Book 2 Chapter 47 (Patreon)

Bi Xi appeared to Nox again during the spirit walk, looking worse for wear. It appeared as if recent events had affected the spirit, too. Craters pock-marked the intact sections of his shell. However, the critters crawling and squirming around the holes seemed sparser than before.

“Are you a spirit of the land?” Nox asked, sitting six feet from Bi Xi.

The spirit just looked as scarred as the land outside the city’s walls. Brown and pink sludge stained Bi Xi’s scaly skin, and more crimson cracks split it. Nox tried scooting closer, but the tortoise snapped its jaws, stopping him. He raised his hands in surrender and retreated.

“Are you already bound to someone else? Is that why you won’t let me get any closer? Or is someone abusing you?”

The tortoise hummed. It almost felt like an answer to one of Nox’s questions. He couldn’t tell which one, of course. He took solace in the fact that he was close to solving the mystery surrounding Bi Xi. Most curious of all wasn’t the new injuries or fewer insects but the tortoise’s presence. It was more solid and closer than ever before.

“You appear to be getting closer with every visit. Why don’t you tell me how to find you, Bi Xi? I’ll find you and help you. Whatever help you need to feel better, I promise to provide it. We’ll solve this issue together.” Nox waited, hoping for the entity’s rare words. Any morsel of information from the tortoise would help him further improve his understanding of it and spirits in general. “There’s no rush. If you won’t tell me now, there is always next time. Let me bring a friend. She might—”

A mighty wind washed through the mound around Ygg’s base. Leaves rained around Nox and spiraled around him. When the odd phenomena stopped, Bi Xi had disappeared. Instead, Otis appeared, dancing around where Nox stood. He scanned his surroundings, hoping to glimpse the tortoise, but saw nothing.

“Where in Ygg’s name have you been?” He asked Otis. Nox’s reliance on the gremlin had reduced thanks to Alexander’s squirrels. So, he didn’t try summoning Otis until after the first rift battle. The spell didn’t work. The Woodson had offered several theories. “Was it the Void Essence, or did Terrastalia’s appearance affect the spirit realm too?”

Otis squeaked again, bounced off Nox’s shoulder, and stopped a foot from him. The gremlin appeared larger. It wasn’t just his size that had changed. The eyes were sharper and more intelligent. Otis’s body unfolded following a brief wobble and a pair of arms extended from the furry body. Each had four stubby digits—three fingers and an opposable thumb.

“By Nidhogg’s taint!” Nox exclaimed, dropping to his knees. “Have you been off growing? I wish you could tell me what you’ve been up to.” The empathic connection to Otis felt stronger, too. “Am I wasting time with Bi Xi? Are you the one and only familiar to me? I was hoping to use the damned tortoise for defense, but that might prove unnecessary if you help avoid danger altogether.”

The gremlin hopped into Nox’s arms and nuzzled him. He wondered whether studying summons and exploring other options bothered Otis. To some extent, Nox felt guilty about thinking about ending his relationship with the spirit. They hadn’t been together long but experienced a fair bit together. Watching Otis grow only filled Nox with more doubts. Ascending to adept rank would only deepen their connection and empower the spirit more.

“I’m sorry, buddy. You’ve grown braver over the past couple of months and proven yourself a reliable companion. But I have to think about what will serve me best when we face Sundarshahar. I’ll be honest, though. You have me considering a planet dedicated to familiars and summoning. If we do that, I can link Bi Xi to the structure, and we can continue as we have.”

Otis only squeaked. He and Nox explored the dreamscape together for the rest of the night.

Nox and Aria woke late the following morning, still holding each other. They indulged in amorous activities for just under an hour before climbing out of bed. The previous night’s leftovers sufficiently quelled their hunger, and Nox dressed in the extra clothes he stored at Aria's apartments.

The pair wanted to spend more time together, but responsibilities forced them to part. The masses leaving the city had a variety of skills and experiences, and Aria hoped to find the perfect recruits among them. Everyone benefited from the contracts. The city solved its overcrowding problems; the panicking and scared got the foundations for a new start—many believed Terrastalia was unlikely to appear in the same place twice. Best of all, the barony got an infusion of labor to cultivate the land and eventually pay taxes.

Meanwhile, Nox wanted to check on his shop. He hoped the business had survived a week without him. After grabbing Lillin from Kris' apartment, he started toward the Market Ring.

“Did you ascend?” Lillin asked

Even though it was around the tenth bell on Firstday, the campus streets were deserted. Nox guessed most were asleep because of the lack of classes or sleeping off late-night constabulary duties. Most of the students he sighted walked toward the research or production departments.

“No,” Nox replied. “I was too mentally exhausted for it. Perhaps I'll ascend tonight after preparing a new spellscript and a few catalysts to focus the effort.”

“Catalysts?” Lillin raised an eyebrow. “Why would you need those?”

“Makes life easier. Every consecutive stage is harder to reach, and the process is almost as challenging as first planet creation. I’d rather try my chances with catalysts—namely essence glass and mana gems—before resorting to aether ink tattoos.”

“I’m not sure if I have the patience for those. Your squirming makes tattooing annoying, too.”

“Not everyone can withdraw or deaden their nerves, Lillin.” Nox sighed. “Did you tell Kris about your new magic?”

Lillin nodded, stifling a yawn. “It might've been a mistake. She kept me up half the night discussing how to cultivate the power, manipulate it, and the blighted possibilities. I should've kept my mouth shut until the morning.”

“I thought that might be the case. Which is why I didn't mention it earlier.” Nox laughed. “Kris will drive you mad about it over the semester break.”

“I regret masquerading as a human.” Lillin sighed. “Perhaps hanging off your shoulder as a satchel or backpack would've led to an easier life.”

“I doubt you would've raced to your current rank in such a form, though.”

“Very true.”

The City of Ygg had undergone a terrifying ordeal, yet her citizens appeared happy. They had seen a titan, repelled dungeon-born monsters, and survived. The expressions on their faces reminded Nox of Baron Edelweiss’ subjects after the victory against the myconids. The people carried themselves with pride. They were the survivors. He imagined they believed they’d seen the worst of existence and come out on the other side alive.

Nox envied them. He wished he could forget all he saw and celebrate. However, the more he saw, the more desperate he grew to eliminate the root of the problem—dungeon lords and their cults. Even though she didn’t articulate her thoughts, Nox could tell how Kris saw his business and current direction. She thought it idling stagnation—a distraction. The professor likely questioned his priorities. Nox disagreed with the unspoken belief. He denied it, and most disputed the opinion that Nox was a cripple. Mana burns forever limited his arcane potential.

Alchemy, money, and creativity compensated for his shortcomings. Its effects weren’t as apparent to his peers, but without them, his reaction speed, aim, and tenacity would significantly lag behind his peers. The craft had put Nox on the map.

“You’re thinking stupid thoughts again,” Lillin stated as they weaved through construction sights and excavations. “You’ve got a wallowing angry look again. You’re doing well, Nox. In fact, you’re performing significantly better than just ‘well.’”

“I know,” he replied. “I guess ten months isn’t enough time to rid myself of bad habits.”

“You have people that love, respect, and treasure you now. Sure, it's not the unconditional sentiment humans expect from their families, but this is what you earned. Treasure it. Don’t forget it.”

“I liked it better when you were more beast than human. Sage advice sounds wrong coming from you.”

“I’m serious, Nox. Don’t fall into old habits. Mou might no longer be around to keep them at bay, and I’m a poor substitute. But lean on Aria and the Woodsons if you ever feel yourself spiraling, alright?”

“I’m not—”

“The Voidborne and Arachne affected everyone’s minds. You did a good job of not talking about it, but I’m improving at identifying these things. My presence has finally stopped making others uncomfortable. I was worried that Void Essence would result in a step in the opposite direction.”

“I hope Joey and his patron don’t undergo any unfortunate changes,” Nox stated.

“I studied him following the consumption,” Lillin replied. “The change in the djinn container and him weren’t as deep as what we experience. It shouldn’t be an issue. Nar and Joey appear to have the ability to filter what they consume and absorb the desired qualities. Their boost isn’t as great as ours, though. I sensed several limitations, too.”

“He performed better than I expected. True warlocks have truly terrifying strength. Perhaps—”

Nox lost his train of thought as Ratra’s Knightly Brews came into view. Scorch marks covered the wall on the cosmetics side of the shop, and wooden planks covered a part of the window. Fresh wards sat etched on the surface. The work appeared rushed and amateur, as if someone had done the bare minimum to cover a hole and secure the store within. When customers exited the store, Nox released a relieved sigh. The shop was open. It meant his staff was reasonably safe or, at least, uninjured.

Before entering Ratra’s Knightly Brews, Nox spent a couple of minutes inspecting the damaged window. Whoever his enemies had hired were more skilled than the Hard Boys. They successfully broke the wards and enacted their plan. Fortunately, the fools didn’t account for internal wards and fail-safes to deal with such a situation. The entire neighborhood, if not most of Market Ring and the city, would suffer if flames reached the Trap Foam and explosives storage.

When Nox entered the store, business appeared almost normal for a Firstday. The cosmetics counter had no one in line, and Hilda assisted Allen with sales. It was a first in the city’s history. With noble families fleeing the city and the ongoing turmoil, Nox guessed the demand for beauty products had significantly dipped. He needed to start marketing his male enhancement drug. People would probably feel too embarrassed to purchase it in person, but he still expected to make an airship-load with the product. He doubted hard times would slow down its sales either.

“Sir Ratra!” Hilda exclaimed. “You’re back!”

Allen and Emily greeted him, too. They finished dealing with their current customers before shaking his hand. One fetched him a drink. The other raced off to tell the rest of the staff.

“What happened?” Nox asked, nodding at the window.

“Someone cracked the wards and firebombed us two days ago,” Allen answered. “It happened in the middle of the night while we were all asleep. A couple of chairs caught fire, but Argus extinguished them with the kit you provided.”

“Thank you for dealing with the disturbance in my absence.”

The apprentices returned with Emily. They filled Nox in on sales and orders together. Cosmetic purchases had significantly dropped in the days following Terrastalia’s appearance. Meanwhile, all other products flew off the shelves faster than the apprentices could brew. Then, the city sent them contracts for healing and mana recovery brews. Instead of creating the concentrated pills that the customers favored, Aisha and Kishan mass-produced the more basic version.

After a second day of battle, Ratra’s Knightly Brews received requests for the potions Nox had given Kris. The apprentices, of course, failed to provide the flame-slime concoction but had no trouble with the sterilizing brew. It didn’t just help with treating patients, after all, but also made dealing with dungeon monsters’ festering remains easier.

“The Oakhearts, Edelweiss, and Trade Empire deliveries were on time,” Kishan said. “They sent double shipments with extras on credit.”

“The city and university contracts should be just enough to pay it off,” Allen said. “I’m afraid we won’t be profiting much off their contracts. It's not much—”

“Whatever is left after paying the glassmakers can be a staff bonus,” Nox interrupted. “What about the other suppliers?”

“They failed to make their Fourthday deliveries,” Aisha answered. “We’re running dangerously low on several ingredients. I had to repurpose a few cosmetics ingredients for the city’s needs. I’m sorry if—”

“You did the right thing. Dealing with the city’s orders and helping the population takes priority. Good publicity is almost as valuable as monetary profit. The fact that the city requested more than the standard demand from other alchemists means we’re getting noticed.” Nox gave the staff an encouraging smile. “Good job everyone. Things might be rough for a month or so, but we’ll pull through.” The staff smiled or nodded. None visibly reacted to the idea of a bonus. “Did Alex and his gang have any information regarding the attack?”

“They did, Ser Ratra,” Jess said, emerging from the back. The entire staff had gathered on the ground floor to greet Nox. “I’ll tell them to meet you when the store closes.”