The Land: Catacombs (Chaos Seeds Book 4) (30 page)

In a tone of disbelieving astonishment, Beyan answered, “I swear it, Lord Richter.” 

“Then I have another question.  Can you stop being such an asshole?  It’s a serious question.  I honestly considered just punching you in the face before today, but I quite like the version of you that I’m seeing now.”

Beyan looked at Richter in shock.  He was so taken off guard that he tripped over a rock and fell onto his butt.  Richter tried not to laugh, but it sneaked out as a cough, then a chuckle, then a full-throated chortle.  Beyan looked up, annoyed at first, but then started laughing as well.  Richter helped him up and they kept laughing together for a few more seconds. 

Wiping a tear from his eye, Beyan said, “Well if that’s not a sign from the Universe telling me not to take myself too seriously then I don’t know what would be.  The answer to your question is yes.  It probably won’t happen overnight, but since I used my magic, I feel like a knot has started unraveling inside of me.”

Richter nodded. “Well I can’t ask for a more honest answer than that.  Now I have one more question.”  He started walking in a more northerly direction. “Now that you’re using your magic again, are you willing to put your Alchemy skill to good use on behalf of the village?”

“What does that mean exactly, Lord Richter?”

“One, you would teach others what you can do, share your knowledge.  Basically you will take on novices who will help you with your work.  Two, you’ll make potions for the good of the village.  Sumiko is right.  We need to be better prepared for future battles.  Three, you bend the knee.  Amazing things are on the horizon, but I can only make you a part of it if you are truly with me.  If you swear fealty, you’ll do so in front of Sumiko.  She will cast her truth spell on you, just like everyone that bent the knee last night.  You will agree to obey my commands and the commands of those I place above you.  There can be a home here for you either way, but if you are tired of running from those with more power than you and would like my help to become powerful in your own right, then I can help you do that.”  They had reached the bottom of the slope leading up to the meadow of the Quickening, and Richter stopped walking.  “If you need time to consider it, that’s fine, but tell me now.”

Beyan looked at Richter with an intense stare.  His body was tight with tension and Richter could almost see a lifetime of distrust warring with the gnome’s desire to have a better life.  They stood there, unmoving, for several minutes while Richter awaited the Death magician’s answer.  Sumiko walked up with Futen floating beside her.  The sprite woman was grumbling about being summoned by a flying rock, but when she felt the serious air around the two men, she quieted and waited to see what would happen.

Beyan looked from Richter to Sumiko and back again, then went down to one knee.  Sumiko, picking up on why she had been summoned, cast
Soul’s Window
.  After her hands stopped glowing, Beyan made his pledge.  Not the same formulaic words that had been spoken to Richter hundreds of times now, but a pledge that was specific to the gnome and his complicated path through life.

“I formally swear allegiance and loyalty to you, my Lord Richter.  Through life, and unto my death, I swear my service to you.  I will follow your commands and the commands of those you place over me.  I swear with my whole heart that if you ever punch me in the face without cause, I will punch you back in a much more sensitive spot.  I also swear to give you my best every day.”

Sumiko coughed in a way that sounded suspiciously like a laugh and said, “He meant everything he said.”

Richter laughed again and helped the gnome up.  “I can live with that.  I accept your pledge and promise to tell you if you start being an asshole again.”

Beyan smiled and said, “I can live with that too.”

“Well if this excess of manliness is done, I have work to do,” Sumiko said with a huff. 

“Actually, miss sassy,” Richter said with a smile, “I’d like you to come up to the meadow with me.  There is something that I think you would like to see.”  Sion jogged up to them and handed over Richter’s Bag of Holding.  The sprite nodded to him and Richter said, “Let’s go.”

They walked up the slope.  At the top, Isabella and Terrod were laughing about something and a few other people were working in the garden.  The woman ran up to Richter and embraced him again.  How she didn’t hurt her fun bags on his armor he had no idea, but since it didn’t seem to bother Terrod, he wasn’t going to complain. “Thank you for bringing him back safely from the hunt, my lord.  My Terrod has told me that you even gave him your sword, leaving yourself defenseless, when he lost his.  Thank you!” 

Richter laughed and extricated himself from her embrace. “It was a team effort.  I’m glad you’re here though.  There is something I would like you to see.”  He told all of the other gardeners to stop what they were doing and to follow him as well.  For good measure, he even cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted towards the Quickening, “Come on over and see something cool!”  He had to imagine that the sprite guards Hisako had left behind got bored just guarding the tree and the pixies. 

Richter walked past the garden and went another two hundred yards.  He turned around and addressed everyone, “I wish the entire village could be here, but I’m happy I can share it with you.”  Then he reached into his Bag and took out the item he had sent Sion to retrieve, the alchemy set he had bought from Leandra’s shop so long ago.  He carefully reassembled it while his people watched, confused.  When he was done, he turned back to them and with dramatic flair, removed the Magic Core from his Bag.

“By the reaper’s gonads!  You have another one?” Beyan asked, shocked. 

“What?  Does the reaper even have gonads?” Richter asked in a half laugh.

“Big as melons, just like mine,” Beyan replied without missing a beat.  “But the point is where did you find another one?”  The gnome’s stare was threatening to burn a hole through the object. 

“The where doesn’t matter.  What matters is that I am about to make a Philosopher’s Cauldron.  That’s why I needed to know where you stood.  Before today I would never have trusted you near this, but I want you to work here.  We both have a ways to go before we have a deep trust, but today was a good start.  Sion will be in charge here and there is apparently another alchemist I need to meet, but I invite you to use whatever I am about to create.”

Beyan bowed his head and said, “I am honored, my lord.”

Richter nodded to the gnome and without further ado, brought the Core and the alchemy set together.  A prompt appeared.

Do you wish to
create a Philosopher’s Cauldron?  Yes or No?

Richter chose “Yes.”  The prompt disappeared and another took its place.

Know This!  A third component is required to create a Philosopher’s Cauldron.  You must supply a potion ingredient.  

Richter dismissed the prompt.  It only made sense, he supposed.  The elementum had been such an important part of determining the character of the Forge of Heavens.  The question was, what could he add? The garden was right there and it was growing herbs and plants of various types, but that seemed too mundane an option.  He pulled up his inventory to see what else he had available.  If he didn’t find any good options, then there was nothing forcing him to use the Magic Core right now.  This was the last day to use some of his skill bonuses from leveling, though, and if he wanted to put them to the best use, it would be after he got whatever bonus he would earn from building the Cauldron. 

The first thing that his eyes landed on was the enhanced crystal he had gotten from slaying the crystal guardian.  When he put the components together, though, a prompt told him that the crystal was a resource, not an ingredient.  So he put the crystal back and searched for the next item.  He smiled when he saw an item that he had completely forgotten about.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient:
Rotting Blue Berries
.  Trait(s): +0.5% potion creation success rate.  +100% effectiveness of intellect potions.  +2% chance of adding random undesirable effect to potions.  Do you wish to make the
Cauldron of Twisted Focus
?  Yes or No?

Well, I can certainly do better than that, he thought with a smile.  He handed the berries to one of the gardeners and told him to see if they could grow anything.  He also motioned for Futen to come closer and told him the results and to relate a comprehensive list to Randolphus later on.  A compendium of the effects of Magic Cores could come in handy in the future.  Richter pulled out the next item.  A simple healing herb that he had picked from the forest.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient:
Forest Sage
.  Trait(s): Healing potions will automatically be one level higher.  Do you wish to make the
Cauldron of Basic Healing
?  Yes or No?

“What are you doing with that sage, my lord?” Beyan asked.  The question was obviously directed at Richter, but the gnome’s eyes were glued to the Magic Core.  Richter tried not to laugh at him while he explained what was happening.  Immediately, everyone started shouting out herb examples.  Richter exhaled with irritation.  This was why he hadn’t told everyone immediately.  It felt like he was on
The Price is Right
bidding on a tube of toothpaste!  He just nodded and fake smiled as he listened to the cacophony and started trying other items from his Bag.  He just couldn’t resist seeing what would happen with the next ingredient.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient:
Skath Fat
.  Trait(s): ‘Oil’ level potions will be twice as powerful.  Incendiary potions will be twice as powerful.  Do you wish to make the
Cauldron of Flammable Oil
?  Yes or No?

Hmmm, stronger than he would have guessed, Richter thought.  He chose “No” again.  He told Futen the effect, and decided to quit playing around.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient:
Blood of the Dark Aberration
.  Trait(s): Dark magic and the agony of thousands suffuse this blood.  All Dark potions are 300% stronger.  All Light potions 60% weaker.  Spilling the life’s blood of creatures in the central cauldron will increase the power of any created potions for a short time.  This benefit is increased both by the level of sentience of your offering and the degree of suffering it experiences before death.  Do you wish to make the
Cauldron of Dark Sacrifice
?  Yes or No?

“Holy fuck!” Richter exclaimed.  A chorus of questions immediately came his way, but he waved them away.  He would NOT let this information out into the world.  He wasn’t interested at all, but he was sure some sick fuck would have no problem torturing puppies and babies to make stronger potions.  Still, knowledge was knowledge.  He whispered the effects to Futen and then took out the next ingredient.  Richter was fairly certain this wouldn’t be nice and cuddly either, but he had to know.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient:
Crypt Mistress Ichor
.  Trait(s): The true power of this demon lies in the spell disciplines of necromancy and enchantment.  Potions dealing with those disciplines are 200% stronger.  You will be able to make a unique potion:
Death’s Kiss
.  Forcing another to take this potion for ten days in a row will make them your slave, though it will halve their natural life span.  Do you wish to make the
Cauldron of Demon Slavery
?  Yes or No?

Richter’s lips twisted in disgust.  He wasn’t sure which option would have disgusted him more.  He started to whisper the results to Futen, but this time he decided not to even do that.  The Land could continue on without this particular knowledge.  Even if it was already out there, he wouldn’t compound the problem.  He just put the vial away.

His eyes were drawn to another item, and he felt something.  It was a still moment.  Like after you throw a dart and know it will hit the bullseye while it’s still in the air.  Or the moment right before you lean in, but already know she’s going to kiss you back.  He knew he had the right choice.  He withdrew the item from his Bag and completed the trinity of the ingredient, the set, and the Core.

Know This!  The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions.  You have supplied the ingredient:
Blood of Aged Glass Dragon
.  Trait(s): Glass dragons are not the most powerful beings in The Land, but they are among the toughest.  Their blood and bodies embody the impossibly hard and clear metal, glass.  Dragons will continue to get larger and stronger as they age.  This Cauldron will do the same.  New characteristics may appear as the Cauldron ages.  The advanced years of the dragon this was obtained from has magnified the effects of its blood.  Created potions have a 0.08% chance of having another effect which will permanently increase a characteristic, skill, affinity, or resistance.  Potions will also increase in strength the longer they go unused.  Do you wish to make the
Dragon’s Cauldron
?  Yes or No?