Chapter 68: Chosen Path

Chapter 68: Chosen Path

“I WANT BARCK’S BOX!” Annie almost screamed and then clamped her hand over her mouth. She flushed crimson.

“Phrasing?” I muttered. “Also, keep the volume down.”

“That’s... a crazy Specialization, Pete.” Balin said, slightly shell shocked. “I know you said you ‘worked things out’ with Barck, but all of that’s a bit more than ‘worked things out’. A lot of ‘chosen’ and ‘yer God’ bein’ bandied about...”

“Who cares!” Annie hissed, her face still a wild red. “It's insane! For your first Specialization!? Take it!”

“I dunno... I still prefer [Dimensional Drinker].” [Chosen Alchemist] was pretty amazing. But... “There’s a lot of really big problems with [Chosen Alchemist], Annie.”

“What possible problems? No, never mind. Let me write the exact text down in my notebook first.”

“Uh....” I began.

“I’ll burn it in the furnace after.” She rolled her eyes. “Geeze, Pete, I’m a brewer. If there’s one thing we do well it’s privacy.”

“Smart. Balin, can you write it in my notebook too?”

“Aye.” I passed him my notebook and he grabbed a pencil. “Go.”

I read the Specialization again.

[Chosen Alchemist]

You did not choose to become an [Alchemist]; you were chosen. While some struggle to find their way in life, you have already lived fully, and been God-given the chance to do it again. As a [Chosen Alchemist] you bear Barck’s Blessing and a path paved with power.

Combine [Otherworlder] and [Stabilize Mixture] into the Blessing [Stable Otherworlder]

Combine [Bottomless Barrel] and [Ingredient Scan] into the Blessing [Barck’s Box]

The Milestone [Carbonate] is not affected.

Stride boldly Chosen, and change the world!

Increases the chance of developing spark Milestones and the chance to find rare alchemical ingredients.

[Stable Otherworlder]

Your spirit has found a new spark but denies its influence with the blessing of Barck. Your mental statistics remain replaced with their previous values, and you are more likely to gain Blessings and Milestones. Any influence your body has had on your mind is reversed, and any future influence is greatly reduced. Grants greater resistance to mental and bodily manipulation as well as increased resistance to all elements and damage. Long may you live!

This ability is always active.

[Barck’s Box]

An alchemist often needs to forage for their own ingredients, but you are able to make your own. You can touch a container that contains no less than twenty-four grams of non-magical biological matter and grant it a touch of infinity. For the next one minute, anything you remove from the container and use in your alchemy does not reduce the amount of material in the container. If the material is not used in some form of alchemy within the next sixteen minutes, it disappears.

You can use this ability once per hour.

Annie scribbled a bit in her notebook and looked up.

“Nope. I still don’t see any downside. Do you realize how much money that could save us? Some of the ingredients in the bittering agent are pretty expensive. Brewing counts as basic alchemy, so [Barck’s Box] would make it free!” Annie became more and more animated as she continued, and her eyes glittered with excitement. “We could experiment with new rare ingredients, or sell usage of the Blessing to other [Alchemists] in the city. This is the kind of Blessing that could impact all of Minnova. Maybe even all of Crack!”

Balin and I drew in our breaths and looked at each other.

“Annie...” Balin began.

“That may not necessarily be a good thing.” I finished.

“What? Why not? Everyone would want it! Oh...” Her face fell.

We looked at him in consternation and he continued. “It’s what [Otherworldly Brewer] says. I think we’re too focused on tha’ power or money these Specializations could bring us; tasty treats and gold and fancy tricks. Specializations are gifts from tha’ Gods to help us on a path to greatness. Pete, who do you want to be?”

Annie and I stared at Balin and then turned to stare at each other. A pair of smiles slowly spread across our lips.

—

“Bran!”

Bran looked up from where he was arranging his knives in their new cupboard. He’d spent all morning getting them ready while everyone else was in the brewroom seeing the new changes to the machinery. He understood that breweries were a bit insular, but it still would have been nice to be included in it. Ah well, he would have to take baby steps. He was confident that with enough time he’d have them all eating out of the palm of his hands.

Literally.

The door from the brewroom banged open as Annie and Balin came running in. The brewery had closed a while ago, and as far as he knew only the two of them and Pete were still present.

“Aye Annie, what is - “ He began.

“Maaaah!” [Translated from Prima Donna Goat] “I seek more carrots, servant. Fetch them for me at once.”

The three of them and Penelope. He sighed and tossed her one of his carrot muffins. She took it with a greedy “Meeeeeh!” and went to a corner to eat. At least he’d managed to teach her to stay out of the kitchen while he was cooking. The constant demands for treats actually reminded him a bit of Opal! That and the tiny goat-tee!

“Bran, can you make something? Quick?” Annie pleaded.

“Maybe.” Bran wiped his counter with a cloth. “What do ya want?”

“Just a cake or somethin’” Balin said. “It’s fer a good cause.”

“Well, if it’s for a good cause, I’d be happy to.” Bran felt nostalgic. It was just like old times; hungry dwarves making a late-night raid on the kitchen for snacks. There was only one thing missing.

“Where’s Pete?”

“We asked him to run a quick errand.” Annie answered.

“Tha treat’s fer him! It’s cause he -”

Annie clamped a hand on Balin’s mouth and gave a strained smile.

“It’s a surprise.” Balin’s muffled voice finished.

“Hrrrmm....” Bran bit his upper lip. “Pete, huh? Pete currently owes me. Dunno if I want to make him a cake.”

“Argh, Pete!” Annie groaned.

“Pleaaase, Bran?” Balin begged.

“Of course, he could always make the treat for us.” Bran pointed over at Penelope.

Balin and Annie turned to look. Penelope stood in a dark corner of the room where she was munching down on her late-night snack. A nondescript shadow was crouched behind her.

“Pete... are you hiding behind Penelope?” Annie asked with trepidation.

“Meeeeh?” A rather masculine voice replied.

“He’s learnin’ goat so’s he can ask Penelope on a date.” Balin stated wryly.

Pete stood up in outrage. “Slander!”

Balin grumbled as Pete walked over to join them. “I can’t believe ya found us so quick.”

Pete gave a wide grin, and Annie sighed.

“That Blessing is going to make him even more insufferable.”