"And you couldn't have waited until we brought over Nfirea to go and visit the little ones?"
"Please, Father! A momentary lapse in judgment! I promise that I shall amend this as quickly as possible!"
"I'm sure you will, but please, don't do anything rash like killing yourself. It gets annoying after a while."
Tabula sighed as he said this, gently scolding the horrifying NPC who knelt before him. Her exposed facial muscles twitched in shame and remorse for her "mistake".
True, he had been the one to implement her love of young children into her programming and lore to complete her personality, but if he recalled correctly, she should have been far more fond of infants than small children.
He was thankful she had not gone on a murderous rampage as soon as she saw Nemu, but her unique interaction had intrigued him nonetheless.
Perhaps she's been inspired by Albedo's changes in her personality. Here's to hoping Rubedo and Citrinitas don't follow a similar route. I've got enough on my plate as is.
The sound of the building behind him drew his attention, his tentacles lashing about in slight agitation and anxiety with the new project personally unfolding before his eyes.
A good portion of the Forest of Tob where he was to station his "academy" had been cleared of dense vegetation and unnecessary wildlife, the great space taking on a seamless, geometric shape like a pentagon.
If the measurements of the area were correct, the actual building where his "apprenticeship" of Nfirea Barreare was would be closer to six-hundred square meters. Rather small for a school, but appropriate for the circumstances.
Much like his room had been, the brain-eater planned on utilizing some of the reality distortion mechanics that made the inside far larger than the outside, to remain more closely hidden.
The wood cut down from the trees was also reused to build the "academy", giving the paracausal building the look of a typical log cabin. Its small size and complex magic woven into its design would ensure that not a single centimeter was wasted.
At first, Tabula worried that some of the wendigos that Blue Planet, Ankoro Mocchi Mochi, Coup De Grace, and Lupusregina Beta encountered would've harassed him and his entourage as they worked, but there was no interference so far.
Among the select group of players he informed of his plans, said Druid was chief among them, if only because the seilenoi had the most experience dealing with the undead beasts.
"I've been working very closely with the other Dryads and Dryad-born, and so far any traces of Linnormr and his kind have been contained to the Northern section of the forest," Blue Planet informed him when Tabula inquired on the status of the wendigos.
They agreed to meet in secret on the sixth floor, at a time of night when no one was likely to bother either of them. It was only a day or so before he came out to begin his grand plan.
"But I should still have safeguards in place just in case they do appear," The alchemist reaffirmed.
The elder satyr nodded at him then, leaning against a nearby tree. "Absolutely. Much as I don't agree with this excursion of yours. I can't stop you, and Momonga's playing keep-away with Ancient One and Punitto Moe, so it looks like you're set on this path anyways."
Getting away from the tomb itself wasn't particularly difficult either, especially since Nigredo had so helpfully offered to give Nubo time off to rest from his scrying duties, the serial killer-inspired NPC serving as a lookout while Tabula and the others teleported out with supplies and workforce in tow.
Various cephalopod-esque summons, formless shoggoths, ravenous Dagon-spawn, and more swarmed around Tabula's new abode. Their tendrils and grasping, slimy hands all worked together under the guidance of Small Cuttlefish, who directed the workers into their various positions.
She accompanied her fellow cephalopod player out into the woods as well, if only because she "wanted to get out of the house" in her own words. To aid in the building effort, she'd taken up a managerial role herself.
Tabula doubted she knew any of the logistics of handling construction work, so he watched as she took up shouting out obvious and mundane orders to make herself look busier than she was.
"Make sure that you clear out the last of the stumps on the fringes and fill them with dirt," Tabula heard as Cuttlefish commanded effortlessly, "Also, please don't kill any more of the bunny rabbits. I hate hearing them squeal when you snap their necks. It hurts my heart."
Citrinitas and Rubedo stood off to the side, also directing their charges but more or less allowing the abominations to do their assigned work without much interference. They watched with awe as Tabula's friend worked.
Both of his daughters had insisted upon coming along with the brain-eater as well, if only so that they could serve as his guards. Albedo was the only one not currently with the denizens, though she had her justifications.
"I wish to ensure that the others do not grow too suspicious of your absence," she'd explained. "As the overseer of the guardians, my disappearance would warrant much alarm, and I do not wish to invite Lord Punitto Moe's wrath upon you or my sisters."
Smart move on her part. Though something tells me she only stayed behind to be closer to Momonga and help play along as a distraction.
All in all, the beginnings of his operation were a success at the very least. Tabula and his chosen group had left Nazarick without incident. The ceaseless work ethic of the multiple summons Tabula employed also meant that the cabin was coming along beautifully and in no less than a day.
However, there was still one last matter to attend to before everything could fully come together.
"And we're sure Nfirea didn't just throw the letter away?" Tabula asked, turning back around to face his eldest NPC, who was still kneeling before him.
Nigredo nodded excitedly. "Of course! I made sure to monitor the letter as it made its way to the human. It still lays upon the dining room table, awaiting his response."
"Then we just need to make sure our 'inspiration' does its work," he responded, "Given his fragile state of mind, I hope that it's not too much on him. The last thing I'd want is to drive him further away and make him swear off Alchemy forever."
"All is going according to your designs, Father. So long as you are the one in control, nothing shall be led astray!"
"Yeah…I'm sure you're right," Tabula muttered. The light padding of footsteps came his way, prompting him to focus on the other two NPCs.
Rubedo came up to him first, holding up a thick stack of papers that would make a history textbook jealous. Citrinitas was bouncing on her heels with her shark teeth on full display.
"Apologies for interrupting. I wished to interpret your will. I designed a curriculum," Rubedo said in her usual, dead monotone.
"Yep! I'm sure it's nothing compared to your store of knowledge, but we thought we'd try to give you something to make Nfirea understand you better," Citrinitas said, her smile never wavering.
The cephalopod player blinked, gingerly taking the dense stack and quietly flipping through each page.
There were multiple clearly defined sections, labeled with titles in underlined, bolded lettering. Subject matter ranged from the Old World history of Alchemy right down to a practical application of the teachings.
Most of the information regarding actual use seemed to be flavor text from Yggdrasil itself, and what gaps in the knowledge seemed filled in from old myths and legends from Tabula's world.
It was by far one of the most comprehensive texts on Alchemy he'd seen constructed from scratch. The only things that beat it out were the complete compendium of Alchemical Sacred Texts and the fan-made Necronomicon within the Library of Ashurbanipal.
Though they were public use, Tabula made the most use of both of them, if only to further his enjoyment of his hobbies. Grievous Sin, the Library's main inhabitant, had thoughtfully made him personalized copies of both as a birthday gift one year.
But seeing the curriculum that his NPCs had so meticulously composed for him made him realize the weight of his situation. In perhaps a few short days, he would be responsible for the education of someone who was, in their own right, already a master.
How could he possibly hope to offer anything to such a highly successful alchemist already? From what Tabula knew, the name "Barreare" was practically a household name.
Would he be able to handle the emotional baggage that Nfirea would likely be bringing with him? Could he offer the young man the support he needed to be able to heal and get back into his profession?
Shit! What if this was all just a mistake?! I mean, the guy had to live through the destruction of his home and the loss of all his family. Who am I to think that somehow I'm capable of doing anything for him?
In his old life, he might've started hyperventilating, but the most that happened was the slight elevation to the multiple pulses within his chest instead.
Worry still gnawed at him, yes, but it seemed more…detached than anything else. The sort of worry he had overseeing a bird fall out of its nest through his kitchen window. Such a comparison was only possible because he'd had the fortune of living in an experimental bio-dome.
Tabula suspected his new nature was affecting him far more deeply than he imagined. His old memories and reactions seemed fine at the moment. But how long would that last?
It was then he realized he'd been silent the entire time, to the point that now both his NPCs were beginning to look nervous. Well, Citrinitas did. Rubedo merely tilted her head quizzically.
"Excellent work you two," Tabula quietly congratulated the pair, "Where'd you find the time to do this though? This seems like quite the curriculum for one human."
"We wished to cover everything. Nothing should be left out. That it is satisfactory is good," the warforged said.
"Most of the writing was done by Rubedo," the insane asylum NPC said, jutting her thumb at her sibling. "With how quickly she takes in info and writes it, she might as well have printed it all out!"
The alchemist hummed, flipping through a few more pages and not-reading the material. "Good. Glad to see everyone was working diligently. Now we just have to make sure that the building gets done and then we can finish up the magic of this place."
Nature's ambiance served as a delightful background to everything else that was going on, even if it did seem somewhat undercut by the various noises of logs being sawn and lifted into place.
There was no watch to speak of, so Tabula had to rely on the positioning of the sun as his guide to the time. When he looked up, a protective film slid over his bulbous eyes as a pair of natural, built-in sunglasses.
Looks like it's…maybe slightly in the afternoon? Would that be around one or two o'clock? Maybe I should start carrying around a pocket watch so I don't look like a moron looking at the sun.
"Hey, Cuttlefish!" He called to his peer, "Mind coming here a second? I want to go over a few things with you."
Small Cuttlefish did not verbally respond to him, merely raising a thumb and waving off some Dagon-spawn looking for further instruction.
She quickly jogged over to him, dusting off some of the dirt which accumulated in the folds of her billowing robes.
"What's up? Still dealing with some jitters on your upcoming tutorship?" She lightly teased him, "Think you might need to 'stretch' yourself out? Feeling like a fish out of water?"
"Har har," Tabula deadpanned, "No, you jackass. Just because I look like a squid doesn't mean you can start making fish jokes at me."
"Yet that doesn't seem to be stopping me," she sang to him in a sing-song tone. Or at least as much as she could with her alien, alternating tones of voice. "But seriously, you okay?"
He waved off her concerns. "I'll be fine. I just wanted to know if and when Tempest Aizawa would be dropping by, and if Wish III was still upholding his end of the bargain."
"Aren't you supposed to be the one in charge of keeping track of that? Pretty sure you're the one who went and spoke with them, not me."
"And last I recall, you're the one who promised to follow up and make sure we knew where they stood on everything."
Small Cuttlefish sighed, giving the mind-flayed equivalent of a pout with the way her facial tentacles twisted up and into themselves.
"So long as your promise is repaid, Wish III is game. Tempest said something about needing time to brush up on her history. I'm sure she'll be along soon enough."
That took a modicum of weight off his thin shoulders, allowing the brain eater an easier time to relax and take in the fresh air he was starting to take for granted.
Rather than keep up the current topic, for he feared he'd only invite that weight back onto his shoulders, he elected to discuss something else.
"You ever wonder why Yggdrasil went offline?" Tabula asked simply enough. Inconsequential small talk was never his strong suit unless it directly correlated to his hobbies.
Cuttlefish rolled her eyes at him. "This again? Yeah, you and half the guild. Come on, you know as well as I do that the game was starting to lose popularity, especially in the last year."
"Except the player numbers never actually went down," Tabula retorted, rolling his wrists in a circular motion. "Don't you ever think the shutdown seemed a little, I don't know, sudden?"
"Not really. They announced the closure of the game at least six months in advance."
Both Cephalopods started walking with one another to the edge of the forest, away from the construction site and all its clanking to better speak with one another.
In due time, the familiar outline of Carne Village came into view. The border was far enough away that the human mages who served as guards could not see them well. For all they knew, both players would merely be the passing shadow of some large animal.
Nonetheless, Tabula felt the cool sensation of his skin crawling as an illusion spell was placed upon him by Small Cuttlefish, activating her chameleon class and granting him some of her hiding magic.
He made a noise of gratitude before he continued. "Still. The game had been going on for nearly twelve years. Twelve years of unprecedented success and renown across the globe. From the way things were looking, you'd think the game would have another twelve years of life to look forward to."
But Cuttlefish merely shook her head and laid a hand on his bicep. "Life changes. It marches on and we either get with the program or get left behind. I'd think you of all people should understand that best, we both do. That's why we left Yggdrasil in the first place."
"And here we are, still acting as if we're playing the game," Tabula said. He crossed his arms. He truly focused on the village then, watching the agitated ant-like movements of the guards as they shouted over the wall to the people inside.
He gestured to the mighty, enforced settlement. "You ever think they wonder what else may lie just beyond the confines of their walls? What may lurk in the darkness of the forest? These people have no idea just what sort of horrors are hiding amongst them. We're barely a stone's throw away, and now we're building a school just to house one, possibly insane alchemist."
The chameleon class player spread her hands in a placating manner. "There's no need to be so melodramatic. You must want this somewhat because otherwise, you wouldn't be going through with it. Just relax, and remember to be yourself."
"That's quite possibly one of the worst pieces of advice I've heard, but I'll try."
At moments like these, Tabula truly appreciated having someone like Cuttlefish around, if only because she was one of the few willing to put up with him in his ranting moods.
He was aware of the effect that he had on his other friends. He knew his interests could be considered eccentric, but what was his life if not a little odd?
So what if he rambled on for hours at a time about subjects that his peers could scarcely comprehend? It was not his fault that so many failed to appreciate who he was as an individual and what he valued.
Even his guildmates, who cherished him and his friends and all the little quirks that came with it, were hardly able to keep up. But for someone like his fellow eldritch horror, it was no issue.
Two synth peas in a pod. Fellow denizens of the deep. One whose admiration was reserved for the most terrible and chiefest of all terrors, and another whose lust could, at certain times, rival even that of Peroroncino, the head pervert himself.
Yet they shared in their love of the unknown. Cuttlefish's writing and willingness to have Tabula peer-edit it was proof enough, as she wrote on about the endless infinities of an uncaring void, harboring ageless concepts and their forebearers.
True, they may have run in opposite directions in life, but it was the mechanism in which they employed their beliefs and eccentricities that made them close.
That, and the fact that Tabula was nearly resistant to all of Cuttlefish's bodily "charms". Such urges were beneath him, and his ideals. Beyond Peroroncino, his outlook was perhaps one of the main reasons the brain-eater and mind-flayer had become friends in the first place.
They stood in silence for a while, watching as Carne's residents carried on with their day, save for the guards who paced vigilantly about their posts high up on the wall.
Idley, the alchemist kept a keen eye out for the tell-tale signs of a crow flying over the wall, leading one very disheveled but well-packed young man right to him. Alas, no such sight came to be.
Perhaps that was for the best, for Tabula was not dressed as he should be at all. The outfit he commissioned from the fashionista next to him was ready, but it was stowed away so that it wasn't sullied by the dirt being flung around during construction.
She outdid herself with the design this time. I think it'll convey the appearance of a grandmaster quite well, I hope.
Moist shuffling bounced off of the brain-eaters ear canals, causing him to look over his shoulder and cock his head at the one who disturbed his peace.
It was one of the Dagon-spawn. A slimy, dripping bipedal fish-man with a hunched back and fins running along the length of its spine, forearms, and back calves.
"Oh Great Ones," it rasped, bowing its smooth scaled head. "Your new residence is nearly complete, and another of our masters has come. She is…anxious to conspire with you."
It took a moment, but Tabula quickly remembered who the beast was alluding to. "Thank you. Go and rejoin the others, we'll be over soon."
The Dagon-spawn's head dipped even lower, almost scrapping the soil as it groveled. "As my master commands. His will be made real and done on this hallowed earth."
It scampered away, leaving the two alone momentarily as it obeyed its new command.
Tabula looked to his friend, who only shrugged at him. They power-walked back to where the cabin was being assembled, noticing the NPCs surrounding a new figure who joined their ranks.
A cyclone of crackling lightning and swirling debris funneled through the violent vortex. Two stones the color of cobalt stayed stationary near the top of the opening, where the head of a person might be.
Currently, there was no definitive shape to the being other than its funnel design. However, once it saw both Tabula and Cuttlefish approaching, the winds of its body slowed just enough that it could slowly coalesce into a new shape.
Not necessarily humanoid, but if he used his imagination enough, Tabula could envision arms and a head poking out, while the narrowest portion of the cyclone split into two legs. Overall, the shape was vaguely reminiscent of human origin.
As expected, Tempest Aizawa arrived in all her elemental glory. Much like always, she appeared extremely grumpy and, well, stormy.
To think that she's meant to be our backup if Momonga was never here to be the guild's mediator. Ha! At least she's just as good as her old man.
"Glad to see I didn't ditch Momonga for nothing," the vortex grumbled, her gruff voice echoing. "I made it, and I see we're making good time. Any word on our 'guest of honor'?"
The alchemist grunted. "No. Nigredo tells me he got the letter though, so it's just a matter of waiting. Hopefully, he gets inspired and comes by quickly."
"Any Plan B if he's still resistant?"
Citrinitas, Rubedo, and Nigredo all looked at him expectedly, likely believing he would deliver some elegant speech on how he was completely in control and that such an outcome was completely impossible.
Surely, as the "Supreme Being of Alchemy and Horror", such concepts like failure and refusal were alien to one such as himself…right?
Instead, no words were forthcoming, and though he would never admit it aloud, he was sure he almost squeaked when he tried to answer and stumbled over his words.
Thankfully, Cuttlefish covered for him. "Wish III's got us covered. All we have to do is play the waiting game now."
"Better than having to do something stupid, like outright kidnap him," Tempest grunted. "Still, I got the books you wanted. And I have my suit."
At that moment, Tabula saw the last log of the cabin fall into place, the various beasts standing back and looking upon it with admiration. Then, collectively, all their eyes turned toward the guildmates and NPCs.
"He will be done upon this hallowed earth," said a shoggoth, its voice moist and nasally.
Guess that's my cue.
Tabula reached into his inventory space, pulling out a wand of [Greater Dimensional Warping]. He walked up to the log cabin that would become his home away from home for the foreseeable future.
His spindly fingers rubbed along the edge of the cool wood, the magic activating via his will. The tip, a rough shard of Elder's Teeth, hummed with mana.
[Greater Dimensional Warping] was the spell that helped to increase the inner dimensions of an object and expand upon them with set parameters. The flavor text indicated that those parameters could be, in theory, infinite.
Of course, in the game, it was anything but, and could increase an object's inside space by a maximum of twice its size. A useful tool for making backpacks and other carrying accessories that have a longer lifespan.
Now, the brain eater could sense how the magic of the wand bent the very reality of the log cabin to his will, his mind conceptualizing the space like putty, ready to be molded and spread out as far as he wished.
It was an instinctual response, something that came naturally to him rather than intentionally calling upon it. From what he understood, his friends had instincts extremely similar to what he was experiencing now.
Tabula reckoned he didn't want the inside space to be too large. He mentally set the parameters of the magic to be closer to something like five times the outside size for the inside size.
The tip of the wand was dragged along the borders, glowing as his desires were made a reality. He slowly walked the edge of the cabin until he made a full loop, and then the wand went dark.
That's it I suppose. Now we just get to the interior decorations and we're done.
Once the wand was put away, he walked up to the front door, opened it, and peeked inside to see if the magic had done its job.
So far as he could see, a vast, open space filled his vision, ready to be decorated and rearranged as he wished. He hadn't set any parameters on whether rooms would be adjusted, or whether or not there would even be any separate rooms within the cabin.
That part he would oversee personally, as he redesigned it to his tastes and interests.
"Is everything to your liking, Great One?" A shoggoth asked, its shapeless mass quivering with the question.
"Looks good to me," Tabula replied, "With the amount of room we have in here, we'll have more than just creative liberty to do as we please."
He shut the door behind him and faced the crowd of summons, NPCs, and guildmates assembled in front of the cabin.
"We'll get to decorating right away! By nighttime, everything will be done and prepared for our guest of honor!" He proclaimed, spreading his arms in a grand gesture.
The summons and NPCs cheered, restraining their excitement to not prematurely draw attention of Carne to their location. Tabula's guildmates looked on with amusement and even excitement, in Cuttlefish's case.
The mind flayer and air elemental came to him then, the latter gently pressing a small stack of books into the brain eater's arms.
"So now we wait?" Tempest asked, her cyclone's swirling form slowing down slightly.
"Now we wait," Tabula confirmed. "I doubt anything will happen today, but if by some miracle Nfirea changes his mind by tomorrow, we'll be ready."
His friends nodded at him and then followed him inside the cabin to begin decorating to their liking.
Carne Village, later that day
Nfirea was furiously packing a backpack of his personal belongings, not that he had much left to begin with.
All he owned personally was some spare tunics, pairs of pants, and socks. Everything else was either given to him by Enri or the sympathetic people of Carne Village.
That, and the backpack he'd worn on his trip to the village itself, which would serve as his way of carrying everything to the "Hermetic Order" as they called themselves.
A part of him argued that what he was considering was complete madness and that it was proof that he'd finally lost it and was facing a crisis at the age of only sixteen.
Another part shot back that he would never be able to recover if he continued to stay with Enri and Nemu as he was. What he was doing now would only make his problems worse, not better.
The letter which prompted him along this path was sitting on his bed next to the backpack, the wax seal of the tentacled beast glaring at him as he prepared for his journey.
Secretorum Hermetis huh? I don't know who you are or what you want, but at this point, I hardly find myself caring. If you really can help me with my problem, then you're worth a shot.
The creaking of the door drew his attention, the young man looking up through his bangs to see Enri herself standing there.
She gripped the edge of the door in worry, and her beautiful, hardy features contorted in momentary confusion before changing into one of horror once she saw the letter.
"Nfirea, you don't need to do this!" She said, rushing over to him and grabbing his arm gently.
"I have to, and I must," he said with conviction, at least to himself. "I can't just sit here and let myself rot away when there's a chance to make myself better. I have to go."
"You don't have to do anything!" His love interest said, "Nfirea, look, I understand where you're coming from, but you're not well, and you're not rotting! You need to heal, and you can't do that if you're running off to meet up with people you've never even heard of!"
"Enri, please," the alchemist pleaded, "I can't sleep! I'm hardly eating! And I'm having fainting spells at the sight of monsters! Nothing's going to change if I don't go out and take hold of my health, and I can't do that if I'm sitting in the house all the time."
He said all of this with as much confidence as he could muster, but when he looked at his bag where he was tucking in another shirt, he could see his hands were trembling.
Still, true to her background and nature, the chief-to-be refused to back down. "We have healers! I'll talk to Rowan, and see if he can get someone to look at you and help you through this. You've got people here who care about you, you don't need to leave."
How she said that last sentence made Nfirea pause, for he noted there was an emotion there that seemed to go beyond just simple worry. The way she emphasized "people" also got his attention, especially when he saw how she placed her hands against her chest.
Is she…? No, there's no way. No matter what she says, I have to assume she means something else. I don't think I could bear it if she does mean what I think it could be.
And he knew that if he allowed himself to hope against hope and believe that she cared for him more than just as a friend, he would obey her wishes and never leave.
He envisioned the sort of life he could build in Carne, once he got over her afflictions of the mind. A brand new pharmacy. The love and respect of the people around him, just like in E-Rantel. Maybe even a little Barreare of his own, running around a house he'd built with his own two hands, and Enri there with him for the rest of his life.
It was for those reasons, alongside the dream he'd had of his grandma, that strengthened his resolve to leave. The rational thoughts of his mind argued that no beings with overt nefarious purposes would go through all the trouble of sending him a letter if they just wanted to repeat what happened in his home city.
If anything, they'd do what the elderly man and woman with red eyes did, and simply kidnap him in the dead of night. If he was an evil overlord, it's what he'd do.
The Hermetic Order may not be known to him, but if they were willing to reach out to him and give him a choice in staying or going to meet with them, then there had to be some sort of motive that helped him.
Perhaps Nfirea secretly wished that with the tutelage of Secretorum Hermetis, he might discover an alchemical means of bringing back his grandma.
It was a foolish desire, for he knew such abilities existed only in the realms of true magic, rather than alchemy. Even still, it was a persistent enough wish that he wanted to see if it was possible.
Either way, he had already decided that he was going, and at this point, there would be no changing his mind.
"I'm sorry Enri, but I need to do this, for me," Nfirea affirmed, with a note of finality that couldn't be ignored.
Enri's lower lip quivered then stilled. She was a look of anger and incredible sadness, and then flicking again to that same emotion he noticed earlier. She seemed to be experiencing several things at once before he saw the gleam in her eye that he was hoping for acceptance.
She embraced him tightly and suddenly, hard enough that several of Nfirea's bones popped back into place.
"Too tight, too tight!" He wheezed, but that only made her hold on for longer.
"Promise me you'll at least let me and the others walk you to the gate, to make sure nothing just comes and snatches you that isn't already," she whispered, her pitiful attempt at humor not masking her sorrow.
The former pharmacist nodded gently, embracing her back as best he could in her bear hug. "I promise. Thank you."
He didn't trust himself to speak anymore after that. If possible, Nfirea would've stayed in that moment forever.
But they separated then, Enri's eyes damp but not outright crying.
They proceeded to walk out of the room and into the greater portion of the house, the matriarch of the house leading the alchemist as they went back outside. Nfirea, thankfully, had remembered to grab the backpack and letter from his bed.
Before long, the pair stood before Rowan and Aeliana, who stood before the stone statues of what would eventually become the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown. Their likeness was still rough, the chisel marks visible.
Rather than him, Enri did most of the talking, explaining what it was that he wanted to do. As expected, they were resistant to the idea, gazing at Nfirea as if he'd truly gone mad.
As the conversation went on, however, they began to understand, and Rowan even gave the alchemist an approving glance.
"I can't say I endorse this, Master Barreare," the pseudo-captain said, once Enri finished, "though I do understand where you're coming from. Are you certain that this is what you want?"
"More than anything. Well, almost more than anything," Nfirea amended, sneaking a sly glance at Enri. "If something happens though, if I'm somehow wrong about this-"
"Then we'll make sure to come charging in after you," Aeliana confirmed.
With that, the quartet made way for the gates of the village itself, Rowan waving off his mages and the other villagers who came too close.
Even now, he's doing his best to make sure I'm comfortable, the alchemist thought, smiling somewhat to himself.
In only a few short minutes, they stood before the gates, which were being hauled open by a team of Archangel Flames. Their mighty wood groaned with the weight of their strength and durability.
Once Nfirea took the first steps outside of the gates, the sudden weight of realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Up until that point, he'd been relying on almost everyone else in one form or another to help take care of him.
The villagers, the mages, the goblin troop, Rowan, Nemu, and Enri. Since he first came to the village, he hadn't set foot outside its borders, and now he was leaving them all behind.
One final thought came to him, from the depths of his very soul while he stood on the precipice of his new journey.
Will I be the same man that I was once I come back?
A new, coiling fear gripped him, at least until he turned back to look at his accompanying party.
Rowan, stalwart and strong as always, stared at him with a neutral, almost indifferent look. Only beneath the cold wall of professionalism, there was a sort of minor worry to him, as if he was watching his son leave home for the first time.
Aeliana, who he'd only really interacted with earlier that day, was calculating and searching his posture. To her, Nfriea imagined he was some sort of variable or statistic that had popped up unexpectedly while working on a new, unknown project.
And finally, Enri, who gazed after him with all the kindness and concern in the world. Much like Rowan, she was fortified in her stance, though much shorter. With the work she had done over the last two weeks and beyond that, he felt she was destined for greatness under the watchful eye of some divine force.
I will, for them at least.
"Wait!" Enri called, halting him with her call. The sound of pounding feet reached him, and he looked over his shoulder at his love interest.
He saw a length of wood held in her hands, polished and plain in its make. He gave the would-be chieftain a questioning look.
"One of the weapons given to me by the sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown," she explained to him, "I haven't used it. It can shoot fireballs from what I remember, but I'm not any good with magic. I think it would help you more."
That description added greater importance to the item in his mind, and he gingerly took the weapon for what it was.
"Thank you," he said, the young woman beaming at him and running back to her position at the gate.
Nfirea pulled the letter from his pocket where he stashed it, reading the phrase he'd need to jumpstart his quest for healing.
"Truth! Certainty! That in which there is no doubt!" Nfirea said aloud, loud enough that the others could hear him.
The envelope and letter leaped out of his hand, folding in on itself and reforming the curious crow. Its red collar stood out as a stark contrast to its pitch plumage.
It hovered in mid-air, flapping its wings and cawing down at the alchemist. It promptly pivoted and flew directly to the edge of the Forest of Tob, landing on the lowest branch of a tree and waiting for him there.
Nfirea took one last look at Carne and then walked off to catch up with the bird. As soon as he reached the same tree where it was sitting, it cawed and flew further into the forest.
It was never out of sight, and even in the growing shadows of the foliage around him, Nfirea could still see the bird as clear as day.
While they kept up their game of "keep up", the bird had to stop every so often to ensure that the young man wasn't left behind, he checked the contents of his bag to make sure everything was in order.
His clothes and amenities were all in order, but when he dug in and felt his fingers brush against the cool touch of metal, he grabbed it and pulled it out.
My lantern? I don't remember packing this up with everything else.
Sure enough, the lantern he lit every time he went to bed was right there, comforting him with the promise of more light should he need it.
Thankfully, there was no fire alight within, though the inside still felt curiously warm despite the cool exterior.
He carefully wrapped the lantern back up in a spare shirt and tucked it back into his pack. He checked out the wooden piece given to him by Enri, feeling the familiar pulse of mana like a faint heartbeat.
When he ran his fingers along its simple design, he noted that a concentration of magic was closer to the ends of the wand. When he probed mentally against it with his innate magical ability, it flared to life.
Instantly, the item, which he previously believed to be a mere wand, extended into a full-fledged staff. It looked much the same, only longer. The crow cawed at him impatiently.
"Alright! I'm coming, don't worry," Nfirea said, "it's not like I'll get lost with you guiding the way."
The crow paused to consider his words and then flew off further into the forest. Nfirea had no choice but to delve deeper into the forest. He used his newfound staff as a makeshift walking stick.
At certain points, it felt almost like he was trudging in circles, with how dense and alike the scenery seemed to be. The sun continued to lower, drawing even deeper shade to obscure his vision.
The lantern was brought back out, and a flint and steel were used to light the tiny flame inside to lead the way when the darkness grew to be too much to beat without outside assistance.
Nfirea doubted that it was already so close to evening time, mainly just the canopy hiding away the greater parts of sunlight.
The leaves crunched underfoot, adding an ambiance to the forest that reminded him just how…alone he was. The animals, whose calls should've echoed around him, were silent.
Only the crow made any noise, and that was to alert him to its position so he could keep following.
Eventually, just when Nfirea was about to lose hope that the bird knew where it was going, he stumbled into a clearing devoid of any trees. His entrance appeared to be a tight fit, but he fell through effortlessly when he wasn't looking.
Here, the light was able to shine through almost perfectly, but it was the light of the moon rather than the sun that came down.
What?! There's no way I walked for that long! Unless it was a lot later in the day than I thought, or if I was somehow being led in circles…
What also caught Nfirea's attention was the log cabin that sat perfectly centered in the clearing. According to the letter, there should have been an academy of sorts where the crow led.
He half believed he truly was led astray, until his guide cawed when it landed on a notch right above the door. It preened its feathers, sitting contently and watching the alchemist all the while.
Nfirea hesitated. Something about the cabin and the area he was in seemed off. He couldn't quite place his figure on it, but it almost felt like all sense of time and space was no longer aligned with him.
The perfect symmetry of the area indicated that it was manmade, but deep enough in the forest where no one could find it unless they knew exactly where to look for, it or were led there.
Not to mention how the trees made a nearly impenetrable barrier that barred access from the outside, save for the entrance he happened to trip through. Small patches of dirt were upturned, the remnants of holes dug up and then re-buried.
Maybe I made a mistake. Is it too late to turn back now and go home?
As if reading his line of thought, the crow cawed at him, waving its wings in a clear message, even for an animal.
What are you waiting for? It asked. Start moving!
Steeling his nerves, he marched directly to the door, grabbing the smooth handle and throwing it open. Nfirea expected some horrid undead or otherworldly beast to jump out at him, tearing into him for being so foolish as to enter the house unannounced.
Instead, the inside was empty.
"Hello? Anyone home?" Nfirea called into the house, noting how his voice echoed throughout the space. He frowned, for that shouldn't be possible in a space no larger than a single-family, one-room home.
He stepped past the threshold, blinking as an air of unfamiliarity washed over him. He felt like he just entered another plane of existence with the way the atmosphere shifted around him.
There was no furniture, and the walls were bare of any decorations. There wasn't even a kitchen in which to cook food, or beds to sleep upon.
"I received your letter! The Hermetic Order, right? You said you could teach me new forms of Alchemy?" Nfirea tried again.
No response, not even a whisper.
The young man moved to place his hand on the wall, to lean on it and rest while he contemplated what exactly was going on. Only where he expected the rolling texture of the logs, he met air.
He backpedaled to keep himself on balance, nearly falling over when he dedicated his full weight to leaning. Once he was fully stabilized, he saw that the wall was far further than he believed.
The width seemed more reminiscent of a grand ballroom than a humble cabin. He could jog to and from his position and the wall and work up a decent sweat.
The opposite wall was the same length, the dimensions defying any rationale of reasoning or house structure in the traditional sense.
When he looked up, the roof was hidden behind a veil of shadows. Even with the help of his lantern little more was revealed
Nfirea sighed. "Okay, obviously this house is not normal, but maybe I can go exploring further in and find-OOF!"
His shins slammed mercilessly into the sharp edge of a table, the former pharmacist having to jump back. When he stared at the spot where he'd accidentally bumped into something, he still saw nothing there.
Then he blinked, and he realized there was furniture there. Except it had blended perfectly in with the background of the house. As his eyes adjusted, he began picking out other pieces of furniture that were quite literally hiding in plain sight.
Amenities fit to array the courtroom of a castle filled his vision as far as he could see. Walls that were not visible before separated the expansive space into different rooms that housed their secrets.
Chandeliers dangled up in the rafters of the roof, dim light not reaching the floor far below. Various torches along the walls were also unlit, quiet, and unburdened with fire.
Expensive, extravagant but odd furniture like reclining, stone-lined couches filled living rooms with chairs whose architecture resembled coiling tentacles. Bookshelves of many different shapes and sizes jutted into the ceiling, and even into the floor through cavernous holes rimmed with staircases and railing.
The floor, while wood, was tainted a dark green, swirling with designs that led both everywhere and nowhere, blending so casually together that tracking them made Nfirea nauseous.
Whatever the cabin was, there was more to it than met the eye, and it lunged out at him just as surely as the imaginary monsters of Nfirea's nightmares did.
Nfirea's danger sense was at an all-time high now, only he wasn't even sure if he could trust that.
"Ah, good. You've arrived just as expected, Master Barreare. I trust that your trip was a safe one?" Asked a deep, thrumming voice from behind him, nearly scaring the skin right off of the alchemist's body.
Its tone rattled his bones and set his nerves abuzz. The hairs on his arm stood on end. He whirled around, swinging his staff out in a momentary lapse of panic.
"There is no need for that. You're safe here, Master Barreare," the voice said again, this time in the direction Nfirea was facing previously.
Listening to the rolling, melodic sounds made Nfirea's blood ice cold. Yet at the same time, he was building up a sweat like when he saw the apparition in the village.
When he returned to his previous position, something compelled him to blink, and he did so without even thinking about it. Now there were three figures in front of him, materialized out of thin air.
All of them were arrayed in a line, and the former pharmacist's eye turned to the most unique looking individual first on the right of the central figure.
They were completely covered head to toe in a strange outfit that seemed a combination of armor and cloth. The head was bulbous and spherical, a glass dome of amber reflective material.
The arms and legs were puffy and ridged as if armor pieces were just beneath the surface, but at joints like the elbows and knees, there were exposed, metallic plates. The chest was full metal, and the entire outfit was colored sky blue.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect was the gloves, which were bulky and had exposed tubing running up and down the wrists. On the palms were circular openings which glowed white hot with electricity.
The one on the left of the center was noticeably more human, but her outfit was equally as bizarre. It looked to be a massive ball gown, only the fabric rippled and swayed like ocean currents straight out of the novels Nfirea used to read.
The texture pattern and movement reminded him of the scales of a fish, and the skirt portion billowed out like an umbrella of sea green foam. Only her biceps were barren, her forearms covered in thin, almost lacy gloves tipped with claws.
Her face betrayed noble beauty, flowing straight hair, and ocean blue eyes tinted with amusement. Her skin was tan, like she spent all her time frolicking in the sun, and it was not unnoticed that certain aspects of the feminine form looked ready to burst out of her form-fitting wear.
Nfirea's face burned bright hot, and he turned away so that his mind did not descend into lecherous thoughts so easily when he gazed upon the woman, which led to the figure in the middle.
Much like their companion on the right, the central figure betrayed no human aspects, a hood embroidered with golden designs of a winged, tentacled-headed monster snarling over the rim of his head and hiding the figure's face.
The robes were so plentiful that they spilled onto the floor, only for minor magic to hold up the edges so that they were not sullied. Much like the hood, golden threads wove scenes of beasts and eldritch beings who worshipped at alters of stone spires.
What was not metal was an inky, swirling abyss of deep greens and light shades of black, as if on the cusp of entering unknown depths. Various symbols that could have been phrased in a forgotten tongue were etched all along the ends of the sleeves and bordered with more gold.
Their appearance was almost too much to take in all at once, both alien and familiar in a way that Nfirea could scarcely comprehend without hurting his already fragile mind. So rather than look any further upon them, he settled for talking.
"Y-you're the Hermetic Order, right? What is this place? Where am I, and how did it come to be here?"
Instead of a direct response, the central, robed figure reached into the folds of its clothing and pulled out a circular item that opened with a click. A pocket watch, if he recognized it correctly.
The figure stared at it a moment, and then put it away. "We have much to discuss, and not enough time it seems. You come here with questions, and so we shall answer. This is the Academy of the Lost Arts. I am Secretorum Hermetis, and the woman on my left is Ctyhlla. The woman on my right is Aellai."
The figure, whose voice was most certainly male and the one who spoke to him earlier, gestured to his compatriots in kind.
Then the man moved so smoothly he seemed to slither, coming right before Nfirea and enshrouding him within his shadow. A veritable titan in height, and equal to those he introduced.
Why are they so-so tall?!
"Here, you shall learn all you desire and more," Secretorum said, "but know that we shall demand much of you. We will flay your mind and gorge it with our secrets. In return, you shall be diligent, and question everything that you know of your reality."
"There's no turning back from here, whelp," said Aellai, in her dome helmet armor and cloth, "You want to learn what you can and be better than you were? Make sure you keep an open mind and get a grip on yourself."
"But you'll be able to unlock much from our teachings, and with it, be able to regain everything you've ever lost and more. Are you ready to take that challenge?" Asked Cthylla. She was much more kind in her delivery, unlike the mysterious and grating ways of her companions.
After coming so far, and being faced with what he was seeing, doubt was not among the many emotions streaming through Nfirea's mind, at least not for long.
Everything I do, I do for them. I do it for her.
"What will you have of me, Master Hermetis?"
The Northern Forest of Tob, the Underdark
Hordes of clawed, twisted limbs scampered over moist earth, tearing it to shreds in the wake of the stampede. Horrid abominations, both big and small, swarmed the area that they would eventually call their home.
It was under the orders of the Master. The Master promised them power and numbers if they relocated. The surface world was too dangerous for them.
It was expected that the Master would be furious at the loss of the Yggdrasil Sapling. So many pawns expended, so many torn asunder by the godlings.
But the Master was not angry. No, no, the Master was pleased by the outcome of the fight, for the Master came away with a much greater prize.
More scampering through subterranean tunnels, deep within the bowels of the world, beyond the trees and grass and rock and sunlight. Here it was moist. It was quiet. It was dark.
Several whining shrieks from its brethren indicated some of the smaller brethren were trampled, only to be picked up and hoisted by the juggernauts of their kind.
The birthing pods were gone. Smashed to pieces and purified by the magic of the Horned God. Now they would need new ways to repopulate, new ways to regrow their ranks.
Fleshy petals that served as the mouth quivered in rage, gnashing teeth fit to poke through flimsy skin and paltry scales. Its claws were denser and much longer than even the juggernauts'.
Yet it was still thrown away, tossed as easily as a hatchling by She-Of-Blood-Fur-and-Smiling-Fangs. The wolf had nearly killed its nest mate, removing its arms and biting a chunk of its nest mate's neck.
Nest Mate was with the Master, healing from grievous wounds. The Master had summoned the horde, to hear the Master's words and soak in the radiance of its dark lord.
Deeper and deeper the others ran, almost making a game of the trip. The roots of Dryad Prey and silent trees smacked their skulls, whipping them for their insolence.
Dryad Prey and their mates could not find them here, in the Underdark. The Master had made sure of that, shielding their presence from prying eyes, even the godlings. Here they could regrow, and sharpen tooth and claw for their vengeance upon the ones who harmed them.
The darkness, so welcoming and kind to it and its brethren, grew lighter, closer to the heart of the Master and its own home. Directly in the center of the Underdark, so deep and treacherous that no godlings could reach them, the Master lay in waiting.
Cavernous depths opened up into dwelling pits, revealing vast pillars where green crystals grew, signs of the Master's presence. Lakes of sticky resin and carrion lay around, a veritable feast for the weary and hungry.
Some of its brethren gorged themselves, digging into the tar and diving for themselves the meals they needed. The smallest ate first, for they had not shed their hatchling's shell yet. The largest guarded, snorting and baring their mighty, branched horns.
Others gathered around the largest pillar of green crystal, which towered over them all, and hummed with the heartbeat of their creator. Their own God.
It was the pack leader, the oldest and greatest of its kind, so it shoved past the ambitious and bold to prostrate itself. All in attendance followed its example.
Darkness congealed and bit at them with the familiar embrace of frost, the hivemind all staring as their connected consciousness United briefly to welcome the Master.
Spires of shadow dripped from the roots which reached deep into the Underdark, the light of the crystals pooling into a fine mist that merged with the coming gloom. They formed the emerald eyes of wriggling serpents, with fangs to match.
"So you have all come back home," whispered the Master, not-words dripping with contempt and sovereignty, "I trust that you have performed your tasks then?"
"Found the gifts…Found the gifts," shouted a brethren, the skull beaked and bulky, "Eldest recovered them, yes…Dryad Prey and mates did not find them…Did not know them!"
It answered its brethren's cry, opening the petals of its visage and reaching into a pouch that hid a slithering tongue. With a single claw, it dug it out, holding the object of the Master's desire before them.
Said gift glowed with etchings of silver, pitifully tiny and round. Hidden Away by Yggdrasil Sapling, when young and hoping for a grove of their own.
Dryad Prey and their mates did not know this gift. The Master assured them that Yggdrasil Sapling had not shared everything with Sisters-of-Wood and Brothers-of-Flesh. Too unknown, too curious, so some were hidden away, for a greater purpose.
The Master's tendrils reached out, plucking the gift from its grasp, holding the silver etched piece to its emerald eyes of fire.
"With this Seed of the Hesperides, I shall build my church. Upon its altar, I shall re-forge for myself my divinity," said the Master, "The Sapling of Yggdrasil was just the beginning, and his contribution shall serve as the catalyst for my heir. So too shall the sacrifices."
The gift was dropped at the base of the Master's spire, several brethren lunging forth and digging into the dirt excitedly like mewling pups. Their hollow eyes of red fire gleamed with savage delight.
Buried deep into the base it was, then left with a mound to mark its place as the Master's possession.
Spheres of pulsating light popped from the spire, three that swirled around each other in a dark orb prison. One was larger and cowered behind two smaller ones.
Such a prison hovered over where the gift was buried, in direct eyesight of it and the others.
"One final gift from that foolish child. His generosity shall not be ignored, my children. Make sure to care for this seed well."
Howls of jubilation and cheer erupted, battering the walls of the Underdark as its nest mates and battle mates let loose their exhilaration.
The Master hissed, its ageless tongue echoing across the chamber as it matched its creations. "Once, I believed that Dragon Lords might suffice, but they are scattered and near extinction. With Ainz Ooal Gown, I can regain my purpose."
The Dragon Lords defeated me in the first age. I was scattered, lost to the vast Sea, but now I shall reclaim what I have lost. I shall not be denied again."
Then the Master looked to the ceiling as if gazing beyond even the Underdark. Perhaps the Master could, having spent much of their godhood between the roots of ancient and powerful trees.
"I wonder, Lords of Nazarick, how you will weather the storm ahead. I look forward to that final confrontation at the end of days, the Twilight of the Gods."