The Newt and Demon - Chapter 4.63 - Zureah Materials

Tero’gal provided a much needed break from the underground world. Theo felt all his worries for the place melt away in an instant as he looked over the rolling fields of his realm. He was disappointed that no new souls had arrived within the realm, but what could he do? There was no place to hang a sign in the void that said ‘this way for a good time’. That might put off the wrong impression, though.

Owning a realm, which was effectively a new world, gave the alchemist an interesting perspective. He didn’t want to change the way these new people were developing their society, and it didn’t seem to need changing. Tero’gal was closer to a utopia than Broken Tusk could ever be. No one rushed him with reports when he entered the realm. Just a bunch of smiling faces and quick nods.

“Yeah, I was thinking about that, too,” Tresk said.

Theo shot her a look. “Digging through my thoughts?”

“I’m always digging around in there. Cavernous.”

“So, what was I thinking about?”

“About when some big bad comes and stomps on our little town. You want to bring Broken Tuskers here.”

Well, that wasn’t exactly what he was thinking about. But it had been on his mind. His last failsafe against some disaster was to interdict everyone in Broken Tusk, bringing them to the safety of Tero’gal. And reason lent itself well to the problem Fenian was stirring up. The undead were a core part of his plan. But what happened when that plan came to completion? What if the undead went away, and Qavell marched to war. The alliance would be broken underfoot, and everything they worked for would crumble in an instant.

“The moment we send Fenian away, we need to kick Throk into gear. I want my rail guns.”

“Yeah. You’ve already got my dad signed up for transcontinental railroads. What’s a few guns after that?”

This was often a point of contention between Theo and Tresk’s thoughts. She was excellent at conflict, but not planning for it. Like most Broken Tuskers, the Marshling prepared for battle at the last moment. The alchemist wanted to cover all options before the threat arrived. And they still had a [River Dungeon] monster wave to deal with. That would be the order of things, then. Monster wave, Fenian, defenses. Easy enough, so long as Aarok and Luras agreed.

Even without his Wisdom of the Soul ability, Theo knew his administrators would object to some things he would do in the future. He hoped they had confidence in him enough to accept his strategy. He snapped out of his malaise and looked inward, to the bank of knowledge stored in his mind. As with all things, he searched for an alchemical solution to his problems.

There was a long list of potions he had yet to craft. And several properties he didn’t want to explore. Properties like [Devour], which likely created a poison, and even more likely inflicted great pain on the person unlucky enough to feel the sting. Theo went over those properties with Tresk as they sat atop a hill. A delightful breeze blew in, soothing them with every gust.

“How about the Zureah stuff?” Tresk asked.

[Zureah Talons] and wings provided levitation, or offense-related properties. Theo had only discovered the first property on both, but the reagent was decently rare. The bird-people, called Zureah, spawned with the [River Dungeon]. They could stock up on monster parts from that wave, so the alchemist added it to a metal list of things to test.

“Can’t forget the spirit fruits,” Theo said.

“Except they’re rare.”

That was always a problem. Mass production was better for most potions. Especially in defending Broken Tusk. Theo had to consider how long it would take the undead to clear out, if they cleared out at all. Then how long it would take Qavell to get moving. He would assume the worst, and estimate their arrival to be seven days after the Elf was gone. That was plenty of time to discover new properties, and create new bombs.

“Property binding is also an option. I’ve only scraped the surface of primal essences. Then there’s the reagents that grow in the caverns underground… Suddenly, I have a question.”

“Huh?”

“Do the rock-folk name anything?”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“We should send Azrug down there to name everything. I’m annoyed that someone would name their city ‘Nameless City’.”

“Yeah. That sucks, too.”

Theo and Tresk hiked back to the town, spending hours wandering with little aim. Belgar must have smelled the alchemist’s intent, because he joined him near the small work area. Compared to the grumpy soul that arrived in Tero’gal, the dead Dronon was now chipper and excited about most things. But he was especially excited about his sister’s letters. He held the newest one in his hands, pressing it to his face occasionally.

“Well, I’m going to mingle,” Tresk said, turning away from the table and walking away. Alex honked nearby, swimming in the cool spring water.

“Do you remember any interesting reagents?” Theo asked.

Belgar leaned over the table, a smile spreading across his face. The more time he spent in the realm, the sharper his features became. He was almost solid enough to make out details, but he was a way off from being completely corporeal. The shocking thing was that he didn’t look like Theo. Instead of regaining the image of his old body, he seemed to forge himself a new one.

“You’ll never appreciate the unique flora and fauna of the swamp, will you?”

Theo tapped his foot, then shook his head. “I know I’ve been spoiled.”

Belgar clapped a hand on the alchemist’s back. “No need to be a grouch about it! Let’s get to work. Do you have any samples on you?”

It was hard not to smile. “Alright. First, I have a [Zureah Talon] with the [Slash] property.”

“Ah, I’ve seen that property. It’s weird. Ground into a poultice, it increases the damage of the user’s next attack. When distilled, it behaves strangely.”

“Strangely?”

“It can create a spectral slash, as if from a sword, when used as a bomb. Or, it adds that slashing effect to the user’s next attack.”

“Interesting,” Theo said. He withdrew two [Zureah Talons] from his inventory. The alchemist held his hand over the first reagent, applying his [Reagent Deconstruction] ability to draw out the second property. He did the same for the next reagent, extracting all three properties before withdrawing another sample for examination.

“How many talons do you have on you, boy?” Belgar asked, chuckling.

“Too many.”

[Zureah Talon]

[Alchemy Ingredient]

Rare

The menacing claw of a Zureah.

Properties:

[Slash] [Desperate Attack] [Berserk]

“Those seem dangerous,” Belgar said.

The names didn’t inspire confidence, that was certain. Theo prepared two stills for small runs, and Belgar helped. The grinders had some trouble with the talons, but it wasn’t as difficult for them to grind as the [Pozwa Horns]. They let the pair of still do their work to extract the [Desperate Attack] and [Berserk] properties while they moved on to other reagents.

“I have more of these [Zureah Feathers] than I know what to do with,” Theo said, withdrawing one from his inventory.

Belgar took a feather in his hand and nodded. “The [Levitate] property is solid. I would still be alive if I had a [Lesser Potion of Levitation]. Let’s discover the other properties, though.”

Theo withdrew three samples again, sending the first two up in smoke to discover their properties. After applying his champion Drogramathi mana to the reagents, he inspected the remaining one with Belgar.

[Zureah Feather]

[Alchemy Ingredient]

Epic

The feather of a Zureah, said to hold the creature’s affinity for flight.

Properties:

[Levitate] [Feather Shield] [Whirlwind]

This was the exciting part. Trying to guess what a property would produce was always fun, but Belgar hadn’t seen [Feather Shield] or [Whirlwind]. They fired up two additional stills before pulling up chairs. People-watching had become of the dead Dronon’s favorite activity in the realm. Theo couldn’t blame him. While he could still see through most of the people, they were becoming more solid by the day. They went about their lives as though nothing had happened. It was as though they hadn’t died.

The refined essences were completed in the order they were brewed. Each potion Theo created was still middling in its bond to Drogramath, no matter what people said about the temple increasing that level. Perhaps he wasn’t praying enough, or in the right way. But as he set out the essences for test reactions, he realized that people didn’t really pray. Not like back on Earth. Zarali was the only person he had seen truly praying.

“Patrons,” Theo said after a long pause.

“What?” Belgar asked.

“Everyone should call the gods patrons. Because they’re not gods.”

Belgar clapped a hand on Theo’s shoulder. “Couldn’t agree less. Brew the potions.”

Theo went through the motions of making a simple, second tier potion. It was something he had done thousands of time before. More than an exercise, or an art, it had become a series of motions that he made mindlessly. They inspected the first potion when it was completed.

[Potion of Desperate Attack]

[Potion]

Rare

Created by: Theo Spencer

Alignment:

Drogramath (Middling Bond)

Grade: Excellent Quality

To be quaffed in dire circumstances. This potion exemplifies the Zureah’s tendency to perform attacks that put their lives in danger.

Effect:

The next time the drinker attacks an enemy, they gain the Desperate Attack effect.

When Desperate Attack is activated, 50% of the drinker’s total health is consumed.

1.50 times the amount of total health is applied to the drinker’s attack.

“See?” Belgar asked. “That potion is a trap. Fifty percent of the drinker’s total health.”

“Meaning they could kill themselves with the potion.”

“Exactly. Anything that concerns total health percentages is scary.”

That reminded Theo of the searing regeneration modified effect on potions. It often created things that would kill the user as often as it would help them.

“But wait,” Theo said, moving to brew the potion with the [Berserk] property. “There’s more!”

Unlike the [Potion of Desperate Attack], this next one seemed to fight against Theo’s will. He had experienced this in the past. Willful potions weren’t uncommon, and most potions that used the third property of reagent were like this. He took his time, making sure his core allowed him to measure exact quantities. After adding the catalyst to the vial, the alchemist watched as the essence boiled within. It turned a dark shade of red, mottled with black. A few moments later, the reaction calmed down. What was left was a mixture of the two colors, running in bands along the potion.

“Nasty looking thing,” Belgar said, stooping low for inspection.

“Indeed.”

[Potion of Berserk]

[Potion]

Epic

Created by: Theo Spencer

Alignment:

Drogramath (Middling Bond)

Grade: Excellent Quality

To be quaffed in circumstances without hope. This represents the Zureah’s tendency of fighting to the death.

Effect:

The next time the drinker attacks an enemy, they gain the Berserk effect.

When Berserk is active, 98% of the drinker’s total health is consumed.

2.50 times the amount of total health is applied to the drinker’s attack.

If the drinker is still alive after the attack, they enter a state of Berserker’s Rage.

The drinker will no longer recognize friend from foe, and for the next twenty seconds they cannot be killed by reducing their health to 0.

Each attack they perform will contain the power of the original Berserk effect, without consuming 98% of their total health.

“Well, screw that potion,” Theo said. “This is the second-most dangerous potion I’ve ever crafted.”

“Hmmm,” Belgar said, tapping his chin as he read the description again. “I’m not so certain.”

“How could this possibly be useful?”

“Combined with a [Life Ward] effect, this could be a powerful weapon. True, the user would need to make sure they’re at full health before they use it… but the effect? An invulnerable fighter on the battlefield.”

“Twenty seconds of invulnerability,” Theo corrected. “Without a sense for friend or foe. What is the [Life Ward] effect?”

“Zarali and I used to brew [Lesser Potions of Life Ward] from a root that grew in the Veostian Highlands. After drinking it, all the damage you take over the next minute is restored if your health reaches 0.”

“That’s insane,” Theo said. “And incredibly situational.”

“But notice the wording of the [Potion of Berserk]. They cannot be killed by reducing their health to 0. Is there another way?”

“There must be. It wouldn’t mention it, otherwise.”

The alchemist couldn’t decide if the [Potion of Berserk] was good. If he could find something with the [Life Ward] property, it would turn any fighter into a demon. Theo had a sense that the potion’s description was leaving something out. The [Berserker’s Rage] effect likely held more secrets. He shelved it in his mind as something to brew if he found the [Life Ward] property on anything. Until then, it was time to move on.

“Right. I’ll have to find that other property to use this correctly,” Theo said, nodding. “As always, your knowledge is helpful.”

“Anytime.”

Next were the essences they had distilled from the [Zureah Feather]. Theo expected less from these, and was happy to brew two potions that wouldn’t kill him. The reaction of the [Feather Shield] property was mild, especially compared to [Berserk]. The ornate vial swirled with green energy, then settled down almost immediately. Both he and Belgar leaned close, inspecting the next potion.

[Potion of Feather Shield]

[Potion]

Rare

Created by: Theo Spencer

Alignment:

Drogramath (Middling Bond)

Grade: Excellent Quality

Surrounds the drinker with a shield of feathers.

Effect:

For 10 minutes after drinking this potion, the imbiber will gain a shield of feathers.

Drinker will become more difficult to hit.

If an attacker lands a hit on the drinker, there is a 5% chance that the damage is negated.

“This is a solid defensive potion,” Belgar said. “Compared to [Barkskin] and similar effects, it doesn’t have any drawbacks.

“Yes, but the effect is less impressive. Becoming more difficult to hit is nice, but I like negating damage entirely.”

“Still, you never know what combinations you can make.”

“True. And I have thousands of these feathers.”

“Ah, I’ve missed this.” Belgar let out a long, labored sigh. “Drifting in the void doesn’t hold a candle to alchemy.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Next up was the [Whirlwind] effect. The first impression that Theo got from the property was that it was an attack. But as he held the [Refined Whirlwind Essence] in his hand, he realized that wasn’t the case. Like the [Feather Shield] property, this was a defensive potion. It reminded him of the scent given off by the [Retreat Essence]. He performed the reaction without thinking much about it. The essence swirled in the vial as though driven by a powerful squall. It didn’t settle down much, even after the reaction ended. The potion looked more like a hurricane in a bottle than a liquid. Both he and Belgar inspected it.

[Potion of Whirlwind]

[Potion]

Epic

Created by: Theo Spencer

Alignment:

Drogramath (Middling Bond)

Grade: Excellent Quality

Surrounds the drinker with a whirlwind.

Effect:

The drinker is sent into the air in a direction of their choosing.

The whirlwind left behind knocks all enemies back.

“Interesting, but it lacks the Featherfall effect,” Beglar said, tapping his chin.

“Rename it to the ‘Potion of Splat’,” Theo said, chuckling at his own joke.

Belgar joined in, laughing with him. There were some interesting potions in the bunch. The [Potion of Feather Shield] had its uses, and might become even better at third tier. Those potions born from the [Zureah Talons] were likely the best, but it was debatable. Without a potion with the [Life Ward] property, they would be impossible to use safely. Even then, it would be tricky.

Potions that had a clear effect without drawbacks were always the best. But Theo wasn’t looking for something that restored health, or increased a person’s attributes. He was looking for a weapon. Only, he didn’t expect to find the means to create a living weapon. The modifiers he could place on the [Potion of Berserk], or his future [Greater Potion of Berserk] would likely be equally insane.

Belgar seemed to have gotten his fill of potion-making, and Theo couldn’t agree more. Instead, the alchemist told him the story of the underground civilization. The only thing he was interested in was obtaining a sample of the dragon’s scales, claiming it would create an amazing potion.

Theo had his doubts about that. The dragon had almost no presence when they met. Which meant it was powerful enough to not emit anything that would disturb his senses. Conceptually heavy reagents like that, including the spirit fruits, were difficult to deal with. Processing them required special skills and handling techniques. Certainly a dragon’s scales would be the most difficult thing to turn into a potion. But there was still a small part of the alchemist that wanted to know. Who wouldn’t want to know.

The real world beckoned, in time. Theo, Tresk, and Alex spent no more time in the realm than last time. Without more spirits, the power of the realm didn’t grow. But it was enough for them to get their heads straight about the situation in the caverns. Allies were always important, especially if they had things to trade.

The alchemist looked toward the sky, willing the group back to the mortal plane. The next time they visited this private realm, they would throw Fenian into the fire. What hell followed in his wake required reverence. And caution.