Chapter 263: Overwhelming

Chapter 263: Overwhelming

Dozer oozed through the camp, bonesack-humans bustling from here to there around him, doing this and that and only occasionally stopping to say hello. Rain-King was busy talking to Grannybrain. Ameliah-Queen was busy cleaning down by the wetway leading to the big salt. And Tall-Brother didnt want to play.

Dozer quivered, echoing some small part of Rain-Kings worry. Like Rain-King, Dozer wasnt quite sure how to help. Tall-Brothers Lilly was gone, but not gone, just like Grannybrain and Ameliah-Queen-Dadfather. There was the thing Rain-King called baggage there too, actually. Only Ameliah-Queen wasnt throwing herself at an impossible problem to avoid her feelings.

Dozer released an unhappy pop.

Feelings were good, but complicated.

Reaching his destination, he turned his essence emission volume to the maximum. [Zero!!!!]

[!!!!!]

His daughterDozer couldnt help but quiver with excitement at the concept of being a dadfather himselfspasmed in fright, almost upending the fish barrel shed been scouring. Shock became indignation, transmitted through vibrations of essence too subtle for even Rain-King to interpret.

Dozer squirmed with happiness.

Zero had feelings too, more of them each day. Feelings meant smart. Hed been worried at first, but now, he was starting to think she might be even smarter than he was soon. The meaning-words she used with him were beginning to diverge from the limited spoken language of the bonesacks, taking on new layers of meaning as they made their own language together. It was terribly exciting.

[Trick? No danger?]

[Yes, no danger,] Dozer sent. [Just Dad.]

[Dad!!!]

Dozer wobbled with amusement as Zero managed to free herself from the barrel. There was one thing, though, which kept him from complete happinessanother thing hed been worrying about, and the reason hed come to see her today.

Zero couldnt Divide.

It was not for lack of understanding. She understood what she needed to do. He had given the talk as Rain-King suggested. It was not for lack of power, either. She had collected enough Tel several times over. She had collected so many they had started to make her sick, forcing her to spit out the extra.

And yet, she could not do it.

Rain-King said maybe because Divide by Zero impossible. He also said that was poor taste joke and he actually did not know. Maybe not old enough. Just guess.

Grannybrain guessed too. Guessed Dozer was mash of living being and system puppet. Guessed system forgot something making Zero. Also guessed system had not forgot. Guessed system had placed restriction to stop world end in cleansing slime. Confusing. Scary.

Ameliah-Queens advice was best. Said be patient. Said do not fear. But Ameliah-Queen did not know either.

Nobody knew.

Annoying.

[What wrong?] Zero sent, having oozed over to him.

Dozer was perhaps too honest in his reply. [Want grandchildren,] he sent.

[Am trying,] Zero sent, her own sending shaded with shame.

[Known,] Dozer sent with the flavor of an apology. [Not saying your fault. Had idea. Tell not work, so try show.]

[Show?]

[Zero want sister, or Zero want brother?]

[Oh!] Zero practically vibrated with understanding. [Both!]

Dozer sent a sense of determination, checking to make sure he had enough Tel for two attempts. [Okay. Will try. Warn, can not pick. Only suggest. They pick self, same as you.] He paused. [One could pick both. Some humans both, Rain-King says. Or neither. Complicate.] He paused. [You still happy as she?]Findd the newest novels at novelhall.com

Zero wobbled with uncertainly. [Yes? Matter?]

Dozer sent back the equivalent of a shrug.

[Happy,] Zero sent finally.

[Good,] Dozer sent. [Okay. Listen careful.]

[Listening!]

Dozer readied himself, concentrating. Hed only done this once before, and Rain-King said safety was not guaranteed when you had only done a thing once before.

Carefully, he extracted the required quantity of Tel from his stock, then reached for the skill granted to him as a Progenitor.

Divide!

As before, he swelled slightly before a constricting sensation began pinching him in two. Even being prepared for it this time, the sensation was still upsetting. Not painful, but upsetting. There was no question that it was working, though. The clump of Tel hed portioned out vanished, and then the Division completed.

*pop*

[Hello!!!!] Zero sent, barely holding herself together through the magnitude of her glee.

[Quietly!] Dozer warned, oozing to block Zeros lunge. [Is baby. Wont understand words. Only instinct. Do not scare.]

[Touch?] Zero sent, cutting through the confused emanations from her new sibling.

[Gentle okay,] Dozer sent, shifting to the side to let Zero through. At the same time, he extended a small protuberance toward his new offspring, making tentative contact. [Hello, One.]

Lilly gestured over the edge. I saw your model down there. It is by far your finest work, and yet, you have got it all wrong. There is no puzzle to be solved. No hidden trick beyond what you have already discovered. She reached behind her back, her hand returning full of shimmering white and silver gems. She held them up, smiling through her tears. There is a clear path to what you wish. A path so simple, I fear you have forgotten it.

With a mighty heave, Lilly threw her handful of gems into the air, where they punched through the sooty clouds with more force than theyd have had if they had been arrows from her bow. As the darkness fled from their light, they formed a perfect lattice of stars, or rather, two lattices, the types distinct. As they moved together, they quickly tangled and bound, as they had in all his attempts. And yet, they did not stop moving.

If it wont go... Snowlilly said, her voice trembling with exertion. The stars moved, grinding against one another as some invisible force worked on them. Force it!

There was a blinding flash, and the two patterns collapsed in an instant, melding into one flawless whole.

Tallheart stared in awe.

All that was needed was force. Pure, uncomplicated, overpowering force. He had simply not been trying hard enough.

She is right. I did forget.

He tore his gaze from the sky, intending to give her his thanks...

But she was already gone.

Filth, whys it so hot in here?

Ameliah looked away from the scene in front of her, a bead of sweat rolling down the back of her neck as Rain emerged from the lairs mirage-like barrier.

Rain! Mana! she felt as much as heard Tallheart demand, his normally low voice distorted by the hydrogen atmosphere.

Holy shit, Tallheart, what happened in here? Rain demanded, his own voice creeping upward as the blue rings of Essence Well appeared around everyone present. It had been muffled by the protective wax shed crammed into her ears, but as Ameliah looked back at Tallheart, she decided that the change in pitch came only partly from the lightweight gas infiltrating her loves lungs.

Tallhearts state had been no less a shock when shed arrived. The cervidian was shirtlessnot because hed removed it, but rather because the article of clothing seemed to have been burnt off him. Great smears of soot stained his hairless skin. His Ascension jacket was surviving for now, wrapped around his waist like a skirt, but the heavy fabric was blackened and burnt.

Beyond all that, the antlered smith was sweating. His hair was drenched with it, and his shoulders were heaving as he drew heavily from the regulator he held in one hand. In his other, he held his hammer, with which he turned back to his monstrous adamant-clad anvil. With no further acknowledgment of Rains arrival, he resumed working, the very ground shaking with the full, unrestrained force of his blows. The lack of a damage limit was why they were in here.

Covering one ear with a hand and wincing with every resounding impact, Rain signed with the other. Ameliah, whats happening?!

Rummaging for a moment, Ameliah tossed him the tin of wax, feeling her mana draining as Tallheart drew on the skills of their other party members. Myth and Reason were barely holding on, working frantically together with Fume Control to keep everyone from blowing up from the sparks. Kettel was only standing with Tahirs assistance. Romer looked alright, but he had stationed himself well back from the insanity, there just to donate his skills.

Shaking her head, Ameliah returned her eyes to Rain and gestured her reply. Tallhearts happening.

I can see that, Rain sighed, still wincing through the wax. Whats he doing, though? Making his new metal? And why in here?

More heat! boomed Tallhearts voice, snatching Rains attention from her reply. Rain! Immolate! Saturate it!

Rain removed his own regulator to yell back. Tallheart, are you insane? Without the damage limit, an explosion would

MORE HEAT! Tallheart bellowed, and Ameliah felt Rains magic pulled through her as the smith used Immolate himself. He was also using Kettels magic and had been for a while. Fire blasted out to either side with each fall of the hammer.

Rising from her perch near the ruins of the smelter theyd dragged in here, Ameliah caught Rains arm. Just do what he wants, she signed quickly as he turned to look at her. Dont worry. Were handling it. Speaking of handling, Ill handle cooling. Drawing on his magic, she used Refrigerate, directly targeting everyone inside the lair.

Even if I overdo it, a little Cold damage will be better than being baked alive.

Rain shook his head in disbelief, then unleashed his magic, veritably dumping power into their surroundings. The lair trembled under the sudden pressure as she felt the inverted aura wash over her, bolstering her resistance as the temperature soared. She felt a rough friction from the two thermal auras as they ground past each other, but her practice helped her adjust to smooth things out. Rain still couldnt use both together on his own, but Unity and a hefty dose of metamagic provided a serviceable workaround.

Good! Tallheart yelled. Do not let up!

What the hells is he doing? Rain seemed to repeat as he returned his focus to her.

He already made the new metal, but some of the base metals got left over, Ameliah signed. Hes just trying to work it now to get rid of the impurities.

Excuse me? Rain asked. This is him trying to work it?

Its very tough, Ameliah signed.

The sudden end to the clanging came as a shock to both of them. Rains infusion of power had done the trick, apparently. Tallhearts hammer fell to the ground with a heavy thud, blood smearing its handle, with more dripping from his fingers as he swayed. He still had plenty of health, Ameliah knew through the system, so she merely rolled her eyes at his excessiveness, leaving Tahir to deal with the self-inflicted injury. She got to her feet all the same, walking over to see what that excessiveness had wrought.

Somewhat disappointingly, it was just a metal bar. Not an ingotmore of a rod, like a blank that could be forged into a sword, except perfectly cylindrical and barely the thickness of a pencil. The metal was practically drinking mana, glowing white hot in all layers of the spectrum as it drank Rains power.

Cool it, Tallheart signed, beckoning Rain over. Do not worry about the temper. It is pure, and that is what matters.

Tallheart, dont you think this is a bit much? Rain asked, nevertheless doing as requested. Ameliah watched as he manipulated his domain to encourage Refrigerate to break down around the bar to be absorbed. Hed already been doing the opposite to stop his magic needlessly being absorbed by the heavy and now thoroughly battered anvil. The bar itself seemed to be helping him as the air temperature rapidly fell.

Pick it up, Tallheart signed as the mana balance within the bar reached neutral and Rain deactivated his magic. Pick it up, and you will see.

I mean, okay, Rain said, tapping the bar a few times before pinching it between his fingers, the mana draining from the metal more quickly than it should have for its size. Rain clearly noticed that, but something else seemed to catch his attention as he lifted it and swished it through the unbreathable air. After holding the rod up to one eye, he grabbed on with both hands and tried a bend, having absolutely no success.

Do you see now? Tallheart asked, slumping to the ground where Ameliah had been sitting before.

Good work, she signed, walking back over to sit beside him. Is it going to be this hard to make every time?

Probably, Tallheart signed back, closing his eyes.

Tallheart, this stuffs insane! Rain said, standing atop the middle of the rod, balancing with one end planted in the ground and the other held in one hand. It still hadnt bent in the slightest, and the mana within it was already completely gone. Its so light! And strong! And it practically eats mana!

Now we just need a name, Ameliah said.

Tallheart removed his regulator to reveal something incredibly rare on his facea broad, unmistakable smile. Lillium, he rumbled.