4.38 - Dynamic Incorporation

4.38 - Dynamic Incorporation

Theo would be lying if he said he was not uncomfortable with Belgars arrival. That possibility had lingered in his mind for quite some time. And why shouldnt it? His understanding of the afterlife in this world was minimal. Even as he graced the heavenly realms, he couldnt put his finger on those mechanisms. But those fanciful thoughts fell by the wayside when he considered what to do next.

No progress was made at the meeting after he arrived back at the town hall. His mind had twisted itself into knots, leaving him unable to make a decision on anything. That responsibility would fall to the administrators. It was their job.

Zarali needed to know. It was unfair to hide the facts from her. Cruel, even.

Tresk and Alex had already rushed downstairs to eat their breakfast, leaving Theo alone with his thoughts. He sat on his beds edge, waiting for his mind to gather.

Anything I can help with? Sarisa asked. She stepped into the room with a pained expression on her face.

Is it that obvious? I met Zaralis dead brother in my realm.

Oh. Thats awkward.

Indeed. Whats the best way to tell her?

Quickly.

That was easy enough to say. But delivering the message was more complex than that. Her mind was already a swirl of conflicting emotions from Xolsas partial recovery. But that came with its own worries. It was a temporary fix that didnt cure the problem. Perhaps it would help him make a full recovery, but that wasnt a guarantee. Now her dead brothers soul lived in the realm of the person who stole his body. A confusing wash of emotions flooded through Theo.

Bring her here, please.

Would you like me to bring you a cup of tea?

I would, thank you.

Theo waited on his bed. When Sarisa returned, she handed the alchemist a teacup on a saucer. Zarali followed closely behind her, looking more worried than hed anticipated.

Zarali, theres no way to put this gently. Belgars soul is in Terogal, under my protection. Theo sipped his tea, waiting for a response.

Zarali stood as though frozen in place. Her mouth hung open as she processed the information. She stammered, messed with her hair, then let out a frustrated breath. Really? Shouldnt his soul have gone to Drogramath?

That was a long story to tell. Sarisa lingered in the rooms corner while Theo went over all the information he knew. Belgar had been hiding between the realms. If that wasnt dangerous enough, he ducked between the realm of dead gods and the spaces between, always trying to find a way back to the mortal plane. When his old body was occupied, it lit up like a beacon. When Terogal was formed, he hatched a plan.

He sounds happy, Zarali said, closing her eyes. Her hands were shaking.

Theo set his tea down, pulling his adoptive sister into a hug. I thought about keeping the information from you. This is too much for one person to endure.

The Priestess of Drogramath sobbed into Theos chest. Sarisa gave him an awkward look for only a moment, trying to avert her gaze from the moment. But Zarali needed to get it out of her system. Too much in too short a period had worn her down. After a while of crying, she started laughing.

Whats so funny?

Thats Belgar. The stubborn asshole I remember.

Theo wiped the wetness from her cheeks, shaking his head. Hes pretty good at alchemy, too.

Damn. I wish there was a way to visit him. I know. Dont get your undies in a twist. I know what happened to Xolsa. We will not make that mistake again.

There might be a way. But I hope we can just set this aside for now. You can write him letters. Mortal objects persist in my realm.

Oh, thats such a good idea. DId he have anything for me? Zarali asked.

Not really. He just wanted you to know he was there.

The pair lingered in the bedroom for some time. Theo sipped his tea over the silence, Sarisa shifting uncomfortably in the corner. When they were done with their moment, the alchemist went downstairs to have breakfast. He wouldnt share the information of Belgar to anyone else. That was up to Zarali to spill, not him. Instead, he enjoyed his meal as the group that lived in his house chatted.

Theo, Rowan said, leaning close to the alchemist to whisper. We may need to talk with Ziz and his crews.

Theo let out a heavy sigh. Rowan didnt need to explain it to him. They were likely working themselves to death on the various projects. I understand.

The Dreamwalk last night was a time for reflection for Theo, but it was also a time to practice the brewing techniques taught by Belgar. Creating grain alcohol was easy enough. It followed many standard alchemical practices that made the process simple. Mash the Zee, use a standard fermentation process, then distill it down. The night was something of a breakthrough.

Theos cores experienced widespread level-ups. His [Drogramath Alchemy Core] hit level 24, while his [Drogramath Herbalist Core] hit 23. The [Governance Core] went to level 29, and his [Toruaun Mages Core] was 7. When his personal level hit 23 from all the activity, he slapped a point into [Intelligence]. He felt aimless with his attribute distribution lately, spreading his selections out over the various stats. Generalization wasnt a bad thing, though.

Time to have a word with Ziz, Theo said, excusing himself from the table.

Dont worry! Tresk shouted after Theo. Ill watch the goose today!

Theo made his way out of the manor, feeling Sarisa following closely behind him. He circled around the road in front of his house, spotting the mostly completed temple. Ziz and his boys were working like insane people, setting blocks into place even at this early hour. There were at least 20 people working on the project, all part of the mans expanded projects groups.

Ziz! Theo shouted. The Half-Ogre was perched atop a wall, laying stones like his life depended on it. Wanna come down here?

Not really!

Theo scowled up at the stubborn man. The workers had erected temporary scaffolding on the temples side. The alchemist climbed them, refusing to let Ziz get away with this. They were going to burn themselves out before they even got to the other projects. He grumbled the entire way up, standing at the structures top and looking down at his town. Hed never seen it from this angle.

You guys are going a little nuts with this, huh? Theo asked, grabbing the side of the stone structure when the scaffold swayed in the wind.

Theo, come on! Ziz said, withdrawing a marble block from his inventory and setting it in place. A flash of light later, and the stone was set in place with expert precision. Did your assistants rat me out? Were resting! I swear!

Ziz was tweaking like hed just injected [Moss Nettle] directly into his heart. But he didnt look that bad. Theo doubted he was taking [Stamina Potions] every day. The man would be dead on his feet if that was the case. There was just an underlying mania with the way he spoke. Like a man who had too much work and not enough time.

Are you sure? Theo asked.

Yeah, Theo. I have a team of 60 workers now. Were working in shifts.

What about you?

Yeah, I work more shifts than the other people, but Im sleeping. Dont come down on me for being a badass stoneworker.

Theo glowered for a moment, but relented. Ziz was a focused guy. While the alchemists mind wandered from one thing to the other at break-neck speed, the Half-Ogre locked in a problem and never let go. But he also knew himself.

Alright, are you sure? Theo asked.

Ziz gave him a knowing smile. Yes, dad.

Theo rolled his shoulders. The Zarali thing had really gotten to him. This wasnt the person he was trying to be. Check this out.

Theo withdrew a [Retreat Potion] from his inventory. One infused with the [Refined Elemental Wind] modifier. Screw this, Im out, he said, downing the potion.

Alchemy Lab

Greenhouses (x6)

Mycology Cave (x2)

Blacksmith

Artificers Workshop

Large Farm

Small Farm

Windmill

Quarry

Stonecutter

House (x398)

Manor

Tannery

Tavern

Adventurers Guild

Hotsprings

Sawmill

Mine

Smelter

Enchanter

Ranch

Townhall

Butcher

Weaver

Defensive Emplacements:

Chain Lightning (x12)

Frost Cone (x7)

Fireball (x10)

Firebolt (x25)

Upgrades:

[Stone Walls and Gates]

[Stone Roads]

[Defensive Emplacements]

[Synergistics]

[Dynamic Incorporation]

Effects:

[Troll Slaying]

[Coordinated Fire]

Current Resources:

Timber: 50,243

Stone Blocks: 10,011

Metal: 9,123

Motes: 15,500

The window that popped up was unwieldy. At this point it had several pages that Theo had to tab through, making it a horrible experience. The group discussed the new upgrade there by the monolith. It was nice seeing people walk past them, going about their lives without fanfare. Things were settling down into a comfortable pace. Fenian went off after a time, wheeling himself along the cobbled path. Salire had the shop to attend to. Potions to sell and all that. Shed also check the fermentation barrels while the alchemist faced down the dragon.

Sledges people seemed to be just as busy as Ziz and his crew. The only difference was that they didnt need to be this busy. Lumber production was crucial to the towns success, but she took her job too seriously. When she wasnt working on [Fabricator] jobs, she was cracking the whip at the sawmill.

Hide! Sledge shouted after spotting Theo coming down the road.

Someone else has to say hide, Sledge, Theo shouted back. Otherwise I know youre there. I have something fun for you to do.

Theo approached the sawmill, spotting the Marshling hiding behind a stack of logs. How fun? she asked, not removing herself from her hiding spot.

Well, youre going to turn a normal building into a seed core building.

Sledge popped up. Alright. Lets go.