The Newt and Demon

Theo settled into his chair in the lab of the Newt and Demon. He watched as Tresk settled in next to him, kicking her feet up and reclining. The alchemist didn’t need to ask her why she was hanging around. With his [Tara’hek Core] strengthened, her emotions were bleeding through. She put on a brave face, but there was worry in her heart. He wondered if she could feel his emotions too. Fear mingling with hope that had become a familiar friend. It wasn’t fear for his life, or the people of Broken Tusk. It was a fear of the unknown. Things he couldn’t control barreling down on the small town faster than he could process. The two emotions ran together, creating a sense of urgency he couldn’t shake.

The alchemist squeezed the communication crystal in his hand, preparing to delve back into that strange shadow realm. But nothing came. Only a sharp, haptic sense in his mind, which meant something went wrong. He tried again, receiving the same strange buzz in his skull.

“No answer,” Theo said, casting a concerned look at Tresk. “I don’t know what that could mean.”

“No one on the other end,” Tresk said.

“I suppose they could be busy,” Theo said. “So, who do we trust?”

“No one,” Tresk said. “Not a soul but Broken Tuskers.”

“Spoken like someone from Broken Tusk,” Theo said. “I trust Fenian, mostly. I don’t trust Uharis, or Grub.”

“The Archmage is up to something,” Tresk said. “He missed out on the entire battle.”

“That might be a matter of innocence,” Theo said. “Well, mostly. If he knew the wave was coming, he should have told us. If he didn’t, then he really is just a drunk. I told him not to take on the boss Goblin.”

“So, you think he’s trying to help you save face?” Tresk asked. “Maybe.”

Theo stretched, casting his eyes out the window. Rain might have been coming soon, but it was a long way off. The sky outside was blue with only streaks of white clouds visible through the canopy of trees. He wanted to turn his mind to experimentation once again, but mayoral matters clouded his thoughts. The alchemist rose from his seat, returning the crystal to his inventory.

“We’ll secure supplies for the town,” Theo said. “Care to join me?”

“Of course,” Tresk said, smiling. “Thanks for letting me come along.”

“You’re always welcome,” Theo said, gesturing to the door.

Azrug was nowhere to be found in the shop. He was likely helping with whatever efforts Aarok had ordered, pitching in however he could. Theo knew he’d need to replenish his potion stock, something he could handle today, but securing supplies for the town was more important. Fortunately, he had a source of timber and stone within the town’s boundaries. They passed by the monolith, spotting the townspeople gathered around Aarok. With a simple wave they pushed forward to Sledge’s place, the sound of sawing wood heard well before they spotted her workshop. The Marshling was shaping raw timber, for what purpose Theo couldn’t even guess.

“Sledge, I have a job,” Theo said.

“More money?”

“Yes, it’s paying,” Theo said.

“Then count me in,” Sledge said. “Hey, I’m happy no one was hurt during the attack, but is it going to happen again? Do we need to get out of town?”

Theo was slightly offended at that comment, but none of that indignation reached his face. He would never abandon Broken Tusk.

“That’s where you come in,” Theo said. “I assume you can produce raw timber? It’s needed for the town’s repairs.”

“Isn’t it a core town? Why does it need timber?”

Theo explained the situation. Since they’d upgraded to [Town] status and level 15, the city could repair itself with supplied resources. Sledge simply shrugged.

“I can get timber,” Sledge said. “How much do you need?”

“I don’t know,” Theo said. “I don’t think the town has a capacity, so as many as you can craft.”

“I mean, that’s a lot of wood,” Sledge said.

“All the wood,” Tresk said.

“Don’t gouge me on this, Sledge,” Theo said, his tone one of warning. “I’m more than happy to pay above your standard rate, but when it comes to helping the city I expect Broken Tusk rates.”

“Fine,” Sledge said, holding her hands up defensively. “How much coin are we talking?”

“Come find me when you’ve worked on it for a day,” Theo said, unwilling to negotiate with the woman. “I’ll pay whatever you normally sell raw wood for, plus a premium.”

“Sounds good to me,” Sledge said. “I’m just over here trying to look busy so Aarok won’t recruit me to move rubble.”

Tresk laughed.

The pair departed the woodworker’s shop. They passed by the housing area, happy to see that nothing seemed damaged. The farmers were similarly unaffected. Their fields spread out, either fallow or full of grain, untouched by the wild battle that raged through the town. Theo found Ziz, and only him, at the quarry.

“Well, that was a bit of an adventure,” Ziz said. “Bet that’s the most combat you’ve seen here, huh?”

“It was,” Theo said. “And I didn’t even fight anything.”

“What’s going on? Need help with something?” Ziz asked.

“We need stone blocks for the town,” Theo said. “The wall will repair itself if we feed it stone.”

“Ah, well,” Ziz said, gesturing to marble blocks, stacked neatly near the workshop. “I’ve got a few of those.”

“Right. I’ll pay whatever you’re getting at market,” Theo said.

Ziz laughed. “You’re joking, right? No, I’m not taking a single coin from you, Theo. You could clean out all my stone ten times over, and it wouldn’t be enough to repay you for what you’ve done. People in Broken Tusk come together when things get hard. We don’t get at each other’s throats, backstabbin’ for a few extra coins.”

“Yeah! Spoken like a true Broken Tusker!” Tresk shouted.

Theo noticed her tactfully not throwing Sledge under the bus. While the woodworker was spiky about the timber situation, it was driven by need. Ziz was much better off than her in that regard, but it would change soon enough. She’d have an industry of her own, either in the form of trade agreements with other towns for their wood, or the [Fabricator] core she’d eventually take.

“We’ll start with 20 blocks,” Theo said.

With his new [Intelligence], he knew that was 6 silver worth of stone. An amount that this town could only dream of only a few months ago. now they dealt in gold regularly.

“20 it is,” Ziz said, nodding. “Where do we take them?”

“Bring them to the town center,” Theo said. “Try shoving them inside the monolith if you can.”

Ziz let out a bark-like laugh. “Alright. Do you want to take them down there with your fancy inventory?”

“We have a shared inventory, now!” Tresk said.

“Right,” Theo said. “Certainly. Grab 20 blocks, Tresk.”

Tresk hadn’t used their inventory on large items, yet. Theo could store the 200 unit barrels in his inventory, but wasn’t aware of its limits. The Marshling waddled up to the blocks and tapped them with her hand, shrieking with excitement as one disappeared.

“It worked!” Tresk shouted, repeating the process for the remaining blocks.

Theo checked the shared inventory, finding it filled with junk. It was a mess of random things Tresk had been picking up. Furniture, kitchen utensils, and rows of motes crowded the screen. The blocks stacked, fortunately, but this wasn’t a good use for the limited space they had. The alchemist brushed it off, considering the Marshling’s excitement yet again.

“Alright, Tresk,” Theo said. “Let’s see how far this inventory goes. Head back to town and try to shove those blocks in the monolith.”

Tresk cast him a weary look, eyes darting between him and Ziz.

“Ziz will protect me,” Theo said. “Don’t worry.”

Tresk managed a weak nod before darting south toward town. After she was out of earshot, Ziz spoke.

“She’s worried,” Ziz said. “About you.”

“When the [Tara’hek Core] leveled to 10, she got more of my emotions,” Theo said. “Anxious feelings, you know. Worries and fears. I kept it from her well, but this was only a matter of time.”

“You gotta let that stuff out,” Ziz said, clapping his hand on Theo’s shoulder.

“Maybe,” Theo said. “When I got here, I felt like there was a lot of pressure put on my shoulders—not in a bad way. I work well under pressure, it helps light a fire under my butt. I need to talk to her about it, but you know Tresk.”

“Yeah, she’s hard to deal with on a normal day,” Ziz said. “She’s been spicy lately.”

Theo nodded. “What do you understand about core synergies?”

“Nothing,” Ziz said.

Theo thought as much. Information was expensive, but he’d gotten this bit cheap. His intuition could fill in the gaps left by Uharis’ tutelage. “Cores are a weird thing. Some of them are unaligned, but others aren’t. Tresk’s [Assassin’s Core] is aligned with some god of shadow named Zaul. That’s giving her the extra spice, I think.”

Ziz thought for a moment. Theo could see him coming to the obvious conclusion. “What about cores aligned with a Demon Lord?”

Theo smiled. “Do you believe in something like fate?”

“Not really,” Ziz said, chuckling. “I like to make my own destiny.”

“The Order of the Burning Eye is doing a lot to suppress Drogramath’s influence, but can you guess what the other thing is?” Theo asked.

Ziz fell back in though, cocking his head to the side. “The Tara’hek?”

“The more I level that core, the more protection I have from outside influence,” Theo said. “Core synergies. Alignments. Houses. Domains. There’s more to this than I know, but the Tara’hek sounds a lot like fate to me. How rare is it?” Theo asked.

“I’ve never seen one,” Ziz said. “My grandfather used to tell stories about one, but that’s the only time I’ve heard of it. Both parties have to be perfect for each other. And both have to be willing.”

“Seems kinda like fate to me,” Theo said. “This place. These cores. The abundance of resources. Tresk. There’s a lot of million-to-one odds there, Ziz.”

“Just don’t squander it,” Ziz said, flashing a weak grin. “Two cores that give you absurd fortune at the cost of your soul, and one that gives you the soul back. Seems as close to fate as I’ve ever seen.”

“Yeah,” Theo said, looking with bleary eyes over the rocky highlands below. “I really got lucky on that one. If you count having your planet destroyed lucky.”

“Seems like you didn’t like the place,” Ziz said. “What made you hate it so much?”

“Ah, just being old,” Theo said, laughing. “Being too tired to keep on fighting. Too tired to keep on killing. Not that my method of assassination was physically taxing—no, the act was very easy. It’s just the toll it takes on your mind.”

“Old?” Ziz asked, cocking his head to the side. “I mean, I don’t know how Dronon age, but you look young.”

“Yeah, that’s funny, too,” Theo said. “I think this body is in their early 20s. My body on Earth was in its 40s.”

“Oh, that’s a twist,” Ziz said.

The town took the stones! Those things are heavy! Come to the center or I’m gonna come get you. Bring Ziz, Tresk said into Theo’s mind.

Theo bid farewell to his friend, heading back down into town. Things seemed a little brighter, despite the rain. The idea of expressing his feelings to another person was a relief. Keeping them bottled up had served no one, not even his selfish interests. Guilt gave way to relief, the way it usually did for him. There was simply too much to worry about and not enough time.

I know my emotions have been bleeding through, Theo said, passing by Zan’kir house. He waved at the children, happily playing outside. The stronger our core gets, the stronger the link is.

Yeah? Tresk asked.

Things have been crazy, and I’ve been dealing with it in my own way. Running around and doing whatever to keep my mind off it, Theo said. It has never been fair to you—or me, you know? I’m going to try to talk about how I’m feeling more. I’m worried. Scared of where this path is taking me. Drogramath is bad enough, but I’m going to rub against other mayors soon. We’re shifting to a larger stage and it’s daunting.

You couldn’t say this to my face? Tresk asked. He could hear the annoyance in her voice. I had to sit here feeling scared of nothing for a week?

Theo dabbed the corners of his wet eyes. I really couldn’t. This feels more pure.

The alchemist trudged through the farms, spotting Banurub in the distance. He stood there, waiting for his conversation with Tresk to finish so he could have a word.

Sorry. I’ll be better about it, Theo said.

Since we’re sharing, I’ve been wanting to stab EVERYONE lately, Tresk said.

Theo’s thoughts drifted to the [Assassin’s Core]. It had an influence over the Marshling, and he was now doubting its pairing to the [Shadowdancer’s Core]. There wasn’t a simple solution to the problem, although he suspected the Tara’hek was helping her through it, the same way it was helping him. The alchemist watched as Banurub crossed the fields, pushing past stalks heavy with grain.

I need to talk to Banu, Theo said. Try to keep your murderous rage in check. Maybe kill some monsters.

Killing monsters always helps.

“How can I help you, mayor?” Banu asked, rubbing his dirty hands off on his clothes.

Theo gestured widely to the fields. “The farmers endure, huh? Did you have any ideas to improve the process?”

“I thought that was your job,” Banu said, grinning.

Theo hid the anger radiating from his chest. Some of Tresk’s murderous rage must have been leeching through the Tara’hek. He straightened his silken robes and cleared his throat. “A mill. Soil enrichment through alchemy. I’m going to buy the eastern reaches of the farm and turn them into a ranch. We’ll raise Karatan.”

Banu’s mouth fell open, his brow knitting tight. He stammered for a moment.

“This is what inaction brings you,” Theo said. This was the first hard stance he’d taken with the townspeople of Broken Tusk. “Clear a section of your farm for the mill. A hundred paces square.”

Banu narrowed his eyes. “You can’t tell me what to do. I own this land.”

“I know. But you’ve been floundering for how long, now? You need to adapt to the new situation or perish, that’s simply the way it is. How many bushels do you produce in a season?” Theo asked. “How long do your seasons run?”

Banu straightened up. “We rotate the fields. 5 west and 5 east. A good harvest is a few hundred bushels—50 silver’s worth before taxes set in. Zee grows fast here. Extremely fast. Two weeks from seed to harvest, thanks to the swamp mud.”

“We’ll cut that time in half,” Theo said. “And use all 10 fields at the same time.”

“The nutrients in the soil need time to rest,” Banus said, shaking his head. “We need to transport the mud and let it dry.”

“Not with alchemy,” Theo said.

The alchemist summoned his mayor interface, selecting the eastern reaches between the farm and the river. It was a section about as large as the farmland itself, and would cost him 5 gold to incorporate completely. He clicked the button without hesitation, gaining ownership over the land.

“I own the eastern reaches now,” Theo said. “Clear half a field for the mill—your choice. One near the road, preferably.”

Banu deflated a little, nodding his head. Theo turned on the spot and left, not letting that nagging guilt enter his heart. He made his way back to the town’s center, inspecting the monolith to confirm the stone had been placed there before making his way to the western gate. Aarok was standing with a few adventurers, watching a light stream from the broken thing.

“I guess the stone was all it needed,” Aarok said.

Theo glanced back toward the town square, noticing that Fenian’s carriage was gone. It would have been better if the trader stuck around, but he had things to do. The alchemist wanted to purchase a stable for his future Karatan herd, along with a core for a rancher. With the Elf trader’s magical Karatan team, he could return with haste. It wasn’t that big of a deal.

“I worked out a deal with Sledge for some wood,” Theo said. “I just need to source metal after that.”

“You’ll need to import that,” Aarok said. “There has never been raw metal in Broken Tusk.”

Theo thought about that for a moment. He had a feeling the guildmaster was wrong about that. “I also had to push Banu around.”

“Poor old Banurub?” Aarok said, laughing. “That codger is hard enough to work with. What did you do?”

“He wouldn’t agree to any of my changes on the farm, so I forced them on him,” Theo said. “Why has it been so hard to get the farmers to make their lives better?”

“Some people are happy the way they are,” Aarok said. “Look at Miana. What did you suggest as changes?”

Theo detailed the mill, alchemical soil enrichment, and ranch.

“Who is going to own the ranch?” Aarok asked.

“Me,” Theo said, smiling. “Since no one wants to jump at the chance, I’ll run it with a hireling.”

“Wow. Has Theo Spencer’s legendary charity run out?” Aarok asked.

“No, it’s not that,” Theo said, watching as a stone magically lifted itself into place. “I always liked the idea of owning a ranch. Raising animals. I’d like to have a hand in it, somehow.”

“That’s a humble profession,” Aarok said, smiling. “I assume you’re going to hire someone, or give a citizen a [Rancher’s Core]. That’ll make the animals grow significantly faster, produce more, and ‌be happier in general.”

“Yeah,” Theo said, nodding. “Do they eat [Zee Kernels]?”

“I think they eat anything,” Aarok said.

“I’m just going to keep dreaming about that Karatan butter,” Theo said, letting out a long sigh. “Well, how is the collection of the monster corpses coming?”

“Well enough,” Aarok said. “We’re having trouble keeping track of everything. Most things have loot rights to the person who killed the monster, everything else seems to fall to me.”

Theo nodded. “Good. We’ll work it out later.”