The Newt and Demon

Theo sat in his lab, shafts of afternoon light cutting through the window. He ran his finger around the rim of a flask containing [Refined Vigor Essence], the first of its kind he’d made. Thanks to the enchanted water, this would be his most powerful stat-enhancement potion yet. Outside, the pressure vessel bucked against the building, processing the next round of essences. The alchemist made a note to talk to Throk about an improved design for the artifice, perhaps even building 3 new vessels so he didn’t have to wait for a single essence to complete.

This new process didn’t even take modifiers into account. That was a realm Theo didn’t want to open for the time being. He wanted to create enough high-quality potions to make a tidy profit before worrying about such things. There was still daylight enough today to create most of the stat potions, and the effects of the shrine kept his stamina bar in a healthy range. Before moving on to brew his potions, he inspected the new [Refined Vigor Essence].

[Refined Vigor Essence]

[Essence]

Common

Created by: Belgar

Grade: Great Quality

Alignment:

Drogramath (Middling Bond)

Resulting potions will be more effective.

Chance to consume half of required essence during brewing.

Purity 60%

500 units (liquid)

Concentrated essence of vigor.

Something went wrong during the distillation process, bringing the essence to 60% compared to the [Refined Wake Essence’s] 80%. That was fine for now. He was crafting for volume and quality and some corners needed to be cut. Zarali would help him refine the process of distillation another day, when they weren’t preparing for a monster wave.

Theo placed a flat-bottomed vial on the table and measured out his ingredients. He filled it with the [Refined Vigor Essence] and [Purified Water] before dropping a [Iron Shaving] in. The reaction was immediate, and thankfully less violent than he expected. The bubbling liquid gave way to a metallic scent in the air, but the fumes were minor. After the reaction settled down, he inspected the resulting potion.

[Vigor Potion]

[Potion]

Common

Created by: Belgar

Grade: Excellent Quality

Alignment:

Drogramath (Middling Bond)

Drink to enhance vigor.

Effect:

+12 Vigor for 1.5 hours.

The increase in stats was absurd. Theo’s old stat potions provided 5 in a specific stat, making the second tier more than twice as effective. 12 vigor actually seemed like a dangerous amount of an increase. Theo’s mind went to what would happen if he consumed a +12 wisdom potion and shuddered to think about the abrupt change in his intuition. The effects would disorient the user, if nothing else. Intelligence was another problem stat, although the alchemist still hadn’t found the reagent that increased it. None of this stopped him from setting up a large-scale reaction, ending his session before nightfall with 510 [Vigor Potions].

His vision was a flurry of system notifications as he crafted, and he didn’t realize how close his [Drogramath Alchemy Core] was to leveling up. It rolled over near the end of the session, and he paused to check the notification.

[Drogramath Alchemy Core] receivedexperience (5%).

[Drogramath Alchemy Core] leveled up! Level 13.

[Theo Spencer] receivedexperience (1.66%).

Tresk arrived as the last reaction kicked off. She wasn’t interested in the [Vigor] stat, but begged him to let her have some [Strength Potions] when he got to it. He agreed to give her the overflow from the process, something she seemed excited about. As the pair left the lab, heading to Xam’s for dinner, the alchemist clutched Fenian’s crystal in his hand. As always, the Elf answered quickly.

I was wondering when you’d call, Fenian said. Feels like an age.

It does, Theo said. I’ve made massive progress with my alchemy, would you mind looking at some potions?

Theo knew if he mentioned the items in the correct way, Fenian could inspect them on his end. It was a quirk of the system he didn’t use enough.

Absolutely, Fenian said.

Theo linked the [Healing Potion], [Vigor Potion], and [Potion of Wake]. Fenian took a long while to inspect them before responding, but when he did the excitement bleed clearly into his voice.

Why are these so good? Fenian asked. I’ve seen [Healing Potions] before, but they didn’t restore 100 health—something closer to 60 or 70. And that [Vigor Potion]. I’ve only seen them add 8 for an hour. What did you do?

I have a new process, Theo said.

Well, keep doing this new process, Fenian said, his laugh coming through the telepathic link. By the gods, I don’t even know how much money to give you for these. I don’t know if I have the capital to clean you out.

We can always trade, Theo said. I want some Karatan, or other farm animals.

Ah. The ranch, Fenian said. Right. Tell me how many potions you can have done by tomorrow, or the day after.

Theo did a mental tally on the amount of potions he could have. He had 1,000 of each restoration potion and could finish making the stat potions by then. That would give him 1,500 assorted stat potions. He relayed the information to which Fenian hummed in response.

I don’t know if we can put a price on these, Theo, Fenian said. We’ll work with 1 silver for the restoration potions and a silver and a half for the stat potions, but I’m afraid that’s robbery. 52 gold, 50 silver in coin, but we can agree to an amount equal to my stock or the Karatan.

That’s fine, Theo said. This wasn’t the largest order he’d done with Fenian, but it would be the most profitable. The alchemist hadn’t even finished cultivating his reagents yet. Potions resulting from the cultivation project would be even more powerful, adding to their price tag. His process had also changed for the more powerful potions, allowing him to brew them even faster. Can you secure the Karatan?

I can, Fenian said. I’ve upgraded my carriage recently for such a thing.

Right. We’ll agree to that number for now. I’ll use your crystal if there’s anything I need you to get before you arrive, Theo said.

Indeed, Fenian said. Theo could see the Elf trader rubbing his hands together on the other end, even if it was imagined. Well, until next time.

Bye.

Tresk cast Theo a confused look as they stood near the monolith. The alchemist had been walking automatically during the conversation, his mind drifting off to meet Fenian’s questions.

“The new potions are worth a lot,” Theo said. “I need to put together a list of things I need him to grab before he comes to town.”

“Cores, maybe?” Tresk asked, grabbing Theo by the arm and leading him into the Marsh Wolf Tavern.

“[Monster Cores],” Theo said, nodding. “I need to upgrade the mine and the smelter.”

“Are we calling the smelter ‘Dead Dog Smeltery’?” Tresk asked.

The pair found their table near the window.

“Nira can call it whatever she wants,” Theo said. “Maybe I can convince Fenian to help Azrug with the trade deals.”

Tresk nodded absentmindedly, craning her neck to get a look at what everyone was eating.

Theo spotted Sledge entering the tavern with a surly look on her face. She stomped over to him and held her hand out. “I haven’t been getting paid. I talked to the miners and they get automatically paid for the work.”

“Oops,” Theo said. Things had been too busy for him to keep up with everyone. “How much do I owe you?”

“I don’t know!” Sledge shouted. She got distracted for a moment, looking over the food that was being served. “And we’re going to need a seed core building for the foresters.”

“Take a seat,” Theo said. She obliged.

The alchemist drew up a quick contract for her, guaranteeing his new standard 10% market rate and requiring her to perform foresting duties at least 3 days during the week. He left in a stipulation that she could delegate the work to others, and that her payments would come retroactively for what she’d already done. Sledge signed it without hesitation.

[Item Delivered] You’ve received an item bound to the contract [Sledge’s Foresters].

Automatically calculating value based on best information…

Best information received from [Azrug Slug’s] mercantile cores…

Additional information received from recent sales conducted by [Sledge]...

[Ogre Cypress Timber] price set to 1c per board.

Calculating board/unit ratio…

Ratio calculated, initiating payment of 5 silver.

5 silver coins sprung from the air in front of Sledge, clattering on the table. Her eyes went wide. “That’s fancy.”

“Sorry,” Theo said. “Let me buy you dinner to make up for it. Everything has been too busy.”

Sledge scooped the coins into her hands, shoving them into a bag at her hip. Her expression softened after she got her money and the offer of a free dinner. The crowds rolled in shortly after that, and only then did Theo notice how many tables and chairs were inside. Since Tresk went wild, upgrading the place on a whim, Xam had brought more furniture in. The capacity of the Marsh Wolf Tavern had increased significantly, allowing the whole town to occupy the massive floor space.

“Looks like she got different help,” Tresk said, gesturing to the bar.

Theo didn’t remember seeing the young woman before, so she must have been a new arrival. The alchemist inspect his mayor screen, finding a discrepancy of 5 new people arriving in town. He appreciated not having to run everyone that came through the same tutorial, and noted that someone in his command structure gave the green light.

Before long, the young woman brought them 3 plates of food, taking payment right there. Theo was happy that she asked if they couldn’t afford to pay, meaning Xam was making good on her promise. The dish was a thick broth-based sauce smothering a plate of noodles. Large chunks of wolf meat sat atop proudly. The alchemist’s mouth was watering before he even dug in. By the time he picked up his fork, Tresk was tipping the contents of the plate into her open mouth, barely chewing the meal.

Tresk sat awkwardly, chatting with Sledge and Theo as they ate. While Half-Ogres were brusque and lacked some manners, they were nothing like the voracious Marshlings at the dinner table. Since Sledge was raised as a Half-Ogre, she seemed to have those manners. When the meal was done, a system message appeared informing them of their food buff.

[Food Buff!] You’ve consumed a piece of [Zee Noodles and Wolf Meat], crafted by a [Cook].

+2 Strength for 8 hours.

“Her buffs are getting more powerful,” Theo said.

“We should come for breakfast,” Tresk said.

That was a great idea. The buff was wasted since they were going to bed soon, but if they ate their breakfast at the tavern, they could take advantage of it more. Theo spotted Xam coming across the room to talk, a smile painting her powerful face.

“Was it good?” she asked.

Theo simply held up his empty plate, which he had licked clean.

“No idea how you do it, Xam,” Theo said. “How did you make a sauce?”

Theo knew almost nothing about cooking. All his meals on Earth came in a package and tasted horrid.

“It’s Zee all the way down,” Xam said, laughing. “Milled Zee for the noodles, powdered Zee to get the sauce to thicken, and Marsh Wolf meat and bones for the rest.”

“Well, it’s great,” Theo said. “Do you serve breakfast?”

“I do,” Xam said.

“Do you serve [Moss Nettle] tea?” Theo asked, narrowing his eyes. That was a deal breaker for him.

“For you? Absolutely,” Xam said.

“Well, you’re gonna see us tomorrow,” Tresk said, leaning forward. “Make something delicious.”

“Oh, I won’t disappoint,” Xam said.

Xam was usually an upbeat person, but like most people in Broken Tusk she had an edge to her. This new profession gave her an outlet that brightened her personality considerably. Since Theo and Tresk had worked on their Tara’hek and gained a significant amount of experience, their moods had changed as well. Combined with the reduced stress of running the town, the alchemist was finally feeling more like himself.

“I saw your worker,” Theo said, pointing to the woman waiting tables. “Who approved their arrival?”

Xam looked over her shoulder for a moment, turning back to smile. “Aarok, I think. They said he didn’t want to bother the mayor.”

“Good,” Theo said. “How is the free meal program going?”

Xam leaned on the table and shrugged. “Barely anyone uses it. The miners ate free for a few days, but then they started paying. People can’t afford the fancy stuff, just go for the stew.”

“The stew is way better now,” Tresk said.

“It’s amazing what the cores do,” Xam said, nodding. “Even without spices, they add so much more flavor. The more complex my dishes, the bigger the buff.”

“You should do sweet stuff in the morning,” Theo said, leaning back.

The alchemist remembered the packaged meals he had back on Earth. There was sometimes a little packet of sweet, chocolate-like powder he loved to mix with instant coffee. It felt like a treat, even if it sucked. Both the coffee and the cocoa were synthetic, but he’d never had the real thing, so it was close enough.

“I think we’re a ways away from sweet stuff,” Xam said, letting out a chuckle.

“That’s fine,” Theo said. “As long as there’s tea.”

Xam left their table after that, off to attend to other patrons. Theo turned his attention to Sledge, who seemed happy to have something in her stomach. She was happy with her new [Fabricator’s Core], somehow also juggling the collection of timber. The alchemist realized he knew little about the life cycle of the Ogre Cypress trees, deciding to pick her brain on the matter.

“How long does an Ogre Cypress take to regrow?” Theo asked.

Sledge leaned in, raising an eyebrow. “Why do you wanna know?”

“I’m investing in foresters. I should know how fast the trees grow.”

“Well, it’s not a constant thing,” Sledge said. “When my father worked the forest, it’d take decades for a tree to grow up. Now, it can take as little as a day, but never as long as before.”

“We can accelerate their growth, if needed,” Theo said.

“With potions, right?” Sledge asked, laughing. “It’s all potions with you, isn’t it?”

“I’m an alchemist,” Theo said. “That’s what I do.”

“Well, those [Forester’s Cores] do more than just cut down trees,” Sledge said. “They can influence the location and speed of growth while promoting a healthy forest. Well, the swamp might be a different story, but that’s how it should work. Do we have a buyer for the timber?”

“Azrug is working on that,” Theo said. “I’ll need to get the foresters up and running before then.”

“Leave it to me,” Sledge said, waving him off. “You gave me 3 good people, I’ll get them working on getting experience. Just give me the cores and the building.

Theo nodded. He was happy another person wanted to step up and take a load off him. After a moment of silence, Sledge spoke again.

“Is your plan to own everything in this town?” she asked.

“I don’t own everything,” Theo said.

“Only mostly everything,” Sledge said. “Gotcha.”

“Theo would approve of other businesses, but no one steps up,” Tresk said, bristling.

“Bah, I’m just messing with you. We were dirt poor before you came along,” Sledge said, her eyes drifting between him and Tresk. “Who would have thought you’d take a Tara’hek. I don’t know anyone else who's done it. Maybe that’s the secret to your success.”

“Maybe,” Theo said. “Have you ever thought of taking the core?”

“It’s not that simple,” Sledge said. “There’s a lot more that goes into the Tara’hek than a want. You have to need it. Like some destiny crap.”

“I don’t really put much thought into it,” Theo said.

“Maybe you should,” Sledge said. “You have a real gift there.”

The group continued talking after the sun had set. Only when most of the patrons left did they decide to leave, going their separate ways at the monolith. Theo and Tresk walked the cobbled streets of Broken Tusk for some time, admiring the stars in the sky. A cool breeze swept through the swamp, blowing from the hills in the north. The alchemist was reminded of the hot wind that came with Zarali’s probing energy, but shook the thought away.

Theo swapped the pressure vessel to process his [Strength Essence] while the slept, doubting that the banging would wake him. It played a rhythmic song against the building, but that noise wouldn’t interrupt the sleep brought on by the comfort of his bed. He slipped into his cool sheets, pale moonlight playing through the window, and drifted off soon after his head hit the pillow.