System-based magic was a novel concept, but Theo was happy to help Elrin out with his attack. It turned out the stones in the ruins were alive with a form of magic he wasn’t familiar with. Since he often delayed studying and understanding magic, he had no intentions of getting a good feel for this. The stones needed his willpower, and his willpower they got.
“That should be good,” Elrin said, patting Theo on the shoulder.
The giant black tiger lingered nearby, prowling near the edges as though Trevor was ready to pounce at any mont.
“So, what do I do?” Theo asked.
“Not much. Make sure they’re infused and enjoy your flowers.” Elrin rubbed his hands together, looking to the sky occasionally.
The amount of willpower the stones wanted to drink was vast. Theo felt himself go slack a few tis, and he had to allow so hidden facet of himself ti to recharge. But the entire process only took an hour or so. By that ti the stones were glowing with power, radiating that “system” magic Elrin had ntioned before.
“That’ll do,” Elrin said, producing the wicked halberd from nowhere. “Let the war gas comnce…"
Without warning, he vanished. There was no burst of energy as Theo had expected. Instead, the man was standing there one mont and gone the next. The alchemist was left with the snow and the glowing ruins. After a few awkward monts, he shrugged and turned his attention to the flowers he had been picking. Talking with Elrin had distracted him from what was important: alchemy reagents.
The flower itself was interesting enough. The frozen petals could be mistaken for water, but within it Theo could feel alchemical potential. But when he went to inspect the item, a frown crossed his face.
[????]
[Alchemy Ingredient]
????
Properties:
????
“Guess a visit to Broken Tusk’s favorite master of lore is in order.”
With nothing much left to do in the frozen tundra, and with his nose feeling frostbitten, Theo departed from Calet. He fell through the void, arriving back in the comforting warmth of Broken Tusk. He let out a long breath, pressing forward to Azrug’s little shop. It was decently busy today, with a group of people both outside and inside. The alchemist pushed his way past them, shaking his head when no one made way. Most were from out of town, likely coming for supplies to make their stay easier in the swamp city.
“Can you get your boss?” Theo asked, watching as the person behind the counter turned their head incredulously.
“Oh!” the young half-ogre woman said, straightening her back and perking up. “Just head into the back… I have a feeling things are only going to get busier.”
Theo nodded, allowing himself behind the counter. He made his way through the wooden door, finding a lot more building behind the counter than he had expected. What he did expect was how nice Azrug’s office was. The alchemist didn’t bother knocking, allowing himself in and ignoring the ‘do not disturb’ sign. Although the young man looked up in annoyance at first, his expression softened when he saw who his caller was.
“Though one of the custors broke in to get a refund or sothing,” Azrug said with a laugh. “What do you need, Theo?”
The alchemist produced one of the flowers from his inventory, placing it on the counter. “Can you identify this for ?”
Azrug frowned, looking down at the flower which lted on his nice desk. The water soaked into nearby papers. “Classic Theo. Brought a lting rose…”
“I thought it might be interesting to you,” Theo said, having a seat on the opposite side of the desk and kicking back. “I have a feeling this item is from before the last reset.”
Azrug pinched the flower by the stem, holding it up and ignoring the damage to his papers. “It is really weird, isn’t it?” he asked, looking at it from different angles. “Good news is my core recognizes it as sothing I can identify. Bad news is, it doesn’t want to give a lot of information.”
“What do you have?”
Azrug humd to himself, pursing his lips. “There’s so existing lore about these being the tears of a dead goddess frozen on the throne of sothing. Another bit about monotheism. But that’s about it. Here, I’ll give it so flavorful text for you.”
“I appreciate it,” Theo said, withdrawing a few coins.
Azrug held up a halting hand. “No need, my friend. I’m swimming in cash.”
“Wow, we’re friends?” Theo asked.
“Depends on how fat my vault is. Anyway, here ya go.” Azrug handed the flower back, retrieving a rag from under his table and soaking up the water which had seeped into his papers. “This happens more often than you’d think.”
Theo accepted the flower and held it up to the light. It was still lting, but not as quickly as it should have if it were made of real ice. He was eager to see what kind of description the loremaster had given it, and summoned the system’s prompt right away.
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[Frozen Tear]
[Alchemy Ingredient]
The tear of a long-forgotten goddess frozen into the shape of a flower.
Properties:
[????] [????] [????]
Theo smiled to himself, returning the flower to his inventory. Before Azrug had identified it, he didn’t have a good sense for what the item could do. Now he had a better idea, knowing that it would produce so unique magical effects. Finding stuff that had properties he hadn’t seen before was hard. As his knowledge of alchemy grew, the amount of novel things he encountered shrunk, so this would be a welco break from the things he had been working on.
“So, how are the gas going?” Azrug asked.
Theo couldn’t help himself but to laugh. “The admins are running that. I’m just expected to make so interesting prizes.”
“And? Have you?”
“Oh, yeah. I’ve got so stuff that’s going to be the talk of the world. I only have a few more things to finish, then I’ll give the winners so of the best potions ever crafted in this world.”
Azrug raised a skeptical brow. “How good are these potions? Could I get so for my shop?”
“Didn’t you promise not to carry potions here?”
“I don’t rember making that promise. Maybe it was a dream. Maybe you’re having a nightmare.”
Theo laughed again. It was nice to see how Azrug had his feet beneath him, and even more satisfying to see that he was running at full speed. The guy was smart with a mind for being a rchant, so if there was anyone in Broken Tusk that would make this work, it was him.
“I really can’t reveal what the potions do. It would cause a panic,” Theo said with a dramatic sigh. “Anyway, thanks for the identification. I have a feeling this flower is gonna make so interesting potions…”
“Yeah, maybe I could get a few resulting potions for the shop!” Azrug shouted with another laugh. “Actually, scratch that. I’ve been making a fortune on rchandise for the gas.”
Theo narrowed his eyes.
“What?” Azrug asked. “You didn’t see the dolls on your way in?”
Theo stood there for a few monts, but headed for the door. As promised, the storefront was filled with stuff related to the gas. Dolls, toys, decorative mugs. Azrug had everything ready to make so serious money, and judging by the sparseness of the shelves, he couldn’t keep much of it in stock.
“Leave it to Azrug,” Theo said, leaving through the front door. “Ti for so potions… Or maybe I’m supposed to do sothing else? Bah, who cares?”
***
Fate had spent most of her life as a ‘god,’ whatever that ant, following the threads. Darkness surrounded her as she tugged at the latest one that drew her interest. It edged her along the familiar path. She had observed the mortals calling physical space the Mortal Realm, and everything else was a void. So were smart enough to understand that the void was a different place altogether, but none knew about the other space.
She simply called it the Path.
“I can’t see a thing, sister! You know I hate following the threads!” On shouted from sowhere behind. “And I cannot keep this pie from spilling. Why does a pie spill?”
“I did my best, okay?” Fate asked, scoffing as she wrapped her hand tighter around the thread. “Just grab my dress with your free hand and follow closely.”
“I have no free hand! The pie is sloshing!”
She had done her best with the pie, but On was right. It was watery, sloshing to either side when he took a step. “Give it to ,” she said, turning to find her frightened brother with red jam down his front. “Just don’t get lost. We’ll get in trouble.”
“That’s what I’ve always said! Yet here we are. Disobeying the System itself!”
It wasn’t strictly breaking the rules. Fate had done this many tis before, and had never gained the attention of the system. Her domain wasn’t just that of the Shifting Thrones. Unlike the other gods, both her and On were in charge of facets outside of the godly thrones. Their domain wasn’t just the realms, but the places outside. Soone had once called these the Elderling Realms.
A flash of doubt spread through Fate’s mind, but she pushed it down. It didn’t matter what her grandfather had done. He always had his reasons for doing things, and she wanted to overlook such a terrible sin if only just to see him again. If atonent wasn’t possible for anyone, the world would be a much darker place, and she just couldn’t bring herself to accept that soone so dear had been lost forever.
“Are we almost there?” On asked with a groan.
“You have no pie to carry,” Fate said. “So shut it!”
Fate felt the familiar twinge of magic coming from her brother. He was reaching out to touch the disasters, foretelling whatever doom awaited them on the other side of the thread. She was shocked to hear him make a pleased sound behind her.
“That’s odd!” On said, shuffling closer to her and gripping her dress tightly. “I don’t see anything bad on the other side of this.”
“Really?” Fate asked, not believing it for a mont. She was going well outside of where she should be, piercing through so mbrane she didn’t understand. “I expected at least a little trouble.”
“No, according to my powers, we’re looking at sunshine and roses on the other end!” On shouted. “Co, sister. Quicken your pace. Don’t spill the pie.”
Although it was impossible to know how far the Thread of Fate ran, Fate could feel the end drawing near. With On’s increased pace, it was easier to follow and they soon arrived at a door. Both stopped, sharing a look in the darkness and turning with confusion.
“Is it normally a door?” On asked, cocking his head to the side.
“No. Normally, I just spill out onto the ground,” Fate said. She knocked on the door a few tis, but nothing happened. A mont later, she snapped her fingers. “I know what this is! A dinsional barrier.”
“A what?”
“When I went to Earth, I saw the sa thing. This is the barrier between the local sector and the outside universe,” Fate said. She chuckled to herself. “My brain just imagines it as a door!”
“And what does that an for us? We’ve barely got any pie left.”
Fate raised her hand again, this ti knocking with a lot more force.
From the other side, a familiar voice called out. “Co in!”
“Just ans we gotta use more force to get through,” Fate said with a wink.
“Was that who I think it was?” On asked.
Fate nodded eagerly, turning the brass knob on the otherwise unassuming door. “Yep. Let’s see how our grandfather is doing. If you ntion grandmother, I’ll skin you alive. Just so you know.”
“Ah, right. The murder,” On said with a knowing nod. “Off we go, then… Into another dinsion or sothing… Oh no… Sister, the visions are back!”
“Deal with those later,” Fate scolded. “Grandfather will want so watery pie.”
On lingered on the safe side of the door for a few monts. “Will he, though?”
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