The Newt and Demon

5.49 - Looking for a Core

Theo glared at his plate. While Tresk had already downed her food and ran, he was left to look at the mass of burned sausages and over-cooked eggs. Compared to the plates before Rowan and Sarisa, piled high with perfectly cooked food, he felt betrayed.

Am I being punished? Theo asked, pushing the inedible food around with his fork.

You need a reminder, Sarisa said, snapping into a sausage and smiling across the table. Not only do I protect you, but I also cook your food.

Fair enough, he said, withdrawing a bowl of soup from his inventory. Steam rose from the surface, and he watched as globules of fat danced on the surface. This bowl was at least a month old, but his inventory had preserved it perfectly. The lesson I have learned is to always have a back-up plan.

Rowan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. Thats not a bad lesson, but not the one my sister was trying to instill.

Better than nothing, Sarisa said with a shrug. I wont deny that Im happy to have closure on the whole undead thing.

Im not sure if I would call this closure. Theo dipped his spoon into the soup, fishing out a piece of wolf meat. This was from the first batch of food that Xam made with her Cooks Core. It was far better than the stuff she served when he got there, but nothing compared to what she cooked now.

Sarisa and Rowan talked with each other about the situation, but Theo inspected his administrative interface. Ziz had requested some of his time today. After the bridge idea failed, he had to go back and evaluate his options. The man was convinced he could make the concept work, although there was no evidence that he could. A simple barrier remained in place. The ocean was vast and powerful, battling against any attempt to tame it with storms and high waves. No matter how deep they drove the foundation of that bridge, it would always topple.

Digging underground was an option, but it would suffer from the same problem as the bridge. There didnt seem to be available bedrock on the seabed. Perhaps if they dug deep enough they would find it, but physics would always come back to bite them in the ass. Airships were an option, but Xolsa had been consulted on that one. The storms that were kicked up in the sea were spurred on by errant magic, once again bringing the same problem they experienced with the necromantic energy.

The lizard islands werent even a prize. Those people had culture to offer, and little else. It wasnt as though they werent as advanced as the rest of the world, but they kept themselves small for a reason. Through those actions they had managed to avoid the purges that plagued the rest of the world. Instead of hurtling forward with seed core buildings and bustling populations, they remained small and mobile. Even their citizens limited the progression of the cores, swapping them out often enough to avoid the systems inevitable march of destruction.

Theo finished his soup, but waited for his guardians to complete their meals. Sarisa was mad at him, but that didnt mean she didnt have a job to do. The alchemist was reminded of the Zagmon assassins when he had the urge to leave, and remained until they were done. Once everyone was done eating, they stopped by the lab to check on Salire and the Herbalists Workshop to inspect the new plants. Everyone was smooth sailing today, so they made their way through the town, toward the quarry.

Stabby Groove, the section of town occupied mostly by adventurers, had grown considerably. Elves now outnumbered everyone else by a large margin thanks to House Wavecrest. That was a problem for another day.

The quarry had grown considerably since the last time Theo had visited. Ziz spotted them from afar and prepared mugs of mead. The alchemist took his cup and drank, knowing that the half-ogre wouldnt accept anything other than an empty mug in return. He handed it back, putting a smile on Zizs face. Rowan and Sarisa reluctantly drank their own.

Got my message? Ziz asked, laughing. Funny how I have to go through the administrators to talk to you.

Theo scoffed. Just come find me if you need me.

No worries. I wanted to talk about a few projects. If you dont mind.

Theo agreed, and the pair walked to the edge of the quarry. Normally, the stone would be somewhere near the top. Ziz typically carved a stairway into the quarry, allowing his workers to walk down to find the best stone. The entire marble quarry produced perfect quality stone, and hadnt stopped since they found it. Now the stone seemed quite low, and it was easy to see why. There were more workers with Stonecutters Cores than ever, chipping away at the rock with hammers and chisels. They guided massive stones as they fell, ensuring that they didnt shatter. The entire operation was going well, especially now that Ziz wasnt using the stone to make a bridge to nowhere.

I had to lick my wounds for a while, but Im ready to get back at it, Ziz said, clapping a hand on Theos back.

Whats the plan?

Ive got about three plans, he said, withdrawing parchment from his inventory. He placed it on one of many marble stone blocks, holding it down with chipped pieces of the stone. Have a look.

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Theo leaned in, finding oddly detailed sketches of projects, along with descriptions of what those projects were. The first project was a logical one, and something the people in town wanted for quite a while. They would build a bridge over the swamp, just outside of the western gate. That bridge would span all the way to the dungeon, providing an off-ramp to the tower as well. While this project wasnt necessary, thanks to Xolsas portal, there had been times when the wizard was too sick to maintain the portal.

The next project was one that was just practical, and they needed this one. Ziz wanted to tame the river near the river dungeon, creating another underwater tower like the one in the bay. There were a few logistical things that made this project hard, but the solution was on the sheet of parchment. Diverting the river had been an abandoned plan way back when, and it once again resurfaced. Theo thought this was the best way to accomplish the task, and approved of it entirely.

The third project was vague. Ziz wanted to do something with the tunnel they had carved near the mine, but didnt know what to do with it yet. The original plan was to use that to connect to the over-water bridge, but it was now defunct. Theo shook his head, looking up at the half-ogre. Thats a problem for another day.

Agreed. Check out the last one, Ziz said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Theo turned his eyes to the last project. It could only be described as extremely ambitious. Broken Tusk was a town bordered by mountains on three sides. Only a relatively narrow passage to the northeast allowed them access to the rest of the alliance. Ziz wanted to reclaim some of that land for the alliance.

You want to cut the top off of the mountains, Theo said, giving Ziz a flat look.

No, not the mountains, Ziz said, gesturing to the hills behind him. Just the hills. Well top those, lay a nice foundation of stone and invite people to live there.

Perhaps, Theo said, still not believing it was a good idea. My potions arent strong enough for the job. We would need an Earth Mage.

Theyre just ideas, Theo, Ziz said with a laugh. Im not married to them.

But Theos thoughts had already retreated inward, to a problem he was already facing. There were two things left over from his advancement to Level 30. His free skill pick had remained where it was, completely untouched as he couldnt find a good fit. But he also had a core to pick. His newest core slot was something he wanted to fill with a willpower-based core, but what about Earth Mage? How many times had the town been without one when they needed one?

Maybe we can do it, Theo said, tapping his chin. Which one do you think is the most important?

The river, Ziz said without hesitation. Which requires some elevated approval.

Theo understood the meaning of Zizs words right away. Youll have my full approval on that one, buddy. And whatever funds you need to do it.

Always appreciated. Should I send the bill to your lab, or Alise?

Once again, Theo understood. Send it to my lab. Ill let Salire know to pay you from my personal funds if you need it.

Thats why I love doing business with you, Theo. Youre just so damn easy.

Theo remained at the quarry for a while, chatting with Ziz. The thing he hated the most was dropping in on a citizen and leaving before they could talk. Those interactions felt too transactional, often leaving the alchemist feeling like a bad leader. He wasnt a good leader, but he didnt want to feel that way.

I have some people to talk to, Theo said, turning away from the quarry. See ya.

Theo headed back into the town, Sarisa and Rowan trailing behind him. He talked with a few people along the way. A few folks had complaints about stuff, and he promptly entered what they said into the administration interface. Their concerns were mostly around the layout of the town, and their inability to place stuff where they wanted. That should have fallen to Alise, Gwyn, and Gael.

Where are we going? Sarisa asked as Theo angled toward the portal. I dont like the portal.

No one does, Theo said, stepping through. Of course, he didnt feel the same disorienting sensation as the others. The more time passed, the more inclined he was to use extra-planar travel.

A few adventurers were standing on the first floor of the tower, chatting with Zarali and Xolsa. They were discussing the evolution of the Swamp Dungeon, and the appearance of new monsters on the lower floors. Theo found the topic interesting, and didnt interrupt while they were talking. When they were finally done, the wizard beckoned him over.

What is it you require, Theo, Xolsa said, slapping him on the back. It seems as though you always need something when you visit my tower.

Truthfully, I dont care for your tower, Theo said, poking his head out the front door. He looked out over the swamp, still holding it as a place to be feared in his mind. Im thinking about broadening my skills. Taking up another mage core.

Xolsa shared a surprised look with Zarali. She placed a hand over her mouth, giggled, then said, oh, my.

I can help with that, he said, laughing and leading the way up the stairs. He stopped on the second floor, gesturing for the alchemist to have a seat.

The second floor of the tower had been designed to be a study. Books littered shelves on the wall, while random magical devices were strewn around in no particular order. Both Xolsa and Zarali took seats and waited for him to speak. Theo paused, thinking about what advancement meant to them comparing it to how he viewed it. Most people werent as eager to advance in levels as Theo was. From the moment his feet touched ground on this planet, he had been going non-stop. While he had gotten better at taking time to enjoy life, he was still busting his ass daily.

Zarali didnt care at all about leveling. She was more concerned with deepening her connection with Drogramath, and understanding every last thing about his form of enchanting. Xolsa was more interested in studying things to understand them. Those things were often related to his mysterious origins, and his Planar Mages Core. There was no better pair of people to talk to about a new core, though.

Zaralis willpower was monstrous when compared to Theo. Xolsa was the most skilled mage the alchemist knew.

Okay. I want a new mage core, Theo said. But I have some questions about willpower and earth magic.

Zarail and Xolsa shared a look, nodding to each other. Lets hear it.