared at her side. ¡°Maria!¡± Roger yelled. ¡°Get back!¡± ¡°Oh, shush,¡± Sharon said, flicking her husband¡¯s arm. She appeared at Anna¡¯s other side and rubbed her back with circular motions. ¡°It¡¯s okay, love,¡± Maria said, doing her best to console the overwhelmed woman. Barry turned toward the rest of the congregation. ¡°Okay, everyone! We need to move these people. The villagers could come to see what the deal is with the giant blue tree at any moment! Is the church safe to occupy?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go further than the tree room,¡± Sue answered. ¡°Former tree room, more like,¡± Sturgill answered with a grimace. ¡°It was destroyed.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Barry replied, his voice holding a feeling of authority. ¡°That sounds too dangerous, so I want these cultivators moved to Lemon¡¯s clearing. When they wake, let them know about us and our mission. If they cultivate, restrain them. If they attack¡ªand I do mean only if they attack, Claws¡ªknock them out until Fischer and I are finished.¡± Claws saluted. ¡°Dismissed,¡± Barry said, and everyone exploded into motion. ¡°Uhhh, Barry?¡± I raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°What did you mean when you said until Fischer and I are finished?¡± ¡°Sorry, mate,¡± he replied, not at all looking apologetic. ¡°You brought back almost fifty extra cultivators. I¡¯m going to need your help fixing that.¡± ¡°Yeah, which I¡¯m down for... but how?¡± ¡°The congregation is getting pretty big, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Sensing a trap, I raised an eyebrow. ¡°It is...¡± ¡°Well, Fischer...¡± He gave me a wry smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we build a bigger church.¡± Book 3: Chapter 3: Frack Around and Find Out Book 3: Chapter 3: Frack Around and Find Out Beneath a blanket of stars, I took a deep breath, delighting in the scents of salt spray and fresh air that assaulted me. ¡°Are you sure this is necessary, Fischer?¡± Barry asked from behind me. ¡°Positive, mate. If I don¡¯t get an influx of chi, I¡¯ll probably pass out the second we try to create something.¡± Not at all sharing his sense of urgency, I smiled as a fish nibbled the bait at the end of my line. ¡°Besides... it won¡¯t take long.¡± Barry sighed. ¡°All right. Well, the fire is ready when you are.¡± I glanced over my shoulder, seeing his campfire roaring. Its flames shone orange light over the surrounding sand, banishing the darkness. As if it sensed my distraction, something took my bait. ¡°Fish on!¡± I yelled, reefing the rod and setting the hook. ¡°Big enough?¡± Barry asked. The rod¡¯s tip bounced and bent; I grinned. ¡°Feels like it!¡± Hand over hand, I wound the fish in. It darted from side to side, but it never stood a chance. Not even a minute later, I bent and grabbed it by the mouth. Mature Shore Fish Uncommon Found along the ocean shores of the Kallis Realm, this fish is a staple source of both food and bait. ¡°Just what the doctor ordered,¡± I said, dispatching it with a single movement. Barry rolled his eyes at me, but I caught the hint of amusement on his lips. With deft cuts of my knife, I prepared the fish, and as I placed it over the fire to cook, I let out a weary sigh. ¡°So, we both know where I stand with the whole ¡®not wanting to know what¡¯s going on with the church¡¯ thing. But if I¡¯m gonna be helping you build something, you should probably give me a rundown of the plan.¡± He nodded. ¡°So, you know how you got a bag of gold coins, and you theorized that it was for reaching certain milestones in your skills?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Barry glanced up, his face going serious. ¡°You were right.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, we worked that out already. Maria and I got another two bags of them when we were on the way to the capital.¡± I reached into my backpack, grabbed them, and flung them towards Barry. He opened each of them, peering down at the golden relics, then shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re really bad at being left in the dark.¡± ¡°I know, right? It¡¯s infuriating.¡± ¡°Well, it makes things easier, at least.¡± He closed the bags and set them aside. ¡°We¡¯ve collected a modest amount of them over the past month since we found out they were rewarded for every twenty-five points in a skill.¡± I waved one hand and turned the fish with the other. ¡°Yeah, Maria and I guessed that too. We¡¯ll be using them to create more space in the church, right?¡± ¡°Right...¡± he replied, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think I don¡¯t need to explain the plan at all.¡± ¡°Blame it on Maria. She¡¯s as smart as she is cute. Can¡¯t get anything by her.¡± I poked the fish with one finger, seeing it was mostly cooked. ¡°I do have one question, though. Where are you expecting the church to expand? I don¡¯t think raising a castle like the one in Gormona is too good an idea.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯ll be pretty obvious we¡¯re up to some shenanigans.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think the castle-sized tree is already going to give us away?¡± I laughed. ¡°Point taken. Still, though¡ªgoing down would be better, right?¡± Barry gave me an odd smirk. ¡°We¡¯re not going down. We¡¯re also not going up.¡± ¡°Across, then? Not bad, I guess, but I don¡¯t want it to go toward Tropica. Or toward Lemon¡¯s roots.¡± His smirk turned malicious. ¡°We¡¯re not going across, either.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m well and truly confused, mate. Where is it going?¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll stop doing it to literally everyone?¡± I gave him a full-toothed grin. ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be drawing this out as long as possible.¡± True to his word, Barry said nothing of where we were going as we crossed sand flats, the river, and sand flats again. I looked down at my dripping body as we approached the distant forest on the south side of my property. ¡°You know, Barry, you never mentioned getting drenched as part of the plan.¡± He waggled his eyebrows at me, mimicking one of my favorite gestures. ¡°It¡¯s all part of the mystery.¡± I snorted at his antics. ¡°Okay, secret keeper. Lead on.¡± When the barren ground gave way to grassy forest, Barry veered west. Rather than ask why and give him the satisfaction, I trailed silently. Mountains blocked out the sky the further we got into the trees. Looking up at them, Barry nodded to himself and stopped. ¡°Everything okay, mate?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± I pouted, gazing at our surroundings. ¡°It just looks like a regular old forest to me, mate.¡± ¡°For now, that¡¯s all it is.¡± He started unloading his barrow, placing the coin-filled sacks on the ground. ¡°Well? Are you gonna help me?¡± ¡°Ooooh, he¡¯s mysterious and sassy,¡± I replied, grabbing bags and adding them to his pile. When all of them were sitting in a pile on the grass, Barry took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. I did the same, stretching my body and enjoying the vigor still radiating through me from the fish I¡¯d eaten. ¡°Okay, Fischer. Here¡¯s the plan.¡± He spun on me, his eyes going serious. ¡°We¡¯re not expanding the church. We¡¯re creating a village.¡± I arched a brow his way. ¡°You¡¯re serious, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... ambitious.¡± ¡°It is,¡± he agreed, grinning. ¡°Any complaints?¡± Rather than answer his question, I sat on the ground, crossing my legs and getting comfortable. ¡°Ready when you are, mate.¡± As he sat on the grass beside me, I closed my eyes, letting my awareness extend towards the pile of coins. Their power was clear. It was like sitting next to the remnant coals of a bonfire, and as Barry exerted strands of chi into them, embers rose from the ashes. Those embers became flames, and the flames became a roaring fire of force under Barry¡¯s guidance. I joined my efforts to his. Matching his chi, our wills coalesced around the currency, swirling, combining. Consuming. One by one, the coins started evaporating. I¡¯d not taken part in building something since my last breakthrough. It was an entirely different experience with my awareness as it was now. The essence that came from the coins was somehow... wrong. Maybe wrong wasn¡¯t the right word, but I couldn¡¯t think of a better one. The power they held wasn¡¯t one that I could wield. I¡¯d sooner be able to draw water into my veins than the chi that came from the coins. What we could do, though, was guide it. As if he knew my thoughts, Barry pressed his will down on the cloud of essence. I focused my will with his, and to my surprise, I felt what he pictured. A village large enough to house hundreds of people. Simple. Utilitarian. Sleeping quarters. Crafting spaces. A meeting area akin to an amphitheater. Something... caged? A prison, I realized. Barry imagined a prison. Damn, my guy, I thought. That¡¯s pretty dark. It made sense, though. I¡¯d brought back dozens of cultivators, all of which were a potential horror film waiting to happen. As I further considered the implications, I got the mental equivalent of a slap across the face. Sorry, Barry. I rejoined my awareness to his, helping him mold the coins into something more. Something better. We poured the essence into the buildings he envisioned, and now that they were taking shape, I opened up my core. Chi flowed from me in powerful torrents, and as the streams left me, the world began its transformation. I had expected the process to be exhausting; it was anything but. My soul seemed to rejoice at the power pouring from me, as it did when I unleashed blasts of light in the capital. Just as I thought it was almost over, something within me stirred. I furrowed my brow, trying to understand what it was, and that¡¯s when I realized. It was the essence I¡¯d somehow stolen from the lemon and passiona grove back in Gormona. It sat right beside my core, and it wanted to be free. Being the kind of guy to frack around and find out, I let it come. The bubble burst from me, propelled along by my will. Surprise came from Barry, but after a moment¡¯s consideration, he pictured another structure. A grove, large enough to house multiple trees. The foreign pocket of chi obeyed us, shooting off to the far side of the village and forming. I returned my attention to the rest of our build, and beneath the weight of our combined wills, the last of the coins was consumed. Abruptly, I came back to my body. I was no longer sitting in a forest. Hard stones lined the path beneath me, and I put my hands out, running my fingers along their uniform surface. A smile came to my face as I slowly opened my eyes, filled with anticipation for what we¡¯d built. Instead, lines of text printed out before me, blocking my field of view. Book 3: Chapter 4: Evolution Book 3: Chapter 4: Evolution I blinked to clear my vision, but the words remained. New Village established! Scanning... ¡°Scanning?¡± Barry asked. ¡°What does¡ª¡± Scan complete. Village already exists. Upgrading existing village: Tropica... I shook my head, but before I could turn to Barry and ask him what the frack was going on, the System spoke up again. [Tropica has evolved and become a Tier 2 village!] ¡°Barry...?¡± I asked, slowly spinning his way. ¡°Yes, Fischer?¡± ¡°Any idea what all that means, mate?¡± He blinked at me. ¡°No clue.¡± ¡°Yeah, me neither...¡± Now that the System was done having its way with my field of view, I gazed out at the surrounding world. We stood in a giant crossroads, atop smooth stones and surrounded by buildings. Most of the constructions were only a single story, much like the homes and shops that made up Tropica. But unlike those structures, these were made by the system. Though built of simple stone, there was a beauty to their uniformity. Without realizing what I was doing, I wandered toward the closest building. Just like the church, gilding lined its door. Taking a deep breath, I turned the handle and pulled it open. With Barry at my side, I gazed into the newly constructed smithy. Though it was only slightly larger than the above ground one in Tropica, six forges lined its walls. Myriad anvils, trenches, and tools were scattered around the room, positioned perfectly to make use of the space. I ran a hand over the surface of one of the furnaces, pausing as I furrowed my brows. Something was... wrong. ¡°You feel it too?¡± Barry asked, drawing me from my thoughts. ¡°Yeah... what is it?¡± Barry pressed a stone button beside the forge, and unlike the ones within the church, nothing happened. The System¡¯s magicy bullshit wasn¡¯t working. ¡°It¡¯s incomplete,¡± he replied, pursing his lips. But then I saw Lemon. ¡°Oh...¡± Barry said, staring up at her canopy. ¡°Yeah...¡± I agreed, my eyes running over her mighty boughs. ¡°That¡¯s something.¡± Lemon¡¯s tree had, for lack of a better word, aged. She had at least doubled in size, her formerly smooth trunk now covered in thick bark. Knotted roots branched out into the earth, giving her the appearance of a centuries-old oak. Though it was still Lemon within the tree, her chi felt... different. When I sent my awareness out toward her, I realized why¡ªshe and the alien-feeling power had merged. No. She had absorbed it. ¡°How are you feeling, Lemon?¡± I asked, taking a step forward. Awe, excitement, and joy oozed from her. At my question, she seemed to come back to herself. A giant root sprouted from the ground, so big that it split the earth in giant chunks. It wrapped around me gently, hugging my torso tight. ¡°I love you too,¡± I laughed. ¡°What the frack just happened, though? How did you even get here?¡± What followed was a conversation between myself and a prehensile root that would have made even the most compassionate of observers assume I was batshit crazy. ¡°What did she say?¡± Barry asked, giving me side-eye as I giggled and batted away an attempted tickle from Lemon. ¡°What? Oh, right.¡± I patted the part of Lemon¡¯s root that served as a head. ¡°When she felt us creating the village¡ªor the extension of Tropica, I suppose¡ªshe came over to see what we were up to. She trailed us around, inspecting the stones and buildings from underneath, and when she got to the grove...¡± I shrugged. ¡°It was irresistible. She had to grow a tree here.¡± I cocked my head. ¡°How long have you been able to do that, by the way? Just grow more trees?¡± She sent me the emotional equivalent of no, then pointed me toward the power she¡¯d joined with. ¡°Oh! It gave you the ability to do so?¡± Yes, she nodded. ¡°Well, there you have it,¡± I said to Barry. ¡°Just your typical cultivatory shenanigans.¡± ¡°Yeah. Nothing new.¡± He shook his head with a wry smile. ¡°With the addition of the grove, I think we have almost everything we need until we can gather more coins to finish the village.¡± I shot him a glance. ¡°About that... I was thinking there was something else we could try.¡± He gave me a questioning look. ¡°The one thing we were missing from last time was pearls, right?¡± I answered. ¡°Lucky for us, I have it on good authority that some local weirdos filled a nearby bay with a bunch of oyster cages.¡± Barry squinted, his eyes sparkling with amusement. ¡°Midnight feast?¡± ¡°Midnight feast,¡± I agreed, delighting in the look on his face. Book 3: Chapter 5: Rude Awakening Book 3: Chapter 5: Rude Awakening ¡°To define enlightenment is to shackle the fledgling meditator with an unfair burden. What it means to be enlightened is subjective, and it falls upon each child to traverse this path alone, lest their road be ravaged by false information.¡± Excerpt from Prologue, House Kraken Manual In the predawn hours, George, the lord of Tropica, let out a slow sigh. He¡¯d had a terrible sleep, riddled with interruptions that he couldn¡¯t explain. The first had pulled at his core just after midnight. Unable to calm his racing heart, he¡¯d remained awake for who knew how long, and just when slumber welcomed him into its open arms once more, the second event occurred. Unlike the first, this one seemed to constrict his entire body. It only lasted for half a breath, but that was plenty of time for anxiety to shoot up his spine and ruin any chance of more sleep. Which was why he decided to meditate instead. As he traversed his way toward his study, George had wondered if he was close to reaching the ¡®enlightenment¡¯ his family spoke of. The term was loosely defined, the texts insisting that if explained, it would be harder for one to reach it. What else could these strange occurrences be? After all, they had only begun after he and his wife, Geraldine, started reading House Kraken¡¯s manual. The better they got at the meditations listed within, the more frequent and powerful the unexplainable events became. Realizing he was lost in thought, George shook his head, smiling at himself. I claim to be getting better at the meditations, yet here I am, lost in past worries and future possibilities. George sat cross-legged in his study, and he let out his breath, focusing once more on the sensations of his body in space, just as his family¡¯s tome instructed. The hardwood of his study¡¯s floor beneath him. His breaths, cooling each nostril when he inhaled and warming them when he exhaled hot air. The spot where his hands rested on his knees, and the tingling that ran up and down his fingers. Together, they rooted him in the present, an unignorable tether to the here and now. But then the knock came, three sharp raps of a knuckle on his front door that made adrenaline shoot through George¡¯s body. He took a deep breath, holding it and willing his heart to remain calm. Just when he thought he¡¯d lose the battle, a hand rested softly on his leg. George cracked his eyes and peered over at his beloved wife. Geraldine gave him a kind smile, rubbing his knee softly with one hand. ¡°Want me to get it, dear?¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied, getting to his feet and stretching. ¡°I can handle him.¡± He bent and kissed the top of her head before striding out the door and heading for the stairs. As he walked down them, he didn¡¯t rely on the ornate banisters to either side. House Kraken¡¯s manual was strict with one¡¯s diet, and George had been following it militantly. Though it had been hard to give up his sugary treats at first, that temporary discomfort was nothing beneath the weight of George¡¯s former stressors. His prodigious size had melted away like candle wax, leaving behind a body that could move much more freely. As George reached the landing, he paused for a moment in front of the door. Taking one last calming breath, he opened it. Fischer was standing there, his hand upraised and ready to knock again. ¡°Oh. G¡¯day, George. How are ya, mate?¡±Vissit for updates The village girl Fischer was often with stood beside him. ¡°You remember Maria, don¡¯t you?¡± Fischer asked. ¡°Of course. Hello.¡± ¡°Hi!¡± She gave him a brilliant smile. ¡°Good to see you!¡± ¡°And this is my doggy pal, Borks,¡± Fischer continued. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ve been introduced.¡± The golden-colored dog wagged his tail as he stared up at George. Was he expected to greet the dog, too? He decided it was safest to do so. ¡°Hello, Borks.¡± The dog let out a soft bark, his tail swishing faster. George pursed his lips, looking back up toward Fischer. The faintest whispers of the day to come shone over the eastern rooftops, the sky there turning a light purple as the sun announced its arrival. ¡°What can I do for you at this early hour?¡± ¡°Sorry about that, mate. I hope I didn¡¯t wake you.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Good. I came with a request, actually.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± George swallowed, hoping he hid the spike of fear that drove into him. ¡°I can do my best to fulfill it. What did you need?¡± ¡°I want to see your wedding ring, mate.¡± I relayed it to Maria, and it was her turn to pause. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°I am, but that¡¯s not all. I felt chi from George.¡± ¡°You did?¡± she asked entirely too loudly, then winced, adopting a quieter tone. ¡°He¡¯s a cultivator? Why did we leave, then?¡± ¡°Not a cultivator, no. It was weird. He hasn¡¯t awakened yet, but there was definitely something there...¡± ¡°That¡¯s... troubling.¡± I shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll have to keep an eye on it, but I¡¯m not worried about him. George is a good bloke.¡± Maria chewed her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that, but he has been doing good by the villagers lately...¡± We slipped into silence as we followed the street, only our footfalls and the tapping of Borks¡¯s nails interrupting the quiet. As we entered the intersection, I looked up, gazing three doors down to the home of Lord Osnan Jr. ¡°Holy frack...¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria agreed. ¡°George wasn¡¯t kidding when he said we¡¯d know it when we saw it.¡± *** Lord Tom Osnan Jr., heir to house Osnan, woke abruptly. ¡°What...?¡± he asked, sitting upright and looking around. The sky past his silken curtains was still dark, only hints of the sun¡¯s rays cresting the horizon. His wife, Joanne, groaned from beside him, rolling over and covering her head with a lush pillow. ¡°Someone at the door,¡± came her muffled voice. Surely that wasn¡¯t the case. What sort of fool would¡ª Thump. Thump. Thump. For a moment, Tom was confused, but then fury roiled within him. He¡¯d already had a fitful sleep after being woken twice by waves of chi, and now he had to deal with some idiot¡ªprobably a peasant¡ªknocking on his door in the predawn hours. He shrugged a robe on, adopted his best scowl, and stomped downstairs. Throwing the door open, he cast his displeasure out onto the street. Three smiles met him. ¡°G¡¯day, mate. Nice to see you again.¡± It was the upstart that had accosted him the other week. Tom had tried to slap him, but that fool George Kraken caught his hand. I should have used my full strength... Tom thought. Then I wouldn¡¯t be dealing with this moron right now. ¡°Everything okay, mate?¡± the peasant asked. ¡°You having a medical episode of some sort?¡± Tom¡¯s lip twitched, and he didn¡¯t bother hiding his displeasure. ¡°Knock on my door again and you¡¯ll regret it.¡± He made to close the door, but the man put his foot forward, blocking it. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must insist, mate. It¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Very important,¡± the woman added, giving him a grin through the crack. ¡°Why don¡¯t you invite them in, Tom?¡± Joanne asked, striding down the stairs. He spun on her, confused by her appearance and the suggestion, but then he caught the righteous anger lining her face. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, dear,¡± he replied. ¡°Where are my manners?¡± He swung the door open again. ¡°Would you like to come in and discuss it? We¡¯d be more than happy to hear you out.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± the man replied, leading them in. As the three sorry souls entered their home, Tom and Joanne Osnan shared a smirk. Book 3: Chapter 6: Frack Around and Find Out 2: Electric-Otter Boogaloo Book 3: Chapter 6: Frack Around and Find Out 2: Electric-Otter Boogaloo ¡°Thanks for your hospitality,¡± I said, not missing the ugly look the two nobles shared as we strode into their home. ¡°Of course,¡± the woman replied, her voice sickly sweet. ¡°I am Joanne, and this is my husband, Tom. What are your names?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Fischer, this is Maria, and that¡¯s Borks.¡± Joanna nodded as she removed a notepad from her pocket and wrote them down. That¡¯s not ominous at all... I thought, glancing at Maria. ¡°So,¡± Tom said, resting his hands before him. ¡°What can we do for you at this early hour?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing too major, mate. Just wanted to have a peek at your jewelry.¡± ¡°Our jewelry?¡± Joanne asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah! Your rings, specifically. I¡¯ve been considering making them as a sort of hobby, so I¡¯ve been going around having a little peep at the nobles¡¯ iridescent stones.¡± ¡°We just came from George¡¯s place,¡± Maria said. ¡°His wedding ring was marvelous.¡± ¡°And insightful,¡± I added. A vein literally pulsed on Tom¡¯s forehead as he forced a smile. ¡°That should be fine. Why don¡¯t we let them see all of them, Joanne?¡± They shared another glance, wordlessly communicating something as they removed a ring each. The moment they did, my suspicions were confirmed. *** As lord Tom Osnan Jr. removed the first of his rings, a fraction of his power stirred and reveled at being unshackled. With each metal band that came free, the chains surrounding his core loosened. It had been almost a year since he¡¯d last let his essence out, and his body thrummed in delight, urging him to continue. Joanne matched his pace, and when they removed their second-last rings, they shared an ecstatic grin. The moment the final one came free, he released a shuddering breath. It would be a challenge for Tom to restrain himself. These foolish sleep interruptors were destined for indentured servitude back in the capital, so it wouldn¡¯t do to accidentally smite them from the face of Kallis. With his core unshackled, his senses extended into the surrounding space, making Tom feel free for the first time in a long while. But what he found in his surroundings made Tom¡¯s thoughts die and eyes fly wide. The woman and the dog both had cores. Well-established cores. Not only that¡ªthe woman, Maria, seemed to have three of them, one in her abdomen and two in her back. He froze for a fraction of a second, his mind whirling to make sense of what was going on. Neither of their existences were possible. A spirit beast hadn¡¯t been seen for centuries, and even the ancient texts said nothing of a cultivator with three nexuses of power. Joanne was the first to move. ¡°Disgusting creature!¡± she bellowed, flying forward and aiming a full-strength kick at the golden-furred spirit beast. Her action broke Tom¡¯s moment of confusion. He darted forward, aiming one of his hands at Maria¡¯s throat and the other at Fischer¡¯s. He¡¯d aim to execute them at the same time, so even if the woman managed to dodge, Fischer would perish, his death driving a spear of anguish into her. As his hands approached, Tom¡¯s worry dissipated. They didn¡¯t react. Though she had three cores, she was a newborn cultivator and couldn¡¯t hope to match his speed. Satisfaction washed over his entire body, his chi gratified at being unleashed with violent intent. The closer he got to them, the more his core vibrated in pleasure, demanding he end these heretics. Their fate was sealed. They were as good as dead. They¡ª The cores in Maria¡¯s back shifted. One of them exploded into motion, shooting from her and for Joanne. Tom followed its passage, unable to stop his enhanced vision from tracking the anomaly. Said anomaly grinned back at him with needle-sharp teeth, giving him a little wave with one lightning-covered paw. Not even looking at her, the otter slammed into his wife. Joanne¡¯s body buckled, her limbs tense and pinwheeling as electricity jolted along her skin. Seeing another spirit beast appear and attack his wife, Tom refocused on his own task. Joanne was still alive, and it would take him only a moment to dispatch these interlopers. He leaned forward, shooting vines from his hands toward both Maria and Fischer¡¯s necks. Before they could reach Maria¡¯s, the other core in her back shifted. It darted up and over her shoulder, and an orange claw reached forward, snipping through his vines, then grabbing hold of his wrist. It was another spirit beast, a one-eyed crab covered in spikes and wearing an eyepatch. Blinking, he focused on Fischer. He needed to end the man and destabilize the rest. His vines shot forward, writhing over one another and wrapping around Fischer¡¯s neck. Tom snarled and clenched his teeth as he squeezed the vines, severing the foolish man¡¯s head from his body. But... nothing happened. ¡°Roger¡ª¡± Sharon tried. ¡°Don¡¯t you Roger me, Sharon! He has our daughter with him!¡± Barry shot a warning glare his way, but Sharon had already swooped in. She dragged Roger off to the side, no doubt intent on telling him not to display weakness before the dozens of possibly violent strangers huddled on the sand and listening to his outburst. No more pulses of power came, and though some heads remained facing Tropica, others drifted back toward the oysters Peter was cooking. When the chef brought over the first tray of them, none of Gormona¡¯s cultivators dared taste one, despite the alluring flavors wafting through the air. The fishing club held no such compunctions. They rushed forward, even Ellis skulking over to grab a couple before resuming his pacing. ¡°They¡¯re really good,¡± Theo said to the cultivators, then threw one into his mouth. ¡°Mmmmm.¡± ¡°Mmmhmmm,¡± Danny agreed, closing his eyes as he chewed. Keith walked over and grabbed a couple, taking one back to Trent. As he watched them eat, Barry raised an eyebrow at the Prince¡¯s transformation. He looked so different that none of the capital¡¯s cultivators had recognized him yet. The first of said cultivators, a stocky man with thick forearms, stomped forward and took an oyster. He peered down at it for a long moment, then hesitantly scooped it into his mouth. His face immediately shifted, his eyes flying wide and his jaw moving of its own accord. He swallowed, threw the shell aside, and grabbed another. ¡°Help yourselves,¡± Barry said. ¡°We didn¡¯t save you from the capital just to try and poison you in some roundabout way. Seafood is the basis of our power.¡± He raised an eyebrow at the stocky man as he ate his second oyster and reached for a third. ¡°How was the chi content?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± he replied, blinking for a second before he registered the question. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable! They¡¯re so small, but they fill you with power!¡± Following his endorsement, more of the cultivators came forward to try them. Each and every reaction was the same, and as they feasted and spoke to each other in hushed tones, a small smile crossed Barry¡¯s face. Helen squeezed his arm, feeling the exact same way. They peered on, content to let the former slaves enjoy their first moment of freedom. The vibe was immediately ruined when an otter, wreathed in lightning and unleashing a mighty chirp, slammed down nearby. She dashed for the oysters, all the cultivators taking defensive stances. ¡°Corporal Claws!¡± Barry chastised, but all he got in return was a mischievous grin as she started downing molluscs. Borks arrived a moment later, and when his portal tore open, Maria, Fischer, and Snips came through, carrying two limp bodies. Barry raised both brows as he felt the noble couple¡¯s cores. ¡°So, they were cultivators, huh?¡± ¡°Yuuuuuuup,¡± Fischer replied, bending down to steal an oyster. ¡°Mmmm. Really good, Peter.¡± Peter grinned back, but before he could reply, Anna stepped forward. ¡°Is that Tom Osnan Jr.?¡± Her eyebrows narrowed. ¡°And his wife...?¡± ¡°You know them? And yeah,¡± Fischer replied. ¡°Pretty fracked up, right? You guys were slaves, but these noble pricks have been running around hiding their power with these.¡± Fischer threw a pouch to Ellis. Its content clinked when he caught it, and as he pulled open the drawstring, his eyes went distant. ¡°Ceto¡¯s monstrous offspring!¡± he yelled, his eyes clearing. ¡°These are their rings?¡± ¡°Yup. They had ten each.¡± Taking one more oyster, Fischer strode toward Barry. ¡°So, mate. Looks like we might need a prison.¡± He pointed to Barry¡¯s belt and the pouch that hung there. ¡°What do you say we get up to some more fantasy-land shenanigans?¡± Barry shook his head, letting out a soft laugh at Fischer¡¯s casual return. ¡°I¡¯d love to. Let¡¯s go fix New Tropica.¡± Fischer paused mid-turn. ¡°New Tropica, huh?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± He tilted his head, then grinned. ¡°Nah, mate. I love it.¡± Barry returned the smile as they took off together, heading for New Tropica. Book 3: Chapter 7: The Alchemist Book 3: Chapter 7: The Alchemist With the sun¡¯s approach, the sky¡¯s color was starting to change. As Barry and I crossed the sand flats on the south side of the river, I marveled at the sea of stars above us. They¡¯d soon be banished, replaced by a brilliant blue of day. I tried to burn their image into my mind as and breathed deep of the cold night air. The moment we entered the forest near New Tropica, an odd sensation shattered my mindfulness. The bag of pearls on Barry¡¯s belt thrummed with power and we both froze, staring down at them. As if in protest of our hesitation, the leather container shifted, moving subtly toward the west where we¡¯d find the System-built buildings. Sharing a smirk, we resumed our passage, racing through the trees. By the time we stood within the main crossroads, the pearls demanded that we use them. Without a word, Barry and I sat cross-legged. He removed the bag from his belt and set it down between us as we closed our eyes. ¡°Ready?¡± he asked. ¡°Ready,¡± I confirmed, extending my awareness toward the pouch of chi potential right beside me. The pearls drew me in, and just like the coins, they began dissolving into clouds of power. Unlike the gold coins, however, they didn¡¯t all dissipate at once. The moment two of them had become chi, their essence shot off to my left, entering the building I knew to be the smithy. Another two went off to the tailoring building. Three tunneled to my right and sunk into the amphitheater, permeating its stone bricks. A full thirty of them accumulated before winding through the streets and entering the prison; I followed their passage, watching in my mind¡¯s eye as the entire structure was reinforced, becoming impervious to cultivators. Barry was right there beside me, helping guide the pearls to where they wanted to go. The entire time we worked, a sense of supreme ease washed over me. With each building we reinforced, the world seemed... better. Like this was exactly what was supposed to happen. It reminded me of the way my chi flew out-of-control back in the capital, but I banished that thought when Barry gave me the mental equivalent of a flick on the nose. Sorry, I sent back, returning my attention to the task at hand. I had no idea how long it took, but when I opened my eyes again, the sky had shifted from black to a deep purple. I released a slow breath, feeling the life that now filled every building of New Tropica. Even the streets had chi flowing through them, seeming to connect the entire village. I peered down at the leather bag between Barry and me, and when I hefted it, the clink of pearls rang out. ¡°We didn¡¯t use them all?¡± Barry asked, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Nah, mate.¡± I stood and stretched, groaning slightly at how stiff my body felt. ¡°Man, last night is catching up to me.¡± ¡°I can imagine, I feel exhausted and I didn¡¯t do a fraction of what you did.¡± He chewed his cheek for a moment before giving me a questioning glance. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯re up to talking about how it felt taking a more active role in the church?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a force of nature, Barry.¡± I let out a weak laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll need to sleep on it first, but I promise I¡¯ll talk to you about it tomorrow. Or later today? Whenever I wake up. I can¡¯t even think straight right now.¡± ¡°Deal. Should we get back, then?¡± But then the explosion of chi happened. Solomon had been working on some pills at the time, having decided to stay up after being woken by the Osnan boy doing something just outside the village earlier that night. The moment the chi had burst from almost on top of him, he froze, which was the position he still remained in now, over an hour later. It was widely known among the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s leadership that the nobles of Gormona, those hidden cultivators that thought themselves the pinnacle of power, were just children that saw themselves as warriors. That they needed to rely on mortal alchemists for their pills was proof enough. That blast, though, had told Solomon a different story. If that was the level of chi they wielded, he had wildly underestimated the nobles¡¯ capabilities. They all had. It told of a level of control that would shred through Solomon¡¯s¡ªand the entire cults¡¯¡ªplans. Their obscuring haze was a defensive measure, designed to protect the prophesized Alchemist from prying eyes when he awakened. With the level of control that Osnan had just shown, Solomon¡¯s shielding would do nothing. Despite not having awakened his core yet, that burst of raw, overwhelming power had struck Solomon a physical blow. Even if his body hadn¡¯t been sent reeling, he instinctively knew that he stood no chance against such a being. Whether it was his base instincts or the knowledge that Osnan would snuff out Solomon¡¯s life if he discovered the whispers of chi flowing through him, the result was the same: Solomon wasn¡¯t going to move until the time was right. He was nothing if not a cautious man, and he had already charted his escape route for just such an event. The door was hidden behind and to his left, obscured by a clever system of hinges. It led to a tunnel he¡¯d painstakingly dug through the earth, a practice that caused part of the scorn the other cult leaders felt for him. It had taken him months to dig, his aged frame no longer built for such labor. It was all worth it, though¡ªhe may just survive this ordeal because of it. Normally, he¡¯d have relished in that fact, rejoiced that he had another thing to throw in the cultists¡¯ faces when he made it back to Gormona as the Alchemist. Now, though, all he felt was terror. Abruptly, another pulse of energy shot out into the world. It had the same feel as the blast that rocked him an hour ago, and a spike of glacial ice drove itself into Solomon¡¯s spine. As his knees wobbled with the knowledge he was about to die, he realized where the pulse had come from. Its source was far away, perhaps over a kilometer from the shed behind the Osnan household that Solomon now occupied. Tom Osnan Jr. was far, far away. Taking one last breath of the acrid air, Solomon whirled, heading for his secret door. He pressed its right side, causing it to swing inward on the hinges. Solomon slid it back into place and lowered the barricade, sealing the door off forevermore. He scrambled along the passage, his mind fighting his body¡¯s instinct to sprint through the pitch-black tunnels. He kept his footfalls as silent as he could, still worried about being discovered despite how far away Tom Osnan Jr. was. As he approached the exit point, his hopes rose. If he could make his getaway, nothing was lost. Solomon could retreat into the mountains to finish his ascension, and once he became the Alchemist, he would grow in power with the help of his alchemical creations, just as the prophecy foretold. Light peeked down from ahead and Solomon finally allowed himself to sprint toward it. When he got there, he threw the trapdoor open, poking his head out to ensure he was alone. The only things surrounding him were grass, trees, and birdsong, the feathered creatures calling out to each other as the light of day shone over the eastern horizon. He climbed out and closed the door to his tunnel, pausing to spare one last glance at Tropica. What he saw there made the blood freeze in his veins. To the southeast of the village, a giant tree grew from the ground, its vast canopy reaching for the heavens. Even if Solomon wasn¡¯t aware of House Osnan¡¯s plant affinity, he¡¯d have known it was created by Tom Osnan Jr. The tree rose in the exact spot he¡¯d felt a pulse of chi from earlier that night, its impossible mass having sprung up from literally nowhere. ¡°Persephone¡¯s luscious growths,¡± he swore, not even realizing he spoke aloud as he fell to his knees. ¡°Just how strong is he...?¡± Solomon scrambled to his feet and fled, focusing only on the forest before him. Book 3: Chapter 8: Fatigue Book 3: Chapter 8: Fatigue With the sun threatening to breach the eastern horizon, I gazed upward. ¡°... Barry?¡± ¡°Yes, Fischer?¡± he replied, standing right beside me and also staring skyward. ¡°Have you thought about how the frack we¡¯re going to explain this giant bloody tree?¡± My eyes roamed over its branches high above. ¡°It¡¯s taller than the big pineapple.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big pineapple?¡± ¡°Pretty self explanatory, mate. Picture a pineapple, but it¡¯s really big.¡± ¡°Yeah, I gathered that part, but what¡¯s a pineapple?¡± I turned toward him, raising a brow. ¡°You don¡¯t have pineapples?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Huh. I guess that settles the pineapple on pizza debate.¡± Barry just nodded along, knowing me well enough to not take the bait. ¡°Woah!¡± Came Sturgill¡¯s overly projected voice from towards Tropica. ¡°It¡¯s even bigger up close!¡± I glanced over at him, seeing the baker and his wife, Sue, leading a party of villagers toward the giant tree. Sue locked eyes with me, a gleam of amusement on her face. She was clearly enjoying her acting role. ¡°Barry! Fischer! Do you two have any idea how this got here?¡± ¡°No clue!¡± I replied, shrugging. ¡°It was here when we woke up!¡± The villagers fanned out as they approached the trunk¡¯s base, their steps hesitant and eyes awe-filled as they stared up at the canopy¡¯s shifting leaves. Toward the back of the mob, I saw two familiar faces, one white with shock, the other casting a worried glance at her husband. George and Geraldine. The former was panicked, and the latter rested a comforting hand on George¡¯s shoulder. I gave them a wincing smile. Poor George¡¯s social anxiety was back with a vengeance. They strode over to me and Barry, their eyes constantly flickering between us and the tree. ¡°Fischer...¡± George said, pausing to swallow. ¡°You didn¡¯t see this tree earlier? When you came to see me?¡± ¡°Nah, mate. It might have been here, though¡ªI was fixated on seeing your jewelry, so I didn¡¯t really look this way.¡± ¡°What about last night?¡± Geraldine asked. ¡°Did you two feel anything?¡± ¡°I felt nothing,¡± I replied. Barry tossed his head side to side. ¡°I might have felt something. I recall waking in the middle of the night, but I didn¡¯t know why.¡± The longer George stared up at the tree, the more his features seemed to pale. Geraldine squeezed his shoulder, and he took a steadying breath, closing his eyes as he exhaled. Poor bloke, I thought. Just when his anxiety was starting to get better, we hit him with this curve ball... I cleared my throat. ¡°Well, I¡¯d better get going. Lots to do today. See you all later.¡± Barry gave me a nod and the two nobles muttered goodbye, both still facing the giant oak that Lemon had helped create. *** As I strode between fields of sugarcane, the events of the last twenty-four hours caught up to me. Weariness settled into my bones, making my steps feel sluggish. Even my core was fatigued, its usually buzzing power dull and flat. My mind, too, felt lethargic. It was as if molasses filled my noggin, making it hard for the simplest of thoughts to traverse my head. Before I knew it, the surrounding fields were replaced by a desert landscape. I ambled over the sand flats, ever heading toward the rivermouth and the comfy bed I knew I¡¯d find there. As I rounded the back of the headland, a many-limbed form launched itself at me. I had neither the strength nor inclination to brace my legs, so I caught Sergeant Snips¡¯s happily hissing body, letting her throw me backward into the cold sand. She blew loving bubbles at me from atop my chest, shimmying her body in excitement. ¡°Hi, Snips.¡± I rubbed the top of her head, the sensation of her sturdy carapace giving me a modicum of energy. ¡°How are you?¡± Good, she hissed. Tired. ¡°Yeah, I know how you feel.¡± I replied, sitting up and cradling her in one arm. ¡°You looking for a nap, too?¡± She nodded softly, so I stood and strode toward my front door. But then I caught sight of the sun. It peeked its head over the horizon, beaming its light and warmth over us and washing away some of my fatigue. Despite the evening gone, Ellis¡¯s body was filled with vigor. The moment Borks reopened his portal, Ellis strode inside and grabbed the first of the artifacts. The rest of the fishing club followed close, picking up a relic each. When Ellis stepped from the portal once more, he gazed around the headquarters. Located in the heart of New Tropica, the room was bare save for the giant table in its center. Unlike the meeting room back at the underground church, this building had copious amounts of space, and Ellis took his artifact over to one corner, setting it down. ¡°How are you feeling, Ellis?¡± Theo asked, placing a relic beside Ellis¡¯s. ¡°I am well. How are you?¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Theo gave him an odd look. ¡°How are you not tired after last night? I¡¯m ready for a nap and I wasn¡¯t involved in a fight with the king.¡± Ellis shrugged and gazed at his surroundings. As Peter and Danny placed their loads down in the wrong places, he shook his head. ¡°Let me take care of the artifacts¡¯ positioning. You¡¯ve done it all wrong.¡± Peter opened his mouth, likely to complain, but Danny stepped in. ¡°Come on. Let Ellis take care of the layout.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ellis removed his notepad, checking the floor plan he¡¯d created. Most would see the organization as frivolous, but Ellis was nothing if not thorough. They were cataloged by size, purpose, and whether they were functional. One was of particular note, and as the rest of the fishing club brought them out, they were placed in their charted positions. Ellis¡¯s eyes lingered on that one screen, but he tore his gaze away. He could look at the Domain information after the relics were placed. ¡°Where is Keith?¡± he asked, turning toward Theo as the former auditor stepped from the portal with another artifact. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all right, Ellis? He¡¯s with the prince...¡± Ellis frowned. How had he forgotten that? ¡°Maybe I am a little fatigued...¡± ¡°Duh,¡± Danny replied over his shoulder as he strode for the portal. ¡°Even Borks is dead tired, and he¡¯s a millenia-old hellhound.¡± Ruff, Borks agreed, not lifting his head from where he lay on the stone floor. Keith had told them of Trent¡¯s outburst while Operation Sticky Fingers was underway in the capital. The prince had erupted in flames, having some sort of breakthrough and or breakdown. Ellis couldn¡¯t wait to document the event from Trent¡¯s point of view, but Keith had expressly forbidden it for now. Ellis sighed, shaking his head at himself. Now that he looked for them, he was exhibiting some signs of exhaustion. Being a cultivator gave his body an unrivaled level of stamina, but his brain still required sleep to function at its highest potential. He would need to rest for a few hours after the relics were placed. With each delivery from his friends, Ellis seemed to grow more tired, even his excessive stamina beginning to strain. Finally, Danny and Peter strode into the room with one last object. ¡°All done, Borks,¡± Peter called over his shoulder. Borks stood, dismissing the portal. He walked under the table, flopped to the ground, and let out a deep huff of air. ¡°Place it here, if you please,¡± Ellis said. Danny and Peter put the relic down where indicated and Ellis stretched, his mission finally complete. He made to leave for his new apartment in the housing quarter, but his eyes lingered on the screen from earlier. He ambled over to it, peering down at the words printed. ¡°Pretty impressive, right?¡± Theo asked, stepping up beside him. Danny snorted. ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. I¡¯m surprised you aren¡¯t losing your mind about it, Ellis.¡± ¡°He¡¯s more fatigued than he¡¯s letting on.¡± Theo patted Ellis on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll be back to your frantic self after some sleep, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°I really should go get some rest...¡± Despite his words, Ellis¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the screen. He read the words over one last time. Warning! Foreign Domain detected. Effect: 5% Suppression, 5% Bolstering, 10% Defense, 5% Growth. The foreign domain was, presumably, located in Gormona. Its effects were astounding. Compared to theirs, though... Local Domain detected. Effect: 20% Suppression, 20% Bolstering, 20% Growth. Evolution: all effects doubled. ¡°Forty-percent growth, huh...?¡± Peter mused, shooting a meaningful glance at Ellis. ¡°That beard of yours is going to grow out of control, Ellis.¡± Ellis leveled a flat glare at them, but that only made their laughter grow more fierce. Book 3: Chapter 9: Town Meeting Book 3: Chapter 9: Town Meeting Beneath a star-filled sky, I ran. Humanoid shapes sprang up from all around me, reaching out with ethereal limbs and seeking to slow me down. The sand beneath my feet was pitch black, and no matter how many steps I took, the distant horizon remained the same. There were no features, nothing to break up the dark monotony of the desert landscape except for the ghostly appendages grasping for my clothing. They passed through me, their fingers unable to find purchase. With each touch, though, my steps slowed. It was like I ran through mud, the power of my enhanced body no match for the ground¡¯s consistency. Though aware I was dreaming, I couldn¡¯t escape it. I tried to force my eyes open, tried to return to the waking world. But I was trapped. The more I wanted to leave, the more numerous the apparitions became. They stretched out, their forms elongating and wrapping around me. I came to a complete stop, smothered by their mass. Knock. Knock. Knock. My burden increased, even more of the apparitions grabbing hold. Anxiety coursed through me as I realized I couldn¡¯t breathe. Their weight was too much for me, and I sank further into the black sand, my chest constricting. Knock. Knock. Knock. My eyes flew wide, and I took a deep, shuddering inhalation, staring at the roof of my bedroom. I focused on the cold sheets touching me, willing the adrenaline pumping through my veins to leave. With each breath I took, part of my panic fled. Seeking further comfort, I rolled over to wrap my arm around Maria. When I patted her hard carapace, she hissed at me. Huh...? I cracked an eye to find a rather pleased crab staring back. Snips hissed again, blowing happy bubbles as she scooted closer. ¡°Fischer!¡± called a beautiful voice from outside my room. ¡°I¡¯m coming in. Barry needs¡ª¡± Maria cut off as she opened my bedroom door and caught sight of us. ¡°Snips! You man-thief!¡± Sergeant Snips, my longest companion and the cutest crustacean I¡¯d ever met, shimmied up on my chest, lowering her body to mine and hissing taunting bubbles at Maria. ¡°Oh-ho-ho!¡± she replied, stepping closer. ¡°You dare?¡± Maria launched herself at us, sailing through the air and crashing down with her arms spread wide. I grunted as my girlfriend body slammed us, wrapping Snips and me in a hug. ¡°Lucky you¡¯re cute, Snips,¡± Maria said, rubbing her carapace. ¡°Otherwise, I might need to take you out.¡± ¡°What time is it?¡± I asked, resting a hand on Maria¡¯s head. ¡°Midday.¡± She squeezed me tight, then extracted herself from the cuddle puddle. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s time to go.¡± ¡°It is...?¡± ¡°Yep! Everyone is waiting for you back in New Tropica.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Define everyone.¡± ¡°Oh, you know¡ªjust a few people. Barry, the church, the dozens of cultivators that you freed from slavery and brought back to Tropica.¡± She shot me a wink. ¡°Nothing major.¡± I groaned. ¡°Town meeting?¡± ¡°Yep. Let¡¯s get it over with, then we can come back here and...¡± She leaned in close and bit her lip, staring up at me as she whispered in a husky voice, ¡°... go fishing.¡±Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om I gasped. ¡°Maria!¡± She giggled as I threw a shirt on. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± I said. ¡°The sooner it¡¯s over, the sooner we can fish.¡± Ruff, he replied, not looking at all bothered as he wagged his tail down on the stage. Barry reached over and scratched Borks¡¯s neck before looking back up at everyone. ¡°Fischer, of his own volition, brought the cultivators in the grove with him. In his words, he didn¡¯t want to leave you behind and subject you to punishment or torture for your inability to stop us¡ªa task that was impossible given our difference in power. He wanted you to be free.¡± Zeke stood abruptly, clenching his jaw. ¡°You keep saying free, yet you threaten us with death.¡± Rocky stepped forward, raising his clackers in threat, but Snips dashed over and held him back. Zeke had tried to take a step back and half-stumbled on his seat, but as Snips got a hold of Rocky, he firmed his shoulders and stood tall. ¡°You removed our physical collars, yes, but how can people like us ever live free? Our very existence goes against the rules of this world. There are no gods to contain us, no beings that can keep our unparalleled power in check.¡± There was more than a little self-loathing in his words. I grimaced, feeling sorry for what he¡¯d been through. ¡°Simple,¡± Barry replied, his voice soft yet carrying over the entire crowd. ¡°We, including all of you, are going to raise Fischer to godhood.¡± At this, every face turned my way again. Their visages held the same mix of emotions as earlier, but this time, they were much more visceral. Deklan¡¯s former joviality was nowhere to be seen. As before, anxiety threatened to wash over me, but I knew what Barry was going for here. He¡¯d given them the stick, and now he was showing them the carrot¡ªproviding a path. A way forward. I swept my misgivings aside and grinned at the sea of faces, giving them a wave. ¡°How you accomplish this is up to you,¡± Barry said. A few faces lingered on me, but they slowly turned his way. ¡°You can craft. You can train. If you like, you can even go fishing. All we ask is that you contribute enough to support at least yourself, and if we ever need to defend the village, you will be expected to help. Besides that, as long as you do nothing to harm anyone or our mission, you¡¯re free to do as you please. First, though, we need to ensure that you won¡¯t betray us...¡± A pulse of power washed out of Barry¡¯s core as he trailed off. It vibrated the air, making everyone around me sink down into their chairs. It pressed into me, seeming to wage a war with my will. ¡°Damn,¡± I whispered to Maria. ¡°Barry¡¯s getting strong...¡± ¡°If any of you reach for your chi from this moment on,¡± he continued, ¡°you¡¯ll be neutralized. Don¡¯t give me that look, Zeke. We¡¯re not going to kill you, but any of us can have you unconscious before you even know what happened.¡± Rocky clacked his claws, daring anyone to give him a reason. ¡°Some of you might recognise this man.¡± Barry pointed to the side. ¡°This is Theo¡ªa former crown auditor.¡± Muttered conversation erupted from the crowd, but Barry¡¯s chi pulsed out again, smothering the noise. ¡°You¡¯re going to answer his questions. If any of you hold ill intent for us or our cause, you¡¯ll be confined. You¡¯ll be neither injured nor harmed, but¡ª¡± A man at the rear of the amphitheater stood and ran, but before he took his second step, a lightning-covered otter shot from the stage and tapped him on the back of the head, making him go limp. A woman behind me took that opportunity to flee, only to be descended upon and roundhouse-kicked by a coconut-sized bunny. Cinnamon gave me a thumbs up and a wink from atop her unconscious body. I shook my head at her enthusiasm. ¡°As I said.¡± Barry¡¯s voice shattered the silence. ¡°Neutralized.¡± He gave the crowd a smile. ¡°The moment you pass Theo¡¯s questioning, you¡¯ll be one of us. If any of you have misgivings about our purpose here, I highly encourage you to consider what we offer. If you had doubts or ill intent before hearing my words, you won¡¯t be punished. As long as your goals are aligned with us in the future, you are free. Now, I know this is a lot to ask, but is anyone willing to volunteer to be questioned first? I¡¯d like to avoid having to pick¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± someone at the front interrupted, standing. It was Anna, the first cultivator that had regained consciousness upon arriving back in Tropica. Theo hopped down from the stage and met her, giving her a kind smile and ushering her to the side of the amphitheater. As they started conversing, an unfriendly face jumped from the stage and approached. ¡°Dad...?¡± Maria said. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± He gave her a second¡¯s worth of smile before frowning again as he looked at me. ¡°I need to speak with you.¡± Maria sighed. ¡°Alone, I¡¯m guessing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be around here when you¡¯re done doing...¡± she waved her hands vaguely. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing. Don¡¯t take too long¡ªI still wanna go fishing today.¡± ¡°All right, Roger. Where to, mate?¡± He turned and strode up the stairs, pointedly not replying. I shrugged, then gave Maria a quick kiss before jogging after him. Book 3: Chapter 10: Blade Book 3: Chapter 10: Blade As I trailed Roger up the stairs from the amphitheater, I glanced back toward the stage. From the looks on the congregation¡¯s faces, they knew the subject of the conversation I was about to have. Sharon waved at me, giving me a reassuring smile that did wonders for my racing imagination; if she was happy about our little chat to come, it couldn¡¯t be too bad... right? Sergeant Snips blew me a kiss from the far end of the stage, and I mimed catching it and shoving it into my top pocket. Roger hadn¡¯t slowed for my little moment of friendship, so I hustled to catch up. He was marching across the street, headed for the main crossroads. ¡°Where are we going, mate?¡± I asked, trying to sound relaxed as I came up beside him. ¡°Smithy.¡± I waited for more of an explanation, but it didn¡¯t come. I focused on the warm rays of sun beaming down from above, doing my best to not overthink. When we strode into the smithy, I gazed around at the tool-filled room. It was just as I¡¯d left it last time, except there for a few additions. A pile of metal ingots sat beside each furnace, waiting to be used. There were metal bins of coal beside each stack of metal, ready to fuel the heat necessary for smelting. And on the other side of each coal container, there were sealed sacks of gods knew what. ¡°So... what are we doing here?¡± I asked. Roger walked over to a furnace, checking it over. ¡°I tried every profession we could think of when we were trying to make Gormona think I was actually an entire flock of birds. Blacksmithing was the one I found I had the most affinity for.¡± I could tell that was all the answer I was going to get, so I just watched as he pressed a button set in the wall. Chi moved beneath me, circulating around the stone floor. As it passed the furnace by Roger, it flowed through it, and transformed into fire-aspected essence via some Xianxia-land shenanigans that I had no hope of comprehending despite my enhanced awareness. ¡°Make yourself useful,¡± Roger grumbled as he shoveled coal into the furnace. ¡°Place ten ingots in a large crucible.¡± I retrieved said crucible and took it to the blazing forge, pausing a moment to stare at the mostly translucent flames flickering within. Roger was at a metal bench on the side of the room, and with his back to me, he cleared his throat. ¡°I realize that I¡¯ve been... adversarial. I also realize that without context, my actions likely don¡¯t make sense.¡± I considered how to reply as I placed the ingots into the crucible, deciding that it was best to let him continue when he was ready. I was starting to infer the reason for Roger bringing me here; the grizzled veteran seemed ready to open up, even if only a little. ¡°Add two scoops of carbon,¡± he said, his back still to me. ¡°Right. Carbon. Which is...?¡± ¡°The charcoal dust in the sacks over there.¡± He waved with one hand. ¡°It¡¯s carbon. Add two scoops to the crucible, then put it in the furnace.¡± ¡°Oh... right.¡± A few moments later, I¡¯d added the requested scoops. I shot a glance at Roger before placing the raw materials into the forge. He was doing something with thick strips of metal, seeming to build a frame. I put the crucible into the furnace, and Roger fetched a bag from under his bench. As he opened it and started pouring, words ground out from him. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before that I was in the army, right?¡± ¡°You did, yeah,¡± I replied, watching the glowing coals before me. ¡°The thing is, I¡¯m not sure you entirely understand what that means.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I poked at a stray coal that seemed too far from the others, the world itself demanding I return it to the center of the furnace. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± I stared into the crucible, seeing the ingots within still dark and cold. ¡°I was a career soldier,¡± Roger began. ¡°I enlisted as soon as I was of age. I was proud to serve my kingdom. Proud to fight for my loved ones and preserve their way of life. It wasn¡¯t all sunshine and glory, but I never regretted my choice. War...¡± He let out a long sigh. ¡°As horrific as war is, the bonds forged there are incomparable. I made lifelong friends while a soldier. Family, really.¡± ¡°As you can imagine, the cultivator¡¯s joining the battle had dire consequences. No one can truly say who weaponized them first. Gormona¡¯s propaganda machine told us that the enemy had leveled a village unprovoked. The enemy accused us of doing the same, of sending a squad of cultivators after their king¡¯s head. In the end, it doesn¡¯t matter who made the initial attack. The result was the same...¡± After he trailed off, a long silence stretched between us. I concentrated on the etching I was making in the graphite carbon, trying and failing to focus my will toward creation. Roger grunted. ¡°There¡¯s no way to properly describe what happened when the cultivators joined the battle. The devastation was unparalleled. They were forces of nature.¡± Roger clenched his fists at his side. ¡°In a single attack, I lost my squad. My family...¡± He turned his back to me, clearing his throat and averting his eyes as he took a steadying breath. My heart dropped in my chest. ¡°Roger... I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I put my chisel down and fumbled for the right words to say. ¡°I can understand your hatred for cultivators. I¡ª¡± ¡°No, Fischer,¡± he interrupted, his throat hoarse. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± His core vibrated with fury, small whispers of chi radiating from it. Just like the flame-aspected essence roaring within the furnace, his power had a feel to it, but I didn¡¯t recognise it. I sent my awareness out, finding his chi... sharp. It had a deadly edge to it, and my instincts screamed to get away. Instead, I remained, sensing the odd fluctuations coming from his core. ¡°We were having a meeting when he arrived,¡± Roger said, his words quiet yet just as razor-edged as his chi. ¡°We were discussing what to do about the cultivator threat when a single man arrived in our midst. I threw myself to the ground immediately, which is the only reason I yet breathe. Everyone else, though...¡± Roger¡¯s power ebbed, and I thought it might return to his abdomen, but then it rushed back out even stronger than before. My body took a step back, my instincts screaming to get away from his chi. ¡°In the blink of an eye, they were torn apart,¡± he continued. So much essence flowed from Roger that he seemed to glow to my senses. ¡°There was the sound of a whirling blade, and where my friends had stood, only pieces remained. There was nothing I could do to protect them.¡± ¡°How did you escape...?¡± I asked, not sure of what else to say. ¡°The cultivator took a single step toward me, arm raised and ready to finish me off. He looked at my outfit and said, ¡®Oh, we¡¯re on the same team.¡¯¡± Roger¡¯s upper lip twitched, his body and core tensing. ¡°That psycho grinned at me. That cold smile he wore...¡± He clenched his fists so hard that his arms shook and muscles bulged. ¡°I still see it most nights.¡± ¡°Frack me, Roger.¡± I wanted to reach out and place a comforting hand on his shoulder, but my senses still screamed no to get close to the blade-like chi coursing from him. ¡°He¡¯s not here in Tropica, is he? That cultivator?¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied simply. ¡°He only had one eye.¡± ¡°Are... are you sure? Snips regrew hers. You¡¯re positive he isn¡¯t among those we saved from Gormona?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, Fischer,¡± he spat, whirling on me. ¡°Even if he healed or changed his face entirely, I¡¯d recognize that smile anywhere.¡± I thought I¡¯d find tears welling in his eyes when he turned my way, but they held only rage. A fire hotter than any forge roared within his gaze, threatening to burn away everything in sight. ¡°Cultivators are monsters, Fischer.¡± The air around the room stirred. ¡°They tear through humans and rip lives asunder. It¡¯s in their nature to destroy.¡± I wanted to tell him that wasn¡¯t the case. That we¡¯d be different. But then I recalled the feeling of ecstasy that had rolled through me back in the capital. My chi had wanted to roar free of my core. It needed to be expended, paying zero regard for the surrounding lives that would have been taken as a result. I believed I could control myself¡ªwas it possible for me to make that promise for everyone else? I trusted my friends in Tropica too, but what of the cultivators we¡¯d just rescued? I swallowed, my throat dry. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that of you, Roger. You¡¯re a cultivator too, and no matter how strong you get, you¡¯re way too stubborn a prick to let it control you.¡± I hoped my joke would bring a grin to his face, but the curl of his lip held no mirth. ¡°You¡¯re right on that front, at least. My power will be used to protect¡ªa blade to strike down those that would threaten anyone I love.¡± The essence running through the room seemed to respond to Roger¡¯s declaration. ¡°I won¡¯t lose anyone again. I can¡¯t lose anyone again.¡± The chi retreated, sinking down into the stones to get as far from him as possible. I lowered my brows as I felt it rush back up, but then I realized the truth. It wasn¡¯t the smithy¡¯s power; it was the world¡¯s. It swelled up from all sides, growing into an immense cloud. Without warning, it slammed into Roger. Book 3: Chapter 11: Apprentices Book 3: Chapter 11: Apprentices The cloud of power flew into Roger¡¯s core, expanding its bounds. When the foreign essence joined with his, it took on the same blade-like aspect. I knew what would come next, so I dashed forward, letting my own chi spew from my abdomen. A pure bubble of white wrapped around Roger and me just in time. Uncountable arcs of power shot out from him, slamming into my shield and doing their best to tear it apart. I raised another layer of chi between Roger and me, my eyes going wide as I felt the strength of each blow. If I hadn¡¯t been here, the smithy would likely have been ripped apart. No matter how reinforced the building was, the myriad waves of essence shooting from Roger¡¯s core were too numerous. Too sharp. Each projection¡¯s blade was sharper than a scalpel and stronger than forged steel. More still flew from him, striking the barriers I¡¯d raised and threatening to shred them. I clenched my jaw and focused my will on keeping them contained, but some slipped through beneath his feet, hitting the stone bricks there and cutting deep into them. Finally, his reserves died out, and the hail of blades came to an end. Roger slumped, his body going limp and dropping to the floor. I released my shields and appeared at his side in an instant, catching him before his head struck the ground. I sat him upright, holding his back so he couldn¡¯t fall over. He came to abruptly, and he blinked as he looked around, stopping only when his gaze landed on the bricks below. His swords of chi had sliced into the stone, leaving a flower-like pattern in the area beneath him. ¡°Was... was that me?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± I replied. ¡°I did my best to shield the workshop, but I couldn¡¯t get the barrier close enough to¡ª¡± My head darted toward the doorway as I felt nature chi approaching. Corporal Claws skidded to a stop, lightning still wreathing her body as she peered into the workshop. I gave her a thumbs up and a small shooing gesture. She grinned, waved, and dashed from sight. ¡°What happened?¡± Roger asked, still staring down. ¡°You had a breakthrough, mate. You¡¯ll feel chi better now, and you might be able to extend your abilities along objects. It could only be System-made items, though...? I¡¯m not really sure. I¡¯ve only managed to do it with my fishing rod.¡± ¡°Breakthrough...¡± Roger repeated, tasting the words. ¡°You mean that time you lost control like a moron and almost blew up Theo, Barry, and the hellhound?¡± ¡°Hey! First, his name is Borks. You know that. Second, you almost did the same! If not for me being here, you would have...¡± I narrowed my eyes at the¡ªwas that a spark of amusement in his eye? ¡°You¡¯re fracking with me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Before he could reply, another source of chi approached. Ellis appeared in the doorway with Sergeant Snips¡¯s claw hooked around his leg, trying to stop him from entering. ¡°I just need to speak to them for a moment. I will not take up much of their¡ª¡± A mass of fur slammed into him. Claws rode Borks¡¯s bulldog form into battle, giving me a wide grin as they took out Ellis¡¯s legs. Before he could fall to the ground, Cinnamon appeared. She was as fast as a bullet, and she struck Ellis¡¯s airborne body with a vicious flying kick. He flew from sight, and half a second later, I heard the sound of him striking something in the far distance. Claws gave me a thumbs up, scooped Cinnamon out of the air, and smacked Borks on his rotund rump. Her noble steed took off, his paws scrambling for purchase on the stone street for a moment before they disappeared from view. I shook my head, grateful for their intervention and not at all surprised by their methods. When I turned back to Roger, he was staring at his hands, somehow blissfully unaware of Ellis¡¯s ejection. ¡°Well, mate,¡± I said. ¡°It looks like you might get your wish.¡± ¡°My wish?¡± he asked, slowly looking up at me. ¡°To protect everyone. Other than me, you¡¯re now the strongest cultivator we know.¡± ¡°How much stronger...?¡± ¡°Your core is still a little weaker than mine, but the next person after you isn¡¯t even close.¡± He pursed his lips, getting lost in his thoughts. ¡°You were right about my increased awareness. I can feel the chi everywhere. It¡¯s¡ª¡± His head shot around to stare at the furnace. ¡°I... I can feel the aspect of the essence there. It¡¯s fire. It wants to consume...¡± ¡°Yep. And I can feel your blade aspect. Or maybe it¡¯s a sword aspect? I don¡¯t really know, to be honest. One thing¡¯s for sure: it¡¯s sharp as frack.¡± His hand drifted down to his abdomen, and as he tested his core, he smiled faintly. It was the closest thing to joy I¡¯d ever seen cross his face, other than when he was looking at Maria or Sharon. I knew exactly what he was feeling; I¡¯d felt much the same after my breakthrough. Even now, I could recall how ¡®right¡¯ the world seemed afterward. Like I was closer to who I was meant to be. ¡°First off, that¡¯s sexist. Second, because I don¡¯t bloody want to. I¡¯ve lived that life, Roger. All it brings is misery!¡± I sighed as we set down the crucible, its contents having been emptied. ¡°I want to spend my time with the woman I love, my friends, and do as much fishing as humanly possible. Why is that so bad?¡± Roger shook his head. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find your friends more and more unreachable, Fischer. Do you really think all our problems are gone now that you freed the cultivators from Gormona? If you truly believe that, you¡¯re more of a fool than you look. It doesn¡¯t matter how many people you beat down or defeat¡ªanother will come crawling from the woodwork. There is always a bigger bully waiting their turn.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, that might all be true, but we need to set it aside for now.¡± I closed my eyes for a moment, willing my growing frustration to disappear. ¡°Why?¡± Roger demanded. ¡°You got somewhere better to be?¡± ¡°What? No. We need to pour our will into the barbecue.¡° I pointed down at the cooling metal. ¡°We haven¡¯t got long to shape it.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Roger¡¯s pout looked almost sheepish, and I tried to sear it into my memory. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, staring back down at the mold. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± As I focused on the still-molten iron, my awareness instinctively felt Roger¡¯s chi. It still had the same qualities¡ªlike it could lash out and cut at any moment¡ªbut it was now in control. As he directed it down towards the barbecue plate to be, I sent all my attention with it, banishing the concept of him being a threat from my mind. Roger¡¯s challenge left me on edge, but with each passing second, I sank more and more into the present. Essence flowed all around us, the world¡¯s reserves swiftly returning after so much of the surrounding strands had rushed into Roger. They wound by, languidly traveling to and fro. As my chi caressed the metal, I pictured what I wanted to create. A slab of cast iron, large enough to cook meals for all of my pals. I wanted it to be a source of sustenance, community, and friendship. Following my lead, Roger¡¯s will joined mine. I felt the mental equivalent of a mocking laugh come from him when he understood the intentions I was guiding the creation with, but he quickly swept his derision aside and reinforced my plans with his intent. Power pulsed from both of our cores, traveling down into the cooling mold. The stone bricks of the smithy seemed to vibrate, responding to our efforts. The world¡¯s essence answered too, oozing in from all sides, almost inquisitively. Then, it raced toward the metal. As it had done to Roger, chi slammed into the barbecue plate. I increased the amount coming from my core, letting as much out as the universe demanded. Roger did the same, and after only a few seconds, it began taking shape. Usually, when the transformation of System-made objects began, the item would blur, becoming impossible to focus on. This time, I saw each adjustment in exacting detail. The barbecue plate... wobbled, for lack of a better word. It moved like a liquid, rippling and never quite sitting still. The edges slowly expanded, making the thick frame splinter and warp. Graphite carbon poured out onto the workbench as the barbecue plate took shape, becoming defined once more. White light exploded from it, bathing me in warmth, and suddenly, even brighter beams shone from Roger, making my core hum. I exhaled, looking up at our creation as Roger caught the bag of coins that appeared in the air beside him. I¡¯d thought the original mold he created was big; the thing sitting on the bench before us made it pale by comparison. The plate had almost quadrupled in size, and if it had gotten any larger, it wouldn¡¯t have fit out the smithy¡¯s door. It was thicker too, having somehow used our chi to add extra metal. More importantly, it was no longer just a plate¡ªit had grown legs. A hollow body sat beneath its cooking surface, perfect for burning wood within. And a chrome button had sprouted on the front, which I suspected was some sort of fire starter. I couldn¡¯t contain my excitement; I had a whole-ass barbecue. My eyes were drawn into it. Cast Iron Barbecue of the Ascendant Apprentices Rare Created by kindred blacksmith apprentices, this barbecue is a representation of their bond. Food cooked upon its surface receives a boost to chi content and may be granted a random boon. Requirement: 25 cooking. A random boon...? I wondered, shaking my head to dismiss the words. ¡°Damn, Roger,¡± I said, smirking and raising an eyebrow his way. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re kindred spirits...¡± ¡°Shut up, Fischer,¡± he growled, but I didn¡¯t miss the hidden smile as he stared down at our creation. Book 3: Chapter 12: Memories Book 3: Chapter 12: Memories After Roger and I set the barbecue down, I took a step back, smiling at the sight. We¡¯d carried it all the way back to my home, and now that it sat on my back deck, an immutable sense of joy washed over me. I finally had a barbecue. I would have been content with just a thick slab of cast iron that I could place over a fire, but the System had given me so, so much more. I heard voices coming from the river, and I spun, seeing a procession of humans and creatures carrying firewood. ¡°I still do not see why you had to hit me so hard, Cinnamon,¡± Ellis said, using one hand to rub his backside. ¡°That would have killed a regular human.¡± ¡°Well, good thing you¡¯re a cultivator then, huh?¡± Barry replied, shooting me a quick smirk. ¡°It was your own fault for ignoring Corporal Claws¡¯s orders, anyway.¡± Claws nodded fervently from atop Borks¡¯s back, chirping and giving Cinnamon a thumbs up, who was cradled in Maria¡¯s arms at the rear of the group. Ellis sighed. ¡°I will not apologize for getting excited about an advancement. Every second the data is not recorded is a chance for the memory to fade.¡± While Barry reminded Ellis for the umpteenth time that we have almost perfect recall as cultivators, I turned to Roger. He was staring down at the barbecue, a slight smile on his face as his eyes roamed over its black frame. ¡°Roger,¡± I said. ¡°What?¡± he replied, reluctantly looking at me. ¡°Thank you, mate.¡± Clearly not expecting my gratitude, he paused a moment before sniffing. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± We both stared at the barbecue as everyone placed firewood down beside it, providing us with the necessary fuel to cook something amazing. ¡°You know, Roger, you don¡¯t need to eat any seafood if you don¡¯t want to.¡± I kept my face as still as possible. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to test out our little creation without you if you¡¯d rather go report your breakthrough to Ellis somewhere else.¡± I thought I might break if I locked eyes with the disgruntled farmer, so I glanced at Maria instead. Though she was trying to give me a disapproving glare, her eyes danced with humor. ¡°That would be ideal,¡± Ellis replied. ¡°The fewer distractions, the better. We¡ª¡± ¡°All right,¡± Roger boomed, whirling on me. ¡°Cut the shit, Fischer. You want me to admit it out loud?¡± A silence stretched over everyone, and I couldn¡¯t hide my wry smile any longer. ¡°Pretty much, yeah.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine. Have it your way. We both know I like the gods-damned seafood, okay? I didn¡¯t want to give you the satisfaction, but your constant comments are even more annoying.¡± ¡°Thank you, mate. That admission was everything I needed and more.¡± I spun toward the others. ¡°I¡¯ll get the barbie started. Do we have any volunteers to catch us some fish?¡± ¡°On it!¡± Maria yelled, grabbing a rod and sprinting off with Cinnamon still in arm. Borks trailed after her, Claws giving me a sharp-toothed grin from his back as they all disappeared from sight. Ellis began peppering Roger with questions about the breakthrough he¡¯d experienced. I retrieved my hatchet from nearby and started splitting a log, hacking off different sized bits of kindling that I placed in the barbecue¡¯s tray. When I¡¯d made a nice little teepee shape, I released a content sigh, staring at my work. ¡°So,¡± Barry said, kneeling down beside me. ¡°How did your conversation go? I tagged along to have that chat you promised me, but if Roger already convinced you...¡± ¡°Oh, we just spoke about the usual.¡± I waved a hand. ¡°Roger told me I was a bit of a nerd for not taking responsibility.¡± Roger snorted, having overheard us. ¡°And Fischer was all, I¡¯m a moron and would rather waste time relaxing instead of taking responsibility for my actions.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Barry said, deflating. ¡°There¡¯s no point in me trying to convince you to take control of the church, then?¡± ¡°Nope! Still more than happy to step in if anyone is put in danger, though.¡± I pressed down on the metal button on the front of the barbecue. Just as I¡¯d suspected, it caused sparks to fly out. They caught on the wood shavings I¡¯d placed in the bottom of the tray, and within the space of a few breaths, the flames spread to the smaller bits of kindling. The sounds of crackling wood and Ellis¡¯s scrawling pencil blanketed me in a sense of ease. Barry chewed his cheek beside me, his eyes distant as they stared into the building fire. ¡°I¡¯d hoped that you being willing to go confront Tom Osnan Jr. meant you¡¯d enjoyed taking part in Operation Sticky Fingers...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, mate. I did enjoy it¡ªespecially being able to release so much chi. That damned stuff wants to be used. It was like finally scratching an itch that had been bothering me for way too long.¡± ¡°So why don¡¯t you want to take a more active role? It would give you much more of a chance to use it. Plus, we don¡¯t know when the next threat will pop up. We could really use you as the visible head of the church, especially as a show of strength for the cultivators you rescued.¡± ¡°I already tried, Barry,¡± Roger replied for me, turning from Ellis. ¡°He doesn¡¯t care. Save your breath.¡± ¡°Can you really blame me?¡± I held my hands out, bathing in the warmth radiating from the fire. ¡°My life in Tropica is kind of amazing as is.¡± ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t harp on about it, but I hope you reconsider.¡± Barry stood and stretched. ¡°I meant what I said about threats. You never know...¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a threat, just let me know.¡± I gave him a reassuring smile. ¡°Point me at it, and I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault!¡± Aisa yelled, still pressing her head to the floor. Augustus exploded forward, flames burning through the back of his robe. He bent, grabbing her by the hair and lifting her face. ¡°What did you say, girl?¡± Aisa clenched her jaw, her eyes staring into his. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± He cocked his fist back, gathering chi there that burned white hot. With each bit he let out, his core demanded he release more. He should eliminate this wretch. Punch her with every ounce of power he possessed, ending her existence on the spot. Tryphena lay a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Just let her explain, father. If you still want to strike her down afterward, you can.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he replied, dismissing his power with no small amount of effort as he stared down into Aisa¡¯s defiant gaze once more. ¡°You have ten seconds.¡± She swallowed. ¡°The enemy was stronger than we ever could have imagined. There was nothing we could have done¡ªnothing anyone could have done. Fat Rat Pack and The Beetle Boys... they had leaders...¡± She trailed off, her eyes going distant. When they abruptly shot back toward Augustus, they were resolute. ¡°Either of those leaders could have taken on the entire capital¡¯s forces at once.¡± The king snorted. ¡°Impossible. You¡¯re mistaken.¡± ¡°Yet each of the handlers said the same thing,¡± Tryphena said. ¡°And the auditor confirmed their statements.¡± ¡°You really suspect that a single beast¡ªone that can¡¯t have been ascended for longer than a few weeks¡ªcould have taken on the rest of Gormona¡¯s forces? Could have taken on me?¡± He let out a bitter chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re even more useless than I suspected.¡± ¡°They¡¯re correct, Augustus,¡± came yet another voice from the entrance to his throne room. ¡°Really, Tom?¡± the king asked, making his displeasure clear in his voice as he gave his oldest friend, Tom Osnan, a flat glare. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯d show your face here after your failure at the grove.¡± Tom was a proud man. His indignation raged on his face unhidden. ¡°If I recall correctly, you failed too, Augustus.¡± The king stood, gathering flames around both fists, preparing to attack the man who knew him best. His core vibrated, demanding that he answer the insult with violence. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Augustus!¡± his wife yelled. It was enough to bring the king up short, and he turned toward her, arching an eyebrow. ¡°How many people need to tell you until you believe them? Tom wasn¡¯t lying!¡± As with the rest of them, she stared at him with unwavering resolve. ¡°Fischer, the one who was at the grove, was the man that learned the Chi Manipulation skill not long ago. We both know how many years it took me to learn. He¡¯s no simple cultivator.¡± ¡°His power, Augustus...¡± Tom said. ¡°It was like nothing we¡¯ve ever seen. Even compared to the old monsters, his chi was endless.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. It was both unaspected, yet supremely powerful. You¡¯ve already said so, and I¡¯ve already told you that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°The auditor vouched for his words too, father,¡± Tryphena said. ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Augustus licked his lips, a thorn of uncertainty pricking his awareness. ¡°He did?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± His wife replied. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ve been telling you!¡± He took them all in, seeing conviction etched on each of their faces. They were all so sure, but it wasn¡¯t possible. None of it made any sense... But then he recalled his fight with Lizard Wizard once more. Even that defied belief. Unlike the information everyone else provided, he¡¯d seen it with his own eyes. Felt it with his own body. Boat Goat, sans head, slamming him with his own tables. Lizard Wizard¡¯s immunity to attacks despite not using elemental chi. Bog Dog¡¯s portals, used too often for such a powerful ability. Hurtle the Turtle and the headless goat, who had both transformed into fireproof crabs when he unleashed an inferno. Glare Bear¡¯s unnerving eye contact and the way the creature moved¡ªwhat kind of self-respecting bear would slither around on the ground like a centipede? If it were all true, though... ¡°Ares¡¯s girthy spear...¡± Augustus stumbled, his flame chi retreating back into his abdomen. ¡°If you¡¯re correct...¡± ¡°We are,¡± Tryphena said, helping hold him upright. ¡°But we have an answer.¡± ¡°An answer...?¡± Laughter bubbled up from within. ¡°What, to swear fealty? What answer could there possibly be?¡± Tryphena looked at her mother, who nodded back reassuringly. ¡°We¡¯ve thought this over, father. Weighed the cost, risk, and benefit. There is only one way out of this...¡± His daughter looked into his eyes for a long moment, the air growing thick with tension. Eventually, she spoke a single word. ¡°Theogonia.¡± Book 3: Chapter 13: Fusion Book 3: Chapter 13: Fusion You might recall that one of the first lines of this manual is: ¡°Do not share this work with anyone other than the Kraken bloodline or their immediate family.¡± But since then, I have repeatedly stressed the importance of helping others. Selflessness lies at the core of our philosophy, and yet, these instructions are to be kept secret, given only to those we deem worthy. I am sure that you, a descendant of the great Kraken Rider, see the hypocritical nature of this expectation. It is an unfortunate necessity. The meditations contained within the House Kraken manual are a path to knowledge¡ªa road to power. If they were to fall into the wrong hands, great destruction could follow. So, what is a Kraken meditator to do? Where is the line between sharing enlightenment and endangering the world? If you were hoping for a black and white answer, I¡¯m afraid I must disappoint. It is up to you to decide. Fortunately, the guiding question is rather simple. Which choice is better for your soul? Excerpt from Chapter 13, House Kraken Manual Beneath the shade of a colossal tree, the lord of Tropica village took deep, calming breaths. George and Geraldine Kraken had both returned home, intent on resting after such a fraught twenty-four hours. Upon arriving there, however, sleep had eluded them both. They¡¯d even tried meditating, but neither of them could focus. So they wandered the streets instead, trying to overwhelm their racing thoughts with exercise. They stared up at the giant canopy stretching above the surrounding roofs as they walked, and without realizing what they were doing, they¡¯d arrived back at its base. Though the sun had beamed down on them, the air was frosty, the night¡¯s chill lingering. Exhausted and overwhelmed, George had sat and closed his eyes. The moment he did, he¡¯d understood the magic of this place. It was like nothing he¡¯d ever felt before, and within the space of a few breaths, he slipped into his meditation deeper than he thought possible. The world seemed to caress his very being as if he was supposed to be here. It was an alien yet wonderful experience. He focused on his breathing, each inhalation seeming to reinvigorate and fill George with power. Geraldine squeezed his hand from her position on the grass beside him, also lost within herself. Villagers milled around, no doubt giving them odd looks. George cracked an eye, his curiosity getting the better of him. In his wildest dreams, he¡¯d never have guessed to find what he did. The common folk were arrayed around them, but they weren¡¯t staring. Their eyes were closed, their faces peaceful as they also sat on the grass. Most didn¡¯t have the cross-legged posture that the House Kraken manual instructed, but some did, having either copied them or found it to be a comfortable position. Though he couldn¡¯t say why, the sight filled him with hope. He cast his gaze over the dozens of common folk, unable to stop himself from smiling. Movement caught his attention from one side of the trunk, and when he focused that way, he saw something that made his smile disappear. What in Triton¡¯s thundering conch...? he thought, gazing at the new arrivals. Five robed individuals came scuttling into view. They had their hands held up in the approximation of crab claws, walking sideways to mimic the movement of the small crustaceans one could see milling on the rocks by the shore. Hissing sounds came from them, and when one accidentally bumped another, the assaulted individual spun on the spot, lashing out with his claw hands. They postured, hissing at each other before turning and following the other three crab walkers. When they reached the rest of the villagers, they arranged themselves in a circle and crouched low. With his legs approaching of their own accord, George found himself standing above them. Geraldine had followed, also staring down at the confusing congregation. George squatted down beside one of the men. ¡°Excuse me...¡± The man¡¯s eyes shot open, glaring up at him. ¡°What do you¡ªO-oh... lord and lady...¡± His mouth moved inaudibly, clearly regretting his choice to lash out at. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± George replied, keeping his voice low. ¡°I wanted to know what you¡¯re doing? I find your posture...¡± ¡°Unique,¡± Geraldine finished, also whispering. The explanation seemed to mollify the robed man, and his posture relaxed. ¡°We are the members of Tropica¡¯s Cult of Carcinization. We are performing the duties of our faith.¡± Carcinization...? George wondered. At their muttered conversation, a few of the surrounding commoners glanced their way. Upon seeing the Cult of Carcinization imitating crabs, none of the common folk seemed surprised. Some smiled before closing their eyes once more. The cult must do this often... Following an impulse, he turned back toward the man. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Joel, lord.¡± ¡°Please¡ªjust George is fine. Are you the cult¡¯s local leader?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Joel replied, somehow appearing proud while folded like a deformed pretzel. ¡°Do you... mind if we join you?¡± Joel¡¯s eyes went wide, as did the rest of the cultists¡¯. ¡°We would be honored, George.¡± Joel turned to Geraldine. ¡°Will you be joining us too, er... my lady?¡± ¡°Geraldine,¡± she corrected, giving him a kind smile. ¡°I would love to.¡± ¡°Is that okay...?¡± the female cultist asked, giving Joel a meaningful look. ¡°It¡¯s our secret doctrine...¡± Joel waved his hand. ¡°We¡¯ve already shared it with Fischer. The more the merrier, I say.¡± The mention of Fischer made George pause, but then the crab folk scuttled aside, making room for them in their circle. She chirped, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as I scritched just the right place. A wonderful aroma rose from the barbecue. The scents of fish and wood smoke made my stomach growl. I stared down at the cooking filets, watching bubbles form around the tallow I¡¯d oiled the surface with. Just as the meal was almost ready, I heard a new arrival scuttling across the front deck and heading our way. Sergeant Snips slid into view, blowing a stream of happy bubbles that abruptly stopped when she caught sight of Claws smacking my forehead with both paws. Snips pointed an accusatory clacker her way, hissing a demand that she get down. Claws leaped to the ground in response, chirping back a downright rude insult. They stared at each other for a long moment, everyone going silent as we watched the standoff. Claws made the first move. Lightning erupted, wreathing her body as she shot for Snips. Ready for the ambush, Snips batted her aside, sending Claws flying into the sand. Before she stopped moving, Snips was on her, blue chi oozing from her carapace and powering her passage. Claws retreated into the river in the blink of an eye, pausing only to give Snips a rude gesture with her paw. I smiled as Snips dove into the water after her. ¡°Never a dull day, huh?¡± Theo asked, walking into view. ¡°Never, mate.¡± I agreed. ¡°How did it go with the cultivators?¡± ¡°Good! I got through them faster than I thought and we only had to imprison three more.¡± ¡°Five in total?¡± Barry asked. ¡°Those are better numbers than we expected.¡± ¡°Agreed! Even better, it was the newer cultivators that subdued them. They took it upon themselves to help.¡± ¡°See?¡± I asked, winking at Barry. ¡°You don¡¯t need me in control! It¡¯s all in hand!¡± Theo laughed. ¡°I told you Fischer wouldn¡¯t go for it.¡± Barry sighed. ¡°You were right, unfortunately.¡± I grinned at Theo. ¡°Did you come to try some barbecue-cooked fish?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t interested, but I actually came to tell you something.¡± ¡°Hold that thought.¡± I removed the now-cooked fish from the heat with a pair of tongs. ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡± I gazed around at my friends, seeing hunger reflected in their eyes. With practiced moves, I cut the fish into equal portions. Steam escaped as I broke the filets apart, making an irresistible scent waft over my back deck. The outside of the fish was crispy and had turned golden brown, a stark contrast to the white flesh within. I grabbed a bowl of salt, sprinkling it liberally over the meal. ¡°I think we should try it with just salt at first. We have plenty of time to experiment with our other seasonings...¡± I picked up the board and held it out to everyone. ¡°Help yourselves.¡± Maria strode to the end of the deck. ¡°Sniiips! Claaaws!¡± she yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth. Before she¡¯d made it back to me, the animal pals in question were racing across the sand. Everyone took a piece of fish, and I waited for Claws and Snips to claim theirs before grabbing one myself. I threw Borks a piece, and as it sailed through the air, we all bit down. My teeth crunched through the skin, easily parting the thin golden-brown layer. The flavor was subtle, yet undeniably changed from being cooked on a barbecue. The umami notes were deeper than only the salt should have made it, and I closed my eyes as the tastes washed over me. I lost track of my other senses, the delicate flesh melting in my mouth. An mmmm escaped Roger¡¯s throat. I stole a peek, smiling at his unveiled enjoyment of the seafood. ¡°Mmmm,¡± Maria agreed, leaning her head against my shoulder. I ate slowly, yet all too soon, the meal was finished. It definitely had stronger chi than regular shore fish, just as the barbecue¡¯s description said, but I was fairly sure the food hadn¡¯t been granted boon. ¡°Roger,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you for helping me build this beauty.¡± I gestured emphatically at the barbecue. ¡°I needed this in my life.¡± ¡°I wish you¡¯d made it sooner,¡± Theo added. ¡°Me too, mate. Me too.¡± I took a deep breath, willing the fish¡¯s flavor to linger. ¡°All right, Theo. What did you come to tell me?¡± ¡°Oh. Right. When we went to the cells with the five that tried to escape or failed my questioning, the Osnans were awake.¡± ¡°I guess one more adult job for the day won¡¯t hurt...¡± I waggled my eyebrows at Barry. ¡°See? I can take part without being the actual leader of a cult.¡± ¡°Church.¡± I waved a hand. ¡°Semantics. Let¡¯s go have a chat with some noble pricks.¡± Book 3: Chapter 14: The Seed of Rebellion Book 3: Chapter 14: The Seed of Rebellion With chi-filled food powering our stride, we made it back to New Tropica in no time at all. The moment we caught sight of the village, I stopped walking and leaned down toward Maria. ¡°Are you seeing this too?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± ¡°I was just wondering if the barbecue gave the food a hallucinogenic boon or something...¡± ¡°You¡¯re not imagining it, Fischer,¡± Theo said, assessing the movement on the street. ¡°You¡¯d be excited too if you¡¯d just been granted your freedom.¡± A dozen or so people were visible, all cultivators that we¡¯d brought back from Gormona. Most were by themselves, but four stood in a loose circle, animatedly discussing something. ¡°What are they doing...?¡± I asked. ¡°Crafting,¡± he replied. ¡°Or planning what to work on? They¡¯re doing whatever they please, basically.¡± ¡°Huh. Neat.¡± We resumed our passage. As people caught sight of us, they waved, nodded, or outright stared. I returned every nod and wave. By the time we reached the next street¡ªand the next wave of cultivators¡ªI sighed. ¡°My head might topple off if I nod back at everyone.¡± ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to return them, right?¡± Maria asked, smiling up at me. ¡°Yeah, but that would just be downright rude.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better,¡± Barry said, ¡°I¡¯d think they see you as some kind of god or something.¡± ¡°Yeahhhh,¡± I drawled. ¡°I wonder how that happened.¡± Though I put on a show of being bothered, seeing them act under their own autonomy¡ªand the purpose with which they moved¡ªfilled my metaphorical cup to the brim. I had brought them back to Tropica out of necessity; I couldn¡¯t live with leaving them behind and subjecting them to the crown¡¯s cruelty. I¡¯d wanted them to find meaning here just as I and the rest of the congregation had, but I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d adopt it so soon... ¡°It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± I whispered to Maria. ¡°It is.¡± She swept a strand of sun-bleached hair behind her ear. ¡°And it¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± I made a so-so gesture. ¡°Not all me. We might not have gone so far in the capital if it wasn¡¯t for Barry asking for our help.¡± She blew air from her lips. I raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Did you just blow a raspberry at me?¡± ¡°I did,¡± she replied. ¡°And I¡¯ll do it every time you say something silly. Are you telling me you¡¯d have gone to the capital and not come back with all the grove¡¯s cultivators? Our plan was to go and steal some passiona bushes. You¡¯d have gotten there, knocked them all out and defeated Tom Osnan Sr., and then just left them there? I seriously doubt it.¡± ¡°Okay, you might be right, but it would have been much harder to bring them back without Pelly and Bill airlifting them here.¡± ¡°Yet you¡¯d have worked it out.¡± She squeezed my arm. ¡°You always do.¡± ¡°We always do,¡± I corrected, resting my hand on hers. I peered into the smithy as we walked past, seeing at least ten of the new arrivals within. Duncan was instructing them while Fergus watched on. The head smith gave me a grin and wave, making the rest of the class turn and either wave or blanch. One lady did both. As we walked from view, Maria giggled, covering her mouth. ¡°Everyone showing you so much veneration will take some getting used to.¡± ¡°Right? I¡¯m gonna have to embarrass myself often and flagrantly to make them lose a bit of respect for me. All this admiration is uncomfortable.¡± Each building we passed had at least a handful of cultivators. Ruby and Steven were instructing their group together, showing them around a massive loom. Roger, upon seeing a group hefting farming tools like weapons, split off and marched toward them, grumbling something about ¡®foolish cultivators¡¯ under his breath. A man and woman were set up in the new tannery. I raised an eyebrow at Ellis, curious if he¡¯d go instruct them, but he studiously ignored their presence, clearly wanting to witness the conversation to come. A pair of shadows passed over me, and I craned my head back, smiling at the two forms gliding on unseen winds high above. ¡°They¡¯re keeping watch?¡± ¡°Just so,¡± Barry replied. ¡°At least for the first couple of weeks, we¡¯ll need to rely on Bill and Pelly to ensure we have no runaways.¡± I waved up at them and twin honks boomed back, loud enough to be heard from hundreds of meters above. With my head casting a smile up at them, we arrived at the prison. Someone yelled from inside. I shared a glance with Maria, then dashed in, following the words. As we passed the cells, I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at their construction. Even calling it a prison felt like a lie. Though each room was made of solid stone and had a barrier of bars blocking any escape, the walls opposite had reinforced windows, letting in the light of day and allowing the captives to see the forest beyond. Sconces sat between each window, magical flames burning within that cast an orange glow. Each cell had a plush bed, a table and chair, and plumbing, making the penitentiaries back on earth look like gulags. When we passed the first prisoner, I found him reading a book. It was the man that had tried to run, and I wondered why he¡¯d attempted to flee. Did he have some Stockholm Syndrome going on, still holding allegiance to the crown despite their treatment of him and his fellow cultivators? Was it more simple, and the man had just been looking for a chance to betray us and escape? Noticing us, the man looked up, scowled, then spat to the side. Maria and I raised our eyebrows at each other, but our amusement was cut short. ¡°How long did you know?¡± a voice demanded from up the hall. ¡°Stop playing games!¡± We sprinted up the corridor and around a corner. Keith stood with a reassuring hand on Trent¡¯s shoulder, who was shaking with rage as he stared into a cell. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± the voice of Tom Osnan Jr. replied, holding as much condescension as usual. Trent¡¯s fist lashed out, slamming into the bars. When it struck, chi rushed from his core and out of his extended limb. A gout of fire raged against the metal bars, but their power was absorbed and sucked into the streams of essence suffusing the entire building. If my awareness wasn¡¯t so advanced, I might have dashed forward and blocked the blow, but even if the bars weren¡¯t there to negate the attack, there was no killing intent in the flames that Trent unleashed. He was evidently pissed, but wasn¡¯t trying to assassinate the troublesome Osnan. Claws let out a coo I took to mean, ooo, very grumpy. We walked seven cells down the hall, and when we reached her, she was already staring a hate-filled gaze our way. ¡°Nice to meet you, Lady Osnan, I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°Leave me be.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you not have some ability to wall yourself off like your cowardly husband?¡± I projected the last two words, making sure they made it through the vines Tom had erected. ¡°If you ask me, it was pretty messed up of him to leave you alone to deal with our questioning.¡± Her mouth bunched at the corners for a moment, quickly replaced by bureaucratic stillness. ¡°My husband is a brave and trusting man. He knows I¡¯ll stand strong¡ªno matter what despicable methods of torture you use.¡± She turned to meet my eyes in an attempt to show an unyielding front. Theo snorted, shattering the facade. ¡°Lie. You think he¡¯s a coward too.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I added. ¡°I could tell that too, and I¡¯m not even a crown auditor.¡± ¡°Crown auditor...?¡± she asked, her eyes widening. ¡°Former crown auditor,¡± Theo corrected. ¡°Traitor!¡± she moved in a blur, striking out at the bars with an honestly impressive kick. Her strike was no match for the chi-enhanced metal, and her collar let out a warning beep. ¡°Strike one,¡± I said. ¡°Two more remaining. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll answer some questions for us?¡± After a few heaving breaths, she straightened her clothes, turned on her heel, and strode to sit at a small chair beside a writing desk. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Truth.¡± Theo shrugged. ¡°It was worth a shot, I guess.¡± ¡°Well, our offer stands for you too, Lady Osnan.¡± I turned to leave. ¡°If you want to live free, you just need to decide to be one of us. Theo will obviously vet your answer, but¡ª¡± ¡°I would never betray the crown. I¡ª¡± She abruptly cut off, her eyes widening on Theo. Before she could continue, she swiveled her chair to face the far wall. As we walked away from the captives, Theo smirked at me. ¡°Partial truth.¡± ¡°Oooooh,¡± Maria said. ¡°Spicy.¡± Ellis stopped mid-step, hunching to scratch notes in his notepad. I grinned. ¡°Surprising, to be honest. She was all too keen on attacking us when she thought we were regular humans. She even tried to kick Borks!¡± I leaned down to rub his head, the golden retriever shaped hellhound appearing not at all bothered by my mention of it. I took a deep breath as we stepped out onto the sunny street. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve planted the seed of rebellion in their minds, what are you guys gonna get up to?¡± ¡°I suppose I will go help those fledgling leatherworkers,¡± Ellis replied, still scribbling as he wandered away. ¡°Barry and I have some things to attend to.¡± Theo patted Barry on the back. ¡°Let¡¯s go, yeah?¡± Claws saluted, kissed Maria and me on the cheek, and leaped on Borks¡¯s back. She stood proud and tall, puffing her chest out like she was riding a horse into battle as she directed him to follow Barry. ¡°Godspeed, you little weirdo,¡± I said, causing her to cast a needle-sharp grin my way. ¡°So,¡± I pursed my lips as I looked at Maria and Sergeant Snips. ¡°Can I take it you two are...¡± I looked around. ¡°Wait, where¡¯s cinnamon?¡± Movement caught my attention to my right, and I turned just in time to see Pelly swoop down and collect the miscreant bunny. She gave me a wink as Pelly flapped her wings and returned to the sky. I shook my head. ¡°They¡¯re all as weird as each other.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you just say they¡¯re weird?¡± Maria asked. ¡°All right, you¡¯ve got a point there. We¡¯re all as weird as each other. Better?¡± ¡°Much.¡± ¡°Where was I? Oh yeah¡ªare you two free?¡± Snips nodded up and down, blowing happy little bubbles. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Maria said. ¡°I suppose I could spend some time with you...¡± ¡°Really? You would grace this lowly one with your presence?¡± I bowed at the waist and pressed my fists together. ¡°This one thanks you, elder sister.¡± ¡°Please never say that again.¡± ¡°You started it,¡± I replied, straightening. ¡°Truce, then.¡± She wove her fingers with mine. ¡°What did you have planned?¡± ¡°I want to go see some old friends.¡± I cast my gaze toward the forest to the north. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve been busy little bees since I last saw them...¡± Book 3: Chapter 15: Hivemind Book 3: Chapter 15: Hivemind For the first time in the last twenty-four hours, we moved leisurely. Our fight, flight, and general tomfoolery within Gormona had been adrenaline-pumping and surprisingly enjoyable. But now that I was walking hand in hand with Maria and had a genial crab riding my shoulder, I was reminded of what I truly enjoyed in life. The canopy above filtered out most of the sun¡¯s light, and as I looked up, a gust blew, making the leaves and branches dance languidly. When we reached the river, we leaped right over it, landing on the bank up-stream from my home. We walked in comfortable silence, all content with watching and listening to the world around us. As we drew closer to Lemon¡¯s clearing, an unmistakable buzz washed over the grass, calling us forward. ¡°Is it just me,¡± Maria said, ¡°or is that louder than usual?¡± I cocked my head, letting my hearing extend past the self-imposed suppression I enacted by default. ¡°Huh... it certainly sounds louder.¡± Snips nodded along, an inquisitive bubble floating away from her cute little mouth. A blanket of movement met us the moment we entered Lemon¡¯s original clearing. There were definitely more bees than usual. They practically swarmed the lemon trees. Individually, they were only tiny insects, barely noticeable among the shifting leaves. Together, they were an absolute sea of chaos, churning in every direction at the same time. Distracted as we were by the sight, Maria didn¡¯t notice a thin root extending from the ground behind her. Lieutenant Coronel Lemony Thicket whacked her on the bum, making her jump. ¡°Lemon! You scared me!¡± Lemon¡¯s tree swayed with laughter. ¡°I thought you were in the new grove...¡± Maria bit the inside of her lip as she stared up at the blue trunk. ¡°Are you here right now, or...?¡± Both, the wind seemed to whisper as it flowed past Lemon¡¯s leaves. I sent my awareness down into the ground, feeling what could only be described as a tunnel of chi running under our feet. It sped south toward New Tropica in one direction, and north-east in the other, connecting her with the giant tree that had popped up overnight. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Lemon,¡± Maria said, marching forward and wrapping her trunk in a hug. I joined her, one hand resting on Maria¡¯s back and one on Lemon¡¯s bark. Even Snips took part, patting Lemon and blowing bubbles of praise. Meanwhile, the bees continued visiting flowers above us, unaware of anything other than their purpose. I looked up, tracking an insect¡¯s passage as it left the tree closest to us and flew off into the forest. Its legs were laden with yellow pollen, and as it moved further and further away, I pursed my lips. ¡°Where is that bee going...?¡± Following my gaze, Maria and Snips tracked the subject of my wonder. ¡°Uhhh... back to the hive?¡± Maria flicked me lightly on the arm. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s not the direction of the hive...¡± I followed the bee¡¯s lumbering flight as it headed west toward the mountains. As we got further away, other insects joined it, heading in the same direction. Finally, we found their destination. They flew into a deformed knot at the base of an ancient tree, crawling down through a bee-sized entrance and out of sight. Snips scuttled forward slowly, her entire carapace cocking from side to side as she watched more of them disappear into the hive. ¡°I guess we know why there are more bees,¡± I whispered to Maria. ¡°Another hive has found the clearing.¡± ¡°At least one more,¡± she corrected. ¡°There were a lot of them.¡± Snips continued creeping up to the hive. A bee in the entrance made an odd buzz with its wings as she leaned in close and peered into the hole. ¡°Umm, Snips. You might be a bit¡ª¡± A few bees emerged, repeating the same buzz as the first. Within a few breaths, they were streaming from the hive. Snips watched them curiously, her contemplation only stopping when one tried to sting her sturdy carapace. She retreated a step, her movement drawing the rest toward her. ¡°Time to go!¡± I yelled, trying not to grin at the look of betrayal on Snips¡¯s face. We jogged back to the clearing, easily outpacing the riled-up insects. ¡°Did you know there were more bee hives visiting, Lemon?¡± Yes, her pulse of chi told me, tinged with amusement. ¡°Do you know how many hives there are?¡± She sprung a root from the ground and grew five strands of fiber from it. One of them was shorter than the others. ¡°Four... and a half?¡± Yes, she nodded. ¡°Lemon...¡± Maria smirked at her. ¡°How is there half a hive?¡± Rather than respond directly, she shimmied her canopy in delight, making passing bees avoid her general vicinity. Maria narrowed her eyes, but I just laughed. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re gonna have to find out on our own. Come on.¡± I gestured for Snips and Maria to follow as I strode from the clearing. ¡°We¡¯ll see you soon, Lemon!¡± Her shimmying only increased as we left, making me wonder why a half hive had brought her so much enjoyment. But I quickly forgot all about it. Twin rivers of bees flowed to and fro above us, those heading home covered in pollen, the others looking eager and ready to harvest. As always, Sergeant Snips was mystified by the little creatures. At one particularly crowded spot, she froze, simply watching their movement and blowing bubbles of awe. It reminded me of when we originally encountered the bee hive all those months ago, just after arriving in Tropica. Snips had been awakened for a matter of days at the time, and I¡¯d never have guessed I¡¯d grow to love her as much as I did. Since then, she¡¯d become an irreplaceable part of my life, and I couldn¡¯t imagine Tropica without her. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Maria asked, her eyes searching mind. ¡°Just remembering the first time Sergeant Snips and I found the hive. Even then, she was transfixed by them.¡± ¡°Guys! You had a kid! I¡ª¡± Another buzz came from within the hive, cutting me off. It wasn¡¯t the quiet drone of a single bee; it was a cacophony of wings, all beating with joy as they headed toward the hive¡¯s entrance. In a blurred stream moving faster than any unawakened creature could muster, the rest of the hive emerged. One by one, they came to fly beside their brothers. Each of them nodded and waved, their procession growing so fast that I just left my hand raised in an eternal greeting. The last of them finally joined the others, hovering on the spot in a cloud of yellow and black. Though there were so many of them, they were completely silent, the beats of their cute little wings not making a sound even to my enhanced ears. ¡°You¡¯re... all awakened?¡± The cloud nodded, every single one of the dozens of bees bobbing up and down. ¡°No way...¡± Maria said. I turned toward Bumblebro and Queenbee with a wide smile on my face. Instead of congratulating them, however, I narrowed my eyes at their positions. They were still kowtowing, pressing their entire bodies as low as they possibly could. Sorry, they buzzed. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. ¡°Why...?¡± Bumblebro darted up toward me, coming to hover before my face. Showing a complete disregard for my understanding of insectoid anatomy, a tear swelled beneath one of his compound eyes. Orders, he buzzed. I disobeyed. ¡°Huh? What orders?¡± He made a complicated series of tones that I had to listen to thrice before understanding. ¡°Oooh! My order to not make more awakened bees!¡± I raised my hand in realization, and he flinched away, fearing I¡¯d strike him down. Queen Bee threw herself at my feet, making a deep tone that I was pretty sure meant take me instead. ¡°You... thought I¡¯d be mad at you for having little bee babies?¡± Yes, he buzzed. Sorry, she added. Sorry, their children echoed, their drone so loud that I could feel it in my chest. All I could do was blink at them for a long moment. A low squeak came from beside me, drawing all of our attention. Sergeant Snips squealed like a boiling-over kettle, and with our gazes on her, she completely lost it. Her body collapsed to the ground as laughter hissed and bubbled from her. Queen Bee took umbrage and made a warning tone with her wings. Snips paused for a moment before laughing even harder, her legs spasming out to the side uncontrollably. Maria shook her head, smirking at the misunderstanding. I bent and picked up Queen Bee, placing her on my hand beside Bumblebro. ¡°I¡¯m not upset at either of you and you¡¯re not in trouble.¡± Sorry, Bumblebro started to buzz, but stopped. His eyes darted up, staring into mine. I laughed at the confusion coloring his face. ¡°You heard me, you silly little goose. How could I be mad?¡± The two lovers stared up at me hesitantly, shocked into stillness by my words. Then, as one, the tension left their bodies. They released great sighs, which I¡¯m pretty sure was just a copied movement because of their distinct lack of lungs. As both of them vibrated with sheer relief, their literal army of children joined in, the happy tones infectious and making my core sing. Maria leaned in close to the cloud of bees, her face beaming as she took them in. ¡°wow. You guys are super cute!¡± They danced in response, making her lilting giggle roll over our surroundings. I thought Maria¡¯s appreciation of them would be unmatched, but Snips immediately proved me wrong. The adorable crustation circled them, her lone eye sparkling in the light filtering from above. Maria picked her up, holding her out so she could get a closer look. They nodded in greeting, and Bumblebro let out a sharp buzz that I took to mean superior, causing them to nod again before giving her a synchronized salute. She returned it, preening under their attention. ¡°Everyone, this is Snips. Snips, this is...¡± I tilted my head to the side. ¡°Er... do they have names, Bumblebro?¡± No, he buzzed. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s gonna take me forever to think of names for you all. Any ideas, Maria? I¡¯m¡ª¡± No, they interrupted, loud enough for the sound to reverberate in my chest. ¡°Huh?¡± Maria asked. ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± ¡°You... don¡¯t want individual names?¡± They buzzed so hard in the affirmative that I thought they might spontaneously combust. ¡°Huh. Well, if that¡¯s what you want. I¡¯ll have to think on it, though¡ªa name is even more important if it applies to all of you!¡± Yes, yes, yes! they agreed happily. ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll let you know the moment I decide. Until then...¡± I glanced at the construction on the regular honeybee¡¯s hive. ¡°Did you guys make that?¡± When they confirmed it, I smiled. ¡°Do you guys make honey?¡± Bumblebro and Queen Bee shook their heads, making my grin spread even wider. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re open to suggestions, I might have the perfect job for you guys...¡± They let out a curious bzzz?, and I launched right into my sales pitch. Book 3: Chapter 16: Hivemind Book 3: Chapter 16: Hivemind Maria¡¯s hand was once more in mine as we strode through the lush forest. She rested a watermelon-sized rock atop her other hand that was so big I¡¯d almost call it a boulder. Bumblebro and Queen Bee sat on my shoulder, their wings twitching nervously. I reached up and patted the top of their heads with a finger, trying to reassure them. ¡°Sure you don¡¯t want me to carry that?¡± I asked Maria, pointing at the mass of stone she carried. ¡°Are you calling me weak, Fischer?¡± I gave her some audacious side-eye, only for her to wiggle her eyebrows back and shoulder pressed the rock with her enhanced muscles. ¡°Point taken,¡± I replied. Shooting a glance back at Snips and her layer of shifting clothes, I recalled my conversation with Bumblebro and Queen Bee¡¯s children before we¡¯d left. Because I¡¯d mentioned their renovation of the honeybee¡¯s hive, they originally thought I wanted them to build some things for New Tropica. While they could surely help on that front in the future, I¡¯d had something else in mind. Thankfully, they¡¯d been happy to go along with my plans¡ªecstatic, even. It had been at least a quarter hour since they¡¯d agreed, and they still buzzed their wings in excitement, making a pleasant hum wash over the surrounding trees. When we arrived back at New Tropica, the cultivators that noticed us showed the same level of respect they had earlier. This time, though, their gazes one and all drifted toward Sergeant Snips. She walked with her carapace held high, pride radiating from her. Eyebrows rose, muttered conversation sprung up, and all eyes remained mostly pinned to Snips, completely fixated on my guard crab and her enthralling outfit. Extending my senses, I found Barry. ¡°This way, guys,¡± I said, turning left at the main crossroads and striding for the new headquarters. As we entered, Theo and Barry turned my way. Borks, who was sleeping beneath an artifact, lifted his head, yawned, wagged his tail, and made to relax again. But then he saw Snips. He did a double take, his ears going alert as he stared at her noisy outfit. ¡°Oh, hello,¡± Barry said, smiling at us. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be off fishing by now. To what do we owe the...¡± He trailed off, his forehead creasing as he caught sight of Snips. ¡°Snips...¡± Theo pursed his lips for a long moment before continuing. ¡°Are you aware that you¡¯re wearing bees?¡± She blew affirmative bubbles, bobbing her head happily. The bees, who¡¯d been churning over one another atop their crabby steed since we left their hive, finally stilled. They turned their heads toward Barry and Theo, moving with perfect synchronization as they nodded and buzzed their wings in greeting. ¡°Bees?¡± I demanded, adopting the air of an indignant noble. ¡°Not mere bees, my well-intentioned yet misinformed friend! These humble insects are the progeny of one Bumblebro!¡± He puffed up on my shoulder, unable to hide his satisfaction with my words. ¡°And that¡¯s not all!¡± I continued. ¡°Their blood¡ªwait, do insects have blood?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Their lineage is so regal¡ªso powerful¡ªthat I find my thoughts addled! I ask that you brace yourselves, dear friends! When I reveal their mother, you might need to pick up your jaws from the floor! In your wildest dreams, you would never guess¡ª¡± ¡°So Queen Bee and Bumblebro had kids, huh?¡± Theo asked, projecting his voice to cut me off. ¡°Congratulation,¡± Barry said, smiling at Bumblebro and Queen Bee as they took flight from my shoulder. ¡°Are they all awakened...?¡± Barry¡¯s chi spread out, and when it reached the army of bees Snips was currently wearing as a hat, his eyes flew wide. ¡°They are! Amazing...¡± I¡¯d begun scowling when my monologue was rudely interrupted, and it had only deepened as they continued ignoring me. ¡°They feel strong for their size. How powerful are they?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Ellis is going to absolutely lose his¡ª¡± ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled, hamming up my petulance. ¡°I was mid-diatribe, you devious disciples!¡± Barry snorted, giving me a smirk. ¡°Disciples would imply that you were the leader of this church. Are you sure about that terminology?¡± ¡°Pshh!¡± I waved both hands dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m busy improving my dao. Consider yourself lucky that I haven¡¯t left for some closed-door cultivation.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Barry replied. ¡°You lost me.¡± My brain short-circuited for a moment, but then I realized he was talking about the bees. He must have heard me when I projected my chi earlier, and as I considered him, his eyes only grew more intense. Ellis had always been thirsty for knowledge, but of late, he¡¯d seemed almost manic in his information gathering. He visibly fought down the urge to demand an answer again, shivering as he stared at me. ¡°Ellis... are you all right, mate?¡± I asked, holding his shoulders. ¡°You seem...¡± ¡°Batshit crazy?¡± Maria suggested, quirking an eyebrow at the former archivist¡¯s shaking form. I laughed. ¡°I was going to say intense, but that¡¯s not far off.¡± ¡°What? I am fine.¡± He took a steadying breath, his composure seeming to return. ¡°I just wish to learn who the scouts are. Has someone else ascended?¡± ¡°Uh, kind of?¡± I pointed at Snips and the carpet of bees lining her carapace. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Bumblebro and Queen Bee had a bunch of children. They¡¯re all spirit beasts or whatever.¡± ¡°They¡¯re what?¡± Ellis dashed over to them and leaned in close. ¡°Remarkable...¡± He removed his pad and began scribbling notes, muttering something under his breath about their features. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Theo said, ¡°Ellis has always been so... passionate. It¡¯s likely just the fact that he¡¯s learning secrets he¡¯s dreamed about his entire life.¡± ¡°I can hear you,¡± Ellis replied, not looking up from his note taking. ¡°But I agree. You are the batshit crazy ones, as Maria so eloquently put it, for not being excited about everything we are learning.¡± He turned his back to us, adding a physical element to his verbal dismissal. ¡°Perhaps you should reassess how blessed we are.¡± I raised a finger and opened my mouth to reply, but came up short. ¡°Huh. He might have a point...¡± Bumblebro nodded sagely, landing on my shoulder and giving me a reassuring pat. ¡°Ah well.¡± I shrugged at Barry. ¡°That¡¯s all I really wanted to show you guys. Is it okay to leave the planning in your hands?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Wonderful. Snips¡ªare you gonna stay with our new bee pals or come with Maria and I?¡± She blew questioning bubbles. ¡°Agreed,¡± Maria said, looking at me in confusion. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Fishing, of course. I thought we could invite a new friend to try out our heretical lifestyle...¡± Snips nodded fervently, shaking some of the bees loose. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m in!¡± Maria said. ¡°Who are we inviting, though? I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve looked around recently, but we have a lot of new friends.¡± ¡°Deklan.¡± I gave her a wide grin before turning toward Barry. ¡°Do you know where he is?¡± ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡± Barry shook his head with a smile. ¡°Last I saw him, he was at the smithy.¡± ¡°Perfect. Catch you guys later.¡± The sound of Borks¡¯s claws scrabbling on the stones came from the headquarters, having slept through the demonstration but never one to miss out on a little fishing. Bumblebro and Queen Bee chose to come along too, riding on my shoulder. With Maria¡¯s hand in mine and a handful of my animal pals along for the ride, we headed off toward the smithy. Book 3: Chapter 17: Oh Baby, a Triple Book 3: Chapter 17: Oh Baby, a Triple When the sand beneath my feet turned to rocky headland, I took a deep breath of the salt-filled air. I had all the things I could need; an armful of rods, a smattering of friends with me, and Maria. As a stiff breeze blew past, Bumblebro and Queen Bee crawled down from my shoulder to take refuge in my pocket. Their cute little heads poked out, gazing at the surrounding landscape in the afternoon light. Deklan, Maria, Snips, and Borks followed right behind me. I stole a glance at Deklan. As with every time we¡¯d interacted, the man was a walking contradiction. When I¡¯d invited him to come fishing, he seemed excited. Filled with anticipation. He¡¯d grown up in Gormona, so had been well and truly indoctrinated to believe that anything water-related was going against the gods, yet that didn¡¯t deter him. But then I mentioned that I¡¯d also invited the crown prince to come fishing. A dark cloud had crossed Deklan¡¯s face, and even now he remained somber, simply staring at the ground as we crossed the slick rocks. I shared a glance with Maria, both subtly wincing at my misstep. Refocusing, I took a deep breath, tasting the salty air once more. If he¡¯s anything like me, I thought, a little fishing will do wonders for his worries. As we stepped onto the section of rockwall that was System generated, I set down my armful of rods. Maria placed the tackle box beside them, squeezing my arm before stepping back. ¡°Okay,¡± I said, smiling at Deklan. ¡°I think it¡¯s best we start with the basics, so I¡¯ll show you how to tie the knots. Would you mind catching us some bait, Maria?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± She flicked open the tackle box and removed a sabiki rig, not wasting a moment in tying it to her rod. ¡°One eel coming right up¡ªhopefully a stinky one.¡± As she walked over to the side of the rockwall and cast out, I ran Deklan through making a paternoster rig. His hands were rough and calloused despite his often lackadaisical nature, reflective of the training he¡¯d done as a member of the capital¡¯s guard forces, and though he wasn¡¯t yet a cultivator, he emulated the knot expertly on the first attempt. ¡°How does it look?¡± he asked, holding it up. ¡°Perfect, mate. Now all we need is some bait.¡± ¡°Working on it!¡± Maria called, staring calmly at the water. I watched her for a long moment, lost in the way her hair swayed in the soft breeze, but then I felt someone approaching. I recognized the chi signature, and as I turned Keith¡¯s way, I spotted the man walking beside him. Trent, the crown prince of Gormona, had a pensive expression. ¡°G¡¯day, guys!¡± I said, standing. ¡°Deklan, you¡¯ve met Keith and Trent?¡± ¡°Trent...?¡± Deklan asked, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Fischer...¡± He leaned in close, whispering, ¡°That¡¯s the Trent you were talking about? He¡¯s not the prince...¡± I rubbed the back of my head. ¡°Er, they can hear you, mate. Cultivator hearing and all that. It¡¯s a long story, but that¡¯s definitely the prince.¡± Deklan¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend, but I¡¯d recognise him. I¡¯ve seen him countless¡ª¡±Vissit for updates ¡°Hello, Deklan,¡± Trent replied, the sadness in his eyes betraying the fake smile he gave. ¡°You once told me that only my opinion of myself mattered, and that I should ignore my family¡¯s insults. I believe I threw a jug of wine and a half-eaten pastry at you for your kindness.¡± Deklan froze. ¡°It... what?¡± His eyes widened as he looked Trent over. ¡°It¡¯s... really you?¡± ¡°It is. I¡¯m sorry for how I treated you previously. It...¡± He clenched his jaw, a hint of fire entering his eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t myself.¡± ¡°Uh, I mean... that¡¯s... okay?¡± Deklan asked, looking at me, then back to Trent, clearly flummoxed. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you remember me...¡± ¡°Cultivator,¡± Trent replied, pointing at his chest. ¡°I remember pretty much everything, unfortunately.¡± A silence stretched between us, and I let it linger for a moment, making sure they weren¡¯t going to continue. Borks slid over and licked my leg, wagging his tail up at me and calming my racing mind. ¡°Okay,¡± I said, patting Borks¡¯s head and giving him a smile. ¡°Now that everyone has been reintroduced, do you need my help setting up?¡± ¡°No,¡± Keith replied, ¡°I¡¯ve got it. Trent only wants to watch for now.¡± ¡°No worries! I brought all the spare rods in case you change your mind. I might go help Deklan cast out, then.¡± ¡°Think you can do that, mate?¡± I asked. ¡°I cast to the left, so send yours out to the right. It¡¯s a whole thing if our lines get tangled.¡± ¡°I think I can,¡± Deklan replied, stepping forward. He held his rod over his shoulder, watched the hook and sinker for a long moment, then lobbed it out to sea. The angle was a bit off and it sailed higher than intended. When it hit the water, it hadn¡¯t gone as far as mine did. He gave me a grimace. ¡°Should I try again?¡± ¡°Nah, that¡¯s good! That was outstanding for a first cast. Wind your line in like I did, then rest your finger on the line. You¡¯ll feel it when a fish bites.¡± He nodded, an intense look of focus on his face that made me smile. I sat down on the rocks, getting comfy as I leaned into the sensations of my body. The wind blew fitfully, washing over me in small bursts that made my clothes ripple and tickle my skin. Though the breeze was cold, the afternoon sun shone down from above, a perfect counterpoint that canceled out winter¡¯s chill. Small waves crashed on the rocks beneath us, causing droplets of water to hit my legs. The longer I focused on the myriad sensations peppering me, the deeper I sunk into the moment. I slipped into a meditative state without even realizing it, the shape of my body melting away and becoming a cloud of feeling. The chi coursed through the world all around me, sweeping this way and that. It reminded me of the ocean¡¯s churning waves, the lines of essence a part of something greater¡ªsomething whole. There was a kernel of truth in that realization, my core seeming to hum its agreement. I felt at the boundary of my core, marveling at how far it had come in my short time in this world. Something tugged at my attention, and I tried to sweep it away, content with being lost within myself. It came again, and I shook my head, slowly returning to the world. ¡°Fischer!¡± Maria called. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked, turning toward her voice. She was beside me, her rod in hand and line out between Trent and I. She gave me an exasperated look. ¡°Your rod, you goose!¡± ¡°What?¡± I turned forward, seeing my rod bent almost in half, its tip twitching. ¡°Oh!¡± I shot to my feet. ¡°Fish on!¡± ¡°No kidding!¡± she replied, a laugh bubbling up from her throat. ¡°Lucky it hooked itself, you peanut!¡± ¡°O-oh!¡± Deklan yelled. His eyes were pinned to his rod. ¡°I think I had a bite¡ª¡± With all our gazes on his rod, it bent fully in half, cutting his sentence short. ¡°F-Fish on?¡± he yelled, sounding more like a question than a statement. ¡°Double hookup!¡± Maria beamed at us. ¡°Keep your like tight, Deklan. Fischer doesn¡¯t use barbed hooks, so if it goes slack, the fish can¡ª¡± She cut off as something massive struck her line. ¡°Whoa! Fish on!¡± She laughed uproariously. ¡°Triple hookup!¡± All three of the fish fought valiantly, never once tiring as we dragged them toward the rocks. Unlike other creatures I¡¯d battled on the end of my line, whatever these fish were, they never changed tack; they fought to escape with everything they had the entire time. With my enhanced body, I brought my fish to the rocks first. When I caught sight of its body, my forehead creased. It was smaller than I¡¯d expected, the fish having put up a fight that belied its size. But adrenaline quickly swept my confusion away; it was a new species. I lifted it up from the water by holding the line and got a good look at it. The first thing I noticed was the razor-sharp teeth lining its mouth. It flopped around in the air, just as energetic without the water as it was within. As Maria and Deklan pulled theirs from the water, my fish drew my vision in. As I shook my head, clearing my field of view of the description, my eyes went wide. I looked over at Maria, seeing her vision distant as she inspected hers. The moment they cleared, her head darted toward me. ¡°Does that mean what I think it does...?¡± I nodded, grinning. ¡°It does. Looks like we¡ª¡± Light exploded from behind Maria, illuminating our surroundings as a pulse of chi almost knocked me off my feet. Book 3: Chapter 18: Seasonal Book 3: Chapter 18: Seasonal With Maria at my side, a fish flopping around at the end of my hook, and the afternoon sun high above, a brilliant blast exploded from Deklan. I closed my eyes as a pulse of chi trailed the luminescence flying from Deklan¡¯s taking-shape core. It slammed into me, almost knocking me from my feet on the slick rocks. A large portion of the surrounding world¡¯s power poured into Deklan, solidifying into a container before drawing more essence in to fill the newly created void. Distracted as he was, Deklan¡¯s hands fell to his side. The fish he¡¯d caught didn¡¯t waste the opportunity. The creature¡¯s razor-toothed jaw lashed out, slicing through his line. It flicked off a rock and sailed right back into the ocean, immediately disappearing from sight as it swam into the depths. My new pal couldn¡¯t have cared less. ¡°Woah...¡± Deklan said, blinking at the world. Before anything else, I swiftly dispatched the fish I¡¯d caught with a single jab of a nail. Maria had the same idea, brain-spiking her fish and causing it to go limp on her line. When we turned back to Deklan, he was staring at his hands, having set his rod down on the rockwall. ¡°How do you feel?¡± I asked, grinning at the awe in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m a... cultivator?¡± He blinked rapidly, his gaze drifting up to me. ¡°Looks like it, mate.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± He flexed his hands. ¡°Feels pretty good.¡± I belly laughed. ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Maria¡¯s jaw dropped open. ¡°Pretty good? That¡¯s all?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± he asked, his relaxed demeanor well and truly shining through. ¡°Congratulations!¡± Keith called from further down the pathway, giving a thumbs up and a wide grin as he held his rod in another hand. Trent was beside him, and he gave Deklan a single nod. ¡°Thanks...¡± Deklan replied. ¡°Oh. I lost my fish...? Sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, mate. Maria and I kept ours.¡± Maria held hers up towards him. ¡°Here. Now that you¡¯re a cultivator, try looking at this.¡± He did so, his eyes going distant as they were drawn in by the System. When they cleared once more, he frowned at the fish, then at Maria and me. ¡°Seasonal fish? What does that mean?¡± I grinned, staring down at my fish again and letting the words flash in my vision. Juvenile Blue Fish Rare The arrival of this seasonal fish has long been seen as a good omen for the coastal villages of the Kallis realm. They school in large numbers, meaning when you find one, you will most certainly find more. Their strong-flavored flesh contains a higher level of chi than most fish. When the fish was only meters away, it swam on the water¡¯s surface, still expending energy in an attempt to get away. There was a blur of orange underneath it, and a second later, it was flying my way, its razor-toothed mouth leading the charge. I dashed aside and caught it in both arms, turning my head to raise an eyebrow at Snips. I was used to Claws messing with me, but to be pranked by my trusty guard crab was a new experience. But it wasn¡¯t Snips that I found when I peered down into the churning water. Rocky raised his claw high above the ocean so I could see his decidedly rude gesture. I cocked my head to the side, which only made him raise the other claw and dual wield his animosity. Suddenly, there was another blur beneath him. A streak of orange and blue shot up from the ocean floor even faster than he had, and Rocky¡¯s pissed-off bubbles trailed after him as he was launched out to sea at terrifying speed, his entire body flipping end over end in a chaotic jumble of limbs. ¡°Damn, Snips. Nice throw,¡± I said, giving her a smile as she swam back to shore while blowing a series of exasperated hisses. I turned to Keith and held out the fish so large that I had to hold it in both arms. ¡°I believe this is yours, mate.¡± His eyes sparkled as he approached, going dull as the fish pulled his vision in. I looked down, letting the System¡¯s information stream across my field of view. Mature Blue Fish Rare The arrival of this seasonal fish has long been seen as a good omen for the coastal villages of the Kallis realm. They school in large numbers, meaning when you find one, you will most certainly find more. Their strong-flavored flesh contains a higher level of chi than most fish. ¡°Wow...¡± Keith said, his expression awe-struck as he took the mature blue fish. ¡°It¡¯s so heavy.¡± His eyes darted up to meet mine. ¡°Can we keep it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you, mate, but I don¡¯t think keeping it will hurt their number. Seasonal fish are usually plentiful when they¡¯re around, which is likely why the description says they¡¯re seen as a good omen. Well, that and the fact that they have a high level of chi.¡± Where the juvenile variant was around the length of my forearm, the monster Keith had caught was twice as large. Thick slabs of muscle and fat covered its body, explaining how it had fought so hard for so long. No matter which way you looked at it, this creature was an impressive specimen. ¡°Thank you for the sustenance, fishy,¡± Keith said, nodding toward it and repeating words I¡¯d previously used. He lowered it down to Snips, who had joined us on the walkway. ¡°Would you mind?¡± Snips nodded sharply and darted forward, lashing out with a burst of energy from her claw and ending it in an instant. ¡°Well,¡± I said, my eyes pinned on the colossal thing. ¡°We¡¯ve certainly got enough for dinner...¡± Deklan cleared his throat, and when I glanced his way, he was staring at the fish. ¡°Should we try for more if they¡¯re only around for a short time? I feel bad that I lost mine...¡± There was a hunger in his eyes, but it wasn¡¯t for food; it was the thrill of the hunt. I shot Maria a wolfish grin before sweeping it away and turning to face Deklan. ¡°They¡¯ll still be here for quite some time, I believe. Before we catch any more, we have some important testing to do.¡± ¡°... testing?¡± Deklan asked, tilting his head slightly. ¡°Yup!¡± Maria replied, knowing exactly what I was getting at. ¡°The most critical test of all¡ªwe need to make sure they taste good.¡± I nodded, casting my gaze over everyone. ¡°Before we hunt for more, we should check that they¡¯re palatable. How do you all feel about an early dinner?¡± Book 3: Chapter 19: Treachery Book 3: Chapter 19: Treachery The sun approached the western mountains as I crept down the rocks with three fish in my arms. When I reached the water, I set them down and washed them off one by one. ¡°So,¡± I said, glancing up at Deklan and Trent, ¡°there are a bunch of ways to prepare fish.¡± Deklan pursed his lips. ¡°How do you choose which method to use?¡± ¡°It depends on the size and species, usually. Anything smaller than these blue fish, and it¡¯s usually better to cook them whole. It¡¯s hard not to waste meat, otherwise.¡± I gestured at the smaller two that Maria and I had caught. ¡°For these, I think fileting is best. It saves us having to gut them.¡± I grabbed a knife from my belt and ran the dull edge along the fish. ¡°Because we¡¯re leaving the skin on, the first step is to scale them.¡± ¡°You... eat the skin?¡± Deklan asked, his expression dubious. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kinda gross?¡± ¡°Not at all, mate. They come from the ocean, so they¡¯ve spent their lives in clean salt water. Their skin shouldn¡¯t have any unpleasant flavors, and it adds a nice bit of texture when cooked on a hotplate.¡± With System-enhanced precision, I ran my knife behind their pectoral fins and down toward their tail, ensuring I got every bit of flesh possible. Setting the four filets aside on the rocks, I held a fish frame upside down and pointed at it. ¡°This is a bit advanced, but this cut is referred to as the wings.¡± With four swift slices, I removed the section between the frame¡¯s head and body. ¡°There are bones in it, but also a ridiculous amount of tasty meat. I¡¯m not trying to enforce my morality on anyone else, but it¡¯s important to me that I waste as little as possible.¡± ¡°Commendable,¡± Trent said, nodding. I did my best not to arch an eyebrow off my face¡ªI hadn¡¯t expected such a comment from the crown prince. ¡°Is the rest wasted, then?¡± he asked, pointing at the remaining frame. ¡°Not at all! We can cook it on the barbecue for my animal pals¡ªthey aren¡¯t at all bothered by the bones and cartilage. These, though, I¡¯ll be using as bait for my crab pot. With any luck, I¡¯ll be cooking you guys some fresh sand crab tomorrow.¡± ¡°Even if we throw the frame back into the ocean,¡± Maria said, ¡°it won¡¯t necessarily be a waste. There are plenty of little creatures that will happily pick it clean.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I agreed as I cut the wings off the other frame. Placing it down next to the filets, I gestured at the mature blue fish. ¡°I think we should filet, then cut this one into chunks. Are you up to deep-frying it if I cook the others on the barbecue, Maria?¡± ¡°On it!¡± she yelled over her shoulder, already running back to the house. Smiling at her retreating form, I started fileting the mature blue fish. A half hour later, Deklan stood beside me as I held my hand over the hotplate. Trent was still here, but he and Keith were talking softly a few meters away. I pointed down at the filets and looked up at Deklan. ¡°Remember how I said the skin adds texture? It goes lovely and crispy on the grill, but it¡¯s the same as cooking steak¡ªyou need to remove excess moisture before putting it on the heat.¡± I patted it down with a fresh tea towel. ¡°Do you wanna do it?¡± ¡°Er... I don¡¯t want to mess it up...¡± ¡°Nonsense, mate! Here. I¡¯ll put one down first. Just need to add some fat beforehand.¡± I put a healthy dollop of beef tallow on the barbecue plate. It melted almost immediately as I spread it around with a spatula, coating the cooking surface. I got one of the filets and placed it skin down. The tallow immediately hissed and bubbled around the edges, making steam and a delicious scent rise into the air. I nodded at him. ¡°Your turn.¡± Deklan bit the inside of his cheek as he picked up a filet with the care you¡¯d give a newborn baby. With one swift movement, he lay it on the hotplate, taking a swift step back as if it would bite him. ¡°He¡¯s an expert already!¡± Maria called, watching from the end of the deck. ¡°Just letting you know the oil is hot so we¡¯re gonna start shallow-frying the big boy Keith caught.¡± I smiled my gratitude at her. ¡°We¡¯ll bring ours over when we¡¯re done. Shouldn¡¯t be long.¡± She grinned, blew me a kiss, and skipped from sight, returning to the campfire. Deklan stared after her, his eyebrows narrowing in thought. When he looked back my way, he gave me an odd look. ¡°You know, you¡¯re all like, super nice.¡± The comment caught me off guard and made a laugh fly free of my throat. ¡°Why does that make you look so confused? Are we supposed to be evil?¡± ¡°Well, we were always told back in the capital that the commoners living in the far reaches were, er... the king would have said unsavory, but the rest of Gormona¡¯s citizens would use more colorful words.¡± ¡°You expected to find us a little more disagreeable, huh?¡± ¡°To be honest, yeah. I didn¡¯t know what to expect. You seemed like a friendly fellow, but you were also with a gang of cultivators. It could have gone either way, really.¡± ¡°Yet you still ran away with me?¡± I asked, placing the last two filets down on the hotplate. He shrugged. ¡°Like I said¡ªyou seemed like a friendly fellow. Plus, the king had just revealed himself as a bit of a...¡± ¡°Dickhead?¡± I suggested. ¡°Yeah, that works.¡± Deklan¡¯s shoulders held some tension. Now that he was a cultivator, I could feel his core fluctuating, likely responding to troubling thoughts as he recalled his time in the capital. ¡°Well, mate,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re here now. More importantly, you¡¯re one of us.¡± Seeking to change the subject, I shot a smirk his way. ¡°How is your brother going to respond to you being a cultivator?¡± The corners of his mouth tugged up as he slammed a fist into his open palm. After swallowing the last bite, I let out a slow sigh and shot a look Maria¡¯s way. ¡°You know what this means, right?¡± She returned a half-lidded gaze, giving me a beautiful smile. ¡°It means we¡¯re going to have a fun couple of days, if not weeks.¡± Keith raised an eyebrow at us, but before he could voice his question, I continued. ¡°The seasonal fish is delicious, mate. That means it¡¯s worth targeting.¡± ¡°It also means we¡¯re going to need a lot more rods...¡± Maria said. ¡°Well, that depends on if everyone else is keen. I suppose we should go ask.¡± ¡°I suppose we should...¡± she answered, but didn¡¯t make a move. ¡°Soon, anyway. I need to enjoy the meal first.¡± I lounged back in the sand, a blanket of contentment settling on my entire body. ¡°Soon,¡± I agreed, watching the last rays of sunlight as they disappeared over the western mountains. *** Though the sun had long since set by the time we arrived in New Tropica, the streets were alive. Rescued cultivators strode along, their steps filled with purpose. Those that I spied within the different crafting buildings were focused on their work, backs hunched and brows knitted. As we passed the smithy, I gave Fergus and Duncan a wave. Only the latter noticed, and he shot me a quick wink before reaching over and adjusting the metal bar an apprentice was working on. As we approached the woodworkers¡¯ domain, I turned toward Maria and Deklan. I¡¯d known Maria would come along for a little rod-making, but Deklan also wanting to try it was a pleasant surprise. Though Trent had also seemed interested in trying his hand at crafting, he and Keith left after the meal had settled, needing to be somewhere else for the evening that they didn¡¯t elaborate on. ¡°Ready?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria replied, much more enthusiastically than Deklan¡¯s answering nod. Taking one last breath of the night air, I led them into the building. There were a dozen of the rescued cultivators within, their number having grown since we walked past this morning. Greg saw me first. He elbowed Brad in the side, subtly nodding my way and giving his brother a smirk. I raised an eyebrow, not sure what they were up to. But then they committed their treachery. Both men snapped a crisp salute, their bodies going rigid. ¡°Sir!¡± they said together. Their apprentice woodworkers spun, and with the speed only cultivators could muster, they copied my treasonous friends. ¡°Sir!¡± they chorused, their backs stiff and eyes serious. I groaned. ¡°Can you believe this, Maria?¡± ¡°Believe what, sir?¡± she responded in a clipped tone. I slowly spun her way, my eyes narrowed. As I¡¯d feared, she was also saluting, a wide grin plastered on her face. I glared my displeasure at her, making Brad and Greg burst into laughter. ¡°What can we do for you, Fischer?¡± Brad asked, leaning back on a bench and crossing his arms. ¡°Other than not doing...¡± I waved a hand in his general direction. ¡°Whatever that was to me ever again? We came to make some rods, mate.¡± ¡°Rods, huh?¡± Greg rubbed his chin. ¡°What¡¯s the occasion? I thought you had plenty.¡± ¡°We need enough for everyone,¡± Maria replied, her eyes dancing with glee. ¡°Everyone...?¡± Brad looked between us. ¡°Define everyone.¡± ¡°Literally everyone,¡± I laughed, then turned toward the cultivators. ¡°Assuming you guys want to try fishing, that is.¡± Because of who I was, or possibly because of Brad and Greg¡¯s stunt, the former slaves met me with silence. ¡°We caught some seasonal fish!¡± Maria bounced on her heels, unable to contain her excitement. ¡°We think there will be a lot of them to catch over the coming days and weeks, so it¡¯s the perfect opportunity for everyone who wants to try out our heretical lifestyle.¡± ¡°Enough for almost a hundred people...?¡± Greg asked, looking skeptical. ¡°Yep! They fight super hard, and the taste, guys...¡± Maria shimmied. ¡°They¡¯re delicious.¡± She relayed the blue fish¡¯s description. ¡°Boosted chi, huh...?¡± Barry took in his apprentices. ¡°What do you guys say? Would you like to try making some fishing rods? Even if you¡¯re not down to fish, following Fischer¡¯s instructions will probably be great for both your cultivation and woodworking.¡± Still speechless, they all nodded, only one of them muttering under his breath that he¡¯d love to. Or maybe he said I love you, not I¡¯d love to. It was hard to tell. ¡°Okay,¡± I said, stretching my arms high and smiling at them. ¡°Let¡¯s get this party started.¡± Book 3: Chapter 20: Nexus Book 3: Chapter 20: Nexus ¡°Okay, everyone,¡± I said, looking down at the bench before me. ¡°Follow along.¡± Maria and Deklan were on either side of me, the former grinning and the latter serious. The rest of the apprentice woodworkers were arrayed around the room, awaiting instruction behind their benches. We all had a square block of soft wood with a hole drilled in the center, and as I set mine in a vice, I cut into it with a jigsaw. When the circular shape was finished, I looked around the room. Everyone other than Maria, Brad, and Greg were following along much slower, their movements filled with care. One of them cursed under her breath. Her blade had gotten caught and gone within the lines, removing a small chunk. ¡°No stress!¡± I replied, striding over. ¡°Keep going and just do the best you can. We can sort out any imperfections when we shave it down.¡± Grimacing, she nodded and resumed cutting, even slower this time. It took them all a few minutes, and when the last of them were finished, I smiled at their collective work. ¡°Well done, everyone. Now, we¡¯ll plane them down. Any advice first, Brad? Greg?¡± Greg shook his head, and Brad replied, ¡°Nope! This is your show.¡± ¡°In that case, follow my movements with this plane.¡± I went slower than usual, showing them all how I used sweeping arcs to remove slivers of wood. My body wanted to speed away, to get caught up in the workmanship, but I held the urge at bay. Their eyes tracked my every movement, paying extra attention when I spun my block of wood in the vice. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it. We can still sand and shape later on, so don¡¯t be too worried if it isn¡¯t perfectly round at the end of this step.¡± When I finished planing my reel, I cast my gaze around the room. There was, evidently, a difference in aptitude amongst the apprentices. To my surprise, Deklan seemed to be the most proficient. Between all of them, he seemed the most relaxed, his hands easily gliding along as he whistled to himself. Whether it was natural talent or a calm nature fueling his advance, his block of wood had the least number of flaws.Visitt for the latest updates He sensed me watching. His eyes darted up to meet mine, and rather than look bothered by my attention, he gave me a quick thumbs up before returning to his work. ¡°He¡¯s a natural,¡± Maria said, giving my arm a featherlight touch. I bathed in her company as I waited for the rest of them to finish. Brad and Greg sat back, content to leave me in control as they assessed their apprentices¡¯ work. ¡°Great job, everyone.¡± I turned to Brad and Greg. ¡°I have a bit of feedback, if you don¡¯t mind me doing so?¡± They both nodded, so I faced the apprentices. ¡°I¡¯m seeing a fair bit of... stiffness, for lack of a better word. I know you¡¯re probably feeling some pressure to do everything perfectly, especially after your masters treated me like some sort of respected elder, but being too tense will only hurt the outcome. There¡¯s no need to be so rigid. Have fun with it! There¡¯s no punishment for failing to do everything perfectly. Even if you accidentally set your wood on fire somehow, I¡¯d be more impressed than upset.¡± I got a few smiles from them, so I continued. ¡°Next, we¡¯re carving out a groove for the line to sit in.¡± I grabbed a crescent-shaped file and ran it along the outside of the reel. ¡°This part is super easy. Keep the file straight and drag it all the way around the edge.¡± I demonstrated briefly, then gestured for them to go ahead. As I rotated my reel and filed the different sections, a small smile crossed my face. I hadn¡¯t been doing much crafting of late, and I forgot how calming an experience it was. My body flowed of its own accord, the file arcing down across the reel with unerring ease. Before I knew it, the groove was complete. I opened my eyes and took in my surroundings, the magical light of the wall sconces bathing the room in their orange light. ¡°Are you back with us?¡± Maria asked, smirking at me. ¡°I was worried you were going to do something silly.¡± ¡°Something silly?¡± ¡°Any useful and not insulting questions?¡± I corrected, shaking my head and trying not to smile at Brad. ¡°Nope!¡± Greg replied. ¡°If you want any more insulting ones, though, I can think of a few¡ª¡± ¡°Okay!¡± I interrupted, projecting my voice. ¡°Let¡¯s get started!¡± After flicking a tiny chunk of wood at Greg¡¯s head, I started sanding my reel. It was already close to what I wanted to create, so I did soft passes with the sandpaper, smoothing each of the surfaces down. As with the filing, I lost myself to the process. Motes of wood wafted through the air, tickling my nose when some of them drifted in with my breath. I focused my attention on my will, lasering in on what I¡¯d told the cultivators earlier. This reel, though not intended for me, had to be perfect. I wanted it to be functional and reliable, because that was what my new pals needed. I poured whispers of chi down into the wood. Its grains soaked them up hungrily, wanting me to send more out. Hesitantly, I obliged, ensuring I didn¡¯t send enough to turn my reel into an accidental pipe-bomb. When the fibers seemed full to bursting, I sent more out into the surrounding room, feeling what everyone else was doing. Surprisingly, some of them were also exuding chi. I expected to find it from Maria, Brad, and Greg, but a few of the apprentices were pouring essence out too, as was Deklan. The streams were a little... wrong. Like they weren¡¯t the correct shape to be properly absorbed. Instead of adding mine to theirs, I use my will to help shape their chi. I closed my eyes, uncountable strands weaving all around me to poke and prod different flows into the correct form. After a few moments, it came easy, so I once again focused on what I wanted to create. I pictured every single member of Tropica and New Tropica, all standing on the beach. They had rods in their hands and smiles on their faces, bathing in the sensations of their bodies as they waited for a bite. I was swimming in the ocean with Maria at my side, her sunkissed shoulders visible above the water¡¯s surface. The scene made my soul thrum as I watched it play out in my mind¡¯s eye, and an imaginary breeze kicked up, tickling my skin. Before I could get lost further in the vista, the essence back in the real world responded. It vibrated, quivering as our joined wills pressed outward. I pictured the dozens of rods again, demanding that the universe create what I yearned for. A smattering of confused awarenesses made themselves known, each belonging to one of the surrounding cultivators. Maria was first, and though she was shocked for a moment, she almost-immediately recognized me and joined her desire with mine. Next came Brad and Greg. They were similarly disoriented, but upon a mental urging from Maria, they joined in. Deklan¡¯s consciousness peeked through next, and this time, it was me who felt shocked; the man couldn¡¯t have been less unfazed. He gave us the metaphysical equivalent of a respectful nod, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. I could tell he pictured something different in mind, but it was the same flavor as the scene I pictured. I¡¯d felt Barry¡¯s will join with mine previously, but having so many present at once was an entirely new experience. The rest of the cultivators I¡¯d rescued from Gormona appeared at the same time. A different emotion was in the forefront of their minds: fear. It made sense considering how alien it must be for them, and one apprentice noped out immediately, fleeing from the call to action. But the rest remained. Upon a barrage of soothing reassurance from Maria and me, they slowly joined their wills with mine. With my enhanced awareness of chi, I felt every single event that occurred in the next moment. The surrounding essence exploded forward, rushing into the room. Some of the chi contained within the smithy¡¯s stones came too, the very building and village lending their strength to our creation. Different components around the room were swept up in the thick ropes of power, drawn toward our workstations on invisible torrents. Every single reel blurred, their forms evaporating as the System reshaped them. A whirlwind of potential sprang to life, spinning around the room in a vortex that grew faster and more insistent with every passing fraction of a second. The barrage of chi, materials, and wills combined, manifesting in a single nexus between us. A blinding orb of creation came into being. It drew on my core, and when I opened the floodgate to my power, the rest of the contributing cultivators followed suit. None of their reserves held a candle to mine, yet they joined in, growing less hesitant by the second¡ªmore sure of themselves. As our purpose became one, the swirling storm took shape. To a regular human, it would have been as if the rods appeared from nowhere. But I was far from a regular human; I saw everything. Wood grew from thin air, extending in thick lengths that tapered towards the end. The reels we¡¯d been working on split apart, replicating themselves and attaching to poles. Iron coagulated in hundreds, perhaps thousands of individual nodes that flew toward the newly formed rods. Luminescence shone from them, and though I could feel their shape, I had to close my eyes against the light. When the glow disappeared, I blinked, trying to focus on my now-dim surroundings. Instead of seeing our creations, however, I was met with a System notification that filled my field of view. Despite understanding what the words meant, I struggled to comprehend their meaning. ¡°Frack me...¡± was all I could say as I dismissed the message and stared down at the dozens of rods sitting neatly piled in the center of the room. Book 3: Chapter 21: Path to Power Book 3: Chapter 21: Path to Power I licked my lips, my consciousness warring with itself to understand the message I¡¯d just received. Seeking a distraction, I wandered over to the rods. ¡°Triton¡¯s slick conch,¡± Brad swore. ¡°Agreed,¡± Greg replied, his gaze distant. Maria leaned back on her bench, her eyes darting around the room yet focusing on nothing in particular. ¡°That... wow. You saw it too, Fischer?¡± ¡°I did. I¡¯m not sure if it was because of the significance, or the fact my will was aimed at the rods, but the System saw fit to give me a peek.¡± One by one, the other cultivators¡¯ eyes returned to the present, their jaws slack and faces paling. ¡°Does that mean what I think it does...?¡± Deklan asked, appearing the least bothered of everyone in the room. ¡°Pretty neat.¡± Before anyone could reply, the surrounding chi shuddered once more. It rushed forward from every direction, slamming into the cores of everyone, myself included. Over a dozen pulses of chi exploded from our abdomens a moment later. They bounced off one another, filling the room with blinding light that I had to squint against. The feeling of ecstasy that came with advancement was more palpable than ever before, the dozens of sources creating an overwhelming barrage of sensation. Essence swelled behind each of the newer cultivators, culminating in a leather bag. The sacks hit the stones and the tingle of gold coins rang out through the room, the cacophony nothing compared to the bliss coursing through my veins. When the waves of light finally dissipated, I let out a shuddering sigh and called for the words the System had shown me, letting them appear once more. You have successfully taken part in a crafting ritual! New Quest: Group Project.Upstodatee from Objective: [Error. Insufficient Power.] Reward: [Error. Insufficient Power.] The System had created a quest. It was broken¡ªas per usual. But that didn¡¯t subtract from how monumental an occasion it was. I¡¯d been at the hands of game-like shenanigans since my arrival in my new world, but something about a literal quest made my body tingle. If the System continued to regain functionality, would I one day be able to see the objective and reward? If it regained power entirely, would the System generate more quests? What were the requirements for one of them to be created...? I looked up to Maria, intent on bouncing these ideas off of someone, but her attention was elsewhere. She kneeled down before the pile of rods, holding one up to her face and inspecting it. With the shock of receiving a quest, I¡¯d almost entirely forgotten about my purpose in coming here. I strode over and knelt down beside her, as did everyone else. I picked one up and examined its form. Just like the other rods we¡¯d previously crafted, the System had made them into something we had no hope of creating on our own. I picked up a rod, letting it draw my eyes in. Communal Rod of the Fisher Rare This fishing rod provides boosts to both fishing and luck. The stats provided will increase based on how many of its sibling rods are being used within a one-kilometer radius. +0.2 fishing per rod +0.1 luck per rod I¡¯d expected the stats to be insane, but not that insane. If there were one-hundred people using them, each would provide +20 fishing and +10 luck. When I shook my head and cleared the description, Brad was facing one of the apprentices. ¡°What level did you get in woodworking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I eventually got out. ¡°I¡¯m not laughing at you. Okay, wait, maybe I¡¯m laughing at you a little bit, but only because I¡¯m imagining you using that thing to ride a giant crab into battle.¡± ¡°Wait...¡± Maria said. ¡°How big do you think the creatures that we fish for are?¡± ¡°My mom always said you had to stay away from the water because the sea creatures are bigger than a house. That¡¯s why I was so confused that you were picturing such little sticks...¡± Maria cackled for the second time tonight. ¡°Okay, that definitely explains it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked the once-more blushing woman. ¡°I¡¯m Bonnie,¡± she replied, so quiet that I wouldn¡¯t have heard her if not for my cultivation. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Bonnie. Sorry to break the news to you, but the creatures we fish for are way smaller than what you imagined.¡± ¡°... they are?¡± ¡°Yeah. Most are smaller than my forearm, but we¡¯ve caught some as big as I am. Those are pretty rare, though.¡± Her light pink cheeks turned crimson, and she hunched her shoulders, making herself as small as possible. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Like I said, no need to apologize.¡± I clapped her on the shoulder. ¡°You have a wonderful imagination, and I¡¯m sure we can find a way to make use of it.¡± ¡°But I wasted so many materials on something useless...¡± I shook my head. ¡°Not a waste at all. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find a use for it, and besides, look how many rods we made! We have more than enough for everyone.¡± When she finally turned away from the bench, her head shot back in surprise. ¡°Youmade all of those? Just now?¡± ¡°We all did,¡± I replied, gesturing at the rest of the cultivators. ¡°And now that they¡¯re made, there¡¯s only one thing left to do.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Thanks for asking.¡± I gave everyone a wide grin, soaking up their anticipation. ¡°We have to test them out, of course!¡± *** Deep within a forest, a man fled for his life. Since spotting the cultivator-made tree, he hadn¡¯t stopped moving. Though his bones were old and his body was weary, an unnatural stamina pushed Solomon on. He¡¯d suspected as much before his flight from Tropica, but now he knew. He was becoming the cultivator his cult had prophesized for untold years. He was the Alchemist. The further he got from the coast and that terrifying tree Tom Onsan Jr. had grown, the more sure of himself he became. So what if the young lord was more powerful than Soloman had expected? He was on the path of ascension himself, and it was only a matter of time until he was recognized by the heavens. He was high in the mountains now, and as he came across a clearing in the forest, his travels came to an abrupt end. There was something about this place that screamed ¡®power¡¯ to him, calling him forward. A lone tree stood in the center of the clearing, its limbs bare of leaves. Despite being absent of life, the black bark urged him on¡ªdemanded that he pay it attention. He scraped a nail against the trunk, some of the dark substance coming free. Beneath a layer of black, the tree was blue. It wasn¡¯t a regular tree. As Solomon ran the colored dust between his fingers, he recalled the tales of such trees. They were the source of many a children¡¯s story, sometimes a source of evil, other times a powerful boon. Many followers of the Cult of the Alchemist had tried using the material, so Solomon had never paid it much mind. All the records told that the trees were impossible to work with, their fibers too strong to properly distill anything, even when boiled. But this specimen was different. It seemed to have died, its body degrading to the point that he could scrape it away with a single finger nail. A low chuckle began in his chest, slowly climbing as it made its way to his throat. Solomon roared with laughter, broadcasting his glee out into the world. This was where he would build his base. He fell to his knees, his cheeks aching as tears welling in his eyes. This tree was his path to power. His path to godhood. Book 3: Chapter 22: Conspiracy Book 3: Chapter 22: Conspiracy A soft breeze blew at my back, coming from the western mountains. The air swept along its currents had a hint of sweetness, my senses also detecting notes of wood, earth, and decaying leaves. The ocean lay before me, its softly lapping waves kicking up sea spray that joined the other aromas. I closed my eyes and breathed deep, allowing the surrounding fragrances to whisk me away. When I opened them once more, the moon was high overhead, illuminating my shores. What I saw there made my soul rejoice. Lined up and down the rockwall, dozens of people had rods in hand and anticipation coloring their bodies. Each waited patiently for the next bite, most having already caught a fish. On our way out of New Tropica, we¡¯d told everyone we came across where we were going. The blacksmiths had been the most excitable, practically ordering their apprentices to tag along. They stood next to Ruby and Steven, whose fledgeling tailors were also lining the rockwall. ¡°Fish on!¡± Duncan yelled, the following high-pitched giggle at odds with his baritone voice. As he fought the hooked blue fish, Maria squeezed my hand. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± she asked, cocking her head and making a strand of hair fall from behind her ear. ¡°Wonderful,¡± I replied, sweeping the hair back into place. ¡°It¡¯s even better than I imagined.¡± ¡°One step closer to converting everyone to your heretical ways, huh?¡± I grinned, picturing even more people lined up, so numerous that they spilled onto the shore and stretched out toward Tropica. ¡°A few dozen down, the rest of the world to go...¡± The next few days were a joyous experience. Each morning, the cultivators returned. A few of the more enterprising would already be fishing when I woke up, smiling out at the world with one finger held to their line. Peter had set up permanently on my back deck, arriving at the crack of dawn to start cooking people¡¯s fish as soon as they were caught. He had a few apprentices with him, those keen to learn the craft of cooking from the most experienced of our number. On the fourth day, I woke to a crab under one arm, an otter under the other, a rabbit sleeping in the crook of my neck, and a Chihuahua sniffing my chin. ¡°Good morning, Borks,¡± I said, scooping him into a hug. He collapsed atop me, rolling on his back and looking at me from upside down. I snorted at how goofy he looked, my smile only growing as the rest of my animal pals slowly woke. Snips blew happy bubbles, peering up at me. Claws leaped atop Borks¡¯s belly, lounging on his stomach just as he lounged on mine. Cinnamon, clearly deciding it was too early for all this noise, retreated beneath a pillow, disappearing from sight. Maria had been staying at her home since we returned. We¡¯d decided not to antagonize Roger for the time being, both of us hoping I could win him over for good in the coming weeks and months. I stretched my arms high, deciding to stay put and absorb as much physical touch as possible from my animal companions before starting the day, but a rhythmic knock came at the door, making Borks bolt upright, his ears alert. ¡°Yoohoooo!¡± a beautiful voice called with singsong intonation. ¡°Anyone home?¡± Recognizing who it was, I sat up slowly, extracting myself from the cuddle puddle. ¡°Coming!¡± Everyone came with me, even Cinnamon excited to see the person that had come knocking. When I opened the door, though, Maria wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°Oh! Hey, guys. What can I¡ª¡± Maria rushed forward, squeezing me so hard that the words faltered in my throat. ¡°Hello, Fischer,¡± Sharon said, grinning at her daughter. Roger grunted by way of greeting, which was, astoundingly, an improvement. ¡°Hi,¡± Maria said, her voice muffled by my chest before pulling back and looking up at me. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°We did,¡± I replied. ¡°Er... we?¡± Claws and Cinnamon flew past me, slamming into her hard enough to throw her off balance. I snatched her outstretched hand, keeping her upright. ¡°Good morning, ladies!¡± she laughed, hugging them both tight as Borks and Snips joined in, rubbing against her legs. As we rounded the headland and the rockwall came into view, my steps grew energized. Despite the sun not yet having risen over the eastern horizon, there were already five other cultivators there. Two were the smiths, both of which had a fish hooked. They hooted and hollered, Fergus¡¯s stoic attitude having been ground down by Duncan¡¯s infectious excitement. As the two smiths fought with what appeared to be mature blue fish, I led Roger and Sharon down to the communal tackle boxes we¡¯d set up. There were four spaced out along the rockwall, all stocked with everything we could possibly need. Well, except for proper sinkers, I admitted to myself, but we could take care of that when the seasonal fish were no longer about. For now, rocks worked just fine. I passed a rod to Maria, Roger, and Sharon, then opened the tackle box. ¡°Okay. This is how you set up the line with a hook and sinker...¡± *** Back in New Tropica, a man strode between buildings. Though he projected a facade of relaxed indifference, his mind was anything but calm. Nathan fought down his body¡¯s desire to run¡ªto expend energy¡ªrelying on almost a decade¡¯s worth of intense training to take each measured step. Light bled down into the village, the sun threatening to rise over the trees and rooftops at any moment. It made him feel revealed, his mind accustomed to operating beneath the shadowed cover of night. Though the building he entered was bathed in magical light, it made his sense of unease partially retreat. The stone walls and iron bars, despite being more confined, reminded him of home. It made his steps come easier and his airways feel clear. Striding further along the stone corridor, he found his quarry. Nathan nodded at his fellow cultivator. ¡°Your watch is over.¡± ¡°Thanks, Nathan.¡± He stifled a yawn. ¡°What time is it...?¡± When he looked out the window, his eyes went wide. ¡°Dawn? Glaucus¡¯s scaled form, I¡¯m missing the golden window for fishing!¡± He sprinted down the hallway, yelling his thanks. Nathan shook his head. He¡¯d never understand how most of the cultivators in New Tropica had been so easily convinced that anything water related was a good idea. ¡°Damned heretics...¡± he muttered, his lip twitching. ¡°Is that you, Nathan?¡± came a soft mutter. Before he replied, Nathan extended his ability. A bubble of silence sprang into being, surrounding him, the corridor, and the opposite cell. ¡°Yes, lord.¡± Tom Osnan Jr. raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Forgive me, lord.¡± Nathan averted his eyes, able to do at least that. ¡°Showing the requisite respect could lead to discovery.¡± Tom Osnan Jr. snorted. ¡°Very well. How is the plan progressing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going just as planned. Our number and influence grow by the day.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°If I were to hazard a guess, I¡¯d say weeks¡ª¡± ¡°Weeks?¡± the lord bellowed, so loud that Nathan shrank down, expecting the alarm to be raised despite his sound-dampening abilities. ¡°Not good enough. They could change their mind and slay us at any moment. We need to return to the capital within the next few days, not weeks.¡± ¡°My lord...¡± Nathan licked his lips, not looking forward to the words that would come from his mouth. ¡°If we move too soon, we run the risk of the plan falling apart¡ª¡± ¡°So plan better! This is not the time for subtlety!¡± Nathan knew that to be objectively wrong, yet it wasn¡¯t his place to say so. ¡°Yes, lord. Of course. You know best in these matters.¡± He gave a swift bow after checking the coast was clear. ¡°I will endeavor to speed things up.¡± ¡°Good. Now leave me.¡± ¡°Yes, lord.¡± Though serving the younger Osnan chagrined him, it was a means to an end. Nathan had to get back to his master in the capital, and he¡¯d kiss every noble ass on the way there if he had to. He strode down the hallway toward his imprisoned fellows, intent on relaying the events of the last few days. Book 3: Chapter 23: Hooked Book 3: Chapter 23: Hooked As with every other cultivator, Roger and Sharon were fast learners when it came to knots. Their fingers deftly tied the thin lengths of line together, easily replicating my movements. ¡°How does this look?¡± Sharon asked, holding up her paternoster rig. ¡°Perfect, Mom!¡± Maria gave her a wide grin. ¡°You¡¯re a natural.¡± ¡°Yours is expertly done too, Roger,¡± I added, earning a mild grunt in response. ¡°Usually, I¡¯d say we should catch some bait, but we¡¯re already got way too much.¡± We¡¯d been catching plenty of eels, storing them in buckets of brine to preserve the meat. Wanting to give Roger and Sharon the best experience possible, I went for a bucket marked with a yellow ribbon; it contained the pungent monkeyface variety. Though the brine did a wonderful job of keeping the eels intact, it did nothing to remove the smell. As soon as I removed it from the salty solution, Sharon covered her nose. ¡°Gods above¡ªis that really okay to use for bait?¡± ¡°The smellier it is, the better it is as bait.¡± Not wanting to subject her to the scent for too long, I swiftly cut it into small chunks and threw the excess pieces back into the bucket. ¡°I can put the bait on the hook if you¡¯d like?¡± Sharon shook her head. ¡°No. We want the full experience, even if it¡¯s the worst thing I¡¯ve ever smelled.¡± ¡°Even worse than that time Dad accidentally cooked a rotten hunk of meat for eight hours?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sharon conceded. ¡°Even if it¡¯s the second worst thing I¡¯ve ever smelled.¡± Color rose to Roger¡¯s cheeks, and he scowled at the two women he loved most. I raised an eyebrow at Maria, but decided to ask her about it later when Roger wasn¡¯t around to hear. ¡°Okay, gang. Follow along.¡± I grabbed a piece of eel and slid it onto the hook. They easily did so, Roger still flushing, Sharon trying to hide a smile. With all of our rods ready to go, I faced the east. The tip of the sun was just starting to breach the horizon, shining a reddish light over us. Fergus and Duncan had both won the battle versus their respective fish. Either of the creatures would have made a good meal, yet they let them go, the men sharing a high-five before washing their hands in the waves. A cold breeze blew from behind me, ruffling my clothes and tickling my skin. Though a shiver ran down my back, it was a pleasant sensation, the modicum of wrath coming from the sun enough to take the sting from it. I turned to take in Maria and her parents, finding them also enjoying the view. Even Roger had a small smile, though it quickly morphed into a frown upon noticing my attention. I led them up the rockwall, waving at the smiths as I passed. ¡°Did you guys already have brekkie?¡± I asked. ¡°Those were the perfect size for a meal!¡± Duncan grinned up at me. ¡°We¡¯re waiting for a larger version to come along!¡± ¡°The mature ones taste better anyway,¡± Fergus added, giving us a nod that froze when he caught sight of Roger and Sharon. ¡°You¡¯re finally trying fishing!¡± He bellowed a laugh. ¡°Enjoy!¡± ¡°We will!¡± Sharon called over her shoulder. We strode to the end of the rockwall, stopping only when there was no more path to traverse. I held my rod forward, flicking the reel open. ¡°Put it in this position to cast. Hold your finger on the line so it doesn¡¯t unspool, then let go as you cast the rod forward. Like so...¡± I sent my sinker out. It arced over the ocean, landing with a soft plop not far away.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Maria repeated the same action, letting them observe it twice. I watched their faces intently, noticing how focused they were on our actions. ¡°Ready, dear?¡± Sharon asked. ¡°Mhmm,¡± Roger replied, stepping forward, his eyes roaming the small waves between us and the horizon. They flicked their reels forward, held their fingers to the lines, and cast out. They mimicked our movements perfectly, their bait flying at the perfect angle and splashing down into the bay. They reeled in the slack line just as we had, then rested a fingertip to their lines, waiting for the telltale bump of a fish nibbling their bait. Though I always found the wait for a bite thrilling, I couldn¡¯t help but steal glances at Sharon and Roger¡ªespecially the latter. I was entirely too invested in him and his potential enjoyment of fishing. The longer I watched him, the more sure I became. Roger was enjoying himself. ¡°Big bloody fish,¡± I replied, still averting my eyes. ¡°I think it was a new species based on how it fought. Never seen anything like it.¡± Roger finished winding in his line. It had snapped below his leader, the sinker remaining but the hook nowhere to be seen. He watched it for a long moment, contemplative. ¡°Would you have been able to catch that, Maria?¡± ¡°Well, I mean maybe, but only because of my fishing level. Even then¡ª¡± ¡°Maria,¡± he interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t honey your words, young lady.¡± I blew air from my lips at the way he addressed her like a misbehaving child, but resumed whistling and looking literally anywhere else when they both shot me a look. ¡°Lovely day, isn¡¯t it, Sharon?¡± She just laughed at me, shaking her head. Maria sighed. ¡°Yeah. I probably would have caught it, Dad. You made a lot of mistakes. They were why the line snapped.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded to himself, chewing his cheek. ¡°I can accept that. I didn¡¯t think that it required any level of skill, if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Focused as I may have been on the conversation, I couldn¡¯t miss my line going tight. ¡°Whoa! Fish on!¡± The blue fish on the end of my line took off, wasting no time in trying to escape. ¡°Me too!¡± Maria yelled, setting her hook. ¡°Oh!¡± Sharon said, her rod also bent in half. I shot Roger a quick grin. ¡°Watch what Maria and I do¡ªyou too, Sharon!¡± My fish swam to the north, and I reeled it in with exaggerated movement, letting line out whenever it took a large run. When it darted to the left and headed toward the shore, I ran along the rocks, keeping my line just tight enough with each step. ¡°Keep your rod like this!¡± Maria yelled, also running along the boulders to my right, dipping under Sharon¡¯s line. ¡°If it¡¯s at a forty-five degree angle, the wood can flex when the fish shakes its head!¡± On command, the creature on the end of her line thrashed around, making the tip bounce and absorb the vast majority of the force. Not wanting to make my fish fight for too long, I ended my exaggerated movements, bringing it in toward the rocks. It was a juvenile blue fish, but one of the biggest ones I¡¯d ever seen, likely only days or weeks from becoming the mature version. Though I was happy with its size, I didn¡¯t need any more food. I removed it from the hook and dipped it back underwater, watching as it disappeared with a mighty kick of its silvery tail. Maria pulled hers up on the rocks too. It was much smaller than mine, so after freeing it, she lobbed it back into the water. ¡°Bye, fishy!¡± she called, giving it a wave. Sharon was still fighting hers, mimicking what we¡¯d done to land ours. I turned to check on Roger, but he was nowhere to be seen. Raising an eyebrow, I scanned the rockwall, finding him hunched over a tackle box. He was tying another hook in place with rapid movements, darting looks back towards Sharon to check on her progress. I took a deep breath, sighing it out as I glanced at the water. ¡°Mission successful,¡± Maria snickered, also sneaking looks back toward her father. I shot her a wink, nodding. ¡°We¡¯ve hooked him.¡± ¡°I can hear you!¡± he yelled, making us both cackle with laughter. Book 3: Chapter 24: Trust Book 3: Chapter 24: Trust Beneath a hideously bright sky, Augustus Reginald Gormona squinted toward the rising sun, willing it to retreat behind the horizon. As with everything lately, it didn¡¯t go in his favor, and as the golden orb rose ever higher, taunting him, he turned his back to it, refusing to witness any more insubordination, perceived or otherwise. He let his thoughts wander, imagining what he could have done differently when he¡¯d fought the invading spirit beasts. ¡°Are you ready, Augustus?¡± someone asked, shattering the fantasized revenge-plot currently playing out against Lizard Wizard. The king whirled, his chi threatening to fly free with the memory of battle still fresh in mind. His wife flinched back, her face white and eyes panicked. Seeing fear replace his wife¡¯s beauty, a pang of regret stabbed deep into Augustus¡¯s core. Realizing his teeth were bared, he sighed, his body sagging. ¡°Apologies. I was... elsewhere.¡± ¡°It¡¯s... fine,¡± she replied, smoothing her dress. ¡°We¡¯re almost ready to leave.¡± He nodded stiffly. As they walked down the cobbled streets of Gormona, they easily fell into step, matching each other¡¯s pace. With her at his side, his worries receded, his breaths coming easier. Though their marriage had once been one of necessity, they had grown close over their many decades of partnership. They would always be a king and queen first, of course, but he had a rare respect for Penelope. Her hand drifted over, her fingers seeking to intertwine with his. ¡°Not in public,¡± he replied, lip twitching as he slapped her hand away. ¡°Of course.¡± She raised her chin, staring forward. ¡°Sorry.¡± They continued on in silence, his anger at her breach of decorum slowly receding. Voices came from ahead, and when they caught sight of the king and queen, their conversation died off. Tom Osnan strode forward, nodding at them. ¡°Good morning, Augustus.¡± ¡°King,¡± he corrected, looking down his nose at his oldest friend. ¡°I¡¯ve not yet forgiven your failure, Tom. As you should well know.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Despite his words, fury lined Tom¡¯s face, but he bowed at the waist to hide it. Following the lord¡¯s lead, Aisa and the rest of the handlers bowed even lower. ¡°Good morning, my king,¡± they chorused, their faces remaining downturned. ¡°Rise,¡± he said. As their gazes met his, he let his displeasure show clearly on his face. It mattered not that they didn¡¯t stand a chance against the force that had attacked Gormona. One and all, they had failed. Until they could regain his favor, he had no intention of letting them off the hook. ¡°Hello,¡± came a welcome voice. Augustus spun toward the rising sun, seeing the only person who hadn¡¯t failed him in recent memory. ¡°Good morning, daughter,¡± he said. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± Tryphena gave him a slight smile that didn¡¯t reach the rest of her face, making Augustus¡¯s appreciation for her presence only increase. ¡°What about you?¡± He let out a wry chuckle. ¡°I can¡¯t recall the last time I slept well, but that¡¯s of little importance.¡± The sound of hooves clopping and wheels trundling over cobblestone came from the street behind Tryphena. When the merchant¡¯s cart rounded the corner into view, the man¡¯s face was stricken. ¡°You¡¯re almost late, Marcus,¡± Tom Osnan said, shooting a withering glare at the approaching man. ¡°Endeavor to be earlier in the future.¡± ¡°Wr... I¡¯m sorry. There was little notice and I had to collect a number of supplies early this¡ª¡± ¡°Save your excuses,¡± Tom interrupted. ¡°You waste your breath.¡± The merchant¡¯s face went even whiter, the blood draining away as he bowed from his seated position. ¡°Yes, my lord. I apologize.¡± Tom sniffed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s everyone.¡± He turned toward the western gate and began walking. A smirk came to Augustus Reginald Gormona¡¯s face. ¡°Not so fast, Tom. We haven¡¯t made all the preparations.¡± When his friend turned to face Augustus, worry lined the lord¡¯s face. Good, Augustus thought. When he emerged into the night air, he paused for a moment, a modicum of tension leaving his body. To be beneath the cover of night was a wonderful thing after spending all day on guard duty, and he took a few breaths for himself. With his steps feeling lighter, he took off, knowing he was already late for the meeting. He walked out of the southern side of New Tropica, the night air getting colder the deeper he got into the forest. He kept his steps measured, plodding toward the agreed place. When he arrived, he found everyone already there: his co-leader, Zeke; the other five that had remained true to the crown; and a new face. Nathan immediately extended his ability, wrapping the entire area in a bubble of silence. The newcomer jolted, her body going stiff as she considered him. ¡°We were beginning to think you weren¡¯t coming,¡± Zeke said. Nathan waved a hand. ¡°I couldn¡¯t leave my post until one of the traitors was done fishing.¡± ¡°Traitors...?¡± Anna, the new arrival, asked. ¡°There are traitors? And why do I feel like I¡¯m wrapped in your chi right now...?¡± Nathan shot a glance Zeke¡¯s way. ¡°I thought you said she was with us...?¡± ¡°No, I said she would be on board.¡± ¡°On board?¡± Anna¡¯s eyes darted around the clearing, scanning everyone¡¯s faces. She balled her fists as her gaze came to rest on Zeke. ¡°I think you have some explaining to do.¡± Zeke held his hands up. ¡°Relax, Anna. No one is going to hurt you unless you lash out with that punch you¡¯re considering.¡± She took a step back, not looking at all mollified by his words, her knuckles going white. ¡°Explain. Now.¡± ¡°May I?¡± Nathan asked Zeke, getting a nod in return. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll cut right to the chase, then. This village, this haven, as they call it, is going to end in disaster. We mean to not be here when it does.¡± Anna merely watched him, her lips pursing as her thoughts raced. When the silence stretched for long enough, he continued. ¡°Everything they¡¯re doing here goes against the will of the gods, and even if we do nothing, it will eventually fall into ruin. We aren¡¯t planning on killing them. We aren¡¯t even planning on getting in their way. All we mean is to leave and take the Osnans with us.¡± It was a lie, of course¡ªthey would do everything they could to hurt the village before leaving. But this girl didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± she asked. ¡°And what would you do if I didn¡¯t agree?¡± ¡°What would we do to you?¡± Nathan let out a light laugh. ¡°Nothing, of course,¡± he lied again, having already told everyone but Zeke to strike her down unless she agreed to join them. ¡°Zeke here has vouched for you. He says you will agree with us, and that your show of going along with their plans is just that¡ªa show.¡± ¡°Tell them, Anna,¡± Zeke rushed, gesturing wildly. ¡°I¡¯ve known you most of my life, and you¡¯re not the kind of person to roll over and abandon your ideals.¡± Her eyes never left Nathan. She weighed him, the lines of her face shifting as her empowered brain considered their words. The longer the silence stretched, the more convinced Nathan became that they would need to snuff her out. ¡°How did you fool them?¡± she asked. ¡°They have an auditor with them.¡± ¡°A former auditor, you mean.¡± Nathan faked a grin. ¡°My ability. It isn¡¯t just a deafening space. It leaves the abilities of others... ineffective.¡± She took an involuntary step back. ¡°You bring me out here into the forest and nullify my powers? Hardly the basis with which to form an alliance, is it?¡± He nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m going to drop it for a few seconds. If you agree with us, say nothing. If you don¡¯t agree with us, feel free to attack or yell for help. That should be sufficient to trust that we mean you no ill will, yes?¡± Without preamble, he retracted his power. But not all of it, of course. He had exaggerated his touch, allowing her to feel it on her skin. Now, he made it something subtle instead. It was the same artful application that even the advanced heretics of this village hadn¡¯t noticed. He poised his body to attack, leaning forward in a feint of agreeability. Contrary to his expectations, she said nothing, merely watching and waiting. After ?three breaths, he made his power detectable again, pushing it out so she could feel it. ¡°See?¡± Zeke demanded. ¡°I told you she was trustworthy.¡± Nathan nodded, not needing to fake his surprise. ¡°I take it you¡¯re on board, then?¡± She licked her lips, considering her reply. ¡°I am. You know me well, Zeke.¡± Her eyebrow twitched as she cast her gaze in the direction of New Tropica. ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of person to abandon my ideals. I was waiting for the right opportunity, which you seem to have provided.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± Zeke rubbed his hands together. ¡°Let me tell you the plan in detail, then. I spoke with lord Tom Osnan Jr. today, and we may need to expedite our timeline...¡± Book 3: Chapter 25: Revenge Book 3: Chapter 25: Revenge Now that Roger and Sharon had joined our heretical endeavors, the rest of the week sped by in a blur. Each morning, I¡¯d wake to a knock on the door, then receive a barrage of love from Maria while Roger scowled and Sharon smiled. After having breakfast on my porch, we¡¯d all head down to the rockwall and start fishing. With the tastes of coffee and croissant lingering on my tongue, I stepped onto the stone walkway and smiled out at the world. It was the seventh day since we¡¯d started targeting the seasonal fish, and the weather was as wonderful as the rest of the week, the first rays of sunlight casting a warm glow over the ocean. The wind was stronger than usual, incessantly blowing from the west. A strong gust kicked up, making goosebumps rise on my skin. Feeling the same sensation, Maria wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me into a hug, hiding behind my back until the squall subsided. ¡°Why is it so windy?¡± she asked. ¡°There isn¡¯t a cloud in the sky.¡± ¡°Smells like rain,¡± Roger said, staring at the horizon. ¡°Maria,¡± I whispered. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What the frack is he talking about?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a farmer thing?¡± she suggested, our voices slowly rising. ¡°Well, yeah, but you¡¯re a farmer too. Do you smell rain?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± She tapped her chin. ¡°Nope. Perhaps it¡¯s an old farmer thing?¡± ¡°He is pretty old, isn¡¯t he? Practically ancien¡ªow!¡± I rubbed my lower back where a rod had struck. We¡¯d been taunting Roger, so I¡¯d kept him in my peripheral vision. What I hadn¡¯t anticipated was Sharon taking a swing. She glared at me. ¡°Before you finish that sentence, Fischer, you should remember that I¡¯m around the same age as my husband.¡± ¡°You are? I could have sworn you were Maria¡¯s older sister. You don¡¯t look a day over thirty.¡± ¡°Oooo,¡± Maria cooed, adopting an announcer¡¯s voice. ¡°Flattery. Will it be enough to win her back?¡± Sharon lowered her eyebrows and pursed her lips, considering me. ¡°A good start,¡± she eventually said, smirking past me as she looked at the distant horizon. ¡°Wonderful. I¡¯ll endeavor not to further antagon¡ªoof!¡± I cut off as something slammed into my back, sending me flying. I soared over the rocks and into the ocean, crashing down into the cold waters. Adrenaline ran through me, banishing any remnant of sleep that remained. When I returned to the surface, Maria and Sharon were laughing so hard that they¡¯d hunched over, bracing themselves on the stone path. Seeing the hint of a smile on Roger¡¯s face as he pretended to inspect his fingernails, I understood the truth. Sharon hadn¡¯t been smirking at the horizon; she¡¯d been watching Roger line me up. Now that he¡¯d had his breakthrough, he could manipulate his chi enough to fool me¡ªI hadn¡¯t felt his approach at all. Treading water, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°All right, fair play.¡± When I got back to the rocks, Maria helped me up, pulling me from the freezing ocean. ¡°Well, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to go get some dry clothes before I turn into a popsicle.¡± ¡°A what...?¡± Sharon asked. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Maria said. ¡°It¡¯s a trap.¡± I shot a wink back her way. ¡°Maybe I can make some for you if we can work out refrigeration. They¡¯d be a blessing come summer.¡± Without another word, I returned home and got out of my now-drenched clothing. I briefly considered having a shower to get warm, but decided against it, wanting to fish as soon as possible. By the time I returned to the rockwall, their lines were already in the water. I rushed to catch up, and with a bit of eel on the end of my hook, I cast it out into the bay. ¡°Holy frack!¡± Maria yelled, bouncing on her heels. ¡°It¡¯s huge!¡± Roger barely registered how cold it was as he stepped onto a rock below the water¡¯s surface. He leaned down and picked the fish up by the body. It kicked its tail feebly, having already used every bit of strength it had. The thing was taller than he was and wider than his chest, with vicious teeth and a body like an arrow. With his eyes wide, Roger¡¯s vision was drawn into it. Mature Bluefathom Mackerel Rare Found in the deep waters of the Kallis Realm, this fish is prized for both sport and the quality of its flesh. Rarely seen, some say that consuming this creature provides a temporary boost to luck. Roger swallowed, his eyes clearing as he looked back up toward the rockwall. He hadn¡¯t realized that everyone was watching him, not a single line remaining in the water. He took the dozens of cultivators in, still not able to completely grasp the creature he held. ¡°Damn, Roger,¡± Fischer said, shaking his head to clear his vision. ¡°Imbued with luck? That¡¯s something...¡± Roger swallowed again, his mouth feeling dry. ¡°Is... is it okay if I let it go?¡± Fischer¡¯s head rocked backwards. ¡°What?¡± Roger clenched his jaw, ready to tear into the man if he demanded he kill such a noble creature, but then Fischer continued. ¡°Of course it is, you silly goose. You caught it, you decide what to do with it. Here, let me help you.¡± Fischer jumped down beside Roger. ¡°Put it back underwater. We need to get oxygen running through its gills. Here. Like this...¡± With one of them on either side of it, they pushed and pulled it through the small waves, apparently allowing it to breathe. Life slowly returned to it over the following minutes, and not a single word was uttered, everyone lost in its majesty. Without warning, it started kicking, some of its strength returning. Fischer jumped out of the water. ¡°Looks good, mate! Let it go!¡± Roger bent down, running his hand along its muscular body. ¡°You fought well, friend.¡± He pushed it off, and the moment it was free of his grasp, it sailed away, disappearing from sight after only a few kicks of its mighty tail. All he could do was watch, feeling an immense amount of respect for his adversary. Muttered conversations sprung up from the attending cultivators, all beginning to discuss what they¡¯d just witnessed. ¡°So, Roger,¡± Fischer said. ¡°Do they have any sayings about revenge where you¡¯re from...?¡± ¡°Revenge...?¡± Roger shook his head, still unable to tear his eyes from the ocean. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of any, no.¡± ¡°Really? Weird. Back on Earth, they say it¡¯s a dish best served cold.¡± ¡°What foolishness are you even saying?¡± Roger asked, his gaze melding with the churning waves. ¡°Fischer,¡± Maria warned. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡ª¡± Hearing urgency in his daughter¡¯s voice, Roger spun. Well, he¡¯d intended to spin. Before he could, a foot lashed out and kicked his backside, sending him sprawling into the freezing-cold waves. Book 3: Chapter 26: Escape Book 3: Chapter 26: Escape Within a dark and humid room, a devout man practiced his craft. The scents of earth, mildew, and sweet herbs surrounded him, standing in stark contrast to the haze that usually filled his domain. It had taken Solomon most of a week to create this place of worship¡ªthe holy ground upon which he would take steps on the stairway of ascension. For as long as Solomon had been practicing alchemy, he had been inhaling the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s chi-suppressing smoke. Toward the end of his stay in Tropica, the burning qualities of the haze had seemed to decrease, his empowered body somehow withstanding the usually agony-inducing qualities of the Cult¡¯s greatest creation. He took a deep breath, marveling at the soothing characteristics his newest concoction seemed to have on his throat. Where his past workspaces made him feel physically ill, the vapors wafting up from his cauldron now caused his body to hum, as if it was healing all the prior punishment he had put it through. Solomon had no doubt as to the ingredient causing this shift; it was the bark of the blue-trunked tree. The decomposing plant matter was the basis of the brew he currently worked on, aided by medicinal herbs and plants that he¡¯d found in the surrounding forest. This place of power seemed to make plantlife flourish; he hadn¡¯t needed to travel far in order to find the ingredients he looked for, and Solomon could think of nowhere else on Kallis that he¡¯d ever witnessed so much diversity. Despite the wondrous soothing of his throat, Solomon¡¯s brow knitted. The bark had irrefutable healing qualities, but it wasn¡¯t doing what he¡¯d hoped. Much like he could feel the suppressing aspect of the haze he usually worked within, he could also sense the potent chi held within his concoction. It was there. He was sure of it. Yet he couldn¡¯t harness its power. There had to be something missing¡ªan ingredient, perhaps, but try as he might, Solomon couldn¡¯t work out what it was. Taking a deep breath, he tried to focus his will on the concoction, just as the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s doctrine instructed. He closed his eyes, imagining the outcome he desired. Solomon dressed in golden robes, the garb so rich that he shone as bright as the midday sun. The other members of the Cult of the Alchemist, prostate and bowing before him, their god. A pile of riches laying at his feet, brought forth by the kingdoms trying to gain his favor. Something resonated within his abdomen as the scene played out in his mind¡¯s eye. With exhilaration fueling his efforts, he imagined even more people praising him, and an even greater pile of gold. He strained, his body hunching as he sought to focus every ounce of will he had on that eventuality. No matter how hard he tried, however, nothing happened. The vibration within remained just that¡ªa vibration. Despite his efforts, there was something nagging at him in the back of his mind. An immovable blockage that halted his progress. He did his best to ignore it, but the stray thought was like a rock in one¡¯s shoe, only growing more agitating the longer it was left unremoved. Unlike the metaphorical stone, however, Solomon couldn¡¯t just remove his boot and take it out. There was something missing from the concoction, and no matter how many times he redoubled his efforts, nothing would change that fact. He let out a sigh as he looked out at the waking world once more, the scene dissipating like a soluble compound in hot water. He couldn¡¯t ascend until he found the missing ingredient. Standing and stretching, he made for the door, intent on finding it. *** A heavy breeze washed over me, flecking my skin with small drops of rain. I¡¯d spent the morning fishing, hanging with my friends, and exacting vengeance. All in all, it left me feeling balanced, which was a good thing considering the blade of chi currently flying for my head. Going full matrix, I dodged it. Springing backward, I took off running toward shore, unable to halt my giggles despite the murder held in Roger¡¯s eyes. ¡°I had no choice!¡± ¡°There is always a choice!¡± he roared, standing upright in the waves. ¡°You were perfectly positioned for a good punting! What was I supposed to do?¡± He would have to introduce her to his master if she ever returned to the capital¡ªTom Osnan Sr. could always use more pawns. As the two tailoring apprentices joined their precession, Nathan nodded at Anna. She set her jaw and nodded back. She had volunteered to lead the distraction, which was another reason to be thankful for her service. Two of the newer members followed her as she headed to the east side of the village. They believed he would immediately come back and rescue them, which was a lie, of course, but trickery was perfectly fine if it meant they succeeded in extracting the nobles and getting them back to Gormona. They could be freed when the capital came and crushed this misguided cult calling itself a church. After a few minutes, everyone but the three distractors reconvened within the corridor of the prison. Zeke met them there, having relieved the person on watch of their duties. They waited there in silence, every passing second making Nathan¡¯s unease grow. Anna should have attacked by now. Had they been caught preemptively? Was she acting as a double agent, only pretending to¡ª Booom! The prison walls shook with the force of the explosion, and a wicked grind spread over Nathan¡¯s face. He took a deep breath and opened the gate to his core, allowing his ability to pour out and smother the area in stillness. The moment it was in place, Zeke used the keys to open the first cultivator¡¯s door. They moved deeper into the prison, releasing them one by one, and when they reached Tom Osnan Jr.¡¯s cell, they all bowed, averting their eyes. Zeke slid forward and opened the bars. The second the captive was freed, a vice-like hand grabbed Nathan¡¯s neck, forcing his face up. Tom Osnan¡¯s expression was fiery, and he struck Nathan¡¯s cheek with a savage blow. Because of the chi roiling from Nathan¡¯s core, Tom Osnan Jr.¡¯s cultivation was sealed. The backhanded slap couldn¡¯t have harmed a hair on his body, so he threw his head to the side, making it look as though the blow had devastated him. A surge of chi bloomed far away as a barrage of abilities collided on the edge of the village, the reverberations from the clash more noticeable than the strike. ¡°That is for your tardiness, cultivator,¡± Tom Osnan Jr. spat. ¡°Do better next time.¡± ¡°Yes, lord,¡± Nathan replied, staring at the ground despite being held by the neck. Osnan let go, casting his gaze over the arrayed followers. ¡°Release my wife. We¡¯ve remained chained here for long enough.¡± Nodding hurriedly, Zeke rushed down the hallway, swiftly unlocking her cell. For his efforts, he received a scowl from lady Osnan. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± she said. ¡°Let us leave this place.¡± Unlike the regular cultivators, the lord and his lady wife didn¡¯t control their steps, all but running down the hallway. The entire time they moved, more abilities were unleashed by Anna, the other two followers, and the village heretics that had gone to answer their apparent assault. Each wave of force that hit his protective bubble made his smile spread wider. The distraction was working. Nathan was right behind the two Osnans as they stepped out on the street, so when they came to an abrupt stop, he almost barrelled into their backs. ¡°Wh-what?¡± he asked dumbly, not understanding why they¡¯d paused. A long silence stretched over the street, the silence growing thick as more of the loyal left the prison. ¡°You!¡± Tom Osnan Jr. growled. Swallowing, Nathan leaned to peer around them. Who he found there made his skin prickle and stomach drop. Book 3: Chapter 27: Double-Cross Book 3: Chapter 27: Double-Cross Beneath a roiling sea of gray clouds, Barry shook his head at the people emerging from the prison. The traitors appeared genuinely shocked, bringing him no small amount of amusement. They¡¯d truly thought their plans were unknown. He glanced at his lone companion, bending to scratch her soft-furred head. Corporal Claws trilled, leaning into his touch before stretching and hunching down. Crackling lightning leaped from her body as she grinned, waiting for the order to attack. ¡°How did you know?¡± Tom Osnan Jr. asked, raising his chin. ¡°That isn¡¯t important. All that matters is that your attempt failed. If you don¡¯t mind, it will save a whole lot of violence if you calmly take yourself back to your cell.¡± Tom Osnan Jr. sneered. ¡°You may have bested us last time, but you no longer have the element of surprise.¡± ¡°Besides,¡± Nathan, the ringleader of this little prison break, said, stepping up beside Tom and standing tall. ¡°You¡¯re outnumbered.¡± ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Barry agreed. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll win.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Nathan¡¯s face grew serious as a blanket of chi seemed to press down on Barry¡¯s body, making his chest tighten. ¡°I wonder how useful your power will be when you can¡¯t use it?¡± Barry reached for his core, his brow scrunching with the effort. Try as he might, his chi seemed to be locked away, right there, yet impossible to reach. The lightning covering Corporal Claws sputtered out, her eyes going wide. Nathan laughed, clearly delighting in her expression. ¡°The person who takes them out will be rewarded back in Gormona.¡± Three people stepped forward, flexing their hands. ¡°Call me crazy,¡± Barry said, cocking his head, ¡°but wouldn¡¯t activating your ability mean that no one can use their chi?¡± ¡°I can see why you¡¯d assume that.¡± Nathan looked down his nose at them, all too happy to keep talking. ¡°But mine is no beginner¡¯s ability....¡± He clicked his fingers, and though Barry¡¯s chi was suppressed, he sensed pockets opening up within the dulling sphere. They were centered around the escapees, blooming outward to avoid every inch of their forms. The three that had stepped forward flexed their hands as essence flowed out from their cores to flood their bodies. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Tom Osnan Jr. asked. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Kill the otter first,¡± lady Osnan ordered, a disgusting smile covering his face. The three obliged, their bodies entirely unaffected by the suppression as they exploded forward. Though Barry couldn¡¯t bring forth his power, his senses were still heightened; he saw the following movements in slow motion. The first step, sending them launching forward. One cultivator¡¯s leg drawing back and the muscles there tightening. The sickening power with which he kicked out, his calf bulging as he aimed his foot for the center of Corporal Claws¡¯s body. The other two cocking back arms and looping wide, coming toward Claws from either side. Their torsos leaning forward as their fists lashed out, carrying deadly potential. If they were to hit Claw¡¯s body while she was under the effect of the suppression, she wouldn¡¯t survive. Time crawled as the blows descended, yet Barry didn¡¯t move to intervene. Two rows of needle-sharp teeth gleamed out at the world between Claws¡¯s parted lips, and lightning chi gathered, bringing with it the scent of ozone. The three attackers also had enhanced senses, and though they carried too much momentum to pull back, Barry witnessed¡ªand enjoyed¡ªthe moment of realization crossing the traitors¡¯ faces. Smirks disappeared, replaced by sheer confusion. Before their confusion had a chance to morph into fear, the lightning bolt struck. It descended from the heavens in the blink of a non-cultivator¡¯s eye, striking the street where Claws stood. She held her forepaws high like some sort of storm god, embracing the energy as it engulfed her. Given her very body having mastered lightning-aspected chi, she was completely immune to the attack. Unfortunately for her attackers, they had no such mastery. ¡°Impossible! I¡¯d have felt if my ability was infiltrated.¡± He pointed skyward. ¡°We all knew those damned birds were keeping an eye on us. They¡¯re too far away to hear anything, let alone penetrate my nullifying¡ª¡± Twin honks cut Nathan off, the calls so loud that they shook Barry¡¯s chest. Two blurs descended from above, slamming into the cobbled street and sending a shockwave outward. When the air stilled, Pelly and Bill stared at the group of escapees, somehow looking down at them despite being half their height. Barry laughed, leaning down to pat both pelicans on the head. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªthey¡¯ve been watching, yet they were too far away to hear your plans...¡± He couldn¡¯t hide his amusement as he looked back up at Nathan. ¡°But who said it was the birds watching?¡± There was a long moment of silence before a hum came from the surrounding buildings, so low that one might assume it a figment of their imagination. As the bee hybrids came into view, the hum became a cacophonous drone, more than a few flying from within the prison¡¯s confines. They formed a loose orb beside Barry, hovering to stare at the traitors. They bobbed once, nodding as they let out a buzzed greeting. A louder tone cut through the monotonous sound of their flight, and Tom Osnan Jr. spun, turning toward Nathan with a venomous glance. Not understanding, Nathan¡¯s body went rigid, holding his hands up in supplication, but then he looked down at his robe. Something darted from his belt, shooting up to hover before his face. Bumblebro gave the man a rude gesture, then zipped away, coming to a stop beside his progeny. The bees buzzed affectionately at him, Bumblebro returning the same vibrations. Barry watched Nathan intently, enjoying the rapid change of emotions sweeping over his face. Realization, fear, anger, and everything in between cycled across his countenance, growing more intense with each repetition. The rest of the traitors were experiencing the same turmoil, falling to their knees¡ªnot that many of them had truly been a part of the revolt. Most of the ¡®traitors¡¯, including two of the cultivators that had been imprisoned, remained standing. Nathan looked their way, perhaps seeking a way out, but when he noticed the guilt, sorrow, or amusement they were displaying, he froze. ¡°You... all of you?¡± he demanded. His gaze settled on Zeke, who grimaced. ¡°What did they offer you, Zeke? What price have you sold your soul for, coward?¡± ¡°What did they offer me...?¡± Zeke shook his head, looking down at his co-conspirator with pity. ¡°Look around, Nathan. What fool would willingly go back to slavery?¡± ¡°I heard your words in the theater. How fickle is your heart to be swayed so easily, swine?¡± ¡°Oh, that?¡± Barry snorted. ¡°My idea. I asked Anna to play the role, but she said it would be more believable coming from Zeke.¡± ¡°He was always the best actor at our school,¡± Anna explained, twirling a finger around the end of her ponytail. ¡°Did I not mention that¡¯s how we knew each other?¡± ¡°You moron!¡± Tom Osnan Jr, screamed, grabbing Nathan by his collar. As Nathan stared up at the furious lord, he looked like he was going to be sick. Tom Osnan Jr. punched down, and Barry would have moved to intervene, but he felt the shift of Nathan¡¯s ability. The bubble of protection around the lord disappeared, the nullifying power rushing in. By the time the fist struck Nathan¡¯s chin, it was like a toddler trying to assault a mountain. Lord Tom Osnan screeched in pain, clutching his broken hand. ¡°You dare!¡± Nathan responded by spreading his arms wide and drawing in chi. As Barry felt the man gathering power in his core, he prepared to jump in. As much as he detested Tom Osnan Jr.¡¯s existence, he wouldn¡¯t let him die. The power in Nathan¡¯s core fluctuated, drawing in ever more essence at an incredible rate. It flowed on and on, somehow picking up speed. Barry¡¯s stomach dropped when he realized what was about to happen. Corporal Claws realized too; she exploded forward on lightning wreathed limbs. Rocky, itching for a fight, made it closest to Nathan. But it was too late. The power rushed into Nathan¡¯s core and exploded outward. Though the breakthrough wasn¡¯t as strong as Fischer¡¯s, it was still enough to send them all flying. Rocky was hit the worst, getting catapulted skyward because of his proximity and angle. Barry braced himself as she slammed into the building behind him, only the fact it was System-made saving the structure from obliteration. Claws landed right beside him, and they both rushed to their feet, gathering their wits and preparing to rush at the empowered man. After the chi expanded outward, however, it poured back into Nathan, coalescing in a smoky orb around him. It held hints of his nullifying ability, but as its shape condensed, so too did the power. The air became gray, then black, and in an instant, a loud pop rang out. Both Nathan and the orb were gone, leaving everyone in various stages of recovery across the street. ¡°Frack me,¡± Barry said. ¡°Can¡¯t say I saw that coming.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± Theo asked, getting to his feet. ¡°Pelly, Bill¡ªgo get Fischer. We can¡¯t risk letting Nathan escape.¡± Barry spun toward Borks as the two birds honked their approval and tore off through the sky. ¡°Can you sense where he went?¡± Borks dashed forward, sniffing the spot he¡¯d disappeared from. After lifting his nose and sniffing the air, he nodded. Wasting no time, Claws leaped to his back. With her one forepaw gripping his fur, she pointed forward with the other, commanding her steed onward with a shrill chirp. Borks howled in response, transforming into what Fischer called his ¡®long boi¡¯ form. All elbows and incredible speed, Borks dashing away to the north. Snips trailed them, oozing blue chi that shot from the rear of her limbs. All the while, Claws released a battle cry from Borks¡¯s back, declaring her violent intent. Book 3: Chapter 28: Double Trouble Book 3: Chapter 28: Double Trouble As he strode beneath a forest canopy, Deklan held his hand out, feeling the stray drops of rain that bounced off leaves above and fell toward the forest floor. Every few seconds, a tiny droplet splashed against his upturned palm. It made his smile spread even wider, and he lifted his face, enjoying each fragment of rain that hit him. Rather than fishing, he and his brother had gone for a walk. Well, it had started out as a walk, anyway. As brothers are wont to do, it quickly devolved into a footrace. Given that they were now cultivators, the sand had sped past, as did trees, grass, and eventually mountains, both men sprinting until they were kilometers inland. After a short break to catch their breath, they¡¯d started walking in silence, both soaking in their surroundings. Deklan peered toward Dom, shaking his head in amusement as he realized his brother was also walking through the rain with an upturned face, smiling at the sensations of his body. Somehow able to sense his attention, Dom cracked an eye and raised a brow at him. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°Not at all. Can¡¯t a man enjoy his younger brother¡¯s joy?¡± Dom¡¯s contentment immediately died on his face. ¡°I am not your little brother.¡± ¡°How could you say such a thing? I was born before you.¡± ¡°Five minutes before me. That makes me your twin, Deklan, not your little brother. Wait, have you been telling everyone in New Tropica that I¡¯m your younger sibling?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been?¡± Deklan raised a hand to his chest. ¡°You wound me, little brother.¡± Dom held his composure for another few seconds before breaking into laughter. ¡°You are so annoying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what big brothers are for.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Dom rolled his eyes, the corners of his lips tugging up. They slipped back into silence as they strode on. Despite the grounding presence of the surrounding forest and falling rain, Deklan¡¯s thoughts strayed toward the day¡¯s events. There was some sort of mission going on back in New Tropica. Given how little the leadership had informed him of, he assumed it was important. All Barry had told them was that they were welcome to take part. Deklan had mentioned they¡¯d planned to go for a walk, fully expecting Barry to tell him he couldn¡¯t. Instead, Barry had just smiled and told them to have a good time. ¡°You know,¡± Dom said, his tone musing, ¡°I know they keep telling us we can do what we want, but I¡¯m repeatedly surprised when they actually let us...¡± Deklan laughed. ¡°I was just thinking the same thing. What is it that Barry keeps calling it? Aunotomy?¡± Dom snorted in response. ¡°Autonomy, you goose. An older brother would have known that...¡± ¡°Or maybe this older brother was only pretending not to know. That way, his baby, much-younger brother could correct him and gain a sense of self confidence.¡± ¡°Whatever helps you sleep at night.¡± They shared a smile and Deklan shook his head. ¡°Jokes aside, I¡¯m constantly surprised by it too. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªI knew Fischer was a good person despite his power, but I still expected some of it to be a lie, you know? Like they were selling us on taking part, then we¡¯d have to spend half the time getting ordered around.¡± ¡°They truly gave us freedom, didn¡¯t they?¡± Deklan took a deep breath and let it out slowly, grinning at the world. ¡°It would seem so.¡± They stopped walking as they strode into a clearing, both holding their arms wide. The raindrops hitting him made a pleasant shiver run down Deklan¡¯s spine, but before he could completely fall into the moment, something slammed into him. Both their eyes flew open as a wave of chi shot over the landscape, its resonance strong enough to make Deklan¡¯s vision pulse. Deklan wouldn¡¯t either. Some would call Deklan a fool. Many fellow guards had done so back in Gormona. Despite appearances, Deklan was always listening. He¡¯d heard all about the breakthroughs people had been having. Gods above, he¡¯d felt the one that Roger experienced a week ago. They appeared to be reliant on finding one¡¯s purpose and admitting it to themselves. Rather than look for power, Deklan searched for truth. Thankfully, it was only his physical power that was suppressed, so his mind remained sharp. It whirled through myriad possibilities, and it only took him a moment to find what he believed to be his purpose. He stared into his brother¡¯s eyes, conveying his feelings. To finally find a place he and his brother belonged, then to have it taken away so abruptly... it was unacceptable. As he and Dom looked into each other, their truth resonated. He could sense his brother¡¯s thoughts¡ªthey were exactly the same as his. Both men wanted to protect each other and the life they¡¯d found. Chi rushed in to them, but this time, it wasn¡¯t Nathan¡¯s. It was the world¡¯s. Invisible ropes of it penetrated the hazy bubble surrounding them, forcing their way through the muck and into the brothers¡¯ bodies. Their cores remained sealed, yet power coursed through them all the same. They got to their knees, then to their feet, hunching against the oppressive darkness that sought their destruction. As they stood, bracing their shoulders against the assault, Nathan¡¯s eyes grew furious. The pressure coming from the man redoubled, the air growing so dark that it obscured the outside world. The creek¡¯s water receded, getting forced from Nathan¡¯s sphere of influence and leaving the bed dry. Unwilling to be subdued, both brothers remained standing, calling forth the world¡¯s chi as their breakthrough approached. Deklan¡¯s body felt full to bursting, yet the chi continued to swell and build, collecting around his core. He felt the same thing happening within Dom, and they radiated reassurance, letting the other know they weren¡¯t alone. The chi condensed, grew to a fever pitch, and then broke. All at once, it flowed away, flung from them and returned to the outside world. Deklan and Dom collapsed, both letting out pained cries as their bodies slammed into the ground. Nathan sighed through his teeth, stumbling and almost falling once more. Some of his power subsided, but what remained was enough to keep them held firmly against the ground. He let out a soft laugh, more relieved than victorious. ¡°Unfortunately for you heretics, I won¡¯t repeat Barry¡¯s mistake.¡± He shuffled forward, making his way toward Dom, who was only a meter away. ¡°There will be no monologue.¡± Deklan tried to rally his power, attempting to beckon the world¡¯s essence back to him, but it was fruitless. His core, and everything around it, felt raw. Even if Nathan¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t pressing down on him, he wasn¡¯t sure he could stand, let alone gather the strength to fight back. Nathan, still wobbling, stood over Dom. He raised his elbow high, gathering power there and preparing to drop it down into Dom¡¯s body. If the blow were to land, his brother would be no more; with their chi locked away, their bodies were those of regular humans. Despite this, Deklan never gave up hope. He reached out, making his core feel like it caught flame. His abdomen burned, yet he still grasped outward with metaphorical fingers, attempting to find something¡ªanything¡ªthat would give him the strength to save his brother. Uncaring of his wishes, Nathan¡¯s elbow gathered the last whisper of power necessary. The muscles surrounding his shoulder bunched, and the elbow raced downward, aimed for Dom¡¯s back. Deklan tried to cry out, and a sound like a blade shearing through metal tore through the air. The elbow continued its deadly trajectory, so fast it would go unnoticed by anyone but a cultivator. Deklan had the barest of moments to be confused by the noise seeming to come from his own throat before something catapulted into view. A blur of brown, orange, and blue rocketed forward, the metal-on-metal sound so loud that it hurt his eardrums. Corporal Claws, streaming lightning and grinning maliciously, gave Deklan a thumbs up in passing. Sergeant Snips was right behind her, blowing greeting bubbles as rivulets of ocean-blue chi propelled her forward. The next moment, they both slammed into Nathan¡¯s chest. The tangle of man and creature flew through a tree, obliterating its trunk before they tumbled into the forest and out of sight. Borks was there a moment later, giving the brothers a drive-by lick on the cheek before leaping over the shattered stump to join Claws and Snips in their assault on the poor fellow. ¡°Frack me,¡± Deklan said, rolling onto his back. ¡°That was close.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Dom agreed, taking heaving breaths. Book 3: Chapter 29: Chekhovs Crab Book 3: Chapter 29: Chekhov''s Crab You, as a descendant of the great Kraken Rider, should beware anyone selling directions to the heavens. This does not, however, mean one shouldn¡¯t try the techniques and meditations of other sects, churches, and families. Knowledge may be gleaned from the guidance of others, after all, even if your only insight is what not to do. Though easier described than practiced, one should follow the whispers of their mind and body. There are many roads to enlightenment, and only one¡¯s instinct can be relied upon to take the correct path. Excerpt from Chapter 6, House Kraken Manual ¡°Are you serious, Barry?¡± I asked as I patted Bill and Pelly, the birds crooning and leaning into my touch. My two trusty pelicans had come and retrieved Roger and me, putting a pause on our battle. The moment we¡¯d seen the panic in their avian eyes, Roger and I had raced back to New Tropica. Finding the gathering outside of the prison had been a surprise, but nowhere near as unexpected as the reaction Barry had to the question I¡¯d just voiced. He seemed to sink into himself, his expression growing dark. I thought it would be momentary, but he only seemed to become more troubled with each passing second. He stared over at Deklan and Dom, the two men resting against a wall after having been dropped off by Borks. ¡°Everything okay, mate?¡± I asked Barry, raising an eyebrow, but he ignored me, his worried gaze locked on the two brothers. He marched over, stopped before them, and bowed at the waist. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I let my enjoyment of the plan coming together cloud my judgment. It is my fault you were attacked.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Deklan blurted, putting voice to exactly what I was thinking. Barry lowered himself to his knees, bending so his forehead almost touched the ground. ¡°I should have neutralized the threat immediately. Instead, I dragged it out for my own amusement. Any number of us could have knocked Nathan out before he had a chance to experience a breakthrough. I can¡¯t take it back, but I promise that I will learn from this grievous error. ¡°Er,¡± Deklan said. ¡°I think you¡¯re being a bit too harsh on yourself.¡± ¡°Agreed, but apology accepted,¡± Dom added. ¡°We¡¯ve experienced worse, right, Deklan?¡± He nudged his brother, giving him a meaningful look. ¡°Oh, yeah. Evil powers are bad and all, but they don¡¯t hold a candle to our dear mother¡¯s cooking.¡± Dom guffawed. ¡°Remember the apricot chicken? That woman made meals that could have put the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s vilest concoctions to shame.¡± ¡°Oh, you bastard. I¡¯d managed to forget the apricot chicken. What about the time she added those flavor bulbs to a stir fry? I swear, I loved that woman like nothing else, but some of the things she came up with...¡± As the two brothers continued listing off their late mother¡¯s crimes against humanity, apparently unaffected by their brush with death, Barry slowly raised his head, utter confusion plastering his face. When it finally dawned on him that they truly weren¡¯t bothered, he stood and turned my way, bowing at the waist again. ¡°You were right to chastise me, Fischer. I won¡¯t let it happen again.¡± ¡°Uhhhh, I didn¡¯t chastise you?¡± I leaned toward Maria, who was at my side. ¡°Did I chastise Barry?¡± I stage whispered. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± she replied, peering between Barry and me consideringly. ¡°You did ask him if he was serious, though, which he maybe took as a reprimand?¡± ¡°Ohhhh.¡± I clicked my fingers. ¡°Is that what you meant, mate?¡± He blinked at me, apparently unprepared for no one to be angry at him. ¡°Yes...?¡± he slowly said. ¡°You had every right to call me out on my failure.¡± ¡°Yeah, nah. I wasn¡¯t at all upset about that. Your plan came together wonderfully, considering how complicated it was.¡± He gave me the same look of confusion he¡¯d given the brothers a moment ago. ¡°What were you talking about, then?¡± ¡°You set up a double-cross without me! A crime most foul.¡± ¡°All right, you lost me,¡± Maria said, narrowing her eyes at me. Barry, clearly agreeing with the sentiment, stood upright and shook his head. ¡°What on Kallis are you talking about? You told me to keep you out of everything possible, which I¡¯ve been respecting. You wanted to be kept in the dark.¡± ¡°Well, yeah! I usually want to be kept out of things, but a double-cross?¡± I gestured at Anna and the rest of the allied conspirators. ¡°A double-cross with undercover agents?¡± I let out a sigh. ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m insulted you didn¡¯t bring me in on the fun. I missed out on a good time.¡± Everyone just stared at me, and when one spoke, I continued yapping. ¡°You warned me that Roger would start a tussle with me for the purpose of some secret mission, but I had no idea it would be for something so exciting. I thought it would be a boring plan, like showing our new friends how strong we are. Or how grumpy Roger is. Next time you¡¯ve got some plot right out of a thriller, bring me in, my guy. Also...¡± I turned toward Roger. ¡°I was told you¡¯d start a tussle with me, not that you¡¯d try and turn me into deli meat. Show some restraint, you peanut.¡± The wind washed over George, making the shape of his body seem to dissolve into a cloud of sensations. Calm as he was, the explosion of chi earlier had hardly affected him, his consciousness becoming more used to them over the past week. He unleashed a slow, ponderous breath, following its passage with his awareness as it flowed from his mouth. When he opened his eyes, he found Joel, the leader of Tropica¡¯s Cult of Carcinization branch, smiling at him. ¡°I know I¡¯m repeating myself here, George, but I must thank you again.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t need to¡ª¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Joel interrupted, gesturing at the rest of the cultists and Geraldine, who were deep in meditation. ¡°The past week since we exchanged the cult¡¯s techniques with your house¡¯s manual has been wondrous and enlightening. To think we¡¯ve come so far in a mere span of days...¡± He smiled even wider, crows feet appearing beside his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel like we are almost taking steps on the path of carcinization.¡± ¡°We should be the ones thanking you,¡± Geraldine said, opening her eyes and resting a hand on George¡¯s leg. ¡°Your insights and techniques have been invaluable.¡± Joel nodded. ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯ve been of similar benefit to the both of you.¡± He paused, pursing his lips for a moment. ¡°After today¡¯s meditation, are you still sure that the superior form of the crab isn¡¯t for you...?¡± George grimaced. They¡¯d had this same discussion daily. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to follow my instincts still, Joel, just as the Kraken manual instructs. I can¡¯t speak for my wife, but for me, the form doesn¡¯t feel correct.¡± ¡°You can speak for me, dear,¡± Geraldine said, reaching over and squeezing his hand. ¡°You know it doesn¡¯t feel right for me either. Sorry, Joel.¡± Jess, Joel¡¯s second in command, groaned as she stood and stretched. ¡°Again, Joel?¡± She walked over and sat down next to Joel, leaving the other members to their meditation. ¡°I think it might be time to accept our friends¡¯ words.¡± She smiled at George and Geraldine. ¡°You¡¯re always welcome to join our sessions regardless of whether or not carcinization feels right to you.¡± George barely heard her last sentence¡ªhe was still tripping over the previous one. I think it might be time to accept our friends¡¯ words, Jess had said, with no hint or deception in her voice. ¡°Friends....?¡± Geraldine asked. ¡°Did you call us your... friends?¡± George glanced to his left, his heart breaking when he saw her face. The statement had impacted her too, causing tears to swell in her eyes. As he watched, one of them fell, slowly rolling down her cheek. ¡°Oh, dear...¡± George said, reaching out to wipe it away. Jess inhaled sharply, covering her mouth. ¡°Did I say something wrong? I didn¡¯t mean to overstep, my lady.¡± George smiled at her, his own emotions threatening to boil over. ¡°Not at all. We are grateful for your friendship, and my lady wife¡¯s reaction is one of...¡± George trailed off as an odd whistling sound came to his ear, and he cocked his head to the side, trying to discern where it was coming from. ¡°Can you all hear that?¡± Geraldine cupped a hand to her ear as she blinked away her tears. ¡°What is it...?¡± All too late, he stared up. A creature of nightmare approached, its form massive and limbs numerous. ¡°Get back¡ª¡± It struck the ground like a boulder, sending sand flying in every direction. George scrambled between Geraldine and the monster, raising his fists in a defensive posture. ¡°Run!¡± he ordered, but Geraldine remained at his back, her hands gripping his arm. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you!¡± ¡°You must!¡± he hissed. ¡°I can¡¯t stand the idea of... what the frack?¡± he said, inadvertently copying a curse he¡¯d heard thrown around by the commonfolk. The sand had cleared enough for him to see, and what he found was enough to reset his thoughts. The monster remained in the crater it had made, slowly getting to its many legs. Rather than run, the cultists were facedown in the sand, kneeling so low that their foreheads pressed into the sand. The creature stood upright in all its majesty, its beady eyes staring down at the bowing humans with an imperious gaze. It was covered in a hardened shell, with claws big enough to sever a man¡¯s leg. It was a spirit beast. George could feel it and the power it held. ¡°Frack me,¡± Geraldine said from beside him, also borrowing the commonfolk¡¯s vernacular. ¡°Maybe you were right about the crab form, Joel...¡± Book 3: Chapter 30: Self-Control Book 3: Chapter 30: Self-Control As Rocky soared through the darkened sky, he reconsidered his life choices. He¡¯d been launched dozens of kilometers into the air, the very world turning into a vast circle beneath him. At first, he¡¯d been filled with joy¡ªhe had never graced such heights. The moment he began to descend, however, realization washed over him. Though he¡¯d been flung higher than ever before, it hadn¡¯t been by his beloved mistress. This should have been something they experienced together. Instead, his first time into the stratosphere had been experienced with the help of a human male. He had betrayed his spiky mistress, even going so far as to make his body aerodynamic so he went higher and higher. Rocky, for perhaps the first time in his life, experienced self-disgust. He was a dirty, disloyal crab, and he knew not how many waves would need to crash over his mighty carapace before his sins were cleansed. There were no distractions to be found in the sky, even the wonder of his height nothing before the weight of his betrayal, and the longer he fell, the more he was propelled into despair. How would he tell her? What could he possibly do to regain her trust? Which evil force had concocted the perfect trap for him to fall into and betray his beloved...? Tropica came into view below him, so small that he could barely make it out. When he spied the headland, only a portion of Fischer¡¯s home poking out from the vast stone formation, Rocky had his first devious thought for the day. This, he decided, was all Fischer¡¯s fault. Though Rocky would never tell him, Fischer was the strongest of them all. If he had been there to combat the one called Nathan, Rocky would never have been tempted by the throw of another. It was Fischer who had caused Rocky¡¯s betrayal. Cementing this belief into his vastly superior mind, Rocky changed course. He angled his body, letting the wind flow past him. Within seconds, he had doubled in speed, rocketing downward. Ficher¡¯s crime demanded retribution; Rocky would deliver it. Bubbles of justice trailed from his mouth as he pictured the destruction in his mind, even Fischer¡¯s System-made house having no hope against his immaculate carapace. A wind flew past, causing him to spin chaotically, but it didn¡¯t matter¡ªhe would change course again and rocket back toward his target. In his tail spin, however, he noticed something curious. There was a group of people sitting beneath the giant tree that Lemon had helped create. It was a gathering he recognized. The cultists that he¡¯d been molding into obedient followers sat in meditation, arrayed in a circle that called to Rocky¡¯s very soul, the landing spot too perfect to ignore. It was a grander entrance than he could have ever imagined, and each time he rotated and caught sight of it again, he felt even more drawn in. He could ignore the call no longer. As much as Fischer needed to be punished, Rocky would have to find another way to enact retribution. He splayed his legs outward, using them to steer toward the tree. With his worries forgotten, Rocky pulled himself into a ball, streamlining his body and gathering speed once more. He retracted his eyestalks and his vision went black, even those small appendages standing in the way of peak velocity. When he hit the ground, it was with the force of a meteor, the thump so loud that his everything shook. Fragments of sand and dust flew in all directions, his majestic body leaving a crater in the earth. He sat still for a long moment, the fine hairs within his statocyst not properly detecting sound, leaving only a high-pitched tone that rang through him. As the dust began to settle, Rocky¡¯s senses returned, and he unfurled his limbs, standing dramatically slow to give the humans time to show their respect. The cultists were all prone, pressing their faces into the sand and flattening themselves as much as their weird, fleshy bodies could. ¡°Holy frack,¡± an unknown voice said, making Rocky turn the speaker¡¯s way. ¡°Maybe you were right about the crab form, Joel...¡± He immediately agreed with the woman¡¯s assessment, as Joel had no doubt praised his body. But then he realized the woman was standing, as was the man beside her. Indignation boiled within Rocky¡¯s shell, and he took a step forward. ¡°Bow down!¡± Joel yelled, both desperation and reverence lacing his words. The two, both blinking their stupid meaty eye coverings, slowly acquiesced¡ªtoo slowly, by Rocky¡¯s estimate. He scuttled forward, raising his claws high in preparation for a good whack. When he was before them, though, something reached out and touched his core, halting his claws as they descended. Not comprehending the twin sources of chi, he cocked his carapace to the side, studying them. The two before him... they were close to ascension. It was a curious find, and he was just considering the implications when someone dared interrupt his thoughts. ¡°Forgive them, Sergeant Snips,¡± Joel said. ¡°They are not aware of your majesty.¡± Rocky whirled, furious at the cultist for mistaking¡ªnay, disrespecting¡ªthe name of his spiked mistress, but before his claw lashed out, he recalled that the cultists believed he and Sergeant Snips were the same being. After his fall and the discovery of two soon-to-be cultivators, his thoughts were muddier than a mangrove swamp. Rocky blew slow, calming bubbles, knowing he needed every ounce of his vast intellect to decide what to do with the two humans. ¡°Thank you for the reminder,¡± he muttered, lowering his eyes. ¡°You are as wise a friend as ever.¡± Augustus scoffed. ¡°I am your king and nothing more.¡± ¡°Yes, my king.¡± As Augustus walked away, Tom stared back in the direction they¡¯d come from. On the distant horizon, dark clouds milled, standing in stark contrast to the clear skies above. They were already halfway to Theogonia, and loathe as he was to admit it, Tom pulling the cart had been a good idea. Though he was also a revered lord of Gormona, the only other cultivators present were the king, queen, and princess Tryphena. Looking at it through that lens, rather than that it was an unjustified punishment, eased some of the turmoil within Tom. Not all of it, of course, but it helped. As an added bonus, Augustus had seemed more himself with each passing day. The broken man sitting atop Gormona¡¯s throne had been almost as shocking as their utter defeat, and despite Tom feeling victimized by his old friend, he was still glad to see Augustus return to his confident self. With these conflicting emotions not at all dulled by his rings¡¯ suppression, he wandered over to join the others. The merchant Marcus was preparing their lunch as the royals lounged, and Tom sat down near them, taking care not to sit close enough for Augustus to raise an eyebrow at his impropriety. ¡°So,¡± Penelope said, fingering her wedding ring, ¡°would you mind telling us about the corruption again, Tryphena?¡± Tom tried to hide his interest in the question. Despite being the king¡¯s closest confidant, he had never been permitted to return to Theogonia after the war. ¡°Of course, mother,¡± the princess replied, nodding respectfully. ¡°Which aspect would you like me to elaborate on?¡± ¡°As we traveled today, I was thinking over your comments from last night. You said the corruption felt more muted than ever while you were under the effects of the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s new potion, yes?¡± Again, Tryphena nodded. She waited for the queen to continue. Penelope chewed her lip for a moment, considering her words. ¡°How much more muted, would you say? I¡¯ve experienced Theogonia¡¯s corrosive essence before, under an earlier version of the alchemists¡¯ concoction, and it was still too much to withstand after a matter of hours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s... not perfect,¡± Tryphena admitted. ¡°But it was much better than any other time I¡¯ve visited. I could stay within the city¡¯s bounds for days at a time, and I would only have to leave for an hour for my core to return to normal.¡± Tom swallowed and examined his fingernails in an attempt to appear indifferent to the conversation he desperately wanted to record. His spies had recovered information about the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s actions in Theogonia, but he¡¯d never heard something so concrete. ¡°And you were able to traverse the city center?¡± the Queen asked. ¡°Yes. As I said, there was nowhere in the capital that I couldn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona declared. ¡°Leave the rest of the conversation for this evening when present company is no longer listening.¡± Despite Tom¡¯s plant-aspected chi, fire burned within him at the clear disrespect. ¡°Father...¡± Tryphena said with exaggerated calm. ¡°I think it may be best to include lord Osnan in our planning. I know that his failure was monumental, but we are essentially challenging the heavens. We might need to rely on him if we¡ª¡± ¡°He has nothing of value to add,¡± the king interrupted, then spun toward Tom. ¡°Right, Osnan?¡± Tom took a long moment, fighting back his urge to lash out at the continued derision. ¡°As you say, my king,¡± he eventually said, his words clipped. ¡°There you have it. Until he can atone for his failure, he need not be involved in any planning.¡± Tryphena¡¯s gaze drifted Tom¡¯s way, her eyes unreadable before she returned her attention to Augustus. ¡°Yes, father. Please forgive my impropriety. I didn¡¯t intend to question your judgment.¡± Augustus nodded, and as they slipped into silence, Tom¡¯s self-control warred with his desire to attack his oldest friend. Book 3: Chapter 31: Feast Book 3: Chapter 31: Feast Pleasant heat washed over me, making a smile spread over my face. Fragrant steam rose from the barbecue plate, bringing with it the scents of beef tallow, fresh fish, woodsmoke, and myriad herbs and spices. I¡¯d seasoned each slab of mature blue fish with a different combination of seasonings, and my mouth watered as I considered how they¡¯d all taste. In the few hours the residents of New Tropica and I spent fishing for the celebratory feast, we¡¯d caught more than enough. The entire barbecue was covered in thick slabs of mature blue fish, only thin gaps between them revealing the cooking surface below. Tallow hissed and spat around the edges of the fish, bubbling up and crisping every bit of flesh it touched. Taking a deep breath, I bathed in the flavors suffusing the air. I exhaled slowly, leaning into the welcome warmth rising up from before me. The filets were ready to turn. One by one, I flipped each of them, revealing perfectly cooked, golden-hued skin. ¡°All right,¡± Peter said, stepping up beside me. ¡°I agreed to let you help, now go socialize.¡± He waved me away with both hands. ¡°Shoo. It¡¯s your feast, after all.¡± I laughed at him, holding my ground. ¡°You dare shoo me? The great and venerable Fischer?¡± He blew air from his lips, telling me exactly what he thought of that description. ¡°Besides,¡± I continued. ¡°It¡¯s not my feast. It¡¯s everyone else¡¯s.¡± ¡°Point taken.¡± He rubbed his chin and frowned, glancing between me and the barbecue plate, a glint in his eye. ¡°Tell you what, since you asked so nicely, I will allow you to remain and help me cook the fish.¡± I bowed theatrically. ¡°Lord Peter is gracious! This lowly one thanks you.¡± ¡°Oh, stop that.¡± He lifted me up by the shoulders, rolling his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll plant the wrong idea in my apprentices¡¯ minds.¡± I smirked at said apprentices, seeing nervous grins on their faces. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that, mate. They already know I¡¯m a full-blown goose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Maria called, striding around the corner onto my back patio. ¡°It only takes a look to diagnose Fischer as a goose.¡± ¡°See?¡± I nodded sagely. ¡°Nothing to worry about.¡± Maria stepped up beside me, resting an arm on my back. ¡°The food on the fire is almost ready. We¡¯ve already removed the vegetables.¡± ¡°Perfect timing.¡± I wrapped my arm around her waist. ¡°These will be done in a moment, too.¡± As swift and soft as a summer breeze, she darted in to plant a kiss on my cheek. I watched her go, my heart racing as she glanced over her shoulder and gave me what was possibly the most beautiful smile I¡¯d ever seen, then disappeared from sight. ¡°A good lesson, apprentices,¡± Peter said. ¡°Never let your love enter the kitchen. See how distracted Fischer is? He isn¡¯t focused on the food, and it might¡ª¡± He cut off as I clacked my tongs in front of his face, threatening to pinch him if he continued. He just laughed at me, showing absolutely no remorse. In the blink of an eye, his demeanor turned serious. ¡°Jokes aside, Fischer, I want to try something...¡± ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Well, you know how we haven¡¯t been able to unlock a boon from your barbecue yet? I was thinking we could both try pouring our will into it.¡± ¡°Ohhh! You want to try brute forcing it? I am so down.¡± He stepped up beside me, and as we both stared down at the almost-cooked fish, I sent my will out into the world. I felt Peter¡¯s there too. It was potent, revealing his level of cultivation, but was notably less focused than mine. I sent strands of my chi out, helping shape and guide his strands toward the barbecue. At first, Peter¡¯s will railed against my influence. I sensed his surprise, and after only a moment, he lowered his walls, letting our intentions join. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she repeated, giving me an are-you-fracking-serious look. ¡°You have to come see this. Now.¡± Without another word, she disappeared from sight, her footfalls growing faint as she jogged back to the rest of our pals. Peter and I raised an eyebrow at each other. I shrugged. ¡°I guess we should go check out whatever magical shenanigans your breakthrough caused. Can you stand?¡± Peter nodded, letting me help him to his feet. He clenched and unclenched his fists, his eyes going wide. ¡°This... wow. This is my power?¡± ¡°Certainly is, mate. You feel just as strong as Roger. Nowhere near as sharp though, which is nice.¡± I¡¯d already sent a tendril of chi out to feel the aspect he¡¯d taken on. It was interesting, to say the least. There was a steady heat there, but it wasn¡¯t like the flames that Trent seemed to command. It was more akin to the heat that radiated off a bed of embers. ¡°You said Roger feels like a blade, right?¡± he asked, walking for the exit. ¡°What... what do I feel like?¡± ¡°Honestly, mate? You feel like a heat-source. It might be the perfect power for someone who aspires to create experiences with food.¡± He missed a step, stumbling to catch himself as his eyes darted toward mine. ¡°You, uh, felt that...?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate,¡± I said, laughing at his sheepish expression. ¡°Nothing to be ashamed of¡ªI think it¡¯s a grand purpose. And the System clearly agreed.¡± Though his apprentices followed us, they said not a word, simply trailing and watching their teacher with awed expressions. The moment we walked around the corner of the patio and onto the sand, a roar of voices reached my ears. It sounded as though every single citizen of New Tropica was fighting to be heard over one another, their conversations only growing louder with our approach. When I caught sight of them, I froze. They were crowding around the tables we¡¯d set up, gesturing wildly and yelling to each other to be heard over the din. Atop the tables, where we¡¯d intended to place all the food made for the feast, bubbles of thick, golden chi hid whatever was beneath them. I walked forward on uneasy legs, reaching out with my senses to try and understand what was going on. ¡°There you are!¡± Maria called, catching sight of me. She dashed over, excitement held in every line of her face. ¡°What did you guys do?¡± I blinked at the concealing bubbles, then at Peter. ¡°What the frack did we do, mate?¡± ¡°I... don¡¯t know.¡± I turned back to Maria. ¡°Peter had a breakthrough, and I was too distracted keeping the explosion contained to notice what happened out here. What did you see?¡± ¡°Chi rose from the ground and formed little orbs the same color as the ones covering the table. They just floated there. I ran over to try to get your attention, but you were too focused on the barbecue.¡± ¡°Oh, that was you calling? Sorry¡ªI heard you but had to focus. How did they get onto the table...?¡± I pointed at the massive line of coals that ran along the sand. ¡°And what happened to the rest of the food?¡± There had been dozens of blue fish cooking there, along with stacks of root vegetables, but the pans, and the food within, were gone. ¡°I was hoping you knew,¡± she said. ¡°The veggies were on the table, but the fish was still cooking. The golden orbs all radiated a blinding light. When I opened my eyes again, they were covering the tables and all the food was hidden.¡± Taking her hand in mine, I walked forward. The crowd noticed our approach and parted, letting us come up beside the table. The sea of bubbles seemed to call me forward, and my arm reached out of its own accord. I paused for a single moment, my finger mere millimeters from an orb the size of my head. Swallowing, I forged forward. When my skin made contact, light and chi exploded outward, washing over me. I stood slack jawed, staring at the words that appeared in my vision and dulled the blinding glow coming from the feast. Book 3: Chapter 32: Congregation Book 3: Chapter 32: Congregation The susurration of voices died, replaced by the sound of air rushing past my ears. Even after the blinding light of the exploding bubbles dissipated, an invisible current still moved around us, whipping at my clothes and hair. I barely registered the sensations, instead focused on the System message that had rudely commandeered my field of view. You have successfully taken part in a crafting ritual! Quest updated: Group Project. Objective: [Error. Insufficient Power.] Reward: [Error. Insufficient Power.] I cleared my vision, intending to roll my eyes at the less-than-useful message, but then I caught sight of what sat atop the tables. Like a scene right out of a cooking anime, our feast seemed to shine. There were piles and piles of food, all cooked to perfection and radiating a golden light. The juvenile shore fish that had been cooking on the coals were sitting in their pans, presented so beautifully that they could give a gourmet chef an existential crisis. Between the pans, plates of roasted vegetables sat, the steam rising from them lit by the ever-present glow. As impressive as they were, neither the vegetables nor the juvenile fish were the centerpiece. Placed intermittently along the tabletops, the slabs of mature blue fish shone brighter than all the rest. Each was a slightly different color, their unique combination of herbs and spices making them appear like entirely different dishes. I had assumed that they¡¯d been destroyed by Peter¡¯s breakthrough and the subsequent explosion. But I was wrong. They were skin-side up, the silvery surface turned into a golden-brown crust. I took a deep breath through my nose, all too happy to be assaulted by the combination of scents. When my eyes roamed over the closest one, I felt a familiar tug on my senses and I leaned into the feeling, allowing my vision to get drawn in. Lucky Angler¡¯s Feast of the Journeyman Chefs Mythic Created by kindred cooking journeymen, this feast is a representation of their bond and desires. Taking part in this feast will grant the consumer with the boon: Lucky Angler. Lucky Angler effect: +20 luck for the next 24 hours. I shook my head, my vision clearing as I smiled out at the world. Slowly, everyone else¡¯s eyes refocused, their faces amazed, ecstatic, and everything in between. ¡°Well,¡± I said, glancing at Peter. ¡°Looks like our little experiment was a success, mate.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± he replied, staring down at one of the slabs of mature fish. ¡°All right, everyone,¡± I called, basking in their expressions as they looked my way. ¡°Help yourselves!¡± Conversations exploded into life as we started piling our plates with the different foods. There wasn¡¯t enough room for everyone at once, so Maria and I quickly scooted out of the way. She leaned against my arm as we watched them all, their happiness unignorable. When Gormona¡¯s collared cultivators had first arrived on the sands of Tropica, they¡¯d been terrified¡ªand rightfully so. They had no idea who we were or what we were about, and even the most trusting of people would¡¯ve had some reservations about being kidnapped by a cadre of powerful heretics. Though we had said we were freeing them, words alone did nothing to assuage their worries. Over the past weeks, however, we had shown them our intentions. Actions spoke louder than words, and we had proven ourselves time and time again. The joy with which they plucked food from the feast was proof of that. Because of my enhanced awareness following my breakthrough, I could feel a hint of what they were experiencing. Given how many of them there were, it was like an immutable mass of emotion, their individual experiences combining into a wall of contentment that crashed over me. Someone sniffed beside me, and I stole a glance at Peter just in time for him to wipe a tear away. ¡°You all good, mate?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, sniffing again. ¡°It¡¯s just... I can sense what they¡¯re feeling.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lot, huh?¡± I reached over, resting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Your food is the main cause of it, mate. Looks to me like your purpose is already being fulfilled.¡± His eyes formed slits as he smiled out at them, gratitude radiating from his core. ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Peter whimpered in agreement, unable to speak. *** As Rocky swam through the bay, his carapace hummed with power. Though he¡¯d put on a front of indifference, that fish was the best gods-damned thing he had ever tasted. He had felt the explosion of power from his new faction¡¯s base and rushed over, intent on determining what had caused it. He¡¯d discovered the entirety of Fischer¡¯s followers there, all ready to partake in a chi-filled feast. He¡¯d not had much time to spare, so he¡¯d quickly helped himself to the chi on offer. He took great delight in the reactions of the surrounding humans, their gasps and terror the correct reaction a mere human should have to his spectacular form. Before his spiky mistress could grab and fling him out to sea, he¡¯d performed a tactical retreat. After all, he had somewhere to be. Despite the speed with which he flew through the bay¡¯s waters, the glowing chi he¡¯d gotten from those few mouthfuls of fish didn¡¯t burn away. The essence seemed bottomless, his rear flippers using the never-ending fuel source to send him skidding over the ocean. Before he knew it, he¡¯d reached the distant headland on the northern side of the bay. When he leaped up onto the rocks there, his carapace glistening as he scuttled over the shore, he found his followers where he left them. Their clothing was finally starting to dry following their swim through the bay earlier, the process aided by the fire they sat around. As Rocky noticed the pan sitting in the coals, he froze, casting his gaze over the humans. Perhaps they weren¡¯t useless after all... Sitting on a pan he¡¯d requisitioned from Fischer¡¯s kitchen, two blue fish sat cooking, their juices bubbling out where flesh touched the hot metal. Rock looked toward the stack of rods he¡¯d borrowed, seeing they¡¯d all been used. He pointed down at the cooking fish, blowing questioning bubbles. ¡°Er, I hope it¡¯s okay, Sergeant Snips,¡± Joel said, bowing low. ¡°We did our best to follow your instructions...¡± Before leaving, he had ordered them to catch some food. Though he had seriously considered stealing a fish from the feast back on Fischer¡¯s property and bringing it back to his faction, Rocky had decided it wasn¡¯t wise. If they partook of Fischer¡¯s food and the chi held within, they may have ended up becoming loyal to the troublesome man. Rocky had doubted they¡¯d catch a fish any time soon, so was reliant on their eventual starvation to motivate them sufficiently. Whether it was his spiky mistress¡¯s influence or his ascended awareness, he wouldn¡¯t let them starve, but he would happily bring them to the brink in order to further his goals. But it didn¡¯t appear they needed any extra motivation. Despite having neither previous experience nor proper instruction, they¡¯d worked it out. They had caught enough fish to sustain them until tomorrow at least, and as he looked between the almost-cooked fish and the arrayed humans, a wave of suspicion washed over Rocky. Mere humans shouldn¡¯t be so capable. How had they done it...? The more he considered it, the worse his paranoia became. What if they were secretly working for Fischer? Rocky pointed at the fish, the rods, then them, blowing demanding bubbles. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, great spirit beast,¡± Joel said. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the question...¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s asking how we did it,¡± George, who Rocky had learned was the village lord, said. ¡°How we caught the fish, I mean.¡± Rocky bobbed his carapace in acknowledgement, infuriated that he had to resort to human methods of communication to be understood. ¡°Oh...¡± Joel said, glancing up then averting his eyes when he saw the fury on Rocky¡¯s face. ¡°We were only able to succeed because of your instruction, great spirit beast.¡± Liar! Rocky hissed, spittle flying. Joel¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I... I also had some previous experience fishing. I know it¡¯s heretical, but it was the only way for me to gather our offerings for you, and I personally caught each of them.¡± He lowered himself further to the sand. ¡°If I have offended you, I ask that you punish only me.¡± The words swept in like a strong current, washing away Rocky¡¯s suspicion and leaving only grandeur in its place. It was because of their rightful praise for him that they had succeeded. His existence was the sole reason they¡¯d managed to catch fish so soon, because if not for him, the cult would never have practiced fishing and gained the requisite skills. It was as though the very universe urged Rocky on, telling him that his plans would come to fruition. He puffed himself up, standing to his full height as an invisible weight fell away. Scuttling forward, he took a pinch of the now-cooked fish, putting it into his mouth. As he chewed, he told himself it was just as good as the fish he¡¯d stolen from Fischer. It was a lie, of course, but that didn¡¯t diminish how much chi the seasonal fish held. His eyes sparkled as he spun, taking in the still-bowing forms of his faction. Not his faction, he mentally corrected. His church. He was creating a church. He blew content bubbles, knowing it was only a matter of time until his congregation took steps on the path of ascension. Book 3: Chapter 33: Crabby Book 3: Chapter 33: Crabby As George watched the spirit beast, he got the inkling that it was suffering from delusions of grandeur. He swallowed, his throat feeling dry. Something was wrong. It was hard for him to place exactly what it was, but he got the sense it wasn¡¯t the mere existence of a powerful spirit beast. That, surprisingly, didn¡¯t seem to bother him much. It was an odd sensation, but the longer he examined his internal state, the more sure he became it was something else worrying him. That he perceived the awakened beast as suffering from delusions of grandeur was just as surprising. It was a fabled beast of legend, a creature that, even in his wildest dreams, he¡¯d never expected to encounter. This ¡®Sergeant Snips¡¯ had every right to see herself as above them. And yet, it still felt wrong, as if the beast was being presumptuous. George glanced over at Geraldine, seeing his confusing mix of emotions reflected in her gaze. She chewed the inside of her lip, and he gave her the smallest of nods, communicating that he felt the same. The crab held a claw to its mouth, cleaning the orange appendage with its undulating mouth. The moment it was finished, it stepped back and gestured at the fish they¡¯d caught and cooked. It blew a stream of bubbles that George somehow understood the meaning of. Eat. It wanted them to consume the fish. George¡¯s gaze flicked down to the cooking fish as he turned his attention away from the spirit beast. When they had originally caught it, he¡¯d been disgusted. Joel had encouraged them all to touch it, and when George and Geraldine had done so, George¡¯s disgust had only increased. The thing was covered in a slippery, translucent film. It had a smell to it as well that reminded him of the ocean, but not the pleasant smell of salt spray. It had the same odor as washed up seaweed left to rot in the sun. As George thought back on the fetid scent, it made the delicious smell now filling the air even more confusing. Savory notes had flooded out from the fish the moment it started cooking, and with each passing second, it seemed to grow even stronger. Geraldine squeezed his arm, drawing his eyes from the meal. She stared at the pan in the fire, her jaw moving subconsciously. ¡°Can we...?¡± she asked, her gaze locked on the fatty liquids bubbling from the fish. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice,¡± he whispered back. ¡°Even if we did, though...¡± ¡°You want to taste it,¡± she finished. He grimaced, embarrassed that she had seen through him so easily, but she shook her head. ¡°I also want to. It smells...¡± ¡°Delicious...¡± Joel said, his tone reverent. He sat up, and George wondered if he was finally done bowing. He was not. Joel slammed his body back down to the sand, only having sat upright so he could bow all the way down again. ¡°Thank you, great spirit beast! You have blessed this food with your very essence. There is no other explanation for the scent wafting from this fish. We, your loyal followers, are unworthy of your graciousness.¡± The spirit beast preened, clearly enjoying the praise. It blew bubbles that were... pleased? Then, it pointed back down at the food. Eat, it demanded again, some of its pride still leaking through. The spirit beast stood with its claws raised high and held all the way open, frozen as it cast its gaze over Joel and the rest of the former cultists. It seemed to be waiting for something. The glow was gone from Joel and the others now, but that same sensation was there, matching the one coming from George¡¯s stomach. Joel¡¯s eyes were distant. All at once, he shook his head, his vision focusing once more and settling on the spirit beast. ¡°Please choose a name? Does that mean...¡± Two explosions rang out, so strong that George and Geraldine were blown backwards. He braced himself and hunched down so he didn¡¯t get sent skidding across the sand. *** After the first two, Rocky sent a few more celebratory blasts out for good measure. It had worked. A single day was all it had taken. A single glorious day, and his genius plan had already borne fruit. He stared out at the newly awakened, measuring the strength of their cores. They were moderately stronger than others upon ascension, and more importantly, they still held that hint of crabby goodness. Though their touch of crab-like chi was only a fraction of their essence, it was enough. It proved that they were loyal to him. He momentarily considered going to Fischer and showing off immediately, but then he... what was it that Fischer said? Snip it in the butt? Yeah, that sounded right. He snipped the thought in the butt, excising it from his awareness. Though they were loyal to Rocky, they were still freshly awakened. If he waited even a week, they would have more time to gain power, and that would make the reveal all the sweeter. ¡°We... we are cultivators?¡± Jess asked, licking her lips. ¡°Are we truly?¡± Joel asked, his eyes fervent as he stared at Rocky. Yes, Rocky hissed. ¡°Thank you, great spirit beast!¡± Joel yelled, throwing his forehead to the sand. ¡°This is only the beginning of your church, and I vow that we will assist in your ascension to the heavens!¡± The others made the same gesture, echoing his sentiments. Rocky hissed with laughter, holding his claws high once more. This was exactly what he had wanted¡ªwhat he deserved. Forget waiting. He wanted to show Fischer now. That would show the foolish man. So what if they hadn¡¯t gained much power? They were his followers¡ªhis church¡ªand that fact alone should be enough to drive fear into the spine of Rocky¡¯s rival. Come, he ordered, gesturing back toward the ocean, but froze when he spun. He¡¯d completely forgotten about the other two humans, the lord and his wife. They hadn¡¯t ascended yet, which was why his vastly superior mind had banished them from thought. Now matter that they hadn¡¯t attained enlightenment yet¡ªit was only a matter of time. Should he leave them here, though? Nope. He could show Fischer that he has regular human followers, too. That would only further cement Rocky¡¯s position as a rival god. Come, Rocky ordered again, striding between the two failures. He cut a palm tree down with a single strike on his way to the water, then gestured for the two unascended to grab hold of it. Annoyingly, they looked at each other instead of immediately obeying. Rocky would have to beat that out of them. Luckily for them, they nodded to each other and stepped forward, following him down to the water. Rocky leaped in, and the seven humans followed, the lord and his wife grasping the trunk. With the end of a palm tree held in one claw and glee fueling his passage, Rocky took off across the bay, his newly awakened followers easily keeping up. Book 3: Chapter 34: Coincidence Book 3: Chapter 34: Coincidence Following the feast, I lay on the sands, one hand holding my stomach and the other resting against Maria. ¡°I never want to eat again,¡± she said, letting out a half-laugh, half-groan. ¡°See how you feel about that tomorrow,¡± I said. ¡°But I get where you¡¯re coming from. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever felt so full.¡± ¡°The feast was a trap,¡± Theo complained from somewhere to my left. ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop eating.¡± ¡°No regrets,¡± Peter said from my right, trying and failing to sound unaffected by the excessive amount he¡¯d eaten. I knew exactly how they felt; I¡¯d gone full glutton, unable to stop myself from consuming more and more of the warmth-inducing meals. Each was as unique as the last, their flavors complementary in a way that I struggled to put into words. Rather than try to find the right combination of syllables to describe how transcendent an experience it had been, I squeezed Maria¡¯s hand, the softness of her skin momentarily distracting me from my discomfort. As I did, a breeze blew past me, its cold touch a pleasant counterpoint to the warmth still radiating from my abdomen. I took a deep breath, smiling out at the world and everything I had gained since arriving in Tropica. Even my overfull stomach couldn¡¯t bring down my mood. Come to think of it, I¡¯m not sure anything could. *** As George strode along the streets of Tropica, a cold breeze blew, sending a shiver across his entire body. On the sapient crab¡¯s orders, George and Geraldine had gone home and gotten dressed. He knew not why they had to make themselves presentable, but when a creature capable of cutting you in half like a sugared pastry tells you to do something, you do it. Though they were no longer wet, he still felt cold, the single bite of fish he¡¯d had the only thing keeping him warm. Geraldine squeezed his hand tighter, making him amend the previous thought; her love and proximity also brought warmth. As with everything lately, an odd calm settled over him in the face of current events. When his musings turned worrisome, he relied on house Kraken¡¯s manuscript, following the breathing and meditative techniques contained within. No matter how you approach the circumstances, both of them should be freaking out. The five people they¡¯d grown close to in recent days, exchanging tips and pointers with regard to their meditations, had awakened as cultivators. The moment the capital found out¡ªwhich they always did¡ªall five of his new friends were doomed to a life of servitude. He should be terrified of them, given the madness that was said to come with being chosen by the System. And yet, he wasn¡¯t. Just like the spirit beast they were returning to, their steps on the path of ascension felt... right. Like it was both the correct thing to do, and a more-accurate representation of who they were within. The former cultists seemed to feel the same, and had been nothing but smiles and thankfulness since it happened. The entire sequence of events made George start to question... well, everything. By itself, a spirit beast appearing was miraculous, and while he had wondered at the implications for the world at large, he hadn¡¯t considered what it meant for the poor souls that became cultivators. For the safety of others, it was necessary that they were collared by the capital. Along with the power the System granted, humans on the path of ascension also inherited a high chance of going mad. According to the kingdom¡¯s teachings, wielders of chi were as strong as they were unstable. But how would the arrival of a spirit beast¡ªthe very species of beast that the Church of Carcinization diefied¡ªchange their behavior? Would they be safe from the madness-inducing effects of chi? Would the great crab, this ¡®Sergeant Snips¡¯, save them from the looming possibility of insanity? If so, would it be a metaphysical protection where the madness was drained away, or would the sapient creature physically correct their behavior? The most terrifying of all possibilities was that they wouldn¡¯t be shielded from the detrimental effects, and that the awakened creature would encourage any antisocial activities. Given the crab¡¯s inhuman sensibilities, it was a horrible and possible eventuality. It wasn¡¯t lost on George that he had been meditating with the people that ascended, either. He and Geraldine had been following house Kraken¡¯s teachings for months now, and finally listening to words of his family had been a blessing for them, their marriage, and everyone else in Tropica. It had been the catalyst for a world of change, and George could scarcely believe the person he had been less than a year ago. A lifetime spent doing things that only brought him and his wife misery. If not for his ability to stay grounded in the present because of the manual¡¯s guidance, remembrance of who he had been for so long would have brought no end of misery and self loathing. Though it had been a blessing, what if the path his family described, this road to enlightenment, was something more sinister than they had ever imagined? He¡¯d never before considered that House Kraken¡¯s manual would turn you into a cultivator. Now, he did. And it made perfect sense. Because of his position as a noble¡ªexiled or not¡ªhe had more knowledge of cultivators than most. He was aware of chi, the essence that provided cultivators with their abilities. Now that he looked at the manual¡¯s teachings with that knowledge in mind, the puzzle pieces fit. Despite this realization, this understanding that his family may have been teaching how to become something so wretched, his steps came easily. His shoulders were high and his breaths steady, his heart rate only slightly elevated even though he should be, by all rights, beside himself. Was this the madness? He and Geraldine had both thought themselves close to some sort of breakthrough, able to sense their proximity to the fabled enlightenment that his family spoke of. If they were almost there, and the destination was the base of the steps to ascension, was he already under the effect of a cultivator¡¯s madness? The awakened crab hissed at them, clearly annoyed at how long they had taken. ¡°Apologies,¡± George said, gesturing at the others. ¡°We lack the speed of our friends from the church.¡± The crab¡¯s claws opened and closed slowly as it narrowed its eyes at them. After considering them for a long moment, it spun, facing the south. Come, it hissed, marching off. Seeing the direction it was leading them, the flicker of a worry returned, sparking to life in the depths of his soul. He swept it away, however, knowing there was no way this ¡®Sergeant Snips¡¯ was leading them there. Geraldine, knowing him better than anyone else in the realm, rested a hand on his lower back. ¡°Come on, dear. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± He nodded, having to half force the smile he gave her. ¡°Of course it will be. I have you.¡± Hand in hand, they trailed the others. The spirit beast traveled at a much-more sustainable pace than the speed it had dragged them through the bay. Its steps were measured as it led them between rows of sugarcane, radiating a hint of the pompousness George associated with most of the creature¡¯s actions. When they emerged from between the last crops and continued heading south, the flicker of worry returned, its flame brighter than before. ¡°A coincidence,¡± Geraldine said, squeezing his hand. ¡°Yeah...¡± he replied, not sure. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Joel asked, waiting for them to catch up to him. ¡°What is a coincidence?¡± Any other time, George would have wondered at how Joel¡¯s hearing had become enhanced so soon after becoming a cultivator; there was no way a regular human could have heard their comments from so far ahead of them. Now, though, it was all George could do to keep his heart from beating out of his chest. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± George lied, eyeing the fence that came into view across the sandy flat. As the spirit beast approached it, George prayed it would change course and follow the fence line toward the eastern forest. Gods above, even approaching the ocean and swimming out to sea seemed a much more tenable option. Instead, it pointed up at the wooden gate, demanding that someone open it, then leaped over the wooden pailing to land on the other side. George¡¯s stomach sunk, the flame of worry growing into a small fire. He glanced at Geraldine, and though she still held his hand, her jaw was tense. He swept away his climbing dread as much as possible, focusing on his family¡¯s teachings. Unlike earlier, his troubled thoughts remained, and as they passed through the gate, the flame within sputtered and flared, finding plenty of fuel to burn. The spirit beast, unaware or uncaring of George¡¯s turmoil, veered to the south west, heading for the rock formation that housed Fischer¡¯s home. It made no sense. Why was the spirit beast leading them toward Fischer¡¯s place? Was the crown agent somehow involved? He couldn¡¯t be... could he? Was it possible that the king was somehow in on this, having harnessed¡ªor caused¡ªthe ascendance of the crab? Just how deep did this conspiracy go? Lost as he was in his thoughts, George wasn¡¯t paying attention to the outside world. ¡°Uhhh,¡± a familiar, dreaded voice said, snapping George from his musings. Fischer stood alone, his face growing incredulous as his eyes roamed over them, and the crown agent abruptly froze when he caught sight of George. ¡°George? Is that you, mate?¡± The words, though friendly on the surface, drove a jagged spear of ice into George¡¯s spine. ¡°H-hello, Fischer...¡± Book 3: Chapter 35: Correction Book 3: Chapter 35: Correction As Rocky walked the final stretch of sand between the fence and Fischer, he could hardly contain his excitement. The time of Fischer¡¯s uncontested reign was finally at an end. He had five cultivators with him, all of which were loyal to him. On top of that, he had the support of two non-cultivators, and though they were yet to ascend, they were almost there. They were far from regular humans, too; they were the lord and lady of Tropica, their noble blood giving them more authority. Rocky glanced back at the two, scowling when he saw how nervous they appeared. They were timid, but he would change that. Through a combination of violence and delicious treats, he would mold them into something greater. Once they ascended, he could use their influence to convert the rest of Tropica¡¯s villagers. He pictured it in his mind, the lord kneeling before him, the rest of the citizens bowing so low that their foreheads touched the sand, just as his reliable cultists did. It was a wondrous sight, and it was all possible because of Rocky¡¯s ingenious planning. He puffed his carapace out even more, feeling as large as Pistachio. The closer he got to the feast, the more his anticipation grew, and when they came into sight, he let out slow, hissing laughter, getting everyone¡¯s attention. But something was wrong. There were only two people sitting on the sand, everyone else having disappeared. Fischer got to his feet first, casting his eyes over them all. Maria stood next, and she studied them, her brow furrowing. Okay, so it was only Fischer and his girlfriend there¡ªthat was no matter. Rocky bathed in the confusion his adversary must be feeling right now. ¡°George? Is that you, mate?¡± Fischer asked. The lord, who was supposed to be his follower, lowered his eyes. ¡°H-hello, Fischer.¡± Rocky¡¯s blood boiled. Fischer dared ignore him and speak directly with his loyal followers? Look, he hissed, gesturing at the cultivators loyal to him. Mine. They are mine. Fischer smiled at Rocky¡¯s cultivators, but as his essence flowed out toward them, the smile died on his face. ¡°You...¡± Fischer balled his fists at his side and narrowed his eyes at Rocky. ¡°What did you do?¡± Rocky held his claws high, hissing with manic laughter. Fischer finally understood that Rocky had created his own faction. He stood to the tips of his many legs, his entire body shaking with mirth. It. Was. Glorious. *** I narrowed my eyes at the malignant little crab. The Cult of Carcinization had all become cultivators, which in itself was no big deal¡ªI suspected they¡¯d do so sooner rather than later because of their meditative practice. The problem was that there was something off about their chi. They were tinged with crab, and given Rocky¡¯s triumphant pose, I suspected I knew the culprit. Rocky spun toward Joel, leveling a claw at him. Explain, he hissed. Joel nodded, bowing low to the little miscreant. ¡°Fischer, things are not as they seem. I¡¯m aware that this great spirit beast was pretending to be a loyal pet to you, but she is an awakened creature. You cannot expect to control such a¡ª¡± ¡°She?¡± I asked, cutting him off. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Joel gave me a quizzical look. ¡°Uhhh, you told me that Sergeant Snips was a female when you introduced us... oooh.¡± He snapped his fingers, seemingly realizing something. ¡°I see. You¡¯re playing coy because of Maria.¡± He gave us a kind smile that would have seemed condescending on most faces, but not Joel¡¯s. ¡°Worry not, Fischer¡ªthings have changed, and the time for secrecy is over.¡± Maria tilted her head to the side, her hair falling free of her ear. ¡°What¡¯s changed, Joel? And why would Fischer play coy around me?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Jess replied, stepping forward with fervent eyes. ¡°He has been in contact with a spirit beast for the last few months. Our beloved deity, Sergeant Snips, has helped us take steps on the path of ascension.¡± She pointed at Rocky, who still cackled and puffed himself up like a cornered echidna. ¡°Now that she has chosen us as her cast of crabs, there is no longer a need to hide the Cult of Carcinization¡¯s evolution to a church.¡± I raised a finger and opened my mouth to correct her, but I didn¡¯t even know where to begin. Maria started laughing, the sound light and bouncing at first. Before long, she was hanging off my shoulder, relying on my support to stand upright as the laughter took her. I smiled down at her, getting swept up in her enjoyment of the moment. ¡°All of that is wrong, Jess,¡± she eventually got out, wiping tears from her eyes. ¡°Though I¡¯m starting to understand how you got there.¡± Fischer had apparently been in contact with the spirit beast for months. Joel and Jess clearly knew of this, having been introduced to Sergeant Snips by Fischer. His mind raced, trying to connect the dots. If Fischer was here and involved in this conspiracy, it had to be under the king¡¯s orders. Fischer was high in the command of Gormona, so it was the only possibility. Was that why his house had appeared basically overnight? It made more sense than anything else; for a mission so important, the king would have spared no expense. Dozens of cultivators could have brought the supplies overnight and constructed the building before the sun rose. Thinking of cultivators made George¡¯s blood run cold, which was the only sensation making it through the fog that seemed to surround his body. He and Geraldine might be turning into cultivators. It was all well and good to trust the instincts of his family, but what would happen when the king found out about it? When another possibility struck him, a shiver ran through George, and it was all he could do to stay upright. The king might already know. What if the spirit beast was working under the king? Every story about ascendant creatures told that they couldn¡¯t be controlled, yet the king clearly knew of this crab¡¯s existence. He was aware, but hadn¡¯t sent his horde of collared cultivators after it. Everyone knew that spirit beasts grew in power insanely fast, so why hadn¡¯t the king tried to snuff its life out before it could gain more power? The more pieces of the puzzle that fell into place, the less George understood. He glanced to the side, tearing his attention from the conversation to check up on Geraldine. She appeared just as aggrieved as he felt, her face moving minutely as her mind whirled. As ever, her brilliance was a light in the dark, shining a warmth over him that would have calmed him completely in any other circumstance. He decided then and there that no matter what happened, he and Geraldine would escape. They had to find a moment to slip out and disappear. He knew not where they¡¯d go, but it had to be far from the king. Fischer¡¯s next sentence ripped George from his internal resolution. ¡°I¡¯ve been cavorting with way more than one spirit beast.¡± George¡¯s eyes darted back toward Fischer, and what he found there made George¡¯s old terror reignite, burning like a bonfire within him. Fischer was grinning at them, his teeth bared in obvious delight. He was relishing in this moment, soaking in their despair after speaking such terrible words. It had to be a lie, though. There was no way that Fischer had actually¡ª The man clapped his hands together sharply, the sound so loud that it made the night air quiver. ¡°If you would, everyone!¡± The ground behind Fischer exploded, sending sand and dust flying in every direction. Whatever had emerged was obscured by the debris, its body large enough to throw a cloud of sand bigger than the very headland. Fischer spread his arms wide, his smile growing even more predatory. ¡°Allow me to introduce my animal pals...¡± George¡¯s legs finally gave out, and he fell to his knees as all hope of escape left him. *** Rocky was content with the events so far. Yes, his followers would find out that he wasn¡¯t really Sergeant Snips, but it was no matter. They had already pledged themselves to him. They could gaze upon Sergeant Snips¡¯s mighty carapace, powerful claws, and beautiful spikes just as he did. Let them experience all the wonder that came with her, and when they learned that Rocky was her sole subordinate, it would only heighten their opinions of him, further cementing their dedication. The two unascended humans were showing a little too much fear of Fischer. It was grating, but he could correct that behavior later in private. Fischer was as self-important as ever, and when the man spread his arms wide before the cloud of sand the rest of the spirit beasts and cultivators had thrown up, Rocky rolled his eyes. But then, something unacceptable occurred. With his eyes still locked on Fischer, George fell to his knees. Beside him, his wife did the same. Rocky saw red. He had personally invited them to join his congregation. They had agreed to be his followers. And now they dared fall to their knees in supplication to their master¡¯s greatest enemy? Rocky¡¯s blood became hot magma, fueling the actions that would have to follow. His pride demanded it. Without a second thought, he launched himself forward, flexing his limbs. With his claws held open, he descended upon the humans, intent on correcting the behavior immediately via violent interjection. Book 3: Chapter 36: Introductions Book 3: Chapter 36: Introductions I watched Rocky closely, having sensed a visceral reaction from him when George fell to his knees. Rocky, for whatever reason, saw it as a betrayal. An egregious insult. So when Rocky exploded forward with his claws spread wide, I was ready. I flew to intercept him, not bothering to hide my disappointment. ¡°You dun fracked up, Rocky.¡± He wrenched at his limbs, trying to withdraw both claws from my iron grip. It was no use. I squeezed tighter, ensuring he couldn¡¯t get free. ¡°How many times have I told you, Rocky?¡± I held him up, bringing his thrashing body to eye height. ¡°I put up with so much of your bullshit. We all do.¡± His legs reached up to stab at my arms, so I wrapped him up, holding each of his limbs close to his body. In the scuffle, a claw escaped my grasp. He clamped it down on a finger, trying to sever it, but I strengthened it with chi. A pair of twigs would have more luck trying to cut through stone. I ignored the attempt, staring into his eyes as I subdued the stray claw. ¡°There¡¯s a single rule I gave you, Rocky. One that if you broke, you¡¯d no longer be welcome here.¡± ¡°F-Fischer...¡± George gasped, his face white. ¡°You¡¯re a...¡± ¡°A cultivator, mate. Yeah. Sorry for keeping it a secret¡ªit was necessary for my pals¡¯ safety.¡± I returned my attention to Rocky, shaking him until his hateful gaze left George and faced me. ¡°I felt your intentions there, mate. George is an unawakened human, and yet you tried to...¡± I trailed off, slowly turning to blink at George. ¡°Hold up. You¡¯re almost awakened...?¡± Unbidden, my essence had swirled out to sense the outside world. Earlier, I¡¯d been too distracted by the odd, crab-like chi coming from the cultists to notice George and Geraldine. They were close to ascension, and just like the cultists, their chi wasn¡¯t entirely human. Part of it was alien, something I couldn¡¯t recognize. It vaguely reminded me of the fathomless depths of the ocean floor. I wrenched my gaze back to Rocky, fury burning deep within my core. ¡°What did you do to them, Rocky? Why does the Church of Carcinization feel partially like crabs, and why do George and Geraldine feel like a dark abyss?¡± George tried to say something, but it came out in a squeak. ¡°Rest up, mate,¡± I said, giving him a reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± ¡°Unhand her!¡± Joel roared, his eyes wide and a sheen of sweat covering his brow. ¡°I don¡¯t know what trickery this is, Fischer, but you defile our god! Let Sergeant Snips go at once!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not Sergeant Snips,¡± Maria replied, shaking her head then turning to face the cloud of sand behind us. ¡°Would you mind, Snips? Your subordinate has really put his foot in it.¡± A low hiss came from within the obscuring debris, and when Snips¡¯s crabby form came scuttling into view, jets of blue chi billowed from her joints. She held murder in her eyes, and I could tell it took all of her self-restraint to not fly forward, grab Rocky, and introduce him to the stratosphere via yeeting. ¡°Everyone, this is Sergeant Snips,¡± I said. ¡°Sergeant Snips, you remember Joel and Jess, yeah?¡± She nodded sharply, still staring at Rocky. ¡°This is the rest of the Church of Carcinization, and that¡¯s George and Geraldine, the nobles I¡¯ve told you all about.¡± I arched an eyebrow at Joel. ¡°Notice the spiked carapace and eyepatch, Joel? I have no fracking idea how you got convinced that Rocky was the same crab, but they¡¯re clearly different. Rocky is just some bloke that randomly gained sapience somehow, and he¡¯s loyal to Snips. We generally let him get away with his shenanigans, but this time, he¡¯s gone way too far.¡± I squeezed him, putting pressure on his carapace, but not enough to hurt him. ¡°Now, tell me what you did to them so I can undo it. It can¡¯t be healthy for a human to have crab chi.¡± George cleared his throat, and when he spoke, he sounded as if he was shocked at hearing his own voice. ¡°Their, uh, chi...¡± He cleared his throat again. ¡°It felt like a crab before Sergeant¡ªuh, Rocky¡ªcame along. I believe it was because of their meditation method...¡± I furrowed my brow, staring from George, to Rocky, to the former cultists. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Geraldine replied. ¡°We felt it too, which was why we didn¡¯t follow their methods.¡± ¡°How did you guys feel that?¡± Maria asked. ¡°That¡¯s kind of amazing.¡± ¡°No kidding.¡± I studied their faces, then called over my shoulder, ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Truth,¡± Theo replied from out of sight. I nodded. ¡°Neat. I guess you two are more than meets the eye. I¡¯ll explain everything, but first, you¡¯ll have to let me punish this little¡ª¡± I cut off as lightning detonated behind me, somewhat muted by the particles of earth smattering the air. I sighed and spun toward my assailant. Corporal Claws, absolutely brimming with lightning-chi that made her eyes glow white and blue, rocketed toward me. She let out an indignant chirp, displaying her dagger-like teeth. ¡°I was getting to it, Claws,¡± I said, catching her. She chirped again, poking an accusatory claw into my chest. I turned toward the still-lingering dust, and with a force of will, pushed chi out of my core. It was like a warm light flowing over the ground, and when it reached the cloud, it sent the sand flying. Finally revealed, a sea of friendly faces smiled and waved. All the original congregation were there, as were the freed cultivators from Gormona. They struck an impressive sight in their church robes. One of them stepped forward, beaming. ¡°G¡¯day, George!¡± Theo called. ¡°How ya been, mate?¡± In response, George fainted. He let out a rather emasculating sound on the way down. I struggled to hold my giggle in, and Maria smacked me on the arm, her eyes warning me not to laugh. The effect was mostly ruined by her own lips curling up, as well as Theo¡¯s choked laughter from behind me. Geraldine caught him, her hands shaking. ¡°George! Can you hear me, George?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± I said, kneeling down. ¡°I can feel his core. He just got a bit overwhelmed.¡± ¡°You...¡± she said, licking her lips. ¡°What are you going to do to us?¡± ¡°Woah there,¡± Maria said, holding her hands up placatingly as she knelt down. ¡°We¡¯re not going to do anything to you. Unlike when you were under the care of this little miscreant...¡± She flicked Rocky¡¯s shell lightly, making him squirm in my arms. ¡°You¡¯re in no danger. We¡¯ll explain everything as soon as he¡¯s been dealt with.¡± I nodded, returning my attention to Rocky, who was still tangled up like a pretzel. He blew pissed-off bubbles at me, his eyes filled with the promise of violence. ¡°You¡¯re lucky it wasn¡¯t your fault their chi doesn¡¯t feel completely human, mate,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m not turning you into crab chowder.¡± Snips hissed her agreement, just as annoyed as I was that he¡¯d tried to attack a defenseless human. She let out a barrage of bubbles and hisses that were downright scandalous in their severity. Maria and I raised our eyebrows at each other as it continued on, a little embarrassed that we were privy to the onslaught. Rocky tried to complain, tried to defend himself, but Snips was an unstoppable force. Her tones rolled over his every attempt, slowly but surely crushing his spirit. When she was finally finished, she turned her back on him, dismissing him from mind. For the first time since his pompous arrival as some sort of upstart faction leader, Rocky seemed remorseful. Tears welled in his eyes, but Snips ignored him. ¡°Looks like she doesn¡¯t even care enough to throw you herself, mate.¡± I hefted his weight and walked toward the shore. ¡°Guess that leaves it up to me.¡± No! he hissed. ¡°Yeah, well, you should have thought about that before you tried to hurt someone. Frankly, I don¡¯t give a shit if you try to start your own faction. Go for it. What I can¡¯t abide is you being a maniac and hurting others. Consider that while you soar.¡± Noooo! he hissed again, but I was done listening. I drew my arm back, sending chi flowing up from my core. It all happened in an instant, and as the essence gathered in my muscles, it demanded to be used. My abdomen wanted to open the floodgates and let loose with a blast of light. For a moment, I considered it, picturing Rocky getting blasted into orbit. But I didn¡¯t want to kill him. Heck, I didn¡¯t even want to hurt him. I just wanted him to learn his lesson. I gathered my strength, prepared to send him flying, then froze, twisting my neck to look at him. My chi had felt his, and there was something off about his essence. Just as the Church of Carcinization had a hit of crab in their cores, Rocky had a hint of... human. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s something...¡± Rocky cocked his carapace in question. Instead of answering, I grinned. ¡°Enjoy your flight!¡± Chi shot through every fiber of my being, all of my muscle groups working in tandem to send him flying. ¡°EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee¡ª¡± Rocky didn¡¯t even have time to unfurl his limbs. He was gone in the blink of a cultivator¡¯s eye, arcing so high that he disappeared from sight. ¡°You think he¡¯ll learn his lesson?¡± Maria asked, staring at the patch of sky he¡¯d vanished into. ¡°Honestly? I have no idea. I felt something off about his core, though.¡± ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± she asked, resting a hand on my upper back. I smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it while we get our new pals situated...¡± Her hand drifted down to mine, and I took a moment to dwell in her touch as we strode back toward everyone. Book 3: Chapter 37: Truth Book 3: Chapter 37: Truth George Kraken, lord of Tropica village, ran for his life. Each turn he took, there his pursuer was, taunting him. The cruel antagonist would snarl and laugh, his predatory eyes tracking every move. Sometimes he¡¯d do nothing at all, merely watching as George turned and fled. No matter how many times George tried to get away, Fischer was there, always one step ahead. ¡°George...¡± came a heavenly voice. He turned, looking for the source of the blessed sound. All he found was Fischer¡¯s face, as tall as a building and leering down at him. He yelped and ran, wanting to be free of this place. Needing to escape. Suddenly, something clung to him. Opulent chains of bejeweled gold looped around his limbs, pulling toward the ground. He shrugged them off, but for each he removed two more appeared. His jewelry, his very symbol of wealth, was to be his downfall. ¡°George...¡± the voice called again, soft and enticing. It was Geraldine. How had he forgotten her? Help! George tried to say, but gold coins spewed from his mouth, falling to clink against the floor. He attempted to scream but only coins came, so many that they started piling up around him. His body sunk into them, the sheer mass of them holding him still. Slow footsteps approached, unimpeded by the golden morass. ¡°Geeeooorge,¡± Fischer taunted. The footsteps came ever closer, making a muted crunching as they crossed over the carpet of coins. George was up to his neck now, only his head free of the gilded snare. ¡°George...¡± Fischer whispered, his smile mocking. George tried to scream, tried to thrash and escape, but it was no use. The coins engulfed his head, plunging him into darkness. He couldn¡¯t breathe. He couldn¡¯t move. He¡ª He sat up, taking a panicked inhalation. Instead of coins, he found soft sheets beneath his hands. He¡¯d clutched them, and as he let go, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. They were so soft... ¡°George!¡± Geraldine wrapped him in a hug. ¡°Oh, dear! I was so worried! You slept most of the night away!¡± She squeezed him so tight that he felt constricted, but he relished the moment anyway, soaking up every inch of her. He looked down, seeing bedding so luxurious that it rivaled any other he¡¯d seen. When his gaze drifted to the surrounding room and the materials it was built with, his stomach fell. He would recognize them anywhere. They were within Fischer¡¯s home. Fischer... That single thought made his memories come rushing back. They slammed into him, driving the air from his lungs. He shot to his feet, heaving for air. ¡°We have to get out of here, Geraldine.¡± ¡°Nonsense, mate!¡± George¡¯s hair stood on end. He spun slowly, finding the speaker seated in a chair on the other side of the bed. Fischer had the otter, Corporal Claws, in his lap. She pawed at the air, lost in sleep. Next to him, Theo sat in another chair. He waved. ¡°G¡¯day.¡± ¡°George,¡± Geraldine said, gripping his hand. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. We were wrong about Fischer.¡± She laughed, looking almost manic in her glee. ¡°Completely wrong.¡± George swallowed. ¡°What did they do to you...?¡± The mirth died on her face, and she gave him an unimpressed glare. ¡°They didn¡¯t do anything to me, you big goose. Just sit and listen. They¡¯ll explain everything.¡± George, still expecting a trap, glanced around the room. There was an open door that led to a tiled washroom. The other door was closed, likely the only path to freedom. Seeing that Fischer sat between him and his escape, he tried to calm himself and consider the facts. Fischer was a cultivator, and he didn¡¯t have a collar. George had assumed that the man was working with the king, but it was even worse than that. He¡¯d gone rogue. They all had. George had recognized some of the faces of those hidden within the cloud of sand earlier. One was Theo, the crown auditor. Others were cultivators he¡¯d seen years ago in the capital, and not one of them had a collar around their neck. Poseidon¡¯s salted backwash, he thought. There are hundreds of spirit beasts if you count the Buzzy Boys, all of which appear to follow Fischer. The thought made any chance of escape seem fruitless. No wonder Geraldine was going along with whatever they said. ¡°George.¡± Geraldine patted the bed. ¡°Sit.¡± Knowing he had no hope of getting her out while Fischer was present, George decided it was best to play along for now. He sat and waited for them to speak. ¡°So...¡± Fischer said after a long moment. ¡°Geraldine told me a pretty funny story while you were out. I was hoping to clear some things up for you.¡± Geraldine shook her head, smiling at George. ¡°You won¡¯t believe it...¡± Was that code? Was she telling him not to believe it? ¡°We can probably answer all of those with our own question, though,¡± Theo said, tossing his head side to side. He leaned forward, his eyes growing fierce. ¡°Do you know what a traveler is, George?¡± ¡°Okay, now I know you¡¯re lying.¡± George clenched his jaw, watching them intently. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to fool me with fairytales.¡± ¡°Think about it, dear,¡± Geraldine said. ¡°It is hard to believe at first, yes, but doesn¡¯t that explain all our assumptions?¡± She started listing them off on her fingers. ¡°The ancient coins. His odd manner of speaking. His lack of propriety.¡± ¡°Okay, ouch,¡± Fischer interrupted. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± she replied, then resumed listing evidence. ¡°His disinterest in passiona and willingness to share it with the commoners. The fact that he has caused the awakening of multiple spirit beasts and somehow commands their obedience.¡± ¡°They¡¯re more like friends, really,¡± Fischer corrected. ¡°Not my subjects.¡± Geraldine gave him a flat look. ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡± ¡°Just being honest.¡± He rubbed the top of Sergeant Snips¡¯s head, and the crab leaned into it, clearly luxuriating in his touch. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to be something I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°That is how I ended up here,¡± Theo replied. ¡°Fischer made some hooks for me last time I was here. Because of that, the leader of Gormona¡¯s fishing club deduced that Fischer was a traveler. We came here to create a church around him, but we kind of got beaten to the punch. Someone had already started the Church of Fischer.¡± George had nothing to say to that. He looked back and forth between them, not seeing any hint of trickery. ¡°Is that my queue?¡± someone asked, their footsteps approaching. Not knowing who to expect, George was nonetheless surprised. ¡°... you?¡± ¡°Afraid so, George,¡± Barry replied, giving him a sheepish smile. ¡°I realized what Fischer was pretty early on.¡± George¡¯s gaze went distant as he considered everything he¡¯d just learned. As unbelievable as it was, it made sense. Still, he sought to find holes in their lies. For Geraldine¡¯s sake. Picking his next line of questioning, he nodded to himself. ¡°You still haven¡¯t explained why there are so many uncollared cultivators from Gormona here.¡± He paused, imagining the havoc they could unleash. ¡°There had to be at least five of them.¡± ¡°Five...?¡± Fischer winced. ¡°Mate...¡± Geraldine squeezed his shoulder and gave him a similar expression. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± ¡°Everyone there was a cultivator,¡± Fischer replied. ¡°All the faces you didn¡¯t recognize? Cultivators. We gained every single slave from Gormona. Well, the ones that we didn¡¯t have to lock up anyway, but that¡¯s a different story.¡± ¡°... what?¡± ¡°Yeah, we kind of led an assault on the capital and freed them all. It was a whole thing.¡± ¡°You what?¡± ¡°I was just as surprised as you are when they told me the plan, mate. It was a pretty gnarly endeavor, especially considering Tom Osnan Sr. and the king were both hidden cultivators. Pretty powerful, those blokes.¡± Fischer gave a predatory grin. ¡°Nowhere near powerful enough, though. We steamrolled them, freed the cultivators, and stole all of their artifacts. Last I saw of the king, he was shot from the castle and through a mountain, completely starkers.¡± George¡¯s mouth had gone dry. ¡°... starkers?¡± he asked, suspecting it to be the name of some barbaric torture method. ¡°Yeah, you know. Starkers. Naked as the day he was born. Lacking any pants. Airing his meat and potatoes, if you catch my drift.¡± George leaned forward, staring into Fischer¡¯s clearly amused eyes for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯re serious, aren¡¯t you...?¡± ¡°Serious as a Queensland summer, mate.¡± George, feeling a weight fall away from his awareness that he hadn¡¯t even known was there, glanced around the room. Though everyone smiled at him, there was no hint of deception. They truly meant the words that they were saying. He might have assumed they¡¯d been poisoned by spoiled food and were hallucinating or temporarily insane, if not for one simple fact. It all made sense. It explained all the unexplainable occurrences that had been happening of late. And it explained the changes within him since he and Geraldine had started following house Kraken¡¯s manual. Something bubbled up within George, and rather than push it aside, he let it roll out into the world. George laughed. He really laughed. With tears making his vision swim, he pulled Geraldine into a hug. Everything was going to be okay. Book 3: Chapter 38: Redemption Book 3: Chapter 38: Redemption I smiled up at the first rays of sunshine, enjoying the warmth it lent my skin. ¡°Should we rescue them soon?¡± Maria asked, also facing the blazing orb as it peeked over the distant horizon. I glanced to the side, checking up on George and Geraldine. After they¡¯d had a few hours¡¯ rest, we finally let Ellis out of his metaphorical cage. The former archivist was currently peppering them with questions about the manual they¡¯d been using to cultivate. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe the drama you put them through...¡± Maria said, her hair swaying as she shook her head. ¡°The poor things.¡± ¡°The drama they were putting themselves through, you mean,¡± I replied, unable to completely hide my smile. ¡°I feel like I should have realized earlier that it wasn¡¯t just social anxiety making George so nervous.¡± ¡°To be fair, you¡¯d have to be a mind reader to realize he thought you were an auditor from the capital.¡± I nodded, craning my neck to face Ellis. ¡°Gonna be much longer, mate?¡± I called. ¡°We¡¯ve got fun stuff to be about.¡± ¡°We just got started!¡± Ellis replied, not raising his eyes from his notepad. ¡°It¡¯s been twenty minutes!¡± He took a deep breath, sighing it out dramatically. ¡°Okay. I will leave you for now. Thank you for your information. Would you be free this evening?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Geraldine replied, smoothing her dress as she stood. ¡°Wonderful, do you think I could perhaps peruse house Kraken¡¯s manual¡ª¡± ¡°Ellis!¡± I chided. ¡°Enough! They can offer that if they like, but they shouldn¡¯t be pressured, especially after joining us literally like... two hours ago.¡± He opened his mouth and raised a finger to retort, but swiftly shut his trap and lowered the hand. ¡°Fischer is correct. I apologize.¡± He jotted one more thing then slammed his notepad closed. ¡°I will see you this evening.¡± He turned on his heel and strode away, power walking back to New Tropica. ¡°Sorry,¡± I said to George and Geraldine as they approached. ¡°He¡¯s super passionate about information.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± George looked out at the ocean, squinting his eyes as he took in the rising sun. ¡°I still suspect I might be dreaming?¡± Maria and I shared an amused glance. ¡°You¡¯re awake, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Maria said. ¡°Fischer can be a bit annoying as far as powerful beings go, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll grow on you. Like a barnacle. Or a particularly resilient weed that just won¡¯t stop growing back, no matter how many times¡ª¡± ¡°Thanks, Maria,¡± I interrupted, dramatically rolling my eyes at her before turning to the lord and lady of Tropica. ¡°So, I was going to offer you some fishing lessons this morning, but I thought I should share one more piece of information with you first.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± George asked, his tone slightly hesitant. ¡°What is it you wish to say?¡± I pointed at his wedding ring, then at Geraldine¡¯s. ¡°I was thinking about what I felt from your cores. Without overloading you with information, I can get a good sense of people¡¯s powers. Both of your cores feel... different. I¡¯d assumed Rocky did something weird to your cores, but now that I know about your house¡¯s manual, it¡¯s safe to say that its influence is why your chi feels so odd. The thing is, your wedding rings are likely suppressing your ability to become cultivators. Without them, you¡¯d probably have done so already.¡± They both turned to each other, their eyes wide. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this now because if we go fishing, I¡¯m almost certain you¡¯ll become cultivators. But, because of how much essence both of you already possess, I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s better if you ascend by doing the meditations you¡¯ve already been doing.¡± He had failed his beloved matriarch... Just as quick as sadness descended, his fury returned, scouring the anguish from existence. Fischer. It was his fault. None of this would have happened if not for Fischer¡¯s existence. George wouldn¡¯t have fallen to his knees, so Rocky wouldn¡¯t have had to punish anyone. As his limbs sent him rocketing through the ocean, his thoughts drifted to the flight Fischer had subjected him to. It was one of the best and worst things that Rocky had ever experienced. Loathe as he was to admit it, Fischer¡¯s strength was unparalleled. The man had held back, yet still sent Rocky higher than ever before. He¡¯d soared so high that the world became a giant orb beneath him. Much to his surprise, there had been multiple land masses visible, their different environments breaking up the ocean¡¯s monotony. He flew so high that he thought he may never come back down. But Rocky hadn¡¯t even been able to enjoy it, because it had been Fischer¡¯s arm that sent him there. Rocky¡¯s eye twitched in disgust, remembering the way those fleshy fingers had restrained Rocky¡¯s superior carapace. Despite his inferior form, Fischer¡¯s hands had been like vices, stronger than even his beloved mistress¡¯s clackers. It went against everything Rocky held dear, and the more he considered it, the more his anger bloomed. Until the vision of his mistress¡¯s discontent returned, anyway. Rocky slowed again, melancholy washing over him. How could he go on without his beloved? What was the point in all of this if he didn¡¯t have the respect and companionship of his spiky mistress? There had to be something he could do... but what? Before he could consider it long, he cycled back toward fury at Fischer. He remained there for a beat, railing at Fischer whose fault all of this clearly was. When he arrived back at missing Sergeant Snips, he realized just how circular his thoughts had become. His emotions were turbulent, sweeping him this way and that like an ocean current. He focused, doing his best to find a solution. He had to not only win back his matriarch but also find a way to overpower Fischer. There was only one possibility, and as he considered it, a devious grin came over Rocky¡¯s face. With a goal in mind, his emotions stabilized. He dreamed of vengeance and winning back Snips¡¯s approval, and he knew how to meet both goals. More power. There was only one place he could go, and though it would take him multiple days to return to Tropica at his current speed, it didn¡¯t matter. He had a path now. He would follow it as long as need be. When the sun was high overhead, an island came into view. Rocky gave it a rude gesture. The thing had dared get in his way, so that was the least it deserved. Determined not to change course even if it would have been faster to go around it, he leaped up onto a shore of black stone, scuttling sideways toward a darkened peak. If he¡¯d been paying attention to his surroundings instead of cursing the island¡¯s very existence, he might have recognized the material the peak was made of. Focused as he may have been, however, even Rocky couldn¡¯t miss what he found on top of the mountain. The temperature had been climbing steadily as he approached the rise, but Rocky just thought that was his outrage becoming manifest. He learned the truth when he skidded to a stop and stared down into the gaping hole. An angry heat flowed from the opening, so vicious that it rivaled Rocky¡¯s own internal state. He froze there, transfixed by the sight. Hundreds of meters below him, gigantic sheets of black rock covered a ground of sorts, outlined by veins of glowing red. They reminded him of the underwater vista he was heading for¡ªthe place he¡¯d originally used to ascend. To confirm his suspicions, he found a large black boulder. Hefting it with one claw, he threw it down into the pit. Time seemed to slow as it approached the sheets, and when it struck, it plunged right through. The dark sheets caved in, the boulder passing through and disappearing into the abyss of magma. He¡¯d expected the red-hot stone there to explode in response, just as the underground version he¡¯d found did when disturbed. He held his breath, waiting for the reaction. It never came. Cursing at himself¡ªthen Fischer, because really, it was all his fault¡ªRocky scuttled back so he could leap right over the chasm. But that¡¯s when it happened. The ground shook, the very world groaning like Rocky¡¯s stomach after a particularly large feast. Hoping it meant what he thought it did, he eased back forward and peered down into the pit. The magma there bubbled and churned, and before his eyes, erupted. A gout of molten stone shot up into the sky, almost high enough to clear the cliff he stood atop. He could feel the chi running through each and every drop¡ªit was the same as the pit he¡¯d first ascended in, the very same essence that powered Rocky¡¯s body. He held his claws high, hissing with victory. The world itself had blessed him. It had heard his calls for retribution, and it had answered. Blowing bubbles of impending victory, Rocky leaped from the edge. He sailed down toward the magma, making dual rude gestures at the sky, for not even the heavens would be able to contain Rocky¡¯s new form when he emerged once more. This moment of victory was short-lived, because the second he hit the surface of the active volcano, all Rocky knew was pain. Book 3: Chapter 39: Affinity Book 3: Chapter 39: Affinity I was waiting for a fish to bite when two pulses of chi came from many newly awakened cultivators. Maria and I shared a grin. We dashed along the rockwall, over the sand, and through the open front door, our rods discarded. George and Geraldine sat on the floor of my living room with their backs to the wall. They were staring at each other, their eyes filled with admiration, awe, and a healthy dose of affection. I cleared my throat, getting their attention. ¡°We...¡± George said, licking his lips. ¡°We did it.¡± I nodded. ¡°Felt it all the way from the rockwall, mate. Congratulations.¡± Geraldine¡¯s gaze had already drifted back down to her hands. She moved her fingers slowly, feeling the strength contained within. ¡°This is... wow.¡± ¡°Ah-huh.¡± Maria gave her a knowing smile. ¡°It¡¯s like that.¡± While they continued studying their new bodies, I sent my senses toward them. The last time I¡¯d tasted their chi, they had a hint of something inhuman. Now, that dark aspect was even more prevalent. The longer I felt it, the more drawn in I became. I tried to understand, tried to comprehend, but it was as if staring into a pitch-black ravine on the ocean floor. There was no insight to be gained. At least not yet. ¡°What does your chi feel like to you, George?¡± ¡°It feels...¡± His mouth moved inaudibly, then he gave me a sheepish smile. ¡°It feels right. Sorry for how vague a description that is.¡± I laughed, running my fingers through my hair. ¡°My bad. That might have been too hard of a question. I thought that maybe your techniques might have given you a higher sensitivity to chi, especially your own.¡± ¡°What made you think that?¡± Geraldine asked, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. ¡°Because George said he could feel the Church of Carcinization¡¯s Chi. Could you feel it too?¡± She nodded slowly. ¡°I could, yeah. It was kind of similar to Sergeant Snip¡ªer, Rocky¡¯s.¡± She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s going to take some getting used to.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry again about Rocky. He¡¯s gonna be on a tighter leash when he returns. So, you could both sense their anomalous chi, but not your own. That¡¯s definitely something, I just don¡¯t know what yet.¡± ¡°What does ours feel like?¡± George asked. ¡°Like an endless pit I can¡¯t see the bottom of.¡± I jiggled my eyebrows at their shocked expressions. ¡°Right? Pretty wild. It also seems like it¡¯s ocean-adjacent, for lack of a better term. I don¡¯t see it as a hole in the earth¡ªI see it as a hole in the ocean floor.¡± I shrugged. ¡°But that could just be my love of the ocean peeking through.¡± They shared a look, staring at each other for a long moment. ¡°No,¡± George eventually said. ¡°I admit to feeling an affinity with the sea...¡± Geraldine laughed, covering her mouth with a hand. ¡°Agreed, though it feels weird to admit that out loud. I suppose it¡¯s rather aligned with the rest of the congregation.¡± I beamed at them. ¡°It certainly is. It would be weirder if your cultivation didn¡¯t have something to do with the ocean, to be honest. And speaking of...¡± I arched a brow at Maria, who grinned back, knowing exactly where I was going. I turned back toward Tropica¡¯s newest cultivators. ¡°How do you two feel about a little fishing?¡± Again, they locked eyes, having an entire conversation in the space of a single breath. George stood first, then helped Geraldine to her feet. ¡°We would be honored, Fischer,¡± she said, giving me a wide grin. Though I could feel their anticipation as Maria and I led them down to the rockwall, I think we were more excited than they were. Now that the denizens of New Tropica had all tried their hand at my heretical pastime, I was closer than ever to my dream of having an entire village of anglers. For some reason though, George and Geraldine following me down to the waterfront felt monumental. Like a key deliverable in a years-long project, if I were to use terms from my old life. They were the nobles of Tropica, the lord and lady of the village I had stumbled across and decided to call home. That they were not only willing but actively keen on giving fishing a crack was no small deal, and I hoped it would be the stone that started a landslide of Tropica¡¯s original denizens coming down to my shores and wetting a line. There were plenty of rods already set up, and it took no time at all to run George and Geraldine through the basic knots. Despite their recent awakening, their fingers already showed the deftness of a cultivator¡¯s enhanced body and awareness. I offered to put the fish on their hooks, but both declined, displaying a willingness to get their hands a little dirty in the pursuit of leisure. With Maria on one side and my trainee anglers on the other, we demonstrated how to cast out the lines. I watched as both their baited hooks sailed out into the bay, arcing high and landing with dual splashes.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Perfect!¡± Maria said. ¡°That might be the best first casts we¡¯ve seen! Certainly better than Dad¡¯s.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Roger replied from behind us, not falling for her trap. ¡°I think you tried your best, dear,¡± Sharon said, patting his shoulder and earning a flat glare for her condescension. She cackled, once more reminding me where Maria got her sense of humor. We all slipped into comfortable silence while waiting for a bite. As time dragged on, waves of tension rolled out from George. The pulses grew stronger; something was bothering him. Something that would build until he finally addressed it. Rather than enquire, I muted my senses, feeling like I was doing the cultivation equivalent of eavesdropping. He would voice it when he was ready. Sure enough, before any fish bit down on our lines, he spoke. ¡°I feel a little... conflicted, Fischer.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± I took a deep breath, marveling at the sea spray as it cooled my nostrils. ¡°About what, mate?¡± He didn¡¯t respond for a long moment, seemingly considering his words. ¡°Never mind, actually. It¡¯s foolish.¡± He sat with that for a long moment, chewing over the words. ¡°That¡¯s it? All of my sins are just forgiven?¡± I shrugged. ¡°What more is there to say? You¡¯re welcome to list them if you think it will help. I¡¯m all for talking out your feelings, but I reckon it isn¡¯t necessary.¡± ¡°Not necessary,¡± Maria agreed. ¡°You¡¯ll just be beating yourself up for no reason. If you want to atone for everything, just do better from now on. Easy peasy, right?¡± He opened his mouth to reply, likely a retort, but Geraldine lay a hand on his arm. ¡°How about this, dear¡ªI still feel guilty as well, but I can forgive you.¡± She dipped her chin, leaning slightly closer to him and staring into his eyes. ¡°Can you forgive me?¡± ¡°Of course I can. I don¡¯t blame you in the least.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She rubbed his back. ¡°We¡¯ll start there and work on forgiving ourselves. In the meantime, we do everything we can to help out.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a plan!¡± I beamed at them. ¡°And I know exactly what your first act of atonement can be!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± He leaned forward, staring at me past Geraldine. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I pointed at the tip of his rod. ¡°Catch the fish nibbling at your bait.¡± ¡°The what?¡± His hand wasn¡¯t resting on his line, so he hadn¡¯t felt the tiny bumps jostling the tip of his rod. He shifted into full focus immediately, setting both hands in place and preparing to strike. The fish kept nibbling. Maria leaned in close and whispered, ¡°Must be something other than a blue fish, right?¡± ¡°Definitely. They aren¡¯t so courteous as to have a little taste first¡ªthey just smash the bait.¡± The small bites suddenly stopped, but before George had a chance to get disappointed, his line tore through the water. ¡°Now there¡¯s a blue fish!¡± I yelled, laughing. Their fight was unmistakable to me by now. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it either scared off or ate the fish that was testing your eel.¡± ¡°What do I do?¡± George yelled, reeling in awkwardly. ¡°Relax, mate! You¡¯ve got this!¡± He slowed his breathing, his movements going more fluid as he actively calmed himself. I nodded. ¡°Keep tension and reel it in. Try not to overthink the fight. The fish doesn¡¯t look too big, and I have full faith in your ability to¡ªwoah!¡± I set my hook, letting line go as a fish tore out to sea. ¡°Double hook-up!¡± Just like George¡¯s, mine appeared to be a smaller model. I easily brought it back to shore, but not before George. After my reminder to relax, he¡¯d handedly won his fight. Maria leaped down to the water line. ¡°These things have crazy-sharp teeth, so be careful where you grab them!¡± She grasped its body behind the gills and lifted it from the water before passing it to George. He spun to face Geraldine, letting her get a good look at it. The look on their faces, the mix of sheer wonder and child-like glee, made me blunder. I didn¡¯t keep the tension on my line, and with rapidfire shakes of its head, my fish spat the hook. ¡°Oh...¡± I said, realizing my line had gone slack. ¡°Amateur,¡± Maria sighed, playfully rolling her eyes at me. ¡°Oh, shush.¡± I turned my attention to George. ¡°So mate, ready for your first taste of fish?¡± Though I didn¡¯t think it would be possible, his eyes flew even wider. ¡°Is it okay to keep? I thought everyone was trying to only keep the bigger ones?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than okay to keep, mate. Your call though.¡± George looked down at it for a long moment, then shook his head, smiling. ¡°If we let it go, it¡¯ll grow bigger, correct?¡± I grinned. ¡°Certainly will, mate.¡± He crept down to the water and lowered the fish. Before it even touched the surface, it kicked, freeing itself from George¡¯s grasp. He grunted as he fell back and sat on a boulder. The fish disappeared from sight in a flash, returning to the depths. Laughing, George accepted Geraldine¡¯s offered hand and let her pull him to his feet. ¡°So,¡± I said. ¡°Ready to try again?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± he grabbed his rod and ran up the rocks, heading for more bait. Book 3: Chapter 40: Return Book 3: Chapter 40: Return The days bled into one another on the road to Theogonia, each just as bothersome as the rest. After weeks and weeks of traveling, the surrounding forests had grown dull. The monotony of brown trunks, green leaves, and the overgrown road grated on Augustus, bothering him to no end. He was a king. His position earned him a life of opulence and luxury. Yet here he was, sprinting through the outside world like a peasant late for the market. At first the ability to use his chi had been a welcome delight, but even that sense of freedom had faded over time. As if from nowhere, the landscape began changing. The leaves grew sparse, previously thick canopies becoming patchy the further into Theogonia¡¯s lands they got. Myriad trunks, once straight and proud, wound in random directions. Even the grass was brown and dull, as if part of its vitality had been drained away. A sinking feeling crept into Augustus Reginald Gormona¡¯s core. One might expect such a development to be the physiological response to some dreaded realization, or perhaps the impending approach of a life-threatening adversary. One would be wrong. Though his core was afflicted by the sensation, his mind experienced the opposite. Anticipation rolled through his awareness, making his hopes soar. The cause was obvious to him: they were almost there. He rolled his shoulders and slowed, coming to a stop beside a patch of bare ground. ¡°We will rest here for lunch,¡± he declared, smiling down at the deadened grass. Tom Onsan Sr. grunted. ¡°I cannot say I missed this feeling...¡± ¡°How long has it been for you, Tom?¡± Tryphena asked, poking a particularly gnarled tree. ¡°Since the fall of the city, princess.¡± She nodded. ¡°This is actually a noticeable improvement. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, mother?¡± ¡°Indeed. I recall the dread sinking in much sooner the last time I was here. Before the trees changed, at any rate.¡± The merchant Marcus, scurrying around as the unascended common folk were wont to do, climbed into the cart Tom had set down, and started fetching supplies to cook their luncheon. Augustus cleared his throat. ¡°How does it feel within the city, daughter?¡± ¡°Much the same as out here, father.¡± She struck the gnarled tree with a swift kick, snapping it off at the base. ¡°A little stronger, but similarly diminished.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he replied, pride washing over him as his daughter dragged the entire tree toward them with one hand. ¡°We will need to spend long within its bounds in order to gather enough strength. Are the alchemists still located in the same building?¡± ¡°Actually, no.¡± Having dragged the twisted trunk closer, she lashed out with four swift chops of her hand. ¡°Now that the corrupting chi seems to have weakened, they moved further into the city. They were moving the last of their equipment when I left.¡± Augustus nodded, accepting then sitting on the section of wood his daughter passed him. ¡°We¡¯ll head there immediately after we eat.¡± As the merchant started heating an assortment of expensive spices over a small fire he¡¯d created, Augustus attempted to luxuriate in their rich scents, but a repetitive sound kept interrupting him. He slowly spun toward Tom, leveling a glare at him. ¡°If you are going to grind your teeth all day, Tom, just speak whatever is bothering you. As annoying as your voice is, that repugnant habit of yours is worse.¡± His lip twitched at the look Tom gave him. ¡°Don¡¯t make that pathetic face. I have known you long enough to understand you do it when something is on your mind.¡± Fury flashed across his oldest friend¡¯s face, but it was swiftly banished. ¡°With your permission, my king,¡± he said, nodding. ¡°I was wondering if we should discuss a plan before heading into the city proper?¡± ¡°We have discussed the plan already, Tom,¡± Tryphena said with faux sweetness. ¡°With everyone that my father deemed necessary for its implementation, anyway.¡± Augustus grinned at the barbed words and the immediate response it drew from Tom. The man¡¯s nostrils flared and he clenched his jaw, making that same abhorrent noise as his molars pressed together. ¡°It¡¯s fine, daughter. We can share the basics of the plan now that we¡¯re here. I suppose Tom might prove useful.¡± ¡°As you will, my king.¡± She dipped her head at the perfect level, displaying how extensive her decorum training was. She moved gracefully to face Tom. ¡°Once we arrive in the city, we are to visit the Cult of the Alchemist. After that, we are immediately heading for the center of the city.¡± Augustus raised his hand to halt her. ¡°That should be enough for now. If he cannot deduce the rest of the plan from that information alone, he is of no use to us.¡± Tom nodded, his face schooled to display uncaring calm. ¡°As you say, king. And I thank you for the explanation, princess. I understand the plan.¡± Augustus smiled, content with Tom¡¯s continued display of fealty and remorse. With any luck, the man would regain his position with his actions over the coming days and weeks. Though he failed the kingdom, Tom Osnan Sr. was once¡ªand could once more become¡ªa valuable asset for Gormona. ¡°Oh! You flatter me, your highness. This humble alchemist offers all of his potions to you! One moment!¡± He ran to a bench covered with alchemical equipment, pulled a crate from beneath it with more strength than his wiry frame should possess, and started rummaging. ¡°Where did I put them...?¡± As the man searched, Augustus glanced around the room. Benches lined three of the four walls, almost every inch of their surface covered in alchemy-related equipment. Smoke filled the room, its scent both welcome and nostalgic. No matter which Cult of the Alchemist branch he visited, they always smelled the same. On the one wall without any benches, a tangle of branches had been attached to the floor. It looked almost like an art installation, constructed out of the twisted branches from beyond the city¡¯s gates. Seeing his no-doubt confused look, Tryphena strode to his side. ¡°They¡¯re for his birds.¡± Augustus looked at the floor, seeing no droppings, feathers, or any other of the hallmarks that came with keeping creatures of the avian variety. ¡°A sign of the madness?¡± he asked. ¡°I believe so. He has been getting progressively worse.¡± ¡°Ah, there you are!¡± Francis yelled. Glass clinked as he lifted a crate and walked over. When he straightened, he froze. ¡°Gods above! The king!¡± Augustus rubbed the bridge of his nose, steadily losing his patience. ¡°Do you know the dosage, Tryphena?¡± ¡°One vial until the effects become overwhelming. When they do, leave the city until symptoms recede, then return and take another dose.¡± ¡°Wonderful.¡± Augustus strode forward and collected the crate. ¡°Thank you, Francis. We will return if we need any more.¡± ¡°Of course, my king! I¡¯ll start making another batch this second!¡± Before he could forget and recognize Augustus again, they left the building, firmly closing the door behind them. ¡°Here,¡± Augustus said, passing the crate to Marcus, who rushed up to take it. ¡°Everyone, take a dose now.¡± He rubbed his chin when his hands were free. ¡°Not you, merchant, unless you want to be turned inside out. Only the gods know what effect it would have on a regular human.¡± ¡°Pretty sure we just saw the effect it has,¡± Tryphena said, nodding back to the building they¡¯d just left. ¡°Birdies!¡± Francis yelled on queue, his voice muffled by the wooden barricades covering the windows and holes. ¡°Where are you?¡± After a shake of his head, Augustus removed a vial, popped the cork, and downed its contents. Heat ran down his throat, oozing out from his stomach and branching off into his limbs. A dull numbness followed, stronger than any of the previous batches he¡¯d tried. All at once, the numbness mostly faded, withdrawing back into his core. When it settled there, the dread he was feeling dissipated. They all let out a slow sigh, enjoying the reprieve the potion granted. ¡°He may be mad,¡± Tryphena said, ¡°but he¡¯s a wizard with alchemy.¡± ¡°Truly,¡± Penelope agreed. ¡°He wasn¡¯t always so... eccentric. He has contributed greatly to Gormona.¡± Augustus nodded. ¡°Which is why his lack of respect is tolerated. Take heed, Tom¡ªthat is how a man serves his kingdom properly.¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Yes, king.¡± ¡°Tell me¡ªwhere do you think we are going now?¡± ¡°To the center of the city.¡± Augustus raised a brow. ¡°Yes. That is what my daughter, the princess, told you. But what are we doing there?¡± ¡°I believe we are going to see the prisoners, my king.¡± Augustus nodded, shooting him an appreciative glance. ¡°It appears you still have your wits about you. That is good.¡± He threw the vial aside, letting it smash on the cobbled street. ¡°Let us go converse with some of our old friends...¡± Book 3: Chapter 41: Training Book 3: Chapter 41: Training It had been almost two weeks since George, Geraldine, and the Church of Carcinization had joined our ranks. After my repeated reassurance that I didn¡¯t mind if they continued worshiping crabs as the Church of Carcinization¡ªas long as it did not run in opposition to our goals, of course¡ªJoel had taken to running their daily crab meditations on my shore. As for George and Geraldine, they had spent most of the last fortnight fishing, and they¡¯d caught a surprising amount of species. Just as quick as the seasonal fish had arrived, their numbers started to dwindle. You could still catch one here and there, but the variety of fish caught from the rockwall had drastically increased, the other species returning after most of the blue fish had left. There was still no sign of Rocky, but that was probably for the best. The cantankerous little bugger had a fair bit of self reflection to do, and his absence was mostly unnoticed. Snips had her claws full; most of her days were spent being praised by the Church of Carcinization. As I watched her showing them her wonderful form, I smiled. ¡°This will never not be funny,¡± Maria said, smiling at the five humans scuttling sideways into the ocean after Snips, ¡®clacking¡¯ their hands together all the way. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± ¡°We can hear you!¡± Joel called, scowling but still retaining his crab-like posture. ¡°Do you speak crab?¡± Maria asked, turning to me. ¡°I¡¯m ninety-nine percent sure he called me handsome.¡± Jess giggled, blowing bubbles from her submerged mouth. A loud crack like far-off thunder tore through the air. I turned southward, gazing at the distant mountains. ¡°Should we go check up on them?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯d love to! It¡¯s always entertaining!¡± ¡°Especially when Claws is involved.¡± Maria leaped to her feet. ¡°That boom was probably her! Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Coming, Snips?¡± I asked as I stretched. Soon, she replied with a quiet hiss before submerging back beneath the ocean¡¯s water, only her eye visible. I smiled and blew her a kiss. Though I knew she didn¡¯t care for their praise, she had been more than accommodating for Joel and the rest of his followers, always willing to join their meditations. With Maria¡¯s hand in mine, we ran across the sand and leaped right over the rivermouth. I stole a glance at her midair, only to find she was staring back. She poked her tongue out at me, only turning away to spot her landing. No sooner than we hit the sand, we were off again, heading for the southern mountains. We reached the forest in record time, not slowing as we dashed between trunks and over grass. Another boom came, this time close enough for me to feel who it was. Light streamed through the forest ahead of us, and as we emerged into the sunlight, we skidded to a stop. Roger had cleared a section of forest. Even the stumps were nowhere to be seen, completely uprooted and replaced by a section of tamped ground as large as a football field. Twenty or so people were scattered around the edges, intently watching the match taking place. In the center of the field, Borks hunched down and launched forward. Roger stood firm, and as the maw of Borks¡¯s hellhound form opened to clamp down on his torso, he cut diagonally through the air with one arm. A sharp blade of chi flew from him, and Borks bit down on it. Boom! Air shot outward, reverberating in my core when it struck me. The attack blew Borks back. He skidded to a stop on the sand. ¡°See how he neutralized my attack?¡± Roger instructed the surrounding cultivators. ¡°Though I didn¡¯t use my full strength, that would have cut most of you in two. Brigadier Borks nullified it by channeling chi into his jaws and biting down on it. With enough control, you can do that with your bodies.¡± As it sailed far upward and slightly north west, all I could do was stare, my jaw slack and expectations exceeded. When the world¡¯s essence flowed in toward us, I had to cut my amazement short. Faster than ever before, it billowed up and slammed into Claws. Knowing what to expect, I slung chi from my core, surrounding Claws in a protective bubble. The world rushed into her abdomen, filling it to the brim. I tried to yell for everyone to get back, but my mouth couldn¡¯t move fast enough. Her core detonated, the breakthrough¡¯s excess chi rushing out and slamming into my protective bubble. Where Roger¡¯s chi was bladelike and Peter¡¯s radiated heat like a blazing hearth, Corporal Claws¡¯s was electric. It arced over the inside of my shielding, seeking a way out. When it succeeded, my panic surged through me. Barbs of it zapped through my protective shielding. I only had a fraction of a second to react before it shot out, and not knowing what effect it would have if it struck any of the weaker cultivators, I made an executive decision. I turned my shielding into a funnel, aiming it for something it could travel through into the ground. Uncountable fingers of electricity formed a single bolt, and with a crack that made my ears ring, it shot into the makeshift lightning rod. There was only one problem with the whole plan: I was the lightning rod. It sent me flying backward and I tried to curl my limbs into a protective ball, but Claws¡¯s power still lingered, my muscles nonresponsive. Suddenly, my flight came to an abrupt end, and I blinked, my vision blurry as I turned to look at my saviors. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Maria asked, not at all amused. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Frack me,¡± Barry laughed, entirely too amused. ¡°What did I just stumble upon?¡± I groaned as I cracked my neck and tested my limbs. ¡°I think I¡¯m okay...¡± I rubbed my eyes. ¡°Claws. Are you¡ª¡± A loud chirp was the only warning I had. She landed on my chest a moment later. ¡°Are you okay, girl?¡± I asked, reaching up to support her. She had tears in her eyes, her lower lip quivering as she stared up at me. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, smoothing the fur atop her head. ¡°Barry, are there any villages to the north west?¡± ¡°You mean in the direction that Claws just launched a lightning-covered meteor?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I opened my jaw, loosening the muscles there and causing my ears to pop. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I mean.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± he replied, still sounding all too entertained. ¡°It¡¯s only forest and wilderness.¡± ¡°Good. I was worried someone would have to race off and try to catch it.¡± I returned my attention to Claws. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Yes, she chirped, still giving me a guilty look that broke my heart. ¡°I¡¯m totally fine. I promise.¡± I scratched behind her ear, reassuring her. ¡°Okay,¡± Maria said. ¡°Now that we know everyone is safe...¡± She picked up Claws, holding her by the underarms and lifting her high. ¡°What the frack was that, Claws? That was so cool!¡± Claws shimmied her shoulders, unable to suppress her joy at being praised. Maria pulled her back into a hug, my otter pal melting in her arms. I smiled at them. ¡°Agreed. Did you know it would do that, Claws?¡± She shrugged coyly, letting out a mysterious trill and wiggling her fuzzy little eyebrows at me from atop Maria¡¯s arms. ¡°Regardless of your intent, that was a crazy breakthrough, Claws.¡± I wrapped my arms around Maria¡¯s waist, pulling them both into a hug. ¡°Well done.¡± Cinnamon leaped up to my shoulder, joining in the cuddle puddle. Claws revealing her needle-like teeth with a grin as she shimmied again, jubilation radiating from her core. Book 3: Chapter 42: Echoes of the Past Book 3: Chapter 42: Echoes of the Past With sweat peppering his brow, a lone alchemist trudged up a grassy hill. If not for the exhaustion lingering throughout his entire body, he would be fairly skipping up the slope. He had left his shack yesterday at the crack of dawn, heading deep into the mountains in search of his final ingredient. He glanced down at the thick roots held in his bloodied hand, a smile crossing his face despite the weariness. With its addition¡ªafter proper preparation, of course¡ªhis potion of ascension would be complete. Solomon was sure of it. It had taken him weeks to gather everything necessary. Milk of thistle, arrow stem, slimpuff bulbs, dendrod leaves, the decayed bark of the blue true, and finally, his secret ingredient. He held his hand up, staring into the roots he¡¯d found high atop a mountain peak. An odd sensation came over him, as if the plump roots were a lodestone that drew in his vision. The moment he¡¯d first dug them up and caught sight of them, this anomalous feeling was how he¡¯d known they were the missing ingredient. The very thing his potion needed. Solomon suspected that they¡¯d need to be prepared in a certain way, which was the very reason he¡¯d stayed out all day and night, collecting enough of the sparsely grown weed¡¯s roots that he could process some in every way possible. For the umpteenth time since he first discovered the plant, he cursed their appearance. It was no wonder they¡¯d never been discovered and recorded in the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s books. They were only visible on the surface as a tiny vine-like structure that liked to grow underneath rocks, a pale-green leaf or two poking out into the light of day to absorb the sun¡¯s energy. It made them almost impossible to spot, and only Solomon¡¯s genius had allowed him to discover them. He¡¯d sat down to catch his breath when he spotted one of the leaves. The moment he did, it tugged on his vision, demanding that he investigate. Extracting them from the hard earth was the cause of his raw and bloodied fingers. He had his tools of course, but the soft skin of his hands was no match for wooden handles and repetition. Thankfully he barely felt the numerous cuts and burst blisters through the haze of his tiredness. The ground grew flat as he approached his place of power, and when he crested the final section of hill, he fell to his knees, smiling at the sight that greeted him. His self-constructed shack all but called his name, beckoning him toward its dark and cool depths. Perhaps he would allow himself some rest before working with the unnamed root. Solomon¡¯s eyes slowly widened as the realization struck him. ¡°By the gods,¡± he said aloud, his voice strained with disuse. Excited as he had been to find the final piece of his ascension, it hadn¡¯t really hit him that he¡¯d discovered a new root. He lifted it once more. What would he name it...? ¡°Solomon root,¡± he decided, wheezing out a laugh. The name rolled off his tongue. He sat looking at the collected specimens for a long moment, soaking up the accomplishment. The very world seemed to hiss its approval, an unfelt breeze making a barely audible whistle as it wound through the surrounding trees. When the whistling grew louder, he cast his gaze around, his brow furrowing. The trees weren¡¯t moving and the air was completely still. So what was the sound...? He looked up at the sky, his search coming to an end when he spotted something flickering high above. There was a speck in the sky, a star burning so brightly that it was visible in the light of day. If he¡¯d been standing, Solomon would have fallen to his knees. He stared up at the sign, completely speechless as it grew more and more visible. The gods had long ago fled this realm, yet he and the rest of the Cult of the Alchemist believed that their influence remained, mere echoes and aftershocks of their power. This had to be one such event. The wills of alchemists past had witnessed his accomplishment, and they had approved. He laughed softly at first, but it steadily built, growing louder as the star shone brighter, defying the sun¡¯s oppressive rays with its blue brilliance. His throat grew pained, yet Solomon continued cackling, unable to hold back his celebration. The whistling sound was much more noticeable now, seeming to get closer by the second. Tears welled in Solomon¡¯s eyes. He was an ambitious man, and he¡¯d hoped and prayed that he would one day become the Alchemist of prophecy. As much as he manifested that eventuality, to have the departed pantheon recognize his efforts was an indescribable experience. The tears fell, rolling down his cheeks as he stared up at the star, its form now large enough that he could see blue flames arcing out from its blue mass. The whistling grew to a fever pitch, and as the star appeared to shift positions in the sky, he blinked away his tears, not understanding. The shining light was moving subtly, so slight that it was almost imperceptible. But it was definitely moving. Not moving, he realized. Falling. With his eyes glued to it, he tried to get to his feet. As he stood on wobbly legs, the star robbed him of his strength. His body gave out and he crashed back down to the floor. The shooting star fell directly toward his clearing, its blue flames flaring out and consuming the sky. The whistle was deafening, and all he could do was watch as his death approached. His hand went limp, the gathered roots falling to the grass before him. Time seemed to crawl to a freeze as the star descended, hurtling for the center of his place of power, right where his shack sat. The shack that held all the ingredients he was going to use to ascend. A wave of ice-cold comprehension drove into Solomon. The departed gods of alchemy had witnessed his attempted ascension, and they had found him wanting. They sought not only his destruction, but the annihilation of the means with which he meant to ascend. Solomon clenched his jaw. If he was to die, cast aside by his forebears, the least he could do was stare defiantly at the heavens, challenging them to the very last. He forced his eyes to remain open, tracking the star as it sought to break his spirit. Its flames licked out, barbing through the air like bolts of lightning. An eyebrow arched, climbing high on his forehead. The flames weren¡¯t like lightning. They were lightning. ¡°Zeus¡¯s tempestuous beard!¡± he screamed, the star¡¯s whistling so loud that he barely heard himself. It wasn¡¯t his alchemist ancestors that sought to deny him¡ªit was the will of Zeus himself. Solomon¡¯s strength and fear of death returned all at once. He turned and lunged to his feet, unfeeling legs stumbling over the grassy clearing. He had to flee. He had to get away. The very future of the Cult of the Alchemist depended on it. He was almost there. If he could just live through this, he could relocate and¡ª Boooom! Solomon was thrown forward when the star collided. He hurtled headlong into a tree, only his enhanced reaction time allowing him to cushion the blow with his forearms. He skidded to a stop downhill from his place of power, where he remained for entirely too long, winded and gasping for air. When he could breathe again, he rolled over and got to his feet. Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com His arms ached where they¡¯d impacted the tree. Thankfully, the bones didn¡¯t appear broken. Cradling them against each other, he trudged back up the hill, his entire body feeling cold. When he crested the peak this time, he found nothing worth celebrating. Where his shack and the blue-barked tree had previously been, only a crater remained. In the center of it, half a giant boulder was visible, the other half lodged firmly in the earth. Broken chunks of what had been his shack were strewn all over, most small enough to be called splinters. Solomon stumbled to the edge of the hole and knelt down, looking for anything he could salvage. All his ingredients, carefully collected and prepared over the past two weeks. Gone. He spun, looking for the roots he¡¯d left behind in his flight. They were nowhere to be seen. The only things left in the clearing were the boulder, debris, and him. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Move, a voice seemed to scream from inside of him. He pushed it away. If he could just find his ingredients, he could make his potion and¡ª Move! the internal voice screamed again. This time, he stilled, shaking his head as a fog lifted from his awareness. As they walked up the hallway and passed more of the cells, the laughter slowly died. ¡°Real...¡± ¡°They¡¯re here...¡± ¡°My king!¡± ¡°Real,¡± ¡°Real,¡± ¡°Real!¡± Tryphena paused before the cell containing the woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Hello, aunt Livia. It¡¯s been too long.¡± ¡°Tryphena...¡± Livia Ward, Tiberius¡¯s wife and former matriarch of house Ward, stumbled forward into the light. She cradled a bundle of blankets in her arms, and as she spied the real Tryphena, she dropped the bundle to the floor. Tears welled in her eyes as she reached a smudged hand through the bars. ¡°Tryphena...¡± The princess reached out, resting the back of her hand in Livia¡¯s palm. Though they were imprisoned here, it wasn¡¯t because they presented a threat to the royal family. They clasped hands, Tryphena unbothered by how dirty Livia was. Tryphena clenched her jaw, unhidden fury crossing her face as she turned toward Augustus. ¡°They are filthy, father. Francis told me he provided them with baths.¡± ¡°Baths?¡± Livia chortled, withdrawing her hand. ¡°Oh, yes! Dirt baths!¡± She pointed to the corner, and when Augustus lifted the torch, it revealed a mound of dirt in the corner. ¡°For his birds, you see.¡± ¡°Birds!¡± ¡°Birds!¡± ¡°Such pretty birds!¡± ¡°Cawww!¡± The prisoners all laughed at the facsimile of a bird call that came from further in, sounding even more disjointed given the context. Tryphena¡¯s lip twitched. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± ¡°Now, now, princess.¡± Livia put her hands on her hips. ¡°That is no way for a noble woman to talk! Birds like dirt baths! Things aren¡¯t so bad down here¡ªit¡¯s how we serve our king!¡± A chorus of agreement bounced down the halls, not a hint of malice or deception seeping into their voices. ¡°It is good to see you well, Livia,¡± Augustus said, reassured by their loyalty. ¡°And you, my king.¡± She bowed at the waist, and Augustus finally realized what was off about how Tiberius had strutted. They moved like birds. Tryphena clearly spotted it too. She struck out, slamming her closed fist in the metal bars before her. Livia leaped backwards, her eyes wide as she retreated to a corner. ¡°Sorry.¡± Tryphena averted her eyes, hiding them. ¡°Let¡¯s go, father.¡± When they reached Tiberius¡¯s cell again, he was waiting for them. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± His gaze searched each of their faces. ¡°Why have you come back...?¡± Augustus nodded, glad they were finally at the heart of it. ¡°You made me an offer once, Tiberius. You said you could teach me to channel the corrupted chi that surrounds Theogonia.¡± In the blink of an eye, Tiberius prostrated himself. ¡°I apologize again, king. It was not for me to offer. If you changed your mind and want my life, it is yours to take.¡± ¡°Oh, I did change my mind, Tiberius. But it wasn¡¯t in regard to taking your life as penance.¡± ¡°Then what...?¡± Tiberius asked, his head twisting to stare up at them like a curious pigeon. ¡°After decades of peace, Gormona is once again under threat by a foreign power.¡± The former lord of Gormona jumped to his feet, his face a vision of fury. ¡°Give me the order, king, and I will scour them from Kallis and feast on their bones.¡± ¡°It may come to that, Tiberius, but I had something else in mind.¡± He grinned, already knowing what Tiberius¡¯s answer would be. ¡°I wish to learn how to cultivate corrupted chi.¡± Book 3: Chapter 43: Intoxication Book 3: Chapter 43: Intoxication I woke the next morning to a floral fragrance permeating the room. It reminded me of Maria and the scents that always drifted up from her hair, never quite the same as the day before. I breathed deep, the thoughts of her making a smile come to my face. Someone moved on the bed beside me, so I reached over, reaching to try find Borks and rub his belly. Instead of soft fur, I found warm and even softer skin. I opened my eyes, blinking at Maria¡¯s sleeping form. She must have fallen asleep before heading home last night. I knew I should wake her. Should let her get ready and prepare an excuse before her father and mother arrived with our breakfast... But I didn¡¯t have the strength. Her beauty drew me in, her serenity kept me there. She was usually so animated. So vibrant. Lost in sleep was the only time I could catch her in a frozen moment. Only her rising and falling torso betrayed her stillness, her chest shifting with each shallow breath she took. I ran my fingers along the back of her head, making flashes of last night appear unbidden. Her hair draping down around my face and tickling my skin. The softness of her lips, contrasted by her hunger when they pressed into mine. My own hunger. My need. Our bodies paired like coffee and croissants. Like butter and flour. And though we were composed of disparate pieces, we fit together as if built for one another. My heart thumped in my chest as I reached over and ran a hand down her slender arm, unable to stop myself despite knowing it was a bad idea. She stirred, making my thin linen sheet hug her intoxicating form. Knowing now was not the time, I clenched my jaw and took a deep breath, doing everything I could to banish the thoughts of her. I failed, of course, but I forged onward regardless. ¡°Maria,¡± I said, my voice gruff with disuse. Clearing my throat and getting up on one elbow, I swept loose strands of hair from her face. ¡°Wakey wakey, beautiful. It¡¯s time to get up.¡± She peered out at me through sleep-filled eyes, giving me a smile that knocked the wind from me. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°We have to get ready,¡± I said. ¡°You fell asleep before you went home last night and your dad could be kicking down my door at any moment.¡± She let out a soft groan as she stretched, arching her back like a cat, making the sheet slide over the lines of her body. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I said, having barely heard her. I furrowed my brow, processing the words. ¡°You didn¡¯t what?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t fall asleep before going home.¡± ¡°Then... how are you here?¡± ¡°Because, silly.¡± She pulled back the sheet and leaned onto my chest, pressing herself against me. ¡°I went home after you fell asleep.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I replied mechanically, barely able to think past her contact. ¡°You know, you¡¯re making it really difficult to get out of this bed.¡± She ran a hand through my hair, smirking at me. ¡°I told Mom that I¡¯d been...¡± She moved her hand to my neck, pulled herself up, and pressed her lips into mine. She pulled away a moment later, leaving me breathless. ¡°... missing you of late,¡± she continued. ¡°Mom, being the wonderful woman she is, hatched a scheme.¡± I stared at her stunning eyes and the curve of her lips, and when my brain once more caught up with the conversation, I frowned. ¡°Wait, what? You lost me. What scheme?¡± ¡°Well...¡± She ran her hand along my chest. ¡°As we speak, Mom and Dad are off collecting coffee and croissants for the entire church.¡± She trailed a finger up and along the side of my neck, making a pleasant shiver run through me. ¡°I¡¯ve been led to believe that there will be a delay with the croissants.¡± She bit her lip and grabbed my arm, pulling me over. Not needing any extra encouragement, I rolled on top of her, bracing myself and staring down into her eyes. ¡°And why did you do that?¡± I asked, my voice heady. She stared back up at me, her heart thumping loud enough for me to hear it. ¡°Because I need you, Fischer.¡± With perfect timing, Claws kicked off the top of Snips¡¯s carapace, wiggling her eyebrows at us as she sailed by. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s correct,¡± I answered, watching Snips regather her wits in the middle of the river and prepare a counterattack. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting Borks.¡± ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m forgetting Borks? I¡¯d never forget...¡± She pursed her lips when she realized what I was talking about. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Brigadier Borks had a breakthrough too, or at least a mini version of one, when he unlocked his storage ability. I don¡¯t necessarily¡ª¡± I ducked the crustacean launched through the space where my head had been. I shot an unamused glare at Claws, which only caused her to burst into chittering laughter. ¡°Where was I? I don¡¯t necessarily think it¡¯s one way or the other. I reckon both humans and spirit beasts can have a breakthrough of either kind. That¡¯s my assumption, anyway. Ellis is probably the bloke to ask, though.¡± Stop! Snips hissed, holding up a claw. Despite her penchant for trickery, Corporal Claws skidded to a halt on the grass, having to engage all four legs as brakes to stop before slamming into the undefended Snips. She may have been getting trounced by Claws and her new level of power, but Snips wasn¡¯t the kind of crab to call a stop to things. I raised an eyebrow at her, curious what had caused it. Completely ignoring all of us, she watched a lone bee as it zipped around in the canopy above. ¡°It¡¯s just a bee, Snips,¡± I said. ¡°... Isn¡¯t it? She blew negative bubbles back, her eye trailing the furiously buzzing insect. ¡°What is she seeing that we aren¡¯t?¡± Maria asked, tapping her chin. Its buzzing seemed a little panicked, sure, but they did that sometimes. I just assumed they¡¯d seen a bird or been surprised by an otter zooming past them at Mach 1. Snips was positive though, so I sent my awareness outward, trying to understand. I found... nothing. A few more bees of the same kind came from the surrounding trees, apparently answering the call. They emitted the same tone, and when they all arrived, the original bee took off, heading through the trees. The others followed, and so did Snips, her steps silent as she crept after them along the forest floor. Maria, Claws, and I shared a shrug before trailing after her. As we continued moving, I recognized that we were heading toward the hive of bees to the south west of Queen Bee¡¯s and Bumblebro¡¯s abodes. More and more of the insects appeared, the first insect leading the procession back home. Now that there were dozens of them, or perhaps because I¡¯d been listening to it long enough, I understood what had gotten Snips¡¯s attention. They were pissed. Though it held a touch of panic, it was fervent anger that droned from their wings, the sound only getting more intense as others joined the procession. From low hum to immutable cacophony, the sound built and built, reverberating off the surrounding trunks. There were hundreds now, all charging back home. ¡°Smell that?¡± Maria asked. ¡°Huh?¡± With my hearing being assaulted by what felt like a jet-engine¡¯s worth of buzzing, it took me a moment to parse my sense of smell. The moment I did, I knew exactly what she was talking about. ¡°Honey.¡± It was thick on the air, its scent making my fasted stomach growl. Snips was the first to round the trunk ahead and catch sight of the hive¡¯s entrance. The moment she did, she froze. Claws was next. Her head jarred backward, her jaw dropping open to reveal her needle-sharp teeth. ¡°What has you two so...¡± Maria said, trailing off as we caught sight of what had the bees in a tizzy. Something large, covered in fur, and a little too dangerous for my liking, had broken into the hive. ¡°No fracking way...¡± Maria continued, stealing the words from my mouth. Book 3: Chapter 44: Ambush Predators Book 3: Chapter 44: Ambush Predators Deep within the forest to the west of my property, light streamed down through the canopy. A pleasant breeze flowed past the trees, bringing with it the scents of wet grass, pollen, and something indescribably sweet. I had spent the waking hours with my girlfriend, and we were currently doing a little side quest before going to Tropica and getting Sue¡¯s deadly coffee-and-croissant combo. It was, by all measurable metrics, a pleasant morning. Well, if one was to ignore the one-tonne creature currently sleeping off a predawn snack, that is. ¡°Fischer...¡± Maria whispered, leaning toward me. ¡°Yeah?¡± She opened her mouth to respond, but paused, her finger swirling before her as if the movement might help divine the correct words to use. Eventually, it worked. ¡°What the frack is that?¡± she blurted, gesturing at the creature with both hands. ¡°That, my love, is a bear.¡± The massive beast had its belly pressed to the ground and buried the vulnerable parts of its head under both of its massive arms. The poor bees were waging a full-on war against their honey-stealing foe. For all their efforts, the bear was having a cheeky little nap, relying on its thick fur and thicker skin to keep them away. Maria gaped for a long moment before responding. ¡°Is it... I don¡¯t know. Ascended? A spirit beast? Already a god?¡± ¡°Nope. Just a regular bear.¡± ¡°Then why is it so big if it¡¯s not a spirit beast?¡± I rubbed my chin. ¡°That¡¯s valid. It¡¯s pretty bloody big.¡± ¡°So it is a spirit beast?¡± ¡°What? No. It¡¯s big, but still a regular ol¡¯ bear. It¡¯s not even close to ascension.¡± Claws and Snips had been slowly creeping forward, getting closer to it one step at a time. I couldn¡¯t see their eyes from my position, but I knew for a fact that they would be sparkling with curiosity. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen a bear?¡± I asked. ¡°No. I¡¯ve heard about them, though. Dad said he saw plenty of them when he was off at war.¡± ¡°Did people call them big?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but when your dad gets drunk and tells you there are creatures as big as a cart, you don¡¯t really believe him. And even if you do...¡± ¡°Seeing is different from believing,¡± I finished. ¡°Yeah...¡± Claws and Snips were right beside the creature now, leaning as close as they could without drawing the bees¡¯ ire. As I focused on the attacking insects again, I noticed an intruder. When I squinted at the larger specimen, it waved at me, and a moment later, came to buzz before my face. Seven more of them came, likely the ones sent to guard this area of the forest. ¡°Fellas,¡± I said, ¡°why didn¡¯t you tell me that there was a whole-ass bear out here disturbing the peace?¡± The small collection of Buzzy Boys made a confused tone with their wings. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t see it as a threat?¡± They made an affirmative buzz, some hanging their heads in shame. ¡°Huh. I guess you have a point. Would you have done something about it if it became a threat?¡± Yes, they buzzed again confidently. ¡°All right. This one is on me. New orders: if you come across any beings, human or creature, that could threaten the life of a regular human, you come let me know, okay?¡± They nodded, saluted, and three of them split off. ¡°Wait!¡± I called before they could get too far away. ¡°Tell Barry. Not me. Only let me know if you can¡¯t find any of the senior congregation or an animal pal to inform.¡± A choked chittering came from her, and though she tried to hide her smile, I couldn¡¯t miss the gleam of her needle-sharp pearls. ¡°We¡¯ve been had, Maria.¡± ¡°Claws!¡± Maria held her overhead, which did nothing to diminish the trilling laughter now coming from the otter. Claws raised her forearms toward the sky, booming with victorious giggles at having tricked us. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Maria sighed. ¡°Your mischief is unmatched. You win this round.¡± Claws nodded as Maria set her back down, preening with pride. ¡°Okay,¡± I said, stepping forward to rub behind Claws¡¯s ear. ¡°Jokes aside, we¡¯ll have to do it right. We can¡¯t catch and force him to ascend, but if we can make something tasty enough for him to eat that gives him enough chi, I¡¯ll happily accept him into our little family.¡± ¡°Especially with how polite he is,¡± Maria added, pointing at the honeycomb he¡¯d pushed toward us. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better I¡¯d assume he was already most of the way toward ascension.¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s a pretty smart fella. Kinda like the drop bears we used to get back home.¡± ¡°Drop bears? What are those?¡± ¡°Nasty things. They¡¯re ambush predators closely related to the koala bear. They hide in trees and drop on top of people when they walk underneath.¡± Maria spun to stare where the bear had gone, then slowly turned back toward me. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re joking.¡± ¡°Afraid not. If you ever go to Australia, keep your eyes on the treetops.¡± She shivered. ¡°I¡¯m fine here thanks.¡± ¡°Clever girl. But yeah, the bear is clever. As far as I can tell, him pushing the honeycomb our way wasn¡¯t so much an offering as it was a distraction for his escape.¡± Maria peered up at the surrounding treetops, keeping her peepers peeled for any would-be ambush bears. When she saw nothing, she turned her beautiful smile my way. ¡°I seem to recall being promised a full breakfast from Tropica¡¯s finest bakery.¡± I grinned at her. ¡°Of course, my lady. Snips, would you mind covering up the hive as best you can without hurting the hive? I¡¯d hate if they weren¡¯t able to recover from this.¡± She blew resolute bubbles and snapped a crisp salute before whirling, scuttling closer, and assessing the damage with a keen eye. Claws dashed up too, apparently intent on helping. ¡°Shall we?¡± I asked, holding my arm out toward Maria. She closed the distance with a hop, looped her elbow through mine, and got on her tippy toes to plant a peck on my cheek. Despite this morning¡¯s events, that small contact of her lips made my heart flutter as if it was the first time she¡¯d deigned to kiss me. Arm in arm, we wandered off toward Tropica, leaving our animal pals behind to secure the beehive. *** Deeper within the forest, a large creature ran for its very life. Though it traveled near full speed, its steps were almost silent, telling of a life spent keenly aware of its position in the food chain. Another bear of its species might assume it was an apex predator. Might assume that given its size, there was nothing and no one in these lands that could hope to match its power. This creature, for better or worse, knew better. That surety urged it on, fueling its flight from the two-legged adversaries. Their posture, their very stances, were just the same as the first and last time he¡¯d encountered such beings. It was long ago, and though he was just a cub at the time, the memories would never fade. The Images flashed through his mind. Their feigned weakness. The ambush. The flames. The sharpened sticks. The way their faces shifted, revealing their odd-shaped teeth. His mother... The thoughts became too painful, so he pushed them away. Before long, he came to the entrance of his den. Sparing one last glance back into the forest, he crawled within, winding his way down into the narrow gap between rocks. There, he rested, both happy he¡¯d managed to find a hive and disappointed that he¡¯d had to abandon it. Book 3: Chapter 45: Pyre Book 3: Chapter 45: Pyre From the very moment his body made contact with the molten rock, all Rocky knew was pain. Though the volcano contained the same essence as his explosive chi, it showed him no mercy, doing its very best to burn him away. But if even the world itself thought Rocky would allow himself to be so easily snuffed, it had another thing coming. The entire time he¡¯d been beneath the surface of the volcano, something within him seemed... wrong. It was a part of him, though, so he forced the thought away, knowing that he and his form were flawless¡ªthe very pinnacle of evolution. As soon as he¡¯d felt the magma¡¯s searing caress, he¡¯d curled into a ball, protecting his body with a constant barrier of chi. Being surrounded by the same power his core held was a small blessing, but he had to constantly replenish his reserves, recycling the very chi that sought his destruction. Unlike his boundless source of essence, however, his body was beginning to tire. If he didn¡¯t experience a breakthrough soon or find some source of sustenance, he would be in trouble. That mere heat could threaten Rocky, from a volcano or not, made his blood boil hotter than even the molten-rock surrounding him. This, as with everything else, was Fischer¡¯s fault. His mortal enemy had forced Rocky¡¯s claw, and if not for that, Rocky would be back with his beloved mistress right now rather than fighting for his life. The fury built within him, too strong to be denied any longer. Rocky cocked his claws open, gathered power there, and unleashed twin blasts out into the world. He experienced a brief moment of ecstatic release, which was almost-immediately overshadowed by agonizing regret. Using his chi as an attack had diverted power from his shielding, letting the volcano¡¯s heat burn his hardened carapace. His anger at Fischer soared back into his awareness, but he set it aside, needing every ounce of attention to restore the protective bubble around his mighty form. Now that the magma had found an opening, though, it didn¡¯t relent so easily. It seemed to fight against his body, the explosive chi no longer seeing him as kin. Primordial fear coursed through Rocky as, for the first time since plunging into the volcano, he truly entertained the fact that he might not make it out. His life being in danger scoured away any thoughts of Fischer; only images of his spiky mistress remained. Her beautiful face flashed through his mind, her mouth undulating as she blew bubbles of praise for a job well done. When he recalled her turning her back on him the last time he¡¯d seen her, Rocky¡¯s resolve started to firm. Though she had made a show of disapproving of his methods, she would be expecting him to come home. He had to survive. He had to prove himself and return to her. There was only a single path out of the situation he had mired himself in. He had to make a breakthrough. With every fiber of his body agreeing with the decision, he delved further into himself, doing his best to ignore the pain searing his carapace. It was nigh impossible, the agony rolling over him too potent to ignore. But Rocky was no mere crab. He was the strongest follower of his magnificent mistress, and with her image rooted firmly in mind, he sent his awareness spiraling down toward his core. The sensations of his body grew numb, as if they were happening from someone else. Smiling internally at his prowess, Rocky sank into his core. What he found there made his hopes climb. His core was near to bursting, every inch of the space absolutely filled with explosive chi. He pressed on the walls with his will, metaphorically puffing his chest out at how easy this was going to be. The outside world froze as he imagined what he wanted his core to do, and just as his fear of death was almost completely banished, his expanding walls hit something... solid? A spike of panic rose up from deep within his consciousness, making him double his efforts. But no matter how hard he pushed, the solid object didn¡¯t budge. A cold hatred simmered low in Rocky¡¯s body. And this time, the emotion was entirely his own, so passionate that it drew Rocky from his core for the slightest of moments. When he discovered the state of his wondrous carapace, he should have felt despair. It was burning away, the volcano¡¯s molten rock having scorched sections of him in an attempt to seek and destroy the human¡¯s chi. Instead of being consumed by despair, his simmering hatred came to a boil. In an incessant stream, every pivotal experience he¡¯d had since awakening played through his mind. Each moment Rocky chose violence, to the detriment of those around him. Each time he embarrassed and brought shame to his beloved Snips. Each time Rocky saw his actions as justified, lashing out at anyone who dared anger him. They had all led to this very moment, culminating in Rocky¡¯s annihilation. Even now, the invader¡¯s poisonous thoughts infected him, fueling the fire that was his hatred. Though he now knew its origin, Rocky didn¡¯t fight off its influence. He let it roll over him, the flames growing ever brighter. His core climbed to a blistering heat, yet his resolve remained cold. Knowing his demise was nigh, Rocky sent himself spiraling down into his core once more. This usurper had sealed his fate, but Rocky wasn¡¯t yet dead. He would use its own toxin to destroy it. He let the black bubble of fury, hatred, and indignation wash over him. He drew the emotions in, demanding ever more. The bonfire within Rocky grew to an inferno, and just when he felt he was going to explode, he channeled it toward his core¡¯s intruder. It crashed into the man¡¯s echo, and it tried to parry, tried to fight off Rocky as it had so easily done before. This time, Rocky blew right through the defenses. Fear radiated throughout his body, but he knew it wasn¡¯t his. Urged on by his tormenter¡¯s terror, Rocky imagined the inferno exploding from within him. It slammed into the bubble from inside. At first, it held its ground, its black tendrils having had months to root themselves within the interior of Rocky¡¯s core. But then Rocky¡¯s cold intent lanced into it and tore a hole through the dark influence. The gap was only millimeters thick, and the bubble sought to reform immediately, withdrawing power from its roots to bolster the barrier. Rocky¡¯s chi was faster. As if his core was sapient, every drop of his essence slammed into that small gap, ripping it wide. In the blink of an eye, the human¡¯s remnant soul was forced into a tiny ball, each and every root pulled free of Rocky¡¯s core. Even minutes ago, Rocky would have tried to consume it for power. Now, he just wanted it gone. With a final push, he forced it out of his body and into the volcano. The explosive chi held there descended immediately, the rancorous human¡¯s soul screeching like hundreds of beings as it burned away into nothing. At war with the searing agony of Rocky¡¯s body, a wave of elation washed over him. Banishing the human¡¯s spirit had taken all of his strength, and though the magma no longer sought his destruction, it was too late. The damage was too severe, and as Rocky felt himself sinking deeper into the volcano that was to be his funeral pyre, he accepted his fate. His mind felt clear for the first time since his awakening. No longer did hatred and fury afflict him, coloring his decisions. He had been poisoned for so long that to be free of it made triumph radiate throughout him. Despite his life coming to an end, he finally had a taste of who he was. Rocky wasn¡¯t, as Fischer would have said, a prick. This realization made his body feel light, as if the universe caressed him and eased his pains. Rocky¡¯s only regret was that his spiky mistress wouldn¡¯t know what became of him, but she would be okay. She was surrounded by good people, after all. His carapace started to tingle, even his pain receptors beginning to fail as his awareness faded. He got the sense that the magma was swelling up around him, the world intent on witnessing his departure. When the volcano¡¯s chi rushed into Rocky, his vision went black. Book 3: Chapter 46: Birds on the Wind Book 3: Chapter 46: Birds on the Wind ¡°Well, good morning!¡± Sue called across the square. She had at least a dozen people waiting for coffees, yet she took a moment to give Maria and me a scandalous eyebrow wiggle. ¡°Did you two have a pleasant evening?¡± Heat rose to my face, and when I glanced Maria¡¯s way for assistance, I saw a furious blush climbing to her cheeks. Sue chortled, throwing her head high as she delighted in our awkwardness. Letting out a sigh, I grabbed Maria¡¯s hand and led her to the back of the line. ¡°So mean,¡± Maria said, laughing and shaking her head. ¡°I guess she earned that, though, considering her assistance.¡± ¡°Worth it. Wish she¡¯d been a little less public about it, though. I¡¯m guessing some of the villagers were able to infer her meaning based on the glances we got.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you look at me like that anymore?¡± A woman whispered to her husband a few spots ahead of us in line, nudging him in the ribs and smirking at him. ¡°When was the last time you blushed around me?¡± ¡°Oh, you want something to blush about, do you?¡± he replied. ¡°Just you wait until I¡¯m done with the fields today. I¡¯ll show you something that¡ª¡± I immediately retracted my hearing, shooting a wide-eyed look at Maria. She stared back at me, covering her mouth to hold in her laughter. We both lost it. ¡°Heavens,¡± Maria eventually said, wiping tears from her eyes. ¡°Good for them.¡± I luxuriated in the sun¡¯s warmth beaming down from above as we slipped into a comfortable silence. Maria¡¯s soft hand in mine was a grounding presence, sweeping away any lingering embarrassment from Sue¡¯s not-so-subtle display. Before I knew it, we were at the front of the line, once more under the traitorous cafe-owner¡¯s scrutiny. ¡°You two look positively vibrant!¡± she said. ¡°Must have been a wonderfully restful evening.¡± ¡°Dear,¡± Sturgill warned, poking his head around the dividing wall that hid the kitchen. ¡°Are you bothering our friends?¡± ¡°Oh, pah!¡± She brushed flour from her apron. ¡°Just having a little fun. So, what can I get for you two?¡± ¡°Just the usual, thanks,¡± I replied, giving Sturgill a thankful nod. Sorry, he mouthed, rolling his eyes and only barely dodging the balled-up tea towel flung towards his head. Sue shot him a pout as he laughed and retreated back out of sight. ¡°Jokes aside,¡± she said. ¡°I was happy to be of service. That father of yours is as stale as yesterday¡¯s pastries.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Maria replied, staring at the ground as her cheeks turned rosy once more. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Sue gave us a wide smile as she flowed over toward the coffee machine. ¡°Won¡¯t be long!¡± We stepped aside, joining the milling commonfolk waiting for their breakfast. *** As we strode around the side of the headland, I took my last bite of croissant. Its flaky, buttery goodness was just as good as ever, and after swallowing, I chased it down with a swig of coffee. The bitterness was perfectly balanced against the croissant¡¯s sweetness, making a content sigh escape my lips. ¡°Yeah,¡± Maria agreed, holding her cup in both hands. ¡°Same.¡± The sun heralded our way to the side of my house, and the moment we stepped into view of my back deck, two creatures met us. Corporal Claws clutched onto Maria¡¯s front, scrambling around her torso to sniff at her ear. Giggling, Maria raised her shoulder, trying to protect herself from the barrage of sniffs. I wasn¡¯t able to spare much of my attention on the adorable interaction, however, because a crab slammed into my chest, hissing overjoyed bubbles. I caught Snips with one arm, skidding to a stop just before my feet met the sand. ¡°Woah!¡± I laughed. ¡°Good to see you too.¡± She rubbed the top of her shell into my body, her hisses getting quieter. Through some silent agreement, Snips and Claws abruptly swapped positions, the former leaping toward Maria and the latter sailing for me. Claws landed on my shoulder and wrapped herself around my neck, becoming an extremely warm and cute scarf. ¡°We were just about to go for a mid-morning fish. Are you two keen on coming along?¡± He gave her a loving smile. ¡°Are you having second thoughts now that we are here, daughter?¡± She thought for a long moment before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe in you. I merely worry about my father.¡± She bowed at the waist. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The fault lies entirely within me.¡± ¡°You need not bow, Tryphena. Your worry is appreciated. In fact, I might question your intentions if you didn¡¯t care about my wellbeing. However...¡± He let a silence stretch, emphasizing the importance of his next words. ¡°Recall our conversations on the way here. I am the correct choice. The correct sacrifice.¡± She dipped her head, her hair falling to hide her face. ¡°As you say, father. Forgive my weakness.¡± He shot a look at Penelope, wordlessly ordering her to comfort their daughter. ¡°And you, Tom...¡± The lord raised his eyes, still containing some heat. Augustus gave him the smallest of nods. ¡°You still have a place in the capital, and your family will be a part of the rebuilding process. If your words are true and you are attempting to sacrifice yourself for the good of the kingdom, I thank you.¡± Tom bowed, biting back any retort. ¡°If you change your mind, king, I am ever your humble servant. Give the word and I will join you in cultivating the corrupting chi.¡± ¡°You¡¯d willingly join me in potential madness?¡± ¡°Both for my king, and my oldest friend.¡± Tom raised his head once more, and when they met Augustus¡¯s, every hint of anger was gone. ¡°Even if we didn¡¯t have the bloodlines we do, and the madness was a sure thing, I would still join you. If for nothing other than the insult to our kingdom, I would happily assist in the destruction of that man.¡± More than anything else Tom had done since his failure, this statement made Augustus begin to truly forgive him. He nodded, acknowledging Tom Osnan Sr.¡¯s resolve. ¡°I appreciate that, Tom, but I believe our forces will already overwhelm them.¡± ¡°As you say, king.¡± Augustus heard the doubt in his voice, making his fury bubble up anew. ¡°I see you do not believe me. No, don¡¯t reply. I believe that is due to ignorance.¡± He looked towards the merchant, Marcus. ¡°Fetch them.¡± ¡°Fetch them?¡± Tom asked, his brow furrowing. In the blink of an eye, realization struck him. ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± Augustus grinned. ¡°It is not only me that will be attempting to channel.¡± A moment later, Marcus returned, followed by six sets of footsteps. The handler¡¯s faces were a mix of stricken, excited, and accepting. ¡°Good,¡± Augustus said. ¡°You¡¯re here. Are you aware of your purpose?¡± Aisa stepped forward, her eyes alight with possibility. ¡°Yes, my king. We await your instruction.¡± A manic giggle came from the cell beside them, making each of the handlers¡¯ faces dart toward it. To their unawakened eyes, they¡¯d only see a blackened cell. Augustus watched as Tiberius stepped forward into the light of their torch. ¡°When you are ready, Tiberius.¡± ¡°Helloooo,¡± Tiberius sang, twisting his head and peering at them with one eye, the orange flame¡¯s light giving his face and bird-like posture a horrifying appearance. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, ladies.¡± He giggled again and sat cross-legged, facing them. ¡°I will be your teacher in the ways of cultivation. Copy my posture, if you would.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± ¡°Copy!¡± ¡°Copy!¡± came the voices from the other cells. One of them caw¡¯d, making a slew of unhinged laughs bounce off the walls. Augustus sat down cross-legged, as did the rest of the handlers, who were now looking much less sure of themselves. ¡°Imagine, if you will, that you are birds on the wind,¡± Tiberius said, peering at all of them. ¡°The surrounding air is the essence of Theogonia, the granter of strength.¡±He spread his arms wide. ¡°Now draw the winds into your abdomen.¡± When Augustus did so, his core protested, doing everything it could to keep the foreign chi out. Clenching his muscles, he ignored its complaints, drawing more and more of the forbidden chi toward his naval area. Book 3: Chapter 47: First Contact Book 3: Chapter 47: First Contact When Rocky awoke in what must be the afterlife, he let out a content sigh. Though he was now in a different realm to his beloved mistress and the rest of Tropica, his body had a weightlessness he hadn¡¯t experienced since being a regular crab. Gone was the influence of the parasitic man, his poisonous guidance nowhere to be seen. Rocky¡¯s awareness was clear, leaving only his thoughts in his consciousness. He sent his attention down toward his core, wanting to see what it felt like now that he was in the afterlife. When he entered it and tasted his chi, Rocky¡¯s mouth dropped open. His entire nexus was filled to bursting with explosive essence. Rocky moved his mouth, then froze, confusion washing through him. He still had a physical body. It was surrounded by what felt like the comfiest blanket imaginable, hugging him tight from every direction. He sent his senses outward, and when he discovered the chi there, his thoughts died in their tracks. It wasn¡¯t possible... was it? He unfurled his limbs, no longer needing to protect himself against the molten rock that had been trying to destroy him. His body felt... different. As he made to move his rear flippers and ascend skyward, his core reached out, and Rocky instinctively knew of a brand new capability. He sent tendrils of chi out that melded with the explosive essence surrounding him. The next moment, Rocky was ascending through the column of magma, not needing to move a muscle. When he breached the surface, he opened his eyes.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com The sun above was blinding, and he lifted a claw to shield against its light. When he caught sight of his mighty pincer, astonishment shot through him, brighter even than the celestial body above. It was massive, and size wasn¡¯t where the changes ended. Most of the shell he could see had turned black, interlaced with magma-colored lines. As he watched, the lines grew brighter and duller, shifting as if it was lava exposed to air. With a single burst of chi, he shot over the top of the wall. Before, it was hundreds of meters down to the magma. Now, lava poured over the side, the volcano actively erupting. As he sailed high above, Rocky got a wonderful view. The small island had become much larger. Where lava had met the ocean, it cooled and hardened into something solid. As more and more lava poured out, the mass expanded. Rocky landed atop the ridge, his chi-covered body standing on the shifting lava even as it flowed out. Beneath the midday sun, he finally got a good look at himself. The rest of Rocky¡¯s carapace was the same as his claw, mostly black and interlaced with small lines of red. It gave him a deadly appearance, and he wondered what his beloved mistress would think of it. As Sergeant Snips flashed through his mind, butterflies took flight in his stomach. The poison that had taken hold in his cultivation had affected no one so much as her, and though he was now free of it, that didn¡¯t make up for all the harm he¡¯d done. A soft hiss of laughter came from him when he realized he was focusing on the wrong thing. Rocky had lived. It mattered not how long it took. Rocky would make it up to her. Before that, though, he had to get home. He was still so far away, but perhaps that was for the best; he would have time to learn who he truly was without the parasitic human influencing his every thought. The prospect made happiness well up within him, the emotion so foreign that it felt uncomfortable. He¡¯d felt joy before, but it was usually at the expense of someone else, or tinged with an underlying hatred that dulled the edges. There were so many things he would experience for the first time now that he had earned a second life, the first of which he intended to discover immediately. With anticipatory bubbles coming from his mouth, he spun, extending his claws to the east. He gathered power there, his core filling his pincers with chi faster than ever before. A split moment later he leaped high above the volcano, and with nothing but air beneath him, his claws slammed shut. The dual explosions that resulted were so large that their boundaries blurred, becoming a single blast that was larger than the lava-spewing opening. It left behind a cloud just as black as his body, its plumes lit from within by orange and red light. Rocky could only see these details with his enhanced vision, because the moment his explosions rang out, he flew. Only superseded by Fischer¡¯s throw from Tropica, he soared higher than his mistress had ever flung him, an overjoyed smile never leaving his face. Wait for me, mistress... *** Beneath the midmorning sun, a man lounged. Despite laying on packed ground, he couldn¡¯t have gotten comfier if he tried. All around him, battle took place, the exchanges violent enough to reverberate within his core. This would have shattered the calm of the average relaxer, making adrenaline course through their veins. But Deklan was no average relaxer. ¡°How do you do that?¡± his brother, Dom, asked. Deklan cracked an eye and raised his head from where it rested atop his hands. ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Just lay there while those two are sparring. Every time they clash, my core screams that I¡¯m about to be cut in half or burned alive. Sometimes both.¡± Deklan got up on one elbow, shielding his eyes from the sun with his other hand. In the center of the clearing, Roger and the prince met again. A solid gout of fire launched from Trent¡¯s whirling fist, so strong that a wave of heat washed over Deklan. If such a blast had flown for either him or his brother, it would likely be the end of them. Roger, the man who had apparently been a regular farmer mere months ago, grinned at the approaching inferno. With a flick of his wrist, his own chi sprang into being. Rather than burn away, his essence sought to cut. It tore the prince¡¯s attack into ribbons that dissipated into nothing. Deklan¡¯s core recoiled as it felt the reverberations, just as his brother had said. But that was where his body¡¯s innate reactions ended. There was no spike of panic, no wide-eyed stare, and no prickling skin. It was a different story for Dom. He gave a full-body shudder that started in his abdomen, slowly shaking its way out. ¡°Gods above. I¡¯m glad we¡¯re on their side.¡± ¡°Rather impressive, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an understatement...¡± Trent had backed off, circling to his left. In the blink of an eye, he rocketed forward again with flames jetting from his legs. Deklan raised an eyebrow; he hadn¡¯t seen that move before, and he wondered if it was new. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°First of all, you and I have a little bit of shared history with your dad.¡± Seeing Trent¡¯s nostrils flare and mouth form a line, Deklan held up both hands. ¡°That¡¯s not to say that we were equally impacted. I don¡¯t know the history, but I do know whatever he did was enough to make you spontaneously combust. I feel like that automatically trumps the bullshit he put my family through. I¡¯m not going to diminish your experience, but you can¡¯t deny that there¡¯s a slight similarity between us, right?¡± Trent stopped walking, spinning to raise an eyebrow at Deklan. ¡°You don¡¯t mince your words, do you?¡± ¡°Not even a little.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re telling me that my father, despite that, called you a friend?¡± ¡°Do you find that hard to believe?¡± ¡°Hard to believe?¡± Trent repeated, a small smile playing on his lips. ¡°I¡¯d find it impossible to believe if a former auditor didn¡¯t confirm your story.¡± Deklan shrugged. ¡°It was a hard time for him.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Trent said as his legs started moving once more. ¡°A little turmoil is the least he deserves.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯d call it more than a little turmoil.I¡¯m slightly ashamed at how much joy I get from looking back on his overreactions when reading names from the relics¡¯ screens.¡± Trent snorted. ¡°I wish I had seen it.¡± Deklan made a dramatic groan and clutched his chest as he fell to his knees. ¡°An... an entire clock of birds!¡± He fell to his back, splaying his legs out wide. ¡°The gods vex me!¡± The laugh that came from Trent¡¯s throat was like music to Deklan¡¯s ears. He stood up, feigned looking down at a screen, and froze. ¡°The Beetle Boys...? Fat Rat Pack...?¡± As he fell to his knees again, he let out an exaggerated cry, like you¡¯d hear from a noble lady in a play. ¡°Lizard Wizard has gone on the attack!¡± He fell to his back again, pretending to faint. ¡°Stop!¡± Trent wheezed, wiping away tears as he descended further into what was, in Deklan¡¯s opinion, a much-needed giggle. ¡°I can¡¯t take any more.¡± Deklan brushed dirt off his clothing as he got back to his feet. ¡°If you ever need a good laugh, come find me. There are plenty more where that came from.¡± ¡°Okay, maybe I can see why he liked you so much. Even if he is a self-important prick.¡± Trent¡¯s gaze went distant, and when his shoulders went tense, Deklan suspected that he was once more lost in the past. ¡°Can I be blunt with you, Trent?¡± ¡°Please do,¡± he replied, still staring forward. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough political games and lies for a lifetime.¡± ¡°Good. I think you should rely more on the church¡ªon the people of New Tropica.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say.¡± His jaw firmed. ¡°You haven¡¯t experienced what I have.¡± ¡°I know. And like I said before, I¡¯m not trying to diminish that. But you¡¯re surrounded by some pretty good people. If you ever need to get what happened off your chest, I¡¯ll always have a free ear. Or if you want a fishing partner, hit me up any time of day.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Or night, I suppose. I don¡¯t need as much sleep as I used to.¡± ¡°Still getting used to that myself.¡± Trent smiled again, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Swift as a summer storm, his uncaring mask had slipped back into place. ¡°Thanks for letting me know, Deklan. I appreciate it.¡± ¡°Sure. No worries, as Fischer would say.¡± Trent looked at him for a moment longer, and just when Deklan thought he¡¯d say something, the prince turned and left. Exhaling a silent breath, Deklan returned to his brother. Dom raised an eyebrow at him when he got there. ¡°Did it go according to plan?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask what I was doing?¡± ¡°Nah. I picked up at least that much from what I overheard.¡± Dom ran a hand through his hair as he closed his eyes and smiled, letting the sun hit his face. ¡°So how did it go?¡± ¡°Pretty well.¡± In one smooth motion, Deklan returned to his earlier spot on the cleared ground. Within the blink of an eye, he was lounging once more, also luxuriating in the sun¡¯s rays. ¡°Much better than I expected.¡± ¡°A good first contact, huh?¡± Deklan shot a glance his brother¡¯s way, and they shared a grin. ¡°Agreed,¡± he said. ¡°A good first contact.¡± Book 3: Chapter 48: The World Itself Book 3: Chapter 48: The World Itself ¡°Okay, Snips,¡± I said. ¡°When you¡¯re ready.¡± No response came, so I tore my eyes from the barbecue before me, casting a glance her way. ¡°... Snips? You right?¡± She shook her head, returning to the present and blowing apologetic bubbles. ¡°No need to apologize,¡± Maria said from my side. ¡°No harm, no foul.¡± I nodded my agreement as Snips scuttled toward me and leaped into my arms. I held her out between the herbs, spices and the fish, letting her season as she willed. I couldn¡¯t help but raise an appreciative eyebrow at her selection; she had clearly been paying attention to me when I was cooking. The flavors selected would pair well with what was arguably the most important ingredient. As if reading my mind, Claws leaped into Maria¡¯s arm and gestured down at the honeycomb, unleashing a questioning chirp. ¡°Not yet,¡± I said. She crossed her arms and pouted, making Maria laugh and rub her head reassuringly. ¡°Have some patience, Claws,¡± she said, stroking her softly. ¡°If we rush the process, it might not work.¡± Letting out an aggrieved sigh, Claws finally nodded, accepting our words. Completely unbothered, Snips had continued seasoning the fish, going back to add extra sprinkles here and there. I watched without adding my advice, content for this to be a collaborative effort. With any luck, The System might consider it another requirement for the quest I was on. My oldest foe took that slight acknowledgement as an opportunity to strike out at me. Quest: Group Project. Objective: [Error. Insufficient Power.] Reward: [Error. Insufficient Power.] ¡°Uggghhh,¡± I complained. Snips froze, shooting me a worried glance. ¡°Sorry.¡± I rubbed the top of her head. ¡°Not you. I thought about that quest I¡¯m on and the System hit me with some error bullshit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing it did so without you requesting it,¡± Maria said. ¡°Which reminds me, we never did speak about why you were so adamant about not reading your advancements.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯d completely forgotten,¡± I lied, grinning and shooting her a wink. ¡°Riiight,¡± she drawled. ¡°The man with perfect recall somehow forgot that I wanted to talk about something he avoids.¡± ¡°Weird, right?¡± When I didn¡¯t continue yapping, she nudged me in the side. ¡°Come on. Out with it.¡± She held up a finger as an afterthought. ¡°Unless it¡¯s going to give you some sort of awakening that leads to an explosion. In that case, I¡¯d appreciate it if you let me go around the corner before you say it out loud.¡± ¡°It might sound weird, but that kind of feels like cheating? I¡¯m sure he¡¯d love it, and the smell of their chi-fulled honey might have been what originally lured him in. That can be our backup plan if what we make here doesn¡¯t work.¡± Maria raised an eyebrow and gave me a smirk. ¡°You made Bumblebro ascend with literal water in sugar. I don¡¯t think a backup plan will be necessary.¡± Claws, who had been growing visibly impatient as we conversed, chirped at us. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± I rubbed her head. ¡°We can start.¡± It only took a handful of minutes for us to get a fire roaring beneath the barbecue plate, and before long, the tallow smoked atop the cooking surface. ¡°Let¡¯s all do it at the same time,¡± I said, gesturing at the fish. ¡°As we place it on the barbecue, imagine chi going into it. I¡¯ll take the lead. Just do your best to follow along.¡± With a hand from Maria and me, a paw from Claws, and a firm pincer from Snips, we set the shore fish down on the barbecue plate. It immediately hissed and bubbled, soft vapors wafting up and filling the air with a delicious scent. I closed my eyes, picturing what I wanted from this creation. As cliche? as it was, especially coming from me, this was all about friendship. Contrary to what everyone assumed, none of my animal pals were my servants. I was as loyal to them as they were to me, and that was exactly what I desired from a potential bear companion. I considered it further; perhaps that wasn¡¯t being specific enough... Though I considered Rocky a pal, the homie was a colossal prick. Our ¡®friendship¡¯, if you could even call it that, was completely one-sided. He was entitled to his agency, but I didn¡¯t want another friendship like that. I wanted more bonds like what I had with the rest of my animal pals. Something deeper, even. My core buzzed its assent, agreeing with the sentiment. When I pushed out with my will, pressing it toward the waiting ingredients. As Maria, Claws, and Snips joined their wills to mine, I shifted my thinking toward how I would shape the fish¡¯s chi. I could infuse my essence into the meal, filling it with power. I could catch another fish and channel its chi into this one, distilling the essence into something stronger. Neither of these options felt right, though. My instincts screamed that the shore fish¡¯s natural state was correct. Leaning into this odd understanding, I was about to leave it at that when the world around us seemed to disagree. Small wisps of chi floated up from the ground, coming forward of their own accord. I marveled at them as they curled through the air, condensing into thin lines of potential. Startled as I was, it was nothing compared to how Maria, Snips, and Claws felt. I was aware of their attention from the moment I closed my eyes, and judging by the confusion radiating from them, they could sense the storm gathering around us. I sent soothing waves of reassurance out toward them, encouraging them to continue. Their shock slowly fell away, leaving only a profound curiosity about the anomalous event. When their wills rejoined with mine, one of them stood out among the others. Likely because of Claws¡¯s recent advancement, her efforts were much more subtle. Where Claws and Snips were a blunt object, she was a precision tool, cutting through any spots that needed adjusting. She was clearly aware of me studying her movements, because she sent me what was best described as a solid wall of gloating. I could practically see her eyebrows wiggling at me, demanding praise. A small smile crossed my face before I returned to my mental efforts and left behind the sensations of my body. The fish was almost cooked through, so without opening my eyes, I flipped it. Fat bubbled and spat, but I paid it no mind. The chi held within the fish told me that the last of its opaque flesh was turning white under the barbecue¡¯s heat. In response, the world¡¯s chi winding around us seemed to dance. Its condensed lines flared and sputtered like small flames. It felt... excited. I wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about the world itself being chuffed with our efforts, but I didn¡¯t have the time to consider it. Following my instincts, I started leading the chi in toward us. Its lines still burgeoned like small flames, but they listened to my will, slowly winding in, getting closer. Maria, Snips, and Claws joined themselves to me, the former two like a hammer slamming nails into place, and Claws a guiding hand that helped me keep the strikes together. The world grew even more content with our work, seeming to sing its approval. Something atop the barbecue physically moved, distracting me for the barest of moments. It was part of the honeycomb. Engrossed as I was, I¡¯d completely forgotten about the ingredient, but the condensing storm of chi hadn¡¯t. I added ¡®the world adding ingredients without my intervention¡¯ to my mental list of things to consider later; I didn¡¯t have any more attention to spare. The moment the honey touched the fish, we were in the endgame. I gave all my focus to molding the chi that whirled around us, its power now so strong that it was almost blinding to my senses. Maria and Snips wanted to get away from it, to flee, so I sent more assurance their way, telling them it was okay if they wanted to do so. I half expected them to take me up on the offer, but they both surprised me. Gritting their teeth, they doubled down, rejoining Claws and me and letting us shape their efforts. An uncomfortable pressure started to build in my core, as if our undertaking was too grand. Too ambitious. I didn¡¯t understand. We were making food, something I¡¯d done countless times. I¡¯d experienced nothing like this before, and just as I was considering canceling the entire attempt, the strands of chi descended as one. Each passed through us and slammed into the fish. It was like a flashbang going off inside my head, cutting off all of my senses. With everything going white, I felt myself falling. Book 3: Chapter 49: Loyalty Book 3: Chapter 49: Loyalty I felt myself falling to the floor, but couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it. My entire body was numb, and I only barely registered my back striking the floor. Claws reached me first, clasping my arm. Snips and Maria were there a moment later, fussing over me. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I tried to say, but I had no idea if the words actually made it out. Despite losing the sensation of my, well, everything, I knew I was okay. I couldn¡¯t verbalize how I knew, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that I was safe. ¡°Fischer!¡± Maria¡¯s voice called, finally reaching my ears as some of my faculties returned. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I repeated. Or tried to, anyway. I still had no idea if they could hear me. ¡°I promise.¡± Judging by the way Maria pulled me into a hug, I guessed that the words had made it out. A few moments later, I could see again, only a thin blanket of numbness remaining over my senses. ¡°What happened?¡± she demanded, still hugging me tight. I wrapped my arms around her, using my hands to pat both Snips and Claws. ¡°I was hoping you could tell me. I feel like the sun hit me right in the brain.¡± She laughed, the sound filled with relief. ¡°Well that¡¯s no good. You need that.¡± ¡°Right? Where would all my insightful thoughts come from without my noggin?¡± Maria extricated herself from my grip then stood and helped me to my feet. Standing made a pulse of pain lance through my head, and I froze for a moment, rubbing my temples. ¡°Holy frack...¡± Maria said. Peeking out through slitted eyes, I found her staring at the table beside the barbecue, and as I looked toward it, I understood. ¡°Frack me,¡± I agreed, gazing down at what I¡¯d assumed would be a simple meal. The single shore fish had somehow either multiplied or grown. Its skeleton was nowhere to be seen, and entirely too many filets for a single fish that size sat atop a plate. Steam rose from the glistening morsels, emphasizing the light brown of the perfectly cooked filets. The only thing that let me take all of this in was my enhanced awareness, because a fraction of a second after I first caught sight of our creation, words flashed in my field of view. You have successfully taken part in a crafting ritual! Quest updated: Group Project.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com Objective: [Error. Insufficient Power.] Reward: [Error. Insufficient Power.] I grinned, the excitement making me forget all about my headache. ¡°Did you get that too?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah...¡± Maria replied, accompanied by an affirmative chirp and hiss from Snips, all as awe-filled as each other. I took a step forward, intending to get a better look. The moment I did, more words appeared. Still half asleep, the bear recalled the delicious feast of honey he¡¯d had. It was as though he could still smell it on the air, its fragrance somehow potent enough to reach him all the way at the bottom of his den. He took a deep breath, imagining that the delicious comb was right in front of him. When air hit the back of his throat, his eyes flew open. His bulbous nose sniffed away, and as the last vestiges of sleep left him, he realized that it wasn¡¯t just his imagination. There was honey nearby. He rolled over to his front and slowly stood, his muscles protesting after hours of disuse. He stretched his mighty body before he ambled up the tunnel, heading for the surface. With each length of tunnel he crossed, the luscious sweetness of the honey urged him on, making his mouth water. When he had traversed half the way out, he paused, lifting his head as he smelled the air. Another scent had joined that of the honey, its promise just as enticing. He could smell fish. It made even less sense than smelling honey from the depths of his den. His abode was high in the mountains, far from any water source. He remained there for a long moment, keenly aware of the possibility of danger. It was one thing to smell honey, but to find fish outside of his den? It reeked of trickery, and the bear instinctively knew who would be behind it: the two-legged creatures. Images flashed through his mind of the two-legged ones standing high above him, their faces fierce as they jabbed out with giant, painful sticks. He hesitated, considering what to do. Eventually, he looked back down the tunnel. He¡¯d already passed numerous offshooting passages that would take him to the other exits. Even if he followed the scents and found an ambush waiting, he could just retreat further into his cave, leaving another way. The multiple openings were exactly why this was the perfect den, offering countless methods of escape if he was ever discovered. If that was what happened, though¡ªif the upright beings had trailed him back to his abode¡ªhe would have to abandon it. This thought made a primal rage swell up from deep in his body, the hair around his neck bristling. This was his den, and if the numbers weren¡¯t too disadvantageous, he would defend it. Using his rage as fuel, he padded forward, moving silently along the hard-packed earth. At each branch in the tunnel he came across, he paused to sniff the air, carefully checking for the unmistakable stench of interlopers. When each alternative passage was deemed empty, he continued on, his fury building. At the last curve in the tunnel, he forced himself to stop. It was no small feat; delicious scents pulled him forward, and towering rage urged him on. He tamped both instincts down as best he could. It wasn¡¯t too late for him to leave. He could turn and flee, departing through another exit before even spotting the trap. Whether it was the influence of his hunger and fury, or the possibility that it wasn¡¯t treachery that had brought the delicious-smelling foods to him, the bear made a choice. He slunk forward, his shoulders hunched and head low as he went around the final bend. What he found there immediately confirmed his suspicions. A whole fish sat before him, with trails of smoke coming from it that reminded him of the clouds flowing from his mouth during cold evenings. The fish was smothered in honey, the delicious goo dripping to pool on the object that confirmed this food was presented by the two-legged creatures. It was on one of the flat, white stones that he¡¯d only seen around them. When he had still been a cub, only a fraction of the size he was now, he¡¯d eaten off them countless times. More images flashed through his mind of a small, upright creature leaving food where he could steal it. He shook his head and released a low, rumbling growl. He had to focus on the surrounding forest. As the bear padded forward, every movement was fluid, testing. His head remained still but his eyes darted, scanning every possible hiding place as he searched for pale skin or jabbing sticks. When he reached the cave entrance, he took multiple false exits, each time sending his head slightly further out before withdrawing it. The entire time, he scoured everything visible, anticipating the ambush. It never came. With half of his body protruding from the safety of his den, he waited. He could see everything around him, and short of the leaves slowly swaying above, there was no movement. He waited an excessive amount of time, expecting the attack to come at each passing moment. The longer he waited, the more he suspected it wouldn¡¯t come. Had the hairless creatures been so foolish as to leave their food unattended? It had happened countless times before. The images flashed again, a catalog of each meal he¡¯d eaten from atop a flat stone, outsmarting the two-legged cub. It took all of his self-control to not run forward and bite into the honey-covered fish. The memories of meals past made his hunger grow even more. It swelled into an irresistible urge, his mouth watering and breaths coming heavy. With his steps careless in comparison to earlier, he loped forward. His teeth bit down into the fish, saliva pouring as its sweet and savory flavors hit his tongue. He¡¯d intended to sprint back to his den with the meal, but with his prize in his mouth, he was unable to stop himself. He crunched down into the fish, its warm flesh falling apart. Some of it fell down to the white, unnaturally round stone, but he paid it no mind. His mind was completely occupied by the tastes assaulting him. He crunched through bone, grinding them to dust beneath his massive teeth. When no sharp bits remained, he swallowed. Heat radiated from the meal as it passed down toward his stomach. Though it was almost burning, the warmth was undeniably pleasant. He lost himself as he devoured the rest of it, and when he licked the golden honey from the circular rock, his entire body shook. He had never tasted honey so wonderful¡ªso perfect. The heat now spreading from his stomach crept out to encompass his entire body. Indescribable bliss washed over him, building and building as he sat on the grass, unable to stand any longer. Abruptly, the air pressure changed. As if a storm were brewing, it pressed down into his body. Opening his eyes, he expected to find dark skies and roiling clouds, but the afternoon was clear. He tried to stand, but the weight was oppressive. All too late, the thought that this might be a trap crossed his mind, the idea not bringing the panic it should. The heat of the eaten meal rose up within him, fighting off the outside pressure. When both forces collided, the world exploded in white. Pop! Book 3: Chapter 50: Misconceptions Book 3: Chapter 50: Misconceptions My core radiated joy as I stared down at Kallis¡¯s newest spirit beast. ¡°Is...¡± Maria trailed off, searching for the right words. ¡°Is he okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± She smirked, raising an eyebrow at me. ¡°Because he looks like he¡¯s having an existential crisis.¡± ¡°It does look that way... Pretty adorable, though.¡± When the meal¡¯s chi had started running through the bear¡¯s body and forming a core, he¡¯d sat down, entirely overwhelmed by the process. After the loud pop that always accompanied the start of a spirit beast¡¯s ascension, he hadn¡¯t moved. Well, not much, anyway. His jaw was slack, his row of bottom teeth exposed to the air. His eyes were wide and staring into space as knowledge flowed into him in an unstoppable stream. If I was being honest with myself, the expression was hilarious, and it took all of my willpower to not dash forward and rub my hands through his coarse fur. ¡°It¡¯s the same as when you ascended, Pelly,¡± Maria said, turning to smile at her. ¡°You were just as overwhelmed.¡± Pelly gave her some audacious side-eye, clearly not enjoying the comparison to the comatose bear. ¡°And just as cute,¡± I added, running a hand down her neck. Pelly preened, puffing her feathers out at the compliment. ¡°How long do you think it will take?¡± Maria asked, leaning against my side. ¡°Not too long, I don¡¯t think. Based on what all of our animal pals said, the process seems to have been sped up. It took you both days to receive all the knowledge, right?¡± I asked Claws and Snips, who were creeping closer to the bear. They both turned to study me, cocking their heads. ¡°You have no idea what I said, do you?¡± I shook my head, laughing. ¡°Never mind. Don¡¯t get too close to him, okay? We don¡¯t know how he¡¯ll react when he comes to.¡± Claws chirped defiantly and flexed, her tiny muscles bulging. ¡°It¡¯s not your safety I¡¯m worried about, you goose. I just don¡¯t want to scare or overwhelm him.¡± She blew air through her lips, making a dismissive gesture with one paw. Smiling at Claws¡¯s predictable behavior, Maria squeezed my arm. Her gaze drifted toward the bear. ¡°What do you think he¡¯s experiencing right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I put an arm around her. ¡°But I hope the knowledge finishes streaming soon. I can¡¯t wait to meet him...¡± *** Trapped within the mire of his own consciousness, the bear watched the knowledge coming in, his mind somehow able to parse most of it the instant it arrived. It was... wondrous. The knowledge was of things that didn¡¯t seem important at face value, yet he couldn¡¯t help but yearn for understanding. He was aware of the two-legged being¡ªno, the male human¡ªthat stood before him. It was the same person that had caught him raiding the beehive earlier in the day, and with a surety the beat couldn¡¯t put into words, he knew that their souls were linked. Words... he thought. It was a stunning realization that everything he had ever experienced could be so accurately conveyed with language. Before, he had thoughts, but now... there was structure to them. They weren¡¯t merely remembered images, smells, and emotions. He could understand them. Process them. Using this newfound method, he delved deep into his own awareness, the stream of information coming in now thin enough to be parsed by a portion of his mind. When he revisited the pivotal scenes of his past, they were illuminated by an entirely new light. She spared him one last glance and another grin, then dashed away, hiding behind her usual tree. She watched him as he devoured the food, barely chewing it. His eyes were pinned to her as she stepped out from behind the trunk and waved. ¡°Bye, little bear!¡± she yelled, grinning. ¡°Good luck!¡± With that, she turned and ran, disappearing for the last time. She, a mere child, had saved his life. His final interaction with humans had been only earlier today, and when he¡¯d seen their faces, he once more saw the cruelty and anger of those that had attacked his mother. But now that his intelligence was burgeoning, he knew that to be false. They¡¯d seemed shocked to see him, yes, but also overjoyed. Excited. It was the same with the animals, the crab and otter, who he now recognized as spirit beasts. They, too, had been only happy to see him. The otter reminded him of something, and after only a moment¡¯s thought, he realized what it was: the eyes of the otter contained the same light as the little girl¡¯s. They were both filled with boundless curiosity. Despite how that look tugged at his emotions, it was nothing compared to the confusion boiling up from within when he considered the man standing there. His name was Fischer, and though he appeared ordinary, he was far from it. He was a little taller and broader at the shoulder than other humans, but it wasn¡¯t his physical size that was anomalous¡ªit was the weight of his soul. Fischer felt like a king. An emperor, whose words alone would cause the planet to bend, perhaps to break. He held all this power, yet he was kind. He cared about those around him. Though the bear wasn¡¯t aware how he knew, he was certain: Fischer, this benevolent leader, had caused his awakening. Their souls were somehow intertwined, and the more he felt of Fischer, the more confused the bear became. The man¡¯s soul didn¡¯t feel singular, for lack of a better word. At first, he assumed that Fischer had somehow stolen the souls of others, but that wasn¡¯t it. He could sense the color of Fischer¡¯s intentions¡ªthe man wasn¡¯t the type of person to do that. Also, the other souls felt attached, not owned. Suspecting that he wouldn¡¯t glean anymore understanding with his awareness alone, the bear dismissed the thoughts. As musings about Fischer and images of the past floated away in his mind¡¯s eye, he was left to consider it all. He¡¯d encountered humans three times as an unawakened bear, and all had been drastically different. Because of the information still streaming into his awareness, he well knew how unique each human could be. But applying that knowledge to events he¡¯d seen for himself was something else entirely. It made the encounters seem... profound. Now that he was no longer lost in the past, he realized the information flowing in had almost crawled to a stop. The relative silence let him focus on his senses once more. Shaking his head, he blinked bleary eyes, the outside world slowly coming into focus. The entire time the universe¡¯s knowledge poured into him, he was aware of Fischer¡¯s physical presence before him. What he hadn¡¯t felt was the rest of them. As the blurred shapes sharpened into distinct beings, all the bear could do was stare. The woman from earlier was there, and the smile on her face matched the one Fischer was giving him. Beside them, the crab and otter waved, the former with a deadly-looking claw, the other suspended in midair, Fischer holding her by the scruff of her neck. ¡°Stop struggling, Claws,¡± Fischer said, shaking his head at the otter. ¡°I know you want to ride him, but I¡¯m not gonna let go.¡± Despite being detained, the otter only waved harder, displaying her needle-sharp teeth in what some would deem a smile and others would deem a threat. Then, there were the creatures he¡¯d never encountered before. A giant lobster that gave him a nod, its body thicker and longer than the surrounding tree trunks. A giant dog of nightmare, its skin darker than midnight, its tail wagging. On top of the dog, a cinnamon-colored bunny that shot him a wink and boxed the air when he looked her way. Two pelicans of similar size and different species, standing close to one another and staring at him with their intelligent eyes. A small cloud of insects that buzzed what was definitely a greeting. Just to the side of the dozens of bees, two distinctly different bees that bobbed up and down in acknowledgement. With each of the spirit beasts he inspected, his suspicions were further confirmed. These creatures were the ¡®souls¡¯ that he¡¯d felt linked to Fischer, and their connections weren¡¯t forced¡ªeach bond was freely given. It was a stunning revelation, and the bear¡¯s head drifted back toward the human in question, unable to escape his pull. When their gazes met, the bear froze. Fischer had shrunk...? As the bear continued looking at him, though, he saw the truth: it wasn¡¯t just Fischer that had shrunk. It was everything. Even the world seemed to have gotten smaller, the giant trees no longer as grand as they once were. It could only mean one thing. The world hadn¡¯t shrunk at all¡ªhe had grown. The bear gazed down and extended his foreclaws, expecting the act to lift his body slightly. Instead, the earth cracked beneath him, splitting as if it were dried mud. Confronted by his newfound strength, he lifted his paw, inspecting it. His claws, once blunted by use, had been enlarged and restored. Their tips were as deadly sharp as the otter¡¯s teeth, and because of the muscle behind them, he suspected he could swipe through rock. ¡°Pretty amazing, huh?¡± Fischer asked. ¡°Everyone¡¯s body changes after they awaken. Well, all my animal pals did, anyway.¡± The bear, feeling more than a little weird about the gesture, nodded. It was amazing. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, mate. Sorry to rush right into it, but there¡¯s something time-sensitive we need to take care of...¡± Grinning, Fischer brought the hand that wasn¡¯t grasping the otter from behind his back. He held a plate that was covered in food. It looked to be fish, cut into small chunks and smothered in golden honey. The bear sniffed the air but couldn¡¯t smell a thing. Odd. ¡°I¡¯ve been shielding it with my chi to keep it fresh,¡± Fischer explained, smiling at him. ¡°Before we eat it, though, there¡¯s one more formality...¡± ¡°There is?¡± Maria asked, curling an eyebrow at him. ¡°Hang on. Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Fischer replied, giving her an amused look. He turned back toward the bear, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Would you like a name, mate?¡± Book 3: Chapter 51: Names Book 3: Chapter 51: Names ¡°Gods above,¡± Maria said from beside me, shaking her head and rubbing the bridge of her nose. ¡°Save us.¡± I barked a laugh. ¡°Come on¡ªyou can¡¯t dread my names that much.¡± Maria looked up at the bear. ¡°Sorry in advance.¡± As he glanced between us, our newest pal¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°She¡¯s just being dramatic,¡± I said. ¡°All of my animal pals have names, and I¡¯m pretty sure they love them.¡± A wave of agreement came from everyone around me, most emphatically from Corporal Claws, who I still had by the scruff of the neck. She nodded and chirped so loud that she almost broke free. The bear considered it for a long moment, its giant head tilting side to side. I¡¯d thought he was big before, but now he was damned massive. He¡¯d almost doubled in size. If he was any larger, he might not be able to fit between the surrounding trees. I started imagining how fun it would be to ride him into battle, but before I could get too lost in the fantasy, he nodded at me. There was no hesitance in his eyes, only trust. I smiled, set down the plate of food, and strode forward. ¡°Yes, Claws,¡± I said, looking down at her before she could chirp the question. ¡°You can say hello now. This is Corporal Claws,¡± I said, holding her out. The bear nodded, half raising a paw. He paused for a moment, then extended the limb for Claws to shake. Rather than shake it, she grabbed one of his giant talons and inspected it, her eyes alight with excitement as she let out an appreciative coo. While Claws continued gushing over the daggers attached to the bear¡¯s paw, I introduced everyone. ¡°We¡¯ve got Corporal Claws here, espionage extraordinaire and wielder of lightning.¡± She chirped, still staring down at his paw. ¡°Sergeant Snips, my ever-reliable guard crab who shoots arcs of blue energy like an anime protagonist.¡± Snips nodded and blew greeting bubbles. ¡°Brigadier Borks, a hellhound with the abilities to teleport, store stuff like a sapient bag of holding, and go intangible.¡± Borks let out a loud bark, transforming into his golden retriever form. ¡°Oh yeah, he also shapeshifts. Next, we¡¯ve got Cinnamon, our resident karate-enthusiast bunny. She¡¯s small, but she makes up for her size with sheer technique and soft fur.¡± Claws let out an indignant chirp, pointing at herself. ¡°Yes, Claws¡ªyou also have soft fur.¡± Completely ignoring us, Cinnamon had launched into a shadow-boxing routine, sliding to and fro atop Borks¡¯s back. ¡°Then we¡¯ve got the two pelicans, Private Pelly and Warrant Officer Williams, AKA Bill. Pelly is Cinnamon¡¯s adopted daughter, and Bill is the one instructing Cinnamon in the martial arts.¡± Pelly fluffed her feathers out and honked, while Bill nodded, having stood a little taller when I mentioned his teachings. ¡°The leviathan before you is Private Pistachio. He is our keen-eyed sniper, with the ability to shoot long range blasts that also have devastating effects up close.¡± Pistachio, ever the stoic, gave a simple nod. ¡°The smallest of us are our insectoid pals. There¡¯s Bumblebro the bumblebee, who I may or may not have awakened by mistake. It was a happy accident, however, because he has proved to be the best of bugs. Queen Bee is, well, a queen bee. Her hive was attacked by some nasty wasps, and Bumblebro came to her rescue. In order to save her life, he fed her some of his special honey, which caused her to awaken. I was completely unaware of all this, so it was a double whoopsie. Still, a happy one.¡± They both buzzed, their affection for one another clear in their proximity and body language. ¡°Then we have their progeny. Again, without my knowledge, they reproduced. Oh, don¡¯t give me that look, you two. I¡¯m glad you did!¡± I pointed at the cloud of bee hybrids. ¡°These are the Buzzy Boys¡ªmost of them, anyway. The rest are off patrolling the surrounding lands, keeping their compound eyes peeled for threats.¡± They let out a droning sound, overjoyed to meet their newest pal. ¡°Last but not least, we have Maria, my girlfriend. I know she¡¯s not much to look at, but¡ª¡± I dodged a stick thrown at my head. ¡°Kidding! I was kidding!¡± He gave me a growl that would have scared the strongest of humans, but I understood its meaning. He was curious. ¡°We prepared a meal for you, mate. Maria, Snips, Claws, and I made it together, but it was way more effective than any of us could have anticipated.¡± I picked up the plate again and held it out. ¡°Have a look at this¡ªsee if you can read the description.¡± His eyes immediately went distant, his brows slowly rising high. When he shook his head to dismiss the words, his eyes were wide. ¡°Right?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought we shouldn¡¯t offer you this until you were awakened.¡± As Teddy peered around at all of us, I could practically see the thoughts racing through his mind. And because of how attuned I was to chi, I could feel his changing emotions. Unsurprisingly, he wasn¡¯t immediately thrilled with the idea. His consciousness had just been slammed with an indescribable amount of data, all of which expanded his inherent intelligence and wisdom. Based on the way his core shifted, Teddy well knew the implications of an unmeasured boost to something as ambiguous as ¡®loyalty¡¯. ¡°What am I doing...¡± I whispered, shaking my head and withdrawing my awareness. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Maria asked, leaning in toward me. I chanced a glance Teddy¡¯s way, but he was too preoccupied to listen to our conversation. ¡°I was scanning his chi by accident,¡± I replied, grabbing her hand. ¡°We just need to wait for Teddy¡¯s decision.¡± Abruptly, he let out a great sigh, dipping his head. I did my best to hide my disappointment, putting on a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay, mate. It was a lot to ask of you. Too much, really, when you¡¯ve only just met us.¡± When his gaze met mine, there was a hint of confusion on his face, his eyes displaying countless sentiments. He took a deep breath, gestured toward the plate, and nodded. Hope reignited in the pit of my stomach. ¡°You... you want to eat it?¡± He was completely still for a long moment. Then, with a single measured movement, he nodded again. I couldn¡¯t hide my excitement as I dashed for the plate, wanting to release my shield around it before Teddy could change his mind. The second I withdrew my essence and exposed the feast to fresh air, its aromas exploded outward. Absent one second and all-encompassing the next, it slammed into me, strong enough to make my mouth water. My reaction was potent, but it was nothing compared to Teddy¡¯s. The bear, who had come across as the pinnacle of well-mannered so far, lumbered forward. His steps were shuddering, as if his desire to be polite warred with an insatiable need to taste the meal. His eyes turned predatory as he drew closer, like the plate of honeyed fish was cornered prey. When he opened his great mouth, his fangs glistened in the afternoon sun, wet with saliva. Seeing those features, there was no doubt about how deadly a creature he was. His canines were built for tearing through flesh, his molars designed to crunch through bone. Completely undeterred, Claws zipped forward, her mouth agape and eyes twinkling as she inspected his pearly whites. Mere centimeters from the food, he blinked, seeming to return to himself as he noticed Claws. With his lips drawn back and teeth exposed, his gaze drifted from Claws to everyone else. He slowly closed his mouth, hiding his finger-length canines. In a glacial movement, he sat back on his haunches, cleared his throat with a rumbling growl, and adopted a passive look. He extended a giant paw toward the plate of food and nodded differentially for us to go ahead, as if he hadn¡¯t just been about to ravage it. The contrast between descending predator and well-mannered gentlebear was all too much for me. A laugh flew free of my throat, making shame appear on Teddy¡¯s face. ¡°Mate, please,¡± I said, gesturing at the plate. ¡°Help yourself.¡± He shook his head softly, averting his eyes and again pointing for us to go first. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°Everyone grab a piece, then. Quick.¡± It was done in the blink of an eye, the meat-eaters retrieving a chunk of fish, and Cinnamon and the bees collecting some of the honey from the plate. Only Teddy hadn¡¯t immediately gone along with it. I rectified his lack of fish by grabbing an extra filet, smothering it in honey, and holding it out to him. ¡°At the same time?¡± I suggested, grinning. Staring at the food and licking his lips, he extended a paw. I placed the fish there, and without further ado, held up my own. ¡°To friendship,¡± I said, raising it high. The answering calls from Maria and all of my animal pals made my heart swell. Seeing that Teddy was just staring down at his portion, I lifted his paw toward his mouth, just as I lifted my food to mine. Before I could bite down into the morsel, power swelled in the ground beneath us, encompassing a vast swathe of grass. It grew stronger as something approached, winding up from below at incredible speed. ¡°Uh oh,¡± I said, just in time for the forest floor to explode. Book 3: Chapter 52: Becoming One Book 3: Chapter 52: Becoming One It was a beautiful afternoon in the forest surrounding Tropica. The sun shone down from above, the celestial body on its inexorable path toward the western mountains. I was surrounded by my animal pals, including Teddy, a bear who¡¯d only awakened just minutes ago. Maria was at my side, her happiness as infectious as always. And, almost completely unexpected, two more pals had just exploded up from beneath us. I¡¯d felt them coming at the last moment, and as Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket and her yet-unnamed partner in crime erupted their roots from between us, I extended a patchy barrier of chi, protecting us and the food from the small chunks of earth flying in every direction. ¡°You came!¡± I said, grinning at Lemon. Standing in opposition to my joy at her arrival, she radiated annoyance. Using a thick root, she grew the approximation of a stick-body, then crossed her arms and tapped a foot, casting her displeasure over me. ¡°Woah, what¡¯s with the hostility?¡± I asked. She pointed around at everyone, the gestures growing more animated with each animal her little root-hand was directed at. When she finally pointed at herself, she cocked her head. Even if her body language hadn¡¯t told me what she was asking, the simmering anger pulsing from her would have. She felt scorned, assuming I hadn¡¯t invited her. ¡°I did invite you, Lemon, you goose.¡± Her tapping foot halted, as did her growing resentment at being excluded. Wait, what? her soul seemed to ask. ¡°Maria and I came by your grove when we were gathering everyone. We invited you, we called to you, and Maria even tried tickling your trunk. You didn¡¯t respond. We even swung by your body, new tree friend,¡± I said, gesturing toward the tree spirit that lived in the tree that had exploded from the old church¡¯s underground. ¡°You didn¡¯t respond either.¡± ¡°Which begs the question, Lemon....¡± Maria leaned in close, raising an eyebrow and smirking. ¡°What were you two doing?¡± If Lemon¡¯s roots were capable of perspiring, she would have started sweating bullets. She immediately panicked, and when I sent my chi her way, she retreated from it, concealing her emotions. ¡°Nothing to say, huh?¡± Maria asked, a grin slowly spreading across her face. Her question only made Lemon and her tree spirit pal shrink further away, some of their roots subconsciously retracting back into the ground. I barked a laugh. ¡°Relax, you two. We¡¯re only teasing.¡± The entire outside of the filet was crispy, as if deep fried and covered in invisible crumbs. The honey covering it, despite being hot, had kept its consistency. The sweet substance oozed throughout my mouth, enhanced by the savory flavors of the fish. The seasoning and herbs that Snips had used combined with the rest of the meal, making my consciousness soar as I was taken elsewhere. As I chewed, the tastes only grew more intense, somehow building. It defied logic. Your taste buds should get more accustomed with each passing second, even if only a little. What was the cause...? All the while, it felt as though I was rocketing upward, wind passing me by in a pleasant stream and trying to draw my attention from the meal. Even through this overwhelming sensation, the flavors built. My passage started to slow, a heat appearing from nowhere to pepper my skin. As it did, light sprouted from before. I swallowed the mouthful of fish, opening my eyes and expecting to find myself back on the forest floor. Instead, I was flying. High above the clouds and beneath the slowly descending sun, I floated in a stunningly blue sky. I could see the curvature of the atmosphere, the cloud-cover stretching out in every direction. There was a ghostly hand before me. My eyes darted to it, instinctively wary of anything getting so close without me noticing. But it was mine. I extended my arm, looking both at and through it. I thought that was pretty shocking in itself, but then more ghosts zoomed up through the wall of clouds below me. When a light blue orb arrived lacking a body, I instinctively recognized it. Lemon was peering at the outside world, filled with wonder as she gazed up at the sun. The rest of my animal pals had the shape of their bodies, and when the Buzzy Boys started arriving, I couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow. It wasn¡¯t only the ones that ate honey that came shooting up¡ªall of them did. From different angles, they shot up to join the main body of insects. One by one, everyone else joined us. When they arrived, I had the pleasure of witnessing their initial reactions to the vista we found ourselves in. I could feel their amazement stronger than ever before, the link joining us enhanced by the honeyed fish. Despite having already swallowed my mouthful of food, more sensations washed over me, as if I was still chewing. It made me focus on my senses, and as I gave them my full attention I realized what was happening. I was tasting what everyone else was, our experiences somehow combined. Surprisingly, I felt an echo of chi connecting with the ground. Beyond curious, I sent my awareness downward, following it all the way back to my body. Our physical forms were all there still, and as I moved my ghostly arm around, my body mirrored the action. With my curiosity blossoming, I raised my hand and took another bite of fish, returning to my place above the clouds. I crunched down on the layer of crisp skin, revealing the wonderfully flakey meat beneath. The sensations of it melting in my mouth rolled over me, spreading out toward everyone else as well. All of their expressions were rapturous as they peered around at the view we had of the afternoon sky. The magic that connected us grew stronger with each passing moment, and as it did, I started getting glimpses into my companions¡¯ minds. In the blink of an eye, the glimpses solidified into something more. I could sense everyone¡¯s thoughts, and it felt almost as if they were just another aspect of me... but that wasn¡¯t entirely accurate. I wasn¡¯t the only one being exposed to these thoughts¡ªeveryone was. We were all enmeshed in a vast web, and they were just as connected to each other as they were to me. The invisible ropes of magic that bound us began multiplying, slowly granting even more insight. It felt as though the connection was waning, so I sent out a pulse of chi, encouraging everyone to take another bite of the meal if they had any remaining. I got a wave of assent in response, and those of us with food left bit down into it. I fought down a laugh as I noticed Corporal Claws licking her exploded flakes of fish from the grass. Surprisingly, the sensations of multiple sets of taste buds were muted this time, not seeming as grand now that we also had access to the surface of each other¡¯s thoughts. When the essence reached our cores, it shot outward, empowering our connection. It made them all feel closer than before, and I got even stronger flashes of the thoughts they were having. Fear, excitement, hesitation, joy, and everything in between. The myriad voices were overwhelming, all melding into a confusing chorus. I tried to single out the individual sources, but the noise only increased as our connections built, deafening me. I closed my eyes, my forehead furrowing as I tried to parse the data streaming in. I couldn¡¯t say who it began with, but after the first person panicked, so did everyone else. The thoughts and voices grew frenzied, fighting one another to be heard. I tried to calm them, to reassure them that everything was going to be okay, but it was no use. They couldn¡¯t hear me. Through the noise, I could feel my jaw clenching. I didn¡¯t believe we were in physical danger, but my pals were certainly at risk of some emotional turmoil, which was exactly the opposite of what this experience was supposed to be. All at once, the noise ended And in the silence that remained, we truly became one. Book 3: Chapter 53: Expansion Book 3: Chapter 53: Expansion When I opened my eyes, I found our spiritual forms still high above the clouds. Though the susurration had disappeared all at once, our connection to one another remained. I peered around the circle, and as my thoughts ran through my companions¡¯ minds, they felt as if they were my own. There was a moment where we instinctively raised our mental walls, seeking to keep ourselves hidden. But then we threw the gates wide, inviting each other in. Maria was right beside me, and her soul was just as beautiful as she was. Filled with light and life, she wanted the best for everyone around her. When I felt her love for me, I echoed it back toward her, delighting in the way it made her core seem to vibrate. There was a hint of something more within her, something she had pushed far down. She could have kept it from us if she wanted. Instead, she offered it up, baring her soul. It was a desire to be more useful¡ªa need to contribute. We neither judged nor denied this aspect of her, simply acknowledging it as truth. Claws was to the other side of Maria, and as her true intentions were revealed, I wasn¡¯t the least-bit surprised. She felt an immeasurable amount of love and affection, and she wanted to share it with everyone. Some might call it an issue that she showed her affections by being a menace and pranking people, but not me. There were no hidden secrets deep within my favorite otter. She was exactly what she appeared to be. Snips¡¯s presence called out to me next, her motherly instincts drowning out the other voices. Snips sought to protect everyone, to be the last line of defense should the worst come to our shores. More than anyone else, she wanted to defend me. Her opinion of me was... a lot. If presented with the choice, she would sacrifice her life ten-times over to save mine. If I was my usual self, I might have told her I didn¡¯t want that. I might have denied her feelings. But as with all the revelations so far, I accepted it for what it was. Who was I to tell someone how to feel? There was something else deep in her consciousness, an aspect of Snips that she was just discovering for herself. Instead of shoving it down, she offered it toward us all, letting understanding of it unfurl in our minds. It was a small bubble of loneliness, its source clear.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m She missed Rocky. He had transformed over the past months, becoming more and more of an issue. That wasn¡¯t the version of him that she longed for, though. She missed the troublesome crab that kept inviting himself into her tidal pond. Even his desire to be yeeted was a source of entertainment at first, one that had grown less and less endearing as they had to become punishments for his misbehavior. She had never voiced it, but she believed something was corrupting Rocky from the inside. More than anything, she hoped he would return without it, his time alone having banished that misguided part of himself. Even if he was still afflicted, however, she¡¯d take that version of him over nothing. It was a raw truth, and I sent waves of love her way, as did everyone else, thanking her for her openness. Cinnamon was next, and she didn¡¯t give a frack about anything other than sick martial arts moves and going for rides in the sky with her adopted daughter. The contrast was hilarious, and I sensed my body laughing involuntarily. Cinnamon loved everyone, of course¡ªespecially Pelly¡ªbut her true passions were aerial moves atop Pelly¡¯s back, and perfecting the roundhouse kick. Borks¡¯s sense of belonging called out next, and as he gazed around with puppy-dog eyes, his ghostly tail wagged. Before arriving on our shores, all he had wanted was to belong to a pack once more. He had found that and more. As each being offered their truths up to him, his sense of family only increased. He felt like he was a part of something bigger than himself, and his only desire was for our bonds to go deeper. Unexpectedly, the next thing that drew me in came from two different creatures. It was the pelicans, Bill and Pelly. They both called out to us for one simple reason: they shared the same secret thought¡ªa hidden affection for one another. They stared at each other as their dual romantic intentions unfolded, the depths of them undeniable. To anyone on the outside, us being privy to this information, this moment, might seem weird. Instead, it felt natural. They weren¡¯t ashamed of their feelings, and they offered them up freely, both to each other and the rest of us. A motherly pride radiated from Cinnamon, momentarily interrupting her imaginings of karate chops and flying kicks. I was all too aware of my deep-seated fear of taking control of the church, and now everyone else was too. There was a reason for that fear, of course. I was terrified of losing the freedom I¡¯d gained when arriving in Tropica, and anything contributing to that, whether perceived or real, was immediately deemed a threat. Along with the fear of taking control, there was my worry of gaining too much power. Of being forced into the role of a god. I¡¯d expressed my willingness to do so for everyone¡¯s sake, but that didn¡¯t make the idea of it any less unattractive. With my deepest secret revealed for everyone present to see, I focused on why I was so afraid of changing the status quo. I¡¯d told most of my animal pals of what had transpired in my previous life on Earth, but now that we were one, I showed them. My privileged life as the son of a billionaire, and the way I was molded to inherit my father¡¯s business empire. The relationship with my father and mother, the former having cared only for his wealth and legacy up until the very end, the latter leaving when I was still a boy, likely unable to deal with my oppressive father. It would have taken an entire day to explain all the intricacies if they were expressed by words. With their consciousnesses joined to mine, we relived the moments together, my companions reexperiencing the emotions with me. A hint of shock came from everyone, Maria included. I¡¯d already told her about my past, opened up as much as one could with words. But hearing was different from seeing. From there, I returned to my life here, showing how ecstatic, how blissful, my time on Kallis had been. The sun that rose every morning, casting its warming light over everything I could see. The joy I got from the simple parts of life, like fishing, cooking, or even just having a nice nap in the shade of a tree. Finally, I let them see how I felt about all of them again. Because of the dark cloud of fear coloring my thoughts before, I hadn¡¯t unveiled the depths of my appreciation for them. This time, I let it all out. All the souls surrounding me, along with all the human pals I¡¯d made since arriving in this world, were the seasoning of my life. The activities and scenery I enjoyed in Tropica were wonderful, sure, but without others to enjoy it with, it would have been bland. Flavorless. Allowing this gratitude to flow out of me washed away the negative aftertaste of my previous life, cleansing our palates and leaving only love for one another behind. Adoration poured from each of them, feeling the same way. Even Teddy was there, already attached to us after becoming one with our thoughts and seeing the color of our souls with his own eyes. The fondness for one another built, each participating core resonating with the sentiment. As it climbed higher and higher, I sensed that a change was coming. The chi connecting us all shuddered, then expanded. In what could have only been the barest of moments, the interconnecting ropes flew out from us, their tendrils spreading across the sky. They sprawled out far into the distance, the kilometers-wide net slowly ceasing its expansion. Through the affection and thankfulness for one another, a great curiosity sprouted. We all watched as the chaotic shamble of interconnected vines began sinking. Down and down they went, and rather than stopping on the ground when they landed there, they sank down through dirt, rocks, sand, and water. Only when they were deep, deep below did they come to a stop, seeming to find the right place. Immediately, they called out for something¡ªsomething that neither I nor my present companions could give them. Now that the mesh was no longer connecting us, our knowledge of each other¡¯s internal state slowly receded. Though it was like losing a part of myself, I used the last of our ¡®oneness¡¯ to thank them all. The emotion was echoed tenfold, washing over me until the very last moment. As our spirits floated back down toward our bodies, my awareness once more singular, I bathed in the aftershocks of what we¡¯d just experienced. Book 3: Chapter 54: Bear Hug Book 3: Chapter 54: Bear Hug High in the mountains to the northwest, a lone alchemist was trapped in his thoughts. If he had a friend present, perhaps they could have helped him challenge his internal narrative and break out of the downward spiral he was currently engaged in. Alas, Solomon was alone. The echo of a long-departed god had destroyed his place of power, obliterating the means with which he was going to achieve ascension. Worse, the lightning-covered boulder had clearly been sent by a remnant fragment of Zeus.Of all the possible gods to attempt to strike him down, it just had to be the god of the sky. Solomon looked upward, narrowing his eyes at the clouds above. More echoes could be up there this very moment, watching and waiting for the perfect time to strike. Solomon stared for a long while, part of his brain suspecting that another attempt would come the moment he looked away. When nothing came, he let out a slow sigh, trying to calm his whirling mind. He was sitting on a wooden stool of his own design, having worked to rebuild the equipment that the falling meteor had destroyed. It¡¯d taken him some time, but he¡¯d managed to replace everything¡ªwell, the physical components, anyway. He¡¯d not yet collected any more of the herbs and plants he would need to ascend. If he was being honest with himself, he wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d bother.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m A shaking hand drifted to the pouch around his neck, and without thinking about it, he opened the drawstring to peer inside. The powdered bark of the blue tree was there, his last sample of the most-important ingredient. He stared at it as he considered his options. Though they were obvious, each possibility seemed untenable. He could continue on with his plan, forging a new future for himself as the alchemist of prophecy. He gritted his teeth, acknowledging that it wasn¡¯t so simple. Trying to do so could lead to another attack, one he might not survive this time. The other choice was to abandon his dream, to walk away from this place and never again aim for the heavens. He was close to ascension, so his body held more vigor than it had in years, but who could say how long that would last? He could pass in his sleep one night not long from now, a gnat in the cosmos that never amounted to anything. The idea of being nothing, of not ascending to the heavens after coming so close to godhood, made fury build within him. Yet it did nothing to still his trembling hands. Clenching his fist, Solomon stood, wanting to take his anger out on something. He was partial to shattering vials during fits of rage, but he was without equipment, forced high into the mountains to flee a fledgling cultivator back in Tropica. Left with nothing else to destroy, he grabbed his stool and raised it high above his head. Just as he gathered his strength and prepared to slam it into the trunk of a tree, a shift in the surrounding air brought him up short. It was as though something passed through him, its overwhelming potential screaming out to him. In a fraction of a moment, the sensation passed, traveling down into the earth beneath his feet. He tracked it as long as he could, eventually losing all sense of it as the phenomenon moved far below. Solomon stood completely still, not even daring to breathe in the face of such power. When something clattered to the ground immediately behind him, he flew forward, instinctively moving for the door of his wooden hut. He peered over his shoulder as he went, and when he saw the source of the noise, he skidded to a stop, finally exhaling. A soft laugh escaped his throat, relief soothing his prickling skin. It was the stool. He hadn¡¯t even felt himself dropping it. Solomon had gone his entire life without hearing a peep from the gods prior to the meteor clearly sent by Zeus. And now, a second echo had called out. His heart fluttered as he jumped to the most obvious conclusion: the remnant power of another god must have felt his plights. Rather than smack him down or attack him, it had sent a sign. It had urged him on. Solomon¡¯s blood pulsed, and his skin prickled once more, this time for an entirely different reason. He threw his head back and laughed, unable to believe his luck. Even if Zeus attacked again, Solomon now had the echo of another god watching his back, one that wanted him to reach for the heavens. The next moment, Solomon took off, dashing for the forest. He had ingredients to collect. *** As I slowly settled back into my body, physical sensation returned. When I felt something tickling my cheeks, I wiped my face, my hands coming away wet. Though I was anything but sad following the rapturous experience in the sky, I found myself unable to halt the tears. I heard a whimper from my left, and a second later a form crashed into me, one I couldn¡¯t mistake. Maria, her chest heaving with sobs and her own tear-streaked face pressing against my chest, hugged me tight. In swift succession, a series of animals slammed into us. Snips, Claws, and Cinnamon were first, all three nuzzling in as close as they could get. Pelly and Bill came next, looping their magnificent necks over Maria¡¯s back. When Borks arrived, he transformed into a chihuahua and forced his way under Maria¡¯s arm, whimpering and hitting my chin with rapid-fire licks. Even Pistachio joined in, laying his overlarge antennae across my legs. Myriad roots shot from the ground around us, and before my still-swimming eyes, I watched countless flowers bloom from them, Lemon reassuring us in her own way. Suddenly, something blocked out the sun. I blinked fresh tears away and gazed up, finding the source of the shade. Teddy was standing above us, great rivulets of liquid running down his face to pool around his nose. Bumblebro, Queen Bee, and the rest of the Buzzy Boys were on his head, all peering down at us, even their compound eyes somehow leaking. Teddy leaned down, then paused, averting his gaze as he let out a soft, questioning growl. ¡°Of course you can join the cuddle puddle, you big goof.¡± I sniffed and let out a half-hearted laugh. ¡°Get down here.¡± He let out a great huff and flopped down on top of us, wrapping everyone up. Because of our experience in the sky only moments ago, he knew exactly how much pressure our bodies could take. He squeezed us tight, giving us a literal bear hug. The bees buzzed the entire time, their wings emitting a comforting tone that somehow made my core feel warm. I closed my eyes, enjoying the embrace. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Both figuratively and literally surrounded by love, my thoughts drifted toward the connecting mesh that had sunk deep into the ground beneath me. Though filled with potential, whatever power it would one day come to yield remained entirely unfulfilled. It had called out for something, and with our minds still linked, everyone present had known that we didn¡¯t have what it wanted. But now that I was alone with my thoughts, I had an idea, one that I dove into completely. Claws¡¯s head swiveled our way, a dash of jealousy joining the annoyance in her eyes. Maria giggled. ¡°Come here you, you goose.¡± Claws¡¯s jaw moved inaudibly, her desire for scritches warring with her indignation. Seeing an opportunity, Cinnamon pounced. She leaped from the spot, sailing for Maria¡¯s outstretched arms before Claws could reach a decision. It was, undoubtedly, a mistake. The poor bunny wasn¡¯t even halfway there when lightning erupted. Claws unleashed a battle cry as she rocketed across the ground faster than Cinnamon could hope to see. Kicking off the sand, Claws slammed into Cinnamon, withdrawing her lightning chi at the last possible second. Rather than punt the bunny skyward, Claws latched onto her. In a jumble of limbs, fur, and blurred strikes, the two soared upward. I shook my head, and Maria sighed. ¡°Seriously...¡± she said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. I just laughed. ¡°If they¡¯re already willing to have a practice bout, maybe they¡¯ll get over their exclusion relatively quickly...¡± Later that night, when I put my hand under my pillow, I was proven wrong. I groaned, slowly getting up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Maria called from the shower. I lifted the pillow, frowning at what I¡¯d touched. ¡°There¡¯s a pile of sand under my pillow.¡± There was a moment of silence as Maria turned the shower off, followed by a loud giggle that echoed off the bathroom tiles. ¡°I guess Claws is still bothered.¡± ¡°When did she even find the time to put sand under my pillow?¡± I started scraping it into one hand. ¡°She must have snuck off when we were talking to Barry.¡± ¡°I could have sworn she was there the entire time...¡± Maria exited the bathroom, and I couldn¡¯t help but stare, the sand completely forgotten. She¡¯d gotten into her pajamas, her visible skin glowing from the hot shower. Despite this, I could still see her face flush when she noticed me staring. ¡°What?¡± she asked, twirling a wet strand of hair. ¡°What do you mean, what? Have you seen yourself? How am I supposed to look anywhere else?¡± She tried to frown at me, but she couldn¡¯t completely hide her smile. ¡°Come here,¡± I said, discarding the sand I¡¯d been collecting. It scattered across the floor. She raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°That¡¯s very unhygienic, Fischer. Who knows where that sand has been¡ªoh!¡± Her hair blew back from her face as I appeared in front of her and wrapped my hands around her waist. ¡°I should really get going...¡± she said, her lips remaining parted as she stared up at me. ¡°You should,¡± I agreed. ¡°We¡¯ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.¡± Her beautiful blue eyes reminded me of all the emotions I¡¯d felt from her earlier. We had been joined as one only hours ago, able to see¡ªto comprehend completely¡ªthe way we felt for one another. To some couples, such a bearing of souls would have been a death sentence for their relationship. To us, it was anything but. We both leaned in, and as her velvet lips met mine, I stopped thinking about earlier. Book 3: Chapter 55: Adventure Book 3: Chapter 55: Adventure When I woke the following morning, I could feel one of my animal pals nuzzling up against my chest. I smiled, taking a deep breath and stretching my arms. ¡°Good morning,¡± I said, not particularly worried about which of them it was. Whoever they were, I was glad they were here. There was no response, and when I opened my eyes a moment later, my smile froze. Claws¡¯s face was only centimeters from mine, her ears pressed back in alarm. Blinking, I looked where I¡¯d felt someone nuzzling up to me. My blanket had been peeled back, revealing my chest. Sitting atop it, Cinnamon held my shirt open with one paw. In the other, she was clutching something, paused midway through stuffing it into my pajamas. I glanced back at Claws, seeing her forepaws also hiding something she was doing her best to hide from me. Something yellow... ¡°Is...¡± I rubbed my eyes, clearing away the lingering vestiges of sleep. ¡°Is that sand?¡± Retreat! Claws trilled, turning and scrambling for the door. Cinnamon panicked, jumping so hard from my chest that she slammed into the roof. Thump! Stunned, she fell back to the bed, wobbling as she tried to orient herself. ¡°What the frack?¡± I asked, my wits too addled to laugh at the instant karma. ¡°Are you okay?¡± When she straightened, she let out a panicked scream and kicked away from the bed again, ricocheting off the far wall before rocketing out my bedroom door. If the second thump was a trustworthy indicator, she¡¯d collided with another wall out there. Corporal Claws¡¯s chittering laughter trailed off as they departed out the front door, skittering into the morning air. When I sat up, a bucket of sand poured out of my shirt and pooled around me on the bed. I just stared down at it for a long moment, not even knowing where to begin. Deciding that a little sport would be a good way to start the morning, I stood, stretched, and sprinted outside. They¡¯d had a good head start, but no matter how fast they were, the two little miscreants were no match for me. The moment I stepped out into the morning rays, however, I found a menagerie waiting for me. Every animal pal but Claws and Cinnamon were present, even half of the Buzzy Boys¡ªthose that weren¡¯t off scouting¡ªcoming to say goodbye. I extended my senses, searching for the missing two. When I located them, I shook my head, peering over my shoulder. Two distinct half-visible heads poked up over the headland. ¡°Come down here, you little rats. I¡¯m not going to punish you.¡± Not trusting me, they retreated, ducking from view. ¡°What did they do?¡± Maria asked, smirking and raising an eyebrow. ¡°They graduated from putting sand under my pillow to putting sand under my everything.¡± I shook a leg, causing sand to cascade down onto the porch, and a laugh to pour from Maria. She shook her head, her smile only growing. ¡°So much for getting over it quickly. Claws seems to be holding a grudge.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll forgive them if they clean it by the time we get back!¡± I yelled, loud enough for them to hear. ¡°Speaking of,¡± Maria said, hefting the bag on her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re all ready to go. Need a hand packing?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± I grinned. ¡°I packed after you went home last night¡ªbe back in a moment.¡± I had the quickest of showers, got dressed in my traveling clothes, and returned outside, my oversized travel pack slung over one shoulder. When I got there, I found two unexpected forms cradled in Maria¡¯s arms. Claws and Cinnamon, having apparently climbed down from the headland, averted their gazes from me. ¡°Girls...¡± Maria chided. ¡°Did you have something you wanted to tell Fischer before we left?¡± Both sighed, their haughty posture deflating. Maria stepped forward, preparing to hand them over, when I held up a hand. I knew Claws all too well, and she was being entirely too forthcoming with an apology. ¡°Show me your hands,¡± I said, pointing down at her. Claws tilted her head to the side, then extended her paw-pads, letting me inspect them. I thought I might be being too paranoid, so I opened my mouth to apologize, then narrowed my eyes at her as another possibility struck me. ¡°Empty your pockets, missy.¡± Her smile grew tense, and she reached into the little pockets where she kept her favorite rocks and shiny baubles. From the left one, she produced an opalescent stone, smooth with use. And from the other... Claws screamed a trill sound and threw her paw toward me, unleashing a spray of particles. ¡°Pocket sand!¡± I yelled, shielding my face. ¡°I knew it!¡± She made to escape, roaring with chittered laughter, but I caught her by the scruff of her neck. When I held her up to my face, she panicked, the whites of her eyes telling me she expected retribution. Instead, I pulled her into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you. We won¡¯t be gone long.¡± ¡°He¡¯s...¡± Deklan licked his lips as his eyes went wide. ¡°You¡¯re a spirit beast, Teddy?¡± ¡°Of course he is,¡± Dom answered, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. ¡°Look at the size of him!¡± Deklan stepped forward, his legs seeming to move of their own accord. His vision was locked on Teddy, and as he reached out a tentative hand, it came up just short. ¡°Is... is it okay if I touch you, mate?¡± Teddy, his head still slightly bowed, nodded. Deklan ran a hand over Teddy¡¯s broad skull, amazement bubbling up into his core. I marveled at the ever-increasing awe as Deklan continued petting him, finding the spot on the side of Teddy¡¯s neck that made the bear sway. It was the exact reaction I¡¯d expected from Deklan, and Maria and I shared a knowing glance as we saw our plan coming together. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell anyone?¡± Dom asked, watching Teddy with only a little less amazement than his brother. ¡°Because we wanted to leave on this little excursion, mate. Do you think Ellis would have let us leave otherwise? I had to tell Theo because he would have seen through my subterfuge, but he agreed to keep it a secret. Until we¡¯re too far away for Ellis to come find us, at least.¡± The brothers laughed at this. ¡°Yeah,¡± Deklan said. ¡°That makes sense. So what exactly is the plan, then? You mentioned fishing when we spoke last night.¡± I grinned, hefting my backpack and the rods within it. ¡°That¡¯s right, mate. I only told Barry and the other leaders why we were going on a fishing trip. I guess now is as good a time as any to let you know.¡± I held up a finger. ¡°First, you know about the quest I¡¯m on, yeah?¡± Deklan nodded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t tell you the details, but keeps updating when you make things with others, right?¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s called Group Project, and it¡¯s updated twice from cooking. I have a feeling that we¡¯ll get something cool when it¡¯s finally finished. Not that we know when that¡¯ll happen, given how the System just keeps saying, ¡®Insufficient power.¡¯¡± I held up a second finger. ¡°The next reason is because of what happened to us yesterday.¡± I¡¯d only explained it in vague terms to everyone but Barry and Theo, knowing that revealing too much would make Ellis trail after us like a dog chasing a tyre. I quickly ran through it in more detail, doing my best to put the transcendent experience into words. Deklan and Dom were suitably shocked, their eyes darting between Maria, Borks, Teddy, and me as I explained. ¡°We knew something sank into the ground,¡± Deklan said. Dom nodded. ¡°Everyone felt it. Even I did, and my cultivation isn¡¯t that advanced.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I said. ¡°Well, what I left out is that it felt like it wanted something from us. The more I considered it, the more I understood what it craved.¡± They both leaned in, their curiosity obvious. ¡°It wanted power, but not the power I, or anyone else for that matter, could give it. It doesn¡¯t want chi from our cores. And of all the things I¡¯ve encountered in this world, there was one type of fish with way more chi than any other.¡± ¡°The one we¡¯re going to fish for?¡± Deklan surmised. ¡°That¡¯s the one, mate. I reckon if we have a chance of powering whatever that weird latticework is, it¡¯ll be with a bunch of the giant fish we came across on our way to Gormona. The potent alligator gar are just as the name suggests. The chi filling their flesh is potent.¡± The brothers stole a meaningful look at each other. ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Deklan said. ¡°We¡¯re fishing for what you¡¯ve described as giant fish, doing so because it will possibly impact the very land, and it¡¯s effectively a secret mission?¡± ¡°A secret mission...¡± Dom repeated, a glint entering his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re as excited as I am.¡± I took a deep breath, then held up a third and final finger. ¡°The last reason for us going is Teddy. He¡¯s only just awakened, and after our awareness was joined, I understand exactly how laid-back he is. I reckon you and he have similar personalities, Deklan, and I wanted to give him at least a few days of relaxation before Ellis starts harassing him for details about his entire, er, everything.¡± Deklan slung an arm over Teddy¡¯s neck again. ¡°A laid-back bear, huh? I think we¡¯re gonna get along just fine.¡± Seeing the change in Deklan since his arrival in Tropica had been a constant source of joy, and watching him immediately click with Teddy made my core sing. Maria looped an arm through mine, also watching them. ¡°What are we waiting for, then?¡± Deklan asked, straightening and petting Teddy on the head. ¡°The sooner we leave, the sooner we can fish, right?¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t have said it better myself.¡± I checked if everyone was ready, and after a series of nods and verbal confirmations, I turned to Borks. ¡°Can we store our stuff in your dimensional space, buddy?¡± Yes! He barked, his tongue lolling as he ripped a hole in space. With our packs stowed, we were off, moving at a leisurely speed. Well, a leisurely speed for cultivators. Trees and grass sped by in a blur, adventure fueling each step. Book 3: Chapter 56: Mischief Book 3: Chapter 56: Mischief Unlike the last time we made our way from Tropica to Gormona, we didn¡¯t travel along the road for long. After less than a half hour, we approached the first village. Veering off the road and into the forest, the temperature immediately dropped by a few degrees, some of the frosty night air remaining trapped beneath the canopy. Without needing to talk, we unanimously decided to remain between the trees. It would take us longer to find our destination, but that was fine. Though I¡¯d listed Teddy¡¯s recent ascension as the third reason for this adventure, that didn¡¯t make it less important than the others. He¡¯d been a regular bear yesterday, and I¡¯d not even known of his existence less than twenty-four hours ago. In such a small span of time, he¡¯d awakened, had the universe pour data into his mind, and then had an otherworldly experience above the clouds. It was a lot to take in, no matter how well-adjusted he may seem. I shot a glance his way, unable to stop myself from grinning at his behavior. Just like Borks liked to sniff the air as we ran, Teddy was doing the exact same thing, his nostrils flaring and lips lifting periodically. I vaguely recalled something about bears having the keenest sense of smell of any animal back on Earth. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure if it was true, but the way his head twitched toward things that Borks didn¡¯t register made me inclined to believe it. After a few hours, I was just considering lunch when Borks and Teddy both skidded to a stop. I opened my mouth to ask what was going on, but then I noticed their ears alert and twitching. They slowly spun their heads, locating the direction of whatever sound they detected. I caught a hint of a deep tone, so faint that I might have imagined it. Borks and Teddy both went rigid, and without sharing a glance, they slipped off through the underbrush. When I looked her way, Maria¡¯s eyes reflected the worry I felt within. We dashed after them, followed closely by Deklan and Dom. As we seemed to near our destination, the animals slowed, both hunching as low as they could while still creeping forward. I¡¯d caught a few more tones on the wind, slowly growing loud enough that I knew they weren¡¯t a figment of my imagination. When I smelled the unmistakable scent wafting through the air, I finally understood what we approached. My traitorous mouth watered of its own accord. Maria sensed it too, because she raised an eyebrow at me, also curious about why Teddy and Borks approached as if expecting a battle. All at once, the buzz of wings bounced off the surrounding trunks, seeming... angry? A sense of urgency came over me and I moved forward, slipping through the trees just to the right of Borks. A moment later, the source of the cacophonous buzzing came into view. I absorbed the sight in the blink of a cultivator¡¯s eye. Before us sat one of the thickest trees I¡¯d ever seen since coming to this world. Its branches closed most holes in the canopy, and the surrounding ground was free of other trunks, the leaves having stolen the sunlight others would need to survive. Occupying a hollow midway up the tree, a beehive of gigantic proportions was abuzz with activity. The bees were swarming out of their home, forming distinct clouds in the space between grass and canopy. Their purpose was immediately clear when I noticed the other insects smattered around the area. The bees were defending their hive. Giant wasps as big as beetles were on the attack, their mandibles biting through any bees that came too close. Undeterred, the defenders continued their darting maneuvers, attempting to exchange their lives for an attackers¡¯. Before I even had the chance to consider helping, Teddy was on the move. He lumbered forward, slowly enough that any bees he hit just bounced off him, spiraling through the air before righting themselves once more. Each wasp was systematically dispatched by his mighty claws. In a matter of seconds, it was all over. Rather than thank Teddy for the assist, the bees turned their ire on him. He was neither angry nor upset about the treatment. Teddy knew well that they were only doing as their nature dictated, using every tool they had to defend their hive despite how relatively powerless they were. Teddy had a hint of satisfaction on his face as he retreated from their attacks, no doubt content he could help a hive rather than destroy it. When he got back to us, he looked back at the clear section of grass. As his gaze roamed over where he¡¯d ended the lives of a dozen wasps, a sense of uncertainty radiated from his core. I immediately knew the cause of his doubts. ¡°You did good, mate,¡± I said, patting his large head. ¡°On the good-bad scale, bees are the goodest of boys. You shouldn¡¯t feel bad about taking out a few wasps to save an entire hive.¡± The statement took a hint of his self-reproach away, but a shadow still remained. I rubbed his fur some more, knowing there was only so much I could achieve with words. He was sapient now. He would have to work out his morality for himself. ¡°I¡¯m sure Queen Bee and Bumblebro would be proud. They¡¯d have done the exact same thing.¡± ¡°Hmm. Maybe?¡± I tapped my chin. ¡°Dom¡¯s final splash was way bigger.¡± ¡°A tie, then.¡±. Ruff! Borks agreed, his wagging tail a blur. In contrast to our enjoyment, Teddy was distraught. He bowed over and over as Deklan and Dom swam back to shore. A constant sound of apology came from Teddy, something partway between a groan and a whine. Rather than annoyed, however, the brothers were laughing and flicking water at each other as they crawled onto shore. ¡°Thanks, Teddy!¡± Deklan said. ¡°My brother needed that¡ªhe¡¯d worked up quite a lather from our run here.¡± ¡°Agreed!¡± Dom nodded. ¡°And my brother needed it more. He smelled like absolute shi¡ª¡± Dom didn¡¯t have a chance to finish his insult. Deklan slammed into him, wrestling him back into the lake. I smiled and shook my head as they fought like only brothers could, their grins never disappearing whilst they postured for dominance over the other. Despite how happy they were, Teddy continued bobbing his head in apology. I grabbed him by the shoulder. ¡°C¡¯mon, mate. Wanna see how we set up the rods?¡± A half hour later, the brothers had changed into dry clothes and all the rods were set up. I hadn¡¯t told them anything about the bait needed to catch the potent alligator gar, wanting them to experience it firsthand. I was sitting between Borks and Maria on the shore, with Dom, Deklan, and finally Teddy to the right of us. The brothers held a finger to their lines, their breaths shallow and calm as they waited for a bite. At the same time, the tips of their rods twitched. Together, their posture shifted, going from relaxed to alert in an instant. Because they were both experienced fishermen by now, they didn¡¯t strike too soon. They waited for the right moment, and their patience was rewarded a split second later when both their lines went taut. The hooked fish did their best to escape, but they had no chance. With wide smiles, Deklan and Dom reeled them into the shore. Before they could lift them from the water, though, I got up, facing Maria and gesturing for her to follow. She gave me a questioning look, and I shot her a wink, letting her know I was up to something. Mischief entered her eyes for the second time today, and she followed me down to the water. I scooped up Deklan¡¯s when it got to the rocks, cupping it in my hands. The jungle mudminnow¡¯s weird little feet immediately pressed into my palms in an attempt to escape, but I didn¡¯t let the odd sensation bother me. Maria did the same to Dom¡¯s, and when we turned toward the two brothers, their attention was locked on our clasped hands. ¡°What... what are they?¡± Deklan asked, his core radiating suspicion. Schooling my face, I locked eyes with him. ¡°Do you trust me, mate?¡± After a short pause, he nodded. ¡°Close your eyes and put your hands out,¡± I instructed. Only when their lids were firmly shut did I let my grin show. Moving together, Maria and I placed the jungle mudminnows¡ªin all their horrific, multi-limbed glory¡ªonto the brothers¡¯ open hands. Book 3: Chapter 57: Monster Book 3: Chapter 57: Monster ¡°I trusted you!¡± Deklan yelled, his arms outstretched so the jungle mudminnow was as far from his body as possible. He pinched the crime-against-nature of a fish between his thumb and forefinger, all four of its legs undulating as they tried to find purchase. Beside him, Dom stared down at his cupped hands. Not wasting the opportunity, the creature within stood upright and tried to run back to the water. Dom¡¯s face went pale. ¡°You right, mate?¡± I asked. He opened his mouth to reply, but dry-heaved instead. ¡°Why does it¡ª¡± He dry heaved again, dropping the fish and wiping his hands on his pants. ¡°Why does it feel so wrong?¡± Maria and I cackled with laughter, leaning against each other. ¡°I trusted you!¡± Deklan repeated, looking both disgusted and amused. The mudminnow Dom had dropped sprinted past Deklan on its way to the water, and he plucked it from the ground, scrunching his face at its human-like legs as they kicked in the air. Peering at it must have drawn his vision in, because his gaze went distant. I focused on it too, making words appear in front of me. Mature Jungle Mudminnow Unique This fish is a creation of the followers of Ceto. It is unknown how long the jungle mudminnow has existed within the Kallis Realm, but in that time, it has stabilized itself within the food chain. This fish has become the favored prey of the potent alligator gar. When I shook my head and returned to the present, utter revulsion covered Deklan¡¯s face. ¡°The alligator gars eat these? On purpose?¡± His incredulity only made me laugh harder, my chest starting to ache as the air was forced from my lungs. ¡°Pass them here,¡± I said, getting to my feet. ¡°No need to let them suffer.¡± After two swift movements, I set them down on a rock. ¡°We need to swap out your fishing rigs for something bigger, then we should be good to go.¡± After washing their hands for an overly-dramatic amount of time, shooting us judgemental looks all the while, the brothers rejoined us. When they noticed the giant hooks we¡¯d attached, their eyes went wide. ¡°Trust me,¡± I said. ¡°The fish are big enough to justify it.¡± They nodded, anticipation radiating from their body language and cores both. Not needing guidance, they attached an entire mudminnow as bait each, then strode down to the water. ¡°In the middle?¡± Dom asked. ¡°Duh,¡± Deklan said, playfully rolling his eyes. ¡°Do you think giant fish live in the shallows?¡± In response, Dom picked up a pebble and rubbed it between two fingers, scowling at his brother. I half expected him to flick it at Deklan¡¯s head, but he pretended to drop it, instead shoving it into a pocket. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯d rather fish than teach you a lesson.¡± I raised a brow at Maria, wordlessly asking if she¡¯d noticed. But before I got her attention, the brothers cast out their lines. I watched as the rigs sailed over the water, Deklan¡¯s splashing down to the left and Dom¡¯s to the right, both in the deepest section of the lake. As if in recognition of their perfect casts, the world froze. I hadn¡¯t even realized there was a breeze before, but now that it had vanished, the silence of the surrounding trees was deafening. Tiny ripples spreading from the brothers¡¯ lines were the only movement visible, the pattern beautiful and hypnotic. When Deklan¡¯s reel screamed a moment later, I wasn¡¯t at all surprised. ¡°Poseidon¡¯s silty bottom!¡± he yelled, holding his rod high. Its tip bent and bounced with each movement of the fish¡¯s head as it tried to escape, but as with every creature that had faced the brothers lately, it didn¡¯t stand a chance. When it swam toward Dom¡¯s line, I worried that they might become tangled. Before I could tell him to wind it back, he was already doing so, ensuring he didn¡¯t get in Deklan¡¯s way. It had only traveled a few meters when the second fish struck. ¡°By Triton¡¯s stiff conch...¡± Dom uttered, his tone disbelieving. ¡°It¡¯s big...¡± Whilst Deklan hooted and hollered as he slowly reeled the fish in, Dom remained reserved, his eyes intense as he fought his to shore. When the potent alligator gars approached the shallows, their long, powerful tails made the water churn, giving the brothers their first sight of the fish. Instead of dashing into the water to grab them, I reached out and grabbed the rods. ¡°What are you waiting for? Go get ¡®em!¡± Deklan dove¡ªliterally dove¡ªinto the lake, landing with the grace of a drunken starfish. He was wrestling his alligator gar above water a moment later, holding firm as it kicked its giant tail. ¡°Watch the mouth!¡± Maria winced, reaching out a hand as if she could telekinetically help. ¡°The teeth are deadly!¡± Dom was in the water now too, having walked instead of diving like his maniac brother. After a small battle, one which almost saw Dom get bitten by Deklan¡¯s fish when said maniac got too close, the brothers were walking up the shore. I slipped forward, dispatching both alligator gar with my trusty spike. As one, our eyes were drawn into them. Mature Potent Alligator Gar Unique ¡°Er, like what...?¡± Dom asked, unruffling his last sleeve. ¡°So, you know how I can sense chi, right?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Maria said, slightly raising a brow. ¡°Well,¡± I continued, ¡°I can technically search out fish that have chi in their bodies, right?¡± ¡°Ohhh,¡± Maria said. ¡°To make sure we don¡¯t fish up all of them?¡± I grimaced. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Wait, why is that regrettable?¡± Dom asked. Deklan whapped him softly on the back of the head. ¡°Because it¡¯s cheating. If you can sense exactly where fish are, and how many there are, Fischer could just throw the hook directly at them.¡± ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not really cheating if he¡¯s using his power... is it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not just cheating the fish, you goose,¡± Deklan said. ¡°He¡¯s cheating himself. Think about how it feels when your line is in the water. The unknown possibilities, knowing that at any moment, something massive could strike. The excitement that comes with it. The anticipation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, mate,¡± I confirmed. ¡°But in this case, I¡¯ll have to do it anyway. I don¡¯t want to catch all the alligator gar and make them effectively extinct. If I¡¯m unlucky and there is a hidden species in here, scanning the water will spoil that surprise.¡± ¡°Ohhh.¡± Dom frowned. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like that at all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you if there is.¡± I walked over to the bank, letting out a slow sigh as I stared up at the waning afternoon light. I didn¡¯t want to do it, yet it had to be done. I hesitated a moment longer, gathered my chi, then sent my awareness snaking outward. It went through the ground first, winding over rocks, earth, and sand. Surprisingly, I felt creatures there, each possessing the smallest hint of chi. Worms, insects, even tiny aquatic invertebrates living around the rocks of the shore. Their life forces were like stars in the night sky, lighting up the darkness behind my eyes. After pausing to appreciate their beauty, I pushed my awareness further, extending into the lake¡¯s black waters. The first species were something I¡¯d seen before, but not in this lake. They were little guppies, only as large as the end of my pinky finger. Maria and I had spotted them in one of the creeks feeding into the river, and though I thought there were a lot of them then, it was nothing compared to the thousands occupying the lake. They swam all around the edge, schooling in large groups that occasionally split apart, only to rejoin once more. When I saw why they separated, a shiver ran down my spine. From within the layer of silt on the lake¡¯s floor, a jungle mudminnow struck. It stood up on its weird little legs, then leaped and darted for the guppies. Each time I¡¯d seen a jungle mudminnow walking, I¡¯d been disgusted. Somehow, witnessing its fleshy legs trailing through the water as it swam was even worse. I felt a moment of compassion for the guppies. I couldn¡¯t think of a more unnerving ambush predator to be targeted by. My awareness sunk into the silt where the rest of the mudminnows waited. There were thousands of them, all completely still and waiting for a school of bait to swim by. Another involuntary shiver came, running down my entire body. No matter which way you looked at it, there were entirely too many legs in this lake. Seeking to banish that thought from my mind, I extended my senses further. The bottom of the lake grew deeper at a steady gradient. There was a sudden drop off, making me raise an eyebrow. It went down and down for meters, revealing a craterous hole within. When I sensed the life down there, I felt my body jolt. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Maria asked, her voice only barely making it through to me. I lingered a moment longer at the bottom of the lake, my shock not fading. There were hundreds of the alligator gar, so we¡¯d have no issue with supply. They sat almost completely still, their fins and bodies only occasionally moving. But they weren¡¯t what made me have such a visceral reaction. Deep below them, buried completely in the mud, something ancient sat. Its power was... old. Really old. The chi within its massive body tasted like the essence that suffused the world. Maria squeezed my arm, tugging at my awareness. ¡°Come back to us,¡± she said, her voice soothing. When I opened my eyes, I slowly turned her way, my body going numb. Borks and Teddy had been resting, but now they were up, keenly aware of my reaction. ¡°What did you see?¡± Maria implored, resting a hand on mine. ¡°Is there no more of the alligator gar? I¡¯m sure we can find something else to¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± I interrupted. ¡°There are hundreds of them.¡± ¡°What is it, then?¡± Deklan asked, gazing at the lake¡¯s placid waters. ¡°I... can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°What...?¡± Hurt accompanied Maria¡¯s question, radiating from her core. I immediately returned to the present, banishing the thoughts whirling through my mind. ¡°I¡¯m not keeping it a secret for a bad reason. It¡¯s...¡± I trailed off, wondering how to word it. ¡°You saw something else, didn¡¯t you?¡± Deklan asked, turning his attention to the others. ¡°Fischer promised not to tell us if he found a bigger fish, remember?¡± Dom shook his head. ¡°I take it back. I wanna know.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Deklan agreed. Borks and Teddy agreed with assenting growls, their ears alert. I looked at them all. ¡°Are you sure?¡± They gave a sharp nod, now staring right at me. ¡°Calling it a big fish doesn¡¯t really cut it.¡± I swallowed, my mouth dry. ¡°There is a monster at the bottom of this lake.¡± Chapter Upload Schedule & Dragon Con Chapter Upload Schedule & Dragon Con Hello friends. As you can probably tell, I didn''t upload a chappy today. I spent another day working on book 3 alterations that are rather urgent as it''s being recorded this week. Usually, I''d have been able to do both, but I still find myself struggling to focus following my quitting of nicotine. For the time being, I''m going to upload chapters as they''re done, rather than on a dedicated schedule of Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri. Thank you for your understanding. <> You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Book 3: Chapter 58: Frozen Book 3: Chapter 58: Frozen Light slowly bled from the sky as the sun set further to the west. It shone its orange rays over us, the trees on the other side of the lake casting long shadows that made the water appear almost black. Despite how beautiful a sight it was, all three of the people present were staring at me. Teddy and Borks, perhaps sensing the danger through our connection, watched the lake¡¯s outwardly calm waters, their hackles raised. ¡°A monster?¡± Deklan asked, his eyes flicking to the water before returning to me. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Just what I said, mate. There¡¯s a monster down there.¡± ¡°Big enough to eat alligator gar?¡± Maria asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feed on anything,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s alive but frozen in time, as if it¡¯s hibernating. That¡¯s the sense I got from it, anyway.¡± Dom¡¯s face had gone serious. ¡°How big are we talking...?¡± I pursed my lips as I thought for a moment, then turned and paced out some steps. When I was around eight meters away, I faced them. ¡°This long.¡± ¡°How...¡± Maria swallowed. ¡°How wide?¡± I shrugged and walked back toward them. ¡°The surrounding area is soaked with chi, so I couldn¡¯t tell where the actual body ends.¡± ¡°Could you beat it?¡± she asked in a whisper. ¡°I think so, but I can¡¯t say for certain...¡± As we all stared at the lake, we slipped into a solemn silence. My enhanced mind started working overtime, attempting to understand how such a creature could end up in the middle of a relatively small lake. The jungle mudminnows, in all their horrifying glory, had come into being because of experimentation by the followers of Ceto. Did that mean the monster was of their creation? Or was it something much older, something they weren¡¯t even aware of? What if their experiments had been an attempt to wake it up? As I tried to determine how long it had been sequestered here, I recalled the creature¡¯s chi. It was ancient. Its power was indistinguishable from the world¡¯s essence, making me believe it predated this time period and the machinations of Ceto¡¯s followers. With that information added to the equation, one answer leaped out to me. ¡°I think...¡± I paused and cleared my dry throat. ¡°I think it¡¯s been here since the power disappeared from the world. The followers of Ceto were active thousands of years ago, right?¡± The same thoughts ran through my mind. No matter how many times I reconsidered, I reached the same conclusion. ¡°I don¡¯t think this creature, whatever it is, will wake up until more power returns to the world.¡± Silence reigned, only broken by a soft wind rustling the leaves above us. ¡°But if more power does return...?¡± Maria asked, voicing what everyone was thinking. I nodded. ¡°Then it will probably wake up.¡± I sent my awareness back down below the lake, bypassing the guppies, mudminnows, and alligator gars. The monster¡¯s existence drew me in. Understanding that I¡¯d gleam no more information, I withdrew once more. As I opened my eyes, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ¡°There¡¯s not much point in thinking about it, is there?¡± Maria asked, resting her head on my shoulder. ¡°Nope,¡± I agreed. ¡°It¡¯s a future problem. I don¡¯t see it waking up any time soon.¡± She shook her head softly, her hair bouncing against her face. ¡°True as that might be, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to stop myself from worrying about it...¡± I shot her a grin. ¡°I might have just the thing to keep us occupied.¡± ¡°More fishing?¡± Deklan asked, the prospect snapping him from his introspection. ¡°No,¡± I laughed. ¡°Well, not yet, anyway. Let me check something first...¡± Without another word, I leaped up to the branches of the biggest tree I could see. ¡°Great,¡± Maria said. ¡°He¡¯s finally lost his marbles.¡± ¡°To be fair, you could argue that I never had any marbles in the first place...¡± I climbed further up the tree, clinging to it as I poked my head above the canopy. When I spied the giant mountain to the north, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. That makes things easier... I thought, hopping down to the ground. Still smiling, I faced the brothers. ¡°So, fellas, have you had a chance to do any carpentry since you arrived in New Tropica...?¡± *** ¡°Fischer?¡± Maria asked from behind me. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± With Borks and Teddy helping brace wooden panels, the work began. We were a well-oiled machine, putting the project together in no time at all. As I picked up the last piece of wood, I focused on my intention. Planting it firmly in mind, I put the wood in place. Everyone reached out and touched it, and I could feel their wills extending and joining with mine. I was getting used to the act of shaping people¡¯s wills as we made things together. With my enhanced awareness of chi, it was only natural that I slip into the role of support, assisting others to reach their fullest potential. This time, though, I found myself mostly unneeded. I still had to chip in and mold the brothers¡¯ essence a little. Maria, Teddy, and Borks, however... Their intentions were perfect. They¡¯d been a little scattered at first, but as they felt my will, their chi readjusted. It was astounding, and after only a moment of consideration, I realized why they were so capable. It was because of our experience yesterday, when our souls were connected as one. They had a bone-deep understanding of me, just as I understood them. Something about that bonding had made our joined crafting capabilities much, much more potent. With our wills pouring out into the surrounding world, it happened. Power swelled from the ground, whirled around us, and rushed in toward the two wooden structures. We¡¯d built the lid first and set it against a tree, but as the chi seeped into it, the large piece blurred. In the blink of a cultivator¡¯s eye, it melded with the base. Power came from all of our cores, oozing into the wood and distorting it. It blurred, bulged, then snapped back into place. As I blinked rapidly, taking in the completed project, a smile spread over my countenance. Just as planned, four wheels had appeared from thin air. They were as large as a wagon¡¯s, meaning they could easily traverse uneven terrain. They were attached to a base the size of a, well... it was also the size of a wagon. That¡¯s where the similarities to one ended, however. Its sides were short, only a meter or so tall. Now that I looked for something to compare it to, it reminded me of the pop-up campers people seemed so fond of back on Earth. I stepped forward, running a hand over the wood. The panels were no longer visible, the entire body having transformed into a single structure as if it was carved from a giant tree. The lid was joined to the top somehow, and half worrying that it had sealed, I lifted it. The heavy lid came up slowly, the pieces fitting snugly together. As I stared down into the space of my mobile esky, I laughed. ¡°It¡¯s perfect!¡± ¡°So the fish go in here?¡± Deklan asked, running his hand along the bottom of it. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t they go bad in here, too?¡± Dom scrunched up his face. ¡°If this gets in the sun, it¡¯s effectively an oven... right?¡± ¡°They could go bad, but you¡¯re missing a vital piece of information.¡± I¡¯d only told Maria the rest of my plan, and we both shared a grin as confusion colored everyone else¡¯s features. ¡°If you¡¯ll join me,¡± I said, leaping up to the top of a tree. A moment later, all of our heads poked above the canopy. ¡°See that mountain toward the¡ª¡± A sharp crack split the late afternoon air. Because of our enhanced cognition, we all turned in time to see the look of sheer terror on Teddy¡¯s face. With his ears pinned back and the whites of his eyes showing, he seemed to plead for help. Like the moment you lean a little too far back on a chair and begin to fall, Teddy well knew that he was at gravity¡¯s mercy. After what was only a moment but must have felt like an eternity for my newest pal, his head disappeared from sight, plunging below the canopy. There was a loud thump when he hit the forest floor, immediately overshadowed by our raucous laughter. Teddy¡¯s ears were still pinned back when he returned to the treetops, choosing a thicker branch this time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, wiping tears from my eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He nodded, abashment radiating from his core. Seeking to change the subject, I pointed at the northern mountain once more. ¡°What do you all see?¡± ¡°A mountain?¡± Deklan answered. ¡°I don¡¯t see¡ªohhhh!¡± ¡°What?¡± Dom demanded, his head darting back and forth. ¡°What is it?¡± I grinned. ¡°What color is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s white, but what does that¡ªOh! It¡¯s covered in snow!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, mate. And chunks of ice, if we¡¯re lucky.¡± I pointed down toward the ground, where our makeshift esky on wheels sat. ¡°We haven¡¯t made an oven, fellas. We¡¯ve made a fridge.¡± Chapter Dragon Con Adventure Chapter Dragon Con Adventure words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words words The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Book 3: Chapter 59: Downhill Book 3: Chapter 59: Downhill As I sailed through the late afternoon air, a frigid wind raced over me, biting deep into my skin. Before becoming a cultivator, it would have chilled me to the bone. Now, it just made me smile. I held my arms wide, enjoying the potent sensations that washed over my body. Still skybound, I glanced back, spotting everyone else between the trees at the base of the mountain. I¡¯d not been able to contain my excitement, so I raced ahead and leaped up into the air the moment we reached the slope. Not wanting to create an earthquake with my jump, I¡¯d only used enough energy to get a third of the way up, and as the mountain approached from below, I grinned. Only touching down for a fraction of a second, I kicked off again, causing shale to fracture. The next time I landed, it was atop a thin layer of snow. Filled with exhilaration, I launched myself again, getting high enough to see over the top of the mountain. What I found there took my breath away. It was a clear day, and despite the sun¡¯s fading light, I could see land all the way to the northern horizon. To the east, I spotted the ocean. From here, it was like a giant god had taken a bite of the continent, letting the sea rush in and claim the space. When I reached the apex of my flight, gravity took hold. As it dragged me landward, I focused my attention on the snowy peak. With my enhanced awareness, I watched it come as if in slow motion, the icy wind a constant grounding presence. I braced my legs, expecting to crash through a knee-high layer of snow and hit the rocks below. Instead, I sunk up to my shoulders, finding myself completely encapsulated by ice. ¡°Huh,¡± I said, wiggling my body. It was like a cold hug, which now that I thought about it, probably shouldn¡¯t be enjoyable. It was, though, the freezing touch of the snow invigorating. I waited there a moment longer before freeing myself, and as I peered down to find my friends, I realized my whoopsie. Apparently, crashing down into a snow-covered peak wasn¡¯t the best of ideas. I¡¯d thought the whooshing sound was the howling wind. As it turns out, I might have created a little avalanche. Well, maybe little wasn¡¯t the right word... Tonnes and tonnes of snow raced down the slope, gathering more mass as it went. I spotted an anomalous color among the white vista, and when I squinted at it, I smiled. Borks, in his long-boi form, danced over the top of it. His empowered body made it look easy, despite the fact that a regular animal would have been buried beneath the frozen flood in the blink of an eye. With his tongue hanging from his mouth, he made it to me in less than a minute. He unleashed a series of rapid-fire licks on my leg, and I fussed his neck with both hands, giving him a good scritching. ¡°Where¡¯s everyone else, buddy?¡± I already suspected the answer, but it was confirmed when he ripped a hole in space. ¡°The frack, Fischer?¡± Maria asked, stepping through first. ¡°What was that?¡± I waved my hand, making a dismissive gesture. ¡°Oh, just a little avalanche. Nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°An avalanche? Why does your world have a word for a frozen landslide?¡± ¡°Iunno. We frack around with winter sports. Skiing and snowboarding are pretty fun...¡± I blinked and stared into space, realizing I might have just found Tropica¡¯s newest obsession. Maria snapped her fingers in front of my face, yoinking me back to the present. ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°I was worried that the cold might have frozen your brain for a second.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to freeze, I¡¯m afraid,¡± I joked, knocking the side of my head. ¡°I just had a wonderful idea for a side quest, but it¡¯ll have to wait for another time.¡± She narrowed her eyes at me, but I just grinned. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Deklan said. ¡°Details.¡± ¡°Ah-huh.¡± Dom nodded and fist-bumped his brother. ¡°We demand more information.¡± ¡°On...?¡± I asked. ¡°Side quest,¡± they both replied at the same time, then gave each other a sly smile and another fist-bump. ¡°Oh. Right.¡± I gave them a quick run down of skiing and snowboarding, and with each word, they looked more and more like kids on Christmas. ¡°You¡¯re sure we can¡¯t give it a try?¡± Deklan asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t take long,¡± Dom added, ¡°and it would help us, uhhh, understand it better?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Deklan nodded gravely. ¡°We don¡¯t want to do it, per se, but if it¡¯s for the sake of knowledge...¡± I expected Maria to be the voice of reason. In retrospect, that was a terrible assumption to make. ¡°Ah-huh,¡± Deklan and Dom chorused. Yet none of us moved. We stared at the sky as the stars lazily came into view, shining their pin-prick light down upon us. *** Deep beneath the ruined castle of Theogonia, liquid fire pulsed through the king¡¯s veins. Augustus had thought he knew what it meant to burn. Decades had passed since the time of his awakening, and with each year, his understanding of fire only grew. It was the great destructive force, the element that reduced everything to ash. Some had argued that fire had natural counters, like water, earth, or wind. They were wrong. If a fire burned bright enough, none of these elements stood a chance. Water became steam, earth turned molten, and air only served to fuel the flames, increasing their heat. Only days ago, he thought there was nothing more to learn about fire. What a fool he had been. The chi oozing from Theogonia, the essence they had labeled as ¡®corrupted¡¯, was nothing of the sort.With its help, Augustus finally understood the truth: he had known nothing. Like a forest being burned to the ground so new vegetation could sprout, his vessel was being rebuilt from within. The blood in his veins boiled as the forbidden chi washed through him, forging his soul into something new. Something better. There was a soft whimper from beside him, shattering his moment of tranquility. He opened his eyes, fighting down the urge to smite the offender from this plane. Though he stared his hatred at Aisa, the woman who¡¯d whimpered, another sound drew his attention. His wife, Penelope, let out a sharp gasp, covering her mouth as she stared at him. ¡°S-sorry! It¡¯s just.¡± She swallowed, considering her words. ¡°Your eyes, Augustus.¡± ¡°Ooo,¡± Tiberius cooed, peering down at him like a curious bird. ¡°Red!¡± The rest of the prisoners echoed his call. ¡°Red,¡± ¡°Red?¡± ¡°Red!¡± They cackled, making the fire burning through Augustus flare. ¡°Silence!¡± he screamed, cutting them off. ¡°Fetch me a looking glass.¡± Princess Tryphena disappeared through the door, returning a moment later with a grave expression and a shard of glass. Augustus meant to stand by the torch to see what they meant, but there was no need. Twin orbs reflected back at him, like burning suns seen through a smoke-filled sky. His eyes were lit from within, the forbidden chi¡¯s changes to his body already visible. He threw his head back and laughed, letting the sound crawl out until his throat was hoarse. ¡°Do you want another shielding potion, father?¡± Tryphena asked, a hint of... was that worry coloring her tone? ¡°I don¡¯t need protection, child,¡± he spat, emphasizing the last word. ¡°In fact, you should join me.¡± ¡°But...¡± Tryphena¡¯s eyes drifted to Aisa. The woman was pale and peppered with sweat. She and the rest of the handlers had opened themselves up to the forbidden chi, using it as a source of power to ascend. Unlike Augustus, they appeared too weak to handle it. The king clenched his jaw, fighting down the urge to strike someone down. ¡°Suit yourself. If you don¡¯t have the spine to cultivate this chi, it would probably have been too much for you anyway.¡± Lines formed on Tryphena¡¯s forehead and she opened her mouth to reply, but Penelope clamped a hand over it. Augustus stared at them for a long moment, daring either of them to utter a word. When nothing came, he let out a slow breath. ¡°Don¡¯t provide any more potions to the handlers. They need to embrace this power without any shielding if they wish to ascend.¡± All six of them paled at this, their eyes darting to his. ¡°Good,¡± he said, giving them a vicious grin. ¡°Use that emotion to serve your kingdom. Your king.¡± ¡°Serve,¡± ¡°Serve,¡± ¡°Serve!¡± the prisoners echoed, breaking out into laughter once more. This time, the king wasn¡¯t annoyed. He took joy in their calls. He closed his eyes and focused once more, drawing more of the chi in. It was like pouring molten slag right into his veins, and it only made his smile grow. With this power, he would avenge his honor. Book 3: Chapter 60: Acidic Book 3: Chapter 60: Acidic Within the dark confines of a wooden hovel, a lone man toiled. Though Solomon had practiced his profession for tens of thousands of hours over his decades-long life, he had never undertaken a task so grand. It was the last concoction that the mortal known as Solomon would ever create. After he consumed it, he would become Solomon, the ascendant. Solomon, the Alchemist. The coveted title of the prophesied alchemist... it was his to claim. All he had to do was grasp it. He opened his eyes, peering out at the arrayed ingredients. It was all there, including the rare root he¡¯d discovered and the last bit of bark from the blue tree. After a lifetime spent crafting while surrounded by the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s proprietary haze, it felt... weird to work without it. The smoke let them manipulate the world¡¯s chi without being detected by the crown. Now that he was alone in the mountains, there was no need for such measures, especially because it could impact his awakening. One might assume that the lack of a stinging throat and watering eyes would be a welcome reprieve, but to Solomon, it felt like something was missing. Taking a deep breath, he gathered his resolve and swept his worries aside. He had sculpted a cauldron from rock, slowly scraping away at the excess material over the span of a day. The water within it was now at a boil. It was time to begin. With but a moment¡¯s pause, Solomon threw the basic ingredients in. The first hour of crafting sped by, Solomon¡¯s body remembering exactly what to do. When it came time to add his self-named root, he gathered his will, just as the cult¡¯s secret texts advised. Even if he hadn¡¯t been instructed on what to do, he¡¯d have known what to do. Each subsequent step felt right, for lack of a better word. As if both his body and the universe wanted the same thing. It was like scratching an itch one wasn¡¯t aware of, and as he continued gathering his will and picturing what he wanted, a smile spread over his aged features. Without even looking at the root, he grabbed it in one hand and a sharpened rock in the other. His eyes were still locked on the roiling cauldron as he sliced down the length of the Solomon root. He¡¯d not opened one up before, and now that he had, he understood. There was a hidden core within, its flesh soft and springy compared to the encasing fibers. That middle section, only a fraction of the root¡¯s width, called out to him. It was loaded with essence. Finally looking down, he collected the chi-filled center and threw it into the cauldron. The concoction within spat and hissed, urging him on. The decaying bark of the blue tree was next, and when he sent his will toward it, he knew there was nothing to add. It was imperfect. In a state of decomposition. Yet it was all he had. Over the span of a few heartbeats, he imagined it falling into the cauldron and filling it with power. Without hesitation, he upended the pouch and shook. The clumps of dust hit the surface, and the mixture reacted violently. Foam bubbled up, threatening to spill over the side and take some of the dust with it. Knowing that the ingredient escaping could spell the end of this mixture, Solomon fought back. He pressed down on it with his will, the foam barely staying contained. It was like shoving down with invisible hands, and if not for his panic, he¡¯d likely have enjoyed the sensation. Thankfully, his efforts worked, and the bubbles slowly receded, revealing... ¡°What in Circe¡¯s loving wand?¡± he swore, blinking at the mixture. It had been mostly opaque earlier, lacking all color. He¡¯d added a green root and the blackened, formerly blue bark. Somehow, this had turned the concoction blood-red. He swallowed, unable to miss the power flowing out of it. Even if it hadn¡¯t transformed so notably, he¡¯d have known: this potion, when properly condensed, would lead to his awakening. He was distracted, so he closed his eyes, focusing his intent on the end result. Without realizing it, he slipped into a trance. When he opened his eyes once more, he took a heaving breath, only to cough and sputter immediately. His shack was filled with a thick haze. It burned everything it touched, his eyes, mouth, nose, and throat on fire. He made to run, to flee from the agony, but stopped before he could take a step. This was what he wanted, wasn¡¯t it? He¡¯d missed the burn of his concealing smoke. Before the magnitude of his goal, this temporary discomfort was nothing. Even if he was to lose his vision, ascension would return it. ¡°We¡¯re already awake, you goose,¡± Maria said, giving me an amused look. ¡°We¡¯re just about to start making breakfast.¡± ¡°Be out in a moment.¡± I stretched, enjoying the movement of sleep-sore muscles before pushing the tent-flap aside and stumbling into the light. We¡¯d set up our campsite on the western side of the lake on Maria¡¯s instructions, meaning the morning sun could beam down on us. I mentally thanked Maria for her foresight as I stood beneath its warming rays, closing my eyes and facing it with my, uh... face. ¡°Good sleep in?¡± Deklan asked. ¡°Yeah, mate.¡± I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, a sense of calm flowing through me. When I opened my eyes once more, I strode over to everyone else. They were surrounding a small fire, and I beamed at the nods, grins, and waves that came my way. ¡°What can I do to help?¡± I asked, bending to pat Borks on the head. He licked me and wagged his tail in response. ¡°You can just sit there and look handsome,¡± Maria said, shooting me a wink. ¡°I¡¯ve got this covered.¡± She was just arranging a bunch of unbaked croissants onto a tray, so I walked over and planted a peck on the top of her head, earning a cute little shimmy of her shoulders in return. I ambled over to Teddy and sat down beside him, covering a yawn. ¡°How¡¯d you sleep, big fella?¡± He nodded and let out a rumbling growl that meant good. Despite the fact that his mere act of communicating sounded like tectonic plates shifting, he averted his eyes. I wanted to tell him he didn¡¯t have to be so deferential. I wanted to tell him that he was welcome as he was. Instead, I reached up and patted one of his giant shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m glad, buddy,¡± I said. We spoke about small things as Maria prepared breakfast, the blessed smells of coffee and cooking pastries slowly building and becoming irresistible. Just as the coffee pot was starting to hiss, a bubble of chi exploded far to the east. I jolted, my head darting in its direction. It was... acidic? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Deklan asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Maria spun, facing me. ¡°What happened?¡± I stood. ¡°You don¡¯t feel that?¡± ¡°No?¡± She got to her feet, her face serious. ¡°Feel what? You¡¯re worrying me.¡± ¡°Someone or something just awakened to the east. Right outside of Tropica. It feels... wrong.¡± ¡°Go,¡± she said, already moving. ¡°We¡¯ll follow.¡± I nodded. ¡°With me, Borks.¡± He transformed into his chihuahua form. I scooped him up in my arms, dashed to the end of the lake, and leaped. Trees sailed past below me as I took us toward the anomaly, a foreboding worry sprouting from deep within me. Book 3: Chapter 61: Cleanse Book 3: Chapter 61: Cleanse The forest sailed by below us, countless colors blurring into a single blanket of green. Over mountains and across valleys, Borks and I flew, never once changing direction. I destroyed more than a few trees in my passage. Each time I landed, I carved through swaths of them like a scythe through so many stalks of wheat. I didn¡¯t spare them a second thought, the safety of my friends taking priority. At the speed I was traveling now, we¡¯d get there in less than an hour. ¡°Not fast enough...¡± I muttered, wracking my mind for a solution. ¡°Borks, can you teleport to the east without an exact destination in mind?¡± A slight pulse of hesitation came from him, followed by a much-stronger wave of determination. I skidded to a stop, obliterating another dozen trees. Borks leaped down, and the air shattered as a black portal unfurled. Scooping him into my arms, I shot through it. We emerged high above the forest, and because of my connection to Borks, I could feel where we¡¯d teleported from, a whisper of his chi coming from that direction. It had worked. We¡¯d appeared kilometers closer to Tropica. ¡°Did you make the destination high so we didn¡¯t appear underground?¡± I asked Borks as we dropped to the ground. He let out an affirmative ruff. ¡°Good boy. Bark at me whenever you can portal again.¡± Bracing himself in my arms, he nodded. His reserves were depleted from how far we¡¯d traveled, but even now, ambient chi refilled his core. Taking turns leaping and portaling, we traveled faster than ever before. When I took us sailing over a hill, I spotted the source of the acidic-tasting chi. It was impossible to miss. A blackened circle of trees broke up the forest¡¯s monotony, every leaf on them having decayed and fallen. Our trajectory continued, and I crashed down only a few hundred meters away from the clearing. I¡¯d noticed the acidic feeling the entire time we traveled, but now, I could smell it too. Borks lifted his nose to test the air; he regretted it immediately. Shaking his head and letting out a series of snorts, he wobbled, seeming to lose all sense of balance. ¡°Woah!¡± I stilled him with a hand. ¡°You okay?¡± He made a hacking noise, his balance only getting worse. Having seen enough, I grabbed him and jumped, crashing through and obliterating the canopy of a tree on my way clear of the area. When I landed on a distant hill, I cradled him in my arms, gazing down at him. Thankfully, his breathing eased and he sat up, his legs firm beneath him. ¡°What was that?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you good?¡± He nodded, staring down at the spot from which I¡¯d leaped. He let out a low growl, its meaning obvious. Poison. Whether because of my relative strength or comparatively weak sense of smell, I wasn¡¯t affected. ¡°Are you okay if I leave you here, mate? I wouldn¡¯t ask otherwise, but¡ª¡± A sense of reassurance washed over me. Borks understood the urgency. Smiling, I rubbed his head. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy. Rest up, buddy. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± Firming my jaw, I leaped for the circle of black marring the beautiful forest, and when I landed in the center, I covered my mouth, doing all I could to keep out the noxious smell. It hadn¡¯t been bad from afar. From here, it was like breathing in battery acid. An odd hint of something herbal accompanied it, only making the scent more pungent. I released chi from my core, surrounding myself with a firm layer of shielding. The relief was immediate, and I almost released a slow breath out of reflex. There was a makeshift shack in the center of the clearing. I reached out to grab the door, only for it to crumble within my grasp. Leaping back despite my protection, the door fell to the ground, shattering into uncountable fragments. I strode over them on my way to the entrance, the pieces crunching beneath my feet. As I peered into the squat building, I cringed. Everything within had been made of wood and was rotting before my very eyes. As soon as he¡¯d regained consciousness and realized he¡¯d ascended, he acted quickly. Solomon had dug a hole in the earth where he stood, only pausing when pain shot through him. He¡¯d sealed the entry with wood and layers of earth. When the wood started to crumble, dissolving beneath the toxic chi of his creation, he used small punches to pack the earth tight. As soon as he¡¯d been enclosed and the walls were no longer threatening to cave in, he poked a tiny hole in his cavern, then started the small fire. He''d thrown the last of his herbs, those that were used by the Cult of the Alchemist to hide their manipulation of chi, in the flames. The leaves and stems had been mostly blackened, but when they caught fire, the smell that rose from them was familiar. Within moments, he¡¯d been surrounded by a detection-dampening haze. He was just getting over another wave of agony when the beast arrived. He thought he imagined the vibration that ran through the surrounding soil, but then a great huffing sound came from nearby, making his blood run cold. Solomon froze, and in the silence that followed, a human voice breached his awareness. He couldn¡¯t make out the words, but it was definitely a male. As quietly as Solomon could, he sealed the hole to the outside world and went very, very still. Over the next few minutes, there were another series of vibrations and sounds, all building within to create a monolithic wall of anxiety. A cultivator and a spirit beast had detected his awakening. They had come to end his life. Though he hadn¡¯t heard the cultivator¡¯s words when he¡¯d spoken to the beast, he was sure: it was not the voice of Tom Osnan Jr. The revelation that there was more than one uncollared cultivator on the loose should have set his mind to boiling, but with the echoes of anguish lingering in his bones, he didn¡¯t particularly care about the details. Another wave of torment came, smothering him in misery. This was the longest yet, and when it finally ended, tears rolling down his face to pool on one cheek. Clenching his jaw, Solomon focused on the outside world, trying to detect any hint of the cultivator. Blessedly, it appeared as though his ruse had worked; the cultivator hadn¡¯t found his place of hiding. Even if Solomon wanted to leave, to flee now that the coast was clear, he wasn¡¯t sure he could. When he¡¯d first dug this hole, he thought it a temporary dwelling. A place he could hide until his body recuperated. With every new wave of searing agony that arrived, he became less and less sure that he would live through this. Unless something changed, this place would be his tomb. He laughed bitterly, his cult¡¯s concealing haze making his throat sting when he inhaled. ¡°Not a cult,¡± he croaked out, tears welling in his eyes. ¡°A church.¡± He had become the Alchemist of prophecy, using a potion to awaken. And here, alone and trapped underground, his church¡¯s celebrated deity would perish. He would have laughed then, but the next wave of suffering came. Before his consciousness faded, he hoped¡ªprayed¡ªfor his end. What could have been hours or days later, Solomon opened his eyes when a shuddering vibration shook his burial chamber. ¡°Welp,¡± came a muffled voice from above. ¡°Smells just as bad as I remember.¡± There was an odd accent and inflection to the voice, tugging at Solomon¡¯s memories. A part of his mind sought to eke out the source. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t wanna ruin a good pair of pants,¡± the voice continued conversationally, uncaring of Solomon¡¯s efforts. Pants...? Solomon had a long moment to consider the confusing statement before an odd sensation washed over him, making his skin tingle. At first, he thought it was the next episode of torment¡ªbut the pain never arrived. It¡¯s chi, he realized. The cultivator had found him. Solomon should have been distraught. Should have railed and fought for his life. Instead, he squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that it would be quick and painless. ¡°What is that...?¡± the voice asked, filled with curiosity. The next moment, the stranger¡¯s chi drove into Solomon, washing through his entire body. All but paralyzed, Solomon¡¯s eyes went wide as the stranger¡¯s essence infiltrated his core. Book 3: Chapter 62: Radiation Book 3: Chapter 62: Radiation I furrowed my brow as I continued feeling the world with my chi, focusing it right on the spot where the shack had been. All that remained of it now was a divot in the earth, covered by remnant... were they ashes? Rotten fibers? I rubbed some of the decaying material between my fingers, the texture gritty, porous, and... oily? Whatever the toxic chi had turned the wood into, it was decidedly unpleasant. I went to rub it on my leg, but caught myself just in time. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t wanna ruin a good set of pants...¡± It had only taken an hour or so to go back to Barry and let him know what I¡¯d found in the clearing. Thankfully, Ellis had been running an experiment with the smiths, so I¡¯d been able to make a clean getaway without too many questions. Even now, the former archivist might be on his way here. I had better hurry, then... I thought, smiling despite my surroundings. I sent my chi flooding out, dissipating the shield I had been covering my body with. I was ready to reform it at a moment¡¯s notice, but there was no need; the thick ropes of essence flowing from me were too strong for the toxic chi to get close to my body. I scanned the entire area in a fraction of a second, and as the results flooded into my awareness, I peered straight down, raising an eyebrow. The source of the corruption felt like it was below me, buried beneath the ground where the shack had been. ¡°What is that...?¡± I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. I honed in on it as a new fear emerged; had the cultivator or spirit beast retreated underground, burrowing their way to safety? But... no. There was no core there, neither beast nor human present. There was, however, a disgustingly potent dose of the acidic chi, and I felt it lashing out at my pure essence, trying to consume it. I snorted at its attempt. The little pocket of chi down there might be anathema to life, but it was pitifully weak. I poured a mere fraction of my core out. As I did, I pictured rays of light glowing from me, burning away all that was unwholesome. It was over in the blink of an eye, and a sense of unease I wasn¡¯t aware of fell away as the corruption was cleansed. With the blight gone, the forest air seemed to rush in, swirling into the vacuum left behind. ¡°Huh,¡± I said after taking a deep breath of the now-sweet air. ¡°That was easy. Should¡¯ve done it earlier.¡± I looked around, smiling as the world seemed right once more. I turned, crouched, and leaped, soaring over the forest. I had some fishin¡¯ to do. *** When Solomon could breathe again, he took a shuddering gasp of air. He expected it to sting. To burn as though his very lungs were aflame. His hole in the ground was still filled with haze, but inhaling it only made his throat tingle a little. The reality of the situation slowly settled over him as he felt his body¡¯s sensations. He had been healed, if that word could even cover the extent of his transformation. It had all happened so fast. One moment, he had been poisoned from within, cursed with the knowledge that his own chi was destroying him. The next, a force of nature had forced its way into his core and cauterized the corruption. Now that he was fixed, Solomon could continue taking steps on the path of ascension. He could become the embodiment of the Alchemist of prophecy. But that didn¡¯t seem so important anymore, because he had just encountered a being that, given time, would become true divinity. From that flash of power, something that could have only been seconds, Solomon had gleaned all he needed to know about the being that had purified him. Because of the haze filling the underground pocket of air that Solomon occupied, the stranger, an ascendent of unimaginable power, hadn¡¯t noticed him. Despite this, the stranger¡¯s chi had sought him out and... fixed him. That was easy, the man had said. Should¡¯ve done it earlier... When Solomon recalled how the man¡¯s essence felt, a faint smile came to his face. It had been... pure. The antithesis of the acidic chi radiating from Solomon and poisoning the surrounding forest. He had been terrified when it first happened, but the longer he was exposed to the other man¡¯s light, the more certain he became that the man wished him no ill will. Now that he was healed, he considered bursting up from the ground and pursuing the stranger. Part of him wanted to chase him down and thank him profusely, but the more primitive parts of his brain, those that were focused on self-preservation, urged caution. If the seemingly benevolent man was aware that Solomon had been the source of the corruption, would he be so kind? Solomon shook his head softly. No. There was much more to consider before he did something so brazen. How did this man¡¯s existence slot in with Solomon¡¯s understanding of the long-departed gods and their lingering wills? All the signs that he had attributed to the residual power of beings long departed¡ªwas it possible that he had been wrong...? Beneath the now-cleansed forest, breathing a haze that no longer hurt his throat, Solomon¡¯s enhanced mind began unwinding the threads of all he knew, so numerous they were uncountable. *** By the time I arrived back in the clearing it was almost midday, and I only had a single thought on my mind. ¡°Thank the gods,¡± Maria said, hugging me. ¡°What happened? Are you oka¡ª¡± ¡°Howmanyfishdidyoucatchwithoutme?¡± I blurted, unable to contain the words. Maria blinked up at me as I took a steadying breath, the rest of my brain catching up to the surroundings. Her lips formed a line and she slapped my chest, not hard enough to hurt me but enough to convey her annoyance. ¡°Are you serious? You leave me behind to go chase some vague threat, then come back and ask about fishing?¡± ¡°As full as my heart when I spot an entrancing young lady on the streets of Tropica¡ª¡± I went full matrix, leaning backward to dodge the pebble pelted my way. ¡°I meant you!¡± I laughed, shooting her a wink as she gave me an exaggerated pout. ¡°Fish on!¡± Deklan yelled, his rod bending in half. ¡°Bro...¡± Dom said, shaking his head. ¡°Why did you leave your line in?¡± ¡°I was retrieving it!¡± I rolled my eyes playfully, having already seen the slow retrieve Deklan was doing, my lackadaisical pal clearly hoping this exact scenario would play out. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said. ¡°Just don¡¯t catch any more after that one.¡± Deklan easily fought it back to shore, and without even removing it from the lake¡¯s water, he unhooked it and let it go, smiling to himself as it returned to the depths. ¡°Thanks, fishy,¡± he whispered to himself, watching it go. ¡°Okay, gang,¡± I said when I had their attention once more. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re good to go. Should we head off now?¡± ¡°As keen as I am to spend another night camping,¡± Maria said, ¡°I¡¯m even more excited to get back and cook up a feast for everyone.¡± The brothers both nodded, and as one, we started dismantling the basic camp. Within minutes, we were ready to go. After giving the area one last scan for anything we¡¯d missed, I gazed out at the lake. Everyone came to join me, settling into a comfortable silence as the calm waters drew us in. A soft breeze blew, rustling the surrounding leaves. ¡°This was a lovely little trip,¡± Maria said, resting a head on my shoulder. The brothers grunted in agreement and Borks let out an affirmative ruff, wagging his tail. I cast a gaze Teddy¡¯s way. ¡°Did you enjoy your first vacation, buddy?¡± He¡¯d been transfixed by the lake, and when he slowly swiveled my way, he gave me a slight nod, still entirely too polite. I rubbed his massive head. ¡°Good. There will be plenty more in the future.¡± I turned, striding for the wagon. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± After an hour, we¡¯d covered kilometers of ground, trees racing past as I maneuvered the wagon through them. With my power, I was able to match everyone else¡¯s pace. Surprisingly, I found it just as relaxing as when I was fishing earlier. I easily slipped into the rhythm, my body seeming to move of its own accord as I weaved to and fro beneath the trees. Seeking to stretch my capabilities, I sent my chi ahead of us, sensing where the trunks grew more sparse. I separated from the others for short distances, but I always returned, winding back toward them when the forest allowed. ¡°Stop showing off,¡± Maria said, trying and failing to appear annoyed. I just shot her a wink and gave her my best grin. We were halfway there now, and we¡¯d be home well before dark, leaving us plenty of time to prepare and cook¡ª Subtle as a hammer to the spine, a presence exploded into my awareness. I skidded to a stop, my eyes going wide as I faced the west. Within the blink of an eye, everyone came to my side. ¡°What is it?¡± Maria asked, her voice laden with worry as she looked around. ¡°Something far away,¡± I said, my nostrils flaring. If the acidic chi earlier was poison, whatever I felt was the equivalent of nuclear radiation. I hoped that my initial reaction was wrong, and that it would resolve into something more benign. It didn¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s... evil,¡± I said, clenching my jaw and fighting off a wave of nausea. Worse, it was powerful. I could feel it from so far away. Was it a person? A spirit beast? An¡ª A spear of terror jabbed my core as the anomaly appeared on the other side of me. I whirled, facing the east. Facing Tropica... Everyone else felt it this time, because they spun at the same time as I did. My skin prickled with its proximity, beads of sweat sprouting from my forehead. Whoever or whatever it was, they had come. Book 3: Chapter 63: Preordained Book 3: Chapter 63: Preordained Though there had been much to consider, it didn¡¯t take Solomon long to reach a decision. After less than an hour beneath the ground, filled with direction and determination, he raised a hand to the compacted earth. He¡¯d thought the strength of his enhanced body was impressive when he created the cavern, but it didn¡¯t hold a candle to his power now. His arm passed through the soil like a knife through butter, easily carving a way out into the daylight. Though the corruption had been cleaned away, the surrounding forest was still heavily damaged. No acidic chi remained, but their leaves, bark, and most of their branches were gone, having wasted away while his core was still leaking tainted essence. Despite this, his conscience was clean. The early afternoon sun shone its warmth over his skin, banishing any lingering worries. He had a path forward, one that would lead to his ascension. He wasn¡¯t yet sure what to do about the cultivator he¡¯d encountered, the man of pure chi that had cleansed his soul, but that didn¡¯t change his course. Solomon¡¯s plan was simple. He was going to create potions. He was going to experiment. And he was going to gain power. Then, only once he had more strength, he could decide whether to approach the stranger. He took a single step forward, intent on finding his first batch of ingredients, but paused. With the agony he¡¯d been subjected to earlier, he¡¯d been too distracted to truly notice how much his body had changed. Now that the pain was gone, he closed his eyes, focusing on his other senses. The smallest of breezes blew, making the remaining leaves shift and sway in the surrounding trees. The sound was almost deafening as it built to a cacophonous roar, only partially muted when the air struck his skin, distracting him. The scents of the forest came next. Solomon well knew what decaying plant-life smelled like, but he¡¯d never experienced it like this. The aroma was so potent that it dulled everything else, drawing him in. Following a hunch, he tried to reduce his sensitivity. Perhaps it was a skill he¡¯d have to practice. He¡ª The air immediately behind him, right above where his shack had been, erupted into flames. Though his body was improved, it was like standing next to the sun, and he dashed away. Well, he tried to. His legs failed him, and Solomon skidded across the recently healed grass, crashing against a dead tree. He¡¯d not picked up enough speed to smash through the half-decayed trunk, so he lay against it, his limbs not doing what he ordered them to. With his eyes wide and terror crawling up from his abdomen, he witnessed the impossible. A bonfire smoldered in midair, tendrils licking out unnaturally fast. They seemed to weave into a pattern, following invisible threads that made little sense... until they formed a circle. The moment the shape was noticeable, it burgeoned out, slowly burning larger and larger. Foul wind poured from the gap in the sickly flames, even more rancid than the corruption that had previously tainted Solomon¡¯s core. A wave of nausea washed over him, yet he couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t escape. Try as he might, he was locked in place. Squinting against the turgid portal¡¯s unholy light, all he could do was watch as the first figure emerged. A man leaped through, the withering grass combusting around his feet when he landed. He wore flames like a noble would don jewelry, rings, bracelets, and a necklace of flames all moving as unnaturally as the portal. And atop his head, extending into seven flickering points, a crown made the man seem even taller than he was. The air warped around it, the headpiece seeming to suck in its own light. Solomon recognized the man. ¡°K¡ª¡± his voice cut off, and he took a wheezing breath that ended in a wracking cough. ¡°King...?¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona¡¯s eyes flicked to Solomon, and he took a step forward. ¡°Fischer...¡± he said, his hatred burning even brighter than the flames. Six people came through behind the king. Despite lacking the living fires he wore, the same nauseating aroma oozed from the women. He thought he recognized them from somewhere, but Solomon couldn¡¯t place it. ¡°No...¡± the king said, his jaw tensing and relaxing swiftly. ¡°Not Fischer. But I know you... don¡¯t I?¡± A jumble of people hopped through the rent in space next, moving chaotically and barrelling into the six women. The women, whose identities were still tugging at part of Solomon¡¯s mind, turned and made to attack the latter group. They tittered and leaped away from the threat, separating around the clearing. ¡°Free?¡± ¡°Free!¡± ¡°Freeee!¡± they chorused, laughing as they hopped about. ¡°Now, now,¡± one of them said, the voice like a punch to Solomon¡¯s frontal cortex. ¡°My little birds are just happy that they can spread their wings. There is no need for violence, handlers.¡± ¡°He told me that he knew my son, who has been living in Tropica for the last few years.¡± He gestured at the surrounding trees. ¡°This isn¡¯t Tropica. This isn¡¯t the coastal town I pointed to on the map. You brought us to the wrong place.¡± The king''s fire grew hotter as he took a step toward Osnan, who clenched his fists as vines rose from beneath him, writhing in the air. As with the king¡¯s flames, the power radiated corrupted chi. ¡°Ah, such chance happenings!¡± Francis said, broadcasting his voice. ¡°You were stationed in Tropica, Solomon, were you not?¡± As all eyes turned to him, Solomon nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just east of here. Close.¡± A vicious grin came to the king¡¯s face. ¡°Good. We can address your insubordination later, Tom.¡± The roots rising from Osnan¡¯s feet creaked as they wound around one another, nauseating chi pouring from them. ¡°Why don¡¯t we address it now?¡± There was a madness in the two men¡¯s eyes, and the more chi they exuded, the worse it became. If Solomon did nothing, there was a good chance their clash would lead to his destruction. ¡°It¡¯s my fault!¡± he yelled, getting their attention. Both hate-filled gazes shot toward him, and he swallowed, his throat dry and scratchy. ¡°I awakened here earlier today by creating a potion. Something went wrong with the concoction, and I... I barely survived.¡± He nodded at one of the trees. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your arrival that killed everything here. It was me. I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s why you were drawn here instead of directly to Tropica. Neither of you are to blame.¡± ¡°Ah, such humble words from this loyal servant. A mere accident, I say!¡± Francis said. ¡°Nay, perhaps it was divine intervention that¡ª¡± Below them, something colossal stirred. The very ground shook, and as Solomon sent his new senses downward, he found it. There was a network down there, a net of sorts that ran in every direction. Though partially intangible, it sprawled out toward the west. Eastward, where Tropica sat and the king was headed, it grew more dense. Every cultivator present must have felt the same thing, because they all looked down, their brows furrowing. Even the ¡®birds¡¯ grew serious, the odd network below the only thing that had broken their childlike behavior. ¡°You see?¡± Francis beseeched, staring at the king. ¡°Tropica has defensive measures! A mesh of power that spans the distance of mountains! It might have led to our destruction¡ªer, I mean, the destruction of those less powerful than you, my king. Our arrival here was preordained!¡± When Solomon felt the pure essence that made up most of the underground object¡¯s power, his suspicions were confirmed. The man that had cleansed him, that being of such pure unrivaled power that had easily healed his poisoned body, was the same person that the king was hunting. He¡¯d seen the man before, in line for coffee at Lena¡¯s Cafe what felt like lifetimes ago. Solomon had noted his odd accent¡ªthe same one he¡¯d heard earlier today. The chi held in the mesh below was his. It was Fischer¡¯s. Solomon couldn¡¯t forget how it felt if he tried. In the silence that followed, none could have been more shocked than Solomon. That¡¯s what he had thought, anyway¡ªup until the moment he spied Tom Onan Sr. The king noticed too, because he narrowed his eyes on him. ¡°What now, Tom? Thought of some new way to vex me?¡± Solomon expected the lord to bite back, to instigate another fight. Instead, he simply shook his head, looking almost sick. ¡°It¡¯s definitely him, Augustus. That power...¡± A shiver ran down Tom Osnan¡¯s spine. ¡°Fischer is in Tropica, and whatever that thing is below us, he put it there. I¡¯m certain.¡± The king started laughing, the sound... wrong. Like someone had thrown wet wood in a raging fire. The ¡®birds¡¯ joined in, just happy for an excuse to giggle. ¡°Good,¡± the king finally said, then cleared his throat. ¡°Fischer has thought to set up a defense, but all he¡¯s done is lead us directly to where he is. Follow the net, find the Fischer.¡± Without another word, he turned and faced the east. ¡°Let us introduce ourselves. We wouldn¡¯t want to be ungracious guests...¡± The king started walking, trees charring and smoking as he passed. Solomon stood and watched as most everyone fell into step, following his lead. Francis came to his side, a few of his ¡®birds¡¯ remaining to cast sidelong glances their way. ¡°Hang on a second...¡± Francis said, frowning after them. ¡°Is that the King?¡± Book 3: Chapter 64: Dark Clouds Book 3: Chapter 64: Dark Clouds Beneath a sky of pale blue and surrounded by verdant forest, a wave of nausea washed over me. I stumbled, the sensation so strong that it felt like a physical blow. I let go of the cart, and as I took another step forward, Maria caught me. Though she supported my weight, her face told me that whatever had come was affecting her too. I shook my head and tried to stand upright. Something was wrong. It was as if gravity had increased, but it wasn¡¯t impacting my entire body¡ªjust my lower half. ¡°What¡ª¡± I cut off as my chi was yanked from my core, channeling down into the ground. Maria let out a sharp gasp, and I felt some of her essence pass through me. Our intertwined power shot deeper and deeper. Heading for... the vast network of ropes that had connected my friends and me when we were skybound. Without my permission, my core had opened up and given freely. Maria had been touching me when it started, and I¡¯d subconsciously requisitioned her power too. ¡°Fischer!¡± Maria half-yelled, her voice panicked. ¡°What was that? What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°The...¡± I swallowed. ¡°Our bond.¡± Her eyes widened a little, and despite my vague answer, she understood. Her gaze flicked down and I felt her awareness extend, tracing my chi as it poured down into the thing we¡¯d created together. Instinctively, I knew that I could cut it off. If I truly wanted, I could rally my will and slam the flood-gates closed. Doing so would leave me free to move, to go and confront whoever or whatever had arrived so close to home. So why did that feel like it was the incorrect move? Anxiety bubbled up, starting as a burbling stream and quickly becoming a swollen river. My desire to go stamp out the threat warred with the bonds to those I held dearest. The network below us, the container that was both empty yet filled with potential, demanded that I let my chi flow into it. But my conscious mind couldn¡¯t fathom why. I swore, gritting my teeth. ¡°I need to power it. Frack me. I don¡¯t know why, but I need to. I might have to stay here...¡± Seeing my distress, Borks dashed to me and nuzzled my leg. Only to let out a yelp and leap back, his tail between his legs. ¡°Nobody touch me,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll steal your chi. I didn¡¯t mean to do that, Borks. I¡¯m sorry. I¡ª¡± ¡°Can you get in the pocket dimension?¡± Deklan cut in. ¡°Borks¡¯s, I mean.¡± ¡°No. That would stop my power from exiting. And don¡¯t ask me how I know that. I¡¯ve got no clue.¡± ¡°The cart!¡± Maria yelled. ¡°Can you get on the cart?¡± Suspecting it just might work, I spun, willing my body to move. I was barely upright, and when I tried to lift myself, I lacked the strength. I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°On three!¡± Deklan said. ¡°Lift him on three! Everyone ready?¡± My eyes darted around, too overwhelmed to protest. They all nodded at Deklan¡¯s words and got into position. ¡°One. Two¡ª¡± Jumping the gun, Teddy lifted me with his mighty paws, lobbing me into the air. His reactive roar tore through the forest as I stole some of his core¡¯s power, so loud that it shook the surrounding trees. As I blinked up at the sky, my senses were only half focused on the small birds fleeing; they were mostly centered around the absolute torrent of chi being yoinked from my abdomen ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Maria said, grabbing one of the handles as Dom grabbed the other. ¡°We¡¯re going back to Tropica. Teddy¡ªmake us a path! We can replant the trees!¡± I tried to shoot him an apologetic look, but Teddy was already barreling forward. Borks and Deklan joined him. Before their combined might, the forest might as well have been made of straw. Maria and Dom took off, and I felt a pang of regret for the chunks of splintered wood flying to land around us. I swept it aside. Now wasn¡¯t the time. We had to get back to Tropica. We had to get back to our friends. *** Within the Church of Fischer¡¯s headquarters in New Tropica, Barry shook his head, smiling at the debate being waged before him. ¡°Let it go, Ellis,¡± Theo said. ¡°They¡¯ll be back today or tomorrow.¡± Queen Bee and Bumblebro nodded their thanks, then darted away. Barry expected them to go toward the west, but they flew for Bill and Pelly instead. Barry raised an eyebrow, but with a single gesture from Queen Bee, both Pelly and Bill shot skyward. With their necks extended, twin honks came from them, so loud that Barry wanted to cover his ears. The sight eased some of his worry. It reminded him that although he was the de facto leader here, the other members of the congregation were more than capable of organizing themselves. Clearing the trees was Snips and Pistachio¡¯s idea. Claws and Cinnamon had taken it upon themselves to gather ammunition and a place to fire it from. Lemon and the other tree spirit were doing something underground. And the bees and pelicans had been in communication, having prepared a way to recall the Buzzy Boys if the order was given. The capabilities of everyone present were a soothing balm, yet it didn¡¯t quash all of his anxiety. He surveyed the field again, his lips forming a line. Was this really the best place to defend? It made sense from a tactical point of view; this was the only road that led into Tropica and was the path of least resistance. But would the enemy recognize that and choose a different approach? Judging by how slowly the enemy was moving, the defensive force had time to reposition. He faced the south, toward New Tropica, then north, where the mountains weren¡¯t so prevalent. They¡¯d discussed this time and time again. They¡¯d decided if an enemy force came, this was the best place to hold the defense. Was there something they hadn¡¯t considered, though? More information that would lead to a different decision being reached? His thoughts started to spiral, building into a storm. ¡°Barry.¡± Roger said, appearing before him in an instant and causing a wall of air to crash into him. Barry shook his head, returning to the present. ¡°Sorry, I was just wondering if¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. Stop it.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse my bluntness, you need to stop questioning yourself.¡± All Barry could do was blink. ¡°I could feel your unease from across the field,¡± Roger continued, his tone matter-of-fact and not at all accusatory. ¡°Now, only some of us have had the breakthrough that lets us sense emotions clearly, but a few of those that came from Gormona are rather... perceptive. I saw more than one head darting your way just now.¡± The words struck Barry like a gut punch, and a spear of guilt lodged itself firmly in his abdomen. ¡°Sorry.¡± Roger shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This is your first battle, if that¡¯s even what we¡¯ll call this when all is said and done. A little doubt is only natural. That¡¯s usually the commander¡¯s role. Here, though, with an army of superhuman thought-detectors on your side? It might be best to push those doubts away. By all means, consider every angle, but don¡¯t let yourself slip into despair.¡± Barry blinked again. Abruptly, he barked a laugh. ¡°Having superhuman thought detectors as friends really muddies the waters, huh?¡± A wry smile crossed Roger¡¯s lips. ¡°Aye. That it does. If anyone has to have cultivators, though, I¡¯m glad they¡¯re on our side.¡± Roger¡¯s eyes went distant for a moment, and as he chewed his upper lip, Barry got an intense feeling of melancholy, strong enough for even him to feel. Roger sucked air through his teeth. ¡°Well, look at me not following my own advice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± Theo said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t there, but I¡¯ve heard tell of the war you were in.¡± Roger ran a hair through his hair. ¡°Better to get lost in thought now than when the enemy arrives, I suppose. I¡¯d best go line up the troops.¡± He turned and strode away, the air around him even sharper than the sword sheathed at his waist. Barry took a slow breath, doing one of the exercises from Earth that Fischer had shown him. A minute later, his pulse had slowed. As the outside world returned to the forefront of his awareness, Barry heard Roger¡¯s barked orders. He had separated the congregation into two distinct groups: defenders and reservists. The former was larger by far, broken up into seven squads of eight-to-twelve based on complimentary powers. They lined up as Roger instructed, moving to the places he pointed with his sword. Barry¡¯s eyes were drawn to the weapon. It had been created by Roger and the smiths and looked like a normal sword. Well, it would have looked like a normal sword if it didn¡¯t have streaks of pitch-black metal running through it. It caught the afternoon sunlight, the silver metal reflecting it and the black metal drinking it in. He¡¯d have to inspect it once this was all over. Footsteps approached Barry, and he already knew who it was before turning. ¡°Everything ready?¡± he asked. ¡°Just so,¡± Keith replied. Beside him, Trent¡¯s jaw was tense, his eyes watching the distant horizon. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you have any more insight?¡± Barry asked, searching Trent¡¯s face. ¡°Do you still believe it¡¯s him?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t learn anything new, and I couldn¡¯t tell you how I know... but I¡¯m almost certain.¡± Suddenly, a flash of orange lit the back of the western mountains. Like a meteor flying toward the heavens, an orb of blazing fire came into view, soaring upward and flaring. When it reached the clouds, it exploded, the blast brighter than the setting sun. Though it had the color of normal fire, that sickening chi flew from it, the wave potent enough to make more than a few of the congregation clutch their stomachs. Barry held firm, watching the flames as they burned out, leaving black streaks in their wake. Trent¡¯s upper lip twitched as he looked at the now-dull sky. ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯m one-hundred percent certain.¡± He spat to the side, a dark cloud passing over his face. ¡°It¡¯s my father. He has come.¡± Book 3: Chapter 65: Doubt Book 3: Chapter 65: Doubt From the rear of the procession, Solomon watched as the king knelt down and gathered power. Augustus Reginalrd Gormona had said he had a warning for Fischer and the rest of the traitors. When the king unleashed an uppercut faster than even Solomon¡¯s enhanced eyes could track, he cringed back from the flames, singed by even that small exposure. In an instant, the fireball was rocketing upward, the oppressive heat becoming a tolerable warmth the further it got away. On and on it flew, heading toward the clouds. ¡°Psst.¡± Solomon jumped, the sound having come from right beside him. Francis was there, standing between Solomon and the king. ¡°I¡¯m not mad,¡± Francis said, watching the fireball. ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°No, really. I¡¯m not mad, and I have no intention of following this false god.¡± His eyes flicked to Solomon¡¯s. They were sharp and attentive, no longer appearing hazy. ¡°Tell me. Did you truly awaken by creating a potion, Solomon? Are you the Alchemist?¡± Solomon licked his lips, peering past Francis to look at the king. ¡°They can hear your treachery...¡± ¡°No, they can¡¯t.¡± Francis lifted the thurible he was holding¡ªa small cage on the end of a chain. Incense burned within, causing wisps of smoke to fill the air. It had an oddly familiar smell. ¡°A creation of my own making. It mutes sound.¡± Solomon had noticed the odd cage before, and he wasn¡¯t the only one. When the King had asked about it, Francis said, ¡°I am burning it in anticipatory celebration of your swift victory,¡± which had made the king roll his eyes and drop the line of questioning. Now that Solomon had been told, he realized that Francis was telling the truth. Anything beyond the wisps of smoke sounded as if it was far away, even to his enhanced hearing. ¡°... How?¡± he asked, dumbfounded. ¡°Wrong question,¡± Francis said, his back to the king. ¡°What matters is what we¡¯re going to do about this situation. Keep your eyes peeled for a chance to escape. If you¡¯re truly the Alchemist, Solomon, we need you to gather more power and¡ª¡± The fireball high above exploded, consuming the sky and casting an orange light over everything. Even from the ground, it was like standing next to a roaring bonfire, the flames singing all they touched. A hot wind washed over them, expelling the incense and returning sound to the world. Francis whirled, one shoulder dipping as he let out a loud, ¡°Ooooh! How pretty!¡± He slipped toward his ¡®birds¡¯, singing, ¡°Are you okay, my dears? Did any of your feathers get burned?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Feathers?¡± they called, cackling together as a warm breeze swept over them. Two of the former nobles had used their bodies to shield the merchant Marcus, the only non-cultivator present, from the blast. They hopped toward their fellows now, abandoning Marcus in favor of laughing with the others. Despite the heat, a shiver ran through Solomon, goosebumps sprouting on his skin. How long had Francis been feigning madness? For a moment, Francis¡¯s deference crept into him, making a sense of self-importance propagate. But then the memory of Fischer¡¯s chi came slicing through, cutting all of Solomon¡¯s delusions off at the stem. Even with centuries to gather chi, would he ever hold a candle to Fischer¡¯s incandescence? If Solomon were to truly become the Alchemist that his cult¡ªhis church¡ªspoke of, would he need to eclipse that blinding light? The king, who had his hands held wide and his face bent skyward, abruptly roared. The sound was unnatural in both frequency and volume. It made every cell in Solomon¡¯s body wish to flee, but was nothing compared to the wave of sickly chi that hit him. He immediately crumpled, his arms only barely holding him up as he retched. Instinctively, his eyes flicked toward the roaring figure, wanting to keep an eye on the threat that was the King¡¯s existence. Everyone but the cultivators that had channeled the corrupted chi were also on the ground, all being sick. The King made a disgusted noise as he stared down at his wife and his daughter, both women holding themselves upright just as Solomon did. ¡°Pathetic.¡± His voice sounded like it came from a different direction, the corrupted chi warping Solomon¡¯s senses. The King continued, ¡°This is your punishment for refusing to channel this wondrous essence. Keel over and repent.¡± Seeing such contempt for his own daughter made another layer of terror form atop Solomon¡¯s core. He¡¯d been stationed in the capital, and was one of the few cultivators trusted to deliver the royal family their medicine. Despite the man¡¯s reputation of grandeur and ruthlessness, Princess Tryphena had always softened his fist. Now, as King Augustus Reginald Gormona stared down at that same girl, the daughter whose presence always brought a smile to his face, his visage held disappointment and scorn. With the King¡¯s gaze still locked on his own flesh and blood, he pulled his fist back, gathering power. Just as I trusted it to draw from my core, I trusted it now. At any point, I could cut off the power flowing from me. Now that I knew it might create a physical wall to block me, I could smash through it if I wanted to. It might have caught me off guard, but it was my chi. I was in control of it if I put my mind to it. Soothing waves washed over me, an echo of my animal pals and Maria reassuring me that everything was going to be okay. ¡°We don¡¯t have the time,¡± I said. ¡°The mesh we created, the thing with all that latent potential... It wants me to stay here. I need to stay here. You guys need to leave me. It only needs me to stay. I¡¯ll join you as soon as I can.¡± ¡°I am not leaving you!¡± Maria declared. I didn¡¯t need to search her eyes to know that she wasn¡¯t lying. Knowing any objection to be a futile endeavor, I nodded. ¡°Okay. Everyone else¡ªplease go back and help them. Go defend Tropica, just in case.¡± There was the faintest moment of hesitation, in which Deklan, Dom, Teddy, and Borks all stared at me. Reaching the same conclusion simultaneously, they nodded, and then they were off. I opened my mouth to call toward Borks, to tell him that he should go on ahead. His power was a stage above everyone else, and if he traveled alone, he¡¯d get there faster. It wasn¡¯t necessary, however. Borks slipped through a portal, sparing me a glance and a slight wag of his tail before the crack in space closed behind him. Maria knelt down beside me, and we watched as Teddy, Deklan, and Dom dashed away, the two brothers still dragging the cart. Despite the situation, I couldn¡¯t help but smile at their departure as they disappeared over the mountain, trailing the path of destruction. ¡°They could have left the cart here...¡± ¡°And leave their precious catch behind?¡± Maria replied, amusement in her voice. ¡°You¡¯d sooner convince me to leave you behind.¡± When she turned to me, her expression was severe. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± I nodded, not having to think about it. ¡°This is where I need to be.¡± I closed my eyes and focused on the chi pouring from me. As soon as I did, I understood. Here, with my core close to the ground and my body centered, my chi flowed out with ease. Buckets of it entered the underground network. The echoes of my friends¡¯ wills were in the periphery, urging me to continue feeding it. If not for their encouragement, I¡¯d have cut my essence off long ago. From beside me, I felt Maria settle into the same cross-legged posture, and with her permission, the mesh drew from her core as well. It was a smaller stream, but still a significant amount for her less-advanced core. I reached out, and sensing my presence, her fingers interlaced with mine. Hand in hand, we channeled our chi, slowly filling the network of interconnected lines below. *** Barry clenched his jaw as the disgusting chi raced their way, traveling faster than anything he¡¯d sensed before. A quiet settled over the defensive forces, more than a few struggling to stay upright against the onslaught of nausea that came with each pulse of power. The sky to the west grew orange, the light having nothing to do with the setting sun. Tones of red joined in, bleeding from just over the closest mountain range and spreading out toward the horizon. It was like the very heavens were aflame. Doubt spoke up from within Barry, rearing its ugly head as the skies turned maroon. He looked toward Roger, seeking reassurance. The sword-aspect cultivator was conversing with Anna, but when he noticed Barry¡¯s inner thoughts, he glanced over. He gave Barry a thumbs up, which was about as sappy as Roger could get. Barry nodded. He clenched his jaw, his self-doubt dying down. In its wake, excitement took hold. It had been there all along, an ember waiting to catch flame. Seeing Roger¡¯s confidence had cleared away Barry¡¯s worry, allowing oxygen to fuel the fire. His limbs tingled as his anticipation rose to a fever pitch. Crimson waves of light came over the closest mountain, drawing all of Barry¡¯s attention. Judging by the strength of the corrupted chi, the enemy wasn¡¯t far off. In mere minutes they would arrive, and the Church of Fischer would finally have a chance to test the efficacy of its¡ª The top half of the closest mountain exploded. A giant orb of flames tore through it, shattering the rock there as if it were made of glass. The sphere shot down the slope toward them, barreling directly for the front line of defenders. Book 3: Chapter 66: The Heavens Descend Book 3: Chapter 66: The Heavens Descend What Barry had first assumed was a giant fireball unraveled as it flowed down the slope, the thin ropes of burning flame that comprised it lashing out to destroy every bit of life they could touch. Though the surrounding trees were green and lush, that did nothing to stop them from combusting. Before the first fragment of shattered mountain hit the ground, most of the mountainside was ablaze. And all Barry could do was watch as the living conflagration descended. The top of the raging orb was open now, revealing the figures within. They were more numerous than he¡¯d expected, over a dozen people riding within the half sphere. Most of them were upright, but the rest were pinned to the back wall by the speed at which they traveled. Among those standing, one figure stood taller than the rest. The disgusting chi radiated from his core, winding out to fuel the myriad flames. Augustus Reginald Gormona. The king. ¡°Fischerrr!¡± he screamed at the sky, his voice seeming to come from everywhere at once. His arms were held to the side, and as he lowered his gaze, he clapped his hands together. Everyone atop the bubble skidding to a stop. But the chi continued on. It flowed forward across the packed earth, becoming a two-meter high wall of flame. More of the sickly essence came oozing from the king, pouring out to increase the deadly wall. It grew in width, encompassing the entire length of the defending forces. Half of them, mostly those of the reservists, were crumpled to the floor, unable to stand as the king¡¯s corrupting chi sent waves of nausea crashing over them. They were defenseless as the flames raced forward like an orange and red tsunami, ready to extinguish their lives. But the Church of Fischer was prepared. A number of humans and creatures flew forward, appearing between the defenders and the encroaching flames. Chi flooded from them. Private Pistachio¡¯s claws slammed together, delivering twin blasts that tore a hole through the eastern section. Sergeant Snips flew forward with blue light streaming from her carapace, and she released rapid-fire arcs of energy that exploded when they hit, blowing that bit of wall backwards. On the left side, Ellis threw himself into the path of the fire. It flowed around the shining scaled armor of his own creation, the wall there scattering into separate streams that Private Pelly and Warrant Officer Williams beat back with flaps of their mighty wings. Two men stood in the center, standing against the storm. Roger drew back his sword, and when he lashed out, the air split. A sound like metal on metal cut through the roar of the flames, slicing it in half. The wall exploded. Trent was on his right, his hands aglow. The rest of the approaching fires had been neutralized by the others, yet he waited, gathering his power. Roger drew back his sword again, preparing to unleash another cut, but there was no need. Trent¡¯s fist punched out, twin infernos pouring from his core and out of his body. The columns slammed into his father¡¯s attack. Boooom! The explosion made air shoot outward, striking Barry a physical blow that was strong enough to knock a non-cultivator from their feet. Rather than neutralize the wall as others¡¯ attacks had, the violent reaction engulfed Trent, the blast large enough for Roger to have to leap back a few meters. Barry might have felt a moment of worry for Trent¡¯s wellbeing, but he could see a shadow of his form through the fire. The prince was relaxed, and when the flames finally died, he stood tall. His outer robe had been consumed, leaving behind an instantly recognizable item of clothing that they¡¯d stolen from the king. Indestructible Flame Suit of the Weaver Rare Woven of web from a core weaver, this suit is almost completely impervious to damage from all chi. It does not provide any resistance. Bonus Effect: +30 percent effectiveness to fire chi. It fit snug against Trent¡¯s body, revealing well-defined muscle that belied the portly state he¡¯d possessed when first coming to Tropica. It wasn¡¯t just his awakening that had caused the transformation, but also months of hard work and physical training. The field was completely clear now, and hatred covered Trent¡¯s face as he stared his father down. The king, however, had eyes for someone else. ¡°You show yourself, Lizard Wizard!¡± Augustus Reginald Gormona spat, a manic hint in his tone. ¡°Where is your master, foul sorcerer? Bring him to¡ª¡± A scream tore across the battlefield, shrill enough to cut off the king¡¯s monologue. Barry immediately knew who she was based on the descriptions he¡¯d heard. Penelope Francine Gormona tried to stand but fell back to her knees, her lower lip quivering. ¡°Trent? Is that you?¡± Barry took a half step forward, but there was nothing he could do to save them. No one could get there in time. Steeling himself, he prepared to avert his gaze, not wanting to witness the carnage. But before the flames could erupt, a chaotic web of black lines split the air between Solomon and the king. The latter dashed backward, so when Borks flew from the portal, the king was off balance. Borks let out a vicious growl and licked his teeth. He was in the form that Fischer had called a... was it a Chi-wow-wow? Still midair and not at all caring for Barry¡¯s musings, Borks shifted into a breed that was built like an anvil, its face smooshed and skin covered in rolls. Tucking his legs, Borks hit the king with the force of a fur-covered cannonball. Augustus Reginald Gormona was sent flying. He crashed into the group of corrupted cultivators, each of them leaping forward to catch him and arrest his momentum. The moment Borks touched the ground, he shifted again. In his true form now, that of a hellhound of nightmare, he used the first ability that Barry had ever seen him utilize. Black vines of shadow erupted from the earth, wrapping the arms, legs, and torsos of everyone who had the disgusting chi in their cores. Borks shifted for the third time in so many seconds. Now covered in golden fur, he appeared before Marcus and licked him on the cheek, wagging his tail. The merchant, who had been assailed by the king¡¯s sickly chi since their arrival, blinked up at Borks from the ground. ¡°Borks...?¡± he croaked, his eyes unbelieving. Borks nodded, grabbed him by the collar, and flicked him into the air. A portal opened, and Marcus sailed through it. When the other side appeared beside Barry, he was ready. He caught Marcus and gestured for a defender to come over. ¡°Take him to safety!¡± The man nodded, collected Marcus with care, and took off toward Tropica. In the short time that took, Borks had already sent the rest through. First came the queen, then the princess, followed by the alchemists, Solomon and Francis. Now that they were close, Barry was even more sure. These people were no threat. Their cores were less powerful than his, and he was far from the strongest cultivator present. Peter, who had experienced a breakthrough, let his power wash out over everyone. ¡°The missing cook...?¡± the queen asked, blinking up at the former royal chef. ¡°Hello, your highness. Seems like you might have gotten yourself in over your head.¡± He patted her on the shoulder, making her cringe back. ¡°It¡¯s Peter, by the way. Don¡¯t do anything silly, and you won¡¯t be hurt.¡± Whether because of his words or his innate power, she shrank back. Princess Tryphena reached for her chi, which was, as Fischer would say, an objectively bad move. Peter flicked her on the chin, knocking her out cold. The queen gasped but dared not make a move. Borks had leaped through after them, and as he dismissed the portal, he wobbled, his legs shaking. He was spent. He reverted to his hellhound form and collapsed to the sand, his tongue lolling and chest heaving. ¡°Good boy,¡± Barry said. Despite not stopping for a moment, Borks had accurately assessed the situation. Those he¡¯d brought through weren¡¯t any sort of threat. If anything, they were in danger by remaining next to the king. Barry didn¡¯t feel any sort of allegiance to the people cowering on the ground before him, but from what he knew, they weren¡¯t deserving of death. He patted Borks¡¯s side. ¡°You are such a good boy.¡± Borks wagged his tail, and Barry stood, surveying the scene. Borks¡¯s vines were still holding everyone down. They struggled against them, reefing their limbs in a futile attempt at escape. The hellhound had gained even more power since joining them here in Tropica, and despite his exhaustion, he kept them constricted. Even the king was down, apparently still stunned by the earlier attack. They were all defenseless, yet no one had moved against them. But there was a good reason for that. Barry cast his eyes skyward, a small smile gracing his lips. ¡°Odd weather we¡¯ve been having lately, wouldn¡¯t you say, Peter?¡± Peter nodded, his eyes reflecting blue light as he looked up. ¡°I¡¯d hate to be caught in that storm without an umbrella. Looks pretty, though.¡± Following their gazes, Solomon¡¯s jaw dropped open, and there it remained as he watched the heavens descend. The first boulder, launched from a nearby mountaintop and wreathed in lightning, soared directly toward the still-dazed king. Behind it, dozens followed, looking like nothing so much as shooting stars. Book 3: Chapter 67: Attack Book 3: Chapter 67: Attack A high-pitched whistle rang over the battlefield, growing louder by the second as it cut through the dying flames still crackling on the mountainside. The trees there were blackened and charred, their fibers having long been burned away. Something deep within Barry¡¯s mind wanted to retreat from the approach of something large enough to be heard from hundreds of meters away. He set that instinct aside. It wasn¡¯t needed. As the strike from above drew closer, he clicked his tongue. The lightning-covered boulder was slightly off-target. It didn¡¯t really matter, though. It would land right beside the king, the monarch certainly within the blast radius. Besides, there were plenty more to come. At least one of them would be a direct hit. In the moments before the first one landed, Barry cast his vision upward, wanting to witness the beautiful barrage. The ¡®stars¡¯ were brighter now, having gotten closer to the ground. He stared as long as possible, soaking in the sight. Abruptly, he squinted and leaned forward, trying to get a better look. ¡°Peter...¡± ¡°Yes, Barry?¡± He pointed up. ¡°Third boulder from the left, all the way at the back. Is that...?¡± Peter held up a hand to block out the setting sun. He searched for less than a second before his eyes went wide. He boomed a laugh. ¡°What the frack is she doing?¡± Pressed against the bottom of the boulder, with her needle-sharp teeth locked in a vicious smile, Corporal Claws launched herself. To a regular human, all they would have seen was a bolt of bright-blue lightning splitting the afternoon air. The skin of Claws¡¯s face rippled back, the force of her approach creating drag on even her enhanced body. In a fraction of a fraction of a second, she was on the off-target boulder. She struck it with great care, her limbs absorbing the landing only to extend them once more and course-correct the giant stone. The boulder, now covered in even more lightning, rocketed directly at the king. It hit with sickening force, the ground shifting beneath Barry¡¯s feet. Everything that followed happened in the blink of an eye. A crater appeared, the expelled air and dirt sending everyone around the king flying. Claws did a loop and crashed down after her boulder, hitting with enough force to make a second blast shake the world. All the spirit beasts attacked, their respective powers launched for the closest enemy. Roger drew his sword back and readied a strike, holding it as a defensive measure should any of the corrupted cultivators recover. Trent, with flames rocketing from his back, shot forward, heading for the crater his father and Claws were at the bottom of. Time seemed to freeze as the attacks flew. Barry felt the wave of sickening nausea before he saw the flames. It was the foulest yet, and as it rolled over Barry¡¯s core, his vision spun. When the inferno erupted from the crater, he was blasted from his feet. Tendrils of flame wound from the hole as if they had their own wills, climbing over each other in search of prey. They shielded all the king¡¯s allies, consuming the attacks that the defenders had sent their way. Claws, the whites of her eyes showing as she glanced back in panic, rocketed out ahead of the conflagration. Even she couldn¡¯t withstand the heat... It was all Barry needed to see. ¡°Reservists!¡± he yelled, getting back to his feet. ¡°Retreat to the citizens!¡± They¡¯d have no issue dealing with this threat, and he didn¡¯t want to pointlessly risk anyone¡¯s life. Remembering that they had organized a signal for such a circumstance, he pulled the horn from his belt and let out two long tones, followed by a short one. The reservists fled, helping each other as they went. The flames gave chase. As they flared in pursuit, Barry felt the king¡¯s will behind them. They weren¡¯t conscious at all; they were directed. They rushed to close the distance, heading for those that were closest. In a single fluid movement, Roger got back to his feet and lashed out with his sword, the blade arcing through the air. The razor-sharp chi that shot from him both literally and figuratively sliced through the king¡¯s will, splitting the entire explosion in a crosscut pattern. The countless sections detonated, combining to rush past Barry as hot wind. High above the ground, Claws latched onto Bill¡¯s back. Cinnamon was atop Pelly next to them. Together, they returned to the ground, landing amongst the reforming defenders. All eyes were on the crater as the king stirred within. Even Barry could feel the circulation of that disgusting chi as the monarch strode up the slope. As he came into view, Barry¡¯s stomach churned, and it wasn¡¯t only because of the essence coming from his core. Roger¡¯s arm shook violently now, a soldier fighting back the urge to attack. ¡°You tore through my men¡ªyour own troops¡ªlike a reaper through wheat, you insane piece of shit.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the king said. ¡°I understand now... you were a soldier in the campaign against Theogonia.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Roger spat. ¡°A Captain.¡± ¡°Unimportant.¡± The king shrugged one shoulder, his disconcertingly calm voice still at odds with his expression. ¡°Join us. Swap sides now. Your power feels deadly. Useful. Return to your kingdom. If you kneel before me, you can¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± The two words from Roger held the weight of command, his metallic chi laced throughout. The king closed his mouth, his body bowing to the threat before his mind could protest. When he realized he¡¯d obeyed, flames literally burst from his body. The king snarled and opened up his core, making Barry and most of the defenders fight off another wave of nausea. ¡°Attack,¡± the king said without inflection. And the world erupted into chaos Both front lines lurched forward, power streaming from their cores. Before they could so much as finish their first step, the ground between them split, the top of a giant root breaching the surface. All around the battlefield, the same scene repeated itself, thick roots making chunks of dirt rise and fall aside. To the left of the tamped field, a patch of ground exploded. Two trunks of different shades of blue climbed toward the heavens. They wound around each other, branches and leaves unfurling when they were hundreds of meters above. Lemon and the other tree spirit had arrived. The air seemed to quiver as both tree spirits opened up their cores. The next thing Barry knew, clean chi washed over him. It was an amplification of the world¡¯s essence, and though it didn¡¯t completely nullify the odious power coming from the king, it took the edge away. Barry took a deep breath, and as he exhaled, his nausea was gone. Attackers and defenders both had leaped away from the ruptured ground, not knowing what appeared from below. As the defenders breathed of the cleansed air, they straightened, their vitality returning. Roger held his sword toward the sky, his fist clenched around the hilt. Knowing what was to come, Barry filled his lungs. A silence like the calm before a storm descended, the very world seeming to hold its breath. ¡°Attack!¡± they both roared, their chi fueling the words. As one, New Tropica¡¯s forces charged. Book 3: Chapter 68: Combo Book 3: Chapter 68: Combo Torrents of chi poured through me, the flow only increasing as time dragged on. A full quarter of my significant reserves were drained each second, and if left to my own devices, I¡¯d have been completely drained in moments. But I wasn¡¯t alone. The world¡¯s chi assisted, bubbling up from deep beneath me, only to travel through my cores on its way back down to the network below. Despite the amount traveling through Maria being only a fraction of what passed through me, it wasn¡¯t any less taxing on her. Tension radiated from her, her jaw clenched and shoulders hunched. I realized I was doing the same thing. I squeezed her hand to get her attention, then forced myself to relax. She followed suit, releasing a small breath and easing the tension in her coiled muscles. Considering there was a battle playing out in our mind¡¯s eye, it was no small feat. Since the enemy force had arrived in their blazing orb of misguided glory, Maria and I had been watching, the network beneath us somehow relaying sights, sounds, and to my great dismay, smells. I could have done without the latter, because the king¡¯s corrupted chi had the aroma of a love child from the unholy pairing of a septic tank and a fish left to rot in the sun. In short, the homie smelled like absolute shi¡ª Maria sent me a mental nudge, telling me off for getting distracted. Sorry, I sent back, returning my attention to the battle. The actions and competency of the defense force made my heart sing; Borks¡¯s arrival, Claws and Cinnamon¡¯s combo meteor attack, and the kindness shown to the alchemists and the royal family, people who had done terribly by most of the congregation. It made an immense sense of gratitude for my pals pour from me, joining the chi draining down into the network below. It took me a moment to understand why Roger and Barry were stalling. They likely knew as well as I did that the attacking force didn¡¯t stand a chance against the combined might of the defenders. It was definitely a conscious choice, though¡ªone that, I realized, was communicated to the others by holding two fingers down. They were stalling for my arrival, which now that I considered it, was the smartest move with the information they had access to. When the identity of Lizard Wizard was discovered, I felt a little miffed. I¡¯d been hoping for a dramatic reveal, but the king¡¯s madness seemed too advanced to allow for fun hijinks. A smile came to my face as I recalled how our names had fooled him for so long. But my enjoyment evaporated when Roger revealed how he knew the weird little bird man. Sadness flowed from Maria, as did a desire to go to him. Sharon was at the rear of the field, and our omniscient point-of-view let us see the heartbreak wrought across her face. She, too, wanted to comfort him. When the front lines finally launched toward each other, it was a welcome distraction from Roger¡¯s emotional devastation¡ªeven if the charge only lasted for the length of a single step. Unlike everyone on the field, Maria and I had been well aware of Lemon and the other tree-spirit¡¯s preparations, so we weren¡¯t at all surprised when the ground burst apart. They had been gathering power down there the entire time, a vast web of roots stretching out to gather the world¡¯s essence. My two wooden friends blasted it out over the battle, forcing most of the king¡¯s nauseating essence back toward him and his deranged followers. When Barry and Roger bellowed in tandem for the counterattack to begin, a shiver ran through me. As one, the defenders flew forward, going on the offensive. I had a sense of everyone¡¯s power, and if we were only counting the humans, the enemy forces might have had the advantage. But that didn¡¯t account for the immense strength of all my animal pals, who were first off the line. Private Pistachio, as stoic as ever, channeled power into the hinges of his mighty clackers. Corporal Claws, wreathed in lightning and donning her trademark smirk, rocketed toward the handlers. Sergeant Snips, with blue chi jetting from her joints, prepared to unleash the first of a barrage of aura-blades. Bumblebro and Queen Bee, who had gone unnoticed thus far by the enemy forces, darted from under Roger¡¯s collar, their wings droning and compound eyes locked on two of the bird-like cultivators. Pelly and Bill spiraled down from above, picking up speed with each rotation. Borks, still recovering from his earlier expenditure, got to his feet. Cinnamon dashed toward him, and despite his exhaustion, he opened up a portal. The other side was behind the king, and as she flew for the hole in space, she was already winding up a devastating roundhouse kick. Roots shot up from beneath the enemy, coiling back and preparing to strike. It all happened in slow motion, my enhanced awareness letting me see even the smallest of details. So I was able to witness the very moment their power was ripped from their very grasps. Simultaneously, their cores opened up, the chi held within pouring down into the network that my essence was also flowing into. Somehow, the king also felt it. His eyes and grin turned vicious as those that were flying through the air lost momentum. His hands were a blur as they extended before him, the fire chi held within already flaring out. It would wash over my friends in less than a second, and with their power being sucked away, I wasn¡¯t sure they¡¯d come out unscathed. Even the soothing chi that Lemon helped exude was gone, its power draining into the ground instead. I jumped to my feet, preparing to leap away as I started forcing the floodgates of my core closed. I had to go there. I had to save them. I¡ª Trust! the echoes of my friends¡¯ souls called to me through the bond. Trust! Trust! Trust! This was going to be interesting. *** As Deklan glanced back at the almost-comatose Teddy, he was beyond glad that he and his brother had brought the cart. The bear had collapsed out of nowhere, seemingly unable to move of his own accord. They were almost back at Tropica. Even if they hadn¡¯t been able to feel the mix of chi coming from just east, the gods-damned fireball that consumed a mountain ahead was a pretty good indicator. The moment Teddy had collapsed, the brothers had leaped into action, lifting him up onto the cart. As a result, something within Deklan¡¯s core had buzzed. It was mirrored in Dom¡¯s, the twins experiencing something they¡¯d only felt once before. Last time, they¡¯d been attacked. Ambushed by Nathan. Their cores had resonated with the desire to protect each other and the life they¡¯d found, but the world¡¯s power had fled before their breakthrough could take place. They¡¯d been defenseless as a result, and if not for the intervention of Snips, Claws, and Borks, they¡¯d likely have lost their lives. This time, something felt different. What about putting Teddy on the cart had felt so... right? They were at the base of the flaming mountain now, still trailing the dirt path made by the enemy¡¯s passage. What trees hadn¡¯t been destroyed were singed and smoking, their greenery not enough to completely fight off the explosion¡¯s heat. The air was steamy as they started climbing the hillside, moisture having been expelled from the earth. The sickly chi hit them like a sledgehammer, making both brothers miss a step. They stumbled, holding onto the cart¡¯s handles for balance. A moment later, a cool breeze flowed over the mountain¡¯s destroyed peak. It brought the world¡¯s essence with it, and a warmth washed over Deklan¡¯s body that was nothing like the corrupted chi. Though it was also brought heat with it, it was comforting, making him feel like he was lounging in the afternoon sun. Deklan would have loved to sit in that moment, to embrace the coziness and forget all about the battle he could feel taking place. Before he could say no to that impulse, the battle came to him. A man flew from the forest, screeching like an owl as he rocketed toward Deklan. Corrupted essence streamed from his arms and trailed behind him, the mere touch of it causing trunks to wither and die. That alone made it clear that in their current state, the brothers had absolutely no chance. Deklan reached for his core, trying to embrace the world¡¯s chi as had happened before. Dom did the same, the twins aware of each other as they searched for the meaning that would facilitate their breakthrough. It had to do with them. The life they had found. A profound desire to protect it had caused the chi to rush in the last time. They both felt that now. Yet the world¡¯s power wouldn¡¯t come to them. Time crawled to a stop as the crazed man flew. His gaze flicked to the side, and at the last possible second, he swooped to the left. Like a bird in flight, his arms redirected his passage right past the brothers and toward Teddy, who was still only half conscious. If the man were to strike him... Both Deklan and Dom spun, tried to get in the way and shield Teddy in time. But the enemy¡¯s speed increased, air hissing as his outstretched limbs tore through it. Deklan extended a hand toward Teddy, trying to reach him despite knowing it was too far. The breeze flowing by slowed then paused, halting in mid air. Small bubbles of chi rose from the ground, each drop further muting the nauseating essence surrounding them. Deklan gritted his teeth and he lunged further. Dom was right beside him, one hand raised and fingers grasping. They¡¯d never make it. But Deklan didn¡¯t care. It didn¡¯t matter that he wasn¡¯t strong enough. It didn¡¯t matter that he lacked the power to defend his furry friend. Teddy was defenseless, and Deklan needed to protect him... With only moments before the enemy cultivator hammered into Teddy, the world answered, and Chi rushed into the brothers¡¯ cores faster than either of them could comprehend. It swelled there, pressing against their abdomens as it condensed. Deklan knew how this was supposed to go. After the power exploded out of them, they¡¯d be rendered unconscious for a short time as their bodies and minds adjusted. That, too, was unacceptable. Sickly essence extended from the assailant as he flew headfirst for Teddy¡¯s undefended back, now only centimeters away. The excess chi poured from the brothers. It scattered in every direction, assaulting Deklan¡¯s awareness. His vision already failing, he gathered his will and harnessed the fleeing essence. Dom did the same, and both knowing what to do, they shot it toward Teddy. Rather than hit him, the chi molded to his body, forming a thin layer of prismatic light. The cart exploded in a cloud of splinters, ice, and chunks of fish as the man flew into Teddy. Before the carnage settled, Deklan was falling backwards, his vision going black. Book 3: Chapter 69: Vengeance Book 3: Chapter 69: Vengeance As Deklan¡¯s consciousness stirred, a comforting weight settled over his body. To anyone else, it would be harder than forged steel. But as it flowed around him, it bent, conforming to his shape. He squeezed his hand, marveling at the strength it possessed. When had he become so powerful? He extended his senses, and the moment he discovered Dom beside him, also lost in his own musings, knowledge came rushing back in. Teddy! Though Deklan¡¯s vision refused to focus and his limbs tingled, he shot to his feet, looking for his pal. Their breakthrough had come, but what if it hadn¡¯t been enough? Teddy could have been injured, or worse, by the enemy cultivator¡¯s attack. Deklan could feel his and Dom¡¯s chi still wrapping their friend¡¯s body, but it told him nothing of Teddy¡¯s internal state. ¡°Teddy!¡± Dom yelled, panic tinging his voice as he shot upright. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Deklan stumbled forward, heading for the blur of brown in his view that had to be the bear. Ice crunched beneath his feet, and he fell to his knees before Teddy. Reaching out a hand, Deklan prepared for the worst. His hands moved through the protective barrier. He intended to search Teddy for any sign of a wound, but the moment he touched fur, a jolt ran through. Faster than the blink of an eye, something far below had stolen some of Deklan¡¯s chi, deemed it inadequate, and spat it back out. All at once, Deklan¡¯s senses returned. The essence coursing through his and his brother¡¯s body snapped into place, making them both take a sharp breath. As they exhaled, they gazed down at Teddy, relief flooding them. ¡°Is...¡± Deklan licked his lips. ¡°Is he asleep?¡± Teddy snored in response, his impressive jowls flapping as he released a deep sigh. He lay atop of a mound of shattered cart, chunks of ice, and bits of fish. Despite the destruction of their hard work, Deklan smiled. Teddy was perfectly fine. ¡°Woah...¡± Dom said, peering down at the cultivator. The man lay under one of Teddy¡¯s giant paws, his mouth ajar and eyes rolled into the back of his head. There was a large bump just below his hairline, which was, evidently, the bit of his body he¡¯d tried to hit Teddy with. ¡°Yeah,¡± Deklan agreed. ¡°Looks like our chi is just as strong as it feels.¡± With the knowledge that Teddy was safe, Deklan surveyed what remained of the fish they¡¯d harvested. Seeing the damage really hammered home how strong their shield-like chi was; the cultivator¡¯s attack had held almost-unfathomable power, and unlike Teddy, the cart hadn¡¯t stood a chance. Most of the fish were completely obliterated, even the scales and bones turned to paste. It filled Deklan with a smoldering rage, one he¡¯d not felt since discovering the king¡¯s lies. To him, taking a life, even one of a non-sapient animal, was no small thing. Each fish caught was something to be cherished and thanked, for they were a source of sustenance for Deklan and those he held dear. This entire cartload of fish, which had been bound for the congregation, were now destroyed. Their lives had been taken, and for what? Just to be smashed by some bird-brained prick? His lip twitched and he averted his eyes, the sight only making his blood boil. One corner of the cart seemed to have mostly survived, and Deklan walked over to it, kicking a loose plank of wood aside. The object below it made his eyes fly wide. The lower half of a fish poked up, its head buried in chunks of ice and wooden splinters. He held his breath as he brushed away the debris, hoping beyond hope that it had somehow survived the impact. He grabbed it by the tail and lifted it gingerly. He must have instinctively wanted to protect it, because his chi rushed out, creating a shielding barrier around it. Deklan slowly turned it, praying that it was whole. As he twisted it this way and that, he couldn¡¯t find a spot of damage. He released his breath, a small smile coming to his face. ¡°Deklan!¡± Dom called, grabbing Deklan¡¯s attention and holding something up like a trophy¡ªanother fish, some scales missing but the flesh intact. Dom¡¯s was also covered in a protective shield, impervious to outside damage. A strained groan came from behind Teddy. Holding his head with both hands, the enemy cultivator sat up, straining to move aside the giant bear paw holding him down. Deklan and Dom shared a glance, a pair of devious grins coming to their faces. *** I felt an immense sense of schadenfreude as Deklan and Dom smacked the absolute piss out of the cultivator. Their fish-clubs swung down like unholy mallets, one connecting to the chest and the other to the head. Loathe as I was to admit it, the evil prick had flown rather gracefully when he¡¯d attacked Teddy earlier. Now, he careened through the air like a bug caught in a storm, his limbs splayed as he sailed back over the mountain whence he¡¯d come. The bloke had tried to take out my favorite bear, which alone made him deserving of the strike. But his crimes didn¡¯t end there. He was also the one that had wronged Roger so long ago, only increasing my sense of pleasure at his fish-based punishment. When I saw his trajectory, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He¡¯d be in for a world of hurt when he eventually landed. Maria watched closely, her core buzzing in delight at the dispensation of justice. Dom¡¯s eyes were tracking the man¡¯s passage, but he tore them away, focusing on Teddy. He passed his fish to Deklan, then bent and tried to lift the bear. Just as when Deklan had touched Teddy, the network below stole a bit of Dom¡¯s chi before spitting it back out violently. ¡°Frack me!¡± Dom said, leaping backwards. Deklan grimaced. ¡°Yeah. Seems like we can¡¯t move him.¡± Dom looked to the east, then shifted his gaze to his twin. ¡°Go help them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Dom nodded back, taking a step closer to Teddy. ¡°I¡¯ll keep him safe. You protect the others.¡± That was all that needed to be said. Dual wielding a pair of fish as tall as he was and running with a speed only possible because of his breakthrough, Deklan raced toward the mountaintop. His face was tight, an anger still burning deep within him at what had become of our fish-filled cart. I completely understood how he felt. We¡¯d made my mobile esky together, and seeing it destroyed felt like a personal attack. The fish going to waste was even more egregious. If not for my need to remain still as I channeled chi into the ground, I¡¯d have rushed there and enacted a similar punishment. Thankfully, the process of filling the network below seemed to be coming to an end. It still demanded something else, some requirement that I couldn¡¯t yet identify, but I could worry about that when the time came. Hopefully it wouldn¡¯t take much longer. Trust! the echoes reminded me, repeating themselves. Trent had to shield his body with flame. Even so, his father¡¯s heat was almost too much, the king¡¯s essence seeking to burn him away. They gazed at each other, both men¡¯s eyes filled with hatred. Augustus Reginald Gormona shook his head. ¡°You are my greatest mistake.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Trent replied, sending flames roaring from his arms. His father flew backwards, coming to rest in midair with fire streaming from his bare feet, his shoes having long been incinerated. ¡°You could have been the next ruler. Instead, you¡¯ll just be a lesson for generations to come. A reminder of what happens when you betray your family.¡± Trent snorted, amusement warring with his fury. ¡°I betrayed my family? You fed me poison!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic. It had to be done, just as it was done to me.¡± A conversation replayed in Trent¡¯s mind, a memory that he recalled with unerring accuracy. They were within the throne room, the late-afternoon light streaming in through the stained-glass windows above. Trent was only a child, barely old enough to form a coherent sentence. ¡°This new recipe is stronger, my king,¡± Solomon said, opening his bag. ¡°I recommend a half dose.¡± The king tugged at his beard in thought. He didn¡¯t have to consider long. ¡°Give him the full dose. I still harbored fantasies of overthrowing my father when I was a boy¡ªI never did, of course, but I won¡¯t risk having my own son plot against me.¡± Trent¡¯s mother, at least, hesitated a little. ¡°Perhaps we could start with a smaller dose. If that doesn¡¯t work, we can¡ª¡± ¡°Do not speak out of turn.¡± Though the king¡¯s words were quiet, the threat in them was clear. She averted her gaze and dipped her head in supplication. Looking back now, Trent could see the hesitation on Solomon¡¯s face. The alchemists knew what would happen. And neither of them said a thing. Instead, they¡¯d poured their concoction into a cup and given it to Trent. He recalled the taste. The sickly sweet flavor mixed with underlying wrongness that only a child could willingly ingest without asking questions. The light streaming through the colored windows above gave a blood-red tint to the clear potion. It all flashed before him in an instant, and as Trent returned to the present, he made no effort to hide his disgust with everyone involved. ¡°I remember everything, father,¡± he spat. ¡°You could have killed me with the dose you gave me. You put my own life at risk because you were scared of a child.¡± He leaned forward, getting closer. ¡°All because you¡¯re a coward.¡± The king snarled, flames curling from between bared teeth. Without a word, he flew forward, cocking his arm back and suffusing it with chi. Which was exactly what Trent had been waiting for. He raised his left hand, only sending enough essence there to block the vicious blow. Hiding his right hand from sight, he prepared the rest of his power in his core, gathering it for use. Trent was going to counter-attack. With any luck, he¡¯d end the fight in one move. He forced a serious expression, not wanting to give away the ruse he¡¯d been working toward since their battle began. His father drew closer by the second, and as the king punched out with his closed fist, Trent finally smiled. The king was committed, and it was too late for him to pull back. Trent¡¯s chi burst from his core, overjoyed to be let free. It shot down his arm and into his fist, the power swelling there almost too much for him to handle. His grin growing wider, Trent¡¯s right hand rocketed forward, propelled by jets of flame. He craved the surprise that would be wrought over his father¡¯s face, his gaze boring into his father in anticipation of the moment the king recognized defeat. But the moment never came. His father¡¯s face only grew elated, a hint of undeniable madness coloring his features. When he felt and saw the power swelling from his father¡¯s closed hand, Trent immediately recognised his mistake. His father had been holding back too. And as the punch approached, leveled directly for Trent¡¯s abdomen, it was his own defeat that he foresaw. Just as he¡¯d laid the trap for his father, his father had laid a trap for him, one that it was too late for him to retreat from. When his obliteration was only a fraction of a second away, an odd calm settled over Trent, caressing his body. He didn¡¯t look away, instead choosing to witness the deathblow from his own father as it descended. Before the fist physically struck, the corrupted fire shot forward as a never-ending torrent of flames that assailed his body. He closed his eyes then, accepting his fate. A second passed, then two. By the time the flamethrower ended, he still felt no pain. Trent cracked an eye, peering out at the world, just in time to two massive, silvery clubs slam right into his father¡¯s head. The king shot to the ground as a blur, making a crater when he landed with a sickening thud. ¡°It¡¯s just like I told you,¡± Deklan said, resting a giant... were those fish? on each shoulder. ¡°... What?¡± was all Trent could say, blinking at the massive creatures that Deklan had used as blunt-force weapons. ¡°Remember?¡± Deklan tilted his head, giving him a friendly smile. ¡°I said that you should learn to rely on the people around you.¡± He pointed at Trent¡¯s arm with one of his humongous fish-clubs. ¡°I¡¯ve got you covered, and I mean that quite literally.¡± Trent lifted his hand, holding it before his face and twisting it in the light. There was a silvery sheen covering his skin, and now that he focused on it, he could tell where his sense of calm had come from earlier. It wasn¡¯t his at all. It was an extension of Deklan¡¯s power. Just as Roger¡¯s chi felt like a blade ready to cut, Deklan¡¯s was a soothing barrier, willing to shield you from danger. A boulder deep within Trent¡¯s mind cracked. As the surface fractured, the inside crumbled, falling away like so many grains of sand. He took a shuddering breath as emotions rushed up from nowhere, hitting him harder than Deklan had smacked his father. Tears welled in his eyes. But before the first had a chance to fall, a sense of dread pooled beneath them, swiftly rising up to become a tidal wave. Trent glanced down. From the crater his father had made, the nauseating chi returned, strong enough to wash away the clean essence being released by Peter and the spirit tree. At the same time, apocalyptic flames spread over the battlefield, consuming all they touched and forcing the defenders back. Book 3: Chapter 70: Pride Book 3: Chapter 70: Pride As I witnessed Trent¡¯s eyes welling, I almost shed a tear of my own. Deklan had arrived just in time, giving me my second dose of schadenfreude for the day when he whapped the king upside the head with dual-wielded fish. Even better, the network below was done draining us, its mesh of interconnected ropes filled to the brim with chi. I¡¯d had to empty my entire core, but it worked. I breathed a sigh of relief and tried to stand. My body didn¡¯t answer, my subconscious still listening to the echoed urging of my pals¡¯ wills to remain connected. I tugged at the connection, not understanding what still needed to be done. Before I got a concrete answer, the king attacked. He released so much power that his core strained at the seams, threatening to break. The flames were hot enough to burn everything they touched. Packed earth cracked and blistered, warping beneath the assault. The defenders retreated from him in droves. The attackers held their ground, which I assumed to be a foolish move. I was wrong. Rather than hurt them, the flames seemed to bolster their strength and double the madness in their eyes. The king was engulfing most of the area now, his chi¡¯s expansion slowing but not coming to a stop. He railed against the limitations of his body, not at all bothered by the fact his core was threatening to detonate. As the defenders regrouped, they turned toward the flames and awaited the attackers¡¯ advance. Now that my animal pals¡¯ chi was no longer being drained, they got to their feet. A sharp pang of worry drove into me. If they were as drained as I felt, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do much more than move around. But then the same network they¡¯d been feeding power into sent essence streaming back to them. In an instant, their cores were refilled, their chi returned. Despite how much it had to expend, it didn¡¯t even put a dent in the network¡¯s reserves. Beside me, Maria let out a hiss, shocked by the sensation of essence running through her. I was the only one still drained, the network not giving me a single drop of power. ¡°Go,¡± I said. ¡°Help them.¡± Though my eyes were still closed, I felt her attention roam over me. She gasped. ¡°It didn¡¯t give you anything...?¡± ¡°No. I still have to do something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you.¡± Her resolve washed over me, telling me any complaint was useless. ¡°But...¡± I tried anyway. ¡°No.¡± She sat back down beside me. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you undefended.¡± I reached over and rested a hand on her leg, her touch a welcome comfort. If I was completely honest with myself, I was happy about her staying. As selfish as it was, I didn¡¯t want to expose her to the danger the king represented. The network below sent me a mental nudge, delivering a pulse of chi directly to my core. It wasn¡¯t just mine. The trickle held a hint of me, Maria, and each of my animal pals. After being deprived of chi, the feeling of it coursing through my body was like the first cup of coffee in the morning, making endorphins rush through me. As fast as the power came, it was whisked away, draining down into the ground and leaving me empty. Truth... the echoes whispered. ¡°You want more truth...?¡± The response was immediate. Yes, the echo of everyone responded. ¡°In that case, I want you to give me my chi back so I can go help my friends. That¡¯s the truth.¡± There was a long silence, nothing coming in reply. While I waited, I watched the battle. Sergeant Snips, back at full strength and beating back the flames with her arcs of energy. Private Pistachio unleashing blast after blast, only pausing long enough to gather more power in his joints. Corporal Claws and Cinnamon riding atop the pelicans¡¯ backs, the former chirping as she spotted an outcropping of stone. Bill and Pelly locking onto it, diving groundward with their violently inclined passengers. Borks, ears alert and eyes darting, saving his abilities to be used defensively. Bumblebro and Queen Bee, steering clear of flames and waiting for an opportunity to strike. Lemon, once more joining Peter and the other tree spirit, flooding pure chi out into the world. No, the voices finally answered, giving me a bigger taste of chi before tearing it away again. Truth. Maria still rested her head on my hand, so I stroked her cheek with my thumb. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°For what?¡± She tilted her head to the side, a strand of hair falling from behind her ear. I didn¡¯t respond for a moment, soaking in as much of her beauty as possible. ¡°For always knowing just what to say.¡± I gave her a smile that she returned, her cheeks rosy. Closing my eyes and crossing my legs, I adopted a meditative stance. ¡°If this thing wants truth, I¡¯ll give it some bloody truth.¡± The moment I rejoined my awareness to the network below, the battlefield returned in my mind¡¯s eye. A lot had changed in a short time. A never-ending barrage of boulders crashed down on the king¡¯s position, the ground thumping and fires flaring with each strike. Enemy cultivators kept leaving the king¡¯s flames, only to retreat after they got whacked by a fish or blasted by the onslaught of attacks launched their way. I searched the surrounding forest, finding a total of fifteen small campfires burning. Even the oldest of them still spewed out the alchemists¡¯ numbing haze, the clouds drifting over the field, suffusing the air. Barry had just finished telling five defenders what the herbal smell was, and at his instruction they split up, dashing around from group to group and repeating the words in hushed whispers. A bone-chilling roar cut across the field, bringing terror to the hearts of the masses and a smile to my face. Teddy and Dom had arrived. Deklan¡¯s brother was riding Teddy like a horse with the build of a... well, a bear. Somehow, he held on as Teddy charged down the mountain. One of the enemy cultivators spotted the threat and left the safety of the king¡¯s inferno, the misguided handler assuming she could easily quash them. She was, of course, wrong. And unfortunately for her, Teddy had no qualms with hitting a woman whose core was corrupted. Teddy¡¯s paw, impervious to any of the damage she could inflict, lashed out and struck her torso with the force of a runaway Truck-kun. He slammed her into the ground where she went completely still. She was alive, though... I think. On the other side of the blaze, the rest of the attackers had regrouped. Sick of being thrown back and too insane to know that it was a terrible idea, they formed a flying wedge and forced their way out of the inferno. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was intentional, but as they raced from the king¡¯s still-expanding zone, the flames came with them. It wreathed their bodies, and when Snips sent an arc of energy their way, the barrier lashed out and blunted the attack. Pistachio¡¯s blast came next, and though the flames absorbed some of the force, it didn¡¯t get all of it. The formation rocked backwards, two men at the rear shoved out of the protecting flames. Because of the awareness-dulling haze now covering the battlefield, they didn¡¯t feel the portal that Borks opened up behind them. Two squads of defenders, all former slaves of Gormona, stepped through space. Scratch that¡ªit wasn¡¯t just former slaves. A defender struck out with an open fist, and instead of a chi blast, two insects flew forward. Queen Bee and Bumblebro¡¯s wings were silent as they slammed into an attacker¡¯s jaws, the man spinning around like a beyblade before falling to the ground, unconscious. The other man, similarly unaware, was punched in several places at once by the former slaves. Instead of spinning, his head rocked back, his eyes rolling. Both knocked-out men were left there, the flying wedge of enemies not even aware it had happened. A sense of ease washed over me. The enemy force was being picked apart, meticulously dismantled by the defenders. I shook my head and grinned as I checked on Solomon, who was fist pumping at his successful contribution to the battle. Next, it was Roger¡¯s turn to attack. His blade arced out, cutting a crisscross pattern into the entire right flank. The attackers reeled back as Tom Osnan Sr. dashed forward, raising vines that absorbed the myriad slices. At the rear of the wedge, another three cultivators were expelled from the protective zone. Before they knew what was happening, silent blows landed across their bodies, taking them out of the fight. Unlike his followers, the king was well aware of his force¡¯s diminishing numbers. Even through his madness, his fury burned, flaring bright each time an ally was eliminated. His core had small rips in it now. Despite the damage, he continued forcing his flames outward. A pulse of chi dragged me away from my contemplation of the king. Nestled within the defensive forces, Barry¡¯s core was also fluctuating. ¡°Seriously, Barry,¡± Danny said, his eyes locked on the fight. ¡°Your battle tactics have proved incredible. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d have assumed you were a seasoned soldier.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Ellis said, not looking up from the notepad he was scribbling in. ¡°Because of your plans, we are only needing to utilize a fraction of our forces.¡± The defenders close-by nodded and voiced similar sentiments, heaping the praise on him. My brow furrowed, confusion rolling over me. Barry should have been preening under their commendations. So why did he appear so troubled...? Book 3: Chapter 71: Smoke and Mirrors Book 3: Chapter 71: Smoke and Mirrors With each person that praised Barry¡¯s actions, his soul vibrated. If he were the older version of himself, the one without an enhanced awareness of his own being, he¡¯d have preened like a proud rooster. Now though, he was all too aware of his ego and its inflation. It wasn¡¯t a problem in and of itself¡ªan ego was only natural. He was human, after all. The discordance came when that ego clashed with the version of himself that he wanted to be. Barry was the stand-in leader of the Church of Fischer. As such, he should be the person that Fischer¡¯s followers could look to for guidance. A paragon of virtue. Yet here he was, reveling in the praise. It was... fickle. For him to derive his self-worth from others¡¯ perception of him was to put his happiness in their hands. He tried to deny it. Tried to push it down and pretend it didn¡¯t exist. But it wasn¡¯t working anymore. Unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t a new development. He hadn¡¯t consciously admitted it before, but this shameful inclination of his was why he¡¯d been pushing Fischer to take control of the church. Barry gritted his teeth, tuning out the outside voices heaping more accolades on him. I don¡¯t feel worthy of my position... His core hummed, something deep within him resonating with that acknowledgement. I don¡¯t feel worthy of being a leader... Something sloughed away as he admitted that truth, a weight he hadn¡¯t known was there. The world¡¯s chi felt alive around him, gathering and dancing as Peter and the tree spirits sent ever more flowing over the battlefield. Voices called out to him, trying to get his attention and reef him back to the present. Barry ignored them. He had to get to the bottom of this cognitive dissonance. Was he truly unworthy of being a leader? If he was a little too proud¡ªa little too vain¡ªwhat did that matter? Even if failing those present would bring him discomfort, it would be temporary. He would never give up. He would strive nonstop, fighting to get back to a position where people were proud of his actions. If his pride was a motivator, though, did that mean he would betray his comrades? If there was a choice to make, one that would hurt those he cared about in order to boost people¡¯s perception of him, would he take the self-serving option...? His answer was as immediate as it was true. No, he wouldn¡¯t. His ego might chafe, but he¡¯d still choose the wellbeing of others every time. His core shook, as did the surrounding clouds of chi, urging him on. Oh... Barry realized, possessing unwavering clarity. I am a good leader... It wasn¡¯t his vanity talking, either¡ªit was fact. In spite of his pride, Barry would readily sacrifice his happiness if it meant improving the wellbeing of others. The world agreed. All at once, the surrounding essence slammed into him, filling his core to the brim. His body seemed to soak up all it could, his muscles swelling and skeleton changing. The next moment, excess power exploded out of his core as its bounds increased. *** Even though I wasn¡¯t physically there, I recoiled from the explosion, instinctively backing away. The blast was different to the blade-like chi of Roger¡¯s ascension, yet it was just as deadly for anyone caught in the detonation. Luckily for the surrounding defenders, everyone now knew what a breakthrough looked like. Danny had tried to get Barry¡¯s attention at first, even giving him a little shake for good measure. But the moment the world¡¯s chi started gathering, he ordered everyone to back up. Just in time, too, because it had slammed into Barry a moment later. I¡¯d been keenly aware of Barry¡¯s thought process, the network I was connected to relaying his deepest thoughts in real time. I had no idea that Barry was dealing with such doubt, and now that he¡¯d overcome it, I was beyond happy for him. The explosion that resulted from his breakthrough had thrown up a cloud of dust, and as it settled, I raised a mental eyebrow at Barry¡¯s body. The homie was absolutely jacked. Like ten years of weight training and a healthy dose of anabolics jacked. ¡°Frack me,¡± Danny said, shaking his head in disbelief as Barry sat up. ¡°What has Helen been feeding you, buddy?¡± Barry blinked down at his glistening arms, which had literally torn their way out of his shirt. He opened and closed his fists, testing his new strength. The surrounding defenders gaped at his new form, their faces ranging from stunned, awed, and everything in between. Which wasn¡¯t really surprising considering he looked like a Greek God. Though all of their reactions were positive, another person on the battlefield was far from happy about the event. An inhuman scream came from the flames, leaving no doubt as to who the sound came from. The king¡¯s hatred was reaching new heights. Most of the flying wedge had been taken out by now, only three of them still standing. As the scream slowly tapered off, the inferno raging atop the field ebbed. Thick strands of corruption flowed from around the defenders still standing. When their protective flames were gone, the streams continued. ¡°What the...?¡± Roger said, his eyes wide as he gaped at the downed enemies. Despite none of the king¡¯s protective chi surrounding them, torrents of power still flowed from their cores. Their patriarch wasn¡¯t just retrieving his own power. He was also stealing theirs. It poured into his outstretched hands, flowing through his body and down into his core. There, his nexus of power expanded, the walls stretching to accommodate the vast swaths of essence coming in. Though his eyes still held indescribable madness, there was a hint of bluster there too. He planned this, I realized. I¡¯d assumed he¡¯d gone completely insane, spewing so much power that the lining of his core stretched to such a degree that it ripped. But it had been intentional. He had damaged himself so that his core could hold more power. As I sent my awareness closer, inspecting the king¡¯s nexus, new tears appeared along its surface. Just as quick as they came, the wounds were cauterized, his sickly chi sealing them shut. It was an unending process, yet his core remained stable. A silence settled over the defenders as the flames continued shrinking. It was late now, the sun having almost fully set over the western mountains. The burning fires had made the scene bright, but now that they were disappearing, darkness crept in. As the last of the streams left the attackers, they collapsed, their leader having sucked them dry. They were all potent, but nowhere near as powerful as the last. Teddy¡¯s entire body glowed red, his face contorting in anger. Unlike Anna, his legs never wavered, a palpable torrent of injustice coming from every one of his pores as he stared at the king. His was the rage of a sleeping bear, awoken too soon by some foolish invader. Like a den mother that saw every defender as one of her cubs, Teddy was furious at the king¡¯s actions. Barry absorbed each of their transformations in an instant. ¡°Drop the shield long enough for us to exit.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Deklan shrugged nonchalantly, as if they were discussing what to eat for dinner. ¡°You guys can pass through it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he replied, the timbre still in his voice but his tone cold. ¡°Tsunami formation.¡± The response was immediate. All those that had experienced a breakthrough, other than the two brothers, strode forward and left the shield. Teddy took up the vanguard position next to Roger and Trent, everyone gathering their chi. The king, seeing their approach, paused. He looked like an elemental spirit, only his shape now reminiscent of the human he had once been. Orbs of bright-white flame watched everyone, his sickening chi oozing out to feel their power. He laughed, then. At least I thought it was a laugh. His head rocked back and a sound like a house-fire came from his throat, casting heat into the night sky that distorted the air. He cocked his arm back, holding it there as he gathered an unbelievable amount of power. Before another cloud of doubt could cross my mind, the voices of the network below shifted to an elated chorus. They directed my sight toward the east, and though it made the impending clash leave my mind¡¯s eye, I let my vision shift. I needed to know why the remnant copies of my pals felt victorious. When I found the being flying over the sand, my jaw dropped open. Though he was already moving at an incredible clip, the little deviant unleashed a blast from one claw, rocketing even faster. His core was almost empty, but the power he possessed... it had changed. He was strong. ¡°What the frack is he carrying?¡± Maria asked, her attention on the woven basket nestled against his darkened carapace. ¡°And where did he get it?¡± ¡°No idea what it is,¡± I replied, daring to hope that he could turn the tides of battle. ¡°And if I had to guess where he got it, I¡¯d say it¡¯s stolen. Probably from a small child. Or a puppy.¡± Unaware of the incoming reinforcement, the king unleashed his blast. If the earlier attack was train-sized, this one was the size of an aircraft carrier. Wider than the battlefield, his flames roared forward like a vengeful spirit, seeking to consume everything in their path. Though his human features were hidden by flame, I could sense the arrogance radiating from him. He believed that his attack would tear right through the party of defenders charging his way. Busy unleashing hellfire as he was, the king didn¡¯t notice the sapient creature sailing in from the east. The defenders were similarly occupied, gathering their chi and preparing to unleash it against the king¡¯s inferno. Only one being noticed. Perhaps it was their connection that made her look back and search the sky. Maybe it was her longing for him, her desire to see him once more. Or, possibly, it was just chance that made Sergeant Snips turn and look up, scanning the sky with a lingering gaze. Whatever caused it, the result was the same. Her visible eye went wide, her mouth-parts undulating in disbelief as she spotted the Xianxia-land equivalent of a stealth-bomber. Rocky, playing it way cooler than I knew he could, simply shot her a wink and tipped an imaginary hat as he sailed over the defenders. He landed before the incoming death-sentence, set his woven basket down, and reached in to retrieve something. He withdrew a slender item just as the wall of corrupted chi slammed into him. Though his chi now felt like an active volcano, I still held my breath as Rocky¡¯s core absorbed the king¡¯s flames. He would be fine against fire, I was sure of it, but what about the corruption...? It was over in seconds, Rocky¡¯s body parched of power and all too happy to soak up the ship-sized conflagration. I hadn¡¯t noticed before, but he was covered in red lines that seemed to glow from within, standing in stark contrast to his now-black carapace. Was it reflective of how much chi he held...? Before I could consider it further, he shook violently. I honed in on him, sending my awareness down toward his core. Just as I¡¯d suspected, it was the corrupting chi. It was seeking to infect him. Seeking to change him. Snips flew forward, tears streaming as she scuttled to his side. Rocky¡¯s eyes were closed, his entire awareness focused on fighting back against the corruption. What was he...? With what felt like practiced ease, he cast the corruption out. Just like that, he simply... released it. A cloud of dark green vapor flowed from his mouth. Waving a claw through it, he dispersed the sickly smell, making a displeased face. In his other claw, he held the slender thing that he¡¯d removed from the woven basket. One end was glowing, the king¡¯s flames having caused it to catch fire. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me...¡± I said, not believing my eyes. Rocky held the stick to his mouth, giving Snips a reassuring pat with his other claw as she burst into tears. ¡°What is that?¡± Maria asked, her attention also on Rocky. ¡°And what is he doing with it?¡± I shook my head, struggling to find the right words. I¡¯d seen inside the basket¡ªit was filled to the brim with the same objects. The little prick had hundreds of them. ¡°Where the fuck did Rocky find cigarettes?¡± Book 3: Chapter 72: Trust Book 3: Chapter 72: Trust I watched as Rocky took a deep drag, holding it in as he gazed down at Snips. Though not an expert on crab anatomy, I was pretty sure he wasn¡¯t supposed to have lungs. I shook my head at the smell; it was definitely tobacco. When he exhaled, a colossal cloud of smoke flew from his mouth. It billowed over the darkened field, lit from within as it surrounded the flaming form of the king. Rocky¡¯s arrival had temporarily hit the man¡¯s reset button, but being surrounded by smoke snapped him out of it. His body flared, burning the smoke away. Despite having the appearance of a mindless elemental, incandescent fury spewed from his core, almost as repugnant as his sickly chi. He pulled his fist back again and gathered power, his connection to the source of corrupt chi growing stronger. It took much less time to charge up this aircraft-carrier sized blast. As the inferno raged forward, racing across the battlefield toward Rocky, I held my breath. He¡¯d dismantled it once, but had it been a fluke? Was Rocky incapable of weathering multiple hits? The deviant crab scuttled forward, stepping into the space between his beloved Snips and the flames. Again, he sucked it in with ease, the lines covering his body going so bright that they illuminated the area when the fire was extinguished. This time, it wasn¡¯t only the sickly chi that he expelled from his core. Rocky sent a great gout of flame tearing over the battlefield. It contained the same power as the king¡¯s, but the essence was condensed, making it burn significantly hotter. The attack flowed over the king and into the base of the mountain behind him, drilling a hole into the earth. When the last of the chi dispersed, all I could do was raise an eyebrow at the carnage. A trench had formed in a straight line from Rocky and past the king, its base covered in what looked like molten slag. If the old version of the crab had wielded such power, I might have launched him into the sun for the wellbeing of every life on this planet. He wasn¡¯t the same crab, though. The hint of human that had been within him as I flung him over the ocean was nowhere to be seen. Instead of paranoid and self-aggrandizing, he felt as stalwart and reliable as the rest of my animal pals. Whatever had happened to him, Rocky was truly a changed man. Er, crab, I amended in my head. See? the echoes within the network gloated, radiating vindication. Trust. They grabbed my hand and urged me downward, but I told them to wait, pausing to consider. On the surface, it seemed like the king had met his perfect match in Rocky, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily the case. The deviant crab could absorb his strongest attacks, sure, but the king¡¯s connection with the corrupted source grew by the minute. That underground tunnel was growing wider, ever more essence flowing through it. If I let the spirits lead me away, what if I was gone for too long? What if the king became a force too strong for even Rocky to handle? The network reached out, and I already knew what it was going to say. ¡°He knows,¡± Maria said, letting out a small laugh and squeezing my hand. ¡°Trust. He heard you the first time.¡± The echoes seemed to narrow their collective eyes at her. Yes, they sent with a pout, Claws¡¯s personality once more shining through. Trust. I laughed, shaking my head as the king fired off another wall of flame. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± I gave Maria¡¯s hand a squeeze in parting, then allowed myself to be drawn below. I passed different layers of soil on my way down, slowly settling within one of the giant, chi-filled ropes that comprised the network. Though I could still see the battle in my mind¡¯s eye, it was different. Before, it was like physically being there, my senses absorbing sights, smells, and even temperature. Now... It was like viewing the battle on a screen. I could still feel the aura radiating from the cores of every cultivator and spirit beast, but that was all. Rocky absorbed another fire blast, his body filling with chi before expelling a torrent of flame at the king. The monarch¡¯s attack had been stronger than before, but Rocky easily handled it, filling me with a sense of calm. Suddenly, the mesh I was within forced my vision onto itself. I didn¡¯t understand... until I saw the tendrils of chi shooting up from below. There was one for each of my pals and Maria, the invisible vines slowly attaching to their cores. All at once, their awareness was there beside me. Realization washed over them, the echoes¡¯ memories rejoining with their own. Terror reigned in more than a few hearts when they first arrived, but it swiftly bled away. The strength of our bond soothed any lingering doubt, bringing us to a place of understanding. In that serene mindset, something monolithic appeared in our midst. Despite never having felt it before, I immediately recognized it as an aspect of the network that we were within. It wasn¡¯t quite a sapient bring, but... a shadow of one? The possibility of one? It continued forming, rising from so far down that it may as well have been the planet¡¯s core. We had some big personalities among us, but compared to the mountain of potential still climbing, we were ants. It was, to my astonishment, almost within my grasp. This ancient thing¡¯s power, older than I could even fathom, was on offer... If only I could satisfy whatever requirements it demanded. Lacking the subtlety of the polite urging my friends¡¯ echoes had used, the monolith forced my vision inward, my awareness sent spiraling down into my own consciousness. It was trying to show me something. My life on Earth, I realized. It zoomed by at mind-bending speed, sharing my experiences with those connected to me. When we¡¯d been in the sky, I¡¯d shared visions of my life as a CEO. Of my relationship with my parents and the turmoil it had wrought. This wasn¡¯t just snippets; it was a recounting of everything. With their emotions soothing me, I felt neither pain nor despair. I saw it with complete clarity. When the timeline reached my encounter with Truck-kun, we snapped back to the present. I expected a moment of rest, one that I could use to search for the truth I needed to find. No such luck. We were immediately catapulted into different memories, the scenes flashing by like the saddest montage ever. It started with the times I¡¯d lied to myself about everything being okay, culminating in my accidental obliteration of a tree when Maria and I were camping. Next, it was my avoidance of Maria. Each time I¡¯d pushed her away, terrified of the idea that I would ascend to the heavens and she would stay behind, choosing her life on Kallis over eternity with me. As expected, that chapter ended with my breakthrough atop the sands, where I¡¯d finally admitted the truth to myself and blasted a crater in the shore. When the next act arrived, I instinctively knew it was the last. Each flash was a time I¡¯d rejected leadership, both within my mind and externally to Roger and Barry. When the visions came to an end, the moment seemed to drag, signifying that, unlike the other two acts, there wasn¡¯t yet a conclusion. Again, before I could ponder overlong, we were skull dragged elsewhere. Barry¡¯s recent breakthrough. The first time I¡¯d experienced it, I had been aware of his internal state and the doubt that wracked him. As I witnessed it again, this time from his point-of-view, it was like holding up a mirror to my own subconscious. Back on Earth, my time leading my father¡¯s empire had been an utter failure. When presented with the choice of doing right by a business or its employees, I chose the employees every time. And I didn¡¯t regret it. Not one bit. There were consequences, of course. I¡¯d been ousted from the corporations, my actions deemed ¡®problematic¡¯ by shareholders. It had sent me on a downward spiral, one that made me question... well, everything. After arriving in Tropica, I¡¯d told myself that I didn¡¯t want to take up the mantle of leadership because I wanted to live an idyllic life, one where I could just spend every day fishing and exploring, surrounded by good company and a certain freckled cutie. It was the easiest kind of lie¡ªone that wasn¡¯t a lie at all. Of course I wanted those things for myself. I¡¯d have to be mad to choose responsibility and meetings over fishing and sunshine. But it wasn¡¯t the full truth. It wasn¡¯t what made anxiety harden in my core. How could it be? The monolith vibrated softly, urging me on. I was no longer just some random bloke. I didn¡¯t need to sit and deliberate in an office on the fortieth floor, losing hair and sleep because I received backlash from the board. I was absolutely surrounded by capable people, all of which were the equivalent of superheros back on Earth. Unlike fictional characters, though, my friends were real. If I truly wanted, I could just sit on the beach and have any hard decisions brought to me, Maria¡¯s hand in one hand and one of my animal pals under the other. By process of elimination, it wasn¡¯t the fear of responsibility causing me doubt. The monolith shook, steering me toward Barry¡¯s breakthrough again. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Look at Tropica, mate.¡± I replied, cutting him off. ¡°It¡¯s about to happen.¡± As if my words were the permission it was waiting for, the world transformed. Tropica¡¯s buildings morphed into light, shifting around to make room for the energy approaching from the southwest. As tendrils of incandescence, the buildings of New Tropica flowed into the village. Everything twisted this way and that, seeking the correct configuration. I worried about the prisoners for a moment, those that had been confined back in New Tropica, but I felt them before me, being transported safely to the new village. When the buildings had decided on their places in the world, they grew. Some gained new floors. Others acquired basements, new rooms, and even balconies, the powerful network somehow knowing what each construction needed. It was all over in a matter of moments. Happy with its work, the network¡¯s light solidified once more, locking each building into place. As the glow receded and I caught sight of Tropica¡¯s new layout, I let out a soft whistle. ¡°Hot damn. Now that¡¯s a village worthy of a fantasy world.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the functionality of the buildings that had been improved. Each was a unique piece of art, possessing little flares and flourishes that distinguished them from the others. A decorative beam here, an elaborate cornice there¡ªso much had changed that I wondered how many months it would have taken to do it ourselves. Though the additions were prevalent, they were neither gaudy nor overbearing. The touches were delicate, somehow making the entire village seem like a cohesive piece. I could have looked at it for hours; the world had other plans. In an instant, the light flowed back underground, depositing us back on the packed earth and taking part of my awareness further beneath it. I dissociated from my body, watching the network as it drew uncountable strands of chi into the center of its mass. The ball condensed in stages, each taking only a fraction of a second. Then, just when I thought it could get no smaller, the underground star exploded. The resulting blast was anything but destructive. The power rushing past me made a sense of joy and contentment flood every part of my awareness. I smiled at everyone around me. It was the purest of chi, a concentrated version of the world¡¯s. And it was spreading. It didn¡¯t stop at the edge of the network¡¯s outer reaches, not even slowing a little in its expansion. In my mind¡¯s eye, I tried to comprehend the scope of it, tried to imagine just how far it would reach. Sensing my attempt, the network jumped in, dragging my awareness away to soar over the land. So high that I could see the planet¡¯s curve, I was reminded of the time I saw Lemon¡¯s memories and was shown leagues of cultivator-made destruction. The landscape below me had been transformed since then. Hints of the millennia-old scars remained on the planet¡¯s surface, but they had been reclaimed by nature. Craters became valleys, upturned bedrock became mountains, and long gouges became riverbeds. Everywhere I could see, life had won. And the bubble of condensed chi still expanding from the network seemed to bolster it. Leaves looked greener, water looked bluer, and the very land hummed in satisfaction. Chi had returned to this little part of the world, and might just return to all of it, given time. I glanced down, seeing my friends, their posture unbelieving as they felt how the world was supposed to feel. How it had felt thousands of years ago before the gods fled. I beamed down at them, my contentment overwhelming. Before returning to my body, I sought the thing I¡¯d felt underground, the guiding force that had helped build the network. There was nothing, not even a whisper remaining of that monolithic presence. Shrugging, I opened my eyes¡ªonly to be met with an absolute wall of text. You have successfully taken part in a crafting ritual! Quest complete: Group Project. Objective: You have discovered the importance of crafting as a group! Complete 4 crafting rituals within the territory of Tropica. Progress: 4/4 Reward: Upgrade Tropica Village from Tier 2 to Tier 1. Tropica has evolved! Domain has evolved! Effect: 40% Suppression, 40% Bolstering, 40% Growth, 500% Range. Evolution: All effects doubled. Warning! Foreign Domain detected. ... Foreign Domain has been destroyed. New Quest: In Defense of Tropica Village. Objective: Tropica Village has become a Tier 1 Village. The evolution brings many benefits, which others will yearn for. Defend Tropica against 10 external threats. Progress: 0/10. Reward: Variable. New Quest: Hidden Knowledge Objective: Because of the combined efforts of Tropica Village, chi has returned to part of the world. Discover 3 long-forgotten secrets. Progress: 0/3. Reward: A History of the Kallis Wars, Seventh Edition. Book 3: Chapter 73: A Time of Great Change Book 3: Chapter 73: A Time of Great Change Silence reigned as my vision cleared, everyone staring either into space or at each other. Given how well I knew my pals, I was acutely aware of who would give the best reaction. As was almost everyone else, apparently. As one, our heads swiveled toward Ellis. ¡°Seventh edition...¡± he said, his hand shaking as he slowly closed his notepad. I opened my mouth to respond, to make some no-doubt hilarious and timely quip, but nothing came out. ¡°Damn,¡± I said instead. ¡°That¡¯s a lot to take in.¡± ¡°Ah-huh,¡± Maria agreed, staring at the far distance. Barry cleared his throat. ¡°Well done, everyone. I¡ª¡± he cut off as power bloomed behind us, its corrupted nature undeniable. Rocky leaped into action, putting himself between us and the threat. Perhaps the king thought he stood a chance now that the network¡¯s power had been distributed. Perhaps he was too mad to gauge his position accurately, reduced to base instincts as the chi he embraced destroyed more and more of his body. Or perhaps he was aware of his doom and had decided to make one last desperate attempt. Whatever the reason, the result remained the same; another wave of flame flew toward us, unleashed from the king¡¯s extended hands. I appeared beside Rocky in a flash of light and flicked my wrist. The inferno simply disappeared, there one second and gone the next. I took a step toward the king, then paused and turned to the side. ¡°Rocky, mate, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back and all, but where the frack did you find those?¡± The moment I¡¯d made the threat vanish, the deviant little crab had taken a deep drag of his fantasy cigarette, which now that I saw up close, was an artisanal version of the mass-produced ones we¡¯d had on Earth. He exhaled slowly, making a vague motion toward the sea with a nonchalant air. ¡°You know what,¡± I said, ¡°never mind. That¡¯s a story for another time. Don¡¯t give those to anyone else, okay? It¡¯s a bad habit.¡± Of course, he hissed, even his bubbled speech somehow sounding cooler. Talk about a glow-up, I thought, returning my attention to the king. I was not to blame. Any person who embraced that power would eventually die. Each time they channeled it, they were further condemned. As the last of the corruption was forced from the king¡¯s former allies, those that had readily relinquished the chi afflicting them, I breathed a slow sigh. My conscience was clear. Now that there was nothing left to clean above ground, I focused my attention below. The network¡¯s light raced along it, using each disgusting bit of essence as fuel. At the literal speed of light, it traced a path back to the heart of the corruption. When it arrived in Theogonia, it exploded up from beneath the castle, ballooning into a radiant orb of light that covered kilometers of land. The only thing holding up some of the gnarled trees was the corruption lacing them, and as it was burned away, they collapsed in a pile of plant matter. It was a horrific level of destruction. Something about the swaths of forest just evaporating before my eyes made me angry, but a spark of hope also came to life. Just as had happened to the scarred landscape created by long-departed cultivators, life would return to Theogonia. It was just a matter of time. Holding onto that eventuality, my awareness was dragged back through the tunnel. As I returned to my body, I noticed how tired I was. It wasn¡¯t the bone-deep weariness of physical labor. It was like the foggy-brained feeling after a day spent at a computer beneath fluorescent lighting, but cranked up by orders of magnitude. I teetered, Maria grabbing my arm and steadying me before my face could become acquainted with the ground. ¡°Thanks,¡± I muttered, my mouth sluggish. Though I¡¯d closed my eyes, I could sense the approach of my animal pals, our bond having grown even deeper than it once was. Maria was there too, her core feeling like an extension of my own. If it were any other human, I¡¯d have worried about the implications. With Maria, all I felt was a deep thankfulness for her presence. I chanced a glance her way. She could sense my affection for her, causing tears of joy to well in her eyes. ¡°Oh, no,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Are you... breaking up with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Her head jarred backward, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I waved a hand in Barry¡¯s general direction. ¡°I know Barry has a rockin¡¯ bod now, but I can work out. I can change.¡± She rolled her eyes so hard that I thought she might get vertigo. ¡°I¡¯m over here worrying about you, but you¡¯re clearly fine.¡± She lifted me in a princess-carry and plopped me on Teddy¡¯s back, which was as emasculating as it was deserved. She leaped up behind me, hugging me around the waist and keeping me steady. ¡°Would you carry us home, Teddy?¡± she asked. ¡°Please.¡± Despite being a vision of wrath and spitting fury like ten minutes ago, he nodded politely and lumbered off, heading for my home. As he took through the rows of sugarcane, I wondered about what the future would bring. When the villagers returned, there would be no way to hide Tropica¡¯s transformation. Heck, from their position at the northern headland, they for sure would have seen the king¡¯s flames. They might have even felt the heat. A time of great change was about to come to Tropica, and I had just declared myself the leader of it. With that thought lingering in my mind, Teddy¡¯s swaying steps lulled me to sleep. Book 3: Chapter 74: A Question Book 3: Chapter 74: A Question As I walked through the streets of Tropica the following morning, I marveled at the buildings. The sun was just peeking over rooftops to the east, casting its glorious rays on the new day. The entire time I¡¯d lived in Tropica, the south-side had been riddled with squat, crudely constructed dwellings that didn¡¯t hold a candle to the houses up north. Today, the sun¡¯s light shone down, illuminating how much that had changed. A demarcation no longer existed, even the dodgiest of homes now boasting architecture that could win awards back on Earth. It was a heartwarming sight, one that was only moderately ruined by the man walking beside me. Roger¡¯s core was uncontrolled, his blade-like chi pouring out and filling the street we traversed. It was partially my fault and partially Sharon¡¯s, me because of a question, and her because of a statement. ¡°Lovely day for it...¡± I said, pointedly not looking his way. All I got was a grumble in return, which I supposed was better than nothing. ¡°I love the new place, by the way,¡± I tried again. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Sharon found decorations for it already.¡± ¡°They came with the transformation,¡± he ground out, still staring forward. ¡°Ahhh, that makes sense.¡± I let a silence creep up on us as we strode toward the center of the village. My hopes that Roger would calm down were repeatedly dashed, his frustration seeming to build the closer we got. As we passed the smithy, which now had some wrought-iron decorations that were damned aesthetically pleasing, Fergus and Duncan came running out. ¡°Morning!¡± Fergus said, beaming a smile. ¡°How are you feeling, Fischer? Mind if we tag along with¡ª¡± He cut off, his eyes going wide as he entered the range of Roger¡¯s roiling chi. ¡°Er, now that I think about it, I left something inside...¡± He backed away, dragging Duncan with him. I forced my lips into a line, not letting even a hint of my amusement show. Annoyingly, Roger felt it coming from my core anyway, his sharp chi pulsing in response. ¡°There you are!¡± a familiar voice called from ahead, poking her head around a corner. ¡°I worried that you two might have killed each other!¡± I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking if anyone could make Roger calm down, it was his wife. Nope. When he caught sight of her, I instinctively pressed back against his flaring aura with some of the village¡¯s light, worried that he¡¯d cut through a building or something. He felt my will pressing against it, paused, and took a deep breath. Exhaling slowly, his power receded. ¡°My apologies,¡± he stated, not sounding at all sorry. ¡°I find myself out of sorts this morning.¡± I could have let my purifying light out completely, using it to wash away Roger¡¯s fury and make both of us feel better, but it wasn¡¯t time yet. Revealing it too soon would ruin Barry¡¯s plans. Roger¡¯s eyes were still closed as he composed himself, so Sharon gave me a grimace and mouthed, ¡®Sorry.¡¯ In retrospect, I should have expected her arrival to make him even worse after what she said a half hour ago. Thankfully, her physical presence made Roger actively shrink his out-of-control aura, not wanting to hurt her despite the information she¡¯d revealed to him. I shook my head, recalling her words. ¡°Oh, dear,¡± Sharon had said as she patted his arm. ¡°I¡¯ve been helping Maria sneak out for weeks.¡± If looks could kill, the glare he¡¯d given me would have sliced me into small trips, put me on the longest sabiki rig ever, and cast me out to sea. Sharon had quickly departed, making up some excuse about needing to get back to Tropica and help prepare the theater while we hashed it out. As we traversed the last few streets, I fidgeted with an object in my pocket, seeking to distract myself. It didn¡¯t work. We rounded a corner, and Barry¡¯s voice boomed out, carrying despite his conversational tone. ¡°I know it may be hard to accept,¡± he said, ¡°but I think Tropica¡¯s transformation should be proof enough.¡± ¡°Not to mention your transformation, Barry,¡± George said, not drawing the amount of laughter I thought his joke deserved. I stepped up to the edge of the theater and peered down, finding an absolute sea of people staring at George as he poked one of Barry¡¯s biceps. Trent was up there too, his fireproof artifact cutting a figure almost as impressive as Barry¡¯s. Judging by the white pallor of some of the people sitting in the stands, I guessed that they¡¯d already learned of everything. Smattered throughout the crowd, sitting as if they were just regular citizens, were the rest of the congregation. My spirit pals and Maria were off to the side, none of the unascended having the courage to sit anywhere near spirit beasts. It was a stark contrast to the initial meeting we¡¯d had with the freed slaves of Gormona before they joined the ranks of the Church of... well, me. Back then, we¡¯d had to put on a show of force, presenting an unwavering front to convince them they should join us. This time, Barry was just laying everything out, stating the facts as they had happened. Rather than an unspoken threat, the congregation, including all my animal pals, were sitting with the rest. It was a declaration that all were equal, and that just because we were cultivators, that didn¡¯t make us better than the regular citizens of Tropica. But despite the calmness of the people sitting in the stands, I was under no illusion that there wouldn¡¯t be problems. There would still be people that assumed we were all mad. Maybe they¡¯d run off to the capital, intent on selling us out to a monarchy that no longer existed. Perhaps they¡¯d flee, heading for distant lands in an attempt to escape the changes coming to the world. Which they were free to try, of course. Whatever Tropica had become, it was no dictatorship. ¡°Fisher?¡± Maria asked, stepping back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I swallowed, my mouth feeling dryer than the sand I stood atop. ¡°I...¡± I shook my head, closed my eyes, and let out a slow sigh. Gathering every ounce of courage I could muster, I reached into my pocket, grabbing hold of the object I¡¯d been fidgeting with earlier. It was cold and hard, and with a shaking hand, I removed it. I stared into Maria¡¯s eyes, taking in the beautiful blue color of her irises, the sun making them shine. She was everything I could ever want and more. ¡°Maria,¡± I said, dropping to one knee on the sand. ¡°Will you marry me?¡± She gasped, her eyes going wide and tears welling within them. She froze there for a long moment that felt like an eternity. Holding out her hand, she nodded, covering her mouth as a tear ran down her cheek. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, her voice trembling, and I slid the ring onto her finger. A roar of noise erupted from my animal pals, loud enough that a regular human might have been deafened. I shot to my feet and lifted Maria by the waist, my own eyes wet with tears as I held her tight. ¡°I love you,¡± she said, sobbing. ¡°I love you too.¡± Everyone else rejoined us, the cuddle even more fervent than before. Overwhelming emotions crashed over me like waves on the shore, and if I could have stayed in that moment forever, I would have. ¡°Also,¡± I said, unable to help myself, ¡°your dad might want to kill me.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, cry-laughing into my shoulder. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I asked him for permission to marry you this morning.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he said no, Fischer. He has no say in our lives.¡± ¡°Oh, no, he totally said yes. Though he wasn¡¯t exactly ecstatic about it...¡± ¡°What?¡± She leaned back, her eyes wet with joy and a confused smile lingering on her lips. ¡°Then why would he want to kill you?¡± I winced. ¡°Because when he said it was still too soon to move in together, Sharon told him she¡¯s been sneaking you out for weeks...¡± Her laughter bubbled up like a mountain spring, as beautiful as it was delicate. ¡°We might have to go into hiding,¡± she eventually said, the words coming out through fits of giggles. ¡°Whatever it takes.¡± We stared at each other for a long moment, both reveling in our love for the other. We might have continued doing so, but a polite yet insistent hiss came from beside us. Every head spun, turning to look at Rocky. He blew a single congratulatory bubble, ate the butt of his cigarette¡ªwhich I suppose was better than littering, if a little gross¡ªand locked his eyes on Snips. He made a complicated series of hisses and bubbles. The meaning was, unfortunately, clear. I find myself overwhelmed with emotion, mistress, he said, spinning to face the ocean. I desire to be launched. Sergeant Snips, either happy to oblige the request or furious at him for ruining the moment, exploded forward. Water chi flowed from every hinge in her carapace, and with a smooth swing of her claw, she flung him out to sea. It was her best throw yet, rivaling the one I¡¯d used to banish him. Instead of his usual squeal of surprise, he removed another cigarette from gods knew where, lit it on his carapace, and took a deep, ponderous drag, his body tumbling end-over-end out toward the horizon. Maria intertwined her fingers with mine, leaning her head on my arm as we watched him become a mere speck of black against the rising sun. Book 3: Epilogue Book 3: Epilogue Tens of kilometers to the west, a long-forgotten power flowed across the land. It had been millennia since chi of this magnitude suffused the air, such potency not seen since the time before the gods fled. The world seemed to rejoice, both flora and fauna reacting to the shift, even if they weren''t aware of the cause. The leaves of trees swayed in a nonexistent breeze. Sleeping creatures were roused from their rest, experiencing unexplainable bouts of energy. Insects called out, making whatever noise their small bodies could. Such were the minds of the unascended. One such instinct rushed to the forefront of its consciousness, making its massive jaw hinge open. Hunger... it thought, all of its mind needed to find the correct word. The spirit beast lifted itself from its muddy prison, heading off in search of food. Luckily, it didn¡¯t have to go far. Chapter Giveaway! Chapter Giveaway! Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. 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Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Five hundred word minimum. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Book 4: Prologue Book 4: Prologue Beneath a cloud-covered sky, a creature of unparalleled mayhem slunk through the underbrush of a verdant forest. The sun had set almost an hour ago, the day''s illumination slowly giving way to the murky darkness of night. Despite a distinct lack of wind, the air was thick with noise, calls of countless crickets and cicadas climbing before fading away once more. Most humans, with their fragile bodies and rampant anxiety, would see such a night as a bad omen. They''d retreat to the caves, hollows, and houses that they called home, not leaving until the rays of the coming morning graced the world once more. Other beings, however, delighted in the lack of light, wind, and silence by which prey could sense them. The creature currently slinking through the underbrush was one such hunter. The reason was rather simple; it was a perfect night for mischief. As if to confirm this very fact, faint voices broke through the still air, reaching the enhanced hearing of the creature. She grinned, revealing needle-sharp teeth that would have gleamed in the moonlight if any were present. With anticipation roiling through her veins and her vigor replenished, she rushed forward, her limbs as silent as the non-existent wind. The forest blurred past. It took only moments for her to reach the source of the conversation, and she stared at the home, a devious sparkle in her eye. "I hate moonless nights," a feminine voice said from inside. "I know, dear," a man responded, his footsteps closing the distance between them. "At least it''s finally getting warmer. We might not even need to light the fire tonight." The woman snorted. "And sit in the dark? We may as well just run out into the night and let the horrors have us." It was all the creature could do not to leap through the wall in that instant. They were taunting her. Inviting her to enter their home in a suitably dramatic manner and confirm their wildest suspicions. She tried to fight back the urge, knowing her master would probably disapprove... but she wasn''t strong enough. Her muscles ached with the desire to obliterate the wall, to shatter the side of their home and appear before them in a storm of rubble and dust. She wanted to see their faces. No, she had to see their faces. She needed their fright as much as she needed to breathe. Hunching down on all fours, lightning chi jolted from her core. In the blink of a cultivator''s eye, it wreathed her limbs. She exploded forward, prepared for impact, and... halted midair, an unyielding grip holding her by the scruff of the neck. *** I raised a brow at my troublesome otter, bringing her up to eye level. "And just what do you think you''re doing, missy?" There was a flash of panic in Corporal Claws''s eyes that was swiftly hidden behind a thin veneer of innocence. Who, me? She seemed to chirp, shrugging and giving a half-hearted trill. Nothing. "Nothing, huh? You definitely weren''t about to launch yourself through someone''s wall with the express intention of terrifying them?" She''d opened her mouth to retort, but it remained ajar as she searched for the correct response. In desperation, she swung her head to the person beside me, seeking assistance. Maria shook her head, her sun-bleached hair swishing and eyes unable to completely hide her amusement. "Don¡¯t look at me, Claws. Fischer is right. This first meeting is important." She reached up and scritched behind Claws¡¯s fluffy ear. "The last thing we want to do is make them scared of us." Claws deflated, going limp in my grasp. Sorry, she chirped. "It''s okay," I said, cradling her still-limp body in my arms. "It''s not your fault that trickery lives in your heart." She nodded sagely, agreeing with the assessment as Maria gave her a reassuring pat on the head. "Who''s out there?" a voice boomed from the building. "Best behavior," I whispered to Claws, carrying her with me as I strode around the side of the house. "G''day, mate," I said, giving a small smile. "This is the Osnan family''s private land, and if you value your neck, I suggest you leave." Despite the strength of his words, worry lined his face. "We passed the watch house on our way here." I pointed behind me, back through the forest. "It was empty." "The guards must be doing their rounds. This is your last chance, friend. If they find you here..." "Hello!" Maria said, resting her head against my arm and casting her beautiful smile his way. "You don''t have to worry¡ªwe''re not here to hurt you." The man''s hand tightened around something out of sight, and as he pulled a metal-spiked club into view, I let out a sigh. Corporal Claws stood to attention in my arms, puffing out her chest. She jabbed a paw in his direction and let out a high-pitched growl, demanding he put the weapon down. I rubbed my temples as Claws climbed atop my head, getting a higher vantage point from which to stare down her nose at the man. His eyes went wide, the undeniable proof that she was no normal creature worming its way into his psyche. Showing incredible stupidity, impressive bravery, or an unholy combination of both, the man pulled the club back with practiced speed, preparing a strike. He was clearly trained. To our enhanced awareness, though, he may as well have been moving through water. Despite his lack of a threat, Corporal Claws reached for her chi, preparing lightning just in case. Confusion shone through the two farmers'' exhaustion, and I shook my head. "Please, just call me Fischer. And we don''t want your bed." "If you''re sure..." "Positive." I gave them a smile and nodded at the door. "Go rest. We can talk again in the morning." With sheepish expressions, they retreated into their home, immediately whispering in hushed tones the moment the door was closed. I shook my head and withdrew my hearing, sharing a smile with Maria at their excitement. "Well, that went well," she said as we strode in the direction of the grove. I rubbed Claws''s head. "It did, all things considered." While we¡¯d talked, the clouds above had cleared, revealing a blanket of stars and a crescent moon. No one spoke as we traveled the few hundred meters to the trees we¡¯d come to see. Ahead, the other three members of our expedition withdrew from the shadows. Brigadier Borks wagged his bushy tail, excited by our approach. Sergeant Snips, her eyepatch looking marvelous in the pale moonlight, blew happy little bubbles. Beside her, Rocky took a long drag of his cigarette as he looped a claw around Snips''s carapace and pulled her close. She batted him away half-heartedly, giving him a look that was filled with such love I felt the need to grab Maria''s hand. She planted a swift kiss on my cheek before returning her attention to Snips and Rocky, who were now play-fighting. Claws made a retching sound, causing Snips to freeze. She slowly spun the otter¡¯s way, murder shining in her lone eye. Claws held her gaze, bent at the waist, and mimed making herself sick. It was a declaration of war if ever I''d seen one, and Snips''s answer was swift. I could have stopped them if I wanted to, but I didn''t. Doing so would just make their tempers flare later. Snips raced toward Claws with blue chi billowing from her carapace. Claws grinned, revealing her dagger-sharp teeth as lightning wreathed her body. The two collided and shot off through the forest in a blur, dozens of blows exchanged with each passing second. "Come on," I said, walking forward. "Let''s have a peek at the trees we came to see." The closest corner of the grove was where the apparent pruning had taken place. The trees were heavily cut back, anything above head-height lopped off. I felt the need to inspect it, to examine the trunk and the cut they''d used to reduce the size of their prized trees, but something in the distance caught my attention. Maria let out a soft gasp. "Are those...?" We looked at each other, and before our grins could fully form, we were off. We sprinted across the grass, traveling as fast as only cultivators could. When we skidded to a stop, I reached up and softly squeezed a red berry. Though it appeared ripe, the fruit was firm. Borks appeared beside us a moment later, his tongue lolling and tail wagging as he stared up at the fruit-laden tree. I cast a gaze down the row, expecting to find Rocky racing after us and blowing insulting bubbles. But he was no longer the same crab. Rocky strolled leisurely, like a gentleman perusing a noble¡¯s garden. He gave me a respectful nod. Maria snorted. "Still not used to that.¡± "No kidding," I replied, my gaze drifting back to the surrounding trees. "I can''t believe how many there are..." A soft breeze blew, making the leaves and clusters of red berries shift in the moon''s ethereal light. I plucked one from the small tree, and with it held before us, I squeezed. The skin ruptured, releasing a sweet fragrance that reminded me of jasmine and hibiscus. We partook of the tiny berry''s flesh, and my forehead creased as I took in its unique flavor, both fruity and floral. Twin powers approached, and as Claws and Snips attempted to fly past us, I dashed before them. They skidded to a stop, staring up at me. ¡°Truce,¡± I said. ¡°Try this.¡± With care that belied their murderous movements only seconds ago, they ate the last of the fruit. All that remained on my palm were two seeds, their forms pale and green. "Uhhh," Maria said, poking them. "Are they not ready yet?" She picked them up and sniffed, her nose scrunching. "Yuck. They smell wrong." I laughed at the expression of vague disgust on her face as she appraised the treasures we''d come all this way for. It wasn''t surprising; she''d only ever seen the finished product. "They''re perfect. This is what they look like when they''re still raw." She placed them back on my palm and licked her lips, returning her attention to the dozens of trees around us, each of them covered in hundreds, perhaps thousands, of berries. "Each fruit gives two beans...?" she asked, her disbelief evident. "They do," I confirmed, also staring at the trees and the wealth they held. A wave of relief washed over me. "Looks like we''re not gonna run out of coffee any time soon..." Book 4: Chapter 1: Tropica Book 4: Chapter 1: Tropica The following afternoon, birdsong lilted through the air, accented by the unerring trundle of wagon wheels over packed earth. The sun was beaming down from behind, casting our shadows over the treasure we¡¯d procured from the old Osnan farm. It was an absolute mound of coffee, and despite being exposed to its aromatic scents for the entire day, they were still as lovely as the sun above and the woman beside me. As if she could read my thoughts, Maria rested her head on my shoulder and let out a happy little sigh. ¡°I¡¯m glad we took this trip the old-fashioned way.¡± Despite her words, she rubbed her lower back, her brow knitting. ¡°Maybe we should get out and walk for a while, though. This sitting situation isn¡¯t ideal.¡± I smirked and gestured down at the throne I¡¯d made out of coffee-filled burlap sacks. ¡°If the queen of caffeine desires, this humble servant can teleport us back.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No. Ellis would annoy you to no end the moment we got back if you were to use your power. Besides, it¡¯s peaceful just rolling along in the afternoon sun¡ªlumbar support be damned.¡± Claws chirped her agreement, rolling over and exposing her stomach on Maria¡¯s lap. Borks, who I¡¯d thought was asleep, wagged his tail at my feet, making a soft thump, thump, thump on the wagon. I opened my mouth to agree with the sentiment, then spun toward Maria, giving her a questioning look. ¡°Wait, how do you know what lumbar support is?¡± It was her turn to stare at me in confusion, but it swiftly devolved into a giggle. ¡°Because, you goose, the first time you got drunk on Barry¡¯s rum¡ª¡± ¡°Pew-pew juice,¡± I corrected. ¡°Right.¡± She rolled her eyes playfully. ¡°Pew-pew juice. Well, during the celebratory feast the other day after we beat the king, you went on a massive tirade about office chairs and how prohibitively expensive a good one is. I couldn¡¯t forget the terms lumbar support, ergonomics, and breathability if I tried.¡± I barked a laugh. ¡°My bad. I¡¯m, er, passionate about posture, I suppose. Is your back actually hurting, though? We can get out and walk.¡± She shook her head before resting it on my shoulder again. ¡°I think I¡¯ll enjoy my caffeine throne while I can. We¡¯ll be there soon anyway.¡± I glanced up and saw that she was right. We¡¯d be able to see Tropica from the next mountaintop. ¡°Humble steeds,¡± I declared, gifting my voice a noble and pretentious quality. ¡°If it pleases you, would you kindly pick up the pace? My betrothed desires the comfort of home.¡± Our carapace-covered beasts of burden hissed in acknowledgement, but rather than speed up, Rocky, who was pulling one handle of the cart, stopped entirely. From the other side, Snips cocked her cute little head and blew curious bubbles. Rocky gestured back at the cart, dipped his body, and made a humble series of hisses. Please, mistress, he seemed to implore. Allow me to carry the burden. Snips made a fuss about how extra he was being, but I noticed the little skip in her step as she leaped up onto the cart. Rocky¡¯s reform and subsequent return was a source of great joy, and seeing the effect it had on my favorite crabby girl only compounded my gratitude. When all my animal pals, Maria, and I had bonded in the sky, our deepest desires were revealed, and Snips¡¯s pain and regret over Rocky had been a bitter pill to swallow. I¡¯d wished for an ideal outcome, but his homecoming exceeded even my wildest expectations. As he slung some rope over the cart¡¯s handles and started tying some rather complicated knots, I caught his eye and gave him a nod. Rocky paused for the barest of moments, pulled a cigarette from nowhere¡ªseriously, where did he keep getting those?¡ªand lit it on his shell before returning my nod. He slipped onto the harness he¡¯d tied, shot Snips a smooth wink, and took off. To my surprise, he was expending chi. His volcanic essence reached out before him, hot enough to melt the packed earth we traveled atop. As he strode over the molten ground, he sucked the heat back up, hardening and allowing our wagon¡¯s wheels to roll right over it. The result was an impressively smooth road, and though we traveled at a hastened clip, it was as though the wagon had suspension. Claws let out an appreciative chirp and slid into the gap between mine and Maria¡¯s leg, wiggling her furry little tooshie until she slipped all the way between us. I raised an eyebrow at her but her eyes were already closed, a grin spreading over her features as she enjoyed the blissful afternoon sunshine. I swiveled and lifted my face toward the setting rays, also radiating in their touch. Though winter in Tropica had been a mild affair, I was excited about spring¡¯s arrival. It would mean longer days and more time spent fishing. That line of thought made another possibility come to mine. ¡°What¡¯s that smile about?¡± Maria asked. I faced forward again and stretched, luxuriating in the slight ache of my muscles. ¡°I was just thinking about spring. It got me wondering about the possibility of catching new fish. Spring is the season of life, right?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± She shimmied like a child that just learned they were having ice-cream for breakfast. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even considered that! Do you think they¡¯ll take the same bait? Will we need to create more equipment? Why are you smirking? What plans have you already started to¡ª¡± ¡°Claws!¡± Maria tried to grab her by the scruff of the neck, but my otter pal was expecting it. She darted away, disappearing into the night with a crack of lightning that made my hair stand on end. She arced high into the air and slammed down into the middle of Tropica, chittering with laughter all the way. By the time we rolled into the center of Tropica, a crowd was forming. Barry took a step forward, no doubt intent on asking how it went. But Rocky had pressing business. Mistress, he seemed to say, his bubbles sincere as he sparked up a cigarette. Seeing as though you are well rested, might I request a favor? I immediately knew where this was going, and I shot Maria an exasperated look. ¡°Are you serious, Rocky?¡± she demanded. ¡°This is why you offered to pull the cart?¡± Snips, however, merely nodded, acknowledging his question. Rocky exhaled a small cloud of smoke, taking his time. Finally, he blew meaning-filled bubbles. Please, mistress.I desire to be yeeted. Snips moved in a blur of billowing chi, her claw scooping Rocky up by the bottom of his carapace and flinging him east over the closest rooftops. A sound like thunder sprang into being as air exploded from him. ¡°Eeee¡ª¡± was all he could get out before he left my enhanced hearing range. Though his limbs were splayed outward with centrifugal force, he held onto his cigarette for dear life. ¡°Nice arm, Snips,¡± I said, earning happy bubbles and a shy shrug from her. Barry shook his head, his muscular jaw tensing as he watched Rocky¡¯s departure. ¡°Nice to see that some things haven¡¯t changed.¡± He turned his attention toward us and gestured down at the sacks of coffee. ¡°I take it the mission was a success?¡± ¡°More than you know, mate.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Ellis said, looking up from his notepad as he stopped scribbling for the barest of moments. ¡°Why did you not store the coffee beans within Borks¡¯s soul space? Once they are roasted, will they not perish faster when exposed to the air as they are? Wasn¡¯t the plan to keep them in the climate controlled room that Borks can conjure?¡± ¡°Clever as always, Ellis,¡± I replied. ¡°But there¡¯s a simple explanation: We have something even more important than roasted coffee beans in there.¡± Ellis¡¯s visage turned feverish. ¡°There is something in there that you deem more important than coffee...?¡± ¡°Better if I show you, I think. Would you mind, Borks?¡± Ruff! he barked, tearing a rift in space a second later. ¡°Just poke your heads in, fellas,¡± I warned. ¡°It¡¯s rather full.¡± As Barry and Ellis¡¯s heads joined me on the other side of the portal, they both made odd faces. ¡°Why does it smell like cut grass in here?¡± Barry asked, staring at the burlap bags filling the space. A little bolt of lightning zipped into the room, and as soon as Claws landed, she was helpfully opening one of the sacks. Ellis and Barry watched her intently as she sliced it open with her namesake, but as she revealed the contents, they only grew more confused. ¡°Why are they green...?¡± Barry asked. ¡°Because they¡¯re raw, mate. As they are now, they¡¯ll keep for up to a year.¡± I grinned at them, not needing to feign my excitement. ¡°We¡¯re going to make our own single-origin coffee.¡± Chapter Heretical Fishing 3 live in audio, ebook, and paper back (+ small update) Chapter Heretical Fishing 3 live in audio, ebook, and paper back (+ small update) Hello, friends! A little update to let you know that book 3 is out on audio! I''ve been asked countless times to announce when Heath Miller''s narration was available, so here you go!No?v(el)B\\jnn Also, I''m currently in Las Vegas for Author Nation. I didn''t let anyone know because my intention was to just keep writing in the morning before hanging out with my writey pals, so I didn''t anticipate there being any change to chapter releases. Ps. I still need to hit 500 words to post this chapter. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Book 4: Chapter 2: Storage Book 4: Chapter 2: Storage ¡°Okay, I have to ask at least once,¡± Maria said, giving me an apologetic smile. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I replied, giving her hand a small squeeze. ¡°If we need to use Borks¡¯s dimensional space in an emergency, we¡¯d have to ditch the beans. I¡¯d rather risk them being stored in subpar conditions than discarded entirely.¡± George, the former lord of Tropica village, snorted from beside me, then seemed to remember himself. ¡°Oh, er... sorry, Fischer.¡± I barked a laugh, glad that he was comfortable enough around me to react honestly. It was a far cry from the anxious mess he used to be. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, mate. What did you find so funny?¡± Geraldine, his ever-supportive wife, patted George on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s because you called this room subpar.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± I gazed around at the smooth stone walls. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a matter of perspective.¡± We were within a new building, something that hadn¡¯t existed at all in New Tropica. It was, ostensibly, a granary. It had dozens of rooms, all segregated to keep the contents sterile. To be honest, it felt a little reductive to call it just a granary, though. Each room was temperature and humidity controlled, with positive airflow to keep any unwanted particles out. Considering these functions, it could be an inoculation chamber for fungi, an operating room, or any other number of places that required as much sterility as possible. It was only subpar compared to a single other place: Borks¡¯s spatial ability, which was self-cleansing, impenetrable, and entirely sealed off from contamination. The room we were in could be used for what some would deem better purposes, but what we needed right now was a place to store all our grains and beans, most important of which we were about to retrieve. I smiled up at the questioning look Borks was giving me and nodded. ¡°Ready when you are, buddy.¡± With a wag of his tail and a happy little ruff, the air shattered and cracked, a black portal tearing into being. We formed a work line, with me and George within the portal and the two ladies without. It took mere minutes for us to move the tons of raw coffee beans, and as George and I stepped back outside, we found our partners blushing and whispering to one another. ¡°That can¡¯t be good, mate,¡± I stage-whispered to George. ¡°They¡¯re conspiring.¡± He gave an exaggerated shiver. ¡°I pray for our health.¡± ¡°Oh, shush,¡± Geraldine said, sweeping over to slap him softly on the arm. ¡°We were only saying good things.¡± ¡°Speaking of good things,¡± I replied, not so subtly shifting the topic. ¡°There was a reason why I asked you two to help us move the beans.¡± Geraldine nodded. ¡°I suspected as much. Why did you request us, then?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t say this to be insulting, but pretty much everyone else has something going on. I know you two are relatively new to the whole cultivator thing, so don¡¯t feel pressured if it doesn¡¯t sound like your jam, but...¡± I trailed off as they spun to look at each other, their eyebrows doing their best to leave their face. Frack, I thought. I overstepped. I¡¯ll¡ª They cut off my line of thinking when they burst into short and sharp laughter. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°You lost me.¡± ¡°We were going to ask you for some direction,¡± Geraldine replied, smoothing her dress. ¡°I don¡¯t want to overdo fishing. We¡¯re worried that if we don¡¯t find a profession of sorts, it won¡¯t remain as fun. Does that make... why are you looking at me like that?¡± Without realizing it, a frown had made its way to my face. ¡°Because he can¡¯t relate to getting sick of fishing,¡± Maria explained for me, rubbing my upper back. ¡°The man is obsessed.¡± ¡°Yeah, that. But I get it¡ªa profession is a good idea! You¡¯re both keen, then?¡± ¡°We are,¡± George answered, grabbing Geraldine¡¯s hand. ¡°When do we start?¡± ¡°First thing in the morning?¡± I suggested. ¡°That sounds good to me. We¡¯ll meet you¡ª¡± Unable to contain my joy, I barked a laugh. ¡°I was thinking the same thing! With the way they move, these might be a new species!¡± She made a high-pitched noise and hopped from foot to foot, only to cut off abruptly as her fish took another run. I shot a glance toward the third member of our morning crew, finding Teddy¡¯s ears alert and eyes filled with anticipation. Waves of curiosity radiated from his core, strong enough to be felt over my giddiness. As my line got closer and closer to shore, though, I swept all other thoughts aside. It was time to focus up. The fish must have caught sight of the rock wall, because it took a desperate run, the kicks of its tail sluggish in comparison to the start of our clash. The way it seemed to wind through the water reminded me of something, but I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it. I leaned closer, my excitement growing overwhelming as I expected to see a flash of sun hitting its scales. TBut the reflection never came. ¡°What¡ª¡± I began, then cut off as I saw something swirl beneath the small waves hitting the rock wall. It was long and lithe, its body covered in speckled flesh instead of scales. Though my confusion was great, my desire to be kind was greater. I lifted it out of the shallows, intent on identifying it as soon as possible. I saw a gnarly set of chompers on it, so I grabbed it by the gills, careful not to injure it. Before I could see more of its form, it drew my vision in. Mature Wolf Eel Rare Found along the rocky shores of the Kallis realm, these eels are named for their bite force. Because of their tendency to mate for life, eating the flesh of the wolf eel with a lover is purported to bring you closer together. Combined with their rarity, this belief causes the wolf eel to be considered a delicacy by many. I shook my head to clear my eyes and stare down at the creature, taking in its features. As I looked at its long, finned tail, I realized why its movement had seemed similar¡ªit was reminiscent of the other eel varieties I¡¯d caught. That was where its similarity to the others ended, though. It had a body almost shaped like a tadpole, its head and body were enlarged and filled with muscle. Its skin was kind of pudgy, a layer of protective fat protecting its vitals. I found myself frowning at it, and as I reached up to remove my hook, it lashed out. Snap! If not for my enhanced body, it might have taken a finger. I raised an eyebrow at Maria, who was entirely ignoring me in favor of staring down at her own catch, its skin and spots slightly darker than the one I held. ¡°Awww,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re adorable! Do you think they¡¯re a couple?¡± I had to agree with her assessment. The things were ugly cute. Like a Pug. Or those weird dogs that look like someone bred a Shih Tzu with a naked mole rat then washed them on a four-hour spin cycle. ¡°I hope so!¡± I replied, trying to keep my face straight. ¡°Do you think that will make us come even closer together when we eat them? I wonder what they taste like?¡± The look of utter shock, horror, and betrayal on Maria¡¯s face broke my mask of indifference. I cackled, holding the eel away from me as I bent at the waist. ¡°Kidding! I was kidding!¡± ¡°I was about to call off the wedding!¡± She gestured at me with her eel as if using its powerful jaws as a threat. ¡°You let that fishy go right now!¡± Still fighting back my mirth, I stepped down to the rocks. ¡°Ready?¡± She nodded and joined me, both of us releasing them at the same time, and the wolf eels did one of the most adorable things I¡¯d seen since coming to this world. Rather than dart away, the one I¡¯d held swam over to Maria¡¯s. They coiled as if checking in on each other, then swam back to the depths together, never once separating. Maria slapped me softly on the arm. ¡°That wasn¡¯t funny! How could you consider eating a happy couple? I was seriously reconsidering who you were!¡± ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. It was a little funny. Right, Teddy?¡± His head darted between us, ears pinning back as existential dread arrived on his face at the prospect of having to choose a side. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Teddy.¡± Maria rubbed our bear pal¡¯s shoulder, making some of his anxiety melt away. ¡°Before Fischer has coffee, his humor is similar to that of Corporal Claws.¡± I raised my finger to protest, but paused. ¡°Damn. You might be correct on that one.¡± ¡°Always am.¡± She shot me a wink and got to her feet. ¡°Come on, then. Let¡¯s get you some caffeine.¡± ¡°And I thought the eels were romantic,¡± I replied, brushing off my pants. She rolled her eyes at me, but there was no malice in it. ¡°Enough jokes, mister. The sooner we get coffee and check in on the prisoners, the sooner we can go roast some beans with George and Geraldine.¡± Hand in hand, and with Teddy plodding along beside us, we headed off toward Tropica. Book 4: Chapter 3: Facade Book 4: Chapter 3: Facade A warm breeze blew from the ocean and washed over me, the sand beneath my bare feet frosty by comparison. It was a reminder of the shifting seasons, making my thoughts turn toward spring and the new species it might bring to our shores. I imagined fishes of all different shapes and sizes, and just as I was picturing a colorful grouper with the head of a shark, the ground before us exploded. I took a step forward. I had to put myself between the ambush and Maria. Sand sprayed up in a gout, the air in my lungs quivering with the boom that shook the world. Our attackers had concealed their position, using long-forgotten methods to hide their presence from even the most powerful of cultivators. In a fraction of a second, they were flying from a hole in the earth. More limbs than should be possible, razor-sharp teeth and claws, and iron-hard exoskeletons descended upon us. The quickest of them flew directly for me, screeching a war cry that was loud enough to pierce the heavens. I tensed my body, bellowed for Maria to get back, and plucked Corporal Claws out of the air. ¡°Just kidding,¡± I said, using one finger to tap Claws on the nose. ¡°Boop. I knew you were there.¡± She whirled on the rest of the attackers¡ªa rather impressive feat considering I still held her by the scruff of the neck¡ªand unleashed a mighty chirp, demanding to know who had betrayed her. ¡°Nobody warned me, Claws. I can literally teleport people across the world anywhere our Domain touches. What makes you think I couldn¡¯t feel you there? I can smell the smoke the alchemists use to hide their chi, but I¡¯m immune to it.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Maria said, ¡°you would have scared me and Teddy if Fischer hadn¡¯t warned us.¡± A look of utter betrayal came to Claws¡¯s face as she turned back toward me, which only made me laugh. ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologize for warning them, Claws. You might have given poor Teddy a heart attack.¡± I looked up, slightly narrowing my eyes at the arrayed animal pals. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you all went along with it, to be honest.¡± Claws had somehow convinced literally every single spirit beast to join in. Sergeant Snips blew a hiss of happy bubbles and waved at me. Rocky gave a nod, one of his claws resting on Snips¡¯s, er, lower back? Private Pistachio also dipped his head, the movement a little slower and more respectful than Rocky¡¯s. Cinnamon leaped toward Maria, who giggled as she scooped her up into a hug. I reached over and scratched behind her ear, making her rear leg thump against Maria¡¯s arm. Brigadier Borks, as a Golden Retriever, sprinted over and wound around our legs. His tongue lolled as he sat and stared up at me, his tail swishing back and forth. Queen Bee and Bumblebro crawled out from his fur and waved up at us, as did a few of their progeny, the Buzzy Boys. Most of them were off patrolling Tropica¡¯s surroundings, but they¡¯d ensured that some of their representatives were present to take part in the attempted prank. Private Pelly and Warrant Officer Williams, aka Bill, unleashed honks of greeting as they swooped down toward the sand. The former landed on Maria¡¯s shoulder, and the latter on mine. We both reached up to give them scritches. Last but far from least, Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket made her move. She¡¯d likely been the one that dug the hole they had hidden in, because her roots covered its walls. A thick limb rose from the ground to wrap around everyone present, pulling us into a group hug. No one protested. I noticed the other tree spirit there too, but it remained in the periphery, not physically joining the way Lemon had. Between Maria and me, Claws cooed and purred, writhing around in delight. Feeling the pure joy washing from her core, I realized that this cuddle puddle was her true goal, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Happy, Claws?¡± I whispered, earning a wide grin and a feverish nod. ¡°Okay, gang, I¡¯m enjoying this as much as the rest of you, but George and Geraldine are waiting back in town. Plus, we have to visit the prisoners first.¡± Lemon squeezed us tighter, holding us there for a few seconds before finally letting go. I was going to ask what everyone was up to for the day, but I didn¡¯t get a chance. The moment they were released from Lemon¡¯s grip, they waved, chirped, buzzed, or grinned before dashing off, going about their business. Even Lemon and her tree-spirit pal retreated, their roots and awareness retracting. In a matter of seconds, only Maria, Teddy, Pistachio, and I remained. There was some hesitation on Pistachio''s face, which might be as much emotion as I¡¯d ever seen him express. He was a master at hiding his feelings, and even with my godlike instincts, he was a blank slate. I could have pushed through the facade, broken through his walls to comprehend what he was thinking. But that wasn¡¯t what friends do. ¡°You okay, mate?¡± I asked, kneeling down so I was eye level with him. His antennae shifted in thought, the movements small enough to be almost imperceptible. Finally, he gave me a nod of thanks, and turned away. With sweeps of his gigantic claw, he started filling in the hole. Maria, Teddy and I exchanged a look before heading off, leaving him to it. ¡°Is he okay?¡± Maria asked when we were far enough away to not be heard. I didn¡¯t need to fake the reassuring smile I gave her. ¡°He will be. If and when he¡¯s ready to reach out, he will.¡± But I held up a hand to stall him. ¡°Not to worry, mate. It¡¯s Maria messing with me.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°Carry on then.¡± Sturgill disappeared from sight as quick he¡¯d come, leaving me alone with the wolves. ¡°You were saying?¡± Sue continued. ¡°There¡¯s a cure for this horrific curse that Fischer has?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Maria replied, sounding half pirate, half... I don¡¯t know. Gnome, maybe? ¡°There be a cure, though it be hard to find. Only the finest of pastries and the smoothest of coffees will fix this malady.¡± Sue opened her mouth to continue the mummery, her wit razor-sharp even before ascending, but I cut in with a dramatic sigh. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. If we want the finest of pastries, we¡¯ll have to go elsewhere. I hear there¡¯s a good bakery on the northside of Tropica. Lena¡¯s¡ª¡± I cut off mid sentence, ducking the coffee bean sent sailing toward my head with the speed of a bullet. ¡°Hey!¡± I laughed, hopping around the square as a barrage of beans flew my way. ¡°You¡¯re wasting good coffee!¡± ¡°I¡¯m defending my honor!¡± she yelled back, pausing with a bean pinched between thumb and forefinger, ready to be unleashed at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Now take it back.¡± With an easy grin, I took a step and appeared before her in a flash of light. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I only said such a hurtful thing on account of the malady, you see. Only your pastry and coffee can fix me. No other will suffice.¡± ¡°Make it two of each,¡± Maria added. ¡°Just in case the first doesn¡¯t take. He¡¯s very uncouth today, as you can see.¡± Sue rubbed her chin. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s all coming together now. You poor thing.¡± She patted me on the shoulder, leaving a slight flour-dust outline of her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the medicine this instant.¡± I appeared on the other side of the counter beside Maria as Sue moved with lightning-fast speed to retrieve and hold out two croissants. ¡°That was our best show yet,¡± I whispered as I grabbed the pastries. Maria gave the slightest of nods. ¡°I counted twelve smiles on non-cultivator faces. The plan to disarm them is working.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Sue said, turning to stare at us from the coffee machine. ¡°You guys were acting?¡± There was a beat of silence before we all broke into laughter. Less than a minute later, Sue was handing over two coffees, which we accepted with a smile. ¡°Enjoy the medicine.¡± She shot us a wink. ¡°And do come back if it doesn¡¯t fix him, Maria.¡± She beamed a smile back at Sue. ¡°Thank you. I will.¡± As we walked down the street, I couldn¡¯t wait a moment longer. I took a sip of coffee, a bite of croissant, then washed it all down with another mouthful of the golden liquid. The switch from coffee to warm buttery goodness and back again was everything I needed, and neither Maria nor I said a word as we strode along, finishing our breakfast. Just as I was about to verbalize how enjoyable an experience it had been, a pulse of power came from ahead of us. It took a fraction of a second for me to pinpoint the location. The prison. Fire followed the exertion of power, flowing around the corner and into sight.l I let go of my cup, leaving it and Maria behind as I appeared within the prison in a flash of light. Book 4: Chapter 5: Chimney Book 4: Chapter 5: Chimney Corporal Claws, queen of the sands and fuzziest of all Fischer¡¯s companions¡ªyes, including Cinnamon, thank you very much¡ªlazed in her favorite new spot. Though it wasn¡¯t her wooden perch atop the pond Fischer had made, the rooftop she lounged on was curved in such a way to make it the perfect place to catch morning rays. The sun seemed to beam down from every direction, bouncing off the surrounding tiles to warm her very core. Claws stretched, delighting in the slight ache of her muscles as she extended her limbs. Beside her, Cinnamon let out a soft peep and rolled to her back, exposing her stomach to the sun¡¯s warmth. Their sleepy eyes met for a moment, and Cinnamon gave her an appreciative nod, radiating extreme gratitude toward Claws for finding this wondrous spot. Unspoken, they both raised a forepaw and fistbumped, immediately closing their eyes and drifting back to sleep. *** As I walked through the transformed streets of Tropica, I couldn¡¯t help but gaze up at the surrounding people, an ever-growing smile forming on my face. It was easy to get caught up in the village''s architecture, but that beauty would be nothing without the citizens moving to and fro, going about their mornings. The sun was well and truly over the rooftops now, its light having long ago shone through windows and woken the people of Tropica. A river of humanity moved around us, some so engrossed that they didn¡¯t even notice our passage. The eyes that did recognize us showed a range of emotions, and I was saddened to see fear on more than a few faces. It wasn¡¯t surprising, though, considering recent events. Only a few short weeks ago, it might have made me second-guess myself. Question if I was really adequate enough to lead. Now, I knew that didn¡¯t matter, and was instead grateful for the majority of the crowd that did trust me. As if sensing my thoughts, Maria squeezed my hand and grinned up at me when I glanced her way. Though we were on the receiving end of many a smile and wave, no one stopped to chat. Before long, we rounded a corner and caught sight of the granary. ¡°Finally!¡± Geraldine called, resting a hand on her hip and failing to look genuinely bothered. ¡°We thought you had both changed your mind!¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I replied. ¡°We got embroiled in some tomfoolery. Completely out of our control.¡± The look in Geraldine¡¯s eye told me exactly what she thought of that statement. ¡°So,¡± George said. ¡°Where did you have in mind to create this roastery, Fischer?¡± He glanced at his wife. ¡°We discussed it most of the night and couldn¡¯t come up with anywhere that made sense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a sensible answer to reach,¡± Maria said, ¡°because where he wants to put it makes absolutely no sense.¡± The former lord and lady of Tropica both raised an eyebrow at me, only increasing my enjoyment of the moment. I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true. It makes perfect sense to someone like me. A man of perfect intellect, unbridled wisdom, and unparalleled¡ª¡± ¡°Humility,¡± Maria finished, cutting me off. ¡°Yeah, yeah. We know.¡± I faked a pout, hiding the joy I got from her finishing my sentence, even if it was at the cost of my punchline. Geraldine nodded, shooting an amused glance at George. ¡°Well, given that our intellect, wisdom, and humility are lacking, I suppose you will just have to tell us where it¡¯s going. Because I have no idea.¡± ¡°Gladly!¡± I took a deep breath, spread my arms wide, then bent at the waist to gesture at the building behind them. ¡°We¡¯re going to put it inside the granary!¡± They frowned and looked at each other, countless thoughts exchanged wordlessly with their expressions. George sighed and shook his head. ¡°If anyone else had said that they were going to put an oven inside a granary, I¡¯d have laughed. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.¡± He grabbed Geraldine by the hand and led her toward the door. ¡°Come on, dear. We¡¯d better go along with it.¡± She let go of his hand and looped an arm through his. ¡°Certainly. If we push back, he might just choose an even worse place to build it. Like one of the sheds filled with sugar-cane mulch.¡± ¡°Or our bedroom.¡± ¡°That would be a bother, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You know,¡± I said to Maria, crossing my arms. ¡°I think I liked it better when they were deathly afraid of me.¡± A few hours later, back within the walls of the granary and smiling at the world, I snapped my fingers. Our created items appeared in a flash of light, sorting themselves into a neat pile. The bulk of the mass was made up of the various metal parts George, Geraldine, and I had created in the smithy. I pursed my lips as I bent to inspect the components that Maria had created, running a finger over a collection of wooden handles. ¡°Wow. These are marvelous. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d have assumed they were System-made. They¡¯re so smooth.¡± ¡°Learned from the best,¡± she replied, shooting me a wink. ¡°But I¡¯m more impressed with this funnel-looking-thing you made. How did you get it so uniform?¡± ¡°That was him, actually.¡± I nodded toward George, and Geraldine rested a hand on his upper back. ¡°My husband is a natural at most things.¡± ¡°Oh, it was nothing,¡± George said, a blush coming to his face. ¡°I just followed Fischer¡¯s instructions.¡± ¡°George, mate, acting humble is my thing. Just take the compliment.¡± ¡°Riiight,¡± Maria drawled. ¡°Humble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hard gig, but someone¡¯s gotta do it. Anyway, that¡¯s enough about me. Let¡¯s get this party started. I just need to pick the spot for the chimney...¡± I wandered around and stared up at the ceiling, rubbing my chin as I picked the perfect spot. ¡°Right...¡± I took a half-step to the side. ¡°Here.¡± Maria gave me a confused look. ¡°Why there? Wouldn¡¯t it make sense to put the chimney in the corner of the room where the roaster is going?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll just have to trust me on this one. I promise it¡¯ll make sense when it¡¯s finished. We need to ensure we picture the same thing.¡± I pointed directly up. ¡°So, chimney here, okay?¡± We¡¯d spent the morning joking around at every possible opportunity, but at my words, their faces grew serious. One and all, they nodded. I strode back over to the components, taking a seat on the floor in front of them. Maria, George, and Geraldine followed my lead, coming to sit on the other three sides. With an ease not possible before my last breakthrough, I slipped into a meditative state. I pictured what I wanted to create, planting it firmly in my mind¡¯s eye. Wireframe schematics unfurled in exquisite detail, more intricate than ever before. It was a side-effect of the System regaining its functionality; even the newest of cultivators now had access to basic images of what they were creating. I, however, was no new cultivator. The three-dimensional blueprint in my mind continued growing, merging with the building we were within. As one, George, Geraldine, and Maria joined me. The former two paused for the barest of moments, having not built anything with me since the changes. They swiftly recovered, however, their wills rushing to follow my lead. With our intents indistinguishable from each other, the components moved into place, connecting seamlessly. In a burst of light, a pulse of euphoria washed over us, signifying that the creation was finished. Before the wonderful feelings could completely leave my body, I was already moving from the room. ¡°... Fischer?¡± Maria asked, staring at me as I walked out the door. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± There was a loud bang as something hit the first bend in the chimney. Maria whirled, lifting her face to follow the sound as it made its way downward. There were multiple scratching sounds before a soft thud came from within the newly constructed coffee roaster, followed by another. A beat of palpable silence spread throughout the room, the air growing so tense that you could cut it with a knife. Maria was the first to realize what I¡¯d done. ¡°Run!¡± she yelled, sprinting past George and Geraldine. ¡°What¡ª¡± George began, but was interrupted by a loud boom as the doors of the furnace compartment were blown open. Smoke and vapor emanated from the furnace, lit from within by blue, crackling electricity. Side by side, two fur-covered beings strode out, murder dripping from their otherwise-adorable features. ¡°Oh...¡± George said, taking a step back and raising his hands. ¡°It wasn¡¯t us. We had no idea. Fischer¡ª¡± His attempt at peace was drowned out by the sounds of Claws and Cinnamon rocketing forward. Book 4: Chapter 6: Alert Book 4: Chapter 6: Alert Within the walls of the granary, the world slowed to a crawl. My most-recent breakthrough had given me a previously unknown level of perception, which let me witness every moment of Claws and Cinnamon¡¯s flight through the air. Their eyes, promising violence, were pinned on the mastermind of their tumble down the chimney. Me. Claws spun like a torpedo, little jolts of electricity arcing all over her body as she flew directly for my core. Cinnamon whirled in midair, one rear leg lashing out to kick off of George, who was off-balance in his attempt to flee. Poor bloke... I thought, watching as he ragdolled across the room and slammed into a far wall. He was fine, of course; no matter how upset Cinnamon was, she¡¯d never hurt him. Well... not seriously, anyway, I amended as he slid down the wall. Maria made it out of the room at the last moment, and I slammed the door behind her, sacrificing George and Geraldine. ¡°Every man for themsel¡ª¡± Claws shot through the door and into the wall next to me, her muscles bulging with electricity and righteous fury both. Cinnamon came barrelling through the remnant of splinters, already twisting, preparing to kick off the wall and into us. Both animal pals unleashed high-pitched war cries, a dual promise of retribution for my trickery. Hand in hand, Maria and I sprinted away, our giggles only increasing the rage coming from Cinnamon and Claws. We barely made it out of the granary before their first volley of attacks landed, and the next few minutes were a blur as we dashed around the village, exchanging blows. Cinnamon and Claws¡¯s anger swiftly faded, replaced by an animalistic thrill as our faux battle continued, slowly growing more intense. We only stopped after Claws got a little too excited, which would have resulted in some poor family¡¯s backyard getting obliterated if I hadn¡¯t nullified her headbutt with a wall of light. Claws lounged in my arms and Cinnamon in Maria¡¯s as we walked back to the granary. We found George and Geraldine sitting before the machine, their necks craning to take in its impressive form. I¡¯d had to push back the System earlier to stop it from drawing my eyes in, wanting to wait until after Claws and Cinnamon had enacted their vengeance. Still holding the System at bay, I quickly took in the physical form of the roaster. At the very top, a metal hopper stood proud, made of the cone George had created. It had increased in size slightly with the System¡¯s transformation. The hopper fed into a chute that had a gate attached, able to be opened and closed with one of the wooden handles Maria made. Next, there was a giant drum, which was the compartment where the roasting would take place. A series of smooth metal arms connected within the drum, the apparatus that would spin and agitate the green coffee beans, ensuring an even roast. There was something attached to it, a small compartment I didn¡¯t recognize despite my surface-level understanding of such machines. I returned my attention to the parts of the roaster that I recognised, leaving the unknown addition for later. When finished roasting, the beans would drain into a round tray at the front of the machine. There were more metal arms within it, which would spin and circulate the cooling beans. Below all of this, the furnace sat, its metal doors somehow still attached despite Claws and Cinnamon¡¯s aggressive exit. The entire machine stood flush against the stone floor, looking as though it was part of the building, there from the very beginning. The more I looked, the more excited I got, and I couldn¡¯t hold the System at bay any longer. I let the creation draw my vision in, its description filling my mind¡¯s eye. Coffee Roaster of the Redeemed Rare Created by a congregation and their chosen deity, this coffee roaster is a representation of the congregation¡¯s belief in their god. Beans processed in this roaster will always have a minor boon, with slight chances of a regular boon, and rare chances of a major boon. The boon granted is influenced by the ingredient(s) placed in the infuser. I shook my head to clear my vision, my skin tingling with adrenaline as the words¡¯ meaning sunk into me. ¡°Well, then,¡± Maria said. ¡°Looks like the System acknowledges you as the church¡¯s deity.¡± I licked my lips. ¡°Yeah...¡± Not wanting to dwell on that for too long, I stepped toward the machine. I raised a hand and touched the small compartment attached to the drum, finally understanding what it was. ¡°Infuser...¡± I said, my eyes narrowing in consideration. ¡°Fascinating.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know what it was before?¡± Maria asked, standing to join me. ¡°Did people not use something like this back on Earth?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they did, to be honest, but I certainly didn¡¯t know about it. Coffee was for sure infused with various flavors, but I assumed it was done by soaking them before roasting. Or adding the ingredients to the already roasted beans, I guess. Having a separate chamber seems a little extra.¡± I raised an eyebrow at Maria. ¡°Ready to catch me?¡± She nodded seriously and stepped closer. ¡°Ready.¡± I extended my senses toward the machine, and when I found the intricate lines of essence within it, the air was knocked from my lungs. I managed to remain standing, my senses swimming, but I could only stand the overwhelming experience for a fraction of a second. I withdrew my attention, the world going dull once more as the impossibly complicated lines of essence connecting the artifact¡¯s components faded. I took a steadying breath, trying to comprehend the purpose and intent of the thousands of microscopic tubes and tunnels, each an integral part of the coffee roaster¡¯s functions. ¡°Uhhh...¡± George said. ¡°Fischer?¡± ¡°Yeah, mate?¡± I rubbed my eyes before looking at him, my vision still a little strained. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I threw my hands up in exasperation. ¡°Fine! It happened two times! Whose side are you on?¡± She let out a shrill chirp and leaped into my arms, raising her head to rub her whiskers against my chin. ¡°I love you too,¡± I laughed, ¡°but you¡¯re not helping me make my case here.¡± ¡°Coffee infused coffee, you say?¡± Ellis asked, bringing us back on topic. ¡°How does that work?¡± I gave him a basic rundown of the roaster and the attached infuser. ¡°Fascinating,¡± he replied. ¡°What other ingredients have you thought about infusing?¡± I snapped my fingers, a full tray appearing in my hand. ¡°We¡¯ve got lemon, sugar, salt, passiona husk, and more coffee.¡± ¡°Why do you have more coffee?¡± Maria yelled, trying to snatch the bag. ¡°Because what if I want to triple infuse with coffee? Why have coffee-infused coffee when you can have coffee infused with coffee-infused coffee?¡± The entire room blinked at me, and Maria narrowed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s finally happened. You¡¯ve gone mad with power.¡± I let out a villainous laugh, arching my chest and projecting my voice. ¡°And it¡¯s too late for anyone to stop me!¡± Corporal Claws joined in, her high-pitched trill complimenting my cackle. Letting out a theatrical sigh, Maria picked up a sack of green coffee beans and emptied it into the hopper. ¡°I guess there¡¯s nothing to do but accept our fate.¡± She opened the valve, letting the beans pour down into the drum. ¡°Showtime, Claws.¡± I set her down on the ground and gave her a quick scritch before striding over to the machine. When the last of the beans had poured down into the roaster, I closed the door to the furnace and pressed a button on the side. Heat immediately bloomed within the construct. ¡°Does it not require wood to burn?¡± Ellis asked. ¡°Why does it have a furnace, then?¡± ¡°You can do both. I¡¯m guessing wood could add some, er... woody flavors. This is just an experiment to see if we can make really strong coffee, so using the magical heat source is fine.¡± The agitator within the drum sprang to life, slowly churning the contents as the heat rose. The smell was wondrous, and I marveled at the chi that seemed to circulate around us as the beans continued roasting. We watched on in silence, only the scratching of Ellis¡¯s pencil on his notepad interrupting the quiet. Ambient chi rose upward, gravitating toward the beans. Those in the infuser started breaking down, reduced to tiny little trickles of chi that poured down into the drum. The scent of roasting coffee, the sound of churning beans, and the sight of undulating chi combined into an experience more peaceful than I could remember. My breathing slowed as I bathed in the sensations, letting them ground me, and time became a faraway concept as I sunk further into the moment. When the roaster finished, the sudden silence was deafening. Maria stepped forward and pulled a level, causing the beans to pour from the drum down into the cooling tray. Once there, I flicked a switch, causing the metal arms to spin to life. With the coffee beans exposed to the air, their concentrated scent wafted around the room, making my mouth water. ¡°Oh my...¡± Geraldine said, her eyes fervent. ¡°They smell wonderful.¡± With a hesitant step, I approached. If the coffee made from them tasted even half as good as it smelled, we were in for a treat. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the caffeine content, or the subsequent boost to productivity they might produce. I bent to scoop some of the still-hot beans up, intent on inspecting them. But before I had the chance, an unexpected message occupied my field of view, halting me mid-step. Quest Alert! Quest: In Defense of Tropica Village Alert: A spirit beast has been detected within the bounds of your Domain! Book 4: Chapter 7: Doubt Book 4: Chapter 7: Doubt Within the walls of the granary, the aromatic scent of coffee flowed around me, its myriad notes as complex as they were enticing. My fiance¡¯s hand gripped mine, her presence both physically and spiritually reassuring me. The sound of whirring machinery and tumbling coffee beans filled the space, a reassuring susurration of noise. And yet, despite this wall of different sensations, all I could focus on were the words occupying my visual field. ¡°A spirit beast has been detected within the bounds of your Domain...?¡± I repeated, still parsing the implications. Shaking my head, I dismissed it, already grasping for my Domain¡¯s chi reserves. There was no time to consider. Maria let out a gasp, her eyes clearing and snapping to mine. ¡°What do we do?¡± I clenched my jaw and firmed my resolve. ¡°I need to find it. Give me a moment.¡± Leaving my body, I sent my awareness out through the Domain¡¯s root network, utilizing the very chi that powered it. I¡¯d practiced this exact task once a day since the Domain had evolved, but it still felt a little disorienting to be pulled in so many directions at once. I squeezed my eyes shut as I was stretched further and further, still not finding the creature that had awakened. I started to worry. Started to second-guess if I¡¯d even be able to find such a being. I¡¯d barely covered a fraction of the Domain, and already my focus was waning. Something needed to change. I sought a solution, withdrawing my attention from the Domain to hone in on the possibilities. Something immediately jumped out. I sent my awareness there, knowing I should check it, yet not truly expecting to find the spirit beast. My chi flew through the Domain¡¯s network at the speed of light, racing toward a certain lake in the middle of nowhere. The only place I¡¯d seen a wild spirit beast before. When my awareness got there, I let my shoulders sag, a sense of palpable relief settling on them. ¡°What is it?¡± Maria asked, squeezing my arm. ¡°You found it?¡± ¡°I did, but we¡¯re not in the clear yet.¡± I looked up, locking eyes with everyone present. ¡°Are you all ready to go?¡± They nodded back, so I reached for them, preparing to make a gesture that would transport us there in an instant. But I stilled my hand, a series of beings tugging at my very soul. I furrowed my brow, unsure how they even knew what I was trying to do. On cue, there was a loud boom, and two such beings came flying through the now-doorless entry. Rocky had propelled Snips and himself into the building with a blast from his clackers, and Snips had used her jets of blue chi to guide them through the hallway and into the room. As one, they hissed for us to bring them along, Snips with urgency and Rocky with nonchalance. Though the rest of my animal pals weren¡¯t present, I could still feel them tugging at me, using our bond to request I bring them. I nodded, and not wanting to waste any more time, made a sweeping gesture with my hand. It used an inordinate amount of chi taking us that far, but it was better to be safe than sorry. We appeared high above the lake, standing on a translucent pillar of light. Below us, the water appeared still, as tranquil as the last time we¡¯d been here. As if sensing our arrival, the spirit beast moved. The surface of the lake billowed upward. And a tail of gigantic proportions breached the surface languidly, its monstrous fins covered in deadly spines. It was an unexpectedly beautiful sight, the sun high above reflecting from the fish¡¯s dark scales. But then it attacked. The tail slammed down, hitting the water with a sound like a crack of thunder. Chi spewed in every direction, and though it wasn¡¯t corrupted, it also didn¡¯t feel natural. Every cultivator and spirit beast I¡¯d come across had chi of a singular aspect; Snips had water, Claws had lightning, and Rocky had volcanic. This fish, though, possessed multiple aspects, each seeming to fight with the others for dominion. Electricity ran through the water. Vines tried to grow, only to be burned away by fire. And countless other elements fizzled and were smothered, lacking the strength to survive the onslaught. Something deep within me drew back from the display, a palpable sense of revolution rolling through me. I couldn¡¯t help but make a disgusted face as I stared at the tail and watched the powers dissipate. Borks half-coughed, making a gross noise with his throat. ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more, mate. That thing¡¯s nasty.¡± I patted him on the head and glanced around at my animal pals and Maria. ¡°Stay here, okay? I¡¯m gonna see if we can¡¯t turn this thing into a friend, gross as it might be.¡± A sharp spike of doubt came from Maria, halting my essence in its tracks. I immediately worried that it was to do with me and what I was about to do, but that wasn¡¯t it. Her musings were inward, focused on herself, and, thankfully, already fading away. I was still harnessing the world¡¯s chi; it urged me to investigate. Using it, I could force my way into Maria¡¯s core and discover the truth. Find out what had caused that wave of doubt. As fast as that urge came, I pushed it away. She would tell me when she was ready. With the world¡¯s chi held at arm¡¯s length, I paused, cocking my head. Was I being too hasty in my condemnation of the fish? If my suspicions were correct¡ªand I was almost certain that they were¡ªit wasn¡¯t the fish¡¯s fault that it was so broken. That alone wasn¡¯t enough reason to spare it, but unlike the king, it wouldn¡¯t burn itself away if left to its own devices. It was certainly an ethical dilemma to leave it alive because of the pain it was in, but what if we could heal it...? The power in my arm pulsed, demanding my attention. It wanted to be used. Wanted to purify the blight before me and remove it from the world. Demanded that I cease holding it back. With the slightest of touches, Maria reached up and lowered my arm. ¡°It¡¯s already lived with this hunger for centuries, if not thousands of years, right? What¡¯s a little more time?¡± I forced down the world¡¯s urges, an odd sense of disappointment settling in my chest. I swept it aside, knowing it to be misplaced. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± She rested her head on my shoulder and nodded at the frozen creature. ¡°Now, what are we going to do with this thing?¡± ¡°First things first.¡± I clicked my fingers, making all our animal pals appear beside us. ¡°Group hug¡ª¡± I cut off as Teddy scooped me up and squeezed, making communication impossible unless I reached for my power. There was a series of light thumps as everyone else hit our forms and slowly wound their way into the cuddle puddle. Claws and Snips found their way to the center, Claws by winding like a worm, and Snips by using her spikes to deter anyone else. ¡°Good girls,¡± I wheezed. ¡°That might be enough, Teddy. Thank you, though. Appreciated.¡± He released me from his massive forelimbs, dipping his head in apology as he took a step back. ¡°Okay, we can tick ¡®group hug¡¯ off the list. Next, a prison cell for our fishy friend.¡± I raised my hands, clasping my fingers together before my face. As I did, bars of solid light formed and connected, encompassing the spirit beast. Try as it might, there would be no escape; the bars were connected directly to the Domain, their power self-replenishing. I turned toward the Buzzy Boys present, a full dozen having come with us. ¡°Could you keep an eye on it? I should be able to tell anyway, but if it busts out or if anything weird happens, let me know immediately.¡± They buzzed their assent, bobbing up and down. ¡°Huh,¡± Maria said, staring down at the now-trapped fish. ¡°That was easier than I thought it would be.¡± ¡°Which means all the easy tasks are done.¡± I rubbed the back of my head. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have saved the hardest task for last.¡± She raised an eyebrow, pursing her lips. ¡°What else is there to do?¡± ¡°Well, you felt my emotions, right?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Well, were you able to feel why I was so dismayed?¡± She chewed her lip for a moment. ¡°Not exactly, but I have my suspicions. Why would that...¡± All of a sudden, realization arrived on her face. ¡°Ohhh. You need to tell everyone what you found.¡± I winced, not hiding my trepidation. ¡°Well, not everyone, but more or less.¡± I took one last glance at the fish before turning my back to it. ¡°It¡¯s time for a town meeting.¡± Book 4: Chapter 8: Those Driven Mad Book 4: Chapter 8: Those Driven Mad As the last of the Church¡¯s original members streamed into the headquarters, I smiled out at the room, focusing on everyone present. Most were engaged in animated conversation, their many voices combining into a pleasant burble. I could focus on each of their exchanges if I wanted to, my enhanced awareness capable of parsing dozens of speakers at once. I didn¡¯t, though, completely happy with the way things were and the smile their contagious excitement brought to my face. I¡¯d been nervous about this meeting, part of me still feeling a little awkward about taking control of the church. But their expressions calmed me. All knew my aversion to public speaking, which gave what I wanted to address a certain sense of seriousness. Unaware of my musings, the conversations continued. Behind each syllable spoken, the steady tapping of Roger¡¯s pencil on paper added a rhythmic drumming to the susurration. The last people into the room were Sue and Sturgill, one carrying a tray filled with pastries, the other balancing an armload of coffees. They swept around the congregation, offering the afternoon snacks out to anyone wanting. Before they had a chance to sit, the tapping came to a stop, and Ellis shot to his feet. He loudly cleared his throat, a fervency in his eyes that was bordering on fanatical. ¡°Everyone, if you would please sit, we can begin the meeting.¡± I smirked at him. ¡°I think they were already doing that, mate.¡± ¡°Truth,¡± Theo said tauntingly, looking at the ceiling to avoid the death stare Ellis leveled at him. ¡°Thank you for coming,¡± I interjected, taking control before they could descend into good-natured bickering. ¡°As you all know by now, we went to subdue a rogue spirit beast less than an hour ago.¡± The room nodded, not a sound breaking the silence. ¡°For better or worse, I learned a lot from our encounter with the beast.¡± I recounted the things I¡¯d felt from the creature: chi of multiple aspects; a soul afflicted by countless sources of rot; and primal, unfathomable hunger. The room was completely silent as I spoke, even Ellis looking up from his notepad, every ounce of attention focused on my words. When I finished, an undertone of worry radiated from the cores of those present. Stronger, though, was a sense of confusion. ¡°I get it,¡± I said, giving them a soft smile. ¡°You want to know why I¡¯m telling this to such a closed group, right?¡± ¡°Truth,¡± Theo joked again, getting a smattering of half-hearted laughs. I took a deep breath, willing the pulse thumping in my ears to calm. ¡°It¡¯s probably best to keep this on a need-to-know basis, which is why I¡¯m only telling you.¡± I swallowed, my throat feeling dry and scratchy. My chest seemed to constrict a little, my body reacting to my mental state of being. In a blur of movement, Sergeant Snips appeared before me on the table, looping one of her mighty claws around my abdomen. Her touch drew my attention to the outside world, where a tidal wave of compassion crashed into my spiraling thoughts. Trust and encouragement flowed freely from my friends¡¯ cores, clearing away any lingering worry and confusion. I took another slow breath, releasing it in a calming hiss. The old me would have lingered in that moment, putting on a brave face while still harboring doubts. But I was no longer that man. I had willingly taken control of the church and Tropica, finally understanding that to take responsibility didn¡¯t mean that I couldn¡¯t live a peaceful life. Even now, the only thing affecting my idyllic lifestyle were my own thoughts, my enhanced brain easily able to hyper-fixate on future problems. With that in mind, I acknowledged my worries, and let them pass like clouds in a windy sky. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, letting genuine gratitude flow toward Snips as I petted her sturdy shell. I looked back up at the room. ¡°The reason I¡¯m telling only those here is that I don¡¯t want people to get the wrong idea about any of our animal pals.¡± I gestured to the side of the table, where most of them had gathered. More than a few of their faces stared back curiously. ¡°What do you know that we do not?¡± Ellis asked, his hand tensing at the prospect of new information. Rocky, taking a deep drag of his cigarette and throwing the butt of it into his mouth¡ªwhich was still disgusting but better than littering¡ªjumped up onto the table. Every head turned his way, all but Snips, Maria, and I not understanding why he¡¯d presented himself. I gestured at him with one hand, letting tension build in the quiet room. Just when I thought Ellis would demand an explanation, I pulled the pin on the metaphorical grenade and lobbed it into the room. ¡°Rocky ate a bloke.¡± Following my declaration, I pursed my lips and looked around the room with a raised eyebrow, waiting for the reactions. They were wonderful. I raised an eyebrow at him, hoping he¡¯d feel encouraged to share. He merely made a vague motion with a claw, which was both annoying and exceedingly cool of him. The cheeky little crab had once more chosen to keep his secrets. I sighed. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve heard the whispers, but the entire truth is this: Robert¡¯s core had lightning-aspected chi. When Rocky leaped into the volcano, its essence tried to annihilate him, mistaking Robert¡¯s lightning power as a foreign threat. That¡¯s what Rocky surmised, anyway, and I trust his judgment.¡± ¡°So...¡± Ellis said, his eyes unfocused and staring down at the table. ¡°The fish...?¡± ¡°Yeahhhh. I can tell you¡¯ve worked out what I¡¯m about to say, but let me do so anyway, for the sake of clarity. When it slapped its tail and unleashed countless different chis, and the dozens of imperfections running through its nexus of power, making its core like that of a rotten apple? The cause is the same. ¡°The spirit beast has consumed a lot of cultivators, and a part of each of them latched onto its being. Together, their influence has left the fish mindless. A beast only filled with fury, hatred, and hunger. If anything, their influence has appeared to grow over time as the fish¡¯s madness deepened.¡± Ellis dropped his pencil, his pupils darting around as fast as his racing thoughts. ¡°If that was how all spirit beasts awakened...¡± I nodded, giving him a rueful smile. ¡°Yeah, mate. That¡¯s the crux of the issue. If the only way for spirit beasts to ascend was to eat cultivators, or even if that was how most of them ascended... Well, let¡¯s just say that it¡¯s no surprise they were so reviled in the past. It would mean that the only exposure people had to spirit beasts were those driven mad by the lingering soul of whomever¡ªor whatever¡ªthey¡¯d consumed.¡± ¡°Fascinating,¡± Ellis said, his hand once more a blur as he took notes. ¡°I wonder if that was always the way it was, or if it was a side effect of the world¡¯s power waning? We know from Lemon¡¯s vision of the past that the world¡¯s chi didn¡¯t flee all at once, correct? What if the last few hundred years were just an endless transfer of power? Spirit beasts growing stronger and stronger as they consumed other awakened beings?¡± ¡°It would explain the one we found,¡± I replied. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t explain the jungle mudminnows or the potent alligator gar that live in a lake above the dormant fish. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence that the followers of the god Ceto chose to experiment right above it.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Ellis stroked his beard. ¡°It could also be that the fish sought them out for their power, then went into hibernation when the world¡¯s chi could no longer sustain it. It¡¯s the chicken or the egg¡ªwhich came first...?¡± He shook his head, a hint of a smile taking shape on his lips. ¡°We answer one question, and ten more pop up.¡± Theo snorted. ¡°The chicken and the egg in this hypothetical are a man-made species of fish and a spirit beast that has eaten dozens of cultivators. You could at least pretend to hide your excitement.¡± Ellis glared at him. ¡°My interests are purely scientific, and I do not appreciate your insinuations.¡± ¡°Hmmm. That appears to be the truth, but maybe you just believe it¡¯s the truth. What do you think, Danny? Is Ellis a hidden deviant?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to keep an eye on him,¡± the former quartermaster replied, giving a grave nod. ¡°Just to make sure he¡¯s not developing some kind of kink.¡± Ellis shot to his feet, the three men getting into a minute-long spat filled with childlike name calling and one or two verbal jabs at one of the other men¡¯s mothers. I let the joust continue, happy to let it peter out naturally. An air of seriousness had cloyed the room following the meeting, but it slowly drifted away, everyone too enraptured by the ongoing tiff to linger on negative possibilities. Rather than interrupt them, I locked eyes with Maria, George, and Geraldine. All it took from me was a subtle nod, and we all stood. ¡°And that¡¯s why your entire family is a gaggle of pox-infused¡ª¡± Ellis cut off mid-tirade when he noticed our departure. ¡°Fischer? Where are you going?¡± ¡°I already shared all I had to.¡± I waved a hand dismissively. ¡°And we¡¯ve got some business to tend to.¡± Ellis shot to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± I cocked my head, expecting him to stay and grill Rocky. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I was there when the beans poured out of the new coffee roaster. I wish to¡ª¡± ¡°New coffee roaster?¡± Sue bellowed, throwing her chair back so hard that it shattered against the wall. ¡°Where?¡± Book 4: Chapter 9: Something Delicious Book 4: Chapter 9: Something Delicious I strode forward with determination, the rich aroma ahead drawing me ever closer. With each meter we crossed, the scent grew stronger. I hastened my step. Because of my recent breakthrough, I had the ability to seal off my sense of smell if I wanted to. Doing so could return my rationality. And yet, I didn¡¯t want to deny such a wondrous scent. Beside me, Maria gripped my arm with white-knuckled intensity. She hissed a sigh. ¡°This is almost unbearable.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± I glanced over my shoulder, spotting the rest of the meeting room following along. ¡°Maybe we could have dashed ahead if we were alone...¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t want us coming along,¡± Sue said, brushing her flour-covered apron, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t have told us you¡¯d infused coffee with coffee!¡± ¡°You could just...¡± Sturgill waved his hands mystically. ¡°Zap us in there, right?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± I replied, inhaling through my nose and soaking up the coffee¡¯s aroma. ¡°Approaching on foot is all part of the experience, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°I, for one, am enjoying it,¡± Geraldine said, her eyes closed as she inhaled slowly. She let out a contented sigh, a smile forming. ¡°Besides¡ªwe¡¯re almost there.¡± I spotted the granary ahead and was unable to stop myself from speeding up again. We approached at a jog, the scent growing even more alluring as we entered the doorway and dashed down the stone hallway. I skidded around a corner and focused on the entry to the roastery ahead. The room appeared almost lit from within, a soft glow illuminating the wall opposite, an imaginary manifestation of the beans¡¯ pull. No, I realized, my movement halting. Not imaginary at all... Over two dozen feet, paws, flippers, and exoskeletal legs skidded to a stop behind me. Those that could see the doorway inhaled sharply, causing the others to whisper and crane their necks in an attempt to see what had stunned us so. Unable to do anything else, I wandered forward toward the light. Despite my acute awareness, I lost all track of my friends behind me when I caught sight of the room. The glow was anything but soft. A golden bubble had surrounded the tray the coffee beans were cooling in. Within the half orb, lines of light undulated like sunbeams penetrating the ocean¡¯s surface, seen from above. Without realizing it, the machine was directly before me, the bubble beneath my outstretched hand. Now that I was so close, its pull was impossibly strong. And though I wanted more than anything to rip the seal off, I forced myself to wait. Maria rested a hand on my bicep, and when I glanced over, there was no need for her to vocalize her question. It was written on her face. I tried to reply, croaked, then cleared my throat. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong, per se. I¡¯m just testing something.¡± I forced myself to remain still, pausing until I was certain. When I trusted that I could resist the coffee¡¯s urging, I no longer hesitated. I pinched the surface of the bubble between my thumb and forefinger, and pulled. It lifted like the layer that forms atop cooling custard, peeling back to reveal¡ª A wall of light exploded outward. It struck me, making my need for the coffee beans grow by orders of magnitude. My skin tingled, mouth watered, and pulse thumped. It reminded me of the time I had accidentally overdosed on pre-workout during a short gym phase back on earth, the unholy combination of compounds having made me agitated and uncomfortable in my own body. I recognised all this in a fraction of a second, and feeling the same emotions radiating from everyone else, I whirled. Every eye was drilling into the now-visible beans. Suspecting the worst, I sent a small wave of chi out over everyone, testing their responses. Only those with more advanced levels of cultivation responded, and even they seemed to do so with great effort. Everyone else stared down at the beans, their faces intense and bodies already moving forward. ¡°Borks!¡± I called. He stepped through space to land beside me, and the moment he ripped the tiny portal open, I used strands of chi to scoop up every last bean. The altered seeds demanded that I give them my attention. Demanded I inspect them and see what they could do. But now wasn¡¯t the time. Ellis¡¯s eyebrow twitched, but he wisely didn¡¯t engage, choosing to take notes instead. I turned toward George and Geraldine. ¡°I¡¯m guessing this didn¡¯t happen while you were here. What did it look like before you left?¡± ¡°The same as when you all disappeared,¡± George answered, staring down at the now-empty tray and rubbing his chin. ¡°Perhaps it changed when the cooling was finished?¡± ¡°What I am curious about...¡± Ellis made a circular motion with the end of his pencil. ¡°The protective bubble that encased the beans. Was it a function of the coffee machine, or was it a symptom of the world¡¯s chi returning to a relatively normal level?¡± ¡°One way to find out.¡± I looked over the small pile of burlap sacks to the side of the room, all of which were filled with raw coffee. ¡°We can trial another batch. I know I said we shouldn¡¯t infuse anything addictive, but what if we do it with only a few beans? Maybe that would make it taste as good as that batch smelled, but without the pesky side effects... of... what¡¯s up?¡± Maria¡¯s head had drifted into my field of view, her hair hanging to the side and expression thoroughly unimpressed. ¡°Or, you know, we could just try infusing literally anything other than coffee, you maniac.¡± ¡°Fiiine,¡± I drawled, then shot her a wink. ¡°Have it your way. We¡¯ll just infuse something delicious instead.¡± Corporal Claws, showing a rare moment of actual helpfulness, dragged the tray of potential ingredients over. She presented them to us like a proud merchant, gesturing her forepaws wide above the arrayed food items. Maria knelt and rubbed the top of Claws¡¯s head, then both of them started rummaging through the box. Lemon, sugar, and a selection of spices were all removed, set aside into the ¡®for consideration¡¯ pile. I let them go, drawn in by their animated movements. ¡°You know,¡± I finally said, crouching down to their height. ¡°There¡¯s an ingredient I didn¡¯t gather yet...¡± Both paused, their heads darting toward me. Claws let out the beginning of a questioning chirp. But it swiftly transformed into a trill scream of realization, the whites of her eyes revealed to a cartoonish level. ¡°Oh!¡± Maria exclaimed, a smile forming on her face. I opened my mouth to confirm their suspicions, but froze, my eyes drawn to the floor. All along, both during the meeting earlier and the reveal of the coffee roaster, there had been a presence looming beneath us. It, too, realized what I was hinting at, and it no longer wished to remain hidden. There was a pulse of chi as one of the floor¡¯s stones was lifted into the air, hoisted high by a thick, powerful root. The extension of Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket sprouted a leaf in greeting, its green form swaying in a non-existent breeze. ¡°Lemon!¡± I laughed, shaking my head. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to break in! We were just about to come see you!¡± I know, she sent, unapologetic. With one more wave of her leaf, her root returned to the earth, the massive stone sliding back into place behind her. ¡°Come on,¡± I said, getting to my feet. ¡°The day is flying past, and Lemon awaits.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come, too,¡± Leroy said. ¡°Er, if that¡¯s okay, I mean?¡± he continued, suddenly looking unsure of himself. I clapped him on the shoulder and ushered him along with us. ¡°Of course it is, mate. I¡¯d appreciate your insight. In fact, I¡¯ve been meaning to come talk to you about them...¡± Book 4: Chapter 10: Grove Book 4: Chapter 10: Grove The afternoon sun shone down upon us as we strode through the streets of Tropica, purpose and anticipation fueling our steps. Ahead of us, a giant tree guided our path, its canopy visibly moving in what most would mistake as a strong breeze. ¡°Looks like Lemon is excited,¡± Leroy joked, knowing better than most. ¡°What gives you that idea?¡± Maria replied, her eyes glittering in the day''s waning light. Sergeant Snips hissed her agreement from the crook of my arm, wiggling to get even closer to my torso. I smiled down at the blissful crab as I patted her with my other hand, taking solace in her sturdy carapace. We passed by groups of people, some traveling past unbothered, more staring in open-mouthed recognition. ¡°How long until they stop looking at us like that?¡± I asked, peering down at Snips. She blew uncaring bubbles and shrugged¡ªever an impressive feat, considering her distinct lack of shoulders. ¡°What do you mean by us?¡± Maria gave me a haughty look. ¡°They¡¯re clearly only interested in the magnificent form of Sergeant Snips. What makes you think they would be interested in the bland, uninteresting, and sometimes stinky man carrying her?¡± I groaned and mimed being struck in the chest by an arrow, reeling backwards from the non-existent blow. ¡°Oh, shush,¡± she said, grabbing me by the arm and bringing an abrupt end to my dramatics. ¡°I can only make those jokes because we both know they¡¯re not true.¡± She punctuated the statement by planting a swift peck on my cheek. I stopped walking for a moment, the unexpected show of affection making me forget all about the retort I¡¯d been preparing. As we continued walking, I touched the spot absentmindedly, relishing in the tingling sensation she¡¯d left behind. Before my thoughts could move elsewhere, we rounded the corner to the park-like area in the center of Tropica. Right in the middle of the giant stretch of grass, Lemon¡¯s new trunk stood proud, its limbs and branches reaching up toward the sky. On the outsides of the park, a dozen or so villagers lounged under the shade lemon provided, gathering individually or in pairs. The moment Lemon caught sight of us, her canopy vibrated. The violent movement of so many leaves caused a cacophonous roar to wash over us. Some of the people that¡¯d been enjoying Lemon¡¯s shade had clearly been asleep, because they shot upright, panic on their faces. Lemon, unable to help herself, immediately made the situation worse. The ground vibrated as her massive roots shifted around beneath us. One of them split the surface, and the next thing I knew, it was rocketing toward us so fast that a regular human might miss it. She wrapped us up and whipped us around to the other side of her trunk, depositing us with a surprisingly gentle touch considering how aggressively we¡¯d been relocated. ¡°Thanks, Lemon.¡± I patted her unraveling body before looking up at the reason for our visit. On the ground before us, four bushes stood, their forms squat and branches laden with... ¡°Uhhh, Leroy?¡± ¡°Yes, Fischer?¡± I made a vague gesture toward the bushes. ¡°What happened to the passiona berries? They were the whole reason we came.¡± When I¡¯d seen the bushes before, they were covered in dark purple berries. Now, the fruit had been replaced by pink-tinged parcels that looked more like origami than a natural occurrence. Leroy¡¯s only response was to smile at me, his eyes wrinkling at my expense. I looked at him, at the bushes, then back at him. I had no idea what he was trying to... ¡°Ohhh!¡± I clapped my hands together. ¡°Passiona husk!¡± ¡°Just so,¡± Leroy replied, bending down to pinch one of them. It crunched and crumbled, the remnants falling into the open palm of his other hand. After carefully plucking and remaining husk from the base of the now-visible berry, he stood and held it before Maria and me. I reached out and grabbed one of the smaller pieces, rubbing it between a thumb and forefinger. It was thicker than I expected, but with a little pressure it easily ground down to a powder. Maria and I gave each other a look, and without needing to say a word, each dipped a finger into my palm before placing it on our tongues. At those words, Lemon¡¯s treetop shook even more vigorously than it had earlier. She sent out a tendril of essence toward me, giving me the mental equivalent of a tap on the shoulder. Following her lead, I trailed the power with my awareness. Only ten or so meters away, I found an odd bubble of air underground, making my brow furrow. Absolutely oozing glee, Lemon opened the ground above it, seamlessly sliding around patches of grass. Simultaneously, she raised the pocket of air to the surface, lifting a field of tilled soil into the light of day. Sprouting from its nutrient-filled soil, hundreds upon hundreds of little seedlings grew, each with twin leaves reaching toward the sky. My eyes unfocused as I inspected them with my chi, finding the tiny trickles of essence that Lemon was providing them. ¡°They¡¯re...¡± ¡°Passiona,¡± Leroy replied. ¡°Every. Single. One of them.¡± I wandered forward, kneeling down to get close. I reached out with a finger, but pulled back before I could make contact. Passiona seeds were tiny, as were their sprouts; it wouldn¡¯t do to damage them by accident. ¡°Lemon!¡± I laughed, whirling on her. ¡°You devious tree spirit. You hid these when you raised a root, didn¡¯t you? You disguised your action by making it seem like it was your excitement making the ground shake!¡± She radiated glee, not even trying to deny her ruse. ¡°How long?¡± I asked, glancing back down at the plants. ¡°How long have these been growing?¡± ¡°A few days,¡± Leroy replied. ¡°Despite how much chi is flowing into them, they haven¡¯t grown faster than the average plant. We worked together to find the perfect amount of essence to feed them. I believe once they get larger, they¡¯ll be able to receive more, and their growth will increase exponentially.¡± While we spoke, Lemon had raised a thin root, weaving a roughly humanoid shape with it. I slung an arm over her approximation of shoulders. ¡°You are the best of girls, Lemon. Thank you so much for this surprise. It was wonderful.¡± She shimmied in delight and her body shot back into the ground, overwhelmed by the praise. ¡°So...¡± Leroy said. ¡°You have a choice to make, Fischer.¡± ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± He reached into his pocket, pulling out a little pouch. ¡°This is the passiona husk that was harvested from the old grove in New Tropica before it merged back with the main village. If you taste it, you¡¯ll notice the difference immediately. You can safely use them in the infuser. Orrr...¡± He pointed down at the passiona bushes. ¡°You can harvest the newly grown husks and use them instead. They have a higher level of both chi and flavor.¡± I pursed my lips, tapping my chin in thought. ¡°Well, after the abomination we made earlier by infusing coffee with coffee, I feel like anyone with a shred of sanity would use the least powerful of the two, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Leroy agreed. ¡°That would seem the most prudent of courses, because you could always create another batch with the stronger passiona husk afterward. Only the most reckless of people would choose to use the possibly over-powered variant first.¡± His eyes bunched in the corners to mirror my amusement, both of us arriving at the same metaphorical destination. Maria¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re going to use the stronger one, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Who, me?¡± I drew a hand to my chest in a show of affront. ¡°You would accuse me, the intellectually gifted Fischer, of taking such a brash course of action?¡± Her stare only grew flatter, if such a thing was possible. When it became clear that she wasn¡¯t going to elaborate with words, I grinned. ¡°I¡¯m totally going to use the more powerful variant.¡± I bent and started crumbling the husks, collecting them in the palm of my hand. Maria let out a long-suffering sigh and patted me on the shoulder in parting. ¡°I¡¯ll go find something to put the powder in.¡± Book 4: Chapter 11: Coffee Book 4: Chapter 11: Coffee Back within the granary, coffee beans churned, the metal arms of the roaster¡¯s cooling tray spinning slowly. The movement was as hypnotic as the sound was pleasant. Even more noticeable than these sensations, however, was the smell. I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d ever experienced two scents that suited each other so well as those of coffee and passiona husk, and with their aromas suffusing the air, it was all I could do not to dive face-first into the beans. I¡¯d been confused when the beans were roasted for longer than seemed necessary. But then the sweet scent of passiona husk joined the burnt coffee in the air, and I understood. It was the same reason why patisseries back on Earth often used dark-roasted beans¡ªthe bitterness enhanced the sweet treats they purveyed, both products boosting the other. Maria was breathing heavily from beside me, and I stole a glance, smirking at the serious look she¡¯d adopted. Sensing my attention, she gazed my way. ¡°How much longer? If it¡¯s more than a few minutes, I need to leave. This is torture.¡± Air hissed through George¡¯s teeth. ¡°I might need to do the same. I find myself getting agitated.¡± Geraldine grunted her agreement. Only Snips seemed to remain unbothered; she loved neither coffee nor sweets. ¡°Not much longer,¡± I replied, my internal state not matching the cool front I presented. Maria let out a strained breath, fussing her hair with both hands. When she was finished, she frowned at me. ¡°You can¡¯t fool me with that cool demeanor. I can feel how impatient you are.¡± ¡°Oh, thank the gods,¡± I rubbed my head, trying to vent excess energy. ¡°I felt like I had to put on a show of strength for you guys, but I am beside myself here. Should we actually leave? This is getting...¡± I trailed off as the mechanical whirring drained from the room, leaving behind an empty quiet. Holding my breath, I slowly spun toward the machine. Ellis, who I¡¯d forced to stand outside the room because he wasn¡¯t able to stop asking questions, came flying back inside. He was beside me in a second, joining me in leaning toward the tray. There was a soft buzzing of power above it. It started faint but slowly grew stronger, building to a static that I could feel as much as hear. The room¡¯s chi vibrated at the same frequency, and all at once, rushed downward. The essence pooled in the tray, condensing. Once the space couldn¡¯t hold any more power, a fraction of it seeped into the coffee beans. The rest rose up and formed a protective dome, forming a seal between us and the beans that immediately muted their scent. Rather than gold, this dome was the same purple as the passiona husk, streaked by beams of a darker shade. The faces of those surrounding me were bathed in the twilight colors, as were the walls and ceiling, the palette both alien and beautiful. Already knowing that this batch of coffee was no threat, I smiled and pinched the surface of the bubble, pulling it away. Purple light exploded out into the world, dazzling us with its intensity. The scents returned next, somehow even stronger than they¡¯d been before. But perhaps stronger wasn¡¯t the correct word. It was like they were more synergistic than before, their aromas having become cohesive. The beans, now infused with passiona husk, called out to me. They demanded that I inspect them and learn what they¡¯d become. I agreed, and almost instantly, words appeared. Passiona Infused Coffee Beans Mythic Though coffee has been a staple commodity for thousands of years, never before has Kallis seen anything like this specialty batch. Infused with an enhanced ingredient, these beans have had their rarity upgraded to mythic. Bonus effect: +10 focus for the next hour when brewed. ¡°Focus...?¡± Ellis asked, his eyes bugging. I¡¯d never before been able to give such an event my full attention; the magnitude of it was overwhelming. Despite the barrage on my senses, I still noticed something odd about the shot of espresso Sue had created. The next thing I knew, my vision was tilting, my balance having failed me. Maria caught me as I stumbled, propping me up by slinging my arm over her shoulder. I released a hissed breath as the light faded, the surrounding square filled with similar sounds of shock and desire. There was a beat of silence, and then, as Sue turned to focus on us, the cheers erupted. ¡°Yeahhhh Sue!¡± Maria called, bouncing on her heels. Corporal Claws trilled so loudly that the surrounding non-cultivators flinched and covered their ears. Teddy let out a deep roar, so bassy that it reverberated in my chest. And Rocky was launched high above by Sergeant Snips, where he let off a series of colorful explosions, their red glow lighting the early evening. The rest of our yells were lost to the crowd as more and more people joined in, congratulating Sue at the top of their lungs. With tears swelling in her eyes, she turned and started frothing the milk, not missing a beat. My words of celebration died in my throat as I felt chi flowing from her and down toward the machine. How was she upright so soon after a breakthrough, and more importantly, why did her essence feel the way it did? Her newly strengthened core... it felt extremely similar, yet still defied my understanding. Rocky¡¯s core felt like a volcano. Claws felt like a raging tempest, just waiting to be unleashed. And Roger felt like a damned sword, which was, admittedly, pretty weird. But Sue... The reason for my confusion was simple: her core felt like that of a bloody barista. Every fiber of her being was dedicated to crafting delicious coffees. Was that the realization she¡¯d had...? The cheers finally tapered off as Sue added the frothed milk to the espresso shot. Unable to help myself, I moved a finger slightly, the gesture making me appear beside her. Not at all surprised by my appearance, she picked the cup up reverently, offering it to me with a deferential nod. I licked my lips, having to fight back the urge to grab it. ¡°Do you know what your essence is, Sue?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s about providing coffee,¡± she replied, her tone matter-of-fact as she pushed the cup toward me. ¡°Drink this before it goes cold.¡± ¡°You feel like a barista, Sue. It¡¯s something from my world, and is basically the person who makes coffee. I don¡¯t exactly know what it means, but I guess the System recognised something you¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s lovely and all,¡± she interrupted, ¡°but I don¡¯t see what any of that has to do with this coffee.¡± She pressed it to my chest. ¡°Drink it now, you block-headed man. It¡¯s going to go cold.¡± I barked a laugh, both the insult and her complete disregard for the importance of her breakthrough tickling me pink. ¡°I¡¯m not turning the coffee down because I don¡¯t want it. My body is screaming for me to accept.¡± ¡°Why, then?¡± ¡°Because you need to drink it. Call it a hunch or divine intervention or whatever, but when the chi was rushing into your core, I felt it also rushing into this shot of espresso. I realize you just had the breakthrough, but try sending your senses toward it. Tell me I¡¯m wrong.¡± Her brow had slowly furrowed with each word, and at my request, she peered down at the coffee. Her awareness extended toward it. Though she was unpracticed, she still found what I was talking about, a soft gasp escaping her lips. ¡°Are... are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. It¡¯s for you.¡± As she raised it to her mouth she hesitated for the barest of seconds. Sweeping aside her indecisiveness, she took a long sip. Golden-purple crema lined her upper lip when she lowered the cup. She opened her mouth to speak, but froze when power once more swelled around us. Before either of us could make a noise, the chi rushed down toward us, darting past me and into Sue¡¯s core. Book 4: Chapter 12: The Metaphorical Wolf book 4: chapter 12: the metaphorical wolf as the power rushed into sue¡¯s core, golden radiance washed out of her. twilight had descended up tropica, only the faintest of the sun¡¯s rays still peeking over the western mountains. it was always a beautiful time of day, and the brilliant light coming from sue only added to the dark pastel colors of night. i honed in on sue¡¯s core, intent on seeing the changes. it seemed to me that this was an extension of sue¡¯s breakthrough. an amplification or what had already taken place. i marveled at it, each passing second further confirming my suspicion. the next moment, the light receded and sue¡¯s core stabilized. i was used to people needing time to recover after they had any sort of advancement or awakening, but after the first part of this breakthrough, sue had remained stalwart. i¡¯d immediately dismissed it as one of the many side effects of the world¡¯s chi returning to normal, but that wasn¡¯t the entire truth¡ªshe hadn¡¯t been affected because her breakthrough wasn¡¯t finished. that cup of coffee she¡¯d poured, using passiona beans and every drop of skill she¡¯d gained through hundreds of hours of practice, had been a part of her advancement. and drinking it had been the final step. and now, it was done. her core was filled to bursting with levels of power she¡¯d never before known. despite this, she didn¡¯t tremble, collapse, or lose even an ounce of control. her back remained as firm as her demeanor, her shoulders high and chest proud. it took a moment for her eyes to focus on me. when they did, i subtly gestured toward the crowd beyond her counter, pointing out the sea of friendly faces that were watching her with rapt attention. sue, now one of the most powerful cultivators on this continent, easily held their gazes. she cleared her throat and a tension grew in the air, everyone¡¯s curiosity climbing to something unbearable. it was too much for one man, and he was the first to break. ellis, his eyes looking like they might bulge right out of his head, stumbled forward. like the rest of us, he could feel the words coming. could sense that she was gathering the strength and will to state something profound. even if it hadn¡¯t been carved into her features, her core declared it for anyone with even a hint of chi. ellis¡¯s need for knowledge was a sisyphean task, and never before had his metaphorical boulder seemed so heavy as he stared up at the silent barista. sue took a deep, calming breath. with nary another moment¡¯s hesitation, she finally proclaimed her truth, yelling it out into the night. ¡°that shit was fracking was delicious!¡± ellis fell flat on his ass, the unexpectedness of her words causing him to veer backwards. still, no one in the crowd said a word¡ªnot even ellis, who stared up at her with sheer need on his face. sue¡¯s true discovery was yet to come. ¡°i know what my essence is now, fischer.¡± she rested one hand on her coffee machine, standing as tall as her small stature would allow. ¡°i received a profession.¡± the only sound in response was a collective intake of breath from the crowd, all of us leaning closer toward her. i already knew what she was going to say, but that didn¡¯t make the moment any less suspenseful. ¡°apparently, i¡¯m the first to earn this profession in a thousand years....¡± sue trailed off, commanding the square. ellis made a series of exasperated noises as he scrambled back to his feet. i¡¯d never seen him so ruffled. he leveled his pencil at her, fairly shaking with rage that the information hadn¡¯t yet come. she made a calming gesture. ¡°allow me some gravitas, ellis. it¡¯s not every day one becomes a barista.¡± ¡°gravitas?¡± ellis parroted, incredulous. ¡°each second that passes could be the difference between¡ª¡± ¡°ellis,¡± i interrupted. ¡°she just told you, ya goose.¡± ¡°this is serious, fischer! she¡ªwait, what?¡± ¡°a barista, mate. someone who serves coffee. keep up.¡± i looked over at sue. ¡°you must really like making coffee...¡± ¡°i really do, fischer.¡± she patted her trusty machine. ¡°i finally admitted to myself. as much as i wished i could have a grander goal¡ªsomething suitable for protecting the village¡ªall i want to do is make coffee and provide pastries for everyone.¡± ¡°sounds like you¡¯re protecting the village to me. we all need food to operate. not to mention caffeine.¡± ¡°well, when you put it that way...¡± she turned toward the crowd, taking in their still-stunned faces. ¡°who wants to make an order?¡± *** watching sue make coffee was an absolute delight. her very soul had identified with being a barista, and now that she¡¯d experienced the subsequent breakthrough, she was a woman consumed. every part of her was a blur as she steamed milk and poured shots. she flew through the orders, each person¡¯s coffee order memorized. every time she would finish a cup, she¡¯d call their name and move on to the next. ¡°am i crazy,¡± maria whispered, ¡°or is she using a bit of chi to move the ground beans around?¡± ¡°sharp eye,¡± i replied. ¡°she¡¯s using way more than you think, though.¡± ¡°oh?¡± ¡°she¡¯s surrounded by strands of chi. they¡¯re aerating the milk, adjusting the temperature and pressure, and... doing something to the foam.¡± ¡°something...?¡± maria repeated, giving me an odd expression. ¡°uh, yeah. why?¡± though i knew what flavors would be present in the coffee, i was still floored by their combination. it was everything promised by the scents i¡¯d been around all afternoon, my expectations well and truly exceeded as bitter undertones and sweet overtones collided. sip by slow sip, i savored every drop. when i¡¯d consumed only a third, something unexpected occurred. the cup tried to draw my vision in. furrowing my brow in confusion, i let it. passiona infused latte of the barista mythic never before has kallis seen anything like the specialty batch used to make this beverage. as this has been created by a self-taught barista, all quantifiable effects have been doubled. on top of a flat boost to focus, partaking in this drink will provide the multipotentialite buff. bonus effect: +20 focus multipotentialite effect: grants the user increased mastery in anything they set their mind to. duration: 2 hours when my vision cleared, i found myself struck dumb by what i¡¯d learned. a fog drifted over my awareness that warred with the warm sensations and delicious flavors the latte had provided. abruptly, a funny thought came crashing through the haze, and i barked a laugh, my head arching backward as i cast my mirth up toward the night sky. ¡°what is it?¡± maria cocked her head, causing her hair to fall down to the side. ¡°i just realized that ellis is about to have a coffee. can you imagine the questions he¡¯s going to ask poor sue? worse, the effect...¡± ¡°it¡¯s going to make him even better at asking questions!¡± she giggled so violently that she almost spilled her latte, a snort or two appearing that made my affection for her flourish. when she regained control, she wiped tears from her eyes. ¡°maybe we should go back and save her...¡± i wasn¡¯t sure if it was the coffee or the way her laughter impacted me, but a different idea came to mind. i chewed my upper lip for a moment, considering how to broach the subject. ¡°how about we go do some thinking? or talking, if you¡¯d prefer?¡± she picked up on my tone and turned to give me a thoughtful look. ¡°why?¡± an older version of myself might have floundered at that question. might have said something stupid to make the situation weird. or worse, said something that hurt her feelings. instead, i gave her a genuine smile, letting my love for her show. ¡°i know you¡¯ve been having some doubts lately. i wasn¡¯t going to bring it up because i trust you to bring it up when you¡¯re ready, but this...¡± i gestured down at my latte. ¡°i feel like the multipotentialite buff might be just what you need if you¡¯re trying to work through multiple things.¡± before i¡¯d even finished talking, a pang of guilt came from within her, swiftly followed by a burst of shame. both emotions lingered as she actively tried to direct her thoughts elsewhere. ¡°i¡¯m sorry. i didn¡¯t mean for you to know...¡± ¡°please don¡¯t apologize. you can¡¯t be faulted for having human emotions. i did do my best to not intrude, but i¡¯m still not in complete control...¡± her negative thoughts ebbed and waned as she continued thinking it through. i remained silent, trusting both that she knew i was here, and that she would talk when ready. ¡°let¡¯s walk,¡± she finally said, gripping the inside of my bicep. together, we drifted over sand dunes and toward the ocean. the further we got, the more maria¡¯s turbulent core stilled. i swirled the liquid remaining in my cup, collecting remnant foam that gave the next sip a deliciously creamy texture and caused a sense of peace to settle deep within my abdomen. by the time i tipped the cup to take the last mouthful, we were standing before the darkened ocean, its waves softly crashing against the sandy shore. i released a contented sigh, my breath warm as it traveled from my lungs. ¡°that might have ruined regular coffee for me.¡± maria agreed with a nod of her head, her heartbeat fluttering as she rested against my upper arm. like an impending sunrise, something came from within her, starting as the faintest ray of light. it built by the second, her internal state growing brighter. under the effects of the latte, whether brain-chemistry related or just a placebo, i felt more connected to her and the complicated emotions swirling about her consciousness. as with every time she¡¯d experienced this doubt, i could have pushed my way in. could have forced her core to reveal the thoughts that troubled her so. but that was neither the man i was, nor would ever be. i slung my arm over her shoulder as softly as possible, hoping my touch reminded her that i was with her. that everything was going to be okay. the seconds passed as we sat in silence, her internal thoughts building and morphing. for what could have been mere seconds or a full minute, they seemed to stagnate, flaring occasionally but always returning to the same level. all at once, she seemed to reach a decision. she cleared her throat and sat up straight. when her stunning eyes met mine, reflecting the pinprick lights of the stars above, she was resolute. and though her core remained a morass of doubt and indecision, it was overshadowed by the choice she had made. ¡°is it okay if we talk about it?¡± she asked, giving my hand a ferocious squeeze. ¡°i think i need to verbalize to process.¡± ¡°i¡¯d love nothing more.¡± with both our gazes drifting toward the ocean¡¯s churning waters, maria spoke. Book 4: Chapter 13: Lessons book 4: chapter 13: lessons as maria¡¯s words started flowing, i watched the ocean¡¯s churning waters, their unpredictable movement always a source of relaxation. my vision went unfocused as i listened to what she had to say, intent on giving her my full attention. ¡°i think the issue i¡¯m having is...¡± maria paused a moment to chew her lip. ¡°is that i don¡¯t feel like i have a purpose.¡± my knee-jerk reaction was to tell her she was wrong. to point out how important she was to the rest of her friends, family, and our animal pals. but that would just be invalidating. instead, i considered my words carefully. ¡°i¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve been struggling with those feelings,¡± i eventually said. ¡°i know the feeling, and it¡¯s difficult to go through.¡± she nodded, the stack of negativity within her trembling a little but holding firm. ¡°thank you. i think i¡¯ve been feeling that way for a while, but i didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it. i worried that you might take it as an insult, or be offended that i wasn¡¯t content with the way things are...¡± she gave me an apologetic look. ¡°which i¡¯m just now realizing is me keeping things to myself. which is exactly what i repeatedly encouraged you not to do. talk about hypocritical...¡± ¡°don¡¯t be silly,¡± i replied. ¡°you¡¯re being too rough on yourself. humans don¡¯t learn that way.¡± ¡°what do you mean...?¡± ¡°do you have self-help books on kallis? or self-help scrolls, i suppose?¡± she shrugged. ¡°never heard of them.¡± ¡°okay, well they¡¯re basically books that are designed to help you. you can read a book on mental health, for example, and it will tell you what to do and how to do it. reading it makes you feel better because you trick your brain into thinking you actually did something to change yourself, but most don¡¯t internalize the lesson.¡± she nodded, letting me know she was following so far. ¡°the point is,¡± i continued. ¡°even if you know what the objectively correct course of action is, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll make that choice. use me as an example. how many times did i hide truths from myself and others before the lesson stuck? i knew it was the ¡®incorrect¡¯ thing to do after the first time, yet i kept defaulting to that behavior.¡± ¡°i guess... it still feels silly of me to fall into the trap after seeing you do it so many times.¡± ¡°okay, i have a better analogy. think of a child and a hot pan. if you tell a child not to touch a pan, and that it will burn them, what will they eventually do?¡± she looked down at the fingers of her right hand with a melancholic smile on her lips. ¡°they¡¯ll touch the pan.¡± ¡°they will. maybe they¡¯ll think they can pick a piece of food up with their fingers fast enough to not get burned. or maybe they¡¯ll think the pan has cooled enough to clean. regardless, it¡¯s only a matter of time until they get careless. that¡¯s just life. but after they¡¯ve touched the pan? after they¡¯ve experienced the blistering pain that results?¡± she ran her thumb along the tips of the fingers she was looking down at. ¡°they won¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°well, chances are that they¡¯ll do it at least once more, because again, people get careless. that¡¯s just our nature. but each time is another reminder, each incident a more-effective deterrent than any warning their parents could give.¡± she nodded, her face still thoughtful. ¡°that¡¯s not to say that i don¡¯t want to help animals¡ªi¡¯d love nothing more. it¡¯s just that if i focus on only that end, it doesn¡¯t feel... complete? i thought i¡¯d reached a breakthrough when i realized that i wanted to help humans too. that had to be it. it would explain why i felt so conflicted each time i saw the captured cultivators, right?¡± she shook her head, her light hair softly whipping the sides of her face. ¡°nope. it was close to the truth, though. i¡¯d love to be able to heal humans and animals both, but it wasn¡¯t what was making me feel so conflicted.¡± her core oozed dissatisfaction, but with each word she spoke in the right direction, the negative emotions were temporarily mollified. like a toxic lover, her core was coercing her toward the answer, using both the carrot and the stick to get its way. ¡°i worried that it had something to... to do with...¡± her face scrunched as she trailed off, and i could sense that she was at the precipice of the truth. a truth that was about... us? she looked just as confused, both her face and core reflecting a lack of comprehension. a line slowly formed between her eyes as her forehead bunched. with my attention entirely on her, my breath held and anticipation growing, i saw the exact moment that she realized the answer. horror. it dawned on her face, and her thoughts immediately raced down a warren of implications i could only guess at. her core raged, incensed at her inability to accept the truth. ¡°say it!¡± i demanded in what could have been a whisper or a yell. her eyes shot up to meet mine, and the despair held within her stunning orbs could have ripped my heart asunder. my own thoughts immediately spiraled, my traitorous mind imagining a slew of circumstances that could cause such pain. did she need to leave? did she need to sever our relationship? cut off our engagement before our lives together could even begin? what would even happen if that was the truth and she refused it? i already knew the answer to that question, and it made ice lance from my tailbone to my skull. such a thing wasn¡¯t possible; it would ruin her, both physically and spiritually. without realizing it, i¡¯d flooded my anguish out into the world, and it slammed into maria with all the care of a tumbling boulder. stricken lines formed on her face, her despair deepening as my worries amplified hers. that look of sheer hopelessness on the face of the woman i loved was the final push i needed to control myself. fighting what was to come was akin to trying to fight a tsunami; no matter how much i raged at the unfairness, all it would do would cause me¡ªand worse, maria¡ªmore distress. rather than force my emotions away, i acknowledged them before letting them go. they were slow to pass, their echoes lingering in my core and robbing me of peace. i plastered a grin on my face and wiped a wet patch from my cheek, then gave her the most sincere look i could muster. ¡°you need to say it. no matter what, we¡¯ll make it work. please, just...¡± i pointed down at her abdomen, where her chi was practically boiling. ¡°you need to voice it.¡± tears streamed down her face, but she nodded. maria opened herself up to me, letting some of her thoughts out. it was a jumble of chaotic information, but one thing was clear: she wasn¡¯t leaving me. she was concerned about offending me with her words. terrified of saying something that would hurt me. she¡¯d hardly even considered that i¡¯d leave; the vast majority of her worry¡ªher biggest fear¡ªwas the pain her words would cause me. though it was her experiencing the soul-rending agony of denying her breakthrough, she was stalling the process to reassure me. what had i done to deserve such care...? it made my appreciation for her flourish like a verdant forest, and a genuine smile replaced my forced one as affection for her flooded from me. the emotion was so potent that little streams of light flared from my chest in fitful bursts, illuminating maria¡¯s freckled skin and still-wet eyes. ¡°you need to say it.¡± i squeezed both of her hands. ¡°i promise i¡¯ll be okay.¡± her core agreed, humming along with my sentiment. it built swiftly, and though she didn¡¯t speak a word, i could tell she was gathering her strength. ¡°i want to heal, but i don¡¯t want to¡ª¡± she forced her eyes closed, her lower-lip quivering violently. ¡°i don¡¯t want to...¡± she turned her face groundward, her fair falling to cover her features. abruptly, it shot back up, and the words tore free of her throat. ¡°i don¡¯t want to hurt people like you do!¡± the moment maria''s words flew into the world, a wave of force exploded from her. Book 4: Chapter 14: Countless Other Pieces book 4: chapter 14: countless other pieces the night sky above was close to black, the moon having not yet risen to illuminate the night. bravely standing against the darkness, uncountable stars twinkled through the inky monotony, doing what they could to light the shore i stood upon. with what little brightness they provided, i witnessed the surrounding sands turn to dust. maria atomized every last grain within her sphere of influence. none of them stood a chance against the chi exploding from her core. next, the wall of essence struck me. i rocketed backward across the small dunes, having done nothing to soften the blow. i skipped over the ground like a stone across water, and though my world was a confusing blur, i still noticed something astonishing. the sand particles that maria had turned to particles¡ªher chi swept in behind the initial bubble of destruction and collected them. without her knowledge or intent, the grains of sand were mended, returning to the form they¡¯d held only seconds earlier. it was... amazing. a possible sign of miracles to come. yet it didn¡¯t stop overwhelming emotions from coursing through my body as i replayed the words maria had used to facilitate her breakthrough. not an ounce of their meaning had been lost on me. i skidded to a stop dozens of meters away, and as i rolled to my back, i stared up at the night sky. i¡¯d just started to contemplate the myriad implications of the ability to mend when someone¡ªpanicked, crying, yet still somehow incredibly beautiful¡ªblocked out the twinkling stars. ¡°fischer...¡± maria sobbed, resting her hands on my shoulders. ¡°i¡¯m so sorry. it¡¯s not what it sounded like. i...¡± she trailed off, squinting at me through tears. ¡°you¡¯re... why aren¡¯t you upset?¡± i smiled back up at her, not needing to feign my happiness. ¡°upset? you just had your first breakthrough!¡± i pulled her into a hug, squeezing her harder than ever before now that her body had been fortified. ¡°you can heal things, maria! i can feel it!¡± ¡°but... i just said that you hurt people.¡± with more strength than she¡¯d previously possessed, she pushed herself up so she could look at me. ¡°and animals.¡± ¡°yeah, but i knew you didn¡¯t mean it like that. it was more to do with your own breakthrough, right? my task is to protect everyone, and if that means destroying something that can¡¯t be healed, that¡¯s okay. meanwhile, if something or someone can be healed, we have you.¡± ¡°it¡¯s that simple?¡± ¡°yep.¡± ¡°you don¡¯t even need to talk about it?¡± ¡°nope.¡± she looked between me and my abdomen where my core resided, realization slowly coming to her face. ¡°you really mean it, don¡¯t you? even your chi says so.¡± ¡°ah-huh.¡± she launched forward. i easily caught her and pulled her into my chest. as our abdomens touched, my core responded. of their own accord and completely out of my control, tendrils of power extended toward her, wrapping around and caressing maria¡¯s nexus of power. shock flowed from both of us, marked by twin gasps that cut through the incessant crashing of soft waves. from the outside of her core, my essence assessed the transformation she¡¯d experienced. since accepting my role as leader of the church, i¡¯d struggled to communicate to others how the world felt. doing so was like trying to explain something in a different language. this feeling, the connectedness that existed between maria and me, was exactly the same. i couldn¡¯t articulate what was happening, so i gave up trying to do so. my core beseeched hers, and hers responded, opening up and letting me in. as if it was my own, an intimate knowledge of its bounds, capabilities, and potential unwound in my mind. matching the woman it belonged to, maria¡¯s core was beautiful. i already knew she was peaceful, loving, and selfless to a fault. i knew that about her before she formed a core at all, and becoming a cultivator had only confirmed it. this, though, was a step further. it was like reading about love versus experiencing its embrace firsthand. more than anything, she wanted to heal. good or evil. human, animal, or other¡ªit mattered not. all were worthy of an attempt. in answer to my admiration, wisps of shadow flowed up from the depths of her being, causing a spike of terror to lance through me. what if it was the same thing that had happened to rocky? had another being somehow entered her core, and was now influencing her from within? when maria leaned back and gave me a wicked smile, i knew i¡¯d made a mistake. ¡°speaking of building,¡± she said. ¡°should we speak about what you¡¯re going to do while i practice my healing?¡± i let out an exaggerated groan. ¡°how am i supposed to give you happy surprises if you learn all of my secrets?¡± ¡°you can still surprise everyone else, at least. speaking of everyone else, i think claws might explode soon if we don¡¯t tell her what happened.¡± we both glanced back toward tropica. maria now had the enhanced vision that came with a breakthrough, but even with that, it would have been difficult to spot the troublesome otter. if, that is, she didn¡¯t currently look like the cursed lovechild of a hedgehog and a tesla coil. electricity sparked from her in every direction, her core loathing the fact that she wasn¡¯t unleashing her chi and rocketing toward us. ¡°wow...¡± maria said, her voice breathy. ¡°is this how it always felt for you...?¡± ¡°amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°yeah...¡± ¡°i remember the first time i sensed the unbridled chaos of claws¡¯s lightning. the violent potential just looking for the slightest excuse to be unleashed. it¡¯s...¡± ¡°hard to describe.¡± ¡°it is.¡± under our scrutiny, claws¡¯s agitation had only grown. she shook her body and arcs of energy jolting out to strike the surrounding roof tiles. if we waited any longer, she might actually destroy the building. ¡°come on, claws!¡± i called. ¡°you can¡ª¡± her war cry pierced the heavens as she shot upward, riding bolts of lightning as if they were streams of water. and when she was a mere speck high above, she changed direction, her needle-sharp teeth bared in a grin as she soared downward. when she was almost at us, i opened my arms wide, preparing to catch her. in response, i fell victim to a betrayal most foul. claws poked her tongue out, gave me a decidedly rude gesture, and changed trajectory once more. maria giggled as she caught claws and spun in circles, hugging the miscreant otter to her chest. claws swiftly extricated herself from maria¡¯s grasp to run around her body like a squirrel on caffeine, her head fixed on maria¡¯s core as if mounted on a gyroscope. try as she might, all maria could do was laugh as she tried to catch the zippy otter, whose speed and excitability only increased as she learned more and more about maria¡¯s breakthrough. finally, claws came to an abrupt stop, her eyes intense and forepaws resting on maria¡¯s collarbones. she let out a quiet, questioning trill, her tone making it clear she couldn¡¯t believe it. maria, an adorable blush rising to her cheeks, nodded. ¡°we don¡¯t know how effective it will be, but my core is dedicated to healing.¡± i smiled as i watched claws wiggle like an animal with its head stuck in a jar, so overwhelmed with emotion that she didn¡¯t know what to do with herself. as claws continued her weird little dance, i tilted my head to the side and glanced at the rest of our animal pals. though much more discreet than claws, they too were watching, countless eyes poking around corners and over rooftops. ¡°come on, you goofs.¡± i shook my head. ¡°as if we wouldn¡¯t want to celebrate with all of you.¡± as one, they ran, flew, and hopped forward, heading for a portal that borks was already tearing into space. seeing their joy-filled faces was the cherry on top of a wonderful evening, and it wasn¡¯t even late yet. we¡¯d have all night to celebrate, and i intended on absorbing every single moment. after all, if i wanted to enact the secret plan maria had discovered, i¡¯d need to leave tropica tomorrow. Book 4: Chapter 15: Advancements book 4: chapter 15: advancements as i gazed out at the surrounding forest, the midmorning sun peppered my bare shoulders. its heat was diminished by a soft, ever-present breeze that blew from behind, seeming to encourage our decision to return home. it had been four long days since maria¡¯s breakthrough, and as i turned to take in the gathered supplies, i couldn¡¯t help but smile at how much my rag-tag group of pals and i had managed to accomplish. laying on the back of the load like sunbathing lizards, deklan and dom slept without a care in the world, both snoring softly as they recovered from a morning of meditation. borks was splayed out on his back between them, his upper lip flopping down with gravity to reveal a ridiculous-looking smile. beside me, barry stretched his muscular arms above his head, each limb wider than the planks we were transporting. ¡°i don¡¯t know how they¡¯re so comfy on top of dried hardwood...¡± ¡°indeed, friend barry,¡± marcus replied, sparing the twins a quick peek before returning his attention to the horses pulling us along the seldom-traveled road. though he¡¯d only spoken three words, marcus¡¯s contribution to the conversation brought me untold joy. ever since the king had basically abducted and forced him to lead an expedition toward the fallen city of theogonia¡ªfollowed by an extremely misguided and objectively ineffective assault on tropica that ended in the king, uhhh, ceasing to exist¡ªthe formerly jovial merchant had become quite reserved. it was exactly why i¡¯d brought him on this little expedition, and it seemed to be working. the man sitting beside him was, undoubtedly, the biggest source of marcus¡¯s shift in outlook. though they referred to each other as business partners, there was clearly a deeper relationship than that. even if i couldn¡¯t literally feel the love they had for one another, i would have been able to tell by the stolen glances and lingering stares. there was no need for them to hide it, of course, but i would respect their privacy. danny, the last member of the expedition, stretched and let out a soft groan. ¡°as much as i enjoyed seeing my old guards in the capital again, i can¡¯t wait to get back to tropica. i wonder how far everyone has gotten in four days...¡± it was something i¡¯d oft considered since we left, the thought more frequent with each passing day. ¡°i don¡¯t want to get my hopes up, but at the same time, a lot can happen in four days.¡± ¡°no kidding,¡± danny replied, reaching over to poke barry¡¯s gleaming bicep with one finger. ¡°this, for example. it took you what? a few seconds to transform?¡± ¡°less,¡± barry replied, extending his chest and striking a pose. i grinned at both his ridiculous physique and the happiness it brought him. ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter if nobody had such a dramatic breakthrough. i¡¯m just excited to see everyone¡¯s progress.¡± barry nodded at my words. ¡°who should we check up on first?¡± ¡°you guys can go where you please, but i know where i¡¯m heading.¡± i pictured her in my mind, my memory of her only growing more beautiful with our time apart. ¡°you know....¡± deklan sat up and covered a yawn. ¡°you always get a goofy look on your face when you think about maria.¡± ¡°i do not.¡± ¡°you really do,¡± dom added, also sitting up. ¡°like a child that smells something sweet cooking in the oven.¡± danny snorted. ¡°couldn¡¯t have said it better. it¡¯s half curiosity, half innocence, and completely adorable.¡± borks ruffed in agreement. he was still upside down with a goofy smile, but now his eyes were on me and his tail wagged, entirely too happy with everyone¡¯s light bullying. i could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, so i sought something clever to say back. perhaps something biting enough to redirect everyone¡¯s attention. but enhanced as my brain might be, i settled on something much less diplomatic. ¡°shut up, danny.¡± they all laughed at me, even borks making little amused snuffles, and all i could do was accept my fate. i consoled myself by thinking of maria again. i wonder if she¡¯s also thinking of me...? *** back in tropica, seated within a pool of crystal water that was lined by opalescent stones, someone was indeed thinking of fischer. said individual stretched her muscles as she pictured the strange man that had changed her life for the better. thanking the universe for the umpteenth time that they had met, she undulated her feminine mouthparts and let out a long yawn before scuttling further back into her favorite nook within the tidal pond. opening the lone eye not hidden by her leather patch, sergeant snips checked up on the only other human she adored as much as she did fischer. maria had shown remarkable commitment to her purpose, and snips couldn¡¯t be more proud of her. the moment snips had felt maria¡¯s breakthrough, it had been all she could do to not rush over and interrupt the moment like the troublesome otter had. even from that distance, snips had known that maria had become a healer. the power was too similar to the healing waters of her pond to be a coincidence; maria¡¯s power was stronger, but the parallels were undeniable. after only four days, maria was nearing... something. they hadn¡¯t spoken about it, but that didn¡¯t make it less true. as sure as fish was tasty, maria approached enlightenment. it might take hours, days, or months, but it would eventually arrive. snips was sure. and it wasn¡¯t only maria that was attempting to grow stronger. after her master had left, they had all committed to self improvement. much like their time training on the sands back when fischer¡¯s only followers were snips, claws, and pistachio, they had collectively decided that it was time to seek more power. apparently, pistachio and teddy hadn¡¯t realized that yet, because they both drew back slightly. gary nodded, completely understanding their surprise. ¡°i didn¡¯t expect them to say yes, either. i managed to convince the guardians, but it was... costly.¡± pistachio slunk over and patted him consolingly on the shoulder. this show of kindness made gary recall the writhing roots of the first grove keeper, and the vicious grin of the second. he shuddered. ¡°absolute scoundrels. both of them.¡± *** high in the boughs of a blue-tinged tree, a creature with the most magnificent fur in all the lands¡ªor so she would claim¡ªrubbed her stomach and let out a soft belch, the taste of her most-recent meal reappearing to grace her awareness once more. from beside her, lemon nodded a particularly large leaf, agreeing wholeheartedly with the sentiment. though the fishy feast had been nowhere near as good as even the humblest of fischer¡¯s creations, it still left claws¡¯s stomach full and core bursting with chi. she shook her head and gave a wry grin as she recalled the look on gary¡¯s face when he agreed to deliver an entire cart of cooked fish. it had taken the poor man the entire morning to collect them, and the rest of the day to roast them to the desired level. on top of that, they¡¯d squeezed the promise of future oysters out of him. understanding the joy radiating from claws¡¯s abdomen, lemon¡¯s canopy shook in shared delight, the wind whispering past her leaves. together, they descended into maniacal laughter, the otter¡¯s trilling chirps cutting through lemon¡¯s swishing branches. by the time they finished, tears streamed down claws¡¯s furry face, and she wiped them away with a dextrous forepaw. lemon gave one last shudder of her mighty boughs, her core and roots radiating a sense of finality. perhaps some wouldn¡¯t be able to interpret the meaning, but claws was no more mortal. lemon wanted to use the acquired chi to meditate and further the growth of her passiona bushes. claws thought that was a wonderful idea. she, too, had places to be. she patted lemon¡¯s trunk, considered launching herself toward her own place of solitude, but shook her head at herself. she was going to potter over there at a leisurely pace. claws stepped out into open air, cooed goodbye, and slid headfirst down lemon¡¯s trunk. at the last moment, she rotated and landed on her feet. with the imperiousness of a proud rooster, she trotted away, her full belly brushing the grass as she headed northwest. it had been some time since she¡¯d meditated in her favored resting spot atop the freshwater pond. *** atop the sands to the south of tropica, a mammal as fierce as she was small paused mid kick, her head darting northward. even from here, cinnamon could hear claws and lemon¡¯s projected mirth. the only thing that could make claws so happy was mischief, and cinnamon felt a pang of regret that she wasn¡¯t able to partake. this pang of regret was cut abruptly short when the webbed foot of an oceanic bird kicked her chin with the speed of an arrow in flight. the blow would have knocked even a weak spirit beast senseless, but cinnamon was no such beast. swift as a coursing river, she whirled with the blow, absorbing the force of pelly¡¯s kick and making it her own. in the blink of an eye, she¡¯d flipped backward, kicked off the sand, and launched herself with the strength of a great typhoon toward her other opponent. the high-pitched scream tore from her throat, and though bill¡¯s eyes went wide at the declaration of her intent, he didn¡¯t have time to react. cinnamon¡¯s rear paw lashed out in a vicious roundhouse kick, and as it descended, the world seemed to slow around her. she¡¯d conjured up a familiar image as she unleashed the kick, using it to empower her resolve. she had done so countless times, but never before had it resonated so deep within her. despite cinnamon having all manner of activities and friends to distract herself with, she¡¯d never forgotten her awakening. never left behind the image of an adolescent bunny cowering beneath bushes, its spirit as broken as one of its legs. this scene was a potent reminder of where her life would have probably ended if not for the intervention of maria and her master. each time she would focus on the memory, a fresh burst of determination would propel her onward. this time, though, it was much more vivid. she could smell the leaf-litter that would become her final place of rest. her entire body trembled, warring with her instinct to remain completely still lest a predator discover her. the bushes above had parted, allowing filtered light to shine down upon her. she had experienced true terror then as she spotted the creatures above, her animalistic mind assuming that her life, short as it had been, was over. of course, she¡¯d been incorrect. it had been the beginning of her new life. the beginning of an existence spent with beings possessing more kindness¡ªmore compassion¡ªthan most could comprehend. cinnamon returned to the present. with her leg still soaring through the air and aimed directly at the spot on bill¡¯s chest that could safely absorb her blow, a realization struck home. it was as simple as it was profound. cinnamon had spent so long with this image, yet she¡¯d somehow missed something so obvious. with each repetition, she¡¯d come to accept fischer and maria¡¯s personalities as a fact. with stunning clarity, she realized she had taken it for granted. their kindness was infectious, seeming to proliferate the entire world around them. even common villagers were as lovely as could be, and again, cinnamon had just accepted that as the way things were supposed to be. in an ideal world, that was the way things should be, but that didn¡¯t make it so. humans were capable of unspeakable cruelty, and just as capable of justifying it to themselves. someone as powerful as her master, a man that could obliterate mountains with a gesture of his hand, had instead chosen kindness. he chose it every single day, as sure as the sun rises in the east. cinnamon owed him her life. she owed him everything she had. and she would do whatever it took to repay that debt. like a proud mother, the world itself seemed to rejoice at cinnamon¡¯s resolve, and chi flew into her.no?v(el)b\\jnn Book 4: Chapter 16: Martial book 4: chapter 16: martial i took a deep breath, and the sweet scent of decaying plant matter mixed with earthy undertones, combining to cool my throat and soothe my racing heart. there was a good reason for my swift pulse; we were climbing the final hill between us and tropica. we were almost there. to the south, the path of destruction wrought by the king¡¯s arrival was a dark scar, unmissable for its magnitude. the entire mountaintop it led to had been scorched, the previously lush peak now blackened and bereft of life. it was a sobering sight, and hoping to prove myself wrong, i extended my chi towards it. what i found made a weight slip from my shoulders. already, trees were regrowing, their new leaves only hours or days from unfurling to catch the sun¡¯s rays. it was a marvelous discovery, and my relief was potent. part of me had been worried the corruption would delay the healing process. though it would take some time, the mountain would become a verdant forest once more. we crested the hill as i pondered this eventuality, and a soft breeze blew into our faces, but i hardly even registered it. tropica had come into view. i sent a quick pulse of chi toward the village, closing my eyes as i received glimpses of my friends. being close to them again after time apart made me literally dance with joy. i shimmied my shoulders like claws does when finding a particularly juicy oyster, picturing how her cute little cheeks would feel to scratch. i let out a sigh. mere days had felt like a lifetime. though almost everyone else was visibly excited, one person remained stoic. despite his core basically vibrating with anticipation, barry¡¯s jaw was firm, his lips pursed as he gazed cooly down at tropica. he spun my way with deliberate care. ¡°you know, fischer, no one would fault you for rushing in now. you¡¯ve showed a lot of restraint by¡ª¡± he cut off as i leaped into the air, my core feeling like it might implode if i remained a second longer. his broaching of the subject had made the urge to see maria increase tenfold. ¡°thanks, mate! take the cart down to the water, please!¡± before he could reply, i snapped my fingers. i shifted in space, arriving before her in a flash of light. the afternoon sun made snips¡¯s tidal pool dance with rainbow light, the opalescent stones within shining brilliantly. in her usual hidey hole, one sergeant snips sat in a deep meditation, her core reacting to my presence the moment i arrived. though she felt me keenly, she didn¡¯t make a move. below her, in a secondary crevice, rocky had the same reaction. neither of them kept my attention for long. sitting cross-legged atop the giant boulder, my beautiful fiance sat, her shoulder-length hair swaying in the wind. her core immediately resonated with mine. my next breath came shuddering in like i¡¯d just dived into an icy lake. maria¡¯s was the same. it took a few more moments for our cores to readjust to the other¡¯s presence, and though it had been less than a week, her core had changed so much. her healing nature was undeniable before, but it wasn¡¯t yet ready to be used. now, she was right on the cusp of enlightenment¡ªperhaps on the precipice of another breakthrough. only time would tell. feeling both me and my thoughts, a wide grin spread over her face. it reached the corners of her eyes and she sat a little straighter, clearly proud of her efforts. with her attention still focused inward, she parted her lips and mouthed, i love you. i whispered it back, so softly that the breeze would have carried it away from anyone but a cultivator. appearing next to her, i planted the softest of kisses on her forehead. the moment i touched her, i forced myself to teleport away, knowing i would only distract her if i remained too long. besides, i thought as i arrived at my next destination and spotted the three animal pals there. i have a breakthrough to witness. i¡¯d felt its inexorable approach the moment i sent my senses out, and i¡¯d made sure to arrive just in time. chi rushed into cinnamon¡¯s core, finding the gaps that hadn¡¯t been there before i¡¯d left. she had clearly been busy. as with maria, my bunny pal working so hard filled me with gratitude, but then i felt the aspect forming within her core. my stomach dropped. ¡°oh no...¡± chi flew toward the ground beneath her, leaving a crater in the shape of a giant bunny¡¯s paw in the sand. it was the size of a small car, and as the essence that made it flew out in every direction, pelly and bill stood no chance. the bubble of chi expelled them. they didn¡¯t get far before righting themselves, both wheeling around and facing cinnamon once more. which was a good thing, because they had attacks to dodge. a terrifying squeal from cinnamon¡¯s throat as she lashed out with jabs, kicks, and even a headbutt or two. each strike caused waves of force to fly from her core, further condensing as it traveled through her fuzzy little body. when it left her, the essence ballooned out, only partially visible because it distorted the surrounding air. cinnamon remained in her paw-shaped crater, using it as a home base from which to unleash her barrage of blurred attacks. i shook my head as i glanced between the pelicans and cinnamon, the former dodging with everything they had, the latter only growing more pleased with herself. if a strike landed, it wouldn¡¯t hurt pelly or bill seriously, but there was a terrifying reason for that. cinnamon wasn¡¯t even trying. as if she knew what i was thinking, her head slowly spun, only stopping when her gaze locked with mind. a shiver ran down my spine at the mischief sparkling in her eyes. pelly and bill¡¯s core echoed that sentiment, and they slammed down behind me, both craning their necks to watch her from a position of relative safety. ¡°what evil have we unleashed upon the world...?¡± i half joked, not looking away from cinnamon for a second. bill, the one who¡¯d originally shown her the sweet karate moves she was using, let out a despondent honk. pelly opened her beak, and by the look on her face, she was going to defend her adoptive mother¡¯s good name. unfortunately for pelly¡ªand the world as a whole, really¡ªcinnamon stopped holding back. she flew toward us at incredible speed, and i let my fake horror fall away as i dashed forward, going to meet her on the sands. you want a challenge, huh? i thought, returning her manic smirk. let¡¯s what you¡¯ve got. the moment before we met, she moved faster than i¡¯d ever seen her move. despite the pace, her technique was perfect, and i couldn¡¯t help but appreciate the immaculate form of the roundhouse kick she unleashed at my head. *** though pelly wanted to share a look of incredulity with bill, she didn¡¯t want to miss a second of the action unfolding before them. if she lost track of them for but a moment, she wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d be able to locate them again. as impressive as cinnamon¡¯s new breakthrough was, which had apparently made her a master of the martial arts, their master was even more amazing. ¡°oh, they told you guys they¡¯re together?¡± ¡°nope. they didn¡¯t tell us anything. it was super obvious, and danny brought it up.¡± ¡°... why did he do that? seems a bit¡ª¡± ¡°rude?¡± ¡°yeah. extremely.¡± ¡°well, as it turns out, danny won¡¯t waste resources for the sake of propriety.¡± ¡°i don¡¯t understand¡ª¡± i tore my eyes off the battle and turned toward the brothers as realization struck me. ¡°he didn¡¯t...¡± dom snorted. ¡°he did. he said two people who were clearly lovers should only be assigned one home..¡± ¡°but we have an excess of houses...¡± ¡°that¡¯s exactly what we said. danny wasn¡¯t having it.¡± i shook my head. ¡°i¡¯ll have to apologize to them.¡± ¡°eh, i think they¡¯re fine. they were only hiding it because they thought we might not let them stay in the village.¡± ¡°what? why would they think that...?¡± deklan shrugged, once more watching the fight. ¡°people can kinda suck, fischer.¡± ¡°huh.¡± i looked back at the fight just in time to see cinnamon duck a blow from barry. ¡°yeah, that checks out, actually. people really can suck. still, i¡¯ll go see them. to reassure them they¡¯re welcome, if nothing else.¡± i winced as barry¡¯s fist collided with cinnamon, but she unleashed a kick at the last second, the aura coming from it strong enough to neutralize his force. deklan let out a soft whistle. ¡°fresh breakthrough, huh? feels deadly.¡± ¡°ah-huh,¡± dom agreed. ¡°impressive considering it just happened. nothing we couldn¡¯t defend against, though. our defenses are impenetrable. a mere bunny couldn¡¯t hope to¡ª¡± cinnamon answered before he could finish his sentence. the wave of essence she launched their way rivaled the strongest i¡¯d seen her use. without preamble, both twins joined the fray, blocking the opening strike with their chi. though i expected them to enter the melee after cinnamon invited them via martial strike, i didn¡¯t expect their method of doing so. dom leaped directly upwards, and when his ankles were around head-height, deklan grabbed them. the moment they both extended their protecting chi around dom, i knew what they were about to do. nah, i decided. there¡¯s no way they¡¯d actually¡ª deklan drew his arms back, swinging his brother like a baseball bat. cinnamon, who was airborne, had no means of escaping the home-run he was winding up to deliver. barry, seeing his chance to deliver vengeance, reached out to hold cinnamon in place. i cringed, and sure enough, cinnamon wasted not a moment. she grabbed his wrist and ran along his arm, using the speed she¡¯d been holding in reserve thus far. all barry would do was watch with a wide-eyed stare as she disappeared behind him, his agility and technique no match for the martial bunny. there, cinnamon delivered a soft slap to barry¡¯s back. it had no hope of causing him damage, but that wasn¡¯t her intention. his lunge had left him off balance. the tap from cinnamon, slight as it might have been, was enough to tip him forward. barry fell directly into the path of dom, who deklan had already committed to swinging. all three men involved in the battle saw what was about to happen. they knew they¡¯d been outmaneuvered. and none of them could do anything about it. as dom¡¯s rigid body swung for barry, he at least had the good manners to say sorry. barry might have reassured him it was okay. might have told the brothers that it wasn¡¯t their fault. but there was no time. the strike landed with a brutal thud, and if not for barry¡¯s breakthrough, he might have carked it on the spot. cinnamon let out exaggerated laughter, her forelimbs crossed before her puffed-out chest as she watched barry sail over the river and toward the southern mountains. Book 4: Chapter 17: Secrets Book 4: Chapter 17: Secrets Beneath the midday sun, I rolled my shoulders, delighting in the wall of sensation that came from stretching my muscle fibers. Tension I hadn¡¯t known was there fell away from my upper back. In retrospect, though, it wasn¡¯t really surprising considering the unconscious hunk I¡¯d just caught and teleported back to Tropica. ¡°Yoohoo.¡± I set Barry down and slapped him on the cheek. ¡°You with us, mate?¡± He sat bolt upright with wide eyes, touching his torso all over to ensure it was still whole. When he was satisfied, he released a sigh. ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°Seconds, mate. I brought you back before you landed.¡± ¡°Was... was I in danger if I¡¯d landed?¡± ¡°Nah, not even a little. I knew you¡¯d live, but I worried about you getting lodged somewhere underground, then freaking out and destroying a mountain or something when you tried to escape.¡± He blinked at me. ¡°I appreciate the assistance, but are you saying that you care more about a mountain¡¯s well being than my own?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s one way of saying it. You could also say that I worry about the mountain because it can¡¯t hurt you. Or, if you prefer, we could get into a philosophical debate about the worth of a life. If you destroyed a whole-ass mountain, just how many insects, worms, and other invertebrates would you wipe out? And that¡¯s not even mentioning the birds and mammals that also¡ª¡± ¡°I surrender,¡± Barry interrupted. ¡°I just had another man used against me as a blunt weapon. I¡¯m in no mood for debate, philosophical or otherwise.¡± ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Deklan said. ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Dom agreed. ¡°She really got one over on us...¡± Cinnamon preened and nodded, not at all humble in victory. I noticed movement from the north, so I glanced that way, curious as to its cause. When my eyes landed on the dozens of faces there, all peeking over the low wall that separated the village from the surrounding crops, I sensed them. ¡°No way...¡± I said, not believing it. ¡°You just realized?¡± Barry asked, standing and brushing sand from his ridiculously chiseled, er, everything. ¡°I thought you¡¯d know the moment we got close to Tropica.¡± ¡°I was focused on everyone that¡¯s meditating. Because of our connection, their cores are way brighter in my awareness. I¡¯ve also been practicing not sensing everything all the time...¡± I trailed off, arching a brow his way. ¡°How did you feel them? I thought the village was a single source of chi to your senses¡ªdid you have another breakthrough?¡± Barry laughed way too jovially for someone who¡¯d been involuntarily catapulted into low orbit like two minutes ago. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel them. Sue told us.¡± ¡°Sue...?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She came to meet us as soon as she noticed our return. She felt obligated to be the one to tell us.¡± ¡°What? Why should she be the one to¡ª¡± I whirled on Barry the moment I realized. ¡°The coffee?¡± ¡°Just so.¡± He nodded toward the village, and the faces still watching us, with a slight smile. ¡°While the original members of the church have been growing in strength, the congregation has been increasing in number. The passiona coffee is to blame. Sue estimates that almost half of the regular villagers are now cultivators.¡± I knew exactly how many people we had living in Tropica, so I logically understood that half of them ascending meant that there were now hundreds of new cultivators. Extending my senses toward them, I used tendrils of power to feel their cumulative strength, and was immediately humbled. Though less than a quarter had come to watch our return, so many of them existing close together made them feel like a cluster of sibling stars. They were entities that, given time and investment, could grow to become the human version of supergiants. Though their cores were all unique, the familiar note of Tropica¡¯s essence ran through them. I¡¯d at first suspected it was my imagination, but I¡¯d come to accept it as fact that the village was becoming a part of everyone. Particularly in those that had ascended after the village¡¯s transformation. Just as notable, and even more encouraging, were the emotions and thoughts pouring from them. Some were hesitant, more were filled with awe, and most were excited. But it wasn¡¯t the present emotions that encouraged me; it was those that weren¡¯t. Over fifty people watched, and not one of them showed fear. That response from people was something I¡¯d grown accustomed to. I had learned to accept that it was natural for people to be terrified when confronted with someone wielding so much more power than themselves. Those watching, though. They¡¯d only learned about the existence of cultivators a week ago... and they weren¡¯t scared. Some already trusted me, which made my heart sing like a bird greeting the dawn. And there was more. Just as validating, they all sought power. Some more than others, of course, but that wasn¡¯t what had me so excited¡ªit was that their reasons for advancing weren''t purely selfish. To a one, altruism at least partially motivated them. They sought power for themselves, but also for each other and the village. They could have tried to hide it from me. Could have attempted to conceal the selfish parts of themselves. But none of them did. They¡¯d come to have a peek, but they¡¯d also come as a show of faith. Most of my focus was on the dozens of cultivators across the sands, but no matter how much I watched them and their abdomens, I couldn¡¯t work out what my chi was doing. They cycled between staring back at me and looking down at their cores. My essence swirled within them, and though it dissipated with each passing second, it would take hours to leave completely. It was an intimate moment, as platonic as it was profound, and Barry immediately ruined it. He blew air through his lips with all the subtlety of one Corporal Claws left alone with a stack of juicy oysters. ¡°Level 67?¡± he demanded. ¡°And you were worried about being a bad leader?¡± he turned to Cinnamon, who was now perched on his shoulder. ¡°Can you believe this guy? Unbelievable.¡± She leaned back on her haunches, crossed her forepaws in front of her chest and looked down her nose at me with an expression that all but screamed pathetic. ¡°You know,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m glad you two have put your differences aside to give me shit, but I think I liked it better when you were fighting to the death.¡± ¡°Fighting...? To the death...? We would never do something so vulgar, would we, Cinnamon?¡± Never, she agreed with a soft peep, her expression basically screaming that I was pathetic. Her acting had seriously improved, but she couldn¡¯t keep the facade up for long. With a single leap from Barry¡¯s muscular shoulders, she arrived in my arms, rolling onto her back to expose her fluffy stomach. ¡°I know you were joking, you goose. There¡¯s no need to reassure me.¡± She wiggled further into the crook of my arm, completely disregarding my words. I stroked her stomach in response, scratching the spot near her sternum that was hard for her to reach. ¡°So we¡¯ve had a bunny breakthrough, Barry had his butt kicked, and I¡¯ve learned leadership or whatever. Talk about a productive afternoon. Should we¡ª¡± Barry interrupted me by raising a finger. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that we teased you for your previous claims that you¡¯d make a bad leader of your own church.¡± ¡°Sure. I was teased. So, with all that done, I feel like we¡¯ve completed today¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Viciously,¡± Barry amended. ¡°You were teased viciously.¡± ¡°Fine. I was teased within an inch of my life. Can we start building now? I thought you¡¯d be keen to learn what it was that we gathered all those supplies for.¡± ¡°Oh, I already know what you want to build, but I need to go get something first. I have a surprise for you.¡± ¡°You do not know what I¡¯m going to build.¡± ¡°I do,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s obvious. We can worry about that later, though.¡± I opened my mouth to respond with something that would have doubtlessly been as witty as it was devastating, but Barry was already gone, his bulging thighs chewing through the distance between us and Tropica. Sensing the anticipation coming from the twins, I spun their way. ¡°You guys know his surprise, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°We do,¡± Dom replied easily. ¡°We saw him on the way past Trop¡ª¡± Deklan elbowed his twin in the side, cutting him off. ¡°We saw it on the way past.¡± ¡°Oh, uhhhh, yeah. We saw it.¡± ¡°The surprise is a him, huh?¡± I rubbed my chin. ¡°I wonder who could have arrived that would surprise me...? Someone else from the capital? How did they get by us without being seen?¡± Deklan shook his head. ¡°Sorry. This is Barry¡¯s secret to share.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t force the issue, then.¡± I stretched and took a deep breath, delighting in the scent of salt in the air. I¡¯d missed it terribly while we were gone. ¡°Shall we unpack while we wait? Borks hasn¡¯t seen your breakthrough yet, Cinnamon...¡± With a violent gleam in her eyes, she leaped up to my shoulder and pointed toward the ocean, ordering me to march. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± I called, jogging east with a smile on my face. Book 4: Chapter 18: Both Book 4: Chapter 18: Both The slightest of breezes occasionally flicked past as I stared out at the ocean, its surface calm but for the small waves crashing on the shore. The sky above was a canvas of red and pink that slowly bled to yellow the closer it got to the mountains behind me, and I released a breath as I appreciated the swathe of colors even an expert painter would struggle to replicate. A fur-covered head bumped against my thigh, and I smiled down at the goodest of boys. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Borks whined in agreement, staring up at me with a tongue lolling from the side of his mouth. He was in his default Golden Retriever form, and I scratched behind his ear, both of us enjoying the touch. After a good scritching, I patted him on the top of his head. ¡°Let¡¯s unload your dimensional space. It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± He barked, turned, and ran toward the cart that the others had just finished unpacking. ¡°Ohhhh,¡± Deklan drawled, ¡°look who finally came to help.¡± I immediately adopted a haughty air, standing taller and puffing my chest out. ¡°Did I say you could speak, peasant? Wait until my lord father hears about this...¡± ¡°He¡¯s finally gone mad with power.¡± Dom shook his head. ¡°Maria was right all along.¡± ¡°You dare?¡± I recoiled as if physically struck, contorting my face into a mix of disgust, confusion, and anger. ¡°I could have you whipped like butter-based frosting. I could have your buns beaten until toasted. I could have your entirely family packaged up like so many sugary donuts, then sell you at a discount like the poors that you are¡ª¡± A familiar presence approached, and I cut myself off. Barry strode across the sand, one eyebrow slightly arched at the colorful words I¡¯d been using. He wasn¡¯t the presence that had halted my passionate diatribe, though. The smaller man beside him, not yet tall enough to reach his father¡¯s shoulders, wore more pride than I¡¯d ever seen him wield. His aura was familiar, but undeniably different. My words had initially died because I didn¡¯t want to say anything uncouth around the impressionable lad, but now it was an entirely different thing holding my tongue. Paul, Barry and Helen¡¯s only son, had become a cultivator. Something about his aura was... muted. Like there was something sealing off the rest of his power. As he got closer to us, he must have sensed a portion of our combined power, because a flicker of hesitation appeared. His eyes darted to his father. And while he gazed up at the marble sculpture of a man, I wondered what was going through his mind. They had a healthy bond, and it was normal for a boy to see his dad as the strongest man he¡¯d ever seen¡ªbut what if your dad actually was the strongest man you¡¯d ever seen? What did Paul see in his mind¡¯s eye when he looked up at the real-life version of a Greek god...? I didn¡¯t have to wait long for an answer. Some of Paul¡¯s pride returned after but a moment, his nostrils flaring and shoulders straightening as the mere act of looking at his father seemed to reinforce his spine. Barry, despite what one might expect from his particular image of hyper-masculinity, got down on one knee and scooped his son into a comforting embrace. Every ounce of hesitation and worry sloughed away from Paul as he grinned and made a token effort to push his father away. Barry lifted his son with ease, then set him down before me and released him, a hand remaining on his son¡¯s shoulder to remind him it was going to be okay. It might have been a small gesture, but its impact was great. ¡°Paul, mate...¡± I said, smirking at how tall he was standing. ¡°I know it¡¯s been a while since I last saw you, but I don¡¯t think time explains how much you¡¯ve changed...¡± His answering smile could have lit the ocean''s depths. ¡°Hi Fischer! I became a cultivator yesterday! Just like you and my dad and my mom and Uncle Leroy! Oh, and Auntie Barbara! And¡ª¡± ¡°I can see that, mate,¡± I interrupted with a chuckle, then continued before he could start rattling off names again. ¡°How long have you, uhhh¡ª¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Known about cultivators?¡± he blurted. ¡°Yeah. That.¡± ¡°Ages!¡± Barry gave me an apologetic look. ¡°I can probably answer that in more detail. Paul has known since the king¡¯s attack, but he suspected¡ª¡± ¡°I knew you were a traveler since forever ago!¡± Paul said, leveling a finger at me. ¡°I heard Mom and Dad and Uncle Leroy and Aunty Barabara talking about it!¡± Barry winced and rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Well, there you have it. We¡¯ve been keeping him away from everything since then, which is why you¡¯ve not seen him around. Obviously, we could no longer hide it after the battle.¡± ¡°Which was it?¡± Deklan asked after a moment. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Her motivation.¡± He pointed at Cinnamon. ¡°I can tell Borks¡¯s with a glance, but Cinnamon is harder to read. Is she genuinely angry, or is she just looking for any reason to kick the shit out of someone?¡± I snorted. ¡°Worse.¡± ¡°Worse? What could be worse?¡± ¡°It¡¯s both. She¡¯s pissed at Ellis and looking for an excuse to belt the absolute piss out of anyone she can.¡± The twins cringed, both releasing an audible hiss of air through their teeth. *** Despite being within the walls of a supernatural prison, Ellis was having a wonderful evening. With so many experiments to run and observations to record lately, he had found little time to slow down and enjoy life. And to Ellis, nothing was as relaxing as crafting. He had dabbled in every profession he knew of, and though they all had calming qualities, leatherworking stood high above all the others. Well, that had been the case¡ªuntil he discovered alchemy. The moment he had learned that they could hide the presence of cultivators¡ªeven from someone as powerful as Fischer¡ªhe knew that he would have to explore the craft. He had thought to learn the basics. To glean just enough that he could guard against it. But then he had felt its magic for the first time. Previously, Ellis would have scoffed if he had heard anyone other than a child or a dullard refer to something as magic. Yet he could find no better descriptor for the process occurring before his very eyes. Rather than chi rushing and slamming into the cauldron, it flowed in with unhurried ease, expertly weaved by the alchemist Solomon. Beside Solomon, Francis was a man possessed, passing off ingredients before the former could finish asking for them. Together, the men were a force of nature. And Francis was not even a cultivator, making their coordination even more impressive, though that would soon change if he continued down the path he was treading. If presented with the crafting of any other profession, Ellis would have focused on the unascended man, intent on gaining insight into his eventual awakening. Instead, Ellis stared into the mixture, its dark blue swirls seeming to draw him in. It had started as a thin liquid, with a consistency akin to purified water. From there, it had become like salt water or blood, somehow thickening despite not losing any vapor. Now, it was as thick as soup, and all Solomon had added was plant-based materials. But Ellis well knew it wasn¡¯t the ingredients causing the transformation; it was the essence. Its slow and methodical addition mystified Ellis, because it defied the control that a newly awakened cultivator should have. Something about Solomon¡¯s alchemy was different. Ellis was sure of it. No matter how long he stared, though, the secrets remained undiscovered. With frustration billowing up, Ellis rallied his thoughts, focusing on what he knew. There were two possibilities. The first was that it was something unique to alchemy, the profession somehow allowing more finesse than anything else. If this was the case, Ellis hadn¡¯t been able to replicate it. Which was why he suspected the second theory, that Solomon was special?, having somehow earned more control than any other¡ªincluding Fischer when he was at that stage of cultivation. It made no gods-damned sense. Ellis pressed his forehead against the bars that contained the two men. He focused on the icy touch of the metal as he closed his eyes, trying to brute-force a solution for this vexing conundrum. Unfortunately for Ellis, and for more than one reason, the former archivist had chosen the worst possible moment to close his eyes. The first was that Francis¡¯s awakening arrived. It happened so fast that Ellis missed almost all of it, his eyes firmly shut and attention aimed within. He returned to the world as fast as he could, only just catching the last of the golden light as it left the newly ascended alchemist. A wave of euphoria washed over him, which would have brought a smile to his face if not for the exasperation and sheer incredulity keeping him grounded. Quick as it arrived, the body-wide bliss was gone. And just as suddenly, another presence filled the void left behind. An oppressive aura engulfed him, seeming to force itself upon every inch of his being. He had felt this sensation before. He knew its source well. That alone would have been enough to make his blood run cold. This time, though, there were additional layers present. Hints of fury, reprimand, and... excitement? With a tight chest and prickling skin, Ellis slowly turned to look at the other reasons he¡¯d chosen the worst possible moment to close his eyes. Barry, his body vibrating with fury, was more muscular than Ellis had ever seen him. Borks strode beside him, his hackles high and head lowered. From atop Barry¡¯s shoulder, Cinnamon sneered down at Ellis with an imperious glare. She was the source of the excitement, and with no small amount of alarm, Ellis realized there was more depth to her core. Cinnamon had experienced a breakthrough. Ellis swayed, his legs giving way before the weight of what was to come. Barry closed the distance in a flash, one of his muscular arms more than enough to keep Ellis upright. ¡°Hello, mate.¡± Barry¡¯s voice was harder than granite and colder than ice. ¡°I was just chatting to my son, and he told me the darndest thing...¡± Book 4: Chapter 19: Miracle Book 4: Chapter 19: Miracle Beneath a blanket of stars, I couldn¡¯t contain my joy as I watched Paul cast out his line. We both watched as his bait flew at an odd angle over the ocean, landing a little closer than he¡¯d intended. I could feel a hint of annoyance directed at himself, so I swooped in. ¡°Doing good, mate! Flick the reel into place and wind in the slack!¡± Any hint of his self-recrimination disappeared, replaced by anticipation as he followed my instructions. ¡°Like this, Fischer?¡± he asked when the line was tight. ¡°Just like that. Keep tension on the line and rest your finger here. You¡¯ll know when a fish bites the hook.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡°Positive.¡± Finally accepting my words, he nodded, his eyes remaining on the spot where line entered water. Behind us, two shapes crested a dune. Deklan and Dom, having retrieved their own fishing rods, had come to join. They both shot me a questioning look, checking that their proximity wouldn¡¯t interfere. I replied with a quick thumbs up as I bent to put bait on my hook; I could always raise a deafening shield if Paul and I needed privacy. Abruptly, a spike of excitement came from Paul. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually fishing with you. This. Is. So. Cool!¡± ¡°I feel the same about fishing with you, mate!¡± ¡°I overheard everyone talking about it for so long! Even back before you beat the king¡¯s butt and transformed the village. I asked mum and dad about it, but they just said it was too dangerous and that I¡¯d have to wait until I was older.¡± I shook my head as I got back to my feet. ¡°We weren¡¯t as good at keeping secrets as we thought, huh?¡± He rolled his eyes so hard that his head joined the motion. ¡°Adults are never as good at keeping secrets as they think they are. I know all sorts of things.¡± Smiling at his words, I walked toward the water. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you in mind next time I need some intel.¡± I flicked my reel open, drew my rod over my shoulder, and cast my baited hook out over the ocean. Where I¡¯d used light tackle on Paul¡¯s training rod, mine was the exact opposite. The largest sinker Tropica had ever produced sailed out over the ocean, an equally big hook and slab of fish following its passage. I¡¯d only intended for us fishing together to be a pleasant distraction¡ªsomething to make the conversation to come seem more natural¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t be excited about it. Paul, as it turned out, felt the same. He danced a happy little jig from foot to foot as my gigantic setup sailed hundreds of meters out over the water. ¡°No way! Will I be able to use one that size someday?¡± ¡°Of course, mate. Truth be told, you could probably cast it out now with your improved strength, but you might not be able to control your chi enough to stop the line from snapping if you did hook something. Only a massive creature will take a bait this size.¡± In retrospect, I should have expected that sentence to have the effect it did. Paul¡¯s eyes went wide as he glanced over at me, an unmissable sense of awe coming from his abdomen. ¡°How big...?¡± ¡°Mate... bigger than me. Bigger than your dad, even with his massive muscles. The largest thing I¡¯ve seen for myself was a shark, and I reckon it was twice my height.¡± Paul¡¯s mouth dropped open as he turned to face the ocean. ¡°... And you could catch that?¡± ¡°Pretty sure, yeah. I¡¯ve caught fish longer than me, and that was before I was so good at controlling my chi. To be honest, I haven¡¯t gone fishing for anything big since I had that last breakthrough.¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°What? Why? If I was an adult, I would do it all the time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too large.¡± ¡°Well, what if I say west and you say east?¡± ¡°Then that leaves nothing for Fischer.¡± Dom raised a brow at me. ¡°You want in?¡± I grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll join. I¡¯ve got five on a mountain.¡± Deklan sucked air through his teeth. ¡°Damn. Mountain is good. Wish I¡¯d thought of it.¡± Paul had been looking between us as we spoke, more and more lines appearing on his forehead. ¡°What are you guys¡ª¡± He cut off as the ground beneath us rumbled. I steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. The wall of sound hit us a second later, and as the explosive noise washed over us, a mass of beings soared into the sky above Tropica. Most visible was Barry, his shirt in tatters. By some miracle, his pants remained mostly intact, though his bulging muscles did their best to tear them asunder. He held a lizard-suited man by the throat with one hand. For his part, Ellis radiated sheer panic. I could feel it even from hundreds of meters away. I inspected the two spirit beasts, and the more I considered them, the more I agreed with Ellis¡¯s assessment of the situation. Borks was in his hellhound form. Shadows writhed from his neck, making the form more nightmare-inducing than usual. They held onto Ellis, so even if Barry were to let go, the former archivist would remain trapped. Borks¡¯s anger burned bright, manifesting as a red glow in his eyes as he stared down at his prey. Cinnamon, perched on Barry¡¯s shoulder and not yet a part of the fight, was who Ellis should be most concerned about. A laugh came from her tiny little mouth as she faced the sky and gathered power in her lower body. Without warning, she launched herself from Barry, rocketing directly upward towards the stars. ¡°Did she overshoot the mark?¡± Deklan asked, arching a brow. ¡°Nope,¡± I replied, knowing what would come next. At a nod from Barry, Borks released his ability, freeing Ellis. Well, maybe freeing wasn¡¯t the right word, because Barry swung him round and round like a life-sized rag. When my perception of Ellis was reduced to a blurred circle, Barry let go. Ellis flew so fast that he¡¯d have shattered air-speed records back on Earth. It was faster than I¡¯d ever seen anything move. Yet my animal pals were ready. A portal opened between Borks and the sky, which Ellis sailed right through. Cinnamon had reached the peak of her skyward jump, and the entire time she¡¯d been moving, she was gathering and condensing chi. The moment Ellis appeared before her, still shooting at hypersonic speeds, she uncoiled her essence. Both rear paws lashed out like cobras, power traveling through her limbs and exiting in twin aura blasts. They collided with Ellis and disintegrated what strands of his clothes had survived Barry¡¯s throw, only Ellis¡¯s Lizard Wizard suit stopping his meat and two veg from being exposed to the night air. Ellis¡¯s new trajectory southward had him traveling at a slightly reduced speed, but that wasn¡¯t at all reflective of the power that¡¯d hit him. Cinnamon¡¯s off-center attack had left him spinning like a leaf in a tornado, his splayed limbs and the laws of aerodynamics jerking him in odd directions. As one, Deklan, Dom, and I noticed where he was headed, and I couldn¡¯t help but grin. Both brothers swore under their breaths. Ellis was heading directly for the closest mountain. Absent a miracle, he¡¯d strike it and skip off its peak, but the skipping off wasn¡¯t what was important. Suddenly, a source of chi swelled in the forest below Ellis. The treetops became awash with blue and white light. Even before the electricity creating the illumination cracked out into the night, I knew who was about to emerge from the canopy. As the barbed lightning exploded out into the night, my hopes fell, and I was immediately forced to alter my earlier statement. It wasn¡¯t only a miracle that could stop Ellis from colliding with the nearby mountain. With exactly zero care that she might make me lose my bet, Corporal Claws came into view, her grin manic and eyes pinned on the cartwheeling man high above. Book 4: Chapter 20: Severed Book 4: Chapter 20: Severed Corporal Claws ascended from the clearing like a god made manifest. Electricity burgeoned outward in every direction, and just as she threatened to turn the entire night sky into a giant plasma ball, the tip of each lightning-bolt wavered. Not because they ran out of power, though¡ªbecause Claws was reigning them in. She wasn¡¯t doing it as a collective either. There were thousands of them, and Claws was attempting to control each one individually. It was a colossal undertaking, one that required her to split her will into literally thousands of pieces. Was this her method of having a breakthrough? Focusing on control instead of boosting throughput? Being the only person capable of witnessing this ridiculous attempt, I gave it my full attention, appreciating just how ambitious it was. Some of the smaller bolts obeyed. They curled around her body to create a moving sphere, and the glimpses I caught of her through the jagged lines of lightning showed a face pinched with concentration. Though under her control, each bolt fought against her, seeking to return to their natural state. Claws¡¯s lightning, however, was anything but natural. She could target people at will, which went against everything I knew. It was easy to chalk everything up to fantasy-world bullshit, but now that her chi seemed to exert its own will, I saw an opportunity that I couldn¡¯t let pass. I zeroed my awareness in on her essence, focusing on the bolts of lighting, knowing that I would likely fail, yet willing to try regardle¡ªoh... Because of my connection to her, I knew all about it the moment my awareness hit. Her chi was an extension of her nature. When Claws imagined striking someone with lightning, it struck. That¡¯s all there was to it. When she didn¡¯t have a target, however... it wanted to fly free, shooting out in a relatively straight line. Or even better, into a core or mass of chi if one was nearby. I tucked that terrifying tidbit of information away for later, just in case her electricity went rogue and tried to slam into other beings. The battle that Claws was engaged in came down to what her chi wanted. She was trying to bend it to her will, shaping it without assigning a target to strike. Curious about Claws¡¯s mental state, I sent my awareness out toward her. Only a fraction of a second had passed, but already she grew both mentally and physically drained. Bending so much electricity was incredibly taxing. Sensing me, she cracked one eye and spared me a precious sliver of her attention. She sent a complex series of emotions directly to my consciousness, and if translated to English, they could be distilled down into a single sentence. Check this shit out. Multiple possibilities immediately sprouted in my mind. Had she already devised a method to gain agency over the thousands of bolts? Had she been just pretending to falter, wanting to put on a show before succeeding? Or did she perhaps discover something just now that would facilitate her growth? I could ask her core, but that would ruin the surprise¡ªsomething Claws would never forgive. She didn¡¯t force me to wait long. Claws shifted her will, focusing on the bolts forming a writhing sphere around her body. They immediately fell into place. A small part of each individual streak still railed at being reshaped, but they still... accepted their new role? It was a difficult concept to describe. Enthralled as I was, I saw the exact moment it all fell apart. With her attention on the chi close to her, Claws lost her hold on everything else. The longer lines of lightning cracked out into the night, some striking the ground and even more dissipating as they travelled skyward. I felt a moment of compassion for my egotistical pal, sad that Claws had failed her attempt in such a public setting. I waited for self-recrimination or shame to shatter her concentration and cause the remaining essence to fly out of control. Waited for her vanity to clash with her failure. But then the corners of her lips curled upward, and pride radiated from her in powerful ripples. My defenses came not a moment too soon. To call the force that came from Claws a lightning bolt would be to call a planet an asteroid. It ascended toward the heavens like a jagged spear of vengeance, Claws''s entire body glowing with incandescent glory as she propelled it onward. If not for the passage I''d conjured, it might have engulfed the entire sky. That I¡¯d contained her power was great for the wellbeing of our general surroundings, but less so for the man trapped within. Ellis was held in place, shackled by the chi I shielded him with. His eyes became dinner plates as he spotted the column of lightning currently thundering toward him. If not for my intervention, it would have been his end, a fact I suspected he knew well. Even if I left things as they were, it might be his end anyway. By confining the lightning, I had channeled its power into what was essentially the barrel of a crude gun. Ellis was the bullet. I wasn''t sure if cultivators were able to survive in space, but even if we could, I didn''t think Ellis''s crimes justified such an end. Funny as it would be to launch him out of orbit, I made a pulling motion and bent my tunnel of chi just as Claws''s power struck the shackled man. It pierced three layers of my protective chi, then cracked the next half-dozen, the elemental force making a mockery of my defenses. Seeing the remaining score of layers intact, I was content letting the rest play out on its own. Ellis shot up the tunnel like an intercontinental missile. The blue and white lightning forced him ever upward, and I craned my neck as he sailed toward the exit. Realizing that Paul''s cultivation meant that he couldn''t track Ellis''s passage, I picked him up by the shoulders and spun him around. The least I could do was help him see the light show. When Ellis finally entered open air, he was screaming as loud as he could. Well, I''m pretty sure he was. It was hard to tell over the cacophonous boooom that flew from the tip of my chimney. As expected, the lightning darted out chaotically as it left the confines of my chi barrier, appearing to slow as it created a bouquet of sharp lines. Unlike the power that propelled him, Ellis''s speed remained constant. He rocketed out toward the distant horizon, his limbs once more flailing in every direction. Patches of Claws¡¯s essence clung to him, and as he traveled through the upper atmosphere, they reached out. Arcs of electricity shot from him, weaving their way through the surrounding clouds and illuminating them from within. It was... surprisingly beautiful. Stunning, even. When Ellis cleared the distant horizon, still traveling at a speed anyone other than a cultivator would miss, the otherworldly effect trailed after him. Like a chemical reaction, it webbed its way in every direction. Where clouds existed, they were lit by an ethereal blue. "Frack me..." Paul whispered. That comment from Barry¡¯s son should have made me laugh until I cried. Perhaps a little guilt as well. But I barely even heard it. The moment Ellis was out of sight and safe from the lightning, I had withdrawn my shielding. At the same time, I''d lowered the barriers around Tropica and its residents. They¡¯d no longer been necessary. With my awareness free to sense to the world once more, it wasn''t possible to ignore the force of nature looming behind me. She felt ambivalent one moment, malevolent the next. Though her intention cycled chaotically, one aspect of her new form remained certain. She was dangerous. I reached for the world''s chi and prepared to slam it into place as I whirled to look at her. She was semi-transparent, her entire body appearing constructed of lightning chi. When she noticed me, her lips parted slowly. Corporal Claws, self-proclaimed Queen of the forest and cutest of all my animal pals, gave me a humorless grin. When she took a step toward me, it was straight out of a horror movie, her limb flickering even under my enhanced observation. I tried to reach out through our bond, tried to understand her thoughts, but it wasn''t there. Our connection had been severed by her transformation. In response, Claws exploded forward. Book 4: Chapter 21: Chaos Book 4: Chapter 21: Chaos The sea of clouds above was lit from within, blue jolts of electricity crawling across them. The air smelled of ozone and salt, which, on any other occasion, would have been a wonderful mix¡ªsomething unusual enough to ground me in the moment and induce a sense of gratitude. But as Claws rocketed forward, her body no longer constrained by the laws of physics, I found my thoughts otherwise occupied. I teleported forward to meet her just before the treeline, only delaying by a fraction of a second to raise a shield of chi around Paul. Claws was not at all surprised by my movement through space or the explosion of light that resulted; her eyes remained pinned to me, the madness within making my skin prickle and mind worry. Lacking any other choice, I made a pushing gesture with my hands. Rather than raise a wall of chi, I sent countless threads flying from my core, each microscopic strand piercing deep into the sharp-toothed ball of lightning rushing toward me. They did no damage, yet their effect was profound. Her face began to morph from the visage of wrathful malevolence, but I paid it no mind¡ªI wanted to know what had happened. Needed to know how to fix her. As I inspected her new form, I was shocked to find that she both did and didn¡¯t have a body. Claws was composed of a material that exceeded my metaphysical understanding of the universe. She had an outside skin of sorts, a barrier that held her lightning chi within. Something about it was familiar, and I furrowed my brow, trying to remember where I¡¯d seen¡ª A core! I thought, the realization all but knocking the air from my lungs. When I had tried to connect to her earlier, I¡¯d found her nexus of power completely absent. Now, I knew why. Every fiber of her being had melded together. She didn¡¯t have a core; she was one. With this understanding, I redirected my strands of chi away from her abdomen, sending them throughout her mass. Each area of Claws¡¯s new form I discovered granted more knowledge. The lightning within her was wild and chaotic, but just as she¡¯d been trying to do with the spherical storm earlier, she had gained control. The chi was as much hers as her favorite rock was. Which, to my great delight, she still possessed. You couldn¡¯t see it from the outside, but it was stored in a little pocket, able to be removed whenever she liked. Having gleaned all the information about her body that I was likely to, I gathered my will, preparing to do something I never thought I would. I was going to force my way into her thoughts. Despite deeming it necessary for everyone¡¯s safety, I still loathed the idea. It was an action one friend should never do to another, and the longer I considered it, the more my resolve wavered. With the power Claws now possessed, it had to be done. I couldn¡¯t let her go until I knew that she wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone. So why did it feel like such a betrayal...? Just as I was about to throw in the towel and confine her until she returned to her usual self, I finally caught the look on her face. Long gone was the promise of violence. She stared at me with sheer surprise, having not thought I had the ability to send my chi into her elemental form. Her shock, though, also gave way to another emotion. Pure, unadulterated affront. She was incensed,and where her emotions had seemed directed at the world earlier, this was all for me. Confused, I reeled, but then she opened herself up, letting her feelings flood out. Our bond snapped back into place as if it had never faded. Her feelings and thoughts slammed into me with more weight than ever before, her breakthrough adding an overwhelming sense of clarity. Disoriented, I struggled to determine where my emotions ended and hers began, stumbling in an attempt to remain upright. Claws didn¡¯t waste the opportunity. She crashed into my chest, her body possessing more mass than I¡¯d suspected. My back landed among the sand dunes halfway to the ocean, and before I could skid any further, Claws slammed both forepaws into my torso. She released her rage with the strike, and lightning streamed from her in thick chords. I fended it off with my own power, causing her electricity to roll over me and into the ground. But the attack still packed some serious punch. The physical force had caused a crater to form around us, my body the peg and Claws the mallet. As her chi poured down into the ground, it melted sand and disintegrated shell, creating enough heat that any impurities were burned away. I shivered as the last of the electricity dissipated, my mind all too conscious of the power she now commanded. Standing to her full height atop my chest, Claws crossed her arms and stared down at me with disdain. She tapped her foot and raised an eyebrow, demanding an answer. *** Paul sprinted forward faster than he¡¯d ever before travelled. There was a weird shine around his body. It probably came from Deklan and Dom, maybe? Paul didn¡¯t give it much thought¡ªhe had cooler things to worry about. His legs easily traversed each dune, and after cresting one last slope, he and the twins stared down into a crater that hadn¡¯t been there before. Fischer was on his back. The sand below him had melted into a big puddle, its center red and edges a dark black. Paul knew that was what happened when sand got hot enough¡ªFergus had shown him once. The blacksmith had needed tongs and a crucible to handle it without getting burned, but Fischer was just... laying on it. This fact likely would have further increased Fischer¡¯s social standing within Paul¡¯s still-maturing frontal lobe, but before he had time to consider it, the being atop Fischer¡¯s chest started to glow like ten-thousand fireflies. No?v(el)B\\jnn Corporal Claws unfolded her forelimbs, pointing one down toward Fischer¡¯s face as she let out a deafening chirp. Her body, which was blue and see-through like water, slowly lost its brightness as she very obviously tried to calm herself with slow breaths. ¡°What did you expect, you furry little frack?¡± Fischer pointed his own finger at her in accusation. ¡°You made me think you were evil!¡± Well, duh! That¡¯s what I do! Claws responded, the meaning behind her trilled screams somehow clear to Paul¡¯s mind. She gestured toward herself, then tippy-tapped her chest with both paws. You tried to invade me! ¡°I only considered it for like a second. I wasn¡¯t actually going to¡ª¡± Fischer cut himself with a glare. ¡°Stop changing the subject!¡± She narrowed her eyes back, and literal lightning danced over her body in what was one of the coolest things Paul had ever seen, second only to Fischer kicking the king¡¯s butt. And Ellis flying over the ocean just now. Oh, and the way his dad had jumped into the sky with Ellis! And Cinnamon¡¯s kick! And that cool rock he found that looked a little like Borks. And¡ª ¡°Ohhhh.¡± Deklan gave his brother a look that was intentionally scrubbed of emotion. ¡°I get it. Fischer must have been too busy ruminating on his loss.¡± ¡°My loss? What are you talking about...?¡± Dom returned the same suspicion-inducing look his brother¡¯s way. ¡°Poor Fischer still seems to be in denial about the bet.¡± ¡°The bet? I won the bet, I...¡± ¡°You would have won,¡± Dom corrected, voicing my realization. ¡°If Claws hadn¡¯t intervened, Ellis would have hit a mountain. Instead, he was shot out into the ocean.¡± ¡°I shot him out into the ocean! I was the one who made the...¡± I trailed off too late. I¡¯d walked right into their trap. ¡°So you agree that Ellis shot out toward the ocean, then? He was going for the closest mountain, but then you redirected him.¡± Deklan patted Paul¡¯s shoulder. ¡°And you admitted it in front of a witness. You wouldn¡¯t lie in front of him... would you?¡± They¡¯d snared me like a crab in a trap, and there was nothing to be done. Accepting defeat, I ran my hand over the hardened glass beneath me. It was hot in the center and cool at the edges, the surrounding sands already leeching its heat away. I pressed my palms against it as I got to my feet. ¡°You win this round.¡± ¡°Fischer¡ª¡± Paul¡¯s voice cracked, and before he¡¯d finished clearing his throat, a vicious crimson had arrived on his cheeks. ¡°Fischer,¡± he repeated with a false timbre. ¡°Where did she go...?¡± Intentionally ignoring the voice crack, I gazed up to stare at the clouds. Not long ago, they¡¯d been pushed along by an unseen breeze. Now, they roiled, static electricity making them shift in hypnotic patterns. I pointed far to the north, where I could feel her. ¡°She¡¯s over there.¡± My finger shifted east, tracking her movement. ¡°Now she¡¯s over there.¡± Without speaking, I continued pointing her out, causing a sense of palpable awe to come from the young man¡¯s core. ¡°Don¡¯t let her know how impressed you are, mate. It¡¯ll go right to her head.¡± Lightning struck to the east, slamming down into the middle of the bay. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± I waved a hand in Claws¡¯s direction. ¡°I know you can hear me. That¡¯s the point.¡± If anyone other than Deklan or Dom had been present, they¡¯d have likely despaired at Corporal Claws¡¯s new power. At the very least, they¡¯d have felt a little fear. Claws was, by all accounts, an absolute menace. A sane person would be wary of her even before she had turned into lightning incarnate. Which only made the brothers¡¯ reactions even more unique. ¡°Neat,¡± Deklan said. ¡°She¡¯s super quick.¡± ¡°Hella neat,¡± Dom agreed, both men¡¯s heads tracking her chaotic movement as she zoomed around within the clouds. I shook my head and hopped out of the crater, landing beside Paul. ¡°Okay, mate. Now that all the distractions are out of the way, are you still up for that conversation?.¡± He nodded sharply, a hint of red still remaining in his cheeks. I held my breath for a moment, gazing around to see if the universe was going to throw anything else our way. I exhaled when nothing came, but as I did so, I noticed sources of chi approaching. Rather than get annoyed, I turned and waited. A crackling portal appeared right next to us; Borks, Cinnamon, and Barry stepped through. ¡°Wait,¡± I said, holding up a hand before Barry could speak. ¡°Please don¡¯t ask. I still haven¡¯t had a chance to chat to Paul about¡ª¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No buts, mister. Each second that passes is a chance for another distraction to arrive. Let¡¯s have that conversation with Paul, then I¡¯ll tell you everything that happened, okay?¡± His muscular jaw flexed as he fought down his desire to know. Thankfully, he won. ¡°Deal.¡± We started by walking down to the water, then Paul reminded us of the rods. The leisurely stroll turned into a run. There probably wasn¡¯t anything hooked, especially after all that light and noise, but that didn¡¯t stop us from hoping. As soon as I wound in my line a little, I knew that it hadn¡¯t been touched; I could feel the sinker¡¯s weight as it slid across the ocean floor. Deklan and Dom¡¯s excitement also disappeared the moment they checked their lines, which only left Paul. At least we can get to having that chat, I thought, setting my rod back down. The sooner it¡¯s over, the sooner we can¡ª Paul inhaled sharply, adrenaline coursing through him. ¡°F-Fish on!¡± he yelled, his rod bending in half as the hooked fish took off. Book 4: Chapter 22: Biblical Book 4: Chapter 22: Biblical In a place of darkness, where neither light nor life had visited for time immemorial, absolute stillness reigned. One might assume that in such a space, a complete lack of movement was natural. The only possibility, given the circumstances. One would be wrong. If an observer reached these abyssal plains with their mind and body intact, they would readily attest as much¡ªif they somehow escaped with their lives, anyway. The source of this dissonance was something primal. Something that only the most powerful and aware of cultivators could hope to identify. Most beings, human and beast both, would only notice an overwhelming urge to flee. It was the feeling that arrived when the wind dies on a moonless night, leaving only silence. The sense that someone was staring at the back of your head. The sudden compulsion to sprint home that strikes out of nowhere when walking alone in the dark. But this was all of no consequence; no one had visited this place for centuries, so there was no reason for the source of these fears to stir. Until, that is, a wave of elemental chi washed over the world. It was but a whisper of essence, so faint as to go unnoticed by all but the most-perceptive denizens of this long-abandoned world. Given that life hadn¡¯t been seen for millennia in the place where stillness reigned, one might assume the pulse of power would flow on by, neither cognized nor inciting incident. Again, one would be wrong¡ªfatally so if they were nearby. Rock and sediment churned over one another, the larger pieces breaking apart. Giant boulders were ground down, and within seconds, all that remained was a thick slurry. Hidden within the now-murky waters at the bottom of an oceanic trench, an ancient body started reforming. Fragments of anything even vaguely earthen were sucked into a vacuum of latent power. There, they joined, becoming something greater. As soon as its body had formed, awareness slammed back into place. It knew exactly how many years, centuries, and millennia had passed, but it cared not. Such things were for lesser creatures to consider; this one¡¯s existence wasn¡¯t measured by the passage of time. Instead, it focused on the surrounding world, and what it found made the being hesitate. There was nothing. The gods that had sealed it so long ago, those pretentious upstarts that were always present, were nowhere to be seen. At first, he suspected a trap. Their absence made no sense. Had they discovered his ruse, then used chi as bait to draw him out? Before their swords could descend, the ancient being sent his power out into the surrounding slurry, preparing to shield against the impending ambush. He had allowed itself to be sealed last time, but that was because it¡¯d suited him then. Now, things had changed¡ªthe condition for his reawakening had occurred. As seconds passed, the being¡¯s defenses grew by orders of magnitude, elemental power infusing its body. Each moment further muted the effectiveness of the gods¡¯ snare, yet the attack never came. The being blinked, sending undetectable strands of his awareness out. He started with the ocean''s depths, exploring unseen caverns and blackened trenches. From there, he searched countless islands, and though he found conscious life, none of them were touched by the divine. Preparing for the trap to spring once more, he slowly extended his essence toward the heavens. His mesh of elemental chi entered its farthest reaches, finding... naught. The gods... they were gone. They¡¯d truly departed this realm. And from the hurried reverberations left in their wake, it seemed they¡¯d run for their lives. They¡¯d fled. He returned to his body to find his center shifting, sediment forming large boulders that ground against one another. It made a sound like continental plates being forced together. The noise, something he¡¯d seldom produced, flew out into the darkness. He was laughing. The plan had worked even better than expected. The gods had left him sealed beneath the ocean, assuming him trapped and their machinations infallible. Such was the hubris of those interlopers that called themselves divine. The condition for his awakening had occurred, a new elemental being had been born, and there were no gods left to stand in his way. Vindication rolled from the earthen titan. With the unstoppable force of a landslide, the ancient being¡¯s hunt began. *** I watched Corporal Claws as she zipped back and forth within a sea of endless clouds, both pep and excitement radiating from her newly born body. So bright were her emotions that I imagined them lighting even the abyssal plains of the deepest ocean. And it wasn¡¯t only Claws filling my cup to the brim. Cinnamon¡¯s eyes sparkled like twin diamonds as she gazed up at Claws, her thoughts a tangle of happiness, disbelief, and everything in between. I could have watched her all day, but there was something even more exciting to witness. Paul¡¯s feet were planted in the sand with all the ferocity he could muster, his rod bent almost in half as the hooked fish tried to escape. ¡°What do I do?¡± he yelled. Whether it was the size of the fish or beginner¡¯s nerves, the result remained the same; Paul was freaking the frack out. Barry flew forward, his muscular hands resting on his son¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯ve got this, Paul. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡±@@@@ I sent a wave of reassuring chi from my core to wash over him, but I was pretty sure it wasn¡¯t necessary. Barry¡¯s words and presence had already doused the flames. Paul clenched his jaw, took a deep breath, and started winding. I stepped up beside him. ¡°Pump the rod up after winding in. Just like Deklan did earlier.¡± Paul nodded and did his best to emulate the movement. It was stilted at first, but then his enhanced body compensated, muscle groups contracting without his explicit instruction. Not at all bothered by these newfound reflexes, Paul continued on. The fish seemed to become more panicked, each run shorter and more frenzied than the last. In stark contrast, Paul¡¯s confidence blossomed with each length of line he retrieved, a brilliant grin growing wider by the second. Of those present, Barry was clearly the most excited, but the rest of us weren¡¯t too far behind. I had to shut my senses off to the waves of pride and anticipation, especially to Borks and Cinnamon, whose connection to me core let them bypass my passive defenses. As Paul¡¯s self-belief burgeoned, so too did his skill. He¡¯d not even caught his first fish, yet already he was getting comfortable with the process, his grip better and movements increasingly efficient. The fish, though big for its species, never stood a chance. It took less than a minute to catch the first flash of scales beneath the surface. They reflected the rolling lightning above, making the creature appear as though electricity suffused its being. I smiled and remained still, letting Paul and Barry have this moment. The former kept tension on his line just as instructed, and the latter hustled forward into the knee-high water, the waves there no match for his ridiculous physique. When Barry grabbed the fish, his arm and chest tensed. He was flexing even during a wholesome father-son moment. I shook my head, intending on teasing him about it, but then I saw the electricity. It hadn¡¯t been a reflection. The fish was suffused with lightning. The chi crawled across the fish¡¯s body, occasionally jolting up and into Barry¡¯s arm and causing his muscles to contract. With little effort, I focused on it, letting the creature draw me in. Mature Lightning-Infused Shore Fish Fleeting Usually a staple source of both food and bait, this fish has been temporarily infused with lightning to celebrate the ascension of an Elemental. Infused creatures have their chi content significantly increased for three hours. ¡°Uhhh,¡± Barry and I both said, equally lost for words as our vision cleared. ¡°Honestly,¡± I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t need to say much. I haven¡¯t known you long, but you don¡¯t seem at risk of antisocial behavior. You have two loving parents, you know the value of hard work, and you have a supportive extended community to rely on. Because of your awakening, you¡¯re guaranteed to have a good education. You also won¡¯t struggle for food...¡± I let these words hang for a moment, letting each point sink in. ¡°Back on Earth, these were the biggest risk factors for young people, and you¡¯re safe against each of them. There is, however, one risk that most teens back on Earth didn¡¯t have to worry about.¡± This drew his and Barry¡¯s attention, both recognising the severity in my voice. ¡°You have power, Paul. And not the vague societal power that can corrupt trust-fund kiddies with absent parents. You have tangible strength, and you¡¯ll only gain more as you get older. Combined with teenage hormones¡ªI can go into them more later, but they¡¯re what make teenagers so hot-headed¡ªeven one poor decision could lead to something catastrophic.¡± Paul had a troubled expression. Glad that he was taking my words seriously, I ruffled his hair. ¡°Keep in mind that I don¡¯t think you will, but it¡¯s definitely something to keep in mind. And, in order to combat this issue, I¡¯m assigning you two tasks.¡± I held up two fingers, illustrating the point. ¡°First, unless it¡¯s to defend your life or that of someone else, you are to run from conflict. This is a hard ask, because it¡¯s not human nature. Still, this is my directive. My order. If you can escape conflict without risking your own health or that of someone else¡¯s, you are to remove yourself from the situation.¡± Calling it an order was a calculated risk on my part, but thankfully, it succeeded. Paul spun so he was facing me. ¡°I promise, Fischer. And you too, Dad. I swear I won¡¯t fight anyone unless I have to.¡± ¡°Thank you, mate.¡± I lowered one finger. ¡°That was a heavy request, but the next one is even more difficult. Do you remember the things I listed as risks?¡± He gave a sharp nod. ¡°Good. Your final order, and likely the most important one I¡¯ll give you, is that I want you to help others that lack the privileges you¡¯ve been born into.¡± His brow furrowed, his mind likely running through the other village children and not finding anyone that would need such help. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the others that will join us. Chi has returned to the entire continent, and we¡¯re far from the only village or settlement that now has essence running through it. Even now, I have at least one of the Buzzy Boys watching each cluster of humanity, ready to let us know the second someone becomes a cultivator.¡± Paul¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers. ¡°No way...¡± ¡°Yes way,¡± Barry replied. ¡°We¡¯ve kept it pretty secret because we don¡¯t want people to panic about outside cultivators, but it¡¯s only a matter of time until others start ascending.¡± ¡°More kids will come...?¡± ¡°I reckon they will, mate. We have no idea what their life has been like, and I¡¯m not foolish enough to believe everyone has a good childhood. Your job, then, is to be there for them. We¡¯ll help too, of course, but¡ª¡± ¡°Some won¡¯t respond well to adults, right? Especially if they¡¯ve been mistreated by them. It¡¯s human nature.¡± I leaned back, giving Paul an appreciative look. ¡°Well, yeah. That¡¯s it exactly.¡± A part of my awareness yelled out to me, screaming that just as I¡¯d feared, Paul might be maturing too fast. Leaving his childhood behind. Barry¡¯s response was even more visceral, worry etched on his face and streaming from his core. Before either of us could voice our concern, Paul spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve done that before, so it makes sense.¡± Barry licked his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve done what before...?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve trusted adults before. After they hurt me, I mean.¡± ¡°Who hurt you?¡± Barry¡¯s muscles spasmed, his strength ready to be unleashed upon the first person Paul named. ¡°You mean Ellis?¡± I suggested. ¡°What? No. That was kind of fun after the first few times. I meant Auntie Barbara.¡± ¡°Auntie Barbara...?¡± A lack of comprehension robbed the heat from Barry¡¯s fury. ¡°What did she do?¡± ¡°The quiche...¡± He made a face of sheer disgust. ¡°After she got me with that, I didn¡¯t eat anything she made for months.¡± ¡°Wait, you mean back when Uncle Leroy came home, and you didn¡¯t eat every time we went there for dinner...?¡± Barry shook his head. ¡°What quiche? What in Demeter¡¯s lush crop did Barbara do with a quiche...?¡± ¡°Vegetables.¡± He spat the name like it could reach out and bite him. ¡°She told me it didn¡¯t have any, but it did. She grated them so fine that she thought I wouldn¡¯t notice.¡± He turned toward us, his eyes narrowed and lips forming a line. ¡°It was green. She used so many vegetables that the entire thing turned green! I couldn¡¯t believe her after that, so I totally get why other kids wouldn¡¯t trust adults.¡± ¡°And with good reason,¡± I laughed, relief flooding me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust her after that either.¡± Barry let out a long sigh and turned toward me. ¡°Is there anything else you wanted to add?¡± ¡°Just one thing. If you ever need anything, Paul, you can rely on us. Even if you¡¯re too embarrassed to tell your old man here...¡± I patted Barry on the back. ¡°You can come and tell me. I promise that I¡¯ll never judge you for being honest.¡± I was all but certain Barry would be okay with the offer, but I still felt a weight fall away as he smiled and nodded. ¡°And I hope you already know the same of your mother and I. We¡¯re so proud of you, Son, and we¡¯ll always have your back no matter what.¡± Our wholesome moment of silence came to an abrupt end when something did it¡¯s best to pull my left arm from its socket. I¡¯d totally forgotten about my rod, holding onto it with one hand so I could better focus on the conversation with Paul. As the creature shook its head, I felt something that part of me had been worried I¡¯d never feel again: the thrill of the unknown. I¡¯d hooked a monster, and I had no idea if I¡¯d be able to land it. Book 4: Chapter 23: Villainous Book 4: Chapter 23: Villainous Ever since accepting my role as leader of Tropica, a worry had lurked in the back of my mind, the thought like a single worm ruining an otherwise luscious apple. It was, in my humble opinion, a bunch of bullshit. I¡¯d gained unparalleled strength, the ability to manipulate chi as if it was my own body, and agency over a continent-spanning Domain. Rather than liberate me from doubt, all this power and control had caused more. They served as walls. Barriers that could stop me from finding a fair fight. And yet, I had found one. The fish on the other end of my line was the strongest creature I''d ever hooked. My strength didn''t matter, because my rod wasn''t indestructible. My senses, which previously would have reported what dwelled within the ocean''s depths, were now under my control. And though I could harness the Domain''s chi whenever I pleased, it didn''t spring up to assist me of its own accord. The fish¡¯s strength was unbelievable, and each powerful kick of its tail left no doubt that it was infused with lightning. Well, to be fair, there were other signs too. ¡°Zeus¡¯s thunderous shaft!¡± Barry swore, grabbing Paul and leaping backward. Dozens of thunderbolts shot from the bay and slammed into the shore around us. Even beneath the afternoon sun, they left incandescent streaks in my vision, but that was nothing compared to the other ways the world was transformed. Sand sprayed in every direction, some of it as globs of molten glass. The dozens of strikes each released a deafening boom, combining into a wall of sound that one could feel as much as hear. And the ground quaked, so strong that a regular human couldn¡¯t hope to remain standing. I observed all of this as another might examine a painting, my enhanced awareness letting me experience the chaotic scene in all of its beauty. Barry, who had launched himself backward with his son in his arms, watched with an awe-struck gaze. Paul was perhaps the only one with a reasonable reaction; his mouth and eyes were parted in shock, his semi-suppressed cultivation enough to know that a gods-damned fish had just tried to zippity-zap us.@@@@ As the novelty of the scene faded, I focused on what I knew of the hooked creature. It was aware of my existence and physical position. It had enough control of its lightning chi to target me. And it possessed the requisite intelligence to facilitate the former points. On top of all that, if I hadn''t covered my rod and fishing line in pure chi in the moments after it struck, one of them would have snapped. Unleashing its lightning granted me a moment¡¯s reprieve, its body apparently unable to move as chi flowed from it. Before the last of the sand fell, and with the ground still shaking, the fish''s incapacitation ended. Three kicks of its tail came immediately, putting my rod and reinforcing essence to the test. I had previously worried that because I could reinforce my line, I¡¯d never lose a fish. In retrospect, it was sheer hubris. I barked a laugh, stepping forward to ease the tension as the fish kicked again. The line could only take so much chi. I couldn''t just reinforce the rod with solid essence, because the line relied on the flexibility of its wooden fibers. If I didn¡¯t reinforce the rod enough, though, it would snap. It was a dance, one where I had to intermittently change how malleable both the line and rod were... dozens of times each second. It was crude. A method that relied on constant intervention rather than ingenious planning or design. And it was exactly what I needed. So encompassing was the task that, despite my superhuman levels of cognition, I could scarcely think about anything else. I sank further into the moment, finding a place of quiet calm in the storm, which was swiftly shattered when I felt my consciousness being split in two. No, not split. Partitioned. There were two compartments within my overarching awareness, and by the feel of them, they¡¯d been forming since this battle had commenced. And the damn things were thirsty, soaking up my chi and focus with reckless abandon. No wonder I felt stretched so thin. A significant portion of my will was being siphoned off. That my subconscious had seen fit to co-opt my strength without my permission was a little startling. The average person would probably call me reasonable if I cut my line then and there, letting the fish escape so I could assess what was going on within me. Instead, I grinned, focusing on keeping my rod and line intact. My mind, body, and soul were perfectly aligned. I had accepted who I was. I trusted myself to do what was best for me and my loved ones. And now that I knew my subconscious thought partitions were a good idea, I wanted to brute-force the breakthrough with a single moment of absolute focus. Unfortunately, the fish cared for neither my acceptance of self nor my desires. It took off, darting parallel to the shore in a desperate attempt to escape. Unable to release line fast enough, I ran with it, doing all I could to stop it from snapping me off. We covered hundreds of meters in seconds, sand and water flying up behind our respective paths. Part of me railed at our mad dash, annoyed that the fish was blocking me from solidifying whatever my brain was trying to create. But as I skipped along the shore, having to match my steps with the kicks of the fish''s mighty tail, any shred of negativity fell away. What did I really have to be frustrated by? I had been worried that I¡¯d never be challenged by a fish again, and here I was, getting pushed to my absolute limits. Choosing to live in the moment, I let my thoughts go, focusing on the sand beneath me as I sprinted south. But now wasn''t the time for self-chastisement. It was time to catch a giant bloody fish. And if I didn¡¯t center myself, I wouldn¡¯t catch a damned thing. I took a deep breath, focusing on the cool salt spray that flowed up my nostrils and down into my lungs. Immediately exhaling, I tensed my diaphragm, warm air passing through pursed lips. All the while, I was flying a mere meter above the shore. Like a human-shaped rocket, I soared, the wind making my hair and clothes ripple. I did a half barrel-roll just in time to spot Paul and Bary as I sailed past them, the former unable to track what was happening, the latter staring at me wide-eyed. Barry raised his right arm and tensed as hard as he could, his muscles bulging as he gave me a white-knuckled thumbs up. Along with the sensations assaulting me, his show of support was exactly what I needed to ground myself. I nodded my thanks and spun back to face the ocean. There, the fish regained its composure, immediately turning to swim further into the depths. I whacked the handle of my reel, letting it freely spool as I focused on reinforcing my equipment once more. A jarring sensation came from within, my consciousness seeming to tell me off for hitting it like an angry blacksmith, but it passed swiftly. Strands of chi extended to cover the rod. From there, the partitions reformed, the second one focusing on the line. Tendrils of my power raced down it faster than light, and not a moment too soon. Only my free-spinning reel had stopped the fish from severing the unenhanced line, and as my chi wove around the hook, I breathed a sigh of relief. Rotating, I skidded to a stop in the sand just before Tropica, intent on holding my ground there. The creature had other ideas. Sensing or seeing the village, it darted further north, attempting to use the structures as a physical barrier I couldn''t cross. You underestimate me, fishy. With a laugh, I leaped up onto the seawall, nimbly running along it. A crowd had gathered there to watch, all cultivators that must have sensed the strange blasts of energy. Those that possessed the power to track my movement watched in utter shock. It was wonderful. I shot them a wink and sprinted on, matching the vigor with which the creature tried to escape. The rest of the fight was, for lack of a better word, repetitive. But despite the connotations such a descriptor brings to mind, not once did I lose interest or get bored. Most of Tropica came to witness as the battle flowed from north to south and back again. Even some of my animal pals interrupted their meditations, collecting on the sand beside Barry and Paul in the hour it took me to tire the creature out. In the end, it was the repeated expenditure of its own chi that precipitated defeat. The fish might have stopped releasing the bursts given how ineffective they were, but each failed attempt only heightened its anxiety, making them come more often. With one final blast of lightning, the single bolt not even reaching the shore, it was well and truly exhausted. On the beach behind me, my animal pals and human friends watched with bated breath. Any of the newer residents of Tropica remained up on the seawall, watching from afar. Of my loved ones, only Maria was absent, but that didn''t cause me grief¡ªI was happy she was so absorbed in her meditation. As I dragged the fish into the shallows by pumping and reeling, I finally caught sight of the creature. To my surprise, I recognized it. I''d never spotted the species here in Kallis, but I''d seen it plenty of times back on Earth. A massive mouth lined with rows of serrated teeth, their edges sharp enough to saw through bone. A tall dorsal fin covered in scales so small that many assumed they had skin with the texture of sandpaper. Most recognizable of all was its tail. The upper half was almost as long as the rest of its body, the shape reminding me of a naginata. With my adrenaline finally receding, exhaustion settled into my bones and mind both. This wasn''t the usual tiredness that came with channeling chi. It was a deep weariness, one that might cause my own essence to ignore my command until I rested. The creature, perhaps sensing my weakness, summoned its last burst of energy. Seeing the flail-like use of its appendage as it whipped out, I mentally retracted the comparison to a naginata. Whoever had named it back on Earth had done so correctly. This was, without a doubt, a thresher shark. I took a step forward, intent on inspecting it to see if the System here agreed, but the sky split above me. Using as much speed as she could muster, Corporal Claws descended faster than natural lightning. All around her, the air warped, bending inward. I thought she might be trying to show off, coming to flex her new status as an elemental now that everyone was here, but then I saw the look in her eyes. They held mischief, as one would correctly surmise. There was elation, too, my little otter pal indescribably happy with her ascension. Neither of them was what troubled me, however. Stronger than anything else, more a warning than an emotion, was hunger. My fears were confirmed a half-second later when she opened her mouth wide, her villainous teeth poised to rip a chunk out of the shark. Without my intervention, she''d end its life in the blink of an eye. I reached for my chi, but like an overused muscle, it didn''t respond. Left no other option, I leaped into the air, an apologetic grimace on my face. Claws saw me coming. So advanced was her cultivation now that I couldn''t out-speed her vision. Unfortunately for my delinquent pal, her body was a different story. She travelled too swiftly. There was no time for her to dodge. She locked eyes with me and nodded, a flash of understanding in her gaze as I drew back my leg. I had no other choice. With as much power as I could physically muster, I launched an absolute belter of a kick toward Claws. Book 4: Chapter 24: Crab Jesus Book 4: Chapter 24: Crab Jesus As my battle with the thresher shark had dragged on, the sun had slowly disappeared over the western mountains. Instead of the purple hues that¡¯d been blessing the afternoon sky of late, all I could see was a sea of clouds, the electricity from before no longer running through them. Said electricity was being put to good use¡ªor bad, depending on your perspective. Claws had wreathed herself in lightning, using every last watt to propel her toward the shark, which she intended on having as an early evening snack. Thankfully, there was a final line of defense. Even to me, my limb was a blur. The power surrounding Claws was enough to rebuff a boulder in flight, but my foot carved through it. At the very last moment, right before my leg hit, her emotive eyes flicked up to mine. I expected to find accusations within them, but I received nothing of the sort. Despite being transformed into something I couldn¡¯t hope to comprehend, I could still read the lines of her face. Hundreds of micro expressions broadcast regret, self-recrimination, and... sorrow? She puffed out her cheeks, giving her an adolescent look that tugged at my heartstrings. Instead of defending herself, Claws¡¯s last move was to nod in understanding, her puffy little cheeks jiggling slightly. She knew that she¡¯d left me no choice. It made a tidal wave of guilt well up from within me. Had I gone too far? I¡¯d expected her to defend herself, and though my kick had no hope of causing serious damage, I fretted over the pain I might deliver. The wave of guilt slammed down atop me as my foot closed the distance, my heart sinking deep¡ª Just kidding, Claws chirped, shooting me a wink. She pressed both forepaws into her cheeks. I¡¯d seen her do it countless times, using the pressure to squirt people with water from afar. This time, it wasn¡¯t liquid that came streaming out. A bar of solid lightning rocketed toward me, so compressed that it remained cylindrical. A deadly spearpoint formed at its tip, and when it was halfway to me, Claws ceased her compression. One line became hundreds, and hundreds became thousands, each possessing the power of a thunderbolt. Like Zeus himself had cocked a shotgun and pulled the trigger, the shattershot approached. Assuming me taken care of, Claws dismissed my presence, once more eyeing the thresher shark. ¡°You can¡¯t eat it, you little rat!¡± I bellowed, grasping for my chi. As before, it didn¡¯t answer. I was too fatigued. Reaching deep within myself, unable to accept that I couldn¡¯t protect my catch, I caught hold of a tiny sliver of essence. Immediately creating a coin-sized barrier of chi, I leaped off it, flipping backwards. Lashing out once more with my right leg, I kicked through the thousands of thunderbolts. Against my body and its latent power, they parted like waves before the stern of an aircraft carrier, leaving nothing between my foot and Claws¡¯s astonished little face. Crack! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee¡ª Though she shot over the horizon almost immediately, the tail-end of her scream still reached my ears seconds later. It eventually faded, leaving a silence that settled over my surroundings like a woolspun blanket. The clouds dispersed as unnaturally fast as they¡¯d appeared, and only when they were gone did the world seem to breathe once more. The combination of both physical and mental exertion left me running on empty, and I resigned myself to falling into the ocean and working out the rest from there. But I needn¡¯t have worried. A black and red crab zipped by me, still trailing blue lines of Snip¡¯s power. Ten meters away, Rocky¡¯s clackers slammed shut. Twin booms erupted from him, and as he returned to the shore, he grabbed me on the way past¡ªrather gracefully¡ªwith one of his powerful pincers. Teddy caught us in a delightfully warm bear hug, and we all skidded backward along the sand. I wanted to enjoy the embrace as long as possible, but I had to sort something out first. ¡°Sorry, Teddy. I¡ª¡± Teddy launched me with an overarm throw. I blinked, my brain struggling to catch up as I was sent barreling back toward the ocean. Another pair of arms awaited me. I collided with Barry¡¯s barrel of a chest, and we slid into the shallows. He set me down right next to the thresher shark, holding me by the shoulders for support. I was filled with gratitude that my friends understood me so well¡ªand a little annoyed that they''d ragdolled me around the beach instead of just taking me directly to the shark, but beggars couldn''t be choosers. The thresher shark, though capable of wiping out an entire village of regular humans, was still a fish. It was worthy of compassion. I reached over it, gripped the hook, and freed it from my line. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I didn¡¯t have long to reconsider my terrible analogy because Sergeant Snips and Rocky reacted immediately. Rocky stepped forward. Snips stepped back. And in a move more graceful than such an act should be, Rocky was yeeted out over the ocean, crashing through waves that made his joyous screams fade sporadically. EEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeee- Slap. EEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee- Slap. EEeeeeee- I¡¯d seen such an angle before, and I half suspected him to skip out over the horizon, like a stone but with violent tendencies and too many limbs. Instead, when he was above the shark¡¯s position, his powerful clackers dun clacked. Dual explosions sent him rocketing down into the water, hopefully toward the creature and not through it like the old Rocky would have done. Snips followed his passage, blue chi oozing from the gaps in her shell and going... down her limbs? Snips, my magnificent anime-protagonist of a crustacean, had found a new use for her essence. After flowing down her legs, it solidified against the water¡¯s surface, letting her run across it like crab Jesus. I desperately wanted to inspect it more, but I lacked the metaphorical juice to do so. I settled on watching instead, letting the hint of a smile from earlier blossom as she unleashed a massive burst of chi that sent her right in after Rocky. Of their own accord, Pelly and Bill both took off, sailing out over the ocean to keep track of the shark¡¯s passage. As the water settled, I gave Barry and Paul a nod. ¡°See? Nothing to worry about.¡± Paul¡¯s eyes told me that he saw a great deal of things to worry about. He leaned back, trying to comprehend the chaos that had just unfolded before him. Barry sighed again, this time in resignation, as he led me back to shore. ¡°I should have seen that coming.¡± ¡°Man,¡± I said, rubbing my sore shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m absolutely spent.¡± ¡°Do you want to return home?¡± As I considered my answer, I looked up at my friends. I didn¡¯t dare sense their emotions with how exhausted I felt, but there was no need. I could see the excitement on all of their faces. How could I go nap off my exhaustion when I had the perfect audience? ¡°Nah, I just need a bit of a breather, Barry.¡± I waved a flippant hand toward the pile of supplies. ¡°I don¡¯t need much chi to build the basic structure.¡± It had the desired effect. Excited whispers sprang up, everyone feverishly speculating what was so important that I¡¯d led an expedition to Gormona just for its materials. Judging by how intense some of them were, it¡¯d been a hot topic of discussion. With all of their attention on me, I smirked at Paul. ¡°Reckon you could help me with something, mate?¡± He nodded with his usual sincerity. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°Just some info. I¡¯ve gone and got all the supplies, but I have no bloody clue how to put it all together.¡± I cast a furtive glance toward the crowd and hid my mouth behind a hand. With a stage-whisper loud enough for someone to hear from the low walls of Tropica, I asked, ¡°Do you know how to build a boat?¡± Book 4: Chapter 25: Smalle, Cute & Fluffy Book 4: Chapter 25: Smalle, Cute & Fluffy The quiet hiss of thousands of bubbles rising through soft sand was the only sound to be heard. Each time they tapered off, a small wave washed up the shore, causing the symphony to begin anew. It was partially drowned out a moment later, a stiff breeze blowing from behind that caused my short hair to whip forward and tickle my scalp. I held my hands wide, forgetting about everything else as the sensations of my body became too glorious to ignore. When the wind disappeared, I opened my eyes slowly, finding a sea of faces pinned to me. One was giving me a look flatter than the ocean on a still night. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you fracking with me, Fischer?¡± Barry replied, his jaw tensing. I tilted my head in question, carefully smothering the joy threatening to spill from my core. ¡°What ever do you mean, mate?¡± He rotated to the left, his eyes not leaving me as he gestured with both hands at the cart and piles of supplies. ¡°You had us get all of this, promising that you had grand plans...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°To build a boat.¡± ¡°Ah-huh. Big boat. Perhaps the biggest.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t know how to build one...?¡± ¡°Wellll. It¡¯s not so much that I don¡¯t know as it is that I haven¡¯t tried before. I know what they look like, and I understand the general principles of buoyancy. It has to float, right? Oh, and salt-water is denser than fresh water! So it should definitely float. Probably.¡± ¡°Probably...?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sounds about right. Anyway, I was kinda hoping one of you would know how to build one. Any volunteers?¡± I gazed toward the crowd, and at their collective response, I raised a brow. ¡°Why are you all looking at me like that?¡± Barry¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You thought that we, villagers who until months ago had believed water to be heretical, would know how to build boats...?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to apologise for having faith in you, Barry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never even seen a boat!¡± ¡°I know what they look like. She¡¯ll be right.¡± ¡°You know what they look¡ªWhat has that got to do with anything? How are you going to stop it from leaking?¡± ¡°The whole thing is wood, mate. Wood floats.¡± ¡°Even better in salt water,¡± Theo added. ¡°See!¡± I clicked my fingers. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! So even if it leaks a bit, she¡¯ll be right.¡± Barry looked at me like he¡¯d caught me chewing rocks. ¡°Even if it leaks a bit...? Fischer, boats aren¡¯t supposed to have water in them. It¡¯ll sink!¡± ¡°How do you know that? You¡¯ve never seen one.¡± ¡°I still know it¡¯s not supposed to have water inside of it! I may not have seen one, but you¡¯ve never built one!¡± I blew air from my lips. ¡°I¡¯d never made a rock wall to fish from either. It turned out great.¡± ¡°And water leaks into it,¡± Theo added helpfully. ¡°Still functions.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be right,¡± I croaked right into his ear, then gave him a satisfied smile. The last thing I saw before unconsciousness took me was the stars above, their pinprick beauty framing the muscular hand that had previously been holding me up, and was now conveying a decidedly rude message. *** Corporal Claws, wielder of lightning and the undisputed glowiest of Fischer¡¯s disciples, was having a wonderful evening. It had only been minutes since her master had kicked her in the moosh, and she¡¯d already traveled further than she knew possible. Despite how enhanced her awareness had been before awakening as an elemental, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to witness even half of what she saw now. Claws twisted her body, spinning round and round until the scene above blended with the scene below. With the mildest flex of will, she dulled the brightness of the electricity comprising her, well... everything, letting the outside world engulf her senses as she rocketed out into a stretch of cloudless sky. The stars shone with unspeakable energy. Following her change, she could sense the power each one of them held. Their distance, too. It was... magical. Because of the world¡¯s knowledge streaming into her upon her first awakening, she¡¯d already known this. As with so many things in life, though, knowing was entirely different from knowing. Despite how similar they looked from afar, each was unique¡ªtheir size, composition, and brightness varied, as did the scarcely believable cosmic power that pulsed form them. It was intoxicating to know that she could feel things from so far away. That she could sense places she would never be able to visit, even with her newfound mastery of lightning. Despite having her attention drawn in so many directions, she didn¡¯t miss a familiar face as she sailed over him. She righted her elemental body to stare down at someone who, not ten minutes ago, she¡¯d tried to strike with lightning. Ellis was on a tiny island only a few times larger than Tropica. Though small, humanity clearly lived there. Thrived, perhaps. There were houses, vessels, and even a wooden dock. If she wanted to, she could stop her passage¡ªarrest her momentum to rocket down and check he was okay. She considered it for a second, but there was no need. Ellis was sitting on the dock with two dark-skinned women, all of his attention on an open book in his lap. Despite his intent stare, his core seemed rather... calm? She contemplated going to meet him for less-altruistic reasons too. Like zapping him in front of his new friends, for example. But at the cost of her own velocity...? Pshhh. Yeah right. Just before she sailed over the horizon, Claws gave a polite little wave that he¡¯d never see, then returned her attention to the outside world. With how fast she twirled, the stars became smeared lines of light, their individual energies singing out to her. She soaked their voices in, delighting in the melody that result¡ªoh? What was that? Something floated below, and unlike the foolish yet often-amusing Ellis, this object demanded her attendance. Claws zipped down with all the care she could muster, only a soft breeze accompanying her appearance on the floating pile of jetsam. It seemed relatively sturdy for a pile of literal rubbish. Thick cords of rope had wound over broken sections of wood to form a raft of sorts. By how chaotic the knots were, it must have been through a storm, if not an attack. She had to process all of this with a fraction of her awareness, because the reason for her landing occupied the rest. Claws took a hurried step forward, excited jolts of electricity crawling over her, and froze. She whirled on the spot, her entire body crackling as she prepared to unleash it upon any being foolish enough to ambush her. Despite no treacherous souls coming to greet her, she didn¡¯t relax, instead rotating so fast that she could look in every direction at once. She was sure she hadn¡¯t imagined it. Someone had just been observing her. She¡¯d felt it. But no matter how long she spun, the feeling of being observed didn¡¯t return. She considered another possibility¡ªthat, unable to believe that someone would leave the object of her attention behind, her subconscious had invented an enemy. Better to be safe than sorry... Claws snapped back into stillness, her lightning chi flooding the surrounding ocean. The salinated water was a terrible conductor, but that was nothing to the elemental known as Corporal Claws of the Church of Fischer. Her essence suffused the ocean for nautical miles in every direction¡ªwhich Claws decided was a very weird way of measuring things, accurate or not. Barely a kilometer to the north, she found it. Revealing her glimmering chompers to the world, her power descended upon the being that dared lay such an effective trap, hundreds of lightning bolts tearing down to... She flicked a paw, changing their trajectory. Most shot skyward, dissipating into the surrounding water the moment Claws¡¯s will withdrew. She focused on a select few bolts. They curved around the original target, only to loop back in, slamming down into the ground. Said target was hurled up from the depths, propelled by a storm¡¯s worth of electricity crashing down behind it. Claws reached out with a single mitt, catching the curiosity before lifting it up to her eyes for inspection. It was... a stone. What she¡¯d assumed to be an enemy attacker was just a rock with no sapient being connected to it. An odd chi lingered within, however, reminding her of something she couldn¡¯t quite put her toe bean on. Countless thoughts and possibilities raced through her mind, all causing her vicious grin to widen. No matter the cause, one thing was for sure¡ªshe had found a wonderfully unique stone. Wrapping it in lightning chi to seal the odd essence inside, she slipped it into a pocket for later examination. Claws all but forgot about its existence as she tip-toed across the tangled mess of debris. The structure creaked, rope and wood both complaining they shifted under her careful steps. When she was finally above the object that had halted her flight, Claws reached down with more care than she¡¯d give the perfect oyster. She lifted it to her chest, assaulted by sheer disbelief that this hadn¡¯t been a trap. What fool would leave something so precious¡ªso flawless¡ªhere for her to find? Unable to contain the plethora of emotions, everything above her shoulders wiggled like a worm, her lower half having to remain stoic for the sake of the sleeping creature she held. Master is going to love¡ª The creature made a coughing sound. Still asleep, it took a shuddering breath, the sound wet and wheezy. Claws froze, a shard of ice forming in the base of her neck. This animal¡ªso small, so cute, so fluffy¡ªwas unwell. She wasted no time. Snicking off some rope, she started tying a sling, but swiftly realized she had neither the patience nor the need for something so mundane. She opened her pockets, mentally moved all of her rocks into her left one¡ªshe loved that her new body could do that¡ªand placed the sickly creature in the right. After throwing the rope in, because why not, she sealed them shut, leaving micro... tonic? Or was it sonic? She shook her head. Micro-whatever! Small gaps so it could breathe! Annoyed at the general existence of words, Corporal Claws, maiden of the skies and protector of all things cute, shot into the sky, with lightning streaming in her wake. She had to get home. Had to get back to Fischer. No matter how unwell the creature may be, her master would know what to do. Book 4: Chapter 26: Calamity Book 4: Chapter 26: Calamity Deep beneath the ocean, in a place where the pressure alone would crush most, an ancient being sat very, very still. He had made a mistake, one with the potential to unravel his greatest plan to date. This knowledge, that he had taken a step in error, filled him with rage. His body wanted to roil. Wanted to absorb all the nearby rocks and grind them to dust. But for the sake of his plans, he stomped the emotion down. Only an hour ago, a blip in ?his existence, he had been steadily making his way toward the newborn elemental. There had been no rush, after all. He was as inexorable as the passage of time, and no matter how long it took, he would have eventually reached his target. Sneak up, feign weakness, destroy utterly. It had worked when his mass was that of a mere boulder, and still worked now that he was larger than most mountains. He had been creeping closer when the infant elemental had done something unexpected. It¡¯d changed positions¡ªso swiftly that he, at first, thought it teleported. Such things were possible, of course. He had faced more than one elemental that could step through space. The reality was far more troubling, however¡ªit was just fast. Blisteringly so. It was the second-quickest being he¡¯d ever encountered. The fastest had been a fire elemental who, unlike the others of its kind, possessed unbridled agility. That singular fight had been enough for him to understand that those with speed and the cognition to match were his greatest weakness. They were the only ones who could react in time to his ambush tactics. And, if his senses could be believed, the newly awakened elemental had only been birthed this lunar cycle. So young, yet its spryness was almost on par with the centuries-old fire elemental that had nearly ended him. His instincts had screamed to send more chi toward it, demanding that he learn what abyssal demon had appeared on his¡ªno, their¡ªplanet. He¡¯d fought those urges back for as long as he could, remaining strong for a commendable amount of time, but had failed when it stopped atop the ocean¡¯s surface. The moment he gave in to his hunger for knowledge, a fragment of his attention had shot into a far away stone dwelling on the ocean floor, a part of himself left behind for such purposes. He had scattered hundreds of them across their world, all portals through which he could spy. Only a whisper of his true power channeled into the object. It was half a league away from the other elemental, and with how delicate his touch was, his foe should never have been able to detect him. But it had. It¡¯d noticed him as soon as he arrived. He had immediately abandoned the stone, severing his connection to it for good, lest the newborn discover his existence. Having to leave behind a portion of himself, no matter its insignificant size, was a large part of his anger. It felt like admitting defeat. Like seeding ground to an upstart. And yet... it was entirely necessary. The other elemental may be young, but it was also powerful. Its potential, in both agility and perception, was unbelievable. A healthy fear for what this foe might become sprouted deep within the elemental¡¯s mass of sediment and chi. He used this emotion as the tectonic plate on which to build reinforcing layers of rock. His anger was far beneath the structure, and with each sheet of resolve he added, the fire was further robbed of fuel. He was once more in control when he let some of his awareness leach out into the world. The other being was still on high alert, so he waited. Silt and sand settled over his gigantic form, the waters around him only just starting to calm. Tiny lifeforms, mostly crustaceans, found places to hide within the patches of debris. He paid them no mind. All of his attention remained on the other elemental¡¯s position, which he could still vaguely sense. When it released a blast of power and rocketed up into the sky, a wave of relief washed over him. It was clearly fearful, but it had been confident enough to take another lifeform with it. These actions meant one thing: the newborn elemental hadn¡¯t gotten a read of his power. If it had, it would have fled for its survival. It certainly wouldn¡¯t have slowed its passage to preserve the existence of a mere beast. As it got further and further away, leaving the range of his senses, he finally moved again. Though his foe had plenty of potential, so had all the others. He¡¯d absorbed them all, their strength becoming his, and his becoming theirs. He began moving once more, a localized landslide that destroyed everything in its path. It was only a matter of time until he rolled over the newborn and assimilated its chi. *** Far to the north, an ancient organism was lost in thought. The problem with theories, he surmised,was that they can never be proven. Unless one could predict the future, any experiment thereafter might just come along and shatter preconceived truths. Many more considerations followed, the alacrity with which he processed each thought reflective of his vast intellect. He had stirred frequently of late, and as whispers of power seemed to return to the world, so too did his awareness. This was, he determined, a good thing. But it did make sleep more elusive. Each time, there was an urge for him to move, yet he never followed these compulsions. There was good reason, of course. Logic behind his abstainment. After all, he was nothing if not a beacon of rationality. But that didn¡¯t make it any easier for the organism to fight his instinct. His body twitched whenever hints of chi washed over him, his limbs wanting nothing more than to engulf and crush the targets of his ire. Always, though, reason won. No matter how strong the pull, how unignorable the currents, it wasn¡¯t yet time to indulge his base instincts. The only way to ensure victory was to wait for his oldest ally to awaken once more. He resolved himself to live each moment of this agony. To revel in the curse that was his continued existence, as well as the knowledge that it could be thousands of years before the time to strike arrived. Until then, he couldn¡¯t move. If he was detected, all was for nothing. With great effort and forced mindfulness¡ªa misnomer if ever there was one¡ªthe organism¡¯s thoughts died down. Just as slumber was about to welcome him into its loving embrace, he was jolted awake by a memory made manifest. A pulse of aura that he recognized as if his own. It was his oldest ally ¡®jumping¡¯ to one of his scouting rocks. But no. It had to have been an artifact of sleep. If it wasn¡¯t, his period of inaction would cease¡ªsuch a possibility was too good to be true, and even the idea of it threatened to weaken his resolve. He settled back into himself, closing his eyes and willing his thoughts to fade once more. The pulse came again, and this time, there was no question as to its authenticity. The organism¡¯s eyelids flew open, revealing abyssal orbs whose description alone had been the basis of religions. His oldest ally, the earth elemental of legend, had just severed its connection to a part of itself. Something small, like a stone or a shell. But that was inconsequential. What mattered was that the earth elemental, a being that had long since shed any of its names, was awake. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The organism wasted no time. More liquid than flesh, he slid from a crevasse deep beneath the ocean, the place he¡¯d called home since his ally had let itself be trapped. No light made its way down into the trench he occupied, but he didn¡¯t need it. He had something even better. As he honed in on the last place he¡¯d felt the earth elemental, duty spurred him onward, fueling his passage through the freezing waters. *** ¡°Yeah, look, that¡¯s a fair point. I just can¡¯t believe how straight the lines are.¡± With a step forward, I softly ruffled Paul¡¯s hair. ¡°I didn¡¯t know we had a little Picasso on our hands. Maybe we need to get you some different art supplies and let you¡ª¡± I froze mid sentence. ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± Barry began, but then he felt it too. Or, rather, he felt her. Corporal Claws struck the ground before me with much more subtlety than I expected. She was riding lightning, sure, but it lacked any of her usual flare. She didn¡¯t even melt the sand beneath her. ¡°Claws,¡± I said, expecting trickery. ¡°Welcome home...¡± She loped toward me with excited steps, her grin as wide as I¡¯d ever seen it. When she got to me, she reached both paws into one of her pockets. ¡°Listen, Claws,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m genuinely happy you¡¯re back so soon, but if you hit me with some pocket sand, I¡¯ll kick you clean over the horizon again. We need to have a serious talk about boundaries now that you¡¯ve had another breakthrough, missy.¡± She shook her head, and before I could question her mood further, she withdrew her paws. Clutched between her devious little hands was something fluffy, adorable, and terrifying. I stepped back. ¡°Absolutely not, Claws! You put that back where you found it!¡± Why? she demanded with an indignant chirp, her body-language shifting. ¡°Because I said so, Claws! That thing is only going to bring calamity if it ascends!¡± She chirped again, looking at me like I¡¯d just kicked a puppy. ¡°I can tell it¡¯s unwell, Claws, but it¡¯s not critical. We can heal it. Absolutely. But then you have to take it back!¡± Her next chirp was beseeching, and she gestured at its face emphatically. ¡°I know it¡¯s already wearing a mask! That¡¯s the problem!¡± Barry knelt down, inspected the adolescent mammal up close, then gave me a questioning look. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to keep it? It¡¯s really cute, and you love cute things.¡± I rubbed the bridge of my nose. ¡°I know it¡¯s super fucking cute, Barry. It¡¯s taking all of my strength not to scoop it up and give it a name.¡± ¡°... so why don¡¯t you?¡± Yeah! Claws agreed, piling on. Why? ¡°Because we had these back on Earth. They¡¯re tricky little things, and that¡¯s without accounting for the intelligence that comes with awakening. Don¡¯t give me that look, Claws. We have our hands full with you and Cinnamon! The last thing we need is another you!¡± She walked forward, cradling the creature to her chest and staring up at me with puppy-dog eyes. Pleeeaaase? she cooed. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll win this battle, Fischer. It¡¯s not in your nature.¡± A sparkle in Claws¡¯s eye was the only warning before she lobbed it at me. My choice was to let an injured animal drop to the ground, or to catch it. I caught it, of course. Its fur was even softer than I¡¯d imagined, and I couldn¡¯t help but stroke its cheek with one finger. As I watched its chest rise and fall, a wet sound coming from it, I let out a long-suffering sigh. No matter how much trouble it brought to our shores, there was no way I could release this baby out into the wild. Claws zapped up onto my shoulder, then ran around my torso like a squirrel, never once taking her eyes off of it. The rest of the animal pals had drifted over, and I took a knee so everyone could get a look. They were all torn between inspecting the cute little thing and looking at Claws¡¯s new form. I smiled as their heads literally darted back and forth. ¡°We¡¯ll take it to Snips¡¯s healing pool. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt Maria¡¯s meditation, but this one¡¯s health takes precedence.¡± Barry leaned over the top of everyone. ¡°What is it, Fischer? What kind of animal, I mean?¡± I paused, staring down at its tiny form. It had four legs and four paws, though there was an argument to be made that the front two were actually hands. Because of its age, its fur was mostly grey, its striped marking yet to come in. A pair of supremely cute ears. And last of all, the feature that Claws had pointed out as if that alone would sway me: dark rings around its eyes that, when it grew older, would form a black mask. I shook my head, unable to hide my smile. ¡°It¡¯s a fuckin¡¯ racoon, Barry, and may the gods help us if the little prick ever ascends.¡± Book 4: Chapter 27: Words are so Fun Book 4: Chapter 27: Words are so Fun From everything that Maria had heard, it was impossible to describe enlightenment. Countless humans and animals had tried. And based on the waves of chi that had swept overhead while she meditated, another couple of beings might be able to give explanation a shot too, though they would likely fail also. Despite this lack of elucidation, however, Maria could tell that her own approached; her essence had been steadily building, as had the weight of the healing potential in her core. Each passing moment brought her closer to who she was¡ªwho she¡¯d always been destined to become¡ªand if the pond she sat atop was any indication, the world concurred. When she¡¯d arrived at the tidal pool, she immediately knew her relationship to the strange waters had changed. She had always been able to tell they possessed a strange sort of power, even when she¡¯d only been at the bottom of the stairwell to ascension. But if she sent her chi out now? It felt almost like an extension of herself. Most shocking of all¡ªa notable reaction considering how ridiculous the last week had been¡ªwas that the placid waters all but yelled out with encouragement. It was like having a copy of yourself cheer you on, insisting you were doing the right thing. She spared a moment to pour her gratitude out into the pool. It was something she had repeatedly done. It just seemed the right thing to do. But this time, something new happened. Gratitude came flowing back. It was only for a fraction of a second, but it was enough to make Maria¡¯s spine go rigid and her focus to slip. She opened her eyes to find that night had arrived, yet she spared no attention for the beautiful stars twinkling above. Instead, she stared down at the pond in awe, anticipating... she didn¡¯t know what. For it to ripple? For another hint of awareness to appear? Contrary to her expectations, the waters remained still. The opalescent stones within reflected some of the starlight from above, which seemed to glow more than usual, but she wasn¡¯t sure if that was her imagination, a side effect of her enhanced body, or something real. Consumed as she might have been by the sight, she couldn¡¯t have missed the approaching cores if she tried. Maybe it¡¯s time to have a break... she thought, wiggling her toes and rolling her neck. Especially if I¡¯m starting to imagine a pond capable of gratitude... As she turned to look at the incoming crowd, a smile came to her face. It felt wonderful. She intended on letting it spread even wider¡ªon letting her love for Fischer and their otter pal show¡ªbut then she caught sight of Corporal Claws. Maria leaped to her feet, blinking rapidly to clear away what was clearly her imagination. When that didn¡¯t help, she extended her awareness out, knowing her core would report the truth of the matter. It did, in fact, and Maria¡¯s jaw dropped open. Corporal Claws had experienced... Maria didn¡¯t even know if she should call it a breakthrough. Claws¡¯s entire being had become a core. Her body was composed of lightning. It catapulted Maria¡¯s thoughts into the stratosphere. As time had passed, increasing her affinity to healing chi, Maria¡¯s cognition had intensified. With how sharp her mind had become, she finally understood what Fischer had meant when he¡¯d tried to explain the changes to his brain. Even with these alterations, though, she struggled to pick the correct question to ask. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± she started and cut off as she sensed something from Fischer¡¯s chest. There was life there¡ªnot his¡ªand it was weak. It demanded her attention. All other considerations fell away as Maria leaped from the boulder atop the pond, skidding to a stop before Fischer. She caught her first sight of the creature. Part of her brain screamed that it was gods-damned adorable, but she filed that away for later¡ªher core agreed with the action, vibrating so hard her heart fluttered. The pond, too, reacted. As before, an emotion that hinted at intelligence came from it. Its waters requested she bring the animal closer. Fischer, clearly sensing Maria¡¯s urgency¡ªand the pond¡¯s request, judging by the look of sheer incredulity he shot its way¡ªreached forward, offering the fuzzy little thing to her. It was even cuter than she¡¯d initially judged. Without a word, Maria went to the pond and strode into its cool waters. But... they weren¡¯t cool at all; they were warm. She added this anomaly to the pile of things to explore later as she lowered herself and the creature¡¯s body beneath the surface. The healing chi of the pond immediately flowed toward the animal. Maria closed her eyes, relying on her senses to follow the strands. Time slowed as hundreds of individual streams climbed from the rockbed, joining with those already swirling within the water. They circled the cute little mammal with languid grace, not rushing into its body as Maria had assumed they would. Some of the chi strands brushed up against it. They were furtive touches, and with no small amount of wonder, Maria realized that each had a distinct purpose. They were diagnosing any health issues. *** Despite how overwhelmed Maria¡¯s senses were, Fischer¡¯s encouragement slipped right through the cracks to reach her ears. They weren¡¯t just empty words, and they caused a thrill to run through her. She agreed with him. She did have this. Even if her confidence wasn¡¯t so strong, however, his trust wouldn¡¯t have wavered, its foundation more stable than bedrock. She internalized his reassurance, tucking it away for later as she had so many other thoughts. After all, true enlightenment was within reach. She just had to take it. Maria opened her core up, letting in waves of energy from the pond. As if a weir¡¯s gate had been raised, the power flowed into her, she and the water¡¯s chi becoming one. They came to a stop beside the raccoon. Maria was able to see it from all directions at once, and as power washed over it, she knew what ailed it. First, dehydration, which was easy enough to fix. Together, she and the pond removed most of the salt from its waters. The purified liquid flowed into the raccoon¡¯s body, replenishing its reserves. Next, the mammal was missing key minerals. Some of them were within the tidal pond, so they gathered the necessary amounts. Potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc. Compounds she¡¯d never known, yet their purpose appeared in her memories like a long-lost friend. Racoon, she mused, the word almost familiar. Had Fischer mentioned them before? Its biology, lifespan, diet, and behavior¡ªall bloomed in her mind. Learning about the animal made... something appear in Maria¡¯s awareness. There was a metaphorical lump in its brain. Did it need to be healed...? She gathered some of her chi just in case, ready to heal the incorporeal anomaly, but her core vibrated again. Unlike earlier, this buzz was in the negative. The pool also seemed to hesitate. Maria paused for only a moment, then let go of the essence she had prepared. She would have to be a fool to ignore both herself and a pond with healing abilities. The mix of elements was ready to go, so she sent them into the raccoon''s circulatory system. As they joined the small mammal¡¯s bloodstream, a feeling of everything being right in the world descended, wrapping her entire body in warmth. The raccoon still needed food, but that wasn¡¯t within her power to grant. She had done all she could. Before that sense of rightness could face, light and power exploded from her core, and Maria knew she had succeeded. As the light fled, she waited for the System messages to come. Just like Fischer, she¡¯d willed them to leave her alone, but there was no way something of this magnitude would obey. She waited and waited, but it didn¡¯t come. Only seconds had passed, but that was a lifetime when it came to the System. Why¡ª Something shot from Maria¡¯s core. It was, somehow, squishy and crystalline and lovely. It moved up her abdomen, past her shoulder, through her skin. Blinking, Maria looked down at her forearm. ¡°Hiiii!¡± came the blob¡¯s squeaky voice. Just as she knew water was wet, Maria recognized the being perched on her limb. The size of a closed fist, its body seemed to have two shapes it could swap between, one gem-like, the other gelatinous. It was light pink when a ball of slime, and filled with rainbow light when a faceted crystal. Maria blinked again, unable to think of anything to say. ¡°Wowww!¡± the physical manifestation of the tidal pond continued. It jiggled in delight. ¡°Words. Are. So. Fun!¡± Book 4: Chapter 28: Trash Panda Book 4: Chapter 28: Trash Panda ¡°Wowww!¡± the pink slime said, staring up at Maria and jiggling all over. ¡°Words. Are. So. Fun!¡± I looked at Claws. Claws looked at me. We looked at Maria. Maria looked at us. We all looked at the slime. ¡°Hiiiii!¡± it squeaked. ¡°Nice to finally talk to... well, it¡¯s nice to finally talk at all! Oh. My. Goodness was it hard not being able to communicate for so long! But I guess I was kinda dumb then, so I didn¡¯t even know how to? That¡¯s something to be thankful for, I think! That I was too silly to know how hard it was!¡± Beady yet undeniably cute eyes focused on Claws, who was staring back with an open mouth, her needle-sharp teeth reflecting the slime¡¯s light as it turned into a crystal that balanced on Maria¡¯s arm. ¡°Wowwww! You¡¯re pretty like I am! You never used to look like that, did you? I remember! I can see right through you, but your body...¡± A quick pulse of energy came from the slime¡ªit was a slime again, by the way¡ªand my head rocked back. The chi was Maria¡¯s. It had come from her core. And the slime¡ªnope, crystal¡ªhad used it freely. ¡°Wooooowwwww!¡± it squealed at Claws. ¡°Your body isn¡¯t real! Or I guess it¡¯s more accurate to say that it isn¡¯t physical? You¡¯re made up of chi! That¡¯s like, super cool! I¡¯m gonna touch you now.¡± It shivered as if cold. ¡°Oh my! That¡¯s rude, isn¡¯t it? Is it okay if I touch you? I¡ª¡± It whirled to my left. ¡°Oh my gosh! My crabs! You guys, it''s meee!¡± Distracted, I hadn¡¯t registered the approach of Snips and Rocky. The slime looked at them expectantly. They looked at the slime. Snips looked at Maria. Rocky looked at me. Maria looked at nobody, her eyes staring into the distance like she¡¯d seen a ghost. The racoon woke up, letting out an open-mouthed yawn. Rocky pointed down. That¡¯s a raccoon, he stated, trying to appear unbothered. ¡°Yeah, mate. Surprised you know what it is.¡± He pointed at the slime, a slight shake entering his claw. That¡¯s... that¡¯s the pond. Snips blew affirmative and astonished bubbles, her eye flicking between the slime and the raccoon, who gazed back without a care in the world. Rocky nodded, managing to keep his composure as he... nevermind. I couldn¡¯t even finish the sentence before he lost his absolute shit. The lines on his shell flared the color of magma, and three and a half cigarettes¡ªwhere did they keep coming from, and why did he have half a cigarette?¡ªappeared from nowhere, gripped in one powerful clacker. With movement so swift anyone but a cultivator would miss it, he lit them on the red lines of his carapace, held them to his mouth, and inhaled a single, continuous breath. All three and a half sticks glowed a bright orange as they swiftly shrunk. He paused for a moment, the rage and confusion in his heart threatening to boil over. I half thought the old version of Rocky would explode into being. But as I felt something within his core, a circulation of chi I didn¡¯t quite understand, he visibly calmed. A moment later, Rocky finally exhaled¡ªhe looked and sounded like the smokestack of a steam train. ¡°Okay,¡± I cut in, waving the exhaust fumes from my face. ¡°I¡¯m aware you¡¯re sworn to secrecy, Rocky, but I need to know that it¡¯s not the chemicals in the cigarettes that just calmed you down.¡± Now back to his cool self, and with a seemingly effortless but definitely deliberate lean¡ªseriously, how did a crab give off punk vibes?¡ªRocky nodded. Not chemical, his soft hiss told me. He chucked all four butts into his maw, where they dissolved upon his volcanic... do crabs have tongues? I shook my head. Today¡¯s events were getting to me. The fire sticks are but a component, Rocky continued, his bubbles containing wisps of smoke. I cannot speak of it more, my friend, lest my honor be impugned. Shall we discuss more pressing matters, such as the arrival of a new animal compatriot, or the physical manifestation of my mistress¡¯s beloved pond? ¡°Hold on,¡± Maria cut in. ¡°What about Claws?¡± ¡°What about Claws?¡± I found myself repeating, voice incredulous. ¡°Are you trying to gloss over the fact that you just bonded with a familiar? It¡¯s tied to your core, right?¡± Said familiar made a burbling sound that resembled the clearing of a throat, which was a pretty good replication considering it didn¡¯t have one. ¡°Sorryyyy, but I don¡¯t like being called ¡®it.¡¯¡±@@@@ ¡°Oh. My bad. That was kind of insensitive. What would you like...¡± I trailed off as I remembered I was talking to a fracking body of water, and a line formed between my eyebrows. ¡°A boy!¡± Maria¡¯s familiar answered, unbothered that I hadn¡¯t finished the question. ¡°My master likes boys, so I wanna be that!¡± I could feel the love for Maria flowing from the chatty little fella. It was purely platonic, so I gave him a nod of understanding. ¡°As good a reason as any. I¡¯ll make sure not to call you ¡®it¡¯ from now on. Sorry again. I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± ¡°Fischer!¡± Maria yelled, shielding the raccoon¡¯s ears so her voice wouldn¡¯t startle it. She jabbed her chin to my right. ¡°You¡¯re the one glossing over things! Can we address the lightning-filled otter in the room?¡± Corporal Claws stood to her full height and puffed her chest out, jolts sparking as she preened under the attention. Before I could question the event, a loud bark drew my attention, and I spun to give the incoming crew a questioning look. Behind me, riding Pistachio like a tour bus, came the rest of the animals. Cinnamon was on the stoic lobster¡¯s head, striking a magnificent pose, arms crossed and gaze intense. To her rear, Borks¡¯s eyes were similarly impassioned. His tail wagged so fast that, if he was to pass by a field of dried cane, it might catch fire. Perched tall and proud, Bill and Pelly surveyed their domain. They were almost two meters off the ground, which one might think makes little sense¡ªhow could they be both atop Pistachio and that far off the ground? Well... it wasn¡¯t Pistachio their webbed feet rested upon. Straddling Pistachio¡¯s back, a rear leg on either side of the giant sea-snipper¡¯s carapace, Teddy refused to look me in the eye, his head hanging so low that the pelicans had to shuffle backward lest they fall off. The longer I watched their plodding approach¡ªPistachio clearly going slow on purpose¡ªthe worse Teddy¡¯s shame grew. When he leaned down far enough that Borks could only maintain eye-contact with me by leaning sideways past the bear¡¯s noggin, I finally decided to absolve them of their sins. ¡°Guys... I realize that I asked you to stay behind, but that was only so we didn¡¯t disturb Maria¡¯s meditation.¡± I stepped to the side, and their faces lit up when they saw her. ¡°She¡¯s awake, the raccoon is healed, and there¡¯s someone else you need to meet...¡± Not needing any further introduction, the slime-shaped being leaped into Maria¡¯s palm¡ªshe lobbed him forward. By the time he landed, he was crystalline, a pointed base lodging into the sand before Pistachio. ¡°Hiiii! My name¡¯s Slimes!¡± He shimmered a little.¡°I¡¯m a boy!¡± If the squad¡¯s passage had been glacial before, now they were so frozen that they could have been encased by permafrost. They all stared downward, their senses and eyes exploring the multi-faceted light of Maria¡¯s bonded familiar. I was already aware that Borks and Cinnamon had already known some sort of breakthrough occurred; the intensity of their gazes upon arrival had given it away. But even with this advantage over the others, the reality wedged in the ground before them seemed to hit their restart buttons. Borks broke the stalemate first. Despite a distance of five meters, he tore a tunnel through space¡ªand it was his fastest creation yet. He kicked off as a golden retriever, but by the time his head exited the portal before Slimy, his ears were long and floppy. The only one fast enough to join him was Cinnamon, who grabbed said ears for dear life, flatting himself against his back. That¡¯s a new form, I thought. I wonder why Borks chose to be a Basset Houn... oh. The question was immediately answered when he pressed a wet nose against one of Slimy¡¯s crystal faces. He huffed a breath that never seemed to end as he circled the pond spirit, sniffing him from every possible angle. Cinnamon snuck some in too, using what looked like kung fu movements to smell him. Though the rest didn¡¯t get so close as those two, they all joined the inspection, a series of snorts and appraising glances followed by animal sounds that all seemed to ask the same thing: what are you...? Specialist Slimes was all too happy to answer, his high-pitched words zooming out into the night. ¡°I¡¯m the tidal pond and I¡¯ve like totally been kinda sapient for a while now but I didn¡¯t realllly have the ability to talk or think all that much! I know all of you, though! Because you¡¯ve entered the tranquility of my waters, I know just how hard your shells and how soft your furs¡ªooooh!¡± He buzzed as a crystal, then wiggled as a slime. ¡°Corporal Claws! I Don¡¯t know what your new body feels like! Can I touch you? Pleeeease?¡± Though Claws replied with a nonchalant chirp, I didn¡¯t miss the fur on her neck standing at attention. Slimes flattened, then launched himself at her. Even if I¡¯d not noticed Claws¡¯s hidden attentiveness, her intentions were reflected in her eyes. But who was I to stop a little mischief? ¡°Thank you for the permission!¡± Slimes spat in a rush, ¡°I really appreciate it and I¡¯m hoping that if I better understand what you¡¯ve become a bond of trust and friendship can develop between us and¡ª¡± The moment he made contact, lightning chi shot from Claws and into his gelatinous form. The rapid-fire sentence was replaced by a sound not dissimilar to a kettle boiling over. ¡°Corporal Claws!¡± Maria chided, attempting to rescue her slime familiar with a chi-covered hand... because she didn¡¯t yet know that Claws¡¯s empowered electricity would pierce right through the barrier. Paradoxically, the thing that saved Maria from joining the zapped club was the tiny little creature in her arms. Claws might be a trickster, but she wouldn¡¯t hurt an innocent animal¡ªespecially the racoon she had rescued not even an hour ago. She withdrew her electricity for only a fraction of a second, but that was all I needed. I grabbed her by the scruff and threw her skyward. She sailed into the sky like a rocket, then turned with ease, gracefully landing back on the sand. She shrugged and let out a soft chirp. It was simply in her nature. ¡°Wow! That was a lot! Thank you!¡± Slimes shook himself free of Maria¡¯s grasp, not at all offended by the trap. ¡°What percentage of your power did you just subject me to? It felt almost like my very being was vibrating, but I know you can do stronger than that!¡± As their conversation continued, I zoned out, instead choosing to focus on the dire threat perched in Maria¡¯s arms. My worst fears had been confirmed. This creature, the raccoon, was only a baby. It had been rescued from the ocean, magically healed, and was now watching a sapient blob yap it up with a lightning otter. It... no, he, I corrected based on the anatomy displayed as he lounged against Maria, lifted a leg, and scratched the inside of his thigh. I willed my awareness to sense his emotions¡ªall I felt was curiosity, hunger, and boredom. ¡°You¡¯re hungry, huh?¡± I asked. He blinked back at me, able to tell I was addressing him, but unable to decipher my words. Bill, who had been peering sideways at Slimes, hopped forward and opened his beak wide. There were three baby fish in his pouch, and I hoped¡ªprayed¡ªthat an open mouth with the ability to swallow the raccoon whole would finally give it some pause. Instead, the little devil leaped directly inside. Using the yellow pouch as a hammock, he consumed the fishy morsels with gusto, devouring one before dual-wielding the last two as he took bite after bite. It was funny enough to make me blow air from my nose, but not funny enough to stop a sigh from escaping after it. ¡°We¡¯re in for it when this little trash panda awakens.¡± Book 4: Chapter 29: Thieving Little Paws Book 4: Chapter 29: Thieving Little Paws Almost an hour later, the scents of beef tallow, garlic, and a few other herbs and spices wafted up from my barbecue. The delicious smell of cooking fish was under every subtle note that hit my nose, a foundation that supported the others. I hadn¡¯t expected it, but the lightning-infused shore fish covering the hotplate before me smelled different than usual. It was a hint of freshness, something hard to put into words unless you experienced it. Peter was at my side, plating up and covering a dozen or so lightning-infused cichlids that, because of their size, had already cooked through. Behind us, multiple bonfires were blazing. Rocky rested in between all of them, feeding tiny amounts of volcanic chi into their centers, the marble-sized sources of heat he provided more than enough to make them roar. Atop each fire, brand new trays sat, specially made lids trapping steam to cook the fish within. Each little oven contained a combination of ingredients, whose different scents and flavors would permeate the meal to come. Despite how exciting it was to have a crab as a fuel source, I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from the hotplate before me. Bubbles of golden fat rose from underneath each fish fillet, popping before being immediately replaced by more of their kind. The never-ending stream hypnotized me. ¡°Ozone,¡± Peter said. ¡°Sorry?¡± I asked, having absolutely no clue what he was talking about. ¡°The fresh smell you¡¯re trying to identify. It¡¯s hard to tell because of the... well, everything going on. The fish has a hint of ozone compared to regular shore fish.¡± ¡°Ohhh! You¡¯re right!¡± I clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I should have asked you immediately. What¡¯s your cooking skill now?¡± He leaned close with a borderline-wicked smile. ¡°Ninety six.¡± ¡°Hot damn, Peter! You might be the first to hit¡ª¡± I cut myself off, clearing my throat and looking around when I realized how loud I¡¯d been. ¡°You might be the first to hit a certain milestone,¡± I continued in a whisper. ¡°Fischerrrr! Peterrrr!¡± came a beautiful voice. I turned, already sensing Maria¡¯s position as she sprinted up from the beach. There was something else there too, and before I could sense it with my chi, I saw it with my eyes. ¡°Holy frack,¡± Peter said. ¡°My thoughts exactly...¡± It wasn¡¯t often that I experienced the child-like wonder of coming across a new species. Maria held just such a prize high overhead, its scales reflecting the light of numerous fires as she brought it closer. Behind her, the rest of them¡ªcultivators and regular humans alike¡ªfollowed. With the fish Maria had caught, we had all the food we needed. With how well lit the scene was, I could clearly see the fish¡¯s features. For the most part, it was your standard pelagic species. Long, silvery, and with a forked tail that indicating speed and agility, this creature was a hunter. Where its appearance differed however, were several long, thread-like fins growing from underneath its body, right below the gills. My eyes were drawn in, and words occupied my vision. Mature Lightning-Infused Threadfin Salmon Fleeting Known for its boneless fillets that are rumored to boost vitality when cooked and eaten, this fish has been temporarily infused with lightning to celebrate the ascension of an Elemental. Infused creatures have their chi content significantly increased for three hours. ¡°Wowwwwwwww!¡± Slimes called as I dismissed the message, his high-pitched voice unmistakable. ¡°It¡¯s so big and so full of chi and probably so tasty that I can¡¯t wait to have a taste of¡ªOh! I¡¯m tired. Goodniiiight!¡± Before the slime could finish singing the last word, he started sinking into shoulder he sat on. There one moment and gone the next, his presence settled within Maria¡¯s core. Her face was more than a little conflicted as she skidded to a stop, the fish still raised high above her. She furrowed her brow and looked down at her abdomen. I held my hands high overhead, pausing there for dramatic effect. After a sufficient amount of time had passed, I started swirling my arms as if moving chi. Finally, I clapped twice, the sharp sound echoing off the nearby headland. ¡°Pot!¡± I yelled. ¡°Big pot!¡± Maria gave me a curious look, and when nothing happened, she glanced around. ¡°Uhhh, I¡¯m not sure what kind of spell you were trying to cast, but I don¡¯t think it worked.¡± ¡°Of course it did.¡± I pointed directly up. ¡°Big pot.¡± In the sky high above, held aloft by the white wings of an oceanic bird, a giant pot descended. Bill let go, and with ease only possible because of my enhanced body, I caught the mass of crafted metal. It was half as tall and wide as I was, and as I set it down on the ground, I received a gift of the greatest value: the look on Maria¡¯s face. Somewhere between outraged and impressed¡ªwith a hint of disgust thrown in for good measure¡ªit was a visage all men dreamed of drawing from their significant others when they pulled off something ridiculous. ¡°Fischer...¡± ¡°Yes, darling?¡± ¡°Did you have Bill carry that overhead for this exact moment?¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t be absurd.¡± I shot her a sidelong smirk. ¡°I had Bill and Pelly carry all the new cooking equipment onto the headland. It was for storage reasons, and definitely not so that I could pretend to summon any cookware we needed, like I was some kind of red-haired house witch. And while we¡¯re on the topic of things I definitely didn¡¯t do, I absolutely did not tell Private Pelly to make it rain sweet treats from up high if no one requested anything.¡± Liar, Pelly honked from above, a basket filled with said sweet treats clutched in her flippers. Maria did her best to stare into my soul. ¡°You have way too much time on your hands.¡± ¡°Agreed, but that¡¯s not important right now. We need to cut up and crumb this fish of yours. If we fill the pot with oil, we¡¯ll be able to cook it in a single batch!¡± ¡°All right. Let¡¯s do it!¡± She looke. down at her abdomen. ¡°It¡¯s a shame about Slimes, though. I wanted everyone to meet him.¡± ¡°Yeahhh. We¡¯ll have to settle for introducing our little racoon friend.¡± ¡°I guess so. Are you still sure you don¡¯t want to give him chi-filled food yet?¡± ¡°I am one-thousand percent sure. The last thing we need is two sapient beings popping up at once. The fact that the fish are lightning-infused also scares me¡ªwho knows what effect it could have?¡± I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°Knowing my luck, it¡¯ll happen within a couple weeks anyway. As long as we have a few days between them, I¡¯ll count it as a wi¡ª¡± A burst of chi swelled behind me, and I whirled on the spot. The sight that met me made my blood turn to ice. The tray atop the barbecue, the one containing the cooked cichlids, sat askew. Its lid had been silently opened, the revealed gap just large enough for two thieving little paws to enter. Next to the crime scene, perched on his back haunches with a fish raised to his mouth, the raccoon took another bite of the lightning-infused cichlid he¡¯d yoinked. Despite not yet swallowing his second chomp, the fish¡¯s chi already suffused his furry little body, forging a path toward the spot where a core would form. In my peripheral vision, I could see the approach of at least a dozen people, their arms laden with trays and bowls. Sharon, Maria¡¯s mother, called something. I didn¡¯t hear it; I only had moments to avert disaster. Reaching forward, I grabbed for my power, willing to try anything. I had to stop the thieving little bastard from ascending via lightning-infused essence. His eyes flicked to me with unnatural speed, the movement making my senses flare, and I knew it was too late. The chi was already within him. Still moving too fast for a regular racoon, he hopped backwards and swallowed. Electricity exploded from his body, striking sand, sky, and everything in between. Book 4: Chapter 30: Love of the Game Book 4: Chapter 30: Love of the Game It was a beautiful night on the shores of Tropica. There wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky, the stars above shone bright, and I could see the well-lit faces of dozens of my closest friends. Unfortunately, the reason for their faces being so well lit was a gods-damned raccoon emitting more lightning boltsthan a tropical thunderstorm. My will was still pushed to its limit, and I wasn¡¯t sure that I could respond in time to shield everyone. Thankfully, my friends were ready. Roger sliced forward like a blade, his chi prepared to cut through any bolts approaching the unascended. Deklan and Dom threw shields in every direction, protecting anyone that was too far for Roger to defend. But none of their efforts were necessary. Corporal Claws, the former maiden of the forest and current conqueror of the elements, appeared in a flash. She drew the currents into herself, acting as a lightning rod that thirsted for every last watt. Even with my senses somewhat dulled from overuse, I could feel something offered to the raccoon¡¯s forming core in exchange for the essence Claws took. My favorite otter¡ªthough I was seriously starting to second-guess that title¡ªhalted the stream. She chirped a single time, the question clear. The raccoon, of his own volition and somehow possessing enough intelligence to reply, nodded. The damned thing consented. The flow resumed, lightning swapped for whatever Claws was offering. It stabilized the raccoon¡¯s cultivation in a matter of seconds. The electricity stopped flowing out, instead condensing into a smaller and smaller ball. There, as a constantly shifting sphere, I felt his chi. @@@@ The only other time I had sensed the quality of someone¡¯s before they ascended was George and Geraldine. The two¡¯s essence was that of the deep abyss, which I¡¯d assumed was only possible because they followed the teachings of an ancient manual. It had taken them months to get to that point. The raccoon, only weeks old, had accomplished the same. Worse, the damn thing¡¯s chi felt exactly like Corporal Claws¡¯s. What had she done...? Unable to stop the transformation, I was forced to wait it out and hope for the best. With each pulse of power¡ªeach expansion of the raccoon¡¯s core¡ªmy hope dwindled. If it kept expanding... I knew what that meant, and the thought was terrifying. Judging by the look on Roger¡¯s face, he was also cursed by knowledge. He¡¯d not had a chance to fully comprehend what Claws had become, but as his gaze flicked between her and the raccoon, he made the same expression as the time Claws had left two pockets worth of sand in his hat¡ªdisappointment, anger, and acceptance. He, too, could do nothing to stop this ascension. The raccoon also appeared to be having a terrible day; his bugged-out eyes were set in a grey-furred visage of regret and dissociation. Uncaring of the despair afflicting all of us, Claws poured more of herself in. Despite the ridiculous look on the raccoon¡¯s face, his body drank greedily. The newly formed core grew and grew, slowly taking over the rest of his tiny physique. Belatedly, I wondered if I should be worried about his health. Claws wouldn¡¯t actually put the thing at risk... right? She must have heard the unvoiced question through our bond, because she turned my way and gave me a grin that bordered on wicked. Despite how important her task was to her, she¡¯d taken a moment to reassure me. It filled my heart with love for my troublesome otter pal. Finally, arguably too late, I chose to accept the advancement. There was nothing I could do, so getting worked up over it was a waste of time. The raccoon¡¯s core flexed to the limits of his body. It warped, prepared to snap into place, and... paused. It froze there for a long moment, then started to shrink, forming an orb as it reduced in size. Claws had stopped feeding it power. ¡°Poseidon¡¯s girthy conch,¡± I swore. ¡°I was so worried you were about to turn an adolescent creature into an elemental, Claws. Don¡¯t tease me like that.¡± I let out a ragged sigh, adrenaline still lingering in my veins. Roger looked up at the sky and pressed his palms together, thanking the departed gods. Maria... grimaced? And Corporal Claws, one of her devious little paws touching the raccoon¡¯s back, started to cackle. Wait, what is she¡ª Lightning exploded from her, slamming into the raccoon. His core shook, then engulfed his entire form. ¡°Claws!¡± I yelled. ¡°You furry fu¡ª¡± Boooom! The raccoon hit Slimes like a 2003 Holden Commodore going double the speed limit and driven by a bloke named Dazza. To my enhanced awareness, it was like watching one of those slow-motion videos where a balloon full of water smacks someone in the head but doesn¡¯t break. Slimes¡¯s entire body wrapped around the raccoon, stretching, stretching, and then stretching some more. Only when his elasticity was at an end did all the potential energy get unleashed, and Slimes was ejected back toward Maria¡¯s chest with a comical boing. As the overconfident and under-delivering familiar retook his place within Maria¡¯s core, there was no one left between her and the thief. Claws¡¯s apprentice had his forelimbs extended, each of his little fingers ready to clutch at and yoink the fish in passing. His eyes bulged with power and knowledge, and his tiny teeth crawled with electricity¡ªmaking him look absolutely insane. Short of a divine intervention, there was nobody that could save Maria¡¯s prize, which should have filled my heart with regret. Instead, I grinned. Watch this Claws, I thought. You¡¯re not the only one keeping secrets. An expression mirroring my own appeared on Maria¡¯s face as she pivoted on the ball of her foot, turning, but not in the direction that she¡¯d led the raccoon to believe. It was her speed that stunned everyone now, her physical prowess even more developed than she had let anyone other than me know. Because of our spiritual bond, I knew exactly how strong she was. Lithe muscles bunched underneath marble-smooth skin as she drew her leg back. There was a moment of hesitation, Maria reconsidering if just because she could use full power, she should. Of all the beings to reassure her, Claws trilled to get her attention. With a lecherous smirk and a tiny little nod, she approved. No longer possessing reservations, Maria¡¯s foot was a blur as she struck. Because I¡¯d overextended and used up too much of my focus, I wasn¡¯t able to see the moment of impact with the exquisite detail I desired. Light flared like a miniature sun as Maria¡¯s limb collided with the literal ball of lightning. The next thing I knew, a line of dirt and sand erupted into the sky. Water exploded everywhere as the raccoon-turned-football crossed the river, then the gritty line returned as he continued southward. I reached for every ounce of will I had left, wanting¡ªneeding¡ªto witness. I caught but a glimpse of Claws¡¯s apprentice was as he veered off the side of the closest mountain, the slanted surface a ramp from which the raccoon launched. Chittering with pure glee, Corporal Claws shot off after him, turning to give us a wave goodbye and a brilliant smile. Ever the agent of chaos, she wasn¡¯t overly invested in who came out on top. She, too, was in it for the love of the game. I rubbed my eyes and shook my head, both legs wobbling beneath me. ¡°I...¡± My words trailed off as I stumbled and barely remained upright¡ªreaching for my will had been a mistake. ¡°What is it?¡± Maria appeared at my side. She could feel the disappointment deep within me. Combined with my waning strength, it caused a look of sheer worry to cross her face. ¡°The raccoon...¡± I cleared my throat and settled my weight on Maria¡¯s reliable shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t...¡± I was falling now, and Maria supported my torso, holding up my bulk. ¡°What didn¡¯t you do? Should I chase after it...?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s too late...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not. Let me know what it is, and I¡¯ll handle it.¡± I smiled at her and gave a single shake of my head, continuing in a raspy voice, ¡°Just don¡¯t do it without me...¡± ¡°Do what?¡± She caressed my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re making no sense, love. What did you forget?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t get a chance to¡ª¡± I coughed, my vision going dark at the edges. ¡°Take your time. I¡¯m here.¡± I gathered my strength. With a ragged breath, I forced out the cause of my disappointment. ¡°Didn¡¯t... get a chance to name him.¡± The last thing I saw before unconsciousness took me was the compassion draining from Maria¡¯s face, replaced by a flat, unimpressed glare. Book 4: Chapter 31: Unilateral and Never-Ending Book 4: Chapter 31: Unilateral and Never-Ending The sun that rose over the horizon to greet me was the entirely wrong color. Blue, I mused. Odd. It came from the wrong direction, too, peeking its head over the southern mountains. I didn¡¯t let either of these facts bother me, though. Every morning that I woke up in Tropica was something to be celebrated. Gratitude, after all, was the key to happiness, and it served the world around me to be as happy as¡ªNeptunes glistening shaft! I ducked as the gods-damned sun shot directly toward me, shrinking and rolling over the ocean like a cracked-out Sonic the Hedgehog. Though I stood, my back thumped into something solid, soft, cold, and... I opened my eyes, finding a sky that was indicative of anything but a sunrise. ¡°Neptunes glistening what?¡± Theo asked, his head blocking out the stars above. He raised an eyebrow and glanced to the side. ¡°Maria, I¡¯m not one to question what people do in their pre-marital bed, but just what do you two get up to when the lights¡ª¡± My senses, which were evidently still dull, were plenty aware enough to catch the deadly threat of Roger¡¯s chi. ¡°Kidding, kidding, sorry!¡± Theo yelped, backing away with his hands raised. I considered doubling down on the bit, but decided against it¡ªhe might actually kill me with how weak I felt. Besides, Maria had already experienced a lot today. As if I could summon her by thought alone, she appeared above me, her hair swaying side to side as she smiled. She was even more beautiful than the dreamscape sunrise from only moments ago. ¡°Hi,¡± she said. ¡°H¡ª¡± ¡°Hiiiiii!¡± a certain familiar interrupted, jiggling over Maria¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wassup, Slimes. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re already back in action after Rocky Two hit you for six.¡± Maria¡¯s smile vanished, and she covered her companion¡¯s mouth before he could respond. ¡°No. You are not calling the raccoon Rocky Two.¡± ¡°Awww, c¡¯mon! Rocky is the perfect name for a raccoon, but we already have Rocky One!¡± ¡°And he¡¯s more than enough. I forbid it.¡± She lowered her hand and helped me to my feet. ¡°Besides, Claws probably has a name picked out already.¡±@@@@ ¡°You never let me have any fun.¡± ¡°Does it make you feel better to know that she¡¯ll probably pick a name as bad as the ones you choose?¡± ¡°Yes, actually. That does make me feel better.¡± ¡°Good.¡± A dangerous gleam entered her eyes. ¡°Because as happy as I am that you¡¯re awake, we still need to discuss you teasing me before you passed out...¡± I took a step back, pressing a finger to one temple. ¡°I¡¯d love to chat about that, but my head, you see¡ªit¡¯s very, uhhh, bruised. And sore. Did I say bruised already? I think my brain might be scrambled.¡± She followed, denying my attempted retreat. ¡°See, that¡¯s really weird, because we¡¯re connected, you and I.¡± She took another step, getting so close that I could feel the heat of her breath. ¡°And given that I know you better in some ways that I know myself... I know that you¡¯re full of shit!¡± Expecting the attack, I slid to the side of her well-placed shove¡ªwhich left me right in the path of her roundhouse kick. It hit me on the shoulder and I sprawled in the sand. Yeahhh! Cinnamon screamed from somewhere to my right as the kick landed¡ªshe¡¯d clearly shown Maria that move. Get him! ¡°Oh-ho!¡± I said, hopping back to my feet. ¡°A surprise attack, is it? You dare challenge the lord of these lands, junior?¡± Her response was concise¡ªshe threw a left jab right at my face. ¡°Hey! No aiming for the money-maker!¡± ¡°What¡¯s mine is yours!¡± She launched a right hook this time. ¡°That makes no sense!¡± ¡°Good! Now you know how we all feel every. Time. You. Open. Your. Mouth!¡± The last six words were each punctuated with a strike, and I danced backwards across the sand, dodging. Despite what we were saying¡ªand the fact that Maria just tried to hit me with a haymaker¡ªa grin split both of our faces. A few minutes later, our fake fight had devolved into a budget Brazilian jiu jitsu demonstration. We both froze as someone came to a stop beside us. Sharon¡¯s face held a smile that was the exact opposite of the scowl her husband was leveling our way. ¡°The food is almost ready, you two. Why don¡¯t you save your fighting for later? Perhaps when the lights are out?¡± It had been an extremely long day, filled with ridiculous situations and multiple breakthroughs. I¡¯d passed out more than once, which was a new record for me. Through all that, Sharon¡¯s comments had the most visceral effect on my ability to function. The pang of embarrassment that washed through me was reflected in Maria, but even stronger. I rubbed my temples, willing the cotton wool within my head to disappear. ¡°I reckon I¡¯ll feel better tomorrow. Just need to sleep it off.¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± called Peter, lifting the biggest fryer strainer I¡¯d ever seen. ¡°You can go to bed after the feast!¡± With one deft scoop, he collected every bit of now-golden fish from the oil. Beef tallow flowed from the chunks, slowing to a steady drip within seconds. Peter held them there, extending his will and chi into the food. I almost extended tendrils toward it, curious what he was doing, but caught myself. Instead, I chose to focus on the outside world. There was plenty to look at. While I¡¯d been passed out, helpers had arrived with what I requested earlier¡ªthe items that Tropica¡¯s woodworkers had been toiling over. The trove of furniture currently lining the sands proved just how busy they¡¯d been. Dozens and dozens of wooden tables, their angled legs elegant yet thick enough that they might last decades without maintenance. The tabletops were single slabs with a vanish-like sheen that enhanced their beautiful grains. Twice as many long benches sat beneath them, constructed of the same materials and ready to be used. There were seats for all of them¡ªliterally every cultivator, human, and animal pal in Tropica. When I started imagining the feast and all of their happy faces, Maria squeezed my hand, telling me she was just as excited. And yet, despite all these distractions, Peter¡¯s will was like a magnet for my senses. I furrowed my brow, taking slow, conscious breaths in an attempt at mindfulness. ¡°Let us help,¡± Maria whispered, leaning against my arm and mentally pushing something my way. Unable to contain my curiosity at her use of us, I glanced at her. She just smiled back. I suppose it¡¯s better than getting sucked in by Peter¡¯s will and passing out again, I thought, an almost-physical connection forming between us. It iiiiiis better! Slimes agreed from within my head. Some would say much better, in fact! The best, even! I¡ª Maria sent a mental chiding her familiar¡¯s way. Sorrrryyyyy... he trailed off, reminding me of Rocky¡¯s voice each time Snips launched him clear over the horizon. With that metaphorical distance came peace. Slimes, despite dwelling in Maria¡¯s core, shielded me from the sledgehammer that was Peter¡¯s will. I could still see him, but without the weight of his will drawing me in, I had more room to focus on the sensations of my body. It was... ¡°Wonderful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Maria asked. ¡°He can shield me from the System entirely, and any other unwanted intrusions.¡± ¡°Where do I get one?¡± A pulse of joy came from Slimes, which made both Maria and me smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be happy to assist whenever needed.¡± Yeeees! came a faint yell¡ªbasically a scream¡ªfrom far away. ¡°Appreciate it, Slimes.¡± I nodded toward Peter, who was absolutely surrounded by the world¡¯s chi. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s gonna succeed.¡± ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Maria said. ¡°Do you regret not being able to take part?¡± I shook my head, delighting in the way my core resonated with that truth. ¡°Not even a bit. I¡¯m the leader, right? I have to be okay with delegating tasks. Besides, Peter is as capable as they come.¡± The world agreed. Its essence exploded forward, rushing into the still-cooling fish. They became too bright to look at, their crispy skins shining with overwhelming incandescence. From there, the chi spread, washing over the other food we¡¯d cooked earlier. It should have happened in less than a second, only an instant needed for the transformation to finish, but... something was wrong. I sent a strand of awareness out, which Slimes let pass through his protective barrier. Lightning chi, I realized. The flesh was partially suffused with an aspect, so the world¡¯s essence couldn¡¯t take hold. There was enough to transform a portion of the different dishes. Or the entirety of one. But the chi lacked intelligent thought. It slammed its head against every dish equally, gaining zero ground. Again, I considered intervening, but let it go. Even if doing so didn¡¯t put me in any danger, I still would have allowed Peter¡¯s attempt to fail. Defeat was sometimes the best lesson one could receive, and it would only stunt everyone¡¯s growth if I was always there to brute-force whatever task they were trying to undertake. I felt something ping my noggin, only the faintest of touches that had a different feel to it than the System¡¯s usual incessance. Several levels in leadership, came Slimes¡¯s voice in my head. Didn¡¯t want to block them without your consent. ¡°You have my unilateral and never-ending permission to keep them from me,¡± I replied, knowing I could always just check later if needed. Okaaaay! Despite Peter¡¯s impending failure, a soft smile curled my lip. I was content with my choice. If it meant he could one day grow, letting Peter succeed or fail on his own was the kindest thing I could do for him. And kindness aside, it was what a leader would do, which, for better or worse, I¡¯d become. But not everyone agreed. Twin roots burst from the ground to either side of us, climbing toward the sky and forming trees with incredible speed. Evidently, Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket and her yet-unnamed tree-spirit pal held no such reservations about helping out. They poured pure essence across the sand¡ªthe world¡¯s chi latched on. Light shone from everywhere all at once, and the transformation began. Book 4: Chapter 37: Edgelord Book 4: Chapter 37: Edgelord I whirled, my senses returning the moment the boat¡¯s transformation was complete. I caught Paul with ease, intending on lowering him to the ground. Instead, I froze, scanning the surrounding bubbles of chi with my core and eyes both. ¡°Ruh-roh, Raggy.¡± They slammed into Paul¡¯s abdomen. I raised shields around him, preparing to protect against whatever was happening, but there was no need; as with his core, the System had placed a limit on his power¡ªbreakthrough or not. Paul¡¯s insight, the ideal that had facilitated this advancement, was similarly muted. Because of the suppression, I couldn¡¯t get a clear reading. Paul was a... designer? That couldn¡¯t be it. As Paul opened his eyes and looked around, though, I instinctively scraped his surface thoughts. Well I¡¯ll be... He had to be a designer. It was the first thing that came to his mind upon awakening. Still struggling to believe it, I tried to sense any chi coming from his core, but the breakthrough he¡¯d experienced¡ªand the System¡¯s subsequent interference¡ªleft me unable to glean anything. ¡°Paul!¡± Barry appeared at our side. ¡°Are you¡ª¡± He cut off, his eyes went wide when he felt the changes. ¡°... How?¡± Paul just grinned and rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Well done, mate,¡± I said. ¡°I know people have all sorts of ideals, but I can¡¯t say I expected to have a young designer on our hands.¡± His eyes flicked away from mine, losing focus as they roved the surrounding sands. I suspected he was exploring his core¡ªnot that the System¡¯s interference let me say for sure. ¡°Before you get too lost in thought,¡± I said. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± His stare snapped back to mine, a hint of gravity visible that belied his age. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Good.¡± I slung an arm over his shoulder and spun him toward the ship. ¡°It¡¯s a short one, so listen up.¡± I swept a hand in a wide arc, gesturing at the giant vessel¡¯s deck. ¡°What in Poseidon¡¯s salt-washed booty did you do to my fishing boat?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I swiveled my head to look at Paul, then at the deck, then at Paul again. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need to elaborate...¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re talking about the changes¡ª¡± The smile on his face was even brighter than Tropica¡¯s future. ¡°I made it way cooler!¡± Maria stifled a laugh, looking away when Barry shot her a warning glare. Cinnamon was much less polite. She rolled in the grass¡ªyes, the deck was grassy¡ªabsolutely losing herself to a fit of high-pitched giggles. Even Borks was amused, his enjoyment only shown via a slight wag of the tail. ¡°I guess cool is subjective...¡± Crossing my arms, I reassessed the ship¡¯s features, choosing to see it through the eyes of a young man. First, the deck was covered in grass. That alone wasn¡¯t exactly too weird; if it was good enough for Luffy and the Thousand Sunny, it was good enough for us. What made this particular patch of seafaring grass so abnormal was its color. Blood red, its blades swayed in a soft breeze, more beautiful than they had any right being. I had to ask. ¡°Why red?¡± ¡°Uhhh, because I couldn¡¯t use fire?¡± He gave an expression that implied I was an idiot. ¡°And it needed some color. I¡¯ve seen red trees before, so why not grass?¡± I considered replying, getting so far as half-raising a finger, but let it go instead. I couldn¡¯t knock the use of rubescent leaves over open flames. The rest of the ship had some visible patches of wood, but most of it was covered in gothic metal trim right out of a My Chemical Romance music video. Rather than milled trees, its railings were made of fused chain, each link as big as my hand. That same material was used to hang lanterns, whose sharp edges and deadly points would¡¯ve looked at home on the end of a mace. The door to the cabin was now a gray alloy, and if it wasn¡¯t on a boat, I¡¯d have thought it led to a dungeon. The only completely wooden parts I could see were twin staircases connecting the lower and upper deck. Following them, my eyes landed on a round object on top of the cabin. I stared at its gleaming surface as I climbed the port-side stairs. When I reached it, I rested a hand on its metal rungs. It was real. The cheeky little bugger¡ªhe¡¯d given my ship a chain steering wheel from a 90s lowrider! I exhaled and took a stop back, turning to gaze down at the lower deck. I tried to look at the boat with objectivity now that I had a bird''s-eye view. The audacity of Paul¡¯s creation had made me see through my own eyes; I was supposed to be looking at it through his. To a young man like Paul, this boat was unquestionably cool. Perhaps the coolest thing imaginable. If I was given leave to create a custom ship at his age, there was no way I¡¯d have been able to create something so cohesive. Say what you would about his creative choices¡ªPaul had kept things thematic. Sure, said theme could be misinterpreted as ¡®edgelord billionaire headed for international waters¡¯, but it was the thought that counted. Besides, it was also my fault¡ªhe¡¯d gotten these ideas from my mind. Each element was consistent in its adherence to the ¡®rule of cool¡¯, and it made me excited about what he would make when he was a little more... How should I put it? Seasoned in his travels? I shot Barry some side-eye, having not hidden that musing. He just shook his head. ¡°All right,¡± I said, striding down to rejoin everyone else. ¡°I take it back, Paul. You¡¯ve made something objectively cool.¡± I omitted the ¡®for a preteen¡¯ from the end of my sentence, earning a full-toothed grin in reply. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you like it! Wait until you see the cabin! It¡¯s even better!¡± Damn. I¡¯d forgotten about the inside. I fought down a grimace as he dashed forward and threw open the dungeon-esque door, revealing a world of color. Well, a color, anyway. Red, to be exact. Carpet¡ªwho puts carpet on a... Never mind. Tapestries, a half dozen beds on the starboard wall, and a door leading to what was likely the privy. Red, red, red. Even the damned kitchen bench on the port-side wall was made of an auburn wood. The door to the bathroom appeared to be mahogany, but its vibrant hue wasn¡¯t what had my attention after Paul yanked open its black handle. Beyond, the scene that met us put the rest of the boat¡¯s extravagance to shame. Everyone crowding in, peering around the bathroom and admiring its opulence. Cinnamon leaped atop my shoulder, her head jolting back as she tried to take it all in at once. ¡°Paul...¡± Maria said, pausing to choose her words carefully. ¡°Why did you change thecolor scheme in here?¡± The toilet and shower were almost entirely gold. Not colored, mind you¡ªthey were literally made of the precious metal. The floor, roof, and walls were all a black alloy, as were the shower knobs, head, and the toilet¡¯s flush lever. Everything else, every single surface, was golden. ¡°Well,¡± Paul answered, all too happy to explain, ¡°people always refer to Fischer¡¯s magical toilets as thrones, and when I was in his head¡ª¡± ¡°When you were what?¡± Barry interrupted. ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°Relax, mate. Paul here was only having a peek at some design choices.¡± ¡°... You¡¯re saying this aesthetic is your doing?¡± ¡°This totally cool aesthetic that we all agree is singular in theme and wonderfully unique?¡± I gave him a pointed look, to which Barry nodded slowly. ¡°Then yes,¡± I continued. ¡°They were inspired by things I¡¯ve seen before. You were saying, Paul?¡± ¡°Think about it. You¡¯re the youngest cultivator Tropica has, and though your core is a little limited, you just had a breakthrough.¡± I tapped him lightly in the center of his forehead. ¡°Stop feeling bad for a moment. Consider why I¡¯m saying it¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Because we have a fire cultivator? Trent would rather stay here, though...¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because every time someone mentions family¡ªeven if it''s not his¡ªhe gets sad. He won¡¯t want to leave his mother and sister while they¡¯re still locked up.¡± ¡°Paul, if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think your breakthrough was as some sort of master strategist.¡± I tapped him again, twice this time. ¡°Think, mister. You¡¯ve got an annoyingly perceptive head on your shoulders. Why would I call it a win that we have a single uncorrupted fire cultivator, who is overly obsessed with talking to his definitely-corrupted-and-maybe-also-evil family that we¡¯ve got locked up in a magical not-a-prison?¡± I was pretty sure Rocky could fuel it if he was careful with his chi, but Paul didn¡¯t need to know that. It took him a second to actually listen, but when my words finally pierced through the self-recrimination afflicting him, the wisdom from earlier flashed in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve made a vehicle that only he can power, so he¡¯ll have to come...¡± ¡°Nah, mate. You¡¯ve made a vehicle that only he can power. Tropica¡¯s youngest cultivator, who has a System-limited core and just experienced a breakthrough, caused that requirement without my instruction.¡± I shot him a wink. ¡°I have complete deniability.¡± ¡°Devious...¡± Barry said, to which Cinnamon, Borks, and Maria nodded. Not denying the claim, I looked up at the sky. ¡°This one¡¯s for you, Claws.¡± No response came, but that wasn¡¯t surprising given how focused she was on whatever forsaken experiments she was currently conducting. I tried to see what she was up to through her eyes. This earned a reply¡ªthe mental equivalent of a rough flick on the nose. I shook my head, dismissing the sensation. ¡°By the way, Barry... weren¡¯t you supposed to get Paul home?¡± I pointed at the sky, its subtle shift in color noticeable to our enhanced awareness. ¡°I reckon it¡¯s only a couple hours until dawn.¡± I was pretty sure he tried to swear, but it came out as a garbled mess. He scooped up his son and sprinted away. ¡°Helen¡¯s gonna kill me!¡± His muscular legs chewed through the sand back toward his home. ¡°Bye!¡± Paul yelled, waving energetically over his dad¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Huh.¡± Maria crossed her arms and cocked her head. ¡°Was that Poseidon¡¯s name he tried to invoke?¡± ¡°I thought it was Triton,¡± I answered. ¡°What did you hear, Bonnie?¡± ¡°Definitely Poseidon.¡± ¡°Hmm. I wonder where the ¡®t¡¯ sound came from then...¡± ¡°Taint, of course,¡± she replied, smiling as she stared at the giant-claw that her brainchild had become. ¡°That was the noun, but the adjective between is anyone¡¯s guess.¡± *** The following morning, I nodded, undeterred by the scowl Trent was giving me. ¡°Yep! That about sums it up! Paul swooped in and saved the day, made it so only you can power the ship, and that¡¯s about it.¡± ¡°And the toilet is gold,¡± Maria added. ¡°Right! Yes! The toilet is gold¡ªcan¡¯t forget that. Still, what really matters is that I am unilaterally and unreservedly disappointed that you are encouraged, if not obligated, to stop lingering around your family¡¯s cells, and instead have to come fishing with me.¡± The sun was beaming down from above, heralding another beautiful day in Tropica. Despite how well-lit my face was, Trent looked at the person beside me. ¡°Maria, Fischer knows that I can feel his emotions, right?¡± ¡°Ah-huh. If I¡¯m not mistaken, I think he may even be amplifying them.¡± I nodded gravely. ¡°I may be doing that.¡± ¡°So he knows I can feel exactly how happy it¡¯s making him?¡± ¡°I believe that might be the point.¡± ¡°It is,¡± I agreed, still nodding. Trent ran his fingers through his hair, reminding me just how damn good looking he was after becoming a cultivator. He froze, squinting at me. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re a good-looking rooster! You used to look like a thrice-stubbed toe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem¡ªthe problem is you messing with me by broadcasting those thoughts.¡± ¡°What, a bloke can¡¯t pay another bloke a compliment?¡± ¡°Not when it¡¯s being used as a diversionary tactic, no. That robs it of its sincerity.¡± ¡°I... Huh. You¡¯ve got me there.¡± I turned to Maria. ¡°Help?¡± Not hiding her amusement, she shook her head at me, her sun-bleached hair swaying beautifully and making me remember the other night when we... aaand now she was squinting at me too. ¡°Sorry!¡± I held up both hands. ¡°That one was actually an accident!¡± Her disapproving look lingered a moment before she turned to Trent. ¡°I¡¯m not going on the first trip. I¡¯m staying here.¡± Her face was riddled with meaning as she paused for effect. He went rigid, immediately understanding. I threw my arms high. ¡°Oh, suuure, your best mate in the entire world offers you a fishing trip and you couldn¡¯t care less. But a healer staying behind with your definitely-corrupted-and-maybe-also-evil family? That gets your attention?¡± ¡°Keith is my best friend, Fischer,¡± was his only reply, his words cutting deeper than any sword. I stumbled as if struck, leaning on Maria for support as I let out an indignant gasp. ¡°Darling, take me from this place. I fear my legs won¡¯t work after I was so viciously stabbed in the back.¡± ¡°Yes, dear,¡± she replied, hauling me into a fireman¡¯s carry. ¡°I¡¯ll come see you about your family soon, Trent. I¡¯d better get this delicate flower some caffeine¡ªhe¡¯s pretty useless pre-coffee.¡± ¡°I am,¡± I agreed, waving goodbye as Maria turned and marched away, still carrying me like a sack of unroasted beans. Book 4: Chapter 38: Misstep Book 4: Chapter 38: Misstep It was, by all measurable metrics, a beautiful day in Tropica. The sun was shining, there wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky, and I¡¯d used the local equivalent of witchcraft to create a boat last night. Even better, the smell of coffee was flowing from Sue¡¯s bakery, the essence-filled aroma making my mouth water. ¡°Fischer...¡± Sue said by way of greeting as Maria and I reached the counter. ¡°May I ask why you¡¯re being carried around like a dead fish?¡± ¡°Not again!¡± I looked down, aghast. ¡°Maria! What have I told you?¡± ¡°That behind closed doors, I should refer to you as chef?¡± ¡°No! Well, yes actually, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about! What have I told you about hauling me around like a dead fish?¡± ¡°That you¡¯re into it...?¡± ¡°What? No! Okay, yes again, but not in public! Are you seriously telling me you don¡¯t recall what I said?¡± ¡°Fiiine.¡± She let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± ¡°Prove it.¡± ¡°You said that you¡¯re super into it¡ªespecially when I pretend I¡¯m an injured pelican¡ªbut that doing it public might hurt your reputation with the newer cultivators.¡± ¡°You do listen.¡± I wiped a fake tear away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for doubting you.¡± Turning back to Sue, I made a show of straightening my already-straight clothes. ¡°Anywho¡ªwhere were we? Ah yes, two of your finest coffees and pastries, please!¡± Sue¡¯s expressions had changed with each sentence, landing somewhere between amused and bewildered. ¡°Before I take your order, did you plan on clarifying to the crowd of newer cultivators behind you that you¡¯re joking?¡± Maria and I spun, finding dozens of people staring our way, some of whom had arrived in Tropica only a week ago. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will,¡± I said. ¡°Nope!¡± Maria agreed, and we both turned back to Sue. She let out one of her hearty laughs as she slung her tea towel over her shoulder. ¡°I should have expected as much. Same as usual?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love a little extra sugar, actually!¡± Maria said ¡°Please and thank you!¡± ¡°You would...?¡± I asked. ¡°Yep. A certain someone requested sweetness.¡± ¡°It was meeee!¡± Slimes sang, jiggling from Maria¡¯s shoulder. I booped the little rascal on the head, making him wibble-wobble with evident joy. ¡°Are you both sure you¡¯re feeling ready? There¡¯s no shame in waiting a little if you need more time...¡± Maria gave me a side-long glance, then peered down at my abdomen with a smirk. ¡°Are you only asking that because you want me and Slimes to come fishing? Is that why you¡¯re not letting me feel your emotions right now?¡± ¡°I can tell you¡¯re messing with me, but I¡¯ll still remind you that we both agreed it would be healthy if we didn¡¯t share our thoughts all the time.¡± She wiggled her eyebrows, connecting to me and confirming that she was, in fact, teasing. I returned the gesture, revealing that part of me was selfishly wanting her to come fishing. But my larger motivation¡ªthe thing weighing on me¡ªwas my care for her wellbeing. She looped an arm through mine, pulling herself close to my body. ¡°He¡¯s worried about you too, Slimes. Hit him with it.¡± Before I could ponder what ¡®it¡¯ was, the little familiar stretched his body and gave me the approximation of a lil kiss on the cheek. Why? his eyes seemed to plead. ¡°Shhhh.¡± She leaned in close, covering his mouth with one finger. ¡°Or I¡¯ll do the other cheek too. I might just start lashing out at every butt in sight.¡± Maria immediately grabbed her cup and took a swig, ruining the art. ¡°Ready to go, Fischer?¡± I nodded, swiftly collected the rest of our breakfast, then let Maria lead me through the crowd. ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯d better run!¡± Sue let a string of threats fly, their contents so colorful that they didn¡¯t bear repeating. They trailed us as we retreated to the next street. ¡°And that goes for all of you!¡± Her voice boomed, echoing around the corner. ¡°I better hear no complaints about drinking my art unless you want to be on the receiving end of one of these!¡± A second crack rang out, which I had good reason to believe was the tea towel hitting Sturgill¡¯s other cheek based on the way he yelped. I let out a choked laugh. Maria¡¯s giggle was much more pleasant. ¡°Did you see the faces of the three cultivators at the back? Gods above¡ªthey thought she was serious!¡± ¡°It was actually kind of brilliant, don¡¯t you think? I seriously doubt anyone else is going to make a fuss after this.¡± ¡°It was. A shame poor Sturgill had to be dragged into it. Not that a tea towel could hurt him.¡± ¡°Imagine if she¡¯d infused it with chi, though...¡± I shivered. ¡°Sue is kinda terrifying. With the power she has now, she might have stood a chance against the king.¡± Maria almost missed a step, and a pang of guilt stabbed from her core, penetrating her carefully concealed feelings. ¡°Sorry.¡± I squeezed her hand. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought him up.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for. I know it¡¯s not my fault that I hadn¡¯t unlocked my healing powers early enough to save him.¡± She shook her head softly, a strand of sand-colored hair falling from behind her ear. ¡°Not that I could have, even if I¡¯d had the breakthrough in time.¡± ¡°I have something to tell you, but I need to preface it with another statement.¡± I gazed into her irises. Their oceanic depths centered me. ¡°I have complete belief in you and your abilities, and the only reason I checked that you think you¡¯re ready is because I cannot lose you.¡± I swept the strand of loose hair behind her ear, bathing in the way my words had made her eyes glitter. ¡°All that said¡ªeven with my absolute trust in you¡ªI don¡¯t think you could have saved him.¡± I furrowed my brow, a thought occurring to me. ¡°Do... do you want me to show you?¡± She didn¡¯t respond right away, staring into the distance as she took the time to really consider my offer. I¡¯d kept those memories sealed as best I could. Showing her was always a possibility, and I¡¯d be lying if I said it hadn¡¯t occurred to me when Maria accused me of hurting people. I could have shown her the truth. Proved that the king had been offered a way out, and sealed his own fate.But doing so would have been exceedingly selfish. It may have even altered the course of her breakthrough. ¡°Okay,¡± Maria finally answered. ¡°I think I¡¯d like that.¡± I looked up to find her staring directly at me, her jaw set and gaze unwavering. Before I could ask if she was sure, Maria nodded. She was ready. I took a deep breath, connected my awareness to hers, and remembered. Skipping over the preamble, I started from the moment my torrent of unaspected chi flooded over all of the corrupted, presenting them with two paths: surrender their corruption, or be cleansed alongside it. No matter how necessary it had been, recalling the events knotted my stomach and left a bad taste in my mouth. I set my feelings aside as best I could. They weren¡¯t important right now¡ªonly Maria was. The king¡¯s response to my offer was a gut punch, both moronic and infuriating then and now. He was too far gone. There was nothing anyone could have said to bring him back from the precipice. His own wickedness had led him to the edge, I¡¯d presented him with redemption, and he¡¯d instead leaped into the abyss. I focused on the royals and the squad of birdlike cultivators, showing her their ready acceptance of my help in comparison. Unlike the king, they were unwilling victims of the rot afflicting them¡ªwell, except for Osnan Sr, who¡¯d been burned away alongside his liege. The others, though? Even the people so far gone that they identified as birds wanted to be saved. Profound understanding came from Maria, pouring back along the connection I¡¯d forged. My words hadn¡¯t been empty; the king had truly been beyond saving. Potent emotions welled up within her, overwhelming all thought. Before they could make their way to my awareness, she slammed the door between us closed, shutting me off. It was so swift and jarring that I stumbled, taking a step back. Maria¡¯s reaction was even stronger. Her cup of coffee, still half full, dropped toward the ground. Her lower lip quivered, her knees wobbling and tears already forming. The look on her face forced me to recover immediately. I let go of everything I held, catching our cups and pastries on shelves of solid chi. Faster than light, I was wrapping her in my arms, easily supporting her weight. She buried her head into my chest and tried to speak, but only muffled sobs came out. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I patted her hair, regretting that this was the immediate result but knowing it would provide long-term peace of mind. ¡°Take all the time you need.¡± Her small body shook as she experienced her emotions in full. Book 4: Chapter 39: Very Pinchy Book 4: Chapter 39: Very Pinchy As I walked the streets of Tropica, it was an undeniable fact that winter had ended. The morning air still held a hint of lingering freshness, but it was far from the icy chill of only weeks ago. A wind blew from my right, bringing with it a similarly warm touch that I barely felt. The floral smell of Maria¡¯s hair hit my awareness like a shot of pure adrenaline, calling to mind countless memories, some of which I had no business recalling in the light of day. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re having fun,¡± she jibed, smirking beneath red-rimmed eyes. ¡°My bad. My traitorous brain imagines things all on its own.¡± ¡°Traitorous, huh? Does that mean you didn¡¯t enjoy said imaginings?¡± ¡°Hey now, let¡¯s not jump to conclusions...¡± ¡°Good.¡± She leaned against my shoulder. ¡°Just be careful where you¡¯re thinking them. I¡¯d hate to see what my lord father would do if he knew such pre-marital happenings were afoot...¡± Someone referring to Roger as a lord was always enough to make me snort, and Maria joined in, her soft giggle replacing the moroseness of only moments ago. We¡¯d been walking the streets for ten minutes, moving while Maria processed her emotions. Her sadness was an unfortunate side-effect of reliving the king¡¯s downfall. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said for what must be the tenth time today. ¡°If I¡¯d had any idea...¡± ¡°Am I gonna have to introduce an apology jar? You¡¯ll have to put in a gold coin for every time you say sorry for something you have no business apologizing for.¡± She attempted to shoot me a venomous look, but it lacked bite. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll never apologise to you again.¡± ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s much better. Consider never apologising to anyone, though. Like ever. You¡¯re betrothed to God-King Fischer, after all.¡± We both grinned at this, and she grabbed my arm, halting my steps. Spinning me with more power than someone of her stature should posses, she slammed into my chest and squeezed me with all her might. ¡°Okay, I promise this is the last one. I¡¯m sorry for the words I spoke. I know that you took them in stride, but they were still too harsh.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the last time, then I accept your apology. I¡¯m also sorry¡ªboth for how unpleasant the memory was, and that I didn¡¯t share it earlier.¡± She gave me one final squeeze, then her arms withdrew. As she looked up at me, her eyes glimmered. ¡°Now who¡¯s making unnecessary apologies...?¡± ¡°Touche?...¡± Without another word, we started walking again, our direction aimless. Her tiny hand in mine was more calming than it should have been. I marvelled at the softness, warmth, and strength of her as our fingers became intertwined. We passed tens of villagers in our wandering passage, and as various gazes landed on us, I could feel something... different. Without another word, we started walking again, our direction aimless. Her tiny hand in mine was more calming than it should have been. I marvelled at the softness, warmth, and strength of her as our fingers became intertwined. We passed tens of villagers on our way to the eastern wall, and as different gazes landed on us, I could feel something... different. Without another word, we started walking again, heading off toward the eastern edge of the village. Her tiny hand in mine¡ªour fingers interlaced, her skin softer than silk¡ªwas more calming than it should have been. We passed tens of villagers on our way to the eastern wall, and as different gazes landed on us, I could feel something... different. Without a word, we started walking again, heading off toward the eastern edge of the village. Her tiny hand in mine¡ªour fingers interlaced, her skin softer than silk¡ªwas more calming than it should have been. We passed tens of villagers on our way to the eastern wall, and as different gazes landed on us, I could feel something... different. ¡°Odd...¡± Maria whispered so only I could hear. ¡°They¡¯re...¡± ¡°Less reverent,¡± I finished, scarcely able to believe it. ¡°And by a lot.¡± I had long ago resigned myself to the fact that the more others were exposed to my shenanigans, the more they might come to revere me. After last night, I¡¯d expected their praise today to be egregious. That was why we¡¯d put on the show with Sue, using a healthy dose of absurdism to lower their guard. Perhaps it hadn¡¯t been necessary. The people we passed now, all of which were present at the feast, seemed rather reserved. Don¡¯t get me wrong; there was still too much wonder for my liking. Any level of it was. But this was... unexpected. My steps were lighter as we rounded a corner, and I dared to let my awareness extend outwards, sensing what people felt when I wandered into view. Unsurprisingly, shock came first. Right behind it was a storm consisting of gratitude, thankfulness, and a little awe. Okay, it was a frack-load of awe, but the source of it brought me joy instead of the usual dread. I grinned at the main offender. ¡°Gary! How are ya, mate?¡± He grinned back, letting go of his church¡¯s door handle and waving at me with his right hand. The other was occupied by a basket. ¡°Fischer! What are you doing here?¡± Hope beamed from him. ¡°Did you come to check up on our progress?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, mate. Maria and I were kinda just wandering about.¡± He did well to not let his disappointment show. ¡°But,¡± I continued, ¡°now that we¡¯re here...¡± Someone threw the door open from inside. A leviathan head peeked through the portal, and Pistachio extended a massive snipper outside. Never one to turn down our favorite lobster, Maria and I marched forward, both bending to fistbump his limb. He knocked the door aside, inviting us to enter with a soft hiss. However, he was too slow. The entrance of the building next-door flew open, banging loudly as a man skidded out onto the street. ¡°Fischer!¡± Even if I couldn¡¯t feel how glad Joel was to see me, I could see it all over his face. ¡°What are you doing here? Have you come to meditate with us? It¡¯s been so long that I can¡¯t remember the last time! Is Snips with you? No, of course not¡ªshe¡¯s still busy seeking enlightenment! So how have you been? Good, I hope!¡± ¡°My man!¡± I held up my hands at his barrage of questions. ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you too, but I might not have time to meditate this morning.¡± I looked at Maria, non-verbally asking what she wanted to do. This was our last day together for a while, so I wanted to spend as long with her as possible. She tossed her head side to side, her hair swaying hypnotically as she considered. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t take too long....¡± ¡°Of course!¡± came a feminine voice from inside. Jess skidded out with just as much energy as Joel. ¡°Leave after five minutes if you like! You¡¯ve never joined us, right Maria?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t, no.¡± Amusement bubbled up from Maria¡¯s core, but she made sure to keep it between us. ¡°But I¡¯d love to.¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± Joel and Jess both said in tandem. Darting a look at each other, they formed their human hands into an approximation of crab claws, then clapped by shutting them repeatedly. If I didn¡¯t know them, this scene might have earned them a direct trip to Tropica¡¯s not-a-prison until I could confirm they weren¡¯t about to put on crab suits and start harassing people. He offered a massive pair of tweezers to Maira. They looked more like tongs as far as I was concerned, and Maria apparently agreed¡ªthe first thing she did was give them a testing clack. Peter held out his basket. ¡°Grab a handful whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Will they only eat that much?¡± she asked, looking down at her fruit-laden palm. ¡°They¡¯ll likely consume twice that again, but we¡¯re careful to not overfeed them.¡± Nodding, she approached the tank. The moment Maria lowered the first berry into the water, a few nearby lob¡ªcrickets, damnit¡ªtook notice. Their adorable little antennae wiggled as they tried to locate the food. ¡°Oh!¡± She giggled. ¡°They must be hungry!¡± She spread the feast out as evenly as possible, ensuring there was a berry close to each of the miniature caverns they¡¯d emerge from¡ªand emerge they did. I couldn¡¯t believe how many of them there were. As tiny little snippers pulled food apart, releasing their juices into the water, even more of the creatures appeared. There had to be almost a hundred of them. The floor of the tank was absolutely covered in a reddish hue that constantly shifted as they fought¡ªrather politely, mind you¡ªfor mouthfuls of the sweet treats. ¡°Where did you get so many...?¡± I asked. ¡°The Gormona branch of your church?¡± Gary snorted. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call them part of the Church¡ªthey¡¯re still stuck in a cult mentality. I told them of Pistachio¡¯s existence, and their response was, as far as I can tell, to flee the capital.¡± ¡°Wait, what? When did this happen?¡± ¡°In the time between your secret mission to collect coffee, and your secret mission to get supplies for a ship.¡± I leaned in close, giving the room a conspiratorial look before my gaze landed on him. ¡°... Who told you about those?¡± Knowing both were common knowledge by now, we snickered. Maria rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face told me her true feelings. ¡°I sent a letter with Pelly,¡± Gary said. ¡°I thought seeing an awakened bird would lend credence to my claim, but she told me they looked terrified. When she went back the next day, they were long gone¡ªas were the lobsters and crickets.¡± ¡°Soooo,¡± Maria said. ¡°Where did the others come from, then?¡± ¡°Snips¡¯s squad of rock crabs. Pistachio went out to find them, then requested they collect any they came across. Within a week, we had hundreds, most of which we returned.¡± ¡°Ohhh, how was the squad? I haven¡¯t seen those crabby little scoundrels in forever.¡± ¡°The same as ever,¡± he replied. ¡°All business, and very pinchy.¡± While we spoke, the berries had been absolutely annihilated, so Gary produced more. Maria was all too happy to drop them in, and just as she was placing the last of the fruit, she tilted her head. ¡°Oh no... is that one sick?¡± Gary was at her side in a moment, crouching to look through the side of the tank. Wedged in the corner and surrounded by thick vegetation, a single creature sat. Its antennae moved about chaotically, clearly smelling the food, yet it didn¡¯t take a step. Pistachio hauled himself upward, using his forelimbs as pillars to support his massive body. His antennae waved in thought, then he hissed. The meaning was clear. Scared. Hungry. ¡°The lobster?¡± I asked. He nodded and hissed again. Small. ¡°Small and hungry I get,¡± Maria said, ¡°but why is it scared?¡± I winced, suspecting I knew the reason. ¡°Lobsters are opportunistic feeders. Given the chance, they¡¯re not above eating another of their kind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... I mean...¡± Her lips formed a line. ¡°That makes sense, but I still hate it.¡± Gary stepped forward with a small net. ¡°I¡¯m just glad we saw it in time.¡± He scooped up the lobster¡ªwho was none too happy about being disturbed¡ªthen rested the handle atop the aquarium, creating a temporary water prison. With great care, he moved rocks and tunnels to make an isolated area, its sheer walls too steep for any enterprising crickets to scale. The undersized crustacean exited the net with much less of a fuss, happy to be returned to the sandy bottom of the tank. It was even happier when Gary dropped a passiona berry in from above. Well, it retreated at first, kicking its tail to escape what it perceived as a threat. However, as soon as it smelled the food, it scuttled forward, probably intent on gorging itself before any of its brethren bullied it away. But none would come. The scrawny little thing had been given a holiday home, in which he would receive an all-you-can-eat buffet on the daily. Man, I thought. Life as a pet lobster sounds pretty sweet. I¡¯m kinda jealous. ¡°Hey, Fischer?¡± ¡°Yes, Maria?¡± ¡°That was a weird thought to share with me.¡± ¡°Maybe, but that doesn¡¯t make it any less true.¡± I grinned at my Church of the Leviathan pals. ¡°Thanks for letting us see your lil lobbies. We¡¯d better get going, though¡ªvery important meeting next door, you see.¡± ¡°Important, you say?¡± Gary smirked beneath a raised brow. ¡°Ah-huh! Might even reach crab nirvana if things go well!¡± I gave Pistachio a fistbump in parting, hugged Teddy, and shot Gary a wink¡ªthe laugh that came in reply was icing on the cake of what had been a recharging experience. ¡°Have fun!¡± Gary teased. ¡°And let me know if you attain that enlightenment!¡± Book 4: Chapter 40: Swollen Book 4: Chapter 40: Swollen I was having a wonderful morning. I had only been awake for just over an hour, and already I had managed to take part in a plethora of weird and whacky activities. I¡¯d watched someone put a lobster in lobster-prison;I¡¯d relived the time I gave a king an ultimatum; and I¡¯d pretended, before a crowd of newly awakened cultivators, that I was into being thrown around the bedroom like a dead fish while being called chef. All were beyond absurd. Even so, the scene unfolding before me was worse. Joel hissed and blew bubbles¡ªhow the frack was Joel blowing bubbles?¡ªas he used his claw hands to pinch a new recruit on the shoulder. ¡°Ow!¡± the woman said, standing up and rubbing her arm. ¡°That hurt!¡± ¡°I apologize, Sally. The heavens have blessed me with ascension.¡± Joel¡¯s words were sincere, his face and core showing clear remorse, but his hands still clacked menacingly. ¡°I forget my strength when I assume the perfect form.¡± ¡°Yeah? Well it¡¯s hard to take your apology seriously when you¡¯re still crouching like a crab!¡± ¡°You know,¡± Maria said, also crouching like a crab, ¡°she has a point.¡± Joel shot her a look, but Maria just shrugged. ¡°Thank you!¡± the woman¡ªI was pretty sure her name was Sally¡ªstraightened her clothes. ¡°Is it really necessary for us to be so literal in our praise? Why do you have to... You know what? This isn¡¯t working for me. I think crabs are super cute, especially Sergeant Snips, but¡ª¡± Most of the room¡ªall the original members of the Church of Carcinization, along with three other new inductees¡ªclacked their crab hands together in response to Snips¡¯s name. Joel even blew more bubbles. ¡°... But you¡¯re all just too weird,¡± Sally finished, turning and grabbing a bag on her way out. ¡°I¡¯m not coming back.¡± She slammed the door behind her, and Joel nodded, still showing remorse. ¡°Not all who attempt greatness have the requisite shell to withstand the pressure, hallowed be Sergeant Snips¡¯s name.¡± They all clacked again¡ªand blew bubbles if they were capable. Joel scuttled to his spot in the center of the circle, swaying back and forth as he settled. As the others resumed their meditation, I shot a look Maria¡¯s way¡ªshe was already watching me, her eyes twinkling. Without needing to speak a word, we had an entire conversation, both agreeing on a few points. Yes, this was objectively funny. No, we shouldn¡¯t intervene. And yes, they were definitely giving off some evil cult vibes. Despite said vibes, it was hard to think they¡¯d pose a threat to anyone, especially with¡ª ¡°Fischer,¡± Joel said, not opening his eyes. ¡°I am gladdened that you two are here, but I must ask that you participate if you wish to remain.¡± Maria and I locked eyes again, and she had to bite her lip to hide her smile. How in Snips¡¯s rigid carapace had he known...? ¡°Sorry, mate,¡± I said, and I meant it. I¡¯d been pretty disrespectful of his beliefs, ridiculous as they might be. Picturing myself as a crab, I swayed back and forth, just as Joel had when he¡¯d returned to the center. As with next door, the air in here had a tangible feel to it, something akin to change seeming to fill it. Unlike the other church, however, this building reached out to me. The moment I leaned into a certain position¡ªstill picturing my body as that of a crab¡ªthe room asked if it could enter my core. I shot to my feet, and Maria did the same, her eyes wide. Joel followed us in standing, religious fervency clear across his entire visage. ¡°Chosen...¡± he said. ¡°Chosen of Carcinization!¡± He dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground. ¡°Chosen of Carcinization!¡± the rest repeated, flattening themselves even more as they faced Maria and me. The building¡ªthe very air surrounding us¡ªrequested that we resume meditating. Begged us to continue where we¡¯d left off. Maria and I locked eyes, nodded to each other, and got the fuck out of there. ¡°Wait!¡± Joel yelled as we fled the church and slammed the door behind us. ¡°You can be chosen ones! Like Sergeant Snips!¡± ¡°Hallowed be her name!¡± Jess added. The echoed clacks from the rest of the followers sent a shiver down my spine. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m not so sure we shouldn¡¯t intervene anymore.¡± Maria blew air from her lips. ¡°What is up with that building?¡± Now that I was free of it, I could think clearly. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a feature of the chi returning to the world? And that...¡± I waved my hand in the church¡¯s general direction. ¡°Is the power that created deities in the past, maybe?¡± I shook my head. ¡°I have no clue. I¡¯m not connected to it.¡± ¡°Sooo, do we need to burn it with fire, or...?¡± ¡°Nah, I think it¡¯s fine. If it was evil, I¡¯d have felt it much sooner. The chi is just... different. It felt wrong because I don¡¯t, in any way, shape, or form, want to turn into a crab. I mean, Snips is hella cute, but¡ª¡± ¡°Uhhh, when?¡± ¡°When she said you weren¡¯t just a pretty face.¡± She elbowed me lightly, grinning up at me. I nodded sagely. ¡°Indeed. Sharon is wise. And maybe Ruby was also wrong.¡± ¡°Oh? And what did she say?¡± ¡°That you were just a pretty face.¡± I wiggled my eyebrows. ¡°She was very convincing.¡± Her grin evaporated. ¡°I said no such thing, thank you very much!¡± As if I¡¯d summoned her into being, Ruby strode around the corner of a building, her husband Steven beside her.. The smiles on their faces told me they knew I was just teasing. ¡°Priapus¡¯s rigid phallus!¡± Maria swore, staring down at Ruby¡¯s swollen stomach. ¡°Who¡¯s rigid what?¡± I demanded, her words enough to pull my eyes from how far Ruby¡¯s pregnancy had progressed. But I was ignored. She strode forward and hugged Ruby, taking great care not to put pressure on her baby bump¡ªthough it was more of a hill than a bump at this point. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you since before the village transformed! I didn¡¯t even get to say goodbye! How have you been?¡± ¡°All three of us are well.¡± Ruby¡¯s cheeks glowed like her namesake. ¡°How are you? We only just got back, and we heard the strangest things...¡± She gazed down at Maria¡¯s stomach, quirking a brow. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look any different...¡± ¡°Hiiiiii!¡± Slimes sang, wiggling out of Maria¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m voting against that exit spot, Slimes. Shoulders and arms only, please.¡± Ignoring me, the familiar spun to stare up at Maria and jiggled questioningly. ¡°Agreed,¡± she answered. ¡°Sorry, Slimes. It feels even worse than it looks.¡± Slime blobbed in understanding and reappeared as a crystal atop Maria¡¯s shoulder, facing Steven and Ruby. ¡°Nice to finally meet you in person. I¡¯ve thoroughly enjoyed examinging Maria¡¯s memories of¡ªOop! Gotta go byeeee!¡± Without another sound, he returned to Maria¡¯s core and started doing... whatever it was he¡¯d been doing all morning. For their part, I thought Steven and Ruby took it pretty well. The former was confused, the latter only mildly horrified. Ruby turned to her husband. ¡°I know it¡¯s normal to be scared of giving birth, but the next time I complain, remind me that there¡¯s worse things...¡± Maria cackled. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. Slimes moves about as pure energy, and doesn¡¯t...¡± She shook her head. ¡°Forget about it. What are you guys doing now? Are you free to hang?¡± ¡°We are, actually.¡± Steven pointed down at Ruby¡¯s feet. ¡°We were going to soak our legs in the ocean. Ruby¡¯s ankles have been getting a little swoll¡ª¡± She batted him on the arm. ¡°Why are you telling everyone about my cankles?¡± ¡°Right. Sorry.¡± He met our gazes with a straight face. ¡°We were going down to the ocean to soak our definitely normal, proportional, and not at all swollen ankles in the cold¡ª¡± Her answering barrage of blows was as swift as it was gentle. ¡°I¡¯m. Pregnant. You. Big. Oaf!¡± Each word was accompanied by a soft smack. Swooping to Steven¡¯s rescue¡ªand looking for any excuse to try out my new partitioning ability¡ªI flicked one hand. A staircase of solid light appeared, leading over the wall and down to the water. With a second part of my awareness, I created a vast platform in the spot the old wooden jetty had been. Both structures were nowhere near complex enough to challenge me, but they were the perfect trial for splitting my attention. ¡°After you,¡± I said. An idea came to mind, and I tried to fight it down. I really did. But with the justification that it could count towards the quota of mischief Claws had assigned me... I was never going to win this battle of wills. I cleared my throat, turned to Steven, and prepared to flee. ¡°Do you think the ocean could help Maria¡¯s cankles too...?¡± Book 4: Chapter 41: To Become One Book 4: Chapter 41: To Become One Deep under the sea floor, in a place where only ancient beings dared tread, just such a being forged his way through pillars of petrified wood. That these abyssal depths were once a verdant forest would have sparked curiosity in even the most blase? of souls. But this wasn¡¯t new information to the elemental. He¡¯d been the one to sink it, after all. If not for the thing he¡¯d left here, he wouldn¡¯t have wasted his time in reexamining this past destruction. If anything, it was a chore to make his way through the material, its crystalline structure annoying to break. But break they did, being scooped into his body, ground down into sediment and... oh? What was this...? One of the former trees he¡¯d collected, a solid column of permineralized wood, was harder than it had any right being. No matter how hard he tried to destroy it, the material didn¡¯t yield. In all his years, so many that entire forests had the time to petrify, he had never encountered such a substance. Filled with a need to understand this crystal¡¯s composition, he sent all of his awareness within himself, focusing every bit of his will on the single rock. It pooled around it, then in the darkness of his sediment-filled mass, something cracked. A shell surrounding the fossil shattered, revealing a deep purple light. If the elemental had possessed lungs, the air would have been knocked from them. This object had formed naturally, doing so without the help of a cultivator, yet every part of its crystalline structure was filled with chi. It was impossible. Such a thing couldn¡¯t exist. It had been countless millennia since the elemental last learned something new. Myriad empires had risen and fallen, as had entire continents¡ªone of which he was currently digging through the remains of. He boomed a laugh, the sound so loud that it shook the world. The surrounding stone and crystal crumbled, only a single object strong enough to survive the localized earthquake. Another pillar of petrified wood, its crystals just as chi infused as the one within him. The elemental scooped it up. He applied his will to it once more, and when the same shell disintegrated, purple light shone free. He spread out in search of more. Just how many had formed...? He had to contain his desire lest he get carried away and let the newborn elemental sense his work. But though he limited his essence expenditure, he was detected. An ancient power came from below, rage and despair fueling its passage. But he knew her well. Instead of fleeing or preparing a defense, he invited her to join him¡ªto become one once more. Sitting atop the porous stone previously separating them, she froze, her indignation making way for a question. He was all too happy to answer, and he let his memories flow out. He¡¯d had to leave her here when they destroyed the continent. He hadn¡¯t abandoned her. He, too, had locked himself in the same stasis. Spreading themselves out was an insurance policy¡ªif he had been killed, she and the others would have been safe. Of all the other parts of him, she was closest to him in intellect. She accepted his reasoning, but still hesitated, watching him from her position atop the rock. With the mental equivalent of a smile, he produced something from his body for her to examine¡ªone of the two objects of power he¡¯d discovered. She took it as an insult at first, upset that he thought a trinket could win her over, but then she felt the chi. As fast as she¡¯d ever moved, she slammed into him, their sediment mixing, their minds becoming one. Her amazement at the discovery became his, and his happiness at being united became hers. Fully reincorporated now, they rejoiced. They had a newly awakened elemental to hunt¡ªa being whose cultivation could be the very thing needed to create something from the chi-filled crystals they¡¯d found. Not something, they thought. A weapon. Together, they spread out, hungry to find more of the fossils. *** ¡°Say it right now, mister!¡± ¡°I will!¡± I replied. ¡°Please, just don¡¯t drown me again!¡± Maria cocked her head, her brow furrowing. ¡°I thought we were playing. What are you...?¡± I glanced over her shoulder, making sure her body hid my smirk. She turned¡ªher right fist still raised and threatening violence¡ªto see the dozen or so faces that were now watching from the walkway. ¡°Someone get Barry!¡± I called. ¡°She¡¯s gone mad with pow¡ªahhhhh!¡± I sailed high above the ocean, launched skyward by a woman half my size. As I spun like a brick in a tumble dryer, I rubbed my chin in thought. What landing should I go for...? ¡°I¡¯ll show you drowned!¡± Maria yelled, ignoring the fact that I was trying to make an important decision. ¡°Apologise for saying I have cankles! And for pretending I¡¯m abusing you!¡± I considered yelling something even more antagonistic¡ªperhaps that I was sorry she had said cankles, or that throwing someone fifty meters in the air could absolutely pass for abuse¡ªbut in the end, I didn¡¯t want to get thrown into orbit. I bowed at the waist. ¡°Forgive me!¡± ¡°No! You shouldn¡¯t joke about people¡¯s physical features!¡± She drew back her arm, winding up like she was about to throw a fastball. What is she...? Before I could finish forming the question, she threw, her limb a blur as something pink rocketed out. ¡°Hiiiii!¡± Slimes yelled, sailing into the sky above me before curving back down. I could have dodged, caught, or even smacked Slimes back Maria¡¯s way, but the punishment seemed fair. I starfished, accepting my fate as he slammed into my back. The hit solved the decision of what landing I should go for, at least, and I rocketed belly first into the still ocean. Clap! The bellyflop hadn¡¯t succeeded in knocking the air from my enhanced body, but the temperature of the water sure came close. It took me a few seconds to adjust to its frigidity, and as I looked around, a deep sense of calm replaced my shock. It had only been a week or so since the whole king debacle, but how had I not had a swim yet...? It should have been the third thing I did after coming back to Tropica¡ªafter seeing Maria and having a fish, naturally. On paper, the trip to Gormona had been relaxing, but compared to this... I floated weightlessly, and even with my enhanced vision, I couldn¡¯t keep count of how many fish I saw. They flitted here and there at the seawall, flitting out between gaps only to zip back in. Schools of tiny creatures swam for their lives when juvenile shore fish darted toward them, each group moving like a hive mind. So, when every single school moved at the same time, all swimming to the north, I knew something had changed. To my left, sweeping into view, came the biggest damned stingray I had ever seen. Its wings undulated like a wave, propelling it forward with both grace and speed as it sailed by the wall in search of prey. A brave crab crawled out of a crevice, holding up a claw smaller than my pinky nail. The stingray closed in, not wasting the crustacean¡¯s foolish courage. Some would call it interfering with nature, but I didn¡¯t care. I felt a kinship with that brave, stupid little crab, and I wasn¡¯t gonna let it get munched. I could wall off the crustacean with chi. Or I could just boop the stingray away. But I had a better, much more devious plan. Getting Claws¡¯s attention with a pulse of will, I opened a Maria-sized gap in my chi platform. My target, reacting with the speed expected of someone with her level of cultivation, whirled, trying to catch herself on the edge. She¡¯d have succeeded too¡ªif I hadn¡¯t expanded the hole, that is. Maria splashed into the ocean, her limbs outstretched in a failed attempt at finding purchase. Shock coursed through her as the frosty water took hold, but it was swiftly burned away by fire and brimstone. Her eyes locked onto me, chi already gathering around her core. Before she could indulge her violent fantasies, I waved, grinned, and pointed to her right. Her vengeful gaze flicked that way. Just in time, too. Her graceless entrance had succeeded in spooking the stingray, and it changed course, veering out toward the depths and away from the perceived threat. The brave little crab, not knowing how close it had come to being food, retreated into its crack. Two beady eyes peeped out, and the foolhardy crustacean resumed its watch. ¡°I know.¡± Our desire for one another pushed at the border of our connection. Before it could break through, I pulled her closer, her mouth parting as she lifted it toward me. ¡°By the quivering shaft of Eros!¡± came a projected voice. ¡°Get a room!¡± As sure as a smith¡¯s hammer would break glass, Duncan¡¯s words shattered the mood into a thousand jagged pieces. I spun, dropping Maria to her feet as we both faced the newcomers. Deklan and Dom were both grimacing, the twins¡¯ pinched expressions conveying an unspoken apology. Fergus was reaching for his apprentice, ready to grab him by the collar and drag him from sight. The last of them, Duncan, beamed. His grin was brighter than the setting sun. The fool had taunted a lioness, and instead of fleeing, he just stood there. Maria gave him a sweet smile, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself¡ªwhich immediately failed. ¡°Nope!¡± she said, winding up for a fast ball. Duncan¡¯s teeth were parting now, and I realized he was even stupider than I thought; he was about to double down. What Maria did next was both fortunate and unfortunate. Fortunate because Duncan didn¡¯t have a chance to further incriminate himself, and unfortunate because of the method used to silence him. ¡°Hiiii!¡± sang the method. Slimes condensed into a crystal as he rocketed toward the apprentice, transforming back into a slime at the last possible moment and stretching¡ªspreading the impact over Duncan¡¯s entire body. The slap that rang out was sickening. Like a scene from a movie, Duncan was there one second and gone the next, vanishing into the wall of sugarcane behind him. Deklan and Dom both leaned in to stare down the path of destruction in Duncan¡¯s wake. Fergus cleared his throat, and all three men strode away, the smith launching into an impromptu lecture about melting temperatures. ¡°Damn,¡± I said. Maria sucked her teeth as she appraised the obliterated stalks. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was only a matter of time until someone broke my record.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°What do you mean what?¡± I gestured toward the collision site with both hands. ¡°Forget the sugarcane. What Slimes just did was, by far, the best bellyflop we¡¯ve seen all day. It can¡¯t be beat.¡± She blinked at me, unsure of what to make of me. After a tense moment, my gamble paid off, and she slung her arms around my neck. When her lips met mine, her heat drew me in, my pulse immediately thumping again. ¡°I love you,¡± she said, pressing our foreheads together. ¡°Even if you¡¯re a big idiot half of the time.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± She kissed me again, but it was fleeting. She pulled back. I pursued, centimeters feeling like leagues. She retreated further. ¡°Tease.¡± She giggled, more sultry than musical. ¡°If you want me, Fischer...¡± When her eyes met mine, she was the lioness once more. ¡°Take me.¡± My core ignited, and my heart beat so hard that my vision pulsed. ¡°What about Slimes?¡± ¡°Gone to meditate...¡± She gave me a lascivious smile. ¡°And he won¡¯t be returning.¡± I flicked a finger. We moved through space. A flash of light, its incandescence blinding. I didn¡¯t close my eyes against the brilliance. Neither did she. It faded, letting the pink and orange palette of sunset reclaim the bathroom. Having to tear my hand from her, I reached back, fumbling with the shower handle. She fumbled too, her hands shaking as clothing fell, discarded. Boiling water streamed down from the faucet as I pulled her in. The rising clouds of steam did nothing to reduce Maria¡¯s beauty. I drank all of her in, each hard line, soft curve, and perfect imperfection. Our eyes scoured the other, a desire for one another growing, pushing at the boundary of our connection like never before. She took a mental step forward, a question. An invitation. The fire in my core became an inferno, the suggestion pouring fuel onto the flames. ¡°Are...¡± I clenched my jaw, fighting to keep our connection closed. ¡°Are you sure? We don¡¯t have to just because we¡¯ll be apart for a few days...¡± She took another mental step, accompanied by a physical one. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± When her body pressed against mine, every one of my muscles tensed. I tried to hold the door closed. If we joined right now, I wasn¡¯t sure I could ever let her go. ¡°Fischer...¡± she whispered into my neck, her fingers sliding down my stomach.. ¡°I want you.¡± I shuddered, and she opened the connection from her side. Awareness of her flooded me. Dilated pupils, parted lips, freckles atop flushed skin. She was a drug. More addictive than any other. I held the line. Part of me worried that she was doing this just for me¡ªforcing herself. She reached out to me, caressed me, coaxed me on. Gods, I wanted her. She could have forced her way in. Kicked the door down with only a fraction of her will. Instead, her soft yet firm hand grabbed mine. She pulled me closer. Pushed me lower. Pressed me... ¡°Fischer,¡± she gasped. ¡°I need you.¡± The fire within burned my hesitation to the ground, and I threw the door to her soul open. I rushed into her just as she rushed into me. I¡¯d been a fool to think she was forcing herself to do anything. Maria wasn¡¯t just any drug. She was my drug. And I was hers. Entwined, we became one. Book 4: Chapter 42: Sweet Treats Book 4: Chapter 42: Sweet Treats I was having my second dream in a single night¡ªit was wonderful. Beside a cerulean lake and beneath an emerald sky, I had a fishing rod in my hands, a smile on my face, and something massive on the end of my line. I reeled, reeled, and reeled some more, yet the fish never got closer. Some might have found this frustrating, perhaps even anxiety inducing, but not me. I knew I was dreaming. Instead of focusing on the subjective failure, I gazed out at my surroundings, wondering if such a vista existed somewhere in this world. I had seen similar colors before, but never in the sky. It was the verdant green of the forests surrounding Tropica, the light hue that some leaves possessed when lit by the midday sun or a particularly bright moon. Speaking of celestial bodies, another arrived, peeking its head over the horizon. Well, I thought. There goes any hope of this being the same world... The second sun trailed the other, on the same path as they marched higher and higher. There was a moment where I considered it might be an optical illusion, but their continued passage confirmed the truth. When I acknowledged that there actually were two of them, disorientation hit me like a sledgehammer. But awe swiftly followed, settling deep in my core as I squinted skyward, my enhanced body letting me gaze directly at them, engaging in what only the silliest of gooses would do back on Earth. Suddenly, my core called to me, urging me to return. Having one last look at the scene as I was yoinked from the dreamscape, I did my best to sear it into my memory. A slight feeling of loss remained as I stirred from sleep. When I opened my eyes, however, a sight far more beautiful than the alien landscape met me. ¡°Good morning,¡± Maria said, her body gloriously bare as she straddled my hips. Slowly, she bent down¡ªboth the kiss she planted on my neck and the tickle of her sun-bleached hair made power course through me. She sat back up, her chest heaving as she stared down at me with burning intensity. ¡°You know, we¡¯ve got some time before you have to leave...¡± ¡°Oh...¡± was all my brain could put together. Thankfully, words weren¡¯t necessary. When Maria pressed herself against me, I forgot they even existed. *** The sun¡¯s rays were just beginning to crest the horizon as Maria and I walked hand in hand toward the coast. It reminded me of something... a dream I¡¯d had last night, perhaps? I furrowed my brow in an attempt to remember, but more-recent memories flooded in first. Maria stopped in her tracks and raised an eyebrow my way. ¡°We might not be connected right now, but I can still tell when you... think things.¡± I stood tall, raising my arms to the sky and pausing a moment when I found the prefect stretch. ¡°I regret nothing.¡± She laughed, sweeping over to plant the softest of kisses on my cheek. ¡°Good.¡± So lost was I in the serotonin flowing through me that I didn¡¯t notice her winding up the mother of all slaps. She smacked the left side of my tooshie with enough force to lift me a few centimeters off the ground. ¡°Keep being a good boy,¡± she whispered, ¡°and maybe I¡¯ll reward you when you get back...¡± I raised both eyebrows at her. ¡°I can feel that you¡¯re joking, but that¡¯s a dangerous game. What if those words awakened something in me? Opened a box whose contents can¡¯t be unseen? Scratched an itch that I¡¯ll henceforth need tended in order to¡ª¡± She cut me off by pressing a finger to my lips. ¡°I would like to immediately retract the last twenty seconds.¡± ¡°Even the spank?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Obviously not the spank.¡± ¡°In that case, I find the terms agreeable.¡± I offered a hand to shake, but she batted it aside and leaped into my arms. Rather than the passionate exchanges of last night, this kiss was softer than velvet. As so often happened around her, all else fell away¡ªwhich was, unfortunately, how it came to be that two large individuals snuck up on us. A ragged sigh from one of them sliced our moment in half, its wielder¡¯s core oozing with resignation. I spun, and it was on his face, too. I raised an eyebrow at Duncan, curious what his game was. Fergus was beside him, looking similarly unsure. The apprentice had replaced his obliterated clothing from yesterday, and an embarrassed tilt to his shoulders was the only remaining proof of the expulsion-via-familiar he¡¯d been subjected to. As he took a slow breath in, his lungs were filled with both air and resolve. ¡°Mate...¡± I said, realization blooming. ¡°You don¡¯t have to...¡± The slight grimace he returned told me that he did, in fact, have to do it. I peered sidelong at Maria, expecting a strong reaction. Instead, a smile teased the corner of her mouth, and her eyes flicked down toward a shoulder-bag Fergus was carrying. ¡°Lad...¡± Fergus tried, taking a half step forward, his hand extended. ¡°Didn¡¯t you learn your lesson? There¡¯s still time to walk away. We¡¯ve got a long day ahead of us. Come now, let¡¯s go have a cup of coffee and a bite of¡ª¡± ¡°Priapus¡¯s eternal erection!¡± Duncan yelled, losing the battle with his own compulsions. ¡°Get a rooo¡ªmmmm?¡± The taunt had started strong, but ended in a soft mumble when someone pink, slimy, and all-encompassing wrapped himself around the apprentice¡¯s head, sealing his mouth shut. Like a cantankerous crab launched by the righteous claw of Snips, Slimes had been a blur as he shot from Fergus¡¯s bag. ¡°Hiiii!¡± he said, replacing Duncan¡¯s facial features with his own. With a loud plop, Slimes removed himself from the smith¡¯s noggin, using it as a grounding point from which to slingshot himself toward¡ªand into¡ªMaria¡¯s abdomen. There, he immediately resumed circulating chi. Duncan wobbled, blinked, and righted himself. He opened his mouth, froze, and shut it once more. ¡°Nope.¡± He turned and strode away, not once looking back. ¡°Coming, boss? I hear there¡¯s coffee and pastries waiting ahead.¡± Fergus just smiled and shrugged before trudging off after his apprentice. ¡°I should have known Slimes was in there,¡± I said, grabbing Maria¡¯s hand. ¡°I was wondering why you didn¡¯t preemptively kick him into the ocean.¡± ¡°Sorry, what was that?¡± Maria¡¯s eyes took a moment to focus on me. ¡°I was checking up on Slimes¡¯s insight from last night.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I softly bumped my shoulder into her. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll watch out for more ambushes while you two catch up.¡± She bumped me back, then settled into herself, tiny fluctuations coming from her chi as she and Slimes communicated. Once more hand in hand, we wandered eastward. The wind shifted suddenly, wafting scents and sounds our way¡ªcoffee, pastries, and the voices of countless friends. Maria took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, they were clear once more, her communication with Slimes having come to an end. ¡°I will never grow tired of that smell.¡± ¡°The coffee, or the pastries?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fair point,¡± I laughed. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. She stopped abruptly and turned to face me. ¡°Race you there?¡± ¡°Oooh, I¡¯m down.¡± ¡°On three?¡± ¡°Sounds good! Should we should set some ground rules, though? This could easily get out of ha¡ª¡± ¡°Three!¡± she interrupted, spraying me with sand as she took off across the dunes. ¡°The audacity....¡± She leaped from the crest of the first hill, and following her recent breakthrough, her strength sent her sailing all the way toward the coast. She glanced back to check on my progress¡ªjust in time to see me snap my fingers. I appeared before her in a flash of light, letting her collide with my body. Her leap, if left unimpeded, would have seen her landing gracefully beside everyone; my haphazard interception, and our subsequent flight of tangled limbs, would do... well, not that. We hit the dune closest to our friends, careening sideways into its top third, and tonnes of sand cascaded over the gathering. I reached for my chi, my level of control more than enough to protect everyone. I didn¡¯t though, obviously¡ªshield them entirely, I mean. I did, however, protect what really mattered. Dozens of little translucent barriers sprang into place atop cups, pitchers, and Sue¡¯s delicious pastries. Not a single grain found its way past my impenetrable walls, which meant I could sit back and enjoy the show. And by sit back and enjoy the show, what I really meant was catch glimpses of the scene as I bounced along the ground like a crash-test dummy. Maria, who I¡¯d become separated from upon impact, rejoined me. Kind of. Her feet landed on my back, and my chaotic passage became nice and smooth as she turned me into a surfboard. It was quite enjoyable initially, because my view of the sandstorm was no-longer obstructed by my own spin cycle... but then Maria shifted her left foot. It pressed down on the nape of my neck, causing my face to part the sand before us. When we started to slow, she leaped off¡ªand must have done a sweet flip or something, because a round of polite applause came from the crowd. Someone even whistled. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°And sorry, everyone. I had no idea he was going to do... whatever that was.¡± I lifted my head and wiped grit from my eyes. ¡°In my defense, neither did I.¡± A bunch of wet somethings popped against my arm, and I glanced, with a giant grin on my face, toward the source of the bubbles. ¡°Hello, Snips. Did you have a nice sleepover with Slimes?¡± She nodded and rubbed her carapace against me, her stream of affectionate bubbles increasing as I stroked the top of her head. She slid her powerful pinchers beneath me and me to my feet with ease. I landed with my arms crossed, returning the playful gazes some of the crowd were leveling my way. ¡°At least someone knows how to treat the arrival of her benevolent and kind leader.¡± Hissing her agreement, Snips leaped into the air, settled into the crook of my arm, and joined me in glaring at the others. Sue sighed, the first to break the stalemate. ¡°Come on. This mummers¡¯ show will last all morning, and the pastries are getting cold.¡± Snips whirled and cast a questioning gaze up at me. I nodded. ¡°For the sake of caffeine and sweet treats, let us move past their egregious insubordination.¡± She leaped up onto my head and stood tall on her spiky legs, an imperious glint in her eye as she looked down upon her lessors. ¡°I know, Snips.¡± I gave an exaggerated sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. I would be justified in locking them all up in my not-a-prison for the foreseeable future.¡± ¡°Fischer.¡± Sue leveled a pair of tongs at me. ¡°Keep that up, and I¡¯ll start hiding sand in your pastries.¡± My indignant facade slipped away like butter on a hot pan. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t...¡± ¡°I would¡ªand only some of them, too. You¡¯d never know if your next bite would bring sweet delight or crunchy regret.¡± She clacked her tongs. ¡°Don¡¯t test me, young man.¡± I plucked the crab from my head and lowered her so we were eye to eye-stalk. ¡°Our enemies are more politically savvy that I anticipated, Snips. I believe we¡¯ve lost this battle.¡± ¡°You have,¡± Sue agreed. ¡°But we will win the war,¡± I hissed, to which my guard crab nodded, then ran a claw across her neck¡ªwell, across where it would be if she had one. ¡°What was that you just said?¡± ¡°Nothing, Sue! Two of your finest coffees and pastries, please!¡± ¡°Much better. Coming right up.¡± As the barista prepared our breakfast, I gazed around at the scene, able to take it in properly now that I was no longer tumbling. Two wooden tables were set up and absolutely covered in trays of pastries. Sue stood behind it, and as she poured from a large jug, a deep-brown liquid flowed out into the cup below. The entire breakfast had been one of the things we¡¯d planned yesterday¡ªin between ocean swims and countless snacks¡ªbut seeing it all come together sparked even more joy than expected. With how busy my animal pals had been lately with their attempts at advancement, I¡¯d seen less and less of them. This brekkie, however, was different. Some of us were departing later this morning, so most of the spirit beasts were present and strewn throughout the gathering. Only Bumblebro, Queen Bee, and the Buzzy boys out on patrol were absent. I wondered how the former two were going; I hadn¡¯t seen them in days. I could sense them via our connection, of course, so I knew they were healthy. I¡¯d felt the urge to go and check up on them at least a dozen times since returning with the boat supplies, but I had already been told off for visiting their hive unannounced. A bolt of lightning struck far to the south, and I just shook my head. I know you¡¯re not here, Claws. I was trying not to think about you. You tell me off every time I even say hello. Shush! she replied, accompanying the word with a pulse of annoyance. I¡¯m busy experimenting! ¡°That fracking otter...¡± Maria¡¯s lilting giggle made me feel a little better, and another shift of the wind finished off the job. Even from here, the cold-brew¡¯s aroma was tantalising. ¡°That¡¯s the addiction speaking,¡± Maria whispered. I pouted at her in response, but she countered it with a cheeky wink, then leaned against my shoulder. ¡°Sorry about using you as a sled earlier.¡± ¡°Oh, no worries.¡± ¡°... No worries?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Deserved, really.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. If you acknowledge fault, is there anything you want to say?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, perhaps an apology to that you wronged? Someone beautiful sitting right next to you?¡± ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right.¡± I looked down at Snips and scritched the top of her sturdy head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not standing my ground against Sue. The threat of sandy pastries was too much for me.¡± She patted my leg reassuringly, blowing compassionate and mirth-filled bubbles as she leaned into my scritching. ¡°Really?¡± Maria bent to place her lovely head in my field of view. ¡°You don¡¯t want to apologize for teleporting right before your fiance?e, causing her to tumble ass-over-tit in front of everyone?¡± ¡°Not really, no.¡± ¡°Huh. Well what if I told you said fiance?e¡¯s father is standing right behind you?¡± I froze. ¡°How angry does he look...?¡± ¡°Hard to tell¡ªhe always looks angry.¡± ¡°He does, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Roger agreed, his voice gravel. ¡°Lots to be angry about ¡®round here.¡± ¡°So...¡± Maria said, her face as smug as it was pretty. ¡°Did you have anything to say to your very-patient fiance?e¡¯s very-angry father, Fischer?¡± A lifeline arrived in the form of a barista. Sue held out a tray; the food atop it made my stomach growl. ¡°Pause,¡± I said. ¡°Can we have brekkie before I answer? I can¡¯t think straight with Sue¡¯s creations present.¡± Maria tossed her head side-to-side in consideration. ¡°Deal,¡± she finally said, ¡°but only because I can¡¯t wait either.¡± Though one of my treats was a plain croissant, it wasn¡¯t any less delicious than the passiona danish accompanying it. I lost track of time as I ate, and when I closed my eyes to better focus on the buttery layers of pastry, an odd scene flashed through my mind. Two suns, a cerulean lake, and an emerald sky. The vista faded in and out of view, only vanishing when I upended my cup to drain the last mouthful of coffee. I let out a contented sigh, which enhanced the pleasantly bitter aftertaste that lingered. ¡°Gods above, I needed that.¡± Mmmm, maria replied, still chewing. The memory of breakfast leant me enough strength to look Roger¡¯s way. Sharon was at his side. She bore a smile that was a little too knowing, which made me wonder if she already suspected me, but something else grabbed my attention¡ªa tray of pastries resting in Roger¡¯s hands. Sue must have delivered their brekkie while I was eating, and the corner of my lip curled up when I noticed that Roger had stolen a bite, rushing to swallow it before I¡¯d finished my own. The farmer wore his tough demeanor like a suit of armor, but he found sugary treats just as irresistible as I did. ¡°Delicious, right?¡± I asked, which made his eyebrow twitch. ¡°Now then¡ª¡± I tapped my chi. ¡°¡ªwhat should I say to the father of my fiance?e...?¡± I gesticulated with one hand as I searched for the right words. ¡°Roger, your daughter, who is the love of my life and apple of my eye...¡± Roger¡¯s and Maria¡¯s eyes both narrowed, so I let the rest spew out before they could stop me. ¡°Is also a dirty cheater who deserved every single spec of sand currently taking up residence in her underclothes!¡± I cackled and leaped sideways. Maria pursued. Her eyes became awash with flames once more, but this time, it wasn¡¯t love fueling the inferno. Book 4: Chapter 42: Sweet Treats Book 4: Chapter 42: Sweet Treats I was having my second dream in a single night¡ªit was wonderful. Beside a cerulean lake and beneath an emerald sky, I had a fishing rod in my hands, a smile on my face, and something massive on the end of my line. I reeled, reeled, and reeled some more, yet the fish never got closer. Some might have found this frustrating, perhaps even anxiety inducing, but not me. I knew I was dreaming. Instead of focusing on the subjective failure, I gazed out at my surroundings, wondering if such a vista existed somewhere in this world. I had seen similar colors before, but never in the sky. It was the verdant green of the forests surrounding Tropica, the light hue that some leaves possessed when lit by the midday sun or a particularly bright moon. Speaking of celestial bodies, another arrived, peeking its head over the horizon. Well, I thought. There goes any hope of this being the same world... The second sun trailed the other, on the same path as they marched higher and higher. There was a moment where I considered it might be an optical illusion, but their continued passage confirmed the truth. When I acknowledged that there actually were two of them, disorientation hit me like a sledgehammer. But awe swiftly followed, settling deep in my core as I squinted skyward, my enhanced body letting me gaze directly at them, engaging in what only the silliest of gooses would do back on Earth. Suddenly, my core called to me, urging me to return. Having one last look at the scene as I was yoinked from the dreamscape, I did my best to sear it into my memory. A slight feeling of loss remained as I stirred from sleep. When I opened my eyes, however, a sight far more beautiful than the alien landscape met me. ¡°Good morning,¡± Maria said, her body gloriously bare as she straddled my hips. Slowly, she bent down¡ªboth the kiss she planted on my neck and the tickle of her sun-bleached hair made power course through me. She sat back up, her chest heaving as she stared down at me with burning intensity. ¡°You know, we¡¯ve got some time before you have to leave...¡± ¡°Oh...¡± was all my brain could put together. Thankfully, words weren¡¯t necessary. When Maria pressed herself against me, I forgot they even existed. *** The sun¡¯s rays were just beginning to crest the horizon as Maria and I walked hand in hand toward the coast. It reminded me of something... a dream I¡¯d had last night, perhaps? I furrowed my brow in an attempt to remember, but more-recent memories flooded in first. Maria stopped in her tracks and raised an eyebrow my way. ¡°We might not be connected right now, but I can still tell when you... think things.¡± I stood tall, raising my arms to the sky and pausing a moment when I found the prefect stretch. ¡°I regret nothing.¡± She laughed, sweeping over to plant the softest of kisses on my cheek. ¡°Good.¡± So lost was I in the serotonin flowing through me that I didn¡¯t notice her winding up the mother of all slaps. She smacked the left side of my tooshie with enough force to lift me a few centimeters off the ground. ¡°Keep being a good boy,¡± she whispered, ¡°and maybe I¡¯ll reward you when you get back...¡± I raised both eyebrows at her. ¡°I can feel that you¡¯re joking, but that¡¯s a dangerous game. What if those words awakened something in me? Opened a box whose contents can¡¯t be unseen? Scratched an itch that I¡¯ll henceforth need tended in order to¡ª¡± She cut me off by pressing a finger to my lips. ¡°I would like to immediately retract the last twenty seconds.¡± ¡°Even the spank?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Obviously not the spank.¡± ¡°In that case, I find the terms agreeable.¡± I offered a hand to shake, but she batted it aside and leaped into my arms. Rather than the passionate exchanges of last night, this kiss was softer than velvet. As so often happened around her, all else fell away¡ªwhich was, unfortunately, how it came to be that two large individuals snuck up on us. A ragged sigh from one of them sliced our moment in half, its wielder¡¯s core oozing with resignation. I spun, and it was on his face, too. I raised an eyebrow at Duncan, curious what his game was. Fergus was beside him, looking similarly unsure. The apprentice had replaced his obliterated clothing from yesterday, and an embarrassed tilt to his shoulders was the only remaining proof of the expulsion-via-familiar he¡¯d been subjected to. As he took a slow breath in, his lungs were filled with both air and resolve. ¡°Mate...¡± I said, realization blooming. ¡°You don¡¯t have to...¡± The slight grimace he returned told me that he did, in fact, have to do it. I peered sidelong at Maria, expecting a strong reaction. Instead, a smile teased the corner of her mouth, and her eyes flicked down toward a shoulder-bag Fergus was carrying. ¡°Lad...¡± Fergus tried, taking a half step forward, his hand extended. ¡°Didn¡¯t you learn your lesson? There¡¯s still time to walk away. We¡¯ve got a long day ahead of us. Come now, let¡¯s go have a cup of coffee and a bite of¡ª¡± ¡°Priapus¡¯s eternal erection!¡± Duncan yelled, losing the battle with his own compulsions. ¡°Get a rooo¡ªmmmm?¡± The taunt had started strong, but ended in a soft mumble when someone pink, slimy, and all-encompassing wrapped himself around the apprentice¡¯s head, sealing his mouth shut. Like a cantankerous crab launched by the righteous claw of Snips, Slimes had been a blur as he shot from Fergus¡¯s bag. ¡°Hiiii!¡± he said, replacing Duncan¡¯s facial features with his own. With a loud plop, Slimes removed himself from the smith¡¯s noggin, using it as a grounding point from which to slingshot himself toward¡ªand into¡ªMaria¡¯s abdomen. There, he immediately resumed circulating chi. Duncan wobbled, blinked, and righted himself. He opened his mouth, froze, and shut it once more. ¡°Nope.¡± He turned and strode away, not once looking back. ¡°Coming, boss? I hear there¡¯s coffee and pastries waiting ahead.¡± Fergus just smiled and shrugged before trudging off after his apprentice. ¡°I should have known Slimes was in there,¡± I said, grabbing Maria¡¯s hand. ¡°I was wondering why you didn¡¯t preemptively kick him into the ocean.¡± ¡°Sorry, what was that?¡± Maria¡¯s eyes took a moment to focus on me. ¡°I was checking up on Slimes¡¯s insight from last night.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I softly bumped my shoulder into her. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll watch out for more ambushes while you two catch up.¡± She bumped me back, then settled into herself, tiny fluctuations coming from her chi as she and Slimes communicated. Once more hand in hand, we wandered eastward. The wind shifted suddenly, wafting scents and sounds our way¡ªcoffee, pastries, and the voices of countless friends. Maria took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, they were clear once more, her communication with Slimes having come to an end. ¡°I will never grow tired of that smell.¡± ¡°The coffee, or the pastries?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fair point,¡± I laughed. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. She stopped abruptly and turned to face me. ¡°Race you there?¡± ¡°Oooh, I¡¯m down.¡± ¡°On three?¡± ¡°Sounds good! Should we should set some ground rules, though? This could easily get out of ha¡ª¡± ¡°Three!¡± she interrupted, spraying me with sand as she took off across the dunes. ¡°The audacity....¡± She leaped from the crest of the first hill, and following her recent breakthrough, her strength sent her sailing all the way toward the coast. She glanced back to check on my progress¡ªjust in time to see me snap my fingers. I appeared before her in a flash of light, letting her collide with my body. Her leap, if left unimpeded, would have seen her landing gracefully beside everyone; my haphazard interception, and our subsequent flight of tangled limbs, would do... well, not that. We hit the dune closest to our friends, careening sideways into its top third, and tonnes of sand cascaded over the gathering. I reached for my chi, my level of control more than enough to protect everyone. I didn¡¯t though, obviously¡ªshield them entirely, I mean. I did, however, protect what really mattered. Dozens of little translucent barriers sprang into place atop cups, pitchers, and Sue¡¯s delicious pastries. Not a single grain found its way past my impenetrable walls, which meant I could sit back and enjoy the show. And by sit back and enjoy the show, what I really meant was catch glimpses of the scene as I bounced along the ground like a crash-test dummy. Maria, who I¡¯d become separated from upon impact, rejoined me. Kind of. Her feet landed on my back, and my chaotic passage became nice and smooth as she turned me into a surfboard. It was quite enjoyable initially, because my view of the sandstorm was no-longer obstructed by my own spin cycle... but then Maria shifted her left foot. It pressed down on the nape of my neck, causing my face to part the sand before us. When we started to slow, she leaped off¡ªand must have done a sweet flip or something, because a round of polite applause came from the crowd. Someone even whistled. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°And sorry, everyone. I had no idea he was going to do... whatever that was.¡± I lifted my head and wiped grit from my eyes. ¡°In my defense, neither did I.¡± A bunch of wet somethings popped against my arm, and I glanced, with a giant grin on my face, toward the source of the bubbles. ¡°Hello, Snips. Did you have a nice sleepover with Slimes?¡± She nodded and rubbed her carapace against me, her stream of affectionate bubbles increasing as I stroked the top of her head. She slid her powerful pinchers beneath me and me to my feet with ease. I landed with my arms crossed, returning the playful gazes some of the crowd were leveling my way. ¡°At least someone knows how to treat the arrival of her benevolent and kind leader.¡± Hissing her agreement, Snips leaped into the air, settled into the crook of my arm, and joined me in glaring at the others. Sue sighed, the first to break the stalemate. ¡°Come on. This mummers¡¯ show will last all morning, and the pastries are getting cold.¡± Snips whirled and cast a questioning gaze up at me. I nodded. ¡°For the sake of caffeine and sweet treats, let us move past their egregious insubordination.¡± She leaped up onto my head and stood tall on her spiky legs, an imperious glint in her eye as she looked down upon her lessors. ¡°I know, Snips.¡± I gave an exaggerated sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. I would be justified in locking them all up in my not-a-prison for the foreseeable future.¡± ¡°Fischer.¡± Sue leveled a pair of tongs at me. ¡°Keep that up, and I¡¯ll start hiding sand in your pastries.¡± My indignant facade slipped away like butter on a hot pan. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t...¡± ¡°I would¡ªand only some of them, too. You¡¯d never know if your next bite would bring sweet delight or crunchy regret.¡± She clacked her tongs. ¡°Don¡¯t test me, young man.¡± I plucked the crab from my head and lowered her so we were eye to eye-stalk. ¡°Our enemies are more politically savvy that I anticipated, Snips. I believe we¡¯ve lost this battle.¡± ¡°You have,¡± Sue agreed. ¡°But we will win the war,¡± I hissed, to which my guard crab nodded, then ran a claw across her neck¡ªwell, across where it would be if she had one. ¡°What was that you just said?¡± ¡°Nothing, Sue! Two of your finest coffees and pastries, please!¡± ¡°Much better. Coming right up.¡± As the barista prepared our breakfast, I gazed around at the scene, able to take it in properly now that I was no longer tumbling. Two wooden tables were set up and absolutely covered in trays of pastries. Sue stood behind it, and as she poured from a large jug, a deep-brown liquid flowed out into the cup below. The entire breakfast had been one of the things we¡¯d planned yesterday¡ªin between ocean swims and countless snacks¡ªbut seeing it all come together sparked even more joy than expected. With how busy my animal pals had been lately with their attempts at advancement, I¡¯d seen less and less of them. This brekkie, however, was different. Some of us were departing later this morning, so most of the spirit beasts were present and strewn throughout the gathering. Only Bumblebro, Queen Bee, and the Buzzy boys out on patrol were absent. I wondered how the former two were going; I hadn¡¯t seen them in days. I could sense them via our connection, of course, so I knew they were healthy. I¡¯d felt the urge to go and check up on them at least a dozen times since returning with the boat supplies, but I had already been told off for visiting their hive unannounced. A bolt of lightning struck far to the south, and I just shook my head. I know you¡¯re not here, Claws. I was trying not to think about you. You tell me off every time I even say hello. Shush! she replied, accompanying the word with a pulse of annoyance. I¡¯m busy experimenting! ¡°That fracking otter...¡± Maria¡¯s lilting giggle made me feel a little better, and another shift of the wind finished off the job. Even from here, the cold-brew¡¯s aroma was tantalising. ¡°That¡¯s the addiction speaking,¡± Maria whispered. I pouted at her in response, but she countered it with a cheeky wink, then leaned against my shoulder. ¡°Sorry about using you as a sled earlier.¡± ¡°Oh, no worries.¡± ¡°... No worries?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Deserved, really.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. If you acknowledge fault, is there anything you want to say?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, perhaps an apology to that you wronged? Someone beautiful sitting right next to you?¡± ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right.¡± I looked down at Snips and scritched the top of her sturdy head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not standing my ground against Sue. The threat of sandy pastries was too much for me.¡± She patted my leg reassuringly, blowing compassionate and mirth-filled bubbles as she leaned into my scritching. ¡°Really?¡± Maria bent to place her lovely head in my field of view. ¡°You don¡¯t want to apologize for teleporting right before your fiance?e, causing her to tumble ass-over-tit in front of everyone?¡± ¡°Not really, no.¡± ¡°Huh. Well what if I told you said fiance?e¡¯s father is standing right behind you?¡± I froze. ¡°How angry does he look...?¡± ¡°Hard to tell¡ªhe always looks angry.¡± ¡°He does, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Roger agreed, his voice gravel. ¡°Lots to be angry about ¡®round here.¡± ¡°So...¡± Maria said, her face as smug as it was pretty. ¡°Did you have anything to say to your very-patient fiance?e¡¯s very-angry father, Fischer?¡± A lifeline arrived in the form of a barista. Sue held out a tray; the food atop it made my stomach growl. ¡°Pause,¡± I said. ¡°Can we have brekkie before I answer? I can¡¯t think straight with Sue¡¯s creations present.¡± Maria tossed her head side-to-side in consideration. ¡°Deal,¡± she finally said, ¡°but only because I can¡¯t wait either.¡± Though one of my treats was a plain croissant, it wasn¡¯t any less delicious than the passiona danish accompanying it. I lost track of time as I ate, and when I closed my eyes to better focus on the buttery layers of pastry, an odd scene flashed through my mind. Two suns, a cerulean lake, and an emerald sky. The vista faded in and out of view, only vanishing when I upended my cup to drain the last mouthful of coffee. I let out a contented sigh, which enhanced the pleasantly bitter aftertaste that lingered. ¡°Gods above, I needed that.¡± Mmmm, maria replied, still chewing. The memory of breakfast leant me enough strength to look Roger¡¯s way. Sharon was at his side. She bore a smile that was a little too knowing, which made me wonder if she already suspected me, but something else grabbed my attention¡ªa tray of pastries resting in Roger¡¯s hands. Sue must have delivered their brekkie while I was eating, and the corner of my lip curled up when I noticed that Roger had stolen a bite, rushing to swallow it before I¡¯d finished my own. The farmer wore his tough demeanor like a suit of armor, but he found sugary treats just as irresistible as I did. ¡°Delicious, right?¡± I asked, which made his eyebrow twitch. ¡°Now then¡ª¡± I tapped my chi. ¡°¡ªwhat should I say to the father of my fiance?e...?¡± I gesticulated with one hand as I searched for the right words. ¡°Roger, your daughter, who is the love of my life and apple of my eye...¡± Roger¡¯s and Maria¡¯s eyes both narrowed, so I let the rest spew out before they could stop me. ¡°Is also a dirty cheater who deserved every single spec of sand currently taking up residence in her underclothes!¡± I cackled and leaped sideways. Maria pursued. Her eyes became awash with flames once more, but this time, it wasn¡¯t love fueling the inferno. Book 4: Chapter 43: Ten Book 4: Chapter 43: Ten As the sun rose over the eastern horizon, another beautiful day arrived on the shores of Tropica. I stood atop a giant platform of light, my solid chi giving me a wonderful spot from which to watch the churning ocean. I paused and took a deep breath. The salty air made a sense of great calm radiate from my core and throughout my entire body¡ªbut was immediately shattered as I ducked Maria¡¯s... was that a roundhouse kick? I narrowed my eyes at Cinnamon, wondering if this was her doing. When the troublesome little bunny let out a frustrated cry, I further suspected I was correct. And her following scream, which could be roughly translated to: punch his jawbone through his butt, eliminated any doubt. ¡°Cinnamon!¡± I yelled, laughing. ¡°You need to chill!¡± Ever the defiant daughter, she chose to shadowbox instead, burning the excess energy she got from watching our fight. Before I could further chastize her, Maria¡¯s fist lashed out, driving me back. Anyone that didn¡¯t know us might have thought we were serious. At the very least, they would think I was the victim of domestic violence¡ªif not outright mariticide in the near future. They¡¯d be wrong, of course. Though decidedly explosive, this was one of the ways we bonded; our exchange was more ¡®choreographed dance¡¯ than ¡®street fight¡¯. Even back when Maria had been a regular human, we tussled and play-fought, using it as an excuse to get close to each other. We continued for another fifteen minutes or so, and as Maria¡¯s attacks grew increasingly powerful, our friends lounged and chatted, gazing up at the light show we were putting on. With a series of eye movements and thoughts sent to one-another¡¯s core, we agreed on a finishing move. I teleported behind her, pretending to grab her around the waist. ¡°Hiiii!¡± Slimes sang, slamming into my head and covering it just as he¡¯d done to Duncan. I wobbled on the spot, channeling my inner wrestler as I faked being dazed. Maria, to the cheers of the crowd, kissed her closed fist. Round and round it whirled, gathering momentum and promising to unleash a fight-ending blow. She shot forward, and enough force gathered in her limb to actually threaten me physically as it descended for the crown of my head. Mere millimeters away from me, just when her potent chi started to make my skin tingle, Slimes removed himself, and she stopped. Then, as fast as a serpentine spirit-beast, she became a blur and hit me directly in the forehead with a... soft little peck. I shook my body violently to make it seem like her energy was bouncing around me and growing stronger. Finally, I bent, clutched my stomach, and unleashed some of my own chi, giving the illusion that her attack had shot free of my back. It was only a whisper of my power, but in retrospect, even that was too much. A column of pure essence torrented into the sky, shimmering with pearlescent beauty. It wanted to explode outward, just as I¡¯d accidentally let happen back in the capital. But I was in control now. I allowed myself a small smirk as I used my other partition¡ªthe one controlling the chi we stood on¡ªto encase the pillar and deny its expansion. I had to add more power at the last moment, weaving strands of will from my core to ensure it didn¡¯t detonate. Still folded like a pretzel, I resumed my terrible job of acting. My back led the charge as I plummeted groundward, but that worked for me¡ªmy eyes faced the sky, so I was able to watch my condensed line of essence pierce the heavens. *** In the center of the vast sea, where no ship had sailed since the days of old, the clouds were black as pitch. A storm had arrived. Waves taller than mountains rose up only to descend once more, tonnes and tonnes and tonnes of ocean slamming down with enough force to rip even land asunder. Violence on such a grand scale was almost too hard to comprehend. If one could harness the energy of such a storm, they could conquer kingdoms¡ªperhaps an entire continent. Thousands of fathoms beneath these crushing waves, paying them as much attention as a god would a bug, an ancient being neared the end of their task. Now that the elemental spirits had become one again, scouring the remains of the archaic forest had taken even less time than they¡¯d thought it would. They¡¯d torn through the vast majority in hours, their impressive mass able to ooze out in all directions. Each chi-infused fossil they had encountered was a blessing¡ªanother cause for celebration¡ªand they¡¯d accumulated no small number. Though more than plentiful, it was also vexing. They had found nine. Most beings, even those that had taken the first step on the stairwell to ascension, were woefully ignorant of the power that numbers possessed. And among those that weren¡¯t, most of them believed for the wrong reason. It was ever a source of frustration to the earth elemental that superstition was observed by both the most-enlightened and the least-idiotic of beings, the latter¡¯s passionate stupidity discrediting the former¡¯s wisdom. Nine... they mused as they traced the border of the sunken continent, desperately destroying anything that could hide another prize. It wasn¡¯t what the number was that haunted them; it was what the number wasn¡¯t. One short of ten, a single fossil from attaining the divine number of perfection. Of completeness. If they had found seven or eight, they would have long ago left this place. By now, they could have rejoined the rest of their brothers and sisters. They could have already resumed the hunt for the newly awakened lightning elemental, perhaps even chosen a place to lay in wait, the trap ready to be sprung. But alas, they hadn¡¯t. They¡¯d found nine. And so the search continued. It was worth it, they reminded themself. To find ten relics of cosmic value was to have pleased the heavens¡ªand not the false heavens that the former gods of this world had called home. The true heavens. The place in which entities of real importance dwelled. With such a number involved, the worst possibility was that finding them would draw the attention of these enlightened beings. The best possibility, though¡ªwhich the elemental dared not ponder overlong¡ªwas that the heavens had placed the relics there for them to find. They returned to the present, focusing on their surroundings to estimate how much out the outer crust was left. They replayed their hours-long passage in seconds, and the answer they got made their mass roil. Their task was almost complete. Only a third of the border remained. Once they destroyed the last of it, there would be no more¡ªtheir chance of finding a tenth relic would be as dead as the continent the forest had grown... on... One of the several permineralized fossils they¡¯d absorbed in the last second felt different from the rest. The elemental halted their passage, all of their awareness flooding inward to find a tree-shaped rock, its crystalline structure... filled with chi. Their combined wills slammed into it, shattered the encasing shell, and uncovered something priceless. They had discovered a tenth relic. Their mission truly was blessed by the heavens... If someone had been thousands of fathoms above, they would have witnessed an event equal parts terror-inducing and awe-inspiring. Beneath a sky of roiling clouds, with winds hundreds of knots-an-hour howling past, the ocean froze. Its mountainous peaks wavered, shuddered, and sank as an unseen force vibrated powerfully enough to fissure the continental plate below. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Back on what had been the ocean floor, the elemental continued radiating its seismic shocks. They were sucked hundreds of meters into the crack in the planet¡¯s crust that their exultation had created, the water surrounding it becoming superheated by the molten rock below. A weaker elemental might have been bothered by the heat. Perhaps incinerated immediately. But magma was the cousin of earth, and the elemental was anything but weak. So strong was their celebration that the rest of their brothers and sisters stirred. Scattered across the ocean, squirreled away within caverns, trenches¡ªand even a dormant volcano¡ªtheir awareness flickered. The main body of the elemental could have pulled the tendrils of power back. Could have let them all fall asleep once more. That was no longer necessary, however. As their conscious minds awoke, many lashed out, furious just as the first sister had been upon learning of the oldest brother¡¯s perceived betrayal. She separated herself from him and urged all of them to be patient. Ordered them to hear his tale before judging. Knowing her to be a being of sheer logic, they heeded her warning¡ªif only temporarily. Come, he sent, retelling past and present history in all its glory. Rejoin us. Within moments, the memories settled within them, and even the most contrarian of them pulsed with understanding. His actions, though extreme, had been brilliant. Perhaps perfect. And the heavenly beings high above, the entities that reigned over the cosmos, might have orchestrated it. At the very least, they would now be watching¡ªsuch was the significance of the ten powerful relics. Take your time, the elemental urged. Do not be hasty, lest the newborn being find¡ª A blast of chi erupted from the west, severing the elementals¡¯ communication. The essence was pure¡ªcompletely unaspected. If that had been all, fear would have shaken the first brother¡¯s heart. But there was more. A second surge came, this one intentional, controlled, and much, much more powerful. Both left as fast as they had arrived, shooting off into the endless darkness above. When they left this planet¡¯s orbit and communication was no-longer impeded, the first brother and sister reached out with tendrils of their power, reconnecting with the other parts of themself. Together, they echoed the same sentiment. Flee! They needn¡¯t have done so. Every single one of the other elementals was already retreating, slipping from their places of slumber and following the trails of chi back to the main body. Moving toward the source of the unaspected chi went against the first brother and sister¡¯s very instincts, so they decided to remain still. The others could come to them. Their minds remained split as they tried to decipher the identity of the dread-being brave or foolish enough to use chi that bore no aspect. *** I help up a finger, cutting Paul off mid-sentence as something tickled my nose. Covering my face with an arm, I sneezed, shaking my head as the sensation faded. ¡°Sorry, mate. Maria¡¯s strike must have dislodged part of my brain. That sent it flying, I think. Hopefully it wasn¡¯t anything too important.¡± Maria patted my shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s implying that there¡¯s anything important up there to lose, my love.¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯d usually be offended by something like that... is that the bit I sneezed out? The part that takes offense?¡± I leaned down toward Paul and flared my nostrils, also crossing my eyes for good measure. ¡°Can you check for me, mate?¡± Paul¡¯s uninhibited laughter was music to my ears. So, naturally, I had to coax more out. Tilting my head side-to-side, I circled him, following his field of view every time he tried to look away. ¡°I need your help, Paul! Only your fingers are small enough to get up there and check!¡± ¡°S-Stop!¡± He giggled, fighting for breath. ¡°You show weakness, junior! Let this one share some pointers with¡ª¡± ¡°M-mom! Fischer is¡ª¡± ¡°Junior, you dare?¡± I got closer and opened my eyes as wide as possible. ¡°You are courting death¡ª¡± ¡°Fischer! What are you doing to my son?¡± ¡°Elder Helen!¡± I went bolt upright, my hands snapping to my sides, then bowed at the waist. ¡°This lowly one greets you!¡± She sighed. ¡°At least you won¡¯t have to deal with him for long, Paul. If we¡¯re lucky, he might not come back from his trip.¡± ¡°Ohhhhh,¡± Maria said. ¡°Buuurn!¡± But I just looked at Barry and raised an eyebrow, unable to hide my smirk. He blanched. Helen looked at me, then her husband, then me again. ¡°... Barry?¡± ¡°Uhhh, yes dear?¡± ¡°Why is Fischer looking at you like he just caught you drinking straight from the whiskey barrel?¡± ¡°I...¡± His weirdly muscular fingers fumbled with the hem of his shirt. ¡°I may have said that it might perhaps be possible¡ªjust a possibility, mind you¡ªfor Paul to... come. On the fishing trip, I mean.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± she replied, her tone unnaturally flat. ¡°And when were you planning on telling me about this decision?¡± ¡°Yesterday. It, errr... Can we talk about this in private?¡± ¡°Why would we, Barry?¡± The glint in her eyes was sharper than a System-made hook. ¡°You seem to be discussing our business with other people, so why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± All at once, she broke into a smile, and laughter bubbled up from her core. ¡°Your face, Barry. You¡ª¡± She cackled like a madwoman. ¡°Oh, gods above. Of course Paul can go.¡± She waved a dismissive hand my way. ¡°It was weird that you didn¡¯t trust Fischer with him in the first place.¡± ¡°Yeah, Barry.¡± I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Super weird of you.¡± Believing that Helen had actually been pissed, most of the breakfast group had taken off. Sue and Sturgill had straight-up carried their table¡ªstill covered in food and coffee¡ªaway over the dunes. Only those coming on the trip had remained, as had my animal pals, Maria, and Helen. Two people were unexpected though, and I gazed their way, my heart filled with hope. When I looked past them and spotted a pair of packed bags on the sand... Well, that could only mean one thing. ¡°Before you speak,¡± I said, ¡°I need you to know that I will not be okay if you pretend to come, then bail.¡± One of them opened their mouth to reply, but I forged on. ¡°Yes, yes. I know¡ªI deserve that and more. Tenfold, probably. But I¡¯m serious. I might explode. And given how much power I have all up inside of me¡ªdon¡¯t look at me like that, Maria. Get your head out of the gutter. Given that power, I might actually explode, and... Why are you guys not saying anything?¡± I turned back to Maria. ¡°Did I freeze time again? Why are they not saying anything?¡± Ruby shook her head at me. ¡°You didn¡¯t give us a chance to speak.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Steven said. ¡°You sound like Paul that one time he had a coffee.¡± ¡°Ehhhh.¡± Trent made a so-so gesture with his hand. ¡°I think Fischer was worse.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Paul agreed. ¡°I was nowhere near as bad as him!¡± ¡°Oi! Stop using me as a measurement for how annoying something is! And don¡¯t change the subject, Ruby! Are you coming or not?¡± Steven and Ruby shared a glance, and the latter nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve been missing out these past weeks, and there¡¯s no place safer for me than by your side. We want to come.¡± All I could do for a moment was blink back. I took a deep breath, tried to contain myself, then made a noise that was definitely manly and not at all embarrassing. ¡°That¡¯s it! I¡¯m overwhelmed! Cuddle puddle! Stat!¡± Teddy got to me before I could get the last word out. One paw went around my torso, the other around Maria¡¯s, and he pulled us against his ridiculously strong yet still squishy frame. It was just what the doctor ordered. And then the rest of them arrived. Pelly and Bill landed atop Teddy¡¯s shoulder, their wings making wind wash down over me. There was an orange blur to my right, followed by a very happy steam of bubbles, and Sergeant Snips came rocketing in at the perfect angle. Her many spikes were covered in blue chi. I rubbed one with my chin, finding it smooth to the touch. Brigadier Borks and Cinnamon arrived as a tag team. I wondered how Borks planned on cramming his way in, but then he transformed. Rather than the Chihuahua I expected, he slid in as a Whippet¡ªthe smaller, anxiety-disordered cousin of the Greyhound. He trembled with excitement as he slid toward the center, but small as he might be, he got stuck. Thankfully¡ªor not, depending on your perspective¡ªCinnamon followed through with a perfectly aimed push kick right on Borks¡¯s rump. They both tumbled in and came to a rest atop Snips¡¯s shell. A dozen or so of the Buzzy Boys flew in and found places to nestle in, their wings vibrating a message of appreciation from the entire hive mind. Pistachio let out a neutral steam of bubbles, resting one of his gigantic snippers against the back of my leg. From any other of the spirit beasts, it would have made me worry. From my lobster pal, it was on par with the most affection he¡¯d ever shown. ¡°Okay, gang,¡± I said, reluctantly relaxing my embrace. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we set sail...¡± Book 4: Chapter 44: The Perfect Ratio Book 4: Chapter 44: The Perfect Ratio Standing tall, I breathed as deep as I could. A brisk easterly had blown in from nowhere. Waves crashed against the ship¡¯s hull and threw particles of salty water into the air, their scent washing over my awareness and restoring the sense of calm that was never too far away when you lived in Tropica. The taste of salt hit my tongue, which made me recall my time fishing back on Earth. I¡¯d just been a regular human then. A man with more troubles than I knew what to do with. Despite my lack of a core, the smell of the ocean had been a source of absolute mindfulness¡ªa presence that scoured away all but the most persistent of worries. Even more relaxing, however, was the act of fishing. It demanded your full attention. There were countless sources of distraction, of course: wind, waves, and the warming sun beaming down on your shoulders. Through them all, one had to keep a part of their mind on the finger touching the line¡ªyou just never knew when a fish would come along and have a nibble, after all. It was an odd time to reminisce on such things, but the reason for their return was obvious. We stood on the precipice of an adventure¡ªof a new frontier that we were about to explore for ourselves. Despite how skilled I¡¯d gotten at keeping my senses constrained, Bonnie¡¯s core was screaming out to me¡ªit seemed to be doing its best to vibrate right out of her body. I glanced back, seeing her keen excitement reflected on the faces of everyone else. Fergus, Duncan, Steven, Ruby, Theo, Deklan, Barry, and Paul. Including Bonnie and I, we were ten cultivators¡ªa nice round number for the ship¡¯s maiden voyage. Cats were good luck on such endeavors, but I didn¡¯t have one yet, so I¡¯d brought Borks and Cinnamon along instead. Bonnie¡¯s chi called out to me again, vibrating as I harnessed all the members of this trip in place. The intoxicating nature of her core wasn¡¯t exactly surprising¡ªadventure was her literal purpose in life. Her breakthrough had confirmed it. With one last look at the effect her emotions were having on everyone else, I turned toward the front of the ship, gazing at the eastern horizon over top of the bow. I took another breath of salty air. Its freshness filled me with vigor, which I then channeled into my chi, securing my pals to the deck just in case. When my essence touched Borks, I asked a single question in his mind. He confirmed that he¡¯d succeeded last night, giving me the slightest of nods, which he hid with a big yawn. I had to consciously hide the joy his answer sparked within my core. ¡°Well, gang,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s only one last thing to do.¡± Maria, who stood on the deck with Helen, gave a playful roll of her eyes. ¡°I know you and Barry are terrified of being without us, but you can¡¯t just keep making up excuses.¡± ¡°No, no, this is the most important part of a new ship¡ªa tradition as old as sailing! I¡¯m honestly surprised that none of you have brought it up.¡± Maria frowned; she could sense my sincerity. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m lost.¡± I raised a hand high, pretended to gather power, then shot it to the side and into a small portal Borks opened just in time. Within, I found one of his many objectives from last night, and I beamed as I pulled it out. Borks immediately closed the gateway, sealing his dimensional space. I held out the bottle of wine, its glass and red contents gleaming in the light. ¡°We, my dear friends, must name and christen this ship!¡± I expected some oooh¡¯s in response, perhaps even some aaah¡¯s. Instead, I was met with a long silence. ¡°Okay,¡± Maria eventually said, ¡°we¡¯re not dumb, Fischer. If you are that desperate to name things that you¡¯re gonna start giving them to inanimate objects, just say that¡¯s what you want to do. There¡¯s no need to make up obviously fake traditions.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± I looked around, and the looks on everyone¡¯s faces mirrored Maria¡¯s. ¡°You guys seriously haven¡¯t heard of this?¡± ¡°No,¡± came their long suffering answers, only my animals pals and Paul looking excited about the prospect. I blew air through my lips, reached for some scattered memories, and showed them the truth. Maria blinked as her gaze refocused a moment later. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be. I would have sworn you were lying about that one.¡± ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°What are you gonna call it?¡± Paul asked, his eyes aglow with the possibilities. ¡°Something to match how cool it looks?¡± Deciding there was no point in delaying further, I launched the bottle, and as it shattered against the the chain railing, I screamed the ship¡¯s name for the entire village to hear. Before the shards of glass could fall into the ocean, I crushed them between strands of chi, grinding them into dust. That single word I¡¯d let out seemed to shake the deck, and whispers of power settled into the woodgrain, moving to become a part of the ship. I braced myself for some sort of transformation, wondering how it would affect my plans, but nothing happened. Two small hands grabbed me by the cheeks, and Maria turned my head, forcing me to face her. ¡°I love you, but that was your worst name yet.¡± ¡°What? Why? It¡¯s thematic, sharp, and to the point.¡± ¡°How is the name Bob thematic for a boat? It¡¯s...¡± she trailed off, slowly turning toward me as realization struck. ¡°Why are you like this?¡± ¡°Gods above,¡± Ruby swore, similarly struck by knowledge. The others just looked confused. Poor Paul¡¯s head darted back and forth in a frenzy, his brow only creasing further with each second that no explanation came. Before he could give himself a concussion, I rested a hand on his shoulder. ¡°What does wood do in water?¡± ¡°Uhhh, it floats?¡± ¡°Some would say that, mate.¡± I gave an exaggerated wink. ¡°Others would say that it bobs.¡± ¡°Oh! Bob the boat!¡± A series of groans rose from everyone else, but there were just as many snorts and amused noises¡ªthe perfect ratio, if you asked me. Maria leaned in, kissed me on the mouth, then pulled back and stared into my eyes. ¡°I really do love you, but I need to go. I¡¯ll be reconsidering our marriage while you were gone.¡± Without another word, she petted both Borks and Cinnamon, then leaped away. Helen shook her head at me, pecked Barry on the lips and Paul on the forehead, and departed in the same manner. I sent Maria my affection, returning the torrent she¡¯d been pouring my way even as she claimed she needed to rethink our future. ¡°Ready when you are, Trent!¡± As all present were secured to the deck by my chi, I could partially perceive their emotions, only the strongest making it through my defenses. Those coming from the former prince were overwhelming. Long gone was the mountain of duty that caused him to spend every waking hour searching for a way to cure his family. Maria¡¯s breakthrough and subsequent bonding of a healing familiar had taken that pressure from his shoulders, and in the wake of such a burden, Bonnie¡¯s enthusiasm was taking root. Trent¡¯s anticipation and hope built and built, becoming so strong that I had to stop focusing on his emotions, lets they smother mine. Even with a shell raised around me, I could feel Bonnie spurring him on, her gaze intense as she felt him reciprocating her resolve. Without another word, Trent reached for his core, grasped hold of his flames, and poured a thin stream of will into the engine¡¯s spout. The construct whirred, drank deep of his chi, then changed it into something more. *** Maria stood on the sandy shore, delighting in how happy everyone was. She had assumed she would be a little sad watching them go. After all, she did love fishing. But as she felt Trent reach for his flames and pour them down into the boat¡¯s propulsion system, all she could feel was her own sense of excitement¡ªshe finally had the power to heal all those trapped in Tropica¡¯s prison. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. As the conflagration churned within the rear of the ship, amplifying in potency on its way out of the claw-shaped exhaust, she felt a wave of gratitude so potent that it eclipsed any she could remember. It wasn¡¯t for anyone onboard, however. Nor was it for the creation of the vessel, which would facilitate all sorts of adventures in the future. It wasn¡¯t for the annoyingly amusing name Fischer had given it, and it wasn¡¯t for the life-giving sun that shone above. This gratitude, stronger than any she¡¯d felt in recent memory, was because she not strapped to the deck when flames bigger than a house shot from Bob the boat. Dom had remained behind as a safety precaution; his core was capable of shielding the citizens should some unforeseen shenanigans come to pass. But who could have guessed that their departure would be the source of said shenanigans? The man held his arms wide, and a shield appeared that was even bigger than the teardrop-shaped inferno flaring toward them. One second, the ship was there. The next, it was rocketing over the horizon, sailing above the ocean rather than on it. ¡°Uhhh,¡± Maria said as they disappeared from sight. ¡°Are they gonna be okay...?¡± Dom, peering down at the flat slab of molten glass that now ran along the waterline, shook his head. ¡°When Fischer is involved, the only thing in danger is their sensibilities. I¡¯m just glad Helen wasn¡¯t here to see¡ª¡± He¡¯d spoken too soon. A torrent of words you¡¯d never expect to hear from Helen came flying over the dunes, cutting off Dom¡¯s sentence. Paul¡¯s mother stood up three peaks back as her tirade increased in both pitch and vigour. Maria stored some of the insults away for later use on her beloved¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t even have to swap his name in; it was already there. *** As we sailed over the ocean, wind rushed past me, whipping the hair on my head into a chaotic mess. Such an occurrence was usually a source of mindfulness. A calming sensation I could focus on to ground myself in the present. But given the fact my brand new boat was currently flying hundreds of meters above the sea, flames still rocketing from the propulsion system, I didn¡¯t really feel up to meditating. ¡°Trent!¡± I called. ¡°Feel free to stop feeding chi into it! I think we¡¯ve gotten far enough!¡± ¡°I stopped almost immediately! A quarter of my power remains below!¡± ¡°Oh!Good! I was worried we wouldn¡¯t go halfway across the globe!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sensing some sarcasm!¡± Barry yelled. ¡°Can you confirm, Theo?¡± ¡°Definitely sarcasm!¡± Ruby unleashed a breathless laugh, the sound as beautiful as the sun we seemed to be sailing toward. Deklan had shielded everyone with his chi, the protective properties of his essence somehow even able to defend against the force of acceleration. It was the only reason I hadn¡¯t immediately portalled half the people present¡ªespecially Ruby¡ªback onto dry land. With the angle of our trajectory, we couldn¡¯t even see the ocean, only open sky and a rising sun visible over the railing of our boat-turned-aeroplane. When the flames finally died, I pressed down on the front deck. The entire vessell tilted. The sun shifted above. And the blessed sea, its depths a deeper blue than I¡¯d seen on this world, came into view. In every direction, it was all we could see. Not even a spec of land was visible in this stretch of sea, and as it seemed to rush up to meet us, I prepared layers of chi around the hull. There were dozens upon dozens, each growing larger and thinner. I kept going, only stopping when one became so thin that the shifting wind made it break. It had taken all of my focus to build them, but maintaining them was easy, so I returned to the present, holding the layers in place with a single partition, and what I found made butterflies take flight within me. Everyone was hooting and hollering, so I joined in, not caring how my whooping sounded to the outside world. And then we struck. My layers were obliterated, destroyed by the force Bob meeting the water¡¯s surface¡ªbut that was the point. By the time the last broke, a foot of ocean peeked above the side of the deck, held at bay by a solid wall of my light. Like a rubber ducky forced underwater by an overeager toddler, we bobbed back up¡ªheh¡ªand water splashed everywhere as we landed once more. ¡°All hands on deck!¡± I called, enjoying myself way too much as I removed the tendrils holding everyone down. ¡°How did the rods fare?¡± ¡°Secure!¡± Paul yelled, giving me a thumbs up from the open door to the cabin. ¡°Bait?¡± Theo pinched his nose as he looked up from the barrel of eel. ¡°Stinky, Captain!¡± ¡°Tackle?¡± ¡°Here!¡± Fergus had already removed it from his bag and set it down on the deck. Borks, well, borked as he opened a portal. Cinnamon coated herself in chi, flew inside, kicked the secondary tackle box out, and reemerge. The door immediately closed behind her. ¡°Uh, Fischer?¡± Bonnie asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just put all of it in Borks¡¯s personal space?¡± ¡°To keep things sporting, of course!¡± Theo, who was leaning far back from the now-open barrel of eel, frowned at my words. He raised a brow and tilted his head in question. I flashed a grin and shot him a wink as I strode past, heading for the cabin and the rods held within. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you guys, but I might implode if I don¡¯t wet a line soon.¡± Paul started handed me rod after rod, which I chucked toward my pals, their enhanced reflexes meaning none of the precious object were at risk of falling. When Ruby caught hers, she passed it to Steven. I smiled, the small show of affection making my heart happy. But then I passed a second rod to her, and she passed it to him again. And another. And another. ¡°Okay, what gives?¡± I nodded at Steven, who was now wrestling with four of them. ¡°Are you not fishing, Ruby?¡± She giggled and shook her head, the way her hair flicked making me think of Maria. ¡°Of course I am. I¡¯m just waiting for my rod.¡± ¡°... Your rod?¡± I raised an eye at Paul, who furrowed his brow and dashed into the cabin. ¡°Oh!¡± he said from within, returning a moment later with a... fishing rod? I blinked at what was clearly a joke at my expense. The ¡®rod¡¯ drew my eyes in. Sewing Rod of the Tailor Rare This rod doubles as a tool for both fishing and tailoring. Though appearing to be crocheted, this instrument is as strong and flexible as it needs to be, able to both hold tension when sewing or reeling in a fish. Adds half of the users tailoring skill to their fishing skill, or vice versa, depending on the activity being undertaken. When my vision cleared, I raised both eyebrows at Ruby, who wore one of the smuggest grins I¡¯d ever seen. ¡°We¡¯ve not been sitting around doing nothing, Fischer.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Steven agreed. ¡°It took days, but we had the time to spare.¡± I took a step forward, my hand reaching out of its own accord, but I forced myself to stop. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ruby held it out, and as I ran my hand over the handle, my brain and eyes told me two different things. Even under the scrutiny of my enhanced vision, it looked like a crocheted toy. Beneath my fingers though, it was like interwoven wood, strong despite the gaps betwen the ¡®string¡¯. I withdrew. ¡°That thing is breaking my head. Congratulations, and I hate it.¡± Ruby snorted and pulled her Sewing Rod of the Tailor closer. ¡°It certainly takes some getting used to¡ªthat¡¯s for sure. But the benefits...¡± A gleam entered her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I ever sewed things without it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve not had a chance to use it for fishing,¡± Steven added. ¡°So, when we heard about your little trip...¡± Ruby¡¯s smile turned predatory. ¡°How could we pass up the opportunity?¡± ¡°Well,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came along, even if it was only to try your rod.¡± ¡°Me too! The passage here alone made it worth it!¡± Ruby moved to the larger tackle box, but as she stared down at the different hooks and sinkers, she cocked her head. ¡°I just realized that I don¡¯t know what setup we should use from a boat?¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar to the paternoster rig,¡± I replied. ¡°You remember how to tie it?¡± ¡°Remember? It was the first you ever showed us!¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± I went over to the other tackle box¡ªthe one stored within Borks¡¯s dimensional space¡ªand retrieved the necessary bits and pieces for my rod. ¡°The only difference between the normal paternoster and the one we¡¯ll be using is... why are you all looking at me like that?¡± Theo cleared his throat. ¡°Are you compensating for something with that hook, Fischer?¡± I glanced down at the hook, its metal as thick as my finger, then back up at Theo. ¡°Given that you can tell if I¡¯m lying, the only safe bet is to not answer that.¡± This drew a laugh from everyone but Paul, who just looked confused. Before he could question what we were all talking about, I forged onward. ¡°Right. So tie the main line to the eye of a swivel, then tie a meter of thick line to the other eye. Create the hoops for your hooks here¡ªI reckon two is a good number.¡± They followed along, Paul helped by Cinnamon, who pointed at the two spots he should create loops. ¡°Awesome. Here¡¯s where it gets a little different...¡± I grabbed the thinnest line we had. ¡°Short of reinforcing this with chi, if you tied your hook to this line, anything bigger than two-or-three kilos would snap off. We¡¯ll be attaching sinkers with it, which will be at the very bottom of the rig. Does anyone know why we¡¯re using this weaker line on purpose?¡± A sea of confused faces met me. Theo was the first to work it out, as befitted the fishing fanatic. ¡°Oh! Do you think there might be rocks below us?¡± ¡°Got it in one, my man. We¡¯re going to drop our lines until they touch the bottom, then reel them up a tiny bit. If there are rocks, corals, or anything else that can snag us, it¡¯ll likely be the sinker getting caught on them. The line being thin¡ªand the knot being weak¡ªmeans they¡¯ll be the fault points.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°It saves most of our equipment and reduces our chances of polluting. Brilliant.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°The rig, not you.¡± I barked a laugh and bent to pet Borks, whose golden-haired tail swished back and forth over the deck. ¡°That¡¯s fair¡ªI didn¡¯t think of the setup myself.¡± It took little time to finish attaching out hooks, and even less to bait them. When I was done, I swung my rod over the water, flicked the reel open, and let it free spool. My excitement returned as meter after meter disappeared into the abyss, and I couldn¡¯t help but imagine the weird and whacky creatures that might live in the depths below. If they were down there, I¡¯d find them. Of that, I was sure. Book 4: Chapter 45: Shifting Colors Book 4: Chapter 45: Shifting Colors Beneath a sun so hot a regular bloke¡¯s skin would burn in minutes, I arched my back, enjoying the way my bare shoulders prickled. A muscular jaw leaned into my field of view, and before I could ask what was up, Barry glanced down at my torso. ¡°Does anyone think Maria would be surprised Fischer took his shirt off before his sinker reached the bottom?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± ¡°Not even a little,¡± and ¡°She might be surprised he had one on in the first place,¡± came the responses of my friends. ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon!¡± I raised both arms high. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful bloody day¡ªhow am I supposed to remain fully clothed when the sun feels so nice? Besides, I still have my captain hat on. That¡¯s some¡ªoh!¡± Something had bumped my line. A part of me thought it was a fish at first, but then I just smiled at myself¡ªthe sinker had reached the bottom. I snapped my reel back into place, wound in a few times, then held my finger against the line. ¡°I reckon it¡¯s about seventy meters down based on how much length missing from my rod. You should all be hitting it soon.¡± Barry¡¯s hit next, making him forget all about teasing me. He copied my actions, flicking his reel before winding in the exact amount of times I had. ¡°Try reeling in another few meters or so, mate.¡± ¡°... Why?¡± ¡°Because one depth could be better than the others. I don¡¯t have the faintest idea what we might catch here, so it¡¯s all about trial and error. The more we fail, the more data we¡¯ll accumulate.¡± Notably not winding in as I¡¯d suggested, he turned a glower on me. ¡°So you get to be near the bottom where the fish are, and I get to fail?¡± ¡°Barry, when have I ever led you astray?¡± ¡°Would you like me to list each instance by severity or chronological order?¡± ¡°Oh, psh! Stop living in the past, mate. I meant today.¡± ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t today, but just because I haven¡¯t noticed doesn¡¯t mean it hasn¡¯t happened.¡± Theo, whose line had reached the bottom, cleared his throat. ¡°I might be able to shed some light on at least one thing he¡¯s done today, Barry.¡± ¡°Theo,¡± I warned. ¡°If you so much as hint at what I think you know, I¡¯ll send you back to Tropica.¡± ¡°By sending me back to Tropica, do you mean via teleportation?¡± ¡°No.¡± Theo turned to face the ocean immediately, watching the water as he waited for a bite. ¡°Hang on,¡± Barry said. ¡°What did Fischer do? You can¡¯t just bring it up and go quiet!¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll find that he can, mate.¡± ¡°Theo?¡± the muscle-man continued, snapping his fingers to get the former auditor¡¯s attention. But Theo may as well have been a boulder. ¡°Why are you ignoring me...?¡± I gave him a malicious grin and waggled my eyebrows in victory, happy to let him stew. ¡°If I were to hazard a guess,¡± Ruby said, eyes closed as she faced the sea. ¡°I¡¯d say that both questions are answered by Theo¡¯s abilities as a crown auditor. Because he knows when people tell the truth, he learned that Fischer verbally led you astray.¡± ¡°Allegedly,¡± I added, which made her laugh. ¡°Allegedly,¡± she repeated.¡°That same ability is a double-edged sword though, Barry.¡± ¡°How?¡± Instead of answering him, Ruby raised an eyebrow my way. ¡°Do all of us have to try different depths?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯d say only one of us at a time. It¡¯s still more-likely to find fish at the bottom.¡± ¡°In that case, Barry, I¡¯ll tell you the truth on one condition...¡± She looked at him for the first time since she joined the conversation, and it wasn¡¯t with the eyes of a friend, an expectant mother, or any of the other social roles Ruby occupied¡ªit was with the gaze of a hawk. ¡°You, Barry, have to be the guinea pig that winds their line up. If you do that, I¡¯ll share what I know.¡± ¡°Oh come on! You can¡¯t be serious!¡± I cackled, as did the smiths, Deklan, and Cinnamon, her little peeps a welcome counterpoint to our loudness. Even Borks was amused, his tail wagging softly. Barry eyed us all, his gaze finally landing on Ruby¡ªwho had turned back to the ocean and was ignoring him completely. Gritting his teeth, he wound his reel a handful of times. ¡°Fine. Deal.¡± ¡°Good lad,¡± she said, despite being not much older. ¡°The reason Theo won¡¯t answer you is this...¡± Ruby glanced up at Barry, her eyes sparkling like gems. ¡°Theo knows when Fischer is being honest, yes? So when Theo asked if he¡¯d be teleported back, and Fischer answered no, Theo would must have known it was the truth. Thus, if Theo betrays whatever lie he caught Fischer in, Fischer will use a different method to send him home¡ªa good yeeting, I presume.¡± ¡°No comment!¡± Theo called, having not once rejoined the conversation. ¡°You know, Ruby,¡± I said. ¡°I might have yeeted you back to town yourself if you weren¡¯t pregnant. Pretty audacious of you to reveal the secrets of God-king Fischer...¡± ¡°But I am pregnant, and you won¡¯t yeet me.¡± I opened my mouth to say something sharp, probably directed at Steven about how good Ruby was at arguing¡ªI never really knew what words were going to come from me until they started flying out¡ªbut Barry beat me. ¡°Is no one else bothered that Fischer lied?¡± he asked, scanning the crowd. Deklan blew a raspberry. ¡°I¡¯d rather he hid stuff, to be honest. Who knows what kind of information gets fed into the mind of a Traveler? I came fishing to relax, not to learn cosmic secrets.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Fergus agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re allowed to ask him to become the leader, then get mad when he does something leadery. I trust Fischer to do the right thing, and so should you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... huh.¡± I gave the smith an appraising look. ¡°That¡¯s a kind way of putting it, Fergus.¡± Barry sighed. ¡°If it¡¯s for the sake of the village, I guess I can accept it...¡± ¡°Who said it was?¡± I waggled my eyebrows at him again. ¡°All I said was that Fergus had a kind way of putting it.¡± Barry¡¯s scowl returned. ¡°You know, Fischer, I hate you sometimes.¡± ¡°You love me, you big goose. Stop playing hard to get.¡± Holding strong eye-contact with me, he opened his reel, letting line spool out until it was back at its original depth. I grinned and wound up my own, happy to be the guinea pig. It was ten minutes later, and without a bite on board, that something absolutely wonderful occurred. ¡°What is that?¡± Theo asked, speaking for the first time since he¡¯d proclaimed no comment earlier. A single wave approached, but calling it that robbed it of its size and scope. The damned thing was crossing the entire ocean. All we could see in every direction was water, and the wave went from one end to the next. It was only a foot or so tall, but it presented a unique opportunity that I was loath to let pass by. As it reached the boat, the deck rose, causing all of our rods to bend down¡ªexactly what I¡¯d been hoping for. ¡°Fish on!¡± I lied. ¡°Big bite!¡± Barry yelled, his entire body tensing. Steven made a startled noise, his hands a blur as he retrieved line. Everyone but Theo and I fought hard, pumping and winding. For our part, we just watched the show, searing it into our memory. I intended on remembering the scene until the day I died. ¡°Did I drop it?¡± Duncan asked when he finally recognized there was no weight on the end of his rod. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Aye,¡± Fergus added. ¡°Think I dropped mine too...¡± Theo was the first to break. A choking noise coming from his throat as he fought his mirth down. When everyone looked our way, they were no longer winding, the excitement on their faces replaced by confusion. Barry, for what had to be the tenth time today, narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°What did you do?¡± It was all I could take. I absolutely lost it, and I had to hold the chain railing for support as my laughter escaped. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I eventually got out, ¡°the¡ªthe wave¡ª¡± In one smooth movement, Ruby kicked her shoe off, caught it, and launched it at my head. I let it land. The sandal bounced off my forehead with a donk, and I grabbed it before it could ricochet overboard. ¡°You¡¯re a bastard, Fischer.¡± She did an admiral job of hiding the smirk that tugged at the corners of her mouth. ¡°There was never any fish. The wave lifted the boat, which made it seem as though we¡¯d all gotten a bite.¡± ¡°Got it in one, Rubes! Don¡¯t get me wrong, I expected it to happen, but that exceeded my wildest dreams. It¡¯s a common rite of passage on boats where I come from.¡± Though they acted annoyed, the joy in their soft mutters to each other told a different story. Theo, who was swiftly becoming my partner-in-crime for this trip, playfully rolled his eyes¡ªhe¡¯d also seen the falsehood in their statements. ¡°Oh!¡± Paul yelled. ¡°Fish on!¡± Barry turned on me like a mama bear, even the idea that I was turning my pranks on Paul making soft red light ooze from his muscles. I took a step back before he could maul me. ¡°Jesus christ, Barry! It¡¯s not me! There¡¯s something on his hook!¡± Before he could decide whether to trust me or not, the world intervened on my behalf¡ªa massive creature chomped down on his hook too. ¡°Be ready!¡± I called. ¡°Looks like there might be a run of¡ª¡± I cut off, my own rod almost ripped from my hands. ¡°Frack me! Fish on!¡± Of all the times I¡¯d been so busy yapping that I almost lost my whole damned rod when something struck, this was by far the closest. The lightning-infused shark from days ago was strong, but whatever had taken my hook was stronger. I immediately extended my chi and snapped partitions into place, one to protect my rod, the other to preserve my line. Even so, my will was pushed to its limits¡ªas was my body. The way the creature moved made no sense. Rather than headshakes or kicks of a powerful tail, it pulsed in seemingly random directions. Was it even a fish? I didn¡¯t think so. I glanced to the side to check if anyone else was struggling, but they seemed to be easily handling theirs. Literally everyone had a fish on. I dismissed them from my mind; I couldn¡¯t spare any attention. Suddenly, my line went slack, but I¡¯d been fooled one too many times by fish swimming toward me to fall for it again. I wound in as fast as I could, and after a few seconds, the weight of the creature returned¡ªonly to disappear a second later. I reeled again, hoping it was still on, but the back of my mind knew the truth. And the closer to the boat it got, the surer I became¡ªI¡¯d been snapped off. I tensed my jaw, trying not to be annoyed at its escape. ¡°Damn!¡± Fergus called, almost falling on his backside. ¡°Mine got off!¡± ¡°Frack!¡± Paul cursed. That word yelled by his adolescent voice did wonders for my mood. ¡°Me too!¡± I let out a slow breath, exhaling the last of my frustration. So what if it had gotten away? Another would come. Even better, we now knew that there were fish to catch¡ªboth the normal ones my pals seemed to have hooked, and the monster that had escaped from me. I focused on winding in as swiftly as I could. The moment the end of my line was back on deck, I¡¯d set it aside and go help the others. My hook breached the surface, travelling so fast that it sailed into the air. It bounced up and down chaotically, the sinker having been removed. But that wasn¡¯t what my eyes were glued to. By the sounds of it, someone had landed their fish, but even that couldn¡¯t pull my gaze away. I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised to find my line severed above the rig. Hell, even if my hook¡¯s finger-wide metal had been bent straight, I would have accepted it and moved on with my day. The creature had been massive, after all. But neither of those things had happened. I reached out, still unbelieving, and grabbed the eye of the hook between my fingers. That half was intact, the metal gleaming in the sunlight. The rest was... gone. Like gone gone. ¡°Fischer!¡± Barry yelled, his voice jubilant. ¡°One second, mate. Bit of a situation over he¡ª ¡°Help!¡± I whirled, extending my senses, just in time to both see and feel Barry get his shit rocked by a tentacle wider than his bulging bicep. Okay, maybe it wasn¡¯t fair to say it rocked him. Against Barry¡¯s body, the tentacle had all the power of overcooked spaghetti. That was a good analogy, actually, because it had both the shape and flexibility of spaghett¡ª ¡°Fischer!¡± he laughed, trying to catch hold of all the many limbs assaulting him without hurting the creature. The two long tentacles¡ªone of which had delivered the slap to Barry¡¯s gob¡ªwere the trickiest, constantly slipping from his grasp to lash out at him. ¡°Poseidon¡¯s prehensile member¡ªhelp me!¡± I stepped to the side, dodging a torrent of black ink that shot from the animal¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m very busy, Barry.¡± ¡°What could possibly be more important than this?¡± ¡°I mean... watching it play out is pretty high on the list. Would you like to hear the rest?¡± ¡°Fischer!¡± I appeared by his side, and as I gazed down at the creature, my eyes were immediately drawn into it. Mature Bluefathom Squid Common Plentiful in the Bluefathom Ocean, these creatures are predators of smaller species, and the favored prey of larger ones. In times long past, they were heavily targeted by humans, both for their tender flesh and varied byproducts. Seeing all I had needed to, I dismissed the words and delivered a karate chop to the back of its head, instantly and humanely ending its life. The brown color dotting its form immediately drained away, leaving a rainbow hue that seemed to dance beneath the sun¡¯s light. In both shape and size, it was identical to photos of giant squid I¡¯d seen on Earth, this one¡¯s body as long as a man, and its two biggest tentacles double that. ¡°Damn. That¡¯s a lot of calamari.¡± Barry stepped over it, his face shifting between disappointment and disbelief. ¡°What the hell, Fischer?¡± ¡°What? You wanted help.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d slap it to death.¡± ¡°That was a karate chop, Barry. Get a grip.¡± Cinnamon crossed her arms and nodded. It was, in fact, a karate chop. ¡°I don¡¯t care what it was! I asked for your help because I wasn¡¯t sure we should eat it or release it! I¡¯d have just dispatched it myself if I knew you were going to hit it!¡± ¡°Ahhh, I understand the confusion now. That is the most humane way to kill squid, mate.¡± ¡°... How do you even know that?¡± ¡°What, you¡¯ve never had seven beers, then spent your evening watched fishing videos on the internet? Get out more, mate.¡± ¡°Fischer!¡± came another voice, Ruby close to hysterics. ¡°I realize you guys are having a moment, but I need help over here!¡± A tentacle only slightly smaller than those laying lifeless on the deck beside me lashed out toward her, but she jumped to the side, dodging it. ¡°See that?¡± I asked Barry. ¡°She dodged it, and she¡¯s growing a human inside of her. What¡¯s your excuse?¡± He barked a genuine laugh. ¡°You¡¯re a real prick sometimes.¡± ¡°Aww, you called me a prick. It¡¯s cute when you use my words. Right, Cinnamon?¡± She crossed her arms and nodded, letting out an emphatic squeak. It was, in fact, cute when he used my words. Before the pregnant cultivator fell victim to another tentacle¡ªman, I really need to watch my phrasing¡ªI dashed to her side and dispatched the squid. The next person to reel one in didn¡¯t have to call my name to get my attention. Mostly because her core radiated an unassailable sense of rightness. Bonnie¡¯s desire for adventure and new experiences was well and truly sated by the tentacled creature slapping about near the deck. She hauled it over the side, gripping it between the head and body as she stared into its beaked maw. ¡°Hey, uh, Bonnie?¡± I said. ¡°Maybe don¡¯t¡ª¡± Too late. A fire hose stream of black ink blasted her face, slicking her hair back. The moment seemed to last forever, the abyssal liquid splashing all over the deck. Having witnessed my humane methods, she squeezed, the creature going limp. She dropped the squid, wiped her eyes, and blinked at us all. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Without another word, she leaned back, hit the railing, and tumbled overboard into the ocean. Three minutes and just as many additional karate chops later, we had five of the gigantic cephalopods in the middle of the deck. Duncan, Steven, and Trent had caught the other three, everyone else having been bitten off. Bonnie hauled herself back onboard, and I couldn¡¯t help but peer her way, curious if her skin had been stained. To my great delight¡ªthough I¡¯d never admit as much¡ªanywhere the ink had touched possessed a grey tint, the pigment sticking despite her enhanced body. But that wasn¡¯t the truly remarkable thing. She lifted a strand of her hair, raising an eyebrow as she assessed her previously red, now midnight-colored, mane. ¡°Please tell me this isn¡¯t permanent.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Unfortunately?¡± she asked, her eyebrows going even higher. ¡°Ah-huh.¡± I shot her a wink. ¡°To be honest, though, it looks really cool. Especially your skin.¡± Unimpressed, she waited for me to continue, perhaps suspecting I¡¯d laugh at her. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Bonnie. It looks neat.¡± ¡°It really does..¡± Ruby took a step forward, her fingers drifting toward Bonnie¡¯s arm, then paused. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ruby ran a hand over the blotches, trying and failing to rub the pigment away. ¡°Fascinating...¡± Steven got close, peering over Ruby¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wonder... the byproducts the System mentioned¡ªdo you think one could be a dye?¡± ¡°You guys are getting too clever,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re ruining most of my reveals! That was exactly what I thought when I read the description. Even with all of Earth¡¯s technological advancement, natural dyes¡ªlike squid ink¡ªremain in use. Now, if we can just find the ink sac, maybe the System will confirm...¡± I bent, preparing to cut one of them open and seek it out, but Barry laid a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Should we really be opening it up? Isn¡¯t there a chance it spoils before we get back to Tropica...?¡± I swiveled slowly, giving him a shit-eating grin. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Remember how I said you¡¯re ruining most of my reveals...?¡± He sighed. ¡°Go on then. What did you do?¡± ¡°Thanks for asking!¡± I shot to my feet, marched over to the hatch, and gestured at it with both hands. ¡°If you would, Borks! Cinnamon!¡± Borks ran over, his tail wagging so hard that the rest of him was forced to join in. Cinnamon rode his back, her legs and hips easily moving with Borks¡¯s butt wiggles. I smiled at everyone as they crept over, unable to keep their curiosity at bay. Stronger than their need to know, waves of anticipation poured from Borks¡ªI couldn¡¯t recall the last time I¡¯d seen him so excited. I patted his golden fur, but rather than the sense of calm I had hoped to gift him, his puppy-like elation washed over me. I could have pushed it away, but I didn¡¯t, deciding to embrace it instead. This was going to be fun. Book 4: Chapter 46: Menace Book 4: Chapter 46: Menace Beneath a cloudless sky and under the unimpressed stares of my friends, I beamed. ¡°Let¡¯s say, purely hypothetically, of course, that you were a smart, handsome, and humble leader...¡± I paused, giving them an assessing look. ¡°Are you all following so far?¡± ¡°Yes, Fischer,¡± my unenthusiastic crowd drawled¡ªwith the exception of Ruby and Paul, who answered with the objectively correct amount of eagerness. I shot them a wink. ¡°Good. If you were that leader, and you had two furry friends¡ªone of which was a magical dog with spacial powers, and the other being a pint-sized brawler with the ability to punch holes in boulders¡ªwhat would you have had them do last night in order to preserve anything we caught?¡± Nobody spoke up immediately, so I added, ¡°Perhaps atop a snow-covered mountain?¡± ¡°Ohhh!¡± Ruby was all smiles. ¡°Cinnamon, being the capable brawler that she is, broke some ice up! Then she and Borks¡ªwho is also a good boy, might I add¡ªstuffed it into his dimensional space before moving it into the hull?¡± Borks, beset by excitement and an overwhelming feeling of belonging, howled his happiness to the heavens. He started shifting; his limbs couldn¡¯t decide which canine form he should take. It would have been a terrifying sight on any other creature, but not on him. His tail, no matter which breed of dog it belonged to at any given second, never stopped wagging. Unable to wait any longer, he bit the handle and threw the trapdoor open, revealing the darkened room within. As everyone stepped forward to have a peak, they saw the thick layer of ice covering every surface. There were tonnes of the stuff. Perhaps enough to sink a regular wooden ship back on Earth. Thankfully, the rules of physics were basically thrown out the window as soon as chi was involved¡ªwhich Bob the boat possessed in excess. A meaty hand landed on my shoulder, and I turned to look at my pal. ¡°What¡¯s up, Barry?¡± ¡°As chaotic as today has been, I think I have to say it. You did a good job. You two especially, Borks and Cinnamon.¡± The former spun in circles, the latter¡ªstill impressively steady atop Borks¡¯s back¡ªgave him a self-assured grin, as if to say, I know; so what? I moved over to the squid, and as I picked one up, Barry¡¯s mention of chaos made me think of another animal pal. I hope you¡¯re paying attention, Claws, I thought toward her. Today¡¯s events should buy me weeks of good behavior. Her responding pulse of chi told me I was annoying, she was incredibly busy, and I should stop bothering her. Cheeky little git, I mused to myself, not missing the adoration that had come along with the hostile words. I sent one last message down our connection, reminding her that I loved her even though her very existence was a threat to the wellbeing of humanity. I hoped for an annoyed retort, the bait making her upset enough to reply with a string of vitriol and threats, but all she returned was a single word: yes. She really must have been busy; that usually would have worked. What are you up to over there, you little menace...? *** Corporal Claws, bequeather of zaps and tamer of thieves, snorted. She was no mere menace¡ªshe was the menace. Similarly, Fischer, her beloved master and the man to whom she owned everything, was no mere silly billy. He was the silliest of billies. Why would such a taunt have taken hold in the enhanced mind of Corporal Claws? She was too smart, too tricksy, too downright nimble-witted to fall for something so obvious. Besides... she had a secret. Corporal Claws grinned, electricity running along the lines of her needle-sharp teeth. That she had successfully fooled her master made her tummy tingle with the flight of a billion, gajillion, reptili... an? That last word didn¡¯t sound right. Whatever. Her victory made lots of fireflies seem to take flight in her stomach¡ªwhich was remarkable considering she no longer had one. Claws had made the ultimate gambit. She had lied to the one she held dearest in this world. And, blessedly, it had worked. Fischer truly believed that she¡¯d put chaos over the wellbeing of others. She would mess with them, of course. She already had plans upon plans upon plans to enact when the time was right. Like the eight of them involving Barry¡¯s bed. Oh? She just thought of another¡ªmake that nine. Still, there was a chasm between her machinations and any actions that would cause real harm... Well, except the one involving Ellis, a bag of flour, a and two dollops of passiona jam¡ªthat trick was simply too funny to abandon. Some might be offended that their master¡ªwho just so happened to be their best friend¡ªwould believe they were capable of such selfishness. But not Claws. It was a badge of honor. A testament to how unpredictable she had become. Her brilliance had been in changing her own aura. When Fischer assessed it, he saw only what she wanted him to. Ironically, she was only able to project an exaggerated version of chaos because of how chaotic she was. That thought made her head hurt, so she let it go. One not as smart, soft-furred, and utterly brilliant as Claws might not have recognized this as the gamble she did, but that was only because they lacked imagination. If Fischer discovered that she was lying too soon, it would ruin the most important plan of all, and that was just unacceptable. The weight of her secrets¡ªand the possibility of her plans coming to fruition¡ªmade a wiggle start down in her smallest toe. As it spread to the rest of her body, the wiggle intensified, small arcs of electricity jolting out to strike the ground. Her grin from earlier never once disappeared, and it stretched wider now, her chittering laughter flying out toward the heavens. She even released a few bolts of lightning to make sure they got the message. Despite her abject merriment, her eyes shot to the side, giving her apprentice a questioning glare. The familiar completely missed the memo, every ounce of his attention focused on the item between them. For his lack of awareness, Claws considered bowling him over a mountain or two. In the end, though, she decided against it. He was just following her instructions to meditate on the object, after all. Her reluctance to launch him had absolutely nothing to do with how fuzzy and adorable he was. The two days or so that they¡¯d been bonded had been nothing short of a delight¡ªand that was before counting all the mischief they¡¯d both caused and witnessed. Claws had always been quietly curious about others¡¯ relationships. Fischer was her best friend, but she still knew that her master¡¯s bond to Maria was... stronger? No, that wasn¡¯t right. Deeper...? Nope. Why were words so damned hard? It was different, and that was all the word that needed... wording. Snips and Rocky had a similar relationship. Even before the latter returned from the ocean all explodey and cool, there had been a complicated dynamic at play, one with depths far beyond the mistress and masochist-crab facade visible on the surface. Romantic relationships were as confusing to her as a good rock wasn¡¯t; rocks were useful. They were tools to open oysters, shiny baubles with which to make others jealous, and projectiles you could throw at children or the elderly. She sent that last one to Fischer, who responded by telling her it wasn¡¯t funny. He was wrong, though. It was funny. She made her laugh grow louder to prove it. But Claws was only kidding, of course. What kind of freak would assault kids or old people? Neither made good targets. Youngins were too small, oldies too slow. A large crab¡ªpreferably awakened? Now that was the ideal prey. Though romantic examples came to mind when thinking of different relationships, her connection to the raccoon definitely wasn¡¯t that. He was a kindred spirit, so closely aligned that their cores had essentially become one. She might never fully comprehend what it felt like to love someone romantically, but her fuzzy familiar helped her understand it better. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Their relationship was... profound. Something that she would never take for granted. It made a deep well of gratitude overflow within her core. It had only been seconds since she started laughing, and as her appreciation for him overflowed, she decided against launching him into the sky for the crime he was currently committing. Corporal Claws, maiden of the pond and most benevolent of leaders, bopped him on the cheek instead. Laugh when I laugh! she ordered with a chirp. The tiny mammal absorbed the strike and turned it into an end-over-end somersault that just didn¡¯t quit. Yes boss! he chittered back when he finally stuck the landed, giving her a salute. Sorry boss! Appeased, Claws shifted her tooshie to get comfortable, then resumed her merriment. Her familiar joined in, his low tones combining with her high ones as electricity arced between them. They looked at each other, then at the object of their study, and then at the sky, their core vibrating with undeniable certainty. The next few days were going to be a gods-damned blast. *** I shook my head, unable to hide my exasperation. Children and the elderly? I was pretty sure she was joking, but I didn¡¯t want to find out the hard way that she wasn¡¯t. I spent a moment considering it, letting the worry it caused radiate out from my core. I really have to ensure my actions hit her chaos quota, I thought. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Barry asked, likely sensing my doubt. ¡°Corporal Claws, Barry. Corporal Claws.¡± ¡°Ahhh. Say no more.¡± He paused, his head tilting to the side. ¡°Want my advice on the matter?¡± ¡°Mate... pretty sure you¡¯ve been the target of more pranks than anyone else. I think I¡¯m be obligated to listen to your opinion even if I didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°In that case... I¡¯d never say as much to his face, but there¡¯s something a wise, annoying, and incredibly humble fisherman once said to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªbest not to say it directly. Might ruin his humble streak.¡± ¡°Precisely. I doubt that¡¯s possible¡ªhe¡¯s supremely humble, you see, possibly the humblest¡ªbut it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡± I nodded sagely. ¡°So... what did he say? What grand profundity did he heap upon you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to distill it down into a single sentence, but the gist of it was this: there¡¯s no point in focusing on things outside of your control. It¡¯s human nature to get stuck in our own head, and instead of letting your worries twist and build into an unstoppable cyclone of anxiety, one should focus on the present.¡± He gestured at the objects arrayed before us on the deck. I gazed down at the broken hook and all the lines that had been severed. In a circle around me, everyone else onboard smiled or nodded my way. Ruby raised a cup of water in a salute that was only half-mocking. I returned the gesture as I tried to take the words, which were evidently my own, to heart. ¡°Thanks, Barry. That¡¯s actually a helpful remind¡ª¡± ¡°Or,¡± he interrupted, voice commanding. ¡°You could use another piece of wisdom he gave me, which I believe is equally applicable.¡± He let a silence hang, and anticipation rose all around us. Finally, he spread his arms wide and proclaimed with grand intonation, ¡°Shut the frack up, you peanut!¡± Ruby did a spit-take, spraying water all over the deck. ¡°Sorry!¡± she coughed, thumping her chest as she choke-laughed. ¡°Thought he was actually going to drop some wisdom there.¡± ¡°Not so fast, my impregnated companion.¡± I rubbed my chin as if lost in speculation. ¡°It might be more profound than it appear¡ª¡± ¡°Fischer...¡± Ruby¡¯s coughing subsided in an instant. ¡°Please don¡¯t ever call me that again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I shook my head at Ruby, feigning dismay. ¡°The absolute heat that speaker Barry just dropped has left my brain scorched and unable to process more requests.¡± I turned to the side. ¡°Speaker Barry, I beg of you, please record the words of my impregnated companion for my later perusa¡ª¡± I cut off as I dove to the deck, the pregnant cultivator¡¯s fly-kick going through the air where my neck had been a moment earlier. ¡°On second thought¡ª¡± I rolled sideways, dodging her sweeping leg. ¡°The room to consider your request just got freed up!¡± Thirty seconds and almost as many evasive maneuvers later, I¡¯d managed to apologize enough for Ruby to hear me out. ¡°Say it,¡± she demanded, arms crossed and face even crosser. ¡°But... the words are in the sentence! It¡¯s impossible!¡± Steven leaned in toward her. ¡°He¡¯s right, you know.¡± She tsked. ¡°I was hoping he wouldn¡¯t notice. Fine. You have five seconds of immunity. Startinggg...¡± I took a deep breath as she dragged the word out. ¡°Now!¡± ¡°I Fischer leader of Tropica and king of the pricks do so solemnly swear to not use the word ¡®impregnate¡¯ or any derivative thereof within the presence of his dear and kind friend Ruby for the rest of time!¡± I took a gasping breath, having got past the now-forbidden word in time. ¡°I agree that doing so will entitle to her a punishment of her choosing, which I must obey within the timeframe specified, so long as it is in my power and will not cause harm to any other.¡± She gave me a sickly sweet expression. ¡°Good boy.¡± Those same words from Maria been a source of banter between us. From Ruby, it made a shiver run down my spine. Jumping to my feet and seeking any distraction possible, I returned to the cut lengths of line, holding all of their severed ends up before my eyes. With my other hand, I lifted the hook, my gaze shifting back and forth. ¡°So?¡± Barry asked as he squatted beside me, his brow furrowed. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Honestly? I can¡¯t say for certain, but I do have my suspicions.¡± Someone behind me was absolutely vibrating with energy, so I turned toward her. ¡°Any thoughts?¡± Bonnie knelt down to see them better. ¡°It¡¯s... not impossible for a squid to have cut the lines. I got a pretty good look at my one¡¯s beak¡ªit could easily detach the limb of a regular human.¡± ¡°But...?¡± I prompted. ¡°But I don¡¯t think they did.¡± She poked the severed line ends with the tip of her index finger. ¡°All of them are cut at a sharp angle. Wouldn¡¯t the beaks slice them more flush? At least one of them should have. Also, the way they were hooked... I suspect that our bait didn¡¯t draw them in.¡± ¡°Exactly! Which can only mean one thing, right?¡± We both grinned at each other, our desires for adventure building off one another, growing until I could hardly sit still. ¡°Okay,¡± Ruby interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll take the hit, because you all look as confused as I feel. Fischer, what in Hade¡¯s burning realm are you two talking about?¡± ¡°Oh! Sorry!¡± I held up the hook, displaying the jagged edge where the metal had been either chewed or sliced through. ¡°So, we can all agree that whatever I hooked was an absolute monstrosity, yeah? At first, I thought it might be just a big squid¡ªis that what you all assumed too?¡± ¡°To be honest with you, Fischer,¡± Fergus said, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying not to think about it at all. If I were you, I¡¯d have immediately scanned the water with my chi to make sure an abyssal demon wasn¡¯t about to bite poor Bob in half.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re all being sincere...¡± Barry gave me an apologetic smile. ¡°I did scan the water for it as soon as I saw your hook. Sorry. If I¡¯d found it, I wouldn¡¯t have told you, Fischer. Well, okay, that was a lie. I¡¯d have told you if I thought it was actually a threat, but the point is moot.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I found nothing.¡± ¡°Oof. You wound me.¡± He just gestured towards Paul. Then, with just as much emphasis, he pointed at his wedding band¡ªperhaps not wanting to speak Helen¡¯s name for fear of invoking her wrath¡ªto remind me that his wife would have his hide if he let any risk or harm come to their son. ¡°Just playing,¡± I said. ¡°Back to the abyssal demon or whatever. I¡¯m pretty sure it wasn¡¯t a squid at all. What I think¡ª¡± I nodded toward Bonnie. ¡°What we think, is that it was something else. Something large enough to both hunt the squid, and eat them whole, severing the line beyond.¡± A silence stretched settled over the deck, only interrupted by small waves lapping at the hull. Slowly, Barry raised his hand. ¡°Yes?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to request an immediate return to Tropica.¡± ¡°Denied.¡± ¡°Fair enough. I do wanna stay, but my promise to Helen made me to ask.¡± At her name, I flinched, then stared at the sky as if she would crash down from the heavens at any moment. Rather than roll his eyes at me, Barry joined in, both of us scanning the clouds with narrowed gazes and slight smiles. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± I said, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll keep everyone safe. You can feel the power beneath us, right?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°Well I can¡¯t,¡± Ruby complained. ¡°And if you keep talking in riddles, I¡¯m going to throw myself overboard.¡± I barked a laugh. ¡°Sorry. Barry can feel my Domain¡ªwe¡¯re still within its bounds. Anything wanting to start a tussle with us will have to challenge a continent¡¯s worth of chi.¡± ¡°And the degenerate that wields it,¡± Barry mumbled. He took a deep breath, held it for a handful of seconds, then let it out in a rush. ¡°Okay. I can accept that. But what¡¯s next?¡± ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± I cocked my head to the side as I stood. ¡°That¡¯s a silly question.¡± ¡°It... it¡¯s really not.¡± ¡°Sure it is!¡± I snapped my fingers. ¡°Tell him, Rubes!¡± Ruby, all smiles once more, let out a ponderous hmmm. ¡°It¡¯s just past noon, correct?¡± ¡°Uh-huh!¡± ¡°And our captain is ubiquitously known as a heretic.¡± I flicked my straw hat. ¡°Yuuup!¡± ¡°He¡¯s also, as previously stated, a degenerate.¡± ¡°Hey, let¡¯s not be hasty. I don¡¯t see what that has to do with¡ª¡± ¡°Most important of all!¡± she continued, barrelling over my complaint as she marched across the deck. ¡°We have enough squid within the hull to feed an entire village¡ªor our heretical, degenerate captain¡ªfor two days.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re just spreading baseless rumours. I don¡¯t think¡ª¡± She reached the hatch and threw it open, the loud thunk it made cutting me off. ¡°By all these facts combined, I declare that it is time for lunch!¡± ¡°Finally, something we can all agree on!¡± I leaped to my feet and marched toward the cabin. ¡°I¡¯ll fetch the barbie¡ªI already have a few different flavor combos in mind!¡± Book 4: Chapter 47: Scars Book 4: Chapter 47: Scars As Maria strolled through town, she was struck once more by how sharp¡ªhow crisp¡ªthe world felt. It was only her third time walking through Tropica following her breakthrough. Whenever she returned, she seemed to find a new obsession. Today, it was the way the sun reflected off... everything. Even as a base cultivator, the celestial body above was no longer a source of blinding incandescence. If she wanted to, she could stare directly at it, not needing to fear permanent damage to her vision. Now that her breakthrough had been solidified and Slimes had bonded with her, the way the sun¡¯s reflection shone in metal and glass was... sublime. Fischer had often recounted how the world looked to his enhanced eyes, and though happy for him, she¡¯d always felt a little pang of jealousy that she couldn¡¯t witness it for herself. Was this what he¡¯d been talking about...? She could see rays of light, as if an invisible smoke wafted through the streets. But there was no smoke. Nothing for the prismatic beams to highlight. All of this beauty¡ªthis otherworldly brilliance¡ªwas because of her advancement. Fischer had never described what she saw. She¡¯d have to ask him about it when he got back. It¡¯s meeee, Slimes whispered from within, his voice sounding far away. Well, it¡¯s us, but there is no us without me... nor without you! Slimes vibrated. It¡¯s you and me and us! Maria blew air from her nose. If someone had told her even two days ago that she¡¯d have another awareness inside of her, and that she¡¯d enjoy it, she might have thought them insane. No offense, Slimes, she thought. I can¡¯t imagine life without you now. I know, her familiar replied, jiggling in her core. If that same someone had told Maria another being jiggling inside her abdomen would be a pleasant experience, she¡¯d have definitely thought them insane. She laughed to herself, closing her eyes to banish the beautiful rays of light still tugging at her awareness. She had things to consider, after all. While Maria had spent the night saying goodbye to Fischer, Slimes had spent the night deep in contemplation beneath the tidal-pond¡¯s waters. And that meditation had born fruit. In the hours before dawn, an understanding had flowed from Slimes to Maria, its significance driving the air from her lungs. She¡¯d moved to sit on the floor as she internalised the knowledge, and rather than distract, Fischer¡¯s soft snores had helped her remain centered. It was both incredibly fast and excruciatingly slow; the realization seemed like a puddle at first, but flowed outward the longer she considered it, becoming an ocean. So vast were the implications that she hadn¡¯t told Fischer, lest he delay his trip. Even now, already on the way to their task, both Maria and Slimes couldn¡¯t help but replay the thoughts. They mused endlessly as Maria¡¯s body moved them closer to their destination. The concept of time faded as they went over and over and over the knowledge they¡¯d gleaned, both seeking any flaw in their reasoning. But there wasn¡¯t any. Each cycle only brought more certainty. More confidence. More¡ª ¡°Uhhh, Maria?¡± came a curious voice, shattering their meditation. She blinked, the world¡¯s light and beauty overwhelming as it flooded into her eyes. ¡°Are you well?¡± Keith asked. Genuine concern radiated from his core. ¡°Sorry to worry you¡ªwe¡¯re totally fine.¡± ¡°... We?¡± Smooooth, Maria. Doing a wonderful job of convincing him you¡¯re¡ª ¡°Hiiii!¡± Slimes jiggled from her shoulder. ¡°My master was referring to us!¡± She gave Keith a rueful smile. ¡°We were just going over our plan for today. I hope you didn¡¯t have to try too hard to get my attention...¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± She breathed a sigh of relief, but then he continued. ¡°I found you standing there with a smirk on your face, staring off into the distance. If I¡¯m being completely honest, all the old stories about cultivators came to mind, and I started questioning if this entire village was a terrible idea. Then I wondered if I was the insane one, and if this whole thing has been a fever dream constructed by my own madness.¡± ¡°Damn, Keith...¡± ¡°Yeahhh, I spiral pretty hard. Seems to be a family trait. My bad on that one.¡± Maria couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He looked confused, likely unsure if she was laughing at or with him. ¡°You reminded me of Fischer, Keith. Our benevolent, powerful, and definitely humble leader. He spirals like no other. Even your terminology sounded similar.¡± He gave her a wry smile. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve been spending too much time around this heretical village.¡± ¡°Perhaps. Speaking of the village, though, I have an idea to reduce the number of heretics.¡± ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± She nodded toward the building they stood outside. The not-a-prison, as Fischer had repeatedly called it. ¡°Rehabilitation, of course.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that increase the number of heretics?¡± ¡°I guess that depends on your point of view.¡± Keith¡¯s smile waned, and he glanced toward the ornate door as doubt leaked from his abdomen. ¡°You¡¯re truly ready to heal people...?¡± She didn¡¯t miss the hope in the former royal¡¯s voice. He¡¯d forsaken his title in favor of coming to Tropica with the rest of Gormona¡¯s fishing club¡ªwith the intention of starting a church of their own, a plan that still brought Maria to giggles if she thought about it too much. There had been no love lost between Keith and his relatives, but learning that their personalities were the result of impure-chi and alchemical-tampering changed that. The idea of healing them had entirely consumed him and Trent, and the two cousins had doggedly pursued that prospect to the exclusion of everything else. Maria, considering all this in an instant, patted him on the arm. ¡°All I can say is that I¡¯m as ready as I ever will be. Just to be clear, though... I can¡¯t promise the outcome that you want.¡± The lines of his face hardened, yet a spark of hope remained in his eyes as he nodded. Content, she took a deep breath. Ready, Slimes? An affirmative jiggle came in response, the sensation still as weird as it was comforting. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Maira strode forward, pressing her hand against the ornate wrought iron decorating the door. As it swung open with a creak that could only be intentional, she gazed around, eyeing the conformity of the halls. Her step faltered; a kaleidoscopic brilliance demanded her attention. ¡°What...¡± was all she could get out as colors shifted. The magical flames set within the walls... each of them glowed like little suns. Unlike the actual sun, these sources of light flickered, causing miniature beams to dance around. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Everything okay...?¡± Keith asked, moving to grab her arm for support but pulling his hand back as she steadied herself. ¡°Yeah... it¡¯s just... wow.¡± Before she could give the impression of insanity again, she shook her head, refocusing. ¡°The flames are stunning after my breakthrough.¡± Would the lanterns outside be the same...? She¡¯d only visited the village proper during the daylight hours. Come to think of it, shouldn¡¯t the village¡¯s reflective objects have been so brilliant yesterday? An affirmative jiggle from Slimes confirmed her suspicion. That¡¯s why I said it¡¯s us doing it, silly! Our understanding of each other grew last night! The visuals were... a lot. Like her first bite of Fischer¡¯s chi-enhanced fish, her new reality was so filled with wonder that it became hard to see¡ªor feel¡ªanything else. You¡¯ll get used to it! Slimes reassured. And he meant it, too. No, we¡¯ll get used to it! He vibrated in confusion. Errrr, it might get worse if we grow closer? Dunno, hehe. Maria snorted, then turned to explain to Keith that she was talking to her very-real and definitely not-imaginary friend, but the former royal beat her to the punch. ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± ¡°Having a familiar...?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s... like having more of myself. A part of me, for so long, felt as if I was missing something.¡± She waved a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªI was still happy, especially after meeting Fischer, it¡¯s just... man, it¡¯s hard to explain...¡± ¡°I think I know what you mean.¡± He gave her a wistful smile. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll come ask you another time when you¡¯re not about to single-handedly attempt healing a prison full of corrupted cultivators.¡± ¡°That sounds like a good idea. But also, what you just said is wrong on two fronts.¡± ¡°How so...?¡± ¡°First, our God-king Fischer insists that we call it a not-a-prison, remember? He gets a bit... smitey if his trusty followers defy his orders. I¡¯d hate to see you slapped from existence.¡± Keith barked a laugh, the sound echoing off the walls. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll grant you that. What¡¯s the other thing I was wrong about?¡± ¡°The second is that I¡¯m not doing it single-handedly¡ªright, Slimes?¡± ¡°Rrrrright!¡± her familiar called, popping out of her shoulder, then growing a half-meter in length to headbutt-high-five Maria¡¯s upheld hand with a wet slap. ¡°Slimes...¡± Keith said, pouting. ¡°Ya-huhhh?¡± ¡°Please never do that again.¡± ¡°Deniiiied!¡± he sang, disappearing back into Maria¡¯s core. The former royal shook his head with a wry smile. ¡°I guess you¡¯re correct on the second point, too.¡± ¡°I am, aren¡¯t I?¡± Maria looked up at the flames, their cascading colors no longer so distracting now that she¡¯d grown used to them. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go find our targets.¡± Though slow, their steps were sure as they made their way deeper into the building. Each corner they rounded brought another stretch of brilliant lights, and before she knew it, Maria had arrived at the cell. She turned and faced it, smiling at its occupants. ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡± Without needing to look at him, Maria could feel the uncertainty flowing from Keith¡¯s core. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, Maria, but...¡± ¡°You can ask. I won¡¯t be offended.¡± ¡°Sorry to voice it again, but are you certain you¡¯re ready?¡± Maria furrowed her brow. ¡°Uhhh, yeah. I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Then... why are we here?¡± ¡°Because they need healing? I¡¯m a little confused, Keith. I thought this is what you wanted?¡± ¡°Well, yes. It is. But...¡± he gestured at those within the two cells, all of whom were completely invested in the conversation. His uncertainty swelled, but resolve grew swiftly, eclipsing his doubt. ¡°Let me be clear. If you intend to use these people as practice, I must insist that you stay your hand. As much as I want my family healed, I can¡¯t condone human trials.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± one of the birdlike cultivators said from the bench he was perching on, ¡°I¡¯d also prefer not to be a human trial.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± ¡°No human trial!¡± came the voices of the others. Maria covered her mouth as her laugh broke free. Slimes¡¯s happy jiggle in her core only increased the volume of her amusement made manifest. ¡°Okay, I get it now. They¡¯re neither trials nor less-important than your family, Keith. I want to heal them first because their particular... er, issue, is related to a realization Slimes had last night.¡± The noble¡¯s unease melted away, replaced by an intense curiosity. ¡°What was the realization...?¡± ¡°Best I keep it to myself for now. But let me ask you all: do you want to be healed?¡± There was no doubt that the cultivators kept within the walls of the corrupted city of Theogonia had emerged a little... different. Even after Fischer¡¯s chi had cleansed them, their atypical personalities remained, as was evident by the way most of them were perched like birds. Many would call them mad¡ªand they wouldn¡¯t necessarily be wrong. Despite this perceived sickness of the mind, Maria¡¯s question hit them like the lightning-filled boulders Corporal Claws had launched at the king. All of them stilled, the one that had spoken earlier standing upright as he came forward¡ªstill hopping like a bird, mind you. His face, however, was entirely human. ¡°Can you truly do it? Can you heal this...¡± He gestured toward his abdomen. ¡°Wrongness?¡± The man¡¯s eyes welled, a tiny snowball of emotion building to become an avalanche in his core. He was hoping¡ªdreaming¡ªof the possibility. Not only for himself, either. It was just as much for his fellow captives, all of which had endured decades of sickly chi, trapped in a lightless prison far below ground. When Maria met his eyes, a tear rolled down her cheek, but not because she¡¯d been buried beneath the man¡¯s feelings. ¡°What is your name again, friend?¡± ¡°Tiberius.¡± A woman hopped forward to grab his hand, one of her arms going over his shoulder like a protective wing. ¡°And this,¡± Tiberius continued, his voice strengthened by her touch, ¡°is my wife, Livia.¡± ¡°A pleasure to meet you both. I¡¯m Maria.¡± She stood tall, her shoulders bearing the weight of their dreams. ¡°If anyone can heal you, it¡¯s me. And Slimes, of course.¡± ¡°I thought your name was Keith...?¡± Livia asked. ¡°She doesn¡¯t mean me. Slimes is¡ª¡± ¡°Hiiii!¡± Slimes wobbled about enthusiastically for a good two seconds. Tiberius blinked, cocked his head, and screeched with laughter. ¡°And I thought we were weird.¡± ¡°Weird,¡± ¡°Weird,¡± ¡°Weird!¡± the others agreed. Maria chuckled too. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll get started, then.¡± Not wasting any time, she sat down, crossing her legs. ¡°Oh, uhhh, Maria?¡± When she glanced up at Keith, he almost looked ashamed. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is... is it okay if I stay and watch? I don¡¯t want to be a bother, but¡ª¡± ¡°Keith, you absolute goose. Of course you can stay. I know Fischer hasn¡¯t mentioned it, but he knows exactly how much you and Trent have been helping out here. You¡¯re both important people in the church, and¡ªoh, don¡¯t give me that look. It¡¯s true whether you like it or not. There are people assigned to watch our captives, and there was no need for the two of you to give them so much care. ¡°The former queen and princess¡ªnow, caring for them alone would have been understandable. But you did more than that, didn¡¯t you?¡± The imprisoned cultivators, who¡¯d remained mostly still since learning she¡¯d come to heal them, all shifted about suddenly. ¡°Pastries!¡± one called. ¡°Sweet drinks!¡± declared another. ¡°Kindness!¡± ¡°Kindness!¡± ¡°Kindness!¡± they decided as a group, their cores screaming it as much as their mouths. Maria had seen Keith¡¯s cheeks flush on countless occasions since he¡¯d arrived in Tropica all those months ago. Of the five fishermen that came, he was the easiest to rile up¡ªa fact the others knew well and exploited often. They¡¯d teased him for myriad reasons, and the mix of emotions coming from his core now wasn¡¯t so different from all those times. But the cause of his embarrassment sure was. Maria was reminded of the old tanner and his son¡ªthe father quick to hit and slow to praise, a trait that was part of the reason he left Tropica. The south-side villagers didn¡¯t turn a blind eye to such behavior. A child raised in such an environment... they would react to praise with a sense of guilt and shame. In the pit of their stomach, they felt unworthy of it. Her core, now filled with healing chi, unravelled more information. Just like a child reared without love would feel undeserving later in life, so too would one brought up without praise. Unfortunately for these children, they were often made to experience both, along with a swath of other injustices. Given the environment that Keith grew up in, it was no wonder Maria¡¯s words caused discomfort. A slight heat rose to her face. He hadn¡¯t offered this information up. Facilitated by her chi, she¡¯d absorbed his emotions and deduced the rest. But before her cheeks turned pink, she swept her own guilt aside. Keith wasn¡¯t to be pitied for things outside of his control. These thoughts came and went in the space between heartbeats, and with her eyes still locked on the former royal, she gave him a genuine smile. ¡°Your efforts didn¡¯t go unnoticed, Keith. Thank you.¡± She rolled her shoulders, facing forward once more. ¡°That is to say, of course you¡¯re welcome to remain. There¡¯s nobody more deserving.¡± Though the birdlike cultivators used different words, they echoed her sentiments. Before she caused him too much embarrassment, she closed her eyes and sent her awareness inward. She pictured a book sliding into an imaginary shelf in her mind. Ascension healed all manner of physical and mental inadequacies, but for whatever reason, the scars of trauma weren¡¯t so easily repaired. It was something for her to consider later. Right now, she had different scars to attend. Maria¡¯s awareness flowed down, urged onward to their healing ability by Slimes¡¯s open embrace. They joined seamlessly. Together, the kindred spirits reached out for the corrupted cultivators from Theogonia, preparing to cleanse their very souls. Book 4: Chapter 48: Flock Book 4: Chapter 48: Flock Surrounded by uniform bricks and kaleidoscopic sources of light, Maria and Slimes eased forward, their wills leading a procession of chi toward the not-a-prison cells before them. It was... beautiful. Though her eyes were closed, Maria marvelled at the sight. Pink clouds of healing essence, belonging to her familiar as much as they did her, drowned out the world¡¯s radiance. The bars between them and the prisoners usually formed an impenetrable wall. A solid object that not even a drop of normal chi could hope to get through. But there was nothing normal about the chi she commanded. Rather than slam in and demand admittance, the clouds billowed in place for a moment, politely requesting entry. Somehow, the building replied. Both inhuman and filled with authority, it asked a question in return: for what reason do you seek admission? Though she currently had no physical form, Maria could feel herself blink at the, uhhh, structure? She suspected that relaying this entire sequence to others was going to be a nightmare. Thankfully, Slimes was much less taken aback. He offered up their combined wills in answer, telling the building that they wanted to help the cultivators within. Wanted to heal them. Will this facilitate their escape? the prison seemed to ask. Nooope! came Slimes¡¯s enthusiastic and wobbling voice, somehow floating through the air. ... Could Maria do that too? H-Hello! she broadcast to nobody in particular, the volume of it surprising her even more than the fact it worked. The prison gave her a frown, unimpressed that she¡¯d spoken¡ªwell, more like yelled¡ªa pointless word. Yuuup. This was definitely going to be a nightmare to explain. Despite its chastisement, the prison¡¯s overwhelming power stepped aside, letting them pass. Thaaanks! Slimes sang with all the subtlety Maria had lacked. She would¡¯ve left it at that, but Slimes gave her the mental equivalent of a nudge in the side, encouraging her to try again. Th-thanks, Maria said, this time in a whisper. The building offered them a respectful nod. It remained vigilant within the cell, ready to step in if the prisoners tried anything funny. The prisoners! Maria shook herself. They were the reason she and Slimes were there. She focused on the clouds of pink chi and the cultivators soon to be engulfed, actively letting go of any other thoughts lest they distract her. But she needn¡¯t have worried. The moment they touched the first core, she lost sight of all else. Compared to the slew of wonderful colors she¡¯d been exposed to all morning, the birdlike humans were... gross. So dull and brown and lifeless that they made even the gray slate of the prison¡¯s stones look vibrant. Fischer¡¯s overwhelming chi had surged through them like floodwater. All the veins of corruption had been washed away, but they¡¯d left marks behind, scars in the lands that were their cores. Maria and Slimes¡¯s healing cloud slowed down in its expansion, yet it ever grew, one by one encompassing the other cultivators. All of them were exactly the same, their bases of power pitted and foul and imperfect. The malady afflicting them was identical, but so too was their hope. In carving every rotten speck of corruption from their cores, the deluge had left behind exposed creek beds, unearthing the tops of enormous boulders. Most would assume these rocks to be the cause of the infection. Something that had to be removed before the great rents could be filled in. If Maria hadn¡¯t bonded with Slimes, she might have thought the same. It may have worked, too¡ªmay have healed them. But it wasn¡¯t the only option. And if she and Slimes were correct, there was a better choice. One in which the boulders¡ªthe flaw within a flaw¡ªwas actually the medicine. Her familiar¡¯s realization last night had been like a rising sun, its rays so bright they illuminated the land and revealed this cure. Unbidden, the moment of enlightenment replayed in their minds for what had to be the hundredth time since it struck. It began with a shared memory¡ªtheir first, to be exact. The healing of Claws¡¯s raccoon familiar. There had been something deep within the creature, a perceived blemish that they¡¯d tried ¡®fix¡¯ with their chi. Neither of them had known what it was. Suspecting the mystery to be of great importance, Slimes had sought to solve it, submerging himself in the waters that he used to call home. And he had gotten even more than he¡¯d bargained for. A copy of the raccoon¡¯s memories had been suspended within. When they¡¯d slammed into Slimes, they brought understanding, revelation, and grief. The ¡®blemish¡¯, the thing left behind on a whim, was the mammal¡¯s penchant for thievery. As with most things in life, that single word couldn¡¯t possibly convey all the nuance needed. His larcenistic tendencies weren¡¯t a quirk to be expunged. They were his heritage¡ªa part of his very DNA. To their sensibilities, it was selfish. Antisocial. But he wasn¡¯t a human. And he never would be, no matter how many awakenings or breakthroughs he experienced. Raccoons were prey animals. There were countless creatures that would have happily turned the baby mammal into a snack. Humans, too, would hunt them. Sometimes for food, but also for no good reason at all. A memory of the raccoon and his mother being chased flashed through their minds, which they summarily dismissed. It wasn¡¯t the time for such painful thoughts. Despite all the claws, teeth, and human hands that wished them ill, predation was not the leading cause of death in raccoons¡ªstarvation was. They had to be sneaky. They had to steal whatever source of sustenance they could if they hoped to live past adolescence. They had to be, as Fischer had playfully called them, trash pandas. It was why Claws¡¯s familiar has been out at sea. Separated from his mother, starving, he¡¯d followed the scent of food, and... well, the rest of it was a story for another day. Maria and Slimes had almost ¡®healed¡¯ this self-preservation out of him. That they¡¯d come so close to doing so was a terrifying realization¡ªone that had momentarily made Maria doubt if she had the right to heal anyone again, but that worry departed as fast as it had arrived. Her will wasn¡¯t as strong as Fischer¡¯s, but he was a terrible baseline to compare oneself to. The man was a monster. In the best way possible, of course, but a monster nonetheless. Weak as she was by comparison, her desire to help others was powerful. Even before her breakthrough, her core had warned her not to clear the ¡®blemish¡¯ away. And she¡¯d listened. She could trust her instincts. Besides, she was several orders of magnitude stronger now, so it wasn¡¯t a valid concern. Even if it was, her familiar¡¯s next discovery would have been enough to make her try again. Slimes, in all his glorious squishiness and occasional crystalline brilliance, had been all but certain that these cultivators were similar. He¡¯d seen no other reason that Fischer¡¯s flood wouldn¡¯t have swept away their birdlike sensibilities when cleansing the corruption. Back in the present, as Maria looked at the boulders peeking up through dry creek beds, she sent Slimes all the gratitude. She was so proud of him. The ¡®flaws¡¯ were neither something inherently bad, nor something that had to be cleansed. They were, for better or worse, a part of them now. And, when presented with the choice of having them cleansed away, their cores had declined. If it had been one of them, maybe it should have been questioned. But all of them...? It wasn¡¯t a mistake. It couldn¡¯t be. Sure, wanting to be a bird was kinda unhinged, but who was Maria to judge? She had a blob of slime as a familiar. With a mental shrug, she let these thoughts slip away. Ready? Slimes asked her, his intent seeping down into the cracks between boulder and creek bed. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. She was. With the ease of water flowing downhill, her will joined his, their tendrils of power wrapping around each porous stone. Their healing chi, bright and pink and filled with good intentions, squeezed the boulders¡ªwhich shattered, crumbled, and turned to dust, freeing the desires trapped within. *** In a place of solitude atop a rocky headland, two beings meditated, enlightenment just beyond their reach. Perhaps they shouldn¡¯t have called it ¡®solitude¡¯, considering they weren¡¯t actually alone. It certainly went against the standard definition. But that didn¡¯t change their feelings on the matter. The reasoning was as profound as it was simple; some people¡ªor animals, in this case¡ªwere a burden on the mind. Even if you loved someone a great deal, their proximity could stop you from being able to relax. This wasn¡¯t at all the case with these two. They were kindred spirits. A couple of peas in a pod. Two delicious fish being swallowed down a single gullet. That¡¯s a terrible analogy, Pelly thought. Really? I liked it, Bill replied. They had progressed so far on their path to a breakthrough. That the exchange hadn¡¯t ruined their meditative state was proof. Like a mighty pelican diving beak-first into the ocean, they slipped straight back into mindfulness, easily navigating the tides of their joined awareness. The initial few days of seeking enlightenment had been a little more... frustrating. They¡¯d felt on the precipice of something, and the longer it evaded them, the more agitated they both grew. But given time, this annoyance swam right by¡ªlike that one species of arrow-shaped fish that Bill still hadn¡¯t caught despite becoming a spirit beast. He could have delivered death-from-above via flying kick, sure, but where was the sport in that? The damned things are just so speedy... Pelly huffed amusedly through her nostrils, which made Bill do the same. It really was a silly thing to be bothered by. He wondered if that realization would be the understanding that finally facilitated their breakthrough. So did she. It wasn¡¯t, though. With shared mirth, they shook their heads at each other, then themselves. What was the rush? Besides time, the recent advancements of their friends were the most pivotal reason for their lack of urgency. Each ideal was as unique as it was surprising. Cinnamon sought to deliver the perfect kick to anyone foolish enough to challenge Fischer. Maria was a healer that believed even the most-wicked could be redeemed. And Claws... okay, they weren¡¯t all surprising. Still, they were unique, each individual¡¯s breakthrough tied to who they were, and who they would becom¡ª Both pelicans sat bolt upright as a flock of chi seemed to take flight. After a single glance toward each other, Bill and Pelly rocketed skyward. *** Sometimes, in order for healing to occur, a poorly joined bone had to be broken. With that principle held firmly in mind, neither Maria nor Slimes felt bad about the destruction they wrought. After all, the boulders weren¡¯t boulders at all. They weren¡¯t even stone. The thousands of thin shells turned to dust in an instant, and from the pockets hidden within, birdlike affinity poured out. Another flood came to the lands that were the cultivators¡¯ cores, groundwater seeping up from below to fill the scars, then flow over the sides. Rather than become submerged, however, the surrounding ground drank deep. As it rehydrated, expanded, Maria and Slimes knew they¡¯d done the right thing. The cores, now drenched with birdlike desire, became soft and mailable. Mountains grew, planes sank, and scars disappeared. But then the peaks folded back down, only to rise once more where a valley had been only seconds ago. In defiance of stillness, they continually shifted, endlessly searching for the correct form. There were so many options, and each argued their case, the language indecipherable yet markedly passionate. It could have gone on forever, and it probably would have... if not for the arrival of two irrefutable opinions. The prison felt their approach, shifting its chi to let them in. Unlike Maria and Slimes, who¡¯d had to answer a series of questions before being admitted, the new arrivals were immediately welcomed... via the removal of a whole damned wall, its bricks tumbling down and inward to create a low barrier. The stonework separating the rooms just... slid down and vanished, there one second and gone the next. The difference in hospitality was enough to leave Maria downright peeved. But as she returned to her body and opened her eyes, she caught sight of two feathered forms, their spread wings blocking out the midday sun. Private Pelly and Warrant Officer Williams, floating down slowly so they didn¡¯t disturb the joined moment of ascension, landed in the cell. With a ruffle of their feathers, both birds sat where the dividing wall had been, so close that Pelly¡¯s brown wing brushed up against Bill¡¯s black and white plumage. Two masters of flight had come to give their juniors guidance. Maria prepared to get comfy. The Church of Carcinization had been contemplating their favored form¡ªthat of the humble crab¡ªfor months, and they were yet to make the transformation. This, then, would likely take days, if not weeks. That would still be much better than how long the carcinization folk had been¡ª Pop! Maria blinked, and Slimes appeared atop her shoulder, wobbling as he let out a soft oooo. Maria blinked again. Pop! Pop! Po-po-pop! In less time than it would take Corporal Claws to slurp down a dozen oysters, it was done. All of their cores had chosen a static shape. The only proof that anything had happened at all were the clothes a roomful of pelicans were shrugging their way out of. One of them¡ªwho¡¯d been the human known as Tiberius¡ªlet out an indignant squawk as he got his neck and foot stuck in opposite sleeves of his tunic. The rest of the former humans, who now bore patchwork feathers of black and white and brown, croaked in amusement. Pelly and Bill stood abruptly. The other birds fell silent, their heads whipping toward the leaders of their flight. Even Tiberius did so, having to peer up from an awkward¡ªand objectively funny¡ªangle given his shirt-related predicament. With the attention of everyone present, Pelly and Bill unleashed a single honk that shook the world. It was neither pride, joy, nor enlightenment coming from them¡ªit was all three, and much more. Their thoughts washed over Maria and Slimes as if their own. The moment the pelicans had felt the call of the corrupted cultivators, Pelly and Bill had known what they¡¯d been missing. It was no wonder they could cultivate together, just as it wasn¡¯t a surprise that they hadn¡¯t had the breakthrough yet. Of all the things they had done since awakening, it was their time herding seagulls that made them feel most alive. They¡¯d wanted to form a squadron. A family. A group of their own with which to soar the skies and further Tropica¡¯s goals. Twin stars of light exploded into being. Maria crossed her arms to brace against the force, but it wasn¡¯t meant for her. Instead of striking the subordinate pelicans, however, it flowed into them, and the now-cleansed humans drank deep. No longer did the landscapes within them remind Maria of cracked earth and floodwater. Their cores were open skies. Endless stretches of empty space. And like a high-pressure system, Bill and Pelly¡¯s chi rushed in to fill the void. We... We did it, Maria thought as thick gusts of essence made the newly awakened birds feel more whole. Slimes only vibrated back, stunned into silence for the first time since, well, ever. It wasn¡¯t just the healing that shocked him so. In breaking open the boulders, thereby forcing the cultivators to confront and assimilate their affinity for birdhood, Maria and Slimes had accidentally provided the very thing Pelly and Bill had been missing¡ªa family of their own kind. The intense joy coming from the other side of the bars could have filled oceans. When the blinding light had been entirely absorbed, Maria opened her eyes, only to find that she still couldn¡¯t see. She blinked away tears, wiping them from her cheek as she stepped forward. ¡°Prison, you glorious, unhelpful bastard...¡± She gripped the bars, willing them to disappear. ¡°You let me in this second. They don¡¯t need to be contained.¡± The chi-filled metal grew hot between her fingers, and the next thing Maria knew, she was stumbling forward, strands of light clinging to her body. ¡°Thank you,¡± she mouthed, barely watching the light as it sloughed to the ground, pooling to create something new. Maria didn¡¯t care what it was. She fell to her knees in front of Pelly and Bill, reaching her hands out toward them, but drew back at the last second, an unspoken question passing from her to them. The answer came not a moment later when they chuffed in amusement and closed the distance, pressing their bodies¡ªgods, they¡¯d grown even bigger¡ªinto Maria. She wrapped her arms around them, her tears coming in full force. She was so, so, so proud of... them? Maria turned to the right and wiped her eyes, gazing toward the single source of fury in a room otherwise filled with positive emotions. Tiberius had gotten even more entangled. He let out a furious grunt as he wiggled his head back and forth to no avail. Trying not to laugh, Maria reached out to help free him of his tunic, but retreated when chi glowed from his core. Tiny streams of air shot from him in every direction, tearing from his body and ripping the shirt to shreds. Slimes shot from Maria even faster. He formed a gelatinous dome around the spirit beast, and the blades of essence dissipated as they struck it, absorbed and neutralized. Because of Maria¡¯s breakthrough, this single attack¡ªand all the reactions to it¡ªconfirmed several suspicions. Pelly and Bill hadn¡¯t just bonded with the other pelicans. They¡¯d had a breakthrough of their own, and their connection to the others had shared the power they now wielded. Every single one of them now possessed air chi, and given time, they¡¯d come to command it. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be...¡± Maria said, a few sobs taking the opportunity to escape. ¡°Looks like we really do have an entire flock of birds now...¡± There was a momentary silence, in which the pelicans looked at each other. Then, with their heads? held high and necks extended, the flock roared with a series of honks, guttural croaks, and even a few blasts of air. Most jubilant were Pelly and Bill, whose wings unleashed gouts of force. Maria joined them, half-laughing, half-sobbing. The healing had been a resounding success. Book 4: Chapter 49: Success and Treason Book 4: Chapter 49: Success and Treason A strong breeze swirled around the deck, its crisp touch making a pleasant shiver course through me. In the stillness that followed, steam and smoke rose up to once more reclaim the space. The scents demanded my attention. With a deep breath and a wide smile, I glanced down at the hotplate, the sight causing my mouth to water. An entire barbecue worth of giant squid. Cut into strips, tenderized, and seasoned. They were curling at the edges, so I flipped them. They¡¯d only need another minute to fin¡ª Birds! Claws screeched through our connection, interrupting my thoughts. Lots of birds! She sent through a pulse of... violence? I couldn¡¯t tell if she was witnessing it, wanting to commit it, or already engaging in battle. Knowing her, it would be one of the latter two. Perhaps both at the same time. I took a slow, calming breath. The little deviant must have come across a large flock. Claws, I replied, my voice holding only a hint of reproach¡ªif I was too firm, she¡¯d defy me out of principle. We don¡¯t hurt birds, remember? Even if you¡¯re a chaos elemental now, it¡¯s not okay to harm creatures for no reas¡ª Feathers! she interrupted. Feathers everywhere! Black and white and brown! I massaged my temples. What kind of bird was black, white, and brown? Certainly nothing I¡¯d seen in Tropica. Please tell me you didn¡¯t blast them, Claws. I¡¯m serious. This isn¡¯t¡ª She interrupted me again, this time with an image. I wasn¡¯t even aware she could do that. The scene showed twin orbs of incandescence, so bright they obscured everything else. Was... had she zapped a couple birds so hard that they ascended? All it did was raise more questions, but as I considered it further, I realized her true goal. You¡¯re messing, aren¡¯t you? Obscuring things on purpose. There was a long silence as she gave me nothing, but then the mask started to slip. Her chittering giggles were as vexing as they were heart-warming, and when they finally came to an end, she let out a sad chirp. But not because she felt guilty. No, she was sad I couldn¡¯t hear her raccoon¡¯s high-pitched snickers, which she assured me, were sincere, boisterous, and more annoying than I was imagining. I sent an eye-roll through our bond. Not cool, Claws. Were there even any birds? She replied with a shrug and a maybe, then slammed the connection shut. I tried to reach her, but she held the door firmly closed. ¡°Claws again?¡± Barry asked, clearly seeing my frustration. ¡°Mate, that little otter is going to be the death of me.¡± ¡°Well, to be fair, she is an elemental now. A lightning elemental. Of chaos.¡± ¡°Yeahhh, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± I flipped the squid to check it was cooked¡ªfinding golden-brown goodness, I started transferring them to a plate. ¡°I expected some negatives. I just didn¡¯t think there would be so many. There¡¯re benefits, at least...¡± ¡°Benefits?¡± Ruby asked, standing up and eyeing the calamari. ¡°What benefits?¡± ¡°Oh. Uhhh... never mind.¡± Barry narrowed his eyes at me, then redirected his ire elsewhere. ¡°Anything to add, Theo?¡± The former auditor slipped forward, yoinked a bit of squid, and spun on the spot. Avoiding eye-contact with everyone, he marched into the cabin and slammed the door shut. ¡°No comment!¡± ¡°Barry, my man,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re trying to discover secrets when there are way more important things out in the open.¡± ¡°Is that so? What should I be worrying about, oh great and humble Fischer?¡± ¡°Rubes?¡± I raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Care to enlighten our jacked friend?¡± She didn¡¯t need to be asked¡ªshe was already giving him an incredulous look. ¡°Did your nose muscles grow so large that they closed over? You should be worried about the calamari, obviously. It¡¯s taking all my willpower to not snatch the whole plate right now!¡± ¡°Scylla¡¯s many mouths!¡± came a muffled curse from within the cabin. The door flew open a moment later, revealing Theo and a half-eaten strip. ¡°I call seconds if there are leftovers!¡± ¡°There¡¯s plenty enough for everyone!¡± I slid the cooked portion forward, inviting them to grab a piece. In a blur, I threw the trapdoor open with chi, reached inside, and collected another tray of cut- and ready-to-cook squid. Unlike the first batch, these were covered in a mix of spices, some of which had a bit of kick. It took only a moment, and the last of my pals were collecting their cooked portions as I returned. I upended the raw strips. I caught a whiff of the spicy seasonings as steam rose, and I leaned back as far as I could, using tongs to spread the seafood evenly. With the next batch cooking, I grabbed a piece of squid. We all held one now; the others had waited for me, even Theo saving a bite of his so we could eat it together. Unable to contain my grin, I raised my hand high. ¡°To good food!¡± ¡°To friendship!¡± Ruby added. Chi radiated from Bonnie with so much intensity that she glowed to my senses. ¡°To adventure!¡± As one, we bit down. The first thing I noticed was the texture. Soft yet pleasantly firm, the squid was cooked to perfection. Hot oil spread through my mouth as I chewed, and with that fat came flavor. All I had used was salt and pepper, wanting to experience it with only the relatively bland enhancers. It was less intense than I¡¯d expected, by far the subtlest thing I had tasted since my last advancement. An oceanic scene sprang to mind; a calm sea on an even calmer day, waves barely visible in the stillness. There wasn¡¯t much to observe, no chaos occurring to draw one¡¯s attention, but that was a feature rather than a detriment. As with the imaginary vista, the quiet umami flavor of the squid let me notice every other sense with greater acuity. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. When I swallowed, the food¡¯s essence made my throat tingle, a pleasant chaser to the wonderful aftertastes persisting on my tongue. Before it could completely fade, I opened my eyes and went to grab a slice of lemon¡ªonly to find that they¡¯d beaten me to the punch. I¡¯d only prepared six slices, which had apparently been a lapse of judgement. I laughed, then leveled a glare at everybody, my lingering smile ruining its severity. ¡°You know, if I suspected that turning you all into heretics would eventually deprive me of lemon, I might have never preached fishing.¡± Ruby blew a raspberry and passed me her slice, having only squeezed a few drops on her strip. Everyone waited for the rest of us to apply some¡ªexcept for Cinnamon, of course, who chomped down on a stick of enhanced sugarcane with reckless abandon. With a wordless toast, we raised the calamari anew, then took another bite. Anyone that hadn¡¯t tasted lemon before might not have expected how much a few drops could change a meal. But my friends and I were well and truly indoctrinated. The acid cut through the oil like a hot knife through butter, and I imagined a giant Rocky doing a cannonball, setting the waters in my mind to churning. Despite being aware of the difference a lemon¡¯s acidity could make, a series of surprised noises and content mmmm¡¯s rang out, one of them coming from my own throat. ¡°Heavens above...¡± Ruby said, letting out a long breath. ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say I like calamari.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± I licked my lips. ¡°I wonder what the rest¡ªfrack!¡± So absorbed in the food had I been that I¡¯d forgotten all about the spiced batch. I whirled, my eyes scanning the hotplate, my senses detecting the chi within... but there was no need to worry. Theo raised an eyebrow and returned a smirk. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did our infallible and humble leader forget he had some food cooking?¡± ¡°Psh. Nahhh, I just knew that you¡¯d finish yours before everyone else.¡± I sniffed haughtily. ¡°Trusting his underlings is exactly what a perfect ruler would do.¡± Steven cleared his throat, then whispered loud enough for all to hear, ¡°I think he forgot.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no doubt,¡± Ruby replied, nodding at her husband¡¯s words. Ignoring the treasonous statements of my followers, I joined Theo at the barbecue. The scents coming from it were unignorable now. Its savory goodness was laced with peppery spices, the smells so strong that they set my nose to itching. ¡°Are they ready?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Certainly are, mate. Any more and you risk burning the seasoning.¡± He lifted a strip and gave it, then me, a curious look. ¡°Uhhhh, I think the ship might have sailed on that, Fischer.¡± ¡°First off, ten-out-of-ten analogy. I¡¯m sure Bob would have loved it if he was sapient.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. But more importantly, a little char isn¡¯t a bad.¡± I started moving the calamari to a clean tray. ¡°It¡¯s a feature, my man.¡± ¡°I can tell that you aren¡¯t lying, but I still find that hard to believe...¡± ¡°There¡¯s one way to find out for certain.¡± I nodded at the crispy pile, then held up a finger, stalling everyone for a moment. ¡°Before you bite into this, know that they¡¯re gonna be spicy spicy. I¡¯m not sure how our enhanced bodies will react to lots of chili, which is why I¡¯ve historically avoided using too much. If you weren¡¯t great with pepper before awakening, you might not... why are you all looking at me like that? And why does Trent look like he¡¯s about to piss himself with laughter?¡± ¡°Fischer...¡± His eyes danced with humor¡ªwhich should have annoyed me, but it was good to see him enjoying himself. ¡°I seriously doubt any of Tropica¡¯s native citizens experienced anything spicy. Peppers are hard to cultivate, making it exceedingly expensive for even the royal family to...¡± He trailed off, a frown forming as he realized he was now the object of everyone¡¯s amusement. ¡°Okay, what did I miss?¡± Fergus barked a laugh and clapped Duncan on the back. ¡°I¡¯m not a farmer, but I can answer that for you. Peppers grow really well in the sandy soil of Tropica. There¡¯re always some sprinkled around the northern crops that get afternoon shade, just in case it¡¯s needed. They are a rare addition to meals, sure, but we¡¯ve all tasted it when times get tough.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± Trent said. ¡°Huh?¡± I echoed, louder. ¡°How did nobody tell me there was fresh chili this entire time? I had to use dried flakes from my personal stash for this meal! Forget heresy, holding that information from me was blasphemy! And that¡¯s not to mention the fact you¡¯re all calling them peppers! You¡¯re offending my Australian sensibilities!¡± Ruby and Steven gave each other a baffled look, then she turned my way. ¡°Well, we call them peppers, and we thought you knew. They¡¯re mainly used to hide the presence of, well, less-pleasant flavors when food gets scarce. Thankfully, we haven¡¯t needed to rely on it for years.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Fergus said. ¡°I assumed you just didn¡¯t like spice. You openly did heretical things, so why wouldn¡¯t someone have told you about it?¡± Duncan agreed in the most-annoying way possible; he guffawed. Hard. He even slapped his knee for good measure. ¡°Hang on Rubes, when you said it hides less-pleasant flavors... do you mean perished food?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want to put it that way, but yes. If the choice is between spoiled grain and starvation, anyone would take the grain.¡± I blinked. ¡°But the ocean was there the entire time! You could have just eaten fish!¡± I shook my head. ¡°Never mind. Heretical. I know. Still, I can¡¯t believe there was a chili conspiracy going on behind my back this entire time. How will I forgive such a betrayal...?¡± ¡°How about we dwell on it over some tender squid?¡± Theo suggested. ¡°Perhaps the spice will make you forget all about it.¡± ¡°Theo, you mad dog.¡± I snapped my fingers and grabbed a portion. ¡°That¡¯s so crazy that it just might work. Still, if anyone is bad with heat, maybe see how everyone else takes it first.¡± Even with my warning, only one of us abstained: Borks, who dismissed the idea after a single sniff and at least a half-dozen sneezes. He took another plain strip instead. ¡°To your unforgivable betrayal!¡± I toasted. ¡°To our unforgivable betrayal!¡± they resounded, smiling despite their treachery. Together, we bit down into the charred and chili-covered calamari. As soon as it hit my tongue, I was filled with regret. But not because it was too spicy¡ªquite the opposite. Rather than increase the pain of the chili, my enhanced body only amplified the taste. My mouth tingled almost immediately, a semi-numb sensation washing over it that did nothing to diminish the flavors waging war across my awareness. If the lemon had made a giant Rocky cannonball the calm scene in my mind¡¯s eye, the chili caused an underwater volcano to erupt, its lava both hot and sweet. The squid¡¯s oceanic essence wove through in the background, subtle, distinct, and undeniably delicious. When I swallowed, the numbness reached my throat, but it was still more pleasant than painful. I took a deep breath and looked out at the world, both seeing and feeling everyone¡¯s enjoyment. ¡°Okay,¡± Ruby said, ¡°our peppers don¡¯t taste like that.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Duncan agreed, taking another bite. Borks wagged his tail at us and cocked his head. ¡°Of course you can try it, buddy.¡± I broke off a bit, kneeled down to his height, and held it out toward him. My favorite doggo transformed into a Golden Retriever, hesitated a moment, then licked it. As if stung by a swarm of invisible bees, he darted back repeatedly, the numbness clearly confusing him. He started spinning in circles, then shook his entire body to expel extra energy. Despite his reaction, I could sense through our bond that he wanted to try more, so I threw him the chunk. As we all watched Borks expectantly, curious how he¡¯d react to a whole bite, a lone thought crossed my mind. The calamari trial had been a resounding success. Then, the chili-covered squid landed on his tongue and all hell broke loose as a gout of flames washed over the deck. Book 4: Chapter 50: Lessons in Flight Book 4: Chapter 50: Lessons in Flight Sergeant Snips, wielder of water and most-loyal of Fischer¡¯s pals, couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. One shaky claw removed her single piece of clothing, the patch her beloved master had made for her. And looking through both eyes, something she hadn¡¯t done in months, she witnessed a flock of birds wheeling around in the sky above Tropica. That alone wasn¡¯t shocking, of course. Seagulls were a common sight by the ocean, as were the small brown birds that flitted around the nearby forest. What made it startling was that the birds weren¡¯t birds at all¡ªmost were human. Through some manner of feathered frackery, Bill and Pelly had bonded to the corrupted cultivators, turning them into pelicans. Snips shouldbe happy for them. Through their combined efforts, the two pelicans had nullified a vast swathe of prisoners. They¡¯d evolved potential enemies into aerial forces that could assist Tropica. She should be happy for Maria, too. Snips spared a glance the mistress¡¯s way, and when she saw the joyful tears in her eyes, she was content for her. But... it was overshadowed by something large, ugly, and embarrassing. Her own emotions. Shame, jealousy, a feeling of not being enough. She had been the first of Fischer¡¯s animals to awaken, and others were catching up to her, if not outright leaving her in the dust. Even her damned pond was outshining her. Both figuratively and literally, she noted, as Slimes shifted to his crystalline form and reflected the sun¡¯s rays. It felt like a lifetime ago that Corporal Claws had beaten her to gaining an aspect. The troublesome otter¡¯s chi had taken on the essence of lightning when they fought Trent, Leroy, and the other cultivator from Gormona. That alone hadn¡¯t bothered the sergeant; it had filled her with only positive emotions. After all, that extra strength was something that she could utilize in the protection her beloved master. She¡¯d used Claws¡¯s advancement as motivation to facilitate her own growth. Even the recent awakening as an elemental hadn¡¯t caused Snips to worry. Okay, that was a lie. She had worried, but not about her own inadequacy; Claws was made of both lightning and pure chaos. It would cause anyone stress. Snips was getting distracted. She recentered herself a stream of bubbles, and as she did her best to assess her feelings, the tiny orbs turned ponderous. What was it about the birds celebrating above her that made her feel so left behind? The parallel between the Church of Carcinization and their idolization of her crabby form was the obvious answer, but she only needed to consider for a moment to know that wasn¡¯t it. So what else could it be...? Try as she might, she couldn¡¯t work out why her feelings had grown into a forest of tangled kelp. Lost in the brackish waters of her mind, Snips jolted when a soft hand touched the top of her spiky carapace. A wave of heat crawled over her skin as she turned to look up at her ambusher. ¡°Hey...¡± Maria¡¯s face was smothered in compassion, the redness lingering in her eyes doing nothing to diminish her beauty and kindness. ¡°Do... do you want to talk about it?¡± Snips didn¡¯t move for a few seconds that felt like an eternity. The anxiety prickling her body moved down to her legs, where it loitered and remained. Her thoughts seemed to freeze under the mistress¡¯s attention. Then, from nowhere, a ray of hope shone down and melted the ice. Are these blackened doubts actually a sickness? she wondered, keeping her concerns to herself. Something that a healer could fix...? She returned her gaze to Maria and asked with a hiss, What did you feel? ¡°Feel...?¡± She smirked despite herself. ¡°You took your eyepatch off, Snips. That¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve done it since your other eyestalk was healed.¡± Oh... She blew a stream of sheepish bubbles. ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed. I did sense something from you, but it wasn¡¯t related to my healing chi. Your core seemed... upset. Troubled.¡± Snips knew Maria wouldn¡¯t judge her, yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel ashamed at hoping for such a straightforward solution. Even if there was an easy path, would taking it not hurt her cultivation? Hinder the desire to defend her master and all he held dear? With another hiss, this one coming out as a long sigh, she looked up at Maria. How much time do you have? ¡°I have all the time in the world for you, Snips. Right, Slimes?¡± ¡°Yeahhh!¡± Slimes dropped his crystalline form and jiggled for emphasis. ¡°Alllll the time!¡± Shaking her shell at the ridiculousness of being reassured by a tidal pond¡ªher tidal pond¡ªSnips scuttled in place, working out her nervous energy. Where should she even begin? Before a decision could be reached, the closest crop shook, rumbled, and a squad of cultivators exploded out of it, obliterating most of the sugarcane. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Covered in plant fibers and greenery, they didn¡¯t stop, slowing for only a second as the followers wiped debris from their eyes to regain sight of the man at heading their charge. Joel, the leader of the Cult of Carcinization, leaped into the air. He crashed down into the sand before them and skidded to a halt. Sergeant Snips, all too aware of what the crabby humans were about to ask, shook her head, discarding grains of sand in every direction. Joel pressed his forehead into the ground. When they arrived a moment later, they followed suit, going to their knees before kowtowing. The leader took a deep breath, preparing to launch into a no-doubt impassioned speech, but an oppressive force constricted his throat, killing the words. Maria stepped forward with chi rolling from her in waves so strong her skin glowed pink. ¡°Joel...¡± Her tone was artificially flat, feeling like the blunt side of a deadly scythe ready to twist and slash. It made Snips¡¯s mouth go dryer than the sand surrounding them. ¡°Would you care to explain why you just destroyed one of Barry¡¯s crops?¡± Though it was still pressed to the ground, Snips didn¡¯t need to see Joel¡¯s face to know he understood the severity of Maria¡¯s question. ¡°I...¡± He swallowed, only able to move his neck because Maria allowed it. ¡°We came to beg Sergeant Snips, our benevolent and all-powerful deity, to instruct us in the way of the crab.¡± Time passed by, the seconds dragging on, yet Maria¡¯s oppressive fury didn¡¯t subside. ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked, Joel.¡± With deliberately slow movement, he pressed both palms into the ground. His own anger flared, and he lifted himself upright to stare back in defiance. Compared to the storm front that was Maria, however, his resolve was a wave lapping at the shore. ¡°I had to reach our deity as soon as possible. Time was of the essence.¡± ¡°No. It wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°It... it was. The cultivators from Theogonia just became birds! If they can do it, there¡¯s no way that we can¡¯t! All we need¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Maria repeated, the air warping around her. Like an invisible fist had struck the ground, a giant circle of sand sank an inch. The force smashed Joel¡¯s resolve apart. But she wasn¡¯t done. ¡°Have you considered that your lack of care for others is the reason you haven¡¯t turned into crabs yet?¡± No answer came. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a rhetorical question, Joel. Have. You. Considered it?¡± ¡°Noth¡ª¡± His voice cracked; he cleared his throat. ¡°Nothing is more important than our evolution. Care for others encourages weakness.¡± ¡°Wrong.¡± She gestured at the destroyed crops. ¡°That sugarcane was. It¡¯s hypocritical of me to say because I¡¯ve caused similar destruction on a lesser scale, but there was literally no reason for you to walk through that field. If you¡¯d strode around it, you still would have found Snips. Hades¡¯s blackened realm, you could have just leaped over it!¡± ¡°That would have been slower, and time¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Despite having the core of a healer, Maria¡¯s pulse of chi held deadly intent. She took a deep breath and patted Slimes¡¯s head to steady herself. All the blood had drained from his face. He nodded. ¡°Let me finish. I was there for the pelicans¡¯ transformation¡ªit couldn¡¯t have happened without me¡ªand none of them had anything close to the level of self-importance you do. If delusions of grandeur were a part of your path, don¡¯t you think you¡¯d already have succeeded by now?¡± As Snips watched Joel and the rest of the crab-ish humans closely, she saw something almost as astounding as the pelicans circling above¡ªthe mistress¡¯s words seemed to be taking root. Their faces showed introspection, as did the essence circulating their cores. Abruptly, their leader reached a decision. He sat upright and met Maria¡¯s gaze. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware you took part in their transformation.¡± She sighed, the pressure and pink light returning to her core. ¡°Yeah, well, I did, so maybe give what I said some th¡ª¡± ¡°Please!¡± he interrupted in a yell, slamming his forehead back into the ground. ¡°Your healing chi might be the last thing we¡¯re missing! Help us achieve carcinization!¡± The only warning was a twitch of Maria¡¯s upper lip. She shot forward so fast she may as well have teleported. ¡°That!¡± She grabbed Joel by the collar of his robe. ¡°Isn¡¯t!¡± Her other arm gripped his ankle. ¡°The!¡± She pivoted and drew him back like a sack of grain. ¡°Lesson!¡± As she unleashed her last word, so too did she unleash the leader of the Church of Carcinization. He sailed high over the ocean, his limbs splayed and scream feminine. Because of the angle she¡¯d thrown him at, he reached the apex of his flight just before he crested the horizon. ¡°Think about your actions while you crab-walk back!¡± Maria bellowed, then spun to look down at the others, pausing to straighten her shirt. ¡°Are there any other questions?¡± ¡°N-no!¡± Jess replied, glancing up with wide eyes¡ªand looking ridiculous because of the sugary pulp still covering her. ¡°I saw the truth in what you said. I¡¯d assumed Joel did too...¡± ¡°Maybe Sally wasn¡¯t entirely wrong...¡± another said. ¡°Perhaps we¡¯ve been a bit much.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been a bit much...?¡± asked a third. Jess shook her head, then winced and wiped away a sugarcane splinter from the crook of her neck. ¡°Joel has been a bit much. With any luck, he¡¯ll actually do some self-reflection on the way back. If not, I¡¯ll talk to him when he returns.¡± Still kneeling, she rotated to face Snips. ¡°Sorry. For him, and for us. We¡¯d still love your guidance, but only if you¡¯re willing¡ª¡± Of course I¡¯m willing, Snips hissed, waving a claw. ¡°Really?¡± She tried to keep her voice calm, but a slight twitch of her facial muscles betrayed her. ¡°Are... are you free now?¡± Snips shook her carapace, then shrugged. Soon, maybe. She patted Maria¡¯s fleshy-yet-firm leg. The mistress made me realize something important, which I must attend immediately. ¡°I did?¡± Maria asked. ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t want to...¡± She frowned, her gaze as she assessed Snips¡¯s core. ¡°Huh. You reached a decision.¡± Snips nodded. She had, and it was all because of the mistress¡¯s wisdom. She showed her thanks by rubbing affectionately against Maria. Then, with a polite wave to the rest of the Church of Carcinization¡ªwho watched her with curious looks¡ªshe departed, trailing Joel¡¯s passage out into the ocean. It has been too long... Book 4: Chapter 51: Monster Book 4: Chapter 51: Monster Deep within a cavern of their own creation, a being of multiple parts bided their time. They were likely the oldest form of awareness remaining in the Kallis realm, a force so ancient they¡¯d outlasted entire civilizations... and yet, they squabbled like children. Following the realization there was a cultivator or spirit beast foolish enough to channel unaspected chi, a tiny crack had formed between the two souls comprising the one. That crack became a fissure, and the fissure a chasm. So wide did the gap grow that their awarenesses had partially split. It was... frustrating. The rejoining was supposed to be absolute, but because the other parts of their body weren¡¯t yet present, their individual personalities were distinguishable. And those same parts, the other earth elementals on their way, were also the point of contention between the two. We must remain, the first brother reiterated with a thought more solid as stone. We must go! the first sister replied, just as immovable in her conviction. She couldn¡¯t make them, of course. He had seniority. However, she was as much a part of their combined body as he was. She was him. Forcing her to remain still, making her ignore her instincts, felt like a betrayal. It threatened to tear them apart with finality, a possibility that brought him genuine pain. She could feel these thoughts, but his reluctance didn¡¯t change the fact he was robbing her of agency¡ªputting them at risk of rupture. I am sorry. He let out a regretful rumble. I must, for if we are discovered in our current state, destruction is certain. She need not reply¡ªher fury wove through every inch of their singular body. There seemed to be something hidden fueling the rage, but he dared not ask. Seeking distraction instead of reason, he queried what she wanted to do once the other pieces of themselves arrived. Her answer was as immediate as it was fierce: fight. This, at least, they could agree upon. He nodded mentally, the accord making their separate spirits intertwine at the base, yet it wasn¡¯t sufficient for full homeostasis. Whoever or whatever was channeling pure chi... it had to be destroyed. Such a blight couldn¡¯t be allowed to exist, lest it grow strong enough to conquer and rule. The threat of it gaining adequate strength to overshadow them was minimal, at least¡ªit was far more likely for the moronic being¡¯s core to implode. But if there was even a chance... Such a being could become divine. And not the empty divinity of the gods that had departed this planet. Real divinity. The kind that would use the heavens of this realm as a stepping stone. Again, the first sister agreed. Tendrils of his and her chi reached out toward one another, becoming further enmeshed¡ªfurther aligned in body and soul. It was enough for the first brother to risk a thought, one that had lingered since feeling the blasts of unaspected chi. Do... do you think it might be connected to the newborn elemental that we were hunting? Rather than the anger or despair he¡¯d worried this possibility would make her feel, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and slide a great boulder aside, which revealed a hidden fear¡ªthe very thing she¡¯d been concealing. Now that the objects sealing the thoughts away were clear, associated musings flowed from him to her, and her to him. They¡¯d both been trying to protect the other. The thin tendrils connecting them grew, turning into thick roots that pulled them together. It was almost enough for them to become singular once more, and with a feeling of rightness flowing between them, they explored their shared worry. If the wielder of unaspected chi and the newborn elemental were connected... they would need to be destroyed. Assimilation was always the goal when confronting others of their kind, but they couldn¡¯t risk trying to do so if there was a cultivator of pure essence nearby¡ªthe foolish being was just as likely to blow them all up by accident. Their earthen form could withstand such a detonation... but not if they were in the process of bringing another into the fold. There was an alternative possibility, however. If, despite the distinct lack of chi in the world, a traveller had somehow arrived in Kallis... their course of action would entirely change. The first brother and sister gave each other the equivalent of a sidelong glance. They could only hold it for a moment¡ªamused rumbling rolled from the center of their mass, boulders and sediment churning within. Yeah, right, he scoffed. A traveller. More likely that we¡¯d sprout wings and take flight. She laughed so hard that he had to suppress the movement, lest their enemies learn of their position. Abruptly, a shadowy form leaped into the opening of the hole they¡¯d dug¡ªbut unlike their multiple foes, this ambusher was invited. More followed, and some of the other elementals¡ªthe other parts of them¡ªdescended the walls. The twenty-seventh brother, who had been a particularly speedy embodiment of fire before assimilation, vaulted over the precipe. His shape became like the spine of an urchin, and he swiftly overtook the rest as he raced to the bottom of the cavern. When the twenty-seventh brother struck their mass, he immediately reached out to them. Like mortar sealing the gaps between the first brother and sister, he flowed out, preparing to reunite... He paused for a moment as their myriad thoughts hit him. Hehehe, he chuckled, the idea of a traveller being present amusing him. Ridiculous. The others, those that were fast enough to arrive with the first wave, landed in a barrage of silt, dirt, and minerals. All but one of them laughed when they heard the joke about the traveller¡ªthe exception being a former water elemental that had always been ornery. He tried to chastise them all, calling it a distraction, but then he rejoined, becoming a part of them. They churned the center of their mass in mirth. It really was a preposterous theory. As if such a monster could be transported to a chi-starved world... *** I stared down at the patch of blackened grass that continually drew my attention. In retrospect, if I¡¯d been aware Borks¡¯s hellhound form had the innate ability to spew fire, I probably wouldn¡¯t have fed him chili-covered squid. But how could I have known? My doggo pal had some dragon-like bullshit going on with his anatomy; his flames didn¡¯t even use chi. I connected to his core to reiterate just how gods-damned cool he was, but he spoke first. Sorry! Sorry! Very sorry! I shook my head. There was nothing to apologize for, and I relayed as much for the tenth time in so many minutes. He¡¯d hidden it for good reason; his goal was to be a part of our pack, and he had worried that spitting fire would ruin that possibility. It was a small lie that had snowballed into a big one, and frankly, who cared? I was only sad we¡¯d missed a bunch of chances to mess with people. From Borks¡¯s position atop the portable forge¡ªa construction made of bits and pieces stored in his dimensional space¡ªhe wagged his tail at me. After his love had been adequately conveyed, he bent down once more and sent another blazing conflagration down into the chimney. ¡°Hey!¡± came a voice I barely heard as the forge¡¯s heart glowed red and heated the metal within. ¡°Idiot traveller dumb-dumb with weird little toes! We¡¯re talking to you!¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Huh?¡± I looked up at the ostensibly insulting yet undeniably fun sentence. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ruby, who¡¯d been the one to deliver the insult, beamed and held a hand out toward Barry. ¡°Pay up, chump.¡± He crossed his arms and frowned at both of us. ¡°There¡¯s no way you two didn¡¯t set that up. I¡¯m calling shenanigans.¡± ¡°Mate, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯ve been busy crafting this... this...¡± My eyes had drifted back down to the piece of metal I was shaping, then to the works of the other smiths. ¡°Damn, using my hands to mold it might have been a mistake after all. Maybe I am an idiot traveller dumb-dumb.¡± I raised a finger. ¡°I do not, however, have weird little toes. Theo, please confirm.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± He marched over and bent at a ninety-degree angle. ¡°Present them for inspection!¡± ¡°Oi!¡± I stepped back, suddenly self-conscious. ¡°I wanted you to confirm my words, not voice your subjective opinion of my flawless toesies!¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Honest mistake.¡± I didn¡¯t need his ability to detect lies to know that it had been no mistake. ¡°In that case, no, you didn¡¯t set that up with Ruby.¡± I had to fight down a smile; the trickery had been all me. ¡°Told you!¡± The seamstress waved her hand in Barry¡¯s muscular face. ¡°Pay up!¡± He sighed and reached into a pocket to retrieve her winnings. ¡°Furthermore,¡± Theo continued, ¡°on the topic of Fischer¡¯s quote-unquote weird little toes, he was telling the truth when he denied having them.¡± ¡°See?¡± I raised my nose at Ruby. ¡°What did I say? My toes are perfectly norm¡ª¡± ¡°However...¡± Theo interrupted, raising an eyebrow. ¡°He was absolutely lying when he said his toes were flawless.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Barry latched onto the revelation like a drowning man. ¡°You were lying!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because all toes are weird and little, Barry! If they¡¯re all weird, mine are actually normal. And you¡¯re one to talk! Of all of us, your weirdly muscular feet are the odd ones out.¡± Paul, who¡¯d been glancing around at everyone¡¯s toes since they¡¯d been brought up, leaned down to get a better glimpse of his father¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re right, Fischer. They almost look like thumbs.¡± ¡°Truth!¡± Theo roared with laughter. ¡°Complete truth!¡± Barry tensed his jaw so hard that tendons bulged from the sides of his head. ¡°If Paul wasn¡¯t here, I¡¯d ask you to throw me back home, Fischer.¡± ¡°And I¡¯d happily deny the request!¡± He shook his head, smiling despite how bothered he was trying to seem. ¡°What did you want before, anyway?¡± I asked. Barry just gave me a confused look, so I turned to Ruby. ¡°When you were soliciting my attention...?¡± ¡°Ohhhh.¡± She gave a dismissive wave of the hand. ¡°Nothing, really¡ªI was trying to tell you that your creation looks like absolute garbage, but you weren¡¯t hearing me. Naturally, we started taking turns insulting you.¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± I agreed. ¡°Wait¡ªabsolute garbage? It¡¯s not that bad...¡± Fergus, the highest level smith Tropica had, formed a line with his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s pretty bad. You said it needed smooth surfaces, didn¡¯t you? To reflect the sunlight?¡± ¡°Yeah? So?¡± ¡°So...¡± He held a hand out to accept my pride. My joy. My rod. He poked one of its many dimples. ¡°I know we were trying to think outside of the box, but what are these...?¡± ¡°Speed holes. Helps me reel faster.¡± ¡°That... doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s agree to disagree. It still looks like a rod, right?¡± To be fair, it was at least rod-shaped. I¡¯d taken a bamboo pole and coated it in metal, but in my distraction, had accidentally squeezed too hard, leaving divots all over where my thumbs and fingertips had been. ¡°Aye, it looks like a rod,¡± Duncan muttered. ¡°If it was chewed on by a fish, spat out, chewed on by an even larger fish, then spat out again, only to be¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Fine. My rod sucks. I might not be the best smith, but luckily for all of you, I am a flawless leader...¡± I raised an eyebrow at Theo. ¡°Please confirm.¡± He raised one back. ¡°I think everyone already knows that to be a lie, Fischer.¡± ¡°Ah well. It was worth a try. Anywho, as I was saying, this flawless leader predicted his possible inadequacies in the ways of the forge. Because I¡¯m so busy, you see. Leading and stuff. So I made sure to assign the same task to my best smiths!¡± I looked around at them all, grinning as I once more assessed their creations. My loss to the massive creature I¡¯d hooked had been humbling, to say the least. Despite how much strength I possessed, it wasn¡¯t enough to reinforce my rod, line, and hook. Something had to give. I could always try to gain more power, of course¡ªimprove my cultivation base so that I could fortify all three of them at once¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t feasible on this short trip out to sea. That left a single solution, one that, despite being on a wooden boat, was our best option: creating stronger tools. Borks, being the good boy he was, had brought supplies for just such an eventuality. Agreeing that he was, in fact, a good boy, Borks wiggled his butt and blasted more fire down into the forge. Both he and Trent could fuel it, but considering one of them lacked the opposable thumbs necessary to mold things, my canine companion was the obvious choice. Duncan and Fergus were attempting to produce new hooks, infusing their chi into them; it didn¡¯t seem to be working, the large shapes not holding chi properly. Ruby and Steven were messing about with lengths of yarn, and though I knew they¡¯d eventually make another logic-defying creation, it wouldn¡¯t happen in a day. The rest of us, every single human on board, were making rods with varying amounts of wood and metal. My rod had a wooden center and alloy coat, as did Paul and Barry¡¯s, the father-son duo working together. Theo and Deklan were doing the inverse, attempting to smelt a core into hollowed out bamboo. It... didn¡¯t appear to be going well, if the pile of discarded and blackened sticks could be believed. But that was okay. As much as I played up my reliance on everyone, there was really one person I was banking on¡ªBonnie. My belief in her abilities was so great that I¡¯d willingly sabotaged my own rod, giving it neither my full focus nor will. I turned her way slowly, my breath catching as I prepared to find whatever weird and whacky invention she¡¯d dreamed... up? ¡°Bonnie...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I pouted as I pointed down at the object before her. ¡°What the frack is that?¡± ¡°Uhhh, something to fish with?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can see that.¡± I leaned in closer, trying to spot any unexpected features¡ªthere weren¡¯t any. ¡°But why is it so... regular?¡± ¡°Ohhh,¡± she replied, hefting a pole that looked just like mine¡ªminus the speed holes, naturally. ¡°Well, when I saw what you were all doing, I thought I should just make something normal instead.¡± A spark of hope ignited within me. ¡°Does that mean you had an idea for an abnormal creation?¡± ¡°I... don¡¯t know how to answer that. It¡¯s subjective. I started, though, so I guess you can be the judge.¡± She bent down, grasped something with both hands, and raised it above the bench. I froze, blinked a few times, then barked a laugh. ¡°Forget subjectivity, Bonnie¡ªthat thing is objectively ridiculous.¡± ¡°I know...¡± A hint of self-doubt escaped her core, the emotion entirely unexpected from my adventurous pal, but she hid it again almost immediately. ¡°That¡¯s why I dropped it for a normal one.¡± I gave her a half smile. ¡°I said it was ridiculous, not bad. You should finish that one.¡± ¡°Wait, really?¡± ¡°Truth,¡± Theo said. ¡°He really thinks so.¡± ¡°I do! Of all the rods made by this squad of goons¡ªer, no offense, fellow goons.¡± The only response I got was a few shakes of the head, so I continued, ¡°Of all the rods, yours shows the most potential.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too... dumb?¡± ¡°Dumb? Listen, Bonnie, you¡¯re the brains in this situation. I have so much faith in you that I couldn¡¯t focus on mine¡ªhence the speed holes.¡± She shot me some side-eye, a small smirk playing on her lips. ¡°I thought that was so you could reel faster...?¡± ¡°By the gods! What¡¯s that?¡± I yelled, very elegantly changing the subject as I dashing over to the port-side railing. A series of scoffs and snorts answered came in reply, but Borks and Cinnamon joined me, all too happy to play along. I tousled the fur on their heads. They leaned into it, arched toward me, their faces melting into expressions of sheer bliss, and the same sentiment flowed out from my core and through our connection. As with all good things, however, our frozen moment couldn¡¯t go on forever. ¡°Hey! Love bugs!¡± Bonnie said, lifting a crucible with a massive set of tongs. ¡°I need fire!¡± Borks heeded the call. He whirled, spun back to give my palm at least a dozen licks in less than a second, then leaped up onto the forge. Heat washed over my neck as his flames poured down into the chimney. Now that my other hand was free, Cinnamon hopped up into my arms and went almost liquid, her muscles relaxing and belly offered up for a good scritching¡ªwhich I obliged, of course. I wasn¡¯t a monster. With a bunny cuddled to my chest and my friends toiling away behind me, I stared out at the deep blue ocean, wondering what kind of adventures tomorrow would bring. Book 4: Chapter 52: Tussle Book 4: Chapter 52: Tussle It had been entirely too long since Sergeant Snips, spiked of carapace and sturdy of claw, had enjoyed a leisurely scuttle along the ocean floor. Rays of sunlight pierced the surface of the bay, the small waves above creating hypnotic patterns on the sands she traversed. Water moved around her, flowing to and fro with calm monotony. And a grounding coolness touched the hinges of her shell, urging her to focus on the sensations of her physical form. Individually, each component was enthralling. Together, they seemed to place her under a spell. She¡¯d meant to use this time to meditate, using each step of her many legs to ponder the trail forward. If she took took long enough to her destination, perhaps she could find the correct words... Snips¡¯s bodily sensations made that thought try to slide away like a slippery eel between rocks. She let it go, and in a state of absolute bliss, the sergeant scuttled along, her worries of late discarded across the seafloor. By the time another thought appeared, she had traveled hundreds of meters¡ªa fact she only knew because of how familiar she was with the underwater landscape surrounding her. That she was currently thinking meant she was no longer meditating, and that was okay. From her master¡¯s knowledgeable instruction on, she understood that thoughts weren¡¯t something to be denied¡ªbut neither did she have to entertain them. Like a fluffy cloud in an otherwise clear sky, it drifted on by, disappearing right out the other side of her mind. That¡¯s a funny concept, she mused. The idea that my awareness has ¡®sides¡¯ to pass through... Before she returned to a state of complete presentness, Snips noticed a soft humming in her core. She knew not the cause, yet the meaning was clear: she was on the correct path. Perhaps that should have been a stunning realization. It hinted at a breakthrough in the near future. Snips, however, found that she was too relaxed for anything other than a slight hastening of her steps. Two snail-covered rocks loomed up to either side of her, and she kicked off the sand, sailing out into the open once more¡ªonly to immediately freeze. Paralyzed by shock, she flew toward the object of her fixation. Tiny bubbles streamed from her mouth of their own accord, drawn into her wake before swirling up to the surface. She finally recovered her senses as a wall of yellow tentacles seemed to reach out toward her. She extended her legs and caught herself on something purple and hard, pulling herself to the side of the billowing stingers. Snips stood atop the weirdest coral reef she had ever seen. The different colonies usually grew from rock, and while that did occur on the structure beneath her, they also sprouted from each other. The result was a mess both colorful and chaotic, each group growing their polyps as far as they could in an unconscious arms-race for food. The scenery, however, wasn¡¯t what she found most unique. Beneath the mass of colonies, embedded within the rock that formed the original skeleton of this ecosystem, there was a nexus of power. Not something so advanced as a core, but chi gathered there nonetheless, faint, almost-imperceptible strands of it reaching out to both supply and extract energy from the forms of life above it. Despite how advanced it was, Snips instinctively knew this being¡ªthis animal, according to Fischer¡¯s knowledge of coral¡ªwould never gain sentience. That didn¡¯t make her discovery of it any less exciting. Its existence was reflective of the changes happening around Tropica, and with more chi would come creatures like this. It made her wonder what other impossibilities she¡¯d encounter in the coming years. Leaping over top of the reef, she marvelled at the small creatures calling it home. There were countless species of fish, some of the slow little snails she¡¯d spotted earlier, and even some spiny sea urchins. The latter reminded Snips of herself. She, too, had been wandering through life at a glacial pace, no clear destination in mind. Also, they were covered in a wonderful amount of spikes, just as she was. A single melancholy pocket of air escaped her mouth as she landed on the other side, and it flitted up to the surface, losing its shape as it split, came together, and split once more. Perhaps there was meaning in that. Or perhaps there wasn¡¯t. As Snips trudged onward, her thoughts became more frequent, denying the blank mindscape she so desired. Still, she was able to enjoy the pretty sights even if her head remained busy. Schools of fish, a few sharks, and many colorful bommies of coral graced the landscape. All made her want to scout the waters herself¡ªlike she used to back when it was just Fischer and her. Before she knew it, the Snips arrived at her destination. It had been forever since she¡¯d returned to this place, and another melancholic bubble escape her to drift silently upward. Only when it breached the surface did she turn her attention on the cave. Once, this cavern had housed a stolen crustacean, the unawakened lobster that had ascended to become Private Pistachio. As she peered into it, she let out a surprised hiss. A blanket of tiny shrimps fed on a moss-like algal bloom that had grown in the stillness since she¡¯d last been here. Taking care not to squash any of them, she stepped toward the rear of the cave, then meticulously shoo¡¯d them all out. It took a surprising amount of time¡ªthe unintelligent crustaceans were wont to dart back around her instead of leaving. She couldn¡¯t guarantee they wouldn¡¯t be injured or disoriented, but this way, she at least knew her call to action would not outright kill any of them. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The moment they were finally out, she spun and cocked both claws. Pressure built in the hinges of her spiky clackers as she filled them with essence. When the chi there became too much for her to control, she slammed her snippers shut, unleashing the stored energy all at once. Two clue arcs of power smashed into the back of the cavern, carving slivers of rock from its walls. This destruction, however, wasn¡¯t her reason for coming all this way¡ªthe blast of noise that rocketed out and into her was. The sound wave might have knocked her out if she was a regular crab, and she spun to check on the shrimpies she¡¯d evicted. They were bothered but alive, their tails kicking and legs scuttling toward any cover they could find. Hissing a sigh of relief, Snips stepped forward and took a seat. She had made the call, now all she could do was wait. *** ¡°I¡¯m going to explode.¡± I rubbed my chin. ¡°Or maybe implode. Is it possible to do both?¡± Bonnie didn¡¯t look up from her crafting. ¡°Can you let us know if you work it out? They¡¯re quite different, and I¡¯d like to be prepared.¡± ¡°Will do. All I can say for certain is that there could be some splodin¡¯ goin¡¯ on if I have to wait any longer. The anticipation is killing me.¡± Someone snorted muscularly beside me. One might think it was impossible to make a snort sound muscular¡ªsuch a person hadn¡¯t spent much time around Barry¡¯s new body. ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked. ¡°What happened to your infinite patience and flawlessness?¡± ¡°Your flawless leader can¡¯t come to the phone right now, mate. There are giant creatures waiting to be caught.¡± ¡°You know,¡± Bonnie said, weaving some length of wire together, ¡°I¡¯d assumed you¡¯d want to leave me in peace. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªI don¡¯t think you¡¯re a bad leader, but it just makes sense not to distract me if I¡¯m making the thing you desire.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not bothered. By my incessant yapping, I mean.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, no. Still feels like the objectively incorrect move, though...¡± I nodded knowingly and crossed my arms, planting a malicious smile on my face. ¡°Unless this chatter is exactly what you need, because your adventurous soul thrives with multiple sources of stimulation.¡± She finally looked up, a slight furrow to her brow as her eyes met mine. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, so why are you glaring at me like I just snipped your line?¡± Her glare turned into a scowl. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Whoa, I didn¡¯t peek into your mind, if that¡¯s what you mean. It was a suspicion that I confirmed with trial and error.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Theo said from the side of the ship where he was fishing, ¡°that was the truth.¡± ¡°See? I only have wholesome leader vibes for you. Nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She glanced down once more, tying off the end of the wires. ¡°Then why did you have that malicious smile on your face when I looked up?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy¡ªit was for Barry.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°I thought of a decidedly wicked idea involving him. I never once claimed I had wholesome leader vibes for everyone.¡± This earned a smirk from her, which I happily returned. ¡°So,¡± I said, leaping right into my next topic of arguably pointless misdirection. ¡°Who among the animal pals do you think would look best in a floral dress? My money is on Cinnamon, and no, Barry, it has nothing to do with the fact she¡¯s both here and inclined toward extreme violence. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d even think me capable of such deception.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Barry¡¯s voice cut off as he hit the deck, ducking a fuzzy leg that sailed through the spot his head had been a moment earlier. ¡°Cinnamon! He¡¯s lying!¡± The bunny shrugged in response. She wasn¡¯t one to let the truth get in the way of a good tussle. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Barry tried. ¡°Of all the animal pals, you¡¯d best suit a floral dress! The rest of them would look terrible by comparison!¡± I cringed. ¡°Mate... talk about stepping out of the pot and into the fire...¡± ¡°What are you¡ªoof!¡± A tiny portal had appeared behind Barry, its counterpart opening right next to Cinnamon. She¡¯d not wasted a second, immediately launching herself through and hitting his back with a straight kick. In his appeasement of Cinnamon, Barry had made the worst decision he¡¯d likely make today¡ªinsulting Borks. ¡°Enough...¡± Barry shot to his feet, muscles bulging and a grin on his face. ¡°I¡¯m done being the punching bag...¡± Before they started duking it out, I reached for my power, preparing to build a platform they could fight on. But something stopped all of us in our tracks. Light exploded from the workbench. Without even a hint of warning, the System had come to assist Bonnie¡¯s creation. She stepped back as its lines blurred and flickered through multiple shapes. It was what I¡¯d been waiting almost an hour for, the creation of a giant rod I could use to catch giant fish, yet I noticed something else in my peripheral vision. I¡¯d been wrong earlier; insulting Borks hadn¡¯t been the worst decision Barry would make today. The muscle-bound cultivator went to take a step forward, dismissing his power in favor of witnessing the item¡¯s transformation. Unfortunately for Barry, his two foes had not agreed to a ceasefire, and one of them launched the other. Before the farmer¡¯s foot could make contact with the deck, Borks¡ªnow in the rotund form of an English Bulldog¡ªtucked his legs and hit Barry¡¯s with the force of an oversized, fur-covered, and respitorially challenged cannonball. Book 4: Chapter 53: Foolhardy Book 4: Chapter 53: Foolhardy It was a beautiful day to be out at sea. I leaned into the world around me, soaking it in with all of my senses. Gusts of wind only occasionally flitted by, wicking sweat from my skin; the surface of the ocean was calm, Bob the boat only shifting subtly beneath our feet; and, most notable of all, my doggo pal had just slammed into one of my best mates with enough force to vaporize an elephant. When Barry collided with the railing¡ªwhich I¡¯d protected with layers of chi¡ªhe let out a noise so close to being a Wilhelm scream that I wondered if I¡¯d imagined it. My crumbling layers of essence stole most of Barry¡¯s velocity. Which was good, because it meant he didn¡¯t sail over the next three horizons. But it also meant he did dozens of involuntary backflips in the time it took him to hit the water, which was bad. Well, bad for him, anyway¡ªit was pretty fun for the rest of us watching. I went to raise a platform of chi so he could lift himself from the ocean, but Barry had other plans. Two muscular arms shot up and slapped the surface of ocean¡¯s surface so hard that he sailed into the air, and when I saw the red haze glowing around his eyes, I realized we¡¯d gone too far. The homie was angry angry; I¡¯d not seen him so furious since Claws and her raccoon depantsed him. He arced high above the ship, his quads and calves bulging as he streaked back down like a vengeful meteor. I reached for my core, but before I could tell Borks and Cinnamon to scoot, they were already moving. Both ran through a portal to appear in the sky beside Barry, and now that they were all up there, I coalesced a platform in the space above the mast. They landed gracefully on the invisible barrier, then all civility vanished a second later with the first violent exchange. Barry won the initial round when the end of his foot caught Bork¡¯s rump, and I immediately felt a pang of indignation at seeing someone kick my dog. I let it go, however. Borks had attacked first, and the doggo could hold his own¡ªthat glancing blow from the muscle man was nothing. But, more importantly, Borks had transformed into a borzoi, a breed whose long neck allowed him to whirl around and bite down on Barry¡¯s ankle. Hard. Watching Barry try to shake Borks off¡ªand subsequently getting his other leg taken out from beneath him by the flying kick of a small bunny¡ªI shook my head. It wasn¡¯t my animal pals I needed to worry about. Trusting that they wouldn¡¯t actually hurt each other, I gazed down at the workbench. Bonnie¡¯s creation had transformed, and it looked even more ridiculous than I¡¯d dared to dream. The System drew my eyes in, and I happily obliged, letting the words occupy my field of view. Mediocre Winch of the Foolhardy Adventurer Common This ¡°rod¡± has been crafted by an adventurer, not an angler. It sacrifices flexibility for strength, making it all but useless to most. This ¡°rod¡±, though many would hesitate to call it that, will not reward the user with skill levels. It also grants the Overkill passive. Effect: -10 strength -10 fishing As the words cleared, I immediately looked over its form. The pole was made of solid metal. I peered down at the reel¡ªwhich was of an alvey design¡ªand I understood why the rod had ball bearings instead of eyelets; the ¡®line¡¯ was braided metal. Its maker had woven a few meters of the stuff, producing a trace I could reinforce, but the System had seen fit to fill the whole damned spool with the stuff. Having taken it all in, I let out a booming laugh. I couldn¡¯t help it. In response, Bonnie¡¯s cheeks flushed a violent crimson. Shame, embarrassment, and a touch of humiliation radiated from her abdomen, leaching out of her core. The unchecked emotions brought me up short, sobering my own feelings, and it took me a moment to understand their source. ¡°Bonnie... I¡¯m laughing at the description, not you.¡± She swallowed her budding anger, a whisper of it remaining as she blinked, not sure whether she should believe me. I opened up my core, letting my amusement flood out. ¡°The System called us foolhardy, gave a ¡®passive¡¯ that is massively negative, and named it a winch¡ªthe only times the word rod was used, it was wrapped in quotation marks.¡± I shook my head. ¡°It might be the most condescending thing I¡¯ve ever seen from the System. May as well have just told us to go frack ourselves instead of listing that all out.¡± She blinked again, then looked at me like I was an idiot¡ªwhich, to be fair, I was a lot of the time¡ªbut I couldn¡¯t for the life of me work out why she was still bothered. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel better, Fischer,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to create it at all for this very reason. I¡¯m not as good at fishing as all of you are, and the System agrees. The description confirms it.¡± ¡°Ohhh,¡± I said, stalling. ¡°I see...¡± I had to fight my urge to ask questions. Bonnie had experienced a full breakthrough, doing so by acknowledging her ideal of wanting to experience everything the world had to offer. So why was she still filled with so much doubt? Was it something to do with her specifically, or a result of the world¡¯s chi returning....? I shook my head. They were considerations for later. ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong,¡± I said. ¡°I mean, sure, you could take it that way, but that¡¯s not how I see it. You created something entirely new, something that no one else onboard could. If I had made a fishing rod out here, no matter what I did, I wouldn¡¯t have tried to create this. And no,¡± I continued before she could voice the protest forming on her lips, ¡°that isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡± ¡°How...? The description said it all. This winch or whatever is useless.¡± I paused for a moment as all three of my still-biffing friends above collided with a deafening thump, then gave Bonnie a grin. ¡°Even if it was useless to literally everyone, the idea behind this was brilliant. I was so focused on the belief that the pole had to be flexible that I didn¡¯t even consider making a solid one. You might call it ignorance or whatever, but I reckon it was a fresh take. My mind has been going down completely different routes, like growing trees with essence and using the entire tree trunk as the pole.¡± Ruby choked at that idea, biting her lips to contain her laughter when I shot her a facetiously venomous look. ¡°The point is, Bonnie, I was too focused on the rod needing to be flexible. Normally, using a solid metal pole would be moronic¡ªyou¡¯d either rob yourself of any challenge, or have it pulled right out of your hands if you hooked something huge, but¡ª¡± ¡°I see,¡± she interrupted, giving me a smile that was only half forced. ¡°So it¡¯s something we can build upon. Got it. I can accept that¡ªa shame we can¡¯t use it now, though.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. I turned away, casting my gaze over everyone else. ¡°Should I be offended by her lack of faith?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Ruby rubbed her chin. ¡°A humble leader wouldn¡¯t be, so no, you shouldn¡¯t be.¡± ¡°I... don¡¯t understand,¡± Bonnie said. I picked up the winch with one hand, letting out a whistle as I hefted its considerable weight. I could immediately feel the ¡®buff¡¯ kick in and sap some strength away. ¡°The System didn¡¯t say it was useless to everyone, Bonnie¡ªit said it was useless to most. I, the strong, mighty, and powerful Fischer, am not most people.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t those three adjectives mean the same thing?¡± Steven asked Ruby in a stage-whisper. ¡°They do,¡± she replied. ¡°And he omitted humble. He must be feeling unwell.¡± Ignoring their childish and hurtful attempt at humor, Bonnie stared at me, her brows scrunching together. ¡°What am I missing here? Even if it¡¯s useable, you said not a minute ago that using a solid metal pole would be moronic.¡± ¡°Nah-uh! I said it would normally be moronic, but you didn¡¯t let me finish. That¡¯s only true if you go by the preconceived notions I brought with me to this world. On Kallis, none of that holds water. I¡¯m not some little noodle-armed Earthling who will have a rod yoinked from my hands, and the creature I¡¯m targeting won¡¯t be easy to catch. If the same thing from earlier bites down on this, I¡¯ll still have a hell of a time landing it, but I¡¯ll have a chance, and that¡¯s all I could ask for. You¡¯ve removed one of the weak links, which will let me focus my chi where necessary rather than everywhere all at once.¡± Pretending to look around at everyone, I locked eyes with Theo, who gave me the slightest of nods in response. Cheers, mate, I thought. Appreciate you. ¡°See?¡± I continued out loud. ¡°You were able to think of something I couldn¡¯t precisely because you have less experience in fishing. You lack the biases I have. Or maybe you¡¯re naturally more creative than me. Who knows? Regardless, I will absolutely be using it right now.¡± Still carrying the winch, I marched over to Bob¡¯s starboard side, then gazed down at the object in my hands. The line had no elastic properties¡ªit was literally wire¡ªbut that might be just what I needed to land something monstrous. It was crude, decidedly imperfect, and the best option I had on hand. Bending down, I selected a hook and sinker, then started assembling a rig, the sounds of rapid-fire exchanges between three of my friends above making my heart overflow with joy. *** Maria let out a long sigh, her core feeling completely drained as her pink-colored mist eased back into it. Slimes agreed with a soft burbling sound as he melted into her cradled arms. Perhaps they should have slept first after all. ¡°No good?¡± Keith asked. Maria shook her head. ¡°Nope. Not today, anyway.¡± She finally opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. The prismatic beams shining from the prison¡¯s firelights were muted, nowhere near as stunning as they had been earlier that day. Mental fatigue must diminish whatever this visual effect¡ªor ability¡ªis. Now that it¡¯d lessened, Maria could clearly see the people in the cell before her. They were as depressing as ever. A queen and princess reduced to prisoners, one filled with growing anger, the other with empty despair. ¡°Why do you waste our time with this stupidity?¡± Tryphena asked, her face looking surprisingly similar to Trent¡¯s when she tensed her jaw. ¡°And when is my brother returning?¡± Maria returned a tired smile, not at all bothered by the animosity¡ªshe¡¯d just been within the cores of the royal women, so she knew Tryphena was basically a walking bundle of sorrow and regret held together by with a ribbon of guilt. Sure, the outburst was misplaced, but it was welcome compared to the state of the queen. Penelope Gormona had yet to respond at all. From the outside, her core felt hazy, like she wasn¡¯t really there at all. Maria had hoped the inside would be a different story; it wasn¡¯t. Even if she and her familiar had arrived here today at full strength, she was under no illusion she¡¯d have been able to heal them. These twoare going to be much more difficult, Slimes, she thought. Still a puddle in her arms, he mentally burbled his agreement. Maria smoothed her shirt as she stood, her other arm held to her chest so Slimes didn¡¯t ooze onto the floor. ¡°That¡¯s all we¡¯ve got in us for today, Keith. We¡¯ll have to try again tomorrow.¡± ¡°Greeeeat,¡± Tryphena drawled. ¡°Can¡¯t wait for the next time your fake happiness pokes around my soul for literally no reason.¡± Maria sighed. Okay, maybe she was a little bothered by the animosity. But rather than engage the former princess, she turned and left, her eyes tracking each of the magically lit torches on the way out. They passed another cell of captives. Maria gave the former handlers of Gormona a smile, but she had no more energy to spare them¡ªshe was already exhausted. They looked back sullenly, their collective emotions ranging between Tryphena¡¯s self-loathing and Penelope¡¯s emptiness. Maria felt a little a little bad about the relief that flooded her when they were no longer in sight. Keith had joined Maria¡¯s silent walk, and tired as she was, she could still sense the doubt seeping from his core. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± she asked. He sighed. ¡°I did my best to contain my feelings, but the more I tried, the worse it got. Sorry.¡± ¡°Funny how that works, isn¡¯t it? Fischer always says you have to acknowledge thoughts before letting them go, but it¡¯s easier said than done. Regardless, you don¡¯t need to apologize. I¡¯m genuinely happy to talk about it.¡± ¡°... Are you sure you¡¯re not too fatigued?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± He pointed down. ¡°Because you and Slimes both exerted the same amount of effort, and he¡¯s currently drooping so hard that he¡¯s almost touching the ground.¡± Sure enough, most of her familiar¡¯s viscous form was dangling from Maria¡¯s arm, jiggling about with each step she took. She hadn¡¯t noticed. Using her other hand, she scooped him back up, his beady eyes barely open as he looked up at them. ¡°I¡¯m a boyyyy,¡± he groaned, utilizing the last of his strength to retreat into her core. Maria shared a smile with Keith, then took a slow breath to center herself. ¡°I really am okay if you want to talk about it. I¡¯m absolutely exhausted, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I think. But I appreciate the invitation, especially given all you¡¯ve done today.¡± ¡°Well, the offer stands if you change your mind. Deal?¡± ¡°Deal,¡± he replied, his core feeling lighter despite not venting anything. They walked the rest of the way in silence. Maria resumed her study of the lamps, their lines a little more colorful after Slimes had returned to her core¡ªor was that her imagination? It was one more question to add to the ever-growing list of unknowns. As they reached the cells where the birdlike cultivators had been held, Maria froze. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Keith agreed. Where bars had been before, a smooth stone wall stood. It was as if there¡¯d never been rooms there at all. They looked at each other, shrugged, and kept walking. It wasn¡¯t even in the top-ten weird things that had happened today. They reached the not-a-prison¡¯s daunting door without exchanging another word, and Keith dashed forward to pull it open. More time had passed than she¡¯d thought. A blanket of stars stretched out above them as they stepped outside, making a sense of dissonance flash through her. Shouldn¡¯t she have noticed the coming of night through the many windows they¡¯d walked by? She really needed some rest. Before the feeling of wrongness could fade, something flashed to the south, so bright that it lit the entire horizon. Keith snorted, as did Maria. ¡°What was that about?¡± he asked. ¡°No clue...¡± When another web of lightning appeared, each bolt far too thick to be natural, the sky beyond the southern mountains became illuminated once more. Maria smiled up at it. What was that little otter up to? Book 4: Chapter 54: The Good Kind Book 4: Chapter 54: The Good Kind Corporal Claws was, as Fischer would say, back on her bullshit. She cackled and stretched her forelimbs even wider as she channeled chi up into the clouds. They roiled and billowed, her essence combining with the world¡¯s, but rather than mix to become something new, her power charged the surrounding area with positivity. And not the silly positivity her master loved so much. This was the good kind of positivity¡ªthe kind that could create lightning. More and more... what were they called? Mullen-tools? Mollercools? Whatever. The tiny little things you couldn¡¯t see that made thunderbolts. More and more of them became positively charged in the clouds above, the gap between the upper and the lower atmosphere getting larger until, blessedly, it happened. Boooom! A giant mesh of thunder filled the sky, all channeling down to a single¡ªextremely cute¡ªpoint. Corporal Claws. They poured into her, filling her body to the brim in an instant. Almost there... Almost... there... Almooost...? Why is it taking so long? Claws glanced down¡ªand found betrayal. That little raccoon bastard. He¡¯d been stealing from her, absorbing the power necessary for her task. He wanted some, did he...? Well then, could have it! Letting out a deafening screech, she lashed out with a rear paw, and a column of solid lightning zapped from her outstretched leg to slam into her familiar¡¯s chest. His blue eyes rolled into the back of his head as he shot across the sand like... like... something very fast! I don¡¯t have time for this! Claws returned her attention to the electricity still thrumming around her, and now that the thief was dealt with, it took only a moment to absorb enough. She clenched her forepaws, condensed the power into them, then slammed all of it into the object before her. It was gone in an instant. The sands drank greedily, the natural electricity not following the objectively superior path her chi did¡ªwhich was, of course, into others¡¯ cores. What good was zapping the ground? Only some of the sky¡¯s lightning made it into the center of the object she was working with¡ªit would have to do. It glowed red hot like a tiny sun, but such worries were beneath an elemental. She picked it up, and when she started chucking it between her paws, it was because she wanted to¡ªdefinitely not because it¡¯s blistering heat hurt her paw pads. The color subsided over time, and when she could once more hold it without getting burn¡ªerrr, when she grew bored of playing with it, that is¡ªshe reached out with her awareness. Her task wasn¡¯t yet complete. Despite this, a soft rumble climbed from her chest, building until it became a villainous cackle. She projected it toward the heavens. Knowing he was needed, her familiar returned in a roly-poly tumble. Claws held her paws out, letting him inspect the item¡ªwhich he tried to snatch, of course, but she head-butted him first. Shaking himself, he bowed in apology, and Claws patted him on the shoulder. He didn¡¯t have to apologize for who he was, just as she didn¡¯t have to apologize for her method of rebuke. Both were simply the way of things. They shared a grin, their cores both humming in delight as her little raccoon placed a paw on the item. He channeled chi into it, his will doing something that even Claws, in all her magnificence, couldn¡¯t accomplish. He would take a few minutes to finish, so the otter let her thoughts wander. Her master came to mind. Though her plan hadn¡¯t yet come together, it was only a matter of time until it did. Claws grinned. Fischer was going to be devastated. Befuddled. Bamboozled, even. Perhaps¡ª She paused her victorious musings to head-but the raccoon again, the blow landing before his thieving little paws could finish yoinking her prize. He bowed in apology again, and Claws patted him on the noggin. He was a good boy, if somewhat bothersome. As her familiar¡¯s chi reached back down into the object, she let her thoughts return to the trickery she was brewing. She couldn¡¯t wait to see Fischer¡¯s face when he realized... *** As I stepped up to my ship¡¯s railing, I smiled at the sea of stars above, their pinprick lights as beautiful as ever. I¡¯d been fishing all afternoon and hadn¡¯t gotten a single bite¡ªno one had. Despite this lack of action, there were no complaints as Bob the boat shifted beneath us, a slight gust making the ocean choppy. I lifted my rod¡ªer, winch¡ªto check the hunk of eel I¡¯d just baited up with. With a nod to myself, I twisted the reel forward and flicked my hook and sinker over the side. They made a satisfying plop upon entering the waves, and even with my enhanced vision, I could only see them for a meter or so before they entered the abyss, vanishing from sight. A soft thud indicated its arrival on the ocean floor a half-minute later. I clicked the reel back into place, grabbed the metal handle, and started winding. I¡¯d been trying different depths all day, and this time, I was going higher than ever before, only stopping when a full third had been retrieved. I set my finger on the line, took a deep breath, and waited. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Though I slipped into meditation by accident, I wouldn¡¯t necessarily call it a mistake. Small waves lapped at the hull. The deck rose below me, only to fall again. And some of my pals chatted softly, their voices calming rather than distracting. Most, however, joined me in quiet contemplation, the contented hum of their cores mirroring mine. By the time I cracked an eye, hours had passed. A crescent moon cast its ephemeral light over the world, and I watched its reflection in the waves below, marvelling at how it flickered across the undulating water. An ache in my lower back grabbed my attention. I straightened, shoulders relaxing and chest going forward as I amended my posture. Now that I was paying attention to my body, I noticed a building hunger. Maybe it¡¯s time to cook up some dinner... I opened my mouth to ask how everyone else felt about a calamari feast, but the silence was shattered by a screaming reel instead. ¡°Oh!¡± Paul yelled, leaning back as his rod bent in half. ¡°Fish on!¡± When the creature he¡¯d hooked took off in a straight line, then became deadweight, I immediately suspected it was a squid. When it happened again, suspicion turned into certainty. ¡°Squid on!¡± Barry corrected, seeing the same thing I had. ¡°Nice one, Paul! You¡¯ve got¡ª¡± The muscle man cut off as another animal, very likely a squid, did its best to yank him overboard. ¡°Here they come, everyone!¡± I called. But they were prepared. All of my friends, no matter their size, level of cultivation, or how pregnant they were¡ªlooking at you, Ruby¡ªhad their rods in hand. ready to strike. I scanned the line, taking one last look while I could, and... ¡°Cinnamon...?¡± I heard myself ask. ¡°What are you...?¡± The martial bunny was standing atop Borks¡¯s back, who was using chi to wrap her in dark tendrils, keeping her in place. Held in her limbs, its handle having to be gripped by three of her paws, was a damned fishing rod. I could have sworn I saw a sparkle in her eye as she winked at me, only sparing me a moment¡¯s attention before her gaze returned to the waves. And not a moment too soon¡ªsomething took off with her hook. I barked a laugh and turned away. As much as I wanted to watch her and Borks¡¯s attempt at fishing, my chance had finally arrived. The sounds of battle were all around me, gears whirring, wood creaking, and a few dismayed curses flying free as lines were severed. Part of my mind urged me to turn back. Demanded that I see how everyone was going, especially Cinnamon. But I remained focused, my eyes watching my metal winch for even the slightest hint of movement. I opened up my mental partitions and poured chi into them. If someone had asked me in that moment if I was ready, I¡¯d have sworn on my life that I was¡ªand I would have been dead wrong. The second something ate my bait, I lifted the rod, setting it so the fish didn¡¯t escape. At the same time, I reinforced the winch with chi, using an entire partition to ensure the hook wasn¡¯t destroyed again. Rather than pulling my rod from my hands, or making me fly overboard, it was more accurate to say the creature tried to fling me over the horizon¡ªsuch was the speed and force with which it struck with. I¡¯d been so focused on ensuring my equipment survived that I had not considered how to keep myself tied down. My eyes flew wide as thick tendrils of chi exploded from me. They raced in every direction, latching onto the one thing they could¡ªmy newest friend and facilitator of adventures: Bob. He lurched into motion, dragged sideways through the open water at a disgusting speed. The hull groaned under the pressure, my System-made vessel not designed to take so much force from the sides. I didn¡¯t know how, but I had to get to the stern. If I remained here, I¡¯d lose the fish. Or worse¡ªannihilate Bob. ¡°Make way!¡± Barry called, his voice barely registering in my ears. He was beside me a moment later, one hand resting on my shoulder as he helped me ease my way to the front of the ship. It seemed to take an eternity, each step requiring me to shift the tendrils of chi securing me to the deck. From the corner of my eye, I saw someone haul a squid up, remove the hook from its body, then throw it back. They¡¯d sacrificed their catch for me... It would have brought a tear to my eye if I wasn¡¯t busy worrying my arms might get pulled off. The hooked creature wasn¡¯t making my slow passage any easier. It went and went and went, never seeming to tire despite how much energy it must be exerting. Because my line was metal, I could feel each kick of the robust creature¡¯s tail. It had a sort of rhythm, and as the fight dragged on, I grew accustomed to it. By the time I reached the stern, my steps felt like they were someone else¡¯s¡ªmy dance with the hooked creature took the lion¡¯s share of my attention. I¡¯d not yet wound the reel an inch. We were sailing straight now, and Bob¡¯s transformed hull sliced through the ocean like a scythe through perfectly cooked fish. I planted my feet atop the stern, solidified the ropes of chi holding me still, and gave the world a toothy grin. I¡¯d misled Bonnie earlier, if not outright lied to her face¡ªI had been anything but certain her winch would survive the creature¡¯s return, which was why I¡¯d looked at Theo and wordlessly implored him not to spill the beans. It was the good kind of lie, a deception employed to assuage her doubts and restore confidence. If her creation had failed, I would¡¯ve blamed myself, pinning the lack of success on a mistake. But there was no need for that contingency. The rod held firm, fortified by a uniform distribution of will. Shoulders set and core braced, my grin grew even wider. It was my turn. I lifted the winch with all my might. If not for the essence strengthening it, the solid bar of System-made steel would have bent in half. But it was strengthened. And as I lowered the tip of the rod down toward the water, I wound in line, the reel complaining loudly with the effort. Almost too late, I took some of the chi around the pole and reinforced the furthermost ball bearing; it was handling most of the strain, the rigid metal not distributing the load. If I¡¯d waited even a second longer, it would have cracked. With a smile that felt wider than the ocean we occupied, I used every ounce of power I had, both physically and mentally pushed to my limits by the gigantic creature towing us through the waves. This was exactly what I¡¯d been looking for. I¡¯d found a worthy fight. Water raced beneath us at an incredible clip, and I didn¡¯t truly comprehend just how fast we were moving until an island came into view. It was on the horizon one moment, and beside Bob only seconds later. Considering the war I was waging, normally I wouldn¡¯t have paid the land mass much attention¡ªif not for the human-made structures atop it. Houses, a well, and paved roads, all in a state that revealed recent use. There was a wooden dock too, its weathered planks reaching tens of meters out into the ocean. A few watercraft were tied to it, like canoes but a little wider. All of these objects were remarkable, yet none of them held my attention for long¡ªa lone man was the target of my fixation. He stood at the end of the dock, stroking a wizened beard as he stared out, our gazes locking. With unexpected grace, he nodded and gave a polite wave. He stood at the end of the dock, stroking a wizened beard as he stared out, our gazes locking. With unexpected grace, he nodded and gave us a polite wave. ¡°Hellooo!¡± Ellis called. Book 4: Chapter 55: Possibilities and Potential Book 4: Chapter 55: Possibilities and Potential Had I... was I hallucinating? That certainly looked like Ellis. There were houses behind him. They were crude, sure, but they were definitely houses. Old, too, based on their weathered surfaces. To their sides, crops grew. I didn¡¯t recognise them. ¡°Ellis?¡± Barry yelled, confirming that if it was a mirage, it was one we were all seeing. Recovering faster than I did, he added, ¡°Hop on!¡± ¡°Oh, no,¡± the former archivist replied, waving a dismissive hand. ¡°I will return soon, but I appreciate the offer!¡± My head tracked him as we sailed on by, the fish not using the island¡¯s shallows or surrounding reefs to escape. With my eyes pinned to Ellis, I didn¡¯t miss the object he raised to his mouth. Its tip glowed red as he took a hit. Okay, where the fuck does everyone keep getting cigarettes? As fast as we¡¯d arrived in his waters, we were zooming away, the fish caring little for our exchange of pleasantries. A blur of brown shot from the ship, and Cinnamon unleashed a soft jab at his stomach. It was a love-tap, really. The bunny¡¯s equivalent of a kiss goodbye. And Ellis seized it in one hand. He laughed good-naturedly as he flicked Cinnamon back toward us. Barry caught her against his sturdy chest, and she looked as confused as I felt. ¡°It was nice seeing you too, Cinnamon!¡± Ellis yelled. ¡°And cool boat! It looks wonderful, Paul!¡± ¡°His name is Bob!¡± the young man replied, not at all questioning how the former archivist had known he¡¯d made it. ¡°I say!¡± He had to cup his hands to his mouth with the distance now between us. ¡°What an excellent name, befitting an excellent ship! Take care now!¡± Only when my neck could twist no more did I turn back to face the front of the ship. ¡°What in Dionysus¡¯s ritual madness was that?¡± Before anyone could answer my question, a sickening screech tore into the world. Panic bloomed in my chest. And the tendrils of chi connected to my core immediately identified the source of the noise. Two arms of solid metal attached reel to rod. Despite my reinforcement, one of them had been almost sheered through, the System-made alloy getting twisted and warped by the creature¡¯s power. I encased the entire thing with thick vines of essence, sparing only a second to chastise myself for letting it happen. Then, I locked in, casting all else aside. It was even more difficult than I thought it would be. The winch¡¯s strength had allowed me to segregate my will, directing each section toward different ends, but the damage reduced that advantage. If another distraction like Ellis came along now, either my rod, the line, or the hook would snap¡ªwhichever I wasn¡¯t reinforcing at any given moment. An unknown amount of time later, with my brain so consumed I didn¡¯t dare glance up at the moon to judge the hour, my legs began to wobble. I paused mid-lift of the winch. Holding it steady, I adjusted my posture, hoping and praying it would relieve some of the strain. But it wasn¡¯t the shifting of my body that came to my rescue¡ªit was the shifting of others. Borks squeezed in beneath me, black tendrils of his chi winding over mine and reinforcing it. Barry arrived at my back, grabbed my waist, said ¡°nope,¡± then grasped my upper-chest instead. Before I could form words to tease him for that emasculating move, Trent braced my shoulders. Some of their essence flowed into me, Trent¡¯s burning like a wildfire, Barry¡¯s reaching for the heavens like a prideful mountain. Cinnamon leaped up onto the railing beside me. She launched into a motivational string of peeps, flexes, and kicks of immaculate form. ¡°We¡¯re all relying on you, Fischer,¡± Barry added. The sentence was laden with his leadership skill, and it set my own to thrumming. Everyone was relying on me. That might seem like a ridiculous statement given I was just fishing, but it was more than that. They had straight up thrown their own catches overboard, all to not impede this battle. Liquid motivation seemed to pump through my veins. I would not let them down. With my spirit and body reinforced by the actions of my friends, I pulled the winch all the way up, then lowered it again, winding in line and strengthening the parts required. I¡¯d love to say that the fish had a bunch of different strategies up its sleeve. That the creature was as intelligent as it was strong, and the rest of our war involved a clashing of wits. But that would have been a lie. The closest it came to trying a new tactic was when it turned and swam toward the boat¡ªand all that accomplished was giving me a bit of a break. I¡¯d needed it, too. Despite ¡®swim away¡¯ being the fish¡¯s only move, I had to remain vigilant in every moment, relying on the help of my friends. The constant readjustment of chi was incredibly taxing, just as it had been with the lightning-infused thresher. Slowly, the creature on the end of my line grew lethargic, its frenetic kicks turning into ponderous sweeps. Rather than its muscles fighting me each time I lifted the rod, its weight became the dominant force that sought to deny my goal. Finally able to stop worrying something would snap, my mind ran through what type of creature it could be. I¡¯d made a few assumptions, and I was confident enough in their veracity to let them inform my opinion. First, it was a predator that hunted squid. The fact it always arrived after them added anecdotal proof to the theory. Next, it definitely wasn¡¯t a spirit beast, nor did I think it had any chi at its disposal. If it did, it could¡¯ve escaped when I was distracted by a certain cigarette-puffing archivist. Finally, based on the kicks of its tail being so frequent that they would vibrate the rod right out of a weaker cultivator¡¯s hands, I assumed it to be a long, pelagic fish¡ªmuch like the threadfin salmon Maria had caught. But the weight of it now made me second-guess its species. All the chi not enhancing the winch flooded my arms and core-muscles each time I lifted, reminding me of how it felt to heave a stingray up from the sandy floor. Yet it couldn¡¯t be that, either¡ªsomething flat didn¡¯t propel itself forward with side-to-side kicks of its tail. The only reasonable option¡ªwhich, the more I thought about it, seemed anything but reasonable¡ªwas that it was a mix of both. Of all the creatures I¡¯d seen on earth, not a single fish that fit the bill. Despite the mental fatigue, my mind raced with possibilities, combining the body parts of different animals that matched what I was feeling. The flat part couldn¡¯t be on the front like a shovelnose shark, right? That would create too much drag. Pelagic species were intentionally aerodynamic¡ªor hydrodynamic, if that¡¯s even a word. Their bodies were missile-shaped to minimise resistance. I pictured the retractable fins of a tuna, which made some Cthulian nightmares spring to mind, and as I imagined a long and toothy fish with a deployable parachute of membrane, something moved in the water before the stern. I leaned forward, the image of a horror from the depths lingering as I scanned the waves, seeking my foe, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint its location. ¡°Did anyone see that?¡± Everyone responded in the negative, their voices close to either side of me as they crowded the railing. Borks and Cinnamon, the former¡¯s head extending past the stern, the latter straddling the back of his neck like he was a bull, both jolted. ¡°Fischer!¡± Barry hissed. ¡°Use¡ª¡± He swallowed, his throat tight. ¡°Use your chi...¡± I¡¯d resolved to not scan my surroundings, so it took a moment to override that intention and send hair-thin strands of will down into the water. What I found there made the air in my lungs turn to stone. The creature was beneath us. Just meters below the surface. And when I felt the quality of the essence it held, the word divine appeared. Its divinity was muted, however, its full-potential sealed away by invisible chains. I¡¯d thought the world¡¯s chi was pure, but this thing¡¯s power put it to shame, so clear and bright and ancient that it dulled my senses. I wouldn¡¯t glean any more information with my awareness, so I focused instead on its physical form. I was too blinded by the essence to see it, so I started filling in the blanks. Had... had I been correct in thinking it was an eldritch horror? With that thought swirling around my mind, the fish twisted in the water, and I finally saw the rest of it. Reflecting the moon¡¯s light, a silvery streak ten times longer than me appeared. Forget how long I was¡ªit was as long as Bob! That knowledge was the last thing I needed to proceed. I let go of the chi strengthening my rod, dismissed the thick roots that connected me to the deck, and compressed all of my will into a single, illuminating tentacle. With prehensile dexterity, I grabbed the fish by the tail and hauled it from the water. Even before it came to a stop, I sent Cinnamon a mental command. She didn¡¯t need to be told twice. With a focused jab of her forepaw, a condensed bubble of finger-thin chi shot out, hitting its head behind one eye and travelling out the other side. Dispatching it swiftly was the kindest possibility; there would be no successful release of this creature after the fight it had given. As its soul departed, the divine essence coming from it increased, becoming noticeable even to my latent senses. It must have been suppressing it somehow while alive. The others felt the change too, judging by the way their backs stiffened. All were silent as we stared up at the whale-sized fish. I had been completely wrong in my earlier assessment. It was a pelagic species after all, and it did resemble something from Earth, just way, way bigger. A body as thick as an oak¡¯s mighty trunk. Tail-fins the same shape as the moon above. Scales covering its top that were as black as midnight, only those on its stomach a reflective silver. And, finally, the apparent source of the ancient essence: a flattened bill extended from the front of its head, bearing sword-like edges that could slice through water and creatures alike. Having inspected it, I stopped holding the System at bay. A golden aura shone from the lettering, further signifying its rarity, and I read the description with bated breath. Ancient Monarch Swordfish of the Bluefathom Ocean Monarch This creature, once the pinnacle of all fish hunted for sport in the Bluefathom Ocean, outlived any other. It has ruled for thousands of years, reigning long enough to become an ancient monarch. Partaking of this creature¡¯s flesh can prove fatal to those without the requisite knowledge. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I read it over and over, only needing a fraction of a moment each time. On the umpteenth pass, something pulsed through the world, coming from both above and below. It slammed into me. My vision spun, the words swam, and... the last sentence changed, its gilded hue glowing brighter than the rest. I seared the new information into my memory. Partaking of this creature¡¯s flesh can prove fatal to those without the requisite knowledge. Its white flesh is edible for those that have taken even a half step on the stairway of ascension, but is toxic to all when heated. Its dark meat, however, must be aged and cooked, lest it unravel the consumer¡¯s core. ¡°Can prove fatal?¡± Barry asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you guys, but I¡¯m not taking the chance.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I raised both brows. ¡°Did you not get the updated¡ª¡± My oldest nemesis, the bane of my early days on this world, smashed into my consciousness with all the subtlety of a rampaging Rocky. A bunch of lines printed out before me, and the last¡ªits letters also highlighted in gold¡ªmade the others redundant. You have advanced to fishing 100! Something coalesced behind me, and I spun to catch the System-spawned bag of coins in my hand, except it wasn¡¯t a bag at all. A small chest sat on my palm. Surprisingly, I¡¯d seen one just like it before. Constructed of dark lacquered wood with metal casings around the corners, it was the same as the jewelry-filled container Snips had requisitioned from the ocean, which was originally yeeted into the bay by George to hide the spoils of his tax crimes. The only visible difference was the object securing it. The lock on George¡¯s had been created by a regular craftsman; this one was clearly System-made. Complex lines of essence surrounded it, and I instinctively knew breaking into it would be a terrible idea. Despite this awareness, the prospect of loot called out to me, the goblin part of my brain demanding that I crack it open and reveal its goodies. It was something I¡¯d read about in tonnes of fictions, but never experienced for myself. ¡°Huh,¡± I said, letting my mouth run before I could give in to temptation. ¡°Looks like your winch lied to us, Bonnie. You can get skill levels when using it.¡± ¡°Did you...?¡± Barry asked. ¡°Certainly did, mate. I just got to fishing 100, which, as it turns out, rewards you with a whole box of loot. And I didn¡¯t even have to deal with a foot-obsessed AI to get it¡ªtalk about a win.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°Never mind¡ªthat¡¯s someone else¡¯s tale. More importantly, I¡¯m pretty sure leveling up my let me know more about this fish than all of you.¡± I quickly relayed the way the description changed after essence slammed into me from above and below. Their eyes, already wide, grew even wider. Bonnie licked her lips. ¡°Does that mean...?¡± ¡°Ah-huh. It means our inaugural expedition¡ªwhich was into the Bluefathom Ocean, apparently¡ªhas come to an end. We need to get this monster back to Tropica so we don¡¯t waste any of its white meat. First, though...¡± I leaped up on the railing and pulled the fish closer, bringing its unseeing eye right next to the boat. This near to it, the thing¡¯s size was even more unbelievable. If I used both my arms, I might be able to measure half its girth. I laid a hand against the top of its head, resting my palm above where the sword-like bill began. ¡°Thank you for your life, mate. We couldn¡¯t safely release you, but that¡¯s a testament to how much of a beast you were. Uh, in a good way, I mean. As in, you were really strong, not that you were dumb and violent.¡± ¡°Smoooth,¡± Barry teased, which earned him a whap on the back of the neck from Ruby. I nodded my thanks her way before continuing. ¡°Catching you let me further cast aside a worry I¡¯ve been carrying for weeks. Because of you, I know that there are creatures out there that can challenge me. Your body will sustain us, and the memory of your strength will live rent-free in my noggin for the rest of my days.¡± I touched my forehead to its cheek plate. ¡°Thank you.¡± When I stepped back down from the rail, everyone stared at me with blank expressions or soft smiles. ¡°Damn,¡± Ruby said. ¡°That was actually lovely, Fischer.¡± ¡°Cheers, Rubes. I felt the need to let my gratitude flow, especially considering what I¡¯m about to ask Cinnamon to do it.¡± My pregnant pal blinked. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Cinnamon, as reliable as she was inclined toward violence, already knew my request. She leaped, spun in a circle, and unleashed a roundhouse kick. A blade of aura coalesced around her paw as it collided with the fish¡¯s neck, the sharp edge carving through flesh and bone. Borks opened a rift, preparing to catch the severed head, but his ability was ripped apart by a golden wall of the purest chi I¡¯d ever felt. The divine energy from earlier, once muted, was no longer so. It tore through us, setting every cell in my body to vibrating. There was no pain, but I flooded essence out regardless, terror seizing my heart as I sought to protect my friends¡ªespecially Ruby and her unborn child. The gilded light tried to disassemble my tendrils of awareness the same way it had done with Borks¡¯s ability¡ªI denied it, my strands reforming to beat back its influence and reach my pals. When my thick roots of intent contacted each of them, relief coursed through me. They weren¡¯t in danger. The yellow brilliance pulsed through us all, setting our cores to humming as it expanding toward the horizon in a giant sphere. Now that I knew they were safe, I could think once more, and it took but a moment to realize the truth. I whirled back, facing the severed head, my senses honing it on the still-falling object. The divinity-touched chi wasn¡¯t coming from the entire swordfish; it was pouring from the blade-like appendage it used to carve through the ocean. For some reason, detaching it had unshackled the power, letting the essence flow out into the world. I only hesitated for a fraction of a second, then I ordered my awareness to surround both parts of its form, willing to risk the assault on my senses. I half expected to receive a metaphorical hammer to the cerebellum for my audacity, but no such castigation awaited me. As the bubble of light expanded, so too did its potency diminish, allowing me to investigate. The body had a mesh of abyssal chi within that was similar to the whispers I¡¯d felt from George and Geraldine¡¯s cores, and now that part of it had been broken, the lines were unravelling before my senses. Pockets of it hadn¡¯t yet disintegrated. They seemed to contain the golden power, its divine light unable to interfere with the dark strands the same way it had with mine. So it was shackled, I thought. Interesting... When I focused on the head, it revealed no secrets, but it did confirm something I¡¯d already suspected: the swordfish¡¯s namesake weapon was unfathomably powerful. Well... kinda. This ingredient¡ªthis naturally formed artifact¡ªheld the potential to become powerful. Until we worked out the method, it would remain inert.. That, however, was a problem for another day. Most of the bubble was gone now, racing out to sea in every direction. With its absence, the symphonic hum of my friends¡¯ cores faded. And the head, having tumbled for a few seconds, was about to plunge back into the ocean, the depths calling for its return. Before it could get there, I reached out and caught it with chi, my tendril glowing yellow everywhere the artifact made contact. Borks shook his entire body with so much vigor that his rear paws skidded around. Then he trotted off for the hatch, batted it open, and sat down, staring at me with a lolling tongue and wagging tail. I lobbed the head toward him, and he caught it happily, his eyes exuding the same golden light the moment it touched. He dropped it into the hull and cleared any lingering illumination with another energetic shake. I slid the rest of its body into the cooled chamber, what had to be tonnes of mass disappearing into it and out of sight. Borks nudged the door closed, sealing the swordfish in with the cold. No one said a word for a few breaths, until finally, Cinnamon broke the silence with a proud peep. How was my kick? Perfect, right? I barked a laugh. ¡°Beyond perfect, and even more violent than I expected. You too, Borks. Thanks for the assist.¡± After giving them both the scritching they deserved, I turned to the others. ¡°Do you guys need to take care of anything before we... Why are you all looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Fischer...¡± Ruby said. ¡°Considering you just exposed my growing baby to some kind of unknown power, can we skip the whole pretend-nothing-happened schtick?¡± ¡°Hmm. Sure, but only if you agree not to joke about tonight¡¯s events actually hurting your child. I almost had a bloody heart attack getting my chi to you in time, only to find out it wasn¡¯t necessary.¡± She intertwined her fingers before her, a shrewd expression coming to her face. ¡°No. The cost is too great.¡± ¡°Ruby.¡± Steven pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Please don¡¯t drag this on any longer than required. Your core is screaming that you¡¯ll eventually accept.¡± She whapped him on the arm lightly. ¡°I was trying to get more out of him!¡± That they were willing to joke around with me and each other after the discovery of a natural artifact made most of the tension melt away from my shoulders. ¡°Fiiiine,¡± she continued, rolling her eyes. ¡°On with it, then. What was all that about? What did we miss?¡± ¡°Oh, no clue,¡± I lied. ¡°Not any more than all of you, anyway.¡± Barry turned to Theo, whose expression was flatter than the ocean of a windless night, his ability knowing the truth. ¡°Denied,¡± I said to my muscular pal. ¡°We¡¯ve been through this song-and-dance already, mate. Even if I¡¯m lying, you won¡¯t get it out of him. It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± Barry¡¯s jaw tensed, but he could tell I was right. ¡°Okay... but are you¡¯re really going to deny you knew something was up with the head?¡± ¡°Before Cinnamon lopped it off with her sweet kick and accompanying energy blade? Mate, I swear on the lives of every animal pal, future, past, and present¡ªI had absolutely no clue the sword on its noggin was an artifact, nor that it was special in any way.¡± Theo¡¯s impassive visage finally shifted, revealing a surprised smirk. ¡°Truth. He really had no idea...¡± Barry looked at Theo, then at me, then at Theo once more for good measure. ¡°I¡¯ve never given it much thought, but how do I know you¡¯re not lying?¡± The former auditor shrugged. ¡°Your cultivation is stronger than mine, and you can examine my core all you please. Unlike Fischer, I¡¯ll not risk your trust in me for a laugh.¡± ¡°Okay, ouch,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯m serious, Barry,¡± I said. ¡°I h. ¡°Then why in Poseidon¡¯s humid groin did you remove its head?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pelagic fish, mate. Gotta bleed ¡®em.¡± ¡°That... That doesn¡¯t mean you had to kick it off.¡± ¡°Well, no, but we did have to slice it at least once for it to fit below deck, anyway. If the cut was anywhere else, it could spoil way more meat, and that¡¯s just disrespectful.¡± ¡°And kicking its head off isn¡¯t?¡± Trent asked, raising a brow. ¡°Maybe, but less-so than wasting its body would be. Besides, I delegated the task to the best among us. Cinnamon is a being of martial prowess, complete grace, and unparalleled violence.¡± She nodded, letting out an affirmative peep. I am. I clapped my hands to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Perfect! We¡¯re in agreement, then!¡± ¡°We are?¡± Barry asked. ¡°Ah-huh! I just decided!¡± Sliding back into sincerity, I bent at the waist, bowing low. ¡°Thank you for coming, everyone. I couldn¡¯t name a better crew to have joined me on Bob¡¯s maiden voyage, and it¡¯s time we returned home.¡± I straightened, smiling at them. ¡°We have sashimi to share with the rest of the village, after all!.¡± Their cores hummed with excitement and hunger, neither of which I could filter out¡ªI was much more exhausted than I let on. Abruptly, a breeze tussle my hair, making me realize my hat was missing. Before I could enquire as to its whereabouts, Paul dashed forward, holding it out. ¡°Thanks, mate!¡± As I slipped it back on, so too came my captain¡¯s persona. I stood tall and puffed out my chest. ¡°Batton down the hatches, crew! Stow the rods the tackle!¡± I pivoted and hopped up onto the railing. ¡°As soon it¡¯s all secured, we¡¯re setting sail!¡± ¡°Aye, Captain!¡± they replied in a chorus. I turned to gaze out at the waves, an ocean of thoughts and questions assailing me. I had dreamed of a trip like this for months, and as exhilarated as I¡¯d been to depart, I was even more thrilled to return home¡ªthe future, both distant and near, promised countless possibilities. One thought stood out about the others, and I peered over my shoulder, watching my crew race around the deck and prepare Bob the boat for departure. What have I done to deserve so many wonderful friends...? Book 4: Chapter 56: Changing Course Book 4: Chapter 56: Changing Course Deep beneath the pristine waves of the Bluefathom Ocean, an ancient organism was lost in thought, all manner of considerations passing through his awareness. What events had transpired in this vast swathe of water while he¡¯d slumbered? Was it still known by the same name, or were all records of it purged in the war? And what became of the dread armies...? Given the importance of his task, some might assume he was being flippant, nai?ve, or arrogant¡ªlikely all three¡ªby musing on such things. They were a comforting distraction, of course, but they also served a purpose. They facilitated the only reason he had survived so long: his legendary ability, which was the source of at least half the monikers he¡¯d been known by. Camouflage. The being opened his eyes and stared down at where his own body should be, seeing only sand, shells, and ocean debris speeding past. Even his own midnight pupils and onyx sclera couldn¡¯t detect any part of his impressive size. Before he returned to the world of his own mind, he glanced forward, taking in the silent landslide that was his oldest ally. Though only meters before him, the conjoined elementals had no idea he was there. They raced along the abyssal plain, an unnatural avalanche of earth trailed by an organism of many-limbed duty. Hubris had always been his ally¡¯s shortcoming, and it only got worse with each elemental they absorbed. They believed that their camouflage was greatest of all¡ªthat no other could possibly rival or surpass them. Such arrogance... He wanted to blow some mocking bubbles at that thought, but it would give his position away, so instead, he gathered his power, condensing a pocket of chi for a task that would soon arrive. Only two remain. His body slid across the ocean floor at the same pace as his quarry. Then I can know for sure... He¡¯d been trailing the elemental for hours, tracing their every move since they¡¯d left that cavern of their own making. Unfortunately for the organism, with his ally¡¯s arrogance also came paranoia. It was, at best, a thinly veiled way to preserve their ego¡ªbut by luck or design, that shortcoming was the very thing that¡¯d let them outlast the gods. They had traversed the ocean and hidden parts of themself all over, forcing each to hibernate until a later date. To the organism¡¯s chagrin, he could sense their existence, but not their location. Every time he scanned for traces of their chi, only the main body responded. There was only one way for him to complete his duty: he had to wait for them to rejoin once more. Speaking of... he mused, sensing something approach. In a matter of seconds, it arrived, and the splinter of singular consciousness launched itself forward. When it struck, the avalanche froze, even the smallest pebble of the earthen procession halting as the individual re-assimilated with the many. A moment later, the silent landslide resumed, a sense of anticipation coming from his oldest ally¡¯s abomination of a core. The organism, too, was excited. Only one more... Over the following hours, that feeling of reinvigoration never diminished, only heightening with the passage of both leagues and time. Though he couldn¡¯t perceive its location, he knew the final splinter was on its way¡ªnothing short of destruction would stop its return. But then more hours passed. Frustration slid in through cracks in his mind, robbing his eagerness of fuel. What was taking the last fragment so long? Minutes later, the answer arrived with a wave of essence that shot through the water and slammed into his oldest ally. The one they¡¯d been waiting on... it had been annihilated. This realization and all its implications hit him like a mountain¡ªbut it hit the earth elemental even harder. They shook, no longer silent as their mass churned, boulders and rocks grinding against each other. The careful control keeping them together faltered, and the contents of their body oozed out alongside myriad emotions. Hidden amongst the silt and stone, long crystals gleamed with purple light, their colorful auras illuminating the surroundings. When the organism spotted them, horrific spears of panic lanced his core, their deadly tips lodging deep within. As sure as he was that the moon was high above, he knew that, somehow, his oldest ally had ancient relics of the natural variety¡ªten of them. Such a thing shouldn¡¯t exist in this realm. Essence leaked from around the metaphorical shafts still piercing his nexus of power. He had to regain composure. If he didn¡¯t, his camouflage would fall apart, leaving him exposed. It was too soon; his pocket of condensed chi wasn¡¯t ready yet. He needed to imagine something. He was being too present. But no matter how hard he tried to force it, the reality before him was too visceral. Too dreadful. He couldn¡¯t dismiss it. He was going to be discovered. He¡ª A giant bubble of divine power raced along the ocean floor, slamming into his head. His camouflage dropped completely. So did that of the earth elemental before him, all of their fragments abruptly splitting apart. If the organism had a pulse, it would have hammered throughout his body. He scrambled to recover, latching onto whatever he could to restart his ability. Two things saved him from destruction. First, the object that had released divine chi gave him something else to focus on, his mind grasping it and the associated thoughts with white-limbed intensity. Second, when the elementals were pulled apart, they were left unconscious¡ªjust long enough for the ancient being¡¯s camouflage to take hold. There was a moment of stillness after he became invisible once more. It let him see his oldest ally as the individual he¡¯d once been, rather than the grotesque amalgamation he had become. The organism experienced hundreds of thoughts over that insignificant stretch of time. They were as unique as they were numerous, but across them all, only one was an oath. I will carry out my duty, old friend, he thought, twin waves of love and anguish flowing through him. This, I swear to you. And then they were reforming, dozens upon dozens of individuals becoming the many. The instant their minds snapped together and their souls became singular again, they started moving. Their course had changed, but only slightly, and the organism knew where his oldest ally was now heading. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. An eleventh relic had appeared, and the earth elemental meant to claim it. *** As a lone man gazed up at the crescent moon, its shape warped by the waves between himself and the celestial body, he let out a bubbled sigh. Maria was correct¡ªJoel had been a complete fool. Everything she¡¯d said rang true in his mind, but it wasn¡¯t her words alone that penetrated his thick, annoyingly fleshy skull. It was the look on his beloved deity¡¯s face when the healing cultivator had grabbed him by the wrist and ankle, then launched him out to sea. The church leader had seen Sergeant Snips make countless different expressions in the time he¡¯d known her. Joy, sadness, rebuke¡ªshe was a very expressive crab. But shame? While gazing at him? The memory of it made his insides feel even squishier than they already were. When he recognized he was falling into his old pattern of frustration, he released another sigh and kicked off the ocean floor, taking a deep breath when he surfaced. He¡¯d been sitting in silent contemplation for hours, and had thought the lesson internalized... yet he fell right back into the same flawed way of thinking. Despite his enhanced mind and body, fatigue had leached into his bones, the hours of self-reproach and meditation seeming to rob him of energy. He knew what was wrong¡ªhe had been a selfish prick, putting his own goals above the efforts and happiness of others¡ªbut what was the correct path from here? ... What was he to do? He gazed up at the moon above, its concave curves somehow calming. Joel let out a sigh. Perhaps it was time to return home and get some sleep. He could resume being ashamed in the morning¡ªthat thought made a smile tug at his lip, but it was short-lived. Deciding to follow Maria¡¯s earlier advice, he filled his lungs with air and dove to the sea floor, condensing chi so his body sank. The moment he adopted the perfect form, his hands forming fake clackers to either side of his head, the troubles assailing him seemed to retreat. The leader of the Church of Carcinization slipped back into a meditative state with the ease of a hermit crab finding a bigger shell to call home. He settled into the present, relying on Fischer¡¯s teachings about mindfulness from months ago. Joel had to return to his followers. No, he thought. My friends. This acknowledgement, the realization that his acolytes were more than just a congregation to be carcinized, made his core hum in agreement, and he focused in on it, a tidal wave of serenity crashing over his soul. Unfortunately, his peace didn¡¯t last long. He must have been a third of the way back to Tropica when he sensed a being so unexpected that it completely shattered his mindfulness. She was usually a source of joy; he¡¯d sought her out only hours ago with dogged determination. Now, though, her presence humiliated him. His flawless deity, the spike-covered crab known as Sergeant Snips, was just ahead. And there was something different in her aura¡ªan added layer of complexity he couldn¡¯t understand. Joel paused, his face falling as he considered his options. He shouldn¡¯t disturb her. What if she was out on official business, and his arrival ruined plans so intricate that he had no chance of comprehending them? He pictured that look of shame again, both her eyestalks visible and broadcasting disappointment for all to see. In the end, his curiosity was too great, so he latched onto the hope she¡¯d come to meet him. It would be an act of unrivalled disrespect to go around her after she came all this way, wouldn¡¯t it? Even if it was only to administer punishment. He scuttled forward as best he could on his stupidly awkward human feet, but as he crested a low rise, his steps faltered. Sergeant Snips wasn¡¯t alone. She stood outside an underwater cavern, and a squad of rock crabs crowded around her, over thirty of them facing her and waiting for orders. It wasn¡¯t Snips that felt different; it was the inclusion of their chi making her seem changed. None of them had awakened into spirit beasts, yet one and all had essence running through them¡ªthey were on the precipice of forming cores. He knew she had a squad of rock crabs watching the bay... but this many? Weren¡¯t they numbered in the single digits? He rubbed his eyes, double checking that it wasn¡¯t a side-effect of his exhaustion. As he gazed back out at the world, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Joel turned, blinking, to find a rock crab had snuck up on him. Its beady little eyestalks were filled with accusation, and it ran a claw on the patch of carapace under its mouth, miming the cutting of his throat. Before he could react, a beautiful hiss flowed over the underwater landscape, ordering the scout to leave him be. The aggressive crustacean immediately kowtowed. It snuck a peek at Joel, and seeing him still upright, shot him a disgusted look. He probably should have expected the whack on the head it delivered upon him a moment later, but his thoughts in his oversized-yet-inferior brain had slowed to a crawl. Thankfully, the strike seemed to smack some sense into him, and he realized his mistake. In a rush, he pressed his forehead into the sand, seeking to apologize for his impropriety¡ªbut a mighty clacker caught him by the chin and lifted his face. Sergeant Snips. None of the shame from earlier was present, her eyestalks holding something even worse. Sorrow. He parted his lips to apologise, but she cut him off with a stream of air. I know you blame yourself, her bubbles said. But you are wrong. He blinked, not knowing what to say to that. The fault is mine, Snips continued, bowing so low that her sturdy underside brushed the sand. I am sorry for failing you. Joel¡¯s brain malfunctioned. He wanted to refute her words. Wanted to take the blame. But that would be directly calling her wrong. He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again, his mind still restarting. Snips blew a string of happy bubbles, shaking her carapace in amusement as she patted his shoulder with a massive clacker. Come on, she said. Everyone is here now. He cocked his head in question, but she just turned and scuttled back toward the cavern entrance. Sheepishly, he followed, her order overriding his shame. Another tap on his shoulder. He turned to the right, and the crab that had threatened him earlier give him an I¡¯m watching you gesture with its perfectly shaped claw. Thankfully, a hiss from Snips rang out before he had a chance to reply. Thank you for coming, everyone. I believe I have failed each of you¡ªno, do not deny it. Listen, please. The crustaceans saluted, and Joel followed suit, some of those around him shaking their heads at his delay. I believe I have failed each of you, Snips repeated. Today, I mean to rectify that. How, master? the violent rock crab asked. She stood tall, tilted her carapace in thought, then shrugged and blew a torrent of amused bubbles. I don¡¯t know, but I think we should start by meditating. Would you please take the lead, Joel? He blinked, and she nodded, gesturing for him to begin. He had no right to instruct those possessing the perfect form, yet her request left him no other option. Accepting his face, Joel squatted, wiggled until he found the correct position, and slipped into a state of mindfulness. As his pulse slowed, his mind growing calm, the Church of Carcinization¡¯s leader forgot all about his feelings of inadequacy. Book 4: Chapter 57: Chapter Title Book 4: Chapter 57: Chapter Title Beneath a blanket of stars and a crescent moon, there was neither a cloud to be seen, a worry to be found, nor a single item not tied¡ªthick ropes of my chi wrapped them in place. With a grin I felt in my soul as much as on my face, I turned to the man beside me. ¡°Ready when you are, skipper!¡± ¡°Skipper...?¡± Trent asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be honest¡ªI¡¯m not sure what it means either. Sounds right, though.¡± ¡°Uhhhh,¡± Paul said. ¡°From my memories, it¡¯s another word for Captain...¡± ¡°Captain?¡± I boomed. ¡°You dare start a mutiny on my ship, you damned upstart? I¡ª¡± Someone clipped be on the back of the head, cutting off my tirade. I expected the slight hand of Ruby, but received Barry¡¯s meaty mitt instead. ¡°Ow...¡± ¡°We both know that didn¡¯t hurt, Captain.¡± His intonation of the last word¡ªalong with his flat stare¡ªmade it more of an insult than a title. ¡°You¡¯re awfully chirpy for a man with a hull full of fish that has an expiry date.¡± ¡°Maybe I was trying to lighten the mood before we left by creating a casual atmosphere for Trent, which could make it easier for him to reduce the amount of chi he feeds into the gods-damned rocket engine attached to this here boat.¡± I sniffed haughtily. ¡°You ruined my efforts.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± He gave me a muscular grin and tensed his stupidly chiseled jaw. ¡°Or did I expertly lure you into a long-winded pontification, thereby creating the very atmosphere you were trying to create?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the teasing comment. Barry had been the primary target of the chaos I¡¯d promised to Claws, and this presented another opportunity to double down, but I didn¡¯t want to; it was an evening for playful antics, not treacherous pranks that would appease menacing otters. I blinked, pouted, and turned toward Trent. ¡°Mate, if you ever lead a cult or a church, don¡¯t promote the first farmer you come across. Learn from my mistakes.¡± ¡°I appreciate the thought, even if you two are more transparent than water.¡± His core radiated a sense of victory I didn¡¯t really understand, but then held his hand out and to the right. Steven, letting out a long sigh, retrieved some coins from his pocket and dropped them into the fire cultivator¡¯s palm. ¡°I told you not to bet against Fischer being a goose,¡± Ruby said. Barry and I glanced at each other, both frowning. His grin disappeared and his jaw relaxed¡ªthough it did remain stupidly chiseled. ¡°Are we becoming too predictable?¡± he asked. ¡°Or is our profound intelligence rubbing off others?¡± ¡°The latter, obviously.¡± ¡°Obviously...¡± Ruby, Fergus, and Duncan mocked at the same time. ¡°Oh-ho-ho! Now who¡¯s being predictable?¡± Duncan opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get it out, I clapped my hands together. ¡°That¡¯s enough lollygagging, my metal-pounding friend! The fish is spoiling as we speak! Ready when you are, Trent!¡± ¡°Aye, skipper!¡± The former prince¡¯s smile faded as he reached for his core, every ounce of his will directed at collecting as little power as possible. The strand that rose was hair-thin, and as it poured down into Bob¡¯s chi condenser, I noted the change. The boat still absolutely rocketed forward, propelled by a jet of flame as long as the deck, but compared to the speed we¡¯d left Tropica with, it was a leisurely stroll. The hull only went a foot or two into the air. All were silent as we adjusted to the passage, my essence creating a shield to stop the wind assaulting us. I took a deep breath of the irrepressible salt spray. Our return was going to herald a feast for the ages, and I pictured the scene, using it as a lodestone to keep my thoughts centered. *** Corporal Claws, strongest of Fischer¡¯s disciples¡ªand basically a divine being at this point if you asked anyone that mattered¡ªchittered with laughter as she influenced the very world¡¯s atmosphere. After all, if she wasn¡¯t a goddess, how come she could make storms? And not only was she immensely powerful, she was also as humble as her master pretended to be! Benevolent, too¡ªshe had allowed her disciple almost a full hour of rest, letting him take a break from his rolling practice. Glancing over, she checked what he was up to. He was... still rolling, but at a leisurely pace, his chubby little body tumbling end-over-end in chaotic directions. What are you doing? she demanded. He landed on all fours, feigned a roll toward her, then ducked and tumbled to the right instead. After exactly one and a half barrel rolls, he came to a stop on his back, stretched his limbs, scratched his belly, and shrugged. Damn, Claws thought to herself. That looks really fun... Annoyingly, he nodded, privy to her thoughts. It is fun. You should try it. With a shake of her head and a very believable look of disapproval plastered onto her face, she gestured him over with one paw. Their task was almost complete. They had been working on her prized object for days, and as she gazed down at it, she marvelled at how far they¡¯d come. Her fluffy familiar tried to steal it the moment his grabby little digits were in range, of course, but Claws easily stopped him with a smack. He didn¡¯t bother apologising; they had both known he¡¯d try. The clouds above roiled and churned as energy built within them, and when tiny patches of sky peaked through, they were a light purple¡ªthe sun was on its way. By the time this storm subsided, it would likely be peeking over the eastern horizon, casting its rays across the land. A pang of urgency stabbed into her awareness, the emotion both unusual and unwelcome. They were running out of hours. The raccoon felt it too. Naturally, he used the momentary distraction to try to yoink the object again, which earned him an electrically charged bop on the noggin. Focus, squire, she chirped. The time for theft approaches. This made his devious little heart sing with so much joy that his eyes glowed blue. Claws could only grin. She felt the same. Reaching her paws toward the sky¡ªand ready for her right leg to kick the raccoon when he no-doubt tried to steal the relic again¡ªshe called the lightning. *** As Maria pressed her hand against the not-a-prison¡¯s weighty door, essence flared behind her, adding a white flash to the pre-dawn light shining down upon Tropica. She paused, both her and Keith turning back to watch a web of lightning strike beyond the southern mountain range. Keith let out a low whistle. ¡°You¡¯re still not sure what they¡¯re up to?¡± Maria just shook her head. ¡°Nope. Seems fun though.¡± ¡°Speaking of fun...¡± He glanced through the open door. ¡°We¡¯ve got our own to have.¡± ¡°Riiiight. Fun.¡± They shared a knowing look and headed in. Neither spoke a word as they traversed the uniform walls of the not-a-prison, yet Maria suspected they were sharing the same thoughts. Slimes made a throat-clearing sound in her mind. Perhaps Tryphena is feeling better today. Yeah, she thought back. Maybe. As they strode past a cell with people inside, Maria had been so focused on today¡¯s task they she¡¯d entirely forgotten they were there, but then a hand reached through the bars, softly tapping her arm. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. She froze, a slight panic climbing her spine as she whirled toward the handlers¡¯ chamber. ¡°Oh! Uh, sorry, I was lost in thought, and¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± the woman, Aisa, replied. ¡°I need to apologize, not you. I could see that you were busy thinking, but I...¡± She averted her gaze. ¡°Sorry. It isn¡¯t that important.¡± Maria, however, barely registered the words. She was focused on the hint of a spark in the handler¡¯s eyes, something that hadn¡¯t been there any of the times she¡¯d seen her¡ªeven when she was still part of the king¡¯s corrupted forces. Is that resolve...? Slimes jiggled in her core; he thought so too. Maria shook her head, strands of hair whipping her skin softly, bringing her back to the present. ¡°If I¡¯m not at fault, then neither are you.¡± She spun to face the cell. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to ignore you this morning¡ªthere¡¯s just... well, a lot going on.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s...¡± ¡°Aidos¡¯s virtue-bleached robes,¡± one of the other handlers swore. ¡°Spit it out.¡± Aisa¡¯s brow twitched, annoyance flaring in her core, but even this show of emotion reassured Maria. It was... human. Far removed from the blinding rage or depthless anguish she¡¯d become used to seeing on the captives¡¯ visages. ¡°You can say it,¡± Maria said, giving her a small smile. ¡°I can tell it¡¯s weighing you down.¡± Aisa paused a moment longer, chewing her lip. ¡°I...¡± Finally, she gathered her strength and locked eyes with Maria. They were determined. ¡°I want to be healed, too. Use me as practice. That way, by the time you get to Princess Tryphena and Queen Penelope, there will be less chance of side effects.¡± Maria didn¡¯t have to fake the shock that crossed her face. Again, it wasn¡¯t the handler¡¯s words that had the most effect, however¡ªit was the intent coming from Aisa¡¯s abdomen. She was genuinely offering herself up as a sacrifice, some semblance of allegiance remaining to the former royals despite all that had been done. Maria laughed. She couldn¡¯t help it. Not bothering to cover her mouth, she let her joy cascade out, bouncing off the walls and echoing back. Her chi went with it, sharing her true feelings so the sincere woman before her didn¡¯t think herself the butt of the joke. ¡°Aisa,¡± Maria said with a content sigh, her cheeks aching slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not using them as practice, and I¡¯m only healing them first because I promised Trent that I would.¡± The answering frown made myriad lines form on the handler¡¯s brow. ¡°But... then why did you start with the cultivators that were imprisoned beneath Theogonia?¡± ¡°Beeecause!¡± Slimes called, his little head jiggling out of Maria¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I gained some insight that could only be used on them! It wasn¡¯t a human trial, you silly billy! We just had to heal them first! Also, I¡¯m a boy.¡± The person that had sworn earlier made an aggressive noise, dismissing the familiar¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah right. I told you they couldn¡¯t be trusted, Aisa. Her chi is lying to you.¡± Maria felt no anger at the claim, only curiosity. ¡°What makes you say that? I can tell you believe it...¡± ¡°Do you take us for fools? We sensed what you did to them.¡± She pointed at the window in the back wall, her glare holding enough red-hot scorn to light a fire. ¡°We saw their flight for ourselves. You turned them into animals, and now you stand here before us claiming you¡¯re not doing trials? Yeah right. The audacity of you to call yourself a healer...¡± A palpable silence followed, bouncing off the walls and settling atop everyone present. The other handlers clearly agreed; despair and fury flashed across their faces. Aisa, too, believed the accusation¡ªat least partially, anyhow. The corners of her lips turned down, and though the spark remained in her eyes, it had dimmed. Maria hadn¡¯t the faintest idea where to start. Thankfully, Keith and Slimes got the ball rolling. Both shook silently for a second, then noise erupted. The former royal chuckled, leaning back against the hallway as he embraced his merriment. Her familiar, having likely seen a similar gesture in Maria¡¯s memories, clung to the floor and repeatedly bounced up to slap his gelatinous head against one of Keith¡¯s knees. It looked and sounded ridiculous¡ªMaria loved every second. ¡°Ladies...¡± she said, having to turn away from her two companions lest their giggles infect her. ¡°We didn¡¯t turn them into animals. They wanted to become birds. They bonded with Private Pelly and Warrant Officer Williams, which is why they became pelicans, but on my fiance?, my family, and everything else I hold dear, I swear that their transformation wasn¡¯t some kind of side-effect. It was a breakthrough of their own making. All we did was help it along.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Aisa said, her gaze going distant as she considered the assertion. The others were doing the same mental math, their eyes averted and negative emotions gone. Deciding it was best to let them discuss, Maria took a step back. ¡°We¡¯re leaving to work on the former royals for now¡ªas I said, I made a promise to Trent. We will heal you, however. Take some time to consider my words. If it makes you feel any better, I can have the pelicans... Never mind. I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. Keith and I will come see you on the way back, okay?¡± ¡°Sure...¡± Aisa replied, still staring at the wall sightlessly. ¡°See you then.¡± From there, it was only a short walk to their final destination. They moved in silence, all three of them knowing that she and Slimes had to gather their chi, but the mood had shifted markedly. When they finally arrived at the former-royals¡¯ cell, Maria held her breath, dared to hope, and looked up to find... disappointment. ¡°Welcome,¡± Tryphena spat. ¡°I was worried we wouldn¡¯t see you this morning.¡± Maria had hoped to ride the high of the handlers¡¯ shifting perspectives, but now that she was face-to-face with the venomous princess, she recalled how repugnant it¡¯d been to meld with her yesterday. She took a steadying breath, focused on the task at hand, and exhaled through tightly pursed lips. ¡°The sooner we¡¯re finished¡ª¡± ¡°Assuming it¡¯s not a waste of time,¡± her patient interrupted. ¡°Which it is.¡± ¡°Tryphena...¡± A grimace had replaced Keith¡¯s joy from moments ago. ¡°I know why you¡¯re hesitant. Really, I do, but...¡± Maria rested a hand on his shoulder and shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no point, Keith.¡± The former princess rolled her eyes. ¡°Finally, some honesty.¡± Rather than feed further into Tryphena¡¯s negativity, Maria reached out for Slimes, his core sharing the same belief that she did. They wouldsucceed. They would heal them. It was only a matter of time. Maria lowered herself to the ground, and even before her behind touched the stones, her and Slime¡¯s pink chi was flowing out, squeezing past the bars with the permission of the not-a-prison¡¯s awareness. *** As a force of nature swept along the ocean floor, one celestial body in the sky above was replaced by another. Though so far down that the sun couldn¡¯t be seen, its energy easily passed through the waters, reaching the abyssal plain the earth elemental traversed. Its rays were a provider of life, but the beams did nothing to ease their worries. Desperate need reigned when their thoughts turned toward the artifact they chased, and fury took over when they remembered that a part of themself¡ªa splinter that had long ago been volcanic before assimilating with earth¡ªwas no more. It had been destroyed. Murdered. The mass of rock, silt, and debris channelled this anger, funneling it into their passage. They were quickly approaching their target, and once they secured the newfound relic, their potential for power would be unmatched. It was clearly different from the pillars of purple crystal it had already found. A lesser being of even less intellect might try to make an artifact-grade weapon out of whatever it was. They would think it something separate from the ten crystalline structures stored within the elemental¡¯s body. But only they, the great earthen force-of-nature speeding across this barren plain, knew the truth of it. This eleventh relic was an offering from the heavens high above¡ªa guarantee that none of the other relics would be destroyed by the crafting process. When they secured this one, they could use it for experimentation, absorbing its mass instead of creating something new. It would grant them the greatest gift of all¡ªknowledge. As they approached the artifact, its flame-fueled escape no match for their own haste, the elemental detected the essence of those onboard... and came to a complete stop, their silt and stones indistinguishable from the rest of the ocean floor. They couldn¡¯t believe what they¡¯d just discovered. There were a number of different cultivators on the boat. Spirit beasts, too, all having taken the first few steps toward ascension. But none of them were noteworthy compared to the beacon of white light onboard. The one who had released that blast of pure chi... he was there. If he hadn¡¯t been present, the elemental would have attacked immediately, not needing an ambush to succeed. Perhaps they should attack anyway. It was a human, after all¡ªthe best possible outcome. If the first brother was alone, he might have done so. He wasn¡¯t, however. He was them, and they were him. They decided to wait. Chose to bide their time. The ones above couldn¡¯t remain at sea forever, after all. The vessel would have dock eventually. They resumed their landslide passage, matching the pace of the ship sailing above. Almost immediately, a suspicion formed in their mind, and after a few minutes of mapping and plotting¡ªled by a former air elemental who used to ride the winds¡ªthe hunch was confirmed. The boat and the relic onboard were heading back to the source of the blast. The many beings that were one had to wrestle down their rumbling laughter, lest it give away the game. They knew exactly where to go. No longer limiting their speed, the earth elemental raced off ahead, giving the pure-essence cultivator a wide berth. The heavens truly smile down upon us. *** It took the trailing organism but a moment to understand what his oldest ally was up to. When he compiled the relevant points of data, the truth unfurled in his mind¡¯s eye, forming an interconnected web of events and outcomes. The mass of elementals his friend had become... they were going back to the ship¡¯s port. Racing to where the column of unaspected chi had originated. The idea, surprisingly, gave him pause. He had registered the pure-essence cultivator. From so far away, most wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell it wasn¡¯t a spirit beast¡ªbut the organism knew humans well. His former masters had been of that species, after all. Acknowledging the existence of those two made a well of conflicting emotions overflow. They had instilled a love for humanity deep within him, and though that affection had concluded with the end of their tragically brief lives, the memory of it lingered. He¡¯d dismissed the foolish cultivator; he had had nothing to do with his duty. But... what if he could exterminate that moronic ascendant, too? His masters certainly would have advised that course of action, as would have he... at the time, anyway. Everything had changed since then. Echoes of the love he¡¯d held for his former companions called out to him, bouncing off the insides of his soft body. Then it alchemized into rage. Hatred for the schemes, betrayals, and happenstance that had taken their lives. For all he cared, humanity could burn. The passing of his masters¡ªhis dear friends¡ªhad almost killed him, and if not for his oath, he probably would have wasted away, letting the chi within his elemental body return to the world. His ability flickered, some of his soft, camouflage skin barely visible. He was losing control. With a fraction of his substantial will, he shifted mindsets, and the cold indifference of duty welcomed him in with open arms. Thousands of thoughts passed by in the next few seconds. They were like so many plankton, their fleeting existence inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. With sober disregard, the organism decided he would deal with the pure cultivator too¡ªbut only if the opportunity arose. I will not forsake my sworn oath for the betterment of humanity, he thought, and his entire form hummed in agreement. With that blessing from his very soul, he took off, his malleable body forming an arrow that shot through the water. He honed in on the pocket of power he¡¯d been compressing. There was now more than enough to free the earth elemental he had once called a friend¡ªso long as they were distracted, anyway. He didn¡¯t stop pouring in his condensed chi, instead increasing the flow; it never hurt one to overprepare. Book 4: Chapter 58: Identity Book 4: Chapter 58: Identity As the sun rose over Tropica, so too came rays of light, their soft beams illuminating all. So, when the overly protective rock crab got a little too close to Joel again¡ªand earned a whack from the human¡¯s claw-shaped hand in response¡ªSnips had to fight down the physical signs of her amusement. The crustacean dashed away, blowing very pissed off bubbles as it gave Joel a respectable amount of space. The leader of the Church of Carcinization might not have been on the correct path for the last couple of months, but he¡¯d made great strides with his mimicry of crabhood, both in posture and demeanor. Snips cocked her carapace in thought. Demeanor... Her core hummed, and though she wouldn¡¯t call it entirely positive, it certainly had a hopeful tint. Interesting, she mused, both eyestalks gazing out at the world and its intoxicating beauty. It was a new direction. A fresh aspect of herself to explore. But as she made to settle back into a meditative state, something drew at her awareness¡ªa mass of cores had arrived to scout their position. Snips whirled to face the top of the rock shelf, opened one powerful snipper, and... waved hello. A pair of peeking eyes flashed with panic, then disappeared from sight when their bearer realized they¡¯d been spotted. Snips let out gleeful bubbles. Come, she hissed. You are invited. Jess¡¯s head appeared again, panic replaced by curiosity. ¡°Come, Jess,¡± Joel said. Yes, agreed Snips. Come and join¡ª Her hiss cut off, and shepeered his way. How did his fleshy mouth speak underwater...? ¡°I have much to say, Jess,¡± said fleshy-mouth continued, paying the laws of nature no mind. ¡°But we can talk about it later. For now, know that I have realized the error of my ways, and I am sorry.¡± More heads poked overtop the ridge, lured in by the spoken words. The entire Church of Carcinization had arrived, all their brows furrowed as they took in the sight. Snips didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. She gestured for them to come down with one claw, then turned away, getting comfortable. She had found a new direction to explore. With her similarity to Joel in mind, she let out a stream of bubbles and sank into herself, trusting the message her core had sent earlier. Its vibration wasn¡¯t as strong as others had reported, but there had definitely been something there. If insight could be gleaned, Sergeant Snips¡ªfirst of Fischer¡¯s disciples¡ªwould find it. *** A hint of worry peppered Maria¡¯s awareness as her and Slimes¡¯s healing mist tried again to reach Tryphena¡¯s core. It had taken but a moment to surround Penelope¡¯s, and though there was enough despair within to break a dozen hearts, at least Maria could attempt repairing it. The former princess, however, hadn¡¯t just become more verbally vitriolic. She¡¯d also raised walls. It will all be okay in the end, Slimes thought, attempting to soothe her. But she wasn¡¯t so sure. Had it been a mistake trying to heal them yesterday? Had her half-hearted effort been like a drop of poison¡ªan ineffective dose that caused antibodies to develop overnight? Slimes snapped Maria out of it with a strong pulse of chi. She gave a metaphorical shake of her head. Slimes was correct. Self depreciation served no purpose right now. Gathering her will, she turned part of it into a battering ram. Tryphena wanted to create walls? Fine. Maria would knock them down. Together, she and Slimes crashed their awareness into the former princess, and the blunt-force impact shattered the barriers like a passiona berry¡¯s husk. The rest of the shell crumbled, letting Tryphena¡¯s will and intent flow out. It was... nasty. Disgusting. Is this truly the same person who was joking with us only a week ago...? Slimes buzzed in response. Hmmm. I believe she is the same person, but I¡¯m also confused about the developments. So much hatred had blossomed since yesterday... It threatened to send Maria back into a spiral of self-deprecation, but just before she slipped over the edge, she caught herself. Was this not exactly what healers were for? What she was for? Still shaped like a hammer, her will collided with Tryphena¡¯s core, attempting to smack some sense into the spoiled brat. Trent was raised a royal, and sure, for a while he¡¯d been the human equivalent of bait left out to bake in the sun. But that was a result of the concoction Gormona¡¯s alchemists had given him. As far as Maria was concerned, she had shown the former princess all the compassion and understanding she¡¯d needed to. More than enough, really. Perhaps it was time for some tough love. With that thought in her mind, she poured her awareness out, the hammer becoming a wispy cloud once more. With the help of Slimes, their haze surrounded their two patients, encouraging them both to find new identities¡ªsomething that aligned with their souls and filled the void left behind by Fischer¡¯s cleansing, just like the birdlike cultivators had done. Penelope¡¯s despair seemed to waver, but only a fraction. It was a good sign. Maria and Slimes focused on Trent¡¯s sister, knowing they had to regain ground with her before either of the former royals could be healed. But no matter how much they pushed into her, an equal force shoved back. It... it wasn¡¯t Tryphena. Both curious and fearful, Maria inspected a second, well-hidden shell that her healing chi had just discovered. Something conscious within it detected Maria¡¯s attention, a tiny pulse of surprise making its way through the concealed layer. Maria and Slimes didn¡¯t waste the opportunity. They hammered into it, focusing their cloud on a single point. A crack formed, and the shell shattered. Before the source of that resistance could retreat into hiding, Maria identified it. A whisper of corruption. Not just the memory of it, but an actual strand of that disgusting chi. It would have gone undetected by anyone else, even to Fischer, yet its existence was indisputable. Somehow, a seed of rot had sprouted within Tryphena¡¯s soul. Showing remarkable and worrying intelligence, it leaped across to Penelope, knowing it¡¯d been discovered. There, it buried itself like a blood-sucking parasite, infecting the void left behind in her core. Maria instinctively knew that if it was allowed to prosper again, there would be no saving them. They would be doomed. She shot back into her body and she took an inhalation so deep it seemed to reach her toes. She got to her feet, shaking with adrenaline and terror as she stared into Tryphena¡¯s eyes. The hatred there made more sense now, as did the venom she spat. Penelope¡¯s lip twitched, her thoughts already being influenced. Corrupted. Without another word, Maria rocketed down the hall, kicking off a wall as she shot around a corner. ¡°Maria?¡± Keith called after her, fear lacing his voice. She didn¡¯t respond. Slimes released a string of expletives that any other time would have made her chortle. Maria didn¡¯t even acknowledge it. Some of the handlers spoke. She ignored them, too. She had to go. When she got to the doors, they were already open, the prison¡¯s soul aware of her need. She skidded to a stop outside and raised both hands to her mouth. Maria reached for her power, poured it into her chest, and set her fear aside as she let a single word fly free. The world shook. *** Beneath the placid waters of Tropica¡¯s bay, a consortium of crabs¡ªand some humans emulating their shape¡ªsat in relative silence. A few bubbles here. A hiss there. Even a handful of warning clacks when another got too close: these were the only sounds to be heard, and the only communication necessary. In that almost-silence, Sergeant Snips, the first of Fischer¡¯s disciples, was slowly unravelling the mess she¡¯d found herself in. Annoyingly, she hadn¡¯t been tricked into the predicament. This swamp, this blockage in her cultivation, was entirely her fault. Realizing that she had arrived back at the same unproductive thought, she blew a hiss of her own, adding to the occasional outbursts coming from those around her. Yes, she had done this to herself. So what? The real measure of one¡¯s worthis what they do when? all the chips have fallen, and they find themselves at the bottom of the ladder. Snips¡¯s core responded to that, buzzing in what could only be described as a warning. Frustration threatened to swell up, but she chose instead to focus on the last thing that¡¯d felt right. Her realization that she and Joel weren¡¯t so dissimilar. The word demeanor had struck a chord, and though it wasn¡¯t the pleasant hum she¡¯d heard talk of, it was certainly more encouraging than the previous buzz. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Joel¡¯s demeanor... she repeated. His ultimate goal was to attain a form like hers. Other than the times he was asleep or attending to the needs of his fleshy body, everything he did was toward that end. Actually, she could argue that his sleep and the fact he ate were also in service of his eventual transformation¡ªhe only took those breaks because he had to. And yet... his dream remained unmet. Snips¡¯s core shifted, encouraging her to delve deeper. She had thought that maybe humans just couldn¡¯t get a new body¡ªthat the Church of Carcinization¡¯s ambition would never come to be¡ªbut the pelicans proved that to be a lie. What was it, then? Joel¡¯s demeanor... For someone wishing to become a crab, his mentality was perfect. Eerily so. He acted decisively and with impunity, never stopping to consider the ramifications¡ªsuch as Maria yeeting him out to sea. But... that was the way of the crab. They were hunters when the opportunity arose, but mostly, they were bottom feeders. Their world was one of brutality and necessity. Her core hummed, its vibration tickling her insides like there were shrimp crawling about within. She was getting closer to the truth. A crab couldn¡¯t stop to consider if more food would come along¡ªthey had to strike where and when they could, forging their own path. Without proactivity, even the largest crab with the strongest snippers might starve before its next meal arrived. But neither could they be too reckless. If one went too far from safety and was discovered by a predator... their carapaces were mightily sturdy, but far from impenetrable. Their way was to dance with risk, avoiding it as much as possible, but taking it when necessary. Her core hummed, and the metaphorical shrimp within started doing flips in her stomach She still didn¡¯t understand¡ªwhat was her abdomen saying? Joel was doing all those things and more. By human standards, he was an absolute prick¡ªboth to outsiders and his congregation. The anomalous man had gone full crab... yet he hadn¡¯t transformed. Her core buzzed, then hummed, then buzzed again. What on Kallis was it trying to convey? The beginnings of an idea formed, and it was so ridiculous that she wanted to spew a fountain of mirthful bubbles. Yeah right, she thought. As if him being too much of a crab would be an issue. That... Her core was silent, but she tilted her carapace all the same. Joel¡¯s demeanor. That had been the first hint of where she¡¯d gone wrong. He... Joel was a human who had taken on the mannerisms of a crab. And she... Nary a hint of movement came from her soul as a profound realization struck. Joel, a human, was acting as a crab. And she, a crab...had been acting as a human. The world seemed to freeze. She thought back to who she had once been¡ªthe scar-covered crustacean with no pincers and a missing eyestalk. Fischer had come across a random sea creature on the brink of death, and instead of eating or letting nature take its course, he¡¯d given her fish. That passing kindness had granted her a new body. A new life. Everything she possessed was thanks to that single instance of human kindness. When she had awakened, she¡¯d almost immediately started emulating her master¡¯s selflessness. That first night, she had found the bait he¡¯d buried, and she only ate most of it. That being a compassionate move was laughable now, but at the time, not eating all of a delicious eel was strikingly selfless¡ªand foolish, if one¡¯s goal was to survive. When Sebastian, the then-leader of the Cult of the Leviathan, had tried to poison Fischer, her thoughts had been as bloody as they were utilitarian. She¡¯d broken into their headquarters, and the only thing that stopped her from executing the cretin was the fact that it could negatively impact Fisher. To both send a message and inflict pain upon the weasel of a man, she¡¯d decided to execute his cult¡¯s false-deity instead. But just before the headsman¡¯s claw had descended, Fischer¡¯s kindness flashed in her mind, staying her sipper. That same lobster went on to become a dear friend and fellow animal pal¡ªPistachio. His awakening reinforced the idea that extending grace was always the correct move. Since then, she¡¯d taken her responsibilities as the first disciple of her beloved master seriously. Her duty of care had grown beyond just him, encapsulating the rest of his animal pals, the congregation, and eventually all the citizens of Tropica. When the Church of Fischer had needed someone to spy on Gormona, Claws and her clandestine skills were most suited to the task, yet it had been Snips that went. She had justified it by saying that Claws could not be trusted. Snips¡¯s master would¡¯ve gone by himself if he¡¯d known about the plan, so that was what she did. She¡¯d made the decision based on Fischer¡¯s human sensibilities. To be clear, though: only a fool would have trusted the chaotic otter to not harness lightning and attack the king directly the second she got a chance. But that was just who Claws was¡ªunapologetically herself, personality defects and all. And it wasn¡¯t only Claws that had advanced by being true to her nature. Cinnamon¡¯s was to kick shit out of things and protect Fischer. The pelicans wanted to lead a flock. Borks was just happy to be involved, which stemmed from his need to be part of a pack. Rocky... never mind. Thinking about what he wanted would make her blush and ruin her concentration. The point was that the rest of them had experienced a breakthrough, some catching up to Snips, others eclipsing her entirely. With that acknowledgement, she finally heard from her core again. Its hum was soft like... She almost compared the sound to something human, but stopped herself. That inclination to do so was a part of the problem. Earlier, she had thought to herself, ¡®The real measure of one¡¯s worthis what they do when? all the chips have fallen, and they find themselves at the bottom of the ladder.¡¯ ... Which had caused her core to yell at her. What kind of sentence was that? Chips? Ladders? Hades¡¯ burning fires... she had referred to multiple clacks as a handful. A handful! She didn¡¯t even have hands! They were human thoughts, and Snips wasn¡¯t human. She was a crab¡ªa violently capable crustacean that could, at will, shoot arcs of chi from her powerful clackers. Her core buzzed with muted power, like a hive of angry bees¡ªwhich was a decidedly uncrabby analogy, but she enjoyed watching the insects, gods-damnit! They appealed to the smooth part of her brain that liked shiny things, delicious meals, and sweet, sweet vengeance! Though still contained, her core¡¯s humming rose in pitch. She had found the truth. She was sure of it. But her soul didn¡¯t want to acknowledge her yet. Something was missing, a vital component, and Snips¡¯s many mouthparts undulated in delight. She already knew who it was. An image of Joel flashed into her mind: him squatting like a crab and lashing out with chi-infused hands at an actual crustacean that got too close. He and the rest of the Church of Carcinization, all of whom identified her as their deity, needed her guidance. Not just them, either. The entire consortium of rock crabs¡ªwho¡¯d apparently been recruiting more members in her absence¡ªneeded her. She had sent them away, telling them to guard the waters within Fischer¡¯s Domain. Doing so was prudent, and necessary, for the defense of Tropica... But her lack of contact? She had thought it the correct path, but hadn¡¯t known why. Now, with her inadequacies revealed by a retreating wave of past mistakes, she understood. Conversing with crabs had been a source of discordance. There was a gaping chasm within her, the clawless and scarred creature she¡¯d once been on one side, and Sergeant Snips¡ªthe defender of Tropica¡ªon the other. It was... cowardly. In her desire to be humanlike and increase the Church of Fischer¡¯s strength, she had forsaken those that looked up to her. A blanket of sea-foam evaporated from around her core. Water aspected chi churned and swelled. And every bee in an imaginary hive flew free, hundreds, then thousands, then millions of beating wings turning into a roar that shook her shell. Even through the shaking carapace and all the light that now shone from her, Snips felt tears well in her eyes¡ªwhich, as anyone with a basic knowledge of crab anatomy could attest, was not natural¡ªbut that had no bearing on her breakthrough. It wasn¡¯t about leaving behind the human parts of herself, just as Joel and his bipedal followers didn¡¯t have to abandon their crablike tendencies. They¡¯d been doing it all wrong. It was a matter of identity. The conscious act of knowing what you were¡ªnot only who you wanted to become. With that thought, her will blazed through the others, humans and crustaceans alike suffused by torrents of her unerring chi. All were presented a choice, an ultimatum, and all accepted. Her water-aspected essence washed over them, causing understanding to bloom like the unfurling tentacles of anemones when the tide returns. Each of their cores became another source of dazzling light, individually weak but collectively blinding. Dozens of... huh? There were more than dozens. Way more. Hundreds of souls seemed to absorb her power and mirror it back. At the same time, a single word boomed out, quaking the sand beneath and waves above. Snips let these developments fall by the wayside. They were of little import. The surrounding water poured into her soul, and she gathered all the cores connected to her chi, ensuring their breakthrough remained undisturbed. *** Corporal Claws, shaper of weather and blessed by thunder, paid the coming day no mind¡ªshe was too busy changing the world. The good kind of positivity swelled in the atmosphere above her, making a sky-bound sea of black and grey swirl as clouds formed in response to her machinations. She could not recall feeling so excited. Her body seemed more alive than ever before, each one of her powerful cells abuzz with electricity and potential. The reason for such joy was as clear as the darkened horizon wasn¡¯t¡ªher task was almost complete. A chittering laugh came from beside her, and allowed a moment of indulgence, twisting her head to stare at the blue-colored raccoon that was now a part of her very core. His fingers were steepled in a downright dastardly manner, further emphasized by his villainous sneer and soft snicker. Claws joined in. She chittered at the heavens, and the laugh growing louder as the moment of truth approached. When the air above became charged enough, she half-expected her familiar to attempt its theft again, but was pleasantly surprised that she didn¡¯t have to head-butt him back through the nearest treeline. It made sense, though; if he stole it now, he couldn¡¯t take part in the greatest heist this world had seen for millennia. One last time, Claws called the lightning. It was only a fraction of the size of previous strikes, but that was by design. They didn¡¯t need a full charge, and any more electricity than this would only hamper their efforts. It gathered in her paws, she condensed it with ease, then she slammed both fists into her treasure¡ªthe item that would help her rob a kingdom¡¯s worth of wealth. Even before the energy finished pouring down into the sand, her raccoon swept forward, his bright mitts clutching its rough surface. Instead of taking, he gave to it, his cutpurse will flowing in. Abruptly, a wave of imploring chi from the south. The ground shook. And a sound, perhaps a word, shot through everything. But Claws neither heard, felt, nor saw anything beyond the first fraction of a second. After all, her familiar¡¯s essence had reached the center of her prize; it was hard to notice one¡¯s senses when you were inside an explosion the size of a mountain. *** Despite racing atop the ocean swifter than any vessel back on Earth, the trip was wonderfully relaxing; Trent had been getting even better at limiting his chi, a development that made me smile, especially considering the way his abdomen hummed. Everyone was always so focused on more. Faster advancement, bigger cores, and enhanced essence. Trent¡¯s cultivation base seemed to be encouraging him, urging that he practice restraint further. I rubbed my chin. Perhaps that¡¯s something we can¡ª ¡°Fischerrrr!¡± The two-syllable word hit my soul like a pointblank dual-claw explosion from Rocky, and its drawn out tail scoured away any hesitation. ¡°Hold on!¡± I yelled, my skin prickling with heat as I reached for the depths of my core. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Trent asked, clearly not having heard. ¡°Maria.¡± I tensed my jaw as my power welled up. ¡°She just called for help.¡± It was all the explanation needed. The entire crew¡¯s faces sobered. ¡°No more fire chi,¡± I commanded, taking a step forward as every tendril of will holding things down flowed back into me. The moment the returning strands touched the reservoir of essence flowing up from within, my world exploded in a flash of white light. Book 4: Chapter 59: Secret Ability Book 4: Chapter 59: Secret Ability Tingles raced up and down my skin, just as they did my very soul. It was a sensation I¡¯d never felt before, but that was hardly surprising. Teleporting so much mass had pushed my will to the limit. It¡¯d taken all my attention to move Bob the boat¡ªas well as everything and everyone on board¡ªback toward Tropica. I searched for Maria, our bond allowing us to connect despite my overexertion; I immediately understood why she¡¯d called me. Corruption had returned to the hearts of two cultivators, which was an issue of gigantic fracking proportions. In my mind¡¯s eye, I could see Maria skidding to a stop outside the former royals¡¯ cell, ignoring Keith¡¯s demands as she sat, reached for Slimes, and started channelling their healing essence. The only visual proof of our transportation was a distinct lack of color. I¡¯d become used to arriving in a flash of white light¡ªthis was something else. I couldn¡¯t see the tip of my nose. But that didn¡¯t matter. I had other senses. Strands of chi poured from me, growing thicker by the millisecond. Regardless of what I found, I knew my friends and I could handle any... thing? The ship¡¯s bow faced the open ocean, giving us a view of Tropica¡¯s bay. So, the moment color returned to my awareness, I bore witness to the localized yet violent storm just offshore. Like someone had detonated several bombs a kilometer away, water sprayed toward the heavens, obscuring a vast swathe of horizon. As visually impressive as it was, nothing could have prepared me for what it felt like. It... it was crabs. A frackload of them. All tinged with hints of my trusty guard-crab, Snips. ¡°What the shi¡ª¡± I whirled to the south. Twin elements had erupted from beyond the distant mountain range. Forks of lightning barbed their way out in every direction¡ªClaws and her raccoon¡¯s experiments, no doubt. That was expected. What wasn¡¯t expected, however, was the aspect weaving between and through each tongue of electricity. Earth. Not just a little, either. A metric shit-tonne of it, so strong that clumps of sandstone and silicate from deep in the world¡¯s mantle floated about, entirely ignoring gravity. It resonated in the surrounding air, seeming to come from every¡ª Not everywhere! My instincts screamed. Below us! It happened in the blink of a cultivator¡¯s eye. A solid wall of silt and stone climbed up around Bob¡¯s deck, moving horrifically fast as layers upon layers upon layers folded overtop themselves. Tens, then hundreds, then thousands of tonnes of mass, each molecule filled to the brim with aspected chi. It was somehow stronger than Claws¡¯s, but that abject threat wasn¡¯t what made my blood freeze¡ªits age was. This thing, this elemental, was ancient, having lived for countless years. Its presence felt multifaceted, something about it too complex, too varied, for me to comprehend. Knowing this was a possibility¡ªif an extremely remote one¡ªI hadn¡¯t let go of my power. I clicked my thumb and forefinger on both hands, sending most of my friends away, their bodies disappearing just before a solid wall of earth blocked out the last patch of predawn sky above. Only three pals remained onboard. Their forms were lit by the bright departure of the others, revealing one with a wagging tail, and another with floppy ears and a fuzzy body poised for violence. The third, Bonnie, seemed much less happy about her continued presence, both eyes wide and head darting. I gave all of them a wink, then sent some quick thoughts out across Tropica, having to keep the messages brief and conceptual considering my end was ostensibly nigh. An outside observer of the incoming annihilation might have found our reactions incredibly strange. Well, except for Bonnie¡ªhers was pretty understandable. The rest of us, though? Any sane onlooker would likely assume we were unhinged or suicidal based on the grins on our faces and adrenaline coursing through our veins. But that wasn¡¯t reflective of us¡ªit was reflective of said onlooker¡¯s lack of knowledge, imagination, or both. We could have left, of course. I still had the reserves to teleport myself, my friends, and even the swordfish to safety. What I couldn¡¯t risk rescuing, however, was Bob. I¡¯d be able to shift him through space again, but it could take all my strength, potentially leaving me unconscious and unable to further assist my friends. That was unacceptable. But that didn¡¯t mean I would just abandon him. A captain, after all, goes down with his ship. ¡°Now!¡± I ordered, struggling to keep the anticipation from my voice as a cracking sound joined the roar of sediment and rock tumbling toward us. ¡°Plan B!¡± *** Eastern Tropica Village, Two Days Ago ¡°Okay, Fischer.¡± Barry stole a glance at Peter and the barbecue the chef was tending atop Tropica¡¯s oceanic walkway. ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡± I understood the hunger in his eyes. We¡¯d spent most of the day swimming, enjoying a morning of leisure before our seaward adventure¡ªthe hours of exercise had left me famished. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mate,¡± I said. ¡°We just need a minute or two.¡± ¡°We?¡± Barry repeated, looking down at Borks and Cinnamon. The latter was riding the former. She nodded in response to his question. Before any more words could be exchanged, I snapped my fingers, and the world shifted around all four of us. When the light of my teleportation disappeared, gone was the grey street, replaced by the scorched remains of a once-verdant forest. A ruined strip of trees extended in opposite directions, this burned scar only proof remaining of the king¡¯s assault on Tropica. ¡°Uhhh...¡± Barry started, but trailed off when I held a finger to my lips. Borks, my goodest of boys, opened up a portal, its lines cracking into existence. With a nod toward it, we all stepped through. ¡°I need to ask a favor,¡± I said in a rush the moment we were inside. ¡°On the trip we¡¯re going on, I need to prank someone repeatedly, and it needs to be you.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°... What?¡± ¡°Damn. What was a terrible place to start, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I took a steadying breath, exhaling it slowly to ease my racing heart. ¡°I¡¯m feeling hurried because the longer we¡¯re in here, the more likely it is that our scheme gets discovered.¡± Cinnamon let out a peep, and I patted her soft little head. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªI should begin there...¡± Barry just blinked, his face as confused and curious as his jawline was sharp. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°Before I voice any of this, you need to control your emotions. I¡¯m gonna tell you something really aggravating, but you can¡¯t can¡¯t get pissed off. Deal?¡± ¡°Uhhh, can¡¯t you just... not say things that will piss me off?¡± ¡°Afraid not. But there¡¯s an excellent incentive for you to hear what I have to say.¡± I grinned, doing my best to remain calm. ¡°If you can keep your emotions in check, you¡¯ll be able to get revenge on... her. On Corporal Claws.¡± His eyes flashed with need. ¡°I¡¯m listening...¡± I started relaying the true events of the previous night. When he learned we had conspired to make him lose his bet against Maria, which resulted in him having to dance while singing an embarrassing song, he came real close to losing his cool. He got even closer to the edge when he remembered the depansting-via-raccoon that¡¯d followed, but just as he was about to boil over, Borks and Cinnamon leaped into his arms, their fur-covered tooshies the perfect distraction if ever there was one. ¡°All right,¡± Barry finally said when his blood pressure had returned to normal and his muscles no longer looked like they were trying to ripple out of his skin. ¡°Where does the revenge come in, though? I¡¯m clearly missing something.¡± ¡°I have to keep it to myself for now, mate. Do you trust me?¡± He stared back, expression flat¡ªno words were needed. ¡°Yeahhh, okay, you¡¯ve got a point. How about this, then...¡± I stroked Cinnamon¡¯s and Borks¡¯s heads. ¡°I swear on my friendship with these here beasts that you will thoroughly enjoy it. I also swear that none of it comes at your expense, and it¡¯s best that you don¡¯t know any more yet.¡± He raised a brow at my words. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s enough for me to trust you.¡± ¡°Good! Now control your anticipation so I can send you back¡ªit¡¯s literally flooding out. Even a drop could alert Claws that shenanigans are afoot.¡± The prospect of vengeance against the troublesome otter had made his already substantial ego inflate. He took a deep breath, massaged his cheeks, and nodded, his face sobering. ¡°I¡¯m ready when you are.¡± ¡°Awesome. Appreciate your help with this, mate.¡± I extended a hand, which he gripped and shook. ¡°You won¡¯t regret it.¡± As we stepped outside, I patted Barry on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll join you in a second, mate.¡± ¡°What? You aren¡¯t com¡ª¡± With a slight gesture of my index finger, I sent him back to Tropica. ¡°Could you keep your portal open a bit longer, Borks? I want to store something within.¡± His head tilted to the side like a puppy hearing a high-pitched noise. It was gods-damned adorable. Without another moment¡¯s hesitation, he leaped back inside. Cinnamon went next, and I followed, making two small gestures with one hand just before stepping into the dimensional space. More cunning and intelligent that a normal dog, my Golden Retriever bud closed the rift behind, sealing us in. ¡°Huh.¡± I said, eying the wall where the portal had been. ¡°Am I that transparent?¡± Yes, they barked and peeped, eyeing the hand I¡¯d hidden behind my back. ¡°Well, hopefully not to Claws. I have more information, but it¡¯s only for the two of you, okay?¡± They nodded, their ears fully erect. ¡°Last night when Claws thought I was asleep, I caught a conversation between her and her familiar. As with Barry, I can¡¯t tell you everything yet, but I can tell you most. I¡¯m not happy about leaving you two in the dark, but¡ª¡± Before I could finish the sentence, they were on me, Borks licking my arm and Cinnamon patting my knee with a paw. They didn¡¯t care that I planned to keep secrets. Unlike Barry, they trusted me implicitly. I dropped down and pulled them against me. ¡°You two are the best, you know that?¡± They agreed, squirming in my arms to rub as much of their bodies against me as possible. ¡°Cinnamon the bunny and Brigadier Borks.¡± I stood tall and adopted a serious air. ¡°I have a mission of the utmost importance for you, one that will see you going deep, deep undercover¡ªand by that, I mean you¡¯ll just have to keep some secrets to yourself, and possibly battle an elemental.¡± Battle? Cinnamon asked. With Claws...? I shook my head. ¡°Not her, no. I have reason to believe there¡¯s another of her kind on its way toward Tropica. If I¡¯m correct, I¡¯ll require help from both of you.¡± I looked at Borks. ¡°And I¡¯ll need an extra hand from you, mate. I won¡¯t force you, but what I have in mind will require honesty and... sacrifice.¡± I¡¯d kept the wording vague, not wanting to force his paw¡ªbut I¡¯d worried for no reason. With a loud bark and repeated wags of his tail, a small portal cracking into being. Other than its size, there was nothing to differentiate it from the one we¡¯d used to enter his space. He cocked his head, asking me how I¡¯d known. ¡°Our bond. I¡¯m sorry. I felt your breakthrough when we were on our material-gathering mission, despite the fact you were inside your dimensional space when it happened.¡± His ears went all the way back, face tight and eyes filled with guilty. ¡°You have nothing to be sorry for, and you have no need to explain yourself.¡± I reached down to scratch the spot behind his ear that made his leg kick, but the thump that came from beside us was too loud and early to be his reaction to my scritching. We both spun, and Cinnamon punched one curled forepaw into the other again. Her expression hinted at impending violence, and her soft squeak confirmed it. If someone doesn¡¯t explain what the frack was going on... ¡°Borks unlocked another ability!¡± I said in a rush. ¡°He was trying to keep it a secret, but I found out by accident!¡± She looked at the portal, then back at me, not understanding. ¡°Look inside.¡± She hopped over, poked her head in, then her whole body stiffened. Borks and I joined her, both our noggins squeezing through the small opening. ¡°Wow. It¡¯s bigger than I thought, Borks.¡± It was a second dimensional space, completely separate from the one our bodies were in. I¡¯d thought it would only be large enough to fit a few things. Instead, I looked around an area as large as my room, its floor and walls empty of anything. Wowwwww, Cinnamon said with a quiet and impressed squeak. I thought it would just be a different exit... His tail was currently in a different time and location than my head, but that didn¡¯t stop it from whacking the crap out of me with how hard it wagged. I withdrew my head, and the others followed. ¡°Would you leave it open? I need to stuff some things in there...¡± I produced the two packages I¡¯d brought with me when reentering Borks¡¯s original space. My animal pals both recognized the tightly wound burlap sack, but the other was new to them. Their heads both tilted in confusion as they gazed over its metallic form. ¡°It¡¯s all a part of the mission...¡± Both the items were wrapped in tendrils of my chi, the layers containing their scent and power. With great care, I opened a slit in the metal one¡¯s shielding, letting some of its essence out. Borks dashed forward. He pressed his nose against it and started huffing loudly¡ªits aroma was clearly to his liking. I laughed and scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s not for eating¡ªnot yet, anyway...¡± I repaired the seal, placed both parcels within Borks¡¯s new space, then nodded for him to close the portal. ¡°Okay. Let me explain...¡± They both sat down, their ears attentive and eyes locked onto mine as I laid out the mission, along with dozens and dozens of plan variations. Book 4: Chapter 60: Foreign Fishy Force Book 4: Chapter 60: Foreign Fishy Force Still grinning, I glanced up, eyeing the shifting ceiling of rock and earthen chi that would land on our heads at any moment. We were entirely encased. All light had vanished. Yet, thanks to two very different things, I bore witness to the landslide¡¯s descent. First, my enhanced body. In normal situations, that alone was enough for me to see in pitch darkness. But the circumstance I found myself in was anything but normal; the walls were closed in on all sides, and the ancient essence within sought to smother my own. Which was where the second source of illumination came in. Soft light bathed everything around us, its purple color adding an ethereal, otherworldly hue to all it touched. I gazed down at the ability providing the glow¡ªjust in time for Cinnamon to come flying out of it. The moment she cleared Borks¡¯s portal, she flicked her head and flung something beige my way. I caught the sack and the items inside shifted, making a pleasing sound even through my layers of protective chi. Sorry about this, Bonnie, I thought, not having the time to communicate it. In a perfect world, I could have warned you. Then, after pausing for a tiny yet necessary fraction of a second, I launched the sack skyward with everything I had. The reason for my momentary delay was unleashed a moment later in the form of an aura blast flying from a very-cute and very-deadly bunny¡¯s kick. The world distorted around the pillar of force as it rocketed toward the burlap payload, and when it was mere centimeters from collision, I released the tendrils of chi sealing it shut. The effect was immediate. My mouth watered. My body demanded that I leap to its rescue. Bonnie actually took a step forward, her desire to consume outweighing her confusion. Before either of us could do something stupid, however, Cinnamon¡¯s attack hit dead-center. Several things happened at once. The bunny, her job done, vanished back into Borks¡¯s portal. The sack exploded, as did its contents, each of them atomized into a fine powder. And the elemental, apparently an ancient being, was presented with a choice. Its will was alien to me, its thoughts a mystery, but as that foreign consciousness assessed the particles and the chi radiating from them, I knew exactly what it was thinking. It wanted them. It desired to consume them. The question, then, was whether it was smart enough to resist. As the cloud of brown dust billowed outward, the strange being revealed its wisdom, slowing its descent in an attempt to avoid the tempting yet poisonous motes. But it was working against gravity now, and Cinnamon¡¯s aura blast continued on, smashing some of the noxious molecules into its form. With that, a moment of truth arrived. I honestly had no clue if this would work or not. Despite this course of action being called ¡®Plan B¡¯, it wasn¡¯t even in my top-ten list of scenarios likely to succeed. It was a contingency plan. A desperate venture to save Bob the boat from destruction, who was the only friend, sapient or not, that I lacked the essence to teleport to safety. As the earth elemental¡¯s chi started to vibrate, I knew it had worked. Every wall jittered, its entire mass shaking like a mid-90¡¯s Toyota Hilux speeding down a corrugated road on stock suspension. Even through the drug now afflicting it, the elemental attempted to retreat, slowly pulling back from the cloud. Borks had different ideas. He spewed flames from his mouth as he spun in a circle, ensuring his blaze reached every inch of air directly above our heads. Where his fire washed over surrounding barriers, nothing happened; the earthen clumps were immune to. But that wasn¡¯t why he¡¯d done it. Lines of heat shimmered, pushing the brown powder up toward the enemy. It pulled¡ª No, not ¡®it¡¯, I realized in a moment of clarity. They. Under the effects of the toxin, the being around us let their true form slip. They weren¡¯t a single soul at all¡ªthey were dozens of individuals. A hive mind of sorts. Before the surprise of that discovery could take root and unfurl in my mind, I dismissed it, focusing on what was happening above. The many souls revealed their intelligence again by opening a chimney in the ceiling. Heat¡ªand the dread molecules they were trying desperately to avoid¡ªrushed toward the vent. I grinned like a cat given a whole damned fish. Nice try, I thought, preparing to release an uppercut that would make Cinnamon prou¡ªOh, speak of the devil. She emerged from Borks¡¯s portal just in time for me to unleash the strike. As my fist ascended through empty air, I released a blast of pure chi. It moved at the speed of light, forming a thin line out through the chimney and up into the sky. I didn¡¯t watch it for two reasons. First, I already knew what it would do. Second, and of much more importance, cool guys didn¡¯t look at explosions. I raised a questioning toward at Cinnamon¡ªher eyes sparkled as she nodded, so stunned by my technique that she almost dropped the metallic object she¡¯d retrieved. The beginning of a tear swelled up, but she blinked it away, not breaking her eye-contact with me as she gave me a proud nod. My uppercut had, indeed, been of impeccable form. Meanwhile, my thin strand of essence expanded, pushing the poisonous fragments outward and toward earthen walls that had no hope of outpacing it. Only when I¡¯d sealed off the chimney completely did my power stop growing, and though only a temporary measure, it was all that was needed. I hadn¡¯t missed the secondary hole the elemental created. Showing a remarkable knowledge of heat and aerodynamics, they¡¯d opened a tiny inlet for oxygen near the surface of the ocean, a place for air to stream in, fuel Borks¡¯s fire, and launch the poisonous particles skyward. But unfortunately for the myriad earthen souls surrounding us, my blocking of the chimney only worsened their predicament. The toxic dust swirled around chaotically, all paths leading to the elemental. When they made contact, the ancient being was unable to stop their absorption and assimilation. As more of our obliterated payload leached into their awareness, the jittering became so strong that they could no longer retreat. The pull of addictive essence coming from above diminished with each bit the elemental incorporated. A tension I¡¯d not realized was there eased, disappearing from my shoulders and upper back. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The effect on Bonnie was even more pronounced. She shook her head and let out a heavy sigh as she returned to herself. Then, she whirled on me, eyes narrowed and expression pinched in accusation. ¡°Why the hell am I here, Fischer? And if that was Plan B, what the frack was Plan A?¡± I opened my mouth to reply, but she rolled right over me. ¡°Also, what kind of demon beans were those? Why would you make such a thing?¡± I smiled, looking away from the continually quivering mass to meet her gaze. ¡°Those, my adventurous friend, were an unholy creation I made by mistake. The System called them Coffee Infused Coffee Beans.¡± I gestured around at the quaking walls. ¡°The caffeine content was a bit too high for human consumption¡ªelemental, too, by the looks of it.¡± ¡°Wonderful. I¡¯m not at all surprised you created something so toxic by accident, but that doesn¡¯t answer my first two questions.¡± ¡°Oh? What were they, again? In order of least importance.¡± She gave me an impressive pout. ¡°I asked why it was called Plan B, but knowing you, that stands for Plan Bean, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. It stands for Plan Bean-Infused-Beans.¡± Duhhh, Cinnamon peeped. I¡¯d not thought it possible, but Bonnie¡¯s pout grew even more severe. ¡°Of course. That¡¯s on me for underestimating you. And, for my last question...¡± She cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and yelled. ¡°Why the frack am I here, Fischer? You three clearly have plans, and I¡¯m not a part of them!¡± I held up a finger, but unlike my previous statements, this wasn¡¯t a method of distraction. Something was... changing. Without warning, the tonnes of rock started to move again, within itself rather than away from or toward us. I couldn¡¯t say for sure what was going on, but when I felt the caffeine molecules getting shifted around¡ªa movement I could sense because of how much I consumed on a daily basis¡ªI developed a hunch. And they said my coffee addiction was a bad thing, I thought, smiling to myself. Who¡¯s laughing now? ¡°Plan F!¡± I yelled. This variation was even further from the top-ten list of workable plans, but that didn¡¯t make me any less excited to see it come to fruition. A metallic pouch came sailing my way, launched by a supremely fluffy bunny who¡¯d anticipated my need. I caught it with one hand. Instead of yeeting the parcel upward with all my strength, I lobbed it softly, removing my tendrils of sealing chi at the same time. ¡°Cinn¡ª¡± I started, but was cut off when a streak of martial prowess and caramel-colored fur shot past me. As Cinnamon¡¯s flying kick annihilated the package right above my head, my enhanced vision allowed me to witness a marvelous sight. She stopped in midair. An odd aura warped the air around her, and all the strips previously contained by sheets of thin metal were drawn toward her by the force. Then, my fuzzy bunny started to twirl. Surprise radiated from Bonnie¡¯s core; she recognized the chi. Like a mini tornado of cute violence, Cinnamon spun on the spot, her limbs lashing out and breaking already lean strips into even smaller chunks. Now that only a few motes of atomized caffeine remained, I withdrew my solid pillar of pure essence, opening the chimney once more. The surrounding air started to circulate. Only when the trapped winds became cyclonic did the martial bunny stop spinning and let go of her magnetic aura. The dehydrated food she¡¯d been smashing exploded outward, joining the storm. As with the coffee dust, when they struck the ancient being¡¯s mass, they were absorbed. Unlike the poisonous cloud, however, the tiny fragments of meat were anything but assimilated. I cackled as Borks snatched a few nibbles as they passed him by, my canine pal unable to help himself from indulging in the chi-filled treats. ¡°Fish-jerky storm!¡± I yelled like a protagonist declaring their finishing move, then leaned to the side, whispering. ¡°Psst. Bonnie. Plan F is short for Plan Four F¡¯s, which stands for¡ª¡± ¡°Fracking Fishy Fish jerky?¡± she interrupted. ¡°What? Don¡¯t be silly. That¡¯s only three F¡¯s.¡± I held up four fingers. ¡°It stands for Foray of the Foreign Fishy Force.¡± ¡°... What?¡± I nodded toward the surrounding walls as Cinnamon¡¯s tornado of jerky hit them. ¡°Unfortunately for our earthen attacker, the jerky is saturated with the entirely wrong kind of essence. Get it? Foreign fishy force!¡± This had been something I¡¯d gleaned from a conversation between Claws and her raccoon student¡ªa bit of trivia my tricksy otter hadn¡¯t meant to share. Some aspects were closely aligned. Rock and earth, for example, were basically the same thing. But lightning? It did not get along with either of them. The elemental was already at war with the caffeine poisoning it. And if my hunch was correct, it¡¯d been trying to isolate one of its many souls, which it could then flood every drop of toxin into. Adding electricity to the mix had introduced a third army to the battlefield, a phalanx of spearmen that slammed right into the ancient being¡¯s side. The effects in the physical world were impressive. Flecks of dehydrated meat hit the earthen walls like invisible punches from a giant, leaving craters behind in the now-pockmarked dome. It was as effective as I could have hoped, and as the winds started to die down, I took a deep breath of the fish-and-coffee scents lingering in the air, both as enticing as the other. ¡°Ahhh,¡± I sighed. ¡°What a beautiful sme¡ª¡± ¡°Fischer!¡± Bonnie yelled, her face awestruck, perplexed, and distinctly lacking the mirth my animal pals and I wore. ¡°I¡¯m all for adventure, but this is fracked! Can someone please explain how in Hades¡¯s burning crotch we¡¯re going to get out of this, why you¡¯re messing around here instead of helping Maria, and why the shit I¡¯m standing here like an ornament instead of getting teleported... away?¡± She trailed off, glancing down toward her arm. Power swelled beneath her skin, giving off a soft-blue glow. In moments, it grew bright enough for a shape to be revealed: a paw print, smaller than Borks¡¯s but larger than Cinnamon¡¯s. ¡°Forgive me,¡± I said, flashing an apologetic smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t say so earlier, but there¡¯s the answer to two of your questions. The other, though? Why I haven¡¯t gone to Maria?¡± The blue brilliance coming from Bonnie¡¯s arm increased, illuminating a grin I could no longer hide. ¡°She called my name, but that was only to get my attention. She didn¡¯t need my help. I was merely the delivery sys¡ª¡± I could have continued speaking if I wanted to; my voice hadn¡¯t been drowned out, and my thoughts were clear. I didn¡¯t, however¡ªI wanted to give all my focus to the being that shot from Bonnie¡¯s limb. A translucent mammal, semi-opaque and filled with deadly power. A mouth lined by needle-sharp teeth, all of which were gleaming between parted lips. And caressed in both forepaws, a second being smiled and waved, his inclinations similar to his holder in both bearing and degeneracy. A shrill, chittering noise came from his master as she cast a judgemental gaze across the entire world. In her position, most would have apologized for being late, perhaps enquired about everyone¡¯s health to check we were okay. This creature, however, was unlike any other. My friend. My ally. Corporal Claws¡ªwielder of lightning, chaos, and a raccoon¡ªsimply chirped. You¡¯re welcome, she said. Her essence erupted. Book 4: Chapter 61: Full Caveman Book 4: Chapter 61: Full Caveman Within the confines of a chi-laced building, a brilliant light flashed into being, drowning out the kaleidoscopic rays of only moments ago. Maria barely noticed. ¡°Sit,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re short on time.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Sit down, cousin!¡± Keith urged. ¡°They need your help!¡± Trent¡¯s eyes darted around, scanning until they landed on his mother and sister. He didn¡¯t need to sense their cores to know that something had gone terribly, terribly wrong. White-hot rage flared in his core, coalescing as flames that sputtered from his palms. ¡°Down!¡± Maria felt her command hit Trent¡¯s awareness like a meteor. His internal state quaked with aftershocks as he dropped to the ground in a cross-legged position. ¡°We can make use of your fury,¡± she continued, voice soft, filled with all the compassion it had lacked only seconds earlier. ¡°Don¡¯t waste any emotion on me.¡± Shaking, he closed his eyes. Maria became intangible once more. When she rejoined Slimes¡¯s awareness in the cloud of pink chi surrounding the two corrupted cultivators, he welcomed her with a happy burble. It was a small gesture. His way of cheering her up. And though it didn¡¯t work, she thanked him all the same. You rest for now, she urged. While you still can. He burbled again, readily obliging¡ªhis strength would be needed later. Reaching out a hand, Maria attempted to pull a part of Trent out into the swirling chi. It should be possible because of his breakthrough, but that didn¡¯t mean it would be easy. His concept of himself¡ªthe ideal that shaped who he was and what he¡¯d become¡ªimmediately complained. His core seemed to deny her efforts, telling her it was wrong despite how much he wanted to help. But then she gave it a nudge. A push, really. Okay, fine, maybe it was actually a full-bodied tackle, in which she drove one of her knees into his metaphorical spleen. A girl had to do what a girl had to do. With all the will not currently suppressing the corruption¡¯s growth, Maria slammed into Trent¡¯s core again, reminding him of past events he¡¯d prefer to forget. His deformity, both physical and mental, by an alchemical concoction. His family¡¯s arrival in Tropica. The battle. His father¡¯s madness¡ªthe foolish monarch¡¯s eager embrace of corruption at the expense of all else. His mother and sister. The former, beset with relief and guilt at seeing her son alive. The latter, similarly moved, able and willing to let go of the foul essence that had been infecting¡ª Flames consumed the mental image she was projecting, the thoughts burning away as Trent was drawn into the cloud of healing chi. Lines of orange streaked through the pink haze. You know nothing! his disembodied voice screamed, a wild blaze fueled by howling winds. Flashes of his own memories appeared in a rapidfire procession that were incinerated just as fast as they arrived. His mother, her willing participation in poisoning her own son. His sister, the scorn with which she treated him, the many times she abused his affliction to her own benefit. Each instance threw a tree¡¯s worth of logs onto the burn pile, and though they didn¡¯t burst into flame, the heat slowly increased as their moisture evaporated, edges catching fire. Maria controlled the flow of air, her soothing chi ensuring his fury didn¡¯t devour them all. She nudged him back toward the positive¡ªa mistake. He railed against her denial. She tried again, easing him toward pragmatism instead. This time, her touch was subtle, make sure he knew she wasn¡¯t trying to snuff out his flames. It was not hard; she didn¡¯t want to extinguish his anger; she wanted to harness it. Maria replayed some memories she¡¯d just witnessed, her memory able to recall them despite the former prince showing her dozens per second. He and his sister, peeking overtop a parapet as a bucket of stolen milk tumbled down toward the guard whose eyes always lingered too long. Tryphena again, this time a woman, laughing and joking with Trent about a royal that had fallen down a single step, twisted his ankle, and tried to blame one of the palace guards¡ªonly for the accusation to be denounced by the siblings in a public and embarrassing manner. The memories of the queen were much easier to curate; they were many. Tens, hundreds, then thousands of them flashed by, all depicting the same look: an expression of a mother¡¯s pure love. Even with the unpleasant looks and mental impairment afflicting him, she had never once treated him as anything but her only son. And, Maria reminded, loathe as the concoction was, Penelope¡ªyour mother¡ªbelieved it was the only way to save you. As she gave him that final push, she knew it would work. His fire and fury sputtered, having consumed enough to be dismissed. But Maria couldn¡¯t allow that. Using all of her spare attention, she opened up vents and let air in, the oxygen of multiple bellows flowing directly into the pile of logs and smoldering coals that Trent¡¯s core had become. Wha¡ªWhat are you doing? His formless voice was confused. Demanding. When Maria didn¡¯t immediately respond, a spike of paranoid terror tore from him, wedging itself between them. *** All too late, Trent realized the truth. Maria must have been infected by the corruption, and she was trying to burn them all down¡ªhe could think of no other explanation. She¡¯d successfully goaded him to join her, fanning his flames in all the right ways. Yet part of him remained in his body. He sought to escape, hammered all of his will in that direction. He had to get Fischer¡ªthe traveler was the only one who could stop Maria and save his family. But a pulse of chi from his captor knocked him on his ass. Before he could stand, it smothered him, pinning his limbs to the ground with immovable weight. From there, the burden moved to his chest, revealing an emotion Trent had never expected to receive from Maria. It... it was love. Not the romantic kind, but that of a younger sister. The love of a daughter, a mother, a community. The kind of adoration that let a parent lift a horsecart off their child. The kind of devotion that moved someone to run back into a burning stable, risking themselves for the chance to save a lame mule. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. He¡¯d been wrong. Maria hadn¡¯t been infected. Why...? was all he could wonder, her actions antithetical to her message. She didn¡¯t answer, instead lifting the chi that had held him down. It poured into his bonfire, joining the jets of air that turned the edges of wet logs into red-hot coals. When the two forces of nature met, everything changed. The lines of fire in her pink haze spread out, the entire cloud taking on an orange hue. Similarly, his flames grew red with healing essence, each of their aspects feeding the other. It was deliberate at first, meticulously shaped by Maria¡¯s will, but then they harmonized. Rather than two separate forces, their power became one, his flame exuding her compassion, her mist radiating his heat. With Maria¡¯s awareness freed, she let out a ragged yet content sigh through their newly forged connection. Your family doesn¡¯t need Fischer, Trent. I called his name, but that was only so he¡¯d bring you back. The words stoked something deep within him, jostling still-green logs toward the blazing heart of his core. They don¡¯t need more cleansing, she continued, her voice speaking directly to his soul. We already tried that, and it left an empty void in its place¡ªa patch of nothing in which the corruption took hold once more. The slogs were thrust straight into the center of the inferno. Even in that white-hot nexus, however, they resisted, their fibers too wet. What your family needs, Trent, is a reason to persist. The logs creaked as if squeezed by a vise. Something to live for. The wood cracked, threatened to burst apart. What your family needs... Maria¡¯s voice was calm and strong and sure. Is you. Every single piece of timber within his burning soul split into countless pieces. Each drop of liquid evaporated, the flames took hold, and the bonfire became a conflagration. The world roared with their power. *** ¡°Holy shit,¡± I said, the words speaking themselves as my head darted toward the west. An amalgamation of Maria and Trent was pouring from my not-a-prison, the two wasting no time in healing the captives. It was remarkable on a whole bunch of levels. First, I¡¯d never sensed such a pairing between anyone but Maria and myself. A lesser fella might have experienced some jealousy... Okay, fine, I was a little jealous¡ªbut a healthy amount, I reckon. Second, their wills had taken on aspects of each other, only adopting the pieces that amplified their own powers. No, Maria and I had never done something like that, and no, I still didn¡¯t have an unhealthy amount of jealousy over it, thank you very much. I considered reaching out through our connection and giving my fiance?e the mental equivalent of a yo, what¡¯s up? But knowing it might hurt their plans¡ªand also that the impulse was just the primitive part of my brain wanting to go full cavemanover my darling Maria helping another bloke heal his family¡ªI instead focused on the third and final reason it was remarkable. I shouldn¡¯t have been able to feel their chi at all; there was a season-finale anime battle occurring before my very eyes. Claws¡¯s unnamed raccoon zipped around the inside of the earth elemental¡¯s dome of rock and sediment like a cracked out Sonic the Hedgehog, releasing bolts of lightning every meter or so. A high-pitched sound came from him, and I wasn¡¯t entirely sure if it was his voice or his speed doing it. Regardless, the eeeeeEEEEeeeeeEEEEeeeeeEEEE of his looping passage was both enjoyable and humorous. ¡°Do you want me to teleport you now?¡± I asked Bonnie. ¡°I needed you here as an anchor for Claws.¡± ¡°What? Just when it¡¯s getting good?¡± I snorted. She¡¯d sure changed her tune, but I couldn¡¯t exactly blame her. ¡°Why can¡¯t I look away?¡± Bruff, Borks agreed, both he and the bunny astride him tracking the raccoon¡¯s relentless gyration. Said mammal¡¯s master, Claws, hadn¡¯t really been doing all that much. She¡¯d unleashed an absolute storm of electrical essence after shooting from Bonnie¡¯s arm, but since then, had just been standing on the deck with her forelimbs raised high, looking like she was gathering the energy for a Spirit Bomb. Nothing was forming, however. It wouldn¡¯t put it past her to mess with me, and I started wondering if that was the case, but then the hair on my arms stood on end. I gazed up through the chimney, and rather than the expected predawn light, I found churning storm clouds. Well shit, I thought. Looks like she developed a new¡ª Boooom! I both saw the strike with my eyes and felt it in my chest. It was natural lightning, but that¡¯s where normalcy ended; the sky webbed with so many blue-white forks that the nearby villages might think Zeus had returned. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it spawned a religion or two. The effect it had on the earth elemental was similarly impressive. Claws had been the intended target of each strike, and they¡¯d exploded through the surrounding walls to get to her, leaving dozens of Rocky-sized holes through which I could now see the outside world. The black atmosphere above had almost immediately vanished. From west to east, the purple sky became an orangey yellow, foretelling the sun¡¯s arrival. This light, cast over Bob¡¯s deck, revealed smatterings of rock, soggy silt, and other debris separated from the ancient being¡¯s body by myriad thunderbolts. I knelt to inspect one, making sure this wasn¡¯t part of some trap... but no. Not a drop of chi remained within¡ªthe damage was permanent. Psssst, came a stray thought, communicated to me in a very ottery whisper. Watch this. A chirping noise accompanied the invitation, sounding like the call of a thousand birds. I couldn¡¯t resist looking. A ball of electrical energy surrounded one of Claws¡¯s forepaws. It wasn¡¯t her chi¡ªit was condensed, naturally occurring lightning. Her head bent over backwards to look my way, and when her gaze locked with mine, she waggled her eyebrows. ¡°By the gods...¡± I whispered, catching myself just before I fell to my knees. ¡°What is it?¡± Bonnie asked. I ignored her, instead narrowing my eyes at Claws. ¡°How do you know what a Chidori is? Have you been rummaging around in my head?¡± Claws¡¯s lips parted to reveal dagger-like teeth. Blue jolts danced across them. Not bothering to straighten, she launched herself upward on streams of lightning, doing ten backflips¡ªor was that eleven?¡ªbefore twisting and preparing to unleash Kakashi¡¯s signature move. Eleven! she trilled as her paw lashed out. And a half! ¡°Huh...¡± I said, watching her electricity-covered limb blow a hole the size of a car into the earthen elemental. ¡°There was a half rotation, wasn¡¯t there?¡± Yuuuup! she agreed, her brilliant grin mirroring my own. Book 4: Chapter 62: Chaos, Master Book 4: Chapter 62: Chaos, Master Beneath the pastel hues of a coming dawn, a swathe of colors the ancient being had not witnessed for thousands of years, the earth elemental considered to themselves that, just maybe, they should not have come here. The self-doubt lasted only a fraction of a second, yet it was enough to set their rocks to crumbling. Their indignation bloomed, but then another hundred thoughts came along to replace it. And another hundred. And another. Though it had been an unfathomable amount of time since they¡¯d been directly exposed to a sunrise, it had been even longer since they¡¯d fallen victim to alchemical warfare. Such things just weren¡¯t oft done. Even atop the continent the first brother had obliterated back before he was the many¡ªwhich had been a landmass guilty of a betrayal most foul¡ªentire bloodlines would¡¯ve been exterminated if a single cultivator had dared implement such poisons. If one could call that powder a toxin, that is. It was... pitiful. Woefully weak. It hardly had any effect on their mass, just making it shake a little. There was no chi deterioration, form-melting acids, or summoned hellhounds¡ªnot that any remained now that Hades had fled. This thought brought them some joy, but as with all the others, it was swiftly replaced by a slew of new ideas¡ªwhich was the whole crux of the issue. This compound, the brown seeds that had been turned into a fine powder, affected the elemental¡¯s mind. How had this pure-chi cultivator created something so advanced? It was just one more stone in the mountainous pile of impossibilities. The lightning-infused fish, an extremely high-level food item, was another. This man shouldn¡¯t have been able to catch it, let alone cook it without ruining the chi content. None of these mysteries, however, compared to the sociological learnings, which just so happened to loop back around into their mind for what had to be the four-hundredth time. The foolish channeler of unaspected essence was allied with the newly awakened elemental, but that wasn¡¯t all. There were two allied spirit beasts atop the deck¡ªand likely others if the wash of chi to the east could be believed. It all beggared belief, yet there was one more discovery, something as unbelievable as it was bothersome. The newly awakened elemental had bonded a familiar, and not the half-hearted bonding of subservience. This was a full bond. A sharing of one¡¯s soul¡ªof one¡¯s core. How had a days-old being achieved such a feat...? Even now, the thing that shouldn¡¯t exist was zipping around the inside of their dome in a continual loop, making a high-pitched noise and unleashing jolts of chi that destroyed the elemental essence suffusing their mass. And we cannot fight back... As this thought returned, they latched onto it, fighting against the poison¡ªthis was what most needed pondering. The mistake they¡¯d made in coming here, the terrible miscalculation that left them in their current predicament, had been bringing the ten ancient relics of power with them. They could only use a fraction of their strength against the ants atop the ship, because most of it was protecting the crystallized trees, ensuring they remained undetected. It was, perhaps, an overly conservative precaution. But after the pure-chi cultivator had teleported the entire boat, along with everyone atop it, and the artifact within? Wariness seemed prudent. They were certain he no longer possessed the power to destroy them, at least¡ªhow could he? He¡¯d already expended too much energy. As long as they didn¡¯t let him steal the artifacts, things would go well. The elemental of lightning was similarly toothless. She was incredibly swift, even quicker than her familiar, but her attacks were akin to an oceanic bird pecking a boulder; each strike was frustrating, yet wholly ineffective. So, the decision they had reached last time this thought circled around still seemed like the correct course of action. Lull these attackers into a false sense of security, let them continue chipping away at miniscule fractions of their power, and wait for the poison to clear. Then, they would pounce, devouring the ship, the relic, and everyone stupid enough to remain atop it. By luck or divine intervention, the next thought came, pushing these considerations aside. It, however, was a memory of something only minutes gone. That foolish human, the cultivator of unaspected chi... he had used his power again. The earth elemental had been distracted, busy retreating from the poison cloud that assaulted their mind and mass. But as it replayed through their consciousness now, every single splinter that comprised them spoke out, the revelation so shocking that it threatened to tear them apart. The cultivator... he did possess more chi. If he utilized it in the wrong way, everyone present¡ªperhaps most of this continent¡ªwould be reduced to atoms. And the elemental was just... sitting here, letting him refill his reserves. The alchemical concoction was even more terrifying and effective than they¡¯d feared. A new course of action was decided in an instant, their concurrence pulling each splinter back together, solidifying their unity and resolve. This wasn¡¯t the time for feigned weakness; it was time for brutal movement and crushing force. Before the next landslide of thoughts assaulted them, they cast a mass of somethings from their core. Ten treasures of indescribable wealth, each an impossibility that shouldn¡¯t exist in this lower realm, fell to the sand like so many shells. *** Though I still enjoyed witnessing the battle, a small part of me wished Claws and her raccoon would hurry it up. The lulls were a little... boring. Thankfully, a moment of action approached, and I watched with an anticipatory gaze as my otter pal clenched her raised forelimbs, preparing to call lightning down from the heavens. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. But then the underworld opened up instead. Directly beneath us, extending deep into the formerly shallow sands, another ancient being arrived. Before the spike of adrenaline could course through my body, I wrapped layers upon layers upon layers of solid light underneath Bob¡¯s keel. Every other time I¡¯d created such shielding, each barrier got a little thinner and weaker, allowing for a smooth reduction of force. Now, I didn¡¯t have that luxury. A thousand shields sprang into place, and not a moment too soon. The surprise attack hit us with the impetus of a dozen super-volcanoes, obliterating the vast majority of layers in the blink of a cultivator¡¯s eye. Everyone grew tense, Cinnamon and Borks bracing, and the raccoon retreating into Claws¡¯s core as a streak of light. The surrounding sheets of earth¡ªpreviously pocked and riddled with holes¡ªbecame reinforced by meters of gravel and jagged rock. The walls and ceiling descended, literally closing in on us. Time slowed. Should I raise more shields above us? I had the strength to stop it, but what that it left me unconscious...? With no small amount of regret, I reached a decision I hated, and no matter how many times I told myself I would happily sacrifice Bob, now that the moment had arrived, I felt sick. There were other options, right? This thing was horrifically strong, but even after transporting a whole-ass boat, I reckoned I could defeat it. And protect everyone at the same time...? a voice in the back of my head asked, already knowing I wouldn¡¯t take the chance. Memories tried to bubble up, my subconscious wanting to reminisce on our inaugural trip with Bob, but I couldn¡¯t spare the milliseconds. Sorry, mate, I thought, extending the tiniest root of chi down toward his deck. A better captain would go down with you, but I have people relying on me¡ªloved ones I cannot let down. My stomach churned, and a boulder of regret settled in the center of my abdomen. Choices like this, however, were exactly what I¡¯d signed up for. Such was the weight of leadership. We might build another boat, Bob, but we¡¯ll never replace you. You¡¯re one of a kind, you golden-throned bastard. My animal pals were preparing to move; Borks reached for a portal that wouldn¡¯t open in time, Cinnamon prepared to unleash a blast of aura that couldn¡¯t breach meters of chi-infused rock, and Claws gathered lightning in her legs. The otter might actually stand a chance. Perhaps she could blast a hole out, which we could then escape through... but no. She¡¯d waited too long, clearly too shocked or terrified to react swiftly. It all came back to a single, inescapable truth: I wasn¡¯t willing to risk any of them. They were far too precious¡ªeven more so than the relics within Bob¡¯s hull, or the ten items of similar power directly beneath us, the things this elemental had apparently been hiding along with its true strength. Before the walls could get any closer, I reached out with my essence, each strand traveling faster than light as they wove around everyone. With a hint of a smirk, I grabbed the swordfish head too, and also considered taking the ten other relics discarded below. But there was no need; I¡¯d be back to kick this evil thing¡¯s tooshie in a moment. Instead, I collected the most important objects of all: the fishing rods, and a certain ornate throne¡ªa part of Bob that would join us on every adventure to come, even if the rest of him was about to become a ball of shattered wood and twisted metal. I pictured where we¡¯d exit, ensuring it was a safe space to¡ª Something jolted me back to the present. Claws¡¯s elemental lightning had destroyed the strands near her, and not just those connected to her¡ªBorks and Cinnamon had been disconnected, too. I whirled on her. She¡¯d done all sorts to draw my ire, but never before had she made genuine anger well up from within me. It roiled and frothed like an ocean in storm, giant waves rising only to crash down and further stoke my wrath. I had to let it go. She could stay if she wanted, but I was getting the others out, and now. Corporal Claws, wielder of lightning and picker of terrible times to fuck with me, opened her left pocket. The air... changed. A strange essence flooded the enclosed space, its power intriguing and mysterious. I felt like I should recognise it, but I gave it no thought. She could do what she wanted. We still had to go. The others wouldn¡¯t... huh? Every inch of the earth elemental¡¯s mass had frozen. They assessed the strange chi. Tested it. Tasted it. And hated what they found. Unending pulses of abhorrence emitted in all directions. Hey... Claws hissed, slowly turning to look at Borks, Cinnamon, and me. When her gaze met mine, electricity and mischief lit her eyes. Check this shit out. Her other paw plunged into the open pocket, clutched something, and withdrew... a coconut? Was this finally it? Had she revealed the item she¡¯d been secretly experimenting on? I¡¯d overheard multiple overnight conversations between master and familiar, but I hadn¡¯t been able to learn the purpose of her test¡ªshe would have known if I forced myself in. No longer caring for subtlety, I forged a spear of pure chi and stabbed it toward the coconut, stopping only microns from the object to find... nothing. It was a regular ol¡¯ coconut. Claws cackled. ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled, unable to help myself now that I knew it was just fruit. ¡°Where¡¯d you get that? We can cook with it! Her laugh cut off. She frowned, threw the nut aside, and grabbed another item. A bag of flour, dropped to the deck. A frying pan larger than she was, flung over her shoulder. Two jars of passiona jam, one passed to Cinnamon, the other moved to the pouch on the other side of her body. The same jar again, returned to the original pouch, which she then rummaged around within, searching for something in particular. Borks, taking advantage of whatever this was, resumed opening a portal. A purple line cracked into being, and the earth elemental responded. Its walls shuddered and shook. They inched closer, the ancient being¡¯s detestation joined by a primordial violence. As a blur, Claws lashed out with both forelimbs. The left one shot her familiar out, the raccoon zooming about the deck to collect the discarded treasures¡ªhe even yoinked the passiona jam from Cinnamon¡¯s clutches. Her right paw, still searching her pocket, found what she was looking for. When she withdrew it, the strange aura around us increased tenfold, radiating from a small, featureless rock. A pebble, really. All movement ceased¡ªexcept for her familiar, who hastily shoved the items back into his master¡¯s private stash before leaping in, momentarily getting his rotund rump stuck, then wiggling in the rest of the way. Though not a speck of dirt shifted, the earth elemental¡¯s emotions poured out from it. Any semblance of composure had fled its many-souled body, and I got more insight than I cared to receive. This thing... Gods above, it was evil. Like... Evil, evil. It wanted to consume all others, killing any other awakened lifeform that wouldn¡¯t willingly assimilate. To be frank, it was disgusting. Uncaring of my assessment, or perhaps because of it, every single bit of its mass shuddered a foot closer. It wished to feel our bones crack, sought to hear our screams of pain, and yet... it stilled once more, an obvious undertone of terror holding it at bay. ¡°Uhhhh,¡± I said, pointing at the small stone in Claws¡¯s hands. ¡°What¡¯s that, and why is the unholy prick surrounding us so scared of it?¡± She exhaled a hot breath against the pebble, rubbed it against her chest, then held it up to her eye, inspecting its shine. With a nod to herself, she finally answered with a soft coo. This is chaos, master. The end of all. In stark contrast to the calmness of her voice, her forelimb shot forward like a rocket, too fast for even me to track. She let go of her prize, and when it struck the earthen wall above, I had to admit she¡¯d been at least partially correct. Chaos was the only word to describe it. Book 4: Chapter 63: Witness Book 4: Chapter 63: Witness Maria¡¯s entire world was ablaze. Flames washed over her incorporeal skin in streams, but rather than burn, they warmed. From the strands of essence in her veins, to the clouds of pink and orange chi surrounding them, all were bathed in a summery heat. Trent was having a similar yet entirely different reaction to her power. Where his fire was a physical sensation, her compassion impacted his mental-scape the most, redirecting his wild and directionless anger. In this, they were one. Their paths had converged, and though they would only stride along the same cobbled road for a short time, neither of them was going to waste the opportunity. They collided with Tryphena and Penelope as a conjoined conflagration that could burn out the rot, sear the wounds, and heal any remnant damage. The princess screeched the moment their essence touched her own. The corruption had barely progressed since Maria had last seen it, yet even the little ground it¡¯d gained was too much. Trent¡¯s bonfire roared¡ªshe soothed it, reminding him to remain on target. He didn¡¯t need to speak his gratitude; she felt it as if it was her own. Together, their combined will and chi focused on the two patients. Both mother and daughter were undoubtedly infected, yet one was worse than the other¡ªTryphena. They bore down on her with the strength and determination of oxen, their skulls digging through layers and layers of concealment like it was loose sand, their great horns of pink and orange setting decayed roots aflame. But despite the apparent rot, this foothold of corruption didn¡¯t lack in vitality. Before its sickly lines could be destroyed, the power would move, branching off to create new growth. It exerted its influence on Tryphena¡¯s mind, too. The entire time they tried to heal her¡ªtried to save her¡ªshe lashed out with malice, focusing on scenes clearly intended to undermine her brother¡¯s resolve. They were things he couldn¡¯t possibly have known. Conversations he hadn¡¯t been present for. And, unfortunately, each vision was true. Countless exchanges with palace staff¡ªtutors, cooks, and dignitaries. In the oldest recountings, they would merely nod at Tryphena¡¯s disparaging comments. Over time, however, they smiled and laughed along with her insults. In the latter years, they instigated the gossip, knowing the princess would neither chastise nor punish them for speaking ill of the crown prince. These set Trent¡¯s jaw to clenching. They reminded him of all that¡¯d happened while influenced by the Cult of the Alchemist¡¯s concoction. Maria was just about to remind him to remain focused, but he let out a scorching sigh, joining in with the remembered smiles. They weren¡¯t wrong. He had been a colossal prick. His very existence had made their already hard lives even harder. How could he hold their cathartic venting against them? Rather than upset her brother, the former princess only pissing herself off. She hissed and spat at his easy acceptance, her outrage enhancing the next visions she subjected them to. The moment Maria saw the people involved, she prepared to reach for her chi. ¡°I just do not understand why he¡¯s like this,¡± Penelope Gormona said only seconds after a server left the throne room. Rather than the rest of the conversation, it skipped to the next, following the same formula. All were single-sentence insults spoken by his mother¡ªthe one whose affections had been the foundation of Trent¡¯s forgiveness. ¡°He makes it so terribly hard to love him sometimes...¡± Another shift. ¡°How can one boy alienate everyone so thoroughly?¡± Another. ¡°You know, Tryphena, it¡¯s not really your brother¡¯s fault that he harasses the serving girls so...¡± When the former queen turned her daughter¡¯s way, a smirk played on her lips. ¡°After all, he didn¡¯t choose to be born with such a face...¡± Maria, fearing this could cause Trent to falter, reached within for her chi. Even if it meant some of the corruption thrived momentarily, she had to step in before¡ª She froze as a force grasped her wrist, both gentle yet unmoving. Trent. It wasn¡¯t a demand. It was a request. He encouraged her to trust him. Then, with a soft grin, he let his rage flow¡ªit was neither destabilized nor wild. Just as Tryphena had propped her conviction up with wrath, he used his righteous indignation as fuel, a propellant blasted right into the center of their conflagration. Incandescent tongues of flame raced along each branching root of corruption, incinerating them before their power could be redirected. Maria, stunned by his resolve, followed in their wake, applying the orange and pink cloud as a soothing balm to ensure nary a speck of rot remained. From close by, another had noticed the toxic procession of memories, and as Penelope¡¯s awareness screamed out into her surroundings, it threatened to overwhelm all. No longer caught in the liminal space between nothingness and anguish, despair engulfed her, tearing from both her throat and core. Just like her son earlier, the former queen¡¯s mind was a wildfire whipped into a tempest by winds of regret. She became a force of nature. She struck out indiscriminately, attempting to raze all to the ground, herself included. Trent and Maria¡¯s conjoined chi flared in response, matching and trying to exceed her destructive intent. Perhaps they would have succeeded if it were their only task. But it wasn¡¯t, of course¡ªtheir other patient wasted no time in taking advantage of the chaos. Tryphena didn¡¯t fight against the corruption-tinged flames; she opened herself up to them, readily letting them scour her away. It all happened so fast. Maria and Trent weren¡¯t prepared, and as strands of rotten essence touched the places they¡¯re repaired, fresh seeds of decay sprouted. If Maria currently possessed a body, she would have wept from frustration. They¡¯d just lost so much ground, and if nothing was done, they would lose even more. Suddenly, a fifth being burbled and joined the fray. Maria felt a pang of guilt. She had been so absorbed by the task that she¡¯d forgotten all about Slimes. He, however, wasn¡¯t bothered. He tried to reassure her with a weak jiggle, which only served to cause more worry¡ªdespite his rest, he was far from being back at full strength. With each passing second, Penelope¡¯s firestorm grew stronger. Trent and Maria held it at bay, but with Slimes focused on stalling Tryphena¡¯s corruption, they could gain no ground. It was a stalemate. Though Maria couldn¡¯t spare the attention needed to check, she felt the cell moving around them, its walls pushed outward by the forces clashing within the relatively small room. For the first time since she¡¯d bonded with Slimes, she truly started to doubt herself¡ªstarted to consider that the two women before them might not be savable. She and Trent could burn his mother and sister away at any moment. If they shifted their combined will, tweaked it even a little, the corrupt essence and its hosts would be scoured from existence. Ironically, this would grant Penelope her wish¡ªshe¡¯d be reduced to nothing but ash. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Slimes, still nowhere near his strongest self, reached deep into his gelatinous and crystalline core. Hold, he seemed to urge, so robbed of strength that he could only think in emotions. Maria¡¯s mind raced. She desperately wanted to be wrong. She needed to find a path that led to a full recovery for the afflicted women. Yet every time she searched, her efforts were thwarted by one woman seeking self-destruction, and another demanding the annihilation of everything. It was all too much. The very idea of a mother-turned-firestorm trying to scour her and her two children away made Maria¡¯s heart want to break. Maybe... Maybe destroying them was a kindness. Perhaps Fischer had been correct all along, and that some people just weren¡¯t capable of being saved. Would it not be kinder for her to snuff out Penelope¡¯s flames before she could take one or both of her own offspring with her...? Maria took a step back, and an immutable force shoved her down until she landed in a room of stillness somewhere in the depths of her own psyche. All around her, the walls flashed with memories: Penelope¡¯s and Tryphena¡¯s and Trent¡¯s, their trio of perspectives showing thousands of visions from each of their points of view. Trent and Tryphena playing as adolescents, having invented a game with sticks and a single stone. They played it every day for years, the span of time knowable by the passing of seasons and the growth of their adolescent bodies. Though the game¡¯s rules shifted by the hour, they would beg their minders to play it each afternoon. Penelope had been there always. She could have left it to the many staff in charge of caring for the prince and princess, but even on the days she was dreadfully unwell, she would watch from a low window in the castle, ensuring the two she loved most could look up and see her smile. There were countless other memories too, but nothing struck Maria so hard as the stupid game. It had only ceased when Trent consumed the potion¡ªwhich made Maria¡¯s mending heart break anew. How different would their lives have been if not for the interference of the king and his alchemists...? The visions discontinued, and when Maria looked up at the blank walls, tears streamed down her face. The injustice of it all was too great. Other awarenesses had been dragged down into the room with her, and she clenched her jaw as she studied them. The patients remained unaffected by the memories¡ªif anything, their anger and despair had only increased. But there were others, too. Besides Trent, Keith, and Slimes... multiple prisoners gazed in. The handlers, the two alchemists, and even Tom Osnan Jr. and his wife Joanne. The not-a-prison¡¯s soul also stared down from above, its judicial gaze as heavy as it was absent of emotion. You can be my witnesses, Maria thought into the room, her legs braced. I will not abandon my ideal. Those around her all responded, their emotions flying out toward her¡ªbut she was already gone. Maria leaped out, her awareness arriving back in the chaotic cell. The physical walls seemed to have shifted further, perhaps disintegrated by the clash. Again, she didn¡¯t check. After all, she spoke in her mind, sharing the words with Slimes, Trent, Keith, and the rest of her witnesses. We have a job to do.Penelope and Tryphena must be healed. Light and force exploded from within her core. She thought it might be another advancement at first, the statement having unlocked more of her latent potential, but it didn¡¯t come from her at all¡ªit came from Slimes. His full strength, more than he had ever possessed, rocketed out into the room, taking his form with it. He appeared before the corrupted women. The orange and pink hues of Maria and Trent¡¯s conjoined chi poured into the crystalline familiar. The brilliance that shone from each of his faceted surfaces was suffused with his power, casting a kaleidoscopic light more potent and beautiful and awe-inspiring than words could describe. In a single flash, every seed, root, and trace of corruption was seared away, just as Fischer had done once before. In the moments that followed, she waited for something to fill the space left behind. Trent made an attempt, using the memories of afternoons spent playing with sticks and a rock to flood his love into those vacant areas. But naught took hold. The queen and princess¡¯s thoughts were silent. Deep within Maria... also nothing, not a single doubt blossoming. She should be worried, shouldn¡¯t she? Assailed by fear and terror and despair? All she felt was hope. They would find a way. Even if this was just another temporary measure, they¡¯d try again. They could return to finish the job before corruption ret... huh? Others approached. Feet tapped against stone, and for the first time since Trent¡¯s arrival, Maria opened her eyes to the outside world. The walls had moved, but not in the manner she¡¯d expected¡ªnot a single brick had been destroyed by their clashing intents. They¡¯d been neatly disassembled and set aside, leaving a wide hallway in either direction. From the left came the handlers, following a line of chi Maria knew as well as her own. Slimes drew them in, leading them back to his gemlike and essence-filled body. Another tendril extended to the right, which two blubbering alchemists were now sprinting along, their eyes wet and faces puffy as they raced to repent for their sins. Behind the alchemists, riding vines that shouldn¡¯t have been able to travel through the not-a-prison¡¯s suppression, came a couple of nobles she never would have expected. Tom Osnan Jr. and his wife Joanne stared ahead with steeled expressions. Maria drew tendrils of chi into her limbs, preparing to smack the absolute shit out of them, but then she sensed the emotions breaching their masks of indifference. Self-hatred. Guilt, regret, fury. If that hadn¡¯t stilled her hand, the pulse from Slimes would have. The wave of power was laced with meaning, and Maria could do naut but blink at him as everyone approaching closed the distance. The fires within Trent had grown dull, and his awareness hovered beside hers, similarly stunned. You... she thought. You did all this, Slimes? Yah-huhhh! The handlers arrived first. Their reasoning was too complicated for immediate comprehension, but Maria sensed compassion and humanity in their resolve. They knelt by the previously corrupted women, their chi pouring in as a liquid that pooled in Tryphena and Penelope¡¯s cores. The alchemist came next, and their tears flowed with renewed vigor as they added their strange essence to the mix. Their motivations were clear: they¡¯d been complicit; they were partially to blame. When their power combined with that of the handlers¡¯, the pools of liquid became gaseous clouds that billowed out, filling the surface. Finally, the Osnans arrived. Their intentions were even more convoluted, but one thing was certain: they meant to help. Keeping their eyes averted, they kneeled a little further back than the others. Their vines of chi wound themselves into Tryphena and Penelope. They snaked underground, the tendrils of life forging paths into tunnels made by roots of rot and decay. The coals of Trent¡¯s bonfire flared with heat, and Maria drew it into her pink cloud of healing. Together, they raced into the occupied cores, hesitant at first. But there was no need to fret; their wills were aligned. Trent¡¯s flames, bolstered by Maria¡¯s chi, whipped around within Tryphena and Penelope. The inferno ignited vines and gasses both. As the vines burned away, the heated gas rushed in, followed by and intermingled with healing clouds. All corruption was consumed in a flash, and thousands of hidden wounds were painlessly cauterized, scars healed before they could even form. It... it was done. Just like that. The multi-spectrum light shining from Slimes grew dull, and as everyone withdrew their wills, there was a long stretch of silence. Given the former allegiances of those present, it probably should have felt awkward, but not one had any attention to spare. All eyes watched a mother and daughter as they slowly stirred. Tryphena and Penelope sat up, both touching their heads and as memories and knowledge returned. Lips quivered, nostrils flared, and their gazes sought a particular visage. The one they searched for was a blur. Small jets of flame shot from his back, burning through the outer clothes he wore overtop a fireproof suit. He dropped to his knees and slid along the stones, wrapping his arms around his immediate family. Maria made to turn away, but Joanne Osnan stepped up. She clasped her fingers before herself, causing a tangle of vines to encase the reunited family and give them privacy. Free of the guilt of witnessing such a tender moment, Maria let out a long sigh. She reached out with her awareness to praise her familiar¡ªthe hero of the day. He had recognized that others would be necessary to fill the gap left behind. He¡¯d gathered them by coordinating with the not-a-prison, saving his strength until the last second. Slimes spun with joy, his crystalline body going gelatinous. A pulse of chi came from within the dome of vines, and they retracted back beneath the stone floor, three cultivators stood, their bodies awash with flame chi. Suddenly, that essence leaped out in multiple directions. As it flowed into the cores of others, all open and willing to embrace it, Slimes bellowed in victory, his usually squeaky voice deep with power. ¡°I¡¯m a booooy!¡± Book 4: Chapter 64: The Truth Book 4: Chapter 64: The Truth The moment an otter¡¯s innocuous-looking pebble hit the shell encasing us, all hell broke loose. Three distinct sources of chi shot outward from the point of impact, all of them burrowing into the earth elemental in a manner befitting their aspect. The first essence type, that of one Corporal Claws, was the least surprising. Her chaotic barbs of lightning¡ªlaced with natural electricity¡ªtore through everything in their path, even the hardest of rocks no match for the dual energies. Next was the attacking elemental¡¯s own chi. Any confusion surrounding the pebble¡¯s origin was immediately answered; it had once belonged to the very being it now attacked. Rather than rejoin its former master, the essence was hostile, forming spears of crystalline stone that stabbed deep into the elemental before expanding outward. Last and most shocking of all was the presence of the raccoon¡¯s identity as a thief. The fact his power and will had joined Claws wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªhe was her familiar, after all¡ªit was the effect his inclusion had that was remarkable. The raccoon, an adolescent mammal found lost at sea only days ago, was stealing chi from the ancient being¡ªand not mere drops. The devious little bastard was yoinking all of it. Great ropes of essence flowed back toward the stone. In seconds, metric tonnes of mass had been drained. Whole sections fell. I redirected the inert clumps overboard with an angled wall of solid light, just in case it was some sort of trick, then checked up on the ancient elemental with a few tendrils of my power, suspecting they would do... I don¡¯t know, something to stop the theft of their very life-force. But they were paralyzed. Robbed of the ability to fight back. ¡°Damn,¡± I said. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s checkmate. Well played, Claws. You¡ª¡± She cut me off with a chittering cackle, floating in midair as she rolled around, pounding a non-existent floor beside her. She zapped upright suddenly, her eyes and needle-sharp teeth aglow with blue electricity. And now, she trilled, her voice filled with malice. For the real fun to begin! Like removing a mask, her facade of civility disappeared, revealing a core corrupted with power as she zipped over to the pebble. Half the ceiling had fallen away, drained of the ancient elemental¡¯s essence. Predawn light illuminated her as she plunged a forelimb into the translucent bubble of stolen earth chi billowing around her stone. You thought me controllable? You assumed I would settle for the chaos of mere pranks on Barry? She let out a belly laugh, clutching her abdomen. No, Master! I will show you true chaos! I¡¯ll unleash every ounce of this power on those you love most! With this proclamation, she started creating a wave of incredible energy, turning it toward Tropica. If she unleashed it, it would take all the remaining essence I had to stop the village from being leveled. What shall you do, master? She let out a chittering laugh filled with madness, her teeth parted to reveal their gleaming points. You can contain me, but the earthen chi will obliterate Tropica! It¡¯ll destroy the whole village! Her entire body glowed now. Your only choice is to use every last drop of essence defending the insects you have grown to love! What will you choose? Will you sacrifice the lives of others to stop me? Will you¡ª ¡°Claws,¡± I interrupted, the word hitting her with physical force as I crossed my arms and smiled at her theatrics. ¡°I see what you¡¯re up to.¡± Her eye twitched subtly, but she hid it with another maddened cackle. I know not what you speak of, Master! I am Corporal Claws, wielder of lightning, channeler of chaos, maiden of the¡ª ¡°Maiden of the pond,¡± I finished, my words shaking her. ¡°I was wondering what your end-game was for the longest time. I get it now. One second.¡± I snapped my fingers, and an extremely muscular man appeared beside me in a flash of light. Claws gazed down at Barry with a distinct lack of comprehension, her fuzzy little face cute despite her facade of insanity. Barry, knowing that the hour for vengeance was nigh, gave her a shit-eating grin. Her scowl only deepened. ¡°The pranks you had me do to him?¡± I asked. ¡°Barry knew about them. He was a willing participant, and you weren¡¯t pranking him at all¡ªwe were pranking you.¡± Her teeth parted again, but this time, it was in stunned silence rather than menacing glee. Barry¡¯s ego and core both shone with vindication. ¡°You thought you¡¯d deceived me,¡± I continued. ¡°You thought I genuinely believed you capable of hurting people if I didn¡¯t sew chaos for you.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Claws... please. I know you better than anyone else. If you had actually meant others harm, I would have locked you away until you changed your tune. I¡¯ve already learned that lesson.¡± I... she tried, her eyes showing panic despite the bright light still flooding from them. I am capable! You¡¯d better shield the village, master! I¡¯m about to let all this energy go! If you don¡¯t protect them, I¡¯ll¡ª ¡°No,¡± I interrupted again. ¡°You knew this elemental was coming toward Tropica, and you planned to steal its power for yourself. There was only one problem¡ªme.¡± She just stared. ¡°I could have stopped you, so you needed me to overexert myself. The entire evil act¡ªyou did it for this exact moment. If I wasted the last of my essence protecting the village, you could yoink it for yourself.¡± Don¡¯t...Don¡¯t be ridiculous! What could I possibly want all this power for? I am perfect as I am! She gathered the earth chi with one paw and prepared to release it with the other. I¡¯m really going to do it, master! This is your final chance! Protect the village, or... or else! I rested a hand to Barry¡¯s shoulder. The entire sky was clear now, so as I turned to look at him, his face was lit by the pink and red colors of the coming dawn. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the satisfaction, mate. Cheers for going along with my plan without knowing the end goal.¡± He blinked, not yet drawing the conclusion. ¡°If you were the maiden of a pond,¡± I continued, ¡°and one of your rival spirit beasts had her pond awaken into some kind of sapient familiar... how would you feel?¡± Claws¡¯s jaw dropped completely open, and the jolts of lightning bouncing from tooth-to-tooth faded back into her body. All she could do was stare as her careful plans unravelled before her. Barry didn¡¯t skip a beat. ¡°Hermes¡¯s sleight of hand! Seriously, Claws? That¡¯s why you did all this?¡± He bellowed a laugh. ¡°The look on your face¡ªgods above, it was all worth it. Thank you, Fischer. This was a wonderful gift.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, mate. It was the least I could do given my participation in your depantsing.¡± I looked up at my favorite otter, whose jaw had yet to stop hanging open. ¡°Now, Claws, I¡ª¡± She let out a bestial cry and appeared before me with a thunderous boom, jabbing an accusatory digit toward my chest. You¡¯re lying! she screeched. You¡¯ve been pranking people all along! More than just Barry! I¡¯ve seen it with my own peepers! ¡°Well, yeah. I had to make it believable. Besides, it was kinda fun.¡± She froze for a fraction of a second, the truth of my words hitting her, then her indignation returned. Do have any clue how hard it was to seem evil for so long? Do you comprehend the sacrifices I had to make? ¡°It... was only three days.¡± Only three days? ¡°Uhhh, yeah?¡± She leaned closer, her face tinged with genuine madness. Do you have any idea how busy my schedule is? That¡¯s three days of missed scritches from the townsfolk! Three days of harmless pranks left unsprung! And the snacks... Stolen novel; please report. ¡°What sna¡ª¡± There¡¯s a couple on the north side that leave fishies out for me! Every! Single! Night! ¡°Well, as they say, there¡¯s always more fish in the s¡ª¡± Her wild-eyed expression occupied my entire field of view, and she reached up to squeeze my cheeks together. Do you know what they¡¯ve been doing with those fish when they¡¯re still there in the morning, Master...? ¡°Uhhh,¡± I said through my smushed mouth. ¡°They give them to someone el¡ª¡± Crabs! she screeched, her pawpads making circular motions on my face. They¡¯ve been feeding them to crabs! Unascended. Crabs! She pressed her forehead into mine. Tiny sparks of electricity lanced through her eyes. And she abruptly deflated. Her whole body went limp as she drifted away, a half-otter, half-liquid pile of dejection incarnate. All for nothing... she cooed, morose. Master is devious. Master is cruel. Master¡ª ¡°Is forgiving,¡± I interrupted, unable to hide my amusement.¡°I won this battle fair and... okay, maybe not fair and square, but we were both being deceptive. Those were the rules of engagement.¡± She didn¡¯t reply, simply floating in place and staring up at the coming dawn. Her translucence flickered and faded away, revealing brown and tan fur I¡¯d not seen since her awakening as an elemental. This return to her old body felt just as right as her opaque variation, but it was arguably more natural for a single reason: it didn¡¯t use any of her power. I hadn¡¯t realized it before, but now that it was absent, a whisker-thin strand of chi had been facilitating the appearance. A flicker of a grin tugged at the corner of Claws¡¯s mouth when she sensed my surprise; in this, at least, she had managed to fool me. I grinned at her, seeing an opportunity for us to move forward. In retrospect, I should have known better. Oh-ho-ho! Master finds that funny! she accused, poking my chest with a lightning-infused paw. My torso tingled. Do you know how bothersome it was not being able to change forms when I felt like it? She flickered and became translucent again. To have an itch in my mind that I could never scratch? To have an oyster right on the edge of my awareness, its meat juicy, succulent, yet just out of... Her eyes drifted to the muscular man beside me, and she deflated once more, falling backward to starfish in midair and stare up at the sky with a distant gaze.I glanced at Barry, wondering why his visage had afflicted her so. I half expecting him to look a little regretful, reflecting the conflicted emotion in my soul at seeing my always-chipper otter going through a bout of melancholy. Nope. Not even a bit. Barry wore a victorious smile above his chiselled jaw. He was visibly enjoying every second of vengeance so much that it had plunged Claws into a depression. In response, the raccoon¡¯s upper torso shot out of an otter pocket. He scowled at the muscleman, giving him a rude gesture with one paw and rubbing his master¡¯s stomach reassuringly with the other. Comforted by the strokes, Claws shifted back to her furred form, which also robbed her familiar of his opacity. Deciding I¡¯d let the maiden of the skies wallow for long enough, I cleared my throat. ¡°Before you cut me off earlier, Claws, I was going to give you good news.¡± She rolled over dramatically. Master taunts me! Does the cruelty ever come to an¡ª ¡°You can have the elemental¡¯s power.¡± She zapped bolt upright, small jolts of electricity excising her gloom in an instant. ¡°But!¡± I held up three fingers. ¡°I have conditions.¡± She nodded so slightly anyone else might have missed it. There was some distrust gathered in the bunched lines around her eyes. ¡°First, no more pretending you¡¯re a murderous beast of a creature unless it has strategic purpose. Plus, either Barry or I have to approve it. Preferably both.¡± Another nod, more animated than last time, her suspicions waning. ¡°Second, you have to acknowledge that I out-chaos¡¯d you in this battle of wits, and that you¡¯re only able to attempt evolving your pond because I, the humble, handsome, and humble Fischer let it happen.¡± She was frozen for a few seconds, then her hackles fell when she realized this wasn¡¯t some kind of trick. She slammed into my chest and stretched to rub her chin against mine, chittering softly all the while. I accept defeat, she cooed with great vigor. I have been bested by my master in a game of wits! He is flawless! And so handsome! I never should have tried to fool him! ¡°Good girl,¡± I said, scritching behind her ear with one hand¡ªand flicking her raccoon on the head with the other when he tried to steal the cord that held up my pants. ¡°The last concession is the most important.¡± I stopped patting her so she could look me in the eye. ¡°You need to not drain all of this ancient elemental¡¯s power. If you let it live, there¡¯s a slight chance it could joi¡ª¡± Half the world went black. It happened in an instant. All I could make out was a shape. Giant tendrils¡ªno, tentacles¡ªwere wrapped around Bob, countless suckers securing themselves to his hull, deck, and mast. The creature¡¯s head was even larger than the ship; it blocked out the entire port-side horizon. Set within the blackness, two terrible eyes glared down at me. They bore directly into the center of my soul. Each orb was the same shade as the rest of it, but tiny swirls of mercury broke up the abyssal monotony, those dark-gray flourishes betraying intelligence that was vast, ancient, and unspeakable. As I stared up into that alien gaze, I felt a flicker of the power stored behind them. Its essence was that of the abyss. Incomprehensible. Meaning clean. Death. My core opened up, and chi poured out. *** The kraken had lived for thousands of years. He knew well the bitter taste of deceit and betrayal¡ªyet he¡¯d almost fallen for it again. He had been a fool. Nai?ve despite his time on this corrupt planet. He would rectify it immediately. Thick tentacles and immovable suckers held him to the ship, and as he recalled the morning¡¯s events, his limbs tightened, making wooden fibers creak and groan. A number of things had stilled his actions up until this point; the entire universe seemed to urge him not to destroy them all. First, there was his oldest ally¡¯s reluctance to use their full power. Until the earth elemental tried to assimilate the newly awakened otter of lightning and chose, the Kraken¡¯s stored detonation would not be strong enough to guarantee the fulfillment of his duty. Then, when said being of chaos had arrived, she had a divines-damned raccoon in her soul, the bond between them true. And as stunning as that revelation was, it was nothing compared to the object hidden within her strange little pockets. This otter and her familiar had stolen something that belonged to the earth elemental, but the pebble had been changed so much that its previous owner couldn¡¯t detect it. The weave of power was genius, really¡ªit robbed their target of even the ability to understand the exceptional danger they were in. The ancient kraken, however, didn¡¯t have his eyes or senses clouded. When the newly awakened lightning otter and the devious being she¡¯d bonded with started to steal his oldest ally¡¯s essence, he wasn¡¯t caught off guard. The speed with which the two drained the earthen elemental¡¯s life, though... how were infantile beings so efficacious? Either the twin souls of chaos and larceny would succeed in their robbery, or they¡¯d fail. If the former came to be, they¡¯d have fulfilled his duty for him; if the latter came true, it would be the perfect moment for him to strike, obliterating what remained of his oldest ally by the time they broke free. It all made sense. It was logical. Backed by reason. So why did he want to destroy neither the newly awakened elemental, nor her apparent master, the human wielding unaspected essence? The man¡¯s actions were rash and boisterous, just as expected from a soul willing to channel pure chi¡ªwhat other personality type would do something so reckless? Yet, despite this dangerous level of impulsivity, the cultivator reminded the kraken of two very important people. His former masters. The only ones that, out of countless other souls, had never betrayed nor tried to destroy him. When he recalled their demise, his cold rationality returned, but then the aspectless cultivator had done something so compassionate, so stupid, so human, that all the good times with his departed friends flashed through the ancient cephalopod¡¯s mind. This embracer of pure chi... he could steal the earthen bubble of essence for himself. It would give him unfathomable power¡ªand kill him shortly afterward, of course, but when did that ever stop a human from reaching for ascension? Instead, the cultivator told the strange otter to just... have it. For a pond. It defied comprehension. The way he treated his many animal slaves, too... they weren¡¯t slaves at all. Humans were the easiest to corrupt of all beings; their short lives, endless ambition, and ability to rationalize evil were a fatal combination. Only a spirit beast left no other choice would willingly bond themselves with the contemptible species. But what of his fallen masters? Their pure hearts and pristine souls were what had made them so special. This man before him, who was scratching an otter of chaos behind her ear, appeared to be cut from the same cloth. Maybe... maybe the kraken didn¡¯t need to annihilate him. Perhaps this strange gathering of beings could fulfill his duty for him. The memory of his two masters¡ªhis two friends¡ªurged him to show this kindness. It was surely what they would have done. But then the truth had come to light. Like the sun rising over a pitch-black ocean, the man announced his goal. He asked the otter to let the earth elemental live! The mask of grace was a facade. He was just like so many evil dictators before him, seeking personal power to the detriment of life itself. The kraken was left no other choice. He revealed himself, reached for his condensed bubble of chi, and prepared to release it. Enough of the earth elemental¡¯s power had been drained away by now¡ªtheir destruction was guaranteed. At long last, the kraken¡¯s duty was to be complete. He regretted the collateral damage¡ªthe swathe of souls his explosion would send to the next life¡ªbut sacrifices were sometimes necessary. The Kallis Realm would not know peace while the pure-chi cultivator, or his oldest ally, remained. In that final moment, the ancient being thought of his friends once more. His loving and compassionate masters. They really would have tried to let this man and his slaves live. They were kind to a fault, after all¡ªwhich was exactly what had gotten them killed all those years ago. With a tear swelling in one abyssal eye, the kraken released his condensed pocket of chi, welcoming the blessed nothingness that would soon follow. Book 4: Chapter 65: Assemble Book 4: Chapter 65: Assemble Beneath a predawn sky half concealed by a form so black it reflected neither light nor life, I sensed the power about to be unleashed from the body of an octopus larger than gods-damned a whale. Like Claws, it was an elemental, it¡¯s chi both obvious and terror-inducing. Abyssal¡ªits aspect was abyssal. That realization lit a candle of excitement within me, but I had to snuff it out. The thing was about to explode, and the detonation would annihilate every soul for kilometers. I grieved the losses that would follow, genuine despair gripping my heart and squeezing it tight. Then, I accepted them. Rest in peace, Bob, I thought. I grabbed his golden throne as I wrapped all my friends in essence, preparing to teleport us to shore. At the same time, I would encase the cephalopod and our ship in a funnel that ensured only their destruction, redirecting most of the force skyward. But before I could act, a small, opportunistic, and stupidly ambitious mammal made his move. The raccoon slipped from Claws¡¯s pocket, stole the strength of and tendrils I tried to grab him with, and zipped through the air faster than I¡¯d ever seen him go, arriving at his destination before we could stop him. He wasted not a second. His forepaws plunged into the still-growing bubble of earthen chi. Before our very eyes, and in the path of a blast that would turn him into stardust, the fuzzy little idiot swiped the power for himself. He glowed like a miniature sun, blue and white and lacking remorse. Claws let out an incoherent screech. Cinnamon and Borks watched in awe. Bonnie and Barry both just looked confused, unsure what to think. Even the octopus¡ªor was it a kraken?¡ªseemed startled by the wild-card play. He delayed the detonation, and by the ripple of his eyes, I assumed he was weighing countless possibilities. ¡°Frack me,¡± I said, already redirecting my will. I had wanted to avoid this. I¡¯d been willing to sacrifice Bob only because doing otherwise would have left me and the network below with almost no power. The thieving little bastard had forced my hand¡ªI couldn¡¯t let him die. Both partitions of will snapped into place, and I created a giant sphere around the midnight-colored eldritch horror, its prismatic walls thick enough to withstand the blast. Now, the kraken could only destroy itself. Part of me was thankful I¡¯d been pushed to this course of action¡ªBob would survive¡ªbut most of me was still perturbed. To meet a creature right out of legend, only to immediately facilitate its annihilation... But then the situation changed again. The kraken foresaw its own demise. Before its blast could go off, it halted the detonation. My heart sank. I¡¯d just used almost all of my essence to forestall an attack that hadn¡¯t come. I saw no way out. Until, that is, the raccoon did something downright dastardly, revealing that his machinations went deeper than Claws or I could have ever imagined. He¡¯d never intended on stealing the earth elemental¡¯s power for himself. It was too much energy. It¡¯d eventually overwhelm him, and Claws would rip it away. Why had he stolen it, then? Well, because he could. There was only one way to ensure the success of his heist, and that was to offer the spoils to someone, or something, that could handle it. His chittering laughter was distorted by the billowing cloud of earth flowing through him and down into the ground. The network below, its reserves as emptied as I was, readily accepted the offering. The chi poured down into its depths, which, by extension, sent it pouring into me. I gasped as the essence flowed into my heart, its touch foreign and heavy and wrong. Claws unleashed a string of expletives as she rocketed toward her familiar, a bolt of lightning and chaos made manifest. He responded to the murder on her approaching face with a small grin that conveyed his thoughts with unerring simplicity. I had to¡ªit¡¯s who I am. She hit him like a three-hundred-pound linebacker, but the bubble of earth didn¡¯t cease flowing just because he¡¯d been forcefully ejected. Nothing short of a miracle could stop it anymore. Borks¡¯s nose twitched as he looked at me, sniffing the foreign essence filling my body. His ears drooped, but Cinnamon lifted them back up. He¡¯s still our master! she batted him on the noggin.* He just smells bad! Before I could take offense, the kraken, its lightless eyes now exuding a black aura, flew into an apoplectic rage. Fortunately, it no longer planned on releasing a warhead¡¯s worth of energy. Less fortunately, it was absorbing the essence instead, flooding its many tentacles with an incomprehensible amount of power. Like the pressurized depths had opened up before us, my very senses were sucked away from me, drawn into its abyssal void. Before it could lash out and break Bob in half, I teleported everyone. Well, almost everyone. Claws had crash-tackled her raccoon from sight. They were off in the dunes somewhere having a slap fight, and I thought it best to let them hash it out for a minute. We appeared on the shore south of Tropica. I hadn¡¯t wanted to exert too much of the wrong-feeling chi just in case¡ªwhich had apparently been a prudent move, if the spike of pain in my everything could be believed. The kraken, an abyssal force of righteous fury and sprayed water, darted through the waves, blessedly leaving Bob whole. Behind its midnight form, the first rays of sunrise breached the horizon, adding a lovely pink backdrop to the Cthulhian nightmare racing toward us. I raised a hand and prepared to experience even more pain in my everything, but just as I was about to snap my fingers and bring others here, they came to me. Teddy barrelled through the now-splintered door of the Church of the Leviathan, the religious group¡¯s deity lobster riding his back like a suit of pinchy armor. Their head priest, Gary, held onto said deity¡¯s mighty tail for dear life, the rest of him trailing behind. Teddy¡¯s eyes were just as incensed as the cephalopod bearing down upon us, so he didn¡¯t give his customary wave. Pistachio picked up the slack, lifting a gigantic snipper in greeting as his steed skidded to a stop on the sand. Speaking of skidding, Rocky had released twin explosions from the north side of Tropica¡¯s rockwall. His volcanic carapace left a massive line in the shore as he used friction to slow his flight. He took one last hit of a cigarette, threw it into his mouth, and stared down our attacker, striking a pose both effortless and supremely cool. The next to arrive had been my only pal to ignore my mental orders. She¡¯d started gathering her power the moment I teleported Bob back to Tropica, and now that the call-to-action had finally arrived, that knot of essence erupted from the shore. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. At first, it was only a lump in the sand. Then, thick roots exploded up. A sprawling canopy formed, and as I gazed over at the trunk, I blinked. It was neither citrus, nor the blue-tinged variety she¡¯d originally occupied. Lemon, my trusty tree spirit, had grown into a mangrove tree. Spearlike roots popped up around its base, and despite her being my friend, I had to fight off a shiver at the power swelling within them. Woe is the enemy that makes the mistake of stepping on those... Her other tree-spirit bud, who¡¯d yet to receive a name, didn¡¯t come, but that was okay¡ªI had aerial reinforcements to focus on. When I¡¯d sent a mental command to Pelly and Bill upon my return, our connection had felt... different. Lacking the time and capacity to inspect the changes, I¡¯d let it go, knowing they¡¯d tell me eventually. As I stared up at them now, though, I couldn¡¯t believe what my eyes and core were telling me. They had broken through, as had the birds sailing in behind them. Abruptly, I recalled an image of two glowing forces Claws had shown me earlier, along with her comments and insinuations about colored feathers and avian-directed violence. You little shit... I thought, which caused a cackle to roll over the dunes from the south east¡ªfollowed by a thump, which I suspected was her head striking a certain raccoon. Focusing back on the flock zooming down like arrows in flight, I marvelled that they¡¯d managed to keep the advancement from me. My senses were all whacked out by the weird chi running through me, but I could absolutely tell the corrupted cultivators had bonded with them. Maria had succeeded in healing them. She¡ª The pelicans, in all their multi-colored and uniquely patterned glory, slammed into the shore. But they weren¡¯t who¡¯d interrupted my thoughts. Just within the bounds of Tropica, an army advanced. Someone at the forefront had been hiding their approach by abusing their connection with me. It showed a new level of control I¡¯d not previously seen from them. But I supposed that made sense, considering all that she¡¯d accomplished. When Maria came skidding around the corner, the only thing that stopped me from teleporting her into my arms was the pain it would cause me. There was a layer of exhaustion plastered over her expression, but it did nothing to reduce the strike her unparalleled beauty delivered to my chest. The next to appear from behind the buildings were those I¡¯d known she could heal, followed by others I hadn¡¯t. The former princess and queen, both sticking close to Trent. Flames flickered about the trio¡¯s limbs. Then the handlers skidded into sight. They, too, had fire swirling around them. Keith trailed them, and when I felt that same chi dwelling in his core, I let out a soft whistle. Whatever Maria and Trent had done, it was similar to the pelicans¡¯ breakthrough; the handlers and Keith had inherited the royal-family¡¯s flames. I sensed the following duo before I saw them. I smiled at the alchemists¡¯ freedom. They truly deserved it. Buuuut then the next two rode in atop thick vines. My face fell. Tom and Jeanne Osnan. They always left a bad taste in my mouth. Considering Maria hadn¡¯t turned to punt them over Tropica, though, they were trustworthy. Probably. The man that arrived after them was akin to a fistful of blades, a few of which were aimed at the Osnans on the off chance they got any ideas he deemed stupid. Roger¡¯s razor-sharp aura sliced away any remaining worries, so I let the two royals slip from my mind. Besides, there were others to witness. The procession that came through after Roger was a palette-cleanser of the highest order. The OG congregation members were at the front. Sharon. Brad and Greg. Danny and Peter. Sue and Sturgill. All my pals¡ªwith the exception of a handful I had sent elsewhere, and a couple I¡¯d told to hide. On that note, I spotted a cloud of dust cresting the closest mountain, the one the king¡¯s arrival had burned down. ¡°Damn,¡± I said. Barry let out a muscular snort beside me. ¡°She wasn¡¯t happy about being sent away. I imagine she was even less pleased about you bringing only me back...¡± ¡°Yeah, well, it was for her own good. If... wait.¡± I spun to face the ocean. ¡°What¡¯s taking lil-Cthulu so long?¡± The Kraken should have been almost here by now, if not already lashing out with its tree-sized limbs, but it was only halfway between us and Bob. I hadn¡¯t felt it slowing, because it absorbed and tendrils of awareness sent its way. Its abyssal eyes sucked in all the surrounding light, replacing it with lines of dull nothingness, as if each peeper was a miniature black hole. The pattern in its sclera had changed. Gone were the swirls of mercury, replaced by a galaxy¡¯s worth of white stars. It seemed to be considering us as it approached ponderously, my core receiving the lion¡¯s share of its attention. That was all well and good, but I had something else to witness right now¡ªan arrival I wouldn¡¯t dare miss. Starting as a low hum, they grew louder with each passing moment. By the time I caught sight of them, my chest was buzzing with the sound. Queen Bee and Bumblebro, both having recently broken through. An insectoid army of impossible size flew in their wake. ¡°B... Buzzy Boys? ¡± I¡¯d seen none of these fellas before, but as each of their compact eyes locked with me, I knew they were of the same hive mind. They differed in two ways. First, obvious to even regular humans, was how many of them came our way. There were thousands upon thousands upon thousands of the helpful little buggos. The other dissimilarity was much harder to spot, yet I couldn¡¯t have missed it if I tried¡ªit was physical. These souped-up scouts had retractable stingers loaded with a potent venom. One of them produced a drop of green liquid to confirm my suspicions, the needle-like delivery system retracting a moment later. On top of this offensive enhancement, their segmented bodies were covered in jagged sheets of carapace, with serrated pincers that looked wicked enough to bite through steel. Knowing I was watching them, a few of them attacked each other mercilessly, tiny little clings and clangs ringing out into the world as they collided. None were harmed. One of the original Buzzy Boys flew from behind Teddy¡¯s ear when he saw the exchange, and I wondered how the new brood would react to the arrival of a predecessor. When the OG Buzzy Boy got to them, he waved hello, froze in midair, then exploded. I almost had a gods-damned heart attack, but then I realized the truth. He hadn¡¯t popped like an over-inflated balloon. He¡¯d evolved, his old skin torn to shreds as armored plates, a new set of pincers, and a retractable stinger appeared on his body. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be...¡± I said. I wanted to praise Queen Bee and Bumblebro for their... okay, maybe baby-making wasn¡¯t exactly hard work, but it was certainly somethin¡¯ worthy of mention. The world, however¡ªas it so often did¡ªhad different plans. A giant shadow cast itself across the shoreline, and as the limbs blocking out the light of the coming sun undulated behind me, I spun. Maria was at my side a second later, her arrival punctuated by a swift peck on my cheek, a soft slap on one of my lower cheeks, and her fingers of her right hand lacing with those of my left. ¡°Hi,¡± she said, her voice as soft as her touch. ¡°Hey,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m a boyyy,¡± Slimes whispered. ¡°Fooool!¡± the eldritch creature bellowed, its guttural voice about as enjoyable as a garbage disposal full of forks. I opened my mouth to say as much¡ªin the face of a literal horror from the deep, I absolutely intended on using humor as a coping mechanism¡ªbut before I could utter a word, the ocean exploded in a semi-circle directly behind the kraken. Dozens of figures leaped into the air. They bore different sizes, shapes, and personalities. What they shared, however, was a resolute and unflappable inclination toward violence. Before the abyssal demon could spin all the way around, each airborne crustacean launched at least one blue arc of energy at it. A single attack stood above all the others. The blade of water was smallest by far, but its potency... Like an ocean had been condensed into a cup, the thin line of essence promised to crush any fool stupid enough to stand in its path. Just as surprising was the crab who¡¯d launched it¡ªI barely recognized her. ¡°Snips...?¡± I asked. ¡°No fracking way...¡± Maria said at the same time, her comment better articulating the scene before us. They were the last words uttered before a barrage of anime-esque, ocean-infused aura blades struck a being of incomprehensible age and power. Book 4: Chapter 66: Push and Pull Book 4: Chapter 66: Push and Pull Though curiosity and disdain had replaced most of the kraken¡¯s fury as it came to meet us, its murderous intent returned as myriad crustacean-borne attacks descended. Time seemed to freeze for me as I took in the aquatic army that¡¯d launched the salvo. The strongest attack had come from Sergeant Snips. Her carapace was spiked. Her eyepatch hung loosely over her head. Her body had... shrunk. When Rocky saw her, foam and steam erupted from his mouth, his volcanic core beset by rivers of exultant magma. Regardless of her size, it was undeniably Snips, and love for her flooded through me¡ªespecially when Maria sent flashes of how troubled my guard crab had been in my absence. I reached out toward her, but an anomaly stood in the way, a partially closed gate somewhere along our connection. I set its consideration aside for now, instead gazing up at a tower of beings possessing a perfect and long-sought-after form. Joel had succeeded, as had the other members of the Church of Carcinization. Their cores were mostly crabby, somewhat human, and... stacked vertically? For whatever reason, they¡¯d formed a pillar, their spiny feet latching onto their downstairs compatriot. A layman would mistake them for regular rock crabs, but I could see slight differences. Like their lighter color, their longer limbs, and the fact they were as large as gods-damned boulders. The many attacks launched from their massive clackers rivaled the strength of Snips¡¯s blasts before evolution¡ªwhich made sense, considering her essence flowed through them. Peeling my eyes off the gleeful monstrosities, I gazed at the recon squad¡ªthe crabs who followed Snips and had been surveilling the ocean for us. There were way more of them than I remembered. Though they¡¯d been regular animals when I first met them, they also weren¡¯t entirely normal, their bodies containing whispers of chi that hinted at ascension even back then. Now, their awakening had well-and-truly arrived, and each of them was bonded to Snips. Unlike the Church members, these sneaky souls no longer resembled rock crabs at all. Their shells had flattened and changed shape, reminding me of stealth bombers¡ªbut, like... a crab instead of a plane. Each of their carapaces seemed to be a different color, blending in with the surrounding scene, be it blue ocean, pink sky, or black tentacle. What wasn¡¯t camouflaged, however, were the arcs of chi they¡¯d launched at the kraken, each of the thirty-plus attacks half as strong as those of the carcinized churchgoers. That should have been the end of it. The fact Snips had bonded with and facilitated the ascension of a squad of crabs and a congregation of humans was miraculous. But there was more, and the realization pushed at the bounds of my already flexible sensibilities. Numbering in the hundreds, their bodies so slight that I¡¯d initially conflated them with airborne water droplets, a cadre of animals had hitch-hiked their way aboard Snips¡¯s breakthrough. They were legion. They were suffused with the will of Snips. They were.... shrimp, a species of tiny crustaceans I¡¯d never seen before. Though their forms were small, the crab-sized claws weren¡¯t. The limbs had unfurled with cartoon physics, absent one second and collecting oceanic essence in their hinges the next. The blasts they unleashed were roughly a quarter the strength of Snips¡¯s former glory, but there were hundreds of them. I didn¡¯t envy the cephalopod each blade rocketed towards. Maria¡¯s joy and sheer bewilderment flowed through our connection as time resumed. The kraken turned. Its body shuddered with violent intent. Every few fractions of a second, it froze in place, giving its movement a halting, horror-movie-esque vibe. With half its limbs braced against the sand, the other four abyssal tentacles met at a single point, blocking Snips¡¯s attack. I couldn¡¯t sense what it had intended; he kraken continued to absorb any tendrils sent its way. I could, however, see the result. Two of its appendages were sliced clean through, and as the voidlike essence was exposed to the air, it sucked everything. Liters of water, its own severed limbs, and tonnes of sand flowed in, absorbed into its core. Their disappearance should¡¯ve been stunning¡ªespecially the speed with which they vanished¡ªbut the inert objects were nothing when weighed against the souls at risk of being devoured. All the shrimp were drawn in. Half of the stealth-bomber scouts, those closest, flew toward the dread portal. And the top two crustaceans of the crab tower¡ªwho I assumed to be Joel and Jess¡ªtumbled forward, even their enhanced bodies and grabby legs not enough to resist the pull. I reached for the earthen power coursing through my veins, willing to accept whatever backlash came, but just before I grasped it fully, Snips¡¯s core flew into action. It, too, became a vacuum. Rather than draw everything in, however, she only drew in those connected to her. They flowed toward her as streams of light, each radiating thankfulness, praise, and the requisite amount of reverence one would give their chosen deity. There were hundreds of them. Some were larger than boulders. And all were drawn into the soul of a crab the size of my hand. Shit made absolutely zero sense, but what are ya gonna do? Sergeant Snips patted her stomach with a small yet mighty claw, radiating an appreciation similar to the sentiment received from her bonded... animals? Familiars? Followers? Honestly, it didn¡¯t really matter. I¡¯d rather focus on the cool shit she was up to. Snips floated above the ocean atop tiny jets of water-aspected chi that streamed from her spiked legs. She stared the kraken down, and beneath her implacable gaze, the creature sealed the abyssal openings in its tentacles. The limbs regrew in the blink of a cultivator¡¯s eye, and despite the horror of the deep seeming to draw away all our senses, I noticed something odd about his body. I set the discovery aside for later, grinned, and leaned to the side. ¡°Barry,¡± I whispered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Check this shit out.¡± Braving the earthen essence running through me, I sent a message to the southeast, flashing a series of still-images and sensations that communicated all that had just occurred. The pain in my abdomen was worse than last time, but I had no regrets. An inhuman screech like a thousand nails on a chalkboard blasted over us all, so loud that waves of force ruffled hair and clothing. Then, the source of it arrived, streaming indignation and lightning in equal measure. Even to my ridiculously enhanced ears, the speed and passion with which Claws hurled her string of accusations made me miss most of them. I was pretty sure I heard repeated mentions of ponds, theft, and a four-letter word that started with C, wasn¡¯t ¡®crab¡¯, and didn¡¯t bear repeating. Regardless, Claws was outraged that Snips had bonded with literally hundreds of familiars or whatever they were. She was so belligerent that she¡¯d set her dispute with the raccoon asi... Never mind. She launched the spherical mammal so hard and fast that he broke the sound barrier. Despite everything else going on¡ªsuch as a cosmic horror whose entire body absorbed light¡ªI couldn¡¯t help but watch in awe as the Mach-1 ball of fur and thievery approached Snips. What would she do? Because of the kraken nullifying my senses, the muddied the connection between her and I, or some unholy combination of both, I had not yet discovered the ideal that¡¯d triggered my favorite crab¡¯s breakthrough. I didn¡¯t know much other than she wasn¡¯t an elemental. Would the raccoon¡¯s essence tear through her chi? If he did, what exactly could she do to defend herself...? Despite the closed gate between our bond, Snips locked eyes with me and blew a single defensive bubble. It lingered in the air, a strange power making it bobble, then zip sideways into the path of the raccoon. The wide-eyed and sharp-toothed idiot tried to pop it with a slap. Fwoosh! An Olympic-swimming-pool¡¯s worth of water rushed out in an instant. The roaring torrent sent Snips¡¯s mammalian assailant rocketing up toward the stratosphere. Before he could disappear from orbit, Claws pulled him back into her core, her jaw unhinged and fuzzy little eyebrows high. What have you become? she asked with a chirp, curiosity replacing her indignation from moments ago. The kraken¡¯s limbs undulated with power, the pattern in his eyes flashing between nebulous stars and waves of mercury. He dipped his bulbous head towards Snips, and an unfathomable weight fell away from the aura of his pitch-black soul. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I see now,¡± he said. ¡°The anomalies begin to make sense. Chi returning to the world. So many spirit beasts, cultivators, and elementals working together. The creation of natural artifacts...¡± Snips blew inquisitive bubbles. They circled her carapace in search of answers. ¡°You are something rarely seen on Kallis, young one. Something mostly spoken of in legend even before the gods departed...¡± More bubbles from Snips, a hint of confusion making them wobble back and forth. ¡°You have come from far away¡ªsummoned from a place none other in this realm have seen...¡± I saw where this was going. I bit the skin between my thumb and index finger to stop myself from reacting. ¡°You,¡± the kraken continued, voice grandiose. ¡°Great being of strong carapace and mighty claw... are a Traveler!¡± Silence followed the rumbling proclamation. When it stretched on, his eyes darted around. He¡¯d clearly expected a reaction. He didn¡¯t have to wait much longer¡ªone of my best mates cackled. ¡°Truth!¡± Theo chortled. ¡°He... He thinks that¡¯s the truth!¡± He Before anyone could join in with his laughter, the kraken spoke again. ¡°Truthseeker...¡± It was both a title and an accusation. Lines of gray swept across his eyes. ¡°How have you come to be here?¡± ¡°Oh, you know.¡± The former auditor waved a hand. ¡°I was taught by a king, defected to fish and start a church, then helped overthrow my former monarch. Pretty standard stuff, really.¡± Either satisfied by the answer or flummoxed enough to ignore Theo going forward, the mini Cthulu looked at Snips. ¡°Do not deny it. You have done well to hide its influence, but I can sense the echo of transmigration on your soul.¡± Her leather eyepatch had drooped so far to the side that it was currently acting as a sash, so when she swiveled my way to gauge my reaction, it was with both of her eyestalks. The eldritch horror¡¯s swirling orbs followed, gazing at me for a moment before returning his attention to Snips. ¡°I regret to inform you that your human follower with the red-banded hat¡ª¡± ¡°Hey! Captain¡¯s hat!¡± I corrected. ¡°We respect title and rank around here, champ!¡± To my left, Maria bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. To my right, Barry squeezed the bridge of his nose. The kraken¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°... Your human follower with the red-banded captain¡¯s hat, then¡ªhe will soon perish.¡± Surprisingly, there was neither joy nor schadenfreude in that proclamation. Interesting. He turned back to Snips. ¡°I advise you to absorb the earthen essence of my former ally after your follower¡¯s soul departs. Given your aspect, the strands may take some time to integrate, but its corruption will present someone of your magnitude no harm¡ªand could prove pivotal against the gods should they return. Additionally, I apologize for my fury earlier. When your condemned captain revealed he planned to let the amalgamation of earth elementals live, I lost control. I was unaware of your existence, so I assumed the worst.¡± I raised my brows; so few sentences, yet so much to unravel. Former companion? Corruption? Useful against the gods, should they return? Ellis was gonna shit himself when he got back. Snips tried reached out to me through our connection, but whatever stopped me from understanding her ideal was still present. Thankfully, her expressive eyes conveyed all she had to say, which I roughly interpreted as: how in Rocky¡¯s red-hot bod do you want me to respond? Laughter and quiet mutterings were coming from the crowd behind me. Before they could swell, I stepped forward and cleared my throat. ¡°Mate, there seems to have been a bit of a misunderstanding.¡± He raised an eyebrow¡ªwhich I really enjoyed. Who knew octopuses had them? ¡°It is impressive that you still live, human, but in your position, I would not waste my words on a stranger. Speak your peace to those you love. I imagine the pretty young woman at your side will not be happy when you are no longer... hmm?¡± It trailed off, the specks of white in its eyes quivering as it stared into Maria¡¯s soul. ¡°A water spirit lives? How did it survive for so long without chi?¡± ¡°Water spirit?¡± I asked. ¡°Where did you find them?¡± the kraken asked, ignoring me entirely. ¡°I¡¯m a boyyyy!¡± Slimes declared, wibble-wobbling from Maria¡¯s shoulder like a jack-in-the-box. ¡°Not a they!¡± The cephalopod¡¯s other eyebrow rose to join the other¡ªman, today was a feast for the senses. ¡°A second true bond...?¡± Though his body didn¡¯t move, his sclera became whirlpools, swirling ceaselessly. ¡°That has mastered human speech? Remarkable. What aspect is it that you wield, little one?¡± His ocular vortices sped up as he leaned closer. ¡°I cannot¡ª¡± ¡°Mate,¡± I interrupted, stepping forward to rest a hand on one tentacle. ¡°You¡¯ve been dropping knowledge bombs left, right, and center. I reckon it¡¯s our turn to...¡± The prehensile bastard ignored me, instead turning to look at Snips with a glance that demanded she control her subjects¡ªwhich resulted in perhaps the most-satisfying chastisement I had or would ever see. Sergeant Snips, my now-tiny yet still-reliable guard crab, back-handed a terror of the deep like he was an insolent young master. There was no power in it, but the message was clear. Listen to my master when he speaks, she ordered, her strange chi radiating out from not only her core, but all the crustaceans she¡¯d bonded. Claws made an ¡®oh, shit¡¯ face, her eyes wide, jaw open and head darting around to check the other animal pals¡¯ reactions. Cinnamon punched one paw into the other. Borks wagged his tail. Teddy and Pistachio nodded. Queen Bee, Bumblebro, and their progeny buzzed. Bill, Pelly, and the flock of pelicans honked. Lemon shook her canopy. And though Rocky wasn¡¯t technically bonded to me, he had the most violent reaction of all, slipping back to his old self as he unleashed a staccato of volcanic explosions into the air, before calming himself down by lighting a cigarette on his shell and taking a deep drag. The kraken, in the face of all their testimony, chuckled softly and glanced at Snips again. ¡°You have already defeated me, young Traveler. I do not see purpose in this trickery.¡± ¡°My guy...¡± I couldn¡¯t stop the wry smile crossing my face. ¡°She¡¯s trying to tell you I¡¯m the Traveler.¡± He finally looked at me. ¡°You expect me to believe that you have managed to bond all these beings?¡± ¡°Uhhhh, yeah?¡± A hissing, bubbling sound came from him. Within seconds, it had transformed into a guttural laugh, his tentacles all writhing around on the shore. ¡°Oh... oh my,¡± he eventually said. ¡°You made me forget myself. Thank you for that.¡± He cleared his throat, composing itself. ¡°Impossible. You would have gone mad by the second one, if not the first. Not to mention the poison currently occupying your soul. It is commendable that you have not succumbed to it yet, but that is only by the grace of your matriarch. If you were a Traveler, you would have cleansed it yourself by now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, mate! I was just waiting for the right moment.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± Theo said. ¡°Our benevolent and humble Traveler speaks the truth.¡± This had an unexpected and astounding effect on the kraken¡ªhe went rigid, his sclera flashing white to reveal slitted pupils. ¡°Who was that last sentence about, Truthsayer?¡± ¡°Uhhh... Fischer. Leader of the Church of Fischer.¡± Theo pointed at me. ¡°Him.¡± Again, the response was unexpected. ¡°Falsesayer!¡± the ancient creature bellowed. ¡°Truthsayer¡¯s bane! Betrayer of life!¡± He shrank back a meter, the black aura exploding from his body once more. His eyes were undeniably alien, but they¡¯d never looked as inhuman as they did in that moment, darting around, dilated, pure gray. He kept stealing glances at the sky, only to look back at us as if expecting an attack. ¡°What manner of duplicity is this? Which god do you serve?¡± It was really hard not to ask any questions, but I managed to hold the urge at bay. ¡°My man, if you just wait like... five seconds, you¡¯ll see what I¡¯m talking abou¡ª¡± ¡°I am not your man, deceiver! Reveal yourself! Your true self!¡± I¡¯d have cackled at that, but the poor bloke seemed genuinely terrified, and with each passing second, his only anxiety grew. I gave him my most disarming smile. ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying earlier when I said I was waiting for the right moment. Here. I¡¯ll show you.¡± The entire time, power had been draining away from the earth elemental made of many souls. It had finally reached the last one¡ªthe being I instinctively knew to be the original. Still smiling at the kraken, I opened the floodgate to my core. Pure, unaspected chi shone into the world, coming from me, each grain of sand on the beach, and all those standing by my side. The land and I were an extension of the network, and my friends were an extension of me. Countless things happened at once¡ªa few were of note. First, the object of power draining the elemental¡¯s life-force away was nullified by the blast, its triad of essences replaced by my own. It clattered to the ground, a regular pebble like any other on the shore. The stolen chi, its earthen aspect incompatible with my soul, shifted. Changed. Its toxins were purified the moment my ocean of white light touched it. The pain in my abdomen vanished. My connection to everyone was restored, as were my senses. The third notable occurrence was between me and the kraken. The radiance illuminated my true nature, and as he felt the source of what he¡¯d called ¡®the echo of transmigration¡¯, his midnight gaze locked onto me, casting twin beams of black that drilled through the luminosity. There was a bonus happening, too¡ªmy favorite of all. Claws withdrew the raccoon from her soul and held him up to the light. Take them! she trilled, chest proud and arms rigid. Cleanse his crimes away! It didn¡¯t work, of course. Every hair on his body was aligned with his core¡¯s desire for larceny. There was nothing to fix. I thoroughly enjoyed it regardless. All at once, the light vanished. I kept my eyes closed for a moment, bathing in the connections to Maria and my animals pals, as well as the feeling of rightness suffusing the world. Suddenly, I was tugged in one, then two directions. The universe seemed to urge me to action, all but wailing that I would regret not heeding its advice. I rolled my eyes as my form slid toward the waves. Do you even know me, universe? I wondered. You don¡¯t need to push me¡ªthere¡¯s no way I¡¯d miss an opportunity like this. Before my awareness was dragged away kicking-and-screaming, I released my grip on the world and dove in headfirst, right into the souls of two ancient, incomprehensible, and cosmically connected beings. Book 4: Chapter 67: Worthy Purpose Book 4: Chapter 67: Worthy Purpose In a place of darkness, I looked out through the eyes of another being¡ªwho seemed just as confused about the eight limbs adorning his body as I was. He pushed in every direction at once, and the surrounding membrane popped. He slipped out of its confines and into frigid ocean water. He was far from the first to escape. Thousands of his brood had already departed, judging by the empty egg sacs sticking to the cavern¡¯s walls. Hundreds of his brethren clung to nearby rocks as they explored their bodies. He didn¡¯t waste a moment. Still learning how to operate this strange vessel, the octopus fry slipped out into open water¡ªand immediately learned why so many had remained within the den. A school of colorful fish with sharp beaks was waiting. They¡¯d discovered that food came from this gap between rocks and coral. Before he even knew what was happening, pain lanced through him, one of their deadly mouths taking two tentacles with it. This was the way of the sea. The truth about mother nature¡¯s indifference. Perhaps this sudden death would mean some of his brethren would escape. Perhaps it would mean the survival of the fish that would eat him. Or maybe it would do nothing, his momentary existence as pointless as it was short. Others might have given up when faced with certain demise. A sister beside him certainly did, remaining frozen even as she was eaten whole. But this octopus wouldn¡¯t go down so easily. He raised the rest of his tentacles and opened a tiny beak, intent on extracting his pound of flesh from any creature that dared come close. A blur of motion from the side. A cloud appeared. Blackness. Encompassing limbs. Crushing strength. Movement. Passing water. Cold. Numb. Fading awareness. Then, release. The crushing grip let go, and the octopus, his vision swimming, looked up at a giant. It had tentacles too, even more than him. They parted, and a maw just as deadly as the fish¡¯s opened up. The newborn that would become a kraken tried to lift his limbs¡ªtried to reveal his own sharp mouth, insignificant as it might be¡ªbut he¡¯d lost too much blood. He stared defiantly up, resolved to at least witness his demise. But when the guillotine opened, it wasn¡¯t death that was delivered; it was life. Hundreds and hundreds of tiny organisms were expelled out. The giant retreated, pressing its long body and undulating fins against a crack. Light vanished, but that did nothing to rob the baby octopus of vision. He was back in his... no, a different den. The creature before him had sealed off the only exit. And food had been trapped in with him. It took all of his strength to grab one of the glowing organisms and press it into his mouth. As he crunched down, life flowed through him, its bioluminescence seeming to light his body from within. By the time he¡¯d consumed half of them, his limbs had regrown. He gave it not a second thought, and neither did he worry about his newfound speed, enhanced vision, nor increasingly complex hunting strategies. When only ten remained, he circled them on nimble tentacles, corralling each flitting speck toward a back corner. They fell for his machinations. He spread the base of his body and opened his beak as he descended, the aftertaste of his last bite still radiating from both his mouth and soul, and... Pop! The transformation was immediate, as was knowledge. When the blinding flash of white disappeared, he stared down. Were these limbs really his...? Grey and mottled skin with rings of bright blue reminiscent of the glowing plankton he¡¯d devoured. Not just regular plankton, his magnified awareness knew. They¡¯d been filled with chi¡ªharvested from a part of this ocean so deadly that no unascended beast would survive. His eyes flicked to the animal on the wall. Slitted pupils stared back. They possessed intimidating depth, and he could only speculate about the malicious thoughts playing out behind... them? The cuttlefish floated toward him, its fins undulating with an emotion so strong it bounced off the walls. Joy. By the divines above! the stranger burbled into his mind. It worked! Its body flashed through various colors. Red, blue, yellow, green, brown, grey¡ªeach intended to camouflage with different underwater scenes. It worked, it worked, it worked! Thoughts raced through the octopus¡¯s head faster than he believed possible, but no matter how many came, he couldn¡¯t decipher this strange spirit beast¡¯s intent. Sorry! I can feel your confusion. I¡¯m just. So. Excited! Its fins undulated so swiftly that water started to swirl around the den. Geez, I¡¯m messing this up. Here. Let me just... There! Memories. The cuttlefish¡¯s. They slammed into the octopus. This spirit beast was on a mission. A quest of the grandest scope. He sought ascension¡ªand someone to willingly take those steps with him. There was more. His greater purpose was equilibrium, a current he and his partner would swim to ensure the forces of this world didn¡¯t continue their downward spiral. This made the octopus¡¯s eyes widen. It was so far-fetched that his thousands of thoughts hadn¡¯t even come close to considering it. There was no malicious intent. No reciprocity demanded. The ascendant cuttlefish had prevented death without strings attached. Why me? he asked, unsure if his savior would get his message. Why save me? He clearly did; his fin undulated with excess energy. Because you didn¡¯t give up!I watched thousands of your brood-mates exit that den. He scooted closer, his pupils dilating. ¡°How many do you think stared death in the face like you did?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± The octopus¡¯s mind raced, running calculations based upon sheer conjecture and the universe¡¯s limited knowledge of his species. Seven? ¡°Seven...?¡± The cuttlefish blew a stream of amused bubbles. ¡°None! You were the first!¡± More bubbles. ¡°The moment I saw you¡ªa newborn creature the size of my suckers¡ªresolve yourself to take a bite of the fish thousands of times larger than you...¡± His tentacles wiggling around in delight. ¡°I knew I had found my partner, the brother that I could trust to stare into the void, and not flinch when it stared back.¡± The cuttlefish froze as a sobering current washed over him. ¡°If you choose to, of course. I will force nothing.¡± As soon as he heard those words, the octopus envisioned a future where he felt something he knew existed, but had yet to experience for himself¡ªan emotion that his limited knowledge told him was vital for all lifeforms. Platonic love¡ªphilia in the old tongue. ¡°And then!¡± The cuttlefish continued as excitement returning to his body. ¡°Your moves against those plankton! Wow! I expected you to survive despite the blood loss, but divines below! Even missing limbs and chilled by our passage here, you were incredible! You didn¡¯t even need to eat them all to awaken! With that, as sure as I am that otters cannot be trusted, I knew I¡¯d made the correct choice in saving you!¡± Dozens of thoughts crossed the baby octopus¡¯s mind in the second of silence following that statement¡ªone of which was a great curiosity about what otters had done to receive blanketed distrust from the cuttlefish¡ªbut none of them led him to believe the potential friend was being deceptive. Happiness pulsed from his newly formed core, and his eight tentacles writhed in excitement. Right? The cuttlefish ask-yelled, clearly sensing his eagerness. His undulating fin slowed, then froze, and a serious current crossed his features. Does... does that mean you¡¯re willing to join me? The octopus that would one day become a kraken nodded. His saviour remained somber. ¡°Listen, when I found the being to share this endeavor with, I planned on introducing them to it slowly... but my soul is screaming for me to tell you immediately. I can¡¯t say why, but I¡¯ve learned to listen to my instincts¡ªthey¡¯ve helped me survive every trap thus far.¡± ¡°Traps?¡± the octopus asked. ¡°Set by who...?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯ll understand once I explain. Again, though, I want your approval¡ªis it okay if I show you?¡± He didn¡¯t even consider it. He nodded emphatically, trusting his own instincts. The cuttlefish¡¯s solemnity vanished, fins and limbs waving chaotically. Wonderful! Okay. Okay! Here. We. Go! A tendril of essence reached out toward him, its movement slow, searching, care¡ª *** A jarring sensation crashed into me as both sources of the memory¡ªthe kraken and the earth elemental¡ªscreamed out into the void, ejecting us all. One¡¯s voiceless scream was filled with despair; the other¡¯s was laden with rage. Both stood in stark contrast to the blossoming friendship and hopefulness of their first meeting. I released roots of pure chi into the vast nothingness we floated in. A memory was trying to pull us in, and I did what I could to soothe and coax them toward it. They eventually relented, but only because they wanted this over with¡ªand, like me, had realised the only way out was through. We swirled down together into a different time and place, and as I looked out through the cuttlefish¡¯s eyes, frustration and regret roiled within him. ¡°Please, brother...¡± the Kraken¡ªwho was now much closer to his future size¡ªimplored in a deep voice. ¡°This is not the way.¡± Over a millennium had passed. Perhaps multiple. They had meditated for too long in the ocean¡¯s abyssal depths to be certain. ¡°Not your way, you mean,¡± the cuttlefish that would become an earthen elemental replied. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Our cores are different, but that doesn¡¯t mean we no longer tread the same waters.¡± ¡°I am starting to think it does mean that, brother.¡± Even as he spat the last word, he regretted it. The chi filling his core, however, rolled right over it, a landslide that smothered any remorse beneath tonnes of sediment. ¡°Perhaps it is time we go our separate ways...¡± The sadness on his brother¡¯s face¡ªan octopus fry that had grown into a monstrous creature of the depths¡ªmade sorrow dig its way to the surface. But then boulders of shame tumbled down to join the landslide, their weight crushing his emotions once more. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than me, don¡¯t you?¡± Stop, a part of him begged. ¡°You have looked down on ever since I grew an affinity with earth. You succeeded in collecting abyssal chi, and I failed. That¡¯s it, right?¡± Please... that small voice beseeched¡ªbut the boulders and sediment were deaf to it. ¡°I finally understand, brother. You only keep me around to feel better about yourself, right? Or do you pity me too much to sever our ties yourself? Fine. I¡¯ll make the decision for you!¡± All three of us experiencing the memory knew what actually fuelled the anger. Centuries of self-doubt and perceived inferiority had become too painful to stomach, so his subconscious had turned them into something even uglier: fury and resentment, projected onto his brother, the only being on Kallis he had ever loved. But the three of us were only witnesses. There was nothing we could do to stop the cuttlefish from burrowing down into the ocean floor, his essence opening the path and closing it behind him with ease. A league under the sea, his pain only grew. Please don¡¯t leave me, that little voice begged from within. I need you... Unaware of this yearning, the kraken gave his brother what he¡¯d verbally asked for. Hints of his abyssal chi flowed down toward the cuttlefish, making him all too aware of his only friend¡¯s rapid departure. When the kraken was just on the edge of their communication range, he froze. Hope flooded through the cuttlefish¡¯s every cell, but then his former partner spoke. ¡°Have it your way, brother, ¡± he said, wielding as a curse what had once been a term of affection between them. It hurt too much. The cuttlefish tried to yell, half in apology, half in rage, but his power couldn¡¯t pass through the world like abyssal chi could. All he could do was sit and dwell as his brother¡¯s essence¡ªthe very aspect he yearned for, yet would never grasp¡ªfaded away. *** I was again drawn from the memory by a jarring sensation. Before I could adjust to the vast nothingness surrounding the three of us, the reason for my ejection washed over me. The former brothers¡¯ emotions had... swapped? Partially, at least. The kraken, formerly filled with despair, now radiated resentment and bitterness, and a gloomy dejection had muted the earth elemental¡¯s fury. I made the mistake of trying to understand why. They both lashed out, treating me as the punching bag for their negative emotions. I learned the lesson, instead encouraging them to dive back in with tendrils of soothing essence. Left absent choice, they reluctantly capitulated. Hundreds of years later, we gazed through the cuttlefish¡¯s eyes once more. He was yet to become an elemental, but in the centuries that had passed, he¡¯d grown incredibly strong. The memory began with him turning a mountain of stone to dust so he could free a school of... seals and humans? Wait,are those fracking selkies? What the shi¡ª I shook my head, returning to the present. Er, the past, I mean. Focus, Fischer. Power and wisdom were seldom found together, but the cuttlefish proved to be an exception to the rule¡ªnot a day went by that he didn¡¯t regret pushing the kraken away. He thought of the tiny octopus his brother had once been as he watched two adult selkies in human form swoop into the silt that remained of the mountain to collect a gaggle of children. It only took seconds for all those trapped to be rescued by the supernaturally swift creatures, which wasn¡¯t really surprising considering they were gods-damned selkies right out of fracking myth¡ª I mentally slapped myself. Focus, Fischer! This isn¡¯t the time! Freed, the pod of chi-filled beings swam the cuttlefish¡¯s way, but then an aspected pulse rippled through the ocean. Everyone froze. It was no mere wave of power that washed over them. If it had come centuries ago, it would have sent him into a rage strong enough to split tectonic plates. Now, though, it set his multiple hearts to thumping, doing their best to beat right out of his mantle. He recognised the aspect¡ªthe element. His brother, the kraken, had succeeded. He¡¯d achieved the impossible task they¡¯d set out to accomplish all those millennia ago. Before the selkies could respond, the cuttlefish rocketed away, the ocean a blur as he shot jets of earthen chi from his siphon. He had searched for his first friend for so long. Imagined the words he could say to make his brother forgive him. And after so much time, he¡¯d finally have a chance to do so. That nagging voice in the back of his mind tried to steer him away, guiding him toward self preservation. The divine gods would respond to the open use of abyssal power. They would come. That voice, however, was easily quashed. His brother was nothing if not careful, and he would have stuck to the plan, if not developed an even better one over the centuries. He wouldn¡¯t openly control such heretical chi unless within a masking barrier. With how fast the cuttlefish travelled, it took less than an hour to reach his destination. He knew this island. It was one he had always avoided, because there were a few-dozen bipedal reasons to give the landmass a wide berth. Humans. Some of them were cultivators, and though they weren¡¯t yet mad, such things were only ever one foolish decision away. Not at all deterred by their presence, he swam forward carefully, not wanting to disturb the nullifying shield his brother must have erected. But no matter how many meters he crossed, the anti-divine barrier never arrived. Had his brother not taken the planned precautions? If not, why were the gods not currently raining holy fire upon him...? Confused, the cuttlefish slipped into one of the tricks he¡¯d learned since separating from the kraken. Camouflage. It hid both his body and essence, which allowed him to get close enough to... Every clump of his earthen chi turned to ice. There he was. The brother he had dreamed of reconnecting with for hundreds of years. Two humans were astride his mighty head, riding him like one of the brainless bovines used to plow fields. They laughed as the tentacle of a mighty kraken reached up to tickle them, of all things. The cuttlefish knew he shouldn¡¯t do it, yet he couldn¡¯t resist. He dropped his stealth and extended muddy strands of chi. He had to know. He needed to understand the truth. And even from a distance, his worst fears were confirmed. The kraken had just become an abyssal elemental... by bonding with two humans. That was why the gods hadn¡¯t acted. He¡¯d chained himself to their offspring¡ªhe willingly served those that saw him as inferior. His brother should have felt the cuttlefish the moment he dropped camouflage, but he was too busy chasing orbs of abyssal essence, the bubbles that arrived following the ascension of an elemental. Long ago, the cuttlefish would have happily indulged in such a delicacy, hoping it would unlock that same chi within his core. Disgust, resentment, and budding anger caused him to rocket away once more, but the emotions weren¡¯t for his brother¡ªthey were only for himself. The kraken was the wisest being he¡¯d ever had the pleasure of meeting. His brother was infallibly intelligent. For him to have bonded two humans meant that there was either a valid reason for doing it, or he had been left no other choice. As he got further and further away, the cuttlefish¡¯s negative feelings swelled, doing their best to crush him. He¡¯d waited centuries for a reunion that would never be. Worse, the dissenting voice in his head, the one lingering for thousands of years, had been right all along. My brother really is better off without me. Look how far he has¡ª *** Two souls in the nothingness cried out, unwilling to witness any more. I¡¯d been keeping them pacified as best I could with my pure chi, but their emotions had grown too strong. They¡¯d drifted even further from their original positions. The kraken was belligerent, railing against the confines of whatever this non-temporal prison was; the earthen elemental, once blind with rage, now wallowed. Despite their feelings on the matter, I could feel the apex of this bitter-sweet song approaching, so I forced us back in. When we looked out through the Kraken¡¯s eyes, hundreds of years had passed since the last vision. A holy war was being fought out in the open, and he and his beloved masters had long ago stopped pretending to side with the ¡®divine¡¯ gods above. They¡¯d just learned an attack was coming against one of their allied continents, which was why they raced through the ocean at a swift clip, his pulse seeming to thump despite his elemental body¡¯s lack of a heart. His masters responded by sending platonic love through their connection, both for each other and for him. Calm ease replaced his frenetic thoughts. He returned his affections to Garret and Jenny, the husband-and-wife duo he¡¯d bonded with. He didn¡¯t know what he would do without them. In the back of his mind, a nagging voice chose that tranquil moment to strike. What if it¡¯s him...? The attack was rumored to come from an earthen elemental. ¡°Then we will have finally found your brother after all these years,¡± Garret said, his voice sturdier than deep-ocean diamonds. ¡°And we¡¯ll correct his misguided ways!¡± Jenny added, words chipper. Their statements weren¡¯t empty. They believed it down to their very cores. And he loved them all the more for it. Completely camouflaged, they raced along through the waves. Almost there... *** Our perspective shifted. Both beings in the nothingness with me tried to scream, but I¡¯d expected it¡ªI held them steady with thick tendrils of light, letting the next vision draw us in. We looked out through the eyes of an earth elemental that¡¯d once been a cuttlefish. He, too, thought of his oldest friend. He had long ago come to terms with their estrangement, and though the invisible scar sometimes itched, today it felt completely healed¡ªas it always did when he found an opportunity to help his brother from the shadows. He¡¯d been lost for a good many decades after the last time he saw the kraken, especially after the war began in earnest. But that had all changed with a single discovery, a blessed revelation¡ªhis brother and his two humanoid masters had only been pretending to capitulate with the divine gods. They¡¯d announced their allegiance to the allied forces in spectacular fashion, taking down swaths of corrupted humans in one fell swoop. On that day, the cuttlefish had taken up arms¡ªor tentacles, as it were. This thought made him smile. It was a welcome distraction from the death and destruction that might follow. If his partner arrived in time, they were going to sink a continent. *** Back in the nothingness, only one of the voices raged. ¡°Liar!¡± the kraken yelled, his voice hitting me from all directions at once. ¡°Liar, Liar, LIAR!¡± He lashed out with abyssal chi, his form shapeless, diminished, yet more than enough to annihilate the defenseless target of his ire. The earth elemental didn¡¯t even try to shield himself from the attack. His sightless eyes gazed into the surrounding nothingness, catatonic. I blocked the blow, saving one from death, and the other from a terrible mistake. This left the kraken off balance, so I grabbed him and sent us whirling back into the same... no. A different vision. We looked out through the eyes of a cuttlefish that was no longer an earth elemental. We¡¯d gone further back in time. The cuttlefish had always known this war would arrive¡ªit was why he¡¯d sought abyssal chi all those millennia ago¡ªbut he never expected just how vicious the bloodshed would become. The entire world had been plunged into darkness, each being forced to choose a faction. Except for him, of course. He chose melancholic isolation instead, unable to find energy or reason enough to care; his former brother was a key weapon for the divine side. The wrong side. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Then, blessed revelation. As soon as the kraken openly joined the allied forces, the cuttlefish thought to do the same. If they couldn¡¯t be brothers, perhaps they could be brothers-in-arms. For that to be possible, he needed to get much, much stronger. He meditated long and hard in search of enlightenment. The centuries raced by. As his strength and affinity with earth increased, he dug deeper beneath the seafloor, descending through so many layers of rock that the ambient heat could melt stone. There, embracing an aspect he¡¯d once resented, he experienced his elemental awaking. So far down, no one else could sense his breakthrough¡ªor so he¡¯d thought. Only minutes after his breakthrough, another came to greet him. He prepared for battle, willing to annihilate them if it meant the success of his mission. Instead, he found a curious soul, one not so dissimilar to him. The first sister. She was a volcanic elemental, and she¡¯d also sensed a conflict coming long ago. Her aspect was useless against fighting the divine, so she¡¯d retreated to the center of the world, choosing to live a peaceful and lonely existence. He told her all about the war, the shifts in power, and the plan he¡¯d developed over his own centuries of isolation¡ªhis plan to become a hidden arbiter of justice. Because of his affinity with earth, and to camouflage ability, he was uniquely suited to espionage. He needed neither glory nor recognition. All he cared about was the allied forces¡¯ victory. He didn¡¯t tell the first sister all this to win her over. He simply intended on informing a kindred spirit of all that¡¯d happened. Yet he won her over all the same. With that, he found another sibling¡ªone that decided of her own accord to assist him from the shadows. *** We shifted again, and as before, only a single voice called out in the nothingness. The kraken¡¯s scream was wordless, his accusation clear. The earth elemental was lying. These memories were false. They had to be. I felt great compassion for him, and though it broke my heart to do so, I wrangled him all the same, sending us whirling down into another vision. The moment we got there, the kraken froze, his fury blunted by twin torrents of confusion and curiosity. It was his brother¡¯s camouflaged eyes we looked through, and for the first time since coming to this world, I witnessed gods. Two beings entered a concealed cavern, one via a water-filled tunnel the cuttlefish hid within, the other by a hole in the roof. Rays of reflected sunlight shone down through the opening up high, further enhancing the god¡¯s already-brilliant aura. ¡°Greetings, D¡ª¡± ¡°Use not that name!¡± the oceanic god interrupted. They were wreathed in lengths of seaweed that hid their true form, but their voice was decidedly feminine. The divine god landed on the rocky floor with a mirthless grin. His features were flawless, yet his smile was uglier than an eel of the pungent variety. ¡°Tell me of your progress, traitor.¡± Even concealed by layers of plant-matter, the apparent saboteur¡¯s frustration was palpable. ¡°The central continent is ready.¡± One of the golden being¡¯s annoyingly well-groomed brows rose. ¡°Truly? Already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wonderful. And how do you plan to stop this island from being swallowed by the ocean before the rituals complete? I seem to recall receiving this same news twice already, only for them to vanish into the earth. One might start to suspect you of being a double agent...¡± ¡°Agreed, which is exactly why I have prepared the sacrifice of an important piece from our polis board...¡± Back in the place of nothingness, the kraken¡¯s curiosity was gone, replaced by dawning horror. He didn¡¯t try to escape my grip¡ªhe couldn¡¯t look away. We both rejoined the vision. ¡°Ah!¡± the divine god replied after a moment. ¡°I believe I know who you must mean.¡± A wicked grin appeared on his otherwise-flawless face. ¡°What perfect irony. I assume they¡¯re already on their way?¡± ¡°They are, yes. If we have been correct in assuming our meetings have been spied upon...¡± They both turned right toward the cuttlefish, golden eyes and a shadowed face staring at the water-filled tunnel he hid within. Terror gripped his heart¡ªas it did mine¡ªand he almost lost the control of his camouflage, but then both gods¡¯ gazes shifted to scan the rest of the cavern. They hadn¡¯t detected him. ¡°If we do have a spy,¡± the kelp-wrapped figure continued, ¡°it¡¯s too late for them to do anything about it. The central continent will be saved, the rituals will succeed, and the war will be won¡ªall in a day.¡± Numbness flooded the earth elemental. ¡°One more question then, deceiver,¡± the golden god said. ¡°Can you be trusted?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the bundle of seaweed replied, their last word filled with... was that mockery? ¡°I will take your word for it, Dolos.¡± ¡°As you should, sister.¡± The cuttlefish didn¡¯t understand. Dolos? The god of deception? If that were true, his sister¡ª ¡°You dare?¡± Lines of light shot out from the winged god as he flew forward, and the other¡¯s seaweed unravelled as they met in the center of the cavern. But rather than fight, they seemed to embrace one another, their forms shifting. The golden male became female, and lines of divine essence tore through the last few strands of seaweed from within the formerly concealed figure, revealing a masculine face and well-defined muscle. The earth elemental recognised them. All knew to look out for the siblings Dolos and Apate, yet the former had somehow managed to infiltrate the allied forces... There was another moment of numbness as the earth elemental reconciled all he¡¯d just seen and heard. Then, an invisible and silent patch of dirt departed as fast as it could without being noticed. Only when he¡¯d made it kilometers away did he reach out to the first sister. Now! he yelled through their connection. We need to move now! *** Back in the nothingness, the kraken¡¯s will roiled like an ocean in storm. Understanding had well and truly dawned; his shapeless fury threatened to tear us all apart. By contrast, the being he¡¯d once called a brother was completely comatose. There were changes happening within the cuttlefish that, when combined with these haunting memories, seemed to rob him of all emotion¡ªwhich only seemed to fuel the kraken¡¯s desire for wanton destruction. I didn¡¯t understand. The kraken¡¯s anger thus far had always been directed at something or someone. Now, he wanted to tear everything down¡ªhimself included. Thankfully, his lack of focus allowed me to skull-drag him into the next memory. The sooner we finished, the better for all involved. Despite the deceptive gods¡¯ words, the earth elemental arrived at the central continent before the unknown counter-attacker, but he couldn¡¯t complete his duty alone. So, he waited for his sister, praying that she got there first. She did. The moment her awareness bubbled up beneath him, they began, his earthen aspect ripping cracks and ravines into the tectonic plate below. Her magma poured into the gaps. The earth quaked. This mass of land was much larger than the other two islands they¡¯d desolated, but that meant nothing before their combined might. In seconds, the coastlines would sink. In minutes, the entire continent would be underwater. But then they arrived. A black hole seemed to open up, and it drank both his and his sister¡¯s essence hungrily, not allowing another drop to alter the tectonic plates below. Desperately, the earth elemental called out toward it, broadcasting images of the meeting he¡¯d just witnessed. We shifted perspective again, and I knew where we were going. I didn¡¯t need to force the others to stillness. Confusion and denial had taken hold of the kraken, and the cuttlefish remained catatonic. Though we now looked out through the kraken¡¯s eyes, we saw not a thing. His power was being pushed to its limits¡ªhis abyssal aspect drawing on the power of not one, but two elemental beings. Both were ferocious, their earthen and volcanic powers closely aligned. The former tried to reach out to him, tried to send him information in the least-subtle- and most-dangerous of ways. He sucked the messages into the abyss without reading them, letting them get swallowed, smothered, by the rivers of essence already flooding in. A single thought forced its way through his mental exertion. After centuries, he had finally found his long-lost brother. The cuttlefish had grown to become powerful. Strong enough to shape the world. And he had chosen a side in the war¡ªthe wrong side. He was using his potent ability to help the ¡®divine¡¯ usurpers. This knowledge shook the foundation of the kraken¡¯s being. It could be no misunderstanding. Two allied islands had recently been swallowed whole, and he now understood why. They¡¯d been trials. Mere practice for the true target¡ªan entire continent, along with the millions of uncorrupted humans calling it home. Privy to his thoughts, his masters yelled out, bypassing the essence flowing into him. ¡°So we¡¯ve found him after all!¡± Garret said. ¡°This actually works so well!¡± Jenny added. ¡°We¡¯ll go bundle him up! The volcanic elemental won¡¯t be able to do a thing on their own!¡± The kraken railed at the suggestion. His brother had clearly become corrupted, and he didn¡¯t want to risk either of his masters. They both poured love and affection through their bond, touched his head with a palm each, then departed. ¡°We¡¯ll be right back!¡± Garret called, disappearing into the abyss. *** The earth elemental tried to reach his brother again and again. He had to let him know the truth. Had to share the deception they¡¯d all fallen victim to. But no matter how many times he tried, they were drawn in. Anyone nearby could intercept them, but he didn¡¯t care. If he didn¡¯t get through, all would be lost. He couldn¡¯t feel the corruption atop the island, yet he knew it was there. They¡¯d not sensed it on the islands either, but those humans were corrupted all the same. Mountains of proof laced the underwater rubble. Even now, he could feel the power emanating from atop the island¡ªthe rituals were progressing. Reaching deep into himself, the elemental prepared to reach out to his brother again, but the kraken appeared before him instead. No, he realized¡ªthe two masters. They were already on him, having concealed their presence until they made contact. They were a fault line made manifest, and if he chose the wrong action here, the world would be shaken into an era of darkness it might not recover from. With the weight of consequence resting on his back alone, he made a split-second decision. Some would call it foolish. Others would think it akin to suicide. But he trusted his brother implicitly¡ªby extension, he trusted the humans his oldest friend had chosen as masters. The cuttlefish ripped opened up his soul in its entirety, inviting them to see everything. His thoughts washed out, his darkest secrets and most-pivotal memories leading the charge, all of which were related to the kraken. Each scene I¡¯d been exposed to rushed by, absorbed into their abyssal cores with unbelievable speed. When they witnessed a conversation between two gods, they grasped the implications immediately. At the same time, his earthen essence tried to assault the land in all directions with unveiled strength, great gouts flowing from the self-inflicted rupture in his soul. In the moments that followed, either of the humans could have taken control, co-opting his mind as well as the power he wielded¡ªand not just temporarily. Such was the risk of opening one¡¯s soul in the presence of a being with equal or greater strength, let alone two. The woman, Jenny was her name, reached toward the center of his being. Her fist balled, opened, and... poured intention out across the jagged tear. ¡°Thank you, sweetie,¡± her calming voice said, her potent will sewing his soul back together. ¡°For saving our beloved, for stopping us from doing something incredibly stupid, and for risking yourself to do so.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Garret agreed, and as he helped his wife mend the wound, he let some of his own thoughts flow out. The man was awestruck, lost for words at the cuttlefish¡¯s selflessness. Selfless? It was the last word he would use to describe himself. I¡¯m only in this position because of envy and spite... Jenny giggled. ¡°You sound just like someone else when we first met him...¡± ¡°Makes sense, really,¡± Garret added, the whisper of a smile coloring his voice. ¡°You are brothers, after a¡ª¡± A deafening sound cut his brother¡¯s master off, a terrible ripping that came from within. *** We shifted through kilometers in an instant. None of us managed a word as we looked out through the unseeing eyes of the kraken. When he felt his brother¡¯s soul open up to Garret and Jenny, he couldn¡¯t put his joy into words. Anyone allied with the divine would never give an enemy the chance to wrest control of their core. Such an action meant only one thing: his brother wasn¡¯t evil after all. Even through the additional earthen essence putting his power to the test, countless hopeful thoughts crossed his mind. But then two gods arrived. Their golden spirits burned his hope to ash. In that moment, he might have accused his former brother of orchestrating a betrayal of the unbelievable magnitude and callousness, but that would have to come later¡ªthe gilden aspect antithetical to his own flowed into the black hole that was his abyssal element, joining the twin rivers of earth and magma already streaming in. Overwhelmed, his mind shut down. *** The cuttlefish could do nothing to stop the divine siblings from tearing his soul asunder. They laughed. It was the first time they¡¯d ever shown him their true feelings, yet he couldn¡¯t appreciate that fact¡ªhe was too busy having his mind and body flayed. Despite the all-encompassing pain, his thoughts were mainly for another. Golden light flowed alongside the torrents of earth and manga being sucked into the abyss. Dolos and Apate, those dreadful and cunning gods, were going to annihilate his brother. Abruptly, the cuttlefish¡¯s awareness shifted within, and though his soul¡¯s destruction had paused, it took a few seconds for the echoes of agony to fade away. He found himself in a mental cave, its walls laced with ribbons of the horrific, golden chi. ¡°Oh, little earthen soul...¡± Dolos said, arriving in the center of the room. ¡°You must have known how foolish it was to broadcast your thoughts out.¡± Apate came next, stepping through space to stand beside her twin. ¡°And to think you had a connection with the tool sent to deal with you... such delicious irony indeed.¡± She snapped her fingers. Garret and Jenny appeared in a flash. They were hogtied by golden ropes, their cores suppressed. A boulder of despair formed in the cuttlefish¡¯s stomach. In his attempt to save the world, he¡¯d condemned his brother¡¯s masters to a fate worse than death. Those that dared go against the divine weren¡¯t slaughtered¡ªthey were unmade. Despite the damnation hanging over their heads, both were serene. ¡°Any final words?¡± Dolos goaded, his body appearing before them in a crude show of dominion. ¡°Naturally, we cannot let you live now that you know the truth.¡± ¡°Regrets?¡± Apate bent down with a vicious smile as she materialized before them. ¡°Or maybe even some curses?¡± She got closer, whispering, ¡°The curses are my favorite.¡± Garret and Jenny, in the face of such cruelty, wavered not an inch. They turned to each other, pulling at their bindings as they leaned in to share a kiss. Dolos sneered and clapped his hands. The golden ropes sought to deny the couples¡¯ affections, tightened, stretched, and broke. Their lips met as the remnant strands of divinity sloughed off of Garret and Jenny. ¡°I love you,¡± a wife said. ¡°I love you more,¡± her husband replied. ¡°What¡ª¡± Apate started, but then inky tendrils of essence shot from the abyssal cultivators, covering her mouth. Black roots raced from the former captives, destroying any divine chi they touched as they encompassed the cavern. Suddenly, the cuttlefish recognized the terrible truth. They were unmaking themselves. Both gods were thrown aside, slammed against the now black walls before getting swallowed whole and becoming a part of the room. Jenny and Garret locked eyes with him, only their faces not yet unmade. The kraken¡¯s brother understood. This was the only way. They had to sacrifice themselves, lest the rituals complete, and the war be lost. ¡°No,¡± Garret¡¯s disembodied denial came from everywhere all at once. ¡°Well, not exactly...¡± ¡°Sacrifice implies some kind of loss,¡± Jenny added, her voice incredibly powerful, yet calm. Soft. ¡°Dying so the rituals can be stopped? For sure, that¡¯s a sacrifice.¡± ¡°Taking these usurpers off the board, though?¡± Garret smiled, his lower jaw just now obscured by unwinding tendrils of midnight. ¡°That¡¯s a blessing¡ªone that the entire world will reap.¡± ¡°But... you¡¯re being unmade! I¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡±Garret¡¯s rebuke was sharp, kind, and spoken from afar. ¡°You two have each other...¡± He was barely audible now. ¡°And the world has the both of you.¡± ¡°Take care of our cute little octopus for us,¡± Jenny said, a mere whisper on the wind. ¡°And we¡¯re sorry...¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± He didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What could you possibly have to be sorry fo¡ª¡± His words cut off as ribbons of black slithered into his mind, seizing control. *** The kraken regained consciousness to find something powerful drawing from the hungering void that was his core. Still groggy, he allowed himself a smile. His masters were removing the caustic divine essence he¡¯d absorbed, sharing the burden equally between them. Somehow, against all odds, they had survived. But when two-thirds of the golden chi been removed, their abysses only grew more insistent. He reached out to them, tried to tell them not to go overboard, and found their connection... unravelling. Confusion. Fear. Denial. Despair. Rage. They were fading away¡ªbeing unmade. Someone was using what remained of their spirits to channel their power. Their murderer started absorbing more from the kraken¡¯s abyssal essence sucked out alongside the divine corruption. *** ¡°I don¡¯t want this!¡± the cuttlefish roared, anger and grief fighting for control. Jenny¡¯s last word lingered. Sorry. They were forcing him to pull them apart, and he couldn¡¯t understand why. They guided him toward their latent chi, all the essence in their cores now his to command. It was the power of two cultivators bonded to an elemental. The strength of two beings that had almost advanced enough to ascend from this lower realm. They forced him to grasp it. Showed him how to harness the abyss. He should have been ecstatic. He¡¯d fantasized of wielding such energy for millennia. Instead, all he felt was betrayal. They¡¯d given him that which he most desired, but at the cost of his own agency. ¡°Why?¡± he demanded. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Someone else answered. Dolos and Apate, like two hands clawing up from the underworld, dragged their way back into his mental space, their statuesque features stricken and wild. Garret and Jenny pulled this way and that in his mind, showing him how to counter their divine protections¡ªsomething only abyssal chi could do. The gods¡¯ emotions hit him as if they were his own. They were desperate. Rabid. Their feigned death, their final gambit, had been uncovered. They flailed and stabbed with blades of divinity, tearing through the black tendrils that sought to consume them. The cuttlefish finally understood. He¡¯d assumed the gods defeated; his brother¡¯s masters had known better. Still in control of his being, they fought the usurpers off. They drew on their bond, and the kraken¡¯s essence came pouring in. Identical to theirs, it obeyed them¡ªobeyed him. Coming to terms with the role he had to play, he examined an aspect he¡¯d always dreamed of, yet long ago accepted he would never wield. Abyssal chi. It felt right, even more aligned with his soul than he¡¯d imagined. He hated every moment. It was unfair. It was cruel. And there was no other way. He could do nothing. He couldn¡¯t even look away. His only option was to witness the final stages of the unmaking, forced to take part in the annihilation of two usurpers and two allies. His own power called out. The earthen chi was being pulled into the void, as was the first sister¡¯s volcanic essence. He tried to reach out to her, tried to tell her to flee, but the void was too vast¡ªany attempt at communication was absorbed as an afterthought. There was only one task left for him. A single job to pour his anguish into. Using the sliver of abyssal chi not being used to suppress the divine gods, he sucked in the still-molten rock beneath the continent. Even that fraction of power was catastrophic. In moments, a full half of the landmass dropped five meters, the coastal regions swallowed by the ocean. He needed more. It needed to happen faster. He didn¡¯t want to think any longer. When all the magma was absorbed, he focused on solid rock, absorbing hundreds, then thousands of tonnes a second. The continent shuddered and cracked and split, one solid piece becoming countless disconnected fragments. The divine gods were almost consumed now, so he grasped more of the abyssal chi, tearing it out of Jenny and Garret¡¯s fading hands. They seemed to urge caution. When he didn¡¯t listen, they tried to fight back, but they¡¯d become too weak. He couldn¡¯t care anymore. The more he channeled, the fewer thoughts he had. Emptiness was the closest thing to peace he could find. He sucked in everything around him, going above and beyond the destruction he and the first sister had planned. A full megatonne of material was gone from the world now. His mind was blank. A single thought came to him, and he eased back, letting it expand. He would need to stop soon. Despite his anguish, he wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone. Especially his sister and brother, who were nearby. He prepared a pulse of affection to reassure them, loosened his grip on the abyssal chi, and¡ª Something screamed in warning. A line of burning agony shot into his core. Its serrated tip took hold. A golden spear. Two different beings laughed from the weapon now embedded in his soul. A wave of white-hot disgust washed over him. Those two voices... the abyssal cultivators... they had done this. ¡°Liars!¡± he bellowed. They¡¯d deceived him. Betrayed him, just like all the others had, or eventually would. Such was life in this treacherous realm. That burning line deep within encouraged these thoughts, adding fuel to the flames. He could only trust himself. Nobody else could be relied on. With that, he thought of his brother and sister, the only family he had remaining. His earthen core roiled. Those closest to him were the least trustworthy¡ªtheir betrayals hurt the most. Fine, he decided, harnessing earthen, divine, and abyssal energy. With that unholy trinity, he drew his siblings in, broadcasting his intention with a single blast of will. Surrender, he ordered. Assimilate, or be destroyed. *** As we shifted toward what I instinctively knew to be the last vision, I let out a shaky breath that matched the state of my soul. Frack me. I hadn¡¯t expected sunshine and rainbows, but this...? Another agreed. ¡°Stop!¡± the kraken begged, inky tentacles shooting out latching onto the nothingness we floated within. ¡°No more!¡± His voice was raw. Guttural. ¡°Mate...¡± I said. ¡°This is the last one. We¡¯re almost done. I prom¡ª¡± ¡°No more!¡± he repeated. He was no longer a concept in this space. His emotions were so long that his body had materialized, and hundreds of powerful suckers gripped whatever they could find. I cocked my head to the side as I saw two of the eight limbs weren¡¯t in use¡ªthose that had once been chomped off by a hungry fishy with no idea of the terrifying being its snack would one day become. The kraken noticed my attention and tucked them back against his body. I let out a slow breath, not happy about the tactic I was about to employ, but determined to do it anyway. I nodded at the catatonic shape that was the kraken¡¯s brother. ¡°He won¡¯t be healed until we see the last vision, mate. Something has been afflicting him, which is why he¡¯s unconscious.¡± I took a step and appeared right before the kraken, reached out toward one of his retracted tentacles, then thought better of it, instead resting my palm against the base of his body. He flinched when I made contact, but I forged onward. ¡°I reckon I have a good idea what¡¯s afflicting him, and I bet you do, too.¡± The empty voids where the kraken¡¯s eyes should be flared, and understanding made his entire form shake. He let out three silent sobs, then two quiet ones, his grasping limbs fading in and out of view. Finally, he released his grip with a quiet whimper, and we spiralled down toward our destination. We slammed into another¡¯s awareness with finality, and though the mind belonged to a past version of the kraken, their emotions weren¡¯t all that different. Myriad negative feelings hit him like tidal waves striking a barren shore, any sand, shells, or creatures long ago dragged out to sea. His brother had betrayed not only him, but the entire world. He¡¯d dispatched an entire continent, along with every poor soul calling it home. It was an unfathomable loss of life. But despite the many lives robbed, the kraken felt no sorrow for them. He couldn¡¯t. Losing his masters had left a yawning maw in his soul. Even now, it called out to him, demanding his attention. One of Garret and Jenny¡¯s favorite names for him was ¡®He Who Stares into the Void¡¯, a moniker gifted to him by one of the myriad churches that deified him. But no matter how accustomed he was to staring into the abyss, he could not face this darkness. The pain was too much. And then it got worse, two other aspects coming to reinforce the power drawing him in. Earthen chi strengthened the black tendrils, and ribbons of golden light looped outward, wrapping around his limbs in search of its opposing aspect¡ªthe essence his entire body was made of. Surrender, his former brother screamed. Assimilate, or be destroyed. He fought back. He wouldn¡¯t go so easily. The maw within tried to steal his resolve; he decided to use it instead. No hesitation remained as he spun and latched onto its edges with his many suckers. The golden ribbons approached. He pulled himself closer to the terrible fissure in his mind, bracing for what was to come. The divine loops started closing around his body. If they took hold, they¡¯d never let go. The kraken gathered his will, steeled his nerves, and stared directly into the void. So much torment flowed out from him that everything paused, even the threads of divinity disoriented by the onslaught of emotions. The volcanic elemental must have already been absorbed; their magma swirled out alongside the other aspects assaulting¡ª The scene froze as the current version of the kraken thrashed in the nothingness we occupied. Whatever he was so petrified of reliving... it was almost here. I reached out with pillars of pure essence, both firm yet caring with my encouragement. He raged, heaved, then let go, allowing the scene to resume. There, it all happened at once. Memories of his masters didn¡¯t so much wash over him; they struck with the mass and devastation of a meteor. He reeled back, but only for a fraction of a second. He steadied himself by picturing their faces. They¡¯d gone against their own gods. Defected to the losing side of a war, knowing it to be a just cause. They were sources of light, joy, and everything good in this uncaring world. He spoke an oath to himself, but it was garbled. The world shook. He¡¯d acknowledged their passing. Truly internalized the fact they¡¯d been unmade. They would never be reborn. It seemed to split him in two¡ªbut that was the point. Two partitions formed, and he focused one of them on each of his foremost tentacles, creating something forbidden by the laws of nature and the heavens above. They were smaller than pinheads. Despite their size, they both contained almost half of his essence. Such things were potentially cataclysmic, depending on the aspect of the user¡ªand his was the worst imaginable. They pulled at the limbs he¡¯d put them in, and before his entire body could be dragged into their gravitational pull, he ripped them off. Thankfully, the demon he¡¯d called a brother was so corrupt as to be mindless. The once-cuttlefish sent his quad sources of chi out toward the pinheads that dared oppose him. He wanted their power. If he failed, well, the killer of the kraken¡¯s masters would be no more. It¡¯d destroy the central continent too... but that was already gone, along millions of innocent lives extinguished. To his dismay, the earth elemental succeeded, its combination of divine, abyssal, earthen, and volcanic chi able to draw power from such incredibly dense gravitational fields. It did, however, allow the kraken¡¯s retreat. He was already gone. Weak and almost entirely drained of chi, he slipped along the ocean floor, remaining invisible by focusing on an oath taken, replaying it over and over and over in his mind. Each repetition was garbled. Sending a part of myself out into the nothingness we occupied, I my tendril of pure essence approached the Kraken¡¯s trembling body, but he spoke before I could. ¡°I know,¡± he said, his voice and spirit depleted. A heartbeat later, we went back in time, arriving the moment he¡¯d first spoken it. I swear on my masters, and on the demon that my former brother has become, and on my very soul... The world vibrated, and spikes of his own chi prepared to solidify within his body. I will not rest until I have avenged the unmaking of my masters, and found a purpose worthy of their memory. If I turn from this course, let me join them in being unmade. Everything shook. The spikes of abyssal chi lanced through his nexus of power before shrinking. There they remained, infinitesimal lines of potential that would either disappear once his oath was completed, or detonate if he broke it. I finally understood. Appearing back in the nothingness, the kraken stared into space, the last of his shame and regret laid bare. I didn¡¯t say a thing, instead shining beams of pure essence upon his awareness, the rays lacking any of the golden hue that haunted him so. Together, the nothingness vanished around us, and we were sucked back out into the waking world. Book 4: Chapter 68: Hitchhiking Riffraff Book 4: Chapter 68: Hitchhiking Riffraff When I arrived back in my body, not a second had passed. The soft colors of predawn called out to me, and a small wave crashed against the shore. Both were usually sources of bliss, but as I spied the mini Cthulhu perched in the shallows, his memories settled in the forefront of my mind, banishing any hope of peaceful thoughts. But then a source of joy arrived, taking the edge off my sorrow. Corporal Claws, her body both wreathed by and made of lightning, slammed into the kraken at full speed. She latched onto him with all four of her limbs, threw her head to the sky, and bawled. Like bawled, bawled. Two liters of ice cream and a breakup bawled. A box of chocolates and a rom-com kinda bawl¡ª Hey! she scream-chirped at me, giving me her best glare. You made your point! Picking up right where she left off, she threw her head back again, dual streams of electrical droplets pouring from her eyes. The raccoon¡¯s torso flew from her pocket, and he joined her, gathering and hugging sections of malleable kraken skin to his face like they were trying to escape. Had everyone seen the memories? I sent my senses out, half expecting to find an entire beach of depressed cultivators, but most were just confused. Only those bonded to me had witnessed it. One and all, they were holding themselves back, showing the restraint my otter and her raccoon lacked. ¡°Hey,¡± I said, ¡°He Who Stares with Monsters or into the Void or whatever it was your masters liked calling you.¡± Two abyssal eyes left Claws and drifted toward me, expression numb, sclera filled with frozen swirls of gray. ¡°Just giving you a heads-up that you¡¯re about to get hugged, mate. Like . . . a lot.¡± ¡°Is that your way of seeking permission?¡± ¡°Hell no. If I asked, you could decline.¡± Despite the knowledge weighing him down, one of his brows rose ever so slightly. I sent out a mental command to all those connected to my soul, and the shore exploded with movement. Maria got there first. Slimes sacrificed his own impending arrival by extending from her back, then shooting himself into her. She struck just above Claws, her slight body already shaking with sobs. ¡°You poor thing . . .¡± Everyone else arrived within seconds, even Pistachio moving at an incredible clip, but only because he was still riding Teddy like a sapient suit of armor. The hug-inclined bear whined as he barreled into one of the kraken¡¯s mighty limbs. Over a dozen pairs of pelican wings stuck to him like flecks of statically charged lint. The roots of a mangrove grew around two tentacles. A tiny bunny let out a scream that was half war cry, half misery as she rocketed into him. A hellhound flickered between countless forms as he rubbed himself against the poor soul that had lost two pack mates. Rocky wasn¡¯t bonded to me, but he still patted the kraken reassuringly. Then, he lit a cigarette and ate it after taking a single drag¡ªwhich I guessed was his version of pouring one out for the homies. Hundreds of bees¡ªBumblebro, Queen Bee, and every Buzzy Boy present¡ªlanded atop one tentacle and vibrated their wings in mourning. At the same time, myriad crustaceans hit his back, plinking like hail on a tin roof. When Snips arrived, she settled as far from me as possible, latching onto the rear of the kraken¡¯s noggin. I¡¯d be lying if I said it didn¡¯t twist my knickers a little, but there were matters more pressing. I turned to Barry, mouthed Trust me, then leaped and landed beside Maria, engulfing us all in a bubble of calming essence. I had expected to find a slimy body. Instead, the kraken¡¯s skin reminded me of the soft underside of a velvety leaf. I snorted, suddenly realizing why the raccoon was bunching it up and smooshing it against his face. One moment, lil Cthulhu had been alone on the shore, the next, we absolutely covered him. ¡°This . . .¡± came his rumbling voice. ¡°Is appreciated. Thank you.¡± ¡°No wukkas, mate. I call it a cuddle puddle.¡± ¡°No . . . wukkas?¡± He¡¯d walked right into it. I grinned and looked at Maria, who was entirely unimpressed. ¡°Hellhound . . .¡± the kraken said before I could spring the trap. ¡°Might I request a favor?¡± Borks took a few steps back and sat on his haunches, letting out an affirmative bark. ¡°I believe I am not long for this world. I will be unmade soon, and I ask that when I depart, you give Cerberus my apologies. I owe him a debt, and I won¡¯t be able to repay it.¡± Borks¡¯s head darted to me, his ears pinned, eyes wide, and lower teeth visible. ¡°Borks,¡± I said, ¡°when you came to join us and offered up your memories, you recalled a particular brother a few times . . .¡± His tail went between his legs. ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice that you never showed us what he looked like. I don¡¯t suppose he, I dunno, has three fracking heads?¡± He turned to the side, the whites of his eyes showing as he tried to look anywhere but at me. ¡°Oh, come here, you scoundrel.¡± I scooped him up in a hand of solid light and drew him closer. He transformed into a Chihuahua, rolled onto his back, and gave me his best demonic blehhh. ¡°Mate, that¡¯s crazy! I get why you concealed it. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re the brother of the Cerberus!¡± His tail wagged slightly, unsure if I was serious¡ªit was at least the third white lie I¡¯d uncovered in so many days. I have him a good belly rub to hammer the message home. As Borks turned into a golden retriever and shifted, letting me get the spot he couldn¡¯t reach, the kraken cleared his throat. ¡°Traveler Fischer. I¡ª¡± ¡°Traveler Fischer . . .¡± I mused, cutting him off. ¡°Why has no one called me that before? It has a nice twang to it¡ªlike I¡¯m some kind of vagabond angler, wandering wherever the winds push and tides pull. Maria, write that down for later.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Worth a crack. Carry on, then, my eldritch pal from the deep. You were saying?¡± A slight hint of movement had returned to his sclera. He considered me for a long moment. ¡°I was going to say that I was dismissive and condescending upon meeting you. I assumed there was no way you could be what you claimed. I was wrong. And in reply, all you have given me is kind¡ª¡± ¡°Right. Lots of kindness and all that. I¡¯m a pretty good bloke, huh?¡± His brow flinched, and I grinned. ¡°Do my continual interruptions even the playing field?¡± ¡°. . . A little, yes.¡± ¡°Good, but I still gotta deny your request.¡± The whirlpools in his eyes turned into countless gray dots. ¡°I know that you have already shown me an unfathomable amount of grace, but you don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I interrupted again, waggling my eyebrows an audacious amount. ¡°I do know what you were going to request. You¡¯ve pointed out how you were a bit of a dick, and that I was the bloody good bloke I try to be. Next, you¡¯ll ask that despite your impropriety, when your brother wakes up¡ª¡± I nodded at the unconscious car-sized cuttlefish just chilling on Bob¡¯s deck. ¡°In your absence, you want me to tell him how sad and regretful you are.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The kraken, his body already so black only cultivators could gaze upon it, somehow got even darker. ¡°I see. You are positive that you shall not assist in this manner? No other has the ability to show him direct memories . . .¡± I could feel the hair-thin strands within him. Tiny needles of condensed abyssal chi, so numerous I couldn¡¯t count them, were prepared to pull him apart. No matter how I answered, his oath would be forsaken¡ªhe would be unmade. ¡°My man, my animal pals are some of the silliest geese I¡¯ve ever met, but you¡¯ve got to be the king of them. And before you go unraveling like a frayed sweater¡ª¡± ¡°Wonderful analogy!¡± came a voice filled with scorn. I slowly spun, spotted Ruby, and gave a half-hearted smile. ¡°Thank you, Rubes¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s Ruby to you. Nicknames are reserved for those who don¡¯t teleport their friends halfway to Gormona!¡± Those I had sent with her all gave me tight smiles¡ªexcept for Steven, whose peaked brow told me I¡¯d done this to myself. Ruby crossed her arms. ¡°I demand an apology!¡± ¡°You know what, Rubes? No! You¡¯re pregnant, and I regret nothing!¡± ¡°Stop infantilizing me, you bastard!¡± ¡°Ruby!¡± I gestured with both hands at the black hole made manifest behind me. ¡°I¡¯m trying to tell this world¡¯s version of Cthulhuthat he doesn¡¯t have to die! Can you give me one fracking minute?¡± She pouted, huffed, and rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine.¡± Despite her expert concealment, a blind person could¡¯ve spotted the smile attempting to break free of her tightened lips. ¡°Hurry it up¡ªI need to finish scolding you.¡± ¡°Sorry about that, mate,¡± I said to the kraken. ¡°Pregnancy hormones are a¡ª¡± I ducked the shoe that came sailing for my head. Unfortunately, that left a certain cephalopod in the line of fire. Whap! The heel struck him right in the dome, but he didn¡¯t react in the slightest. His eyes whirled once more as he stared down at me. ¡°You speak the truth?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you, my ma¡ªer, eldritch horror. A couple mates of mine helped me realize something about oaths and truths.¡± I scanned the crowd and shot Marcus and his husband a quick wink. ¡°Far as I see it, such things are all about perspective.¡± I¡¯d expected a reaction, but not the one that came. His fury and anger were unleashed in great waves of abyssal power. Most of the cuddle puddle immediately retreated. Other than myself, only Maria and Claws remained, the former radiating pulses of healing essence, the latter riding the kraken¡¯s rippling skin like she was surfing. Oh, Teddy and his Pistachio armor, too, four ursine limbs wrapped about a tentacle writhing around ten meters above the shore. The kraken paid everyone else no attention. ¡°Are you insinuating, human, that I would forsake my duty?¡± Noting how fast he dropped the polite honorifics from earlier, I cut to the chase. ¡°My many-limbed brother, I ain¡¯t insinuating shit. I¡¯m flat-out telling you that your oath was dumb as heck, and that there¡¯s a way to fulfill it without forsaking your duty, honor, or whatever else.¡± His skin still rose and fell, but with reduced frequency. He looked toward the crowd. ¡°Truthsay¡ª¡± ¡°Well, well, well,¡± Theo interrupted. ¡°Look who came craaawling back.¡± ¡°I, uh . . . I apologize?¡± ¡°For?¡± Theo demanded, enjoying himself entirely too much. ¡°For calling you a Falsesay¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Theo faced the heavens and pinched the bridge of his nose with dainty fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t say it again. My delicate sensibilities cannot handle hearing such a vulgar term twice in one day.¡± The kraken, perhaps wondering if the juice was worth the squeeze, nodded. ¡°May I request you confirm his words?¡± ¡°Which ones?¡± ¡°All that Traveler Fischer has just said . . .¡± Theo sniffed. ¡°I could choose to interpret that any number of ways, but I¡¯ll take pity on you. Yes, Fischer was telling¡ª¡± ¡°Traveler Fischer,¡± I corrected. ¡°Yeah, no. Not happening. I respect the attempt, though. Fischer was telling the truth. He believes that . . .¡± I stopped listening, instead engaging in a swift yet exhaustive round of negotiations with a duo that would likely be designated a terrorist organization by anyone sensible. Finally, Claws and the raccoon both nodded and made twin oaths on their cores using the knowledge we¡¯d gleaned from the kraken¡¯s memories. It was a drastic step, yet entirely necessary. ¡°. . . and that you can genuinely fulfill your oath,¡± Theo finished. I¡¯d not known mini Cthulhu for long, but based on the nebulous clouds of white in his eyes, I had a pretty good idea what he was feeling. Hope. Perfect timing, too. With the help of Theo, Ruby, and the chancla she¡¯d turned into a projectile, we had wasted the necessary amount of time. I nodded at Claws, and her grin grew downright devious. Countless little jolts of electricity arced from tooth to tooth. Then, she flew. It was odd to see her move without shooting thunderbolts from her hindquarters¡ªshe loved doing so¡ªbut her abstinence was pivotal. She landed on the cuttlefish, struck a villainous pose by raising her chi-filled forepaws to the sky, then drove her chaotic essence into the kraken¡¯s brother with an overhand strike. Her lightning swept his earthen aspect aside, opening up a ravine whose walls pressed in from both sides, wanting to expel her intrusion. Another pair of paws plunged into the gaping gorge, and the raccoon¡¯s digits tippy-tapped around within the soul of an ancient being. I¡¯d never seen him so serious. So focused. After only moments, he froze, his concentration banished by a grin so wide and dastardly that my skin crawled. His pudgy forelimbs tensed. He poured every drop of his kleptomaniacal chi into whatever he¡¯d found. And he heaved. Like an unworthy wielder trying to pull Excalibur from its stone, nothing happened for a few seconds, but then the slight bastard went full Super Saiyan. Waves and peaks of opaque force rose from his body, and a line of fur stood on end, giving him a cute little mohawk. He screamed with the effort. The sound was quieter than I reckoned it should be, considering how much energy he was exerting. He and Claws were engaged in a war of wills against two parties. One was unconscious, yet still powerful. The other was relatively weak but had just reawakened, which was the reason I¡¯d needed to stall. I was ready to step in and lend my chi if necessary, but with one last increase of intent, Claws¡¯s familiar won a battle against beings he had no right defeating. Serrated barbs retracted back into the weapon they¡¯d sprouted from, the raccoon¡¯s desire to steal overpowering the wills of gods. A golden spear of divine light emerged from the kraken¡¯s brother. The raccoon held it high overhead, and Claws grabbed him by the hips, parading her familiar¡ªand his prize¡ªaround Bob¡¯s deck with wordless chirps and trills. I couldn¡¯t help but share their sense of victory, but I whistled to get their attention all the same. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt yourselves . . .¡± Though they both gave me a bruh expression, they knew I was right. Claws turned away and flicked the raccoon over her shoulder, discarding him like the already-snacked-on shell of an oyster. When he landed on the ground next to me, he did the exact same thing to the golden weapon he held, shrugging despite his core demanding he snatch it back out of the air. I yoinked it first, not giving him the opportunity. ¡°You did great, Rocky Two.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Maria and Claws yelled and chirped. ¡°No naming him!¡± the former added. The latter¡¯s offensive and colorful insult conveyed the same message. I scratched the raccoon behind the ear, shot him a wink, then booted the devious little bastard when his paw reached out for the spear of its own accord. ¡°Why? You¡¯ll literally be unraveled!¡± Tears of loss streamed in his wake as he flew back toward Claws, his vow waging a war with who he was at heart. Before he could reenter her core, the first oath they¡¯d ever made dissolved, their duty fulfilled. I gazed down at the foot-long spear in my hands. It was only a fraction of the size it had once been, but I could tell they were in there. I shook it and poked it with tendrils of pure essence. ¡°You two have exactly five seconds to come out, or I¡¯m going to burn you away.¡± There was no response. ¡°Four.¡± ¡°Uhhh,¡± Theo said. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth, but . . .¡± ¡°But what?¡± I asked. ¡°Also, three.¡± He pointed down at the spear. ¡°Who are you talking to . . .?¡± ¡°Just some hitchhiking riffraff.¡± They stirred, but remained inside. ¡°Two.¡± The weapon shook. One of them was trying to exit, and the other was fighting it. Theo snorted. ¡°So, that was a lie. Who are they, then?¡± ¡°One!¡± I said. ¡°Last chance!¡± A half second later, the spear split down the middle, and both halves flowed beside me onto the sand. Ignoring the still-forming shapes, I turned to look at Theo. ¡°Who are they?¡± I gave a casual shrug. ¡°Oh, you know, just a couple of gods.¡± Book 4: Chapter 69: Aces Book 4: Chapter 69: Aces As two vertical suns appeared on the shore, their divine chi lit almost everything from horizon to horizon. The kraken alone defied their gilding, his abyssal body a midnight blemish on an otherwise holy scene. The light vanished, my vision returned, and twin gods pressed their foreheads into the sand at my feet. ¡°Mighty Traveler,¡± Dolos said, his proud face hidden. ¡°We have long awaited your arrival.¡± ¡°Thank the heavens!¡± Apate cried. ¡°I never thought the prophecy would come true!¡± ¡°Guys . . .¡± I scrunched my face. ¡°Can we skip the whole groveling thing? I¡¯m not even a little into it.¡± Both shot to their feet and bowed their heads. Their beauty struck me, perfectly symmetrical features highlighted by high cheekbones, strong yet petite jaws, and hair right out of a shampoo commercial. ¡°Before you condemn us based on past events . . .¡± Dolos¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°Know that our actions were necessary to bring about your arrival in this ill-fated realm.¡± I raised a brow at Theo, who gave me a conflicted look before mouthing, Truth. I returned my attention to the deities. ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°We¡ª¡± Apate¡¯s lip quivered. She took a moment to compose herself. ¡°We had to debase ourselves. We were once the twins of truth and order, yet we have been¡ª¡± She choked up, and Dolos laid a hand on her upper back, rubbing it softly until she continued. ¡°We¡¯ve been immortalized as deceivers, betrayers, and worse.¡± The kraken, his core remarkably still, moved to respond, but I stalled him with a raised finger and a pulse of essence. Nothing the gods had claimed so far was a lie. Even without Theo confirming it, I could sense the truth radiating from every fiber of their being. ¡°Details. Now.¡± They shared a look, nodded, then reached out to me with their chi, drawing me¡ª ¡°Nope,¡± I said, interrupting their broadcast memories with a slight flex of will. Their eyes flinched, but I ignored their shock. ¡°I can feel that you¡¯re being truthful, but I don¡¯t have the stomach for any more depressing stories today. Tell me with words.¡± Again, their gazes flashed, then Dolos nodded. ¡°To tell it as succinctly as possible, the reason that the heavens above are now empty was because of the water gods¡¯ betrayal. They, out of sheer hubris and greed, stole wealth that was not theirs to take, and embraced power anathema to life . . .¡± Apate picked up where he trailed off, her hand shaking at her side. ¡°An aspect capable of absorbing all.¡± Still trembling, she extended one finger. ¡°The kind of evil that consumes all that is good and right and just in this world.¡± Her expression was laden with anger, sadness, and regret as she pointed at the kraken. ¡°The very chi this beacon of the void now wields.¡± ¡°I see . . .¡± Dolos licked his lips. ¡°You . . . you truly believe us? Most interpretations of the prophecy warned that we would be scorned at first . . .¡± ¡°To the great detriment of everyone,¡± Apate added, wiping tears from her eyes. ¡°But all prophesiers agreed you would eventually learn the truth. Only then would you allow our help in making you the head of this world¡¯s, this universe¡¯s, new pantheon.¡± I said nothing, neither my body nor words revealing a thing. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust us yet . . .¡± Dolos continued. ¡°Please, even if temporarily, detain this poor, misled soul.¡± He gave the kraken a look of such remorse that it reverberated in my core. ¡°He was just a pawn to the betrayers, and though it is not his fault, he cannot be allowed his freedom.¡± Letting out a slow sigh, I turned to the octopus homie. ¡°Would you mind, mate?¡± ¡°With pleasure,¡± he rumbled, a giant wave of pitch-black catharsis released from his soul. The shift happened so quickly that they couldn¡¯t respond in time. One moment, the twin gods of divinity were grief-stricken, the next, their facades were cleansed away by my pure light, revealing aged bodies and wicked smiles even uglier than I remembered. The golden siblings responded by dropping to their knees and pressing their wrinkled faces into the sand once more. ¡°Forgive us!¡± Dolos yelled. ¡°The facade of youth was also necessary!¡± Apate nodded, not looking up. ¡°The prophecy is¡ª¡± ¡°A bunch of horseshit?¡± I interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m well aware. It¡¯s fascinating that you can actually lie to me and . . .¡± I pouted at Theo. ¡°What are you, again?¡± ¡°Your octo-pal called me a Truthsayer, but for what it¡¯s worth, I identify as a fisherman.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± I whispered. ¡°Octo-pal. I should have thought of that . . .¡± ¡°Please!¡± Dolos said, his aged hands clutching at the sand in an accurate show of indignant frustration. ¡°If you do not believe us, lock us away!¡± The expression on her face did its best to tear my heart in two. ¡°Look how weak we have become. There is no risk in imprisoning us. We lack the power to . . .¡± She trailed off, turning to glance behind her. ¡°What . . .¡± Double damn, I thought. Terrible timing . . . A silhouette raced in from the east, his essence unmissable even through the divine and abyssal chi between us. He¡¯d had a breakthrough, and his core now felt . . . old? Like the shelves of a seldom-wandered library, its books in perfect condition despite apparent disuse. ¡°Hellooo!¡± Ellis called, sitting atop a small, thin, and dolphin-powered skip. No one spoke as he skidded up on the sand, the three porpoises wheeling away to disappear into the depths, their job complete. ¡°Thank you!¡± Ellis yelled, hands on hips, smile wide as he watched them go. ¡°You should consider getting some of those, Fischer. Wonderful creatures . . .¡± ¡°Ellis . . .¡± I said, pointing a hand at the kraken and the other at two divine gods. ¡°This¡ª¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± he replied, patting his simple brown robe down. He withdrew a long pipe from one pocket, packed it with dried and chopped leaves from another, then resumed checking his many hidden pouches. ¡°I know I left it . . . oh!¡± Rocky had sauntered over and was extending a claw high, its lines growing a bright red. ¡°My thanks, Rocky,¡± Ellis said, squatting to let the crab give him a light. ¡°Much appreciated.¡± Rocky nodded, raised an already-lit cigarette in toast, then gave it a long drag, the formerly belligerent duo both sharing a wordless moment of calm. I cleared my throat. ¡°Right. Well. As I was saying, this is our new octo-pal. Damn,I really wish I came up with that. He¡¯s a kraken, has lived for thousands of years, and channels chi that can stand against the beings that used to rule this realm. Speaking of . . .¡± I gestured toward two such gods. ¡°Ellis, meet Dolos and Apate. They¡¯re twins of deceit or some shit. They were trapped in the giant cuttlefish over there, who was actually an earth elemental. Well, he still is, but he had evil-dictator vibes before and like dozens of other elementals of different aspects assimilated to his soul because of the corrupting spear of¡±¡ªI took a gasping breath and finished in a rush¡ª¡°divine chi that Dolos and Apate the twins of deceit or whatever had turned into so that they could remain alive in his soul like one of those parasites that take over insects¡¯ minds and turns them into zombies that intentionally get eaten by birds in order to further the life cycle of said parasites do-you-know-what-I-mean?¡± I took another heaving inhalation. ¡°Any questions?¡± ¡°Fascinating . . .¡± Ellis said, not looking at them or me as he puffed on his pipe. He was busy perusing the pelicans, Maria, Claws, the bees, and Snips and her crustaceans. Yeah! Claws chirped, her upper torso wiggling around with that fraction of attention. Yeah! her raccoon agreed, zipping over to steal Ellis¡¯s smoking instrument, only to get summarily denied via swift backhand from the former archivist. ¡°I¡¯m a boyyy!¡± Slimes yelled, flying from Maria¡¯s shoulder. ¡°A pleasure to meet you.¡± Ellis extended his hand and shook the familiar¡¯s whole body when it slapped into his palm. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, by the way.¡± He stepped back, lobbed Slimes toward Maria, withdrew a notebook and pen, then started scribbling away. ¡°Please, carry on where you left off. Pretend I am not even here.¡± More shocking than Ellis¡¯s apparent shift in personality was the fact that I could still be surprised after the events of the previous twenty-four hours. I¡¯d thought it terrible timing for his arrival, because no matter how calm he¡¯d seemed when we sailed past him last night, the existence of deities should have broken him. Apparently, I was wrong. Beneath his library-like chi, I recognized an odd pattern circulating¡ªthe exact same technique that currently swirled around Rocky¡¯s volcanic core. I peered at the plant they were smoking, paused for a moment, then looked at Dolos and Apate once more. ¡°Right. Where were we?¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. They returned my gaze, but I could feel their attention constantly tugging back toward Ellis. Did his breakthrough hold some kind of significance? Interesting . . . ¡°We were discussing our imprisonment,¡± Apate said, remaining on her knees and sitting upright. ¡°Even if we are evil, which we absolutely are not, we can be reformed. You are compassionate and just, which is the exact reason you are the traveler of prophecy.¡± I crossed my arms, closed my eyes, and nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah, nah. Fuck all that.¡± ¡°What?¡± they both asked, genuinely confused by my answer. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m all for reform.¡± I gestured at the royal family, the handlers, and even the two noble Osnans. ¡°These guys previously sucked to varying degrees, but look at them now¡ªaren¡¯t they adorable?¡± Tryphena raised a brow, the handlers looked confused, and Tom Osnan Jr. glared so hard that he appeared one second from reverting to evil. ¡°But,¡± I continued, ¡°you are literally gods of deception, and I¡¯ve seen firsthand . . . wait, is it secondhand if you witness a memory directly?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. The point is, I¡¯ve seen for myself just how twisted you two are. I¡¯ll give you props for the attempt, though. Mention a prophecy, plant the seed of doubt that said prophecy warned I wouldn¡¯t trust you at first, and, finally, drop the bomb that you want to help me become the chief deity of some universe-spanning pantheon. It might have worked on another bloke, to be honest, but you got the wrong¡ª¡± ¡°Please do not dismiss our truth!¡± Apate blubbered, interrupting her ugly-crying. ¡°A force is coming! Something from the far-distant heavens! You love your followers, yes? You care for them? If you do not stop the approaching army, they will lay ruin to all that you hold dear!¡± ¡°Lady . . .¡± I shook my head, growing annoyed with how her ostensibly honest tears were making my chest ache. ¡°I come from Earth. We might not have had magic, lightning-wreathed otters, or guard crabs that can shoot aura blades like anime protagonists, but you know what we did have? The internet, media giants, and billion¡ª¡± ¡°Please!¡± Dolos interrupted, but his power was slipping, the ability to mask lies beginning to falter. ¡°My sister is right. I know not the world you come from, but this enemy is so vast, so powerful. Even if you think us evil, you cannot hope to survive without our help.¡± ¡°Riiiight. Unite the people against a common enemy.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s like . . . step one in the propaganda playbook. I grew up with John Howard as my prime minister, mate. I¡¯ve had the existential threat of ¡®boat people¡¯ shoved down my throat since I was a little fella.¡± ¡°What are boat people?¡± Barry stage-whispered to the person beside him. ¡°No idea,¡± Helen hissed back. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, whatever they are, it can¡¯t be pleasant having them shoved down your throat. Do you think that¡¯s why Fischer is the way he is?¡± ¡°You know, you just might be onto something. It¡¯s the best theory I¡¯ve heard so far . . .¡± The moment I turned to give my dissenters some stink-eye, the divine twins made one last desperate attempt. ¡°Please!¡± they both yelled, their true, disgusting emotions shining through their crocodile tears. ¡°You must believe¡ª¡± In response, I did something so strong, so powerful, that they had no choice but to stop talking and listen. I blew a raspberry. ¡°Yeah, nah. Letting you two evil idiots marinate in a cell while you regain power is one Chekhov¡¯s gun I don¡¯t plan to leave hanging on my wall.¡± I pointed up. ¡°Besides, I can literally see the tunnel you¡¯ve been slowly constructing up into the sky.¡± Their eyes went wide. I grinned. ¡°Hit it, Claws.¡± Spurred to action by the second oath they¡¯d taken, a chaotic otter and a thieving raccoon shot forward. Golden beams exploded from Dolos and Apate as they both turned into streaks of light, flashing toward the thin tunnel they had weaved skyward. I slammed dozens of layers of chi into place; the siblings smashed right through them, their divine essence piercing my unaspected shields. But it wasn¡¯t just me they had to contend with. The kraken, having also been aware of their efforts, had sent his own tendrils of power into the clouds. They came pouring down the tube as a black morass, hitting the twin gods with a sickening thud that pressed them into the sand¡ªright next to a pair of deviants. Corporal Claws and her familiar glowed with energy. They took hold of the divine beings, pretended to steal it for themselves while looking at me for a reaction, then cackled and chittered, both mad with power as they sent the golden essence barreling down into the open arms of the network below. Dolos and Apate screamed in protest, and daggers of their sickly yellow light started clawing its way to the surface. A thought occurred, and I tried not to do it. I really did. If I showed a little restraint, a better opportunity would certainly come along. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t help myself. So I took a deep breath, cupped my hands to my mouth, and yelled for all to hear, ¡°Release the kraken!¡± My octo-pal¡¯s abyssal chi hit them with a sound even more sickening than the earlier thud. Dolos¡¯s and Apate¡¯s gilded blades warped, the edges growing dull as they tried and failed to find purchase. Against me, all my pals, and a kraken straight from mythology, the two gods stood not a chance¡ªthey were absorbed in their entirety by the network, then into me. The moment it touched my core, I braced with every ounce of will I had, half expecting their hatred and bitterness to come stomping into my awareness. Instead, I received bliss. Contrary to the feel of it in my visions, the golden essence flowed into my own pure light, assimilating with my complete lack of an aspect. Before I could consider it further, power streamed from both me and my Domain, dozens upon dozens of distinct spirits flowing to the surface. All the elementals that had been forced to join the cuttlefish. Trusting the combination of thieving and abyssal chi to finish off the two divine dickheads, I gave the untethered souls my full attention¡ªwhat I found transcended physical and mental senses both. First, I saw them in my mind¡¯s eye, the ethereal blobs lit by colors reflecting their respective element. When they emerged from the sands, I could smell their aspects. A red spirit zoomed around me before shooting off. His soul was incredibly hot and smelled of burning grass; he was undeniably a fire elemental, and his ideal was . . . to go fast? A green decay elemental with the scent of leaf litter was trailed by a purple rot elemental that smelled like fermented wine. The former¡¯s ideal was to destroy, and the latter¡¯s was to create life, yet they both swirled around each other, their purposes harmonious. As more and more emerged, I lost sight of the individuals, their unique temperatures, scents, and ideals overshadowed by a singular emotion coming from the many¡ªrapture. No longer were they forced to adhere to earth, and they celebrated the return to who and what they had once been. When a pair of humanoid souls called out to me, I set them aside and sealed their memory away¡ªit wasn¡¯t yet time. I focused elsewhere instead. The elementals had to make a choice, and each of them froze as three distinct forces pulled upon them. All I could decipher at first was that one anchored them in place, while the other two tugged in opposite directions¡ªabove and below. After they started making their decisions, I learned the nature of the possibilities. They were simple: become a part of the world, leave this realm, or . . . live. Hold up, I thought. Live? Am I about to unlock a menagerie of elementals? That hope was immediately denied. Most left, their disembodied wills vanishing into the sky as if they¡¯d never been. Some, perhaps a dozen, chose to remain here, their souls zipping down into the network. I trailed them there, curious what would happen, but they outsped my will and disappeared¡ªso I turned my attention to the ¡°divine¡± beings instead, witnessing the last shred of their power getting absorbed. It all happened so fast, and when all was said and done, a single being had decided to live. It was a soul I recognized¡ªthe volcanic elemental the cuttlefish had once called his sister. Choosing to remain had caused her to regain a body, and she was now a palm-sized slug made of magma. She was sitting next to the unconscious cuttlefish, which was fine except for the fact that her molten form was making parts of Bob burst into flames! The congregation-turned-crabs leaped into action, the stack of crustaceans using gouts of saltwater to put out literal fires. The cloud of steam was stunning in the predawn hues, and I watched it until I felt a certain eldritch horror¡¯s resolve shift. ¡°Hey!¡± I yelled at the kraken. ¡°Bad octo-pal! I forbid you from deciding to unmake, unravel, undo, or¡ªyou know what? Nobody is allowed to un-anything until further notice! You hear me? No un-ing!¡± The cheeky bugger didn¡¯t look even a little sorry about taking advantage of my distraction. ¡°I suppose I should not be surprised that you saw through me . . .¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t, no. As calm as you look on the outside, your disappointment is deeper than the ocean.¡± I shook my head. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is why. You clearly want to stay, so stay.¡± His face shifted, and just like the divine twins earlier, his facade shattered to reveal an expression that matched his internal state. ¡°No matter which way I look at it, I have doomed myself.¡± Doomed himself? All at once, it finally clicked in my head. ¡°Oh. Ohhhh. Damn, dude. That¡¯s dark.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Barry said. ¡°Officially lost.¡± Maria looked similarly perplexed. She¡¯d seen the same visions as me but had yet to reach the same conclusion. I nudged my suspicion across our bond. ¡°The oath!¡± Maria¡¯s eyes were saucers as, for everyone¡¯s sake, she quoted the relevant part. ¡°I will not rest until I have avenged the unmaking of my masters and found a purpose worthy of their memory. If I turn from this course, let me join them in being unmade.¡± ¡°You did it that way intentionally, didn¡¯t you?¡± I asked him. ¡°Nothing was more valuable to you than your bond with them, and if you accepted that fact, the moment they were avenged . . .¡± ¡°It seemed prudent at the time, yet now I am bound.¡± His eyes grew dull. ¡°I had dared to hope that things would be different after I helped destroy Dolos and Apate . . . but they are not. I believe that the second I apologize to my brother, I will no longer have any purpose holding me to this realm.¡± A silence stretched. I broke it before his thoughts could spiral. ¡°You know, mate, there are multiple angles to attack that resolve of yours from. Your duty to your bro. Your ability to assist against any further attacks from divine gods. Or even the existence of Claws, a newborn elemental who could certainly use your guidance.¡± My otter pal made a dismissive sound and waved one paw. Her familiar¡¯s upper torso made a gesture of similar sentiment, if much, much more aggressive. He slowly gesticulated his two raised fingers at me. ¡°But,¡± I continued, shaking my head, ¡°I assume you¡¯ve already had those same arguments with yourself?¡± ¡°I have, yes,¡± came his resigned reply. ¡°None of them worked. My brother has his sister by his side, and you¡¯re strong enough to have obliterated the divine gods immediately if you¡¯d wanted to. Do not give me that look, Traveler. I was not born yesterday. As for the chaos and lightning elemental . . .¡± His eyes showed a flicker of life again, amused circles appearing before fading away. ¡°I feel the love you hold for one another. She will be fine with you as her protector.¡± ¡°Hmm. I can see you¡¯ve exhausted your options.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°If only I had a pair of aces up my sleeve. A couple of cultivators that I¡¯d been saving in reserve for just such an occasion . . .¡± His eyes narrowed as my grin widened, and when he was just about to ask what I was hiding, I snapped my fingers. Two beings appeared on the sand, the chi within them immediately reaching out toward him. Book 4: Chapter 70: Jazz Hands Book 4: Chapter 70: Jazz Hands Beneath a sky lit by the ever-deepening orange of the coming dawn, I snapped my fingers and brought two of Tropica¡¯s cultivators out onto the sands. They were the last to arrive, their absence thus far both intentional and necessary. ¡°Ta-daaa!¡± I yelled, giving what I deemed to be the correct amount of jazz hands. Before their eyes could adjust, George¡¯s and Geraldine¡¯s cores reacted, the hints of abyssal chi within seeking to escape their abdomens and flow toward that which their essence wanted to become. Their jaws dropped open when they spotted the kraken. His reaction was even better. Both of his void-like orbs flashed with such a light shade of gray that it was almost white. Thin ovals of black formed around his slitted pupils, then radiated out with increasing speed. ¡°Traveler Fischer . . . ?¡± was all he could say, his limbs all drawn toward himself in a defensive posture. ¡°George, Geraldine. This is our new octo-pal¡ªa nickname that Theo came up with before me, the bastard. Kraken, this is George. If my calculations are correct, he¡¯s a descendant of Garret and Jenny. This is his wife, Geraldine. As you can tell, her core has the same affinity with abyssal chi that George does, despite not being a blood relation.¡± ¡°How . . . ?¡± the kraken¡¯s voice rumbled. I answered his question with one of my own. ¡°Did your masters ever do any writing, mate?¡± ¡°The manual?¡± His limbs writhed for a moment, eyes distant. ¡°It survived the war?¡± ¡°We were¡ª¡± Geraldine croaked, then cleared her throat and tried again. ¡°We were meditating upon its teachings while we waited.¡± She drew a hand from behind her back. The tome she held out was old old. A pitch-black tentacle shot forward with incredible speed, latched onto the book with a sucker almost as big as it was, then froze. ¡°My apologies,¡± the kraken said. ¡°May I . . . ?¡± Anyone in their right minds would have leaped backward if a tree-sized limb sailed toward them; George and Geraldine both nodded, expressions unreadable. The kraken lifted it to his face with great care, opening the book to a random page. The moment he spied its contents, he froze. His core opened up a fraction and drew on his emotions, sending them tumbling down into the void. ¡°I was present when these words were scrawled.¡± He handed¡ªor tentacled, I supposed¡ªthe tome back to Geraldine with exaggerated carefulness. ¡°It is impressive that Garret and Jenny¡¯s descendants kept it safe for all these years . . .¡± His voice was entirely too calm. I glanced at George and Geraldine, who remained locked in a stunned stupor. ¡°Uhhhh, you guys have anything to say?¡± They blinked. ¡°Okay,¡± I continued. ¡°A little underwhelming, but I get it. This is a lot. What about you, octo-pal? Anything you want to add?¡± His only reply was to widen the abyss within. It drank his emotions without remorse, uncaring of just how damaging such an action could be in the long term. ¡°Mate,¡± I said, ¡°you don¡¯t have to speak to them, but you should really stop draining your emotions away. That cannot be good for you.¡± His limbs, still pulled close to himself, undulated silently. Air hissed from his siphon in what I could only assume was a calming sigh. And with a nod that was as much for himself as it was for me, he let a fraction of his feelings stream out. I immediately understood why he¡¯d not wanted to experience them. It was hope again, a desire to remain tethered to this world. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he said, his abyssal eyes staring at the former lord and lady of Tropica. ¡°My hesitation has naught to do with you.¡± A wave of compassion flowed over the sands, so strong that its bearer could contain it no longer. George took a few steps forward, slightly closing the distance. ¡°We know. Fischer has been sharing his senses with us. We weren¡¯t privy to your memories, but I think we¡¯ve worked out most of it . . .¡± Geraldine moved too, her fingers slipping through those of George¡¯s right hand. ¡°Anyone would be hesitant of hopefulness after all you¡¯ve been through . . .¡± Her voice shook, and she raised her free arm, wiping away tears that had just started to spill. ¡°Personally, I think it¡¯s remarkable that you¡¯re willing to feel even a fraction of your emotions.¡± The kraken, his eyes swimming, looked my way. ¡°You showed them what was happening here?¡± ¡°Ya-huh!¡± ¡°How much chi did it cost you to hide it from me?¡± ¡°Oh, frackloads.¡± I shrugged. ¡°No biggie, though. Timing is important with these things.¡± He stared at me for a long moment, the void within him shrinking slightly and letting him experience more of his emotions. ¡°I find it stunning how far you are willing to go for others . . .¡± He turned to someone I didn¡¯t expect. ¡°You two are bonded, are you not?¡± ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Maria replied, giving me a wink. ¡°He¡¯s okay once you get used to him.¡± He completely ignored her joke, nodding instead. ¡°I ask you this because I do not believe he will give me an accurate answer¡ªhow exhausted is he right now?¡± ¡°Wellll, he absorbed the chi of an ancient earth elemental, and the golden light of two divine gods, so there¡¯s no shortage of power. But if anyone else was bearing the strain on his mind, I doubt they¡¯d be conscious. Stubborn man was hiding it from me, too, but the more fatigued he gets, the less obscured . . .¡± She slowly spun my way, her eyes forming into thin slits of accusation. ¡°Fischer . . . what the frack is that?¡± ¡°What is what? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°The thing you¡¯re sealing away . . . and refusing to think about . . .¡± ¡°Hey! Poking around in my mind while I¡¯m tired is cheating!¡± ¡°I apologize,¡± the kraken rumbled. ¡°I did not mean for my question to cause friction. I asked because I wanted to confirm something.¡± He leaned all the way forward and pressed his massive forehead into the sand, averting his eyes. ¡°I thank you, Traveler Fischer. You have repeatedly pushed yourself for my benefit.¡± ¡°Nonsense, mate! One could argue I did it all out of selfishness¡ªeither because I want you to advise Claws, or bond with George and Geraldine here. Both would aid us. Honestly, I¡¯d be chuffed in general if you stayed. Who wouldn¡¯t want Tropica to have their own li¡¯l Cthulhu?¡± ¡°You could have revealed all earlier, but you delayed so that I could experience and process my emotions. All of it at your own expense . . .¡± He sat up and shook his head. ¡°If you¡¯d done any more, I¡¯d have become indebted for life.¡± A catlike grin spread over my face. He was right. I had been dragging this out so he didn¡¯t get slammed with it all at once. There was another revelation, too¡ªone that exceeded the rest by far. I¡¯d intended on waiting longer before revealing it, but I couldn¡¯t let an opportunity like this pass me by. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°No takebacks!¡± I yelled, grabbing hold of an internal door¡ªthe only barrier sealing something in the hidden depths of my body. ¡°A lifelong debt, coming right up!¡± Sensing my intent, Maria¡¯s awareness appeared beside mine. I could have denied her; I didn¡¯t. As I slid the barrier aside, memories came flooding out, washing away the lies I¡¯d had to tell myself in order to keep the two souls hidden. Maria inspected them before any other. ¡°Dolos¡¯s and Apate¡¯s ugly smiles!¡± she swore as dual spirits flowed out and onto the sands. The moment the kraken saw them, his hold on the abyss slipped, and the void slammed shut¡ªhere was nothing drawing his emotions away as he gazed upon the ethereal faces of a husband-and-wife duo he¡¯d never expected to see again. They washed over him, and a black aura flowed from every inch of his body. It took a moment for him to move. Then, all at once, he flew forward, eight limbs grasping for the two humans he had once called masters. His eyes held none of the abyssal qualities they usually did as he caressed the souls of Garret and Jenny. I turned away, as did everyone else. I lacked the power to teleport anyone without collapsing, but the least I could do was give them privacy, so I raised a bubble of solid light around them, trapping their words and feelings within. The only exceptions were George and Geraldine, who¡¯d dashed forward at the last moment. Maria leaned against me as we stared at a sea of backs. ¡°You know, that might have been the sweetest thing I¡¯ve ever seen. Are you single? We should get a coffee sometime.¡± I put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in tight. ¡°I¡¯m engaged, actually. My betrothed is a bit rude to me sometimes, but I love her dearly.¡± ¡°Sounds terrible. You should leave her.¡± The entirety of Tropica¡¯s forces were facing west. As a result, I could see everyone¡¯s reactions as vividly as I could sense them. Torsos shook with sobs, hands drifted up to wipe faces, and people hugged one other, relying on their loved ones to process the scene. Not all were moved to tears, however. Some spoke excitedly with their neighbors, explaining who the two people were. I laughed when a newer cultivator snorted at another, then asked, ¡°How did you not know? The bloke looks like a see-through clone of George! He¡¯s clearly the ancestor!¡± ¡°Ohhhh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± her friend replied mockingly. ¡°I was a little busy being distracted by the giant fracking octopus on the beach!¡± Maria grinned at the interaction and turned up to look at me. ¡°How . . . ?¡± ¡°How what?¡± ¡°How did you do it? You didn¡¯t close yourself off to me, but I hadn¡¯t the faintest clue you¡¯d stowed them away. Was it when you were in his memories?¡± ¡°Nope! They were within the earth elemental. No idea how they remained there. Unmaking should have, well, unmade them. Maybe Dolos and Apate¡¯s spear trapped them there? Or it could even literally be the power of friendship because of their sacrifice and bonds?¡± I shrugged. ¡°All I know is that when the spirits flowed up from below, they were there. I recognized them immediately, so I pocketed them, sealed the memory, and gaslit myself into thinking it was the divine gods I¡¯d sensed.¡± She laughed so hard that she choked a little. ¡°Who the frack gaslights themself? Even for some kind of inter-realm traveler, you are absolutely ridiculous.¡± ¡°Right? I kept trying to tell people I was unsuitable for leadership, but here we are.¡± A loud sniff from my side drew my attention. ¡°So . . .¡± Ruby said, the whites of her eyes tinged with her namesake color. She pointed toward the hem of her long, flowing dress¡ªit was covered in ash. ¡°Considering how sweet you¡¯ve been to the kraken behind us, I¡¯m willing to forgive your grave crime of ruining one of the few garments that still fits me.¡± ¡°Uhhhh, thank you, but how did I¡ª¡± ¡°Thanks for asking!¡± she interrupted. ¡°I was forced to sprint back through the charred remains of a forest after you teleported me away from the action earlier! Half way to Gormona, mind you!¡± ¡°Away from the action? Don¡¯t you mean to safety?¡± Both brows rose, and she leaned closer, her unblinking eyes staring into my soul. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± I lifted my palms in defeat. ¡°Let¡¯s call it even.¡± We shook on the agreement. Before I could say something regretful and dig myself into a deeper hole, someone knocked on the shield behind me. I took a deep breath, exhaled it slowly, and spun as I dissolved the silencing barrier of light. It had barely been a minute, yet I got the impression that much more time had passed for them. Their eyes remained red, but no new tears fell. Cores and emotions were stable¡ªgrateful, a little scared, and terribly excited. Two spirits focused on me. Garret of House Kraken, George¡¯s ancestor and the co-author of a certain manual, showed a cheeky smile. ¡°Well, well, well,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m of half a mind to haunt you after all the grief you¡¯ve put my descendant through . . .¡± I opened my mouth to reply, but closed it again, brow furrowed. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Say?¡± Jenny of House Kraken flashed an impish grin that both matched and complemented her husband¡¯s. ¡°We saw the memories as if they were our own. A crown auditor?¡± She cackled. ¡°Divines below, what an impact you¡¯ve had on this village since arriving . . .¡± George shook his head softly, not at all embarrassed by his former assumptions. I hadn¡¯t noticed because of my growing exhaustion, but as I looked at him, I sensed the new quality of his chi. Geraldine, too. Though not bonded to the giant cephalopod, they¡¯d gained insight into the abyss. Condensed orbs of it swirled in their cores. ¡°Thank you, Traveler,¡± Garret said, his body becoming more intangible. ¡°Words don¡¯t exist to express how much gratitude I have for you.¡± Jenny nodded, laugh lines bunching around her temples as she smiled at me. ¡°Am I correct in assuming you¡¯ve worked out what you saved our beloved kraken from?¡± ¡°The whole being unmade thing? Yeah. Your soul is just . . . gone, right? You don¡¯t move on to the afterlife or wherever it is those sky-bound elementals went. Don¡¯t pass go, don¡¯t collect $200.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered, her fading eyes sparkling with amusement. ¡°The Monopoly analogy is a good one.¡± ¡°Thanks! It¡¯s nice to be¡ªWait! How the frack do you know what Monopoly is?¡± ¡°Should we tell him?¡± Garret asked his wife. That sparkle in her gaze turned sharp, reminding me of none other than Corporal Claws. ¡°Nope. Leaving him in the dark a while longer feels only right considering how often he intentionally confuses others.¡± ¡°Guys. Guuuys,¡± I tried. ¡°C¡¯mon now. Surely you aren¡¯t gonna¡ª¡± I cut off as they dissolved into lines of black-yet-incandescent light. I¡¯d not felt its approach, but the moment they made their decision, I could sense the options the universe had presented to them. Their physical forms had been unraveled long ago, so they couldn¡¯t stay. They needed to join the world¡¯s chi, or depart this realm for whatever lay beyond it. With pulses of thankfulness, gratitude, and affection for the kraken they¡¯d once called family, their ethereal lines raced up toward the heavens, leaving sight in an instant. Neither George, Geraldine, nor mini Cthulhu felt any grief about their departure¡ªthey had clearly come to terms with it during whatever time-dilatey bullshit had happened within my shielding. ¡°Damn . . .¡± I stared up at the sky above. ¡°That is annoying, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Incredibly,¡± Maria replied. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll stop doing it to others?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Ruby and I answered, me with what I¡¯d call polite sincerity, her with what I¡¯d call cruel mockery spoken in a goofy voice that didn¡¯t at all sound like me. I gave her my best scowl, which only made her smile spread to the faces of those around her. ¡°Anyhoooo . . .¡± I said, changing the both the direction I faced and the subject. ¡°I seem to recall a mention of a life debt. Maria? Can you confirm?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± She nodded seriously, rubbing her chin. ¡°And you did say ¡®no takebacks¡¯ before he had a chance to withdraw his offer. I believe that makes it binding. Them¡¯s the rules.¡± The kraken laughed. It was a real laugh, one that went from the top of his big ol¡¯ noggin to the ends of his many tentacles. His eyes flashed and remained a brilliant white. ¡°Sorry, Traveler Fischer. I am afraid that I cannot remain here . . .¡± ¡°Ah well.¡± I was a little disappointed, but he knew I was being facetious about debt. He could do what he wanted. ¡°It was worth a shot. Ya win some, ya lose so¡ª¡± ¡°Unless I do thisss.¡± That final word from the kraken seemed to come from the vast abyss that was his core. Such an endless void only understood how to consume, its very nature to draw things in. Yet even with my awareness weakened by exhaustion, I sensed the twin strands of elemental chi that wound their way out. Book 4: Chapter 71: Loot Goblin Book 4: Chapter 71: Loot Goblin Time seemed to stand still for everything¡ªbar the midnight vortices of chi that exited an eldritch horror, crossed the sands, and flowed into a couple of married krakens. I¡¯d seen nothing like this before, so I had absolutely no clue what to expect from such a bonding. It was beyond compare. An elemental and two cultivators of the same aspect all became one, their cores expanding into a single orb that engulfed them. When it retracted once more, it split into three parts of the same darkness. A flash of light exploded out into the world, black and hungry and compassionate. It faded as fast as it arrived. Though none of them looked physically changed, the power radiating from their cores had¡ªall were shockingly strong. I fist-pumped on the spot, overwhelmed with emotions. ¡°Let¡¯s fracking go! That¡¯s¡ª¡± I cut off, my head darting to the side as violent intent flared. Claws had murder in her eyes as she pulled back a paw and filled it with lightning. The subject of her ire grew more animated, attempting to pull off his heist before she could stop him. The raccoon, both hero of the day and entirely unworthy of trust, gripped a shadow. The little bastard had someone stolen some of the abyssal light. He was trying to stuff it into one of his master¡¯s pockets. Claws¡¯s screech was deafening as her forearm descended. She cracked him over the head with her fist, sending him rocketing downward. Are you seeking to kill me? she demanded. He hadn¡¯t relinquished his inky prize despite his top half becoming lodged in the shore. Let that go this instant, mister! His paw trembled, shook, then relaxed. The shadow flowed back into the kraken and his new masters, though that title was a misnomer, really. They were equals. They were friends. They were family. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± I yelled, throwing my hands high. ¡°If I see one more wholesome moment, my heart is gonna explode!¡± ¡°Lie,¡± Theo said. ¡°You¡¯re clearly enjoying yourself.¡± I tried to refute his claim, but I forgot all about it when Maria hugged me from the back. ¡°Yep!¡± she confirmed. ¡°That was just an excuse. He was about to say we¡ª¡± ¡°Should have a feast?¡± I finished. ¡°To celebrate our new friends? Wonderful suggestion, Maria!¡± She was still behind me, so I couldn¡¯t see her roll her eyes¡ªwhich was why she repeated the gesture through our connection. ¡°First, though . . .¡± I rubbed my hands together. ¡°We have some spoils to collect. Borks, would you please grab those things beneath the boat?¡± With a ruff, a few wags of the tail, and an expertly placed portal, ten crystallized fossils tumbled onto the sand. ¡°See these, Ellis? They¡¯re natural artifacts. I¡¯m not entirely sure what that means yet, but I know they shouldn¡¯t exist!¡± The power radiating from them proved the truth of my claim. I watched the archivist closely, but all he gave them was an appreciative nod, the chi circling his abdomen keeping him unperturbed. ¡°That didn¡¯t work, huh? How about this, then . . .¡± I rubbed my hands together again, unable to keep my internal loot goblin at bay. ¡°Hey, Theo?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You know how we freed like . . . a whole bunch of elementals?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Well, I reckon every single one of those could have been an external threat. I also assert that we learned a swathe of hidden knowledge.¡± He blinked at me a few times. ¡°Okay? Why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°Are you serious? It¡ª¡± I shook my head. ¡°Never mind. They were the truth, right? The two things I just told you?¡± ¡°I mean, yeah, but I¡¯m more worried about your hunched posture¡ªand the fact you¡¯re rubbing your hands together like a greedy merchant. No offense, Marcus.¡± ¡°None taken. It is rather off-putting, friend Fischer.¡± My palms froze mid-rub, and I pouted at their smiles to hide my own. ¡°I won¡¯t apologize for being excited about loot.¡± ¡°And the posture?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°You look like your spine is in great pain.¡± I stood straight. ¡°That¡¯s Maria¡¯s fault. She forgets her strength, and when she hugged me from behind, she¡ª¡± ¡°Lie,¡± Maria and Theo said. An amused aura washed out of the kraken, his black eyes glittering with white specks. ¡°Is it always like this?¡± George and Geraldine nodded. ¡°Afraid so, mate.¡± I let out an obnoxiously long sigh. ¡°I¡¯m often the victim of my friends¡¯ cruel, cruel jokes. Poor Fischer gets mocked, when all poor Fischer wants is love and¡ª¡± Maria flicked my arm. ¡°Keep talking about yourself in third person, and you¡¯ll never be loved again.¡± ¡°But you know what?¡± I asked the kraken. ¡°Fisch¡ª¡± I cut off, realizing I¡¯d almost immediately done it again. ¡°Smooooth,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you. Despite their teasing, my many-limbed octo-pal, I do all of it for them, this included.¡± Before anyone could reply, I did something silly, calling upon an entity whose very existence was antithetical to the leisurely life I tried to lead¡ªI willed the System to show me my notifications. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. It was bogged down with a whole bunch of level-up messages. None were what I sought. I scrolled down, passing almost a hundred different advancements in Cooking, Chi Manipulation, Leadership, and some other things that were neat but didn¡¯t really matter. Okay, I guess a couple of them were kind of important. I took a moment to internalize each of those while I was here¡ªwhich I absorbed only so I needn¡¯t check again later, and definitely not because part of me enjoyed seeing the numbers go up. You have advanced to leadership 72! You have advanced to Chi Manipulation 56! Hold up, I thought. Chi Manipulation? The last time that skill had been mentioned was when I unlocked it. Deklan had read it on an artifact back in Gormona when he was a guard. The screen had called me unlocking it an ¡°ascension milestone.¡± That wasn¡¯t the weird part, though¡ªthe fact it was gaining levels was. I had a running theory that capitalized skills couldn¡¯t get stronger. They certainly hadn¡¯t up until this moment. I would have to check it out when I had more ti¡ª ¡°Do you think he¡¯s having a stoke?¡± came Barry¡¯s voice. ¡°I hope not,¡± Maria replied. ¡°I¡¯m quite fond of him¡ªbut don¡¯t tell him I said that.¡± Ignoring them, I raced to the bottom of the list, seeking that which was enticing enough for me to willingly summon my oldest nemesis. When I got there, I blinked at the entries occupying my field of view. ¡°Oh, come on!¡± I dismissed it and summoned it again, only to receive the same result. Quest: In Defense of Tropica Village Objective: Tropica Village has become a Tier 2 village. The evolution brings many benefits, which others will yearn for. Defend Tropica against ten external threats. Progress: 0/10 Reward: Variable Quest: Hidden Knowledge Objective: Because of the combined efforts of Tropica Village, chi has returned to part of the world. Discover three long-forgotten secrets. Progress: 0/3 Reward: A History of the Kallis Wars, Seventh Edition Barry¡¯s voice greeted me as I dismissed the entries once more. ¡°I don¡¯t think he had a stroke, but it could definitely be some sort of episode. Should we put him to bed?¡± ¡°Damn . . .¡± I chewed my cheek. ¡°I really thought that would have completed the quest . . .¡± ¡°What?¡± he asked, genuine curiosity seeming to override his desire to mess with me. ¡°What quests?¡± ¡°The quests! There¡¯s one to defend Tropica against ten threats, and one to discover three secrets! I thought for sure that we¡¯d get some good rewards from them, considering we¡¯d done their requirements and then . . . some?¡± I trailed off when I noticed just how similar my friends¡¯ expressions were. ¡°You¡¯re messing with me. All of you know exactly what I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Maria asked, her eyes dancing. ¡°You literally know what I¡¯m talking about because of our bond, and you have the exact same expression as everyone else.¡± My loving and treasonous friends grinned, and I turned to the kraken. ¡°See what they put me through? I¡¯m surrounded on all sides¡±¡ªI jabbed a finger toward the sky¡ª¡°and you!System! What the frack, my guy? I extended an olive branch, and you smacked me down! I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re not a thoughtless program at all! I reckon you¡¯re intentionally trying to rustle my jimmies, you cheeky little fu¡ª¡± Crack! A bolt of invisible force struck my mind and body both. The surrounding scene wasn¡¯t altered, yet my field of view changed completely, the words unignorable. Quest: Hidden Knowledge Progress: 1/3 The 1 became a 2, then a 3, climbing numerous times in a fraction of a second. Finally, it stopped. Quest: Hidden Knowledge Progress: 17/3 Reward: Calculating . . . I stumbled. The same force that struck me started streaming onto the sand. Maria caught my arm. Together, we watched three books appear in midair, next to the one most suited to the chi coming from them. Ellis cocked his head at the tomes, appeared to think for a second, then swept his hand through them. They vanished. More words came. Progress: 65/3 Reward: Calculating . . . More books. Same sweeping motion from Ellis, his essence storing them . . . somewhere. It happened again and again until, finally, the cycle was broken. Quest complete: Hidden Knowledge Progress: 486/3 Reward: A History of the Kallis Wars, All Editions I took a ragged breath as I dismissed the last message. Maria held me upright. My eyes flicked to Ellis. The archivist stared into the far distance with a flat expression. Despite the fatigue rocking me, I couldn¡¯t miss the storm of chi swirling within his core. ¡°They¡¯re in your library, mate?¡± I asked. When he returned to the present, a glimpse of the old Ellis came with him. Both his hands tensed; his notepad creaked, his pencil was reduced to splinters. A blur of black and red. Rocky appeared. He withdrew a cigarette, lit it on his carapace, pressed it between Ellis¡¯s lips, then smacked the man on the sternum. Ellis gasped, visage crazed as he inhaled the entire ciggy in one breath. He held it in for an objectively too-long moment. As he exhaled a fountain of smoke, the old Ellis went with it, leaving a cool, calm, and collected man on the sands. ¡°I thank you, Rocky. And yes, Fischer. I have stored the information in my library, which also means¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve learned it all,¡± I finished. ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you put books on your internal shelves?¡± ¡°Quite.¡± He dropped the handful of splinters and retrieved a fresh pencil from his pocket, pressing its tip to his notepad as he looked up at me. ¡°May I ask how you worked that out?¡± ¡°The progress kept climbing every time you absorbed . . .¡± I trailed off, my head spinning. ¡°Sorry. One second.¡± Maria bopped me on the nose. ¡°Sit down, you goose. We have all the time in the world for this chat. You need rest.¡± I let her lower me to the ground, and though I wasn¡¯t instantly cured, bracing my chin on my knees did wonders for my mind. The secrets of this realm were ours. I¡¯d yet to learn them all, but with them catalogued in Ellis¡¯s brain, it was only a matter of time¡ªnot to mention the kraken, a being who¡¯d literally lived through history. Another thought struck me, and I raised my head, having to get it off my chest. ¡°You¡¯re an absolute bastard, you know that?¡± I asked the sky. Maria giggled. ¡°I know the System is your archnemesis, but you should probably thank it¡ªI can only imagine how much the information in those books is going to help us. It was enough to almost reset Ellis, and he was able to weather the existence of our kraken pal.¡± I blew air through my lips. ¡°The only thing I¡¯ll thank the System for right now is not finishing the other quest, too. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m keen for Tropica to upgrade, but I¡¯m not sure I could have that power flow through me and remain consciou¡ª¡± CRACK! It was my own fault, really. I¡¯d shown weakness, and my oldest enemy had pounced. Before my vision went black, I registered the words before me, my enhanced awareness easily able to parse their meaning. Quest: In Defense of Tropica Village Progress: 79/10 Reward: Tropica upgraded from Tier 2 to Tier 3. Huh, I thought, unable to feel the power no doubt pouring through me. Neat . . . I passed out. Book 4: Chapter 72: Because Oysters Book 4: Chapter 72: Because Oysters I stirred from a dream both familiar and stunning. As the cerulean lake and emerald sky faded away, I was greeted by reality¡ªand it was far better than anything my subconscious could invent. I sat up, stretched my neck, and froze mid-turn when I felt the material beneath me. Its rough surface couldn¡¯t be any more different from the lap I¡¯d awoken in. I glanced down to find weathered planks. There was nothing similar anywhere in Tropica. Had I drifted from one dream only to land in another? But then my former pillow swooped in, her hands resting on my collarbones as her lips met mine. Softer than velvet. Firm with need. Like a hurricane, Maria banished the clouds of disorientation from my mind, leaving only clear skies and the beautiful colors of dawn. ¡°Hi,¡± she said, sweeping a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she pulled back to look into my eyes. ¡°Hi,¡± I replied, lost in her radiance. Neither of us broke the stare. Her cheeks grew flushed, yet she didn¡¯t glance away. ¡°Are you not going to ask about the changes to Tropica? I can feel your curiosity.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll still be here later.¡± ¡°Well, so will I.¡± I grinned, knowing it to be the truth. Content as I was to sit in this moment, some of my questions were time sensitive. ¡°The cuttlefish?¡± ¡°Still unconscious. The kraken is watching him just in case.¡± ¡°What about the first sister?¡± With a wry smile, her eyes flicked over my left shoulder. I whirled and found the slug in question by Tropica¡¯s rock wall. She sat atop Rocky, who was latched onto a semi-submerged boulder. Both beings peered down into the shallows to study the small aquatic creatures that called them home. Now that Maria¡¯s spell on me was momentarily broken, I finally saw my surroundings. We were sitting at the end of a brand-new jetty. It extended from Tropica¡¯s stone walkway, having been built in the place a decrepit one had stood previously. I glanced toward the village and let out a soft whistle. From what I could see, nothing had moved¡ªbut they¡¯d certainly changed. Some buildings were the same style but had gained floors. Others were rocking a different appearance, flourishes of wood replaced with iron and vice versa. A structure in the center of town¡ªthe church headquarters, I was pretty sure¡ªhad become a godsdamned cathedral. I¡¯d been containing my senses since waking up, erring on the side of caution. As I took in the Tier 3 version of Tropica, however, I couldn¡¯t help myself. I opened my core, great strands of light wove their way out, and¡ª Whack! ¡°No,¡± Maria chastised, her will prepared to smack me again. ¡°Bad Fischer.¡± ¡°C¡¯monnnn. I feel fine!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. The last twenty-four hours have been ridiculous. You need rest.¡± If the words had come from anyone else, I might have railed against them. Despite the fact she¡¯d somehow flicked me inside the head, her intensions were good¡ªthey flowed over our connection. I let out a slow breath. ¡°Are those the doctor¡¯s orders?¡± ¡°They are. Besides, there¡¯s someone that needs¡ª¡± Crack! The sound caused a shiver to run down my spine; it was reminiscent of the noise made when the System gave out its ¡°rewards¡± earlier. But there was nothing invisible about this bolt of chi. Corporal Claws had appeared behind us, and as I turned to look at her, I caught sight of the first patch of yellow sun peeking over the horizon. Ta-daaaa! she trilled, mimicking my words¡ªalong with the requisite jazz paws. Maria shook her head with a smile. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant¡ª¡± A name! Claws screamed, cutting her off. She reached into her pocket, withdrew a ball of fur and thievery, and presented it to us. A name has been earned! The raccoon, looking remarkably shy for how much of a pest he usually was, remained spherical, peering at us with extreme side-eye. ¡°Claws . . .¡± I said. ¡°Does that mean I can choose it?¡± She paused for one second, cackled for another, then abruptly stopped, shaking her head. No, silly master. But you did inspire me earlier! Twice! ¡°Don¡¯t tell me . . . you¡¯re going to call him Rocky Two?¡± She gave me a look like I¡¯d just suggested we throw out a perfectly good clam. What? No. I¡¯ve got something way better! When you were talking to those two gods or whatever, you mentioned someone that shoved boat people down your throat. She made a searching gesture with one paw. What did you call him? I barked a laugh. ¡°Look, it would be objectively funny to call this little git ¡®John Howard,¡¯ but I think the reference to thievery would be lost on pretty much every but m¡ª¡± She slapped me on the cheek. Focus, Master! She raised her left paw. Rocky Two. Then she raised the right. Prime Minister Dohn Howzard. ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± I began, but cut off when she clapped, metaphorically smushing the two names together. The sky grew overcast in an instant. Claws stood to her maximum height, locked eyes with me, and shot a beam of lightning at the heavens, blowing a hole in the dark clouds no sooner than they¡¯d formed. Rocky, she trilled, drawing it out. . . . the Prime Minister! I chortled, then choked when the full weight of its meaning struck my awareness. ¡°Claws!¡± I coughed. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s brilliant!¡± Maria frowned at both of us. ¡°Yeahhh, that¡¯s about what I expected. Unsure why you¡¯re so excited about it, though . . .¡± ¡°The acronym!¡± I yelled, sending her the connotations via our bond. ¡°RPM¡ªrevolutions per minute! It¡¯s perfect!¡± Claws laughed maniacally, but Maria was yet to be convinced. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s thematically pleasing, and it will do away with the confusion of having a second animal pal called Rocky, but surely we can do better than three letters?¡± I had a devious thought. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t like RPM . . . we could call him Rocky the Prime Gentleman if you prefer. RPG, which stands for, uhhh, role-playing game. That¡¯s even more thematically pleasing. His soul is basically the thief archetype made manifes¡ª¡± ¡°Fischer,¡± Maria interrupted, giving me a flat stare. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know that I¡¯m inside your mind, right? You didn¡¯t kick me out after showing me RPM.¡± ¡°Yeah? So?¡± ¡°So I know exactly what a rocket-propelled grenade is, you shit. You¡¯re literally picturing a raccoon being shot from a launcher right now.¡± ¡°I mean, yeah, but it¡¯s hardly my fault I have good taste and an active imagination. Some would argue that¡¯s why I¡¯m such an effective leader. As my great granpappy always declared, you can¡¯t make an omelet without shelling a few oysters.¡± Claws chirped her agreement to the nonsensical statement, either agreeing for the sake of backing me up or because oysters. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°You know what?¡± Mara said. ¡°RPM isn¡¯t so bad after all. Who am I to deny a name bequeathed by his master?¡± Right? Claws gave a full-bodied shimmy. ¡°And all jokes aside,¡± Maria continued, ¡°you absolutely earned it, RPM. You were instrumental today.¡± He looked up at us with more reverence than I¡¯d ever seen on his face, his desire for mischief temporarily smothered by the weight of Maria¡¯s sincerity. When his eyes met mine, I gave a slight nod. Something shifted. The name settled into his soul, fitting like a pilfered glove. He shook with so much excitement that I thought he might explode or rocket away or both. Instead, he tumbled to the side then, his joy manifesting in a fit of roly-polies. The little bastard¡ªRPM, I reminded myself¡ªwas deft at pretending to go in one direction before rolling in another. It actually looked quite fun. Abruptly, Claws grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, drew her arm back, and launched him clean over Tropica. She gave me and Maria a kiss on the cheek before trailing him as a thunderbolt brighter than the sun. When she was gone from sight, I noticed countless other eyes watching us. ¡°What are you all doing over there? Come here!¡± No one moved. Almost all of my animal pals were peeking from behind the walkway¡¯s low wall, but instead of coming for a cuddle, they ducked, only the tips of Cinnamon¡¯s ears and Pistachio¡¯s antennae remaining visible. ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± I asked Maria. My confusion grew when I saw the knowing grin on her face. ¡°Remember when Claws cut me off earlier? I was trying to say that there¡¯s someone that needs your attention, and I didn¡¯t mean her.¡± ¡°Huh? Who¡ª¡± A veil of water dispersed right beneath us, its caster revealing themselves and the power they wielded. Sergeant Snips rose up on streams of chi and landed atop one of the many poles securing the jetty to the seafloor. She was small. Really small. Her emotions matched her size¡ªtumultuous waves of unease crashed against each other in her core. ¡°Snips . . .¡± I said, smiling despite her nerves. ¡°Come here, you goose.¡± She opened her mouth to reply, but only embarrassed bubbles came out. I stood up. ¡°I get it. Really, I do. It can¡¯t be comfortable changing your entire identity and having to worry about how those around you will respond.¡± I approached with slow steps. ¡°Which is all the more reason to rip the Band-Aid off. That thing within you¡ªthe gate neither opened nor closed . . .¡± She¡¯d went stiff as a stunned mullet. ¡°It¡¯s our bond, isn¡¯t it?¡± I bent my knees, crouching so we were eye to eyestalk. ¡°You¡¯ll always be my main squeeze, no matter how much you might change.¡± I raised my hand palm side up, placing it right beside her. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Sergeant Snips, my aura-blade-shooting guard crab and the first friend I made in this strange world, nodded and scuttled forward. The gate within her didn¡¯t get thrown open¡ªit was flattened beneath the weight of our connection, oceans of water and pure chi flowing past each other. When hers flowed into my core, I gasped. Her ideal. It was so obvious. How hadn¡¯t I seen it earlier? She had been denying herself, so worried about acting like a human that she¡¯d ignored her animalistic side. I¡¯d played a part in it, too¡ªa big one. Every time I reminded my animal pals not to act like base creatures, Snips had internalized the message. None of the warnings had been for her¡ªthe vast majority were for Rocky, the remainder for Claws¡ªbut that didn¡¯t change the effect. She was my first disciple. My closest confidant. And she had borne all that weight. I¡¯m sorry, I sent. I should have¡ª She collected the flattened gate of her ideal, crafted it into a claw, then used it to snip my thought off at the bud. Her own thoughts charged in to take its place. She didn¡¯t use words; she was a crab. Crustaceans don¡¯t care for blame. Only survival matters. I was her master. I was human. It was my job to worry¡ªmy role to remind Rocky and Claws not to hurt others. Yes, doing so had caused Snips stress. So what? She had needed to go through it in order to learn the lesson. A hint of amusement shook her pragmatism, and she sent me a memory¡ªJoel and the rest of the Church of Carcinization having the opposite problem, not acknowledging their humanity in their attempts to achieve crabhood. I cackled at the irony, sending a wave of love toward Snips¡ªshe always knew how to cheer me up. That was nothing, she said, her words returning as she set her ideal down. To quote a somewhat-trustworthy otter, ¡®Check this shit out.¡¯ The gate dissolved into wisps of essence that flooded back into her . . . no, our cores. As the first of them reached the center of my being, Snips¡¯s awareness entered mine. It was neither a pairing of wills nor a momentary glimpse. Her mind was truly within me, and I was within hers. Her physical body couldn¡¯t disappear like RPM or Slimes could into their masters, but that didn¡¯t change what she had become. Snips . . . Snips was my familiar. It all happened in a frozen moment. When I opened my eyes, I was still taking the gasping breath. Light and euphoria exploded outward. I fell down on my tooshie, and when the beams finally dispersed, I stared at the crab resting in my hand. ¡°Holy frack,¡± Maria and I both said at the same time. When I learned of her ideal to be more crablike, a small part of me had worried that Snips wouldn¡¯t be as affectionate from then on. The moment our bond deepened, I knew I¡¯d been stressing for no reason. Snips grew to the size of my palm and spewed an absolute torrent of bubbles. The emotions were countless, but relief drowned out all the others. I hugged my guard crab to my chest as she shook, entirely overwhelmed by my easy acceptance. I turned to gaze at the shore, suspecting the moment for a cuddle puddle had arrived. All eyes were watching us once more, but before I could open my mouth, Cinnamon leaped up onto the wall. She let out a godsdamned war cry. I¡¯m gonna kick his ass! she squeaked, shadow-boxing the air. Borks¡¯s head popped into view, nipped her by the back of the neck, and pulled her from sight. Maria giggled at my bewilderment. ¡°This moment isn¡¯t about us¡ªit¡¯s about you two. Speaking of, I¡¯ll give you both some space.¡± She stood, made to brush off her pants, and halted. Snips moved faster than I even knew possible. If she wasn¡¯t my familiar, I might have missed it. One of her small yet mighty clackers was attached to the hem of Maria¡¯s trousers, and she shook her carapace, blowing bubbles of clear intention. Stay. Behind us, Cinnamon took that as an invitation, her threat of only seconds ago to kick my ass completely forgotten. She crouched, gathered strength, and leaped forward¡ªright into a tiny portal that appeared before her. Judging by the sounds, she¡¯d exited the other side and struck either Teddy or Pistachio, both of whom currently restrained her. I took a deep breath of the salty air. Truth be told, I was glad we could have this moment between us. Even now, I felt like I was learning more about Snips. A part of her essence seemed to pool around my connection with Maria, too. I started to wonder if that meant their relationship would one day grow, but I let the thought drift away. ¡°Good,¡± Maria said, holding her hand out for me. ¡°I didn¡¯t wanna have to beat you into relaxing.¡± I raised a brow as I grabbed it. ¡°Can you beat someone into relaxing?¡± ¡°Would I have tried? Yes. Would I have succeeded, though?¡± She pulled me to my feet and gave me a wink. ¡°Better believe it.¡± We walked a few steps and sat down at the end of the jetty, dangling our legs over the side as we faced the rising sun. Most of it had crested the horizon by now, its luster making the surrounding sky pink, orange, and blue. Snips scuttled into my lap and looked up at me. With a thought, her water billowed out to create a single garment of clothing. A new eye patch, covering the stalk that had once been a vicious scar. She blew happy bubbles, but a hint of loss remained. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I said, rubbing the top of her carapace. ¡°I¡¯ll fix your old one or make another. It wouldn¡¯t do to have the leader of Tropica¡¯s animals without her signature look.¡± She blew teasing bubbles, shrank to the size of a pea, then grew to the size of a hound. ¡°That¡¯s no matter,¡± I replied as she took the mass of an adolescent rock crab. ¡°What¡¯s the point of traveling between realms if I can¡¯t create a magical, shape-shifting piece of clothing?¡± Gleeful orbs floated from her mouth and drifted around, only stopping when a thought struck her. Master, she hissed, hesitant. May I . . . ? She showed me something in my mind that she¡¯d always wanted to do, but had never asked. ¡°Of course! For the record, I would have said yes even if you were the size of Pistachio.¡± Contented bubbles trailed her as she hopped up onto my head. There, she wiggled, her legs not at all bothering me as she got comfortable. ¡°This is lovely,¡± I said. ¡°All I¡¯m missing is a fishing ro¡ª¡± A portal split the air before me, and a second later, a rod came out, its hook already baited. Borks held it by the handle. Despite his averted eyes, I could tell he was excited¡ªhis tail was wagging so hard that the movement reached his neck. ¡°Thanks, buddy.¡± I accepted it. ¡°You really are the best of boys.¡± With his mouth free, he couldn¡¯t help but rain rapid-fire licks down on my hand, at least a dozen direct hits landing in the fraction of a second it took for him to withdraw. I offered the rod to Maria, but she shook her head. ¡°I could¡¯ve asked for one, too, but I¡¯ve had enough fun for today. It¡¯s all yours.¡± With a small smile, I flicked the reel forward, pulled the pole back, then cast the line out. It made a satisfying plop, its splash reflecting the array of colors currently painting the horizon. ¡°You know,¡± I said, winding in until it went taut. ¡°You seem to have overcome that block in your cultivation nicely. Even if we weren¡¯t connected, I¡¯d be able to tell you¡¯re a fully fledged healer now . . .¡± Her pulse spiked and her cheeks flushed red, and she nodded. She knew what I was getting at. I neither teased her nor drew it out any longer. ¡°That being the case, my love . . . shall we plan our wedding?¡± Her eyes met mine. ¡°Should . . . should we wait until things calm down a little? Don¡¯t get me wrong, I want it to happen yesterday, but there¡¯s the kraken, the cuttlefish, all the books in Ellis¡¯s soul, and that¡¯s not even¡ª¡± I cut her off with a swift kiss that turned into a long one, neither of us wanting to break away. ¡°Nope,¡± I said when we finally separated. ¡°The best I can do is delay until after the feast¡ªI won¡¯t wait a minute longer.¡± She opened her mouth to reply, but both our heads darted toward the bay, an unmissable dip of the rod arresting our attention. Bump. Bump. Bump, bump. I looked back at Maria, but she shook her head, still watching the water. ¡°I love you more than you know, but it can wait.¡± She licked her lips and leaned closer. ¡°Damn. I should have asked for a rod after all . . .¡± For a few seconds, there were no more nibbles. I didn¡¯t really care that much, though. Even if I never caught another creature again, I would be happy¡ªI¡¯d already found everything I needed in life. But then the fish bit down on my hook, and an extra layer of excitement piled on top of the contentment within my soul, adrenaline increasing with each shake of the creature¡¯s head. ¡°Fish on!¡± we both yelled, our wedding plans temporarily forgotten. Book 4: Epilogue Book 4: Epilogue On a shore far to the northeast of Tropica, a lone man tumbled from his wooden skiff, both body and spirit pushed to their very limits. He had dreamed of this moment for so, so long, yet now that he was here, he could barely move. His head spun. He¡¯d made that crossing dozens of times before, and never had it been so treacherous as that. The food had been meant for a voyage of weeks¡ªnot months. He¡¯d been hit by a tsunami, struck at by malicious clouds, and swept off course by waves bigger than he thought possible. He was drawn back to the present by the glint of sunlight on silver. His rings. He thumbed the one on his index finger, taking solace in the stone adorning it. He almost removed his jewelry a few times on the trip. Doing so presented unknowable risks, but probable harm was always preferable to the certain death of falling overboard. He was getting distracted. He focused on the pearlescent stones on his fingers again, using them to ground him in the present. He felt the desire to rip them off and let the king¡¯s chi flood into him, but he shook his head. Not yet¡ªnot within sight of the ocean. There was no time to waste. He had to inform the king of his findings. The hobbyist merchant pushed himself from his prostrate position in the sand. A fresh wave of nausea hit him, stemming from his dizziness, his hunger, or both. He gritted his teeth and forged onward. He got to his feet, but he wobbled, almost falling back down. It was like the storms he¡¯d faced at sea were now contained in his head. Those damned storms . . . if he didn¡¯t know better, he would have assumed an elemental was behind it. Those strikes of lightning had seemed borderline personal. They struck around his skiff, never quite hitting, yet always too close for comfort. Not possible, he reminded himself for the umpteenth time. Elementals no longer inhabit this realm. It didn¡¯t help. Recalling those thunderbolts made him want to get farther from the ocean, so he stumbled for the tree line, only his suppressed yet potent core still keeping him upright. When his foot eventually found grass, he let out a sigh and glanced down at his rings once more. Not yet. Using trees as handholds, he ambled onward, and minutes later, he could hear no waves. He went another few meters for good measure, then started slipping the rings off. Each one made his chi swell. When only two remained, his core could taste the kingdom¡¯s essence. It begged for it. Finally, the last came free, and the world¡¯s power flooded into him. He took a shaking breath as his strength returned, all but his hunger and thirst washed away. Before he moved, he checked his equipment. Knives? Gone. Rings? All present¡ªstored in his front pocket. Necklace . . . Both hands shot to his chest. No matter how much they fumbled, his relic was gone. He¡¯d lost it. ¡°Poseidon¡¯s blessed waters!¡± he swore, his voice sounding like someone else¡¯s. The man shook his head. He had been playing the merchant too long. With a deep breath, he set it all aside and closed his eyes, circulating chi to calm his weary soul. When he looked back out at the world, his mask was gone, replaced by duty. There was fresh water only kilometers from here. He desperately wanted to go there, but that was weakness talking. Even those scant minutes couldn¡¯t be wasted. He took off as fast as he could, his enhanced body dodging trees and chewing through the distance between him and his kingdom¡ªhis home . He had countless things to report. Gormona, that foreign powerhouse turned relic of the past, had fallen. Last he saw of the castle, there¡¯d been a hole blown in the side of it large enough to span three floors. At the time, he¡¯d assumed it the work of a cultivator rising. He now knew different. The reason for Gormona¡¯s fall was something far, far worse. On his way back to the ocean, a shadow had blocked out the moon, and thinking back, he could hardly believe it. A giant net carried by pelicans and filled with humans. So shocked had he been that he¡¯d paused out in the open, his training forgotten as he gazed up at something that shouldn¡¯t be¡ªjust in time to see some kind of mammal, its fur brown and body lithe, zap one of the captives with electricity. The spy shivered, almost losing his footing as he recalled that dreadful power coming from a beast. It was no wonder he¡¯d been paranoid of the storms on the way home. Not possible, he reminded himself again. There are no elementals. It still didn¡¯t help. His nerves were frayed. For all he knew, life had been extinguished on the entire continent by now. That actually might be the best option. Such was the result of letting spirit beasts live. They grew mad with time. Everyone with a brain knew that. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Unfortunately for Gormona, its leaders had forgotten their history. They¡¯d grown complacent, and their entire kingdom had paid the price. Still running, the man gave a silent prayer toward the empty heavens, wishing strength for any humans, past or present, that came face-to-face with the evil that was a spirit beast. Especially that damned lightning mammal, he added for good measure, shivering again. ¡°Everyone!¡± Ellis called softly as he strode for Tropica¡¯s new jetty. ¡°Fischer! Maria! The feast is read . . . y?¡± He¡¯d been so preoccupied with the recently acquired contents of his brain that he hadn¡¯t even been inspecting the surrounding buildings. If those transformations couldn¡¯t draw his attention, the sticky purple pile of something he¡¯d just stepped in never had a chance. It covered his shoes, and as its unmistakable scent drifted up to meet him, he only grew more perplexed. How had a jar¡¯s worth of passiona jam come to be discarded on the street? There was a blur of movement to his right. He whirled toward it. Something splatted behind him. He spun back . . . Another pile of passiona jam? Judging by its splatter, it had fallen directly down¡ªbut there was nothing above it. Just open sky. He sent tendrils of chi out to find the apparitions haunting him, and when he found nobody, his fears were confirmed. There were two beings capable of hiding themselves from his enhanced senses, and only one of them was the familiar of a famed trickster. ¡°Corporal Claws,¡± Ellis said. ¡°I would usually welcome this joust, but I am afraid the food is ready. Do you not wish your master to partake of the fish he cap¡ª¡± A white cloud exploded outward. No, he was forced to amend. Not yet, anyway. He recognized the stick that flew in from above, its tip glowing red. He didn¡¯t know where they¡¯d managed to get one, but he did know the effect its introduction to the dispersed flour would have. Boom! Now there was the explosion. He was fine, of course. Such tricks were ineffective on him following his breakthrough. A round shape appeared in his peripheral vision, seen even through the smoke now filling the air. The raccoon¡¯s ability to steal was troubling¡ªhe could rob his own aura from the world¡ªbut Ellis didn¡¯t need his senses to dodge this attack. The degenerate mammal¡¯s eyes glowed blue as he tumbled over and over, speeding in with violent intent. The archivist ducked, and when what he¡¯d thought was the raccoon sailed overhead, he realized his error. It wasn¡¯t the familiar at all. It was a coconut. It had two little sparks of electricity stuck to its husk. The next shape that came rocketing through the haze could not be mistaken. This time, the raccoon didn¡¯t bother hiding his chi. I may have made a mistake, Ellis thought, but you still underestimate me, child. He leaped, jumping clear of the fuzzy missile¡ªand right into the path of the master. ¡°So you finally show yourself,¡± Ellis said as Claws came into view, only their thoroughly enhanced senses allowing them to communicate. Lightning and smoke swirled in the otter¡¯s wake. Hiiii! she sang with a coo, waving her left forepaw in greeting. Ellis didn¡¯t expect to have to reveal his new power so soon, yet he couldn¡¯t help but be a little excited as he reached for his essence. He had learned more than she could hope to comprehend, and even before absorbing all the tomes, his teachers on the isle had taught him exactly how to counter elementals. He reached into his internal library, gathering reams and reams of paper. The pages may have been empty of words, but they were packed with his chi. He poured his will into them, opened up the door to his shelves, and¡ª Pain. He glanced down. The raccoon¡¯s needle-sharp teeth were latched onto his ankle. Fuzzy little eyebrows waggled in delight, up until the very moment the creature stole Ellis¡¯s power¡ªthen it was its whole body that waggled. The familiar¡¯s form couldn¡¯t handle the archivist¡¯s chi. It rippled and shook like thin paper in a stiff breeze. Ellis would have his essence back in moments, but the damage had been done. He smirked and looked toward Claws just in time to see her remove a cast-iron weapon from her right pouch. ¡°You win this round,¡± he said. ¡°It was I who underestimated you. Well played.¡± The elemental of lightning and chaos didn¡¯t wrap the frying pan with any of her essence. She was no longer pretending to be evil, so she wouldn¡¯t try to hurt him. That didn¡¯t mean she was going to go easy on him, though. She swung forward with all her strength, holding absolutely nothing back. When Snips jumped into the ocean, it felt as though the frigid currents also washed over me. I took a sharp breath, then shook the sensation off as I bent to grab the fish my favorite crab flicked my way. ¡°It¡¯s adorable!¡± Maria said. ¡°Right?¡± I didn¡¯t need to inspect the shore fish to know it was a juvenile, so I unhooked it, stated my thanks, and returned it to the bay. Snips leaped back up onto my head. Maria grabbed my hand and leaned against my shoulder, her soft hair blowing in an unseen breeze as we watched the little fishy swi¡ª Boom! We spun toward Tropica. ¡°Well,¡± Maria said. ¡°Sounds like someone¡¯s having fun. Who do you think¡ª¡± Clangggg! None of us spoke a word as we watched a warped and broken object sail high above the village. I cocked my head. ¡°Is that half a pan?¡± Snips blew affirmative bubbles. ¡°I think so,¡± Maria agreed. I squinted. ¡°Why is Ellis¡¯s face molded into it?¡±