ULTRAMagic Interlude - Chapter 13
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“Stupid welder! Don’t fail on me now…”
“Tusk? Why aren’t you using Alchemy for this?
He stopped what he was doing and lifted his face shield. “Donia, I don’t need to call on the powers that be for something this simple.”
“So what are you making?”
Tusk held up three plates that started to form a hollow cube. “This is something I want to try for making Rubedo Stones. I really don’t want to use my Philosopher’s Stone for every mundane transmutation. The only issue is that I suck at making Rubedo Stones though…” He reached into a jar and pulled out a gurgling, hissing, repugnant thing. “Turning Earth Spirits into stones is easy enough…” Tusk squeezed the malignant entity, causing it to glow brightly before turning into a red stone in his hand. “...but these are only good for three to five transmutations before they break and turn to dust.”
Donia processed the dilemma and nodded. “So what’s the deal here? With this weld?”
“Iron-star ash-ideal for alchemical work, and fantastic for keeping ornery spirits in line…” An iron box with sacred symbols etched into it began rattling at the far end of the workshop. “QUIET YOU! I will start throwing you against the wall again if I have to!” The box immediately calmed down.
“Honey, what’s in the box? Me and Auda have been concerned…”
Tusk gestured for the two to put the face shields down again. “It’s a fire djinn I captured back during my training… Don’t open it.” He then went back to welding, managing to get all sides of the cube attached to each other.
Next Tusk needed a metal plate for the base of the cube. Rummaging through his scrap pile, he found a thick piece of metal that was only slightly rusty. Assuming he only had four uses from his Rubedo Stone, he reluctantly got out his Philosopher’s Stone and performed a quick transmutation to get rid of the rust. Using the Rubedo Stone, he made four perfect cuts in the plate so it lined up with the cube. Annoyingly the stone broke and the welder began acting up again. Having gotten fed up for the final time, he growled and finished the job with a transmutation.
“Well there you go. Was that so hard, Sleepybark?” Donia playfully chided.
“No…” Tusk groaned back. A kettle began hissing loudly, snapping him out of his mood. “Oh good, it’s ready.”
“What’s ready?”
Tusk carefully poured himself a cup of hot water, then dropped a tea bag into it. “Dad dug up one of mom’s old recipe books. This tea mix apparently helps one relax and sharpens the mind.”
“You drinking tea? Since when?”
“Since I got back…” He took a sip. “That’s pretty good. Dad’s insistence.”
“Can I have some?”
“Sure. There’s another tea bag right there.” Tusk took another sip and sighed. “You know? I don’t know if the armor is my magnum opus anymore…”
Donia gave him a slightly incredulous look as she sipped her tea. “What makes you say that?”
He thought about it for a second. “It’s a good project, but now I feel like there’s a new idea out there, waiting for me.”
“And to think that several months ago you were content to be just a tree out in the forest…”
Tusk groaned again. “I know, but that whole adventure with Blood lit a whole new fire under my bum that got me thinking… Plus the stuff I brought home.”
The two finished their tea just as someone threw open the door. “UNCLE TUSK!” This startled him.
“ARGH, damn it, Auda! Don’t startle me like that…” Once he fully realized what was going on, he quickly rushed over and held her by her upper arms. “Please, for the love of Source, tell me you went to see your parents!”
She nodded. “Yup.”
“And you’re okay? Nothing’s hurt?”
She shook her head. “Nope”
Tusk let go and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the Source… Auda! What was that all about?!”
“Simple, we went to go find Grandma Thora…”
“Yeah, I know that…”
“...and we found her!”
His blood ran cold. “What…?”
“Yup! And she’s going to be home later today” Auda proudly stated.
This caused Tusk to faint, nearly falling to the floor. Donia quickly caught him. “Tusk!?” She exclaimed.
Auda snickered. “Why is uncle so tired? Did he go on an adventure too?”
Donia hefted him upright and leaned him onto her shoulders. “Auda, sweetie, help me get him to his bedroom…”
Sometime later, Blood-Wraith and Thora appeared at the entrance to the village. They were being held up by the other villagers, as to be expected since the village folk were overjoyed to have Thora back. “How long have you been gone, Thora?” Blood-Wraith inquired.
“Hm, let’s see… Auda was 6 and now she’s 12… I’d say roughly six years.”
“Wow… It’s a shame we couldn’t bring Desislav along.”
She nodded. “Yeah, but it’s for the best that he rests after all that… Now where’s my husband?”
As if directly sensing that question, Sigmund was already rushing to the entrance. He could only go so fast due to his age, but that was not going to stop him. “Thora!”
“Sigmund!” The two hugged each other tightly, with the villagers clapping and cheering. Some were also shaking Blood-Wraith’s hand and hugging him too.
“Thora, my dear, it’s been too long. What happened to you?”
“Well, alot. I met the Duchess of The Iron City and we both discovered Deimos’ old research. Apparently there’s a Trench Unlight… Sigmund, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to abandon you and the kids like that, nor the village for as long as I did…”
“It’s alright, Thora. The forest wasn’t going to let us fall. Besides, it all worked out in the end, thanks to Blood-Wraith and Tusk. And I can already sense the knowledge, skill, and insight you collected on your adventure.”
Thora smiled and hugged him again. “Speaking of the kids, where are they?”
“They’re all back at the house, waiting for you. Come, you too, Blood-Wraith. As for the rest of you, we are absolutely having another feast tonight!”
Tusk woke up in his bed, thinking about the last ten years of his life. Were they all just a bad dream? He looked at his right arm and reality came rushing back in. “Oh, right…” He remembered his fainting, sighed, and got out of bed. Blood-Wraith greeted him at his door.
“Teach… Tusk, you’re awake I see.”
“Blood… what’s up?”
“Your mother wants to see you. Do you think you’re ready? Donia told me about what happened earlier…”
He took a deep breath and exhaled. “Sure, I’m good. Let’s go.”
Everybody was in the living room talking. Sigmund, Thora, Auda, Skari, Cordelia, and even Eleanor were all present. There was also another, Tusk’s sister Hertha. They did not realize Tusk had come down stairs given how quiet he was. Auda noticed him, however. After an enthusiastic greeting from her, everyone looked at him. Thora had the warmest smile possible and began to approach him.
“Mom…”
“Tusk. Come here, sweetie.” Thora gave her son the biggest hug possible. “Alright, what’s this I heard about you losing your arm?”
He chuckled nervously. “Yeah, about that…” He held up his right arm. Skari was still uneasy about it and Hertha was shocked. “It’s holding together perfectly,” he said as he flexed his fingers, the scraping of stone being audible.
Thora inspected it thoroughly, incredibly worried, yet curious. “My goodness boy… you really did sacrifice it… I have to ask, where did you learn such a spell? Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing, whatever it is.”
“I learned it at the Dark Grand Desert. The Screaming God pointed me in the direction of it after I formulated the initial spell to weaken the Lich.”
“Does it hurt, brother?” Hertha asked.
“Nope… but it does get a little stiff overnight. Otherwise there’s not much of a difference. I have to be careful when I bang on stuff, but it’s just like my old arm.” Everyone else gave a weak chuckle to that remark.
“And you’re sure you don’t need any help?” Skari questioned.
“Absolutely,” Cordelia added. “Just let us know and we’ll be there, Tusk.”
“Don’t worry, Skari, Cordelia. I’ll be fine. Still and again, thanks for the offer.”
“He’s inherited your father’s fortitude, Skari,” Eleanor pointed out. “I think that’s evident given that he has also resumed his alchemical studies.”
Thora clapped. “Ooh! Blood told me about that. Sweetie, can I see your laboratory?”
Tusk thought for a second. “Um, sure. Just not everyone here. It’s a bit small for an entire group… and it’s not that big of a deal all things considered.”
“No problem. Kids? Have a chat with Blood for a moment while I go with Tusk. The boy's not even a year old and he already has stories to tell.”
While Blood-Wraith told the rest of the Willforts of his adventures thus far, Tusk and Donia led Thora to his workshop. Tusk was a little embarrassed over how small and messy it was, but Thora did not care. She was proud of him regardless and marveled at everything, even the failed projects. All of this made Donia giggle and chuckle. Eventually Thora found the armor he and Donia were working on.
“Oh my, what’s this?” Thora asked.
“It’s a set of armor I started a year after you left,” Tusk answered. “The idea was that it could adapt to whomever wore it and protect them. I thought it would be used against the Lich, but there were a lot of setbacks…”
“It’s a shame you didn’t finish it in time, Tusk,” Donia said sympathetically. “I would’ve loved to try it out.”
“Donia…”
Thora took a look at it. The armor was quite magnificent to her despite the simplicity. The choice of colors were also interesting, being sterling white with lime green accents. “So what was the issue you ran into?”
“Well the most recent one was the armor locking up and leaving the wearer trapped inside… guess who found that one out…”
“Hmm… Tusk, I might have some ideas we can try. If that doesn’t work, I have an Ar’ton friend named Bronislav who’s interested in stuff like this. He may also have some ideas on how to fix this.”
Tusk blinked, a little surprised. “Um, sure mom. If you think you can make it work…”
Donia patted Tusk on the back. “You would not believe how long Auda and I have been pushing him to get the project finished. It doesn’t matter if the Lich is gone, it would be a waste to not finish it.”
Thora smiled. “You two will make such a great couple once you’re married. I can’t wait to meet the grandchildren you’ll have.”
Donia giggled. “Thanks…”
“MOM!” Tusk was thoroughly embarrassed at this point.
Back at the house, Blood-Wraith was finishing up discussing what he could about Dunja. “...I legitimately feel bad for her.”
Sigmund stroked his beard, remembering something important. “Indeed, Blood. You’re right to assume she’s remorseful. I’ve had the privilege of speaking to her in recent times.”
Everyone was surprised by this. “Can you explain, dad?” Skari asked.
“I was tending to the garden when I sensed a presence out in the forest. Going to investigate, I stumbled upon her sitting by a stream, pondering her life and her existence.”
Skari was taken by surprise again, but nodded in acceptance. “Huh… well, she can’t be all that bad if the forest freely let her in like that.”
“When did this happen, Chief?” Blood-Wraith inquired.
“Hmm… possibly before the first attack you witnessed. She seemed rather regretful about something, which in hindsight was probably the attack in the first place. I also suspect she’s been hiding out in the forest…” Sigmund could feel Blood-Wraith’s emotions flare up. “It’s best that we don’t seek her out. If she’s making her way back to the light, we should let her do that in peace…”
“So that’s what I’ve been picking up on?” Thora stated as she returned with Tusk and Donia.
“Aye, my dear. It’s been going on for some time too.”
Blood-Wraith exhaled, calming down. “I suppose you’re right, chief.”
Hertha patted him on the back. “Aw, don’t worry, Blood. Everything will be alright.”
“Yeah-let’s invite her to the feast!” Auda proclaimed. The family was surprised, but Sigmund and Thora laughed.
“I had the same idea, kiddo,” said Thora with a laugh.
Sigmund smiled and shook his head. “If she shows up without a blade or ill-intent, I’ll happily seat her at the table.”
Skari gave an amused sigh. “You know what, dad? That’s what I’ve always admired about you: Always willing to extend the olive branch.”
“Well I’d dare say the great war and Desislav pushing me over burned all the wrath out of me, haha.”
Next: Chapter 14
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Master Post - Patreon
“Stupid welder! Don’t fail on me now…”
“Tusk? Why aren’t you using Alchemy for this?
He stopped what he was doing and lifted his face shield. “Donia, I don’t need to call on the powers that be for something this simple.”
“So what are you making?”
Tusk held up three plates that started to form a hollow cube. “This is something I want to try for making Rubedo Stones. I really don’t want to use my Philosopher’s Stone for every mundane transmutation. The only issue is that I suck at making Rubedo Stones though…” He reached into a jar and pulled out a gurgling, hissing, repugnant thing. “Turning Earth Spirits into stones is easy enough…” Tusk squeezed the malignant entity, causing it to glow brightly before turning into a red stone in his hand. “...but these are only good for three to five transmutations before they break and turn to dust.”
Donia processed the dilemma and nodded. “So what’s the deal here? With this weld?”
“Iron-star ash-ideal for alchemical work, and fantastic for keeping ornery spirits in line…” An iron box with sacred symbols etched into it began rattling at the far end of the workshop. “QUIET YOU! I will start throwing you against the wall again if I have to!” The box immediately calmed down.
“Honey, what’s in the box? Me and Auda have been concerned…”
Tusk gestured for the two to put the face shields down again. “It’s a fire djinn I captured back during my training… Don’t open it.” He then went back to welding, managing to get all sides of the cube attached to each other.
Next Tusk needed a metal plate for the base of the cube. Rummaging through his scrap pile, he found a thick piece of metal that was only slightly rusty. Assuming he only had four uses from his Rubedo Stone, he reluctantly got out his Philosopher’s Stone and performed a quick transmutation to get rid of the rust. Using the Rubedo Stone, he made four perfect cuts in the plate so it lined up with the cube. Annoyingly the stone broke and the welder began acting up again. Having gotten fed up for the final time, he growled and finished the job with a transmutation.
“Well there you go. Was that so hard, Sleepybark?” Donia playfully chided.
“No…” Tusk groaned back. A kettle began hissing loudly, snapping him out of his mood. “Oh good, it’s ready.”
“What’s ready?”
Tusk carefully poured himself a cup of hot water, then dropped a tea bag into it. “Dad dug up one of mom’s old recipe books. This tea mix apparently helps one relax and sharpens the mind.”
“You drinking tea? Since when?”
“Since I got back…” He took a sip. “That’s pretty good. Dad’s insistence.”
“Can I have some?”
“Sure. There’s another tea bag right there.” Tusk took another sip and sighed. “You know? I don’t know if the armor is my magnum opus anymore…”
Donia gave him a slightly incredulous look as she sipped her tea. “What makes you say that?”
He thought about it for a second. “It’s a good project, but now I feel like there’s a new idea out there, waiting for me.”
“And to think that several months ago you were content to be just a tree out in the forest…”
Tusk groaned again. “I know, but that whole adventure with Blood lit a whole new fire under my bum that got me thinking… Plus the stuff I brought home.”
The two finished their tea just as someone threw open the door. “UNCLE TUSK!” This startled him.
“ARGH, damn it, Auda! Don’t startle me like that…” Once he fully realized what was going on, he quickly rushed over and held her by her upper arms. “Please, for the love of Source, tell me you went to see your parents!”
She nodded. “Yup.”
“And you’re okay? Nothing’s hurt?”
She shook her head. “Nope”
Tusk let go and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the Source… Auda! What was that all about?!”
“Simple, we went to go find Grandma Thora…”
“Yeah, I know that…”
“...and we found her!”
His blood ran cold. “What…?”
“Yup! And she’s going to be home later today” Auda proudly stated.
This caused Tusk to faint, nearly falling to the floor. Donia quickly caught him. “Tusk!?” She exclaimed.
Auda snickered. “Why is uncle so tired? Did he go on an adventure too?”
Donia hefted him upright and leaned him onto her shoulders. “Auda, sweetie, help me get him to his bedroom…”
Sometime later, Blood-Wraith and Thora appeared at the entrance to the village. They were being held up by the other villagers, as to be expected since the village folk were overjoyed to have Thora back. “How long have you been gone, Thora?” Blood-Wraith inquired.
“Hm, let’s see… Auda was 6 and now she’s 12… I’d say roughly six years.”
“Wow… It’s a shame we couldn’t bring Desislav along.”
She nodded. “Yeah, but it’s for the best that he rests after all that… Now where’s my husband?”
As if directly sensing that question, Sigmund was already rushing to the entrance. He could only go so fast due to his age, but that was not going to stop him. “Thora!”
“Sigmund!” The two hugged each other tightly, with the villagers clapping and cheering. Some were also shaking Blood-Wraith’s hand and hugging him too.
“Thora, my dear, it’s been too long. What happened to you?”
“Well, alot. I met the Duchess of The Iron City and we both discovered Deimos’ old research. Apparently there’s a Trench Unlight… Sigmund, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to abandon you and the kids like that, nor the village for as long as I did…”
“It’s alright, Thora. The forest wasn’t going to let us fall. Besides, it all worked out in the end, thanks to Blood-Wraith and Tusk. And I can already sense the knowledge, skill, and insight you collected on your adventure.”
Thora smiled and hugged him again. “Speaking of the kids, where are they?”
“They’re all back at the house, waiting for you. Come, you too, Blood-Wraith. As for the rest of you, we are absolutely having another feast tonight!”
Tusk woke up in his bed, thinking about the last ten years of his life. Were they all just a bad dream? He looked at his right arm and reality came rushing back in. “Oh, right…” He remembered his fainting, sighed, and got out of bed. Blood-Wraith greeted him at his door.
“Teach… Tusk, you’re awake I see.”
“Blood… what’s up?”
“Your mother wants to see you. Do you think you’re ready? Donia told me about what happened earlier…”
He took a deep breath and exhaled. “Sure, I’m good. Let’s go.”
Everybody was in the living room talking. Sigmund, Thora, Auda, Skari, Cordelia, and even Eleanor were all present. There was also another, Tusk’s sister Hertha. They did not realize Tusk had come down stairs given how quiet he was. Auda noticed him, however. After an enthusiastic greeting from her, everyone looked at him. Thora had the warmest smile possible and began to approach him.
“Mom…”
“Tusk. Come here, sweetie.” Thora gave her son the biggest hug possible. “Alright, what’s this I heard about you losing your arm?”
He chuckled nervously. “Yeah, about that…” He held up his right arm. Skari was still uneasy about it and Hertha was shocked. “It’s holding together perfectly,” he said as he flexed his fingers, the scraping of stone being audible.
Thora inspected it thoroughly, incredibly worried, yet curious. “My goodness boy… you really did sacrifice it… I have to ask, where did you learn such a spell? Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing, whatever it is.”
“I learned it at the Dark Grand Desert. The Screaming God pointed me in the direction of it after I formulated the initial spell to weaken the Lich.”
“Does it hurt, brother?” Hertha asked.
“Nope… but it does get a little stiff overnight. Otherwise there’s not much of a difference. I have to be careful when I bang on stuff, but it’s just like my old arm.” Everyone else gave a weak chuckle to that remark.
“And you’re sure you don’t need any help?” Skari questioned.
“Absolutely,” Cordelia added. “Just let us know and we’ll be there, Tusk.”
“Don’t worry, Skari, Cordelia. I’ll be fine. Still and again, thanks for the offer.”
“He’s inherited your father’s fortitude, Skari,” Eleanor pointed out. “I think that’s evident given that he has also resumed his alchemical studies.”
Thora clapped. “Ooh! Blood told me about that. Sweetie, can I see your laboratory?”
Tusk thought for a second. “Um, sure. Just not everyone here. It’s a bit small for an entire group… and it’s not that big of a deal all things considered.”
“No problem. Kids? Have a chat with Blood for a moment while I go with Tusk. The boy's not even a year old and he already has stories to tell.”
While Blood-Wraith told the rest of the Willforts of his adventures thus far, Tusk and Donia led Thora to his workshop. Tusk was a little embarrassed over how small and messy it was, but Thora did not care. She was proud of him regardless and marveled at everything, even the failed projects. All of this made Donia giggle and chuckle. Eventually Thora found the armor he and Donia were working on.
“Oh my, what’s this?” Thora asked.
“It’s a set of armor I started a year after you left,” Tusk answered. “The idea was that it could adapt to whomever wore it and protect them. I thought it would be used against the Lich, but there were a lot of setbacks…”
“It’s a shame you didn’t finish it in time, Tusk,” Donia said sympathetically. “I would’ve loved to try it out.”
“Donia…”
Thora took a look at it. The armor was quite magnificent to her despite the simplicity. The choice of colors were also interesting, being sterling white with lime green accents. “So what was the issue you ran into?”
“Well the most recent one was the armor locking up and leaving the wearer trapped inside… guess who found that one out…”
“Hmm… Tusk, I might have some ideas we can try. If that doesn’t work, I have an Ar’ton friend named Bronislav who’s interested in stuff like this. He may also have some ideas on how to fix this.”
Tusk blinked, a little surprised. “Um, sure mom. If you think you can make it work…”
Donia patted Tusk on the back. “You would not believe how long Auda and I have been pushing him to get the project finished. It doesn’t matter if the Lich is gone, it would be a waste to not finish it.”
Thora smiled. “You two will make such a great couple once you’re married. I can’t wait to meet the grandchildren you’ll have.”
Donia giggled. “Thanks…”
“MOM!” Tusk was thoroughly embarrassed at this point.
Back at the house, Blood-Wraith was finishing up discussing what he could about Dunja. “...I legitimately feel bad for her.”
Sigmund stroked his beard, remembering something important. “Indeed, Blood. You’re right to assume she’s remorseful. I’ve had the privilege of speaking to her in recent times.”
Everyone was surprised by this. “Can you explain, dad?” Skari asked.
“I was tending to the garden when I sensed a presence out in the forest. Going to investigate, I stumbled upon her sitting by a stream, pondering her life and her existence.”
Skari was taken by surprise again, but nodded in acceptance. “Huh… well, she can’t be all that bad if the forest freely let her in like that.”
“When did this happen, Chief?” Blood-Wraith inquired.
“Hmm… possibly before the first attack you witnessed. She seemed rather regretful about something, which in hindsight was probably the attack in the first place. I also suspect she’s been hiding out in the forest…” Sigmund could feel Blood-Wraith’s emotions flare up. “It’s best that we don’t seek her out. If she’s making her way back to the light, we should let her do that in peace…”
“So that’s what I’ve been picking up on?” Thora stated as she returned with Tusk and Donia.
“Aye, my dear. It’s been going on for some time too.”
Blood-Wraith exhaled, calming down. “I suppose you’re right, chief.”
Hertha patted him on the back. “Aw, don’t worry, Blood. Everything will be alright.”
“Yeah-let’s invite her to the feast!” Auda proclaimed. The family was surprised, but Sigmund and Thora laughed.
“I had the same idea, kiddo,” said Thora with a laugh.
Sigmund smiled and shook his head. “If she shows up without a blade or ill-intent, I’ll happily seat her at the table.”
Skari gave an amused sigh. “You know what, dad? That’s what I’ve always admired about you: Always willing to extend the olive branch.”
“Well I’d dare say the great war and Desislav pushing me over burned all the wrath out of me, haha.”
Next: Chapter 14
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
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